GB1571295A

GB1571295A - Process and apparatus for the dyeing of textile material in rope form

Info

Publication number: GB1571295A
Application number: GB52306/76A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1975-12-16
Filing date: 1976-12-15
Publication date: 1980-07-09
Also published as: FR2352092A1; FR2352092B1; IT1065390B

Description

(54) PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE DYEING OF TEXTILE MATERIAL IN ROPE FORM (71) I, HANS-ULRICH VON DER ELTZ, of 14, Willibrachtstrasse, Frankfurt/ Main, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the dyeing of textile material in rope form.

German Auslegeschrift 1610 884 discloses a process for the continuous wet treatment of textile goods. The material is immersed in a bath and is squeezed out in two steps. The treatment is carried out in several stages. The bath flows in counter-current. The ratio of the weight of the material to be dyed to the weight of the dyeing liquor (hereafter referred to as the goods-to-liquor-ratio) is extraordinarily high, even if this process only serves for washing textile material. The treatment of textile material with the use of a low goods-toliquor-ratio is disclosed in the German Offenlegungsschrift 2207 966. The main inventive idea, however, is that textile webs, which are running separately, come into contact with each other over a certain distance.The German Offenlegungsschrift 2 302399 also discloses a treatment using low foods-to-liquorratios, but with the aid of organic solvents, the process becoming completely discontinuous in the vapor phase. According to the well known Sancowad process dyeing is effected according to an exhaustion method by means of foam, also using a drum, that is to say, the process is performed discontinuously. In "International Dyer and Textile Printer", dated March, 1975, a process described in which dyeing is effected by means of foam in a dyeing drum. This is a discontinuous process like those described in "Textile Monthly, Jan. 1975" for the dyeing in a packing apparatus. Use is made either of foam or of solvents, which permits the use of a low goods-to-liquor-ratio.

The use of low goods-to-liquor-ratios is known from application of padding machines, and also from special jig constructions. However, textile material in rope form cannot be dyed in satisfactory manner by the jig or by the padding machine. So, the advantages given by a low goods-to-liquor-ratio are not available for textile materials in rope form.

According to the present invention there is provided a process for dyeing textile material in rope form, which comprises spraying the material with a dyestuff liquor using a goodsto-liquor-ratio of from 2:1 to 2: 5 and passing the material through a system comprising at least three guide elements that are so arranged that they squeeze and pull the moving material.

In this process, it is possible to use small goods-to-liquor-ratios that are normally possible only in pad dyeing processes. The big difference to the known jet dyeing apparatus, whose common principle is a Venturi tube, is the presence of totally different goods-toliquor-ratios and the fact that the textile material is not caused to float in the dyeing stage. Such a low goods-to-liquor-ratio and, consequently the small quantity of impregnating liquor, requires much less energy for an optional heating step.

When passing through the system of guide elements, which are preferably either rods or rollers, the material is deviated, stuffed and kneaded, or treated like the wool in milling.

In the present case, however, this is not carried out in order to make the material dense, but to squeeze the material and force the dyestuff, which after the spraying process is located in the outer portions of the rope, into the interior portions of the rope. This process generally requires at least three guide elements. This treatment may be repeated several times. The more rigorous the stuffing of the material effected in the guide element system, the less frequently has it to be effected.

It is also possible to heat the material during the first passage of the material and/or during subsequent passages (if any). Becaust of the small amount of dyestuff, the required tem- perature is very rapidly reached.

As textile materials, there are considered those generally used for rope-dyed material, for example, cellulose fibers and/or synthetic fibers, especially cotton tricot or knits made of texturized polyester threads, as well as polyester/wool-jersey qualities. As dyestuffs, there are used the usual ones for the respective material.

The invention further contemplates an apparatus for dyeing textile material in rope form, which comprises means for spraying dyestuff over the surface of the material, and a system of at least three guide elements in staggered form about which, in operation, the material can be passed in loops, the arrangement being such that the passage of the material around the guide element squeezes and pulls the material.

According to one embodiment, the spraying means comprises at least two circular jet or spray tubes located at the same height as each other, but preferably comprises a system of nozzles consisting of four nozzles producing a cone- or fan-shaped jet in cross-like arrangement, but acting at different places along the length of the rope. Other, more expensive and complicated systems have a ring nozzle, or several ring nozzles one on top of the other.

The material may pass between these spraying means or spray devices at a rate of from 1 to 10 m per minute. This rate may be adapted to the rate of application of the dyestuff.

Devices for the continuous impregnation of textile webs in rope form with impregnation liquors have been known for a long time and, so far, have proved satisfactory. The con tinuous application of a measured amount of impregnation liquor to the textile rope was not necessary, since it was sufficient to im pregnate the rope with a large amount of liquor and to squeeze off the surface excess liquor. The impregnation of a textile web with a liquor, if it had to be continuous, has so far been effected over the full width by immersing the rope into the liquor and by evenly squeezing off the liquor over the full width of the textile material, or by the direct application by means of spraying, foaming and with the aid of different methods.

It is the object of the invention to apply a given, relatively small amount of liquor con tinuously to a textile web in rope form and to disperse it therein.

This is especially required for textiles in tubular form, for example, tricot material, in which case the tube may not be cut open, and is also applicable to flat woven or knitted fabric. For flat fabrics, the problem of how to maintain the whole width of the textile webs, to allow their passage free from creases and to avoid scuffing of the edges of the web caused by the machinery required for the maintenance of the width need not be encoun tered when using the process of the inven tion. It must also be taken into account, that machines, which are designed for large tex tile webs, always accupy distinctly more space.

Now, it has been found that textile webs in rope form can be impregnated evenly and continuously.

An apparatus according to the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a diagramatic plan of the apparatus Figure 2a shows the sideview of the double cone (2) of Figure 1, in operation (A), and not in operation (B).

Figure 2b shows the end view of the double cone in operation (A) and not in operation (B).

Figure 3 shows the arrangement of lamella in the double cone.

Figure 4 shows two side views of a variant of the compression compartment (4) of Figure 1.

The dyestuff liquor used may be varied within the range of from 50% to 100% of the weight of the goods to be dyed. The textile rope passes vertically (from top to bottom) through 2 or 3 horizontally arranged circular spray nozzles (1) and dyestuff liquor is applied at a controlled rate by spraying it onto the textile rope. The spray nozzles have a great number of perforations each of 1-2mm diameter, at the inner surface of the circular tubes. The liquor is fed under pressure into tubes via a dosage device (for example, a pump). It is forced through the perforations in the form of thin jets or fine drops (mist) and contacts the textile rope from all sides.

The material charged with the liquor enters a variable aperture double cone (2), which is twisted so as to leave an opening just wide enough to pull the rope through. The upper part of the cone (2a) is bigger than the lower part and serves for collecting excess liquor squeezed out of the rope at the narrowest place (2b) of the double cone. This also encourages the penetration of the liquor into the interior of the textile rope. The liquor is fed into the spray nozzles (1) at such a rate than liquor reaches a certain level in the upper part of the cone (2a). Thus, the rope is immersed in the liquor. The liquor itself is partially removed from the rope at the narrow place of the double cone and pressed into the rope, an operational method similar to that of a padding machine.

Adjustable double cones serving as selfsealing pressure orifices for textile ropes on pressure chambers have already been described (Offenlegungsschrift No. P 2537 665.2). Their use, however, as an impregnation element is not known. The construction of these devices is illustrated in detail in figures 2a, 2b and 3.

when used as a self-sealing pressure orifice, this double cone element can be mounted in any desired position, however, its use as impregnation element requires the vertical arrangement.

Its design as an asymmetric double cone is advantageous when it is serving simultaneously as a liquor container and as a squeezing device.

The textile rope is passed through the sprayers and through the double cone by means of transport rollers (3) mounted under the double cone. The partially squeezed textile rope passes between these rollers and then passes into an optionally variable compression compartment (4). The simplest one is the funnel in which the rope is compressed. The compression compartment may also be in the form of a fulling machine (see figure 4), which is provided with a stuffer trap biased by a lever and weight arrangement to narrow the compression channel. The passage of the rope is continued by gravity and by the following pull exercised by the following fulling rollers (5).The fulling rollers (5), which are located after the compression compartments are so arranged in a staggered manner that the textile rope is squeezed and fulled when it passes through, thereby giving an even distribution of the liquor.

The textile rope impregnated in such a manner can be subjected to a further treatment of known types.

The device has the following advantages: Only an amount of liquor within the range of from 50% to 100%, calculated on the weight of the material, is introduced into the textile rope. If heating follows, the heating time is shorter and energy is saved compared to a rope impregnated according to known methods in which the impregnation is effected with a liquor pick-up generally greater than 200% of the weight of the material.

The dosage used depends on the passage rate of the material and on the weight per meter of the material, and may be adjusted so that the liquor level is kept constant in the upper part of the double cone.

The device is extremely space-saving.

It was surprising and could not have been foreseen that the device allows an even distribution of the liquor, which is initially applied only to the surface of the rope, in the textile rope.

The process of the invention is preferred for the dyeing of cotton tricot by means of recative dyestuffs. The process can be effected in such a manner that the material is sprayed first with a neutral or acid dyestuff at least during one passage and then with an alkaline fixing bath during at least one other passage.

It is also possible that, during each passage, some of the jets serve to spraying the material with the stuff, and the others serve to spraying the material with the fixing liquor.

Processes including fixing the dyestuff by simply allowing it to stand, for example, when the process of the invention is used for the dyeing of cotton tricot by means of reactive dyestuffs, are applicable without difficulties.

But it is also possible to feed the dyed textile material into a heated reaction of fixation chamber preferably having a temperature above 100"C. Thus, the process of the invention is versatile and permits a wide range of possible after-treatment. In processes in which the dyestuff is fixed by means of dwelling, the textile material can be laid down in a basin at the bottom of the apparatus. Basins have become well-known in the textile industry in connection with the steamers.

In the present case, the basin is a collecting basin in which the dyestuff squeezed off when passing through the rollers is collected and from which dyestuff can be recycled to the sprayers.

The textile material lies in the basin i.e the lowest place of the apparatus, or it slowly slips in. In apparatuses of different constructions, the textile material may rest on a slowly moving sieve belt and may be repeatedly sprayed with the dyestuff. It is also possible that the dwelling chamber, together with the basin, are shaped like a U-tube. However, between the sprayers and the bottom of the apparatus there is always an arrangement of at least three guide elements, preferably rollers, which may have a somewhat staggered con figuration.

The dwelling process and the dwelling time depend on the dyestuffs used and on the basin which is either at the front or rear end of the apparatus. After leaving the dwelling chamber, especially if the basin is at the rear end thereof, the textile web passes again at least through three of the altove-cia:d guide elements, which are preferably rollers, these elements exercising a squeezing pressure necessary in this case, so that part of the absorbed excess dyestuff is removed and runs into the basin.

A further possibility is that the textile rope passes along a large spiral path through about 4 or more separated compartments. In this case, too, the dyepath may be sprayed into any of these compartments and may be pressed in to the textile material by squeezing. After the application of the finely dispersed dyebath, squeezing off occurs simultaneously by means of very soft rollers, so that the material is compressed and kneaded. The excess of the dyebath, which has been squeezed off, is pumped into the next chamber and applied to the material again in finely dispersed form.

When proceeding in this manner, dyeing is effected according to the counter-current principle in four or more chambers. Moreover, the textile rope is moved at such a high speed that the formation of uneven spots is excluded.

It is also possible to use several series-connected sieve drums-normally four of them- for the passage of the textile material. In this case, the moist textile rope is first sprayed with the dyestuff, then it passes through a system of guide elements of the type discussed above. Afterwards the material is passed through four small sieve drums, and the dyestuff, which has been sprayed on, is alternately applied or taken off with suction. In this and in the apparatuses described above, a pile-up of the material does not occur. Several of these apparatuses can be connected in series as in the case of a Clapot dyeing apparatus. In this way, it is possible to carry out a perfectly continuous exhaustion method.

The rollers in the system can also be replaced by fixed rods having a preferred diameter of 60 to 100mm.

The following Example illustrates the invention.

EXAMPLE: In a 5 m3 tightly closed dyeing vessel representing a redesigned and slightly modified winch, a rope consisting of 50kg of cotton tricot is steamed by means of two steam jets as soon as it enters the vessel, and so is wetted and made absorbent. The steam jets are arranged at right angles to one another and are directed against the casing of the apparatus, so that the jets are reflected therefrom to encounter the textile rope from the back side.

Also, they are directed in a direction transverse to the run of the fabric. After being steamed, the fabric passes through a series of jets out of which comes a finely dispersed dyestuff liquor which is sprayed all around the textile rope.

The dyestuff liquor comprising 30 liters consists of 750g of the dyestuff C.I. No. 61 200 Reactive Blue 19(1.5%) 1,000g of the dyestuff C.I. No. 20 505 Reactive Black 5(2%) dissolved in hot water.

After spraying, the textile rope passes through a system of five polished, fixed (not rotating) rods located at a variable distance to one another, and arranged in the form of the Greek capital letter sigma . The textile rope is pulled through the relatively closely-spaced rods, which results in the material being squeezed and stuffed with the result that the dyestuff solution is evenly distributed, within the rope. The material is then deposited on a smooth, slanted bar gate. Residual dyestuff is collected at the bottom and is recycled to the spray jets. At the lowest place, the material is taken up by a winch. After the passage of the total of 320m of tricot, the ends of the rope are joined together and labelled.The material on to which the dyestuff solution has been sprayed, then passes again through the system of jets out of which comes in addition to the dyestuff solution, a jet of a solution consisting of 250g of calcined sodium carbonate solution and 150 ml of sodium hydroxide solution and 1500g of Duisburg sodium sulfate in 20 1 of water. These solutions are rapidly mixed. Because of the continued operation of the steam nozzles after the passage of the textile material, the temperature has steadily been raised, Additional heating causes the temperature to raise to 100"C, so that the material is heated to steaming temperature after at the most 3 passages and is steamed for 10 minutes.

After 20 minutes, the dyeing is finished. The textile rope is dyed in perfect evenness in a deep blue shade. The goods-to-liquor-ratio is 1:1.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A process for dyeing textile material in rope form which comprises spraying the material with a dyestuff liquor using a goodsto-liquor-ratio in the range of from 2:1 to 2: 5 and passing the material through a system of at least three guide elements that are so arranged that they squeeze and full the moving material.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the guide elements is a fixed rod.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least one of the guide elements is a roller.

4. A process as claimed in any one of claims I to 3, wherein the material is moistened prior to spraying the material with the dyestuff liquor.

5. A process as claimed in claim 4, wherein the material is moistened by steam treatment.

6. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the textile material is cotton tricot.

7. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the dyestuff liquor comprises reactive dyestuff.

8. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the steps of spraying the textile material and passing it through the system of guide elements are carried out several times.

9. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the material is heated during the process.

10. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, which comprises heating the material after it has been passed through the system of guide elements.

11. A process as claimed in any one of claims I to 10, wherein the dyestuff liquor is an acid or a neutral dyestuff solution, and the material is subsequently treated with an alkaline fixing agent.

12. A process as claimed in claim 11, wherein the alkaline fixing agent is sprayed onto the material, and the material is subsequently passed through a system of at least three rollers.

13. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the material is allowed to stand so as to fix the dyestuff.

14. A process as claimed in claim 13, in which the material is moved through a basin containing dyestuff during its time of fixing.

15. A process as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the material is treated with steam to fix the dyestuff.

16. Apparatus for dyeing textile material in rope form, which comprises means for spraying dyestuff liquor over the surface of

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. of the material does not occur. Several of these apparatuses can be connected in series as in the case of a Clapot dyeing apparatus. In this way, it is possible to carry out a perfectly continuous exhaustion method. The rollers in the system can also be replaced by fixed rods having a preferred diameter of 60 to 100mm. The following Example illustrates the invention. EXAMPLE: In a 5 m3 tightly closed dyeing vessel representing a redesigned and slightly modified winch, a rope consisting of 50kg of cotton tricot is steamed by means of two steam jets as soon as it enters the vessel, and so is wetted and made absorbent. The steam jets are arranged at right angles to one another and are directed against the casing of the apparatus, so that the jets are reflected therefrom to encounter the textile rope from the back side. Also, they are directed in a direction transverse to the run of the fabric. After being steamed, the fabric passes through a series of jets out of which comes a finely dispersed dyestuff liquor which is sprayed all around the textile rope. The dyestuff liquor comprising 30 liters consists of 750g of the dyestuff C.I. No. 61 200 Reactive Blue 19(1.5%) 1,000g of the dyestuff C.I. No. 20 505 Reactive Black 5(2%) dissolved in hot water. After spraying, the textile rope passes through a system of five polished, fixed (not rotating) rods located at a variable distance to one another, and arranged in the form of the Greek capital letter sigma . The textile rope is pulled through the relatively closely-spaced rods, which results in the material being squeezed and stuffed with the result that the dyestuff solution is evenly distributed, within the rope. The material is then deposited on a smooth, slanted bar gate. Residual dyestuff is collected at the bottom and is recycled to the spray jets. At the lowest place, the material is taken up by a winch. After the passage of the total of 320m of tricot, the ends of the rope are joined together and labelled.The material on to which the dyestuff solution has been sprayed, then passes again through the system of jets out of which comes in addition to the dyestuff solution, a jet of a solution consisting of 250g of calcined sodium carbonate solution and 150 ml of sodium hydroxide solution and 1500g of Duisburg sodium sulfate in 20 1 of water. These solutions are rapidly mixed. Because of the continued operation of the steam nozzles after the passage of the textile material, the temperature has steadily been raised, Additional heating causes the temperature to raise to 100"C, so that the material is heated to steaming temperature after at the most 3 passages and is steamed for 10 minutes. After 20 minutes, the dyeing is finished. The textile rope is dyed in perfect evenness in a deep blue shade. The goods-to-liquor-ratio is 1:1. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A process for dyeing textile material in rope form which comprises spraying the material with a dyestuff liquor using a goodsto-liquor-ratio in the range of from 2:1 to 2: 5 and passing the material through a system of at least three guide elements that are so arranged that they squeeze and full the moving material.

the material, and a system of at least three guide elements in staggered form through which, in operation, the material can be passed in loops, the arrangement being such that the passage of the material around the guide elements squeezes and fulls the material.

17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the spraying means comprises at least two circular jets which, in operation, spray liquor at the same height.

18. Apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the spraying means comprises one or more ring nozzles.

19. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18, which includes means which, in operation, so squeeze the material that dyestuff is caused to migrate into the interior of the rope.

20. Apparatus as claimed in claim 19, wherein the squeezing means comprises a double cone with an adjustable orifice.

21. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein one or more of the guide elements is or are (a) roller(s).

22. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 21, wherein one or more of the guide elements is or are (a) fixed rod(s).

23. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 22, which includes a pair of transport rollers.

24. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 23, which includes a compression compartment.

25. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 24, which includes a basin.

26. Apparatus as claimed in claim 25, wherein the basin is the lowest part of the apparatus.