FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention in general relates to the field of textile industry. Particularly, the present invention relates to a method of weaving designs on apparel. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of producing a self embossed design on the apparel.

BACKGROUND ART

A wide variety of processes have been employed in the practice to produce a raised embossed effect on apparels. Prior art describes methods for producing an embossed effect on readymade garments. The production of embossed effect during weaving overcome many disadvantages with respect to producing the effect on readymade garments like the apparel may weaken, process involved may produce more dust which can be hazardous to workers and chemical ink used may be flammable and also effect on the apparels may not be permanent, it fades along with time. The method of producing the embossed effect on apparels at the time of weaving can overcome the said disadvantages. For example, a typical Ami silk saree which is known for its distinguished characteristics of medium weight coupled with classic and rich zari border and pallu. Two types of warp is used for manufacturing silk sarees viz. zari warp of 2 ply 2 fold threads and lodupuri warp of 2 ply threads. Zari thread consists of coloured silk thread as core wrapped with flattened silver wire with gold plating. Ami silk saree is well known for it's inter woven lace work and its luster, which is the dexterity of the dyer and weaver in bringing the luster and design respectively.

Conventionally, two types of looms are used for the production of Ami silk saree viz. frame loom and pit loom. Throw shuttle is invariably used for the production of saree on the two types of loom. The main parts of the loom are: sley, treadles, reed, healds, warp beam, cloth beam, and shuttle and lease rods.

Figure 1 illustrates the conventional layout of a weaving loom. The sheet of warp yarn, consisting of the required number of ends wound into considerable length, carried upon a suitable device and folded and tied in such a way that necessary tension is obtained for weaving the cloth. The specification for making the warp, in addition to stipulating the type of yarn, the number of ends and the length of the warp, may also include a pattern if it is desired to produce a cloth with colored stripes but the zari thread is always used as extra warp only.

The warp threads from the ball or beam 1 are then drawn through the healds 2 and 3, threaded through the splits of the reed 4 and at the point 5 interlaced with the weft supplied by the shuttle 6 (throw shuttle). The cloth is formed at the fell of the cloth 7, and is wound upon the cloth roller situated at the front of the loom 8 after passing through the take up roller 9, which ensures enough tension for winding the cloth. The reed is fixed on the sley, which moves freely. The treadle operates the healds to form the shed. Lease rods are used to minimize the entanglement of warp threads by re grouping them.

The conventional weaving process consists of three basic operations which form a continuous cycle in the simple handloom either pit loom or frame loom. These primary motions can be described as follows:

a] Shedding - It is the separation of the warp threads into upper and lower layers forming a shed through which the weft is passed. Healds with tappet or Dobby and Harness with Jacquard used as single and in combination to form the shed.

b] Picking - It is the insertion of weft yarn through the shed. Fly shuttle or throw shuttle is used for insertion of pick by the weaver manually or mechanized way.

c] Beat-up - It is carrying forward of the last inserted pick of weft yarn to the cloth already woven. Metal reed or Bamboo / Cholam Stalks reed is used for beating up the weft yarn.

The picking and beat up operation are fixed no matter what type of fabric is being produced, but the shedding motion is variable and can be described as the heart of weaving as it is where, the nature of interlacing, the weave is decided but the method of producing the embossed effect during weaving is not known in the prior art. Therefore, the present invention relates to a method of producing the embossed effect on the apparels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method of producing a self embossed effect on the apparel.

Accordingly in the present invention, the method of producing a self embossed effect on the apparel during weaving comprising a intricate shedding mechanism coupled with a loom modification wherein the loom comprises a wrap beam and a weft insertion wherein the said wrap beam of the loom further comprises a top wrap beam and a bottom wrap beam that operates on the Jacquard attachment with the healds.

Accordingly the present invention relates to the method of producing a self embossed effect on the apparel wherein the top warp beam is kept at normal tension and the bottom warp beam is kept at slightly lesser tension than the top wrap beam to give the embossed design effect on the apparel.

Accordingly the present invention relates to the method of producing a self embossed effect on the apparel wherein the bottom wrap thread are controlled by jacquard to weave the plain and design portion of the apparel, and the top wrap thread are controlled by the heald shaft mechanism to weave the plain portion of the apparel.

Accordingly the present invention relates to the method of producing a self embossed effect on the apparel wherein the selected design and/or motif are embossed on the face side of the apparel having the combined thread colour of the bottom wrap and the first weft insertion, and the reverse side of the selected design and/or motif is normal and not embossed has combined thread colour of the top wrap and the second weft insertion.

Accordingly the present invention relates to the method of producing a self embossed effect on the apparel wherein the binding portion and the shading/outline portion of the selected design and/or motif on the face of the apparel has combined thread colour of top warp with the second weft insertion while the reverse of the apparel has combined thread colour of bottom wrap and first weft insertion, and the remaining portion on the face of the apparel is plain having combined thread colour of bottom warp and the second weft insertion colour while the reverse side of remaining portion having combined thread colour of top warp and the first weft insertion.

Accordingly the present invention relates to the method of producing a self embossed effect on the apparel wherein the self design on the apparel with an embossed effect uses one or more fabric alone or in combination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Figure 1 illustrates the conventional layout of a weaving loom;

Figure 2 illustrates the operation of the simple jacquard employed during weaving and role of selection device in achieving the control over the operation of the warp threads;

Figure 3 illustrates the method of producing the embossed effect on the apparels during the weaving process;

Figure 4 illustrates the weft insertion pattern is depicted in peg plan;

Figure 5 illustrates a resultant product of the present invention in accordance with one aspect and

Figure 6 illustrates a resultant product using one or more fabric alone or in combination in accordance with one aspect.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description and drawings are illustrative of the invention and are not to be construed as limiting the innovation. Numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, in certain instances, well-known or conventional details are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail.

The present invention relates to the method of producing a self embossed design on an apparel. As used herein, "an apparel" refers generally to all sorts of clothing and corresponding accessories, not limiting to saree, frock, skirts, blouse, shirts, coats, jackets, pants, shorts, socks etc. and also accessories like neckties and scarves, sweatbands of various kinds.

As an exemplary explanation in the present invention, the method of producing a self embossed design on an apparel is illustrated with a silk saree. The raw material that is used is the pure indigenous raw silk used for the production of Ami silk saree. Other suitable fabric raw materials such as Lycra may also be used either separately or in combination with silk. Cross breed silk (Bi-voltine X multi-voltine) variety is used in silk saree production. The Filature/ Multi end fine quality raw silk of 16/18 denier is used in warp preparation and Filature/ Charka coarse quality silk of 22/24 denier is used in weft preparation. The raw silk is twisted as organzine or tram yarn for the preparation of warp and weft respectively. Both warp and weft are dyed at Yarn stage using either acid or metal complex dyes. Thus, the silk saree produced is a loom finished fabric.

Zari thread is also extensively used as raw material for the production of silk saree. It is also used as extra warp and or weft in order to produce intricate designs on silk sarees. The main component of zari, which is predominant, is given below:

a) Silk (Dyed) - 20-22 %
b) Silver - 50-55 %
c) Gold - 0.5-0.6%
d Others - 22-29 %

The primary stages of the manufacturing process are described below:

Winding, Doubling and Twisting: In the case of warp preparation, the raw silk is first wound on a suitable small bobbin, which is taken for primary twisting (18-20 TPI) in S direction, then doubled and finally twisted for secondary twisting (18-20) in Z direction. For weft preparation, the raw silk is first doubled and twisted (8-10 TPI) in S direction using up twister.

Degumming & Dyeing: Warp length is generally of three saree length and the weft is of small hanks. Both warp and weft are first degummed using soap and soda solution at alkaline pH at near boil for definite time and dyed using acid / metal complex dyes at acidic pH medium using Glabour salt as exhausting/ leveling agent. Warp yam is dyed using tie & dye method in order to have different body and pallu colours in a single warp.

Dressing & Sizing: The warp is given a dressing by stretching it out in the open by using stout bamboo rods. Dust and dirt is removed and the warp is looped. The looped warp is immersed in rice kanji (Diluted rice Gruel) and this process is called sizing. After sizing, the warp is stretched once again for dressing and dried by exposure.

Piecing: The newly prepared warp is attached to the corresponding thread of the previous saree, threads of the saree already woven on the loom remains behind after the saree has been cut out. This process is called Piecing. This is a delicate and slow process and requires dexterity and patience.

Drawing & Denting (Aluppiduthal): The new warp which has been joined to the old warp by piecing is again stretched in order to remove entanglement. The newly pieced warp is drawn forward through the healds and reed. The above process is called Aluppiduthal in local parlance. The yarn is divided on the loom into segments. One end is fixed to the cloth beam [PADAMARAM] and the other end to warp beam [OODU KATTAI]. The distance between cloth and warp beam is 12 feet and this length ensures the required tension for weaving.

Joining of Lace: Saree border designs are first prepared on graph sheets and then transferred to the harness known as Adai. These Adais are given necessary cord connection, while the gold threads on either side of the warp are drawn through the eyes of the design healds (Pettuvizhudu). At first, some old silk threads are passed through the glass beads of in the design healds. Then, lace is connected to these old silk threads in order to avoid contacts of fingers with the lace. The lace is stretched on the outer side of the warp to the same length and is fixed to one end of both sides of the warp beam depending upon whether the saree has a one side or double side border. After drawing the lace threads through heald eyes and reed dents, it is firmly fixed to the cloth beam with the help of the old silk threads. After this, the lace, which has been tied to one end of the warp beam is detached and fixed to a separate rod known as "Pattu Oodu Kattai" or lace beam.

Preparation of Adai: An outline saree border design is first drawn to scale on drawing paper and the design is traced on graph sheet paper. The required design is given to the design and inked-in squares are marked on the paper for the portion where figures come in. Now, this design is ready for the harness or Adai preparation. Jacquard attachment, which read the cards, punched to the requirement of the design, and accordingly lift the thread associated with the design formation and pattern on the saree is achieved. Figure 2 explains the operation of the simple jacquard employed in the manufacturing of silk yarn and role of selection device in achieving the control over the operation of the warp threads. This layout shows the connection between the machine and the harness. The horizontal needle 10 are each connected to one of the vertical hooks 11 by forming a loop or a half-bend round the latter, and are supported by a needle -board 12, through which they project slightly. The rear end of each needle, which is formed into a narrow loop, is pressed by a spiral spring 13 to ensure the return of the needle to the original position after each selection. The hooks are prevented from turning sideways by doubling -up their lower ends and passing them through narrow slits in grate 14 with the bent ends resting on spindles 15 when the hooks are in the low position. The number of needles in each short row varies from four, to sixteen as shown in Figure 2 and the number of short rows is multiplied to give the required size of the machine. It is a general rule to connect the needles and hooks in the order shown in the Figure 2, the top needle being connected to the hook nearest to the card-cylinder 16, and the bottom needle to the hook farthest from the card-cylinder 16. The same numbers of inclined lifting knives 17 are carried in an iron frame called griffe 18 as there are hooks 11 in a short row. A card-cylinder 16, over which the pattern cards 19 pass, contains on each surface a hole opposite the end of each needle. Each face of the cylinder is provided with two pegs which act as the location points to ensure proper registration of the card against the cylinder perforation. The cards 19, the number of which is equal to the number of picks in the complete repeat of a design, are laced together at the sides and in the middle: then the last card is joined to the first so that the endless chain is formed. Then pitch of the needles and the holes in the card-cylinder, and cards is exactly the same.

The harness consists of neck cords 20 that are suspended from the hooks 11; harness cords 21, which are connected to the neck cords and passed separately through holes in a comber-board 22; mails 27 and lingoes or weights 23. The number of harness cords, mails and lingoes connected to each neck-cord 20 varies according to the "tie" and "set" of the harness. By means of the lingoes 23, the warp thread, cords and hooks are returned to their original position after they have been raised. The purpose of the comber-board 22 is to keep the harness cords in position to determine the number of cords per unit space. Each hooks controls as many warp threads as there is harness cords connected to the corresponding neck-cord.

Weaving: The silk saree is distinguished by its 1) Body portion, which is either plain weave, motif and butta or rich brocade 2) Border portion, which is either single or double sided with motifs / medium design and 3) Pallu/ Mundi portion, which is generally of rich designs.

Plain weave is achieved by operating the healds, depending upon the need, by operating the treadle attached to it. Motifs in the border and rich designs in the Pallu/ Mundi are generated by pulling the lever connected to the Jacquard boxes of different hook capacity. Thus, while weaving the body and border portion, treadle is operated along with or without jacquard lever with great care and dexterity. Weft insertion is always with hands by throwing a medium size shuttle from one end and beating the weft to the fell of the cloth. Small pirns of silk or Zari are used as shuttle for the weft insertion in the case of small butta, motifs in the body, Pallu and border. Thus, for the preparation of double side contrast border silk saree, three shuttles are used, which requires an extra manpower that is generally achieved by employing additional laborer.

Petni is the process of joining the Mundi of a different colour (same colour as that of border) to the body of the saree in such a way that the two coloured yarns blend together. It is very tedious process, it involves mending of all the warp ends of the body portion of the saree, drawing all the mended ends through healds and reed and finally cutting the protruding yarns after weaving certain portion of the Pallu. Now a days, tie and dye principle of dyeing is predominantly used to achieve the same effect.

In the present invention, the prime improvement is carried out in the looms where two warp beams are used to achieve the embossed effect. The top warp beam is kept at normal tension and the bottom warp beam is kept at slightly lesser tension. The threads (ends) of bottom warp, kept at lesser tension, are responsible for the embossed design effect on the woven saree.

The raw material used in warp is indigenous bi-voltine silk of 18-20 d raw silk, twisted in singles to the twist level of 21 TPI in "Z" direction, doubled in case of top beam warp and tripled in case of bottom beam warp, compound twisted to the level of 24 TPI in "S" direction and then finally degummed and dyed. The resulted denier of the compound end is 30 denier for top beam warp and 45 denier for bottom beam warp. The raw material used in weft is indigenous bi-voltine silk of 20~22 d raw silk, doubled and compound twisted to the level of 8 TPI in "S" direction and then finally degummed and dyed. The resulted denier of the compound weft is 33 denier. The Zari used is pure gold silver zari. Zari is doubled and silk is four folded when inserted as weft.

The top warp (say Green) consists of 5080 ends including 120 ends meant for selvedges on both sides. All the ends are drawn through two heald shafts. One end per heald eye in the case of body/ border and two ends per heald eye for selvedges. Body ends are drawn through 92s reed and border and selvedge ends are drawn through 80s reed.

The bottom warp (say Red) consists of 4960 ends comprising 4400 silk threads and 560 zari threads. Zari threads are used for making the design on two sides of the saree border, while silk threads are used for making the design on body portion of saree. Both type of threads are drawn through jacquard harness only. Four jacquards of 620 hooks capacity is used with reverse "V" harness. Figure 3 depicts the thread drawing-in pattern consisting the top warp beam 24 and the bottom warp beam 25 operating on the Jacquard attachment 26 with the Healds 2, 3 to achieve the desired design on the cloth7.

Weft insertion pattern is depicted in peg plan illustrated in Figure 4. First weft (say Red) is inserted followed by second (say Green) and the said insertion pattern follows. The bottom warp threads (Red), which are controlled by jacquard, are employed to weave plain and design portion of the saree. The top warp threads (Green), which are controlled by heald shaft mechanism, are used to weave only plain portion of the saree.

The design/ motif so selected will have embossed effect on the face side of the silk saree with the combination of bottom warp colour (say red) with the first weft insertion colour (say red). The reverse side of the design, which is normal and not embossed, will have the combination of top warp colour (say green) with the second weft insertion colour (say green).

The binding portion and the shading/outline portion of the design on the face of the fabric will have the combination of top warp colour (say green) with the second weft insertion colour (say green). The binding portion and the shading/outline portion of the design on the back of the fabric will have the combination of bottom warp colour (say red) with the first weft insertion colour (say red).

The other portion on face of the fabric, which is a plain weave, will have the combination of bottom warp colour (say red) with the second weft insertion colour (say green). The bottom side of the said portion will have the combination of top warp colour (say green) with the first weft insertion colour (say red). Thus, it is evident from the above illustration that the design portion is a double cloth with one colour (say red) on the face of the fabric and other colour (say green) on the back of the fabric. The binding portion and the shading/outline portion of the design on the face of the fabric will have green colour and back will have red colour. The other portion of the fabric on both side of the fabric will have of the resultant colour of red and green, which is yellowish red/ green. A resultant effect of the product is depicted in Figure 5.

It is evident from the above illustration that the design created is a self design, which could be achieved with continuous weft insertion that is otherwise possible with extra weft. The design so created will have the embossed effect and it is created for the first time in any apparel here for example on a handloom silk saree, with slight modification and loom settings and in an alternative embodiment, with the use of elastomer silk cover yarn. The saree so produced is unique one with designs of double cloth coupled with embossment on the face of the fabric.

Figure 6 illustrates a resultant product using additional fabric but not limiting to such as Lycra in combination with silk.

Although the present invention has been fully described in connection with the preferred embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings with respect to Ami silk saree, it is to be noted that the present invention is not restricted to the Ami silk saree, instead can be employed to any apparels and also various changes and modifications are possible and are apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are to be understood as included within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims unless they depart there from.

I Claim,

1. A method of producing a self embossed effect on the apparel during weaving comprising a intricate shedding mechanism coupled with a loom modification wherein the loom comprises a wrap beam and a weft insertion wherein the said wrap beam of the loom further comprises a top wrap beam and a bottom wrap beam that operates on the Jacquard attachment with the healds.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the self embossed design is achieved by envisaging the continuous weft insertion.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top warp beam is kept at normal tension and the bottom warp beam is kept at slightly lesser tension than the top wrap beam to give the embossed design effect on the apparel.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first weft insertion is followed by the second weft insertion and the pattern continues.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the bottom wrap thread are controlled by jacquard to weave the plain and design portion of the apparel.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the top wrap thread are controlled by the heald shaft mechanism to weave the plain portion of the apparel.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the selected design and/or motif are embossed on the face side of the apparel having the combined thread colour of the bottom wrap and the first weft insertion.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the reverse side of the selected design and/or motif is normal and not embossed has combined thread colour of the top wrap and the second weft insertion.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the binding portion and the shading/outline portion of the selected design and/or motif on the face of the apparel has combined thread colour of top warp with the second weft insertion while the reverse of the apparel has combined thread colour of bottom wrap and first weft insertion.

10. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the remaining portion on the face of the apparel is plain having combined thread colour of bottom warp and the second weft insertion colour while the reverse side of remaining portion having combined thread colour of top warp and the first weft insertion.

11. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the self design with an embossed effect on the apparel uses one or more fabric alone or in combination.

12. A method of producing a self embossed design on the apparel during weaving herein described particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings.