Patent GB-682263-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to crimped fibres and method and apparatus for making the same
Inventor: RAINARD LEO WALTER
IPC: D02G1/12
Filed: 1950-02-01
Abstract: <PICT:0682263/IV (a)/1> Artificial fibres such as viscose rayon, acetate rayon, nylon, condensation products of terephthalic acid and glycol and polyvinylidene chloride products, either in staple or filament form, are crimped by feeding them into a zone maintained full of a mass of the fibres where they are held under pressure to cause the fibres to be folded, advancing them to a discharge point and treating them while in the crimping zone with a setting agent. Preferred setting agents are hot air, hot water, steam, thioglycolic acid and its salts, such as calcium or sodium thioglycolate, formaldehyde, a sulphoxylate formaldehyde, such as those of zinc and sodium, urea formaldehyde or melamine formaldehyde resins, or protein precipitants, such as picric acid, phosphotungstic acid or tannic acid.  For the treatment of uncrosslinked synthetic thermoplastic fibres, hot air may be injected at 212 DEG  to 300 DEG  F. to soften the fibres, followed by cold air to cool the fibres to 180 DEG  F. Suitable apparatus comprises a chamber formed of tubes 33, 35 with tapering bores and closed at one end by a pair of weighted doors 52 and at the other end by a pair of feed rollers 11, 12, one of which is spring-urged towards the other.  The setting agent may be injected into the chamber through a pipe 45, an annular passage 43 and radial passages 42.ALSO:<FORM:0682263/IV (c)/1> Natural or manufactured fibres, such as wool, silk, cotton, hemp, jute, ramie, flax, viscose rayon, acetate rayon, nylon, condensation products of terephthalic acid and glycol and polyvinylidene chloride products, either in staple or filament form, are crimped by feeding them into a zone maintained full of a mass of the fibres where they are held under pressure to cause the fibres to be folded, advancing them to a discharge point and treating them while in the crimping zone with a setting agent. Preferred setting agents are hot air, hot water, steam, thioglycolic acid and its salts, such as calcium or sodium thioglycolate, formaldehyde, a sulphoxylate formaldehyde, such as those of zinc and sodium, urea formaldehyde or melamine formaldehyde resins, or protein precipitants, such as picric acid, phosphotungstic acid, or tannic acid.  In an example, wool is entered into the crimping zone at a pH of 4.0 to 9.0, and steam or superheated water is injected to raise the temperature of the fibres to between 212 DEG and 300 DEG  F. and to produce a moisture content in the fibres of 20 to 55 per cent.  In another example, silk fibres at a pH of 8 are raised to 210 DEG  F. by steam injection, producing a moisture content of 70 to 90 per cent.  For the treatment of vegetable fibres and uncrosslinked synthetic thermoplastic fibres, hot air may be injected at 212 DEG  to 300 DEG  F. to soften the fibres, followed by cold air to cool the fibres to 180 DEG  F.  Suitable apparatus comprises a chamber formed of tubes 33, 35 with tapering bores and closed at one end by a pair of weighted doors 52 and at the other end by a pair of feed rollers 11, 12, one of which is spring-urged towards the other.  The setting agent may be injected into the chamber through a pipe 45, an annular passage 43 and radial passages 42.