Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Case 1~13
METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PATT~RNING OF SUBSTRATES
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for
pressurized heated fluid stream treatment of relatively
moving substrate materials. In a particular embodiment,
this invention relates to a method and apparatus for
selectively applying streams of heated air to a therma11y
modifiable substrate to impart a visual change in the
substrate surface, especially a pattern effect having a
relatively high apparent resolution.
Methods and devices of the prior art disclose
techniques for imparting a pattern on fabric by means of
directing one or more streams of heated air onto relatively
moving, thermally modifiable substrates such as textile
fabrics comprising thermoplastic fibers. Some contributors `
have relied upon stencils and masks placed between a source
of heated air and the substrate surface to generate the
requisite pattern-wise impingement of air streams on the
substrate. Generally speaking, a major problem with stencil
and mask systems, such as that disclosed in Belgian Patent
No. 766,310, to Kratz, et al., has been the limitation
imposed upon the process by the necessity of having a
mechanical stencil or mask, interposed between the heated
air source and substrate, which must map exactly every
detail of the pattern, regardless of how delicate or complex
or extensive the pattern may be. Having to generate,
maintain, and position accurately a stencil having a highly
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intricate pattern is extremely difficult in d commercial,
production environment. An additional problem with such
systems, moreover, is a general inability to generate
patterns in which untreated areas are completely surrounded
by treated areas, e. 9., a closed, treated boundary both
surrounding and surrounded by untreated areas.
Other contributors to this art have relied upon
various no~zles or pre-formed jets to form and direct the
streams of heated air which strike the substrate surface.
Systems using pre-formed jets, such as those disclosed
in U. S. Patent No. 3,613,186 to Mazzone, et al., U. 5.
Patent No. 3,256,581, to Thal, et al., and U. S. Patent No.
3,774,272 to Rubaschek, et al., are generally limited to
patterning a substrate with an array of grooves arranged in
relatively simple patterns - - usually merely continuous
grooves extending generally along the direction of substrate
movement.
U. S. Patent No. 4,364,156 to Greenway, et al.
discloses a system wherein pressurized heated fluid or gas,
for example, air, may be distributed along a slot which
extends the length of an elongate manifold. The air is
formed into a series of thin, individual streams within the
manifold, before the air exits from the elongate manifold
slot. These systems are adaptable for use with a flat,
comb-like slotted shim plate which may be inserted within
the slot, with the individual slots in the shim plate
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oriented parallel to the flow of fluid through the elongate
manifold slot, for the purpose of forming a series of
individual streams. Each slot may have a source of
transversely directed blocking fluid associated with it.
5 Streams of blocking fluid, e.g., relatively cool air, may
then be used to block selectively the flow of selected ones
of the individual streams formed by the slots in the shim
plate before the blocked stream leaves the manifold.
Alternatively, the required series of individual streams may
be formed without the use of such shim plate simply by
selectively directing, again from within the manifold,
streams of blocking fluid, e.g., relatively cool air, across
the gap formed by the elongate manifold slot at selected
locations along the length of the manifold, thereby blocking
portions of the thin curtain or blade of heated air
generated by the elongate manifold before the curtain or
blade of heated air exits from the manifold slot. Such a
system is more completely described in U. S. Patent
Application Serial No. 282,330, filed July 10, 1981.
By using an array of aligned, transverse blocking
streams or jets of relatively cool air to generate, within
the manifold, a plurality of selectively positioned heated
air streams from a single elongate heated air stream without
the use of a shim plate, extreme versatility, speed, and
reproducibility are achieved, and patterns incorporating
untreated areas having closed, treated boundary lines, as
q ~
well as extended line segments which are substantially
perpendicular to the direction of substrate travel, are
possible. However, it has been found that where extreme
detail and pattern resolution are desired, the transverse
blocking air jet system discussed above is not totally
satisfactory. Efforts to develop a system in which the
transverse air streams within the manifold slot are aligned
and spaced along the length of the manifold as closely as,
for example, 20 per linear inch, allowing for the selective
blocking of the curtain of heated air at any of 20
pre-determined locations along any one inch working segment
of the manifold slot, have not been entirely satisfactory.
When such density is attempted, it is believed fluid
mechanical effects within the slot, perhaps as a result of
mutual interference between adjacent blocking jets, cause
the blocking effect to spread or diffuse, so that the
blocking effect extends over a larger segment of the slot
length than is desired, and the appearance of the resulting
pattern is degraded. This disadvantageous effect is
particularly dramatic where, for example, among a group of
three adjacent blocking jets, the pattern requires the first
and third blocking jets to block portions of the heated air
stream, and requires the second blocking jet to remain off,
thereby permitting a single thin stream of heated airS
having a width approximately equal to the region which would
be blocked by the second jet acting alone, to squarely
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strike the substrate. Under th s circumstance, the blocking
effect of the activated first and third jets tends to
encroach into the heated air stream segment controlled by
the second jet, causing a kind of pinching effect which
tends to attenuate or block the heated air stream segment in
the region of the second jet when no such attenuation or
blocking is desired..
It has been discovered that, if blocking jets are to
be arranyed in a relatively high density, aligned
configuration, for example, at least about fifteen to twenty
jets per linear inch, the disadvantages discussed above can
be substantially eliminated if segments of the pressurized
heated air stream are not blocked within the elongate
manifold, but rather diverted and diluted after, preferably
immediately after, the intact elongate heated air stream
exits the slot in the elongate manifold. This can be
accomplished if, for example, an array of air jets is
positioned immediately outside of the slot in the manifold
so as to dilute and divert from the substrate surface
precisely defined segments of selectable length from the
substantially continuous elongate stream or curtain of
pressurized heated air which exits from the manifold slot,
while not disturbing the paths of other precisely defined
segments of the elongate heated air stream or curtain which
are directed at precisely pre-determined areas on the
relatively moving substrate surface.
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Details of this invention, together with the
accompanying drawings, are discussed in the following
detailed description, in which:
Fiyure 1 is a schematic side elevation view of
5 apparatus for pressurized heated fluid stream treatment of a
moving substrate material to impart a surface pattern or
change in the surface appearance thereof, and incorp~rating
novel features of the present invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged partial sectional elevation
view of the fluid distributing manifold assembly of the
apparatus of Figure 1, taken along a section line of the
manifold assembly indicated by the line II-II in Figure 7;
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the elongate
manifold assembly, taken generally along line III-III of
Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;
Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevation view of end
portions of the elongate baffle member of the manifold
assembly, looking in the direction of arrows IV-IV of Figure
2,
Figure 5 is an enlarged broken away sectional view of
the fluid stream distributing manifold housing portion of
the manifold assembly as illustrated in Figure 2;
Figure 6 is an enlarged, schematicized plan view of
end portinns of the fluid stream distributing manifold
housing looking in the direction of the arrows VI-VI of
Figure 2; and
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Figure 7 is an enlarged plan view of end portions of
the manifold assembly~ taken generally along line VII-VII of
Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;
Figure 8 is an enlarged plan view of end portions of
the manifold assembly, taken generally along line VIII-VIII
of Figure 5 and looking in the direction of the arrows;
Figure 9 is a diagram of shrinkage vs. temperature
(experimentally determined) for several thermally modifiable
substrate constituent fibers.
Referring more specifically to the drawings, Figure 1
shows, diagrammatically, an overall side elevation view of
apparatus For pressurized heated fluid stream treatment of a
moving substrate material to impart a high resolution
pattern or visual change thereto. As seen, the apparatus
includes a main support frame including end frame support
members, one of which, 10, is illustrated in Figure 1.
Suitable rotatably mounted on the end support members of the
frame are a plurality of substrate guide rolls which direct
an indefinite length substrate material, such as a textile
fabric 12, from a fabric supp y roll 14, past a pressurized
heated fluid treating unit, generally indicated at 16.
After treatment, the fabric may be collected in a continuous
manner on a take-up roll 18. As shown, fabric 12 from a
supply roll 14 passes over an idler roll 20 and is Fed by a
pair of driven rolls 22, 24 to a main drive fabric support
roll 26, whereby the surface of the fabric is passed closely
adjacent the heated fluid discharge outlet of an elongate
fluid distributing manifold assembly 30 of treating unit 16.
The treated fabric 12 thereafter passes over a series of
driven guide rolls 32, 34 and an idler roll 36 to take up
roll 18 for collection. For purposes of discussion, the
following discussion will assume air is the preferred fluid.
It should be understood, however, that other fluids may be
used.
As illustrated in Figure 1, fluid treating unit 16
includes a source of compressed fluid, such as an air
compressor 38, which supplies pressurized air to an elongate
air header pipe 40. Header pipe 40 communicates by a series
of air lines 42 spaced uniformly along its length with a
bank of individual electrical heaters indicated generally at
44. ~he heaters 44 are arranged in parallel along the
length of manifold assembly 30 and supply heated pressurized
air thereto through short, individual air supply lines,
indicated at 46, which communicate with assembly 30
uniformly along its full length. Air supply to the fluid
distributing manifold assembly is controlled by a master
control valve 48, pressure regulator valve 49, and
individual precision control valves, such as needle valves
50, located in each heater air supply line 42. The heaters
are controlled in suitable manner, as by temperature sensing
means located in the outlet lines 46 of each heater, with
regulation of air flow and electrical power to each of the
heaters to maintain the heated air at a uniform temperature
and pressure as it passes into the manifold assembly along
its full length. Typically, for patterning textile fabrics
such as pile fabrics containing thermoplastic pile yarns,
the heaters are emplnyed to heat air exiting the heaters and
entering the manifold assembly to a uniform temperature of
about 700F-800F or more.
The heated fluid distributing manifold assembly 30 is
disposed across the full width of the path of movement of
the fabric and closely adjacent the surface thereof to be
treated. Typical surface spacing is 0.010 to 0.020 inch.
Although the length of the manifold assembly may vary9
typically in the treatment of textile fabric materials the
length of the manifold assembly may be 76 inches or more to
accommodate fabrics of up to about 72 inches in width.
As illustrated in Figure 1 and in Figure 7, the
elongate manifold assembly 30 and the bank of heaters 44 are
supported at their ends on the end frame support members 10
of the main support frame by support arms 52 which are
pivotally attached to end members 10 to permit movement of
the assembly 30 and heaters 44 away from the surface of the
fabric 12 and fabric supporting roller 26 during periods
when the movement of the fabric through the treating
apparatus may be stopped.
Details of the heated fluid distributing manifold
assembly may be best described by reference to Figures 2-7
of the drawings. As seen in Figure 2, which is a partial
sectional elevation view through the assembly, taken along
line II-II of Figure 7, the manifold assembly 30 comprises a
first large elongate manifold housing 54 and a second
srrlaller elongate manifold housing 56 secured in fluid tight
relationship therewith by a plurality of spaced clamping
means. The manifold housings 54, 56 extend across the full
width of the fabric 12 adjacent its path of movement. A
plurality of manually-operated clamps 60 are spaced along
the length of the housings. Each clamp includes a portion
62 fixedly attached, as by spaced bolts 58 and brackets 124,
to side wall 74 of the first manifold housing 54, as well as
an adjustable threaded screw assembly 68 with elongate
presser bars 70 which apply pressure to manifold housing 56.
Screws 59 may be used to secure presser bars 70 to the top
surface of upper wall member 140 of housing 56.
As best seen in Figure 2, first elongate manifold
housing 54 is of generally rectangular cross-sectional
shape, and includes a pair of spaced plates forming side
walls 74, 76 which extend across the full width of the path
of fabric movement, and elongate top and bottom wall plates
78, 80 which define a first elongate fluid receiving
compartment 81, the ends of which are sealed by end wall
plates 82 suitably bolted thereto. Communicating with
bottom wall plate 80 through fluid inlet openings 83 (Fig.
4) spaced uniformly therealong are the heated air supply
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lines 46 from each of the electrical heaters 44. The side
walls 74~ 76 of the housing are connected to top wall plate
78 in suitable manner, as by welding, and the bottom wall
plate 80 is removably attached to side walls 74, 76 by bolts
84 to permit access to the first fluid receiving compartment
81. The plates and walls of the housing 54 may be formed of
suitable high strength material, such as stainless steel or
the like.
The manifold housings 54, 56 are constructed and
arranged so that the flow path of fluid through the first
housing 54 is generally at a right angle to the discharge
axes of the fluid stream outlets of the second manifold
housing 56. In addition, the mass comprising side walls 74,
76 and top and bottom wall plates 78, 80 of first manifold
housing 54 is substantially symmetrically arranged on
opposing sides of a plane bisecting the first fluid
receiving compartment 81 in a direction parallel to the
elongate length of manifold housing 54 and parallel to the
predominant direction of fluid flow, i.e., from inlet
openings 83 to passageways 86, through the housing
compartment 81. Because the mass of the first housing 54 is
arranged in a generally symmetrical fashion with respect to
the path of the heated fluid through the housing compartment
81, thermal gradients and the resulting thermally-induced
distortions in the first housing 54 also tend to be
similarly symmetrical. As a consequence, any distortion of
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the manifold assembly caused by expansion and contraction
due to temperature differentials tends to be resolved in a
plane generally parallel to the surface of the textile
fabric 12 being contacted by the heated fluid streams. This
resolution of movement of the manifold assembly minimizes
any displacement of the manifold discharge outlet channels
115 (Fig. 5) toward or away from the fabric 12 as a result
of non-uniform thermal expansion of the manifold assembly.
Any remaining unresolved thermally-induced displacement of
the manifold housing 54 may be corrected by use of jacking
members or other means to supply corrective forces directly
to the manifold housing.
As best seen in Figures 2, 3, and 7, upper wall plate
78 of manifold housing 54 is of relatively thick
construction and is provided with a plurality of fluid flow
passageways 86 which are disposed in uniformly spaced
relation along the plate in two rows to communicate the
first fluid receiving compartment 81 with a central elongate
channel 88 in the outer face of plate 78 which extends
between ihe passageways along the length of plate 78. As
seen in Figures 3 and 7, the passageways in one row are
located in staggered, spaced reltaion to the passageways in
the other row to provide for uniform distribution of
pressurized air into the central channel 88 while minimizing
strength loss of the elongate plate 78 in the overall
manifold assembly.
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As seen in Figures 2 and 4, located in first fluid
receiving compartmen-t 81 and attached to the bottom wall
plate 80 of the housing 54 by threaded bolts 90 is an
elongate channel-shaped baffle plate 92 which extends along
S the length of the compartment 81 in overlying relation to
wall plate 80 and the spaced, fluid inlet openings 83.
Baffle plate 92 serves to define a fluid receiving chamber
in the compartment 81 having side openings or slots 94
adjacent wall plate 80 to direct the incoming heated air
from the bank of heaters in a generally reversing path of
flow through compartment 81. As seen in Figure 2, disposed
above channel-shaped baffle plate 92 in compartment 81
between the fluid inlet openings 83 and fluid outlet
passageways 86 is an elongate filter member 96 which
consists of a perforated, generally J-shaped plate 98 with
filter screen 100 disposed thereabout. Filter member 96
extends the length of the first fluid receiving compartment
81 and serves to filter foreign particles from the heated
pressurized air during its passage therethrough. Access to
the compartment 81 by way of removable bottom wall plate 80
permits periodic cleaning and/or replacement of the filter
member, and the filter member 96 is maintained in position
in the compartment 81 by frictional engagement with the side
walls 74, 76 to permit its quick removal from and
replacement in the compartment 81.
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As best shown in Figures 2 and 5, second smaller
manifold housing 56 comprises first and second opposed
elongate wall members 140 and 170. When disposed as shown,
in spaced, coextensive, parallel relation, members 140 and
170 form a second fluid receiving compartment, shown
generally in Figure 5 at 160, which serves to divert the air
at a right angle~ and further serves to form the air into a
long, relatively thin curtain or blade which extends the
full width of wall members 140, 170, and which is uniform
with respect to temperature, pressure, and velocity.
In order to selectively interrupt continuously
selectable, precisely defined lateral segments of this thin,
continuous curtain or blade of pressurized heated air and
prevent the pressurized heated air from striking the surface
of closely spaced substrate 12 within such segments, and at
the same time present substantially no interruption or
modification to the heated air in all remaining,
complementary segments along the length of this curtain or
blade of air, a uniform array of tubes 126 is positioned
immediately outside the forward-most portion of wall member
140. Tubes 126 are positioned to divert the path of a
precisely defined segment of the continuous curtain of air
in a direction such that the diverted segment will not
impinge directly upon the substrate surface to any
significant degree, but will instead be directed in a plane
approximately perpendicular to the plane defined by the path
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of those segments of the curtain or blade which are
undiverted and which are intended to squarely strike the
substrate surface. ~ilution of these diverted segments also
takes place, which lowers the temperature of these segments
as well. In this way, the lateral configuration of the
blade of air strikin~ the substrate can be controlled, and
pattern inFormation may be imparted to the substrate
surface, i.e., the curtain of air originating within
compartment 160 may be reduced to one or more discrete,
narrow streams of air which strike the substrate squarely,
while those diverted segments of the curtain strike the
substrate either obliquely or not at all, and are in either
case relatively cooler than the undiverted segments, due to
the diluting effects of the diverting air streams, and
therefore have relatively little or no permanent effect on
the substrate.
Figures 5 and 6 disclose the details of second fluid
receiving compartment 160, the ends of which are closed by
end plates 111 (Fig. 7). Compartment 160 may be thought of
as two chambers 162, 166 in serial arrangement, each
compartment extending the length of manifold housing 56, and
each chamber being followed by a throttling oriface
comprising a relatively thin slot 168, 115 of individually
uniform but not necessarily equal gap width extending the
length of compartment 160. Heated air which has been mixed
in first manifold compartment 81 enters second fluid
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receiving compartment 160 at a pressure of from about 0.1 to
about 5 p.s.i.g. or more by way of a plurality of individual
fluid inlets 118 which communicate with elongate channel 88
of the first manifold housing 54 along its length. Gallery
163 within chamber 162 serves to mix the air from individual
in7ets 118, whereupon the air flows into the remaining
portion of chamber 162. In this remaining portion of
chamber 162, the air is made to flow the width of the
chamber, thereby mixing with air already present in the
chamber. Support partitions 164 act as load bearing and
separating members between wall members 140 and 170. As can
be seen in Figure 6, partitions 164 have rounded and
portions, straight sides, and are tapered (included angle
approximately 14) to a point having a radius of
approximately 0.01 inch. This is done primarily to avoid
causing turbulence in the fluid flow path within this
portion of chamber 162. It is foreseen that other
turbulence-minimizing configurations for support partitions
164 are possible.
At the forward end of chamber 162, ridge or weir 165
is used to define slot 168, which acts as a throttling
oriface between chamber 162 and adjoining chamber 166. By
passing through slot 168, which forms a uniform gap
extending the length of wall members 140, 170, a reduction
in fluid pressure is effected which allows chamber 166 to
act as an expansion chamber. By expanding, the fluid in
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chamber 166 tends to become uniform with respect to
temperature, velocity, and pressure. Chamber 166 can be
thought of as the immediate reservoir from which air is
formed into a blade-like exit stream via discharge slot 115.
Wall segments 141, 142 and 171, 172 merely serve to define a
transition area between chamber 166 and discharge slot 115
which does not generate substantial entrance effects. Rough
edges within chamber 166 or within this transition area
should be avoided. It is foreseeable that other
configurations for chamber 166, such as forming the walls of
chamber 166 in an appropriate curve, would further minimize
entrance effects, but such curves are generally expensive to
machine, and have been found to be unnecessary in this
embodiment in most applications. It is suggested, however,
that regardless of the chamber cross-sectional shape, the
maximum ratio of chamber height (dimension "A" in Figure 5)
to the height or gap of slot 168 should be on the order of
10 or more, and preferably 14 or 16 or more. It is
estimated that the overall effect of slot 168, expansion
chamber 166, and discharge slot 115 is to introduce a
dynamic head loss on the order of 4.0 with respect to air in
chamber 162. It has been found that dynamic head losses of
at least 3.0 are most suited to generating the uniform flow
desired. Dynamic head losses of about 4.0 or more are
recommended for most purposes, as this amount of dynamic
head loss is usually sufficient to assure a practically
uniform fluid stream emerging from discharge outlet 115.
Discharge slot 115 is formed from opposing flat surfaces on
the forward portion of wall members 140, 170, and is also of
some uniform gap height all along the length of members 140,
170. ~here a discharge slot gap height (i.e., measured
parallel to dimension "A") of about Q.018 inch is used, a
discharge slot depth (i.e., measured in the direction of
fluid flow) of about 0.38 inch has been found advantageous.
It should be noted that, due to the design of elongate
wall members 140 and 170, machining of said wall members may
be relatively simple. The load bearing surfaces of wall
members 140, 170 may be smoothly machined in a single
operation to ensure a fluid tight seal for chambers 162,
166. The lower surface of wall member 140, ~orming the
upper wall portion of discharge slot 115, the upper wall
portion of slot 168, and the upper load bearing surfaces
above chamber 162 and to the rear of gallery 163, may be
made co-planar. Similarly, those portions of wall portion
170 defining the lower load bearing surfaces to the rear of
gallery 163, the load bearing surfaces atop support
partitions 164, the upper surface of ridge 165 defining slot
168, and the lower wall portion of discharge slot 115 may
all be co-planar. The lower surface of wall member 140 may
be machined by cutting channels corresponding to the upper
portion of gallery 163 and wall segments 141~ 142 comprising
the upper portions of chamber 166, and similar appropriate
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machining rnay be used to form the lower portions of gallery
163, chamber 162, and the lower wall members 171, 172
comprising the lower portions of chamber 166.
In addition to simplifying greatly the fabrication of
wall members 140 and 170, this design also allows the gap
width of discharge s7ct 115, as we11 as the gap width of
slot 168, to be set merely by inserting flat, rectangular
spacer shims 112, 116 of equal thickness between the ma+ing
wall members 140, 170, as shown in Figure 5. This allows
for simple, quick adjustment of the gap size of discharge
slot 115 in response to requirements imposed by changes in
substrate material or visual effect desired. It is foreseen
that shim thicknesses ranging from 0.005 inch or less to
0.035 inch or more may be used. It is believed the exact
dimensional relationship which this design imposes is not
important to the operation of the manifold compartment 160.
Thus, for example, it is foreseen that throttling slot 168
need not have the same gap size as discharge slot 115. The
depth of discharge slot 115 may require adjustment at
extreme gap sizes in order to prevent turbulence within the
slot 115.
Lower wall member 170 of the second manifold housing
56 is provided with a plurality of fluid inlet openings llB
which communicate with the elongate channel 88 of the first
manifold housing 54 along its length to receive pressurized
heated air from the first manifold housing 54 into the
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second fluid receiving compartment 160. Wall members 140,
170 of the second manifold housing 56 are maintained in
fluid tight relation with spacing shim members 112, 116 and
with the elongate channel 88 of the flrst manifold housing
54 by clamps 60, as well as by bolts 122 which may extend
through wall members 140 and into wall member 170, or may
extend through wall members 140, 170 and into wall plate 78.
Because of the cantilevered design of housing 56, it is
advantageous to align presser bar 70 with the forward
portion of support partitions 164.
As shown in Figures 2 and 5, the forward portion of
wall member 170 carries vents 174 which allow a small
quantity of heated air to be bled from chamber 162, thereby
assuring a small but steady flow of air through chamber 162.
Such flow not only prevents the build-up of stagnant, heated
air within chamber 162, thereby causing uneven temperature
distribution within compartment 160, but also assists in
preventing excessive heat build-up in the vicinity of the
heater elements 44 and premature heater burn-out. An
additional advantage is that the passage of the heated bleed
air throught vents 174 in lower wall member 170 serves to
maintain temperature in the forward section wall member 170
which is subject to cooling via impingement of relatively
cool air or other fluid from cool air tubes 126 discussed in
more detail below, attached to the forward portion of upper
wall member 140. Bleed air baffle 182, which extends across
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the full width of lower wall member 170 and which is
attached to side wall 76 at regular intervals by means of
screws 188 and spacers 186, prevents air From tubes 126 or
slots 115 from being entrained by bleed air from vents 174.
Baffle wier 184 creates slight backpressure downstream of
vent 174, within cavity 180, which prevents air ~rom tubes
126 or slot 115 from being entrained via small unintended
and undesirable gaps between baffle 182 and lower wall
member 170. Baffle 182 need extend only sufficiently far
from wall member 170 to prevent significant interaction
between bleed air from vents 174 and air from tubes 126 or
slot 115.
As seen in Figures 1, 2, 5 and 7 of the drawings,
discharge slot 115 of the second manifold housing 56 is
]5 provided with a plurality of tubes 126, preferably uniformly
spaced along the forward edge of wall member 140, which
communicate at roughly a right angle to the axis of
discharge slot 115. These tubes 126 direct individual
streams of pressurized, relatively cool fluid, for example,
air having a pressure of at least about 1 to 10 times the
pressure of the air exiting slot 115 and a temperature
substantially below that of the heated air in chamber 166,
transversely past discharge slot 115 to selectively divert
and diffuse or dilute the flow of heated air over selected
segments at selected points along the length of slot 115 in
accordance with pattern control information As seen in
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Figure 1, pressurized unheated air is supplied to each of
the tubes 126 from compressor 38 by way of a master control
valve 128, pressure regulator valve 129, air line 130, and
unheated air header pipe 132 which is connected by a
plurality of individual air supply lines 134 to the
individual tubes 126. Each of the individual cool air
supply lines 134 is provided with an individual control
valve located in a valve box 136. These individual control
valves are operated to open or close in response to signals
from a pattern control device, such as a computer 138, to
deflect and dilute selected intervals or segments of the
curtain of hot air at selected locations outside and along
the length of slot 115 during movement of the fabric and
thereby produce a desired pattern in the fabric. Adjacent
tube spacing along the length of slot 115 is sufficiently
close to avoid any leakage of heated air from between two
adjacent positions of tubes 126 when such tubes are fully
activated, thereby allowing the width of the individual
segment or segments which are diverted or diluted to be a
pattern variable. It is foreseeable that, for certain
pattern effects, controlled "leakage" of heated gas through
or between the cool air streams produced by individual or
adjacently positioned tubes 126 may be desirable. This can
be achieved by, for example, reducing or modulating the
pressure of the air in selected ones of tubes 126 while said
selected tubes 126 are supplying diverting air streams.
Detailed patterning information for individual patterns may
be stored and accessed by means of any known data storage
medium suitable for use with electronic computers, such as
paper or magnetic tape, EPROMs, etc.
As depicted in Figures 2, 5, and 7, tubes 126 are
positioned immediately in front of discharge slot 115, with
the mouth of each tube 126 being positioned in alignment
along a line parallel to slot 115 and slightly above the
forward edge of upper wall member 140 which forms the mouth
of discharge slot 115. Cooling means such as a cold water
manifold is not required to prevent excessive heating of the
air in tubes 126, for several reasons. Tubes 126, being
mounted externally to upper wall member 140, are not subject
to as much heating from upper wall member 140 as might be
experienced where tubes 126 are in more direct contact with
member 140. Additionally, because the air from tubes 126
does not contact directly the substrate surface, but rather
serves to divert and dilute the heated air from slot 115,
rather than block such air, incidental heating of the air in
tubes 126 can be more easily accommodated with little or no
effect in the resulting patterning. To facilitate secure,
proper positioning and alignment of tubes 126, each tube may
be secured to a block 143 by means of brazing, ceramic
adhesive, or other means. Block 143 in turn may be
detachably secured to upper wall member 140 by means of
screws 144 or other means. The exact position of the mouths
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of tubes 126 in relation to the stream of air exiting slot
115 may be adjusted by means of, for example, shims inserted
between mating surfaces of block 143 and wall member 140.
Optimum positioning of the mouths of tubes 126 depends of
S course upon the dime~sions of tubes 126 and slot 115, as
well as the respective pressures of the exiting curtain of
heated air and the relatively cool diverting air streams9
among other things. It has been found, for a slot thickness
of 0.015 to 0.025 inch, a tube inside diameter of 0.033
inch, a tube outside diameter of 0.0042 inch, a tube spacing
(from tube centerline to adjacent tube centerline) of 0.05
inch, a heated air pressure of 0.5 p.s.i.g. and a cool air
pressure of 3 p.s.i.g., positioning the mouths of tubes 126
approximately .025 to .100 inch above the upper edge of slot
115 (i.e., above the lower edge of wall member 140) is
satisfactory, although other configurations and spacings may
be advantageous under certain circumstances. It is
generally recommended that the rearward portion of the
interior walls of tubes 126 be mounted in the same plane as
the forward edge of wall member 140, so that the forward
edge of wall member 140 serves as an extension of a portion
of the interior walls of tubes 126. In this particular
case, therefore, the central axis of the tubes 126 may be
positioned approximately 0.0175 inches (exactly one tube
bore radius) from the forwardmost edge of wall member 140.
It should be understood, however, that other positions for
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~ J ~L~
tubes 126 may be found to be satisfactory, and may be
superior, for this or other combinations of air temperatures
and pressures, slot thicknesses, etc. It is also foreseen
that tubes 126 preferably may be flared rather than having a
uniform bore, depending upon conditions.
In operation, heated air generat~d by heaters 44 flows
through inlet openings 83, and is directed through
compartment 81 to passageways 86 and elongate channel 88.
Upon entering fluid receiving compartment 160, the heated
air is directed through a series of chambers and gaps
intended to assure the air exiting compartment 160 is
totally uniform with respect to temperature, pressure, and
~elocity. Upon exiting compartment 160, including chambers
162 and 166, the air exits via slot 115 as a thin blade or
curtain of heated air, directed onto a moving substrate
positioned opposite and in close proximity to the mouth of
slot 115. The exact spacing between the mouth of slot 115
and the substrate surface is dependent upon the visual
effect desired on the substrate, the nature of the
substrate, and other factors. The spacing is of course
limited by the space occupied by the tubes 126 and any
mounting means associated with the tubes. Generally
speaking, the distance between the mouth of slot 115 and the
top-most portion of substrate 12 will be between about 0.040
inch and about 0.25 inch under ordinary conditions, although
spacings outside this range are possible. Selected
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intervals or lateral segments of this curtain of heated air
may be diverted and diluted by relatively cool, high
pressure air, directed substarltially perpendicularly to the
plane of the heated air curtain from tubes 126. The lateral
segments which are not diverted are permitted to strike the
substrate surface and induce a visua1 chan~e in the surface
thereby. The selected lateral segments diverted by the
relatively cool air streams from tubes 126 either strike the
substrate obliquely or not at all; in either case, the
segments are diluted or diffused to such an extent that no
substantial visual effect is produced.
Where the resulting streams of heated air are
maintained at a sufficiently high temperature and directed
onto a substrate comprised of a thermally modifiable
material, for example, thermoplastic materials such as
polyester, polyamide, polyolefin, or acrylonitrile fibers or
yarns, substantial longitudinal shrinkage of individual
fibers or yarns, as well as locali~ed melting or fusing of
individual fibers or yarns, or other thermally induced
changes in the physical character and visual appearance of
the material, can be induced. Such shrinking or melting or
fusing can in turn result in the permanent patterning of the
substrate by, for example, causing sculpturing or puckering
of the substrate, or by creating a visual contrast between
treated and untreated areas, either with or without an
additional, post-treatment dyeing step. Suggested
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temperatures on the substrate at which shrinkage of various
substrate constituents occurs is given in Figure 8.
The following examples describe further details of the
invention disclosed herein.
EXAMPLE I
A knit polyester plush pile fabric having a weight of
thirteen ounces per square yard and a pile height of one
tenth of an inch was continuously fed through the apparatus
illustrated in Figure 1 at a speed of fabric travel of three
and one-half yards per minute. The temperature and pressure
of the heated air in the manifold compartment 81 was
maintained at 620F and 0.37 p.s.i.g., respectively. The
height (gap) of slot 115 was 0.018 inch and the distance
between the mouth of slot 115 and the fabric was set at 0.08
inch. The deflecting air jet tubes 126 were set 0.050 inch
above slot 115 and were spaced apart along the upper lip of
the manifold 56 with the forward-most portion of member 170
aligned with the inside edge of the tube bore. The tubes
were made from 0.027 inch inside diameter hypodermic tubes 4
inches long, bored out 0.033 inch x 0.125 inch deep at the
discharge end. The bore of the tube just contacted the
upper lip of manifold 56. The deflecting air pressure
through tubes 126, measured prior to the solenoid valves
controlling deflecting air flow, was set at 3 p.s.i.g. The
treated fabric possessed a pattern composed of
longitudinally shrunken fibers where the hot air had been
allowed to contact the fabric
EXAMPLE II
A polyester plain weave fabric having a fabric weight
of three and one-half ounces per square yard, and a 92 warp
end by 84 pick end per inch fabric construction, was
processed throuyh the apparatus of Figure 1 at a fabric
speed of four yards per minute. The temperature and
pressure of the heated air in the manifold compartment 81
was maintained at 690F and 0.8 p.s.i.g., respectively. The
height (gap) of slot 115 was 0.018 inch and the distance
between the mouth of slot 115 and the fabric was set at 0.08
inch. The deflecting air jet tubes 126 were set 0.050 inch
above slot 115 and were spaced along the upper lip of
manifold 56 with the forwardmost portion of member 170
aligned with the inside edge of the tube bore. The tubes
were made from 0.027 inch inside diameter hypodermic tubes 4
inches long, bored out 0.033 inch x 0.125 inch deep at the
discharge end. The bore of the tube just contacted the
upper lip of manifold 56. The deflecting air pressure
through tubes 126, measured prior to the solenoid valves
controlling deflecting air flow, was set at 4.5 p.s.i.g.
The treated fabric possessed a pattern composed of
longitudinally shrunken fibers where the hot air had been
allowed to contact the fabric.
