AU655125B2

AU655125B2 - Woollen chord having removable colouring

Info

Publication number: AU655125B2
Application number: AU50203/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Kevin Henry Allen
Original assignee: WOOLLEN TWINE PRODUCTS Pty Ltd
Current assignee: WOOLLEN TWINE PRODUCTS Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1992-10-23
Filing date: 1993-10-22
Publication date: 1994-12-01
Anticipated expiration: 2013-10-22
Also published as: AU5020393A

Description

ii"~ P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT ou o eo a a a 0 0 0 0 a oo Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: WOOLLEN TWINE PRODUCTS PTY LTD Kevin Henry Allen 00 *0 WRAY ASSOCIATES, Primary Industry House, 239 Terrace, Perth, Western Australia, 6000.

Adelaide Attorney code: WR Invention Title: '1-4RK Details of Associated Provisional Applications Nos: PL5442 23rd October 1992 PL7064 29th January 1993 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:-

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4 p: o n taa o a o oso9 2-- THIS INVENTION relates to chord such as thread, string, twine and rope.

The invention has been devised particularly, although not solely, in relation to twine for use on locations such as farms where sheep are shorn and fleece handled.

It is not uncommon for fleece from shorn sheep to be contaminated with twine. Generally, the contamination occurs when discarded twine is inadvertently gathered with fleece when it is being handled, particularly during a 10 shearing operation. The twine is usually in the form of polypropylene baling string and the problem is that it is not com'patible with wool. Indeed, the presence of the twine can have an adverse affect on cloth woven from the wool in that the twine may be visible in the woven cloth.

There have been several proposals aimed at overcoming this problem. One proposal involved making the twine of biodegradable material so that it would degrade before contaminating fleece. The difficulty with the proposal was that the twine could not be produced cost-effectively and 20 that it was most unlikely to have adequate strength for the purpose. A further proposal involved the use of nylon twine but this again proved not to be cost-effective. A further proposal involving use of a non-fibrillating twine proved unsuccessful as such twine did not knot in an adequate manner. Sisal also proved unsatisfactory as a result of suffering from an uncertain seasonal supply, comparatively high cost and properties which are less satisfactory for the purpose.

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'a Ir~ There is therefore a need for a cost-effective twine which is compatible with wool, and the present invention seeks to provide such a twine.

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;i -3- In one form the invention resides in chord comprising a woollen yarn having colouring to enhance its visibility, the colouring being provided by a substance which is removable by a wool scouring process.

With this arrangement, contamination of fleece by twine according to the invention is not unduly detrimental as it is compatible with the wool in the sense that it is also of wool. The colouring in the twine is removed during scouring of the wool and so the twine is unlikely to be visible in cloth woven from the fleece.

Preferably, the substance which provides the colouring is an alcohol-soluble textile dye. The dye is preferably also anionic.

The chord may be treated to provide resistance to deterioration upon exposure to sunlight.

The chord may also be treated to provide resistance to deterioration upon exposure to water, particularly rain.

Such treatment may be by application of lanolin to the chord. Most, if not all, of the lanolin originally present in the wool would have been removed earlier during the scouring process.

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i Additionally, the chord resistance to microbial attacl may be treated to provide The yarn is preferably formed by spinnijg of wool.

In another form the invention resides in a method of manufacturing chord from a supply of wool, the method comprising the steps of: spinning the wool into yarn; and applying a colouring substance to the yarn, said substance being removable by a scouring process.

-4- Conveniently, the dye is applied to the woollen yarn using a liquid carrier, typically an azeotrope mixture of alcohol and water.

Preferably, the supply of wool is scoured prior to spinning it into yarn.

The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of one specific embodiment thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:- Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of 9 10 apparatus used in the production of twine according to the embodiment; and Fig. 2 is a schematic plan view of the apparatus of :Fig. 1.

The embodiment is directed to baling twine for hay baling machinery. Baling twine is primarily used on hay baling machinery but can also be used in tying operations for various other purposes. It is common for such twine to be discarded after use with the result that it can possibly cause contamination of fleece if sheep are shorn on the property.

In the production of the twine according to the embodiment, a supply of wool is first scoured and then spun or woven into yarn 10. The yarn is wound onto reels so as to form conventional cones 11. The yarn is subsequently unwound 25 from each cone and treated in a mannqr described below before being wound again into a form resembling a ball 13 of the type typically used for baling twine. Winding of the twine into such a ball allows the twine to be drawn from the centre of the ball.

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Apparatus used for treating the woolleni twine between unwinding from th, cone 11 and rewinding into a ball 13 is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The apparatus comprises a first spindle 21 for receiving and supporting a cone 11 of the yarn and a second spindle 22 onto which the treated yarn is wound to form a ball as previously described.

The apparatus further comprises a treatment station 23 positioned between the first and second spindles such that the yarn passes through the treatment station on being wound from the first spindle onto the second spindle.

*oo oe The treatment station 23 comprises a spraying zone 25 for

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spraying a treatment liquid (of a type which will be o described below) onto the yarn as it passes between the first and second spindles 21 and 22 respectively, and a drying zone 27 for drying the yarn sprayed with the treatment liquid prior to it being wound into a ball on the e second spindle.

The spraying zone 25 comprises a spraying means 31 mounted 20 above a reservoir 33 having an open top. The reservoir is adapted to contain a supply of the treatment liquid. A delivery means 35 is provided for delivering treatment liquid from the reservoir 33 to the spraying means. The delivery means 35 includes a delivery line 36 and a delivery pump 37 incorporated in the delivery line 36. The spraying means 31 includes a plurality of spray nozzles (not shown) mounted on a support struqture 38. The spray nozzles are arranged circumferentially around a path along which the yarn travels as it passes through the spraying zone 25 from the first spindle 21 to the second spindle 22.

Treatment liquid delivered to the spraying zone 25 is to th spryingzone25 V -6sprayed onto the yarn by the spraying means 31. Surplus liquid from the spraying opera*.ion returns to the reservoir 33 through the open top thereof for subsequent use.

The drying zone 27 includes a housing 41 defining a drying chamber 43 in which the second spindle 22 is accommodated.

The housing 41 has a pair of side walls 45, a first end wall 46, a second end wall 47 and a removable top 48 which provides access to the interior of the drying chamber 43.

The first end wall 46 has an entry opening (not shown) through which yarn from the reel on the first spindle 21 can enter the chamber 43 as it travels to the second Sspindle 22. An extraction system 50 is provided for extracting air and fumes from in chamber 43 within the housing. In this embodiment, the extraction system includes a flue 52 which opens into the chamber 43 through the second end wall 47.

a. aft A heating means 51 is provided within the chamber 43 for providing a heated environment for drying the treated yarn before it is wound onto the second spindle 22. The heating .00.

a 20 means 51 includes a radiator 53 through which a heated O fluid is circulated. The heated fluid circulates between the radiator 53 and a source 55 which is coupled to the radiator 53 by way of delivery and return lines 57 and 59 respectively.

An air delivery device 61 such as a fan is provided for introducing a Ilow of air into the chamber 43. The delivery device is arranged to cause,;an air flow through the heating means where the air is heated before passing across the yarn. The flow of heated air assists in drying the yarn prior to winding of it onto the second spindle 22.

The air delivered into the chamber can subsequently exit through the flue 52.

-7 The treatment liquid which is sprayed onto the yarn includes a colouring agent for colouring the yarn to enhance its visibility. The colouring agent is of a type which can be removed from the yarn during a wool scouring process. In this way, if the twine does contaminate fleece, the colouring can be removed from the twine during scouring of the wool before further processing of the wool.

The treatment liquid also includes a biocide for resisting microbial attack on the twine and a substance to resist degradation of the twine on exposure to sunlight. A wetting agent is also included in the treatment liquid to assist penetration of the dye and the biocide.

a ft In this embodiment, the colouring agent is an anionic alcohol soluble textile dye such as Duasyn Acid Blue AE-02 15 (trade mark). It is the soluble nature of the dye in alcohol that facilitates removal of the dye from the twine in a wool scouring process.

The biocide may be of any suitable form such as a quaternary ammonium compound for instance 20 Cetyl-Trimethylammonium Chloride.

The substance for resisting degradation in sunlight may S comprise an ultraviolet light stabiliser such as 0-Hydroxy- Phenylbenzotriazole Sulfonate.

The wetting agent is Nonyl-Phenol-Ethoxylate.

The various constituents referred to above are carried in an azeotrope mixture of alcohol and water, a suitable mixture being Propan-2-ol and purified water. The presence of the alcohol facilitates rapid drying of the yarn after the treatment liquid has been applied thereto so that it can be wound into a ball on the second spindle in a dry condition.

1 fs 8 Particulars of the composition of the treatment liquid are set out below: Constituent Amount by Volume Cetyl-Trimethylammonium Chloride 60 Propan-2-ol 10 Duasyn Acid Blue AE-02 2 Nonyl-Phenol-Ethoxylate 2 O-Hydroxy-Phenylbenzotriazole 10 Sulfonate 3 8% Purified water 10 4 The amount of each constituent is variable within the range prescribed according to factors such as the typical ambient temperature and other environmental conditions of the locality where the twine is to be used.

The twine so produced is coloured to enhance its visibility and has resistance to microbial attack and degradation in sunlight. The twine may also be treated to resist degradation upon exposure to water if desired. This treatment may involve application of lanolin to the twine at some stage during the treatment process. Lanolin formerly in the fleece from which the yarn is made would have been removed during a scouring process and so replacement lanolin is applied to provide the necessary resistance to degradation in water.

From the foregoing it is evident that the present embodiment provides a durable twine which is coloured so that it is visible during general use and from which the colouring can be scoured during a wool scouring process if the twine does happen to contaminate fleece. In this way, :i c: g ji.

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9 the presence of the twine is not unduly detrimental to the fleece in the event that contamination does occur.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the scope of the embodiment described. In particular, it should be understood that the invention is not limited only to baling twine and may have application to the production of any type of chord from wool.

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Claims

1- 10 44 0* 4 0 4* 0 4 0.0* 44 0 0( 4O 00 44 e o 4 6j I 44 THE CLAIMS defining the invention are as follows:- 1. Chord comprising a woollen yarn having colouring to enhance its visibility, the colouring being provided by a substance which is removable by a wool scouring process.

2. Chord according to claim 1 wherein the substance which provides the colouring is an alcohol-soluble textile dye.

3. Chord according to claim 2 wherein the dye is anionic.

4. Chord, according to any one of the preceding claims treated to provide resistance to deterioration upon exposure to sunlight.

5. Chord according to any one of the preceding claims treated to provide resistance to deterioration upon exposure to water.

6. Chord according to any one of the preceding claims treated to provide resistance to microbial attack.

7. Claim according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the yarn is spun wool

8. A method of manufacturing chord from a supply of wool, the method comprising the steps of: spinning the wool into yarn; and applying a colouring substance to the yarn, said substance being removable by a scouring process.

9. A method according to claim 8 wherein the dye is applied to the woollen yarn using a liquid carrier.

A method according to claim 9 wherein a liquid carrier is a mixture of alcohol and water. n* A 11

11. A method according to any one of claims 8 to further including the step of applying to the chord a substance to provide resistance to deterioration upon exposure to sunlight.

12. A method according to claim 11 wherein said substance is applied using said liquid carrier.

13. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 13 further comprising the step of applying to the chord a substance to provide resistance to deterioration upon exposure to water.

14. A method according to claim 13 wherein said substance t*o is applied using said liquid carrier. .o9"

15. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 14 S. further comprising the step of applying to the chord a substance to provide resistance to microbial attack.

16. A method according to c~aim 15 wherein said substance is applied using said liquid carrier.

17. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 16 So". wherein the liquid carrier includes a wetting agent. 0 9

18. A method according to any one of claims 8 to 17 wherein the colouring substance comprises an alcohol- soluble textile dye.

19. A method according to claim 18 wherein the dye is 2J anionic.

A method according to any one of claims 9 to 19 wherein the liquid carrier is applied co the yarn by a IRX4; spraying process. "4 Ic tv /T 22nd October, 19 ,93 *1 -i -i U i..i iii: I 12

21. A method according to any one of claims 9 to wherein the yarn is subjected to a heated environment after application of the liquid carrier to facilitate drying of the yarn.

22. Chord manufactured by a method according to any one of claims 8 to 21.

23. Chord substantially as herein described.

24. A method of manufacturing chord substantially as herein described. DATED this twenty-second day of October, 1993 WOOLLEN TWINE PRODUCTS PTY LTD Applicant or o4 or o 0 9 o 0 9 99 0s 9*04 9. *4 I.1( I I WRAY ASSOCIATES Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for Applicant -t S A1 I~ -r; E a: 13 0« e o 0 4 0004 0 0 0* ou II 0* 0 e I o a« I o t ll tl I* c I t St i ABSTRACT A chord which is primarily for use as baling twine and which comprises woollen yarn having colouring to enhance its visibility. The colouring is provided by a substance which is removable by a wool scouring process. With this arrangement, contamination of fleece by twine according to the invention is not unduly detrimental as it is compatible with the wool in the sense that it is also of wool. The substance which provides the colouring may be an alcohol-soluble textile dye. The chord may be treated to provide resistance to deterioration upon exposure to sunlight. The chord may also be treated to provide resistance to deterioration upon exposure to water, particularly rain. Additionally, the chord may be treated to provide resistance to microbial attack. A method of manufacturing the chord is also disclosed. a~~