Hosiery finishing process for treating fabrics containing spandex yarn

Claim 2

A FINISHING PROCESS FOR TREATING FABRICS CONTAINING SPANDEX YARN COMPRISING PLACING THE FABRIC IN A BATH CONTAINING A WATER EMULSION OF A LOWER ALKYL POLYSILOXANE POLYMER, SAID POLYMER HAVING AN ACTIVE HYDROGEN GROUP, ACIDIFYING THE BATH, EXHAUSTING SAID POLYMER ONTO SAID FABRIC AT A TEMPERATURE OF 00* TO 200*F. FOR A PERIOD OF 10 TO 30 MINUTES TO PERMIT SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM ABSORPTION OF SAID POLYMER BY THE SPANDEX IN SAID FABRIC, ADDING DIMETHYLOLETHYLENE UREA AND A CURING AGENT FOR SAID UREA TO SAID BATH, SAID UREA BEING CURABLE TO FORM A VISCIOUS THERMOSETTING RESIN, REACTING SAID UREA WITH SAID ABSORBED POLYSILOXANE POLYMER AT A TEMPERATURE AND FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT TO PERMIT A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM REACTION THROUGHOUT THE FABRIC AND THEREAFTER SUBJECTING SAID FABRIC TO ELEVATED TEMPERATURE FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT TO CURE THE REACTION PRODUCT.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the pH of said bath is maintained in the range of 4.0 to 6.0.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein said reaction is carried out at a temperature of 100* to 180*F. for a period of 5 to 15 minutes.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein said reaction product is cured by exposure of the fabric to a temperature of 220* to 250*F. for a period of 5 to 15 minutes.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 further including the step of rinsing said fabric with an acidic solution prior to said polysiloxane exhaustion step.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein said fabric is rinsed and dried prior to said curing step.

Claim 8

The process of claim 1 wherein said fabric is dyed prior to said polysiloxane exhaustion step.

Claim 9

A finishing process for treating fabrics containing spandex yarn comprising placing the fabric in a bath containing a water emulsion of a lower alkyl polysiloxane polymer, said polymer having an active hydrogen group, acidifying the bath, exhausting said polymer onto said fabric at a temperature of 100* to 200*F. for a period of 10 to 30 minutes to permit substantially uniform absorption of said polymer by the spandex in said fabric, adding a curable dimethylolethylene urea and a curing agent for said urea to said bath, said urea being curable to form a viscous thermosetting resin, reacting said urea with said absorbed polysiloxane polymer at a temperature of 100* to 180*F. for a period of 5 to 15 minutes to permit a substantially uniform reaction throughout the fabric and thereafter subjecting said fabric to a temperature of 220* to 250*F. for a period of 5 to 15 minutes to cure the reaction product.

Claim 10

A finishing process for treating fabrics containing spandex yarn comprising placing the fabric in a bath containing a water emulsion of a lower alkyl polysiloxane polymer, said polymer having an active hydrogen group, acidifying the bath, exhausting said polymer onto said fabric at a temperature of 100* to 200*F. for a period of 10 to 30 minutes to permit substantially uniform absorption of said polymer by the spandex in said fabric, adding a curable dimethylolethylene urea and a curing agent for said urea to said bath, said urea being curable to form a viscous thermosetting resin, reacting said urea with said absorbed polysiloxane polymer at a temperature of 100* to 180*F. for a period of 5 to 15 minutes to permit a substantially uniform reaction throughout the fabric and thereafter subjecting said fabric to a temperature of 220* to 250*F. for a period of 5 to 15 minutes to cure the reaction product.