EP1002151B1 - Continuous high temperature, high pressure calendering/decatising/fixing method for fabrics and relative device - Google Patents

Continuous high temperature, high pressure calendering/decatising/fixing method for fabrics and relative device Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1002151B1
EP1002151B1 EP98932462A EP98932462A EP1002151B1 EP 1002151 B1 EP1002151 B1 EP 1002151B1 EP 98932462 A EP98932462 A EP 98932462A EP 98932462 A EP98932462 A EP 98932462A EP 1002151 B1 EP1002151 B1 EP 1002151B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
pressure
fabric
cylinders
sealed chamber
steam
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP98932462A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP1002151A1 (en
Inventor
Roberto Franchetti
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Individual
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Individual
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
    • D06C7/00—Heating or cooling textile fabrics
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
    • D06C15/00—Calendering, pressing, ironing, glossing or glazing textile fabrics
    • D06C15/06—Calendering, pressing, ironing, glossing or glazing textile fabrics between rollers and co-operating moving surfaces formed of flexible material, e.g. bands
    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
    • D06C2700/00—Finishing or decoration of textile materials, except for bleaching, dyeing, printing, mercerising, washing or fulling
    • D06C2700/13—Steaming or decatising of fabrics or yarns

Definitions

  • This invention concerns a continuous high temperature, high pressure calendering/decatising/fixing method for fabrics and the relative device as set forth in the respective main claims.
  • the invention is applicable to the finishing cycles, after dying, of woollen fabrics, wool mix, silk, cellulose or synthetic, non-waven fabric or similar, in order to permanently bestow on the carded and combed fabrics the high characteristics of quality and the properties normally required for a finished, ready-for-use fabric.
  • the state of the art includes finishing processes to which woollen fabric or similar is subjected to confer or fix particular surface characteristics which enhance the quality or confer particular properties.
  • continuous calendering which consists of making the fabric pass between two surfaces, generally metallic and pressing against each other, in order to increase the compactness and shine of the fabric.
  • the two metallic surfaces are advantageously heated, normally by steam.
  • the calender normally consists of a hollow cylinder, which rotates on its axis, and a so-called basin which is arc-shaped and also hollow so as to allow the heating steam to pass.
  • the basin presses against the cylinder, and the piece of cloth, which is drawn by the cylinder, flows over the surface of an extremely smooth metallic sheet covering the basin.
  • the result of the calendering operation is a combination of two factors: the pressure of the basin against the cylinder and the sliding friction of the fabric against the smooth surface of the basin.
  • the first factor makes the fabric compact, the second makes it shiny.
  • Calendering has some undesirable consequences: the fabric may stretch due to the strong drawing pressures, and it may be made too shiny, which is often unwanted.
  • the decatising treatment which may be performed after or as an alternative to the calendering process, substantially has the function of giving the fabric fullness of touch and permanent stability.
  • decatising also serves to diminish any excessive shininess of the fabric.
  • Decatising is based on the characteristic property of plasticisation of the wool fibre when acted on by steam or water at high temperature.
  • Wool fibre when acted on by steam, modifies its chemical/physical characteristics, and its texture with respect to the surrounding fibres becomes permanent, particularly when the subsequent cooling is done quickly.
  • a first, fundamental differentiation is between dry decatising, with steam, and wet decatising, with hot water.
  • a second differentiation is between continuous decatising and discontinuous decatising, that is to say, with the piece of cloth staying stationary on the cylinder.
  • One dry decatising technique provides to wind the fabric together with a sub-fabric on a holed cylinder from which a flow of water vapour emerges for a determined period of time and at a determined pressure.
  • Dry decatising on the cylinder may be performed in the air, with the steam at a temperature of 98°C, or in an autoclave with the steam at a temperature which can reach 120 ⁇ 125°C.
  • Decatising in an autoclave provides to arrange the cylinder on which the fabric is wound in a boiler or cistern which is under pressure and hermetically sealed; the steam is injected therein at a temperature of 120 ⁇ 125°C.
  • sealing means at inlet to and outlet from the steam chamber, in the form of rubber blocks or rollers made of elastic material, which are pressed against the surface of the outer felt at a pressure strictly correlated to that of steam, in order to seal the steam chamber.
  • this embodiment only performs the decatising operation on the fabric, and can in no way perform treatments even remotely comparable to calendering.
  • the sealing means are pressed against the outer felt with a pressure greater than that required for sealing alone, as a consequence the pieces of felt are themselves compacted, and as a consequence of this their permeability to steam is reduced and therefore the decatising effect, with every pass, is drastically reduced.
  • the fact that there are felts located between the pressure element and the fabric does not allow to obtain any effect of compactness and shine on the fabric but, on the contrary, causes troublesome marbling and marking on the fabric.
  • this solution allows to achieve a satisfactory continuous decatising process, on the other hand it does not allow in any way to perform processes comparable with calendering, which therefore, should it be required, must be made in a previous or subsequent step and with a different machine.
  • a further solution proposed to obtain an efficient decatising, combining the effects of high pressure, high temperature and mechanical pressure, is to combine the techniques of calendering and decatising.
  • the rapid evaporation of the water with which the fabric is impregnated causes steam to develop at a temperature of up to 135°C, which gives optimum conditions so that the mechanical pressing performed by the pressing organs gives a very good fixing result.
  • a plurality of constructors have proposed substantially similar machines, comprising a cumbersome containing structure inside which there is housed a humidifier assembly, followed by the pressing-steaming assembly followed in turn by a cooling assembly.
  • finishing effect is not always satisfactory and uniform for all types of fabric.
  • the purpose of the invention is to combine the teachings of the state of the art to obtain a combined and continuous calendering/decatising/fixing treatment with high temperature and high pressure steam wherein the fabric is subjected to a treatment with live steam inside a sealed pressure chamber consisting of pairs of cylinders arranged peripherally in contact and delimited at the front by sealing plates.
  • the fabric is subjected to a pressing calendering action as it passes between the pairs of cylinders.
  • Each pair of cylinders defining the inlet to and outlet from the sealed chamber comprises at least a first cylinder made of at least partly elastic material, which functions as an adjustable pressure cylinder, and at least a second return cylinder the surface of which is rigid and made of or lined with a desired material (steel, paper, ebonite, fabric), the function of which is to give the desired effect - both of touch and of appearance - to the fabric subjected to calendering.
  • a desired material steel, paper, ebonite, fabric
  • the material which the return cylinder is lined with is interchangeable.
  • the fabric is subjected to calendering immediately after it has been steamed with live steam, under pressure and at high temperature, consequently obtaining that the calendering occurs on a fabric which is in a modified chemical-physical state with respect to its normal condition.
  • the invention makes it possible to obtain, among other advantages, a high level of compactness, a drapery finishing effect, a greater permanence of the fixing effect on the fibres and a greater stability of size of the fabric.
  • the invention is embodied moreover as a very simple device, which requires limited investment, is limited in size and requires very limited maintenance.
  • the invention is extremely versatile and can be adapted to every type of fabric and can obtain any type of result, inasmuch as it can be used to intervene easily and rapidly and possibly to regulate an extremely high number of parameters so as to adapt to the needs of every occasion.
  • the fabric to be decatised is first dampened and then sent to a pressing and steam treatment assembly where it is treated with live steam under pressure in a closed chamber configured in the known form of a foulard.
  • the fabric should be dampened, there may also be included a suitable humidifier assembly upstream of the sealed chamber, or the fabric may arrive at the device already dampened.
  • the fabric is introduced into the sealed chamber not dampened.
  • the fabric is pre-heated before being sent into the sealed chamber.
  • the foulard for example but not exclusively in the form of four cylinders, defines a sealed, pressurised chamber inside which the fabric is subjected to the action of the high pressure, high temperature live steam.
  • the pressure of the live steam introduced inside the sealed chamber can reach maximum values of 4 ⁇ 6 atmospheres, while the temperature can reach up to 140 ⁇ 160°C.
  • the fabric is pressed between two pressing cylinders, with at least one possible accompanying element, such as a piece of felt or similar, interposed.
  • the fabric has one of its faces directly in contact with at least one of the return and/or pressure cylinders.
  • the fabric is then cooled in order to fix both the arrangement of the surface fibres and the size of the fabric.
  • This cooling treatment is achieved by subjecting the fabric to a current of cold air at a pre-determined temperature.
  • the cooling treatment is achieved by using azote vapours.
  • the fabric emerging from the pressurised sealed chamber, before being cooled is subjected to a steam treatment with steam at atmospheric pressure.
  • the pressurised sealed chamber wherein the live steam treatment is carried out is defined, according to one embodiment of the invention, by a pressing cylinder at inlet, a pair of return cylinders and by a pressing cylinder at outlet.
  • the return cylinders also function as pressure cylinders.
  • the return cylinders are driven and heated and have their surface covered with steel, paper, ebonite, rubber, non-woven fabric or similar material.
  • the pressure cylinders are also heated and, according to a variant, are covered with rubber.
  • they are associated with means to regulate the pressure with which they act on the fabric.
  • the return cylinders and/or the pressure cylinders are associated with means to regulate the temperature.
  • the pressure cylinders and the return cylinders have lining rings made of hard rubber at their ends; these cooperate by friction with lateral sealing plates associated with thrust means.
  • the rings of hard rubber may be associated with lubrication means, for example with a mixture of air and water or with air mixed with oiling and/or lubricating products.
  • the fabric inside the sealed chamber the fabric is subjected to a treatment with super-heated water at a maximum temperature of around 140°C and a maximum pressure of around 4 bar.
  • This embodiment is preferentially used on 100% woollen products or wool mix, either raw or dyed, to ensure a permanent fixing.
  • the device adopted for this embodiment is substantially the same as the one which achieves the steam treatment, with the exclusion of the dampening process before the fabric enters the sealed chamber and the steam treatment at the outlet thereof.
  • the circuit to feed the steam, or the super-heated water, inside the sealed chamber comprises valve means to regulate the pressure, advantageously located both at the inlet and the outlet of the chamber, by means of which it is possible to regulate the pressure of the steam or water introduced.
  • the sealed chamber has breather means to discharge any possible condensation which might have accumulated during the processing.
  • the procedure according to the invention according to the type of fabric to be treated and/or the type of result to be obtained, provides to intervene on one and/or another of the following parameters:
  • FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the calendering/decatising/fixing device 10 for fabrics 11 according to the invention, in diagram form.
  • the fabric 11 is first dampened by being passed through a humidifier device 12 until it reaches a desired rate of humidity; then it is pre-heated and sent inside a sealed chamber 13 inside which a pressurised environment is created by means of introducing high pressure, high temperature live steam.
  • the humidifier device 12 can be omitted, in which case the fabric 11 can arrive already dampened by an appropriate assembly upstream, or it may not be dampened.
  • the pressures which may be reached inside the sealed chamber 13 may have values of up to 4 ⁇ 6 atmospheres, while the temperatures attainable may be as much as 140 ⁇ 160°C.
  • the fabric 11 is subjected inside the sealed chamber 13 to treatment with water super-heated to a maximum temperature of 140°C, there not being included, in this case, any humidifier device 12.
  • the sealed chamber 13 is defined by four cooperating cylinders, respectively two counter-opposed pressure cylinders 14a and 14b, and two counter-opposed return cylinders 15a and 15b.
  • the device 10 comprises six or more cylinders arranged so as to constitute several sealed chambers 13 through which the fabric 11 is made to pass in succession.
  • Each of the return cylinders 15a and 15b which may also have a pressure function, has its respective surface tangent to the surface of both the pressure cylinders 14a and 14b so that the four respective lines of tangency 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d define the limits of the sealed chamber 13.
  • the inlet return cylinder 15a also has the function of pre-heating the fabric 11 before it enters the sealed chamber 13.
  • the fabric 11 Before entering the sealed chamber 13, the fabric 11 is made to pass on an inlet return cylinder 21 which causes it to wind onto a defined arc of the heated return cylinder 15a.
  • the sealed chamber 13 is defined by sealing plates 17 cooperating with the ends of the cylinders 14a, 14b and 15a, 15b.
  • the plates 17 cooperate by friction, in this case, with rings 18 made of hard rubber and applied to the ends of the cylinders 14a, 14b, 15a, 15b.
  • the plates 17 are associated with compression means 19 which ensure that the sealed chamber 13 is maintained sealed with respect to the outer environment.
  • the rings 18 of hard rubber may cooperate with a lubrication system, which is not shown here, which acts, for example intermittently, delivering a lubrifying flow based on a mixture of air and water or air to which oiling products or lubricants of another type have been added.
  • a lubrication system which is not shown here, which acts, for example intermittently, delivering a lubrifying flow based on a mixture of air and water or air to which oiling products or lubricants of another type have been added.
  • the fabric 11 is introduced inside the sealed chamber 13 through an inlet pressure zone, defined by the line of tangency 16a between the pressure cylinder 14a and the return cylinder 15a.
  • the fabric 11 is pressed along the line of tangency 16a with an accompanying element interposed; the said element consists of a piece of felt 20 which, in Fig. 1, winds around the arc of the return cylinder 15a inside the sealed chamber 13, the pressure cylinder 14b and the return cylinders 21.
  • the surface of the fabric 11 subjected to treatment is in direct contact with the relative return cylinder 15a so that pressure is exerted in a regular and uniform manner without marbling or marking the surface.
  • the accompanying element interposed between the cylinders and the fabric 11 may consist, apart from a piece of felt, of a strip made of polyester, polyester-wool, wool, cotton or of another suitable material, even synthetic.
  • the material which constitutes the accompanying element 20 will vary according to whether the treatment is achieved with live steam or in super-heated water.
  • the return cylinders 21 may have an adjustable position so as to vary the tension imparted to the fabric 11 compressed by the pressure cylinders 14a and 14b.
  • the pressure cylinders 14a and 14b are covered by a layer of rubber 22 and can be regulated radially in the direction of the arrows 23 to regulate the intensity of the pressure on the fabric 11.
  • the return cylinders 15a and 15b are driven and are covered by a lining made of rubber, ebonite, steel, paper, non-woven fabric or similar material.
  • the pressure cylinders 14a and 14b and the return cylinders 15a and 15b are also associated with heating means which include the possibility of regulating their temperature according to the type of fabric 11 and the result of the treatment to be obtained.
  • the material which lines the return cylinders 15a and 15b and the pressure cylinders 14a, 14b will also vary according to the type of treatment performed inside the sealed chamber 13.
  • the fabric 11 emerging from the sealed chamber 13 and the treatment with steam or super-heated water is sent to a cooling system 24.
  • the cooling system comprises a plane of feed with a conveyor belt 25 over which the fabric 11 passes; a ventilation system acting from above cooperates therewith.
  • the cooling flow can consist of air or mixtures of steam-air or other cooling fluids, such as for example azote vapours.
  • the cooling flow can also be sent from below through holes included on the plane of feed-conveyor belt 25.
  • the cooling system 24 comprises a holed cylinder 26 cooperating along one of its arcs with a compression system consisting of a piece of felt 120 which acts as an accompanying and pressure element and is guided by return cylinders 121 against the fabric 11.
  • the fabric 11 emerging from the steam treatment zone inside the sealed chamber 13 is made to cooperate with a steaming assembly 27 while it is winding around the cooling cylinder 26 and is pressed against the cylinder 26 by the piece of felt 120.
  • the fabric 11 is subjected to cooling by delivering a cooling fluid from the cylinder 26.
  • the fabric 11 is introduced into the sealed chamber 13 without being accompanied by the piece of felt.
  • the fabric 11, together with the piece of felt 20 follows a winding path around the pressure cylinder 14a inside the sealed chamber 13, and then winds for the whole arc of the return cylinder 15b outside the sealed chamber 13.
  • Fig. 6 shows a diagram of a system to introduce the steam inside the sealed chamber 13, defined by the cylinders 14a, 14b, 15a and 15b, wherein there is a conduit 28 associated with an inlet valve 29a and with an outlet valve 29b and with a condensation separator 30 placed at the inlet.
  • valves 29a and 29b make it possible to regulate the pressure and quantity of the steam introduced inside the sealed chamber 13 so as to obtain the desired treatment of the fabric 11.
  • valves which are not shown here to discharge any possible condensation before the steam is introduced inside the sealed chamber 13.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
  • Treatments Of Macromolecular Shaped Articles (AREA)
EP98932462A 1997-08-08 1998-07-27 Continuous high temperature, high pressure calendering/decatising/fixing method for fabrics and relative device Expired - Lifetime EP1002151B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT97UD000145A IT1295735B1 (it) 1997-08-08 1997-08-08 Procedimento di calandratura/decatissaggio in continuo ad alta temperatura e ad alta pressione per tessuti e
ITUD970145 1997-08-08
PCT/IB1998/001142 WO1999007933A1 (en) 1997-08-08 1998-07-27 Continuous high temperature, high pressure calendering/decatising/fixing method for fabrics and relative device

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1002151A1 EP1002151A1 (en) 2000-05-24
EP1002151B1 true EP1002151B1 (en) 2003-04-09

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98932462A Expired - Lifetime EP1002151B1 (en) 1997-08-08 1998-07-27 Continuous high temperature, high pressure calendering/decatising/fixing method for fabrics and relative device

Country Status (7)

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EP (1) EP1002151B1 (it)
AT (1) ATE237017T1 (it)
AU (1) AU8237798A (it)
DE (1) DE69813239T2 (it)
ES (1) ES2197479T3 (it)
IT (1) IT1295735B1 (it)
WO (1) WO1999007933A1 (it)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITMI20061919A1 (it) * 2006-10-06 2008-04-07 Biella Shrunk Process S A S Apparecchiatura per il decatizzo continuo in autoclave
ITUB20153477A1 (it) * 2015-09-08 2017-03-08 Officina Master Di Livi Raffaello Macchina per il decatissaggio integrata

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3421164A (en) * 1966-07-26 1969-01-14 John F Zuczek Method and apparatus for padding absorbent materials
IT1215521B (it) * 1987-05-26 1990-02-14 Sperotto Rimar Spa Procedimento di decatissaggio continuo di un tessuto e relativa apparecchiatura.
DE4326426C1 (de) * 1993-08-06 1995-04-06 M Tec Maschbau Gmbh Vorrichtung zum kontinuierlichen Pressen, Dekatieren und Fixieren von bahnförmigem Textilgut wie Gewebe, Gewirke oder dergleichen

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69813239T2 (de) 2004-01-29
DE69813239D1 (de) 2003-05-15
ES2197479T3 (es) 2004-01-01
EP1002151A1 (en) 2000-05-24
ITUD970145A1 (it) 1999-02-08
WO1999007933A1 (en) 1999-02-18
AU8237798A (en) 1999-03-01
IT1295735B1 (it) 1999-05-27
ATE237017T1 (de) 2003-04-15

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