Apparatus and process for converting a continuous multifilament yarn to a staple-like yarn
AssigneeBASF SE
InventorDavid Owen Bird
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention pertains to a process and product thereof, and an apparatus, for converting a twisted, continuous filament, multifilament yarn into a staple-like yarn. The process is carried out by needling the yarn with a barbed needle in order to break yarn filaments. The broken yarn filaments protrude from the yarn after the needling process. The protruding filament ends give the resulting yarn the appearance of a spun yarn.
Claims12
A process for converting a twisted, continuous multifilament yarn into a staple-like yarn, comprising the steps of:
- (a) Forwarding the twisted, continuous multifilament yarn past a barbed needle-impingement zone, the yarn being confined in the vicinity of the needle-impingement zone;
- and
- (b) Oscillating a barbed needle through the yarn in the needle impingement zone, the needle oscillating so that the needle is directed into contact with the yarn followed by the needle being directed out of contact with the yarn, the needle having barbs thereon, the needle barbs being sized, oriented, and directed so that the needle both catches and breaks a small fraction of the filaments of the yarn during each oscillation of the needle through the yarn;
- wherein the yarn is intermittently fowarded in a manner such that the yarn is stationary during the period in which the needle and the yarn are in contact with one another.
An apparatus for converting a twisted, continuous multifilament yarn into a staple-like yarn, comprising:
- (a) A yarn-forwarding means, the yarn-forwarding means forwarding the yarn through a barbed needle-impingement zone;
- (b) a means for confining the yarn in the barbed needle-impingement zone;
- (c) A barbed needle, the needle barbs being sized according to the particular yarn being processed, so that the needle will catch and break only a small fraction of the yarn filaments during each oscillation thereof;
- and,
- (d) A needle oscillation means, the needle oscillation means having a barbed needle mounting means thereon, the needle oscillation means comprising means for mounting and orienting the barbed needle, the needle oscillation means directing the needle into and out of contact with the yarn to a degree so that during oscillation of the needle through the yarn the needle both catches and breaks a small fraction of the filaments of the yarn;
- wherein the yarn-forwarding means forwards the yarn intermittently so that the yarn is stationary during the time that the needle is in contact with the yarn.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.