US2680279A - Apparatus for spreading tubular fabric - Google Patents

Description

June 8, 1954 J. HAMILTON 2,680,279

APPARATUS FOR SPREADING TUBULAR FABRIC Filed on. 3 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 1 June 8, 1954 HAMILTQN 2,680,279

APPARATUS FOR SPREADING TUBULAR FABRIC Filed Oct. 3, 19 50 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 8, 1954 J. HAMILTON APPARATUS FOR SPREADING TUBULAR FABRIC 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 5. 1950 QM m% w Q Q m,

June 8, 1954 J. HAMILTON APPARATUS FOR SPREADING TUBULAR FABRIC 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 3, 1950 June 8, 1954 HAMILTON 2,680,279

APPARATUS FOR SPREADING TUBULAR FABRIC Filed Oct. 3. 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 A M A Patented June 8, 1954 APPARATUS FOR SPREADING TUBULAR FABRIC John Hamilton, Oakford, Pa., assignor to Proctor & Schwartz, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 3, 1950, Serial No. 188,239

22 Claims.

This invention relates generally to the expansion or spreading of tubular knitted fabric, and more particularly to a novel apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for movin fabric thereover.

As is well known to those familiar with the treatment of tubular knitted fabric, spreading of such fabric has long been practiced to open the fabric into flattened form for drying or for calendering. This has required the use of spreaders of different widths since there are various sizes of tubular knitted fabrics commonly employed. Recent developments have shown that excessive spreading or widthwise expansion is useful in the treatment of tubular knitted fabric to reduce or eliminate shrinkage. Moreover, it has been found that effective treatment for shrinkage reduction or elimination requires that the fabric be pushed, rather than pulled, over the spreading or expandin device so as to avoid longitudinal tension on the fabric as far as possible. It is, therefore, advantageous to employ an apparatus which serves both to support the spreader and to move the fabric thereover, but this has presented a problem in view of the necessity of employing difierent sized spreaders, especially because of the extended use of spreading in the field of shrinkage elimination.

With the foregoing in mind, one object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which will accommodate a wide range of spreader sizes and may be adjusted to any particular spreader size, and which may serve both to support the spreader and to push the fabric thereover. By virtue of its wide range of adjustment, the apparatus may be used with a relatively narrow spreader merely to open a tubular fabric into flattened form, or it may be used with a relatively wide spreader for shrinkage elimination treatment.

Another object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus which may be used at will simply as a spreader support where it is desired to pull the fabric over the spreader, as is sometimes desirable.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel mechanical construction of the apparatus which is advantageous from the standpoint of manufacture and assembly.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description.

In the accompanyingdrawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred form of the apparatus as used with a particular spreader;

Fig. 2 is an elevational sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is also a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, showing more clearly the manner in which the tubular fabric is moved over the spreading device; I

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional View taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view taken along line 1-4 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is also a detail sectional view taken along line 8-8 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is another detail sectional view taken along line 9-9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line Ill-I 0 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of one element or part of the apparatus;

Fig. l2 is a perspective view of the same part taken from the opposite side;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of another part of the apparatus; and

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the spreader which is shown in Fig. 1 in association with the apparatus.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5, the apparatus provided according to the present invention may be supported on spaced vertical standards I and 2. Each of these standards may comprise a pair of vertically disposed channel members 3, 4 or 5, 6 arranged in spaced back-to-back relation as shown in Fig. 3 so as to accommodate clamping bolts and plates designated generally by reference numerals l and 8. An elongate casing 9, which may be of circular cross-section, extends horizontally and is held by brackets or plates I0 and l l secured to the standards I and 2 and having portions l2 and I3 snugly embracing said casing. The casing 9 has a longitudinal slot I4 (Fig. 1) at the front thereof for a purpose which will appear presently. A shaft [5 (Fig. 3) extends longitudinally within casing Band is rotatably supported by means of bearings I6 and El withinthe end portions of the casing. At the ends of the shaft 15, there are provided sprockets l8 and is which are secured to the shaft for rotation therewith.

A pair of similar slidable assemblies or units 20 and 2! are supported by the casing 9 and are adapted to be adjustably positioned therealong, as hereinafter described. As may be seen in Fig. 3, each of the assemblies 20 and 21 comprises a 3 hollow block 22 slidably positioned within the casing 9 and rotatably supporting a sleeve 23 by means of bearings '26 and 25. The shaft I is of non-circular cross-section, being preferably square in cross-section, and the bore of sleeve 23 is of similar cross-section and is complemental to the shaft, so that the sleeve will slide along the shaft but is rotatable therewith. A miter gear 26 is fixed to or formed integrally with sleeve 23 and meshes with a similar gear 21 which is fixed to a rotatable shaft 23. The latter shaft is rotatably supported in a manner hereinafter described and it extends through the slot it. and

carries a flanged roller 39. Thus, the slidable assemblies 29 and 2! are provided with rollers 30 and 30a which are driven by the shaft 15. As may be seen in Fig. 1, these assemblies also carry flanged idler rollers 32 and 3 id. A more detailed description of the structure of each assembly will be given later.

The above-mentioned rollers serve to support the spreader 32 (Figs. 1 and i i) which, in the form shown, comprises a T-shaped support 33 carrying rollers 3s and m at the ends of its transverse arms and also carrying a ring 35 at its lower end. The rollers 34 and 3 1m seat within the flanges of the supporting rollers, and the tubular fabric, represented at 36, passes between the spreader rollers and the supporting rollers. The particular spreader shown also has supporting arms 31 and 31a. which carry small thin rollers 38 and 38a, the purpose of which is to prevent wrinkling of the fabric as it leaves the spreader. The said supporting arms are rigidified by tongues extending therefrom into grooves in the main rollers.

With the rollers 39 and 3nd driven as above described, the fabric is propelled over the spreader, as may be seen more clearly from Fig. 5. The ring 35 merely serves to open the fabric as it approaches the spreader rolls.

Directly above the spreader position, there are provided rolls 39 and ll; (Figs. 1 and 2) which serve to carry the fabric from the spreader, for example, to place the fabric on a conveyor t! as shown in Fig. 2. Roll 46 is rotatably supported on brackets secured to the vertical standards I and '2, while roll 39 is rotatably carried by arms 42 and 42a which are pivotally secured to brackets on the supporting standards as shown at 43. The two arms have dash pots ts and Ma associated with them to prevent rapid fall of the roll 39. By this arrangement, the roll 39 may be moved in order that the fabric may be inserted between the rolls. The two rolls are provided with ring gears 35 and 35 which mesh with one another. Roll 6Q also has a sprocket 37 at the opposite end of its shaft which is connected through a chain 48 with the sprocket is on shaft 15. The shaft !5 is driven through its sprocket l8 which is connected by a chain 38 to a speed reduction unit 56 which is chain driven by an electric motor 5!. Thus, it will be seen that the shaft 15 is power driven and it, in turn, rotates the rolls 39 and 46 through the chain 38.

Referring now to the structure of the assemblies or units 2%! and Bi, such structure is shown in Figs. 6 to 13. As may be seen in Figs. 6 and 10, a supporting member 52 for shaft 28 extends through the longitudinal slot Hi of the casing 9 and is secured to the slidable block 22 by means of screws 53 and 5d. The shaft 28 is rotatable in ball bearings 55 and 55 which are disposed in recesses in the member 52. A hanger member 57 (see Figs. 11 and 12) is supported by member 52 and is held in place by the screws 53 and 54. The hanger member is apertured at 58 to fit over the portion of member 52 external to the casing 9.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 8, the hanger member 5'5 serves to support a bracket 59 through the medium of screws 60 and 5!. The bracket 59 extends beneath the casing 9 and carries a cup 52 within which is supported a movable pin 63. A helical spring 64 within said cup engages a flange or collar 65 on said pin and urges the pin upwardly. The pin extends through an opening in the bracket 59 and is adapted to project into any one of a row of openings 55 (Fig. 10) provided along the bottom of the casing 8. The lower portion of the pin 63 projects through the bottom of cup 52 and is secured to a shell 61 which surrounds the cup. By pulling the shell 6? downward against the action of spring (5%, the upper end of pin 53 may be retracted from one of the apertures 56, thereby freeing the assembly for movement longitudinally of the casing 9. Thus, the assembly may be moved to a desired position longitudinally of the casing 9, with the pin 63 held in retracted position, and then the shell 6'5 may be released to permit the spring 64 to project the pin into one of the openings 56. Through the medium of the said pin, the assembly is latched or locked in any position to which it is adjusted. As hereinbefore explained, the purpose of the adjustment is to enable the rollers 30 and 30a to be positioned so as to accommodate different sized spreaders.

The hanger member El also serves to adjustably support a carrier 58 (Fig. 6) for the roller 3!. The carrier 58 comprises spaced members 69 and '50 (Fig. 13) having their lower portions Welded to a member H from which extends an integral pin or spindle 12 (Fig. 9) on which the roller 3! is freely rotatable. The upper ends of members 69 and m are slidably disposed in recesses l3 and 14 (Figs. 11 and 12) of the hanger member 51. A screw 15 (Fig. 6) and an associated sleeve 16 serve to hold the upper portions of members 69 and H1 in properly spaced relation, and the said screw and sleeve extend through a slot 1? of the hanger member 51 to permit guided vertical movement of the carrier 68.

As may be seen in Fig. 6, member H has an opening or passage therethrough to accommodate a rotatable threaded stem 13, to the lower end of which is pinned a knob I9 having surface serrations to facilitate turning of the same. The stem 18 is held against axial movement relative to the carrier 68 by the knob 19 and by a split ring 8| which seats in an annular recess of said stem. The upper portion of stem 18 threadedly engages the hanger member 51 which is stationary. It will be seen, therefore, that r0- tation of stem '18 through the medium of knob i9 will cause the carrier 68 to move vertically in a direction dependent on the direction of rotation of the knob, within the range established by the slot 11 of hanger member 57. In the illustration of Fig. 6, the carrier 68 is in its lowermost position, the screw 15 and its associated sleeve l6 being disposed at the bottom of slot ll. Thus, it will be seen that the roller 3! may be adjusted vertically in relation to roller 30 to accommodate different spreaders.

As hereinbefore mentioned, the rollers 30 and 3% (Fig. 1) are adapted to be power driven to propel the tubular fabric over the spreader, the idler rollers 3| and 3la merely serving cooperatively with rollers 38 and 30a to support the spreader. However, it may be desired at times to pull the tubular fabric over the spreader, and therefore provision is made in the apparatus of the present invention to permit decoupling of the'rollers 30 and 38a from their respective shafts so as to permit these rollers to rotate freely as idler rollers. Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, adjacent the bearing 58, there is provided a ring or collar 82 which is keyed to shaft 28 and which is provided with a pair of apertures 83 and 84. Roller 30 is freely disposed on the shaft 28 and hasa pair of apertures 85 and 88 to accommodate pins 81 and 88 whose forward ends are adapted to seat in the recesses 83 and 84 was to couple roller 38 to the collar or ring 82. The pins 81 and 88 are secured at their opposite ends to a member 89 slidably carried on the end of shaft 28. A knob member 98 is carried by member 89 but the latter is permitted to move relative to the knob member by the provision of a ball bearing 9|.

As may be seen in Fig. 7, roller 30 is also provided with passages 92 and 93 which communicate with the passages 85 and 85, and which accommodate ball detents 94, 95 and associated springs 96, 91. The ball detents cooperate with flanges 98 and 99 on the pins 81 and 88 to lock the latter into or out of engagement with the collar or ring 82. In Fig. 6, the pins 81 and 88 are shown in the position in which they are engaged with the collar orring 82, the roller 88 being coupled to shaft 28 through said ring. Whenever it is desired to decouple the roller Y 38 from the shaft 28, the operator grasps the knob 98 and pulls it outward, thereby moving pins 81 and 88 out of engaging relation with the collar or ring 82. During the outward movement of the pins 81 and 88, the flanges 98 and 95 deflect the ball detents 94v and 95, and the latter then become effective to hold the pins in their retracted position. It should be noted that this pin-removing operation is readily performed even though the pins and associated parts are rotating at the time of pin withdrawal, as the knob 98 remains stationary due to the provision of ball bearing 9|. When it is desired to restore the coupling between roller 38 and shaft 28, the operator has only to press the knob 98 inwardly to restore the parts to the positions shown in Fig. 6.

From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the invention provides a novel apparatus which accommodates different sized spreaders and which may be utilized in the different manners described. While a preferred form of the apparatus has been illustrated and described for the purpose of disclosure, the invention is not limited thereto but is capable of various embodiments or modifications.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a shaft extending longitudinally of said said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a gear slidable on said shaft and rotatable therewith, a shaft extending throughsaid slot and carrying a gear meshing with said first gear, a roller arranged to be driven by said lastmentioned shaft, and means for locking the assembly in' any one of a number of different positions along said casing.

2. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a shaft of non-circular cross-section extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a sleeve complemental to said shaft and slidable therealong, a gear carried by said sleeve, a shaft extending through said slot and carrying a gear meshing with said first gear, a roller arranged to be driven by said last-mentioned shaft, and means for locking the assembly in any one of a number of different positions along said casing.

3. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing having a longitudinal slot therein and also having longitudinally-spaced openings, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a gear slidable on said shaft and rotatable therewith, a shaft extending through said slot and carry a gear meshing with said first gear, a roller arranged to be driven by said lastmentioned shaft, and latch means on the assembly engageable with said openings to lock the assembly in any one of a number of different positions along said casing.

4. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a gear slidable on said shaft and rotatable therewith, a shaft extending. through said slot and carrying a gear meshing with said first gear, a roller rotatably carried by said lastmentioned shaft, and means for coupling or uncoupling said roller with respect to its shaft.

5. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a gear slidable on said shaft and rotatable therewith, a shaftextending through said slot and carrying a gear meshing with said first gear, a roller rotatably carried by said lastmentioned shaft, means for coupling or uncoupling said roller with respect to its shaft, and means for locking the assembly in any one of a number of different positions along said casing.

6. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a gear slidable on said shaft and rotatable therewith, a shaft extending through said slot and carrying a gear meshing with said first gear, a roller arranged to be driven by said last-mentioned shaft, an idler roller in spaced relation to said first-recited roller and cooperative therewith to support a fabric spreader, and means for locking the assembly in any one of a number of different positions along said casing.

7. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a shaft of non-circular cross-section extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies including a sleeve complemental to said shaft and slidable therealong, a gear carried by said sleeve, a shaft extending through said slot and carrying a gear meshing with said first gear, a roller arranged to be driven by said last-mentioned shaft, an adjustable idler roller in spaced reiation to said first-recited roller and cooperative therewith to support a fabric spreader, and means for locking the assembly in any one of a number of different positions along said casing.

8. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, a pair of spaced vertical standards, a horizontal elongate casing supported by said standards, said casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a gear slidable on said shaft and rotatable therewith, a shaft extending through said slot and carrying a gear meshing with said first gear,

a roller arranged to be driven by said lastmentioned shaft, and means for locking the assembly in any one of a number of different positions along said casing.

9. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric eXpa-nders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, a pair of spaced vertical standards, a horizontal elongate casing supported by said standards, said casing having a longi tudinal slot therein, a shaft of non-circular crosssection extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a sleeve complemental to said shaft and slidable therealong, a gear carried by said sleeve, a shaft extending through sald slot and carrying a gear meshing with said first gear, a roller arranged to be driven by said last-mentioned shaft, and means for locking the assembly in any one of a number of different positions along said casing.

10. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, a horizontal shaft, means for driving said shaft, a pair of horizontal shafts substantially at right angles to said first shaft,

means providing a driving coupling between said first shaft and each of the last-recited shafts, a roller permanently carried by each of the lastrecited shafts, and means for coupling or uncoupling each roller with respect to its associated shaft.

11. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or Spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, a horizontal shaft, means for driving said shaft, a pair of horizontal shafts substantially at right angles to said first shaft, means supporting each of the last-recited shafts for adjustment lengthwise of said first shaft, means providing a driving coupling between said first shaft and each of the last-recited shafts for any adjustment of the latter, a roller permanently carried by each of the last-recited shafts, and means for coupling or uncoupling each roller with respect to its associated shaft.

12. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, a horizontal shaft, means for driving said shaft, a pair of horizontal shafts substantially at right angles to said first shaft, means supporting each of the last-recited shafts for adjustment to different discrete positions lengthwise of said first shaft, means providing a driving coupling between said first shaft and each of the last-recited shafts for any adjustment of the latter, a roller permanently carried by each of the last-recited shafts, and means for coupling or uncoupling each roller with respect to associated shaft.

13. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric eXpa-nders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, a horizontal elongate casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatabl, supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a member slidable in said casing, a gear carried by said member and rotatable with said shaft, support means external to said casing and secured to said member through said slot, a shaft extending through said slot and rotatably supported by said support means, a gear on said last-recited shaft in mesh with said first gear, a roller carried by said support means to be driven by said last-recited shaft, and means for locking said support means to said casing in any one of a number of different positions.

14. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereoverja horizontal elongate casing having a longitudinal slot therein and also having longitudinally-spaced openings, a'shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a member slidable in said casing, a gear carried by said member and rotatable with said shaft, support means external to said casing and secured to said member through said slot, a shaft extending through said slot and rotatably supported by said support means, a gear on said last-recited shaft in mesh with said first gear, a roller carried by said support means to be driven by said last-recited shaft, and iatch means on said support means engageable with said openings to lock said support means to said casing in any one of a number of different positions.

15. In an apparatus for supporting different sized fabric expanders or spreaders and for moving fabric thereover, a horizontal elongate casing having a longitudinal slot therein, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a member slidable in said casing, a gear carried by said member and rotatable with said shaft, support means external to said casing and secured to said member through said slot, a shaft extending through said slot and rotatably supported by said support means, a gear on said last-recited shaft in mesh with said first gear, a roller carried by said support means to be driven by said last-recited shaft, an idler roller adjustably carried by said support means in spaced relation to said firstrecited roller and cooperative therewith to support a fabric spreader, and means for locking vsaid support means to said casing in any one of a number of different positions.

ing fabric thereover, a horizontal elongate casing having a longitudinal slo-t therein, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, a pair of slidable assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a member slidable in said casing, a gear carried by said member and rotatable with said shaft, support means external to said casing and secured to said member through said slot, a shaft extending through said slot and rotatably supported by said support means, a gear on said last-recited shaft in mesh with said first gear, a roller carried by said support means to be driven by said last-recited shaft, means for coupling or uncoupling said roller with respect to said last-recited. shaft, and means for locking said support means to said casing in any one ofa number of different positions.

17. In an apparatus for supporting a fabric expander or spreader and for moving fabric thereover, a power-driven shaft, a pair of shafts extending substantially at right angles to said first shaft, means providing a driving coupling between said first shaft and each of the lastrecited shafts, a roller permanently carried by each of the last-recited shafts, means for coupling or uncoupling each said roller with respect to its associated shaft, and an idler roller supported in spaced relation to each of the firstmentioned rollers and. cooperative therewith to support a fabric spreader.

18. In an apparatus for supporting a fabric expander or spreader and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, means for driving said shaft, a pair of spaced assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a shaft extending through the wall of said casing and drivably coupled to said first shaft to be driven thereby, and a roller on each of the driven shafts outside said casing.

19. In an apparatus for supporting a fabric expander or spreader and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, means for driving said shaft, a pair of spaced assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including a shaft extending through the wall of said casing and drivably coupled to said first shaft to be driven thereby, a roller on each of the driven shafts outside said casing, and an idler roller supported in spaced relation to each of the first-mentioned rollers and cooperative therewith to support a fabric spreader.

20. In an apparatus for supporting a fabric 10 expander or spreader and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, means for driving said shaft, a pair of spaced assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including support means extending from within said casing externally thereof, a shaft supported by said support means and drivably coupled to said first shaft to be driven thereby, and a roller on each of the driven shafts outside said casing.

21. In an apparatus for supporting a fabric expander or spreader and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, means for driving said shaft, a pair of spaced assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including support means extending from Within said casing externally thereof, a shaft supported by said support means and drivably coupled to said first shaft to be driven thereby, a roller on each of the driven shafts outside said casing, and an idler roller supported by each said support means in spaced relation to each of the first-mentioned rollers and cooperative therewith to support a fabric spreader.

22. In an apparatus for supporting a fabric expander or spreader and for moving fabric thereover, an elongate casing, a shaft extending longitudinally of said casing and rotatably supported therein, means for driving said shaft, a pair of spaced assemblies supported by said casing, each of said assemblies including support means extending from within said casing externally thereof, a shaft supported by said support means and drivably coupled to said first shaft to be driven thereby, a roller on each of the driven shafts outside said casing, a hanger member supported by each said support means, and an idler roller supported by each said hanger member in spaced relation to each of the first-mentioned rollers and cooperative therewith to support a fabric spreader.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,130,118 Cohn Sept. 13, 1938 2,190,860 Cohn Feb. 20, 1940 2,294,642 Wedler Sept. 1, 1942 2,467,281 Walter et a1. Apr. 12, 1949 2,589,344 Cohn et a1. Mar. 18, 1952 2,597,530 Redman May 20, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 15,957 Great Britain of 1908

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