5 squeezed out by means of the pressure rollers 20, the yarn separated by the rod 23, and then washed in water contained in the box 17 heated to 1401 P. Finally, the yarns are subjected in the box II to washing with an aqueous solution of 5% ammoiiia, and the washed.yarns are then dried on the cans 24 and 25" In Ing. 3 there is shown a second embodiment of the apparatus of the iniiention, in which the multiplicity of the yarns 10 are unwound from the beam I I and passed over tension rolls 8 and 9. and then into a slasher having boxes 12, 16, 17 and 18 similar to those of the apparatus shown in lNg. 1. Uk@wise, the pressure rollers 21 and 22 at the exit of box 12 have the same surface as the rollers 21 and 22 in the apparatus of Plg. 1. The apparatus shown in FIg. 3 differs from that shown in Plg. 1 in that the yarn separeting means are rotatable rollers. Such means are provided for saturating the yarns with the cellulosic colloid w@ile the yarns are separated from each other at least over a part of their path through the bath. For example, by providing in the box 12 two submerged rotatable rollers I and 2, alt@ernate yarns pass under the roller I and the other yarns pe,ss under roller 2, all the yarns passing through the nip of the rolls 21 and 22 as in the apparatus of Mg. 1. ftrther, in Fig. 3, the sized yarns I 0 are maintained in a separated condition during coagulation by passing alternate yarn@ under the submerged roller 3 of box 16 and the Intervening yams flrst over a roller 4 and theri under a submerged roller 5, all the yarns passing under a common roller 30 and through the nip of the rollers 20. Thus, adjacent yarns are not in contact and are separated as they pass Into the coz.-ulant contained in the box I S. The yarns pass from the box 16 into the box 17 where they are washed. It has been found that if the yarns are sepamted during coagulation of the size, It is not essential that they be separated during washing, although box 11 rnay likewise be provided with separating rolls as in the box IS of Plig. 1 or sphtter rods like the rods 23 shown above In box 17 in lMg. 1. After washing in box 17, the yams are subjected to a second wasbing In the box 18. Sprays 29 of washing fluid may be positioned to wash the yarns as they pass between the rollers 20. Thereafter the yarns are dried in a suitable manner, for example by the means shown in the apparatus of Plg. 1. It has been found that to facilitate the proper feeding of the yams through the nip of the roM 21, 22 and the squeeze rolls 20, it Is advisable to align the yams just before they contact these rolls' This may be done, for example, by positioning grooved rollers 31 abqve each bath and adjacent the rolls 22 and 21 so that the individual yams I 0 are caused to pass into the grooves 32 of the roller 31 before the yams contact the rolls 22 and 20. A suita-ble grooved roller is shown in lMg. 2, it being understood that the number of the grooves may be varied as needed to take. care of all the yams thot have to pass over the roller .3 1. The process and apparatus of the invention may be readily adapted for coloring some or all of the warp yams, for purposes of Identification, decoration, and the like. ftr example, when it Is desired to color some, but not all, of the warp yarns, a secotid size -box 12a may be positioned in front of the box 12 as shown in lMg. 3.. Yarns Ila are then led from a second beam I I a through a colored swng composition contained in the box 12a, iatemate yams pw;sing under the roller, 6 la and the other yarn 2a. all of the ya= 10a being Pawed through a common padder comprising the rolls 2 la and 22a. The colored yarns are ihen passed by means of a rouer 3: over the padder comprising rolls 21 and 22 and are then separated so that alternate yams pass over the roder 4a and then under the roher I while the other yams pass over the rober 4b and then under the roller S. 10 Simultaneously, the yarns 10 from the beazn I I are being treated in the -bath 12 and passed through the nip of the rollers 21 and 22 and the rollers 3 and 5, respectively, so that the colored 'and uncolored yams come together and Pam 15 under the common roll 39 after which the yams are treated collectively in the remaining boxes 17 and 18. It is to be understood that the sizing composition in the box 12 may be colorless or colored 20 a different color than the sizing composition In the box 12a. Since the colored Yams do not contact each other until the size has been coagulated in the box 16, while the ya= are inaintained sepamte from each other, there wHI be no 25 bleeding of the colors from one set of yams t6 another. After egagulation, the differently colored yarns pass together side by side through the remaining treatments but there Is no -bleeding because the size has already been coagulated. It so is to be understood that when dyestuffs are eraployed for coloring the yarns, the leuco comppund of the dye may be'employed In the size boxes 12 or 42a and the developer for the dye may be incorporated in the box 19 in compatible admix35 ture with the coagulating agent. Suitable dyestuffs which can be added to alkadne solutions of cellulosic cohoids in a two-step treatment as just described are disclosed and claimed in my prior U. S. Paterit No. 2,259,796. 40 The present process and apparatus e-"ibody many advantages-, over prior and conventional means of slashing 'warp yarns. Iii the flrst place, the present Invention provides means for treating a multiplicity of the yarns 'while ar-@ 45 ranged as a weftless web without permitting the yarns to stick together -when sized because the yams are separated In owing Into the coagulatIng bath and preferably also while being sized. By this means, the yarns are lndividiially Im50 pregnated and/or coated with the sim and individual]y treated with coagulants and, if desired, individually washed, whereupon the nap fibres are laid, ihe twist stabilized and the Yams given a relatively smooth surface and suitably stiffened 55 to facilitate weaving. MnaUy, means have been provided for the first time of coloring some or all of the warp yarns without having the cc)lor bleed upon the adjacent colored or differently colored yams. 60 It is also to be understood that the forowing claims are intended to cover all of the generlc and specifle features of the Invention herein described, and all statements of the scqpe of the invention which, as a matter of language, niight 65 be said to faU therebetween. Havlng described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure bY latters Patent iS: 1. in an apparatus for sizing warp yams with a coagulable tacky composition, the combination 70 of, means to treat a multipucity of warp yams with said tacky composition, a pair of pressure rollers for subjecting said yarns to pressure while the yarns ar(! wet with said compositim, a grooved rouer positioned prior to and adjacent to sMd 75 prewme rouers for Ieading the yarns in -parauel

7, ,:eparate relation between said pr essur e rollers. means to pass said yarn@ through a 6oagulant for .said composition, and means to maintain said yarns in a separated state while they are passing' through said coagulant. 2. In an apparatus for sizing warp yams with a coagulable tacky composition, the combination of, a plurality of vats adapted to'contain different sizing compositions, means for passing some of,the war]@ yarns through one of said vats, means for, passing altemate.warp yams through the other vat a pair of pressure rollers for subjecting each of W;id sets bf yarns to pressure whfle.wet with said composition, a grooved roller positioned prior to and adjacent said pressure rollers n"'f" 2,402,653 8 .to pass all of said yarns through a coagulant of said compositions, and means, to sepamte the yarns while they are passing through said co@ agulant. A , 3. Tn a process for sizing warp Yarns with a coagulable tacky composition, the steps comprising treatiiig altemate yarns -with one swng composition and treating the other yarns with a different swng compositio@n, separately subjecting 10 both sets of yams to pre&sure while said ywm are maintained in a separaied state and pawing, all of said yarns through a common coagulant while maintaining said yarns in a separated state while pa4sing through said coagulant. ta JAUM'ANDREW CLARIL

Patented June 25, 19" 2 t 4 O 2 l 6 5 3 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,402,653 IDROCESS AND jlPPARATUS FOR SIZING YARNS James Andrew C!@-rk, Wlil'e '@llains, N. Y., assignor to Sylvania rndustrial Corporation, Frederi,eksburg, corporatior. of Virghfla Application Noveniber 17,19 43, Serial No. 510,608 3 Claims. (Cl. 28-28) 2 The invention relates In general to a process and apparatus for sizing warp yarns and to correlated improvements designed to enhance -the properties of the warp yarns in weaving. It is known to size warp yarns, prior to weav- 5 ing, with an aqueous solution of water-soluble colloids, such as starch, gum, dextrine, gelatine, in order to facilitate the weaving of such yarns. In the prior Practice, however, the use of these water@-soluble substances for sizing the warp 1,1.0 yarns has been attended by certain disadvantages' The process has been slow and hence eitpensive because of the high viscority, slow penetration and low drying ratio of the solutioris used. Moreover, yarns sized with water-soluble colloids show 15 a Pronounced decrease in stiffness after ,he first laundeiing; must be de-sized prior to dyeing, mercerizing or bleaching, which in itself decreases the yam resistance; and have In any case a low resistance to itbrasion, which causes the nap to 20 be ralsed during.weaving. It is also necessary to carry out the weaving of such Prior yarns in an atmosphere Of relatively high humidity, which tends to corrode the metai parts of the ioom. To obviate these dimculties and disadvantages, 25 it is now Proposed to size the warp yarns Prior to weaving with an alkali-soluble water-insoluble ceuulodc colloid. This novel size presents many advantages over the use of water-s6luble sububle water-insoluble cellulosic colloids possess the ProPerty of being inherently tacky, causing the yarns to adhere to each other during the sizing operation, and this raises a new difficult which it 35 .Y is the object of the present invention to overcome. It is the general object of the present invention to provide a process and apparatus for slashing warp yams in a rapid and economical manner. ]It is a specific object of the invention to pro- 40 vide a process for permanently sizing a multiplicity of warp yams in a continuous manner. It Is another specific object of the invention to provide an apparatus for slashing warp yarns which is adapted to be used for sizing the - yarns 45 with iL tacky sim. Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter. According to the present Invention, there is provided a process of sizing a multiplicity of warp 50 yarns with a tacky composition prior to weaving while avoiding the adhesion of adjacent yarns to each other. More particularly, the invention relates to a process for collectively sizing a multipudty of warp yarns while arranged in the form 55 of a weftless web with an alko-line dispersion of an alkali-soluble water-insoluble cellialosic colloid, separately coagulating said colloid on thciDdividual warp yams, whereby the @iap orL the yarns is permanently laid and the twist s trlz@ilized, and drying the yarns. I'he apparatus of the invention com,,Grises, in combination, means to treat warp yarns iii the form of a weftless web, with a liquid sizing composition, in part4cular an aqueous dispersici of a water-insoluble coagulable colloid, means to separate the yarns, means for coagulatino., the colloid on the Yams while so separated, and means for drying the yarns. The apparatus preferably includes means for separating the yams before and after coagulating th6 colloid thereon whereby the yarns do not adhere to earh other In pusing through the subsequent treating d@vices. The Invention accordingly comprises a process having the steps and the relation of steps one to another, and an apparatus having the elements and relation of elements, one to another, as set forth in the following detailed description and the scope of the application of which will be indicated In the claims. The pre@sent process Is applicable for slashing single@ yarns and plied yams of all types, in particular, warp yams comprising cotton, ramie, jute, flax, casein, and myon, also fibres formed of celcombed, or made of continuous fllaments or staple fibres. The process and apparatus of the present invention may be used with any warp sizing composition but in Particular with tacky compositions such, for example, as an aqueous dispersion, pref erably an alkaline dispersion of alkali-soluble water-insoluble cellulosic colloid. For the cellu10sic cOU01d there may be employed the alkali-,oluble waterinsoluble cehulosic ethers as a class, such for example as alkyl-cellulose ether, hydroxyalkyl cellulose ether, carboxy-alkyl cellulose ether, and the like; also, the alkali-soluble water-insoluble cellulose materials per se as a class, such, for example, as cellulose dissolved in any of Its known solvents, such as an alkali solution of 5% to 10% concentration, alkaline solutionsof zineates, and stannates, or strong@ organic bases such as aralkyl ammonium hydroxides; also alkali-soluble water-insoluble degraded cellulose such, for example, as the degraded cellulose solutions disclosed in the copending U. S. applicatiori Serial No. 427,389 flled January 19, 1942, and the degraded cellulose solutions disclosed In U. S. Patstanew heretofore used, in fact its use obviates all 30,lulose derivatives and synthetic resins, or mixthe dimcultio!i mentioned above, but alkali-soltures of these fibres, 9,nd whether carded or

3 ent No. 2,289,085, and, in British Patent No. 507,138; also starch, ros n, resin rubber latex and i other sizes may be used. Among the cellul6se ether solutions, there is preferred an alkali-soluble woter-insoluble hY- 5 droxy-ethyl cellulose ether dissolved in an aqueous Erlkali solutioni and among the cellulosic solutions, there is preferred a degraded cellulose dissolved in an aqueous alkaline zincate solution as, disclosed in U. S. Patent No. 2,289,085. 10 The cellulosic colloid may be coagulated from its alkaline dispersion by means of any pf the known coagulants for viscose, such,'for example, as acids, acid odts, salts and heat, also by- the action of hot wglter. 15 The alkaline dispersion of the cellulose colloid Is preferably applied to the yam while the dispersion has a low viscosity. It is ekaracteristic of the degraded cellulose solutions above disclosed that their alkaline dispersions have very 20 low viscosities. However, alkali solutions of the cellulose ethers may be made of low viscosity either (a) by degrading the cellulose ether before or after its manufacture by the use of heat alone or by heating with acids, alkalies, or oxidizing 25 agents; or (b) the viscosity of the alkaline solutions may be lowered'by adding to the. solution an oxidizing agent; or by heating the aqueous alkaline solutfon of the cellulose ether during application to the yam to a temperature at which 30 It shows a pronounced drop in viseosity such, for -example, as a temperature between 140' and 1600 P. The cellulosic content of the alkaline dispersion may be varied over a wide range, but usually if 35 the dispersion contains from 3% to 8%, preferably about 6% by weight'of the solution of the ceuulosic collold, a satisfactory warp sizing wiU , be o'btained. 'the quantity of alkali, which is normally a strong alkali such as sodium hydrox- 40 tde, potassium hydroxide or amlkyl-ammonium hydroxide, may be varied according to the omount required to completely, and uiiiformlk disperse the cellulosic colloid, which amount is usually between 5 % and 10% by weight of the solution. 45 To the dispersion there inay also be added a wetting agent such, for example, as a sulfated fatty alcohol, a sulfonated fatty acid, and the like. Ukewise, there may be added to the swng composition, pigments or dyestuffs '@which are 50 stable in alkali.; Since the sizing agent will not be removed after weaving nor during laundering, the pigments or dyestuffs will serve to permanen,tly color the yams, a feature which. cannot be achieved by the use of conventional stareh or r)5 other water-soluble colloids. The coagulated water-insoluble cohold serves to permanently bind the pigments Gr dyestuffs to the yarns. For a more complete understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention, ref- 60 erence should be had to the glccompanying drawing in which there'is illustrated one embodiment of the &Pparatus of the invention for pernianently dzing warp yam. PU. I is a diagramm&Ucal representation in 05 side elevation of one einbodiment of the yam siz-. ing appamtus of thi invention; PU. 2 is a longit-ddinal view, padly In muon. of one of the ym@ sepanting . rollm utflized In thi appamtus show@n In P*. 3, and 70 Plg. 3 is a diagrammatical reprmntation in' -side elevation of a woond embod.iment of the yam awng appamtus of the invention. @ Referring to PU. 1 the worp yams 10 are unwatmd from the II and pamd into the 75 21402,658 4 sizing composition held in the first box 12 of a four-box slasher. The box 12 is provided with a jacket 13 and, in the space so provided, hot water is introduced through the pipe 14 and withdrawn through the pipe 15. The remairiing boxes I$, 17 and I I of the slasher are substantially identical in construction, and each is Provided with a submerged roller I 9, and a pair of pressure rollers 20 positioned above each box respectively, so that the excess liquid carried by the yams. is caused to flow back into the respective box. The pressure rollers 21 and 22 at the exit of the box 12 are of snecial constrtiction. It has been found that to avoid flattening the yarns and to produce an even distribution of the size thereon, one or both of the robers 21 and 22 is provided with a very rough surface, for example, by wrapping the roller with a very rough fabric such, for example, as burlap. The top roller 21 wiU normaby be the wrapped roher and the bottom rolier 22 will be a ro)ler provided with a soft re.5ilieni surface such as rubber. The rouers are provided with a means (not shown) for subj6cting the yam to substantial pressure as It passes between the rollers. From the nip of the rollers 21 and 22, the sized warp yarns 10 are separated by a leash or splitter rod 23, and the size, e. g. a ceuulosic colloid, coagulated as the yam passes through a liquid CoAgulant contained In box 16. After coagulation the yams are again separated by a leash or sput. ter rod 23. The yarns are washed, e. g. wi.th hot water.contained in box 1,7 and may be subjected to a second wawng e. g. with dilute alkali in th@ box 18. After this treatment, the sized yarns are dried by suitable means as by passing them over and under the heated drying cans 24 and 25, and the dried yams are then wound upon the beam 26, which may be a sput beam. To prevent overlapping of the yams one upon the otberl, there MaY be provided, at suitable points in the course of tmvel, combs or reeds 27 of conventional design, such reeds being showri, in the figure at points where the yams leave the box'i 7, the box 18, and before and after they pass , 6ver the drying cans. It Is important and highly desirable that the warp Yarns be sepamted, as by passing altemate yarns over and under the leash or splitter rods 23 and 23', before and after coagulation of the size, e. g. the cerulosic coboid, since the coagulstion of the size while the yams are In contact tends to cause adjacent yarns to adhere t6 each other. ., By way of illustrating, but not by -way of UmitIng the inventi.on, there will be given the fouawing example: Combed or carded cotton warp ye=, intended for use in twills or drilis for mirtery uniforms, are siwd by pasdng the Y&rns through a sizlu compositior. comprising 6% alkau-soluble waterinsoluble oeuulose ether (initial viwosity of 2 compared to glycerin), 8% sodium hydroxide, and @the remainder water. To this solution Is added 0.2% of %Lm-onium perswfate wbich reduces the relative viscosity of the compoidtion by oiddation to between 0.5 and 0.1. The alzing composition Is plaoed in the box It of the apperstus shown in the drswing and the compogition heated to. a tem'pemture of 1500 P.. The wwp YarrA are pawed successively through the hot composition cmtsined In box 12, then tbrough the preawm rouers 2 I and 22, separated by @ the leash rod 23, and then pawed into the box II contahftg a 5% aqueous solutim of- adphuric acid as a cmauimt. Mw ezoein. *CtifjLnt ,b