US1920541A

US1920541A - Process for saturating fabric

Info

Publication number: US1920541A
Application number: US391854A
Authority: US
Inventors: Zavertnik Joseph; Alexander A Maccubbin
Original assignee: Barrett Co Inc
Current assignee: Barrett Co Inc
Priority date: 1929-09-11
Filing date: 1929-09-11
Publication date: 1933-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 1950-08-01

Description

Aug. 1, 1933- J. ZAVERTNIK EI AL PROCESS FOR SATURATING FABRIC Filed Sept. 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l FABRIC INVENTOR JUSEPH ZAVfAT/V/K & B Y Altman/Ewan! ATTORNE/ Aug. 1, 1933- J. ZAVERTNIK El AL PROCESS FOR SATURATING FABRIC Filed Sept. 11, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 1, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PROCESS FOR SATURATING FABRIC 1 Application September 11, 1929 Serial No. 391,854

9 Claims. (Cl. 91-68) Our invention relates to a process for the impregnation of porous fabrics such as paper, felt, strawboard, cloth,- and the like. It pertains more particularly to the production of roofing paper,

artificial shingles, building-paper, and' similar materials, by impregnation of porous fabrics with hot tar or asphalt, but it is generally applicable to the impregnation of porous fabrics with any saturant in fluid condition.

10 In the production of roofing paper or artificial shingles, the continuous impregnation process is usually employed. A roll of felt or other suitable fabric is unwound by machinery and the moving felt is passed through a bath of a fluid saturant,

after which it travels out of the bath and moves in the air for a sufiicient time to permit the hot fluid saturant to harden. Squeeze rolls may be employed to express the excess saturant and to give any desired surface appearance to the prod- 750 not.

Our invention is particularly useful in the continuous type of saturation process described, although it is also applicable to a batch process, in which only one piece of fabric is treated at a time.

One of the advantages of our process is the more uniform impregnation of a fabricwith a saturant. It also providesfor the effective use of a differential pressure to promote the saturation of the fabric. Another advantage of our process lies in the initial application of a liquid to the fabric to make it more pliable and adaptable to the shape of the mechanism with which it is to contact during impregnation. Other advantages will become apparent.

In describing our invention, reference will be made to the appended drawings in which Fig. 1 shows in cross-section an illustrative mechanism with which our process may beused, and Fig. 2

shows a fragmentary vertical section partly in elevation taken through substantially the center of spokes E and H, the rolls B, P, R and Q and the spray S being omitted for the sake of clearness.

In the drawings, (A) indicates a sheet of fabric undergoing treatment, and (B) is an idler roll, preferably heated, over which it passes. After passing over the idler roll (B), the fabric (A).

r moves downwardly, as indicated by arrows, and

contacts with the revolving drum (C). The

drum (C) shown in the drawings has a perforated or foraminous cylindrical surface, the ends C of which may be closed by solid plates.

The perforated or foraminous surface of the drum (C) ispreferably of such width that the fabric (A) will completely cover the perforations.

A stationary drum (D) is concentrically positioned within the drum ,(C) and is supported by means of the radial spokes E) (F), (G), (H), (I) and (J) from a hollow shaft (K) having a diameter smaller than the inside diameter of the sleeves 3 having flange 1 bolted as at 2 or otherwise secured to the ends C of the drum (C). The ends of the hollow shaft (K) pass through the sleeves 3 and are journaled in demountable bearings 10, which may be removed from the pedestal or supports 11 so that the assembly may be readily taken apart. The ends of the shaft (K) are provided with closure plates 8, one of which has an opening which may be connected to a suction pump to create a suction in shaft (K).

The sleeves 3 are rotatably mounted on the hollow shaft (K), the portion of the shaft (K) concentric with the sleeve 3 having a bearing surface 7. A gear 6 is keyed or otherwise secured in driving relation with the sleeve 3 and this gear is rotated from a suitable source of power (not shown) to rotate the drum (C).

The radial spokes (G), (H) and (I) are hollow and serve as connecting passages between the space within the shaft (K) and the lower portion (L) of the annular space between the cylindrical surfaces of the drums (C) and (D). Plates (M) and (N) are fixed to the cylindrical surface of the stationary drum (D) and fit closely at their, outer edges against the inner surface of the drum (C). A pair of end plates M N extend circumferentially about the lower portion of the cylindrical surface of the drum (D) and connect plate (M) with plate (N) near the sides of the drum (D) as shown in Fig. 2. These end plates extend across the annular space between the stationary and movable drums and, with the plates (M) and (N), form the boundaries of the annular space or chamber (L) connected by the hollow radial spokes to the shaft (K). These plates may be positioned to make the chamber (L) of suitable volume and location.

The concentric drums (C) and (D) are positioned in a tank (0) which is filled with a saturant to a point preferably above the plates (M) and (N). Suitable stufiing boxes 4 may be used where the sleeves 3 secured to the tank (C) pass through the ends of the tank (0) Also, a gland or stufling box 5 is provided where the hollow shaft (K) emerges from the sleeve 3. g

A partial vacuum may be maintained within the annular space (L) by a suction applied to the hollow shaft (K) and transmitted to this space through the hollow radial spokes (G), (H)

' its opposite sides.

and (I). The fabric (A) after passing over the lower portion of the cylindrical surface of the perforated tank (C) may pass over an idler roll (P) and squeeze rolls (Q) and (R) which act to squeeze out any excess saturant.

As the fabric (A) leaves the idler roll (B) its top (drum-side) surface is coated with a suitable liquid, which may be the same as the saturant in the tank (0), at a rate sufficient to effectively cover the surface of the fabric which later is to contact with the surface of the drum (C). This liquid may be applied by a spray from a pipe (S). An apron (T) extending downwardly to rest upon the drum (C) at a point below the center line, may be suspended from the pipe (S) to prevent the sprayed liquid from passing into the drum (C) before contacting with the fabric (A), or before passing the baffle (M).

The liquid sprayed upon the drum-side of the fabric renders the fabric pliable and will cause it to adjust closely to the surface of the drum (C). By adjusting the force of this spray, the penetration of the liquid into the fabric may be regulated. The fabric thus coated travels at the same speed as the periphery of the drum (C) and this liquid, by filling any crevices and small apertures, forms a complete seal between that portion of the perforated surface of the drum (C) which is opposite the space (L), and the adjacent surface of the fabric (A).

As thefabric (A), coated upon its drum-side, passes through the saturant in the tank (0), the saturant is forced into and through the pores of the fabric by the difference in pressure upon The degree of penetration may be controlled by regulating this differential pressure or by regulating the speed of rotation of the drum (C).

Any excess of saturant upon the inner side of -the drum (C) may be withdrawn through a pipe (U) and as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, may be returned to the tank (0) by a pump (V). In Fig. 2 the pipe U is shown passing through a stuffing box 9 in plate 8 to a suitable point of disposal. If desired, the liquid level-in the tank (0) may be kept constant by adjusting the quantity of liquid added through the spraypipes (S), or thismay be accomplished by adding saturant directly to the tank (0) Our invention has been described with reference to an apparatus in which a partial vacuum is maintained upon one side of the fabric (A). It is apparent that the differential pressure could be obtained by increasing the pressure upon the outside .of the fabric rather than by reducing that upon the inside. It is further apparent that the apparatus described is merely illustrative of one. of many forms of apparatus with which the process could be used.

The advantages of our invention thus described, are believed to be obvious. The fabric is made pliable by the application of a saturant before contacting with the drum (C). The sealing action of the saturant lessens the possibility of bypassing the saturant under the fabric to the perforations in the surface of the drum (C). The resultant effect being an increase in the uniformity and speed of the penetration.

- Although in the specific application of our invention which has been shown and described, the impregnation is accomplished by passing the fabric (A) through a tank of liquid, it is apparent that the saturant may be applied by other means, such as a series of sprays. It is also apparent that the application of the liquidor saturant to the fabric before contacting with the rotating drum may be accomplished by other means, such as by dipping the fabric or by the use of a feed roll, and that other than the saturating fluids may be used for rendering the fabric pliable.

When our invention is employed for the purpose of saturating fabric with a bituminous material, such as tar, asphalt, or pitch, the saturant must be used while hot, since it tends to solidify at normal temperatures. In such a case, the saturant may be readily maintained in*a fluid condition by means of heat applied in any convenient manner to the pipe (S),-the tank (0) or to their contents. It should be noted, however, that our invention is equally applicable to the saturation of fabric at room temperature with substances that remain fluid at such 'temperatures.

Now having described our invention, we claim:

1. In a process for impregnating fabric in which said fabric is supported'on a perforated surface during impregnation with a saturant and a differential pressure is. applied to opposite sides of the fabric to promote impregnation, the step which comprises first applying a fluid to one side of the fabric to render it more pliable and adapted to flt closely to said surface and thereafter passing the side of the fabric to which fluid has been applied into contact with said perforated surface.

2. A process for impregnating fabric which comprises first applying afluid to said fabric to render it more pliable, subsequently supporting said pliable fabric on a perforated surface, and applying a fluid saturant to said fabric while maintaining a suction on the supported side.

3. A process for impregnating fabric-which comprises applying fluid saturant to one side of said fabric to render it more pliable, passing the coated side of said fabric in contact with a perforated supporting surface, and applying fluid saturant to said fabric while maintaining a suction on the supported side.

4. A process for impregnating fabric which comprises. spraying a fluid upon said fabric to render it more pliable, subsequently supporting said pliable fabric on a perforated surface and applying a fluid saturant to the exposed side of said fabric while maintaining a differential pressure between the supported and exposed sides of said fabric.

5. A process for'impregnating fabric which comprises applying the liquid to one side of the fabric, subsequently supporting the side of said fabric to which liquid has been applied upon a perforated surface, applying a saturant to the other side of said fabric and continuously subjecting the fabric to a differential pressure during the application of saturant to the side thereof opposite to that to which liquid is first applied.

6. In a process for impregnating fabric in which tne fabric is supported on a perforated drum during impregnation with a saturant and a differential pressure is applied to opposite sides of the fabric to promote impregnation, the improvement which comprises first applying a fluid to one side of the fabric to render it more pliable and adapted to fit closely to said perforated drum, and thereafter passing the side of the fabric to which fluid has been applied into contact with said perforated drum.

7. In a process for impregnating fabric in which the fabric is supported on a perforated cylindrical surface during impregnation with a liquid saturant and suction is applied to one side of the fabric to promote impregnation, the improvement which comprises first applying liquid saturant to oneside of the fabric to render it more pliable and adapted to fit closely to said cylindrical surface, and thereafter passing the side of the fabric to which the liquid saturant has been applied into contact with said cylindrical surface.

8. In a continuous process for impregnating a moving Web of fabric in which the fabric is supported on a revolving perforated cylindrical surface during impregnation with a saturant and a differential pressure is applied to opposite sides of the fabric to promote impregnation, the improvement which comprises continuously applying a fluid to one side of the web of fabric to render it more pliable and adapted to fit closely to said revolving cylindrical surface, and thereafter contacting the side of the fabric to which fluid has been applied with said revolving cylindrical surface.

9. In a process for continuously saturating a moving web of felt in which said felt is supported on a revolving perforated drum during saturation with bituminous material and a suction is applied to one side of the felt to aid the saturation, the improvement which comprises first applying bituminous liquid to one side of the felt to render it more pliable and adapted to fit closely to said revolving drum, and thereafter passing the side of the fabric to which the bituminous material has been applied into contact with the revolving drum.

JOSEPH ZAVERTNIIK. ALEXANDER, A. MACCUBBIN.