EP0137089B1 - Device and process for applying metered bath quantities on an absorptive material web - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for the continuous and uniform application of controlled amounts of treating liquor on a liquid receptive material web comprising passing the web over a counter-roll having a resilient, non-skid surface and then passing the web onto an applicator roll with a metallic cylinder surface that has been dipped into a vat of treating liquor and making the treating liquor a uniform film on the roll. The treating liquor is tested before use by placing a quantity of the liquor in a mixing container, rotating the container for a first period and measuring the volume of treating liquor plus foam that develops in the container, and making two subsequent volume readings after further periods of time, adding all of the volume readings and comparing the sum with a standard value, and also determining that each volume reading is less than the preceding reading, and rejecting treating liquor which does not meet the foregoing requirements.

Description

The invention relates to a device and a method for operating the device for applying regulated amounts of liquor to a liquid-absorbent material web such as textile or paper. The device allows, in particular, an improved implementation of the so-called "MA method" (MA = minimum order).

State of the art information

The MA process and the MA machines allow a continuous application of relatively concentrated solutions or dispersions of finishing or treatment agents. which should be distributed homogeneously in the textile goods, with very high working speeds. The amounts of liquor applied no longer exceed the amounts required for effect formation, as is the case, for. B. is the case on the foulard. Compared to conventional technology using the foulard, the MA method mentioned leads to considerable energy savings or permits an increased capacity of the drying units. In addition, in the case of reagents that crosslink cellulose in particular, there is a surprising, increased effect. With constant amounts of finishing agent used, expressed as the 100% active amount per unit area (or space unit) of textile goods, better finishing effects are achieved, or unchanged finishing effects result in improved abrasion resistance and a substantial saving in finishing agent.

Compared to the recently propagated spraying and foam application methods, the MA process is characterized by the particular simplicity of the devices, the very uniform application and the high working speeds. In foam application processes, foam stability, foam composition and the regulation of the application also pose major procedural problems.

Detailed descriptions and assessments of the MA process and the device developed for carrying out the process can be found in the basic CH-PS-530 233 and 535 074 and in Textilveredl., 10 (1975), pp. 15-20.

The MA process is particularly suitable for the continuous, homogeneous finishing of cellulose-containing material webs, i.e. Those that consist entirely or predominantly of cellulose fibers by means of reactive finishing agents. First and foremost, the process for applying reactant resins with subsequent condensation to dry or practically dry textiles has been developed and developed. Any other liquors containing reactive substances for cellulose can of course also be applied continuously and in a controlled manner in the manner indicated.

Object and description of the invention

In the course of years of carrying out the process and designing the appropriate machines, there has been a need for further development, especially for special tasks.

The MA devices allow smooth processing of smooth textile webs. If there are wrinkles and other folds, e.g. B. lay folds, there are non-uniformities in the application of the fleet, which hardly have a disadvantageous effect on the bioss high finishing, because they are invisible and only cover small areas. Things are different if the fleet contains optical components such as brighteners or dyes. The appearance is impaired in this case, this impairment being exacerbated by the non-uniformity of a simultaneous high-level finishing.

The invention seeks to remedy this; the device to be developed should be such that any desired fleet order, be it a minimum order or not, can be carried out continuously, regulated and uniformly on any receptive web materials without unevenness of the web also leading to unevenness of the fleet order. Such bumps are folds, knots, seams, nubs, etc.

In the MA process, for example, it was further observed that a textile web used in accordance with the process, in particular made of very light fabrics, begins to flutter at very high working speeds, with nonuniformities in the application of the liquor likewise being the result. It should be noted that these are speeds that were not originally intended and that are significantly above 100 m / min. The device to be created according to the invention is also intended to solve this problem.

Another difficulty with certain applications of the MA process is the behavior of knitted fabrics. Since in the MA process the textile web is pulled through the machine (this is the case with most textile machines) and has to be passed over an application roller, the textile web usually leading the roller surface, a certain tension is necessarily built up in the goods on the order of magnitude of 200 N with a 2 m wide fabric web. At This tensile tension leads to knitting of the web edges; the web normally consists of a cut hose. But this behavior is also evident in flat knitted fabrics. An increase in the tensile stress results in an even stronger curling of the web edges. It was therefore desirable, when using knitted fabrics as textile goods, to pull them smoothly and only with very slight longitudinal and transverse tension over the application roller. There were no models for solving this problem, especially as it was further exacerbated that knitted fabrics probably absorbed a lot more liquor than a fabric with a comparable basis weight because of the cavities in them.

The objects of the invention could only be achieved by a combination of measures which had to be found independently of one another.

First of all, it should be pointed out that a padder-like application device cannot be considered, since the paddle has only extremely limited control options. A change in the order quantity is practically only possible via the liquor concentration, which is cumbersome and requires a lot of material and energy.

To solve the problems according to the invention, an attempt was first made to introduce a bound goods guide for the textile goods, in that a steel roller 6 relieved by counterweight 9 or springs is arranged a few angular degrees (angle β) in front of the normal run-up line of a textile web 4 on an application roller 1 and above it, such as it shows Fig. 1 schematically. This shows in section the application roller 1, which rotates in the trough 3 filled with liquor 2 and which is coated with a hydrophilic rubber layer, so that a uniform film of finishing liquor can form on its surface, which until it is removed by the textile material remains. The rubber layer is indicated by dashed lines and labeled 1a. The textile web 4 is pulled over a deflection roller 5 over the application roller 1. The steel joining roller 6, which rotates in an arm 7 pivotable about the point 8, presses onto the textile web 4 with little force. The counterweight 9 and its lever arm are chosen so that an optimal relief of the guide roller 6 is achieved. The line of contact of the guide roller 6 with the application roller 1 - the axes of both rollers are parallel - is set up so that it lies at an angle β of a few degrees from the normal line of contact 10 which the web 4 'would form with the application roller 1 if the guide roller 6 would not be present.

The term "bound goods management" just used is borrowed from the technique of mercerization, where it is often used. He wants to express that the goods run free, but are "supported" when they are handed over to another machine element, usually another roller.

However, the expression does not mean that the goods are opened to the fleet that is brought up, because a tangential introduction of the web into the nip of two rollers can also be described as bound goods guidance.

“Application roller” is understood to mean an application roller which, in contrast to the so-called platen roller, is not coupled to the material web running over it and to be provided with liquor in the sense of an equal speed of material web and roller surface. This means that the application roller generally has a surface speed that is independent of the material speed and adjustable. The application roller serves as an actuator in a regulating or control arrangement.

Unfortunately, the arrangement just described could not satisfactorily solve the problems at hand, particularly as regards high working speeds and the processing of knitted fabrics. The partially relieved counter roller causes the textile web to be raised in places over the entire width of the application roller, so that the solution described was unsatisfactory. Good results were only achieved with wrinkle-containing textile webs, where it was possible to obtain a uniform application of finishing fleets, which could not be achieved without the guide roller, if one does not lift the web.

It was then attempted to arrange the counter roll with a fixed nip, assuming that it must be possible to compensate for folds present in the material between the application roll and the counter roll and to ideally spread the web.

Unfortunately, corresponding attempts did not lead to the goal, since on the one hand a stationary counter-roller made of steel intensified the braking of the material web, which strokes the rubber surface of the application roller, on this rubber roller in an impermissible manner, so that excessive tensile stresses can build up in the material web. On the other hand, the - relatively hard - rubber application roller is also not able to swallow seams in the material being fed (i.e. twice the material thickness).

Finally, the rubber application roller is mechanically easily vulnerable, so that the liquor film is not perfect. Cleaning the rubber application roller is very difficult because of its microporosity.

According to the invention, an application roller with a metal surface, preferably with a specific, defined surface quality, and a counter roller with a flexible, non-slip surface, which can accommodate unevenness of the web, are arranged at a fixed but adjustable distance axially parallel to the application roller. This design of the device is unexpected because the wettability of metals by the aqueous liquors of the material treatment is generally inadequate.

As such, it is not too difficult to create a coherent, uniform film of water on a metal surface; this is achieved e.g. B. by cleaning the metal and adding a surfactant to the water. In the present case, however, they are predefined fleets, which mostly contain components which counteract film formation, but which cannot be dispensed with. Furthermore, the composition of the fleet may take into account the required treatment effects only be changed very carefully; in particular, the undisclosed addition of highly effective wetting agents, which improve film formation but generally have a high foaming effect and thus make it impossible to produce thin, uniform and bubble-free films on the application roller.

A new class of treatment fleets has now been developed, which is the subject of a further patent claim. The aqueous liquors usually contain special surfactants; they are characterized in that they meet the film formation test described below. The inventive aspect is to be seen in connection with certain fleet properties with the fact that an application roller with a metal surface is used; Existing fleets can also be used if they meet the film formation test.

The application roller consists of such a metal, at least on its surface, which takes on a very smooth surface structure after some time when the process is carried out due to the polishing action of the textile material. A preferred material is stainless steel; For example, the roller surface is band-ground to roughness class N5 according to VSM 10230/31.

The counter roll must be arranged in such a way that the material web in the nip or shortly before it comes into contact with the liquor film, i.e. that the web is open to the liquor and is at the same time in bound guidance, i.e. is supported by the backing roller at the rear.

It has now surprisingly been found that when the device according to the invention is operated, thanks to the resilience - generally rubber elasticity - of the counter-roller, the nip between this counter-roller and the application roller can be set smaller than the average thickness of the web. It could not be expected that the material web would not be exposed to undue tension and warping at high working speeds and with the lead normally used compared to the application roller. It was even expected that the web would tear.

In fact, you can change the thickness of the nip within the limits given below and thereby also adjust the braking of the web.

The thickness of the nip is less than the average thickness of the material web; this means that the counter roll is mostly flattened in the nip, at least when the web is not or not sufficiently compressible. The thickness of the nip is preferably 60 to 80% of the average thickness of the web. This average thickness is determined according to SNV 98411 (corresponds to DIN 53855 and ASTM D 1777-64).

The counter roll has a resilient surface. In particular, this consists of a thick coating of nitrile rubber with a Shore hardness of approximately 35. Softer qualities can also be used.

The counter roller can also be a brush roller with bristles placed very densely, a sponge rubber or plastic foam roller, a felt, velvet roller, a cup roller, a suction roller, etc. It is important that the surface is non-slip against the material web.

The fixed distance between the counter roller and the application roller can be set manually or by means of electromechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic means. A simultaneous display of the thickness of the roll gap is advantageous. Since it happens relatively often that the thickness of the web material, apart from individual unevenness, which are absorbed by the counter-roller, changes in accordance with the passage of the web, it is convenient to provide an automatic adjustment of the nip. This is all the more easily possible since the basis weight of the web is measured anyway before the treatment liquor is applied; normally you will combine this measuring device with a thickness measuring device or set up and evaluate a function of the thickness depending on the weight per unit area. A target value can then be specified for the thickness of the roll gap (for example 75% of the web thickness), which is then maintained by a motor by means of control devices known per se.

At least two doctor blades are expediently applied to the application roller. The first doctor blade lies on the surface area between the discharge point of the material web and the immersion in the liquor and serves to remove dirt and any remaining film. The doctor blade is discarded or returned to the fleet after cleaning. The second squeegee lies below the liquid level in the liquor trough and is used to remove residual foam bubbles and to control the flow of the liquor on the surface of the roll.

Since the counter roller is now no longer resiliently suspended, the guide roller 5 can be dispensed with compared to the device that was originally tried out (FIG. 1). The counter roll can be free-running or driven. The counter roll should be driven for thin, light web and knitted fabrics as well as at high working speeds.

Without being bound or restricted in any way, the patent proprietor assumes that the following phases occur during the implementation of the method, which are shown schematically in FIGS. 3a to 3c:

1.- Phase I (Fig. 3 a)

The porous web 4 runs over the rubber counter-roller 6, is brought into a convex configuration and is opened towards the liquor film F, which is brought up by the application roller 1. At the moment of contact, the fleet film F can better enter its open cavities H. As a result of the high speeds and the described relative speed between the application roller and the material web, the film is broken up into droplets, which improves its absorption.

2.- Phase 11 (Fig. 3 b)

The liquor-containing web 4 is both in the nip of the rolls 1 and 6 with elastic deformation Counter roll 6 and the web 4 compressed. The previous opening of material is reversed and the web is redirected to a slightly concave configuration. This creates all of the mechanical and physical requirements so that the fleet can be evenly distributed in the material web. Due to the pressure on the material, the liquid contained therein is brought into intensive contact with the material structure. There is also a slight opening of the web to the rear, which exerts a suction effect on the fleet.

The fact that low-foaming liquors are used that do not introduce an air cushion into the material contributes to the success.

3.- Phase 111 (Fig. 3c)

In this third phase, in which the web 4 still remains in contact with the application roller 1, the absorption and distribution of the liquor can be completed, insofar as this is necessary because the compression of the web is released. This further contact can be expressed as the center angle (eg a ₁ , FIG. 2) of the application roller, in the form of a length (circumferential distance) or as a dwell time. The latter value is particularly meaningful since the distribution of the fleet is a time function. The contact angle is chosen to be approximately 2 to 15 °, corresponding to a length of approx. 6 to 40 cm on the roll surface and a dwell time of 0.02 to 0.2 sec. At low web speeds, the liquor has time, completely beforehand from the roll 1 pass into the web 4, and you can lift the web directly without further contact with the roller 1 (arrow in Fig. 3c). The size of the contact angle can be used to regulate the web braking.

The liquor absorption by the web depends on the ratio of the affinities of the liquor to the material web 4 and the surface of the application roller 1. The normally remaining film boundary layer of the liquor is reduced if, as is usually the case according to the invention, the web moves faster than the surface of the application roller 1. This relative movement also achieves continuous cleaning and smoothing of the application roller.

A particular problem is the application of treatment liquor according to the MA process for knitted fabrics. It is known that, due to the special, open structure of this textile product, difficulties arise during transport through treatment machines. When a tensile stress acting in the longitudinal direction is applied, the goods contract in the transverse direction. The fabric edges have a very strong tendency to curl up, with curl angles of over 360 ° being observed, in particular when the tubular knitted fabric is cut open.

According to another invention, the treatment in the described device is possible, also at high working speeds, provided that the knitted fabric web is acted upon at its edges on the counter-roller itself with flowing air which is inflated from suitably shaped air nozzles. Before that, in particular before passing through the first device for weight per unit area, the material web is expediently guided over a slatted roller which serves for centering and spreading; the path between the basis weight measuring device and the counter roller runs through a flat, new air stripper. Further preferred facilities will be described below.

The use of a metal, for example steel, application roller developed according to the invention opens up new, expedient possibilities for improving the method. Such rollers are normally built as hollow rollers for the purpose of saving weight, and when using a hollow shaft, it is very easy to thermostate the roller by passing an appropriately tempered flow medium, whereby the film quality, the liquor concentration and other liquor properties including the evaporation rate can be precisely controlled. Of course, this was not possible with the application roller previously used, which had a poor thermal conductivity and was usually provided with a thick rubber coating. Only by using a metal roller with a very smooth, non-porous surface as an application roller is a compression of the web material possible because the surface friction with the web is acceptably low given the speed difference between the web and the roller surface. Finally, such a roller can be easily cleaned and kept clean.

The invention further relates to a method for operating the device for applying treatment agent to a liquid-absorbent web. This subject of the invention is defined in independent claim 15. The web material is fed in and out and transported through the machine in a manner known per se.

The method according to the invention, which is defined in claim 15, is not limited to the application of reactive finishing agents to cellulose-containing textile goods. It can be used to apply any, even non-aqueous, liquors of any composition to any absorbent and flexible web material, for the purpose of homogeneous distribution or more or less one-sided treatment. The web material does not need to be hydrophilic, but must be capable of absorbing liquids. The fleets only have to pass the film test defined below and should generally also pass the foam test also listed.

As absorbent and flexible sheet-like materials, textile webs are initially considered, that is to say fabrics, knitted fabrics and non-wovens made from the known textile fibers, for example native and regenerated cellulose, wool, synthetic fibers such as polyester, polyolefins, polyacrylic fibers, polyvinyl chloride, polyamides, glass and asbestos and other mineral fibers such as rock and slag wool. It can also be natural or synthetic paper and thin cardboard. Flocks also come in parallel running yarns (e.g. warp threads) that can touch one another laterally and possibly also have two or more layers. The material can also be damp, but must not be so wet that the liquor is squeezed out in the nip.

The application to the fleet generally leads to a homogeneous distribution in the web material. In the normal case for which the MA process was originally developed, a one-sided applied liquor forms a homogeneous liquor distribution that penetrates the substrate. The invention is not restricted to this effect.

Another very interesting possibility to use the new device is the wet-on-wet technique or the controlled addition order. This technology saves one drying stage. It is assumed that the web is still moist, such as that which leaves a foulard after dyeing, and is provided with small, controlled amounts of another liquor in the device according to the invention. To do this, you can either apply a constant amount, e.g. B. 10 g / m ² or 20 g / m ² , or add the "missing end" up to a certain target value for the total fleet, ie dyeing liquor and second liquor.

This technique is used in particular for dyeings, for example reactive dyeings, where the dyes and the fixing agents are applied in succession or where different dyeing liquors are to be applied in succession. But also for other combinations, e.g. B. dyeing / hydrophobizing, this addition order can be used with advantage.

Sometimes migration of applied substances in the web material is desirable, e.g. B. Disperse dye in polyester fabrics. In these cases, the apparatus according to the invention can be used to apply so much liquor that the optimum value of the migration is obtained during the subsequent drying, and therefore dyed fabrics are obtained in a particularly indifferent and inexpensive manner. This technique is referred to by the applicant as a "controlled high order".

Significant advantages of the new device and the method compared to foulard and padding result from the better possibility of regulating the job - which is almost completely absent from the foulard -, the consistency of the job across the width of the web as a result of the absence of rolls prone to bending and the lack of changes to the fleet.

In order to change the techniques, processes and methods described, it may also be desirable in some cases to receive an irregular application, for example in the case of crepe formation in the web material or an effect dyeing. According to a further invention, these effects are achieved by disturbing the film guided on the application roller. The disorder should preferably be random, i.e. without recognizable uniformity. This can be achieved by means of a squeegee which is moved back and forth by means of a motor on the fleet film of the application roller at an uncontrolled variable speed or by means of impulses, by irregular blowing on the film etc.

Embodiments according to the drawing

Individual embodiments of the devices according to the invention will now be illustrated in more detail with reference to the drawings. The operating procedure is also explained in detail.

• Fig. 1 eine Schemaskizze der Applikationsvorrichtung, mit der erste Versuche unternommen wurden, im Schnitt,
• Fig. 2 in gleicher Darstellung wie Fig. 1 ein Auftragswerk gemäß Erfindung in einer Arbeitsstellung,
• Fig. 3a bis 3c einzelne Phasen des Flottenauftrags gemäß Erfindung,
• Fig. 4 die wichtigsten Teile einer vollständigen Vorrichtung gemäß Erfindung, schematisch und im Schnitt,
• Fig. 5 einen Längs schnitt durch die verwendete Applikationswalze,
• Fig. 6 in analoger Darstellung zu Fig. 4 das Mittelteil einer Vorrichtung zum doppelten Auftrag von Behandlungsflotte,
• Fig. 7 eine zum Flottenauftrag auf Maschenware angepasste Vorrichtung,
• Fig. 8 schematisch die Halterung der Gegenwalze und
• Fig. 9 schematisch eine Ausführungsform mit Bogenwalzen.

In the drawing:

• 1 is a schematic sketch of the application device with which the first attempts were made, in section,
• 2 in the same representation as FIG. 1, an application work according to the invention in a working position,
• 3a to 3c individual phases of the fleet order according to the invention,
• 4 shows the most important parts of a complete device according to the invention, schematically and in section,
• 5 shows a longitudinal section through the application roller used,
• 6, in an analogous representation to FIG. 4, the middle part of a device for the double application of treatment liquor,
• 7 shows a device adapted for the application of liquor to knitted fabrics,
• Fig. 8 shows schematically the holder of the counter roll and
• Fig. 9 shows schematically an embodiment with curved rollers.

In the drawings, the same or equivalent elements have the same reference numerals.

In one embodiment of the method according to the invention one works on several drying devices. Since the amount of liquor introduced into the web material is very small and essentially only fills the micropores of the substrate, there is no danger of the formation of liquor sacks when the chewing lumps are left to stand, as is observed with padded goods. In general, therefore, provision is made for intermediate rolling up and subsequent drying in suitably selected and set dryers if the current drying capacity is exceeded. In addition, the device according to the invention can currently work at working speeds of 170 m / min and more, which the dryers cannot always follow despite the small amounts of water to be evaporated. The device should normally work on at least two dryers.

1 has already been discussed above and is therefore not to be repeated here.

Fig. 2 shows the basic structure of the application device of the new machine. The application roller 1 rotates in the trough 3, which contains the treatment liquor 2. The roller 1 is made of steel (see below in connection with Fig. 5); The foam scraper blade 14, which additionally serves to calm the flow in the trough, is pressed against it below the fleet level. It frees the application roller from air bubbles that can stick to its surface when immersed in the fleet.

In order to avoid injury to the application roller and to remove the air bubbles without flow, a new type of doctor blade was found. The squeegee consists of a rubber or plastic strip with a Y-profile, the arms of which are thickened at the ends and the vertical web is clamped in a metal rail. This is now approached to the roller so far that the Y-arms put on and spread. This ensures that the doctor blade functions effectively and metal damage to the roller is reliably avoided.

A second doctor blade 16 on the discharge side of the application roller removes any liquor residues and dirt particles that come from the atmosphere or from the treated substrate. This excess liquor can be returned to the trough after cleaning.

If the material web is narrower than the application roller, which is usually the case, a side doctor blade (not shown) is provided on both sides of the material web, which keeps the free edges of the application roller free of liquor. These doctor blades are expediently designed to be automatically laterally displaceable, which can be achieved by optical sensors (not shown) and corresponding servo devices so that they follow the lateral displacements of the material web.

The counter roller 6, which carries the soft rubber jacket 6a (approx. 35 shore) or consists entirely of soft rubber, is mounted in the rocker 7, which can be pivoted about the axis 17. The gap S between the application roller and the counter-roller can be adjusted using adjusting means, which are symbolized by the arrows 18.

The incoming material web 4 first wraps around the counter-roller 6 and comes along the surface line 19, which, seen in the web running direction, lies in front of the connecting plane E of the axes of the two rollers 1 and 6, in first contact with the liquor film and the application roller; the surface of the application roller is left again in the surface line 19a. The distance between the two surface lines 19 and 19a represents the wrapping of the application roller; this distance is about 6 to 40 cm corresponding to an angle a ₁ of 2 to 15 ° depending on the roller diameter; the residence time should be 0.02 to 0.2 sec, generally approx. 0.1 sec. The distance depends mainly on the permissible braking of the material web through the surface of the application roller 1. The roller 1 is driven in a rotationally locking manner, ie it is braked if necessary and rotates at a constant, albeit controllable speed, usually with a lower surface speed v _o than the transport speed v _{T of} the material web. The two speeds are related to each other by values that are in the range from 1:10 to 1: 0.5 and are usually approx. 1: 2. The value v _T generally ranges from 20 to 200 m / min, depending on the substrate. As mentioned above, the angle a also depends on the absolute value of v _T.

The web 4 wraps around the counter-roller 6 over a part of its circumference which, expressed as a central angle, is 60 to 120 °. Usually the web 4 is fed from above, as shown in Fig. 2, and the said angle is approximately 100 °.

During its rotation, the application roller 1 is first freed of residues by the doctor blade 16 and immersed cleanly in the liquor 2. The submerged squeegee 14 removes any attached bubbles. The roller surface emerging from the liquor 2 carries a uniform liquor film, the thickness of which depends on the roller speed, the composition of the liquor and its (temperature-dependent) toughness and surface tension. The doctor blade 16 is directed against the running direction of the roller 1:

There are now several options available for changing and adjusting the braking effect that the web material experiences on the application roller and that manifests itself as a change in the tension in the web. A first possibility is to remove the web at an angle that rises to the horizontal (eg web 4 "in FIG. 2), ie to reduce the angle a _t , if necessary, to almost zero. However, there is no danger of this complete removal of the film from the application roller, as already mentioned above Another possibility is the partial lifting of the counter roller from the application roller in order to increase the gap width S within the permissible limits, this option being preferred because of its technically simpler feasibility and better suitability for automation .

It should be noted that the roll gap S should generally not be more than about 80% of the average material thickness of the web, because otherwise the condition of bound goods guidance when the first contact with the liquor film is no longer guaranteed. The setting of the nip S is done with known, not shown here, z. B. an eccentric, the control knob is preferably provided with a scale on which the size of the nip can be read immediately.

3a to 3c have already been discussed above.

Fig. 4 now, also schematically, shows in side view a device complete down to the details according to the teaching of the invention.

The machine consists of three main parts, namely the feed group 20, the order group 21 and the winding group 22.

The web material, for example a textile fabric, is unwound from a supply roll, not shown. The material 4 initially runs in the direction of the arrow between or over a number of semi-circularly arranged calming rollers 24, on which existing material tensions equalize, the goods are spread out and indented folds smooth out. The web follows the feed group 20 in the frame 20a below and then passes the web guide and centering device 26, which is laterally displaceable and in which the web is constantly regulated in its lateral guidance in such a way that its edge always ends up on the same circular line of the application roller. The regulation comes about in a manner known per se that the web goods by sensors, not shown, for. B. light barriers, monitored and the deviation signal is given to the control drive of the guide device, not shown. The guide device is used as such. B. manufactured by the company Erhardt & Leimer KG in Augsburg (BR Germany).

After passing through deflection rollers 28, the material web arrives in the nip of the conveying device 30 which, together with the winding to be described later, ensures that the tension in the web is always constant in the fleet application. The actuator of the control loop is the unloaded feeler roller 32, via which the web 4 is guided after leaving the conveying device 30. It then touches a directional roller 34 and then penetrates the free space between the transmitter and receiver of the non-contact basis weight measuring group 36. Such measuring groups have been known for quite a long time and therefore do not need to be described in more detail; they work on the basis of radiation absorption. The basis weight of the untreated web is determined in the measuring group 36.

The web 4 now arrives at the counter roller 6, which has already been described in detail above. Therefore details of this roller and the rest of the application device are not shown.

The material web which has smeared and picked up the film of the treatment liquor offered by the application roller 1 is deflected vertically upwards by a first deflection roller 38 and by two further deflection rollers 38 ', 38 "in the direction of the winding-up group 22. On its way vertically upwards the material web containing the treatment liquor passes the second basis weight measuring group 40, which works exactly like the first measuring group 36 and together with it generates a quotient or difference signal which serves to control the amount of liquor applied in a known manner, which is not part of the invention; it becomes Please refer to DT-OS-2 114 517, page 16. Usually the speed of the application roller is changed under otherwise the same conditions.

The winding group 22 consists of a very schematically indicated, winding roll 41 and a guide arm 42 which is articulated on the machine stand 22a and acts on the roll roll 41 to be formed from above. A guide roller 44 and a storage roller 46 run in the guide arm 42, which is provided twice, and is driven in the direction of the arrow by a winding motor (not shown) at a constant and controllable speed. The web 4 wraps around the roller 46 to at least 180 ° and forms the roll 41 by laying it down. As the diameter of this roll increases, the pair of arms 42 moves upward. The arrangement described has the advantage that the tension in the web 4 is always the same and that a very uniform winding 41 is formed.

Finished rolls 41 are suspended and fed to the dryer. Automatic changers, which are known to the person skilled in the art, are used to change the winding. They are not shown; their description can be omitted.

The winding of the moist web of material loaded with the treatment liquor described has the advantage that the subsequent drying can be carried out at any speeds adapted to the dryer or the tenter; in the event of a malfunction in the dryer, the liquor application can still continue and vice versa.

5 shows a longitudinal section of an application roller 1 used with advantage. This initially has an inner hollow cylinder 100, which is connected in both end regions to hollow stub axles 103 via two annular disks 101, 102. Above the inner cylinder 100 is the outer cylinder 104 made of special steel, which is shrunk on and has a wall thickness of, for example, 3 to 5 mm. At the end faces, the outer cylinder 104 is connected to the stub shaft by welding by means of a cover plate 104, which lies on the outside of the respective outer ring plate 102. The outer surface of the outer cylinder 104 is ground to a roughness N5 of VSM 10230/31. 5, the outer cylinder 104 projects beyond the inner cylinder 100 and the cover plates 105 on both sides, for example by 12 to 15 mm each. This avoids that at medium and high roller speeds, liquor from the trough reaches the cylinder jacket via the disks 105 or is thrown off from the end faces or at least forms beads from excess liquor. This construction is preferred according to the invention.

Heating or cooling flow medium can be supplied and discharged through the hollow shafts 103. It is also possible to heat the roller electrically or with gas. The same applies to the fleet in the trough, i.e. the latter or the supply or circulation lines of the fleet, intermediate containers, etc. can be used as energy transmitters to regulate the fleet temperature.

Typical dimensions of these application rollers are almost any length and 150 to 350 mm in diameter.

Fig. 6 shows schematically in section a system according to the invention for the double-sided application of treatment liquors, which can be identical or different; only the order group is shown (see FIG. 4).

The machine has two application devices according to the invention in the frame 21. The material web 4 enters the machine at the bottom and is deflected three times by three rollers 28. These rollers 28 can be free-running or driven. The goods pass the first non-contact basis weight measuring group 36, which measures the weight of the dry, untreated goods. Now follows the first application device with liquor trough 3, application roller 1, counter roller 6 and deflection roller 38, with the corresponding device 4 is identical in mirror image; the detailed description given there should not be repeated here. The web now passes through the second non-contact measuring group 40; the quotient signal of the measuring groups 40 and 36 is a measure of the amount of liquor applied. The material web is fed to the second application group via two further deflecting rollers 38 'and 38 ", which, as can be seen, acts on the other side of the material web and in turn consists of liquor trough 3', application roller 1 ', counter roller 6' and deflecting roller 38 '". The web 4, which is now acted upon on both sides, leaves the machine at the top and can be deflected and wound up as desired. Before that, it passes through the third non-contact basis weight measuring group 48; the second or the entire fleet order can be determined by forming the quotient of the measured values with that of the measuring groups 40 and / or 36. In a manner known per se, the measurement signals serve to control the drives of the rollers 1 and 1 ′ for the purpose of regulating the application quantities.

An interesting application of the system according to the invention for the sequential application of two different liquors is the dyeing of piece goods made of cellulose fibers with reactive dyes by the block-dwell process. In the first application device, for example, the dye solution or dispersion, which contains the reactive dye and, if appropriate, conventional additives such as urea and wetting agent, but does not contain any alkali or alkali donor, is applied in an amount of 30-50%, based on the weight per unit area of the dry fabric. The alkali-free application with controlled application ensures stable treatment liquors and allows a constant dye application, even with very substantive systems, without edge or end drain. Without intermediate drying, the alkali required for dye fixation, if necessary together with salts and surfactants, is then applied in liquor quantities of 15 - 30% based on the basis weight of the dry fabric, the setting of the alkali concentration can be taken into account regardless of the The stability of the dye liquor can be adjusted so that maximum dye fixation is possible. Since the total amount of liquor applied by the two application devices remains below the values which result from conventional padding with an alkali-containing liquor, the best conditions result for optimal dye fixation. In addition, you usually get by with less dye. The residence stage and the subsequent washing are carried out in a manner known per se.

example 1

• Fabric: cotton poplin, 110 / m ² , normally pretreated, bleached and mercerized.
• Fleet 1: 35 g / l "Remazolblau" 3R (Hoechst) 2 g / l "Leophen" LG (BASF) 80 g / l urea
• Order: 40%
• Liquor 2: 30 g / 1 caustic soda 80 g / l sodium sulfate 2 g / l "Leophen" LG
• Order: 20%

After the liquor applications (as described above), the fabric is rolled up and wrapped in plastic film, held in a manner known per se for 16 hours at room temperature and then rinsed, acidified, soaped, rinsed again and dried.

You get a very uniform color drop across the width and length.

Fig. 7 shows schematically in section a machine for fleet application on very sensitive or delicate web materials such as tissue paper, but especially knitwear. A persistent curling of the web edges occurs with this material. In addition, significant tensile forces lead to the retraction of the web and non-uniformity of the forces to oblique warping.

The goods to be treated are wound on the supply roll 50, which is provided with a regulated center drive (not shown). Via a driven deflection roller 52, the web 4 passes under a dancer roller 54 and a group of small, curved guide rollers 56 into a plate air stripper 58. The dancer roller 54 generates a signal for controlling the (not shown) goods output on the roll 50. The air stripper 58 acts on both sides and directed air inflation on the knitted fabric web 4 such that it emerges smoothly, wrinkle-free and with only a few rolled edges from the stripper 58. This stripper can be angularly adjusted with the help of the swiveling support 60.

Now the knitted fabric web is fed to a slatted roller 62 which is driven and on which centering and further spreading of the fabric web is achieved. The slatted roller 62 and the air stripper 58 are known, commercially available products from Erhardt & Leimer KG. Augsburg, Federal Republic of Germany. The construction and mode of operation of these devices are known to the person skilled in the art or accessible.

Via a guide roller 64, which is arranged free-running, the centered web first reaches the counter roller 6, which is driven, through a device 65 for contactless basis weight measurement and then through a second air stripper 66, which is designed like the first stripper 58. It has been observed that there is still a residual tendency for the edges to curl in the web. In order to eliminate this residual tendency, according to a special embodiment of the invention, air is inflated by means of separate edge roll-out nozzles 68, which are located at the ends of air channels 67 and act on both sides of the web on their edge region, shortly before entering the nip S , and it was found that a completely smooth emergence of the web onto the application roller 1 is ensured by these measures. The fleet trough is again designated with 3.

After the liquor has been applied to the material web, it is passed through the second device 70 for contactless basis weight measurement and then fed to the rewinder. The required deflection rollers 38 and 38 "are also driven.

The winding of the damp, impregnated knitwear is advantageously carried out according to the principle of bound goods management. The winding tube 72 is provided with a center drive, not shown, which can be controlled as a function of the output signal of an encoder, not shown. A counter-roller 78 is pressed against this sleeve 72 with the aid of a hydraulic or pneumatic drive 74 via an articulated arm 76, which roller guides the web 4 in the manner shown at the moment of rolling up.

Due to the special measures described, the even fleet order, e.g. B. small order, on delicate material, especially knitwear, with high working speeds, namely up to 200 m / min, which was previously considered absolutely impossible.

The devices shown can additionally contain the known cord rollers for smoothing the web and for spreading wrinkles.

Fig. 8 shows schematically the extremely preferred assembly of the counter roller 6. This assembly allows a precise and identical setting of the roller gap S and a parallel guided rapid lifting of the counter roller, for example when approaching a strong thickening in the web. This can prevent tears.

This suspension of the counter-roller 6 consists first of all in a bearing block 80 located on both sides of the roller, in which the axis 82 of the roller 6 is mounted and which can move vertically between two guide blocks 81. The displacement is guided by a piston rod 83, which is connected to a piston 85 movable in a cylinder 84. In the cylinder 84, a line 86 opens below and another line 87 above the piston 85. A throttle valve 88 can be installed in the line 87, which brakes the flow medium.

The cylinder 84 is articulated on a two-armed lever 89, the other end 90 of which is provided with a bore with an internal thread. A threaded spindle 91 engages therein, which carries an adjusting washer 93 outside its bearing housing 92. The threaded spindle 91 can be connected to a servo drive, not shown.

When the device is operating, line 86 is depressurized and there is pneumatic (or hydraulic) pressure in line 87. As a result, the piston 85 is pressed against the inner projection 94 of the lower end face of the cylinder. The exact thickness of the nip S is now set by turning the adjusting disk 93 accordingly (with scale division) and always remains the same.

The pressure prevailing in cylinder 84 acts like a spring; the roller 6 can thus deflect upwards if it is necessary before a web of material breaks. In order to quickly lift the roller 6 off the application roller 1, pressure is applied to the line 86 and the line 87 is vented, and the piston 85 and the roller 6 go up immediately, but in a movement damped by the throttle 88. After lowering again, the previously selected value 5 for the thickness of the roll gap is restored.

Fig. 9 shows schematically a further preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, which is particularly well suited for use with very wrinkled material with stubborn folds.

The material web 4 is guided essentially from above onto a group of sheet rollers 98, 98a, 99. The sheet rollers 98 and 98a are used to initially smooth the material and in some cases are unnecessary. It is important that the counter roller 99 is designed as an arc roller.

Sheet rolling, i.e. curved spreader rolls are known per se (cf. M. Peter, Fundamentals of Textile Finishing, 10th Edition, 1970, p. 48) and are described e.g. B. supplied by Stove-Woodward Inc., (Mass., U.S.A.). They represent a curved cylinder. Preference is given to those arc rolls whose curvature is adjustable (by pressure on the axis).

As can be seen from FIG. 9, the curved rollers 98, 98a and 99 are adjusted with their curvature in such directions R that the material web is spread out (and not drawn in). The last (or only) sheet roller 99 is provided with the features of the counter roller defined and described above. Because the axis of the roller 99 does not run parallel everywhere with the axis of the application roller 1, a roller gap between the rollers 99 and 1 cannot be precisely defined. However, such an approach is approximately achieved and the desired bound product guidance is sufficiently achieved in practice by gradually approaching the roller 99 during the operation of the roller 1 and also selecting the direction R as parallel as possible to the tangent to the roller 1 in the roller gap.

The device shown in Fig. 9 allows a uniform application of liquor on web material with very permanent folds, which are smoothed at the moment of the application of the liquor.

• Bügelfreiausrüstung,
• Schrumpffestmachen,
• Versteifen,
• Färben, insbesondere
• Pigmentfärben,
• Reaktivfärben
• Weichmachen,
• Hydrophobmachen,
• Wassertropfenfestmachen,
• Verrottungsfestmachen,
• Schmutzabweisendmachen,
• Oleophobmachen,
• Knitterfestausrüstung,
• Glanzausrüstung (Chintz),
• Flammfestausrüstung,
• Antistatischausrüsten,
• Filzfreimachen,
• Mottenechtausrüstung,
• Karbonisieren,
• Dekatieren,
• Effektausrüsten;
• 2. Papier
• Färben, besonders in lichten Tönen,
• Flammfestmachen,
• Hydrophobausrüsten,
• Oleophobmachen.

The device according to the invention allows, for example, the following finishing processes to be carried out on textile goods, the composition of the required liquors being known to the person skilled in the art.

• Non-iron equipment,
• Mooring,
• Stiffen,
• Dyeing, especially
• Pigment dyeing,
• Reactive dyeing
• To make something soft,
• Making hydrophobic,
• Mooring water drops,
• Mooring rotting,
• Making it dirt-repellent,
• Making oleophobic,
• Crease resistant equipment,
• Glossy equipment (chintz),
• Flame retardant equipment,
• Antistatic equipment,
• Freeing of felt,
• Moth-proof equipment,
• Carbonize,
• Decating,
• Equipping effects;
• 2. Paper
• Dyeing, especially in light tones,
• Flame arresting,
• Hydrophobic equipment,
• Making oleophobic.

The invention will now be further explained by a process example.

Example 2

In the device shown in FIG. 4, a 115 cm wide fabric made of 65% polyester and 35% cotton, weight 105 g / m ² , average thickness approx. 0.21 mm, is highly refined and at the same time brightened optically.

An aqueous liquor of the following composition is used (in g / l):

1) 0.1% aqueous slurry

• - Flottentemperatur: 22° C
• - Filmbildungstest: Note 4 bis 5
• - Schaumzahl: 320 (110, 105, 105)
• - Bahngeschwindigkeit 40 m/min
• - Flottenauflage: 35 Gew.-%, bezogen auf trockenes Gewebe
• - Trocknungsbedingungen: 130°C während 40 sec
• - Kondensation mit Thermosolierung: 170° C/30 sec

The other properties and process conditions were as follows:

• - Fleet temperature: 22 ° C
• - Film formation test: grade 4 to 5
• - Foam number: 320 (110, 105, 105)
• - web speed 40 m / min
• - Fleet overlay: 35% by weight, based on dry tissue
• - Drying conditions: 130 ° C for 40 sec
• - Condensation with thermal insulation: 170 ° C / 30 sec

You get high refinement and optical brightening at the same time.

Comparative experiment 1:

First, a simple application roller with a diameter of 300 mm was used as the application member (cf. DE-PS-2 114 517). The equipment received was stained in the area of the selvedges.

Comparative experiment 2:

In addition to the roller according to test 1, a relieved steel tangential roller (see FIG. 1) with a diameter of 150 mm was used.

A slightly streaked fabric resulted as a result of the non-uniform thickness of the selvedges and the corresponding oscillating movement of the guide roller.

Method according to the invention:

The application roller is a steel roller with a diameter of 300 mm. The counter roll (Fig. 2, Fig. 8) has a diameter of 200 mm and is made of soft rubber of Shore hardness 35A. The nip S is set to 0.15 mm (70% of the average thickness of the fabric).

The equipment obtained is homogeneous and spotless, i.e. uniform.

The objects of the invention described can be varied or modified within the scope of the claimed. So it is z. B. possible to drive or brake the individual guide rollers of the device as required (which is also a drive). The rollers can have a shape different from the cylindrical shape. The rollers 38 can be perforated vacuum rollers for even better fleet distribution or for special cases. If necessary, rollers and other guide elements, measuring devices etc. can be added.

The web of material can be steamed or put under vacuum for better absorption of the liquor (expulsion of air) before and / or after touching the application roller. Other pre-treatment and / or post-treatment of the material web familiar to the person skilled in the art can also be carried out in the course of the method.

The invention can also be used to apply foamed liquors. This represents an alternative method to the liquid liquor application technique described; when using liquid liquors, these must be foam-free, just as, on the other hand, foamed liquors must be free of stray liquid. To apply foam, however, it is necessary to provide the device with a system for producing and transporting semi-stable foams and also to carry out other design changes adapted to this method.

Film formation test

• 1.- Reinigung: Die Applikationswalze wird mit einer Reinigungsflotte abgerieben, die aus einer Lösung von 10 g nichtionogenem schäumendem Tensid in 1 I Isopropanol besteht, und dann so lange mit Wasser gespült, bis das ablaufende Wasser schaumfrei ist und auf die Applikationswalze laufendes Wasser keinen Film mehr bildet.
• 2. - Messung: Man lässt die Applikationswalze mit einer Umfangsgeschwindigkeit von 10 m/min im Trog rotieren, der mit der Untersuchungsflotte beschickt ist. Die Temperatur der Flotte beträgt 22 ± 2°C bzw. Auftragstemperatur. Der Film wird mit Beleuchtung durch eine Leuchtstoffröhre auf der rotierenden Walze visuell beobachtet.
• 3. - Auswertung: Nur solche Untersuchungsflotten bestehen den Test, die auf der Applikationswalze einen zusammenhängenden Film bilden. Die Ergebnisse der Beobachtungen werden im übrigen nach folgender Bewertungsskala mit einer Benotung von 1 bis 5 angegeben (Genauigkeit 0,5 Noten):
  • 1: keine Filmbildung
  • 2: Film mit grossen filmfreien Flecken
  • 3: Film ohne filmfreie Flecken
  • 4: Film mit Schlieren
  • 5: gleichmässiger Film

The film formation is observed on a model application roller with a diameter of approx. 200 mm and a length of approx. 250 mm. The roller has the surface material with the nature as used in the operating device.

• 1.- Cleaning: The application roller is rubbed with a cleaning liquor, which consists of a solution of 10 g non-ionic foaming surfactant in 1 I isopropanol, and then rinsed with water until the water running off is foam-free and no water running on the application roller Film more forms.
• 2. - Measurement: The application roller is rotated at a peripheral speed of 10 m / min in the trough which is loaded with the test liquor. The temperature of the liquor is 22 ± 2 ° C or application temperature. The film is visually observed with illumination through a fluorescent tube on the rotating roller.
• 3. - Evaluation: Only those test fleets that pass a test on the application roller pass the test. The results of the observations are given on the following rating scale with a rating of 1 to 5 (accuracy 0.5 marks):
  • 1: no film formation
  • 2: Film with large film-free spots
  • 3: Film without film-free spots
  • 4: Film with streaks
  • 5: even film

Foaming test

Foam formation must be checked because wetting liquors that pass the film formation test described above tend to foam. However, this must not exceed a certain level.

• 1. - Reinigung: Ein Glas-Mischzylinder, 250 ml, 2-ml-Teilung, Höhe ohne Stopfen 250 mm, Dmr. 40 mm, wird mit Aceton gespült und getrocknet.
• 2. - Messung: In den Mischzylinder werden 100 ml Flotte unter Vermeidung von Schaumbildung gegeben. Der Zylinder wird mit einem Polyäthylenstopfen verschlossen, in der Mitte in eine Stativklemme eingespannt, dann um die Achse des Klemmenstabes maschinell mit 0,5 U/sec gedreht und nach 5 Umdrehungen senkrecht angehalten. Im Augenblick des Anhaltens werden die Höhen an Flotte (flüssig) plus Schaum in ml abgelesen. Eine zweite Ablesung erfolgt nach 15 sec, eine dritte nach 30 sec.
• 3. - Auswertung: Die Schaumzahl wird in ml angegeben, und zwar als Summe der drei Messungen. Nur solche Flotten sind brauchbar, deren Schaumzahl unter 350 bleibt und die Einzelwerte abnehmende Tendenz haben, d.h. der erste Wert muß größer als der dritte Wert sein. Bei der Messung ist die vorgesehene Verwendungstemperatur zu berücksichtigen.

Foam formation is checked by rotating a closed mixing cylinder by machine.

• 1. - Cleaning: A glass mixing cylinder, 250 ml, 2 ml division, height without stopper 250 mm, Dmr. 40 mm, is rinsed with acetone and dried.
• 2. - Measurement: 100 ml of liquor are added to the mixing cylinder while avoiding foaming. The cylinder is closed with a polyethylene plug, clamped in the middle in a tripod clamp, then mechanically rotated around the axis of the clamp rod at 0.5 rpm and stopped vertically after 5 revolutions. At the moment of stopping, the levels of liquor (liquid) plus foam are read in ml. A second reading takes place after 15 seconds, a third after 30 seconds.
• 3. - Evaluation: The foam number is given in ml, namely as the sum of the three measurements. Only those fleets can be used whose foam number remains below 350 and the individual values have a decreasing tendency, ie the first value must be greater than the third value. The intended use temperature must be taken into account during the measurement.

Claims (26)

1. Apparatus for the continuous and uniform application of metered amounts of a treating liquor on a moving, liquid absorptive material web (4), comprising at least one driven applicator roller (1) having a smooth surface; a treating liquor trough (3) wherein said applicator roller is dipping; a material web feeding device and a material web discharge device, the driving means of said applicator roller and of said material web being adapted for producing differential speeds between material web and applicator roller surface; and control means for the obtention of metered and uniformly applicated amounts of treating agent on the material web, characterized by the fact that the applicator roller (1) has a smooth metallic surface, and that a counter-roller (6) having a resilient and anti-skid surface is mounted outside said trough (3) parallel to the axis of the applicator roller in a fixed but adjustable distance to the applicator roller in such a manner that a defined, adjustable nip is formed between the said rollers.

2. Apparatus of claim 1, characterized by the fact that the thickness of the roller nip comprised between 60 % and 80 % of the material web thickness.

3. Apparatus of claim 1, characterized by the fact that the counter-roller (6) and the position where the web is taken off from the applicator roller are arranged relative to one another in such a manner that a contact angle of the material web on the applicator roller in the range of from 2° to 15° is obtained, expressed as a central angle of the applicator roller.

4. Apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that a cleaning ductor blade (16) is applied to the applicator roller on the arc between the take-off position of the material web and the dipping position into the bath, and a foam stripping ductor blade (14) is applied beneath the bath level.

5. Apparatus of claim 4, characterized by the fact that the foam stripping (14) comprises a rubber or plastics strip having a Y-shaped profile whose both arms are reinforced at their ends and whose stem is clamped into a metal rail forming the blade holder and being movable against the applicator wall so that the Y arms firmly contact the roller with spreading.

6. Apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the counter-roller (6) is driven.

7. Apparatus of claim 1, for the processing of knitted fabrics, characterized by a delivery device to unwind the web from the supply roll (50), a compensator roller control (54) of the drawing tension of the web, air spreaders (58) and a lath roller (62) for the flattening, centering and equalizing of the web before its contact with the applicator roller (1), by edge spreadening nozzles (67) to be supplied with air which are directed to the edges of the knitted fabric when running on the counter-roller (6), and by a take-up device with a controlled center drive where the web is wound on in supported condition.

8. Apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the applicator roller (1) is a hollow roller having a hollow shaft (103) for the inlet and the outlet of a temperature controlling fluid medium or for the supply of heating energy such as electricity or gas.

9. Apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that control devices are provided for keeping constant the thickness of the nip between counter-roller (6) and applicator roller (1) selected in function of the thickness of the web material.

10. Apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by two successive application devices adapted for applying liquor to either side of the material web.

11. Apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that each edge portions of the applicator roller is contacted by one ductor blade, the lateral distance between the inner edges of the said ductor blades being adjustable to the width of said material web, and that a follow control to adapt the ductor blade positions to the varying material web edge position is provided.

12. Apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by means for heating the treating liquor.

13. Apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the applicator roller comprises an outer cylinder (104) connected to the roller shaft by circular cover discs (105) but protruding laterally over them at both sides.

14. Apparatus of one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the counter-roller is an arcuated roller (99) upstream of which at least one further arcuated roller is optionally provided, and that the eccentricity of the arcuated roller (98a) or rollers is arranged in such a spatial direction that the material web is transferred free from wrinkles to the applicator roller.

15. Process for running the apparatus according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that the material web is continuously and uniformly impregnated with such amounts of treating liquor that do not exceed the liquor saturation capacity of the material, that the material web is passed over the counter-roller having an elastic and anti-skidding surface, and is then transferred in supported condition on the applicator roller which is rotated in the same direction as the material web and which carries an uniform liquor film.

16. Process of claim 15, characterized by adjusting the roller nip between the counter-roller and the applicator roller in function of the web material thickness, said nip being kept constant by control devices.

17. Process of claim 15 or 16, characterized by the fact that the material web and the surface of the applicator roller have different speeds, and that the retardation force of the material web is controlled by modifying the thickness of the nip between counter-roller and applicator roller.

18. Process of claim 15, 16 or 17, characterized by the fact that the applicator roller is contacted by the material web with a contact angle corresponding to a dwell time of the material on the applicator roller of 0.02 to 0.2 seconds.

19. Process of claims 15 and 18, characterized by the fact that the retardation force of the material web is controlled by modifying the contact angle of the material web on the applicator roller.

20. Process of one or more of claims 15 to 19, characterized by the fact that the amount of liquor applied per unit area on the material web is controlled by varying the rotational speed of the applicator roller.

21. Process of at least one or claims 15 to 20, characterized by the fact that the amount of liquor applied on unit area of the material web is controlled by varying the liquor temperature in cooling or heating the applicator roller constructed as a hollow cylinder.

22. Process of at least one of claims 15 to 21, characterized by the fact that the material web contacts the counter-roller over a contact angle of 60° to 120°, in particular about 100°.

23. Process of at least one of claims 15 to 22, characterized by the fact that further amounts of liquor are applied on an already liquor-containing but not yet saturated material web, said additional liquor representing either a prodetermined value per unit area, or the complement to a determined total weight per unit area.

24. Modification of the process according to claim 15, characterized by the fact that a statistically irregular liquor distribution is provided on the applicator roller surface by randomly disturbing the liquor film on the applicator roller, in order to obtain irregularity effects on the material web.

25. Process of one or more of claims 15 to 24, characterized by the use of a liquor fulfilling the film forming test on smooth steal rollers defined in the specification.

26. Process of claim 25, characterized by the use of a liquor further fulfilling the foaming test described in the specification in such a manner that foaming does not exceed the value of 350, and that the three single values forming said total, have decreasing tendency.

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