Title of Invention

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING TEXTILE MATERIAL

Abstract

APPARATUS FOR PROCESSING TEXTILE MATERIAL Apparatus for processing textile material in which the material is passed through a liquid in a processing chamber (15), comprising a body (11) formed in two parts (12,13) relatively moveable between a closed processing configuration defining the processing chamber with inlet and outlet passageways (22, 23) for textile material, and an open threading configuration at which the processing chamber and passageways are exposed, characterized in that a labyrinth seal (24, 25) is formed in each of the inlet and outlet passageways, with the seal in at least the outlet passageway (23) having a sealing region with a duct (26) communicating therewith for applying one of positive and negative fluid pressure thereto.

Full Text

This invention relates to apparatus for the processing of textile material, and in particular to the processing of such materials by passing them in contact with a liquid. Several processes for textile materials involve the thermal treatment of the material by means of a liquid. In one textile process, yams are false twisted whilst being heated and then cooled. In such a process, the lengths of the heating and cooling zones required for satisfactory processing result in the machines concerned being large and costly. In order to reduce the lengths of such zones, and hence the size of the machines, it has been proposed to effect such heating and/or cooling by passing the yam through a liquid at the appropriate temperature. With such heating and/or cooling arrangements there arises two problems. Firstly there is the problem of the escape of the liquid at the yam inlet and outlet of the vessel containing the liquid, in particular with mechanical seals there is an increased likelihood of leakage of liquid if the yam breaks. Furthermore, such seals add to yam tension, encourage filament breaks and reduce twist propagation. Secondly there is the problem of introducing the yam to the vessel at the start of processing. International Patent Publication No. W095/32325 discloses apparatus for thermally processing a textile material comprising a chamber through which a liquid is caused to flow and through which the material is passed so as to be contacted by the liquid. To overcome the first of the abovementioned problems, the chamber is provided with labyrinth seals at the material inlet to the chamber and material outlet from the chamber. Each seal comprises an elongate tube divided into segments by apertured diaphragms. The apertures are dimensioned just to allow passage of the material therethrough. The tubes are pressurised by means of compressed air to prevent the escape of liquid from the processing chamber. To facilitate threading of the material into the chamber, it is suggested that the chamber should be hinged so that it may be opened to expose the material path for threading and then closed to seal it for processing. However the above described arrangement does not provide for easy threading of yam into the chamber of such apparatus. Each labyrinth seal must be removed from the chamber, threaded with a metal wire and retumed to the chamber, so that the yam, which is attached to the wire, can be pulled through the whole length of the processing apparatus. This is difficult and time consuming, particularly in the case of a typical textile machine having 200 or more processing stations. It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for processing textile material in which the textile material is passed through a liquid, which overcomes the problems of the known arrangements. The invention provides apparatus for processing textile material in which the textile material is passed through a liquid in a chamber, comprising a body in which the chamber is formed with an inlet and an outlet for the textile material and seals at the inlet and outlet adapted for the passage of the textile material into the apparatus, through the chamber and out of the apparatus, wherein the body is formed in two relatively movable parts which on movement from a processing configuration to a threading configuration expose a path for the textile material through the seals and the chamber. The parts may be separable, and the apparatus may comprise at least one clamp operable to clamp the parts in the processing configuration. The apparatus may comprise at least one locating pin operable to locate the parts in the processing configuration. The seals may be labyrinth seals, and each seal may comprise a passageway communicating with the outside of the body and the chamber, the passageway having a sealing region dimensioned to allow the passage of the textile material therethrough. The passageway may have a plurality of sealing regions and regions of enlarged cross-section disposed between successive sealing regions. Each seal may comprise four such sealing regions. At least one sealing region may have non-ambient fluid pressure applied thereto, and the fluid may be air. At least one sealing region may have compressed air supplied thereto. The fluid pressure applied to at least one sealing region at the textile material outlet end of the apparatus may be greater than that applied to at least one sealing region at the textile material inlet end of the apparatus. The compressed air may be at a pressure of at least 1 psi (0.07 bar). Alternatively at least one sealing region at the textile material outlet end of the apparatus may have suction applied thereto, in which case at least one sealing region at the textile material inlet end of the apparatus may have a drain therein. At least one sealing region at the textile material inlet end of the apparatus may also have suction applied thereto. The suction may be up to 4" (10 cm) water gauge. The apparatus may comprise an inlet for liquid to the chamber and an outlet for liquid from the chamber. The body may be formed of first and second parts, in which case the seal passageways may be formed in the second part. At least one flowpath for air may be provided in the second part to communicate with a sealing region of the passageway. The chamber may be formed in both parts. The inlet for liquid to the chamber may be provided in the second part, and the outlet for liquid from the chamber may be provided in the first part. A closeable draining outlet may be provided in the second part, and may be of larger cross-section than the liquid inlet or liquid outlet. The first and second parts may contact each other in the processing configuration on optically flat or substantially flat mating surfaces, or a gasket seal may be provided between the first and second parts. The invention also provides apparatus for cooling textile material in which the textile material is passed through a cooling liquid in a chamber, comprising a body in which the chamber is formed with an inlet and an outlet for the textile material and seals at the inlet and outlet adapted for the passage of the textile material into the apparatus, through the chamber and out of the apparatus, a supply of cooling liquid, an inlet for the cooling liquid to the chamber and an outlet for the cooling liquid from the chamber, wherein the body is formed in two relatively movable parts which on movement from a processing configuration to a threading configuration expose a path for the textile material through the seals and the chamber. The chamber may have at least one inlet for the cooling liquid to the chamber and at least one outlet for the cooling liquid from the chamber, in which case the liquid inlet may be downstream (of the textile material flow) of the liquid outlet to provide a flow of liquid in the chamber counter to the direction of passage of the textile material therethrough. The chamber may also have at least one inlet for a heating fluid to the chamber and at least one outlet for the heating fluid from the chamber, in which case the heating fluid inlet and the heating fluid outlet may be upstream of the cooling liquid outlet and inlets. The heating fluid may be steam. The heating fluid inlet may be downstream of the heating fluid outlet to provide a flow of heating fluid in the chamber counter to the direction of passage of the textile material therethrough. The invention also provides apparatus for false twisting a textile yam comprising a first feed device operable to feed the yam from a supply thereof through a heating zone, a cooling zone and a false twist device, wherein, in the cooling zone, the yam is passed through a cooling liquid within a cooling device comprising a body in which a chamber is formed with an inlet and an outlet for the yam and seals at the inlet and outlet adapted for the passage of the yam into and out of the cooling device, and wherein the body is formed in two relatively movable parts which on movement from a processing configuration to a threading configuration expose a path for the yam through the seals and the chamber. The chamber may have at least one inlet for the cooling liquid to the chamber and at least one outlet for the cooling liquid from the chamber, in which case the liquid inlet may be downstream of the liquid outlet to provide a flow of liquid in the chamber counter to the direction of passage of the yam therethrough. The inlet and outlet may be positioned to provide a rotational liquid flow around the yam in the chamber to false twist the yam passing therethrough. The liquid inlet and outlet may be tangential to the chamber, which may be circular in cross-section. The invention also provides apparatus for twisting a textile material comprising a first feed device operable to feed the textile material from a supply thereof through a treatment zone and one or more twisting devices, wherein the textile material is passed through a liquid in the treatment zone in a treatment device comprising a body in which a chamber is formed with an inlet and an outlet for the textile material and seals at the inlet and outlet adapted for the passage of the textile material into and out of the treatment device, and wherein the body is formed in two relatively movable parts which on movement from a processing configuration to a threading configuration expose a path for the textile material through the seals and the chamber. The chamber may have at least one inlet for the treatment liquid to the chamber and at least one outlet for the treatment liquid from the chamber, in which case the liquid inlet may be downstream of the liquid outlet to provide a flow of liquid in the chamber counter to the direction of passage of the textile material therethrough. The inlet and outlet may be positioned to provide a rotational liquid flow around the textile material in the chamber to twist the textile material passing therethrough. In this case the liquid inlet and outlet may be tangential to the chamber, and the chamber may be circular in cross-section. The invention also provides apparatus for intermingling at least one multifilament textile yam, comprising a first feed device operable to feed the at least one yam from a supply thereof through an intermingling device in which the at least one yam is passed through a liquid, wherein the intermingling device comprises a body in which a chamber is formed with an inlet and an outlet for the at least one yam and seals at the inlet and outlet adapted for the passage of the at least one yam into and out of the intermingling device, and wherein the body is formed in two relatively movable parts which on movement from a processing configuration to a threading configuration expose a path for the at least one yam through the seals and the chamber. The invention also provides apparatus for comingling a plurality of textile yams, comprising feeding the yams from a supply thereof through a comingling device in which the yams are passed through a liquid, wherein the comingling device comprises a body in which a chamber is formed with an inlet for the yams and an outlet for the comingled yam and seals at the inlet and outlet adapted for the passage of the yams into and out of the comingling device, and wherein the body is formed in two relatively movable parts which on movement from a processing configuration to a threading configuration expose a path for the yams through the seals and the chamber. The chamber may have at least one inlet for the liquid to the chamber and at least one outlet for the liquid from the chamber, and the liquid inlet may be positioned to provide a liquid flow transversely of the yams passing through the chamber. In this case the liquid inlet may be transverse to longitudinal axis of the chamber. The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawing in which: Figure. 1 is a sectional side view of one embodiment; Figure 2 is a plan view of the lower part of the embodiment of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a sectional side view of a second embodiment; Figure 4 is a plan view of the lower part of the embodiment of Figure 3; Figure 5 is a sectional side view of a third embodiment; Figure 6 is a plan view of the lower part of the embodiment of Figure; Figure 7 is a diagrammatic representation of a false twist machine embodying devices as shown in Figures 5 and 6; Figure 8 is an end view of the first, second or third embodiments used to twist a textile material; Figure 9 is a diagrammatic representation of an intermingling or comingling machine embodying a device as shown in Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 3 and 4; and Figure 10 is an end view of the first or second embodiment used for intermingling or comingling. Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a textile material processing apparatus 10 comprising a bodyll. The body 11 consists of a first part 12 and a second part 13, between which is a gasket seal 14. If the mating surfaces of the upper part 12 and lower part 13 are optically flat, or substantially so, the gasket 14 may be dispensed with. Within the body 11 is a chamber 15 formed by a recess 16 in the first part 12 and a recess 17 in the second part 13. An inlet 18 for the processing liquid extends into the chamber 15 through the second part 13, and an outlet 19 for the processing liquid extends from the chamber 15 through the first part 12. Depending on the orientation of the apparatus 10 in the textile machine, the first part 12 should be higher than the second part 13 to ensure that the chamber 15 is always filled with liquid during processing. The inlet 18 is connected to a supply 20 of processing liquid, and the liquid from the outlet 19 may be recirculated to the supply 20. The supply of liquid may be controlled dependent on the properties of the textile material, e. g. yam denier or count. To empty the chamber 15, a drain plug 21 is provided in the second part 13. For cooling purposes, preferably the liquid is water, but it may be a mixture of air and water, or comprise or include additives such as a dye, spin finish oil or other chemical for treating the textile material, or a detergent for cleaning the apparatus 10. For heating purposes, the liquid used may be superheated water, oil or a metal such as Wood's metal having a relatively low melting point below that of the textile material being processed. In the second part 13 are formed an inlet passageway 22 and an outlet passageway 23 for the textile material. The inlet passageway 22 and outlet passageway 23 are formed as labyrinth seals, comprising sealing regions 24 and enlarged regions 25. Communicating with at least one sealing region 24 of the inlet passageway 22 and at least one sealing region 24 of the outlet passageway 23 are air passageways 26. Compressed air, preferably at a minimum pressure of 1 psi (0.07 bar), is applied to the sealing regions 24 through the air passageways 26. This increased pressure in the sealing regions prevents or at least strongly inhibits flow of water from the chamber through the intervening labyrinths 24,25 towards the high pressure region. The yam passing through the apparatus 10 tends to entrain the fluid around it to travel with it, which will inhibit the escape of liquid from the chamber 15 through the inlet passageway 22 but encourage escape of liquid through the outlet passageway 23. For this reason, the pressure applied to the sealing region 24 of the inlet passageway 22 may be less than that applied to the sealing region 24 of the outlet passageway 23. In fact, it may be possible in certain circumstances to dispense with the application of compressed air to the sealing region 24 of the inlet passageway 22. The upper and lower parts 12, 13 of the apparatus 10 are held in sealing contact in the processing configuration by clamps 27, of which there may be four although only two are shown for clarity. To thread the textile material into the apparatus 10, the supply 20 of liquid thereto is halted. The supply of compressed air may also be halted. The drain plug 21 is removed so that the chamber 15 is emptied of liquid, and the clamps 27 are released. The upper and lower parts 12,13 may then be separated, whereby the apparatus 10 is in a threading configuration which serves to expose the path 22, 17, 23 for the textile material. After locating the textile material along this path, the parts 12, 13 are then brought back into contact. Locating pins 28 ensure correct relative disposition of the parts 12, 13 in the processing configuration. The clamps 27 are secured and the liquid supply 20 and the compressed air are restored so that processing can commence. Such a procedure is relatively simple and quick compared with that with the previously known arrangements and requires no threading aids such as wires or plumb lines. Referring now to Figures 3 and 4 there is shown a textile material processing apparatus 30 which is generally of similar construction as apparatus 10 described above and corresponding parts are identified by the same reference numerals. In this embodiment however, the air passageway 26 at the outlet end of the apparatus 30 has suction applied thereto. This will have the combined effect of preventing or strongly inhibiting the flow of water from this low pressure region to the outside of the apparatus 30 and also removing water from the yam passing from the chamber 15. A drain 31 for water is provided at the inlet end of the apparatus 30. Suction may also be applied to an air passageway (26 as shown in Figs.l and 2) at the inlet end. Particularly in this latter case, it may be possible to dispense with the gasket 14 and to manufacture the apparatus 30 to lower engineering standards than apparatus 10, since leaks of liquid outwardly of the apparatus 30 would tend to be prevented by inward airflow. Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, there is shown a textile material processing apparatus 50 which is generally of similar construction as apparatuses 10 and 30 described above and corresponding parts are identified by the same reference numerals. In this case however, the heating and cooling are performed in the same chamber 15. The cooling liquid enters the chamber 15 at the downstream end thereof through inlet 18 and leaves through outlet 19 located further upstream. Further upstream still, the heating fluid enters the chamber 15 through inlet 51 and leaves from the upstream end of the chamber 15 through outlet 52. This embodiment is particularly convenient if the cooling liquid is water and the heating fluid is steam or superheated water, since mixing of the fluids does not create any problems. Referring now to Figure 7, there is shown a typical threadline diagram of a textile yam false twist processing machine 70. A yam 71 is withdrawn overend from a supply package 72 by means of a first feed device 73. In this case the feed device 73 shown is a pair of nip rollers, but a godet or apron feed arrangement could be used. Another feed device 74 feeds the processed (textured) yam 71 to a winding arrangement 75. Between the first feed device 73 and the other feed device 74, the yam 71 may be drawn as it is textured (simultaneousdraw-texturing). Altematively a further feed device (not shown) may be provided downstream of the first feed device 73 to draw the yam 71 therebetween (sequential draw-texturing). In the texturing zone between the first feed device 73 (or further feed device) and the other feed device 74 is a heating, cooling and false twisting apparatus 76. In this embodiment, the combined apparatus 76 is an apparatus of the type 50 of Figures 5 and 6 and described above, although separate heating, cooling and/or false twisting apparatuses may be employed if preferred. The combined apparatus 76 is supplied with cold water (or other cold liquid) through the inlet 18 and the water passes from the apparatus 76 through the outlet 19. This causes the cooling water to flow counter to the yam 71, thereby maximising the heat transfer from the yam 71 to the water, and thereby minimising the length of the cooling apparatus 76 that is required to cool the yam 71 sufficiently for the twist inserted therein to be set prior to untwisting. If a separate heating apparatus is disposed upstream of the cooling apparatus, it may be of any known type, such as a plate heater or a heated roller or godet. However, as shown in this embodiment, the heating fluid enters the combined apparatus 76 at inlet 51 and leaves at outlet 52. The heating fluid flows counter to the yam 71, thereby maximising the heat transfer to the yam 71 from the fluid, and minimise the length of the apparatus 76 required to heat the yam 71 sufficiently for effective processing. In the absence of a separate twisting device for false twisting a continuous filament textile yam or as an apparatus for twisting sliver, roving or staple yam, the apparatuses 10, 30 or 76 are configured as shown in end view in Figure 8 to provide a combined heating, cooling and twisting apparatus in a single unit. In such a case the cooling liquid inlet 18 and outlet 19 are arranged to be substantially tangential to the chamber 15. This configuration creates a rotational flow of water within the chamber 15 around the yam71, thereby applying a twisting torque to the yam 71 and providing the means whereby the yam 71 is twisted. This arrangement of heating, cooling and twisting in a single unit reduces the size, complexity, cost and power requirements of the machine 70. Referring now to Figure 9, there is shown a typical threadline diagram of a textile processing machine 90 for intermingling one or more multifilament yams or comingling two or more yams. In the intermingling case the multifilament yam 91 is withdrawn from a supply package 92 or other supply by a first feed device 93 and fed to the intermingling apparatus 94. Another feed device 95 feeds the intermingled yam 91 to a winding arrangement 96. The relative speed of the feed devices 93,95 is adjusted to the optimum tension conditions in the yam 91 for intermingling. The intermingling apparatus 94 is an apparatus of the type 10 or 30 described above. The apparatus 94 is supplied with water or other liquid through an inlet 97 and the water passes from the apparatus 94 through an outlet 98. In this case the water inlet 97 and the water outlet 98 are disposed diametrically opposite each other substantially centrally of the apparatus 94 both longitudinally and laterally as shown in end view in Figure 10. This configuration causes the water in the chamber 15 to impinge directly at maximum velocity on the yam 91 to intermingle the filaments thereof In the comingling case a second yam 99 is withdrawn from a second supply package 100 or other supply by the first feed device 93 or a separate feed device (not shown) and fed to the apparatus 94 which in this instance functions as a comingling apparatus. The comingling apparatus 94 has the same construction and operates in the same manner as the intermingling apparatus 94 described above. By means of the invention an apparatus is provided which has the advantage of minimising the length of a heating or cooling zone in a textile material processing machine. Altemative embodiments from those described above will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art. For example, the textile material may be in fibrous or sheet material form, in which case the sealing regions will be configured to just allow passage of the fibrous or sheet material therethrough. More than one inlet for water to the chamber 15, and more than one outlet for water from the chamber 15 may be provided to increase the rotational or impinging force of the water on the yam. The shape of the chamber 15 and/or of the enlarged inlet and outlet regions may be chosen to be suitable for the particular application of the apparatus and the material to be processed thereby. The apparatus may be adapted to process two or more yams separately, with the yams travelling through parallel inlet and outlet passageways and through the chamber in parallel trajectories. Furthermore, the apparatus may be used to alter the bulk or twist level of sliver, roving or spun yams, in which case the supply of yam to the apparatus could be directly from a suitable spinning apparatus. Instead of the upper and lower parts 12, 13 being separable, they may be joined together by a longitudinally extending hinge. WE CLAIM : 1. Apparatus for processing textile material in which the material is passed through a liquid in a processing chamber (15), comprising a body (11) formed in two parts (12,13) relatively moveable between a closed processing configuration defining the processing chamber with inlet and outlet passageways (22, 23) for textile material, and an open threading configuration at which the processing chamber and passageways are exposed, characterized in that a labyrinth seal (24, 25) is formed in each of the inlet and outlet passageways, with the seal in at least the outlet passageway (23) having a sealing region with a duct (26) communicating therewith for applying one of positive and negative fluid pressure thereto. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the parts (12, 13) are separable. 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, comprising at least one clamp (27) operable to clamp the parts (12, 13) in the processing configuration. 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 or 3, comprising at least one locating pin operable to locate the parts in the processing configuration. 5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of preceding claims, wherein the duct (26) is connected to a source of compressed air. 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the source provides compressed air at a pressure of at least 1 psi (0.07 bar). 7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of preceding claims, wherein the seal passageways are formed in one of the body parts (12, 13). 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein the duct (26) is provided in the one body part (13). 9. Apparatus as claimed in any one of preceding claims, comprising an inlet (18) for liquid to the chamber and an outlet (19) for liquid from the chamber (15). 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 17, wherein the liquid inlet (12) is provided in one body part (13) as the liquid outlet (19) is provided in the other body part (12). 11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of preceding claims, wherein the body parts (12, 13) contact each other in the processing configuration on optically flat or substantially optically flat mating surfaces. 12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of preceding claims 1 to 16, wherein a gasket seal (14) is provided between the first and second parts (12, 13). 13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of preceding claims, comprising at least one inlet (18) for cooling liquid to the processing chamber (15) and at least one outlet (19) for cooling liquid from the processing chamber, disposed relative to the inlet and outlet passageways (22, 23) for the textile material to provide a flow of liquid in the chamber (15) counter to the direction of passage of textile material therethrough. 14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21, wherein the chamber (15) also has at least one inlet (51) for a heating fluid to the chamber and at least one outlet (52) for the heating fluid from the chamber. 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22, wherein the heating fluid inlet (51) and the heating fluid outlet (52) are upstream of the cooling liquid outlet (19) and inlet (18) relative to the direction of movement of textile material through the processing chamber (15). 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 22 or 23, wherein the heating fluid is steam. 17. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the heating fluid inlet (51) and the heating fluid outlet (52) are disposed relative to the inlet and outlet passageways (22, 23) for the textile material to provide a flow of heating fluid in the chamber counter to the direction of passage of textile material therethrough. 18. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 22 to 25, comprising a false twist device, for a textile yam in the processing chamber. 19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 26, wherein the false twist device comprises the cooling liquid inlet (18) and outlet (19) positioned to provide a rotational liquid flow around the yam in the chamber (15) to false twist yam passing therethrough. 20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 27, wherein the liquid inlet (18) and outlet (19) are tangential to the chamber (15). 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the seal in each of the inlet and outlet passageways (22, 23) has a said sealing region (24), and wherein the fluid pressure applied to said sealing region (24) in the outlet passageway is greater than that applied to said sealing region (24) in the inlet passageway. 8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the duct (26) is connected to a source of negative pressure. 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, comprising a drain from the inlet passageway (22). 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 or 9, wherein the seal (24, 25) in each of the inlet and oudet passageways (22, 23) has a said sealing region (24), and wherein said sealing region in the inlet passageway has negative pressure applied thereto. 11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the negative pressure is up to 4" (10cm) water gauge. 12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of preceding claims, wherein each seal (24, 25) comprises a plurality of sealing regions (24) and regions of enlarged cross-section (25) disposed between successive sealing regions. 13. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein each seal comprises four such sealing regions (24). 14. Apparatus as claimed in any one of preceding claims, wherein the chamber (15) is formed in both body parts (12, 13). 15. Apparatus as claimed in claim 28, wherein the chamber (15) is circular in cross-section. 16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25, comprising at least one twisting device for textile material in the processing chamber. 17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 30, wherein the chamber (15) has at least one inlet (18) for treatment liquid to the chamber and at least one outlet (19) for the treatment liquid from the chamber (15), disposed relative to the inlet and outlet passageways (22, 23) for the textile material to provide a flow of liquid in the chamber counter to the direction of passage of textile material therethrough. 18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 31, wherein the liquid inlet (18) and the liquid outlet (19) are positioned to provide a rotational liquid flow around the yam in the chamber (15) to twist yam passing therethrough. 19. Apparatus as claimed in claim 32, wherein the liquid inlet (18) and outlet (19) are tangential to the chamber (15). 20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 33, wherein the chamber (15) is circular in cross-section. 35. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25, for intermingling at least one multifilament textile yam, or for commingling a plurality of textile yams, wherein the chamber (15) has at least one inlet (18) for the liquid to the chamber and at least one outlet (19) for the liquid from the chamber, with the liquid inlet positioned to provide a liquid flow transversely of yams passing through the chamber. 36. Apparatus as claimed in claim 35, wherein the liquid inlet (18) is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the chamber (15).

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