Method of producing improved knit fabrics from blended fibers
AssigneeWellman, Inc.
InventorsTodd Joseph Scheerer, Winston Patrick Moore
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high efficiency method of producing a high quality knit fabricis diclosed. The method includes the steps of drafting a blended sliver of cotton fibers and polyester fibers in a four roll draffing zone in which the nip to nip spacing in the break zone is no more than 2.5 mm longer than the effective fiber length of the polyester fibers, and no more than 1.5 mm greater than the effective fiber length in the intermediate zone, and at least 7 mm greater than the effective fiber length in the front zone, thereafter spinning the drafted sliver into yarn at a take up speed of greater than 150 meters per minute, and thereafter knitting the spun yarn into fabric.
Claims32
A high efficiency method of producing a high quality knit fabric, the method comprising:
- drafting a blended sliver of cotton fibers and polyester fibers in a four roll drafting zone that includes a break zone defined by the distance between a back roll pair and an intermediate roll pair, an intermediate zone defined by the distance between two intermediate roll pairs, and a front zone defined by the distance between a front roll pair and the adjacent intermediate roll pair, wherein the nip-to-nip spacing in the break zone is no more than 2.0 mm longer than the effective fiber length of the polyester fibers, the nip-to-nip spacing in the intermediate zone is no more than 1.25 mm greater than the effective fiber length of the polyester fibers, and the nip-to-nip spacing in the front zone is at least 9 mm greater than the effective fiber length of the polyester fibers;
- thereafter spinning the drafted sliver into yarn at a take up speed of greater than 150 meters per minute;
- and
- thereafter knitting the spun yarn into fabric.
A high efficiency method of producing a high quality knit fabric, the method comprising:
- drafting a sliver that includes polyester fibers with an effective fiber length of 37 mm in a four roll drafting zone that includes a break zone defined by the distance between a back roll pair and an intermediate roll pair, an intermediate zone defined by the distance between intermediate roll pairs, and a front zone defined by the distance between a front roll pair and the adjacent intermediate roll pair, wherein the nip-to-nip spacing is 39 mm in the break zone, 38.25 mm in the intermediate zone and 46 mm in the front zone;
- thereafter spinning the drafted sliver into yarn at a take up speed of greater than 150 meters per minute;
- and
- thereafter knitting the spun yarn into fabric.
A high efficiency method of producing a high quality knit fabric, the method comprising:
- drafting a sliver that includes staple synthetic fibers with an effective fiber length of 37 mm in a four roll drafting zone that includes a break zone defined by the distance between a back roll pair and an intermediate roll pair, an intermediate zone defined by the distance between intermediate roll pairs, and a front zone defined by the distance between a front roll pair and the adjacent intermediate roll pair, wherein the nip-to-nip spacing is 39 mm in the break zone, 38.25 mm in the intermediate zone and 46 mm in the front zone;
- thereafter spinning the drafted sliver into yarn at a take up speed of greater than 150 meters per minute;
- and
- thereafter knitting the spun yarn into fabric.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.