GB559263A - Improvements in or relating to the gaseous treatment of wool and analogous fibres - Google Patents

Abstract

559,263. Treating wool &c. with gases &c. BRANDWOOD, J. May 5, 1942, Nos. 6012, 13390 and 17432. [Classes 15 (i) and 15 (ii)] Wool or analogous fibres in the form of rovings, yarns, or the like are wound upon or mounted in wound form upon perforated central holders, the wind being such that the material is evenly permeable to gases, and a gas such as chlorine or bromine, which renders the wool resistant to shrinking, is passed under pressure through the wound material and to the atmosphere. The apparatus used may comprise a treatment vessel with two compartments, gas, air, and liquor inlets for one of the compartments ; gas, air, and liquor outlets for the other compartment ; and seatings for the wound perforated holders between the compartments and forming the only way from one to the other for the supplied gas, air, or liquor. In a modification, the outlet compartment is directly open to the atmosphere. The wool yarn may be wound in the form of a cheese or cop with a soft wind, or it may be wound upon a perforated holder in such manner that it presents a thin, even, and permeable layer to the gas applied radially thereto. Holders of large diameter may be used. The winding is effected with sufficient tension to restrain the component fibres from crinkling or becoming disordered, and the fibres may even be wound in a more or less stretched condition. Rovings may be wound under tension by using the apparatus of Specification 529,703, [Group IX]. Prior to the treatment with chlorine or other gas, the wound yarns may be moistened, e.g. by passing a scouring liquid through them. The chlorine or other gas may be diluted with air. In an example, the weight of wool treated is 600 lbs., and chlorine gas is passed through the material at the rate of 9¢ ozs. per minute for 20 minutes, irrespective of the amount of air which may be mixed with it. As shown, perforated holders 20 are wound with rovings or yarns x, a cross-wind being employed. The holders are placed in position around the rods 21 in the vessel 1, intermediate rings 24 being provided, and they are secured by closer caps 28 and nuts 27. Air under pressure passes along pipes 14 and 13 and enters the vessel 1. Chlorine is then supplied through regulator 9, reducer valve 11 and pipe 13 to vessel 1. The mixture of air and chlorine passes through the wool packages, into the lower compartment of vessel 1 and thence through outlet 18, to the atmosphere. When the gas treatment is finished the gas inlet is closed, and compressed air passes through the apparatus to clear out the residual chlorine. The air supply is then closed and wash water is supplied through pipe 17 and removed through pipe 19. The wound material may be subjected to dyeing or other fluid treatments in the same apparatus. The pipe connections may be varied so as to permit the fluids to be passed in the reverse direction, and vessel 1 may be modified by dispensing with the cover and leaving it as an open-topped tank. Yarn cops may be treated and in this case, the treating vessel may be provided with perforated metal skewers for holding the cops. A number of yarn threads wound with a permeable wind upon perforated stainless metal beams may be subjected to the treatment.