Abstract: An apparatus for crimping and permanently heat setting a fiber or tow without stress or tension, comprising a mechanical crimping means, a conveying means which receives the crimped fiber or tow, and a heating or irradiation zone through which the conveying means and fiber or tow passes.

Abstract: An apparatus for crimping and permanently heat setting a fiber or tow without non-uniform stress or tension, comprising a conveying means having a multiplicity of openings, means for supplying the fiber or tow across the conveying means, means for inserting the fiber or tow into the openings of the conveying means whereby the fiber is retained in a non-linear shape in the openings without stress or tension, and a heating or irradiation zone through which the conveying means and fiber or tow pass.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for drying filamentary material, a duct is provided for enclosing a portion of a passline. The duct comprises two parts relatively disposed laterally of the passline. These parts are relatively movable away from one another laterally of the passline to provide a duct open position and towards one another to provide a duct closed postion. First and second guide wheels are provided for guiding the filamentary material along the passline through the duct. The guide wheels are relatively movable along the passline between the duct parts in the duct open position between a first pair of relatively close positions and a second pair of positions at opposite ends of the duct. With the duct in the duct open position and the guide wheels in the first pair of positions, filamentary material is fed over the guide wheels.