US2783175A - Method for forming three dimensional patterns in textile material - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 26, 1957 F. M. SMITH ETAL METHOD FOR FORMING THREE DIMENSIONAL PATTERNS IN TEXTILE MATERIAL Filed Nov. 7, 1952 Z5 42 Q Z J! 7 5 L 0 0000000130 1 J2 W .74 @zo 4 4 (9 a h w a 3 IN VENTORS FRANK :4. sum! LELAND H. SMITH ATTORNEY United States Patent METHOD FOR FORMING THREE DIMENSIONAL PATTERNS IN TEXTILE MATERIAL Application November 7, 1952, Serial No. 319,332

.2 C aim (0 It is an object of this invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for the production of textiles woven from thermoplastic filaments and having permanent embossing effects therein.

The above and other objects will be made clear from the following detailed description taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic elevation of one form of apparatus for carrying out one version of the improved method; and

Fig. 2 is a similar view illustrating the carrying out of a modified method.

It has long been considered desirable to give to simple textiles the appearance of three dimensional depth of pattern. To do this, however, by any known weaving or knitting process has been exorbitantly costly. It has been proposed to impregnate a textile with thermoplastic material and then by a hot embossing process to give the textile the required pattern in depth. The embossing has been done by means of an etched metal roll which is run against a non-metallic roll so that ultimately the nonmetallic roll receives a reverse pattern from that etched on the metallic roll. The difficulty here, however, lies in the fact that the rolls must be kept perfectly in phase, one with the other, and yet must be maintained at an absolute, constant and very small, clearance in order to accommodate relatively thin textile webs.

The present invention makes it possible to emboss a a pattern in depth on any fabric of whatever thickness provided the fabric is woven from thermoplastic filaments. As used herein, the terms threads and filaments are interchangeable as are the terms woven and knitted. The maximum depth to which the pattern can be drawn has not been determined. -It has been determined, however, that the depth of the pattern can be a considerable multiple of the thickness of the textile web.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown a supply reel 10 from which a web 12 of fabric woven or knitted from thermoplastic fibers such, for example, as Dynel Orlon, Nylon or Dacron, is drawn. These are trade names of certain synthetic fibers or filaments and are given merely as examples. Chemical composition is irrelevant so long as the fibers are thermoplastic. This passes through the nip of a lower roll 14 and an upper roll 16. A metallic belt 18 passes over a guide roll 20 and enters the nip of the rolls 14 and 16. The metallic belt 18 has a plurality of approximately A; inch diameter perforations rectangularly spaced at about inch'center-to-center, though these dimensions are not critical.[ A patterned web 22 such, for example, as fish net, chicken wire, or

the like, passes over a guide roll 24 and enters the nip of the rolls 14 and 16 intermediate the metallic belt 18 and the web of textile 12.. A web of impervious material 26 preferably formed of a heatresistant plastic such as silicone rubber passes over a guide roll 28 and enters the nip of the rolls 14 and 16 to overlie the textile web 12. The combined webs, that is, the belt 18 lowermost, next the patterned web 22, next the textile web 12 and superdiscussed in connection with Fig. 1.

r, 2,783,175 Patented Feb. 26, 1557 imposed on the textile web 12, the impervious web 26 pass over a suction box 30 in the course of which passage the webs are supported by table rolls 32. The box 30 is evacuated through a duct 34. The width of the impervious web 26 slightly exceeds the width of both the textile Web 12 and the patterned web 22 and serves to deckle the edges of the metallic belt 18 forming a seal to prevent vacuum leakage.

A radiant heating element 36 overlies most of the length of the suction box 30 and is vertically adjustable as well as thermostatically controlled whereby to regulate the extent of heating of the webs. The evacuation of the suction box 30 draws the impervious web 26 into firm engagement with the textile web 12, pressing it into complete conformity with the patterned web 22 while the heater 36 heats the web 12 to plasticizing temperature of the material from which it is molded. Clearly the impervious web 26 should have a melting point substantially above that of the textile web 12.

The combined webs then pass between a lower roll 38 and an upper roll 40. The impervious web 26 passes upwardly over the roll 40 to a guide roll 42 and thence back to the guide roll 23. The remaining webs pass over guide roll 44 at which point the metal belt 18 separates from the patterned web 22 and the textile web 12 and goes over another guide roll 46 thence to the gmi-de roll 20. The patterned web 22 still in conformity with the textile Web 12 then passes over a series of chilled rolls 48 then over several festoon rolls 50. From the last of the festoon rolls 50 the combined webs pass through the nip of a pair of chilled rolls 52. As the webs pass between the chilled rolls 52 the textile web 12 is separated from the patterned web 22 and goes to a Wind-up reel 54. The patterned web 22 passes over a guide roll 56 thence over a guide roll 58 and back to the guide roll 24.

Referring now to Fig. 2 there is illustrated a modified process and apparatus by means of which there may simultaneously be produced a depth patterned textile and a similarly patterned film of plastic material. The film will be patterned much in the manner disclosed in our previously filed applications Serial No. 193,639, filed November 2, 1950, now Patent No. 2,660,757, and Serial No. 193,640, filed November 2, 1950 (now abandoned). The present application is a continuation in part of said applications.

In Fig. 2 a metallic perforated belt 18 passes around a guide roll 14 beneath an upper roll 16. A patterned web 22 passes overa guide roll 24 thence over the roll 14. A textile web 12 is drawn from a reel 10 and passes between rolls 14 and 16, being superimposed upon the metallic belt 18 and the patterned web 22. A web of thermoplastic film is drawn from a reel 102 and passes between the rolls 14 and 16, being superimposed upon the textile web 12. 7

At each side of the machine a deckle strap 104 passes from a guide roll 1% to the roll 16 and overlies the margin of the plastic web and the metallic web '18 to seal the vacuum in a suction box 30. A radiant heater 36 is located above the suction box 30 as in the case of Fig. l. The process thereafter is carried out as above The metallic belt 18 is separated from the other webs at the guide roll 44. The combination of the patterned web 22, the textile web 12 and the plastic web 100 then passes around cooling drums 48 thence over festoons 50 and atchilled rolls 52 the webs are separated with the web 100 going to a reel 198, the textile web 12 going to a reel 54 and the patterned web returning to the guide roll 24. In this case not only the textile web 12 but the impervious plastic film 100 both receive the impression of the patterned web 22.

ice;

web, woven from threads formed from thermoplastic material; superimposing said textile upon a porous web formed in the desired three-dimensional pattern; superimposing upon said textile web and said patterned web a web of impervious flexible material said web having a softening temperature higher than the softening temperature of said porous web; subjecting said patterned web, textile web and impervious web to vacuum, from the side opposite said impervious web whereby to cause said impervious web to force said textile web into three-dimensional conformity with said patterned web; during said application of vacuum, heating said superimposed webs above the temperature of plasticity of the thermoplastic threads of said textile web, thereafter discontinuing both said heating and said application of vacuum While cooling the several webs below the temperature of plasticity 4 of the threads of said textile web and thereafter separating the several webs.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 including the step of simultaneously advancing all three webs during the carrying out of the process,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,921,456 De Laney Aug. 8, 1933 2,352,194 Grabec June 27, 1944 2,354,916 Hurt Aug. 1, 1944 2,559,649 Little July 10, 1951 2,585,915 Chavannes Feb. 19, 1952 2,602,742 Buskes July 8, 1952 2,660,757 Smith et al. Dec. 1, 1953 2,675,053 Clemens Apr. 13, 1954 2,686,142 Cory Aug. 10, 1954 2,687,165 Hollis Aug. 24, 1954

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