US3653094A

US3653094A - Conversion apparatus for textile fibers

Info

Publication number: US3653094A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hugh J Fairfield
Original assignee: DuPont Canada Inc
Priority date: 1969-11-21
Filing date: 1969-11-21
Publication date: 1972-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 1989-04-04

Abstract

An apparatus for converting a mass of textile filaments in the form of textile material waste, tangled thread waste or colddrawable continuous filaments of a synthetic polymer to a useful product comprising a forwarding means for slow feeding the filaments under a restrained condition to a rotatable substantially cylindrical open structure having a multiplicity of outwardly projecting filament-engaging needles mounted around the periphery of the structure and a number of combs having outwardly projecting teeth mounted around the periphery and spanning the structure.

Description

United States Patent Fairfield 1 Apr. 4, 1972 [54] CONVERSION APPARATUS FOR 3,056,172 10/1962 Prentice et a1 ..19/96 TEXTILE FIBERS 495,413 4/1893 Howarth et al. ..19/105 1,103,649 7/1914 Bates ..19/105 1 Inventor: Hugh Fmrfleldr Omanor Canada 1,734,046 11/1929 Patz ..19/83 [73] Assignee: Du Pont of Canada Limited, Montreal, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Quebec, Canada 2,752 1864 Great Britain ..19/83 [22] Flled: my-21,1969 2,858 1853 Great Britain ....19/96 21 Appl 378 2 36,362 9/1935 Netherlands ....l9/96 130,373 11/1959 U.S.S.R ..19/105 Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 751,272, Aug. 8, fizg fisx 1968, abandoned, wh1ch 1s a contmuanon-in-part of Ser. NO. NOV. 28, abandoned. [52] us. Cl ..19/83 An apparatus f converting a m of textile fil i h [51] Int. Cl. ..D01b 9/00 form of textile material waster tangled thread Waste of Cold- [58] Field 61 Search 19/82, 83, 84,94, 96, 97, drawable continuous filaments of a Synthetic p y to a 1189- 9 0 ful product comprising a forwarding means for slow feeding the filaments under a restrained condition to a rotatable sub- [56] References Cited stantially cylindrical open structure having a multiplicity of outwardly projecting filament-engaging needles mounted UNITED STATES PATENTS around the periphery of the structure and a number of combs having outwardly projecting teeth mounted around the 33,852 12/1861 Sargent ..19/97 X periphery and Spanning the Structure. 237,334 2/1881 Steere 1,891,132 12/1932 Arnold, Jr ..19/94 6 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 5L 39 r37 19 4/ -38 2O 1 i 28 25 I6 52 4O 15 in m A I0 I Q 27 F J v 26 3V a I r A |7 P'A 'TENTEDAPR 4 m2 3,653,094

SHEET 1 BF 2 INVENTOR Hugh 1. FAIRFIELD PATENT AGENT PATENTEDAPR 4 I972 3,653,094

SHEET 2 BF 2 INVENTDR Hugh J. FAIRFIELD PATENT AGENT CONVERSION APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE FIBERS CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a Continuation-in-Part directed to subject matter divided from copending application Ser. No. 75 1,272 filed Aug. 8, 1968, now abandoned which application was a Continuation-in-Part of then copending application Ser. No. 597,263 filed Nov. 28, 1966 and now abandoned.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an apparatus for converting a mass of textile filaments to a usable product. Furthermore, this invention relates to an apparatus for converting undrawn colddrawable continuous filaments of a synthetic polymer to discontinuous filaments having novel properties.

By the term cold-drawable" is meant filaments of any synthetic polymer which may be oriented by cold-drawing" as defined by Carothers in U.S. Pat. No. 2,071,250. Suitable types of polymers include polyamides, polyesters, polyethers, polyethylenes and polypropylenes. Furthermore, this invention relates to a process for converting undrawn or partially drawn waste material of cold-drawable synthetic polymer filaments to a novel product.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART The process of the conventional picking machine" which is used in the conversion of thread, knitted, and woven waste material to a fiber form, is more of a grinding process, and as in most grinding processes, a great deal of heat is generated. With natural fibers such as wool and cotton this process works well. If the natural fiber becomes overheated, some of the material burns and chars to an ash which is readily dusted OK the remaining fiber, leaving it at worst somewhat discoloured but still a useful product. However, with the development of synthetic fibres, the grinding process has not proved successful. It has been found that the heat generated in the machine tends to melt the synthetic fibers, and on cooling, the fibers fuse together into a mass which of course renders them useless.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus suitable for converting textile material waste or tangled thread waste to a useful product. It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for converting wholly or partly synthetic textile waste, in fabric or tangled form, to broken filaments without fusing. A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for converting undrawn cold-drawable continuous filaments of synthetic linear polymers to discontinuous filaments having novel properties.

With these and other objects in view, there is provided in a machine for converting a mass of textile filaments selected from the group consisting of: textile material waste, tangled thread waste and cold-drawable continuous filaments of a synthetic polymer to a useful product, comprising: a forwarding means adapted to advance said mass of textile filaments at a low speed under a restrained condition, a substantially cylindrical conversion assembly adjacent to said forwarding means having joumalled mounting means, rotatable and open supporting structure with a circular periphery radially connected to said mounting means, a multiplicity of outwardly projecting filament-engaging needles mounted around said periphery and a number of combs mounted around said periphery spanning said supporting structure, said combs consisting essentially of a set of outwardly projecting teeth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating a mass of textile filaments being converted on an apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective representation showing an apparatus of the present invention suitable for converting textile filaments to a useful product.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective representation of one of the staves of the machine shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating one embodiment of a driving means for the feed amembly and cylinder of the machine shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic side view illustrating a further embodiment of the conversion process of FIG. 1 wherein steam is applied to the mass of textile filaments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION Referring now to the drawings, in which similar reference characters denote like parts throughout, the initial material, referred to as (A) in FIG. 1, may be a mass of textile fibers such as undrawn or partially drawn continuous filaments of synthetic polymers which are cold-drawable and may be in a tangled or random form. Undrawn continuous filaments in this context include partially drawn continuous filaments that have large undrawn segments along their length, or filaments that when converted by the process of this invention produce drawn discontinuous filaments having undrawn segments randomly spaced along their lengths. Continuous filaments in this context refer to filaments that have been spun continuously but need not be in a continuous form when processed according to this invention. Waste filaments that have been cut from a bobbin of continuously spun filaments may be processed by this method provided the cut filaments are long enough to be held between the forwarding and withdrawing means. Continuous filaments may include bi-component filaments, cospun filaments, filaments from copolymers and filaments having varying cross-sections including trilobal shapes and dog bone shapes. The synthetic polymers may include polyester, polypropylene, nylon, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl chloride and others. Nylon includes polyhexamethylene adipamide (nylon 66) and polycaprolactam (nylon 6). Polyester includes polyethylene terephthalate.

The mass of textile fibers may also be made from drawn continuous filaments of cold-drawable synthetic polymers in the form of waste yarn, or a knitted, woven or non-woven waste. The mass may be wholly a synthetic fiber of one or more types or partly a synthetic fiber with a natural fiber such as wool or cotton.

The initial material, hereinafter referred to as the material is preferably first lubricated by an antistatic or fibre lubricating agent or an emulsion of both. This lubrication may be carried out in several different ways, such as spraying a batch of filaments layer by layer with a desired amount of lubricating agent or by an air pressure spray nozzle system (not shown) set up over the feed apron 10 of the conversion machine. In the latter case the antistatic lubricating agent is sprayed on the material in the desired quantity as it passes under the nozzle.

The conversion machine shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is supported on a mounting structure 11 which may be of any desired form and includes an elongated conveyor or feed apron 10. There are two main features to the machine. Firstly, the essentially cylindrical structure, hereinafter referred to as the cylinder 25, so constructed as to subject a tangled mass of filaments to a segregating and stretching process as it is being released slowly under restraint.

A large volume of air created by the fan-like action of the cylinder 25 passes through the cylinder cooling the filaments being segregated and stretched. As explained more fully hereinafter, the cylinder is rotating at a relatively high speed. A multitude of needles mounted on the periphery of the cylinder pick up filaments from the restrained tangled mass, and as the needles continue to rotate with the cylinder these filaments are segregated, aligned one to the other and stretched. While being stretched the filaments are pulled to the base of the needles, partly by the position of the needles on the cylinder, and partly by suction caused by the fan-like action of the cylinder. When tight to the base of the needles, combs mounted on the periphery of the cylinder comb the filaments.

The filaments of the material are simultaneously stretched at a high speed and randomly crimped. They are then broken or severed into variable lengths. The second feature is the material feeding and metering means, hereinafter referred to as the feed roll assembly 12, whereby first a set of fluted rolls and then several Garnett wire covered feed rolls meter the material to the cylinder 25 while restraining the cylinder 25 from jerking or pulling the material.

Positioned upon the mounting structure 11 is the feed roll assembly 12 including upper and lower fluted feed rolls, l3 and 14, which extend transversely across the mounting structure 11 and are located at the end of the feed apron in such a position that the material (A) coming off the feed apron 10 is fed between the two rolls, 13 and 14. The

rolls

13 and 14 are journalled to rotate within the conventional housings 15, the upper roll 13 being biased downward by the springs 16. The purpose of these fluted feed rolls is to meter the flow of material through the machine and to ensure that the flow is comparatively even.

The material leaving the fluted feed rolls l3 and 14 is picked up by the lower Garnett wire covered feed roll 17. Garnett wire or metallic clothing as it is sometimes referred to in the trade, is a saw toothed pointed wire. The rolls are spirally grooved around the cylindrical surface. The groove in each roll is preferably /a of an inch deep and spaced from about H1 6 to 54 of an inch apart depending on the gauge and size of the wire. The Garnett wire fits in the groove in a continuous spiral wound around the roll. The wire may be held tightly in place by deforming the metal on the roll between the grooves so that it grips the wire in the groove. Garnett wire is obtainable in many gauges, and a heavy gauge wire, such as number 10 gauge, is preferred for clothing the rolls in the feed assembly. The teeth on the Garnett wire point in such a way that the material is held and prevented from being pulled or jerked into the cylinder 25. Thus as the feed rolls rotate, the material is metered to the cylinder 25 at a relatively slow rate.

After being collected by the lower roll 17 the material is passed under the first upper Garnett wire covered roll 18 which is channeled to rotate within conventional housings 19. This roll 18 is biased downward by the springs 20. The clearance between the wire tips of the upper roll 18 and the lower roll 17 is in the order of H16 inch to 1% inch, but if an excessive amount of material moves between these two rolls the upper roll 18 moves up against the springs 20 and the clearance increases. The material then continues on around the circumference of the lower roll 17 and under a second upper Garnett wire covered roll 21 having the same clearance as the first upper roll 18 from the lower roll 17 and channeled to rotate within conventional housings 22. A further Garnett wire covered roll 23 known as a clearing roll is mounted above the second upper roll 21 located such that the clearance between the second upper roll 21 and the clearing roll 23 is approximately l/l6 inch to 41 inch. This spacing between roll 21 and roll 23 remains constant, however, the bearing housings are joined together to allow the second upper roll 21 and the clearing roll 23 to move vertically upwards against springs 24, thus the clearance between the second upper roll 21 and the lower roll 17 increases.

There is considerable pull or drag on the material when the filaments are being stretched by the high speed rotation of the cylinder 25. The Garnett wire on the feed rolls 17, 18 and 21 has the teeth pointing in the direction opposite to rotation, so the material is held or restrained by the Garnett wire whilst this pull is being exerted, and fed to the cylinder 25 as the feed rolls rotate. The clearing roll 23 rotates in the same direction as the second upper roll 21 but has the Garnett wire teeth pointing in the direction of travel for material (A).

All these rolls are driven by a conventional means such as that illustrated in FIG. 4. In this specific embodiment, a 2 HP motor 42 drives the lower roll 17 through a worm gear reduction box 43 and a chain drive 44. The chain sprockets can be changed to vary the feed speed. The lower fluted feed roll 14 is driven by a chain drive 45 from the lower roll 17. There is no direct drive to the upper fluted feed roll 13 which, as shown in FIG. 4, is driven by the meshing of the upper fluted feed roll with the lower fluted feed roll 14, or, as shown in FIG. 1, by the action of the material (A) squeezed between the upper feed roll 13 and the lower feed roll 14. A further chain drive 46 from the lower fluted feed roll 14 drives the feed apron 10. A large gear 47 on the lower roll 17 drives a gear 48 on the first upper Garnett wire covered roll 18 and a gear 49 on the second upper Garnett wire covered roll 21. The clearing roll 23 is driven from a chain drive 50 from the second upper Garnett wire covered roll 21.

The peripheral speed of Garnett feed rolls 17, 18, 21 and 23 is identical, and a little faster than the speed of the fluted rolls 13 and 14. This is to enable the feed roll 17 to readily pick up the material as it is released from the fluted rolls l3 and 14. In one embodiment of the machine, the fluted rolls l3 and 14 and the upper rolls 18, 21 and 23 are all 4 inch diameter rolls and the lower roll 17 is 8 inch diameter. The purpose of clearing roll 23, which is mounted at a constant distance from the second upper roll 21, is to clear the second upper roll 21 of any material which may wrap itself around the roll. The material leaving between the lower roll 17 and the second upper roll 21 is picked up by the cylinder 25.

The cylinder 25 is supported by a main shaft 26 journalled in a bearing assembly 27 supported on the mounting structure 11. Regularly disposed about or connected to shaft 26 is the cylindrical structure generally referred to as the cylinder 25. This structure comprises a pair of spaced end plates 28 adjacent the bearings 27. These end plates 28 are preferably formed of half inch steel plate and are provided with enlarged openings 29 to allow air to enter the cylinder 25 and subsequently be blown out by the fan-like action of the cylinder. As may be seen in FIG. 3 between the end plates 28 are spaced one or more intermediate plates 30. The latter are similar in construction to end plates 28 and also have enlarged openings of the type shown at 29 in FIG. 1. The intermediate plates are suitably keyed or otherwise attached to shaft 26. The perimeter 31 is also the perimeter of the cylinder 25.

Rim bands 32 which may be in the order of 3 inches wide and b inch thick, are preferably welded to the peripheries of the end plates 28, and also the peripheries of the intermediate plates 30 so that the cylinder 25 may be said to take the form of an open drum or spider. Extending transversely between the end plates 28 and secured by means of the aforesaid rim bands 32 are staves 33. On a cylinder 25 of some 30 inches in diameter such staves are preferably made of steel as to V2 inch thick, about 1% to 2 inches wide and in the order of from about it to 1 inch apart.

The cylinder rotates in the direction of the arrow in the accompanying FIG. 1 at a speed which has been found preferably to be between 550 and 1,500 rpm. The optimum r.p.m. varies considerably according to the material being processed. In any event, a 30 inch diameter cylinder rotating at 750 r.p.m. provides a rim speed in the vicinity of some 6,000 feet/minute. It has been found that a peripheral speed of approximately 4,000 12,000 feet/minute is preferable, although speeds outside this range are operable. The cylinder 25 is driven conventionally at a speed which may be varied according to the material being processed but however is kept relatively constant while a specific material is passing through the machine. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a 40 HP motor 51 drives the 30 inch diameter cylinder 12 by means of a V-belt drive 52. The pulley sizes may be changed in order to vary the speed of the cylinder.

Upon the staves 33 are two or more rows but preferably three or four rows of primary needles 34. These are illustrated in FIG. 3. The needles are inclined towards the direction of rotation or the direction of travel preferably at an angle of some 45. These needles are preferably some 1% inches long and spaced about A inch to 1 inch apart. Upon the leading edge of each stave 33 is a comb 35, having thereon a set of outwardly projecting teeth 36 and such teeth may desirably be some or 12 to the inch and about inch deep from tip to trough.

As a preferred embodiment, the projecting teeth 36 on the comb 35 are saw tooth in shape and slant in one direction. The combs are then mounted so that the teeth on the first comb slant in one direction and the comb 35 mounted on the next stave 33 has teeth slanting in the opposite direction and so on around the periphery of the cylinder 25. It has been found that the combs may desirably be formed from No. 10 band hacksaw blade stock in which the teeth are sharp, slanting in one direction, and function well to comb, shred fabric and aid in stretching, crimping and breaking filaments.

It may be found desirable to mount an additional comb 35 on the trailing edge of each or some of the staves 33 or even to mount the comb 35 on the trailing edge rather than the leading edge of the staves 33.

Surrounding the cylinder 25, and spaced from the tips of the needles 34, there is a casing 37 of general volute configuration and having enclosing side portions 38. The casing terminates at a longitudinal edge 39 to permit a draft of air to be drawn into the casing 37 above clearing roll 23, and between the end plates 28. Air intake openings 40 are also provided in the sides 38 of casing 37 around the bearing assembly 27. By virtue of the downward pressure of air entering through the intake mouth below the casing edge 39, material which is passing over the rotating cylinder 25 is sucked down towards the base of the needles 34. It may also be stated that the feed roll assembly 12 may preferably be capable of adjustment to left or right with respect to the accompanying FIG. 1, that is to say, closer to the cylinder 25 or further away from it toward the feed conveyor 10 according to circumstances and the nature of the product being processed. With the staves 33 set apart from about to 1 inch and the provision of the air intake opening below the casing edge 39 it will be apparent that the staves 33, needles 34 and combs 35 rotating at a high speed induce a large flow of air within the casing and an air current of considerable velocity carries off the end product (B) through the volute discharge exit 41 of the casing 37.

In operation, the material (A) is spread out evenly on the feed apron 10. When the material leaves the feed apron 10 it is picked up by the two fluted rolls l3 and 14. These rolls are to meter the material, and they also aid in guiding, holding and pressing the material. Leaving the fluted rolls l3 and 14, the material is picked up by the lower Garnett wire covered feed roll 17 and passed between the lower roll 17 and the two upper Garnett wire covered feed rolls 18 and 21. To prevent pulling or jerking through the feed rolls and to present the material in an even and regular flow, this special feed roll assembly 12 is required. The feed roll assembly 12 provides two functions, the first is to continuously forward the material at a low speed to the cylinder 25 and the second is to restrain the material while it is being withdrawn by the cylinder 25. It has been found that once the material commences feeding through the feed assembly 12 and is picked up by the cylinder 25 the power driving the feed rolls is required to prevent the feed rolls rotating too fast.

After leaving the feed roll assembly 12 the material is withdrawn by the slanted sharp pointed needles 34 in the staves 33. The material is slowly released by the feed roll assembly 12 at the rate of 6 l2 feet/minute. Opening needles 34, catch the material, pierce it, and proceed to randomly separate, straighten and pull the filaments forward over the face of the cylinder 25. Through this pulling motion, filaments on the cylinder are randomly stretched. When the material is in the form of knitted or woven waste, the needles pick at this waste, and separate it into individual filaments, which are straightened and stretched.

When the material comprises a mass of undrawn continuous filaments of a cold-drawable synthetic polymer, this stretching action draws the filaments. The stretching action, however, is a random one, consequently some filaments stretch until they break, and others are only partially drawn before being broken, thus forming undrawn segments randomly spaced along the length of the filaments. Heat is developed during the drawing of the filaments and this is dispersed by the fan-like action of the rotating cylinder which forces a large volume of air through the filaments on the cylinder.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5, the teeth 36 project radially outwardly beyond the combs 35. With continued rotation of the cylinder, the filaments are pulled down to the base of the pointed needles 34, aided by the suction from the fan-like action of the rotating cylinder. The filaments then come in contact with the secondary teeth 36 on the combs 35. The teeth 36 perform a combing action on the filaments while being stretched around the cylinder.

When the material comprises a mass of undrawn continuous filaments, it appears that these secondary teeth aid in placing a crimp in the continuous filaments as the stretching steps pull short sections of the filaments across the secondary teeth 36 which act as knife edges. The resulting discontinuous filaments have crimps in random directions spaced randomly along their length. These teeth also appear to toughen the surface of the filaments so they have rough surface segments similar to wool.

The cylinder rotates, and the continuous filaments eventually break. The breaking action appears to vary from one filament to the next. Some filaments are stretched to their limit and break with a snapping action which at this high speed causes the ends of the filaments to recoil and form crimps such as hooks or curls. Other filaments may be broken by a severing action from the secondary teeth 36. Some filaments appear to have ragged ends as though they have been broken by crushing. The broken filaments are then propelled away from the machine by the flow of air induced by the cylinder 25 in the casing 37 and blown into a batch room or condenser where the air is separated from the filaments.

In the case of the initial material being a mass of undrawn continuous filaments of a cold-drawable synthetic polymer, strong filaments, such as nylon, can easily be drawn approximately half way round the cylinder before they break. It has been shown that discontinuous filaments produced by this method vary in length up to approximately 28 inches.

It has been found that the relationship between the cylinder speed and the feed speed is important. If the feed speed is a certain ratio of the cylinder speed, then this ratio should preferably be maintained regardless of any change in either cylinder speed or feed speed. If the initial material is undrawn continuous filaments of a cold-drawable synthetic polymer and the peripheral speed of the cylinder 25 is reduced much below 4,000 feet/minute, then the filaments tend to wrap themselves around the cylinder and are not broken or blown out with the broken filaments. The average length of filament produced may be varied by changing the ratio between the feed speed and the cylinder speed.

In the case of continuous filaments, it has been found that one pass through the conversion machine may not always be sufi'lcient to produce a satisfactory product. Therefore, it is sometimes necessary to have two or more passes through the machine to avoid problems in further processing the material. For a two pass system, two machines may be set up in tandem, the first machine blowing the broken filaments into a condenser which releases the air, and allows the filaments to drop onto the apron of the second machine.

Some of the discontinuous filaments produced by this machine from continuous filaments of a cold-drawable synthetic polymer are excessively long, and need further processing to take advantage of their full potential as a useful product. The majority of machines for the processing of staple fibre into spun yarns can only take staple fiber of limited length. The discontinuous filaments of this invention may be further processed through a conventional type Garnetting machine or carding machine. The discontinuous filaments are taken off the final Garnet or card roll, put into a sliver or roving, and coiled in a large can or put on a balling machine and wound into a large ball. The discontinuous filaments in the sliver or roving form are then fed into a gilling machine or pin drafter to align the filaments. When the filaments are aligned one to the other they may be passed through a precision staple cutting machine and cut to the desired maximum lengths.

Some of the synthetic undrawn continuous filaments are very tender and brittle, and to convert them to a good usable product a fair amount of heat must be applied directly to the continuous filaments while being drawn. This heat may be applied by a hot fluid such as steam or hot air directly onto the mass of continuous filaments, or by means of a heated element such as an electrically heated element in one or more of the feed rolls or by other well known heating devices while the mass of continuous filaments is being forwarded at a low speed and withdrawn at a high speed.

Polyethylene terephthalate continuous filaments in an undrawn condition are tender and quite brittle. When a moist heat such as steam is applied directly to the filaments, they can be drawn readily and in the drawing the filaments gain considerable strength. To process undrawn polyethylene terephthalate continuous filaments live steam may be applied through pipes directly to the material. As may be seen in FIG. 5, a steam pipe 53 is placed between the feed rolls 13, 17 and 18 and a second steam pipe 54 is placed between the feed roll 21, and the main cylinder 25. In this embodiment, the clearing roll 23 is removed, and the steam pipe takes the place of the clearing roll 23. Steam from the pipe 54 blows on the feed roll 21 and acts as a cleaner to remove any fibrous matter sticking to feed roll 21. The

steam pipes

53 and 54 run from one end of the feed rolls to the other. The pipes have a series of small holes in rows about inch apart. Steam is blown onto the material as it emerges from the fluted feed rolls 13 and 14, proceeds over the lower roll 17, between the first upper roll 18 and the lower roll 17, between the second upper roll 21 and the lower roll 17 and as the material is being picked up by the needles 34 of the cylinder 25. Because the filaments of polyethylene terephthalate are found to be tender to this process the speed of rotation of the cylinder 25 is preferably reduced to between 600 and 750 rpm. With the addition of steam jets or other types of heating, undrawn continuous filament polyethylene terephthalate can be converted from weak, tender, brittle undrawn continuous filaments to discontinuous filaments of good strength and cohesive qualities.

MODE OF OPERATION OF INVENTION Example 1 Undrawn nylon 66 continuous filament tangled waste, which when drawn would give 3 denier per filament, was prepared by the addition of a lubricant comprising a fiber lubricating oil emulsified with water. The conversion machine had a cylinder of 30 inches in diameter. Twenty staves were equally spaced around the circumference of the cylinder, and each stave had 340 to 350 needles, 1% inches long. A comb having 12 teeth per inch was mounted on the trailing edge of each stave making a total of combs.

The prepared material was fed through the feed roll assembly at a surface speed of 6%. feet per minute and picked up by the needles of the cylinder rotating at 880 r.p.m., equivalent to a surface speed of 6,900 feet per minute. Two passes were made through the conversion machine, followed by two passes through a conventional Garnetting machine. The resulting product was in the form of a sliver.

Example 2 Waste nylon 66 drawn tire cord in the form of a plied yarn was prepared by the addition of a lubricant comprising a fibre lubricating oil emulsified with water. The conversion machine had a cylinder 30 inches in diameter. Twenty staves were equally spaced around the circumference of the cylinder, and each stave had 340 to 350 needles. A comb having i2 teeth per inch was mounted on the trailing edge of each stav making a total of 20 12 teeth per inch combs and a comb having 10 teeth per inch was mounted on the leading edge of every other stave making a total of 10 l0 teeth per inch combs.

The prepared material was fed through the feed roll assembly at a surface speed of 6% feet per minute and picked up by the needles of the cylinder rotating at 880 r.p.m., equivalent to a surface speed of 6,900 feet per minute. The material was passed once through the conversion machine, followed by one pass through a conventional Garnetting machine. The resulting product was in the form of a sliver.

The resulting product was in broken filament form having varying length and random crimps along the length. When gilled and cut to staple lengths, the product compared favorably with other waste producer nylon 66 staple fibers.

Example 3 ORLON acrylic drawn continuous filament fiber in regular form was prepared by the addition of a lubricant as in Example 2. The conversion machine used in the test had a cylinder of 30 inches in diameter. Thirty staves were equally spaced around the circumference of the cylinder, and each stave had needles. A comb having 10 teeth per inch was mounted on the leading edge of each stave making a total of 30 combs.

The prepared material was fed through the feed roll assembly at a surface speed of 6% feet per minute and picked up by the needles of the cylinder rotating at 950 rpm, equivalent to a surface speed of 7,400 feet per minute. The material was passed once through the conversion machine, followed by one pass through a conventional Gametting machine. The resulting product was in the form of a sliver.

The resulting product was similar to that produced in Example l.

I claim:

1. In a machine for converting textile waste to threaded form, and from threaded form to fibers, a substantially cylindrical fabric reducing assembly, feed means for feeding said waste to said assembly and associated drive means, said assembly comprising, in combination, (i) journalled mounting means, (ii) a rotatable and open supporting structure having a circular perimeter radially connected to said mounting means, (iii) a plurality of textile-opening and thread-shredding staves around said perimeter, spanning said supporting structure, said staves each having mounted thereon at least two staggered rows of outwardly projecting, fabric-opening needles, and (iv) a comb on at least one edge of each of said staves, said comb consisting essentially of a set of outwardly projecting, thread-shredding teeth, said feed means including wire covered feed rolls, said drive means being coupled to said wire covered rolls and to said open supporting structure for their rotation at respectively low and high speeds, said wire covered rolls being situated adjacent the perimeter of said reducing as sembly for holding said waste tightly to release it slowly toward said reducing assembly against the relatively highspeed pull of said needles and combs.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said needles incline in the direction of rotation of said supporting structure, said combs are radially disposed on the leading edges of the staves and said needles project radially outwardly beyond said combs.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which (i) said assembly is provided with a casing, said casing being substantially volute and embracing at least the upper perimeter of said reducing assembly and being slightly spaced therefrom, (ii) said casing being spaced from said mounting means to permit the admission of air through said open supporting structure, and (iii) said supporting structure being in the form of a pair of circular end plates, having air admitting openings therein, intermediate plates at intervals between said end-plates, and

rim-bands around the perimeter of said plates, said staves spanning said rim-bands, said casing having a volute discharge exit beneath said joumalled mounting means.

4. A machine for converting a mass of textile filaments selected from the group consisting of: textile material waste, tangled thread waste and cold-drawable continuous filaments of a synthetic polymer to a useful product, said machine comprising:

a forwarding means adapted to advance said mass of textile filaments at a low speed under a restrained condition,

a substantially cylindrical conversion assembly adjacent to said forwarding means having joumalled mounting means, rotatable and open supporting structure with a circular periphery radially connected to said mounting means, a multiplicity of outwardly projecting filament-engaging needles mounted in groups of staggered rows around said periphery and at least one comb spanning said supporting structure adjacent each group of needles, said combs consisting essentially of a set of outwardly projecting teeth,

drive means coupled to said supporting structure for its rotation at a very high surface speed relative to the speed at which said mass of textile filaments is forwarded thereto, and a casing substantially enclosing said conversion assembly,

the high speed rotation of said conversion assembly creating a flow of air through said casing, said casing presenting an air-intake opening in the region between said forwarding means and said conversion assembly and having a volute discharge exit for converted fibers beneath said joumalled mounting means, said forwarding means including wire covered feed rolls closely adjacent the periphery of said conversion assembly for holding said filaments tightly and releasing them slowly toward said conversion assembly against the high speed pull of said needles and combs.

5. The invention according to claim 4 in which said supporting structure has a set of staves around said periphery spanning said supporting structure, each stave mounting one group of outwardly projecting fabric-opening needles and a comb on at least one edge thereof.

6. The machine according to claim 4 in which a means for heating said mass of textile filaments is provided in said forwarding means.

Claims

1. In a machine for converting textile waste to threaded form, and from threaded form to fibers, a substantially cylindrical fabric reducing assembly, feed means for feeding said waste to said assembly and associated drive means, said assembly comprising, in combination, (i) journalled mounting means, (ii) a rotatable and open supporting structure having a circular perimeter radially connected to said mounting means, (iii) a plurality of textile-opening and thread-shredding staves around said perimeter, spanning said supporting structure, said staves each having mounted thereon at least two staggered rows of outwardly projecting, fabric-opening needles, and (iv) a comb on at least one edge of each of said staves, said comb consisting essentially of a set of outwardly projecting, thread-shredding teeth, said feed means including wire covered feed rolls, said drive means being coupled to said wire covered rolls and to said open supporting structure for their rotation at respectively low and high speeds, said wire covered rolls being situated adjacent the perimeter of said reducing assembly for holding said waste tightly to release it slowly toward said reducing assembly against the relatively high-speed pull of said needles and combs.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which (i) said assembly is provided with a casing, said casing being substantially volute and embracing at least the upper perimeter of said reducing assembly and being slightly spaced therefrom, (ii) said casing being spaced from said mounting means to permit the admission of air through said open supporting structure, and (iii) said supporting structure being in the form of a pair of circular end plates, having air admitting openings therein, intermediate plates at intervals between said end-plates, and rim-bands around the perimeter of said plates, said staves spanning said rim-bands, said casing having a volute discharge exit beneath said journalled mounting means.

4. A machine for converting a mass of textile filaments selected from the group consisting of: textile material waste, tangled thread waste and cold-drawable continuous filaments of a synthetic polymer to a useful product, said machine comprising: a forwarding means adapted to advance said mass of textile filaments at a low speed under a restrained condition, a substantially cylindrical conversion assembly adjacent to said forwarding means having journalled mounting means, rotatable and open supporting structure with a circular periphery radially connected to said mounting means, a multiplicity of outwardly projecting filament-engaging needles mounted in groups of staggered rows around said periphery and at least one comb spanning said supporting structure adjacent each group of needles, said combs consisting essentially of a set of outwardly projecting teeth, drive means couPled to said supporting structure for its rotation at a very high surface speed relative to the speed at which said mass of textile filaments is forwarded thereto, and a casing substantially enclosing said conversion assembly, the high speed rotation of said conversion assembly creating a flow of air through said casing, said casing presenting an air-intake opening in the region between said forwarding means and said conversion assembly and having a volute discharge exit for converted fibers beneath said journalled mounting means, said forwarding means including wire covered feed rolls closely adjacent the periphery of said conversion assembly for holding said filaments tightly and releasing them slowly toward said conversion assembly against the high speed pull of said needles and combs.