GB708654A - Method of reducing shrinkage in tubular knitted fabrics - Google Patents

Abstract

708,654. Finishing fabrics. REDMAN PROCESS INTERNATIONAL, Inc. July 9, 1951, No. 16259/51. Class 42 (1) Tubular knitted fabric, which has been elongated lengthwise and narrowed widthwise by processing subsequent to knitting of the fabric and the stitches of which are distorted lengthwise and widthwise, is treated to reduce shrinkage by moving' the fabric lengthwise through a treatment zone while providing lengthwise freedom of the fabric and internally expanding the fabric widthwise within said zone to effect lengthwise shortening or condensing thereof and to effect sliding of the stitch yarns over or past one another and consequent widthwise distortion of the stitches, and permitting the fabric to relax, whereby to effect repositioning of the stitches substantially to their orignal knitted form and restoration of the fabric substantially to its normal condition. As shown, Figs. 5 and 6, tubular knitted fabric 10 is taken as it comes from wet processing and is passed utpwardly over a ring 45 and between internal expanding rollers 48-51, carried by the same frame 43 as ring 45, and external rollers 36-39 carried by supports 34, 35 mounted on a stationary housing 13. Rollers 36, 38 are geared to a shaft 15 driven by a motor 19. Shaft 15 also drives, through variable-speed belt gearing, a drum 25 which, in co-operation with a nip roller 28 receives the expanded fabric in relaxed condition and feeds it on to a conveyer 33 of a relaxation drier 32, conveyer 33 being driven at a linear speed less than that of roller 25. Small narrow rollers 54 55 extending outwardly slightly beyond rollers 50, 51 prevent wrinkling of the edge portions of the flattened fabric. In another arrangement. Fig. 11, dried fabric 10 is passed over an idler roller 56, through a moistening means 57 provided with steam or water spray members 59, 60 and downwardly over expanding mechanism which is similar to that used in the first arrangement, but inverted. An arrangement 68 of feed rollers 72, 73 and calender rollers 70, 71 pulls the fabric over the expanding rollers and feeds it to a relaxation drier 69. Roller 71 may be retracted as shown so that, for example when treating napped fabric, no calendering is effected. For treating fabric dry, the apparatus of Fig. 11 is used without the moistening and drying means. Specifications 571,821, 601,183 and 673,088 are referred to.