US2826479A

US2826479A - Fabric treatment

Info

Publication number: US2826479A
Application number: US432824A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paul M Cole
Original assignee: EI Du Pont de Nemours and Co
Current assignee: EIDP Inc
Priority date: 1954-05-27
Filing date: 1954-05-27
Publication date: 1958-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 1975-03-11

Description

a mmm P. M COLE FABRIC TREATMENT Filed. May 27, 1954 INVENTOR PAUL M. COLE BY y fl k ATTORNEY United States Pate l a 5 Claims. (Cl. 8-152) This invention relates to treatment of textile fabric, particularly placement of fabric onto a rotary carrier and subsequent removal therefrom. 1

Supporting of fabric in open width is conductive to .satisfactory uniformity of dyeing and finishing, but economy in such textile operations is dependent upon efiicacious treatment of considerable quantities of fabric. Cole patent aplication Serial No. 347,263, filed April 7, 1953,

describes such treatment upon rotary carriers that support the fabric substantially tension-free and advance it in a star-like pattern. The mentioned patent application illustrates the hitherto normal loading method for such ,a carrier, which may be termed parallel loading; in

that method, each of a plurality of lengths of fabric makes a complete wrap around the rotor (forming the star pattern, as viewed along the axis of the rotor). The

carrier has supporting bars spaced in an outer circle for ,the fabric to pass over and similar supporting bars spaced .in an inner circle for the fabric to pass under; the fabric normally passes over an outer bar, under an inner bar, over the next outer bar, and so on around the carrier,

assuming the Zigzag configuration of the arms of a star. To facilitate loading and unloading, the inner bars customarily are removable, being inserted in slotted guides extending from the periphery of the. carrier.

While the length of a complete wrap may'be made less than the maximum for any particular carrier of this type by omitting or by-passing some of the bars, unavoidable variation in the lengths of pieces of fabric to be loaded complicates the procedure: pieces too long for a single wrap must be cut, and pieces too short must be furnished with a leader to complete the wrap. Conventional weaving operations are not adapted to close control on the length of fabric produced thereby.

A primary object of the present invention is replacement of parallel loading of a rotary dyeing or finishing machine by series loading. Another object is preforming of fabric in a holdup system into a continuous multilayered loop having the desired length of a single wrap for a rotary carrier and gradual withdrawal of the loop of fabric therefrom during loading of the carrier. An

object is placement of a length of fabric longer than a single wrap onto a rotary carrier in star-shaped pattern without necessity for cutting or piecing of the fabric irrespective of the excess in length. Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying diagrams.

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of removal of fabric from a source of supply onto a wrap-length holdup systern. Figure 2 is a similar view of holdup means and a rotary carrier at an early stage in the loading of the fabric of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 but showing the loading nearly completed.

In general, the objects of the present invention are accomplished by unwinding fabric from a supply source onto a holdup system, in which the length of one complete turn is equivalent to the length of one wrap about a rotary carrier, superimposing in a continuous spiral in which it accumulates in folds.

asserts Patented Mar. 11,1958

successive wrap-length layers of fabric in substantially non-slipping contact with one another until the supply is discontinued; a loop of the multiple-layered wrap so formed is slipped bodily over the end of a rotary carrier and onto fabric-supporting members thereof, whereupon the rest of the fabric is fed gradually from the holdup system onto the carrier until all the fabric leaves the holdup system and rests as a star-shaped wrap about the carrier. Here terms referring to the configuration of a star comprehend not only the familiar fiveand sixpointed star patterns consisting, respectively, of ten and twelve straight zigzag lines or arms (connecting points located alternately on a circle inscribed in the star and a circle circumscribing the star) but also multipointed figures generally that present a closed zigzagging pattern about a central point, regardless of moderate curvature or length inequality of the various arms and any skewing of the pattern about the center, as often may be desirable. The invention is illustrated with particular refer ence to a rotary carrier having slotted guides to receive removable inner bars from locations at the periphery of the carrier (between the outer bars with which the inner bars cooperate in supporting a wrap of fabric in the configuration of a star).

As used here, holdup signifies temporary storage of all or part of a fabric load for the carrier. While a holdup system could be designed to carry the fabric ex tended at wrap length, such an arrangement would be unnecessarily voluminous; it is convenient for the system to provide a concentrated storage section where a considerable amount of fabric may be confined to a small volume. Figure 1 shows a preferred embodiment in which fabric 1 (represented by a solid line) from supply beam or mandrel 2 passes over bar 3, about roll 4,

through tacking means 5, about expander roll 6, under bar 7, also under bow bar 8, about removable roll 9, in

contact with feed roll it through the nip of plaiter drive roll 11 and removable idler roll 12, and onto scray 13, From the scray the fabric passes about bar 14, over expander roll 15 and into contact with the body of the fabric under bar 7. An alternative path (1) appears in dashed lines at the right, where the fabric passes in folds into truck 16, with the plaiter similarly shown.

The sequence of steps by which the fabric is preformed into a multiple-layer of wrap length, as shown in Figure l, is comparatively simple. At the beginning of the operation, the end of the fabric from the supply mandrel is fed through the system manually; as soon as the length required for a complete Wrap on the treating rotor has been unwound, the end of the fabric is secured or tacked to the body of the fabric to form a loop of that length, whereupon the drive rolls feed the fabric repeatedly about the circuit until the entire load of fabric is unwound.

It is desirable to ensure substantially non-slipping contact between adjacent layers of the fabric in order to maintain each layer in the loop at the desired length, both in the holdup system and later on the carrier. Sewing or stapling at the ends and wetting of the intervening fabric (or intermittent fastening of the multiple selvages) sufiices to maintain all the layers of fabric at wrap length. The operator in charge of the preforming operation usually performs the fastening of the ends manually, but the tacking means may include one or more machines to accomplish this besides comprising a dip tank or other means for tacking together the layers in the resulting loop. The film of water placed between adjacent layers of fabric on its passage through ordinary Wetting means normally is highly effective in holding them together, and sewing or other fastening at the selvages or across the body of the fabric is unnecessary.

fluid treatment of the fabric may begin.

gamers the last wrap-length portion of fabric unwinds from the supply .source it isconvenient for theoperator to move the plaiter rolls from the original position over the scray to the alternative position shown in Figure 1 (by dotted lines) andto'set the rolls swinging in'the'arc indicated by a double arrow, was to 'plait-.or j'foldthe fabric into the truck. Of course,'to permit this-he frees the bars and rolls encircled by :.the loop of fabric, including finally rolls 9 and 12 if the plaiter is notto'be used in the step of loading the fabric on the carrier. Thus, the entire wrap-length loop may be stored temporarily in'the truck and moved abouttherein-if desired.

Accessto' the end of therotary carrier uponwhich-"the fabric'is to be loaded 'andtreated may be facilitatedby cantilevering or counter-weighting it sufliciently to free one 'endfrom any further external support. '01 this may be provided in any number 'of ways bymeansof'a removable external -support 'at that end, as-is"readily"apparent. When a removable support is used, there should be -'su'fiicient space between it and the 'end ofthe'rotor to permit'convenient location of the'fa'bric next'to'the 'end'before replacement and during operation ofthe'supto locations "near the 'axis to hold the inner fabricsupportitlg bars.

The carrier, which appears in section perpendicular to axle 35, comprises flange 33 (an opposingflange, 'mirror image. of 33, is not visible in this sectional view) with outer bars 32 in place, while'bars 34are being .ifed "from track 37 above into guide slots '36. Each guide slot is furnished with a pin or other means '(not'sh'own) to confine the end of a bar at the innermost 'endithereof so as to constitute an inner support for'the fabric. Truck 26, which maybe the same as truck I6 .ofF-igure 1 (appearing turned end-for-end), is juxtaposed to the carrier. Multiple wrap 31 .offabric rests mainly in the truck, but enoughhas been removed to surround the carrier and elements of the feeding or winding means. Plaiter rolls 21 and 22, which are not required in the step of "loading the .fabric ontothe rotary carrier appear to one side above'the truck. In the path of the fabric represented by the solid .line are roll 23 centered above the truck and idler roll 19 anddrive roll .20, which .is driven .by; external means (not shown). Rack 37 carries .a supply of bars 34 above and to .the

.mechanically. The operator also ensures :that eachinner bar is held securely at the innermost end of .itszslot'to prevent it .from falling out at the lower half-cycle of carrier rotation.

As successive inner bars fall into-.place, .the amounttof fabricinthe truck lessens, and near the end of the loading period thetermina'lportion of the'fabric loop is freed by removal or swinging aside of iron 19 and roll 23. Thisinstantis represented in Figure '3. The rest of the :fabric is just long enough to be taken upon the rotary carrier by insertion of the'last inner bars, whereupon Ofcourse, as in pressure dyeing, the treatment may require placementof the carrier in a suitable housing. "Inthe absence of thetruck theloading could proceeddirectly "from-the ployed -to practice the described loading .of .the wraplength loop of fabric.

Unloading of the fabric is substantially the reverse of loading and may be visualized readily without the aid of further diagrams. Manual removal of a couple of the inner bars from the carrier permits replacement of part of the fabric loop onto feeding means of the holdup system, after which the bars removedin Figure 3 and the plaiter. rolls are placed in the fabric path (including the dashed-linealternative) and .the drive rolls set erotating in the opposite direction-.from before. During; this step the fabric itself is tensioned sufficiently by the winding to lift the inner'bars, which are'released by the operator from their positions :near the axis immediately beforehand to permit their removal. The fabric is plaited or folded into the truck by the swinging plaiter rolls. When all but one of the inner bars are returned to the supply rack, the 'situation'reverts to that shown in Figure '2 (including the dashed-line alternative path) except 'that all the directions of travel are reversed. After removal of the-last inner bar, the fabric is slippedoft the end of-the carrieryand-all'the excess placed in'the truck. The outer end of the fabric is freed from the other'layers and is-fastened to a windup roll onto which the entire fabric then is rewound. 'thread'has been-usedfor tackingthe ends or intermediate portions 'of thefabric, the winding force will break it *easily'and the remaining bits of thread may be brushed -If a sufliciently light-weight 'oif,or"a cutter may be'used between'the'separatinglayers "of fabric to -parrthe thread. Other fasteners may be removed by the operator.

Themethodfof loading and unloading here described Two or more similar up system and related elements need not be located near- Ibythroughout-t'he operations but may be moved about,

as may'be convenient, except during the brief period of transfer of .fabric to or from the carrier itself, which'is shorter with the multiple layered or series-wound wrap than with the separate lengths of fabric used in the previous parallel method. According to this invention,

economical utilization ofthe carrier is increased'further and both fabric waste and excessive labor formerly incurredin 'cuttingandpiecing of thelengths offabricare eliminated. Many other advantages of the practice of 'thisinvention will come readily to mind.

What is claimed: 1. In theprocess offloading fabric onto 'a rotary ,car

"i'ieradapted .to support .a wrap .of fabric in .the. pattern ofa star, as viewed along the axis of the carrier, the improvement comprising first preforming the entirefabric load into a continuous 'multilayered loop having the'desired length of a complete star-like wrap about the carrier,'then slipping theloop about'the carrier by passing it over the end thereof and subsequently supporting it thereon in -a zigezag star-likepattern.

2. The process improvement of claim .1 in which the preformed loop offabricis withdrawn gradually from .a nearby holdup system onto the carrier duringthe step of supportingithe. fabricithereon in :the .star pattern.

.3. Process 'of loading-an endless loop of fabriconto zarrotary :carrier adapted to support .the fabric :about outer and inner bars inthe pattern of a star, as viewed along :the axis-of the carrier, comprising slipping a portion-of the loop over'zthe'endof the carrier to rest upon'theouter -'supportin'g bars thereof and then inserting inner "bars successively in the carrier to festoon the fabric between adjacent outer -bars and thereby withdraw the "rest of theloop "gradually from ,a'nearby holdup system until all the bars are in place and the complete loop of fabric is removed from the holdup system and supported as a star-shaped wrap upon the carrier.

4. Process of loading fabric onto a rotary carn'er adapted to support fabric about outer and inner bars successively in the pattern of a star, as viewed along the axis of the carrier, comprising unwinding fabric from a supply source, passing the end of the fabric through a holdup system until the length of fabric therein equals the desired length of one Wrap about the carrier, fastening the end to the fabric body to make an endless loop of that length, passing the loop of fabric unidirectionally through the holdup system and tacking the fabric newly unwound from the source to the fabric in the loop until the desired total quantity of fabric has accumulated as multiple layers in the loop, passing a portion of the loop over the end of the rotary carrier to rest in open width upon the outer supporting bars thereof, inserting inner bars successively in the carrier to festoon the fabric between the outer bars at the expense of the fabric content in the holdup system, whereupon with insertion of all the inner bars in the carrier no more fabric remains in the holdup system and the multilayered loop of fabric forms a complete star-shaped wrap upon the carrier.

5. In combination with a rotary carrier adapted to support a wrap of fabric in a zig-zag star-shaped pattern, as viewed along the carrier axis, holdup means for preforming fabric into a single endless wrap-length multilayer loop and feeding means for transferring the fabric between the holdup means and the carrier and forming a zig-zag star-shaped pattern on the carrier.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brook May 19, 1914

Claims

1. IN THE PROCESS OF LOADING FABRIC ONTO A ROTARY CARRIER ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A WRAP OF FABRIC IN THE PATTERN OF A STAR, AS VIEWED ALONG THE AXIS OF THE CARRIER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING FIRST PREFORMING THE ENTIRE FABRIC LOADED INTO A CONTINUOUS MULTILAYERED LOOP HAVING THE DESIRED LENTH OF A COMPLETE STAR-LIKE WRAP ABOUT THE CARRIER, THEN SLIPPING THE LOOP ABOUT THE CARRIER BY PASSING IT OVER THE END THEREOF AND SUBSEQUENTLY SUPPORTING IT THEREON IN A ZIG-ZAG STAR-LIKE PATTERN.

5. IN COMBINATION WITH A ROTARY CARRIER ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A WAP OF FABRIC IN A ZIG-ZAG STAR-SHAPED PATTERN AS VIEWED ALONG THE CARRIER AXIS, HOLDUP MEANS FOR PREFORMING FABRIC INTO A SINGLE ENDLESS WRAP-LENGTH MULTILAYER LOOP AND FEEDING MEANS FOR TRANSFERRING THE FABRIC BETWEEN THE HOLDUP MEANS AND THE CARRIER AND FORMING A ZIG-ZAG STAR-SHAPED PATTERN ON THE CARRIER.