	US 7,585,442 B2
	Process for making cellulose acetate tow
Philip I. L. Caenen, Lanaken (Belgium); Gary B. Ellison, Peterstown, W. Va. (US); David O. Kutscher, Charlotte, N.C. (US); William S. Sanderson, Blacksburg, Va. (US); Mark E. Scarborough, Rock Hill, S.C. (US); and Donald T. Stilwell, Princeton, W. Va. (US)
Assigned to Celanese Acetate, LLC, Dallas, Tex. (US)
Filed on Jun. 25, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/877,947.
Prior Publication US 2005/0283959 A1, Dec. 29, 2005
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. D01D 5/22 (2006.01); D01F 2/28 (2006.01); D02G 1/12 (2006.01); D06M 13/188 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 264—103 [264/130; 264/168; 264/178 F; 264/187; 264/207; 264/211.12; 264/211.14; 264/234]

20 Claims

1. A process for making a cigarette tow comprising the steps of:

spinning a dope comprising a solution of cellulose acetate and solvent;

taking-up the as-pun cellulose acetate filaments;

lubricating the cellulose acetate filaments;

forming a tow from the cellulose acetate filaments;

crimping the tow, the means for crimping comprising a stuffer box crimper comprising a pair of nip rollers adapted to engage the tow, a pair of cheek plates juxtaposed to the pair of nip rollers adapted to keep the tow between the pair of nip rollers, a pair of doctor blades adjacent to an exit end of said pair of nip rollers, and a stuffer box having a stuffer channel adjacent the pair of doctor blades adapted to receive the tow into the channel from the pair of nip rollers, a flapper located at a distal end of the channel adapted to bearingly engage the tow;

drying the crimped tow; and

baling the dried crimped tow;

the process further comprising at least two of the following steps:

A. wherein crimping further comprising one roller of the pair of nip rollers being adapted to induce crimp into the tow and comprising an axially grooved surface and said grooves extend across a face of said roller;

B. wherein crimping further comprising one roller of the pair of nip rollers being made of a solid ceramic material;

C. wherein crimping further comp rising a pair of tow edge lubricators adapted to lubricate lateral edges of the tow immediately prior to contact with the pair of nip rollers and being ahead of and in contact with the pair of cheek plates;

D. wherein crimping further comprising a steam injector being in communication with the channel;

E. further comprising plasticizing the tow with a plasticizer consisting of water after forming the tow and before crimping the tow;

F. wherein lubricating the filaments further comprises a finish consisting of a water emulsion containing 3-15 weigh percent of a lubricant consisting of: 62.0 to 65.0 weight percent of mineral oil; 27.0 to 28.0 weight percent of emulsifiers, the emulsifiers being a mixture of 50.0 to 52.0 weight percent sorbitan monolaurate, and 48.0 to 50.0 weight percent POE (20) sorbitan monolaurate; and 8.0-10.0 weight percent water.