US2223476A - Method for making pile fabric - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 3, 1940. Q AMSTUZ 2,223,476

METHOD FOR MAKING FILE FABRIC Filed Nov. 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l -JUHN U. AMSTUZ Dec. 3, 1940. J Q AMSTUZ 2,223,476

1 METHOD FOR MAKING FILE FABRIC Filed NOV. 2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 V MHIRH H HUMM JOHN D. AMSTUZ Patented Dec. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claims.

The invention relates to the manufacture of pile fabric.

One object of the invention is to provide a new type of pile fabric which can be produced at low cost. Another object of the invention is to form a pile fabric with a paper backing. Another object of the invention is to provide a rapid method for the manufacture of a pile fabric in an unlimited number of designs. Another object of the invention is to deposit flock upon a sheet surface in a fine coating with the of the invention is to provide a textilearticle coated with flock in which the fibres are laid normal to the plane .of the textile material. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and in the several steps and relation and order of each of said steps to one or more of the others thereof, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the mechanical features of this invention,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view illustrating apparatus for the manufacture of a pile fabric in which the pile is continuous and attached to a backing of paper or cloth.

Figure 2 is the representation of a drying room and take-up device.

Figure 3 is a greatly magnified cross sectional view of a sheet of the pile fabric constructed in accordance with the invention in which the backing is paper.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating a pile fabric of the invention in which the backing is cloth.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of stenciling apparatus which may be substituted for the adhesive coating apparatus of Figure 1 in order to put the pile on to the fabric in the fo m of a design.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of printing apparatus utilizing an engraved roll which may be substituted for the apparatus of Figure 5 or the adhesive applying apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure '7 is an illustration of a pile fabric incorporating a design manufactured according to the invention.

Referring first to Figure l, I provide a roll of sheet material In. This may be paper or it may be cloth. If cloth is used preferably a fairly close weave will be employed but I may use a relatively inexpensive grade of cloth. Cotton sheeting is a good example of the cloth that may be employed and desirably is dyed the same color as that of the pile that is to be applied.

The roll of sheet material I0 is wound on a roller H which is mounted in any suitable manner as is well known in the textile finishing art and a suitable friction brake may be applied if desired. The sheet material I2 passes down 7 around a roller l3 and up around a roller l4 and fibres arranged in parallelism. Another object around a roller 15. It then passes between an adhesive applying roller l6 and a pressure roller II. The roller l6 revolves in a trough I8 filled with adhesive l9 and suitable apparatus may be provided for heating the adhesive. The sheet material [2 then passes upwardly to a roller then over a roller 2| whence it is delivered to that portion of the apparatus which applies the pile. some or all of the rollers l3, l4, l5, l6, ll, 20, and 2| are positively rotated and preferably all of them are rotated in synchronized relation at a given peripheral velocity, but the drive means for the rollers has not been illustrated as such is well understood.

Any suitable adhesive l9 may be used. As an illustrative example I mention the various glues. I may use a printing glue, for example the relatively flexible glue described in Dickinson Patent No. 282,034 or a glue which is particularly suitable for textile printing such as described in Mills Patent No. 569,112. For certain purposes and to achieve certain results I may tan the glue with formaldehyde in order to resist the action of water. In mentioning glue as the adhesive I wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited to the use thereof and in mentioning particular types of glue it should be understood that I may use other types, the examples given being merely examples of practical ways to carry out the invention.

I provide a quantity of flock which I may place in a hopper 26. The term flock is usually applied to the shearings from woolen cloth produced in the finishing mill. These shearings comprise separated fibres of substantially uniform length. Preferably I use fibres of as uniform length as possible, but I may use fibres of materials other than wool, for example fibres of silk, cotton, or rayon.

The hopper 26 has a suitable slidinggate 21 controlling the bottom opening 28 thereof and the gate has a handle 29 by means of which the operator can cause flock to be delivered as desired.

I find that better results are achieved if the flock is well broken up prior to the application thereof, as will be described. Furthermore, it should preferably be fairly well distributed lat- 5 erally of the machine.

box 30 to receive the flock from the hopper 28, the box being mounted on slideways 3i to move rectilineally and a crank 32 and pitman 33 being provided to vibrate the box 30. The crank 82 is mounted on a suitable shaft 34 driven from any suitable source of power at a speed of for example 400 R. P. M. In the bottom of the box 38 is a screen 38 through which the flock passes on to a traveling belt 81.

The traveling belt 3'! is preferably slightly wider than the sheet material I! and travels at a variable speed, being driven by a variable speed motor, not shown. The belt 31 passes around rollers 38, 38,50, and H, one of which is positively 2 driven by the variable speed motor. The purpose of varying the speed of the belt is to find for each different condition by quick empiricism the best speed to deliver the right amount of flock to the apparatus. The speed range should be both above and below that of the sheet material l2. The belt speed is varied in connection with the gate opening 28 and the particular mesh of the screen 38. Various modifications of the means to deliver flock may be adopted, for ex- 30 ample an electric vibrator with rheostat control may be substituted for the crank 32 and pitman 33 and it is also desirable to provide an electric or pneumatic vibrator to vibrate the hopper 28 to eliminate packing of fiock in the hopper itself.

5 Electric and pneumatic vibrators are now well known and are regular commercial products which can be procured in a variety of sizes. Conditions vary widely with particular specifications of the ultimate fabric that is being produced but with variable controls such as have been described, only a few minutes variation of thead- Justments herein described will readily determine the correct setting for all thereof in a given apparatus.

4 Preferably the belt 3'! passes downwardly between the rollers 38 and 38 at an incline de termined by the following considerations: It is desired that sheet material l2, which after leaving the roller 2i passes between rollers 42 and 43 in a course parallel to that of the belt 31, shall sag as little as possible. The vertical condition is the condition of least sag. On the other hand, it is not desired that the flock shall move on the belt 31 by reason of the force of gravity. The

limiting factor here is the point where the coeflicient of friction of the flock is equal to its component along the downward path due to gravity. Satisfactory results can be achieved with a pitch about as shown in Figure 1 and somewhat steeper inclinations may be employed.

I provide an upper electrode 50 and a lower electrode 5i. These may be made of metal, for example of aluminum for lightness, and may be of ribbed construction as shown, for the same reason. They may be covered with insulating material, such as resinoid or hard rubber, which is an advantage if the coating is done with higher voltages or when the flock is too conductive and may facilitate the forming or sustaining of an are between the electrodes. The surfaces of the electrodes 50 and 5| that face each other are plane surfaces and preferably as nearly as possible they are in contact respectively with the back side of the sheet material I! and the under 78 side of the belt 31. The belt 31 is preferably I therefore provide a fairly thin and may be made of a suitable grade of denim cotton cloth so that the flock will be very close to the electrode iii.

For energizing the electrodes 58 and II to produce an electrostatic field between them, I pro- 5 vide high voltage alternating current variable frequency apparatus which may be as in the following illustrative example:

Still referring to Figure 1, I provide any suitable source of direct current connected to main 10 power lines 55, 88. The voltage may be as desired, for example 110 volts. The conductor mains 55, 58 are connected by conductors 51 and 58 and a knife switch 58 to conductors 88 and 8i. The conductor 8| leads to a terminal of a 15 D. C. motor 63. The conductor 80 is connected to a rheostat 84 which is in turn connected by means of a conductor to the other terminal of the motor 83. The motor 83 may be series or shunt wound, as desired, and the rheostat 84 2 may be in the outside conductor or may be in the shunt circuit for the field winding, as desired, or any other suitable variation may be adopted. The motor 83 is therefore a variable speed motor and for it may be substituted any 25 other variable drive subject to control by fine increments of speed change, for example any form of variable speed friction gear drive apparatus may be used, many types thereof being now well known. 30

The motor 83 is coupled to a single phase A. C. generator 15. The field 18 of the generator 15 may be excited by current from the D. C. line 55, 58, conductors l1, 18, I8, 80, and a knife switch 8| being provided for this purpose. I 35 preferably provide a further rheostat 82 for controlling the voltage of the generator 15.

The conductors 85, 88 from the generator I5 are connected 'to the primary of a step-up transformer 81. The secondary of the transformer 81 40 is connected by conductors 80 and 8| to the electrodes 50 and 5| respectively. In the conductor line 86 is preferably located an ammeter 82 and across the conductors 85 and 86 is preferably connected a volt meter 83. I further provide 45 connected between the conductors 85 and 88 a frequency or cycle meter 84. Furthermore, in circuit in the conductor 88 I place a rheostat 88.

I am enabled by this apparatus to achieve a voltage across the electrodes 58 and 5] of the 50 order of one hundred thousand volts which I can vary between five thousand volts and one hundred thousand volts. The gap between the belt 31 and the sheet material I! may be varied but I have found that a gap of one inch to two inches 55 works well in actual practice. By driving the motor 83 at varying speeds of rotation between 600 R. P. M. and 1800 R. P. M., I am enabled to change the frequency between ten cycles and thirty cycles, using a generator 15 which is the 80 equivalent of a two-pole generator.

I have discovered that comminuted textile material such as flock may be separated and oriented by means of an alternating current electrostatic field of high voltage of a given frequency 85 for certain given conditions involving the gap distance of the field, the voltage strength, and the particular type of flock employed. When the electrodes 50 and SI are impressed with opposite sign voltages, the flock simply bridges the gap 70 between the sheet material I! and the belt 31 in string formation and produces a short circuit and is ineffective for coating the sheet material i2. When the sign of each electrode changes with a frequency of the order indicated. the flock 1 tends to dance with the alternations of the current. Flock of a given particle size has a natural frequency between electrodes spaced by a given gap. By selecting the electric frequency to cor- I respond with the flock frequency. the flock particles are broken up and prevented from producing string formation. As the frequency of the electric current nears the frequency of the fiock,

, the flock is raised higher and higher until a regular cloud of flock between the electrodes is produced. In other words, the propulsive impulses of the alternating current in opposite directions tend to propel the flock first toward and then from the adhesively coated backing material, as the direction of current fiow and the potential in the field alternate. Under the influence of a particular voltage in the field, it takes a'particular fiock particle a predetermined length of time to move across the field, from a plane adjacent the lower electrode to the plane of the adhesively coated sheet, depending upon the characteristics of the flock and, of course, the space between the electrodes. Flock reaching the surface I2 which has been, as described, coated with glue or other adhesive, is retained there. All particles of flock orient themselves normal to the surface of the material I2 and the result is a depositing of pile upon the material I2 in evenly spaced condition. If the flock particles are not retained after they are projected toward the adhesive by a propulsive impulse in one direction, they will be projected away from the adhesively coated sheet during the other half of the alternating current cycle, whereupon their direction of movement will immediately be reversed, during the next cycle and they will be again projected toward the sheet. As stated above, the frequency of the alternating current cycle is adjusted to correspond to this frequency of movement of the i0 fiock material so that the current impulses in opposite directions last for the correct duration of time to cause the particles to fluctuate back and forth between the belt 21 and the sheet material I2. The expression "frequency of com- 45 minuted material" in the claims means the natural characteristics of the material under the ini'iuences referred to above.

If the delivery of flock from the screen 36 is of the right amount, practically all of it will be 50 deposited upon the sheet material I2. Excess fiock over a certain amount simply drops back as it finds no more adhesive to attach to. Preferably more flock is delivered than is neeeded so there will be certain to be enough and the excess 55 falls into a collecting pan I00.

From the roller 43 the now surfaced material passes to a roller IOI whence it is directed upwardly around a roller I 02 into a drying room I00 where the material may be festooned then 00 out around a roller I04 and roller I05 to a constant speed take up roller I06 by means of which it is wound on a roll I01 of the self-winding variety. The roller I06 is positively driven and preferably so also are the rollers IOI, I02 and I04.

65 The drying room I 03 and the apparatus shown in Figure 2 may be located on a floor above the apparatus shown in Figure 1. By the particular arrangement of apparatus shown I avoid touching the coated side of the material with anything 70 until'it is ultimately wound into the roll of finished material I00 but even this may be dispensed with as the material may be cut off into sheets as it is delivered.

Considering now the product formed, Figures 3 75 and 4 respectively illustrate it, Figure 3 showing the pile fabric of the invention with a paper back I21: and Figure 4 showing the pile fabric of the invention with a cloth back III). In each case a layer of adhesive I0 unites the individual fibres of flock or other material 20 to the backing I21: 5 and In respectively. It will be noted that the fibres of material 25 stand parallel to each other and normal to the backing and this result is achieved in actual practice with the use of the apparatus described. The individual fibres of material 25 have like'charges of electricity and so repel each other which is why they stand parallel to each other and the repulsion also spaces them evenly on the backing. Although I have particularly mentioned flock, other comminuted fibrous material may be employed, for example rabbit's fur such as is used in the manufacture of hats.

The article of the invention simulates billiard cloth and, with a paper backing may be used for decorative purposes where permanency and durability are not important qualities. For example it may be effectively employed as a table covering in restaurants and the like intended to be discarded after a single use. When embodied in material having a cloth backing I2b it resists tearing more readily and has a somewhat more permanent character especially if formaldehyde has been used to tan the glue. It then may be used for many decorative purposes and as a substitute for woven pile fabrics. Either form can be used for wall paper or the like.

The apparatus already described produces a pile fabric with a continuous or solid coating. It may be desired to coat the paper or cloth with fibres according to the invention in the form of a design. As shown in Figure 7 I may produce a textile fabric comprising a. backing I2b with figures I08 of pile fabric formation and in any desired design. Such material may be used for a wide variety of purposes, in fact wherever cloth is used, as the design may be small or large and cover a small or a large area and the backing I21) may be previously printed if desired.

Two modifications for applying the pile in the form of a design are illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. Referring first to Figure 5, I have illustrated a stenciling apparatus of the general type disclosed in patent to Hanington No. 1,546,834. I provide a roll IIO of paper or cloth I2 which is conducted around small rollers H8 and then over a blanket I I9 and a drum I20 to a roller I2I whence it is delivered to the roller 42 and the rest of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. The blanket II9 extends also around a roller I22 as shown. Between rollers I23 and I24 suitably journalled as shown and as also described in the patent to Hanington referred to, extends a stencil I25. Thestencil I25 may be of the type described in the patent to Hanington referred to or may be of other well known varieties, for example it may be of sheet metal with openings therein in the form of a design. The patent to Hanington referred to describes a stencil which is of open mesh material with many of the meshes blocked ofi or filled. The advantage of this particular stencil is that a design in the form of a closed design without any break may be achieved.

The stenciling apparatus may further include a container I21 for adhesive I9 which extends throughout the width of the machine and which container has a. restricted opening I28 in the bottom thereof and a slide I29 arranged for controlling the fiow of adhesive. Three pressers I30 are provided and held by a member I3I which is supported by the machine. These pressers otherwise known as doctor scrapers may be made of brass or steel or rubber and they act to force the adhesive through the openings in the stencil and roll IIIla of paper or cloth I2 passes over a roller I and then downwardlyunder a roller I4I into contact with a blanket II9a which extends around a drum I200 and a roller I22a. An engraved printing roller I42 has an engraved surface I43. This may be a copper or steel engraving. In contact with the engraved surface I43 is a roller I44 revolving in a trough I45 containing the adhesive I9. Adhesive is transferred to surface I43 and a plurality of doctor blades I46 press the adhesive into the depressions and scrape it from the elevated surfaces. The adhesive is then transferred to the sheet I2 where the sheet passes between the surface I43 and the blanket Ilsa. The sheet I2 then passes over a roller I2 Ia and thence to the roller 42 and the rest of the apparatus from that point on shown in Figure 1 and ultimately to the drying and take up apparatus of Figure 2.

Different types of designs will be respectively applied by the different types of apparatus herein illustrated as the stencil type is better adapted for coating where there are large areas of design I09 and the engraved roller apparatus is preferable where the designs I09 are relatively small in area. Other types of apparatus for coating sheet material I2 with adhesive in the form of a design whereby comminuted fibrous material may be applied thereto as hereinbefore disclosed may be'used.

It will thus be seen that there has been provided by this invention a method and apparatus and an article in which the various objects hereinbefore set forth together with many thoroughly practical advantages are successfully achieved. As various possible embodiments might be made of the mechanical features of the above invention and as the art herein described might be varied in various parts, all without departing from the scope of the invention, it is to be understood that all matter hereinbefore set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

1. In the art of coating sheet material with fibrous comminuted material, the improvement which consists in feeding the sheet material and the comminuted material into an electrostatic field of alternating potential, and controlling the cycle of alternations to make the positive and negative fluctuations equal in duration and potential.

2. In the art of producing pile surface sheet material, the process which comprises: establishing an electrostatic field alternating in a cycle in which the positive and negative fluctuations are equal in duration and potential, introducing adhesively coated sheet material into said field and introducing comminuted pile surface forming material into the field, whereby the comminuted material is propelled toward and from said surface until it becomes adhesively united thereto.

3. In the art of producing pile surface sheet material, the process which comprises establishing an alternating electrostatic field, controlling the cycle of alternations to make the positive and negative fluctuations equal in duration and potential, controlling the frequency of alternations between ten and thirty cycles per second, introducing adhesively coated sheet material into the field and introducing comminuted pile surface forming material into the field.

4. In the art of producing pile surface sheet material, the process which comprises establishing an electrostatic field alternating in a cycle in which the positive and negative fluctuations are equal in duration and potential. the frequency of said field being not less than ten cycles, and introducing adhesively coated sheet material and comminuted pile surface forming material into the field in spaced relation, whereby the comminuted material is propelled toward and from said surface until it becomes adhesively united thereto.

5. In the art of producing pile surface sheet material, the process which comprises establishing an electrostatic field alternating in a cycle in which the positive and negative fluctuations are equal in duration and potential", introducing adhesively coated sheet material and comminuted pile surface forming material into the field in spaced relation, whereby the comminuted material is propelled toward and from said surface until it becomes adhesively united thereto, and adjusting the frequency of alternations in said cycle to substantially correspond to the frequency of the comminuted material to effect maximum propulsion of the material toward and from the sheet.

6. In the art of producing pile surface sheet material, the process which comprises establishing an electrostatic field alternating in a cycle in which the current fluctuations in opposite directions are equal in duration and potential, introducing adhesively coated sheet ma terial and comminuted pile surface forming material into the field in spaced. relation, whereby said" fluctuations in opposite directions tend to propel the material toward and from the sheet, and adjusting the cycle of fluctuations to correspond to the frequency of the material and nating in a cycle in which the current fiuctuations in opposite directions are equal in duration and potential, thereby propelling the material in the field toward and from the backing sheet at a speed determined by the potential in the field, and adjusting the frequency of the cycle of alterations to make each propulsive impulse of each cycle substantially correspond in time to the time required to move a particle of material in one direction through the electrostatic field.

8. In the art of producing pile surface sheet material, the process which comprises conducting a backing sheet having its undersurface adhesively coated between spaced electrodes, conducting comminuted pile surface forming material between said electrodes in spaced relation below the sheet, establishing between said electrodes an electrostatic field alternating in a cycle in which the current fluctuations in opposite directions are equal in duration and potential, thereby propelling the material upwardly and downwardly in the field toward and from the backing sheet at a speed determined by the potential in the field, and adjusting the frequency of the cycle of alternations to make each upwardly directed propulsive impulse of each cycle subtsantially correspond in time to the time required to lift a particle of material through said space to the adhesively coated backing sheet.

9. In the art of producing pile surface sheet material, the process which comprises establishing an electrostatic field alternating in a cycle in which the current fluctuations in opposite directions are equal in duration and potential, introducing adhesively coated sheet material and comminuted pile surface forming material into the field in spaced relation, whereby said fluctuations in opposite directions propel the material in the field toward and from the backing sheet at a speed determined by the potential in the field, and adjusting the frequency of the cycle of alternations and the potential of the fluctuations to make each propulsive impulse of each cycle correspond in potential and time to the propulsive force and time required to move an article of material through said space to said backing sheet.

10. In the art of producing pile surface sheet material, the process which comprises establishing an electrostatic field alternating in a cycle in which the current fluctuations in opposite directions are substantially equal in duration and potential, introducing adhesively coated sheet material and comminuted pile surface forming material into the field in spaced relation, whereby said fluctuations in opposite directions propel the material in the field toward and from the backing sheet at a spaced determined by the potential in the field, and adjusting the potential in the field to make each propulsive impulse of each cycle have the force required to move a particle of material through said space to the backing sheet during the time in the cycle that said impulse is effective.

11. In the art of producing pile surface sheet material in continuous lengths, the process which comprises providing, between spaced upper and lower electrodes, an electrostatic fieldof alternating potential energized by alternating current, the duration and amplitude of the negative and positive impulses of which are substantially equal, introducing adhesive surface sheet material into said field adjacent the upper electrode with the adhesive facing downwardly, bringing comminuted pile surface forming material into the field adjacent the lower electrode and below said surface of the sheet material, and electrically propelling the comminuted material in a direction counter to gravity and into the adhesive, whereby a dense pile surface coating is obtained in which the long axes of the comminuted material are substantially perpendicular to the plane of the adhesive, and whereby the excess of comminuted material not embedded in the adhesive is readily removed from the pile coated surface.

12. In the art of producing pile surface sheet material, the process which comprises conducting an adhesively coated backing sheet between spaced electrodes with the coated surface facing downwardly, conducting comminuted pile surface forming material between said electrodes in spaced relation below said sheet, establishing between said electrodes an electrostatic field alternating in a cycle in which the current fluctuations in opposite directions are substantially equal in duration and potential, utilizing the fluctuations in one direction to propel the material in the field upwardly toward the backing sheet to produce a dense pile surface coating on the sheet in which the long axes of the comminuted material are subtsantially perpendicular to the plane of the adhesive, and utilizing the fluctuations in the opposite direction to remove the excess of comminuted material not embedded in the adhesive from thepile coated surface.

JOHN Q. AMS'I'UZ.

e CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No. 2,225, 4-76- December 5, 1914.0.

JOHN O. AHSTUZ.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows: Page 5, first column, line ho, claim 1o, for-the word. "spaced" read --speed-; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this hth day of February, A. D. 1911.1.

Henry Van Arsdale, (Seal) Acting Commissioner of Patents.

Images