CA1062488A - In situ dye jet back washing apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure Method and apparatus to lessen the tendency of foreign matter to clog the jets of a dyeing machine by recirculating the dye and filtering same on each recirculation. Apparatus is provided to periodically wash the dye jets to eliminate periodic clogging of the dye jets. The washing apparatus includes a carriage supporting a washer orifice, the carriage being moveable along mounting means connected to the frame of the apparatus and spaced from the gun bar carrying the dye jets. The washing fluid is supplied to the washer orifice at pressure sufficient to overcome the pressure of normal dye flow through the jets so that back washing occurs during otherwise normal flow of dye from the gun bar.

Description

This application is a divisional of Canadian application 216,445, filed December i9, 1974, This invention relates to the application of dyestuffs to textile materials and, more particularly, to the printing of textile fabrics having relatively porous surfaces, such as pile carpets.
Textile ~ibers and fabric materials have long been colored with natural and syn~hetic dyes, and, in particular, printed by color decoration of the surface or surfaces o~ the materials in definite repeated forms~and colors to form a pattern. The color printing of textile fabrics has been accomplished in various ways. Earlier forms of printing used carved blocks charged with colored paste pressed against the fabric. Subsequently, speed of printing has been increased by the development of roller printing wherein moving fabrics are sequentially contacted by engraved metal ~: , :: :

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rollers each containing a dif~erent color dye to form the des-ired pattern thereon. Textile fabrics are also printed by seq~
uential contact with screens each having a porous portion of a ~`
pattern and carrying a particular color dyestuff.
More recently, it has been proposed to print textile .
fabrics, including pile carpets, by the programmed spraying or jetting of plural colored dyes onto the surface of a moving fabric. Typical of such processes and apparatus are those des-cribed in Patent No.u.~. 3,443,878 igsued~ay 13, 1969~and U.S.
Patent No. 3,570,275 issued ~arch 16, 1971, both to Weber; and British 978,452 issued December 23, 1964 to V.E.B. Thuringer.
Generally, such apparatus consists of a plurality of dye appli-cator bars (so-called "gun bars") spaced along the direction of movement of the textile material and each containing multiple dye nozzles or jets extending transversely across the moving material. Each jet may be activated by suitable electric, pneu-matic, or mechanical means to dispense dyes onto the moving material in a desired sequence, and pattern control of the jets i may be accompli-shed by suitable programming means, such as coded punch tapes, magnetic tapes, computers, and the like.
U.S. Patent 3,443,878 and 3,570,275 disclose specific means for applying streams of dyes to print a Eabric by use of continuously Elowing streams of dyes which are de~lected by a stream of air to either impinge the dyestream upon the fabric or `
recirculate it to a reservoir. Control of such systems to form ^
printed patterns may be accomplished by various of the aforemen-tioned programming and control means.
In order to provide a greater variety of colors or shades --of colors to the fabrics by use of such spray printing apparatus, ;~
it has also been proposed ~o apply different colors to the same .
locations or areas of the fabric to thereby blend primary colors ;~
in situ. ;
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It can be appreciated that ~n the applic~t~on of dlffer-ent colored dyes to the surface of textile fabrics, it is extre-mely important to accurately place each dyestuff on the fabric, ~;
particularly when intricate patterns are being printed and when in situ blending ls employed. In dyeing rèlatively porous tex-1.':: .
tile fabricsj such as pile carpets~ it is also important that a carefully controlled amount of dye be applied ~o each dyed area ~ :
on the pile surface to ensure optimum penetration of the dye ~ ~ -color to the depth of the pile fiber without undesirable spread of the color into adjacent areas of the fabric. U.S. Patent 3,393,411 issued July 23, 1968 to McElveen discusses such a problem of dye penetration of pile carpet and suggests controll- - -ing the flow rate of the dyestuff and the speed of movement of ~?~
the pile carpet past the dye application point to provide the desired amount of dye to the carpet. , In printing pile carpets with detailed patterns of colors, it can be appreciated that the dye jet applicators are very i -closely spaced relative to each other to permit dyeing in fine ~
detail on the pile surface. The amounting, construction or '~'b programming of various gun bars for application of various dyestuffs are also disclosed in British Patents, 1,201,598; ~`
1,201,600; 1?201,599; and 1,202,345 all issued August 12, 1970 to V.E.B. Textilmaschinenbaun Zittan.

The present invention deals with improvements in the jet ~ .. ..
printing of textile products including pile fabrics and, in particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for dyeing materials, such apparatus incorporating a washing system for effecting ready cleaning of the dye jets of the apparatus. ~,J`
In accordance with one aspect of the invention there is provided an apparatas to apply dye onto a material including a i - 3 -'i ' 1~6248~ ~
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frame, a dye-emit-tlng gun bar connected to said frame, means to supply materlal to be dyed into operative relationship with said gun bar, said gun bar having a plurality of dye-emitting orifi- ~-ces spaced therealong with the centerline of each orifice being `
substantially parallel to and co-planar with the centerlines of ;
each of the other orifices, dye receiving means upstream of and communicating with said orifices for receiving dye from dye supply means, recirculation passage means for recirculating dye from said receiving means to said dye supply means upstream of said orifices, and filtration means for removing contaminants from dye circulated from said supply means through said recei- ;
ving means and back through said recirculation passage means, each of said dye emitting orifices being associated with a dye `
jet deflecting gas nozzle capable of deflecting dye from the .`.
associated orifice into dye recirculation structure for recircu- ~j lating the deflected dye back to said supply means after e~ect-ion from the orifice, and wherein the improvement comprises mounting means connected to said frame and spaced from said gun : bar, a dye-emitting orifice washer means movably mounted on said `.
mounting means, said washer means having an orifice operably .
associated therewith facing said dye-emitting orifices and sub- ~.
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stantially co-planar therewith and means to supply a washlng i fluid to said washer means at a pressure sufficien~ly higher .
than the pres~ure at which dye is received from said dye supply means, to direct a stream of washing fluid into selected ones of the dye-emitting orifices in an opposite direction to the .
direction o:E the dye streams to cause the fluid to pass through the dye-emitting orifice to selectively wash out said selected :
ones of the dye emitting orifices.
The present invention will be better understood by refer- -ence to the accompanying drawings which disclose a specific ~
embodiment of the invention, and wherein : ;

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j ~c~62488 .:,, . ~:, Flgure 1 is a schemat~c slde elevation o~ appara:tus for the jet dyeing of textile materials;
Figure 2 is an enlarged schematlc plan view of the jet dye application portlon of the apparatus of Figure l,~showing in .`.
more detail the cooperative relation and operation of the convey-or with the jet gun b.ars; `~
Figure 3 is a blown-up view of the jet dye applicator -shown;
Figure 4 is a partially schematic underside view of one !: : -: 10 gun bar of the jet dye applicator unit;
Figure 5 is-a cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of '.~ .
Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a view taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5 showing .
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the dye auger unit; `;
Figure 7 is. a top view of the air and dye deflection ``
plate taken on line 7-7 of Figure 5; . ;.
Figure 8 i9 a top view taken on line 8-8 of Figure lO ~.
showing a portion of the dye gun bar removed; .
Figure 9 is a front view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 10 :
: . , showing the underside of the gun bar; and .. .
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Figure 10 ls a cross-sectional view taken on line 10-lO .~
of Flgure 4. .
Referring more speclflcally to the drawings, Flgure l .~.;
shows a Jet dyeing apparatus for color printing textile fabrics ~, such as pile carpets, tiles, and the like. As seen, the appar-atus consists of a tile supply table 10 where a plurality of tiles 11 is fed manually, or by suitabie automatic mechanical means, not shown, onto the lower end of an inclined conveyor 12 of a jet dye applicator l4 where the tiles are suitably printed , by the programmed operation of a plurality of jet gun bars 16 in a manner which will be explained. The prin~ed tiles leaving .~.
the:dye applicator are.moved by conveyor 18, 20 and driven by ~.
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motors 22, 24? respectively, to a stream chamber 26 where the dyestuffs are fixed on the textile materlal. The tiles leaving '!, steam chamber 26 are conveyed through a washer 28 and dryer 30 to a collection table 32 where they are accumulated either man~
ually or by sultable automatic means, not shown, for subsequent use. '~

Figure 2 is an enlarged schematic plan view of the jet ~'~
dye applicator 14 of Figure l and shows the endless conveyor 12 which is suitably supported far movement abou~ rotatable rollers 42, 44 and driven'by motor means 46. When it is desired to prin~ carpet tiles of rectangular or square shape, the conveyor 12 is provided with a series of separator bars or spacers 48 ' '~
which accurately position the tiles in spaced relation to each ' other on the conveyor. During movement of the conveyor, the ~ ' tlles pass sequentially adjacent and beneath'gun bars 16, five ;~
of which, 50-54, are shown schematically spaced along the path ~ i of travel of the conveyor and extending across~its full width.
Each jet gun bar is made up of a'plurality of individual jet '^' orifices which supply dyes in narrow streams to the surface of ~'~
the pile carpet tiles. The stream of dyes issuing from each orifice of the gun bar is controlled individually by suitable means, which will be explained.
Each gun bar includes a dye supply manifold connected to the jet orifices~of the bar which is supplied with liquid dye~
stuff from a reservoir (not shown) so that each bar may be pro- '~';-' vided with a different color dye for printing the tiles. Typi- s' cally, each gun bar may be provided with a primary color and operation of the individual jets of the gun bar are programmed to produce a desired pattern, with blending of the primary "~ `
colors in situ on the surface of the carpet ~o provide many ;' '' different shades and colors. ~ !;.

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To ensure that the streams o~ dyestuff strike the carpet tile at an exact location to form the pattern in the carpet tile, -control means are provided for coordination of the firing of each particular dye jet of the gun bars at the right time to the `
movement of the conveyor transporti~ng the tiles for printing.
As broadly shown in ~igure 2, the control system is provided with a synchroni~ation switch 60 which is activated by a mechan-ical trip finger 62 attached to the edge of the conveyor 12 to engage the switch 60 at a given position of conveyor movement. ~ -10Operatively connected to the shaft 63 of roller 44 by suitable means, not shown, is a transducer 64 which converts the mechanical movement of conveyor 12 to a plurality of electrical pulses which activate firing of particular jets on the gun bars at desired positions of the conveyor, by controlling the pneu-matic valves 66 through a suitable control 68.
Looking now to Figure 3, the jet dye applicator 14 is shown enlarged to more clearly illustrate the relationship of ., .
the individual elements. The conveyor 12 of the jet dye appli-cator 14 is pivotally mounted in aiframe 70 on top of which is .~
~20 mounted a piston 72 to pivot the conveyor 12 from the position shown in solid lines to a posit~on away from the ~et dye guns 5~-54 so that access can be readily made to the ~et dye guns ':

50-54 and associated apparatus.

The ~et dye apparatus basically is supported by two ;~, .
spaced apart plate members 74 which in turn are attached to frame members 73. Mounted on frame members 73 is an upstanding support member 76 on which is mounted an air manifold 78, a dye header pipe 80 and a box 82 to support a plurality of valve cards with electrically operated pneumatic valves mounted thereon.
Projecting upwardly from the support member 74 is a plurality of screw~members 81, 84, 86 and 88 for adjustment of the jet dye -applicator gun bars.

~''.,',, ,. ', 1(~62488 Shown schematically at the bottom o~ the support member 74 at each position of the ~et dye gun bars is an auger member 90 to recirculate dye liquid back. to the dye reservoir and a jet washer 92 to wash out the dye openlngs of the dye jet guns. ~ :
Mounted on one of the vertical frame members through a suitable support 94 is a driven pulley 96 which drives the auger member ' 90 through a suitable drive belt 98 and idler pulleys (not shown). .~
As shown broadly in Figure 3 and in more detail in .~;
Figures 4 and 5 the dye jet orifice washer 92 is slidably 'i'' .

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mounted on a bar 100 mounted on the frame and positioned ., ~. .
1Ose-to and parallel to each of the gun bars so the washer ~., :. . :
92 is so aligned with each of the gun bars that the pressure water orifice 102 may be brought substantially into line with the orifices 104 of the gun bar in order to squirt a jet of water therein to counteract dye liquor jet artion and backwash and dislodge any particles or foreign matter.
Threaded adjustment assembly 140 permits fine transverse adjustment of pressure water orifice 102 relative to orifices `~
104. The gun bar orifices have their center lines parallel tQ each other and all lying in the same plane; this is ensured by forming the orifices at the interface of flrst and second gun bar portions as described below. Also, it lS a feature of this invention that the back washing method involves using water at higher pressure than the dye stream, so that washing can be carried out while the dye streams are ~, flowing in the normal way, with the stream of water being `
directed into the orifices in a direction opposite to that of ;~;
the dye stream, to dislodge and remove contaminants. ~i ~20 C1early, the slidable mounting of the washer allows orifices ;!
along the gun bar to ~e cleaned in se~uence.
Figure 5, which is a cross-sectional view through one of the dye jet structures of Figure 4, shows wherein the gun .~ ., .
bars 16 consist of a Z shaped member 113 attached to second ... ...
portion 108 by screws 107 and which in turn is secured to first portion 106 by suitable screw members 110 which engage a notch 109 in the Z bar support member 113 and the top of .: , :
the first portion 106. Z shaped member 113 and secona por-tion 108 provide an accurate plane surface which coacts with j;
the first portion 106 when clamped securely thereto toprovide a non-leak construction. Dye from cavity 111 which ,., ~ ~ is formed by recesses in portions 106 and 108 and which forms . . .
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a'manifold, is supplied continuously from 3et' 104~and the ,', pattern in the fabric being dyed is controllea by cutting ~',, off or cutting on the'air pressure'to seIected air lines 112 to divert the'dye`liguid into the collection and -' separation chamber 114. Extending across the'chamber 114 ,' is a deflector or cut off 116 which tends to direct dye in ,'.
the air stream toward the openings 118 in the cylinder 121 . . .
around the auger member 90. The dye in the air stream from '~
the air noz~le 120 connected to the air line 112 separates - ,~
from the air stream `' ; .
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partially due to the Coanda ef~ect o~ the air foil shape 122 of the bottom of the second portion 108 of the gun bar and to the suction pressure applied to the chamber 124 by suction line 126 `-to pull the air through the openings 128 in the plate 130.
These features of dye ~et deflection, which are not central to r,,~ .
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the present invention, are the subiect of our Canadian Patent ~.
No. 1,002,310 issued January 4, 1977. ::
The unused dye that falls into the catch basin or chamber 114 is delivered to the auger member 90 through openings 118 in `
the cylinder 121 and positively~delivered back to the dye con-tainers or reservoirs by the screw action of the auger member 90.
As briefly described before, the air for the multiplicity ;-~
of air lines 112 for each gun bar jet position comes from their `
respective electro-air relays on cards held in box 82, which receive air from air manifold 78. At the same time the desired dye is supplied to the cavities 111 in the gun bars 16 from the dye headers 80 via conduit 132 as shown in Figure 8. Dye from .
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: the conduit 134, which forms a recirculation passage communicat- ~
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ing with cavity lll,~and also from the auger member is recircu-lated-to an atmospheric reservoir from which it is pushed to the ~'! ,,"
cavity 111 through the supply conduit 132. As can be seen cavities 111 form dye receiving means from which dye not e~pell-ed through the orifices is continuously recirculated, so that a closed system is provided wherein all or almost all of the : ~:
unused dye in the system is recirculated for use thereby minimi- . -zing dye liquor loss and consequent dye make-up; recirculation ;
thus occurs both upstream and downstream of the dye orifices.
To supply dye liquor from the atmospheric container, a suitable .;
pump with a filter on the outlet thereof is used. :.

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106Z4~8 - ` , In carrying out the inVention as described, i.e.
using back washing li~uid ~t higher pressure than the dye stream while the dye is being supplied in the normal way to cavity 111, (and with all jets being diverted~by air supplied to the nozzles 120), the dlslodged contaminants and foreign materials are back washed from the orifices into the manifold ,~
provided by ca~ity 111 and thus pass conduits 134 and thence into the noxmal recirculation path for removal by the filters therein. ;
- 10 The herein described apparatus provides a-novel fabric dyeing apparatus and washing process which employs a ,;~
dye jet washer which is accurately positioned relative to the ,!,~ ~,' ' `
dye jets and can be readily placed into operation to cleàn out ,~
the dye jets. Also, in conjunction with the dye jets a re- i;
circulating dye`system is used to lower the possibility of contamination or plugging of the dye jets with foreign matter.
Although the preferred form of the invention has ë~i been specifically described herein, it is contemplated that `
many changes may be made without departing from~the scope or ,i spirit of the~-inVentiOn, and it is desired that the invention ` bé"limited only by thè scope of the claims. `~
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Claims (2)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. Apparatus to apply dye onto a material including a frame, a dye-emitting gun bar connected to said frame, means to supply material to be dyed into operative relationship with said gun bar, said gun bar having a plurality of dye-emitting orifices spaced therealong with the centerline of each orifice being substantially parallel to and co-planar with the centerlines of each of the other orifices, dye receiving means upstream of and communicating with said orifices for receiving dye from dye supply means, recirculation passage means for recirculating dye from said receiving means to said dye supply means upstream of said orifices, and filtration means for removing contaminants from dye circulated from said supply means through said receiving means and back through said re-circulation passage means, each of said dye emitting orifices being associated with a dye jet deflecting gas nozzle capable of deflecting dye from the associated orifice into dye recirculation structure for recirculating the deflected dye back to said supply means after ejection from the orifice, and wherein the improvement comprises mounting means connected to said frame and spaced from said gun bar, a dye-emitting orifice washer means movably mounted on said mounting means, said washer means having an orifice operably associated therewith facing said dye-emitting orifices and substantially co-planar therewith and means to supply a washing fluid to said washer means at a pressure sufficiently higher than the pressure at which dye is received from said dye supply means, to direct a stream of washing fluid into selected ones of the dye-emitting orifices in an opposite direction to the direction of the dye streams to cause the fluid to pass through the dye-emitting orifice to selectively wash out said selected ones of the dye-emitting orifices.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mounting means includes a rod member on which said washer means is slid to position it in line with a pre-selected dye-emitting orifice.