Abstract: A process for broadening the width of a bundle of parallel filaments having a band form is provided, which comprises, during the running course of the bundle in the lengthwise direction, holding the bundle under press by a direction-turning bar or bars arranged obliquely to the advancing direction of the bundle along its surface; while preventing the bundle approaching the resulting oblique holding line from varying in its approach angle and also shifting to its widthwise direction, turning the direction of the bundle leaving the bar or bars to a direction having an optional angle against the oblique holding line; and taking up the resulting bundle having a required width.

Abstract: A process for collecting continuous polymer filaments centrifugally ejected from the spinning nozzles of a spinning head rotating at a high velocity is provided wherein the ejected filaments are caught by the surface of an annular form, flowing down liquid or by an annular wall surface wetted by a liquid flowing down thereon, spaced apart from and surrounding the spinning head and concentrically opposed to the head; then moved downwards from the location where the filaments are caught, by the flowing down liquid and if necessary, together with two or more guides; and dropped on a belt moving below the spinning head in the lateral direction and taken up in the form of multifilaments or dropped on the belt in the form of an ellipse long in the width direction of the belt and after adhering selvage materials to both the side end parts of the filaments, taken up in the form of a weft web of the ejected filaments.

Abstract: A process for producing a non-woven fabric of cross-laminated warp web and weft webs is provided, which comprises first preparing the weft webs by ejecting a molten polymer of specified properties through orifices provided on the peripheral surface of a rotating vessel, in the lateral direction of the vessel and toward elongated stocks arranged in parallel and in cylindrical form and running around the vessel vertically in the direction of the polymer ejection; causing the ejected polymer to form adhesive filaments adhered onto the stocks to thereby fix the arrangement of the stocks; cutting open the resulting web and cutting the cut-open web by a length corresponding to a width of the above cross-laminated product; successively placing the cut webs onto the above warp web without gaps; and melting the adhesive filaments constituting the weft webs by heating the laminate to thereby bond the cross-points of the weft webs and the warp web to obtain the above product.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for transversely stretching a fibrous or film-like material. The material is subjected to a monoaxial transverse stretch which progresses divergently along an arcuate track. An apparatus to implement this method is also disclosed, which essentially comprises a pair of pulleys and a pair of V-belts cooperating in releasably gripping therebetween opposite selvages of a given material, the pulleys being rotative in the same plane in opposite directions so that the material is stretched along a progressively diverging arcuate track.

Abstract: A reticular web of thermoplastic resin composed of split or slit fibers is longitudinally fed around a system of nip rollers as it is transversely spread along its selvages which then longitudinally shorten into contact with small-diameter end portions of one of the nip rollers. At least one dimensionally stable thread is attached to and along each of the web selvages to reinforce the latter. The web thus laterally spread is caused to heat-shrink at its middle portion on a heated drum until the middle portion is of substantially the same length as that of the selvages. Each of the selvages including the thread has a basis weight which is substantially the same as or smaller than that of the middle portion. The selvages of the reticular web thus treated are rendered dimensionally stable for guidance of the web in a manner to keep the latter constant widthwise while the web is wound around or reeled out from a take-up roll.

Abstract: Longitudinal and transverse stretching of a tubular film is effected by gripping opposite selvages of the tubular film between a pair of substantially coplanar pulleys and a pair of endless belt means trained arcuately around the pulleys, respectively, and by rotating the pulleys at a peripheral speed greater than a speed of feed of the tubular film. As the film selvages progress along a pair of arcuate divergent paths, respectively, around the pulleys, the film is heated, reversed in direction of travel, and cut along the selvages into a pair of biaxially stretched sheets. Before stretching of the film, live steam is introduced into the tubular film for heating the same.