Methods of processing textile yarns

Claim 1

A METHOD OF THERMALLY PROCESSING THERMOPLASTIC YARN WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUALLY DRAWING THE YARN FROM A SOURCE OF SUPPLY, CONTINUALLY PASSING THE YARN AT A SELECTED LINEAR SPEED THROUGH A RESTRICTED THERMALLY ISOLATED AND UNIFORMLY HEATED ZONE TO UNIFORMLY HEAT THE YARN TO A PRESCRIBED TEMPERATURE TO YARN-SET THE SAME, CONTROLLING THE SUPPLY OF HEAT ENERGY TO SAID ZONE COMPENSATIVELY ACCORDING TO THE AMBIENT TEMPERATURE AND ATE OF TRANSFER OF HEAT TO THE YARN TO THEREBY MAINTAIN SAID HEATED ZONE UNIFORMLY AT THE TEMPERATURE REQUIRED TO UNIFORMLY HEAT SAID YARN TO SAID PRESCRIBED TEMPERATURE, CONTINUALLY COOLING THE YARN TO STABILIZE THE SAME AFTER PASSAGE UNDER TENSION THROUGH SAID HEATED ZONE, WINDING THE PROCESSED YARN, MAINTAINING THE YARN UNDER A UNIFORM TENSION DURING HEATING, COOLING AND WINDING THEREOF, AND CORRELATING THE TENSION IN SAID YARN TO SAID PRESCRIBED TEMPERATURE