Abstract: A bundle of fibers fed from a stuffer box longitudinally in a corrugated form is wrapped with a breathable heat resistant fabric to form a continuous belt-like shape and then introduced into and drawn out of a thermal treatment region by the aid of inlet and outlet ducts and guide channel in a heat-treatment chamber into which is supplied a heating medium comprising one of non-condensable gas, superheated steam, and a mixture of said non-condensable gas and said superheated steam. The chamber includes a high-pressure portion and a low-pressure portion disposed on opposite sides of the guide channel. The heating medium flows longitudinally along the inlet and outlet ducts in opposite directions towards outsides and transversely from the high-pressure portion to the low-pressure portion across the guide channel, whereby the fibers wrapped with the breathable heat resistant fabric is thermally treated.

Abstract: A running insulator coated cable is straightened in a straightening section and then passed through a length measurement section for measuring a length of cable. The cable is then temporarily held stationary, and its coating insulator is circumferentially cut at a given point. The cable is then run again, and a given portion of its coating insulator is longitudinally cut in relation to the circumferentially cut point. Two further circumferential cuts are made on the coating insulator, and a portion of coating between these circumferential cuts is longitudinally cut. The cable is then separated at a given point on a portion of cable corresponding to the latter longitudinally cut coating portion.

Abstract: A film or fibrous web which has been stretched by moving at least two laterally spaced first longitudinal portions gripped by a first gripping means along at least two arcuate divergent paths formed jointly by at least two radially disposed first pulleys and endless belt means trained arcuately therearound, is further stretched by moving at least two laterally spaced second longitudinal portions adjacent to the first longitudinal portions gripped by a second gripping means along at least two arcuate divergent paths contiguous to the first arcuate divergent paths, respectively, formed jointly by at least two second pulleys, respectively, disposed downstream of and close to the first pulleys in coplanar relation thereto and second endless belt means trained arcuately therearound. The film while being stretched is heated to a temperature suitable for stretching with heated air and the like, or is softened by immersing in a bath of solvent or plasticizer.

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 method of slitting a continuous thermoplastic film comprises advancing the film longitudinally at a first speed along a peripheral surface of a roll rotating at a peripheral speed equal to or slightly greater than that of the film, and slitting the film while being advanced by pressing cutting edges of a rotating cutter against the peripheral surface of the roll. In order to prevent the cutting edges from being worn out and to form slits of uniform size and shape, the peripheral surface comprises an elastic layer of polymeric material, the cutting edges are heated above a temperature at which the film starts melting, the film and the elastic surface layer are cooled along their contacting surfaces with a cooling liquid, and the cutting edges are rotated at substantially the same peripheral speed as the roll. The invention also includes an apparatus for carrying out the method.

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 method and apparatus for stretching a thermoplastic polymer film in which the opposite selvages of the film are gripped by gripping means and are stretched transversely during heating by moving the selvages along two divergent arcuate paths lying in the same plane and extending over a predetermined circumferential range from a quater to a half of the full circumference of the circle containing the arcuate paths. In order to avoid drawbacks in the existing equipment such as irregular molecular orientation in and rupture of the film, the longitudinal travel of the film while being stretched is controlled by controlling means so that the central web portion is advanced by substantially the same distance as the gripped film selvages, whereby the amound of longitudinal movement of the film is held always constant throughout the width of the film.

Abstract: A great many earthworms are bred in a layer of fermented vegetable matter, such as waste cotton and straw, which is maintained in a duly moistened condition. The earthworms eat the vegetable matter and discharge feces. The feces are gathered and refined into a natural organic fertilizer or manure through a number of steps including removal or killing of earthworm eggs.