UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,153,13 YARN CONDITIONING PEROCESSES and COMPOST ONS THERFOR, Joseph B

Patented Apr. 4, 1939 2,153,137 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,153,13 YARN CONDITIONING PEROCESSES AND COMPOST ONS THERFOR, Joseph B. Dickey and James G. McNally, Roches ter, N. Y., assignors to Eastman Kodak Com pany, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey No Drawing. Application November 26, 193, Serial No. 176,687 8 Claims. (C. 28-1) This invention relates to the conditioning of various lubricants when applied to such yarns. A textile yarns and more particularly to the condi still further object is to provide yarn softening tioning of filaments and yarns composed of or and lubricating formulae which can be readily ganic derivatives of cellulose such as cellulose removed from the yarns by the usual Scour baths. 5 acetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose A still further object is to provide an improved 5 acetate butyrate, etc., to render them more method for the conditioning of yarns, particus amenable to textile operations such as knitting larly those composed of or containing organic and the like. derivatives of cellulose such as cellulose acetate, As is well-known in the manufacture of yarns, whereby the yarn is rendered Soft and pliable and O particularly those composed of or containing cel capable of employment in a variety of textile O lulose organic derivatives, it is necessary to treat operations where complicated designs or stitches the yarn in order to reduce the tendency toward are employed. Other objects will appear herein breakage of the individual flaments or fibers after. ... m. When they are subjected to various mechanical These objects are accomplished by the follow 5 strains and to lubricate the yarn in order to facili ing invention which, in its broader aspects, com- s tate handling in such operations as spinning, prises the discovery that alkyl carbonates having twisting, winding and reeling. In addition, it is the general formula: necessary to treat yarn to adapt it for use as Warp or filling or for the manufacture of various 20 types of knitted fabrics. In knitting, it is par where R and R' are the same or different alkyl, 20 ticularly important that the yarn be soft and hydroxy alkyl or alkoxy alkyl groups, may be pliable in order that it may conform readily to used as yarn conditioning agents and particularly the contour of the needles and thus produce a as softening agents with or without the addition closely knit fabric free from such defects as of animal, mineral or vegetable oils in the treat 25 "stitch distortion,' "pin holes,” “laddering,' and ment of yarns composed of or containing organic 25 the like. derivatives of cellulose. We have found that these Heretofore it has been proposed to employ compounds have a slight solvent and/or softening Softening agents such as polyhydric alcohols and action on cellulose organic derivative yarns which similar agents as ingredients of yarn condition renders such yarns Soft and pliable Without at 30 ing or lubricating formulae, generally in con the same time having too drastic a solvent action 30 nection with mineral, animal or vegetable oils. thereon. These alkyl carbonates or esters are It has been found, however, that most of the characterized by their especially solvent powers known softening agents and the various formulae which enable them to dissolve mineral oils, blown containing them have certain drawbacks, one of and unblown, drying and semi-drying, animal the most serious of which is high vapor pressure, and vegetable oils and at the same time are ap- 35 and in some cases too drastic a solvent action on preciably soluble in Water. This latter charac the yarn. Many of such agents possess slight or teristic facilitates the removal of these con insufficient solvent power for the lubricants with pounds from textile materials lubricated there which they are used and it is accordingly neces with and the removal of mixtures of these mate Sary to employ blending agents or emulsifying rials with one or more of the commonly employed 40 agents in order to obtain operable yarn treating textile lubricants by means of Solutions of mild formulae. In addition, many of the known alkali customarily employed in Scouring textile Softening and lubricating agents are insufficiently products. Soluble in water to permit satisfactory removal In accordance with the invention these com by aqueous scour baths. pounds may be applied directly to the yarn dur- 45 This invention has as its principal object to ing or after spinning, or may be added to the provide an entirely new class of yarn condition spinning solution itself. We have found that ing agents which are particularly adapted for these compounds have exceptional Solvent powers the treatment Of...yarns composed of or contain which enable them to dissolve mineral oils and 50 ing organic derivatives of cellulose and capable blown and unblown, drying and Semi-drying, 50 of lubricating, softening and rendering such yarns vegetable and animal oils and accordingly, and more amenable to knitting and other textile they may be and preferably are, employed as in operations, a furtner and specific object is to gredients of yarn conditioning or lubricating provide a ciaSS of conditioning agents which formulae in conjunction with agents which func augment or assist the lubricating action of tion wholly or partially as lubricants. 2,158,187 In the following examples and description, we Estample VIII have set forth several of the preferred embodi ments of our invention, but they are included Percent merely for purposes of illustration and not as a Ethyl-f-butoxyethyl carbonate------------- O is limitation thereof. Blown Spern oil-------------------------- 30 The esters or alkyl carbonates with which the Sulf. castor oil------------------------- 20 present invention is primarily concerned may be Eacanople IX.-A 20% solution of cellulose ace prepared in accordance with well-known pro tate in acetone in which is incorporated 1-25% cedure, for example, that referred to in the J. of the weight of the cellulose acetate of di-a'- O Amer. Chen, Soc. 52, 3720 (1930) or Ann: Univ, ethoxy-6-ethoxyethyl carbonate is extruded Aboensis III, 3, 60 (1932). through fine orifices into an evaporative atmos Our invention will be more readily understood phere. The flaments thus produced are wound, by reference to the following examples in which or twisted and wound. Yarns produced from fila typical applications of the inventions are set ments thus produced are pliable and suitable for 15 forth: knitting. Eacample I.-Cellulose acetate yarn intended for Other examples of yarn conditioning agents 5 use as a knitting yarn is treated by the applica Which may be employed in accordance with our tion thereto by means of an applicator roll of invention are following: ethyl methoxy ethyl carbonate. The amount of Eaccineplex 20 softening agent. ranges from 4-25% by weight of the yarn depending upon the degree of softening Percent 20 required. Ethyl-6'-hydroxyethyl-p-ethoxyethyl car Escample II-A conditioning liquid is prepared bonate--------------------------------- 10 by mixing the following ingredients in the in Water ---------------------------------- 80 25 dicated proportions: Gelatin ---------------------------------- 5 2 Sulfonated olive oil---------------------- 5 - Percent Di-f'-ethoxy-8-ethoxyethyl carbonate----- 80 Eadnaple X Olive oil--------------------------------- 20 Percent 30 This compound is applied to a textile yarn in Water---------------------------------- 80 O tended for Weaving in the manner set forth in Water Soluble cellulose ester--------------- 5 Example I, the amount applied being 1-5% of Di-6'-butoxy-3-ethoxyethyl carbonate.----- 0. the weight of the yarn. Diethylene glycol------------------------- 5 Other examples of yarn conditioning composi AS Will be apparent from the above examples 35 tions which may be applied to various types of and description, the conditioning agents of our yarn, particularly those composed of or contain invention may be applied by a wide variety of ing cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate propionate methods. For example, we may employ the and similar cellulose organic derivative yarns as agent as an ingredient of the spinning dope from Well as yarns composed of viscose, silk, wool, cot Which the filaments are formed, the amount of 40 ton and the like in accordance with our invention the agent so employed depending upon a number 40 and which compositions render these yarns soft of factors, Such as the particular cellulose deriva and pliable and well-adapted for various textile tive used in making the yarn, the solvent or Operations particularly knitting, are the following: Solvent combination used in making up the Spinning solution, and the degree of softness or 5 Eacample III pliability desired in the yarn, etc. 45 Percent If the conditioning agent is to be applied to Ethyl-6'-ethoxy-6-ethoxyethyl carbonate 70 the yarn after spinning, this may be done by bringing the yarn in contact with a wick, roll, Blown olive oil--------------------------- 30 or felt wet therewith or the liquid may be ap 30 Eacample IV plied by immersion, spray, or otherwise. The SC Percent particular point at Which the liquid is applied Ethyl-6'-butoxy-6-ethoxyethyl carbonate--- 80 may Vary. It may, for example, be applied to the Tight mineral oil------------------------- 20 yarn inside or outside the spinning cabinet, be tween the guide and godet roll, between the godet s Eacample y or other roll or guide and the point of winding is and/or twisting. In some cases, the liquid may Percent even be applied to the yarn after winding onto Di-3-butoxy-ethyl carbonate--------------- 30 cones, spools, bobbins, or the like or by the so Neat's-foot oil---------------------------- 70 called 'bobbin to bobbin' method. In the case O Eacample VI of staple fiber manufacture, the liquid may be 60 applied to the yarn prior to, Or after cutting into Percent staple lengths.

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