EP0523309A1

EP0523309A1 - A method of dry embossing on fabrics while decatizing

Info

Publication number: EP0523309A1
Application number: EP91830319A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Pietro Alberto; Pietro Pozzo
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-07-19
Filing date: 1991-07-19
Publication date: 1993-01-20

Abstract

The method for obtaining special permanent dry embossing effects on fabrics, while decatizing, provides for adding, as a third member wrapped around a roll to be fed into an autoclave, besides the fabric to be processed and the decatizing cloth or supporting process cloth, a further embossed fabric or laminate of a material whatsoever, provided that it is permeable to enable steam to flow therethrough. A "sandwich" assembly is then formed, not necessarily wound up into a roll, for continuous cycle decatizing machines. Advantageously, the fabric to be processed will be soaked with chemicals, of the bisulphite family, which will have to be used in order to get the above mentioned effects in case of a normal non-autoclave, free decatizing.

Description

This invention concerns a method of dry embossing on fabrics while decatizing, preferably in an autoclave. As it is known, an autoclave decatizing process provides certain fabrics (in particular those containing animal or synthetic fibers) with a property of permanence, where permanence means the property of keeping the finish provided (shine, "touch" feeling, look) in such a way that it cannot be modified by subsequent ironing or washing. As it is also known, in general, through addition on the fabric of certain presently known chemicals, like for instance bisulphite based chemicals, one manages to increase and enhance this permanence effect. As it is also known, the autoclave decatizing operation is performed by winding up the fabric to be treated together with a decatizing web of supporting process cloth, in order to form a two-layered wound up roll, i.e. comprising the fabric and the dacatizing cloth. On the other hand, it is known that, while steam is being fed into an autoclave, and air is being evacuated through a vent provided on the inner side of the roll, the wound up fabric is subjected to an intense squashing due to steam pressure acting on the roll, while the latter performs as a filter and causes a high pressure drop between the outer and inner side thereof.
It is an object of this invention to end up with a method which provides special permanent effects of dry embossing, as never provided before, on a fabric processed by decatizing, in particular in an autoclave.
The method of this invention is characterized in that the fabric to be processed is associated, during the decatizing operation, in addition to the usual supporting process cloth, to an embossed cloth comprised of a steam permeable fabric or laminate having a relief pattern, whereby the fabric results to be compressed and squeezed like a sandwich between the supporting decatizing cloth and said relief cloth.
In the case of autoclave decatizing, the roll will be formed by winding, at each turn, the three layers of material, as mentioned above.
In a case of non-autoclave, free decatizing, the fabric to be processed will be necessarily impregnated with known chemicals, suitable for this purpose, for instance bisulphite-based chemicals, which will be available for use also for autoclave decatizing, in order to improve the permanence of the finish, also at lower temperatures
These and further objects, advantages and features of the method of this invention will be more apparent to those skilled in this art from the following description which is given for exemplary and non limiting purposes, reference being made to the only attached Figure showing the formation of the "sandwich" while winding up on a roll for autoclave decatizing operations.
Referring now to the figure, fabric 2 to be decatized and embossed is wrapped around a roll 4, between a supporting decatizing cloth 1, as in a normal autoclave decatizing operation and, according to this invention, a strip of material 3 bearing the relief patterns to be embossed on fabric 2. It should be noted that member 3 may be a fabric bearing a relief pattern, for instance a metal or plastic wire mesh, a fabric having relief veining or buttons, a fabric provided with lace or jacquard parts, or a plastic sheet having suitable relief patterns, or in general any laminate designed with a relief pattern, provided it is permeable to the passage of steam.
Steam pressure in itself will emboss the relief patterns, both deep and shallow, in a permanent way on the fabric to be processed, so that a permanent and unremovable embossing will be provided. For instance, a relief wire mesh will give a small square pattern, a button relief will provide a point pattern, and so on.
Of course, the same thing takes place if, as it is the case for the latest continuous cycle autoclave machines, there is no formation of a roll, but a continuos cloth (a three-layered one in this case) gets in and out of the autoclave, within which the action of steam pressure gives the same effects of dry embossing described above. In general, with any type of autoclave, the effects of dry embossing may be made even more prominent and long-lasting by soaking the fabric to be processed in bisulphite based chemicals, which are normally used to provide a permanent fabric finish. A particular feature of these chemicals is that they may work at temperatures lower than the ones reached in an autoclave, whereby it will be possible to get the desired embossing in a normal free decatizing process, on a fabric previously impregnated with the above mentioned chemicals, together with the third additional member, or cloth, bearing a relief pattern.
Possible additions and/or modifications to the embodiment described and shown above, concerning the inventive method, may be made by those skilled in this art, without exceeding the scope of said invention.

Claims

A method of dry embossing on fabrics (2) while decatizing, characterized in that fabric (2) to be processed is associated, during a decatizing operation, in addition to the usual decatizing web (1) of supporting process cloth, with an embossed cloth (3) comprised of a fabric or laminate permeable to steam and bearing a relief pattern, whereby fabric (2) gets compressed and squeezed in a sandwich-like fashion between decatizing cloth (1) and said cloth (3) bearing a relief pattern.
The method of claim 1, wherein for autoclave decatizing the "sandwich" comprised of fabric (2) lying between decatizing cloth (1) and cloth (3) bearing a relief pattern, is wound up around a roll (4).
The method of claim 1, characterized in that said fabric (2) to be processed is previously impregnated with known chemicals, for instance bisulphite based chemicals, suitable for providing permanence properties.
The method of claim 3, characterized in that the decatizing operation is not performed inside an autoclave, but is a normal free decatizing.
A method according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said cloth (3) bearing a relief pattern is a metal or plastic permeable cloth, bearing suitable relief patterns.
The method according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein said cloth bearing a relief pattern is a plastic sheet, or in any case a molded member, so long as it is permeable, bearing a relief pattern.
A method of dry embossing on a fabric while decatizing, substantially as described above.