US2238560A - Fabric napping machine - Google Patents

Description

April 15, 1941.

H. FLEISHER FABRIC NAPPING IACHINE Filed Oct. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR HarlyHeisher:

ATTORNEY April 15, 1941. I FLEISHER 2,238,560

FABRIC MAPPING MACHINE Filed Oct. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JQZ.

INVENTOR 28 34 Harryffleisher;

ATTORNEY April 1- H. FLEISHER 2,238,560

FABRIC MAPPING MACHINE I Filed Oct. 21, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVEINTOR Han-y Flelsher:

ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 15, 1941 FABRIC NAPPING MACHINE Harry Fleisher, Watertown, Conn, assignor to Princeton Knitting Mills, Inc.,

Watertown,

Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 21, 1938,,Serial No. 236,311

16 Claims.

This invention relates to the manufacture of fabrics, and more particularly to a machine for napping the exterior surface of a tubular fabric made on a circular knitting machine.

One object of this invention is to .provide a a machine of this type having a plurality of fabric napping devices arranged in spaced relation around the tubular fabric, and each of which is readily adjustable in respect to the fabric while a the fabric is in operating position.

A further object is to provide a napping machine of the above nature which is provided with improved means for helically rotating the tubular fabric while being napped, improved take-up mechanism to wind up the napped fabric, and common means for driving said rotating means and take-up mechanism. i

A still further object of this invention is to provide a fabric napping machine of the above nature which is relatively simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, which will produce an attractive, ornamental and uniform napped surface on the fabric, and which will be very efficient and durable in use.

With these and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, there has been illustrated on the accompanying drawings a machine in which the invention may be conveniently embodied in practice.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 represents a front view of the fabric take-up mechanism which is located above the napping mechanism, certain parts being shown in section to illustrate the interior construction thereof.

Fig. 2 is a broken vertical sectional view through the napping mechanism, and also showing the bottom receptacle for carrying the supply of unnapped fabric, the section being taken on the plane 22 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the take-up mechanism shown in Fig. 1, looking upwardly in the direction of the arrows 3-3.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the napping mechanism, looking downwardly from a plane indicated by the arrows 44 in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the fabric supply receptacle and driving mechanism, looking downwardly from the plane 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is'a sectional view taken on the plan 6-45 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the plane l-'I of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the parts shown in Fig. 7 looking in the direction of the arrow 8 thereof.

Fig. 9 is a side view of one of the centralizing and guiding" rollers and the support therefor, looking in the. direction of arrow 9 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a side view of another roller, looking in the direction of the arrow It) in Fig. 4.

Fig. 11 is aview similar to Fig. 10, showing the addition of a stationary napping brush adjustably supported on the roller support shown in Fig. 10.

- Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary section through a modified construction including an inn .flatable rubber tube which permits the drag of the tensioning means to be adjusted. I I

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l 0 (see Fig. 1) indicates an upper floor of a building, the numeral ll (see Fig.2) a middle floor, and the numeral l2 (see Fig. 2) a lower floor below the floor II. The machine of this invention extends between two superposed rooms of a building in' order to accommodate the long length of the tubular fabric I3 being napped thereby. The fabric supply mechanism is supported upon the lower ,floor [2 by legs l4. below the'napping mechanism which is supported upon 'the'middle floor I! by legs i5, and the top fabric take-up mechanism which issupported from the upper floor ID as by depending brackets l6. l

Receptacle for unnapped fabric I surrounds and is connected with the lower end of a shaft I8 extending vertically through the center of the machine. V I p In order to facilitate the stacking of the fabric into the receptacle ll, provision is made of a smooth surfaced domed cap 19 (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2), said cap being removably secured on the upper end of said shaft [8,. The recep tacle ll' rests upon a. fiat circular plate 20, which in turn is secured upon an annular rack 2| having gear teeth 22 formed upon its outer periphery. The rack 2| is rotatably mounted in a circular recess 23 formed in. a bed plate 24 supported by the legs. H. The lower end of the shaft [8 is secured in a bushing 25 in turn secured to. a bar 26 secured to and extending diametrically across the rack 2 I.

The rack 2| is adapted to be rotated by a motor 21 connected by a belt 28 running over pulleys 29 and 30, the latter being secured on a shaft. 31 journaled in brackets 32 and 33 secured on a cross-bar 34 connected to the legs I4 by brace bars 35 and 36 (see Fig. 5).

In order to drive the overhead fabric take-up mechanism from the motor 21, provision is made of a bevel gear pinion 31 secured on one end of the shaft 3| and meshing with a horizontal bevel gear 38 secured on an elongated upwardlyextending shaft-39 journaled at its lower end in a bushing 40, mounted on the cross-bar 34. The shaft 39 passes upwardly through the bed plate 24, and has secured thereto a gear 4| meshing with the teeth 22 on the rack 2|, whereby the supply receptacle I1 with the piled-up fabric I3.

carried therein will be slowly rotated. The shaft 39 extends upwardly from the gear -4I through the middle floor I I and is connected by-means of a universal joint 42 to an inclined shaft 43 which extends upwardly to the fabrictake-up mechanism suspended from the upper floor I9. The

. shaft 39 is journaled in a bracket 44 (Fig. 9)

secured to a bed plate 45 which'supports the napping-mechanism, and. in turn is supported by the legs I5 resting on the middle floor I I.

Fabric take-up mechanism The upper end of the inclinedshaft 43 is journaled in a bracket 46 extending outwardly from a stationarybed plate 41 supported'on the ceiling ID by thelegs I6 (see Figs, 1,3 and 6). A bevel gear ,48 secured on the end of the shaft 43 is in mesh with 'a bevel gear'49 secured on the outer end of a shaft 50 journaled in brackets'5l and 52 mounted on-the bracket 46 and the bed plate 4-! respectively. A spur gear 53 is secured on the inner-end'of the shaft'50 andhas'its teeth in mesh with the teeth 54 of. a circular ring-shaped rack 55 mounted to-slidably -rotate on the fixed ceiling bed plate 47. I

Depending from the rack 55 vat diametrically opposite points area pair of standards 56 and 5'! which are connected to a cross-bar having a pair of parallel downwardly extending arms 59 and 60. Thearms-59 and-60 are each-provided with lengthwise slots 6|, in which bearing blocks 62 are slidinglysupported. The bearing blocks BZ-are adapted to beclamped in vertically adjustedposi-tionsby a nut 63; and said bearing blocks supporttheopposite ends of a cross-shaft 64 journaled therein.

Mounted on the shaft 64 is a spindle 65, upon which is woundthe 'roll'of fabric I 3 after being napped. The shaft 64-is'rotated by a round belt 66 led-over a pulleyBTsecured on one end of the shaft 64 and overa'pulley 68 secured on a horizontal stud shaft'69-journaledin the arm 59 and a bracket 19 amounted on'the cross-bar 53.

The shaft 69'has at its inner-end a bevel gear II which meshes with a'bevel gear 72 rotatably mounted onthe lower end of a. vertically depending'stationary shaft: 13. The upper end of the shait13 is rigidly secured in a bushing 74 secured to the upperfloor I0.

By means of the above construction it will :be seen that when the nappedfabric I3 is received on the roller 64, it-Will betightly wound into-a roll 'l5 with uniform tensionirrespective of the increase in diameter thereof. This is due to the fact-that thelbelt 66 is permitted to slip on the pulleys 61 and 68 tocompensate for any increase in fabrictake-up speed-due to the increase in diameter as the roll of fabric builds up;

The fabric I3 is pulled upwardly from the receptacle I! through the napping mechanism by means of a driven roller 1'6 and two idle rollers I1 and I8 located above and below said roller 16, respectively The opposite ends 19 and of the -Power for driving the central roller '!6 rod 92.

roller I6 are journaled in the bars 59 and 60, respectively, and said roller 76 is driven by a cone pulley 8| secured to the shaft end I9 and connected by a belt 82 to a cone pulley 83 secured on the shaft 69. The roller TI has its shaft ends 84' loosely mounted in the slots 5| in th arms 59 and 60 above the roller 16 and the weight of said roller 1'! presses the fabric I 3 against the driven roller I6. The roller I8 also has its shaft ends 85 loosely journaled in the bars 59 and 60 and is disposed out of alinement with the roller IS in a position to permit the fabric I3 to lead upwardly thereto substantially in vertical alinement with the axes of the rollers 16 and 11.

at constant speed may be supplied from any suitable source, not shown. 7

The fabric I3 is guided upwardly to the roller 18 from the napping mechanism by means of an open double-arm spreader frame 95 which serves to flatten out the fabric I3 and position its edges accurately between a pair of guide rollers 8'! and 89 which are mounted on a-pair of parallel'spindies 89 carried by a horizontal bracket 99 (see Fig. 6)., The brackets 99 are'slidably mounted on a cross-rod 9| which extends between the lower ends of the bars 59 and 99, and on which they are adjustable to properly space apart the rollers 81 and 88 by means of a screw-threaded The rod 92 is adapted to be manually rotated in bearings in the bars '59 and. 69 by means ofia hand wheel 93 secured at one end to said rod '92,

Thescrewthreads on the opposite ends of I said 'rod -92-'are oppositely pitched to correspond with similarlypitched threads in the bores 94 of the brackets so that when thehandle 93 is turned, said brackets 99 will simultaneously slide in opposite directions along the rod 9! to cause the rollers 81 and 88to adjust the alinement of the tubular fabric 13 in'respect to the take-up spindle 65.

Napping mechanism The mechanism for guiding and supporting the -fabric while being napped, and which will be assembl ed upon the shaft I8, is'as follows: (see FigsJZ and 4) First-A fabric tensioning disc 95 will be locked to the shaft I8, as by a key, in a'position above the floor I I and below the bed plate 45. The disc'95 has a deep annular groove 96 formed in its periphery whereby spaced apart rims 91 and 98 are formed, around which the fabric is adapted to engage. To provide tension or drag upon the fabric sufficient to keep it taut from the disc 95'to the roller 75, a'coiled wire spring 99 is stretched outside the fabric I3 and serves to press the fabric tightly against the rims 9'! and 98.

Second-A pair of space'd fiat discs E99 and IIJI are keyed to theshaft I8 above the bed plate 45 by having hub portions I92 and I93, respectively. The discs I 09 and I9! are spaced apart sufiiciently to provide a space therebetween, over which 'a portion of the fabric I3 may be stretched across the peripheries thereof Third.A flanged cylindrical member IE4 is keyed to the shaft I8 above the upper disc I EN. The periphery of the member I 94 has an annular groove I05 surrounded by upper and lower flanged rings I06 and I91, against which the fabric is adapted to engage.

mounted for use during the napping operation upon the upper end of the shaft I8 (in place of the dome-shaped cap I9 which is-only used to facilitate the loading of the unriapped fabric into the machinehand is securedthereto by a knurled flanged nut I08.

From the above it will be understood that the power will be supplied by the motor 21 through the shafts 39, 41, I8 and 13 to simultaneously rtate the receptacle I1, the disc 95, the discs I00 and IOI, and the cylindrical member I04 as a unit. The napped knitted fabric will at the same time be wound upon the spindle 85 by the mechanism previously described.

While the tubular. fabric I3 is being drawn upwardly from the receptacle I1, it will be continuously napped by a plurality'of napping devices mounted upon the bed plate 45 and arranged to act upon the outer surface of the con tinuously-helically upwardly-moving tubular fabric, all of said devices being driven by a motor I09 mounted on the middle floor II (see 2). From the motor I89 a belt H0 is led over a pulley III mounted on the shaft of the motor I09 and also over a pulley II2 secured on the.

outer end of one of eight horizontal shafts II 3 supported by and journaled in one of eight brackets II4 mounted on the bed plate 45, as clearly shown in Figs. 2, 4, 7 and 8.

The driven shaft II3 has a pinion gear II 5 secured upon its inner end, the teeth of which are in mesh with the teeth of a ring-shaped or circular rack II6 mounted upon the bed plate 45, the rack IIB being adapted to be rotated by said gear I I5 for driving eight rotary napping brushes I20, to be described below. The eight brackets "H4 and shafts II3 are equally spaced about the bed plate 45. All of the brushes I20 will be simultaneously rotated by the rotation of the rack II5 driven by the motor I09 through the belt H0 and the pulleys III and H2.

Twisting napping brushes Each of the shafts I I3 has a screw threaded opening. provided in its inner end (as best shown in Fig. '7), into which a screw threaded shank II! of a fabric napping brush holder H8 is screwed. A look nut H9 is associated with each shank II1 to securely hold each shank in its adjusted position relatively to the shaft I13. Provision is also made on each brush holder II8 of a flat faced napping brush I20 mounted in a block I2I which is adjustably secured theree to by means of a thumb screw I22, which passes through the flat side I23 of a tongue I24 formed on said :block I2I to clamp an inclined halfdovetail-shaped section I 25 against a similarly formed side I28 of a slot I21 provided in the holder II8. By means of the tongue I24 and slot I21 the brush I20 may be adjusted laterally across the axis of the shaft H3, and by means of the screw-threaded shank H1 and the screw}. threaded opening in the shaft II3. the brush I20 may be adjusted axially of the shaft II3 Tto control the pressure of the brush I20 upon the portion of the fabric I3, which is stretched between the discs I00 and IOI.

By means of the above construction it will be seen that the brushes I20 will all rotate simultaneously on horizontal axes which are disposed radially in a common plane at right-angles' to the axis of the shaft I8, whereby said brushes I20 will act on the fabric I3 to nap it on flat areas by a circular twisting movement while it engages the exterior surface of the upwardl helically moving tubular fabric.

Cylindrical napping mechanism In order to additionally nap the exterior of the tubular fabric I3, in a direction parallel to the shaft I8 and tangent to the tubular fabric I3, provision is made of a plurality of rotatable cylindrical napping brushes I28 (four in this instance), said brushes being equally spaced apart and each being mounted on four shafts I29, supported by four angle brackets I 30, respectively (see Figs. 2, '7 and 8). A pulley I3I drivingly connected to the brush I28 of one of the shafts I29 is. connected by a belt I32 to a pulley I33 secured on the upper end of a vertical driving shaft I34, mounted in an upper arm of the bracket II4. A bevel gear I35 is secured on the lower end of the shaft I34 and is in mesh with a bevel gear I36 secured on the horizontal pulley-driven shaft. II3, whereby the vertical shaft I34 will be driven therefrom.

Thefour angle brackets I30 are eachadjustably mounted on the screw-threaded ends I31 of horizontal rods I38 which are adapted to be locked in adjusted position thereon by nuts I39 and I40. This adjustment is provided to permit desired variations in the pressure of the cylindrical brush I20 upon the exterior of the fabric I3. The horizontal rods I38 are each in turn slidably and rotatably mounted upon a bar MI, and are secured thereto in any desired adjusted position by a set screw I42. I

By means of this construction it will be seen that both the vertical and lateral positions of the respective brushes I20 in respect to the fabric I3 may be readily controlled. The bar I. extends outwardly from a ring I43 which rotatably encircles a hub I44 formed on the bracket H4 and is secured thereto by a set screw I45. Adjustment of the ring I43 on the hub I44 is necessary to compensate for the vertical adjustment of each disc brush I20.

Centralz'zing and guiding mechanism To insure that the shaft I8 is centralized and the disc and cylindrical brushes I20 and I28 will rotate steadily and without vibration, and thus insure even and uniform stretching of the fabric thereabout, provision is made of a plurality of rollers I46 and I41 adjustably mounted in standards I48 and I49, respectively, arranged uniformly about the bed plate 45. Eight rollers I46 are disposed to engage the fabric I3 between the discs I00 and MI, as shown in Figs. 4 and 9. These eight rollers I46 are each mounted for free rotation upon a plurality of vertical shafts I50 extending between the arms of the ends I5I of bifurcated bars- I52, which are slidingly supported to adjust the rollers I46 toward and away from the fabric I3 in the standard I48, which in turn is secured upon the bed plate 45. Each bar I52 is adapted to be clamped in adjusted position by a pair of set screws I53 passing through the standard 48 and engaging in a groove I54 formed in one side of said bar I52. Each roller I46 is also provided wtih an annular groove I55 which is adapted to straddle the outer edge of the lowermost disc I00.

Three rollers I41 (see Figs. 4 and 10), which are equally spaced about the fabric I3, are each mounted for free rotation. on shafts I56 extending between the arms of the bifurcated ends I51 of bars I58 slidably mounted in each of the standards I49. Like the bars I52, each of the bars I58 is provided with a groove I59 within which the bar I58 is clamped in adjusted position by set screws I60. The. rollers-I'M rare arranged to engage the fabric at the upper raised ring portion I06 of the cylindrical member I04.

Stationary smoothing out brushes A plurality of stationary smoothing out brushes I 6| (see Fig. 11) may also be provided to engage the fabric I3 above the cylindrical mem-' Each of the brushes IGI' is rigidly" ber I84. mounted on a bar I62 which is adjustably mounted in a bracket I63 to move "the brush toward and away from the fabric as desired. The'bar 162' in each'instance is provided with aigroove I64 into which set screws I65 extend to clamp'it in its adjusted position. The brackets IE3 are'each secured upon standardsMS by screws I56" which a pass through elongatedholes I61 formed in 'said brackets I63 and are screw-threaded into'the standards I 49, whereby the respective brushes ISI may be vertically adjusted.

Provision may also be made of means to'control the tension or"drag on the fabric I3 at the disc*95' by disposing 'an inflatable rubber tube I68 in the groove 96 thereof (see'Figp12): The cooperating action of the tube I68 and the spring 39 will impose sufficient frictional drag depending on the air pressure in the tube I 68, which may be adjusted by means of a valve 169.

Operation The fabric I3 is loosely packed. manually in the foldedcondition shown in Fig. 2 intothe receptacle I! while the dome I 9 is in position. a The spreader frame 86 will then besubstituted. for

said dome I9, and the upperend of the tubular fabric will be connected to the take-up mechanism. The motors -21 and IE9 will then be started causing .thefabric I3 to be slowlylrotated and pulled upwardly through the napping mech anism. The outersurface .ofsaid tubular fabembodied, it is to be understood that this form is shown for the purpose of illustration only, and that the invention is not to be limited to the specific disclosure, but may be modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit. In short, the invention includes all the modifications and embodiments coming within the scope of the following claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and for which it is desired to secure Letters Patent, is:

1. In a machine for napping a relatively long length of tubular fabric, a rotatable receptacle for holding a supply of said fabric in collapsed condition, fabric take-up means located above 40 ric will thus be napped successively by the ro-' said receptacle, rotatable circular means dis-Q posed between said receptacle and said take-up means, over which said fabric is continuously stretched, and a plurality of rotatable napping brushes spaced about the fabric in alinezment with said circular means its surface.

2. In a machine forinappinga relatively long.

to engage it andnap tom 'of saidmachine'for carrying a supply of said fab-ric'in' collapsed condition, take-up means for the nappedfabricat the top. ofsaid machine, a

plurality of circular fabric-guiding rings'between said receptacle and said take-up means, a rotatable napping brush having a flat operating:

face to engage and nap the exterior surface of said tubular fabric on a fiat area, means-toadjust said napping brush 'towardand away from he outer surface of: the fabric,-andmeans to rotate said receptacle, saidguiding rings and said fabric take-up meansinsynchronism. I

3. In a machine for napping a relatively-long lengthof tubular fabric, abottom receptaclefor carrying a supply of unnapped fabric in tubular collapsed condition, take-up means for the napped fabric at the top of said machine, a plurality of circular fabric supporting and guiding means disposed between said receptaclesand said take-up means, a plurality of rotatable brushes having flat end napping surfaces for en.- gaging the exterior of said fabric on flat areas of said fabric, and a second plurality of rotary brushes having cylindrical-napping surfacesfor engaging, said fabric, said cylindrical surface brushes being nountedon axes at right-angles to the axes of said flat-surface brushes.

4. In a machinefor napping ,a-relatively .long length of tubular knitted fabric, a .pair of interior rings tosupport .theinterior of said tubular fabric means to move the fabricina helical direction, and rotary means having a .flat end face in contact with said fabric disposed atspaced intervals about the .exterior of said fabric and between said supporting rings .for napping .it along flat areas thereof.

5. In a machine for .napping ,a relatively long.

length of tubular knitted'fabric, a pair of spaced interior supporting rings. over which said fabric is stretched, means to draw the fabric lengthwise over said rings, means torotate'said rings and the fabric supported thereby, means to impose a drag. on the fabric to maintain it "taut on said circular means,- and a :plurality' of rotatable brushes having flat napping surfaces "disposed outside said fabric and located between said-ringsfor continuously nappingthe outer surface of said fabric along fiat areas thereof.

6. In a machine :for napping the exterior surface of a tubular knitted fabric, a pair of looped supportingmeans within said fabric to'maintain it in tubular. form, means to draw the fabric lengthwise over said supporting means, a rotary brush having ,a fiat inner surface for pressing .inwardly upon and napping the exterior surface of said fabric between said looped supporting means,

andmeans to adjust said brushlengthwisealong the fabric and toward andaway. from the surface thereof.

7-. In a machine for napping theexterior surface of a tubular knittedfabric, a pair of interior supports for maintainingsaid fabric in tubular condition, take-up mechanism forcontinuously drawing the mapped fabric over said supports, means to rotate said supports and take-up mechanism as a unit as it isdrawn over said supports, a plurality of rotary napping fiat-faced brushes located outside said fabric, and means for press ing said brushesinwardly-between-said supports upon the outer surface of thefabric to nap iton the flat areas thereof.

8. In a machine fornapping'the exterior sur-' face of a tubular-knittedfabric, an interior support for maintaining said fabric-in-tubular condition, a yieldablydriven;' take-up mechanism for the napped fabric, means to continuously rotate said support and take-up mechanism, a plurality of rotary brushes located outside said tubular fabric, each brush having a pinion secured thereto, a. circular rack engaging all of said pinions for driving each of said brushes, and means to drive said rack to cause said brushes to continuously nap the exterior of said fabric.

9. In an apparatus for napping the exterior surface of a longitudinally traveling tubular knitted fabric, a continuously rotating central supporting shaft, means connected with said shaft for maintaining said fabric in tubular form, means for napping the exterior surface of said fabric, means to wind up the napped fabric into a cylindrical roll, and an interior ring having a cylindrical portion, a plurality of rollers outside of said fabric for pressing it upon said cylindrical portion to centralize and guide said napping mechanism.

10. In an apparatus for napping the exterior surface of a longitudinally traveling tubular knitted fabric, a continuously rotating central supporting shaft, means connected with said shaft for maintaining said fabric in tubular form, means for napping the exterior surface of said fabric, means to wind up the napped fabric into a cylindrical roll, and an interior ring having a cylindrical portion and a plurality of adjustable rollers outside of said fabric for pressing it upon said cylindrical portion to centralize and guide said napping mechanism.

11. In an apparatus for napping the exterior surface of a longitudinally traveling tubular knitted fabric, a continuously rotating central supporting shaft, means connected with said shaft for maintaining said fabric in tubular form, means for napping the exterior surface of said fabric, means to wind up the napped fabric into a cylindrical roll, and an interior ring having a cylindrical portion'and a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced rollers outside of said fabric for pressing it upon said cylindrical portion to centralize and guide said napping mechanism.

12. In an apparatus for napping a continuously helically moving tubular knittedfabric, means within said fabric to maintain it in tubular condition, a central shaft for supporting said fabric maintaining means, a receptacle secured to the bottom of said shaft for holding a supply of unnapped tubular fabric in collapsed bellows-like condition, a detachable dome member located at the top of said shaft to facilitate the manual stacking of said unnapped fabric in bellows-like form upon said receptacle, and means to slowly rotate said receptacle and said shaft as a unit.

13. In an apparatus for napping the exterior surface of a continuously helically traveling tubular fabric, interior means to support said fabric, a rotating adjustable member having fiat napping means on its end surface for engaging and napping the exterior of said fabric on a flat area thereof, resilient means pressing said fabric inwardly against said support to impose a drag upon the longitudinal movement of said fabric, and an inflatable elastic tube located inside said fabric in alinement with said resilient means to permit the amount of said drag to be accurately adjusted.

14. In a machine for napping tubular knitted fabric which is continuously rotated and moved in a longitudinal direction, a pair of rings to support the interior of said fabric at a pair of spaced annular lines to maintain it in cylindrical form between said lines, means to rotate said fabric support, means to draw the fabric lengthwise over said rings, and a rotary napping member having a fiat surface for pressing inwardly upon the exterior surface of said fabric along the cylindrical area thereof between said rings.

15. In a napping machine, a pair of circular rings of the same diameter for supporting the interior surface of a tubular fabric along a pair of spaced circular lines, a coiled spring surrounding said fabric and pressing inwardly upon said fabric between said supporting lines to impose a drag upon the longitudinal movement of said fabric, a second pair of spaced rings spaced from said drag-imposing rings, means for holding said fabric tightly stretched thereover, means to nap the exterior of said fabric, and means to take up the napped fabric.

16. In an apparatus forv napping the exterior surface of a continuously helically traveling tubular fabric, interior means to support said fabric at a pair of spaced circumferential lines, a rotating adjustable member having fiat napping means on its end surface for engaging and napping the exterior of said fabric on a flat area thereof between said lines, a pair'of separated interior rings spaced from said first mentioned,

fabric supporting means, and resilient means pressing said fabric inwardly between said rings to'impose a drag upon the longitudinal movement of said fabric.

HARRY FLEISHER.

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