US3916651A

US3916651A - Continuous bulking and heat setting of yarn

Info

Publication number: US3916651A
Application number: US419536A
Authority: US
Inventors: George Alan Carruthers
Original assignee: Turbo Machine Co
Current assignee: Warner and Swasey Co; Turbo Machine Co
Priority date: 1973-11-28
Filing date: 1973-11-28
Publication date: 1975-11-04
Anticipated expiration: 1992-11-04

Abstract

Yarn is continuously bulked and heat set by conveying it into a pressurized zone containing hot liquid, continuously relaxing the yarn under substantially zero tension and continuously conveying the relaxed yarn out of the hot pressurized liquid zone. Air pressure zones are provided, before and after the liquid zone, and air locks are provided through which the yarn can be continuously introduced into and withdrawn from the treating apparatus without significant loss of pressure.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Carruthers Nov. 4, 1975 1 CONTINUOUS BULKING AND HEAT SETTING OF YARN [75] Inventor: George Alan Carruthers, Caton,

England [73] Assignee: Turbo Machine Company, Lansdale,

22 Filed: Nov. 28, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 419,536

[52] US. Cl. 68/5 E; 68/DIG. 1; 68/22 R; 68/27; 68/175; 68/177; 68/181 R; 68/207 [51] Int. Cl.. ..D06B 3/04; D06B 21/00; D06B 23/18 [58] Field of Search 68/5 E, 22 R, 27, 175, 68/177, 178, 179, 181 R, 184, 207, DIG. 1,

DIG. 9, 5 D, 6, 20

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,399,230 12/1921 Touchstone et a1. 68/27 X 2,529,991 11/1950 Belcher 68/178 X 2,712,977 7/1955 Keggin 68/181 R X 2,753,706 7/1956 Franklin 68/177 X 3,058,327 10/1962 Hablutzel et a1. 68/5 E 3,230,745 l/l966 Bittle et al 68/5 E 3,330,134 7/1967 Carpenter.... 68/178 X 3,364,705 I/l968 Thornber 68/184 X 3,546,902 12/1970 Sando et a1. 68/5 E Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examiner-Philip R. Coe

[57] ABSTRACT Yarn is continuously bulked and heat set by conveying it into a pressurized zone containing hot liquid, continuously relaxing the yarn under substantially zero tension and continuously conveying the relaxed yarn out of the hot pressurized liquid zone.

Air pressure zones are provided, before and after the liquid zone, and air locks are provided through which the yarn can be continuously introduced into and withdrawn from the treating apparatus without significant loss of pressure.

19 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures DYE .CHAMBER TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER HEATER U.S. atent Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 1 of 3 3,916,651

DYE CHAMBER TEMPERATURE CONTROLLER 3 f 0 2 t e e h S US. Patant Nov. 4, 1975 Sheet 3 of 3 US. Patent Nov. 4, 1975 CONTINUOUS BULKING AND HEAT SETTING OF YARN BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the treatment of continuously running elongated material such as yarn, and particularly concerns an apparatus and method for continuously heat relaxing yarns and the like.

Although this invention relates to the treatment of wide varieties of yarn, it is particularly applicable to the bulking and setting of relatively large denier yarn such as that intended for use in carpets and the like.

The feed yarn that is used in this invention may be a continuous filament yarn in which case the yarn is meltspun, drawn and texturized either by crimping, false twisting or the like, and the resulting yarns are usually plied together and used as the infeed yarns for processing according tothis invention. Alternatively, the yarn may be a spun yarn in which case the yarn is spun from short length fibres such as silver or the like, and the spun yarns are preferably plied in order to prepare a plied feed yarn for processing according to this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Heretofore, yarns which have already been subjected to a texturizing operation of one kind or another have been heat relaxed or bulked by forming sections of the yarns into hanks and by hanging these hanks in an autoclave or steam chamber under conditions of substantially zero tension. The heat treatment under the conditions of temperature and pressure that exist within the autoclave have been found to relax the yarn, causing the crimpiness or texturized characteristics to develop, producing a substantial increase in bulk. This increase in bulk is highly desirable for many uses, particularly including the use of the yarn as piles or tufts in carpet manufacture. This autoclaving process also sets the yarn, i.e. stabilizes it so that it remains in the bulked form with little tendency, in use in a carpet, to untwist or to lose its crimp.

In any event, in order to develop the crimp or texturized characteristics of the yarn,it is necessary to heat relax the yarn and this is the step with which this invention is concerned.

Heretofore, heat relaxation of the yarn has also been obtained on a batch basis by utilizing hot water or saturated steam. Hot air has also been used, even in a continuous manner, but it has produced a product of doubtful quality.

The US. Pat. No. 3,408,716 to Tradewell discloses the idea of heat relaxing a yarn in a moving fluid (hot air), and overfeeding at the feed end in a manner to correlate the feed rate with the wind-up rate so that the yarn will be substantially tensionless while it passes through the heat relaxing treatment area.

The US. Pat. No. 2,634,596 to Pendleton et al. shows the idea of sensing the degree of yarn build-up, and automatically connecting such a sensing device to a device for controlling the speed of the yarn input.

One of the problems with which the prior art is confronted is the problem of treating the yarn continuously in a hot pressurized liquid, without losing pressure or temperature as a result of the step of continuously conducting the yarn from ordinary atmospheric conditions into and from thepressurized treatment area. Another problem has been the tendency of the yarn to tangle and snarl when it is completely relaxed while moving at a high rate of speed; this problem is particularly in evidence when attempts are made to relax the yarn in hot air.

Another problem facing the art has been the rough treatment with which it has heretofore been considered necessary to treat a running end of yarn, when the yarn is moving at the high rate of speed that is necessary for the economic justification of the heat relaxing aspects of the treatment process.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide for the heat relaxation and setting of yarn in a continuous manner by exposingthe yarn to an environment characterized by pressures and temperatures which are considerably above normal ambient conditions.

Another object of the invention is to provide for the continuous heat relaxing and setting of yarn which is running at avery high speed without wrapping, snarling or tangling the yarn. Still another object is to provide for setting yarn with the development of substantial amounts of bulkiness in the yarn, coupled with continuous operation at high rates of yarn speed.

Still another object is to provide for high speed continuous relaxation of yarn in a manner to produce yarn having a high degree of bulkiness and having excellent uniformity and quality.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, including the ease with which multiple units may be adapted to a mass production operation, and the simplicity and economy of operation of the process, and its ready adaptability to the use of additional procedures such as dyeing or applying lubricants or spin finish to the yarn, will further become apparent hereinafter and in the drawings.

Drawings FIG. 1 represents a view in side elevation of one form of apparatus for carrying out the process according to this invention, with certain of the parts being shown schematically for the purpose of clarity of illustration;

FIG. 2 represents a center sectional view of a portion of the infeed apparatus appearing in FIG. 1, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows IIII which appear in FIG. I; 1

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the lines and arrows IIIIII which appear in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken centrally through an exit portion of the apparatus appearing in FIG. 1, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows IVIV which appear in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken as indicated by the lines and arrows VV which appear in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view in plan, looking down upon a pair of infeed rollers comprising a part of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows VIVI which appear in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a plan view similar to FIG. 6, showing a pair of delivery rollers looking as indicated by the lines and arrows VIIVII which appear in the left central portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a length of yarn which has been subjected to heat relaxation and which indicates a typical crimp development configuration that can be achieved in a stuffer crimped carpet yarn at a location such as that indicated by the arrow VIII appearing in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 represents a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing the same yarn prior to heat relaxation, such for example as illustrated at the inlet to the heat relaxing portion of the apparatus as indicated by the arrows IXIX, appearing in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 10 is a schematic view in side elevation of a machine for processing a plurality of separate ends of yarn using a plurality of individual yarn-relaxing units according to this invention in a common machine, and wherein all of the units are connected to a common source of heat relaxing medium.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Although specific'terms have been used in the abstract of the disclosure and will be used for the purpose of clarity in the specific description which follows, it will be appreciated that this description is intended to relate to the particular forms of the invention illustrated in the drawings, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

In accordance with this invention a continuously running yarn is conducted into a chamber containing a hot pressurized liquid such as pressurized hot water, for example, and is conducted through this liquid at a high rate of speed. It then moves into a reservoir containing a substantial quantity of this hot pressurized liquid, and is fed into the reservoir in such a way that the yarn within the reservoir is subjected to substantially zero tension and is acted upon by the heat and pressure of the hot pressurized liquid in a manner to heat relax and to bulk the yarn while the yarn in maintained at substantially zero tension. After the yarn is permitted to dwell or remain in the hot pressurized liquid for a predetermined period of time, it is withdrawn under a minimum of tension, preferably as close to zero as possible, and is continuously conveyed from the reservoir and delivered for collection under natural ambient conditions. If the yarn, as delivered, still contains some of the hot pressurized liquid, it is conducted through a dryer or the like and the dried yarn is wound onto packages and otherwise prepared for collection, storage or delivery.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1, the number designates a tube having a diameter considerably larger than the diameter of the incoming yarn Y, which tube contains a multiplicity of spaced apart orifice plates 21, each having a central orifice of a diameter which is slightly larger than the diameter of the yarn Y. The tube 20 leads to a pressurized air chamber 22 comprising a pressurized inlet for the yarn Y. A pair of conical feed rolls 23 are provided in the chamber 22, each mounted upon a shaft 24 and driven in rotation by a motor 25 in the direction indicated by the arrow a appearing at the right center of FIG. 1. Also mounted within the chamber 22 is a guide eye 26 carried on a rod 27 and actuated back and forth along the axis of the rod 27 by a solenoid 30. As will be apparent, the shifting of the yarn Y under the influence of the guide eye 26, axially with respect to the conical rolls 23, changes the effective circumference of the conical rolls that are nipping the yarn Y, and thereby varies the speed with which the yarn is fed into the apparatus by the conical feed rolls 23. The pressurized air chamber 22 is connected to and is in pressure communication with a pressurized fluid inlet chamber 31 which contains a liquid such as hot water at a level which is maintained by a float valve 32 actuated by a solenoid to control a valve, as illustrated in FIG. 1 to the right of chamber 31, to selectively admit the hot liquid from a pipe 35 which is connected to a heater 36 having a temperature controller 37, the flow of the liquid being actuated by a pump 40.

At the exit end of the chamber 31 is a long tube 41 of small diameter which has a generally U-shaped configuration and curves upwardly into the bottom of a pressurized heat relaxing chamber 42. As shown, the chamber 42 has an upwardly diverging substantially conical shape, and above it has an upper generally cylindrical portion 44. The chamber 42 is surrounded by and enclosed within a-pressure chamber 45. The cylindrical portion 44 of heat relaxing chamber 42'is provided with an opening 46 controlled by an adjustable valve 47 for controlling the rate of flow of fluid from the chamber 42 outwardly into the collecting chamber The number 50 designates a float valve at a predetermined controllable level in the chamber 45, connected electrically to a solenoid 51 which operates a valve 52 controlling the flow of fluid through line 53 to the feed end of the pump 40, similar to the solenoid and control valve associated with the float valve 32 heretofore described, or selectively a collecting sump 54. Sump 54 is pressure tight andiis connected to the pressure source at P, by line 59. Theflow of fluid into the sump 54 is by gravity and regulated by a valve 55, and the sump is connected by a line 56 to the feed end of the pump 40. Sump 54 has a heater 58 to control the temperature of the liquid.

It will be appreciated, accordingly, that fluid is forced by the pump 40 through the heater 36 and the line 35 into the chamber 31, and that this fluid flows under the influence of the air pressure in the chamber 22, at a high rate of speed through the narrow elongated tube 41 and upwardly into the chamber 42. This fluid then flows out through the opening 46 into the outer collecting chamber 45 and down through the line 53 to the sump 54. The level of the fluid in the chamber 45 is, as heretofore mentioned, controlled by the float valve 50. Dye may be metered into the fluid, if desired, from the dye chamber 57 through the meter 60 and valve 61.

The number 62 designates a feeler which actuates an electric switch 63 which is connected electrically to op- Y erate the solenoid 30 heretofore mentioned, in a manner to change the speed of yarn infeed automatically in response to changes in the level of the yarn Y contained within the relaxing chamber 42, particularly the height which the relaxed yarn has reached in the upper cylindrical portion 44 of the chamber 42, as shown in FIG. 1.

The number 64 designates a pressurized air chamber which is connected to the top of the cylindrical portion 44 and which is maintained under a pressure designated in the drawings as P bythe air pump, the lines and valves for accomplishing this being schematically illustrated at the upper central portion of FIG. 1. As will be apparent, the valves are arranged to provide a controllable air pressure P within the chamber 64 and sump 54. Also in the chamber 64 is a pair of cylindrical nip rolls 65 which are driven by a motor (not shown) in the direction illustrated by the arrows (b) which appear in FIG. 1. These nip rolls 65 are driven at a speed which is carefully correlated with respect to the speed of the winder or other takeup and collecting means for the yarn product (not shown), in order to deliver the heat-relaxed yarn at the lowest feasible tension. The number 66 designates a tube which may be similar to the tube having orifice plates 67 which may be similar to the orifice plates 21, all forming an air lock for permitting the passage of yarn from the pressurized air chamber 64 to the ambient air, with a minimum of air loss from the chamber 64 and yet permitting the rapid and continuous exiting movement of the yarn -Y.

In operation, the yarn Y is conductedfrom any convenient source which is located in the ambient air, through the air lock formed by the tube 20 and its multiple orifice plates 21 into the air pressure chamber 22 which is maintained at a pressure designated as P in the upper central portion of FIG. 1. Passing through the nip between the rolls 23, along a path that is controlled by the guide eye 26, the yarn moves at a carefully controlled high rate of speed through the tank 31 which contains hot pressurized liquid having a pressure approximately equal to the air pressure P,. Since the pressure P is controlled to assure that it must be greater than the pressure P the resulting pressure differential forces fluid to flow downwardly from chamber 31 and rapidly through the small-diameter tube 41, along with the yarn, into the chamber 42. Because of the widening of the diameter in the conical portion 43, the yarn is gradually relaxed in the turbulently flowing fluid, assuming the undulating configuration shown schematically in FIG. 1. Drifting relatively slowly toward the top of the heat relaxing chamber 42, the yarn is ultimately picked up by the rolls 65 in the pressurized air chamber 64, passes continuously out through the air lock formed by tube 66 and orifice plates 67, and is delivered to any convenient location in the ambient air for collection on a winder or other takeup device. The yarn is damp at this stage and may be collected in a can with a perforated bottom through which warm air can be passed for drying.

Where reference is made to an air lock herein it should be understood that it is not necessarily intended to lock out the flow of air completely in the apparatus according to this invention. Since the air starts off at a pressure P, p.s.i. above atmospheric pressure, and finally emerges from the air lock tube into the atmosphere, then the total pressure drop through all the orifices must equal P It follows that as the number of orifices is increased the pressure drop through each is reduced. However, the amount of air passing through any orifice depends on the pressure drop through it. The lower the pressure drop the smaller the air rate. Thus, in theory, with an infinite number of orifices no air would be used, and with a larger number less air will be used than with a small number.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 5 of the drawings, it will be observed that although there is some space between the yarn Y and the opening in orifice plate through which it passes, the limited area of this opening severely limits the rate of air flow that the opening permits, and the turbulence of the air in the tube sections between the orifice plates, creates a pressure drop and further limits the flow ofthe air. Since, in accordance with this invention, the

tubes

20, 66 are each preferably provided with great numbers of

orifice plates

21, 67, preferably as many as 20 or more, the summation of the pressure drops through the orifices themselves, coupled with the friction drops due to the turbulent flow in the intervening spaces, greatly reduce the rate of flow of the air out through the air lock and make it entirely practicable to run the.yarn at high rates of speed continuously into and out of the

pressurized air chambers

22, 64 heretofore referred to, without excessively costly losses of pressurized air.

It will be noted particularly that the incoming yarn as represented in FIG. 2 is running countercurrent to the escape of air from its chamber, and this countercurrent motion further inhibits the escape of air. Although the yarn itself has not been relaxed at the time it reaches the tube 20, and each yarn has a rather small diameter as appears in'FIG. 3, the yarn has indeed been relaxed and has a much greater bulk as it leaves the apparatus through the air lock shown in FIG. 4. Thus, although the yarn as it moves in FIG. 4 has a direction that is cocurrent with the escape of air itself, its greater bulk further closes the orifices in the orifice plates 67 in FIG. 4 and thus impedes the escape of air. The larger effective diameter of the yarn is shown schematically in FIG. 5 of the drawings.

FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings are intended to show further details relating to the operation of the conical nip rolls 23 in FIG. 6, and the manner in which they control the infeed rate of the yarn, while the rolls 65 of FIG. 7 may be cylindrical as shown.

FIG. 8 shows schematically a segment of yarn after it has been heat relaxed and its crimpiness has been developed. The yarn shown in FIG. 9 has not been so relaxed and is considerably more compact.

Turning now to FIG. 10 of the drawings, a multiplicity of units of the type shown in FIG. 1 are all connected into a common system. It will be apparent from FIG. 10 that, in each unit, the number 22 designates the pressurized air chamber for the incoming yarn Y, the letter L, designates the fluid level in the pressurized fluid chamber for the incoming yarn, which is connected by the small diameter connecting tube, to the pressure chamber of the heat relaxing chamber 45, the number 64 designates the pressure air chamber for the outgoing yarn Y, and the

numbers

20 and 66 designate the tubes for the respective air locks for the incoming and outgoing yarns.

In the apparatus according to FIG. 10, a common air pump 70 is used, and is connected through pressure controls P and P respectively, into the

chambers

64 and 22. Similarly, a common reservoir 71 is connected to the pump suction of the pump 40. The pump delivery is connected to header 72 which is connected to the pressurized fluid chambers below the level L,. All ofthe pressure chambers 45, which contain the hot fluid as it has come from the heat relaxing chamber, are connected into a common return header 73. The same numbers are used in FIG. 10 as were used in FIG. 1 to designate the sump 54, the dye chamber 57, its meter 60, the circulating pump 40, and other associated equipment.

The apparatus appearing in FIG. 10 is particularly advantageous commercially because of the ease and uniformity of control of the pressures and temperatures and the dye levels, if applicable, of the fluid that is caused to flow continuously through each one of the yarn relaxing units. The apparatus according to FIG. 10 has the advantage of certainty that two similar yarns, fed into two units of a set, will result in the production of substantially identical products having the same degrce of heat relaxation and bulkiness and having the same depth and penetration of dye or color. This is a significant advantage, particularly when the yarns are intended to be tufted or woven into carpets, because even slight variations of degree of relaxation or of dye shade or penetration, tend to cause streakiness in the carpets, rendering them defective.

Where reference has been made in the foregoing description to the presence of air in the

chambers

22, 64, it should be appreciated that any other compatable fluid may be substituted provided it is not miscible with the liquid contained in the

chambers

31, 42 and provided, of course, that it does not damage the yarn or any associated parts of the apparatus. However, air is preferred because it is plentiful and inexpensive.

The liquid that is used in the

chambers

31 and 42 is preferably hot water, because it has no adverse affect upon the yarn and assists greatly in the heat relaxing and bulking operation. Indeed, it is surprising that a very significant increase of bulkiness is achieved according to this invention when the yarn emerges at a high rate of speed from the narrow tube 41 and expands upwardly through the conical portion 43 and relaxes under substantially zero tension in the turbulent liquid which carries the relaxed yarn along in the heat relaxing chamber 44.

Although reference has been made with respect to one specific means for controlling the infeed speed of the yarn, it will be appreciated that various other ways may be provided for feeding the yarn. For example, parallel cylindrical rolls may be used instead of the conical rolls 23, but with provision for varying the speed relative to the output rollers for control purposes.

Although the use of a dye chamber and a meter have been disclosed in the description of this invention, it will be appreciated that the use of a dye is optional and in many cases plain hot water is the preferred yarn relaxing medium. However, the apparatus and process of this invention lend themselves admirably to the incorporation of dye, if desired.

It will be appreciated that the relative pressures P and P may readily be controlled by simply adjusting the associated valves, and that an increase of pressure differential causes a more rapid flow of fluid from the chamber 31 to the chamber 42. Further, it will be appreciated that the retention time of the relaxed yarn within the chamber 44 may readily be controlled by simply varying the level of fluid in the chamber 44 itself. Within certain limits, greater degrees of heat relaxation and bulkiness are obtained with longer periods of exposure of the relaxed yarn to the hot treating liquid. In FIG. this is done by varying the height of the pipe which connects tank 54 to tank 71 or, for example, using a variable height weir between

tanks

54 and 71.

Although a specific form of air lock has been described and shown in the drawings, other forms of air locks or even no air lock at all may be utilized if the conservation of air or other gaseous medium should be relatively unimportant or of no importance in connection with a particular installation. However, it is believed that the novel air lock described and claimed herein possesses the special advantages of ease of use and efficiency in conservation of pressurized air.

If desired, the air within the chamber 64 may be heated, so that the wet relaxed yarn is partially or even completely dried as it passes through the chamber 64.

Similarly, the air in chamber 22 may be heated, if yarn preheating is desired.

The following examples illustrate the rather small amounts of air loss that result from operation of the air locks according to the invention:

EXAMPLES l-4 1. Using 56 orifice plates, with a total pressure difference between air chamber and the atmosphere of 21 p.s.i., the loss of air from the chamber was 2.23 cu. ft.

of air per minute.

2. With 3/32inch diameter holes, using 30 orifice plates, with a total pressure differential of 21 p.s.i., the loss of air was 1.83 cu. ft. per minute.

3. With orifice plates and conditions above, the loss of air was l cu. ft. per minute.

4. With yarn present, and Vs holes, 56 orifice plates, 26 p.s.i. differential, the air loss was 2.53 cu. ft. per minute. Without yarn, 3.36 cu. ft. per minute.

Although this invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that various modifications may be made including the substitution of equivalents, reversal of parts and sequence of steps of the methods, and the use of certain features independently of the use of others, all without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.

The following is claimed:

1. In an apparatus for continuously bulking a texturized multifilament yarn, the combination which comprises: means providing a gaseous pressurized inlet zone into which said yarn is conducted, said gaseous inlet zone having a gas outlet, for escape of gas from said gaseous inlet zone, said gas outlet defining an inlet for said yarn into said inlet zone such that said yarn enters said inlet zone countercurrently with respect to the escaping gas, means providing a pressurized hot liquid zone in contact with said inlet zone and into which the yarn is conducted from said inlet zone, the pressure in said pressurized liquid zone being approximately equal to that in said gaseous inlet zone, said pressurized liquid zone including a yarn-relaxing chamber wherein the yarn tension is relaxed, means for introducing the liquid into said relaxing chamber concurrently with the yarn whereby said yarn travels in a relaxed condition concurrently with said pressurized hot liquid through said relaxing chamber, and means for continuously withdrawing said yarn from said liquid zone after said relaxation.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said liquid zone further includes an inlet chamber and a conduit extending from said inlet chamber to said relaxing chamber.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said conduit is substantially smaller in cross section area than said inlet chamber or said relaxing chamber, and wherein means are provided for causing said liquid to flow turbulently in said conduit from said inlet chamber toward said relaxing chamber.

4. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said inlet chamber is substantially smaller in cross section than said relaxing chamber.

5. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein means are provided for causing hot pressurized liquid to flow continuously through said conduit in contact with said yarn, in a manner to influence said yarn for movement along with said liquid.

6. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein means are provided for regulating the pressure in said inlet chamber and in said relaxing chamber.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for continuously withdrawing said yarn includes a gaseous pressurized outlet zone in pressure contact with said pressurized liquid zone, through which the heat relaxed yarn is conducted for collection.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein means are provided for regulating the gas pressure in said outlet zone.

9. Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein means are provided for regulating the difference of pressure between said gaseous inlet zone and said gaseous outlet zone.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein means are provided for regulating the gas pressure in said inlet zone.

11. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein automatic means are provided for regulating the flow of said yarn into said pressurized liquid zone in response to the quantity of relaxed yarn accumulated in said yarn relaxing chamber.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said means includes a pair of conically shaped feed rolls, combined with yarn guide means responsive to said quantity of accumulated yarn arranged to shift said yarn in the direction of the axes of said conically shaped feed rolls in a manner to vary the yarn infeed speed.

13. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein means are provided for continuously supplying fresh quantities of said liquid to said pressurized liquid zone, and for releasing excess quantities of said liquid from said relaxing chamber.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein means are provided for introducing a dye into said liquid.

15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said providing means includes a metering means.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein means are provided for controlling the temperature of said liquid.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said liquid is water.

18. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of continuous bulking apparatuses for separately treating a plurality of separate yarns are arranged in parallel and adjacent to one another, and are connected to a common source of said liquid.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said common connection includes pressure headers extending from a liquid source to all of said pressurized liquid zones.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for continuously bulking a texturized multifilament yarn, the combination which comprises: means providing a gaseous pressurized inlet zone into which said yarn is conducted, said gaseous inlet zone having a gas outlet, for escape of gas from said gaseous inlet zone, said gas outlet defining an inlet for said yarn into said inlet zone such that said yarn enters said inlet zone countercurrently with respect to the escaping gas, means providing a pressurized hot liquid zone in contact with said inlet zone and into which the yarn is conducted from said inlet zone, the pressure in said pressurized liquid zone being approximately equal to that in said gaseous inlet zone, said pressurized liquid zone including a yarnrelaxing chamber wherein the yarn tension is relaxed, means for introducing the liquid into said relaxing chamber concurrently with the yarn whereby said yarn travels in a relaxed condition concurrently with said pressurized hot liquid through said relaxing chamber, and means for continuously withdrawing said yarn from said liquid zone after said relaxation.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said liquid is water.