GB563638A - Improvements in or connected with apparatus for effecting and controlling the shrinkage of textile fabrics - Google Patents

Abstract

563,638. Shrinking fabrics. HADFIELD, J. J., and BAMFORD, D'. Feb. 18, 1943, No. 2695. [Class 42 (i)] Textile fabrics, wetted or conditioned, are shrunk by conveying them on a tensioned endless and elastic rubber band to a revolving burnished drying cylinder, the tension or stretch in the band being relaxed over each successive length of the band where it contacts with the intervening fabric against the cylinder which is so located that the relaxing band and fabric follow the contour thereof while shrinkage takes place ; the extent of such shrinkage is proportional to the contraction of each successive length of the band which is supported upon and driven by revolvable rollers, one of which is driven through variable speed mechanism at a variable higher speed than the preceding roller so that a portion of the band is tensioned or stretched when it receives the wetted or conditioned fabric. As shown, the endless, elastic, rubber band a is supported by adjustable rollers b<1> . . . b<4>, the roller b<3> being positively driven and driving the roller b<4> at a faster speed through a variable speed gear, e.g. that known as the " Reeves " gear, by varying the speed of the roller b<4> relative to that of the roller b<3> the shrinkage of the fabric f is controlled. A roller or rollers c directs the wetted or conditioned fabric on to the stretched portion of the band and the highly-burnished, heated, drying cylinder d, which may be frictionally driven from the roller b<4>, deflects the band and fabric into a concave path where the band relaxes, the fabric contracts and the shrinkage is made permanent. The shrunken fabric is further dried by passing around the heated drying cylinder h and is finally batched. Specifications 359,759, 371,976 and 372,803 are referred to.