CN109072523B

CN109072523B - Continuous dyeing device for warp threads comprising an oxidizing instrument with variable and recoverable capacity

Info

Publication number: CN109072523B
Application number: CN201780025584.XA
Authority: CN
Inventors: 弗朗切斯科·龙基
Original assignee: Karl Mayer R&D GmbH
Current assignee: Carlmeyerstol R & D Co.,Ltd.
Priority date: 2016-05-16
Filing date: 2017-05-15
Publication date: 2021-01-19
Anticipated expiration: 2037-05-15
Also published as: EP3458636B1; CN109072523A; JP2019516870A; ITUA20163460A1; ES2829629T3; WO2017199154A1; KR102251499B1; EP3458636A1; KR20190008310A; JP6966472B2; US20190093270A1

Abstract

The invention describes a continuous dyeing apparatus for warp threads, comprising a plurality of dyeing/extrusion groups arranged in a linear shape, each dyeing/extrusion group of said plurality of dyeing/extrusion groups being provided with a respective dipping or dyeing vat in which the warp threads are dipped. The apparatus also includes an oxidizing device including a plurality of upper return rollers and a plurality of lower return rollers configured to position the warp threads on a plurality of vertical planes parallel to each other and a support frame including at least one upper strut and at least one lower strut. The plurality of upper return rollers are mounted on the upper post. At least a portion of the lower return roller is rotatably mounted on at least one respective support means movable in a vertical direction between a first operating position, in which the movable support means are arranged close to the lower upright, so as to keep the lower return roller at a maximum predetermined distance from the corresponding upper return roller, and a second operating position, in which the movable support means are arranged close to the upper upright, so as to keep the lower return roller at a minimum predetermined distance from the corresponding upper return roller.

Description

Continuous dyeing device for warp threads comprising an oxidizing instrument with variable and recoverable capacity

The present invention relates generally to dyeing apparatuses for threads and in particular to an oxidation device for warp threads of denim fabrics applicable to continuous dyeing apparatuses that are planar and dyed with indigo dye. The oxidation instrument is configured to oxidize the thread passing through the dyeing apparatus after each single dyeing and is configured to have a variable and recoverable capacity.

Denim is the most produced fabric in the world as it is used for making jeans. As is well known, jeans are in fact commonly used and usable pants.

Denim is produced by weaving a chain of warp threads, which have been dyed with indigo, with unbleached weft threads, both threads being made of cotton threads. The warp strand was dyed continuously with indigo. Indigo is a dye with very specific properties, and requires specific application methods. Such a dye with relatively small molecules has very little affinity to cellulose fibres, such as cotton, and for its application it requires not only reduction in alkaline solution but also multiple impregnation separation by dehydration and subsequent oxidation with air. In practice, a medium or dark shade is obtained simply by subjecting the thread to a first dye in a suitable vat, followed immediately by multiple over-dyeing in successive vats.

The equipment for carrying out this particular dyeing should be constructed with respect to certain basic parameters with respect to the immersion and oxidation times of the thread. This is to enable the thread to absorb the dyeing bath optimally and, after extrusion, to oxidize completely before entering the next vat, so as to be able to "darken", i.e. to darken its colour. However, in practice, the manufacturer of each dyeing apparatus employs different parameters than its competitors, and therefore, these parameters vary widely. Furthermore, users often require specific parameters to adapt the results available to their specific requirements.

In the generic dyeing apparatus, the number of dyeing vats varies from 6 to 8, the immersion time of the thread in the dyeing bath varies from about 8 to about 20 seconds, and the oxidation time of the thread itself after extrusion varies from about 60 to about 80 seconds. This means that the thread must be exposed to air for about 60 to 80 seconds before being immersed again in the next dyeing vat. The time of exposure to air is repeated for all the cylinders of the dyeing apparatus.

The average dyeing speed can be considered to vary from 25 meters per minute to 40 meters per minute. Thus, for each vat, the amount of thread immersed in the respective dyeing bath is on average equal to about 4 to 11 meters, while the amount of thread exposed to the air between one vat and the next is in the range of about 30 to 40 meters.

Thus, taking as an example a standard plant with eight dyeing cylinders, a considerable length can be reached only by the dyeing cylinders and the threads of the opposite set of oxidation cylinders. In this case, the maximum length of the wire is equal to 408 meters based on the following formula: [ (11 m × 8 cylinders: 88 m) + (40 m × 8 oxidizing devices: 320 m) ]. This amount of thread plus the small amount due to the passage through the other parts of the dyeing apparatus (pre-treatment device and final washing cylinder of the thread, grading machine to which the dyeing apparatus is connected, etc.) practically amounts to about 500 m/600 m in total, which makes the apparatus itself more difficult to control.

One disadvantage encountered with conventional dyeing apparatus is the loss of a large amount of thread per batch change. Indeed, under such operating conditions, the above-mentioned quantity of the whole of the thread constituting the tail end of the batch, which thread has finished dyeing and remains in the apparatus after it has stopped, must be considered as lost, since the thread is not dyed uniformly. Similarly, the same amount of thread that constitutes the starting point of the new batch and that is connected to the thread at the end of the tail, when the thread replacing the end of the tail passes through the dyeing apparatus (carried out at a low speed for technical and safety requirements), is likewise not dyed uniformly and must therefore be eliminated.

It should be noted that already in the very few plants with new dyeing techniques in an inert environment it is possible to reduce the amount of above-mentioned threads, which allows to reduce the number of dyeing cylinders. Such dyeing techniques in an inert environment are described in documents EP 1771617B 1 and EP 1971713B 1 of the same applicant. The amount of such threads can also be reduced in a few devices with oxidation enhancers, as described for example in document EP 0533286B 1 of the same applicant.

However, the industrial history teaches the difficulties and resistance after the introduction of new technology. Dyeing equipment under nitrogen is therefore also manufactured in only a few units due to production consistency, uniformity, technical inertia, specific market conditions, models, etc.

On the other hand, oxidation enhancers have met with greater success, but the number of dyeing apparatuses equipped with oxidation enhancers is almost negligible in all operating dyeing apparatuses and in newly produced dyeing apparatuses, which mostly still use classical cylinder banks as oxidation instruments. The oxidation enhancer allows the amount of wire exposed to the air to be reduced, not significantly but partially. In any case, the reduction of the amount of wire exposed to the air is achieved by the application of mechanical instruments which require not only a certain economic investment but also a continuous energy cost and continuous cleaning operations of the filters and the necessary maintenance.

Other prior art documents include document US 6355073B 1, which however does not show an oxidizing instrument with variable and recoverable capacity, but shows a module for continuous dyeing of a warp chain by indigo and other dyes, commercially known as "reactor". Document JP 3706689B 2 shows a device for continuously applying a product on a belt made of fabric or thread. In practice, the pump feeds the product to a collector which deposits it on a deflector which transfers it in an alternating manner to the belt. Document DE 4342313 a1 shows an indigo dyeing module in an inert environment. Finally, document CN 103938387 a relates to a conventional continuous indigo dyeing machine in rope form, in which an evaporator is placed at the outlet of the dyeing section.

In view of the above, there is a clear need to be able to greatly reduce the amount of exposure of the thread to air in the oxidation apparatus, which is the cause of relative deterioration during the end of a batch operation, i.e. before the stopping of the dyeing apparatus required for the introduction of a new batch of thread, and during the start of a new batch of thread operation, i.e. when the apparatus is activated at a low speed. In the above operation, this would probably lead to a large economic saving of at least 400 m/500 m via the chain in a carefully quantifiable way, and in addition, it would make a valuable contribution to environmental protection and sustainability.

The aim of the present invention is therefore to make a dyeing apparatus for threads, in particular an oxidation instrument applicable to continuous indigo dyeing apparatuses, which is able to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art in an extremely simple, cost-effective and particularly rational and practical manner.

In detail, the aim of the present invention is to make an oxidation instrument for a continuous indigo dyeing plant that makes it possible to greatly reduce the amount of oxidized thread exposed to air at the end of each batch of threads, i.e. before stopping the plant for introducing a new batch of threads, and at the beginning of the new batch of threads.

In this way, a secondary but not insignificant advantage is obtained, which facilitates the control of the plant by bringing the counting and working speeds of the threads, etc. to the minimum required according to the requirements of the dyeing process, without the need of ways of varying the quantity of oxidized thread chain exposed to the air, as in standard oxidation instruments. Another advantage is that the simultaneous adjustment function between one dyeing group and the next can be implemented using an oxidation apparatus suitably comprising the necessary actuator means, replacing the classic dandy roll to keep the tension of the thread constant.

This and other objects are achieved according to the present invention by making a dyeing apparatus for thread, in particular an oxidizing instrument suitable for use in a continuous indigo dyeing apparatus.

Other features of the present invention are disclosed in the present application.

The characteristics and advantages of the oxidizing instrument for continuous indigo dyeing apparatuses according to the present invention will become clearer from the following description, given by way of example and not of limiting purpose, with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

fig. 1 is a side view of a universal continuous indigo dyeing apparatus provided with a plurality of dyeing/pressing groups on which oxidizing instruments with variable and recoverable capacity according to the present invention can be mounted;

fig. 2 is a schematic view of a portion of a generic dyeing apparatus provided with three dyeing/extrusion groups between which an oxidizing instrument with a fixed capacity according to the prior art is arranged;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a portion of a universal dyeing apparatus provided with three dyeing/extrusion groups between which is disposed an oxidizing instrument with variable and recoverable capacity according to the present invention, wherein the oxidizing instrument is shown in a maximum capacity position;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a portion of a universal dyeing apparatus provided with three dyeing/extrusion groups between which is disposed an oxidizing instrument having a variable and recoverable capacity according to the present invention, wherein the oxidizing instrument is shown in a minimum capacity position;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a particular embodiment of an oxidizing instrument having a variable and recoverable capacity according to the present disclosure, wherein the oxidizing instrument is shown in a maximum capacity position; and

fig. 6 is a perspective view of the oxidation instrument having the variable and recoverable capacity of fig. 5, wherein,

the oxidation instrument is shown in the minimum volume position.

With particular reference to fig. 1, a generic continuous dyeing apparatus for threads is shown, indicated as a whole with the reference number 10. Specifically, the apparatus 10 is an apparatus configured to operate according to the open width of the dyeing system.

The apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of dyeing/pressing groups 12 arranged in a linear shape, each dyeing/pressing group of said plurality of dyeing/pressing groups 12 being provided with a respective dipping or

dyeing vat

14A, 14B and 14C in which a warp thread 100, which warp thread 100 travels from left to right with respect to the apparatus represented in fig. 1, is immersed in a dyeing bath containing a dyeing substance. The dyeing bath may for example consist of an alkaline solution of the indigo dye.

As shown in fig. 2 to 4, the warp yarn 100 passes through the corresponding guide roller 16 to each of the

cylinders

14A, 14B, and 14C, and then is immersed in the

cylinders

14A, 14B, and 14C, and the warp yarn 100 is wound on itself around the plurality of return rollers 18. At the outlet of each

cylinder

14A, 14B and 14C, the warp threads 100 are subjected to a compression while passing between a pair of compression drums 40 constituting a so-called compression cushion.

The oxidation of the warp threads 100 is carried out in the following regions of the dyeing apparatus 10: this area is provided between a pair of extrusion cylinders 40 at the outlet of the first cylinder 14A and the guide roller 16 associated with the next cylinder 14B. Thus, the oxidation of the warp threads 100 is carried out by a suitable oxidation apparatus 20, which oxidation apparatus 20 comprises a plurality of

return rollers

22A, 22B, said plurality of

return rollers

22A, 22B being configured to arrange the warp threads 100 in continuous motion on a plurality of vertical planes (see fig. 2 to 4) parallel to each other, so as to increase the surface exposed to the air.

A conventional oxidizing apparatus 20, such as the oxidizing device shown in fig. 2, is constituted by a supporting frame 24, and

return rollers

22A, 22B are rotatably mounted on the supporting frame 24. The supporting frame 24 is generally arranged downstream of the dyeing/pressing group 12 and consists of a structure that is open laterally downwards and upwards, to allow oxidation of the dyeing substance by means of the dyed warp threads 100 in contact with the maximum possible amount of air. Thus, the support frame 24 includes at least one upper strut 26 and at least one lower strut 28, with the plurality of upper return rollers 22A and the plurality of lower return rollers 22B being mounted on the at least one upper strut 26 and the at least one lower strut 28, respectively. The distance between the upper and

lower struts

26, 28 and thus the upper and

lower return rollers

22A, 22B is fixed. Thus, the conventional oxidation appliance 20 has a fixed capacity, or in other words, the amount of air to which the warp 100 is exposed between the two

adjacent cylinders

14A, 14B and 14C is constant.

The oxidation device 20 according to the invention, schematically illustrated in fig. 3 and 4, also comprises a supporting frame 24, the supporting frame 24 being arranged downstream of the dyeing/pressing group 12 and being constituted by a structure that is open laterally downwards and upwards to allow oxidation of the dyeing substance by means of the dyed warp threads 100 in contact with the maximum possible amount of air. The support frame 24 also includes at least one upper strut 26 and at least one lower strut 28. A plurality of upper return rollers 22A are mounted on the upper support column 26, while at least a portion of the lower return rollers 22B are rotatably mounted on at least one respective

movable support

30A, 30B, and 30C. In detail, each supporting

device

30A, 30B and 30C is movable in a vertical direction between a first operating position (fig. 3), in which the movable supporting

device

30A, 30B and 30C is arranged close to the lower leg 28 of the supporting frame 24 to keep the lower return roller 22B at a maximum predetermined distance from the corresponding upper return roller 22A, and a second operating position (fig. 4), in which the movable supporting

device

30A, 30B and 30C is arranged close to the upper leg 26 of the supporting frame 24 to keep the lower return roller 22B at a minimum predetermined distance from the corresponding upper return roller 22A.

In other words, the oxidizing device 20 according to the present invention is provided with a plurality of movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C, said plurality of movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C operating according to a movable platform for at least a portion of the lower return roller 22B. Each of the

movable platforms

30A, 30B and 30C, which is appropriately guided and tensioned, can be raised and lowered inside the supporting frame 24 of the oxidation appliance 20, thereby making it possible to vary the use capacity of the oxidation appliance 20 itself and greatly reduce the amount of the warp threads 100 contained in the dyeing apparatus 10 when the warp threads 100 are changed in a batch step (stop/restart of the dyeing apparatus) to avoid discarding the warp threads 100 contained in the dyeing apparatus 10.

With reference to the particular embodiment of fig. 5 and 6, each movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C of the oxidation apparatus 20 according to the invention can move vertically along a plurality of linear guide uprights 32 of the supporting frame 24, which are integral at the bottom with a pair of lower uprights 28 parallel to each other and at the top with a pair of upper uprights 26 parallel to each other and to the lower uprights 28 of the supporting frame 24. In other words, the upper 26 and lower 28 uprights of the supporting frame 24, together with the linear guide uprights 32 of each movable supporting

device

30A, 30B and 30C, constitute the periphery of a parallelepiped-shaped cage supporting the upper 22A and lower 22B return rollers.

Each of the movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C of the oxidizing device 20 may also be provided with the following upper support 26: the upper support 26 is separated from the corresponding upper support 26 of the movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C adjacent to the movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C to make the entire oxidation apparatus 20 modular. In other words, the linear guide columns 32 of each of the

mobile supports

30A, 30B and 30C may be made integral with the lower columns 28 by reversible fixing means 46, like for example bolts.

Each movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C of the oxidizing apparatus 20 can be provided with at least one moving means 34, said at least one moving means 34 being operatively associated with the supporting frame 24 of the oxidizing apparatus 20 and with the electronic control unit 50 of the dyeing apparatus 10. Alternatively, a single movement means 34 or a plurality of movement means 34 may be operatively associated on one side with the support frame 24 of the oxidation appliance 20 and on the other side with a plurality of

movable support devices

30A, 30B and 30C, separate from one another, by means of corresponding motion transmission devices (not shown but constituted, for example, by belts, chains or transmission shafts).

Each moving means 34 may be of the pneumatic, hydraulic, electric or mechanical type without distinction, or each moving means 34 may be constituted by a combination of these systems. In the embodiment shown in fig. 5 and 6, the movement means 34 are of the pneumatic type and are constituted by a pneumatic actuator cylinder 36, the pneumatic actuator cylinder 36 being integral with a fixed part of the supporting frame 24, the stem 38 of the pneumatic actuator cylinder 36 being integral with the respective movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C by means of the interposition of a guide rod 42.

The oxidizing instrument 20 according to the present invention makes it possible to vary the amount of thread 100 exposed to air for oxidation by a process having the following steps. During the indigo dyeing process, all movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C of the dyeing apparatus 10 are normally placed at the bottom on the respective supporting frame 24, that is to say the movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C are placed in the first operating position of fig. 3. The warp threads 100 are tensioned in a manner known per se by means of one or more pneumatic pistons or other devices according to the requirements of weight. In this first operative position of the

movable supports

30A, 30B and 30C, the wire 100 has a maximum amount of exposure to air for oxidation.

By means of the position transducer 48, it is also possible to position one or more movable support means 30A, 30B and 30C at a predetermined intermediate height between the lower 28 and upper 26 struts of the support frame 24. The intermediate height may be automatically and/or manually set and/or modified to increase or decrease the amount of thread 100 passing through the dyeing apparatus 10 to accommodate possible production requirements.

At the end of each batch of threads used for dyeing, the warp threads 100 fed to the dyeing apparatus 10 are practically all passed, except for a few meters of thread which must be stored to connect the warp threads to a new batch of threads. In this operating condition, all the traction motors of the warp yarns 100 from the drive (calandar) up to the extrusion cylinder 40 of the first dyeing cylinder 14A are stopped, while all the remaining motors of the portion of the dyeing apparatus 10 arranged downstream of this first dyeing cylinder 14A are in operation.

The stopping of all the traction motors of the warp threads 100 arranged upstream of the first dyeing cylinder 14A and of the warp threads 100 belonging to the first dyeing cylinder 14A itself forces the dyeing apparatus 10 to be fed with the warp threads 100 by the portion of the oxidizing device 20 arranged immediately downstream of the first dyeing cylinder 14A. Accordingly, the first movable supporting device 30A disposed between the first and

second dyeing cylinders

14A and 14B is lifted in proportion to the reduction in the amount of the thread 100 passing through the above-mentioned portion of the oxidizing apparatus 20 disposed immediately downstream of the first dyeing cylinder 14A.

The first movable supporting means 30A continues to be lifted until the respective second operating position of fig. 4 is reached, in other words, until the maximum limit of the upper end travel of the upper column 26 with respect to the supporting frame 24 is reached. The electronic control unit 50 of the dyeing apparatus 10 is operatively connected to at least one sensor 52 provided on each movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C. Therefore, once it is identified by the sensor 52 that the first movable supporting means 30A has reached the maximum limit of the upper end stroke, the electronic control unit 50 stops the actuation motor of the squeezing cylinder 40 of the second dyeing cylinder 14B.

The above operations will be repeated for the second movable supporting means 30B arranged between the second vat 14B and the third vat 14C and for all the next vats arranged in the same and consecutive manner. Emptying the end of the oxidation device 20, i.e. the last movable support means, stops all remaining motors of the dyeing apparatus 10 that are still running, i.e. the motors of the washing cylinders 44 arranged downstream of all dyeing/pressing groups 12.

It can thus be seen that the oxidation instrument 20 suitable for the continuous indigo dyeing apparatus according to the invention achieves the objects highlighted previously. A clear advantage is the possibility of recovering twice and therefore of using conservatively at least 80% of the quantity of thread 100 passing through the oxidizing device 20, which is discarded in dyeing apparatuses equipped with conventional oxidizing devices, the added advantage being advantageous in terms of a considerable reduction in the time required for batch operation changes.

By positioning the movable platform of the movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C, which constitute the

return rollers

22A, 22B for the oxidizing apparatus 20, at a maximum upper limit, the fact of minimizing the quantity of thread 100 contained in the dyeing section greatly reduces the time required for transferring the joint of two batches of thread 100 and for adjusting the width of the joint of the comb teeth during the variation of the batch operation, which must be carried out at reduced speed for technical and safety reasons.

Furthermore, the same advantages described above and with respect to the end of the dyeing operation are also obtained in the subsequent starting operations of the threads 100 of a new batch. These operations are carried out in the opposite direction, i.e. a new batch of threads 100 is introduced at a lower speed into the dyeing apparatus 10 by all the movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C with a minimum number of threads 100, that is to say threads 100 in the second operating position of fig. 4. Thereafter, the total capacity of the oxidation device 20 is restored by moving the movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C downwards in sequence, from the movable supporting means of the first dyeing vat 14A to the movable supporting means of the last dyeing vat, and then the dyeing operation of the line 100 is carried out in a conventional manner. In this case, the electronic control unit of the dyeing apparatus 10 is configured to recognize the maximum limit of lower end travel that the various movable supporting

apparatuses

30A, 30B and 30C have reached (with reference to the lower leg 28 of the supporting frame 24) in order to activate in turn the actuating motors of the dyeing/pressing group 12.

The oxidizing instrument 20 with variable and recoverable capacity according to the present invention can be added to any conventional indigo dyeing apparatus. In the same dyeing apparatus 10, it is also possible to provide a variable number of movable supporting means 30A, 30B and 30C as required.

The apparatus suitable for the continuous indigo dyeing apparatus of the invention thus conceived is in any case susceptible of numerous modifications and variants, all covered by the same inventive concept. Moreover, all the details may be replaced with technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and dimensions, may be any according to technical requirements.

The scope of the invention is therefore defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A continuous dyeing apparatus (10) with a dyeing substance for warp threads (100), the dyeing apparatus (10) comprising:

-a plurality of dyeing/extrusion groups (12) arranged in a linear shape, each dyeing/extrusion group (12) being provided with a respective impregnation or dyeing vat (14A, 14B, 14C) in which the warp threads (100) are immersed;

an oxidizing apparatus (20), the oxidizing apparatus (20) including a plurality of upper return rollers (22A) and a plurality of lower return rollers (22B) and including a support frame (24), the upper return roller (22A) and the lower return roller (22B) being configured to arrange the warp threads (100) on a plurality of vertical planes parallel to each other, the supporting frame (24) being arranged downstream of the plurality of dyeing/pressing groups (12), the support frame (24) comprising at least one upper strut (26) and at least one lower strut (28), the at least one upper strut (26) and the at least one lower strut (28) form a structure which is open laterally downwards and upwards, to allow oxidation of the dyeing substance by means of contact of the dyed warp threads (100) with the maximum possible amount of air, a plurality of said upper return rollers (22A) being mounted on said at least one upper support (26); and

an electronic control unit (50) for controlling the operation of the motor,

the dyeing apparatus (10) being characterized in that at least one portion of said lower return roller (22B) is rotatably mounted on at least one respective support means (30A, 30B, 30C), the support means (30A, 30B, 30C) being movable in a vertical direction between a first operating position and a second operating position, in the first operating position, the movable support means (30A, 30B, 30C) are positioned at the at least one lower post (28), so that the lower return roller (22B) is maintained at a maximum predetermined distance from the corresponding upper return roller (22A), in the second operating position, the movable support means (30A, 30B, 30C) are positioned at the at least one upper post (26), so that the lower return roller (22B) is kept at a minimum predetermined distance from the corresponding upper return roller (22A).

2. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that each movable supporting device (30A, 30B, 30C) moves vertically along a plurality of linear guide uprights (32), the linear guide uprights (32) being integral at the bottom with a pair of lower uprights (28) parallel to each other and at the top with a pair of upper uprights (26) parallel to each other and to the lower uprights (28), wherein the upper and lower uprights (26, 28) constitute, together with the linear guide uprights (32) of each movable supporting device (30A, 30B, 30C), the peripheral edge of a parallelepiped-shaped cage supporting the upper and lower return rollers (22A, 22B).

3. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 2, characterized in that each movable support (30A, 30B, 30C) is provided with an upper prop (26) separate from the corresponding upper prop (26) of the movable support (30A, 30B, 30C) adjacent to the movable support (30A, 30B, 30C).

4. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 3 characterized in that the linear guide upright (32) of each movable supporting means (30A, 30B, 30C) is made integral with the lower support (28) by means of reversible fixing means (46).

5. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each movable supporting device (30A, 30B, 30C) is provided with at least one moving means (34), said moving means (34) being operatively associated with said supporting frame (24) and with said electronic control unit (50) of said dyeing apparatus (10).

6. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said dyeing apparatus (10) comprises one or more moving means (34), said moving means (34) being operatively associated on one side with said supporting frame (24) and on the other side with a plurality of movable supporting devices (30A, 30B, 30C) separated from each other by means of corresponding motion transmission devices.

7. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that each moving means (34) is selected from the group consisting of:

a pneumatic moving device;

a hydraulic moving device;

an electric moving device; and

a mechanical moving device.

8. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 5, characterized in that each moving means (34) is pneumatic and is constituted by a pneumatic actuator cylinder (36), the pneumatic actuator cylinder (36) being integral with a fixed part of the supporting frame (24), the stem (38) of the pneumatic actuator cylinder (36) being integral with the respective movable supporting device (30A, 30B, 30C).

9. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 8, characterized in that each of said rods (38) is integral with the respective movable support means (30A, 30B, 30C) by means of the intervention of a guide bar (42).

10. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each movable support means (30A, 30B, 30C) is arranged downstream of a first impregnation or dyeing cylinder (14A) and upstream of a subsequent impregnation or dyeing cylinder (14B).

11. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said dyeing apparatus (10) comprises a position converter (48), said position converter (48) being configured to position one or more movable supporting means (30A, 30B, 30C) at a predetermined intermediate height between said at least one lower pillar (28) and said at least one upper pillar (26) of said supporting frame (24).

12. Dyeing apparatus (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each movable supporting device (30A, 30B, 30C) is provided with at least one sensor (52), said sensor (52) being operatively connected to the electronic control unit (50) of the dyeing apparatus (10), said at least one sensor (52) being configured to identify the maximum limit reached by each movable supporting device (30A, 30B, 30C) of the upper and/or lower end stroke, respectively, with respect to the upper and lower uprights (26, 28) of the supporting frame (24).