US1645501A - Method of and apparatus for feeding fabrics - Google Patents

Description

I 1,645,501 0 11 1927- H. I. HUEY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FABRICS Filed July 2, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A VENTOR Oct. 11, 1927. 1,645,501

/JJ 15x lNl/ENTOR-l Patented Oct. 11, 192".

UNITED STATES PATENT oF-rrcs.

HAROLD I. HUEY, OF SAYLESVILLE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO SAYLES FINISH- ING PLANTS INQ, OF SAYLESVILLE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FABRICS.

Application filed July 2, 1926. Serial No. 120,225.

The present invention relates to the treat- Jncnt of fabrics to impart desired properties to the same, and more particularly to a method of and apparatus for feeding the fabric so that successive portions of the fabric will be subjected to an uniform time treatment.

In treating a fabric to impart a desired finish to the same or desired properties to the fabric, it is often desired to feed the fabric continuously while it is being sub jected to the dillerent treatments, but in many cases it is necessary to allow a time interval to elapse between different treatments. If the time interval is very short the same may be provided by passing the fabric around several rolls or guides while travel ing from one place of treatment to another, but if a relatively long time interval is required to elapse between the successive treatments it may be necessary to slow down the speed at which the fabric is advanced or to provide means for supporting a long strip of fabric traveling from one place of treatment to another.

If it is unnecessary to keep the fabric in a stretched condition during the period between successive treatments the traveling fabric may be deposited in a receptacle or container in which it may remain for the desired period, but fabrics that need. to be held in a stretched condition during the treatment period cannot be deposited in a receptacle in the manner just mentioned.

In order to keep a sheet of fabric in a stretched condition during the period required to elapse between treatments various forms of devices known as continuous agers have been roposed heretofore. These devices usual y consist of a number of fabric supporting rolls arranged in staggered relation so that the fabric travels along a zigzag path in passing around the different rolls. Such proposed devices work very well where the length of fabric required to be maintained in a stretched condition is relatively short, but if a long strip of fabric is re quired to be maintained in a stretched condition the number of staggered rolls required to support the fabric and the space which the rolls occupy may be excessive.

Having the foregoing in mind the present invention relates to a fabric advancing device or continuous batcher which is ex tremely simple in construction, and which consists of but few parts, while at the same t me it will maintain in a stretched condition a traveling sheet of any length.

The principal feature of the invention res1des in the method of and apparatus for handling a fabric whereby a plurality of (30115 or layers of the fabric are advanced as a unit around their supporting structure, and fresh portions of the fabric are wound about the support at one side of the travelmg layers while corresponding portions of the fabric are led off from the opposite side .of the group of layers. In this manner the .ric supply, and if desired a fabric treating .device, are supported within the space en- .closed by the traveling coils.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the construction whereby the coils travel within a closed air-tight chamber so that they may be treated while in said chamber to a gas confined therein.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will be best understood from the .following description and accompanying drawings showing good practical means for carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a construction for carrying out the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 on a reduced scale is a view similar to Fig. 1 but shows a modified construction.

The supporting means upon which the traveling coils of fabric are wound may be varied in size and shape as desired, and the coils may travel within a closed passage, or may be exposed as deemed advisable.

In the construction shown the coils of the fabric F are supported by the spaced rolls 10 that are arranged to form an enclosure in which the source of fabric supply 11 may be mounted. The rolls 10 are rotatably supported by a frame of any desired construction and they are provided with the stub shafts 12 that rotate in suitable bearings carried by said frame.

The rolls 10 in the present construction are supported within a closed endless passage 13, and it should be noted that a portion of the passage 13 extends below the floor X of the building while the upper portion of this passage is located a substantial distance above said floor.

As a result of this construction the passage 13 encloses a space or chamber in which means for supporting and treatlng the fabric F may be mounted. The walls 14 of the passage 13 may be formed of wood, metal, concrete, or

any other material found desirable or neces-' sary to resist the action of the liquid or gases that may be employed in treating the fabric F while passing through the passage.

In the construction shown the fabric F to be treated is unwound from the supply roll 11 supported by the frame 15, and it passes over suitable guide rolls 16 and feed rolls 17 to a treatment tank 18 where it is immersed in the desired liquid. The fabric upon leaving the tank 18 passes between the squeeze rolls 19 and 20, one of which may be adjusted relatively to the other by the hand wheel 21 and is forced toward the other roll by the weight 22.

The fabric F passes from the roll 20 about one of the coil supporting rolls 10 and then about the series of rolls 10 to form any desired number of spiral coils, and the fabric passes from the outermost coil about a roll 23 to any desired means such as a device for subjecting the fabric to its next treatment. It will be understood that the plurality of coils of the fabric travel as a unit relatively to their supporting rolls and that the unwinding portion of the fabric passes continuously out 'of the passage 13 about the roll 23 while a fresh portion of the fabric passes continuously into the chamber from the roll 20. In this manner the passage of the fabric around the chamber 13 is a continuous operation and each portion of the fabric is subjected to a uniform time treatment while passing from the roll 20 to the roll 23.

It may be desirable to drive the rolls 10 to thereby help advance the coils of the fabric about the chamber 13, and to this end each of the rolls 10 may have a sprocket 24 secured outside of the passage to a projecting stub shaft. The different sprockets may be driven by an endless chain 25 the tension of which may be varied by adjusting the chain tightening sprocket 26. The chain 25 may be driven by any suitable means such as an electric motor 27 having a worm wheel 28 that drives a belt or chain 29 which in turn drives the belt or chain 30.

The construction described, whereby any desired number of layers of the fabric may be wound upon the rolls 10 and advanced as a unit relatively to. said rolls, not only constitutes an extremely simple 'and satisfactory construction for maintaining a traveling sheet of fabric of any desired length in a stretched condition, but since the different coils or layers of the fabric are laid one over the other in contact with each other, the engagement of one coil with another helps to keep the sheets from contracting or shrinking in a direction transversely of the fabric.

Ifa large number of coils of the fabric are wound about the rolls 10 the accumulation of the coils may tend to increase the tension of the outermost coils, but this tension may be relieved by placing one or more of the rolls at the outside of the coils instead of inside, as will be apparent upon observing the position of the rolls 10 mounted in the lower portion of the the passage 13.

- In some cases it may be desirable to expose the fabric traveling within the passage 13 to a gas confined within'the passage, in which case it may be desirable to provide an air tight liquid seal at the points where the fabric enters and leaves the chamber. Means to this end is shown in the modified construction of Fig. 3 wherein it will be seen that the fabric F passes from the roll 20 around a roll 31 and then downwardly about a roll 32 positioned below the surface of the liquid confined in the receptacle 33. One portion of the wall 14 is secured to the receptacle 33 while another portion of the wall extends downwardly into the receptacle 33, the arrangement being such that the liquid within the receptacle 33 prevents the gas from escaping from the passage at the point where the fabric enters the passage. The fabric F in leaving the chamber 13 passes through a similar air-tight liquid seal formed by the receptacle 34. In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the supply of fab ric- 11 is mounted on a wheel truck 35 so that it may be easily moved to and from the unwinding position.

In the construction shown and described the fabric passes from a source of supply to the inside of the traveling coils and issues from the outer face of these coils, but this is not necessary in all embodiments of the invention since if desired the fabric may travel in the opposite direction so that it is led to the outermost coil and issues from the innermost coil. It is important to note that irrespective of the di. rection in which the fabric F travels within the treatment chamber, each portion of the fabric will remain in such chamber the same length of time as every other por- Ill tion, th'us insuring uniform treatment of all portions of the fabric.

The coil supporting structure form ng the subject matter of the present invention may be employed for various purposes and the fabric may be subjected to a liquid, gaseous or heat treatment while traveling in the passage 13, or it may be passe around the supporting rolls 10 to allow a definite interval of time to elapse between successive treatments of the traveling fabric, one of the treatments being effected before the fabric reaches the supporting rolls 10 and the other treatment being effected after it leaves the rolls 10. The time interval just mentioned may be varied as desired by varying the speed at which the rolls 10 are driven and also by increasing or decreasing the number of layers of the fabric wound upon the rolls 10.

What is claimed is 1. The method of advancing a sheet of fabric to subject successive portions thereof to a time treatment of equal duration, WhlCh consists in feeding a sheet of fabric from a centrally disposed source of supply along a path that surrounds the source of supply so that the fabric passes repeatedly around said path to form a plurality of layers la1d one over the other and which travel progresslvely from the point at which the sheet enters said path to a point at the opposite side of the traveling layers and at whlch the sheet issues from said path.

2. The method of advancing a sheet of fabric to subject successive portions thereof to an uniform time treatment, which con sists in feeding a sheet of fabric from a source of en ply along a path that surrounds the source 0 supply so that the fabrlc passes repeatedly around said path to form spirally wound contacting layers that travel progressively from the point at which the sheet enters said path to a point at the opposite side of the traveling ayers and at WhlCh the sheet issues from said path.

3. The method of advancing a sheet of fabric to subject successive portions thereof to an uniform time treatment, which consists in feeding a plurality of spirally wound contacting layers of the fabric as a unit along a path that surrounds a central point so that each portion of the fabric enters the path at a predetermined point at one side of the path and travels spirally from one layer to the other until it completes its travel between the layers and issues from the opposite side of the traveling layers of fabric.

4. The method of advancing a sheet of fabric through an endless passage, which consists in feeding a sheet 0 fabric from asource of supply into an enclosure construct- I ed to form an endless passage and along the passage so that the fabric passes repeatedly around the passage to form spirally wound layers that travel progressively from the point at which the sheet enters the passage to a point at the opposite side of the traveling layers and at which the sheet issues from the passage.

5. The method of advancing a sheet of fabric to subject successive portions thereof to a time treatment of equal duration, which consists in feedin a sheet of fabric from a source of supply a ong a ath that surrounds a central point so that the fabric passes repeatedly around said path to form s irally wound contacting layers that travel as a unit relatively to the fabric supports along said path, and advancing the fabric sheet progressively from the point at which it enters said path along the different layers to a point at the opposite side of the traveling layers where it leaves said path.

6. A fabric advancing device, comprising in combination, a fabric support adapted to have a plurality of layers of the fabric wound around the support one over the other in contact with each other, means for advancing the (oils as a unit around said support and for feeding fresh portions of the fabric to the innermost coil from a point within the fabric support and for leading the wound fabric sheet off from the outermost coil.

7. A fabric advancing device, comprising in combination, a fabric support adapted to have a plurality of layers of the fabric wound spirally around the support one over the other in contact with each other throughout the different coils, means for advancing the coils as a unit around said support and for leading fresh portions of the fabric to one face of the advancing coils and for leading the wound sheet 011' from the o posite face of the advancing coils so that eac portion of the sheet travels progressively along the different coils.

8. A fabric advancing device, comprising in combination, a series of fabric supporting rolls mounted in spaced relation to each other about a central point to sup ort a plurality of coils of the fabric woun about the group of rolls one upon the other in superimposed contacting coils that surround said point, and means for feeding successive portions of the fabric sheet from a source of supply to said rolls so that they advance about the rolls from one coil to the-other until they issue from the opposite face of the coils from which they approached the same.

9. A fabric advancing device, comprising in combination, a series of fabric supporting rolls mounted in spaced relation to each other about a central point to support a plurality of coils of the fabric wound upon the group of rolls and about said point in contacting spiral layers, and means for feeding successive iportions of the fabric sheet from a source 0 supply to said rolls so that the portions of the sheet travel about the rolls and advance spirally from one coil to the other until they issue from the opposite face of the coils from which they approached the same. a

10. A fabric advancing device, comprising in combination, a series of fabric supporting rolls arranged about and in spaced relation to a source of fabric supply and adapted to have the sheet of fabric wound around the series of rolls in superimposed coils, means for supporting the source of fabric supply within the space enclosed by the coils of fabric wound upon said rolls, and means for advancing successive portions of the sheet of fabric from the sourceof supply to the innermost coil supported by said rolls and along the successive coils until each portion of the sheet issues from the outermost coil of the series.

11. A fabric advancing device, compris ng in combination, a series of fabric supporting rolls arranged about and in spaced relation to a source of fabric supply and adapted to have the sheet of fabric wound around the series of rolls in superimposed coils, means for supporting the source of fabric supply within the space enclosed by the (20118 of fabric wound upon said rolls, and means for advancing successive portions of the sheet of fabric from the source of supply to one face of the group of coils supported by said rolls and along the successive coils until each portion of the sheet issues from the opposite face of the series of coils, and means for driving the rolls to feed the fabric they engage. 0

12. A fabric advancing device, comprising in combination, a series of fabric supporting rolls mounted about and in spaced relation to a central point and adapted to support a plurality of coils of the fabric wound about the group of rolls in contacting layers, which help to hold the successively laid coils in a transversely stretched condition, and means for advancing the series of layers as a unit about the rolls so that each portion of the fabric led into contact with one face of the traveling coils passes along the successive coils until it issues from the opposite face of the series of coils.

13. A fabric advancin device, comprising in combination, a guide or a traveling sheet of fabric, a series of fabric supporting rolls mounted about and in spaced relation to said fabric guide and adapted to support a plurality of coils of the fabric wound around the series of rolls in superimposed contacting layers so that the coils surround said guide, and are advanced as a unit about the different supporting rolls, and means for feeding successive portions of the sheet of fabric from said guide to the innermost coil supported by said rolls and along the successive eat er coils until each portion of the sheet issues from the outermost coil of the series.

14. A fabric advancing device, comprising in combination, a source of fabric supply supported by the floor of a building, a series of\ fabric supporting rolls mounted above and below the floor of the building and about said source of supply and arranged to support a plurality of coils of the fabric wound spirally about the series of rolls so that the coils surround the source of fabric supply and pass above and below said floor, and means for advancing the plurality of coils as a unit about said rolls so that the successive portions of the fabric pass from the source of supply to the innermost coil supported by the rolls and along the spiral coiills until they issue from the outermost C01 15 A device of the class described, comprising in combination, a casing constructed to provide an endless passage, rolls within said passage and adapted to support a plurality of coils of a fabric wound around the passage upon said rolls, means for advancing the plurality of coils as a unit within said passage so that the successive portions of the fabric pass from the source of supply into said passage and progressively from one coil to the other until they issue from the opposite face of the coils.

16. A device of the class described, comprising in combination, a casing constructed to provide an endless air-tight passage, rolls within said passage and adapted to support a plurality of coils of a fabric wound around the passage upon said rolls, means for advancingthe plurality of coils as a unit within said passage so that successive portions of the fabric pass progressively from one coil to the other until they issue from the opposite face of the coils, and means at the points where the fabric enters and leaves said passage and adapted to' prevent gaseous fluid within said passage from escaping at the fabric entrance and exit.

a 17. A fabric advancing device, comprismg in combination, a series of fabric supporting rolls spaced apart a sufficient distance to form an enclosure in which a workman may remain during the fabric advancing operation and having a plurality of layers of the fabric wound around the series of rolls in overlying coils, means for advancing the coils as a unit around the path defined by said rolls, and means for feeding fresh portions of the fabric to the path at one face of the series of coils and for leading the wound sheet off from the opposite face of the traveling coils.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HAROLD I. HUEY.

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