GB712437A - Improved method and apparatus for printing fabrics with metallization - Google Patents

Abstract

712,437. Forming metallized signs &c. on fabric. LEBUY, P. Dec. 19, 1951 [Dec. 20, 1950], No. 29770/51. Class 100 (2). [Also in Group VIII] Metalized signs &c. are produced on fabrics by printing the signs &c. on the fabric by means of a driable composition and before the composition is dry submitting the printed side of the fabric to the action of an air jet in which metal particles have been suspended while air is caused to pass through the fabric from the non-printed side towards the printed side. In the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 for carrying out a continuous process the fabric 2 passes round a printing roller 3 associated with inking rollers 4 which distribute the driable viscous solution from trough 5, over the open side of a suction box 7, and over roller 8 to a drying apparatus. The suction box 7 is preferably inclined and connected at both ends by pipes 9 with a suction line 10 in turn connected with the suction side of an air pump or the like and including a centrifugal separator 11 and an air filter 12. A nozzle 13 passing through the bottom of box 7 and opening a small distance from the inner side of the fabric 2 is connected by a pipe 14 with the outlet from an air compressor, the pipe 14 including a venturi 15 the restricted portion of which is connected by pipe 16 with the bottom of a receptacle 17 containing metal powder, e.g. gold. The flow of the powder through pipe 16 is regulated by valve 18. The powder from nozzle 13 is retained on the printed portions of the fabric but falls back from the other portions and is removed by air flowing through the fabric under the action of suction line 10, the air flow through pipe 10 being greater than that through pipe 14. The excess powder is recovered at 11 and 12. The solution in trough 5 may comprise siccative oils or substances or may be formed of polymerisable substances, and in some cases may be non-viscous, retaining the powder by capillarity. The box 7 may be inclined in opposed direction to Fig. 1 with nozzle 13 at the leading edge and line 10 near the trailing edge, or the upper side of box 7 may be horizontal. Fig 4 shows a modification with two successive suction boxes 19, 20, box 19 containing the nozzle 13 and a line 10, and box 20 containing a line 10 only.