Abstract: A continuous, high speed (greater than 800 meters per minute) process and apparatus enable the production of a multifilament carpet yarn having a degree of filament intermixture high enough so that a standard deviation of less than 6.0 results upon conducting a Standard Yarn Streak Potential Test, as described herein. The apparatus and process allow the production of a multicolored carpet yarn which exhibits a reduced tendency to streak and an increased retention of tip definition.

Abstract: An hydropatterning apparatus and method conveys a sheet of fabric (12) through a patterning station (16) along a machine direction on a conveyor (24), preferably a drum, having a support surface (16, 60) formed with a pattern of raised or solid areas (16a) and lowered or void areas (16b), and has one or more manifolds (30) of hydrojet nozzles (32) disposed above the conveyor for directing a continuous curtain of fluid (40) downwardly to impact on the fabric so that properties of the fabric become altered in correspondence to the pattern of the support surface (16, 60). Fabric colored with a non-colorfast dye is hydropatterned by subtractive color removal to obtain a patterned washout effect. Alternatively, a support surface having raised or embossed areas is used to obtain a fiber displacement, lace-like effect in light fabrics. The disclosed hydropatterning technique is particularly suitable for producing a color washout effect in indigo dyed denim.

Abstract: The invention concerns a thread separator for seaming machines, especially the seaming of dewwatering webs, drying webs, felts and so on. The object underlying the invention consists therein to optimize the reliability of the function of the thread separator by configuring their gripper needles such that the singling out of each foremost thread of a row of warp threads of the web is ensured and each piercing and taking with of the following thread is avoided. It is proposed to construct the gripper needles as separator needles, providing them with special hooks, of which at least two are located with respect to the upper side and the lower side of the web strip related to the row of threads in the same or parallel level opposite to one another, the tips thereof being directed to the opposing thread surface, respectively. The separator needles are provided with concave apertures adpated to the diameter of the thread which is to be separated on grasping it.

Abstract: On the warping machine (12) the width (11) of the yarn strip (10) is continuously monitored by means of a line camera (25). The measured strip width is compared in a processor (32) to a stored reference value, with deviations forming a control signal for activating a control motor (35) at the warping reed (9). That ensures continuous strip width regulation, at full winding speed.

Abstract: A method of predicting changes in caterpillar length of yarn. The process is used in systems wherein yarn is passed through a set of hot rollers to bulk the fibre and is then contacted with an air jet to pull the yarn away from the rollers and impinge it upon a rotating drum. This drum comprises an endless textured screen forming a cylindrical outer surface of the drum and a frame to support the screen. A caterpillar is thereby formed on the screen. Air is then exhausted from the centre of said drum to draw air through the screen and cool the yarn. The yarn is then pulled off of the screen using take-up rollers. The process for predicting a change in yarn caterpillar length comprises a step of measuring during a given time period: the change in temperature of the exhaust air (dT1), the change in temperature of the yarn (dT2) after it is taken up from the drum and the change in tension of the yarn (dF) after it is taken up from the drum.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to allow the pile of a pile fabric to become substantially erect by heating the pile fabric to a temperature between the heat setting and dyeing temperatures of the fabric and applying a vibratory force thereto. The vibratory force is applied by impinging a high velocity air stream against a flexible diaphragm over which the heated pile fabric is passed.

Abstract: In order to ensure a desirable withdrawal of the felt in an apparatus for needling a felt from one side, the stripper plate (3) is provided on that side which faces the support (2) for the felt with guide ribs (7), which extend between the longitudinal rows of holes (4) and protrude from the underside surface of the plate and have a height amounting to 0.2 to 2 times the diameter of the holes.

Abstract: Apparatus for detecting tight ends in a sheet of yarns of an associated yarn processing machine comprises an elongate channel extending transversely below the yarn sheet and having an upper open side. A multiplicity of sensing fingers having upwardly bowed central portions and projecting end portions are retained in the open side of the channel by flanges engaging the end portions of the fingers. A resilient strip or inflated tube engages a first end portion of each sensing finger to press the end portions of the sensing fingers up against the respective retaining flanges. The yarn sheet passes over the sensing fingers and, on both sides of the channel, is held down by guide bars which are lower than the sensing fingers.

Abstract: The protective apparatus for a winding machine is formed by a support construction comprising pillars and a transverse support member. The support construction is arranged in a portal-like fashion over the winding machine, wall portions in the form of swing doors and an anti-draft plate filling the intermediate space. The wall portions are secured to the support construction and can preferably be actuated automatically by drive means.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to improvements in tenter frames which typically function to move fabric through a fabric processing step which might be fabric curing or drying. The tenter frame contemplated herein includes various adjustable devices for optimizing the position of the fabric as it is being moved to thereby minimize or eliminate any distortions in the fabric construction which can occur in open-type knits, such as pattern distortions and the like. In addition, the apparatus utilizes a series of mechanical variable speed drives and controllers which are all synchronized with an electric driver motor to better control the operation of a tenter frame as it moves fabric through a processing step.

Abstract: The napping operation of a napping machine of the type having a rotating cylinder with a plurality of toothed rotating napping rollers at its periphery for napping engagement with a traveling fabric web is controlled for repeatable napping results by measuring the cyclical pattern of a radially inward deflection of the fabric web under the napping engagement of the rollers as a characteristic of an adjustment of a variable operating parameter which may be later utilized as a reference value for subsequent adjustment of the operating parameter to repeat the results of the napping operation.

Abstract: In a size applicator in which size is circulated between a reservoir tank and an applicator tank from which the size overflows back into the reservoir tank, the squeezing pressure applied to the traveling textile substrate is regulated in response to a sensing of the speed of the substrate. A secondary regulation is applied as a function of sensing of the volume of the size being in comparison with the substrate speed. This sensing of the volume of the size being consumed is accomplished by a hydrostatic sensor in the reservoir tank, the output of which sensing is applied to a microprocessor that compares the signal from the size level sensor with the signal from the tachometer that senses the substrate speed, and upon the comparison exceeding a predetermined tolerance, a further regulation is applied to the piston-cylinder mechanisms that control the squeezing pressure between squeeze rollers and between an emersion roller and the bottom squeeze roller.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for shrink finishing a traveling textile fabric web includes a fabric drawing-in unit, a wetting unit, a fabric stetching unit, a fabric shrinking unit, and a fabric drying unit. Individual drives for each unit are provided, with the drive for the shrinking unit being the main drive and being operated as a function of the lengthwise elongation of the fabric web by the stretching unit to achieve a desired overall degree of lengthwise shrinkage of the fabric web. Automatic control of the system is provided by digital synchronization of the several drives and through moisture sensors which monitor the moisture content in the fabric web in advance of the shrinking unit and after the drying unit and by tension sensors which monitor the actual tension in the web intermediate each successive pair of the units.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of treating fabric by directing low pressure air at near-sonic velocity between the fabric and a rigid plate tangentially in the warp direction of the fabric to cause the fabric to vibrate at extremely high rate. This high speed vibration causes sawtooth waves in the fabric to break fiber-to-fiber resin or finish bonds thereby decreasing the bending and shear stiffness to enhance the flexibility, drape and softness of the fabric.

Abstract: A warp-drawing apparatus for drawing a warp thread through an eye of a heddle, comprising a compression nozzle which is provided in one side of the heddle and formed with a compression passageway through which the warp thread is drawn and formed with a nozzle passageway through which compression air is injected, a suction nozzle which is provided in the other side of the heddle and formed with a suction passageway through which the warp thread is drawn and formed with a nozzle passageway through which compression air is injected, and suction means for drawing air from an exit of the suction passageway of the suction nozzle in a direction in which the warp thread is drawn through the eye of the heddle.

Abstract: A heddle magazine comprising a pair of first magazine bars having carried thereon a plurality of heddles which form a first heddle group; a pair of second magazine bars disposed in parallel relationship to the first magazine bars and having carried thereon a plurality of heddles which form a second heddle group; a stationary magazine support having the first and second magazine bars stationarily mounted thereon; and means for removing the heddle one by one selectively from the first and second heddle groups and positioning the removed heddle into a predetermined position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is set forth to form a flannel-like product. A non-woven web of fibers of two contrasting shades of color are needled twice to form a non-woven fabric with the coloration of woven flannel material. A calendar roll smooths the fabric to remove the appearance of the needling operations and get a non-woven flannel-like product.

Abstract: A looming apparatus for a loom includes in general a warp beam handling unit for attaching and removing a warp beam to and from the loom, and a handling unit for supporting loom components including at least heddles and a reed threaded by the warp from the warp beam. A supporting platform is provided on a truck so as to be reciprocated between a stand-by position and a looming position. The warp beam handling unit and the handling unit for supporting the components threaded by the warp yarn are installed on this supporting platform. In the working position of the truck for the loom, the supporting platform is expanded from the truck to the looming position on the loom for performing the required operation at this position. After termination of such operation, the supporting platform is returned to the stand-by position on the truck, while the truck is moved to the looming preparatory position.

Abstract: Apparatus for crimping fibers comprises a ring roller of a comparatively large diameter which rotates in one direction and an inscribed roller which contacts the inner surface of said ring roller and which rotates in the same direction at the same velocity as the ring roller while holding bundles of fibers to be crimped between the two rollers and side rings which are situated on both sides of the place of contact of the two rollers and which rotate in the same direction at the same velocity as these rollers, and by forming the surrounding of a stuffing box by said rollers and rings.