Method of bulking and heat-setting a moving, continuous length of twisted thermoplastic yarn
OwnerCheryl Elizabeth Rhodes, Clifford Nelson Rhodesinventors
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Abstract
A method of bulking and heat-setting a moving, continuous length of twisted thermoplastic yarn. The method includes the steps of saturating the yarn with a dielectric fluid contained in a fluid saturation station. The yarn is then moved downstream from the saturation station to an electromagnetic heating chamber for heating the yarn using electromagnetic radiation. Simultaneously in the heating chamber, the yarn is bulked to add size and texture and the twist permanently heat-set. The twisted and bulked yarn is then collected in a collection station located downstream of the heating chamber.
Claims8
A method of bulking and heat-setting a moving, continuous length of twisted thermoplastic yarn made of a homogeneous assembly of fibers having relatively uniform shrinkage characteristics, comprising the steps of:
- (a) saturating the yarn with a dielectric fluid contained in a fluid saturation station;
- (b) moving the yarn downstream from the saturation station to an electromagnetic heating chamber, and while the yarn is in the heating chamber:
- (i) heating the saturated fibers of the yarn using electromagnetic radiation;
- (ii) bulking the yarn through uniform shrinkage of the homogeneous fibers to increase the diameter and texture of the yarn;
- (iii) simultaneously with heating and bulking the yarn, permanently setting the twist of each of the homogeneous fibers of the yarn;
- and
- (c) collecting the twisted and bulked yarn in a collection station located downstream of the heating chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.