Apparatus for quenching melt-spun filaments
AssigneeFiber Industries, Inc.
InventorRoland Waite
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a melt-spinning process of the type wherein molten polymer is extruded downwardly through a fiber pack and through coaxial circular rows of holes of a spinneret to form a circularly arranged group of filaments. Quench gas is directed across the filaments emerging from the spinneret, and the cooled filaments are gathered and redirected at a guide, which may be stationary or rotating. The quench gas is delivered by a conduit extending downwardly through the pack and spinneret coaxially relative to the rows of holes and then redirected and discharged laterally outwardly through the group of filaments above the guide.
Claims4
Improved apparatus for the manufacture of melt-spun polymeric filaments, said apparatus being of the type wherein molten polymer is extruded downwardly through a filter pack and through an annular array of holes of a spinneret to form a circularly arranged group of filaments, quenching means for directing quenching gas across the filaments emerging from said spinneret, said quenching means comprising gas supply means, gas conduit means and gas discharge means, and a stationary or rotating guide therebelow at which all the filaments are gathered and redirected, said conduit means including gas discharge means disposed above said guide for discharging quench gas outwardly through the group of filaments, wherein the improvement comprises:
- said gas supply conduit means extending downwardly through the middle of said pack,
- whereby polymeric filaments melt-spun therefrom have reduced birefringence variability.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.