Vacuum texturizing process

Claim 2

Yarn texturizing apparatus comprising: feed means for feeding yarn to be texturized; a heater block; a spindle comprising a perforated cylinder having a generally axially through-extending passageway; means for mounting said spindle for rotation about an axis generally coincident with said axial passageway; means for rotating said cylinder about said axis; means for applying a vacuum to the exterior of said perforated cylinder such that the yarn is held by the vacuum against an inner wall of the cylinder passageway; output means from said cylinder for withdrawing texturized yarn from said cylinder; said feed means, heater block, and spindle mounted with respect to each other so that during operation feed yarn passes through said feed means to said heater block, and then to said spindle, and finally to said output means.

Claim 3

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said heater has a through-extending generally linear passageway therein, said heater passageway being in-line with said cylinder passageway.

Claim 4

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said cylinder comprises a plurality of perforations formed in rows which are generally parallel to the axis of rotation of said cylinder and spaced from each other along the axis, a plurality of said rows being disposed around the circumference of said cylinder and operatively connected to said through-extending passageway.

Claim 5

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said mounting means and said means for connecting said vacuum to the exterior of said perforated cylinder comprises a generally tubular housing surrounding said cylinder and having an interior wall spaced from said cylinder, and having a connecting tube extending therefrom to said source of vacuum; and bearing means acting between said mounting tube internal walls and the exterior of said cylinder for allowing rotation of said cylinder with respect to said tube.

Claim 6

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said cylinder comprises a friction disc in spring or clutch contact with said spindle, and a power source for rotating said spindle disc about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said spindle.

Claim 7

Yarn texturizing apparatus comprising: feed means for feeding yarn to be texturized; a heater block; a spindle comprising a perforated cylinder having a generally axially through-extending passageway; means for mounting said spindle for rotation about an axis generally coincident with said axial passageway; means for rotating said cylinder about said axis; a source of vacuum; means for connecting said source of vacuum to the exterior of said perforated cylinder; output means from said cylinder for withdrawing texturized yarn from said cylinder; said feed means, heater block, and spindle mounted with respect to each other so that during operation feed yarn passes through said feed means to said heater block, and then to said spindle, and finally to said output means, wherein said heater has a through-extending generally linear passageway therein, said heater passageway being in-line with said cy1inder passageway; and said spindle passageway having a generally V-shaped offset portion thereof, and wherein perforations of said cylinder are operatively connected to said V-shaped offset portion.

Claim 8

Yarn texturizing apparatus comprising: feed means for feeding yarn to be texturized; a heater block; a spindle comprising a perforated cylinder having a generally axially through-extending passageway; means for mounting said spindle for rotation about an axis generally coincident with said axial passageway; means for rotating said cylinder about said axis; a source of vacuum; means for connecting said source of vacuum to the exterior of said perforated cylinder; output means from said cylinder for withdrawing texturized yarn from said cylinder; said feed means, heater block, and spindle mounted with respect to each other so that during operation feed yarn passes through said feed means to said heater block, and then to said spindle, and finally to said output means, wherein said heater has a through-extending generally linear passageway therein, said heater passageway being in-line with said cy1inder passageway; and said spindle passageway having a generally V-shaped offset portion thereof, and wherein perforations of said cylinder are operatively connected to said V-shaped offset portion.

Claim 9

Yarn texturizing apparatus comprising: feed means for feeding yarn to be texturized; a heater block; a spindle comprising a perforated cylinder having a generally axially through-extending passageway; means for mounting said spindle for rotation about an axis generally coincident with said axial passageway; means for rotating said cylinder about said axis; a source of vacuum; means for connecting said source of vacuum to the exterior of said perforated cylinder; output means from said cylinder for withdrawing texturized yarn from said cylinder; and said feed means, heater block, and spindle mounted with respect to each other so that during operation feed yarn passes through said feed means to said heater block, and then to said spindle, and finally to said output means; said mounting means and said means for connecting said vacuum to the exterior of said perforated cylinder comprising a generally tubular housing surrounding said cylinder and having an interior wall spaced from said cylinder, and having a connecting tube extending therefrom to said source of vacuum; and bearing means acting between said mounting tube internal walls and the exterior of said cylinder for allowing rotation of said cylinder with respect to said tube; and said spindle comprising a radially extending flange disposed adjacent the end thereof closest to said heater block, said flange abutting said bearing means and defining a lowermost portion of said mounting tube.

Claim 10

Yarn texturizing apparatus comprising: feed means for feeding yarn to be texturized; a heater block; a spindle comprising a perforated cylinder having a generally axially through-extending passageway; means for mounting said spindle for rotation about an axis generally coincident with said axial passageway; means for rotating said cylinder about said axis; a source of vacuum; means for connecting said source of vacuum to the exterior of said perforated cylinder; output means from said cylinder for withdrawing texturized yarn from said cylinder; and said feed means, heater block, and spindle mounted with respect to each other so that during operation feed yarn passes through said feed means to said heater block, and then to said spindle, and finally to said output means; said mounting means and said means for connecting said vacuum to the exterior of said perforated cylinder comprising a generally tubular housing surrounding said cylinder and having an interior wall spaced from said cylinder, and having a connecting tube extending therefrom to said source of vacuum; and bearing means acting between said mounting tube internal walls and the exterior of said cylinder for allowing rotation of said cylinder with respect to said tube; and said spindle comprising a radially extending flange disposed adjacent the end thereof closest to said heater block, said flange abutting said bearing means and defining a lowermost portion of said mounting tube.

Claim 11

Yarn texturizing apparatus comprising: feed means for feeding yarn to be texturized; a heater block; a spindle comprising a perforated cylinder having a generally axially through-extending passageway; means for mounting said spindle for rotation about an axis generally coincident with said axial passageway; means for rotating said cylinder about said axis; a source of vacuum; means for connecting said source of vacuum to the exterior of said perforated cylinder; output means from said cylinder for withdrawing texturized yarn from said cylinder; said feed means, heater block, and spindle mounted with respect to each other so that during operation feed yarn passes through said feed means to said heater block, and then to said spindle, and finally to said output means, and said cylinder having a first end thereof closest to said heater block, and a second end thereof most remote from said heater block, and said passageway at said first end thereof being generally circular in cross-section and having a diameter of approximately equal to twice the diameter of a single filament or the composite diameter of a multi-filament yarn fed thereto; and said passageway at said second end of said cylinder having a diameter approximately 1.5 times the diameter of a single filament texturized yarn, or composite diameter of a multi-filament texturized yarn, passing therethrough.

Claim 12

Yarn texturizing apparatus comprising: feed means for feeding yarn to be texturized; a heater block; a spindle comprising a perforated cylinder having a generally axially through-extending passageway; means for mounting said spindle for rotation about an axis generally coincident with said axial passageway; means for rotating said cylinder about said axis; a source of vacuum; means for connecting said source of vacuum to the exterior of said perforated cylinder; output means from said cylinder for withdrawing texturized yarn from said cylinder; said feed means, heater block, and spindle mounted with respect to each other so that during operation feed yarn passes through said feed means to said heater block, and then to said spindle, and finally to said output means, and said cylinder having a first end thereof closest to said heater block, and a second end thereof most remote from said heater block, and said passageway at said first end thereof being generally circular in cross-section and having a diameter of approximately equal to twice the diameter of a single filament or the composite diameter of a multi-filament yarn fed thereto; and said passageway at said second end of said cylinder having a diameter approximately 1.5 times the diameter of a single filament texturized yarn, or composite diameter of a multi-filament texturized yarn, passing therethrough.

Claim 15

Apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said perforations operatively connected to said V-shaped offset portion of said passageway comprise a first perforation extending from a first leg of the V to one side of the cylinder, and a second perforation extending from the other leg of the V to the opposite side of the cylinder from the first perforation.

Claim 16

Apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said perforations operatively connected to said V-shaped portion of said passageway comprise a first perforation which is substantially a linear continuation of one leg of said V, and a second perforation which is a substantial linear continuation of the other leg of said V.

Claim 17

Apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein said cylinder comprises a single perforation which is substantially a linear continuation of one leg of said V-shaped portion of said passageway, and slants downwardly toward the end of said spindle closest to said heater block.

Claim 20

A method as recited in claim 13 wherein step (b) is practiced by rotating the spindle at a speed of several hundred thousand revolutions per minute.

Claim 21

A method as recited in claim 14 wherein step (b) is further practiced by applying a vacuum in the range of about 8-12 inches of mercury to the exterior of the cylinder.

Claim 22

A method as recited in claim 13 wherein the yarn to be texturized is a single filament or multi-filament yarn having a fine denier, the denier being so fine that the yarn is not capable of being texturized by conventional pin twisting and friction twisting texturizing processes.

Claim 23

A method as recited in claim 13 wherein the yarn to be texturized is a single filament or multi-filament yarn of weak thermoplastic filament, the thermoplastic filaments being so weak that they are not capable of being effectively texturized using pin twisting and friction twisting conventional processes.