GB2074205A - Method and unit for finishing treatment of textile materials - Google Patents

Abstract

In accordance with the disclosed method, a textile material is impregnated with a working solution, subjected to short-duration two-side heat action and dried, with the initial drying being performed in the direct- contact manner to a moisture content of 30 to 40% at 120 to 140 DEG C, with continuous withdrawal by suction of the vapors from the exposed surface of the material; following the final drying, the textile material is subjected to thermal treatment for 3 to 10 seconds by being heated to 170-200 DEG C. In the unit for performing the method, there is arranged intermediate the padding machine 2 and the drying chamber 4 a device 3 for exerting two-side heat action upon the textile material, with the drying chamber 4 overlying this device 3 for exerting two-side heat action and being equipped with a suction exhaust system. Overlying the outlet part of the drying-and-tentering machine 6 is a thermal chamber 7 including a hermetic chamber with infrared irradiators 36. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method and unit for finishing treatment of textile materials The present invention relates to the textile industry, and more particularly it relates to a method of finishing treatment of textile materials and to a unit for performing this method. The invention can be utilized in the textile material finishing practice for rendering textile materials low-creasing, low-shrinking, water-repellent, calendered, etc., as well as for combining the finishing operations with dyeing with direct and fibre-reactive dyes and pigments.

In accordance with the invention, the method of finishing treatment of textile materials includes: impregnating the textile material with a working solution; subjecting said textile material after the impregnation to short-duration heat action at both sides at a temperature in exess of 1 000C; then subjecting the material to initial drying by contact with drying members to a moisture content of 30 to 40% at a temperature of 120 to 1 400C, with continuous withdrawal of the vapors from the exposed surface of the material, with underpressure of 80 to 100 kgf/m2 in the drying area; then effecting the final drying of the textile material simultaneously with tentering at a temperature of 1 20 to 1 500C to the final moisture content of 0.5 to 1.0%; then subjecting the textile material to thermal treatment for 3 to 10 seconds while heating the material to 1 70 to 2000C.

The simultaneous two-sided heat action upon the material provides for rapid and uniform penetration of the working solution through the thickness of the material and its distribution throughout the individual fibres. This enables to reduce the stay of the material in the impregnating solution, or else to speed up its passage through the padding machine, while maintaining the high finishing quality. When a material is subjected to anticrease finishing, the total angle of crease recovery is increased by 20 to 25%, the resistance to washing wear is enhanced, while the tensile strength and rubbing wear resistance of the material are improved. When the fabric is subjected to water-repellence finishing, e.g. with the use of chromolan organosilicates, the water repellence of the fabric is increased by 1 5 to 20% and its washing wear resistance is enhanced.

The thermal treatment of the fabric at 1 70 to 2000C enables to ensure the high finishing quality while maintaining increased working speeds.

It is expedient that the initial drying of the material be performed by contact with a heating member with continuous withdrawal of the vapors from the exposed surface of the material with underpressure of 80-100 kgf/m2, to provide for intensifying the drying process, while maintaining uniform distribution of the working solution throughout the thickness of the material and its individual fibres, and to reduce the moisture content of the fabric to 3040%.

-In accordance with the present invention, it is expedient that the textile material should be subjected to calendering prior to the thermal treatment, to broaden the production capabilities of the finishing process.

The unit intended for performing the disclosed includes the-following components successively arranged for conducting the process of finishing treatment ofthe textile material: a rolling-out device; a padding machine; a device for exerting two-side heat action upon the textile material, immediately following the padding machine; a drying chamber overlying this device for exerting two-side heat action and including drying drums and a suction exhaust system, with nozzles arranged adjacent to the surface of the drying drums along the generatrices thereof; a wefttrueing arrangement; a drying-and-tentering machine; a thermal chamber mounted above the outlet portion of the drying-and-tentering machine and including a hermetic chamber with infrared radiation sources arranged in vertical rows; a rolling-up device.

Thus, the provision of the device for exerting two-side heat action upon the textile material enables to intensify the impregnating process.

The employment for the initial drying of the drying drums equipped with a suction exhaust system for positively withdrawing the evaporated moisture directly from the exposed surface of the material, i.e. fabric, enables to intensify the drying process while maintaining the high finishing quality.

Owing to the intensification of the processes of impregnating and drying, the speed of the advance of the fabric through the finishing line can be stepped up from 60 m/min to 90-120 m/min, i.e.

it is possible to increase the throughput of the treatment 1.5 to 2.0 times.

The employment of the infrared radiation for heating the fabric in the course of its thermal treatment enables to heat up the fabric to 170--2000C in a few seconds, while maintaining the high quality ratings of the treatment and reducing the specific power consumption.

With the drying chamber overlying the device for exerting two-side heat action, and with the thermal chamber incorporating infrared radiation sources, the overall length of the unit is minimized.

In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the device for exerting two-side heat action includes at least one pair of rotatable cylinders, with the cylinders being adapted to contact each other in each pair and provided with heating means, which enables to reduce the specific steam consumption as a whole for drying the fabric.

It may be expedient to include a calender intermediate the drying-and-tentering machine and the thermal chamber in the direction of the fabric movement, to broaden the production capabilities of the unit.

Thus, the herein disclosed method of finishing treatment of textile materials and the unit for performing this method provide for enhancing the quality of the finishing of materials or fabrics, owing to the uniform distribution of the finishing composition throughout the thickness of the material; increasing the throughput of the equipment; reducing the overall dimensions of the production unit; reducing the specific consumption of electric power and steam.

Given below is a more detailed description of the method of finishing treatment of textile materials and of the unit for performing this method, embodying the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 schematically illustrates the unit for finishing treatment of textile materials; Fig. 2 schematically illustrates the device for exerting two-side heat action; Fig. 3 schematically illustrates the drying chamber of the unit; Fig. 4 schematically illustrates the thermal chamber of the unit; Fig. 5 illustrates the arrangement of the reflectors in the thermal chamber illustrated in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 shows a portion of the panel, with slits made intermediate the reflectors.

The method of finishing treatment of textile materials is conducted, as follows.

The textile material is impregnated with the working solution and squeezed to the moisture content of 75 to 80% in case of cotton fabrics, or 80 to 90% in case of rayon and spun ones. The squeezed fabric is then subjected to a short duration two-side heat action at 125 to 1 300C in the direct-contact manner. The simultaneous supply of the heat to the fabric web from both sides provides the conditions necessary for rapid and uniform distribution of the working solution or composition throughout the thickness of the material and between individual fibres. This enables to step up the impregnation speed, while maintaining the high finishing quality.

Then the fabric is subjected to the initial drying to the moisture content of 30 to 40%, performed in the direct-contact manner at 120 to 1 400C with simultaneous withdrawal of the vapors and steam by suction from the exposed surface of the fabric, with the value of the underpressure in the drying area from 80 to 100 kgf/m2. This provides for the intensification of the drying operation, while retaining the uniform distribution of the working solution through the thickness of the fabric. The fabric with the moisture content of 30 to 40% is guided through the device for trueing diagonally and arcuately skewed threads, and then is finally dried at 120 to 1 500C with simultaneous tentering in the drying-and-tentering machine, to the moisture content of 0.5 to 1.0%.With the moisture content of the fabric fed into the dryingand-tentering machine being 20 to 30% lower than that in the technology of the prior art, the throughput of the finishing process is increased.

Then the fabric is subjected to the thermal treatment for 3 to 10 seconds in a thermal chamber, with the fabric heated by infrared radiation to 170--2000C, which ensures a high heating-up rate (20 to 300C per second), enables to reduce the thermal treatment time while maintaining the high finishing quality. Following the thermal treatment, the fabric is cooled down to 40-500C and rolled-up into a roll. To stabilize the external appearance of the fabric, it may be subjected to calendering prior to the thermal treatment.

The abovedisclosed method is performed in a unit including a rolling-out device 1 (Fig. 1), a padding machine 2, a device 3 for exerting twoside heat action, a drying chamber 4, a wefttrueing device 5, aaa drying-and-tentering machine 6, a thermal chamber 7 and a rolling-up device 8.

The rolling-out device 1 is of a known per se structure and includes driven rolling-out rolls 9 of which one is provided with a solenoid-controlled clutch, a pulling roll couple 10, a drive 11 rotating the rolling-out rolls 9 supporting the roll 12 of the fabric, and a through-type compensator 1 3.

The padding machine 2 includes a framework 14, a bath 1 5 containing the working solution for impregnating the fabric, three squeeze rolls 1 6 arranged horizontally and a drive 1 7 for rotating the rolls 1 6.

The device 3 for exerting two-side heat action immediately follows the padding machine 2 and includes a framework 1 8 (Fig. 2) supporting two pairs 1 9 of rotatable cylinders adapted to contact each other in each pair and provided with heating means, e.g. with means for supplying steam into the cylinders through their end seals 20. The lifting and lowering of the top cylinders and pressing them against the bottom cylinders in the respective pairs 19 is effected by pneumatic cylinders 21. The device 3 is provided with arrangements 22 of the known per se structure for cleaning the surface of the rotating cylinders. The cylinders are rotatable through a speed-varying gear 23.

The drying chamber 4 (Fig. 1) overlies the device 3 for exerting two-side heat action and includes a battery of steam-heated drums 24 (Fig. 3) accommodated within a hermetic housing 25 (Fig. 3) with inlet and outlet sealed-away slits 26 for the passage of the fabric. The drying chamber 4 ie equipped with a suction exhaust system including suction boxes 27 and air ducts 28 communicating with a suction fan (not shown).

The air ducts 28 have adjustable gates 29 for controlling the amount of the air-vapor mixture being withdrawn and for maintaining the required degree of the underpressure in the chamber. In the housing 25b, in the areas of the connection of the boxes 27 thereto, slits 30 with nozzles 31 are provided directly adjacent to the surface of the drying drums 24, extending along the generatrices of these drums; the slits 30 being arranged opposite the area of fabric contact with the surface of drying drums 24. The drying drums 24 are driven from a motor 32 through a shaft which is sealed in points of passing through the housing 25. The latter is provided with sealingly closing doors 33.

Situated intermediate the drying chamber 4 (Fig. 1) and the thermal chamber 7 are the device 5 for trueing the weft of the fabric and the dryingand-tentering machine 6 which are not described in the present disclosure because they may be of any suitable known per se structure extensively described in the technical literature and known to textile specialists.

The thermal chamber 7 follows the drying-andtentering machine 6 and is supported by a support frame 34 (Fig. 4) to overlie the outlet portion of the drying-and-tentering machine, so that the passage of the dried fabric from the drying zone into the thermal chamber 7 should be along the shortest route possible.

The thermal chamber 7 is of a rectangular shape in cross-section, its two opposite walls being irradiating panels made up of aluminium parabolic refrectors 35 accommodating tubular infrared irradiators 36. The side walls 37 of the thermal chamber 7 are in the form of reflecting screens perpendicular to the irradiating panels, to define a closed hermetic radiation heating chamber wherein the bottom and the ceiling are formed by horizontal reflecting sheets or panels 38 (Fig. 5) with slits A left therebetween for the passage of the fabric. Within the radiation heating chamber the infrared irradiators 36 are arranged in two vertical rows.The thermal chamber 7 (Fig. 4) is equipped with guide rollers 39 for forwarding the fabric web, the guide rollers 39 being situated beyond the area of the arrangement of the irradiators 36, for the fabric to pass through the thermal chamber at a distance of 30 mm from the surface of the irradiators 36. Each irradiator 36 is of a known per se structure, including a tube of quartz glass about 20 mm in diameter, accommodating therein an electric incandescent coil with the working temperature of 8000C.

In the areas where the reflectors 35 join each other, there are provided slit nozzles 40 (Fig. 6) 3 mm wide through which cold air can be blown onto the fabric web when the unit is stopped, or else in case of fabric breakage, to cool the fabric down rapidly to a safe temperature. Cold air is supplied by a known per se fan (not shown which is connected with the control system of the unit in any suitable known per se manner (not shown).

Air is supplied to the slit nozzles 40 from vertical ducts 41 (Fig. 4) of the narrowing shape, defined between the rear walls of the reflectors 35 and the outer shell of the chamber, coated with heat insulation means 42.

The fabric-heating temperature is monitored by a sensor 43 of any suitable known per se structure, positioned directly behind the point where the fabric emerges from the area of radiant heating.

The fabric-heating temperature in the thermal chamber 7 is automatically controlled by suitable known per se means which are not described here in detail.

Mounted to overlie the thermal chamber 7 is an exhaust hood 44 with an exhaust duct 45.

Arranged in the bottom part of the thermal chamber 7 is a box 46 with guide rollers 39, with sealed fabric inlet and outlet slits 47. Mounted externally of the thermal, chamber 7 are guide rollers 48 for defining two vertical loops 49 of the fabric, to provide for cooling the fabric before it is rolled up into a roll.

The rolling-up device 8 (Fig. 1) is of any suitable known per se structure which is not described here in detail.

In the direction of fabric movement intermediate the drying-and-tentering machine 6 and the thermal chamber 7 there may be provided a calender 50 of any suitable known per se structure, e.g. including a framework 51, two or three pressure rolls 52 associated with a drive (not shown), and a device 53 for pressing the rolls 52.

The unit for finishing treatment of a textile fabric operates, as follows.

The fabric is forwarded from the rolling-out machine 1 through an accumulator into the padding machine 2 where it is impregnated with the corresponding working solution, squeezed by the squeeze rolls 16 of the padding machine to the required moisture content and advanced through a compensator into the nip of the rotating heated cylinders of the device 3 for exerting two-side heat action upon the fabric. In this way there is attained the uniform distribution of the working solution throughout the fabric and the reduction of the latter's moisture content by 10 to 12%. Then.the moist fabric is advanced into the drying chamber 4 to have its sides alternatingly engage the heated surface of the respective heating drums 24, and thus to have its moisture content reduced to the required value of 30 to 40%.

While the fabric is being thus dried, the resulting vapors are continuously withdrawn positively through the nozzles 31 directly in the areas where they are emitted, with the underpressure of 80 to 100 kgf/m2 in the drying zone, which intensifies the drying process and provides the prerequisites for uniform evaporation of the moisture throughout the thickness of the fabric, which, in its turn, provides for uniform deposition of the substances dissolved in the working solution through the thickness of the fabric and reduces the pollution by these substances of the heating surface of the drying drums. Then the fabric is forwarded through the weft-trueing device 5 and a system of compensators into the drying-and-tentering machine 6 where it is finally dried to the moisture content of 0.5 to 1.0%. Immediately upon leaving the drying-and-tentering machine 6, the fabric enters the thermal chamber 7, thus retaining the high temperature (100 to 1 200C) it has attained during the drying. In the thermal chamber 7 thermal treatment of the fabric is performed with the fabric running successively along the two irradiation panels and being heated by the irradiated energy to the required treatment temperature of 1 70 to 2000 C, and additionally running along the internal loop centrally of the chamber 7, for the temperature to level out through its thickness, which completes the process of thermal fixation of the resin in the fabric.

Upon leaving the thermal chamber 7 the fabric cools down and is rolled up into a roll by the rolling-up device 8.

Should it be necessary to produce a stable calendering effect on the fabric, the fabric is directed from the drying-and-tentering machine 6 into the calender 50, to be treated under the required pressure in the nip of the calender rolls 52, whereafter it is directed into the thermal chamber 7 for the thermal treatment and rolled up into a roll.

Claims (8)

CLAIMS -1. A A method of finishing treatment of textile materials, including impregnating the textile material with a working solution; subjecting said textile material after the impregnation to shortduration heat action at both sides at a temperature in excess of 1000C; subjecting said material to initial drying by contact with drying members to a moisture content of 30 to 40% at a temperature of 120 to 1409 C, with continuous withdrawal of the vapors from the exposed surface of the material, with an underpressure of 80 to 100 kgf/m2 in the drying area; then effecting the final drying of said textile material simultaneously with the tentering at a temperature of 120 to

1 500C to the final moisture content of 0.5 to 1.096; then subjecting said textile material to thermal treatment for 3 to 10 seconds by heating said material to 1 70 to 2000 C.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said heat action upon said textile material is exerted by contact with heated members at a temperature of 125 to 1 300C.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said textile material is subjected to calendering before said thermal treatment.

4. A unit for performing the method as claimed in Claim 1, comprising the following components successively arranged for conducting the process of finishing treatment of a textile material: a rolling-out device; a padding machine; a device for exerting two-side heat action upon the textile material, immediately following the padding machine; a drying chamber overlying said device for exerting two-sided heat action and including drying drums and a suction exhaust system, with nozzles arranged adjacent to the surface of the dryirig drums along the generatrices thereof; a weft-trueing arrangement; a drying-and-tentering machine; a thermal chamber mounted above the outlet portion of the drying-and-tentering machine and including a hermetic chamber with infrared radiation sources arranged in vertical rows; a rolling-up device.

5. A unit as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said device for exerting two-side heat action includes two pairs of rotatable cylinders contacting each other in each pair and provided with heating means.

6. A unit as claimed in Claim 4, comprising a calender arranged intermediate the drying-andtentering machine and the thermal chamber in the direction of the fabric movement.

7. A method-of finishing treatment of textile materials, substantially as described hereinabove and illustrated in the appended drawings.

8. A unit for finishing treatment of textile materials, substantially as described hereinabove and illustrated in the appended drawings.