U.S. patent application number 13/456885 was filed with the patent office on 2013-10-31 for apparatus and method of foam dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarn.
This patent application is currently assigned to GASTON SYSTEMS, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Christoph W. AURICH. Invention is credited to Christoph W. AURICH.
Application Number | 20130283545 13/456885 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 48182790 |
Filed Date | 2013-10-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130283545 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
AURICH; Christoph W. |
October 31, 2013 |
APPARATUS AND METHOD OF FOAM DYEING A TRAVELING SHEET OF TEXTILE
YARN
Abstract
Dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarn with a dye in foamed
condition, and, more particularly, dyeing by separating a traveling
sheet of yarn into separate spaced portions and applying foamed dye
to the inner facing and outer facing surfaces of the yarns in the
spaced portions. Then recombining the spaced portions into a single
sheet and further applying foamed dye to the yarn in the recombined
sheet.
Inventors: |
AURICH; Christoph W.;
(Clemson, SC) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
AURICH; Christoph W. |
Clemson |
SC |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
GASTON SYSTEMS, INC.
Stanley
NC
|
Family ID: |
48182790 |
Appl. No.: |
13/456885 |
Filed: |
April 26, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
8/477 ;
68/202 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06B 1/08 20130101; D06B
19/0094 20130101; D06B 11/002 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
8/477 ;
68/202 |
International
Class: |
D06P 1/96 20060101
D06P001/96; D06B 1/02 20060101 D06B001/02 |
Claims
1. An apparatus for dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns with
dye applied in a foam condition, comprising: a pair of driven
infeed nip rollers for feeding said sheet of yarn in a downstream
direction; a pair of outwardly spaced guide rollers downstream of
said infeed rollers for guiding separated portions of said yarn
sheet in separated spaced paths; a pair of driven yarn sheet
recombining nip rollers downstream of said outwardly spaced rollers
for recombining said separated yarn sheet portions into a single
yarn sheet; an exit guide roller downstream of said recombining nip
rollers for guiding said recombined yarn sheet from said apparatus;
a pair of outwardly facing, inner foam applicators and a pair of
inwardly facing, outer foam applicators, said pairs spaced from
each other in the downstream direction of travel of said yarn
sheet; said pair of outwardly facing, inner foam applicators
disposed between the paths of said separated yarn sheet portions
and having foam dispensing nozzles extending transversely of and in
contact with the inner facing surfaces of the yarns of said
separated yarn sheet portions for surface dyeing of the inward
facing surfaces of said separated yarn sheet portions; said pair of
inwardly facing, outer foam applicators disposed outwardly of the
path of yarn travel and having foam dispensing nozzles extending
transversely of and in contact with the outer facing surfaces of
the yarns for surface dyeing of the outward facing surfaces of said
yarn;
2. The apparatus for dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns
according to claim 1 and characterized further by a plurality of
foam applicators downstream of said recombining rollers and having
nozzles for applying foamed dye to the yarns in said recombined
sheet of yarns.
3. The apparatus for dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns
according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said
outwardly facing, inner applicators are located between said
outwardly spaced guide rollers and said recombining rollers, and
said inwardly facing, outer applicators are located between said
outwardly spaced rollers and said outwardly facing, inner
applicators.
4. The apparatus for dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns
according to claim 1 and characterized further in that said
outwardly facing nozzles of said inner foam applicators project
into the paths of said separated yarn sheet portions to deflect the
yarn sheet portions outwardly to maintain foam dispensing contact
therewith; and said inwardly facing nozzles of said outer
applicators project into the path of said yarn to deflect the yarn
inwardly to maintain foam dispensing contact therewith.
5. The apparatus for dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns
according to claim 1 wherein said textile yarns are undyed cotton
yarns and the dye applied by said applicators is indigo leuco-state
dye, and characterized further by a dyeing chamber sealed from
atmospheric air and having entry and exit seals through which said
yarn sheet enters and exits said chamber; a supply of inert gas
communicating with said chamber to maintain a substantially inert
atmosphere therein; said pair of infeed nip rollers are disposed in
said chamber for feeding said sheet of yarn in said chamber in a
downstream direction; said pair of outwardly spaced guide rollers
are in said chamber downstream of said infeed rollers; said pair of
yarn sheet recombining nip rollers are in said chamber downstream
of said outwardly spaced rollers; said exit guide roller is outside
said chamber, downstream of said recombining nip rollers for
guiding said recombined yarn sheet through said exit seal and from
said chamber; and said pairs of foam applicators are in said
chamber.
6. The apparatus for dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns
according to claim 5 and characterized further in that said
outwardly facing, inner applicators are located between said
outwardly spaced guide rollers and said recombining rollers, and
said inwardly facing, outer applicators are located between said
outwardly spaced rollers and said outwardly facing, inner
applicators.
7. The apparatus for dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarn
according to claim 5 and characterized further in that a plurality
of additional pairs of applicators are disposed in said chamber
downstream of said recombining nip rollers, each additional pair
having one applicator with a nozzle extending transversely of and
in contact with one surface of said yarn sheet, and the other
applicator of each additional pair of applicators spaced downstream
of said one applicator with a nozzle extending transversely of and
in contact with the opposite surface of said yarn sheet for
supplemental dyeing of said yarn sheet.
8. The apparatus for dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarn
according to claim 7 and characterized further in that the nozzles
of said additional applicators project into the path of said yarn
to deflect the yarn to maintain foam dispensing contact
therewith.
9. A method of dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns with
foamed dye, comprising continuously feeding the sheet of yarn in a
single path; separating said traveling sheet into two separate
spaced sheet portions for continuing travel in separate spaced path
portions, with the yarns in each separate spaced path portion
having surfaces facing the other sheet portion and surfaces facing
away from the other sheet portion, and having interior portions;
applying foamed dye to said surfaces of the yarns in said separate
sheet portions; said separating reducing the density of said yarns
in each separate portion of said yarn sheet, thereby reducing
substantially the likelihood of any white spots remaining on any of
said yarns due to overlapping or entangling during said applying
foamed dye to said yarn surfaces; recombining said separate sheet
portions for continued travel as a single sheet.
10. The method of dyeing a traveling sheet of textile according to
claim 9 and characterized further by applying foamed dye to the
yarns in the traveling recombined sheet of yarns.
11. The method of dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns
according to claim 10 wherein the dye applied by at least one of
said applying foamed dye is from a different source than the source
of dye applied by other dye applying.
12. The method of dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns
according to claim 10 and characterized further in that the
applying foamed dye to the yarns in said separate sheet portions
applies dye to tint the surfaces of the yarns, leaving said
interior portions of the yarns undyed, and said dyeing of the yarns
in the recombined sheet applies dye to deepen the shade of the dye
applied to the yarn in the separate sheet portions.
13. The method of dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns
according to claim 9 wherein the yarn is undyed cotton yarn and the
yarn is fed through a sealed chamber containing an inert gas and
said yarn sheet separating and recombining are within the chamber
and the foamed dye is indigo dye in a leuco-state and is applied to
said yarns in said chamber.
14. The method of dyeing a traveling sheet of textile according to
claim 13 and characterized further by applying foamed dye to the
yarns in the traveling recombined sheet of yarns in said
chamber.
15. The method of dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns
according to claim 14 wherein the dye applied by at least one of
said applying foamed dye is does from a different source than the
source of dye applied by other dye applying.
16. The method of dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarns
according to claim 14 and characterized further in that the
applying foamed dye to the yarns in said separate sheet portions
applies dye to tint the surfaces of the yarns, leaving the interior
portions of the yarns undyed, and said dyeing of the yarns in the
recombined sheet applies dye to deepen the shade of the dye applied
to the yarn in the separate sheet portions.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Dyeing a traveling sheet of textile yarn with dye in foam
condition, and more particularly, dyeing by separating a traveling
inner sheet of yarn into separate spaced portions and applying foam
and dye to the inner facing and outer facing surfaces of the yarns
in the spaced portions, then recombining the spaced portions into a
single sheet and further applying foam guide to the yarns in the
recombined sheet.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] It is known to use foamed dye to dye textile substrates by
applying multiple coats of dye in a foamed state sequentially on
traveling textile substrates using spaced foam applicators on
opposite sides of the traveling substrates. One such prior art
apparatus and method developed by the assignee of the present
invention has a vertical series of spaced pairs of opposed foam
applicators that apply foam to opposite sides of a traveling cotton
textile substrate. In the specific embodiment of the prior art
illustrated in the accompanying drawing labeled Prior Art the
apparatus and method are used to dye undyed cotton yarn with
reduced leuco-state indigo dye to produce a dye for use in making
denim fabric. The applicators are mounted inside a sealed chamber
containing an inert gas, such as nitrogen, and the dye is applied
to the yarn in sheet form by a plurality of pairs of spaced foam
applicators.
[0003] In the known prior art, undyed yarn is fed from a plurality
of beams as a single sheet of yarn. The amount of waste liquid
runoff is substantially less than in vat dyeing. Usually it
involves a plurality of foamed dye applications to obtain a desired
shade. In dyeing yarn for use in manufacturing denim cloth, it is
usually desirable that the center of each yarn remains undyed,
which can be accomplished by controlling the amount of moisture at
which the dye is applied to the surface of the yarns in the first
application, but it is also desirable that the entire surface of
the yarns be dyed in the first application. A problem with the
prior art apparatuses and methods is that the mass of yarns in the
traveling sheet are crowded together and tend to overlap or
otherwise become entangled with adjacent yarns, which makes it
difficult, if not impossible, to coat the entire surface of each
yarn without leaving undyed streaks as a result of the limited
amount of dye applied during the first application.
[0004] The present invention provides a unique solution to the
problem of applying a limited amount of dye with foam applicators
to the surfaces of the yarn of a traveling sheet of yarn to
accomplish full-surface application without penetrating the center
of the yarn. The present invention provides this beneficial
advantage by separating the sheet of yarn into separate spaced
portions of the yarn sheet, thereby reducing the density of the
yarns in each separate portion of the yarn sheet, and then applying
foamed dye to the inwardly facing and outwardly facing surfaces of
the yarns in each separated portion with applicators located
between the separated portions for applying foamed dye to the inner
facing surfaces of the yarns and foam applicators at the outer
facing surfaces of the yarns to apply foamed dye to the outwardly
facing surfaces of the yarns. The separate yarn sheet portions are
then recombined and subjected to further foam dyeing with a
plurality of applicators spaced downstream of the recombining.
[0005] An added advantage of the present invention is that the dye
applied by the different applicators can be the same as or
different in concentration or color or type of dye from the dye or
shade of dye applied in the other applicators. Using the same dye
in all the applicators results in a deepening of the shade of the
color imparted by the dye. Using dyes of different colors in
various applicators results in selected color variations in the
yarns and in the resulting fabric woven or knitted from the yarns.
Having the centers undyed while the surfaces are dyed allows color
fashioning in a woven fabric made from those dyed yarns, which is
particularly of interest in denim fabrics, such as used for
manufacturing fashionable blue jeans.
[0006] Dividing of a traveling sheet of yarn into separate spaced
sheet portions is known in the slashing art where the spaced
separate yarns are fed into two different sizing boxes, but this
has not involved foam dyeing and particularly foam applicators
located between divided yarn sheets to apply foamed dye to the
inner facing surfaces of the opposite divided yarn sheets.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Briefly described, in one form, the preferred embodiment of
the present invention provides an apparatus and method for dyeing a
traveling sheet of textile yarns with dye applied in a foam
condition. A pair of driven infeed nip rollers feeds the yarn in a
downstream direction, and a pair of outwardly spaced guide rollers
downstream of the infeed rollers guide the yarn sheet in separated
spaced portions. A pair of driven yarn sheet recombining nip
rollers is located downstream of the outwardly spaced rollers for
recombining the separated yarn sheet portions into a single sheet.
An exit guide roller, downstream of the recombining nip rollers
guides the recombined yarn sheet from the apparatus.
[0008] A pair of outwardly facing, inner foam applicators and a
pair of inwardly facing, outer foam applicators are disposed with
the pair of outwardly facing, inner foam applicators being between
the paths of separated yarn sheet portions for applying foamed dye
to the inner facing portions of the surface of the separated yarn
sheet portions with their nozzles projecting oppositely into the
paths of the separated yarn sheet portions to deflect the yarn
sheet portions outwardly to maintain foam dispensing contact with
the applicator nozzles. Similarly, the pair of inwardly facing
outer foam applicators are disposed outwardly of the paths of the
separated yarn portions for dispensing foamed dye to the outer
facing surfaces of the yarns, and their nozzles project into the
path of the yarn sheet portions to deflect the yarn sheet portions
inwardly to maintain foam dispensing contact with the nozzles of
the applicators.
[0009] Additional pairs of foam applicators are located downstream
of the recombining rollers and have nozzles for applying foam dye
to the opposite surfaces of the yarns in the recombined sheet of
yarn.
[0010] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the
method and apparatus are adapted for dyeing undyed cotton yarn with
reduced indigo dye in a leuco-state. In this embodiment the rollers
feed the sheet of yarn through a sealed chamber containing an inert
gas, such as nitrogen. In the chamber the yarn sheet is divided
into separate spaced paths. The pairs of foam applicators are
located within the chamber.
[0011] The concentration of dye being applied may be different with
selected applicators in comparison with other applicators. For
example, the concentration of dye in the applicators that apply dye
to the yarns in the separated sheet portions may be less than the
concentration applied in the other applicators to assure less than
a full depth penetration of the dye into the yarn in the separated
portions. In the preferred embodiment there are separate foam
generators for the dye being applied to the separated yarn portions
and the recombined yarn. For special effect yarns and fabric there
can be several different foam generators for different pairs of
applicators to provide different colors to the yarns.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a preferred embodiment of the
apparatus of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the dyeing frame of the
apparatus of FIG. 1;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of
FIG. 2;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 4-4
of FIG. 2; and
[0016] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the pairs of
yarn applicators and traveling yarn in the apparatus of the
foregoing paragraphs.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] The dyeing apparatus 10 of the preferred embodiment of the
present invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, feeds
originally undyed cotton yarns that are wound on warp beams 12
supported in two racks, 14 and 16, arranged in series with each
rack supporting four warp beams 18 and 20 in a two over two
stacking arrangement. One rack 14 is outboard of the other rack 16.
Yarns from the four beams 18 of the outboard rack 14 are withdrawn
and combined into a single yarn sheet 22 that passes under the
beams 20 of the inboard rack 16 and combined with the yarns drawn
from the beams 20 of the inner rack 16 to form a combined single
sheet 24 drawn from the eight warp beams.
[0018] In threading up the apparatus 10, a cross yarn 26 is laid
across the top of the sheet 22 of yarns from the outboard rack 14
prior to the sheet passing under the beams 20 of the inner rack 16.
In this manner, the yarns from the inner rack 16 are laid on top of
the cross yarn 26 in combining with the yarns from the outer rack
14. The combined single yarn sheet 24 is then threaded under a
guide roller 28, upwardly to the top of the dyeing frame 30 over an
intermediate guide roller 32 and then over a top guide roller 34,
under a tensioning roller 36 and again upwardly over a driven
roller 38 from which it is initially threaded downwardly into the
dyeing frame 30.
[0019] As seen in FIG. 2 the yarn sheet is threaded downwardly
through a top gas seal 40 into the top of a dyeing chamber 42 and
into the chamber between a pair of driven nip rollers 44 near the
top of the chamber. As the single yarn sheet is threaded past the
nip rollers 44 the cross yarn 22 is pulled to one side to displace
the yarn from one of the racks 14 in one direction from the yarns
from the other rack 16, thereby separating the yarn sheet 24 into
spaced separate yarn sheet path portions 46, 48. The spaced
separate yarn sheet portions 46, 48 are then threaded oppositely
outwardly over a pair of spaced guide rollers 50, 52 downwardly to
a pair of combining nip rollers 54 which recombine the spaced
separate yarn sheet path portions into a combined single sheet 56.
The combined sheet 56 is then threaded downwardly past a guide
roller 58 through a lower gas seal 60 at the bottom of the chamber,
around a tension roller 62 at the bottom of the dyeing frame 30 and
outwardly under another guide roller 64 to a pair of stacked
heating drums 66 around which the sheet is threaded and from which
the dyed yarn sheet is fed to a conventional take-up apparatus or
further processing apparatus.
[0020] In the dyeing chamber 42, in the space between the separate
yarn sheet path portions 46, 48 a pair of inner foam dye
applicators 68 and 70 having nozzles 72, 74 positioned in contact
with and extending across the inner facing surfaces 76, 78 of the
spaced separate yarn sheet path portions 46, 48. Each of these
inner applicators 68, 70 has an inlet 80, 82 through which foamed
dye is fed into parabolic foam distribution chambers 84, 86 of the
type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,056. These foam distribution
chambers 84, 86 are arranged vertically so as to fit within the
space between the separate yarn sheet path portions 46, 48. The
foamed dye in the chambers 84, 86 exits through the nozzles 72, 74,
to apply foamed dye to the inwardly facing surfaces of the
yarns.
[0021] A pair of outer foam applicators 88, 90 are disposed
outwardly of the space between separate yarn sheet path portions
46, 48 upstream of the nozzles 72, 74 of the inner foamed dye
applicators 68, 70 and have nozzles 92, 94 and horizontal parabolic
distribution chambers 96, 98. The nozzles 92, 94 of these outer
applicators 88, 90 extended horizontally across and in contact with
the inner facing surfaces of the yarns in the separate yarn sheet
path portions to apply foamed dye thereto.
[0022] Below the combining nip rollers 54 there are two pairs 100,
102 of applicators mounted in sequence. Each pair has an upper
applicator 104 with the nozzle 106 projecting into the dyeing
chamber 42 in contact with the surface of the recombined sheet 56,
and projects inwardly sufficiently to displace the yarn sheet
slightly out of its normal path to assure foam dispensing contact
with the yarn surface. The lower applicator 108 of each pair has
its nozzle 110 projecting into the chamber 42 in contact with and
displacing the yarn sheet 56 in a direction opposite to the
displacement by the upper applicator, thereby maintaining full
contact of the nozzle with the yarn sheet 56. Each of the nozzles
106, 110 of both of these pairs have infeeds 112 and parabolic
distribution chambers 113 outside the dyeing chamber 42.
[0023] The dyeing chamber 42 is shaped around the interior
components in close proximity thereto for a minimum interior
volume, thereby efficiently utilizing a limited quantity of inert
gas to provide an inert atmosphere.
[0024] Nitrogen or other suitable inert gas is fed from a gas
supply tank 114 through a supply line 116 to the chamber 42 to
maintain the interior of the chamber substantially inert, and under
a pressure slightly above atmospheric to avoid bleeding of oxygen
containing atmosphere into the chamber 42.
[0025] The inert gas is also fed to a main foam generator 118 that
also receives reduced indigo dye in a leuco state from a main dye
supply tank 117. This main foam generator 118 generates foam that
is then fed through the foam supply line 120 to distributors 119
and valves 121 on the dyeing frame 30 for measured distribution to
the various foam applicators. To provide a different concentration,
shade or color to the foamed dye applied by different applicators,
a secondary supply of foamed reduced indigo dye is fed through a
conduit 122 from a secondary foam generator 124 that receives inert
gas from the main supply tank 114 and dye from a secondary dye
supply tank 126.
[0026] When the sheet of yarns has been threaded through the
apparatus and the operation begins, the sheet passes over the top
of the dyeing frame 30 and then downwardly into the dyeing chamber
42 where it separates into spaced separate yarn sheet path portions
for application of foamed dye to the inner and outer facing
surfaces of the separate yarn sheet portions, and then downwardly
through the combining nip rollers past the pairs of applicators
that apply foamed dye to deepen the shade of the dye on the
yarn.
[0027] The amount of foamed dye applied by each pair of applicators
can be limited so that there is no significant runoff and no need
for pressure rolling after each pair of applicators to be sure that
the foam penetrates the yarn. When the yarn leaves the chamber 42
with the foamed dye imparted thereto, it enters the ambient
atmosphere and the oxygen in the atmosphere fixes the originally
leuco-state dye on the surface.
[0028] The vertical sectional view of FIG. 3 is taken down through
the center of the dye frame 30 and illustrates the yarn travel in a
separated yarn sheet path 46 past an inner applicator 68 with its
parabolic foam distributor chamber 84 and then past the nozzles
100, 110 of the applicator pairs 88, 90 that apply foamed dye to
the recombined yarn sheet 56.
[0029] FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view of the pairs of
applicators 68, 70, 88, 90 that apply foamed dye to the spaced
separate yarn sheet portions.
[0030] FIG. 5 diagrammatically illustrates the separate spaced yarn
sheet portions 46, 48 progressing past the pairs of applicators 68,
70 that apply foam to the separate spaced yarn sheet portions 46,
48 and illustrates the combining of the separate spaced yarn
portions back into a single yarn sheet 56 and the passage past the
pairs of applicators 88, 90 that apply foamed dye to the recombined
sheet 56.
[0031] As seen in FIG. 1, the dyeing frame 30 is enclosed with
panels 127. The panels laterally outward of the dyeing chamber 42
are in two separable portions 128 meeting in alignment with the
center line of the interior components. Opening of these panel
portions 128 allows access into the interior of the dyeing frame 30
for threading of yarn through the apparatus and for maintenance and
correction of any malfunction. For this purpose, the dyeing chamber
is formed in separable halves for separating with the supported
opposing rollers and applicators. This is accomplished with
opposing gears 130 driven by a motor 132.
[0032] In a typical operation the yarn sheet entering the dyeing
frame is 63 inches wide with a yarn density of 74 ends per inch.
This results in a total number of yarns in the sheet of 4662 ends.
When the sheet is divided into separate spaced sheet portions, this
results in 2331 ends across the width of each spaced separate sheet
portion. This reduces substantially the likelihood of any white
spots remaining on any of the yarns due to overlapping or
entangling during travel past the applicators. This advantage is
particularly significant when dyeing cotton yarn for use in weaving
denim fabric as the initial dye application can be light to retain
an undyed center while fully tinting the outside surface of each
yarn. The subsequent dyeing of the recombined yarn sheet then
deepens the shade or, if desired, applies a different color to the
yarn. Having an undyed center is an advantage in the manufacture of
current day denim fabric where spots of undyed yarn can be
generated during stone washing or other treatment to provide
desired fashion effects. While use of the present invention allows
for retaining undyed centers in the yarn, it importantly avoids the
generation of noticeable undyed streaks that are undesirable in the
ultimate denim fabric.
[0033] An advantage of the apparatus of the present invention is
that the tension in the traveling yarn sheet can be maintained
uniform because of the driven nip rollers and take up rollers that
can be synchronously driven to maintain uniform travel as well as
assuring desirable full contact of the tensioned yarns with the
nozzles of the applicators.
[0034] While the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment
of the present invention describes the use of a chamber containing
inert gas and the application of reduced indigo dye in leuco-state,
the invention is applicable as well to applying other dyes, such as
sulfur, vat dye and other dyes, or a combination of applying one
dye from some of the applicators and other dyes from other
applicators for different fashion effects.
[0035] Also, the invention is applicable for other types of foam
dyeing in a non-inert atmosphere without a dyeing chamber.
[0036] When a leuco-state dye, such as reduced indigo, passes from
an inert atmosphere within a dyeing chamber, and enters the ambient
atmosphere, the oxygen in the atmosphere oxidizes and sets the
dye.
[0037] In a typical operation the dye concentration in the liquid
phase of the foam applied by the applicators to the spaced
separated yarn sheet portions is about 6% and is applied at a wet
pick-up rate of about 25% to a yarn sheet traveling at 25 yards per
minute. The concentration of the dye in the foam that is applied by
the applicators that apply foamed dye to the recombined sheet is
the same wet pick-up. The flow rate of the liquid varies, however,
because for equal wet pick-up, the liquid flow rate will by
necessity be one-half for half the yarn sheet in comparison to a
full sheet.
[0038] It should be noted that while the described preferred
embodiment has eight warp beams of yarn, any number of warp beams
can be used, depending on the desired production requirements, and
the number of applications can be more or less than described
herein.
[0039] In view of the aforesaid written description of the present
invention, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the
art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and
application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present
invention other than those herein described, as well as many
variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be
apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and
the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the
substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the
present invention has been described herein in detail in relation
to preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this
disclosure is only illustrative of examples of the present
invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and
enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is
not intended nor is it to be construed to limit the present
invention or otherwise exclude any other embodiment, adaptations,
variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present
invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the
equivalents thereof.
* * * * *