Method and apparatus for drawing and blending textile materials

摘要

A method is disclosed for drawing and blending textile fiber and conductive metal filaments. The method is characterized by feeding at least one bundle of a first textile material through draw rollers of a drawing frame, unwinding at least one roll of a bundle of second material in the form of conductive fibers adjacent the first pair of rollers of the drawing frame, feeding the conductive fiber bundle into the back rollers of the drawing frame simultaneously with the textile material fiber bundle, and guiding the textile material fiber bundle and the conductive fiber bundle relative to each other such that the latter continuously cushions the textile material fiber bundle with respect to the draw rollers when passing therethrough. The conductive fibers are preferably in the form of at least one bundle of staple length fiber sliver rolled about a spool which is supported on a support apparatus positioned behind the back rollers of the drawing frame a distance approximately equal to, and preferably less than the average length of the metal fiber staples to insure continuous gripping of the metal fiber bundle by the back rollers of the drawing frame. An apparatus for practicing the method is also disclosed.