Yarn processing apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus comprising: yarn crimping means for heating a yarn with a heated fluid and producing a yarn plug; fluid heating means, comprising first and second heating elements, for selectively heating a fluid to either a first temperature by operation of said first heating element or to a second temperature by simultaneous operation of said first and second heating elements, said second temperature being the temperature used for crimping the yarn and said first temperature being the temperature used for stringing up the apparatus, said second temperature being a higher temperature than said first temperature; means connecting the fluid heating means to the yarn crimping means for passing of the heated fluid from the fluid heating means to the yarn crimping means; control means positioned downstream of said crimping means for regulating the temperature of the heated fluid heated by the heating means to the first temperature or the second temperature in response to whether the yarn plug is detected at a predetermined point by the control means so that the heated fluid is heated to the first temperature if the yarn plug is not detected at said point and the heated fluid is heated to the second temperature if the yarn plug is detected at said point.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heating means comprises first and second heating elements operated in series.

Claim 4

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first temperature is below the melting temperature of the yarn and said second temperature is above the melting temperature of the yarn.

Claim 5

The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the fluid heating means comprises an electrically operated steam superheater, wherein said first and second heating elements comprise first and second separate and independent heating elements, and wherein said first heating element is in continuous operation.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the yarn crimping means is a fluid jet, the heating fluid is superheated steam, and the control means is a microswitch which operates the second element of said heater when the yarn plug is detected by said microswitch at the outlet of the fluid jet.

Claim 7

Apparatus comprising: yarn crimping means for heating a yarn with a heated fluid and producing a yarn plug; fluid heating means for heating a fluid to a first and a second temperature, said second temperature being the temperature used for crimping the yarn and said first temperature being the temperature used for stringing up the yarn in the apparatus, said second temperature being a higher temperature than said first temperature; means connecting the fluid heating means to the yarn crimping means for passing of the heated fluid from the fluid heating means to the yarn crimping means; control means positioned downstream of said crimping means for regulating the temperature of the heated fluid heated by the heating means to the first temperature or the second temperature in response to whether the yarn plug is detected at a first predetermined point by the control means so that the heated fluid is heated to the first temperature if the yarn plug is not detected at said point and the heated fluid is heated to the second temperature if the yarn plug is detected at said point; monitoring means for monitoring the length of the yarn plug with respect to a second predetermined point positioned downstream of said crimping means and said first predetermined point; second control means for regulating the temperature of the yarn passed to said yarn crimping means wherein said second control means increases the temperature of the yarn passed to said yarn crimping means if said yarn plug is at or downstream of said second predetermined point and said control means decreases the temperature of the yarn passed to said yarn crimping means if said yarn plug is upstream of said second predetermined point.

Claim 8

Apparatus comprising: yarn crimping means for heating a yarn with a heated fluid and producing a yarn plug; fluid heating means for heating a fluid to a first and a second temperature, said second temperature being the temperature used for crimping the yarn and said first temperature being the temperature used for stringing up the yarn in the apparatus, said second temperature being a higher temperature than said first temperature; means connecting the fluid heating means to the yarn crimping means for passing of the heated fluid from the fluid heating means to the yarn crimping means; control means positioned downstream of said crimping means for regulating the temperature of the heated fluid heated by the heating means to the first temperature or the second temperature in response to whether the yarn plug is detected at a first predetermined point by the control means so that the heated fluid is heated to the first temperature if the yarn plug is not detected at said point and the heated fluid is heated to the second temperature if the yarn plug is detected at said point; monitoring means for monitoring the length of the yarn plug with respect to a second predetermined point positioned downstream of said crimping means and said first predetermined point; second control means for regulating the temperature of the yarn passed to said yarn crimping means wherein said second control means increases the temperature of the yarn passed to said yarn crimping means if said yarn plug is at or downstream of said second predetermined point and said control means decreases the temperature of the yarn passed to said yarn crimping means if said yarn plug is upstream of said second predetermined point.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising yarn heating means positioned for heating the crimped yarn produced in said yarn crimping means; a second fluid heating means for heating a second fluid to a temperature; means connecting the second fluid heating means to the crimped yarn heating means for passage of the second heated fluid from the second fluid heating means to the crimped yarn heating means; constant tension winding means positioned to wind the yarn heated in said crimped yarn heating means; and fluid control means for controlling the passage of fluid to the second fluid heating means and heating the second fluid to said temperature in response to the winding of yarn so that the second heating fluid is passed to the crimped yarn heating means only if yarn is being wound.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first temperature is below the melting temperature of the yarn and said second temperature is above the melting temperature of the yarn.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the fluid heating means is an electrically operated steam superheater having first and second separate and independent heating elements wherein the operation of the first element heats the steam to said first temperature and said first element is in continuous operation and the simultaneous operation of said first and second elements heats the steam to said second temperature.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the heating means comprises two separate heaters operated in series wherein the operation of one of the heaters heats the fluid to said first temperature and the operation of both the heaters heats the fluid to said second temperature.

Claim 13

Apparatus comprising: yarn heating means for heating a yarn with a heated fluid; fluid heating means for heating a fluid to a temperature; valve means for shutting off the flow of fluid to said fluid heating means; means connecting the fluid heating means to the yarn heating means for passage of the heated fluid from the fluid heating means to the yarn heating means; constant tension winding means positioned to wind the yarn heated in said yarn heating means; and fluid control means for maintaining said valve means open to permit the passage of fluid to the fluid heating means and heating the fluid to said temperature in response to the winding of yarn so that heating fluid is passed to the yarn heating means only if yarn is being wound, said fluid control means comprising means for actuating said valve means to shut off the flow of fluid to said fluid heating means when yarn is not being wound.

Claim 14

Apparatus comprising: yarn heating means for heating a yarn with a heated fluid; fluid heating means for heating a fluid to a temperature; valve means for shutting off the flow of fluid to said fluid heating means; means connecting the fluid heating means to the yarn heating means for passage of the heated fluid from the fluid heating means to the yarn heating means; constant tension winding means positioned to wind the yarn heated in said yarn heating means; and fluid control means for maintaining said valve means open to permit the passage of fluid to the fluid heating means and heating the fluid to said temperature in response to the winding of yarn so that heating fluid is passed to the yarn heating means only if yarn is being wound, said fluid control means comprising means for actuating said valve means to shut off the flow of fluid to said fluid heating means when yarn is not being wound.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the yarn heating means comprises a longitudinal member having a cylindrical passage therethrough having an axis parallel with the longitudinal axis of said member and having at least one heating fluid inlet in communication with said passage; wherein the fluid heating means is an electrical heater suitable for producing saturated steam; wherein the means connecting the fluid heating means to the yarn heating means is an insulated pipe; wherein said valve means comprises an electrically operated valve for shutting off the flow of fluid to said fluid heating means; and wherein the fluid control means comprises a microswitch positioned on the winder to sense the winding of yarn and connected to said valve to actuate same.

Claim 16

Apparatus comprising: yarn crimping means for heating a yarn with a heated first fluid and producing a yarn plug; first fluid heating means for selectively heating a first fluid to either a first or a second temperature, said second temperature being the temperature used for crimping the yarn and said first temperature being the temperature used for stringing up the apparatus, said second temperature being a higher temperature than said first temperature; means connecting the first fluid heating means to the yarn crimping means for passing of the heated first fluid from the first fluid heating means to the yarn crimping means; control means positioned downstream of said crimping means for regulating the temperature of the heated first fluid heated by the first fluid heating means to the first temperature or the second temperature in response to whether the yarn plug is detected at a predetermined point by the control means so that the heated first fluid is heated to the first temperature if the yarn plug is not detected at said point and the heated first fluid is heated to the second temperature if the yarn plug is detected at said point; yarn heating means positioned for heating the crimped yarn produced in said yarn crimping means; a second fluid heating means for heating a second fluid to a temperature; means connecting the second fluid heating means to the crimped yarn heating means for passage of the second heated fluid from the second fluid heating means to the crimped yarn heating means; constant tension winding means positioned to wind the yarn heated in said crimped yarn heating means; and fluid control means for controlling the passage of fluid to the second fluid heating means and heating the second fluid to said temperature in response to the winding of yarn so that the second heating fluid is passed to the crimped yarn heating means only if yarn is being wound.

Claim 17

Apparatus comprising: yarn crimping means for heating a yarn with a heated first fluid and producing a yarn plug; first fluid heating means for selectively heating a first fluid to either a first or a second temperature, said second temperature being the temperature used for crimping the yarn and said first temperature being the temperature used for stringing up the apparatus, said second temperature being a higher temperature than said first temperature; means connecting the first fluid heating means to the yarn crimping means for passing of the heated first fluid from the first fluid heating means to the yarn crimping means; control means positioned downstream of said crimping means for regulating the temperature of the heated first fluid heated by the first fluid heating means to the first temperature or the second temperature in response to whether the yarn plug is detected at a predetermined point by the control means so that the heated first fluid is heated to the first temperature if the yarn plug is not detected at said point and the heated first fluid is heated to the second temperature if the yarn plug is detected at said point; yarn heating means positioned for heating the crimped yarn produced in said yarn crimping means; a second fluid heating means for heating a second fluid to a temperature; means connecting the second fluid heating means to the crimped yarn heating means for passage of the second heated fluid from the second fluid heating means to the crimped yarn heating means; constant tension winding means positioned to wind the yarn heated in said crimped yarn heating means; and fluid control means for controlling the passage of fluid to the second fluid heating means and heating the second fluid to said temperature in response to the winding of yarn so that the second heating fluid is passed to the crimped yarn heating means only if yarn is being wound.