US1993524A - Method of and apparatus for printing and dyeing - Google Patents

Description

March 5, 1935. A. B. POscHEL METHOD of AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING AND DYEING Filed Nov. 29, 1932 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 s s i o w: g Q N h:

INVENTORS J/fredfi P0 vie aura/r FED March 5, 1935. A. B. POSCHEL 'METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTING AND DYEING 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 29, 1932 March 5, 1935. A E. POSCHEL 1,993,524 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PRINTINGAND DYEING Filed Nov. 29, 1932 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR s Jifre 015 P0 cfieZ BY' I Patented Mar. 5, 1935 ME'rnop or AND arrana'ros ron rnnv'rmc AND ammo Alfred B. Piischel, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Decorative Development, Inc., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application November 29, 1932, Serial No. 644,83

11 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of printing and dyeing of absorbent materials by transfer; more particularly it deals with improvements in the manufacture of dye transfer sheets and with improvements in the apparatus for and method of transferring or applying the dyes from such a transfer sheet to fabrics such as silk, rayon, celanese, velvet, cotton, etc.

It is well known that half-tone color printing on paper provides more accurate reproductions of the original designs than is possible by direct printing on fabrics. Previous attempts, however, to manufacture dye transfer sheets for the purpose of printing and dyeing multi-colored designs on fabric by transfer have not been successful in producing results which would compare favorably with the results produced by the direct textile printing methods. Aside from other technical considerations this has been due principally to the relatively high costs of manufacture of such dye transfer sheets and to the relatively slow and imperfect transfer methods used in making the transfer, which made it altogether impossible to use dye transfer sheets profitably for a regular and large commercial production in textile converting.

The use of dye transfer sheets for printing and dyeing multi-colored designs on fabrics also has some very valuable advantages over direct textile printing methods. For instance, in attempts to print fine multi-color half-tone designs by direct textile printing on fabrics, including the use of photomechanical reproduction methods, the woven fabrics present a multitude of interrupted multi-planar surfaces and the half-tone design a plurality of dot printing surfaces, which prevent continuous tone gradation of the directly applied half-tone printing on the irregular surface. On the other hand, the production of. such multicolor half-tone designs in a perfect continuous tone gradation where even the screen dots of the printing surface become invisible can be effected without difiiculty on the same fabrics through the intermediary of transferring such designs to a planar surface dye transfer sheet and then to the fabrics, the dye transfer sheet, having been previously printed with suitable dye inks in a high speed multi-color printing .press.

Another advantage included in the use of dye transfer sheets is the better register of the differ ent colors constituting the design, which can be produced on such a sheet, as compared to the register obtained in printing directly on such stretchable materials as fabrics.- This fact is of special importance in the printing of photograph- (c1. u-ca) ically reproduced designsbecause each color repeats practically all its outlines, so that even relatively small diflerences in registry caused by stretching, for example. may sp the 5 pearance of the design. A further advantage of dye transfer printing on fabrics, is that dye transfer sheets stored without loss of their worlnng u ntigg of g a considerable time, so that the more expensi fabric material may be converted only whende' sired and is not spoiled if the printed design is not a commercial success It is the principal object of this provide a low cost manufacturing process for invention to the printing and dyeing of fabrics and other suitable absorbent materials by transfer, which inconverting of fabrics even on a commercial 35 scale. v

Another and important object of the invention,

includes the use of three or four standard primarydye colors, such as, yellow,red, blue orblack which are superimposed on one another on the dye transfer sheet and after being'appliedto the transfer sheet, include in desir'ed'relation, continuous tone gradation through the whole range 1 of possible color combinations, after whichthe transfer sheet may be transferred to the fabric finally reproducing the color scheme of the ori inal design.

A further object of the invention is to provide a quick drying, thermo-plastic ink which is particularly suitable for high speed production transfer sheets and suited to transfer on fabrics.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following disclosure thereof taken in connection with the attached drawings which illustrate diagrammatically apparatus for practising the invention and in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic section of a transfer sheet producing machine;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of a printing machine for transferring the multi-color designs from the transfer sheet to the fabric;

Figure 3 is a partial plan view of a transfer sheet with an applied design thereon, and,

Figures 4 and 5 are diagrammatic views similar to Figure 2 showing other forms of printing press arrangements on which the invention can be carried out.

Commercial printing and dyeing of fabrics, for example, woven silk requires the handling of the fabrics in a continuous manner, so that the entire roll or web of fabric, which may be 80 yards or more in length, may be treated in one operaduces rolls of dye transfer sheet in lengths corresponding to the lengths of cloth to be dyed.

As the most practical printing processfor the manufacture of such dye transfer sheets,'I prefer the rotogravure printing process, although I am not limited to this printing method. Rotogravure printing permits the use of quick drying dye inks and can be adapted to continuous multi-color printing on a web of transfer material in one operation. Another important point which makes rotograyure printing eminently suitable for-this process, is the relative low costs to prepare the intaglio etched color printing cylinders by the usual photomechanical reproduction methods.

In practising the invention and to produce my special dye transfer sheets I make use of a rotoprinting units. Although the mechanical principles involved in this press are practically the same as those used in ordinary paper printing the printing itself is carried outdifferently and with special dye inks.

In ordinary paper printing the printing process furnishes a final product so far as the printed color layer of the design formation is concerned. In building up this color layer nothing else aside from the register of the colors need be considered, as the printed and superimposed colors by translucency give a combined effect which vvery closely approaches the color of-the original design. A very thin layer of ink, which generally is in greater part absorbed by the paper, is sufiicient to build up the final design. Even at a relatively high speed the correct superimposition of several colors printed consecutively in one op eration causes little trouble under those conditions.

. fibres of the fabrics to which it will be applied and that it will not deteriorate during storage, etc.-

The longpractice of textile printing has established certain commercial standards about strength, brilliancy and fastness of color shades cult to produce dye transfer sheets which will give results equivalent or superior to those by direct printing on the fabrics.

In my experiments I have'found that in order to produce by transfer such durable, intense and brilliant color shades on fabrics, it is necessary to produce a dye transfer sheet which carries (as compared to ordinary paper printing, a relatively heavy and permanently soluble layer of suitable dyes preferably in combination with an adhesive and thermoplastic binder material on its outer surface, and that is necessary to prevent the absorption of this dye layer by the supporting paper or other material.

In acopending application of Alfred B. Poschel, Serial No. 560,245, filed August 29, 1931, a transfer sheet for general application has been .described and among other things, the particular properties include a rubber-casein-formaldehyde composition coating applied previous to the printing operation to a supporting backing, preferably consisting of paper, to form an impermeable resilient somewhat tacky and thermoadhesive surface layer which is particularly advantageous to receive and give up the applied dyes. I have found that the same rubber casein formaldehyde composition is also particularly suitable for the production of dye transfer sheets by high speed printing and that it produces excellent results in transferring or applying the printed dyes to the fabrics at a relatively high speed.

Although I prefer to use this material as the most effective transfer medium in pursuance of this invention, I wish it to be understood that I am not limited to its use, because it is possible by;

use of my special dye inks to produce on ordinary sized or otherwise coated paper, or similar materials, dye transfer sheets which will give fair transfer results in such cases where a cheaper grade of merchandise such as cotton, is processed and where the greater refinement of the finished article is of less importance.

The transfer sheet must of necessity be pliable so that it can be impressed into the fabric throughout the multiplanar surface and thus dye both the crest and valleys of the weave and on the other hand, it should not stretch unduly. On a dye transfer sheet, the correct printing and superimposition of each single color is particularly important, because the least faulty printing or imperfect superimposition of each color will change the final color scheme of the design entirely and, consequently, the material which is dyed with imperfect transfer sheets will be out of shade and thereby be wasted.

In a high speed continuous multi-color printing on a relatively non-absorbent paper where each single color is consecutively over-printed or superimposed, the perfect superimposition of each color without running together of the colors is difficult to obtain, and with increasing speed and required heavy body of ink, the correct superimposition, which cannot be dispensed with, be-

- comes a decided problem.

In my experience I have found that in high speed continuous multi-oolor printing of dye transfer sheets a correct superimposition of the solid color portions as well as of the half-tones of the single colors is only possible unless substanof printed fabrics and, therefore. merchandiseftlally instantaneously drying dye inks are used.

produced by transfer methods must not be in ferior to directly printed fabricsin this respect. Although it is relatively easy to produce dye transfer sheets which will produce some kind of coloring eiicots on fabrics, it has been rather dim- I have found that such instantaneous drying dye inks which give a very satisfactory result at a printing speed of 240 ft. or even more per minute, can best be preparedby using miscible liquids which are suitable as solvents or vehicles of dyes and which have a combined boiling point of about 65 C. at normal air pressure. The drying of such an ink, that meansits change, from a liquid to a solid or -semi-solid state is accomplished by the rapid evaporation of its liquid constituents,

which can further be accelerated by airblowers and exhausters included in the construction of the printing press.

Suitable solvents or solvent combinations for the preparation of such inks are acetone-methyl alcohol, ethyl ether-methyl alcohol, methyl acetate-methyl alcohol, petroleum ether-acetone. etc.

I have found further that for the building up of a desirable body of dye layer on the transfer sheet it is of advantage to include in such a dye ink a viscous binding material. Such a binder material in order to facilitate the transferprocess, which will be explained further below, should preferably possess adhesive and thermoplastic properties. It is obvious that such a binding material must also be permanently soluble (preferably in the same solvent as the dyes used). Further it should be colorless and should not prevent the rapid evaporation of the volatile constituents of the dye inks, and it should set quickly and not remain tacky or runny so that the perfect superimposing of each dye is insured and the safe handling of the finished transfer sheets at a later stage is possible. I I

One'particular binding material which I prefer and which incorporates these properties is vinylits resin A manufactured by the Carbide and Carbon Chemical Corporation, the exact constituents of which are unknown to me.

To further improve the general qualities of these dye inks I prefer to include minor quantitles of material which act as lubricants, (castor oil or the like), as neutralizing agent (sodium hydroxide or the like), and as plasticizers (dibutyl-phthalate) or the like. I

Any material or condition that would tend to prematurely fix the printed dyes on the dye transfer sheet must be avoided. In actually preparing these dye inks I prefer to form inks which are true solutions, although it is possible to form suitable inks for the process which are suspensions.

Generally and in accordance with the three color reproduction practice which is followed in making each color by the usual photomechanical means of intaglio etched printing cylinders, it is only necessary to use three primary colors, yellow, red and blue for the printing of the transfer sheet. However, in some cases depending on the nature of the design a true black as a fourth color is of advantage to be included.

If a design in addition to its ornamental color arrangements calls for a unicolored bottom shade of which in most cases several different shades are required, I prefer to make a special printing cylinder for this bottom color and to print it directly on the fabric as an additional fourth or fifth color, instead of producing it by superimposition of the primary colors. The matching and changing of such'bottom shades can in this way be accomplished without disturbing the harmony of the ornamental color arrangements. If the ornamental design itself is desired in different shades the primary colors, yellow, red, blue and black may be in Whole or in part replaced by other colors.

It is also possible to produce transfer sheets which in addition to the regular dye printing have metallic inks like gold or silver or other pigmentsapplied and which can be transferred satisfactorily and simultaneously with the dyes, although these inks will produce only a surface effect without actual dyeing of the fabrics.

In the preparation of suitable dye stuff inks for my high speed printing process, basic dyes, acid dyes and substantive dyes are most suitable. the proper choice of which depends on the type of fabrics to be treated. The binding material and other constituents included in such dye inks may also be varied and may consist in whole or in part of cellulose derivatives, gums, carbohydrates like sucrose and similar materials in connection with sufficiently volatile solvent liquids.

As a specific example and not by any means intended to limit the invention, the following formulas of dye stuff I inks are set forth. They have been used and found very suitable in the present process of high speed printing of dye transfer sheets for dyeing silk goods. These inks are concentrated and may be diluted.

Yellow:

300 cc. methyl alcohol 200 cc. acetone 150 grams vinylite resin A 150 grams rapidogen, yellow B 10 cc. dibutyl phthalate' 10 cc. castor oil 10 cc. lye solution Red:

cc. methyl alcohol cc. acetone grams vinylite resin A grams rapidog'en, red B 10 cc. dibutyl phthalate 10 cc. castor oil 10 cc. lye solution Blue: 200 300 100 cc. methyl alcohol cc. acetone grams vinylite resin A grams rapidogen, blue B 10 cc. dibutylphthalate 10 cc. castoroll 5 cc. lye solvent;

Black:

cc. methyl alcohol cc. acetone grams vinylite resin A grams rapidogen, black cc. dibutyl-phthalate cc. castor oil cc. lye solution Dye inks prepared according or similar to the The use of v above formulas form true solutions. dye inks forming vtrue solutions,- involves in high speed printing dye transfer sheets a particular advantage, which is beneficial in producing binary fers independently of the color shades as green. orange, or purple on the fabrics.

'I'hyconsecutive superimposing of one primary colofover another in the rapid printing of the I transfer sheet effects an inter-penetration of the superposed dyes due to the temporary solvent action of the superimposed dye ink on the underlaying one. Consequently binary colors as green, orange, purple are produced during the printing directly on the dye transfer sheet, and are not merely the eflect of translucency as in ordinary rotogravure printing. I have found that this inter-penetration of the printed dyes permits the production of uniform and brilliant binary or blended color shades on the fabrics, and that it improves the transfer results inasmuch as in the final transfer stem less solvent and less time is required to bring about the perfect interpenetration or blending of the dyes on the fabric; in consequence of which a better linear sharpness of the design can be maintained and running and bleeding of the colors prevented.

The preparation of the printing cylinders as well as the actual printing operation do not need to be here further explained because they do not differ in principles from the ordinary reproduction and printing practice as used for example in rotogravure printing.

As illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 1, suitable transfer paper 12 which is preferably coated, is conducted from a roll'11, over the successive printing cylinders 10 where the various dye inks such as yellow, red, blue and black are successively printed and superimposed in' the desired 36 registry. The finished printed transfer sheet 20 may be stored for a considerable length of time without deterioration, a period of one and one half years having 'shown no noticeable difference which permits the manufacture of the dye transtime and locality of the ultimate use.

The transfer of the colors from the transfer film to the fabric is preferably made inan automatic machine such as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2, in which the roll 13 carries the transfer film and the roll 14 carriesthe roll or web of fabric to be processed. This roll or web may consist of one continuous piece or previously Joined pieces of the standard sixty yard pieces of woven silk. These pieces may be Joined in anydesired manner such as by adhesive paper thus avoiding wrinkles and preventing an appreciable loss ,of the material. The fabric to be printed and the transfer web then pass over suitable rollers to the heavy and simultaneously rotating calender.

rollers 26 which preferably include an adjustable pressure control not shown and which may be provided with suitable heating devices under thermostatic control.- The heating element is 60 indicated at 26a although either or both calender rollers may be heated. For effective operation a temperature of approximately 200' I". is found suitable. i I

r The pressure on such rollers may be in the 165 order of 100 pounds per linear inch and a single pair of rollers havinging approximately eight inches diameter have been found to be effective. These calender rollers temporarily join or mold the' 'fabric and the transfer sheet into an intimate and processed contact which is made possible under the influence of heat and pressure by the adhesive and thermoplastic dye inks and/or thermoadhesive'paper coating when such is used in making the dye transfer sheets.

If desired, suitable dust removers 27 may be used to remove the dust, loose threads, etc., from the fabric and preferably a pair of adjustable rollers 12"! are used for straightening the silk and preventing wrinkles. In the transfer film path a roller 128 is used as a tensioning device if desired.

The adjustable nozzles 129 may be laterally movable for spraying an atomized orvaporized solvent to preliminarily moisten the fabric or the transfer sheet or both where fabrics to be treated are too thick to be moistened from the reverse side by solvents. They may be used in addition to the solvent applying device hereafter to be discussed with thick fabrics, although they may be eliminated where thin silk or cotton fabrics are treated. 1

The combined fabric and transfer film 20-22 now passes over additional tensioning rollers 128 to the further calender units including the calender rollers 132 and 232. The lower calender roller may preferably have a flexible web 33 on it which in turn passes around a tensioning roller 35. The flexible web 33 which may be of felt, rubber or other similar pliant material is especially desired in order to make possible the impression of the weave in the fabric in the transfer fllm so that the depth of the weave may be equally as well dyed as the crest or surface of the weave. It is of course to be understood that the calender rollers instead of carrying this web may be backed with papler-mach, felt or the like. At the first calender unit 32 the combined transfer web and fabric 20-22 meet the solvent carrying web 34 which is carried on the roll 134. The solvent carrying web 34 is of any suitable material such as cotton or other absorbent material which passes over suitable tensioning roller 31 and over the solvent feed roller '38 in the solvent tank 39. Other tension rollers 40 hold the absorbent material 34 in contact with the feed roller to suitably absorb the solvent in the tank. The doctor roller 41 controls the amount of solvent.

The use of an absorbent material as the carrier of the solvent has the advantage that a very complete distribution of the solvents withinsuch material takes place before it enters in contact with the fabric, which in turn results in a very uniform distribution of solvents in the fabrics and consequently effects a uniform transferring and dyeing. The amount of solvents needed to bring about a satisfactory transfer necessarily varies with the type of fabrics to be processed, and it varies also with the degree of solubility of the dyes and the time of contact. and should be determined by a test. A surplus of solvent will cause blurred outline of design and insuiiicient solvent will cause a poor transfer or insumcient penetration.

One example illustrating the operation of this absorbent material is demonstrated by the fact that ordinary news print'paper if saturated up to about of its own weight permits the satisfactory processing of about 60 square yards of crepe silk per gallon of solvent. The particular solvent tried which gave excellent results on silk in accordance with the transfer sheet printed with dye inks as previously discussed consists of approximately 103-;ounces of denatured alcohol (97%), 12 /2 ounces of acetic acid, and 12% ounces of distilled water per gallon. It is of course necessary to vary the solvent action in correlation with the specific dyes, binders and other materials contained in the dye inks which are used in printing the transfer aseaeaa sheets. Solvent mixtures are also preferred, aithough single solvents such as ethyl alcohol are sometimes sufficient. The mixtures .must be able to dissolve the printed dyes quickly and should preferably be capable of releasing the full tinctorial capacity of the dyes. Such solvents may also include materials which are chemically active in fixing the dyes within the fibers of the fabric. For example, alcohols, esters, ketones, ethers, hydrocarbons, chlorocompounds, water, acetic acid, lactic acid, formic acid, diluted sulphuric acid, oil emulsions, ammonia; formaldehyde, bast soap, Glauber salt solution, tartar emetic, or other suitable chemicals may be used.

The first calender unit therefore presses together a transfer web 20 on one side and a solvent carrying web 34 on the opposite side against a fabric to be treated 22 in the center. As before mentioned this takes place under a suitable pressure and preferably under a temperature of approximately 200 F. The heat for the calender may be introduced through suitable jets 36 which may be gas, steam, or otherwise.

The transferring and dyeing is the combined effect of the chemical and physical interaction of solvents, dyes and fibers in connection with pressure and heat and a minimum of time is sufficient to bring about a satisfactory effect. While one transfer calender 32 will effect a satisfactory transfer at a moderate speed. of about 10 yards a minute, it is of advantage to use two or more transfer units so that the speed may be raised as high as 30 yards or more per minute. In such case it may be necessary to apply addition-al solvent to the absorbent web such as by the spray nozzles 43 and 44. It is also obvious that instead of atomized liquids, hot vapors or boiling solvents may be blown from such nozzle. A hood 45 is preferably used to withdraw the vapors over the calender rollers caused by either the spray or the vaporization of the solvents by the heat in order to improve working conditions and to recover the solvents if desired.

The processed fabric 22 after passing through the calendars is stripped from the solvent web 34 and the used transfer film 20, the transfer film and the solvent web being rerolled immediately for further use, and the processed fabric may pass into a steam bath or other suitable treating step 46. A suitable blower 4'7 may be used to facilitate drying, and after the fabric is suitably treated it will be rerolled on the final roll 48 for such use as may be desired.

Fabrics printed and dyed by this transfer process will have all of the qualities of ordinary printed fabrics in regard to strength, brilliancy and fastness of color, and in addition they will possess a superior and refined tone gradation which cannot be produced by regular textile printing methods.

A modified form of construction is shown in Fig. 4, in which the film 20 and fabric 22 pass between suitable pressure rolls 40 with a dry web 50 on one side of the fabric 22 and the transfer film on the opposite side. In this case the solvent carried in the tank 51 is applied by suitable rolls 52 which operate directly on the fabric itself. The upper rolls 53 are merely for the purpose cf holding the fabric in contact with the solvent applying rolls 54 of which there may be one or more, depending on the amount of solvent to be applied.

In this construction the fabric transfer film and web 50 pass around several rollers which are simiiarly held under suitable pressure to thingabout the transfer, and after transfer is completed the separate webs are separated and wound on the separate rolls. Doctor blades 54 may be used to prevent clogging of the rolls and in particular the web 50 prevents a smudging of the rolls due to the penetration of the dye inks into the fabric.

Another slightly modified form of construction is shown in Fig. 5, in which the film 20 and fabric 22 first pass over a roller 60 and then through calender rolls 26 which may be heated through described may be heated if desired. Subsequently to passing through the calenders the film 20 is rerolled on the fabric roll 20a while the fabric 22 which has been processed is rerolled on the] roll 22a or passed into any further treatment chamber. The cleaning fabric 34 is similarly rewound on the roll 34a.

It is to be understood that the factors of time, pressure, quality and quantity of solvent and dye inks are important. The time factor may be changed by the addition of calender units, but the time is relatively short as suitable transfers have been made at a rate as high as yards per minute on crepe silk. The pressure on the rollswill vary in accordance with the thickness of the fabric and pressure of 75 to 100-pounds per linear inch corresponding to a thin crepe silk when the dyestuffs as heretofore disclosed available although it represents the apparatus successfully tested. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise construction or methods disclosed, but desire a broad interpretation of the invention within the scope and spirit of the dis closure herein and of the claims appended hereinafter.

I claim:

1. The method of producing printed and dyed multi-color designs on a textile fabricby transfer which comprises imposing and superimposing and inter-penetrating by high speed continuous multicolor printing, a plurality of primary dye colors to produce a permanently transferable soluble dye layer, forming full-tone and half-tone designs on a relatively non-absorbent and resilient transfer sheet, joining said fabric and said transfer sheet in a temporarily persistent and intimate contact, exposing the joined materials to a pre cisely regulated and timed simultaneous action of pressure and solvent at a high speed thereby dyeing and permanently fixing said dye colors in said fabrics and finally separating the dyed fabric from the used transfer sheet.

2. The method of multi-color printing on textile fabrics which comprises superimposing multicolor soluble printed designs on a flexible, nonstretchable support, passing said support with the multi-color soluble designs thereon in continuous contact with the textile fabric through a solvent applying means, applying sufllcient solvent to transfer the multi-color designs from the transfer paper to the fabric without causing bleeding or running of the colors, applying pressure to effect the transfer and separating the paper from the fabric and fixing the color in the fabric.

3. The method of transferring unblended and blended colors to a fabric to be decorated and dyed which comprises the initial application of a plurality of separate and independent unblended dye colors on a relatively non-absorbent transfer sheet by. high speed printing process, the solvent and vehicle of each dye color being the same by a rapid consecutive imposition and superimposition of the unblended colors on the superimposed parts of the printed design causing an inter-penetration and actual blending of said dye colors, to produce blended and unblended dye colors on said transfer sheet according to the design, and subsequently transferring said colors from said transfer sheet to the textile fabrics and other suitable materials inthe presence of suitable solvents and pressure.

4. The method of decorating' and dyeing textile fabrics by absorption of dissolved dyes from a printed multi-cclor dye transfer sheet which comprises the steps of preliminarily joining said fabrics and said transfer by heat and pressure in a temporarily persistent and intimate contact and applying a controlled amount of solvent to the back of the fabric held in contact through the intermediary of a solvent saturated absorbent material and simultaneously applying pressure and heat to accomplish the transfer and finally separating the processed fabric from theused transfer sheet.

5. The method of producing multi-color de signs on textile fabrics from a printed mu1ticolor dye transfer sheet which comprises, applying the design on a transfer sheet, passing the transfer sheet and fabric to be decorated through a preliminary series of pressure rolls to bring about initial contact and eliminate wrinkling, applying a controlled amount of moisture to the fabric, applying further pressure in the presence of a moldabie agent and subsequently separating the printed fabric and transfer sheet.

The method of decorating and dyeing tea tile fabrics by trwsfer of dissolved dyes from a niulti-colcr dye transfer sheet which com-= prises the of preliminarily joining said fab= rice and said transfer sheet by heat and pressure in a temporarily persistent aud intimate contact and applying a controlled amount of soivent by suitable means directly to the back of the fabric held inccntact and immediately applying pressure and heat to accomplish the transfer and subsequently separating the processed fabric from. the used transfer sheet. a

'1. The method of tranferring single and multicolor designs from a transfer sheet to woven silk which comprises the steps of applying pressure from pressure rollers in the order of 100 pounds per linear inch simultaneously to the fabric and the transfer sheet in the presence of volatile solvents in the proportion of approximately two ounces per square yard.

8. The method of dyeing fabrics from dy'e transfer sheets and dye transfer webs which comprises the steps of initially impregnating and coating a supporting material to make it adhesive and substantially impermeable to the flow of the applied and dissolved dyes and applying by high speed printing a plurality of thermo-adhesive dye inks having highly volatile liquid constituents to such treated material in blended colors on the desired design, and simultaneously transferring all of said colors.

9. An article of manufacture of the class described, a high speed printed dye transfer sheet for the transfer of multi-colored designs in continuous tone values which consists of a relatively non-absorbent carrier having by consecutive imposition and super-imposition, a plurality of unblended permanently soluble and thermc= adhesive dye colors applied thereto, said dye colors being on the superimposed parts of the design being inter-penetrated and blended by the solvent action of the superimposed dye color an the underlying one, whereby actimlly blended and unblended dye colors are simultaneously pro duced on said transfer sheet according to the design formations.

:10. In an apparatus of the class described, a support for a roll of fabric to be decorated, a sup" port for a roll of decorated transfer webbing, pressure means for initially contacting and re moving wrinkles from the said combined tr"- fer webbing and undecorated fabric while means to apply a solvent to said fabric, a second pressure means for transferring the eolubiliaed decoration from said printed webbing to said un printed fabric, means to heat said second pres sure means, means to separate the printed fabric from the transfer webbing, and means to prevent smudging of said final pressure means.

11. an apparatus for transferring multi-color full and half-tone designs to a fabric at a rate exceeding 2%) yeah. minute, comprising coi vent applying means to apply solvent to the fab ric from the to the front thereof, presrmre applying means to forcibly contact said transfer sheet and moistened fabric and cleaning means for cleaning the pressure means, said pressure means having a moldable surface for complete contact between the high spots and low spots in the fabric with the complete surface of the tr for sheet for the faithful reproduction of I tones.

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