EP0080424B1 - Apparatus for the wet treatment of textile materials with adjustable bath volume - Google Patents

Abstract

1. An equipment for the treatment of textiles by a wet process with a variable volume of bath, suitable for operation both with a long bath and with a short bath, of the type comprising a transport pipe (2) and a treatment chamber (3) running essentially in a horizontal longitudinal direction, the pipe (2) and chamber (3) together forming a channel that is closed in on itself in which the circulation of the fabric, in the form of an endless tube, is ensured by the actual circulation of the treatment bath, characterized in that the equipment (1) is suitable for tilting relatively to the horizontal so as to reduce the actual treatment zone of the treatment chamber and to reduce the tension on the fabric when the bath ratio diminishes.

Description

The present invention relates to a textile treatment apparatus with adjustable bath volume.

Among the many wet textile treatment devices, the devices commonly known as JET have taken an important place. These are devices essentially consisting of a pipe closed in on itself and in which the circulation of an endless hose of fabric in the treatment bath is ensured by the circulation of said bath; this pipe is, very generally, divided into two parts: one constituting the tube for transporting the fabric hose, and the other of larger volume, constituting the treatment chamber proper.

These machines work with a bath volume which is practically determined from their construction and which essentially depends on the volume of the treatment chamber; with the aim of saving products, we therefore sought to reduce this volume in order to have an apparatus making it possible to work in "short bath", that is to say with fabric / bath ratios being situated for example, under normal load, between 1/4 and 1/8; but in many cases the devices working with much larger bath ratios remain essential because they allow to apply all kinds of treatment on all types of textiles.

However, it seems increasingly essential to have versatile devices in which it is possible to vary the height and therefore the volume of the bath of the treatment chamber in order to allow economical treatment in the same device. very different fabrics and weights as well as applying treatments of all types to these same fabrics without the need for costly investments in equipment.

The simplest idea that comes to mind is to modify the volume of bath in the treatment chamber of a given device by simply modifying the height of the bath in this chamber so as to be able to work in a long bath when the bath volume in the treatment chamber is maximum and in short bath when this volume decreases. This solution is difficult to achieve because long-bath and short-bath appliances bring into play two opposite phenomena: indeed a device working in a long bath, that is to say with a large bath volume, requires having '' a specially shaped treatment chamber allowing the passage of the fabric without the formation of knots; on the other hand, a device working with a small bath volume (short bath) must be profiled so that the fabric hose can be conveyed without tension with little carrier fluid.

It has been proposed, in patent US-A-3 690 128 to add to a textile processing apparatus of this type a movable basket making it possible, by a substantially vertical oscillating movement, to subject the fabric to be treated to successive stages immersion and then withdrawal of the bath in order to promote the impregnation of said fabric. This device cannot in any way serve as a versatile device since it does not allow the bath volume of the treatment chamber to be modified.

In the “Jet” type textile treatment apparatus described in US Pat. No. 129,017, the treatment chamber has substantially the shape of a torus. It is arranged vertically and is pivotally mounted around a horizontal axis disposed at its upper part vertical to its center of gravity, this in order to vary the distance between the injection device and the level of the treatment bath in the bedroom.

A solution to the problem of transporting the fabric in a short bath was proposed a few years ago by partial or total inclination of the treatment chamber as shown very schematically in Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing.

It has also been proposed to use a treatment chamber of the type shown in FIG. 2 to modify the height of the bath in said chamber in order to carry out treatments with bath ratios which can vary from 1:30 (mixed line) to 1 : 8 (solid line).

In both cases, however, the design of the treatment chamber is predetermined by the manufacturer and cannot be changed.

The object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks set out above by proposing a textile treatment apparatus which allows the height and therefore the volume of the bath of the treatment chamber to be varied at will.

Thus it has for its object an apparatus for treating textiles by wet process with variable bath volume, capable of functioning both in long bath and in short bath, of the type comprising a transport tube and a treatment extending essentially in a longitudinal direction horizontally, the tube and the chamber together forming a closed pipe on itself in which the circulation of the tissue, in the form of an endless hose, is ensured by the circulation of the treatment bath itself, characterized in that the device is able to tilt relative to the horizontal so as to reduce the actual treatment area of the treatment chamber and to reduce the tension on the fabric, when the bath ratio decreases.

The device is articulated by its lower part on a horizontal axis and means are provided for gradually tilting it around its axis according to the desired bath ratio.

This provides a truly versatile device which can operate in a long bath when the treatment chamber is horizontal and in a short or even very short bath when the chamber is raised. Los intermediate positions allow to vary the volyme of the bath according to the treated textiles and the kind of treatment which one wishes to apply.

• - les économies de produits et d'énergie, ainsi que la moindre pollution des saux résiduaires grâce aux possibilités offertes par les traitements en bains courts ou très courts.
• - la possibilité de traiter de façon industrielle, sur le même appareil:
• . des tissus avec des rapports de bain importants (1:20 à 1:40) dans les cas où la nature de la matière l'exige ou dans les cas où le traitement est nécessairement appliqué en bain long.
• - des tissus avec des rapports de bain très faibles (1:4 par exemple) dans les cas où les conditions de traitement et la nature de la matière permettent ou imposent de réaliser cette opération économique.
• - la possibilité de traiter sur le même appareil dans des conditions identiques de rapport de bain, des charges variables.

The advantages that can be expected from this type of device are numerous. This is how we can quote:

• - product and energy savings, as well as less pollution of waste water thanks to the possibilities offered by treatments in short or very short baths.
• - the possibility of processing industrially, on the same device:
• . fabrics with significant bath ratios (1:20 to 1:40) in cases where the nature of the material requires it or in cases where the treatment is necessarily applied in a long bath.
• - fabrics with very low bathing ratios (1: 4 for example) in cases where the processing conditions and the nature of the material allow or require this economic operation to be carried out.
• - the possibility of treating variable loads on the same device under identical bath ratio conditions.

• - les figures 3, 5, 7, 9 et 11 sont des vues en coupe très sipplifiées de différents modes de réalisation de l'appareil de traitement selon l'invention, en position lui permettant de travailler en bain long;
• - les figures 4, 6, 8, 10 et 12 sont des vues respectivement similaires aux figures 3, 5, 7, 9 et 11 des appareils en position leur permettant de travailler en bain court.

The present invention will be better understood moreover and its advantages will emerge clearly from the description which follows with reference to the appended schematic drawing in which:

• - Figures 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 are very sipplified sectional views of different embodiments of the treatment apparatus according to the invention, in position allowing it to work in long bath;
• - Figures 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 are views respectively similar to Figures 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 of the devices in position allowing them to work in a short bath.

In the figures, generally designates the apparatus, the transport tube, the treatment chamber, 4 the treatment bath, 5> U the horizontal axis and 6 the means making it possible to tilt 1, ap-pareit around said axis 5.

For reasons of clarity, the conventional path of the fabric hose to be treated is not shown in the drawing. Likewise, all the conventional devices essential to the operation of JET machines are not represented to me, such as temperature exchangers, circulation pump, addition pump, addition tanks, hose inlet and outlet spinner, injectors, valves ...

The embodiment shown in Figure 3 is a conventional JET device; according to the invention it is articulated on the horizontal axis 5 and the means provided for tilting it in the position indicated in FIG. 4 are constituted by the jack 6.

It can be a mechanical cylinder, as well as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder; similarly, these means can be constituted by a chain, a cable, whether or not camouflaged, or any other suitable device.

It is clearly seen that, in the equilibrium position indicated in FIG. 3, the apparatus can operate in a long bath owing to the large volume of bath contained in the treatment chamber while in the raised position indicated in FIG. 4 it is able to operate in a short bath and a simple modification of the cylinder stroke height makes it possible to work with intermediate bath volumes.

The device shown in Figures 5 and 6 is a JET device called "Overflow" with injection pipe and internal basket 7 modified according to the invention; the device is also shown in the respective positions allowing it to work in a long bath (Figure 5) and a short bath (Figure 6).

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the apparatus according to the invention is suitable for an Overflow type machine with a partially inclined treatment chamber.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, said device is adapted to a bath injection machine with basket 7.

Figures 11 and 12 then 13 and 14 show the apparatus according to the invention suitable for other types of JET machines.

The horizontal axis 5 is preferably placed as close as possible to the vertical plane containing the center of gravity of the device 1.

In the various embodiments, the stroke of the means 6 is such that the chamber 3 can be tilted in one direction or the other.

As is obvious and as is clear from the above, the present invention is not limited to the single embodiments described above by way of nonlimiting examples; on the contrary, it embraces all variants thereof, whatever in particular the type and configuration of the pipe closed on itself comprising the transport tube 2 and the treatment chamber 3.

Claims (6)

1. An equipment for the treatment of textiles by a wet process with a variable volume of bath, suitable for operation both with a long bath and with a short bath, of the type comprising a transport pipe (2) and a treatment chamber (3) running essentially in a horizontal longitudinal direction, the pipe (2) and chamber (3) together forming a channel that is closed in on itself in which the circulation of the fabric, in the form of an endless tube, is ensured by the actual circulation of the treatment bath, characterized in that the equipment (1) is suitable for tilting relatively to the horizontal so as to reduce the actual treatment zone of the treatment chamber and to reduce the tension on the fabric when the bath ratio diminishes.

2. An equipment according to Claim 1, characterized in that the equipment (1) is articulated by its lower portion about a horizontal axis (5) and that means (6) are provided to make it tilt progressively about this axis according to the desired bath ratio.

3. An equipment according to Claim 2, characterized in that the means (6) provided to make the equipment tilt about axis (5) are selected from mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic actuators.

4. An equipment according to Claim 2, characterized in that the means (6) provided to make the equipment tilt about axis (5) are selected from chains and cables, with or without pulleys.

5. An equipment according to any of Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the axis (5) is placed as close as possible to the vertical plane containing the centre of gravity of the equipment.

6. An equipment according to any of Claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the travel of the means of tiling (6) is such that chamber (3) can be tilted in one direction or in the other.

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