Abstract: Color yield of the coloration processes for textile and like materials, more especially of sublimable dyes applied by transfer printing, is enhanced by pretreatment of the material by deposition of 1 to 10% surfactant or other amphipathic substance. Preferred substances are cationic, anionic or non-ionic surfactants, which may be applied from aqueous solution at levels of 1 to 10% on the weight of the material. The material is dried before printing. The surfactants can be accompanied by swelling agents, catalysts or cross-linking agents. Preferred dyes for the printing stage are sublimable dyes containing chelatable groups, fibre-reactive groups or cross-linkable groups.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for converting a lockstitch sewing machine to a machine for decorating fabrics with at least one untwisted strand of keratinous fiber applied in a pattern to the fabric. In general, the method consists of removing the throat plate, feed dog, presser foot, bobbin, bobbin case and needle bar from the lockstitch sewing machine and inserting instead a needle block having means for securing a plurality of standard punching needles therein, a throat plate apertured to correspond with the plural punching needles carried by the needle block, a presser foot apertured to correspond with the spacing of the needles in the needle block whether passage of the punching needles therethrough and a presser foot with a guide passage for the fibrous strand and a feeddog with sufficient clearance for the punching needles carried by the needle block.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of textiles, especially to impart shrink resistance thereto, in which there is applied to the textile a water-soluble curable polymeric material in the presence of alkali in an aqueous medium and simultaneously with or subsequently to such application there is applied a compatible exhaustion agent and the polymeric material is exhusted onto the textile and cured thereon.

Abstract: Protective fabrics having a reflective surface are made of textile yarns, for example of wool, intermeshed with strands of reflective material, for example a metallized plastics film, a major proportion of the textile yarns being present in one face of the fabric and a major proportion of the reflective strands in the other. The fabric may be woven, for example on a double beam loom, or knitted, as on a double jersey machine. ,he preferred reflective strand is a laminate of aluminium between two polyester films, split into widths between 0.3 and 0.8 mm.

Abstract: A durable crease is formed in a textile article by applying a flexible casting compound in a preformed crease using a non-rotary applicator in conjunction with a structure for guiding the applicator along the crease. A screw driven piston within the applicator dispenses the compound in response to applicator travel.

Abstract: The flame resistance of wool and other polyamide fibres is enhanced by depositing in the fibres a complexed zirconium compound formed with an organic chelating agent or a halide. From 0.5 to 5% of Zr (as ZrO.sub.2) is preferred and the zirconium should be in the form of an anionic complex and applied at a pH in the range 0.5 to 4. The complex can be applied by impregnation or exhaustion techniques or may be formed in situ in the fibres. Dyes including acid, premetallized and reactive dyes can be applied at the same time as the zirconium complex. Particularly preferred complexes include fluorozirconates, chlorozirconates and oxalic and citric acid complexes. Fluorocarbon and other oil- or water-repellent finishes are compatible with the zirconium complex.

Abstract: A cleaning pad with an internal well for cleaning agent consists of at least one surface formed from a tufted textile fabric with the inner ends of the yarns forming the tufts in communication with the cleaning agent in the well, through yarn-containing openings in a plastic film separating the tufted fabric and the well.

Abstract: An attachment having a knitting machine including at least two toothed members slidable in relationship to one another such that when the teeth are aligned yarn receiving openings are presented and on sliding the members relative to one another yarns within the yarn receiving openings are gripped by adjacent teeth.

Abstract: Decorative knitted fabrics have a basic weft knit structure with patterned effects produced by a warp yarn loops of which cover selected loops of weft yarn so as to be visible on the face of the fabric. The fabrics are produced by feeding warp yarns to selected needles of a straight bar knitting machine in addition to the normal weft yarn and controlling the tension of the yarn such that the warp yarn loops cover the corresponding weft yarn loops in the desired manner. To ensure the desired structure, it is preferred that the tension in the warp yarn should be relatively high when the yarn is wrapped round the selected needles but relatively low when the needles execute their knitting motion. Apparatus for producing these fabrics includes warp yarn guides which can be moved to and fro in front and behind the knitting needles and moved sideways past one or more needle positions. The warp guides can be swung upwards to clear the needles during fashioning movements.

Abstract: A process for modifying keratinous material is provided, which comprises treating said material with organic solutions or aqueous emulsions which contain1. polythiols with at least two thiol groups in the molecule and having a molecular weight of 400 to 20,000 and obtained fromA. polyalcoholsB. alkylene oxides and/or dicarboxylic acids andC.sub.1. carboxylic acids containing thio groups, or fromC.sub.2. epihalohydrins and alkali hydrogen sulphides, the polythiols containing ether and/or ester bonds, or fromA.sub.1. polycarboxylic acidsB.sub.1. alkylene oxides or dialcohols andC.sub.1. carboxylic acids containing thio groups,2. nitrogen-containing condensation products of epoxides, fatty amines, dicarboxylic acids, the equivalent ratios of epoxide groups to hydrogen bound to amino nitrogen to carboxylic acid groups being 1:(0.1-1):(1-0.55), and, optionally, of aliphatic diols and/or aminoplast precondensates which contain alkyl ether groups and/or of epihalohydrins and, optionally,3.

Abstract: Crosslinkable polymers, suitable for use in the finishing of keratinous fibres such as wool, have polyoxyalkylene chains in which the alkylene groups consist of unbranched chains of not less than 3 carbon atoms. The polymer molecule contains at least two groupings capable of crosslinking, for example thiol, isocyanate, or thiosulphate groups, and the molecule also contains at least two carboxylic acid residues at least one of which is the residue of a polycarboxylic acid. The polyoxyalkylene chains are themselves linked at both ends to the rest of the molecule by carboxylic ester linkages. Particularly preferred compounds are water soluble and contain one or more solubilizing groups such as thiosulphate or the bi-sulphite adduct of isocyanate or, in the case of compounds with thiol groups, salt forming carboxylic groups. The compounds may be applied to textile fibres as aqueous emulsions or solutions and may be cured by drying in hot air or by steam.

Abstract: Cellulosic material present in admixture with or as impurities in wool or other non-carbonizable fibres is carbonized by treating the fibre substrate, which may be in any form from loose fibre to fabric, with a solution of an anhydrous acid in an inert organic solvent. The treated fibrous substrate is then dried and can be beaten, rinsed and further dried if necessary. The preferred solvents are aliphatic hydrocarbons or chlorinated aliphatic hydrocarbons and the acid may be an inorganic acid such as hydrochloric acid or an organic acid such as trichloracetic acid. The method can be applied to unscoured or undesized wool, in which case the wool is cleaned at the same time as cellulosic materials are being carbonized. The solvent may advantageously contain up to 100 g/l trioxan. The method can be applied by impregnating the fibrous substrate with the organic solvent and subsequently exposing the impregnated substrate to the acid, which may be gaseous hydrogen chloride.

Abstract: Polymeric compounds containing at least one poly(oxyalkylene) chain and at least one thiosulphuric acid or thiosulphate group, and the cured products thereof, having useful application to textile fibers and to human hair. The compounds containing more than one thiosulphuric acid or thiosulphate group are curable and can be used with advantage in textile finishing, for example in the pigment dyeing and printing of fibrous materials including natural and synthetic fibers and blends thereof, in imparting shape stabilization or antistatic properties to fibers or fabrics, and for the flat setting and permanent creasing of fabrics. The compounds may be applied to hair to improve its handle and for permanent waving and setting.

Abstract: Flame resistance of polyamide materials, notably wool and other keratinous materials, is enhanced by application of tungsten from acid solutions of anionic tungsten complexes. Still more effective treatment is obtained by simultaneously applying anionic complexes of zirconium or titanium. The complexes can be applied by exhaustion from a bath, preferably below pH 3.5 and at temperatures from 30.degree. to 100.degree.C. Dyes can be simultaneously applied from the same bath. Textiles can be padded in the solution and dried. The complexes may be isopolytungstates or heteropolytungstates and may be prepared with the help of organic carboxylic or hydroxycarboxylic acids.

Abstract: A process for the treatment of natural and/or synthetic fibrous and filamentary materials, including living human hair, which involves applying to the fibrous or filamentary materials a polymeric compound containing at least one poly (oxyalkylene) or polyamide chain and at least one thiosulphuric acid or thiosulphate group. Such compounds having more than one thiosulphuric acid or thiosulphate group are curable and can be used with advantage in textile finishing, for example in the pigment dyeing and printing of fibrous materials including pure synthetic fibres, in application to fibres or fabrics to impart shape stabilisation, in application to keratinous fabrics to impart shrink resist properties and for the flat setting and permanent creasing of fabrics, and to impart antistatic properties to fibres and filaments. Hair may be treated according to the invention to improve its handle and for permanent waving and setting.