THE WESTERN CANADIAN

LUMBER WORKER

DYEING TANKS. Because nylon carpet at Westmills is dyed in full rolls one hundred
feet long, the dyeing method used is called “piece dyeing.” These dyeing tanks or
“dye becks” will dye between three and four rolls or four hundred to five hundred
Square yards of carpet at one time. The dryer first washes the carpet to make sure that
it is clean before dyeing. The dye material is added and the temperature is brought
to the boiling point. The carpet is in the boiling solution for an hour, and then the
carpet is rinsed in clear water. Dyes used in the plant are especially selected for their

properties of abrasion and light fastness and for their resistance to staining from
household accidents.

AFTER THE CARPET is dyed it is placed on this machine for drying and finishing.
The machine will handle several dyeings at once so that a number of 100-foot sections
of carpet are sewn together and passed through for drying. After the lengths are joined,
the carpet is run through a water filled box first so that the moisture content in the:
Surface yarns will be consistent, and react evenly to the various treatments which it
will receive. The carpet then runs through a vacuum-extractor, which removes most
of the water from the surface yarns. The carpet then travels three times through a
large oven before it is completely dry. From there it goes to a cool-out section, which
allows the carpet to cool before it is handled. A carpet rolled or folded when hot will
leave crush or fold lines in the finished goods.

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immed to width and cleaned before being machine
“Ben ae the carpets are run through a surface shearing
of iar spiral blades rather like over-s lawn mowers. Looped
she sage or partial shearing will give a varied pattern effect.

PANEL CONTROL for drying machine. Lights on panel
inform operator what is going on over the more than 100

_ foot length of machine.

CHECKING CARPET leaving cool-out section for imper-
fections. The finishing includes application of latex, sec-
ondary backing trimming and curing of the latex. The -
carpet is first run through a steam chamber to make an
even application of the latex. The latex is applied to the
back of the carpet from a stainless steel roller which
rotates in a latex bath. The latex is still wet when it comes
in contact with the secondary backing or scrim as it is
sometimes called. The scrim and carpet are then passed
together under great pressure between rollers. The heat
of the oven is now used to dry and cure the latex and
ensure a firm bond between the scrim and carpet. After

the carpet has sufficiently cooled it is trimmed to the
exact width required.

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BLS ide ET BES a ce

THE FIRM’S PRESIDENT Mr. Osbourne Orr is shown
here with Bill Schumaker, president of Local 1-423 IWA,

looking over a few carpet samples in the pliant’s bright
room,