US1775894A

US1775894A - Process and means for supporting and stretching tubular fabrics during treatment

Info

Publication number: US1775894A
Application number: US223130A
Authority: US
Inventors: Drabble Frederick
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1926-10-01
Filing date: 1927-10-24
Publication date: 1930-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 1947-09-16

Description

Sept. 16, 1930. F. DRABBLE 1,775,894

PROCESS AND IEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND STRETCHING TUBULAR FABRICS DURING TREATMENT Filed Sept. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 "N '1 l g d U Sept. 16, 1930. F. DRABBLE 1,775,394

PROCESS AND BANS FOR SUPPORTING AND STRBTCHING TUBULAR FABRICS DURING TREATMENT Filed Sept. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 16, 1930. DRABBLE 1,775,894

PROCESS AND IEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND STRETCHING TUBULAR FABRICS DURING TREKTMENT Filad Sept. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 16, 1930. DRABBL 1,775,894

I PROCESS AND MEANS FO UPPORT AND STRETCHING TUBULAR FA I DURING TREATMENT Fi Sept. 30, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 u "Lg-3L 21-" 1 Patented Sept. 16, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE rnnnnmcx DRAIBZBLE, or uArLo'cx, ENGLAND PROCESS AN D MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND STRETGHING TUBULAR FABRICS DURING TREATMENT Application filed September 80, 1927, Serial No. 223,130, and in Great Britain October 1, 1926.

This invention relates 'to an improved method and means for enabling knitted or other tubular fabrics to be supported and stretched while maintaining a substantially circular section during mercerizing, dyeing,

culty of supporting an internal stretching medium which will permit of a radial stretching in all directions on the fabrics to take place simultaneously with continuous longitudinal movement. It has, however,

been proposed to stretch tubular knitted or woven fabrics in flat form by passing the fabric over a core the main feature of which consisted of a pair of arms pivoted to a support at their forward ends and capable of being moved at their opposite ends divergently to the required distance to which the fabric was to. be stretched laterally, the fabric being passed over an entrance member prior to reaching the stretching arms and being drawn along in continuous form by rollers. The core member was supported near each: end by rollers on the core and supporting frame respectively so arranged that while allowing the fabric to traverse longitudinally heldthe core in position.

The present invention is designed to enable knittedor other tubular fabrics to be supported in a substantially circular form and stretched radially and further to enable this operation to be effected continuously, that is with continuous feed of tubular fabric. The radial stretching may be accompanied by longitudinal stretching if desired.

The process according to this invention is characterized by passing the fabric continuously over a core provided with roller members which give the fabric a substantially circular section and stretch it radially during the whole of its travel over the core. The apparatus consists essentially of a core which isprovided' with rollers to contact with the interior surface of the fabric at a pluralit of points, such core being supported y rollers outside the fabric. Some or all of these external rollers may be positively driven to assist the passage of the fabric over the core.

The rollers on the core may rotate in planes radial to the core but some of them preferably rotate in planes which do not pass through the axis so as to prevent the core as a whole rotating. The rollers outside the fabric are preferably so disposed that those at the ends of the core prevent its longitudinal movement.

In restoring the tubular material to the flat form a pair of pivoted arms are preferably employed and rollers are mounted on the ends contacting through the fabric with positively driven external rollers so that the progress of the fabric is not retarded by the friction of the rollers at the edges and the weft structure of the fabric entering the delivery rollers is maintained in the same position at which it entered the stretching apparatus.

This invention will be fully described with reference to the acompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1, is an elevation of the machine at the entrance end with the first pair of feeding rollers removed,

Fig. 2, side elevation of the main portion of the machine,

Fig. 3, plan of the complete machine,

Fig. 4, elevation of the adjustable arms degice at the finishing end of the machine, an

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the machine.

In carrying out my invention a is the main frame of the machine in which I employ a core consisting of a central member I) of solid or tubular formation carrying a plurality of bosses a supporting a number of radial arms d, or discs, such arms or discs carrying at their outer ends, or periphery, pulleys or rollers e or other means for engaging with the interior surface of the tubular fabric to support it internally at a number of radial points. The bosses 0 are adjustable longitudinally of the member I) so as to enable the supporting pulleys or rollers or other means, or a combination of both to be adjustedaxially with relation to each other. The

them to be' adjusted ina radial direction so that the core member may be increased or decreased in diameter in accordancewith the diameter of the tubular fabric being dealt with or to the diameter to which such fabric is to be stretched in accordance with the character of the operation it is undergoing. The series of pulleys in one set may be arranged in staggered formation with those of another set or sets as shown in Fig.

1. In the drawings the pulleys are sepa-' respectively on shafts j and is such pulleys rotating in contact with two of the rollers 6 carried by the arms d. I also use rollers or pulleys m preferably freely mounted on studs it carried by brackets 0 adjustable to and from two of the rollers 6 carried by the arms 41. The pulleys h and z and pulleys m contact with the rollers e in such a way as to hold the core in position axially and to prevent it rising and rotating. The shaft j is driven from one of the feed rollers p at the feeding end of the machine by Way of pulley q, belt 1' and pulley 8 while the shaft is driven from shaft j by way of sprocket wheel 15, chain to and sprocket wheel 1;, both shafts j and k rotating at the same speed, though, if required,

shaft is may bedriven at a higher speed if it is required to stretch the fabric longitudinally. The pulleys h and i in conjunction. with the pulleys or rollers they are in contact with assist in passing the fabric longitudinally over the core though the main traversing of the fabric is effected by means of the pair of delivery rollers to at the finishing end of the machine. A longitudinal draft may be set up on the fabric between its entry on and passing off the core by rotating the delivery rollers at a higher speed than the feed rollers p or at a higher speed than the rollers i by driving the delivery rollers w from the feed rollers way of pulley a, belt y, pulley 2, cone p b pulleys 3, belt 4 and pulley 5 on one of the delivery roller shafts 6. I do not confine myself to this method of obtaining a draft on the fabric as other well-known means may be employed for effecting a differential drive.-

' For keeping the cellular or weft structure of the fabric in the same position at which of said arms carry studs'lO on which are freely mounted pulleys 11 mainly arranged with curved extensions of the arms 7 the outer ends of which extend towards the nip of the delivery rollers, such outer ends being substantial- 1y tangential with the peripheries of the pulleys 11. The arms 7 are adapted to be adjusted about their pivotal points 8 by means of a turnbuckle 12 mounted in an extension 13 from the frame 9 acting in conjunction with right and left handed screw-threaded rods 14 carried by shackles 15 pivoted at 16 on the arm 7. Nuts 17 lock the parts in the adjusted'position. Other means may be employed for adjusting andlocking the arms in position. After leaving the core the fabric changes from the substantially circular form to fiat form in passing over the arms 7 to the delivery rollers and is positively fed or controlled in passing to such rollers for the purose hereinbefore described by means of puleys 18 acting in conjunction with thepulleys 11. 'Thepulleys 18 are mounted upon studs 19 carried in separate carriages 20 slidably arranged on rods 21, the carriages being normally pulled towards each other to effect a grip on the edges of the fabric by means of springs 22 coupled to them and likewise anchored at 23 to a stationary bracket 24. The pulleys 18 may be driven at a suitable and adjustable speed in accordance with the requirements of the fabric by means of ropes or belts 25 passing round the pulleys over guide. pulleys 26 to pulleys 27 fixed on a shaft 28 which, in turn, is driven from the 'feed roller shaft 6 by way of pulley 30, belt 31 to pulley 29, cone 32, belt 33, cone 34 and thence by way of pulley 35 of the last named cone by a belt 37 to pulley 36 on shaft 28. It will therefore be seen that pulleys 18 can be adjusted in speed by the second set of cone pulleys to the speed of the delivery rollers w.

The spacing apart of the arms 7 is regulated by means of the turnbuckle 12 according to the width of the flattened fabric to be delivered 'to the rollers 11;. The fabric as it passes the pulleys 11 on the ends of the arms 7 is gripped by the driven pulleys .18 which are pressed towardsthe pulleys 11 by the springs 22. Retardation of the fabric at the edges is thus prevented and it is fed to the delivery rollers 'w at the same rate at which these rollers are revolved, this being'ensured by adjustment of the belt 33 on the cores 32 and 34. In consequence of this the weft structure of the fabric is maintained in its correct position during delivery and any bowing or curving is prevented.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that the function of the core is to stretch the tubular fabric radially and to permit of its longitudinal passage along the core to take place and to enable a drawing or traversing action which permits of a continuous treatment being given to the fabric.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. Apparatus for enabling knitted or other tubular fabrics to be stretched during mercerizing, dyeing or other operations having a core externally provided with roller means for contacting with the interior surface of the fabric at a plurality of points, said core being externally supported by roller means contacting with the exterior surface of the fabric so as to permit the fabric to be passed continuously between such roller means around said core.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the roller means on the core are mounted upon bosses longitudinally adjustable of said core.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the roller means on the core are radially adjust-able thereof.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which some of the external core supporting roller means are adapted to be positively driven to assist in carrying the fabric along the core.

5. Apparatus as claimed in 'claim 1 in which feed and delivery roller means are provided adjacent the ends of the core to enable the tubular fabric to be received and delivered in the flat form.

6. Apparatus for enabling knitted or other tubular fabrics to be stretched during mercerization, dyeing, drying or other operations having a core provided with roller means for contacting with the interior of the fabric at a plurality of points so as to give it a circular section and stretch it radially and roller means externally of the fabric co-operating with the roller means on said core to support said core and permit fabric to be passed continuously thereover.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the roller means are mounted upon bosses longitudinally adjustable of said core.

8. Apparatus for enabling knitted or other tubular fabrics to be stretched during mercerization, dyeing, drying or other operations having a core provided with roller means for contacting with the interior surface ofthe fabric at a plurality of points so as to give it a circular section and stretch it radially, roller means externally of the fabric co-operating with the roller means on said core to support said core and permit fabric to be passed continuously thereover, and feed and delivery rollers adjacent the ends of said core provided with differential gearing to enable the fabric to be stretched longitudinally simultaneously with the radial stretching.

9. In apparatus for enabling knitted or other tubular fabrics to be stretched during niercerizing, dyeing or other operations having a floating core designed to give the fabric a substantially circular section, means for keeping the cellular or weft structure of the fabric in the same position at which it entered the stretching apparatus prior to its delivery through the delivery rollers comprising arms pivoted at one end and carrying at their other ends roller means, means for lateral adjustment of said roller means and positively driven roller means acting in conjunction therewith to draw the fabric therebetween.

10. In apparatus as claimed in claim 9 the provision of slidable carriages carrying positively driven rollers and spring or the like means to keep said positively driven rollers in contact with rollers on the pivoted arms.

11. Process for stretching knitted or similar tubular fabric during mercerization, dyeing, drying and similar operations which consists in distending the fabric to a substantially circular form, stretching it radially while in such form, and progressively bringing the fabric while stretched to a fiat form.

12. Process for stretching knitted or simillar tubular fabric during mercerization, dyeing, drying or similar operations which consists in distending the fabric to a substantially circular form, stretching it radially while in such form and progressing it forward between rollers situated internally and externally of said tubular fabric.

13. Process for stretching knitted or similar tubular fabric during mercerization, dyeing, drying or similar operations which consists in distending the fabric to a substantially circular form, stretching it radially and longitudinally while in such form, and progressing it forward between rollers situated internally and externally of said tubular fabric.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, this 16th day of September, 1927.

FREDERICK DRABBLE.