April 21, 1953 a. H. FOSTER 2,635,648 HONEYCOMB FABRIC Filed May 25, 1951 INVEN TOR. 500/12’! 1 A’. F?d'ff/P BY 5, AM 4,. mm ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1953 2,635,648 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,635,648 HONEYCOBIB FABRIC Boutwell H. Foster, Maplewood, N. J., assignor to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 25, 1951, Serial No. 228,283 4 Claims. (Cl. 139-416) 1 This invention relates to a waffle-weave or fabric of the present invention to perform the honeycomb fabric, and more particularly to a following functions: (1) shrink the honeycomb dimensionally stable honeycomb fabric having fabric a substantial amount to increase the deep pockets disposed in rows throughout the depth of the pockets, ( 2) rigidly hold the fabric. shrunken fabric in the shrunken condition to Honeycomb fabrics have been produced here thereby provide a dimensionally stable honey tofore having uniformly disposed pockets comb fabric, (3) impart to the honeycomb fabric throughout the fabric, and these pockets have one smooth face over which other fabrics will been produced by closely interweaving some warp slide freely. and weft threads and ?oating to increasing de 10 The heat-shrinkable yarns herein contem grees other warp and weft threads, to thereby plated shrink because they possess what is known form square pyramidal pockets throughout the as "elastic memory” in that ?laments of the fabric and which are separated by slightly dis yarn were stretched a substantial amount dur cernible ridges. It has also been proposed here ing their formation and as a result will return to tofore to treat such honeycomb fabric with caus 15 their previous shorter length when heated. A tic to shrink the fabric and thereby increase the number of synthetic ?lament yarns now on the depth of the pockets. market are heat-shrinkable to some degree, but The present invention contemplates a novel since yarns that will not shrink when heated are honeycomb fabric having pockets or cells that desired for most textile uses, it is common prac are exceptionally deep for the size or width of 20 tice to anneal these synthetic ?laments to make such cells, and the fabric of the present inven them heat stable except at high temperatures. A tion also has one face that is soft to the hand, number of the vinyl resin and acrylonitrile types while the other face has a smooth bearing sur of ?laments which have not been annealed may face that will slide readily upon other surfaces. have the above mentioned heat-shrinkable prop The honeycomb fabric contemplated by the 25 erty. It is found that very good results are se present invention is given the exceptionally deep cured by using Vinyon NOZZ yarn as the heat cells compared with the width of such cells by shrinkable yarn. This is a copolymer of vinyl introducing into the fabric while it is being woven chloride and acrylonitrile, there being 50 to 60 several heat—shrinkable yarns along each ridge percent of the ?rst and the rest of the second, that separates two rows of cells. These heat and the yarn is not annealed. shrinkable yarns are ?oated in the fabric to a When a honeycomb fabric is produced in ac substantial degree so that they are disposed pri cordance with the present invention it is woven marily at one face of the fabric throughout the primarily of warp and weft yarns that are not weave. Such heat-shrinkable yarns are pref heat-shrinkable to any appreciable degree, such erably introduced into the fabric as warp and 35 for example as ordinary cotton yarns. The as weft to form ridges extending both longitu fabric is made shrinkable by also weaving there dinally and transversely of the fabric. However, in as warp and weft heat-shrinkable Yarns such if a honeycomb fabric that is easier to weave is de as above described along the ridges between the sired, the heat-shrinkable yarns may be intro rows of pockets. The depth of these pockets can duced in the warp only of the fabric to cause 40 be increased to a substantial degree by simply it to shrink in only one direction. The rows of heating the fabric to or near the boiling point heat-shrinkable yarns just mentioned preferably of water, to thereby cause the heat-shrinkable are produced by introducing such yarns in the yarns to contract a substantial amount. This warp and in the weft where the ridges are de will serve to contract the woven fabric both lon sired, and each heat-shrinkable yarn is pref 45 gitudinally and transversely anywhere from erably formed of continuous or staple (cut) heat about 20 to 30%, and as the honeycomb fabric shrinkable ?laments that will shrink a substan contracts the width of the pockets will decrease tial amount when heated. Such yarns should be while the depth will increase, to thereby provide capable of shrinking from 25 to 50% when sub a honeycomb fabric having much deeper pockets jected to a temperature near the boiling point 50 than it was practical to produce heretofore. of water or higher, but the temperature used After the yarns are contracted they will hold the should not be high enough to weaken appreciably fabric contracted to make it dimensionally stable. the heat-shrinkable yarns, or injure the other The deep cell honeycomb fabric of the present yarns of the fabric. invention, which is light in weight, may be used The heat-shrinkable yarns are employed in the 55 for various purposes. It is extremely well adapt 2,635,648 3 4 ed for use as warm underclothing or underwear nally and transversely all that is necessary is to to be worn next to the skin in cold climates, as heat it to or nearly to the boiling point of water the deep pockets form numerous dead air cells for less than one minute, to thereby cause it to that have good insulating properties, while the shrink both longitudinally and transversely some construction of the weave causes it to absorb CA 20 or 30%, as desired, and produce the dimen moisture readily. It is important when the sionally stable waffle fabric of Fig. 2. honeycomb fabric of the present invention is The shrunken fabric as will be apparent from worn as underclothing that the soft cotton face of Fig. 3, has deep pockets or cells I3 extending in the fabric be placed next to the skin and that wardly from both faces thereof, but one face the face of the fabric having the ?oating heat of this fabric is quite different from the other. shrinkable yarns be worn next to the overlying This is because the shrunken yarns i4 and I5 clothing. This is because the heat-shrunken will feel somewhat harsh, while the other face smooth yarns impart to the honeycomb fabric a formed entirely of the non-shrunken warp and smooth outer bearing surface over which an over weft yarns H and I2 will feel relatively soft, as lying garment will slip readily. This will prevent 15 it lies relaxed in the fabric after the fabric has the honeycomb underwear next to the skin from been shrunken some 20% or more. This shrink shifting and cha?ng the skin. The honeycomb age will be apparent from comparing the size fabric of the present invention is also well adapt of the fabric of Fig. 2 with the size of that shown ed for use as an inbetween lining for a warm in Fig. 1. The upper face of the fabric having jacket or coat, since it will impart to such gar 20 the ridges thereof formed of the contracted ment excellent heat insulating properties to keep smooth slippery yarns l4 and 15 will provide a the body warm without adding appreciably to the smooth surface rim around each deep pocket I3. weight of the garment. In addition to the cloth and this face of the fabric will have a low co ing uses just mentioned the fabric of the present eflicient of function. invention, due to its ornamental appearance may The construction of the fabric just described be used in draperies and in bedspreads, and for will be further understood from the reproduction other purposes where its unusual appearance of the enlarged photographs shown in Figs. 4 makes it desirable. and 5. and wherein Fig. 4 shows the we f?e fabric The above and other features of the present before it is shrunken and Fig. 5 shows the same invention will be further understood from the 30 fabric after it is shrunken to increase the depth following description when read in connection of the pockets l3. The fact that the bottom with the accompanying drawing; wherein of the pockets l3 appear dark in Fig. 5 of the Fig. 1 is a plan View of a piece of honeycomb drawing is due to the depth of these pockets fabric constructed in accordance with the present which cause the fabric at the bottom of these invention, shown as it comes off the loom. pockets to be out of focus of the camera ad Fig. 2 shows the fabric of Fig. 1 after it has justed to show the weave at the upper face of been1 to thatheat-shrunken of Fig. 2. from the dimensions of the fabric. After the honeycomb fabric shown in Figs. 1 Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on and 4 of the drawing has been dipped in hot wa the line 3——3 of Fig.