US2441209A - Treatment of synthetic plastic fibers - Google Patents

Description

Patented May II, 1948 1. 2 2,441,209

UNITED! STATES q r i 2,441,209 i TREATMENT or SYNTHETIC PLASTIC FIBERS I I Herbert E. Rose, New CastlefDL, assignor to All American Aviation, Inc.-, Wilmingto'n,'-De1., acorporation of Delaware I N Drawing. ApplicationDecember P7, 1945,

SerialNo. 633,351 '2 Claims. (01. 106-232) 1 2 i his invention relates to the treatment of c'erpound" for "treating undrawn synthetic plastic synthetic plastic fibers and is concerned prifiberstopreserve theabili'ty'of "thefibe'rs todraw marily with the treating of such fibers in an unand while drawin "to absorb "energy -which drawn condition for the purpose of maintaining consists essentially of a compound comprising in the fibers the ability to draw. 5 shellac, glycerin and pitch.

At the present time there is known and avail- For a full and more complete understanding of able to the public certain synthetic plastic fibers the invention reference may be had to the folwhich when spun, twisted, braided, or woven into lowing description in which detailed steps, mate a strand or rope have the ability to draw or elonrials, proportions, and conditions are given puregate and while so elongating absorb an apprely by way of illustrating a preferred embodiment ciable amount of kinetic energy. Undrawn nylon of the invention.

is typical of such synthetic plastic fibers and It may first be assumed that the undrawn synamong' others might be noted polyethylene, thetic plastic fibers, whatever they may be, are vinyon and vinylite. In view of this now spun, twisted, braided, or woven into the finished recognized property of such synthetic plastic article such as a strand or rope. Undrawn nylon fibers it has been proposed to take advantage of is a fairly o p e f uc u dr wn b these properties in mechanical apparatus par- H we r, it is to b ed th p yethyl ne, ticularly where shock absorbing action should not nyon nd Vinylite also have the molecular be attended with any rebound or recoil. arr nge nt p i t d a Which permits Under ideal conditions the strand or rope which them to be drawn and elongated so as to absorb is made from the undrawn synthetic plastic fibers kinetic e y. t s to the end f preserving s will probably draw and aiford the desired results ability o the s r d or pe made from the fibers without any particular treatment of the fibers. to draw and elongate under various and perhaps This drawing action requires that the molecules adverse conditions that the present invention is of the fibers be in a plastic or unoriented condiaimed. tion and if sufiicient moisture content is present n order to prepare the impregnating comthis molecular condition obtains. However, pound shellac is taken as the main ingredient. should the fibers dry out as under conditions of W il t e pf portion of shellac may vary h high temperature or by being left exposed to the optimum may b taken as y i ht. By weather for long periods the fibers will not draw 80 shellac is meant the ordinary commercial prodasintended. uct in which the shellac is dissolved in either Accordingly, this invention has in view as its m thyl or denatured ethyl alcohol. foremost objective the provision of a compound In addition t t s ac e fi al c pound for. treating synthetic plastic fibers of the type Comprises ly rin i the p t n of about 10% above noted so as to maintain them in a c0ndi-' y i ht and a pitch solution in the propo ti n tion in which they may be drawn to absorb of about 10% by w i ht- As an ex pl of th kinetic energy. In carrying out this idea in a. pitch solution a hundred grams of the solution practical embodiment the invention proposes to u d be a e up of thi ty-three grams of p t h impregnate the strand 0r rope into which the and sixty-seven grams of methanol. Obviously, fibers are fashioned by a compound which preer p h so ti n might aiford equally satisserves the plastic molecular arrangement, factory results.

A further object of the invention is the pro- The h l ri and pit h solution in the vision, in the treatment of synthetic plastic fibers, Proportions specified above are d mped into an of a compound of the character above noted p n-t p d vet nd thoroughly mixed together which comprises shellac, glycerin and pitch. by a at on. Thi m y be accomplish d by usin These materials may be present in proportions apeddleextending over a, wide range but the three to- The strand of synthetic plastic fibers which is gether make up the complete compound. to be treated is now completely immersed in the Various other more detailed objects and adcompound and the immersion is maintained for vantages of the invention such as arise in con- 5 a period sufiicient to insure a complete penetranection with carrying out the above noted ideas tion of the fibers by the compound. It has been in a practical embodiment will in part become apfound that 24 hours is the period which will prove parent and in part be hereinafter stated as a de ample for all ordinary cases. Under some condiscription of the invention proceeds. tions it might be desirable to extend this period.

The invention, therefore, comprises a com 66 The important factor being to insure complete impregnation of the synthetic plastic fibers by the compound.

When undrawn synthetic plastic fibers of the character above noted are impregnated by a conditioning compound in accordance with the above noted steps and materials they will absorb and retain about 20% by weight of the compound. This percentage will, of course, vary with difierent synthetic plastic fibers, changes in the impregnating compound, and variations in other conditions. i a

While preferred specific embodiments of the invention are hereinbefore set forth, it is to be clearly understood that be limited to the exact. steps and scribed because various modifications of these dethe invention is not to ingredients details may be provided in putting the invention into practice within claims,

What is claimed is:

-1. In the treatment of undrawn. synthetic plastic fibers, a conditioning compound comprising shellac in the proportion of about 80% by the purview of the appended proportion of 10% by weight, and a pitch solution in the proportion of 10% by weight in which the pitch solution is made up of about 33% pitch and 67% methanol.

2. In the treatment of undrawn synthetic plastic fibers, a conditioning compound comprising shellac in the proportion of about 80% by weight, glycerin in the proportion of 10% by weight, and a pitch solution in the proportion of 10% by weight in which the pitch solution is made up of about 33% pitch and 67% alcoholic solvent.

weight. lycerin in a HERBERT E. ROSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 970,724 Kress Sept. 20, 1919 671,812

Beamer Apr. 9, 1901