Nylon spin-draw process with steam conditioning

Abstract

This invention is a continuous process for spinning and drawing polycarbonamide filaments as a continuous running length comprising spinning the filaments Y from the molten polymer through a spinnerette 3 into a quench stack 4 and immediately quenching the freshly spun filaments in a quench stack with a flowing quench medium and immediately applying a yarn finish so that after quenching and applying finish, the surface temperature of the filaments is below the second order transition temperature for the filaments at the ambient conditions, and immediately applying steam in a chamber 15 around the continuous running length of filaments at a temperature at from about 60.degree. C. to 95.degree. C. for periods from about 0.03 to 3 seconds and immediately drawing the filaments; and the apparatus to accomplish that process.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.