US3242702A

US3242702A - Apparatus for the continuous fluidtreatment of fabric webs

Info

Publication number: US3242702A
Application number: US198972A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fleissner Heinz
Original assignee: Fleissner GmbH
Current assignee: Truetzschler Nonwovens GmbH
Priority date: 1962-05-31
Filing date: 1962-05-31
Publication date: 1966-03-29
Anticipated expiration: 1983-03-29

Description

March 29, 1966 H. FLEISSNER APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS FLUID-TREATMENT OF FABRIC WEBS Filed May 31, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 l-lE/NZ FL EISSNER INVENTOR.

n s a J March 29, 1966 FLElSSNER 3,242,702

APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS FLUID-TREATMENT OF FABRIC WEBS Filed May 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 8, v V Vi--- *ViAM [-76.2 74 L3 76 I" 1 2 I; J O 6 M f 92 75 7 5a 6 77 i 84 3a 9 83 9s 78 f 93 79 o O HE/NZ FLE/SSNER INVENTOR.

BY 1 B bi,

Attorney APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS FLUID-TREATMENT OF FABRIC WEBS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 31, 1962 FIG. 5

MR 0 3 mm w E 4 W 21 1M1, m w M Y B 9 7 m m m 6 mm M 3 W 1 M 5 l. V 9 L l\. I 4 m Attorney March 29, 1966 H. FLEISSNER APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS FLUID-TREATMENT OF FABRIC WEBS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 31, 1962 HEINZ FLEISSNER INVENTOR.

Wt g 329 AGENT United States Patent APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS FLUID- TREATMENT OF FABRIC WEBS Heinz Fleissner, Egclsbach, Germany, assignor to Fleissner G.m.b.H., Egelsbach, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed May 31, 1962, Ser. No. 198,972

8 Claims. (Cl. 68-5) My present invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous treatment of fabric webs with fluids and, more particularly, for the continuous treatment of textiles with steam.

In the steaming of continuous webs of fibrous material such as textiles, autoclaves have been provided wherein a charge of the textile fabric is introduced into the vessel, which is sealed against the ambient atmosphere and filled with steam. Occasionally, the autoclave is evacuated prior to the introduction of the steam. This arrangement is intermittent in nature and requires a relatively large amount of time for the charging and discharging of the autoclave.

In copending application Ser. No. 142,561, which I filed Oct. 3, 1961 jointly with Wolfgang Friedel, there is disclosed apparatus for the continuous treatment of fibrous webs, i.e. the drying of such webs, wherein the webs are conveyed by perforated carriers. The devices disclosed in these applications are not, however, suitable in themselves for the treatment of webs or bands of material with steam or wet high-temperature atmospheres, since large heat and pressure losses would inevitably result. Moreover, it is important to note in connection with the steam treatment of textile fabrics, and especially the steam fixing of dyed materials, that condensation of liquid upon the material must be avoided. Thus, when working with saturated steam, it is vital that a dyed material be heated as quickly as possible to avoid the condensation of moisture thereon and a consequent dilution or redistribution of the dyestuff thereon.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a highly efiicient apparatus for treating webs of fibrous material with heated fluids.

In such an apparatus the fibrous material, in the form of a band or Web, is treated with steam circulated through the material at a relatively high rate so that relatively small amounts of heat per unit volume or Weight of the steam are given up to the fibrous material. Upon each pass through the material the steam is reheated so that the difference between the loss of heat by the steam and its increase in heat is relatively small. Consequently, the temperature drop in the steam while it is in contact with the material is minimal, thereby guaranteeing that no substantial precipitation of moisture upon the web will take place. In a system of this type, it is possible to employ a fluid consisting of ahnost 100% steam since a superheating of the steam prior to its contact with the web is not necessary. When the material to be treated is brought to the saturation temperature, condensation thereon can no longer occur so that it is possible to reduce the volume of steam passed through the web to a minimum.

By an increase in the temperature of the steam treatment above 100 C., the duration of the treatment time can be substantially reduced. It has been found, for example, that each 10 C. rise in the steam temperature approximately halves the required treatment time. Thus, if a treatment time of 30 minutes is required at a temperature of 100 C.,. only minutes is necessary at 110 C. and about 7.5 minutes at 120 C. To prevent superheating of steam at the latter temperature I maintain the steam at a pressure of about two atmospheres since the saturation temperature at a pressure of two atmospheres is about 119.62 C. The temperature has,

3,242,702 Patented Mar. 29, 1.966

ice

of course, a maximum since each textile material to be treated is to some degree temperature sensitive. Wool, for example, is particularly sensitive to temperatures in excess of C.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision, in an apparatus for continuously treating webs of fibrous material (e.g. porous textiles or the like) with a fluid at elevated temperatures, a pressure chamber containing conveyor means for transporting the web while the fluid is passed therethrough. As disclosed in said copending application, the conveyor means may include perforated drums or conveyor belts through which the fluid is drawn. The pressure chamber is formed with relatively thick walls and is generally of cylindrical configuration so as to be able to withstand the high steam pressures employed. Other round configurations, e.g. spherical, may also be employed. The perforated drums may be rotatable wtihin the chamber about generally parallel axes arranged therein between the inlet and the outlet of the chamber. Thus, the axes may lie along a common plane so that the drums are oriented in a substantially straight row whereby the web of material can alternately underand overshoot the drums along a generally sinusoidal transport path. In another particularly suitable arrangement at least three drums are provided so that their parallel axes lie along a circular arc, thereby affording a highly compact installation.

Since, as previously mentioned, it is desirable to circulate, at least initially, the treating fluid through the web at a relatively high rate per unit quantity of material treated, I prefer to provide means for passing a large quantity of treating fluid through each unit quantity of the web. Such means may include means for driving the successive drums in such a Way that a drum proximal to the inlet is displaced with a peripheral speed in excess of that of a drum distal from the inlet. Thus, if the rate at which the treating fluid is drawn through the drums is substantially equal, the material conveyed by the first or proximal drum will have less intense contact with the treating fluid than the material passing through a subsequent zone along the treatment path. The variation in peripheral speeds may be accomplished by rotating the drums with different angular velocities or by providing them with different diameters. Moreover, it is possible to insure a higher rate of fluid flow per unit quantity of material processed in the first zone if the first drum is provided with openings whose total cross-section along the drum periphery hugged by the web is in excess of that of a succeeding drum.

It is also possible to arrange the fluid-displacement means so that, say, a larger quantity of fluid is drawn through the first drum than through a successive drum. In each case it is preferable, when several drums are em ployed, to effect a stepwise reduction in the rate at which the fluid contacts the material. It will be apparent, accordingly, that successive drums may have successively reduced diameters while being driven with a constant angular velocity; they also may have stepped drives for rotating them with successively reduced angular velocity; or they may be provided with exhaust means for drawing the fluid therethrough having capacities successively smaller in a stepwise relationship. It is not necessary that the material alternately overand undershoot the drums since advantageous results can also be obtained if the web passes along one side of the drum axis, say, along the upper side of each drum. In the former case alternate drums will rotate in opposite senses whereas in the latter case all the drums rotate in the same sense.

According to another aspect of the invention, the housing enclosing the chamber is formed with an inlet and an outlet adapted to limit the escape of the treating fluid from the chamber. Thus, I may provide a pair of rollers at each of these openings to permit the passage of the web while substantially preventing the escape of the fluid.

Yet another feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for introducing a first fluid into the preheating or first zone of the transport path in order to raise the temperature of a web to the saturation temperature of a condensable second fluid introduced at a succeeding zone. Hot air may, advantageously, be employed as the first fluid, While steam serves as the second fluid. I have found that it is often desirable to provide partition means between the zones in order to reduce the possibility that fluid in a first zone can enter another zone along the path. In fact, when the pressure chamber is subdivided into an entry portion, which may constitute the preheating zone, .an intermediate portion constituting the main steaming zone, and an exit portion, the partition means may include movable members adapted to provide a quick closure of each compartment in order to isolate it from the others.

If, as disclosed in the aforementioned copending application, each drum is provided with an exhaust blower or ventilator designated to aspirate the respective treatting fluid therethrough, the successive reduction in the quantity of fluid passed through each unit quantity of material treated may be effected by providing the first drum with, say, two highacapacity blowers, the next drum with two blowers of somewhat smaller capacity, and. the third drum with a single blower. It is also possible to control the fluid displacement by regulating the speed of rotation of the blower rotors.

When successive drums operating at progressively reduced peripheral speeds are employed, or when a relatively fastnnoving drum is followed by a relatively slow-moving conveyor band, the web gathers into a pleat-like configuration upon the surface of the slower drum or band. I have found that, after an initial heating of the web, it is desirable to fold the web into accordion pleats for subsequent treatment by a fluid. Thus, a relatively large quantity of material can be slowly displaced while a treating fluid is drawn therethrough. The folding may be accomplished with the aid of means for selectively opening and blocking perforations on one of the drums so that the latter alternately entrains and releases portions of the web extending along its periphery. Such means may include a shield stationary relatively to the drum and having a first position in which certain of its perforations are blocked as these perforations sweep into the region of the shield. The shield is provided with valve-forming portions periodically open-able to unblock these perforations. The valve-forming portion of the shield may be composed of a plurality of sectoral members constituting a jal-ousle-type arrangement of shutters, or a slidable plate displaceable relatively to a stationary portion of the shield means. The valve can be operated by cam means coupled with the drum and/ or electrical, mechanical or hydraulic contro arrangements well known per se. In this connection it should be noted that it is not necessary for all of the shutters to be operated simultaneously since successive actuation of the shutters as the drum rotates will also achieve the desired result.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of my present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic longitudinal crosssectional view through an apparatus according to the invention;

'FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 illustrating a modification of the apparatus;

FIG. 2A is an enlarged detail view of the shutters of FIG. 2 showing the actuation mechanism therefor;

FIG. 2B is a fragment-a1 view of another installation similar to that of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 is an axial cross-sectional view showing still another textile-treating apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view taken generally along the line IV-JV of FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5 and 6 are views similar to FIG. 4 illustrating further modifications;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through still another apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 9 is a bottom-plan view of the drums of the apparatus of FIG. 7.

In FIG. 1 of the drawing I show a treatment chamber 1 provided with two perforated drums 2 and 3 of the type generally disclosed in the aforementioned application Ser. No. 142,561, filed Oct. 3, 1961. The drums 2 and 3 each have a perforated periphery and are rotated in opposite senses (arrows 54, 55) about their parallel axes by means to be described in greater detail hereinafter. A

web 5 of flexible material, e.g. a textile band or other fibrous ribbon, undershoots the first drum 2 while overshooting the second drum 3 along a generally sinusoidal transport path. A stationary shield 56 blocks the perforations of drum 2in that region of its rotation wherein its periphery is not covered by the web 5 so that a reduced suction force is needed to draw the treating fluid through the material. The suction force derives from a blower 57 of the type shown in the above-mentioned copending application, which circulates steam through the Web 5 past a heater 58 and also supplies part of the steam to the second drum 3 whose blower 59 draws same through the web 5 in this region. The first drum 2 permits the material to be treated with a relatively large volume of steam per unit quantity of material since the blower 57 is a high-speed ventilator drawing the steam through inlet 60 and expelling it via

outlets

61 and 62. That portion of the steam which is recirculated via outlet 62 through the web 5 in the region of the preheating zone is reheated via heater 5% so that the small amount of heat lost to the web 5 by the steam is restored to it. When the temperature of the web has been raised to the saturation temperature of the steam within chamber 1 (e.g. about C.), the web passes on to drum 3 whereupon steam is drawn through it at a reduced rate.

Partitions

63, 64 are provided between the drum 3 and an endless conveyor 6, which is representative of conveying means in general and may, in fact, be composed of a plurality of bands, to subdivide chamber 1 into a rapidheating compartment 1' and a slow-heating compartment 1". Since the duration of the steam treatment will depend upon the fabric treated, the dyestufl employed and other characteristics of the web, chamber 1 permits the web to remain in contact with the treating fluid for a prolonged period without inordinately increasing the size of the installation. Thus, I provide means for laying the Web 5 upon the conveyor band 6, which moves at a peripheral speed substantially less than that of drum 3 in the direction of arrow 7, in accordion pleats, loops or folds 5' which remain in contact with the steam within compartment 1" for a relatively prolonged period.

The folding means comprises a plurality of angularly displaceable dampers 4, pivotable about axes relatively stationary with respect to the drum and extending parallel to generatrices thereof. In a first operative position the jalousie-like dampers form an extension of the shield 65 of drum 3 to block perforations therein over a substantial arc of its periphery, thereby releasing a substantial length of material and permitting it to fold along guide plate 66 onto conveyor belt 6. In a second operative position of the damper-s 4, the perforations are unblocked and the fluid sucked into drum 3 draws the web thereagainst so that it is entrained until it again is released as a fold. The dampers 4 are provided with arms 67 pivotally connected to a rod 68 of a periodically operated solenoid 69. From the upwardly inclined portion 6 of conveyor belt 6 the folded web 5 is drawn between a pair of rollers 8, 9, forming a fluid-retaining gate at the outlet 70 of the chamber. Rollers 8 and 9 are driven by a motor 71 with a peripheral speed in excess of that of band 6 and, if desired, equal to that of drum 3, so that the web 5 is again straightened as it leaves the apparatus.

In FIGS. 2 and 2A of the drawing I show an arrangement generally similar to that of FIG. 1 but with the treating apparatus arranged in the form of a so-called J-box wherein a J-shaped chamber 1a is enclosed by a pressure-retaining housing 72 where-in a perforated transport drum 2a is journaled. The web 5a is fed into chamber 1a via a fluid-pressure-retaining lock 73 whose inlet opening is provided with a pair of

rollers

74, 75 between which the web is fed and which serve to prevent the escape of the fluid within lock 73 and chamber 1a.

The web then passes between another pair of rollers 76 at the inlet 77 of chamber 1a whence it passes over the drum 2a. The latter rotates in the direction of arrow 78 and has a blower (not shown) whose intake 79 draws steam over heating tubes 80 through the web hugging the drum. The

outlets

81, 82 of the blower return the treating fluid to the chamber In. Drum 2a is provided with a stationary shield portion 83 which blocks the apertures of the ineffective part of the drum. The remaining portion of the shield means is formed by an angularly ofIset array of dampers 84, which are of a butterfly type, journaled for rotation about axes extending parallel to generatrices of the drum. The shafts 85 of these dampers are provided with generally radial arms 86 which are successively engaged by cams 87 (one of which can be seen in FIG. 2A) for successive actuation upon rotation of the drum 2a to open the dampers 84 and release that portion of the web 5a which is entrained along the drum in the region of the dampers.

Cams 87 are carried by the shaft 88 of the drum 2:: which is journaled on an axle 89 and driven by a sprocket wheel 90. The cams periodically open the shutters 84, which are closed by springs 91, so that the web 5a is alternately swung between the dot-dash position thereof and its solid-line position to deposit successive folds of the web upon one another. It should be noted that the expression web, as used in the present application, is intended to designate sheet material as well as parallel arrays of ribbon or silver and any other elongated flexible elements which can be drawn against the perforated surface of the conveyor means. The folded web 5a passes between a further drum 3a and a conveyor belt 6a, spaced therefrom, so that the folds are oriented in generally radial direction. The drum 3a and conveyor 6a are operated with identical angular velocity so that no shear stresses are applied by them to the folds. The movable conveying means 311, 6a completely obviate the disadvantages of hitherto known J-box arrangements wherein rigid walls are employed. While the blower of drum 3a, whose intake 92 draws the treating fluid through the relatively dense mass of material and the perforated conveyor band 6a from outlet 82, has substantially the same capacity as the blower of drum 2a and likewise supplies the outlet 82, the more compact folds of the web limit the throughput of steam so that a reduced quantity of the latter is employed per unit quantity of material processed in the second stage.

A pair of outlet rollers 93 are arranged at the exit opening 94 and draw the web 5a from the magazine formed by drum 3a and band 6a at a relatively high rate through another lock 95 and its rollers 96.

In FIG. 2B I show another arrangement wherein a drum 2b has its shield 83b formed with a slidable shutter extension 8411, which is shiftable, as indicated in dot-dash lines, by a solenoid 69b via its arm 6%" to periodically block and unblock the perforations of portions of the periphery of drum 2b. The web 5b thus folds in loops onto the bars 200 of a rotary loop dryer. Other wellknown dryer types may also be employed. The solenoid 69b is coupled with a timer 201 which blocks the shutter 84b in its dot-dash position for a predetermined period while drum 2b rotates so that a loop of any desired length may be formed.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a further embodiment of the invention wherein an autoclave 13, whose cylindrical casing 96 is bolted to outwardly convex

terminal casing portions

97, 98 along their

flanges

99, 100, has an inlet 101 and an outlet 102 at opposite ends of the housing. The material 105 is fed between a pair of

rollers

15, 15a at the inlet onto the lower surface of a first perforated drum 10 whence it passes in a generally sinusoidal pattern alternately over and under two succeeding drums 11 and 12. From drum 12 the web is displaced between another pair of rollers 17, 17a of the outlet opening 102. The

drums

10, 11 and 12 are journaled upon a rear plate 103 forming a compartment 104. The latter houses the

blowers

106, 107, 108 of these drums, the first two of which are shown in detail in FIG. 4. Blower 107, for example, draws the steam through its intake 109 after it has passed through the web 105 and distributes it via a discharge opening 110 to the

drums

10 and 12 flanking it.

Blowers

106, 108 of these drums expel steam through

outlets

111, 111 whence it can feed the central drum 11. As previously mentioned, the quantity of air drawn through drum 10 is greater than that drawn through drum 11. Similarly drum 12 draws still less treating fluid, per unit quantity of material, through the web hugging its periphery.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the drives for the rotors of the

blowers

106, 107, 108 (e.g. the motor 20, belt or gear transmission 19 and rotor shaft 18 shown in FIG, 4) are operated at progressively reduced speeds. The periphery of drum 10 may be provided with perforations having a larger total cross-sectional area than those of drums 11 and 12, or drum 10 may be rotated with a somewhat higher angular velocity than the other drums. Since

rollers

15 and 15a, which displace the web 105 in the direction of arrow 14 into the chamber 13, are driven at a peripheral speed somewhat in excess of that of drum 10, the material is deposited in a pleated conformation on the drums. This conformation is essentially maintained throughout the transport path of the web inasmuch as the other drums 11 and 12 operate at somewhat slower speeds. It should be noted that the inlet and

outlet slots

101, 102 shown are relatively narrow so that hardly any escape of steam, which may be introduced via a conduit 112, takes place. Locks such as those shown in FIG. 2 may, of course, also be provided at the inlet and outlet ends of the wind tunnel-shaped chamber 13.

In FIG. 5 I show another arrangement wherein the

drums

23, 24, 25, 26 within pressure chamber 113 have driving

sprockets

114, 115, 116, 117 of successively larger diameter around which passes a driving chain 118. The latter, displaced by a conventional motor, not shown, rotates the drums alternately in opposite senses and with progressively reduced angular velocity so that a result similar to that previously described is attained. The fabric web 21 is fed in the direction of the arrow over an idler roller 22 between a pair of driven feed rollers 119 at the restricted inlet opening 120 of the installation. Rollers 119 operate with a peripheral speed in excess of that of drum 23 so that the material is gathered into slight folds as it is laid onto the drums. The terminal drum 26 carries the web 21 to outlet rollers 121 whence it passes between another idler roller 122 and the conveyor belt 27 which carries the web away for further processing. It will be immediately. apparent that one or more of the drums 23-26 can be replaced by conveyor belts or other means having a closed perforated transport sur face. As in FIGS. 3 and 4, the unused portions of drums 2326 are covered by shields 123426 while only the intakes 127430 of the associated blowers are shown. The

7 blowers may be positioned behind the plate 131 or at the base of chamber 113.

The apparatus of FIG. 6 has its treatment chamber subdivided into a preheating or first heating compartment 28, whose walls are of cylindrical configuration like those of the chamber 13 in FIGS. 3 and 4 so as to withstand the steam pressure (e.g. two atmospheres) therewithin, and a main treatment compartment 36 in which the material 31a remains for a prolonged period in contact with the treating fluid at reduced pressure (e.g. one atmosphere). The web 31a passes over an idler 132 and between two feed rollers 133, of the character previously described, onto the primary drum 29 which conveys it at a relatively high peripheral speed onto a succeeding drum 30 operating at somewhat lower speed. Thus the steam introduced into the pressure compartment 23 via a -con duit 134 is drawn through the web into drum 29 at a relatively high rate per unit quantity of material processed while drum 30 draws the steam through the web at a relatively lower rate per unit quantity of material processed.

The steam is circulated and heated by fluid-displacement means of the type previously described and shown in the aforementioned copending application. From compartment 28 the web 31a passes between a pair of rollers 135 which deposit it in slight pleats upon the first of a plurality of stacked conveyor belts 31-34 which are somewhat staggered to permit a continuous flow of the material downwardly and out of the lower compartment 36 in the direction of arrow 35. Again the outlet 136 of this compartment is provided with rollers 137 which prevent the influx of air. It will be understood that other arrangements of the highnpressure and low-pressure compartments may also be suitable. For instance, the highpressure and low-pressure compartments may be disposed side by side or one below the other as desired. Moreover, the

drums

29 and 30 may be oriented for rotation about axes extending codirectionally with the axis of the cylindrical casing.

In FIGS. 7-9 of the drawing, I show a modified arrangement of a linear array of drums for the fluid treatment of a web 160. The installation comprises a cylindrical housing 161 whose inlet 162 is provided with a pair of rollers 163 which feed the web 160 onto the first drum 164 of a plurality of drums. Hot air is fed into a first compartment 165, containing the drum 164, which is delimited by a pair of

movable partitions

166, 167, slidable in a channel 168, to separate compartment 165 from steam-

treatment compartments

169, 170. The hot air is introduced via a conduit 171 and is drawn by a pair of high-capacity blowers, whose intakes may be seen at 172, 173, through the web carried by the array of angularly spaced slats 274 forming the perforated periphery of drum 164. A stationary shield 175 blocks the slots of the unused portion of the drum periphery.

As indicated in FIG. 8, each ventilator or blower of drum 164 (one of which is indicated at 176) is driven by a motor 177 via a transmission 178 to expel the hot air through a vent 179.

The web 160 passes along the upper side of drum 164- and thence onto the upper sides of

drums

180, 181 in succession.

Drums

180 and 181 are located within

compartments

169 and 170, respectively, and serve to treat the web 160 with steam. Drum 189 is provided with two relatively small blowers whose intakes 172, 173 draw steam, introduced via nozzles 174, through the web and the perforations in the drum. The nozzles 174 are adjustably mounted in slots 174' and may be shifted toward or away from the web.

Drum 181 is separated from drum 180 by a pair of

movable partitions

184, 185 vertically slidable in a channel 186, and is provided with a single blower with an intake port 187 which draws the steam, blown into compartment 170 by the blowers of drum 180, through the web. From drum 181, the web 160 passes between '8 a pair of rollers 188 through the exit opening 189 of the casing 161. Compartments 165, 169 and constitute an intake portion, an intermediate portion and an exit portion of the pressure chamber which can be quickly closed off by the sliding

partitions

166, 167 and 184, 185.

Drums

164, and 181 are provided with respective driving

sprockets

190, 191, 192 which are engaged by a chain 193 driven by a motor 194. Since the drums carry the web 160 along their upper surfaces, they are driven in the same sense as is apparent from FIG. 7. Moreover, the

drums

164, 186 and 181 are of progressively decreasing diameter while their

sprockets

190, 191 and 192 are of the same diameter so that the drum proximal to the inlet operates with a higher peripheral speed than the succeeding drums. The peripheral speed of the drums is reduced in stepwise fashion between the inlet and the outlet although they are all driven at the same angular velocity.

In FIG. 9 I show the

drums

164, 186 and 181 to be provided with apertures or perforations of successively decreasing cross-sectional area. Thus, each slot 274 between slats 195 of drum 164 has a greater cross-sectional area than does the longitudinal row of openings 196 in the periphery of drum 180. The cross-sectional area of the openings of the latter row is, in turn, greater than the corresponding row of openings 197 in drum 181. Consequently, the throughput of treating fluid drawn into the

drums

164, 180 and 181 is reduced progressively from drum to drum. If desired, shields 175, 198 and 199 of the drums may be dispensed with and the web 160 returned along the undersicles of the drums, as indicated by dot-dash lines, to the inlet opening.

The invention as described and illustrated is believed to admit of many modifications within the ability of persons skilled in the art, such modifications being deemed included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for treating a web of flexible material with at least one gaseous fluid, comprising a housing forming a substantially closed chamber with an inlet and an outlet; first web-conveying means in said chamber having at least one generally cylindrical closed apertured first transport surface rotatable about its axis for receiving said web of said material introduced through said inlet and displacing it along a transport path while moving at a relatively high rate of speed and rapidly effecting treating of said web; fluid-displacement suction means for drawing said fluid through the apertures in said surface and through said web; second web conveying means in said chamber for receiving said web from said first transport surface and displacing it to said outlet along said path, said second web-conveying means including a second transport surface carrying said web and displaceable at a relatively low rated speed; and further fluid-displacement means for passing a fluid through said web on said second transport surface provided with internal shield means selectively blocking the perforations along a selected region thereof, and with periodically operable means connected to said shield means for intermittently operating same whereby said drum alternately engages and releases said web to form folds therein.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said shield means comprises a plurality of swingable shutter elements coupled with said periodically operable means.

3. An apparatus for heat-treating a permeable material, comprising:

a housing forming a substantially closed chamber with inlet and outlet means for a web of flexible permeable material to be treated;

at least one transport drum in said chamber provided with an apertured peripheral wall and disposed to receive said web from said inlet means on part of said peripheral wall for advancing said web toward said outlet means;

conveyor means disposed beyond said drum in said chamber for receiving said web from said drum and delivering it to said outlet means;

drive means for concurrently operating said drum and said conveyor means with a peripheral drum speed exceeding the surface speed of said conveyor means, the difierence in said speeds causing said web to accumulate in pleated shape on a surface of said conveyor means;

and circulation means for drawing a hot gaseous treatment fluid into said drum through a portion of said web in contact with said part of its peripheral wall and for concurrently subjecting the pleated web material on said surface of said conveyor means to a flow of hot gaseous treatment fluid.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said conveyor means includes a further drum.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said conveyor means further comprises an endless band forming a cylindrically curved and upwardly concave arcuate supporting surface for said web, said further drum spaced 1y overlying said supporting surface in coaxial relationship therewith for accommodating the pleated portion of said web between said supporting surface and a confronting peripheral portion of said further drum, said band being in unison with said further drum by said drive means.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said further drum is of smaller diameter than said transport drum, said drums being connected to said drive means for rotation at identical angular velocities 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said chamber is divided into a first compartment for said transport drum and a second compartment for said conveyor means, said compartment being separated by substantially fluid tight partition means forming a passage slot for said web, said circulation means including means for admitting hot air into said first compartment and steam into said second compartment.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said conveyor means comprises an endless band disposed directly below said transport drum.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 246,547 8/ 1881 Patterson 685.4

318,888 5/1885 Farmer 68184 354,798 12/1886 Lorimer 8-149.3 1,108,233 8/1914 Rau 68184 X 1,867,210 7/ 1932 Cohoe. 2,453,796 11/ 1948 Jellenik 685 2,494,731 1/ 1950 Vincent et al, 685 2,628,884 2/ 1953 Jacoby 8149.3 3,011,266 12/1961 Fleissner 685.5 X 3,098,371 7/1963 Fleissner 685,4

FOREIGN PATENTS 213,709 3/ 1958 Australia. 152,221 4/ 1932 Switzerland.

IRVING BUNEVICH, Primary Examiner. MORRIS O. WQLK, WALTER A. SCHEEL, Examiners.

Claims

3. AN APPARATUS FOR HEAT-TREATING A PERMEABLE MATERIAL, COMPRISING: A HOUSING FORMING A SUBSTANTIALLY CLOSED CHAMBER WITH INLET AND OUTLET MEANS FOR A WEB OF FLEXIBLE PERMEABLE MATERIAL TO BE TREATED; AT LEAST ONE TRANSPORT DRUM IN SAID CHAMBER PROVIDED WITH AN APERTURE PERIPHERAL WALL AND DISPOSED TO RECEIVE SAID WEB FROM SAID INLET MEANS ON PART OF SAID PERIPHER WALL FOR ADVANCING SAID WEB TOWARD SAID OUTLET MEANS; CONVEYOR MEANS DISPOSED BEYOND SAID DRUM IN SAID CHAMBER FOR RECEIVING SAID WEB FROM SAID DRUM AND DELIVERING IT TO SAID OUTLET MEANS;