IE50575B1 - Method and apparatus for production of materials having visual surface effects - Google Patents

Abstract

The pile (108) of a fabric (106) comprising a backing and thermally modifiable pile yarns is raised by directing a thin, elongated stream (110) of heated gas from a slot and into the pile while moving the fabric in a direction opposite to that in which the pile is inclined. As shown the angle between the direction of the stream (110) and the direction of movement is less than 90 DEG ; the angle may extend to as much as 90 DEG . The temperature and pressure of the heated stream are such that the pile is reoriented and heat set approximately perpendicular to the backing.

Description

This invention, relates to an improved method and apparatus for pressurized fluid stream treatment of relatively moving materials to provide visual surface effects therein.

The present application describes matter for which protection 5 is sought in Patent Specification No. 5o51fc As used herein, the term “fluid includes gaseous, liquid, and solid fluent materials which may be directed in a cohesive pressurized stream or streams against the surface of a substrate material. The term gas includes air, steam, and other gaseous or vaporous media, or mixtures thereof, which may be directed in a cohesive pressurized stream or streams The term substrate is intended to define any material, the surface of which may be contacted by a pressurized stream or streams of fluid to impart a change in the visual appearance thereof.

Although substrates particularly suited for pressurized fluid stream treatment with the apparatus of the present invention are textile fabric constructions, and, more particularly, textile fabrics containing thermoplastic yarn and/or fiber components wherein pressurized heated fluid stream treatment of the surface of the fabric causes thermal modification of the yarns or fibers to produce - 3 a desired surface effect or pattern therein, the apparatus may be employed to treat any substrate wherein the nature of the pressurized treating fluid stream or substrate causes a visual change in the surface of the substrate due to contact by the stream. For example, the treating fluid may be a solvent for the substrate material, or the temperature of the fluid may be such as to thermally modify or deform the components of the substrate contacted by the fluid streams to produce such effects.

As used herein, the term textile fabric is intended to include all types of continuous or discontinuous webs or sheets containing fiber or yarn components, such as knitted, woven, tufted, flocked, laminated, or non-woven fabric constructions, in which pressurized heated fluids may impart a change in the visual surface appearance of the fabric.

It is known to impart a surface pattern to certain acrylic pile fabrics by roll embossing, wherein the pile surface is brought into engagement with raised surfaces of the roll to press heated pile fibers into the backing of the fabric and transfer the roll surface pattern into the fabric surface. However, such roll embossing of heated pile fabric products is quite expensive because a different pattern roll is required for each different pattern to be applied to the fabric, and the length of a pattern repeat in the fabric is limited by the circumference of the pattern roll. In addition, it is believed that the patterns produced in acrylic pile fabrics by embossing cannot generally be obtained by roll embossing melt spun thermoplastic yarn fabrics, such as nylon and polyester pile fabrics, due to the difficulty of obtaining the high temperatures required to sufficiently shrink and heat-set the yarns, and the resultant tendency for sticking of the yarns to the embossing roll.

It is known in the dyeing of fabrics to pattern dye a moving fabric by the use of continuously flowing liquid streams of dyestuff which are selectively deflected away from striking the fabric by intersecting streams of air controlled in accordance with pattern information. 0. S. Patent No. 3,969,779 and G. S. Patent No. 4,059,880 disclose apparatus used for such purpose.

It is generally known to employ apparatus to direct pressurized air or steam into the surface of textile fabrics to alter the location of S0575 - 5 or modify the thermal properties of fibers or yarns therein to provide a change in the surface appearance of such fabrics. U. S. Patent No. 3,010,179 discloses apparatus for treating synthetic pile fabrics by directing a plurality of jets or dry steam from headers onto the face of the moving fabric to deflect and deorient the pile fibers in areas contacted by the steam, and the fabric is thereafter dried and heated to heat-set the deflected fibers and provide a visual effect simulating fur pelts. U. S. Patent No. 2,563,259 discloses a method of patterning a flocked pile fabric by directing plural streams of air into the flocked surface of the fabric, before final curing of the adhesive in which the fibers are embedded, to reorient the pile fibers and produce certain patterns therein. U. S. Patent No. 3,585,098 discloses apparatus for hot air or dry steam treatment of the pile surface of a fabric to relax stresses in the synthetic fibers and cause a disorientation and curling of the fibers throughout the fabric. U. S. Patent No. 2,241,222 discloses apparatus having a plurality of jet orifices for directing pressurized air or steam perpendicularly into a fluffy fabric surface to raise and curl the nap or fluff - 6 of the fabric. U. S. Patent No. 2,110,118 discloses a manifold having a narrow slot for directing pressurized air against the surface of a fabric containing groups of tufts to fluff the tufts during a textile treating operation.

Although the patents mentioned in the preceding paragraph indicate generally that pressurized air and steam may be employed to alter the surface appearance of fabrics, it is believed that such prior art devices do not possess sufficient accuracy ana precision of control of high temperature cas streams to obtain highly precise and intricate surface patterns with well defined boundaries, but generally can.only be used to produce relatively grossly defined surface patterns, or surface fiber modifications of a random, non-defined nature. In addition, the apparatus appear to be limited as to the variety of different patterns that can be produced in the fabrics therewith.

In modifying the surface appearance of a relatively moving substrate, such as a textile fabric, by application of streams of fluid, many difficulties are encountered in controlling the flow, pressure, and direction of the streams with sufficient reliability and accuracy to impart i/. 50578 - 7 precisely defined and intricate pattersn to the textile fabric. In, addition to preciseness of pattern definition, difficulties are presented in effectively handling very high temperature fluids while maintaining a uniform temperature in the fluid streams across the width of a moving fabric, as well as in controlling rapid activation and deactivation of heated streams by conventional valves located in the heated fluid flow lines.

When heated fluid, such as heated air or steam is applied to the surface of a fabric in one or more streams spaced along an elongate manifold, difficulties are encountered in maintaining uniform temperature of the stream or streams across the full width of the manifold.

If pressurized heated fluid is introduced into the manifold from a single location along its length to be discharged from an elongate narrow slot or a plurality of openings extending along the length of the manifold, the varying distances of flow of the fluid through the manifold and from the source of heating of the fluid causes variable temperature losses in the fluid and resultant temperature differences in the fluid streams being discharged from the manifold. - 8 When the heat of the fluid in the streams is employed to thermally modify thermoplastic yarns and fibers in the fabrics to cause longitudinal shrinkage and molecular reorientation to produce a desired pattern in the fabric, differences in the temperatures of the streams striking the fabric can produce undesirable irregularities in the pattern applied thereto. It is therefore important to ensure that all streams striking the fabric be of substantially uniform temperature. Also, contaminants in the heated fluid can easily block and clog small individual jet orifices of a pressurized fluid applicator, resulting in down time of the treating apparatus to clear the blockage, and less of fabric product due to improper patterning by the apparatus during such blockage.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for more reliable and precise surface patterning of substrate materials with pressurized fluid streams than heretofore believed obtained by prior apparatus and methods. - 9 The invention is defined below in the claims.

The invention will be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic, overall, side elevation view representation of apparatus for imparting visual surface effects in a moving substrate in accordance with the present invention; - 10 Figure 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic front elevation view of the pressurized heated fluid applicator section of the apparatus of Figure 1, illustrating an arrangement of the component parts thereof for supplying both heated and relatively cool pressurized gas to a hot gas distributing manifold of the applicator; Figure 2A is a schematic block wiring diagram indicating the manner in which electri10 cal energy is supplied to the bank of heaters of Figures 1 and 2 to control the temperatures of pressurized fluid supplied therefrom to the heated fluid distributing manifold; and Figure 3 is an enlarged schematic pex15 spective view of a portion of the hot gas distributing manifold of Figures 1 and 2, with portions broken away and shown in section to illustrate certain of the interior components and a shim member employed in the elongate slot of the manifold to impart a desired surface pattern to the relatively moving substrate; Figure 4 is a schematic sectional elevation view of the heated gas distributing manifold of Figure 3; and additionally showing the use of pressurized cooler gas distribution means for selectively blocking portions of the heated - 11 gas from exiting from the manifold to produce a patterned appearance in the substrate; Figure 5 is a schematic sectional view of a portion of the hot gas distributing manifold shown in Figure 4, taken generally along line V-V of Figure 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 6 is a schematic sectional elevation view of a modified form of the hot gas manifold, with shim member removed from the hot gas distributing slot of the manifold and with only the cooler gas distributing means employed to control the hot gas discharge from the slot; Figure 7 is a schematic sectional view of portions of the manifold of Figure 6, taken generally along line VII-VII therein, and looking in the direction of the arrows; Figure 8 is an enlarged schematic perspective view of a shim member employed with the hot gas manifold to distribute the gas in narrow spaced streams onto the surface of a substrate; Figures 9 and 10 illustrate schematically the method by which the treating apparatus of the invention may be employed to raise the pile of a textile pile fabric substrate having a generally uni-directional pile yarn lay in the fabric; and S057S - 12 Figures 11-15 are photographs of the surface of certain textile fabric products treated by and produced in accordance with apparatus and methods of the present invention.

The apparatus to be described includes a heated fluid distributing manifold having a narrow elongate slot disposed across the path of relative movement of the substrate and located closely adjacent the surface to be treated. By controlling energy supplied to a plurality of individual heaters located to direct heated pressurized fluid into uniformly spaced locations along the compartment of the elongate heated fluid distributing manifold, a uniform temperature of the heated fluid is maintained along the length of the manifold.

Pressurized fluid, such as air, under high temperatures, e.g. 300° - 700°F (149° - 371°C), preferably above the second order glass transition point of thermoplastic yams in the fabrics, is supplied to the - 13 manifold and directed from the slot generally perpendicularly intg the surface of the moving substrate, while the discharge of the hot air from the slot is controlled to direct the same in one or more narrow, precisely defined streams which impinge upon the substrate surface to impart a desired surface change therein. The heated air striking the substrate, in the case of substrates comprising textile fabrics contain10 ing thermoplastic yarns or fibers, causes thermal modification of the thermoplastic fibers and yarn components in the fabric to alter the physical appearance thereof, longitudinally shrinking the fibers and yarns in selected areas to form patterns having precisely defined boundaries.

In one embodiment of the invention, heated fluid, such as air, is selectively directed into precisely defined streams by the use of an elongate shim member having notches selectively spaced along an edge of the shim member, with the notched edge of the shim member disposed in the manifold i slot along its length to define spaced channels ι for directing the air into narrow plural streams J onto the surface of the relatively moving sub- , strate. The shim member is further constructed ι to provide for filtration of foreign particles - 14 from the air to prevent clogging of the channels while maintaining continued flow of the air a streams therethrough.

In a further embodiment, the treating apparatus includes means for selectively directing pressurized, relatively cooler gas streams transversely across the manifold slot at spaced locations therealong to effectively block the passage of hot air from striking the substrate in such locations, in accordance with pattern control information. The pressurized cool gas discharge means include suitable valves for individually controlling the flow of each of the blocking streams of cool gas, such as air, and the cooler gas blocking means may be employed in the manifold slot with or without the aforementioned shim members to selectively pattern the substrate surface in accordance with pattern information.

The invention further includes fluid handling means for maintaining uniform distribution of the heated fluid across the full length of the manifold and manifold slot, thus ensuring more accurate and precise heat patterning of the substrate-thereby.

In a further embodiment, pressurized ambient fluid, such as air, is supplied to each - 15 heater through individual conduits, each containing a fluid flow metering valve for independently and precisely regulating fluid flow through each heater. The heaters are connected electrically in parallel to a common power supply, and temperature sensing means, such as a thermocouple, is located in or adjacent the heated fluid outlet of each heater into the manifold compartment. Each thermocouple is connected to a temper10 ature recorder where the individual fluid outlet temperature of each heater may be observed. A single thermocouple senser located centrally in the fluid distributing manifold is operatively connected to a power control regulator in the common power supply line to the heaters. When pressurized fluid and power are initially supplied to each heater unit, the individual fluid outlet temperatures of each heater are observed and any variations in such temperatures are precisely balanced to a common temperature by incremental adjustment of the fluid flow through one or more of the heaters by use of the aforementioned metering valves. Thus, when the heater outlet fluid temperatures are uniformly balanced, the tempera25 ture in the manifold compartment may be thereafter sensed at a single location along its length to regulate power supply uniformly and simultaneously to all heaters. - 16 With the ability to incrementally adjust fluid flow through each heater to uniformly balance exit fluid temperatures therefrom, it becomes unnecessary to thereafter individually monitor and separately control power supplied to each heater to maintain uniform temperature across the length of the manifold.

The high temperature fluid treatment method and apparatus of the present invention is particularly suited to produce surface patterns of highly precise boundary definition in pile fabrics containing melt-spun thermoplastic pile yarns, which patterns are not theretofore believed to have been produceable with heated fluid treatment apparatus of the prior art. Surface patterns may also be imparted to pile fabrics containing non-thermoplastic type yarn components, such as rayon or acrylic yarns, although the definition obtained in the patterns generally does not appear as precisely defined as in the patterning of thermoplastic yarn-containing fabrics. Further, the method and apparatus may be employed to selectively treat woven fabrics containing thermoplastic yarns to provide crepe or blister-type patterns in such fabrics.

Although the apparatus of the present invention is particularly adapted to treatment of textile fabrics containing thermoplastic fiber and yarn components to provide various visual surface effects therein, it is comtemplated that the apparatus may be used in fluid treatment of other substrate materials containing thermoplastic components to thermally alter their visual appearance or provide a desired pattern therein. 5057S - 17 Referring more particularly to the drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of apparatus as well as certain fabric products of the present invention, Figure 1 is a schematic side elevation view of the overall treating apparatus of the present invention. As shown diagrammatically, an indefinite length substrate material, such as a textile fabric 10, is continuously directed from a supply source, such as roll 11, by means of driven, variable speed feed rolls 12, 13 to a pressurized heated fluid treatment device, indicated generally at 14.

The moving fabric 10 is supported during application of heated fluid thereto by passage about a support roll 16, and the fluid treated fabric is thereafter directed by driven, variable speed take-off rolls 18, 19 to a fabric collection roll 20.

A conventional fabric edge-guiding device 21, well known in the art, may be provided in the fabric path between feed rolls 12, 13 and the fluid treating device 14 to maintain proper lateral alignment of the fabric during its passage over support roll 16. The speed of the feed rolls 12, 13 support roll 16, and take-off rolls 18, 19 - 36 may be controlled, in known manner, to provide the desired speed of fabric travel and the desired tensions in the fabric entering, passing through, and leaving the fluid treating device 14.

As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, pressurized fluid treating device 14 includes an elongate heated gas discharge manifold 30 which extends perpendicularly across the path of movement of fabric 10 and has a narrow, elongate discharge XO slot 32 for directing a stream of pressurized heated gas, such as air, into the surface of the fabric and at an angle generally perpendicular to the surface during its movement over support roll 16.

Pressurized gas, such as air, is supplied to the interior of the discharge manifold 30 by means of an air compressor 34 which is connected by air conduit line 36 to opposite ends of an elongate cool air manifold, or header pipe, 38. 2o Located in the air conduit line 36 to control the flow and pressure of air to manifold 38 is a master control valve 40, and an air pressure regulator valve 42. A suitable air filter 44 is also provided to assist in removing contaminants from the air passing into cool air manifold 38.

Pressurized air in the cool air manifold is directed from manifold 38 to the interior - 13 compartment of hot air discharge manifold 30 through a bank 46 of individual electric heaters, two of which, 48, are illustrated in Figure 2.

Bach heater is connected by inlet and outlet conduits 50, 52 respectively, positioned in uniformly spaced relation along the lengths of the two majiifolds 38, 30 to heat and uniformly distribute the pressurized air from manifold 38 along the full length of the discharge manifold 30. Typically, for a 60 inch long discharge manifold, 24 one kilowatt electric heaters, with heater outlet conduits 52 spaced on 2 1/2 inch (63.5 nm) centers along the length of the manifold, may be employed in the heater bank 46. The bank of heaters 46 may be enclosed in a suitable insulated housing.

Located in each inlet conduit 50 to each heater 48 in the heater bank is a manually adjustable fluid-flow metering valve 61 to precisely control the rate of flow of pressurized air from header pipe 38 through each of the respective heaters 48. Typically, the valves may be of needle valve type for precise flow control, and the use thereof will be hereinafter explained.

Positioned in the air outlet conduit 52 of each heater is a temperature sensing device, such as a thermocouple, the position of only one of - 20 which, 54, has been shown in Figure 2, to measure the temperature of the outflowing air from each heater. Each of the thermocouples 54 are electrically connected by suitable wiring (illustrated by lines 55 in Figures 2 and 2A) to a conventional electrical chart recorder 58 where all air temperatures in the heater outlet conduits can be observed and monitored visually or by audible signal. Electric current is uniformly supplied, as required, to all individual heaters from a common power source, generally indicated at 60.

As illustrated in Figure 2A, the electrical heaters 48 are connected in parallel by suitable electrical wiring 22 to common main power supply 60. Located in the main power supply line to the individual heaters 48 is a conventional power controller 24, such as a silicon controlled rectifier Model 7301 manufactured by Electronic Control Systems. Located in the interior compart20 ment of elongate manifold 30 at a mid portion along its length is a temperature sensing device, or thermocouple 26 (Figure. 2A), which is electrically connected to a conventional temperature controller 28, such as a Model 6700 control unit manufactured by Electronic Control Systems. The temperature controller 28 is electrically connected in known manner to the power controller 24 such - 21 that a desired temperature may be maintained in the compartment of £he discharge manifold 30 by a periodic supply of uniform electrical energy to the heaters 48 of the heater bank 46.

As best seen in Figures 3, 4, and 6, heated air discharge manifold 30 is formed of upper and lower wall sections 52, 64 which are removably secured together by suitable fastening means, such as spaced bolts 66, to form the interior compartment 68 of the manifold as well as opposed parallel walls 70, 72 of the elongate discharge slot 32.

Prior to discharge through slot 32, heated air passing into the compartment 68 of manifold 30 from the outlet conduits 52 of the bank of heaters 48 is directed rearwardly and then forwardly in a reversing path through the manifold compartment (as indicated by the arrows) by means of a baffle plate 74 which forms a narrow elongate opening rearwardly in compartment 68 for passage of the air from the upper to the lower portion of the compartment. Baffle plate 74 thus provides for more uniform distribution of the air in the soanifold compartment and further facilitates the maintenance of uniform air temperature and pressure in the manifold. Baffle plate 74 is supported in - 22 manifold compartment 68 by spacer sleeves 76 surrounding bolts 66.

As best seen in Figures 4-7, located in the wall surface 72 of lower wall section 64 of the manifold and positioned in spaced relation along the length of the discharge slot are a « plurality of cool air discharge outlets 78.

Each outlet is individually connected by a suitable flexible conduit 80 and solenoid valve 82 to a cool air manifold 84, which is in turn connected to air compressor 34 by conduit 86 (Fig. 2) . Located in conduit 86 is a master control valve 88, air pressure regulator valve 90, and air filter 92.

As diagrammatically illustrated in Figure 2, each of the individual solenoid valves is electrically operatively connected to a suitable pattern control device 94 which sends electrical impulses to open and close selected of the solenoid valves in accordance with predetermined pattern information. Various conventional pattern control devices well known in the art may be employed to activate and deactivate the valves in desired sequence. Typically, the pattern control device may be of a type described in U.S. Patent No. 3,894,413. - 23 As illustrated in Figures 4 and 6, each of the cool air discharge outlets 78 is located in the lower wall surface 72 of the manifold slot 32 to direct a pressurized discrete stream of relatively cool air transversely across the heated air discharge slot in a direction perpendicular to the passage of heated air therethrough. The pressure of the cooler air streams is maintained at a level sufficient to effectively block and stop the passage of heated air through the slot in the portion or portions into which the cold air streams are discharged. Thus, by activation and deactivation of the individual streams of cool air by the solenoid valves 82 in accordance with information from pattern control device 94, pressurized heated air passing through the slot will be directed in one or more distinct streams to strike the moving fabric surface in a desired location, thus providing a pattern effect in the surface of the fabric 10 as it passes the discharge manifold.

The cooler air which blocks the passage of the heated air passes out of the slot in place of the heated air to dissipate around or into the fabric surface without altering the thermal characteristics of the fabric or appreciably disturbing the yarns or fibers therein. Note the arrows indicating air flow in Figures 4, 6, and 7. To ensure that the cooler blocking air is maintained sufficiently cool so as not to effect or thermally modify the fabric, the ambient air may be additionally cooled prior to discharge across the manifold slot 32 by provision of a cool water header pipe 95 through which the cool air conduits 80 pass.

Although cool pressurized air blocking means, as specifically described herein, is preferred for controlling discharge of the heated pressurized gas streams, it is contemplated that other type blocking means, such as movable baffles, may be employed in the elongate slot 32 to selectively prevent passage of the heated pressurized air into the fabric.

In initial start up of the fluid treating apparatus, electrical power is supplied uniformly to the heaters 48 of the heater bank 46 from power supply source 60 and pressurized air is passed through the heaters from the air compressor 34. The temperature controller unit 28 is set at a selected temperature. When the air temperature in the discharge manifold compartment, as measured by thermocouple 26, reaches the desired temperature setting, the individual exit air temperatures in the exit air conduit from each of the individual - 25 heaters are observed on the chart recorder 58.

In the event that there is any temperature difference between any one or more of the individual heater exit air temperatures observed on the chart recorder 58, the needle control metering valve 61 of the heater unit or units in which a discrepancy is observed is manually adjusted by an incremental amount to increase or decrease the flow of air through the heater, thereby correspondingly decreasing or increasing the temperature of the air exiting from the individual heater. Thus, the individual exit air temperatures from the entire bank of heaters can be precisely balanced by incremental adjustment of the air flow therethrough to a uniform temperature, thereby compensating for heater manufacturing tolerance variations or minor flow variations in heaters in the fluid flow system. Thereafter, a uniform temperature may be maintained throughout the entire length of the discharge manifold compartment by adjusting the supply of power to all heaters uniformly through the single thermocouple sensor 26 centrally located in the manifold compartment.

Apparatus is provided for circulating a heat transfer fluid through the interior of the rotatable support roll 16 - 26 (Figure 1) about which the continuous length of substrate passes during contact by the heated fluid from fluid distributing manifold 30. As can be appreciated, when the pressurized heated fluid stream or streams strike the surface of the substrate to thermally modify and provide a desired visual change therein, the heated fluid also heats the underlying adjacent surface portion of support roll 16. Such localized heating of the support roll can produce differential thermal expansion and contraction of the roll along its length, particularly when the moving substrate may be temporarily stopped during the processing operations. Such differential expan15 sion and contraction of support roll 16 can produce warping and distortion of the roller surface adjacent the discharge slot 32 of the manifold 30, causing the fabric substrate supported thereon to be positioned at different dis20 tances from the discharge slot 32 along the length of the slot and resulting in irregular patterning of the substrate due to temperature and pressure differences of the heated fluid streams striking the substrate surface.

To prevent such bowing or distortion and consequent irregular patterning of the substrate S057S surface, means are provided for circulating a fluid heat transfer medium through the rotating roll 16 during fluid treating operations. As seen in Figure 1, a suitable fluid, such as cooled or heated water or steam is circulated into and from the interior of roll 16 from a suitable supply source, indicated generally at 96, through conduit means 91 connected to the central hollow support shaft of the roll. Apparatus for circulating fluid through a revolving roll from a stationary fluid supply source are well known and commercially available in the art, and details thereof will not be described herein. Typically, such circulating apparatus may be of the type manufactured under the trade name 8000 Series Rotary Union Joints, distributed by Duff-Norton Company, of Charlotte, North Carolina.

As indicated, the heat transfer fluid may be cool water, or it could be a heated fluid such as steam or hot water, if it is desired, to facilitate overall heating of the substrate during fluid treament operations. The h»*at transfer fluid circulating through the interior of the rotatable roller 16 thus uniformly distributes the localized -heating of the surface of roll 16 adjacent manifold discharge slot 32 throughout the entire periphery - 26 of the roll, thus preventing the aforesaid differential thermal expansion and contraction of the roll during treating operations.

To avoid damage to the fabric by the pres5 ence of heated gas when the fabric feed is stopped, the hot gas manifold 30 and its heaters 48 are pivotally supported, as at 97, and fluid piston means 98 utilized to pivot the manifold and its discharge slot away from the path of fabric 10.

Figure 3 illustrates a first form or embodiment of the heated pressurized gas discharge manifold of the present invention wherein an elongate shim member or plate 99 having a plurality of elongate generally parallel notches 100 uniformly spaced along one eage of the plate is removably positioned in the manifold compartment 68 with its notched side edge extending into the elongate discharge slot 32 to form with the walls 70, 72 of the slot a plurality of corresponding heated air discharge channels for directing narrow discrete streams of pressurized heated gas onto the surface of the moving textile fabric. As seen in Figures 3 and 4, the notches 100 of the plate extend into the heated gas manifold compartment 68 to form an elongate inlet above and below the plate into each of the discharge channels formed - 29 by the notched edges of the shim and the walls 70, 72 of the manifold slot 32. Thus the shim plate not only serves to direct pressurized gas into narrow streams to be discharged through the spaced channels, but the edges of the shim plate defining the upper and lower openings of the narrow, elongate inlets (note Figure 4) serve to trap and filter out foreign particles which may be present in the pressurized gas, while permitting continued flow of pressurized gas around the particles and through the channels.

It csn thus be understood that the discharge channels formed by the shim member and discharge slot direct a plurality of discrete, individual spaced streams onto and into the surface of the moving textile fabric to form narrow, spaced generally parallel lines exttnding in the direction of movement of the fabric past the discharge manifold. By maintaining the temperature and pressure of the heated gaseous streams at a sufficient level, pile fabrics containing thermoplastic pile yarns contacted by the heated gas streams longitudinally shrink, compact in the pile surface, and are heat set to form continuous distinct grooves in the fabric, thereby permitting patterning of the surface of the fabrics in - 30 various ways, some of which will be hereinafter described. To change the grooved pattern in the fabric, it is only necessary to loosen the manifold bolts 66 and replace an existing shim plate with another shim piste having a different groove size and/or spacing along the shim plate edge. Figure 8 illustrates another shim plate 102 having an irregular shim notch 104 spacing along the plate to provide a variation in the pattern which may be applied to the surface of the fabric web. Thus it can be seen that various surface patterns may be applied to the moving web by the shim plates alone, and without the additional control of the streams by the cooler pressurized gas outlets described above.

Figures 4 and 5 illustrate a form of the invention wherein shim plates are employed in combination with the pressurized cooler gas outlets in the discharge slot 32 to form more intricate or detailed patterns in the textile web. As seen in Figure 5, the discharge outlets 78 are located in the channels formed by the shim plate and slot walls 70, 72 to selectively block the channels with cool gas and thereby permit intermittent discharge of selected of the heated gas streams to produce surface patterns which may - 31 vary across the fabric as well as in the direction of movement of the fabric past the discharge manifold.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate another form of the invention wherein patterning of the fabric is accomplished by use of the elongate slot 32 and pressurized cool gas outlets without the use of shim plates. As seen in Figure 7, by selectively activating the cool gas stream supply to certain of the outlets 78 in accordance with pattern information, the heated cas passage through slot 32 is blocked by the cooler cas in corresponding areas of the slot to pattern the moving fabric.

The pressurized heated gas discharge manifold of the present invention also may be employed to uniformly raise the thermoplastic pile yarns of a pile fabric having a generally uniform unidirectional pile lay, such as pile fabrics produced by cutting or slitting of the pile yarns of a double backed knit fabric construction to form two pile fabric sheets. In such a method of pile fabric production, the pile yarns of the two fabric sheets are generally uniformly inclined in a direction opposite the direction Of the fabric movement during the cutting operation.

As schematically illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, it has been found that when a 575 - 32 uni-directionally inclined pile fabric is passed by the narrow elongate discharge slot 32 of manifold 30 in a direction of travel opposite to the direction of inclination of the pile yarns, surprisingly, the inclined pile yarns are brought into an upright erect position generally perpendicular to the surface of the pile fabric, and the heated gas stream striking the fabric surface heat sets the pile yarns in such disposition. Figures 9 and 10 illustrate the pile fabric substrate 106, the pile yarns 108, their direction of inclination therein, and the direction at which the heated gas stream 110 strikes the pile surface. As illustrated, it is preferable that the gas stream 110, as illustrated by the arrows, strike the fabric surface at an angle of approximately 90° or greater to the direction of fabric movement in order to effect the upright uniform setting of the pile yarns. If the fabric is passed in a direction other than a direction opposite the direction of inclination of its pile yarns, or the pressurized stream of gas is directed other than within the angles mentioned, the pile yarns do not become uniformly erect but are either further inclined or randomly disoriented in the pile fabric surface. - 33 The use of the apparatus of the present invention to carry out certain of the processes described and claimed herein may be further understood by the following specific examples setting forth operating conditions in treatment of textile fabrics containing yarn components to produce a desired surface appearance or pattern therein.

The examples are by way of illustration only, and are not intended to be limiting on the use of the apparatus of the present invention.

Example 1 A knit polyester plush pile fabric having a weight of thirteen ounces per square yard and a pile yarn height of one tenth of an inch was continuously fed through the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1 at a speed of fabric travel of five yards per minute. The temperature and pressure of the heated air in the discharge manifold compartment was naintained at SCOT (316°C) and 6 p.s.i.g. (41 kPa gauge) respectively. Ene discharge slot of the manifold was maintained at a distance of approximately 0.050 inch (1.27 ran) frcm the pile surface and was provided with a shim plate having a notched configuration, as illustrated in Figure 3. The spaced discharge channels formed in the slot were of rectangular cross-sectional dimension of 0.011 inch (0.2^ inn) by 0.062 - 34 inch (1.6nm). The length of each channel through the slot was 0.250 inch (6.35 nm) and the channels were spaced on 0.2 inch (5.1 cm) centers across the manifold.

The heated streams of gas striking the pile surface of the fabric caused longitudinal shrinkage of the pile yarns in the areas of contact to lower and compact them into the fabric forming narrow, elongate distinct grooves extending along the path of movement of the surface.

Pile yarns adjacent the sides of the grooves remained substantially unmodified and undisturbed to form distinct upright side walls of the grooves.

The fabric had a pattern surface appearance as illustrated by the photograph of the fabric in Figure 11 of the drawings.

Example 2 A polyester plain weave fabric having a fabric weight of three and one-half ounces per square yarn, and a 92 warp end by 84 pick end per inch (3.6 and 3.3 per nm) fabric construction, was processed through the apparatus of Figure 1 at a fabric speed of four yards per minute ΙΘ.06 m/s) and with a 12 percent overfeed of the fabric between rolls 12, 13 and rolls 18, 19. The support roll 16 was overdriven during fabric passage thereover. Heated air temperature and pressure, and discharge channel size and - 35 spacing in the manifold was the same as in Example 1.

The high temperature pressurized gas streams striking the fabric overfed onto the support roll in warp direction caused longitudinal thermal shrinkage of the warp yarns contacted thereby continuously along their length. Intermediate portions of the fabric between the lines containing yarns which were thermally unshrunk assumed a crepe or pucker appearance, as illustrated by the photograph of the fabric in Figure 12 of the drawings.

Example 3 A pile fabric construction as defined in Example 1 was processed through the treating apparatus of Figure 1 at a process speed of two yards per minute. Heated air temperature in the manifold was maintained at 700°F (371eC) and at a pressure of 2 p.s.i.g. (13.3 kPa gauge). Utilising a fabric speed of two yards per minute, the headed air discharge channels of a shim plate as in Example 1, but spaced at 0.1 inch (2.5 sm) centers, were selectively blocked by pressurized cooler air streams from the cool air outlets in the manifold slot in accordance with pattern information. A cool air pressure of p.s.i.g. (82.7 kPa gauge) was maintained in the cool air manifold. - 36 The treated fabric possessed a pattern composed of a series of narrow distinct, well defined grooves, as illustrated in the photograph of the fabric shown in Figure 13.

Example 4 Two polyester woven fabric constructions as described in Example 2 were treated in accordance with the conditions and with cool air pattern control means of Example 3 to cause thermal shrinkage of the warp yarns at spaced locations along the direction of the movement of the fabric. The resultant fabrics, according to pattern information supplied thereto, possessed a pucker and blister appearance, as shown in the respective phtotgraphs in Figures 14 and 15 of the drawings.

Example 5 •A plush velvet polyester pile fabric in undyed and unheatset form and having a construc20 tion as defined in Example 1 was processed on the apparatus as shown in Figure 1 at a processing speed of fair yards per minute (0.06 m/s). lhe pile fabric had a uni-directional pile yarn inclination and was moved past'the uninterrupted discharge slot of the hot air manifold in a direction opposite to the direction of inclination of the pile yarns - 37 in the fabric, as illustrated in Figures 9 and . Heated pressurized air at a temperature of 300®F (149°C) in the manifold and a pressure of 1 1/2 p.s.i.g. (10.3 kPa gauge) was continuously directed against the moving pile surface at a right angle thereto. The width of the manifold discharge slot was 0.016 inches (0.41 mm). The air stream striking the pile surface of the fabric raised the pile to a generally uniform, upright perpendicular position relative to the pile surface and backing of the fabric. The processed fabric exhibited a uniform, upright pile surface appearance.

Example 6 A knitted nylon plush pile fabric and a knitted acrylic plush pile fabric, each having a weight of approximately 12 ounces per square yard (407 g/n ) and a pile height of 0.1 ii«h (2.5 ntn), were each treated on the apparatus of Figure 1 and under process conditions and with shim plate configuration as described in Example 1. The processed nylon pile fabric exhibited a well defined, distinct pattern of surface grooves with pile yarns which were contacted by the heated air streams being longitudinally shrunken into the backing of the fabric. The acrylic fabric also possessed a grooved surface pattern, but of less distinct appearance and groove S0575 - 38 definition than the melt spun thermoplastic yarn fabrics, such as the polyester and nylon yarn fabrics of the Examples.

In the foregoing specific Examples, process 5 ing speeds of the pile fabric through the apparatus may be increased by preheating the fabric prior to its passage by the heated air discharge manifold slot. Typically, the fabric may be preheated by infrared heaters of known type, and/or by heating support roll 16.

Although the foregoing Examples set forth typical operating conditions for treating textile pile fabrics and woven fabrics to impart visual surface changes and patterns thereto, it can be appreciated that the treating fluid, and the temperatures and conditions of fluid treatment may be varied depending on the particular substrate construction, and the particular surface appearance to be imparted thereto. Excellent results in patterning of pile fabrics containing thermoplastic pile yarns has been achieved at processing speeds of approximately four to six yards per minute (0.06-0.09 m/s), and with heated air teiperatures at the heater exits of between 600-700®F -(316-371OC) and pressures of from about two to seven p.s.i.g. (14-48 kPa gauge) in the manifold compartment. In general, higher 50578 - 39 pressures may be employed when the discharge slot or the channels formed therein are of smaller cross-sectional dimension. Higher gas temperatures may also be desirable when use is made of cool pressurized gas to control the flow of the heated gas streams.

To substantiate the ability to alter and modify various substrate materials by application of pressurized heated fluid streams to selected areas of the substrate surface in accordance with the present invention, a number of substrates of varying constructions and composition were contacted by a stream of pressurized heated air directed thereinto from a fixed single jet orifice having a 0.03 inch (0.76 mm) diameter. The substrates were randomly moved adjacent the stream jet orifice under conditions of treatment set forth in the following table. - 40 TABLE I DISTANCE FROM ORIFICE TO AIR PRESS. AIP TEMP. SUBSTRATE SUBSTRATE PSI' (kPa) °F (°C)__SURFACE 1) woven fabric < containing laminated pile-like surface of polyethylene filamentary material 2) paper sheet containing laminated pile-like surface of polyethylene filamentary material 3) needlepunched nonwoven fabric of polypropylene filamentary material 4) tufted polypropylene pile yarn fabric ) woven rayon plush pile fabric 6) spun bonded nylon 66 fabric (1 οζ/yd j (34 g/m2) ' (6.9) 400 (204) (21) 350 (177) (lo3) 600 (41) 600 (34) 600 (41) 600 (316) (316) 0.1 (2.5nm) Q.l (2.5wa) 0.1 (2.5nm) (316) 0.1 0.1’ (2.5im) (2.5mm) (316) Q.l (2.am) - 41 Visual observation of the substrate treated under the conditions defined above indicated that narrow grooves were formed in the surface areas contacted by the heated air stream of substrates 1-5, with more precise definition of the grooves formed in the substrates 1-4 containing melt-spun type thermoplastic fibrous material than with nonthermoplastic type fibers, such as rayon (substrate 5), or with acrylic fibers, as in Example 6.

In substrate 6, above, the conditions of air stream treatment cut entirely through the substrate, indicating that the present invention can also be employed to produce lace effects in sheet material substrates and fabrics.

By use of the apparatus and method of the present invention, it can be seen that surface modification of thermoplastic fiber and yarn containing textile fabrics, as well as other substrates, can be effected to impart precise, well defined and intricate patterns and surface appearances thereto. Fabric treatment may be carried out prior to dyeing to obtain subsequent differential dye uptake in the thermally modified and non-modified fibers and yarns, producing twotone dye effects as well as surface patterning effects in the fabrics.

Claims (34)

1. Apparatus for treating a relatively moving substrate by application of pressurized heated gas to selected surface portions thereof to alter the visual 5 surface appearance of the substrate, comprising a manifold, means for supplying heated gas under pressure to the manifold, the manifold having an elongate, gas discharge slot for directing a stream of uniformly heated gas against the surface of the substrate, and means 10 operative within the slot for selectively stopping the emergence of the heated gas from the slot at locations along its length, so as to prevent the gas from impinging on the substrate at corresponding locations on the substrate surface, and means for supporting the substrate 15 and effecting relative movement past the slot at a location such that the substrate is impinged on by a plurality of separate streams of-the heated gas flanking the said locations.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the 20 means for selectively stopping the passage of heated gas through the slot comprise means for selectively directing one or more streams of cooler pressurized gas across the width of the slot at selected locations along its length.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2. wherein the mean 25 for selectively directing the cooler gas includes means for cooling the gas prior to its passage across the width of the slot. 5057S - 43

4. Apparatus according to claim 1,wherein the means for selectively stopping the passage of heated gas through the slot comprise obstructions in the discharge slot.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the 5 manifold has an elongate shim plate disposed ir. the slot, the plate having a plurality of elongate notches spaced along a long edge to define with the slot a corresponding plurality of spaced channels for directing corresponding streams of heated gas against the surface of the substrate. 10

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, and claim 2, wherein the means for selectively directing cooler gas across the slot includes cool gas outlets disposed in each cf the channels with the discharge axes of the outlets intersecting the discharge axes of the channels. 15

7. , Apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising valve means for controlling the supply of cool gas to each of the gas outlets, and pattern control means for operating the valve means in response to pattern information. 20

8. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the means for supporting the substrate is a conveyor for moving the substrate past the discharge slot in a longitudinal path of travel which passes closely - 44 past the slot, and comprising means for moving the manifold away from the surface of the substrate when the conveyor is not moving the substrate.

9. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 8, where5 in the means for supplying heated gas comprise an elongate, cool gas manifold for receiving pressurized cool gas, a plurality of individual heaters, each having a gas inlet, a gas outlet, and means for heating gas passing therethrough and conduits connecting said heaters in parallel with their 10. Gas inlets communicating with the cool gas manifold at spaced locations along its lencuh and with their gas outlets communicating with the first mentioned manifold at uniformly spaced locations along its length to effect uniform distribution of heated pressurized gas into the 15 manifold.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, comprising control means responsive to the gas temperatures at the said gas outlets to control the gas flow rates through the heaters individually and responsive to the gas temperature within 20 the manifold to control collectively the energy supply to the heaters.

11. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 10, further comprising baffle means in the manifold causing the gas to flow to the discharge slot by way of a reversing flow path.

12. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the substrate is supported by a roller where it is impinged on by the gas streams, the roller being provided with means for circulating a heat transfer fluid therein 5 to maintain uniform distribution of heat in the roller.

13. A method of treating a moving substrate by application of pressurized heated gas to selected surface portions thereof to alter the visual surface appearance of the substrate, wherein uniformly heated cas is discharged from a 10 slot on to the surface of the substrate while moving the substrate past the slot, ar.d wherein the emergence of the heated gas from the slot is prevented at locations along its length so as to prevent the gas from impinging on the substrate at corresponding locations on the substrate 15 surface, and cause the substrate to be impinged on by a plurality of separate streams of the heated gas flanking the said locations.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the flow of one or more streams is selectively controlled by 20 directing pressurized streams of cooler gas across the slot and across the heated gas streams passing therethrough to block their flow.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the emergence of the heated gas at the said locations is prevented 25 by directing pressurized streams of cooler gas across the 50S75 - 46 slot at the said locations,

16. A method according to any of claims 13 to 15, wherein heated gas is discharged from a slot in a wall of a heated gas discharge manifold, pressurized cool gas 5 is supplied to a cool gas manifold and gas is drawn from the cool gas manifold at draw-off locations spaced along its length, heated, and supplied to the heated gas discharge manifold at uniformly spaced supply locations along its length, the supply locations 10 corresponding to respective draw-off locations, whereby uniform distribution of heated, pressurised gas is effected in the heated gas discharge manifold.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the gas flow rate of the gas drawn at each draw-off location is 15 controlled in dependence on the gas temperature at the corresponding supply location, and the energy supplied for heating gas is controlled in dependence on the gas temperature within the heated cas discharge manifold.

18. A method according to claim 14 or 15, or claim 16 or 20 17 insofar as they are dependent on claim 14 or 15, wherein the flow of a plurality of cooler gas streams are selectively controlled in accordance with pattern information.

19. A method according to any of claims 13 to 18, 25 wherein the substrate is a textile fabric. - 47

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the fabric contains heat-shrinkable gases and the altered visual surface appearance results from local longitudinal yarn shrinkage when the heated gas impinges. 5

21. A method according is a fabric containing yarns contacted by the thereby.

22. A method according 10 is a fabric containing yarns contacted by the thereby. to claim 20, wherein the fabric polyester yarn and the polyester streams are longitudinally shrunk to claim 20, wherein the fabric acrylic yarn and the acrylic streams are longitudinally shrunk

23. A method according to claim 20, wherein the textile fabric is a fabric containing nylon yarn and the nylon 15 yarns contacted by the streams are longitudinally shrunk thereby. - 48

24. A method according to any of claims 19 to 23, wherein the substrate is a pile fabric.

25. A method according to claim 24, wherein the temperature of the heated gas is above the second order glass 5 transition point of thermoplastic yarns in the fabric.

26. A method according to claim 24, wherein the temperature and pressure of the heated gas streams are maintained at a sufficient level to longitudinally shrink pile yams contacted thereby to locally reduce their height in the 10 pile surface of the fabric.

27. A method according to claim 19, wherein the temperature and pressure of the heated gas streams are maintained at a sufficient level to cause longitudinal shrinkage of the yams and pucker the fabric in areas of the fabric 15 which are not contacted by the heated streams of gas.

28. A method according to claim 27. wherein th.e fabric is woven.

29. . A method according to claim 19 , including the step of selectively controlling the flow of pressurized heated

30. 20. Streams on to the fabric to impart a surface pattern effect which varies irregularly along the length of fabric movement. - 49 30. A method according to claim 20, wherein the gas streams form grooves along the fabric.

31. A method according to claim io, wherein the grooves have walls perpendicular to the surface of the fabric. 5

32. A method according to claim 30, wherein at least a portion of the grooves extends substantially parallel to the slot.

33. A method according to claim 30, wherein at least two of the grooves converge anc meet in the direction 10 of fabric travel.

34. A method according to claim 30, wherein the grooves define closed boundaries completely surrounding areas wherein contact by the streams has been prevented.