Process for treating tufted pile fabric
AssigneeBigelow-Sanford, Inc.
InventorsHelmut C. Mueller, Harry G. Gallagher
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for erecting the pile and increasing the yarn bulk of dyed or printed carpeting which has been bent, matted and crushed during processing. The carpeting is heated in a steam chamber to a temperature above the highest processing temperature and in the range of 170.degree.-212.degree. F., to override the yarn memory. A beater bar within the steam chamber then beats the carpet to reduce the bending, matting and crushing of the pile.
Claims1
In a process for dyeing a tufted pile fabric, wherein said fabric is heated to a predetermined maximum temperature and passed over various rolls, resulting in bending, matting and crushing of the fabric pile, the improvement comprising the steps of:
- subsequently heating said fabric within a chamber to a yarn memory overriding temperature above said predetermined temperature and in the range of 170.degree. F. to 212.degree. F., by directing steam through the back of the fabric and out the pile face thereof;
- thereafter subjecting the heated fabric to a plurality of heating steps while said fabric is within said chamber and within 20.degree. F. of said memory overriding temperature and at a temperature in the range of 170.degree. F. to 190.degree. F., said fabric being (i) subjected to 400-1,000 beats per minute and (ii) deflected a distance in the range of 1 to 3 inches during each said beating step, said beating steps being carried out along a vertical path of travel of said fabric, thereby erecting said pile and increasing the bulk thereof;
- and
- after said beating steps cooling said fabric to a temperature below 110.degree. F. before said fabric contacts any downstream processing rolls,
- wherein said fabric is linearly moved along a path thereof at a speed in the range of 25 to 50 feet per minute during said subsequent heating and beating steps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.