US3429054A

US3429054A - Apparatus for treating narrow fabrics

Info

Publication number: US3429054A
Application number: US684229A
Authority: US
Inventors: Geoffrey Roy Walker; Hilmar Roessel
Original assignee: Quality Weaving Co
Current assignee: Quality Weaving Co
Priority date: 1967-11-20
Filing date: 1967-11-20
Publication date: 1969-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 1986-02-25

Description

Feb. 25, 1969 G. R. WALKER ET AL 3,429,054

APPARATUS FOR TREATING NARROW FABRICS Filed Nov. 20, 1967 Sheet or 5 m VEN ro/vs. GEOFFREY nor WALKER H/LMAR ROESSEL Filed Novf 20, 1967 Feb. 25, 1969 G, R, WALKER ET AL 3,429,054

APPARATUS FOR TREATING NARROW FABRICS Sheet i of 5' INVEN 7-0)? s.

GEOFFREY ROY WALKER H/LMAR ROESSEL ATTORNEY Feb. 25, 1969 WALKER ET AL 3,429,054

APPARATUS FOR TREATING NARROW FABRICS Filed Nov. 20, 1967 Sheet 3 of s lNVE/VTORS.

GEOFFREY ROY WALKER H/LMAR ROESSEL ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,429,054 APPARATUS FOR TREATING NARROW FABRICS Geoffrey Roy Walker, Philadelphia, and Hilmar Roessel, Oreland, Pa., assignors to Quality Weaving Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Filed Nov. 20, 1967, Ser. No. 684,229 US. Cl. 3460 Int. Cl. F26b 5/14, 3/04, 13/04 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for treating narrow fabrics with a suitable impregnant for preventing shrinkage and also if desired for improving the hand, and then curing and drying the fabric in a continuous operation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention apparatus is provided for treating narrow fabric in which the fabric from a roll is impregnated with the desired impregnant in a liquid state, excess impregnant is removed with simultaneous squeezing of the impregnant into the interior portions of the fabric, the advancing fabric is delivered onto a conveyor belt and subjected to heat for drying, and the fabric is then advanced further for curing.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide apparatus for continuously treating a narrow fa bric to stabilize the same which is simple in construction, effective in its action, and which has no deleterious effect on the fabric.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus of the character aforesaid in which the fabric is advanced and conveyed in an effective manner, with subjection to heat at predetermined locations for resin setting and for drying.

Other objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part thereof, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a machine in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a 'top plan view of the machine of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken approximately on the line 33 of FIG. 2.

It should, of course, be understood that the description and drawings herein are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes can be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughut the several views.

3,429,054 Patented Feb. 25, 1969 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a suitable frame 10 is provided which supports, on a bracket 11, a take off roll 12 for one or more rolls of the narrow fabrics to be treated.

In a particular illustration the fabric for woven labels has a warp of fine long staple cotton and a weft of viscose rayon. The ornamentation or lettering is of vat dyed viscose rayon or similar material.

The frame 10 also carries a tank 15 for the impregnant in solution or in liquid suspension. The impregnant is preferably a material which will impart to the fabric a permanent press finish and may additionally contain body building agents to give the label a crisp paper type hand. Suitable impregnants for obtaining a permanent press effect are available under the name Duraseal and can be applied in a 20% solution for baking of the fabric at 300 F. The tank 15 is provided with a guide roll 16 over which the fabric passes, a lower guide roll 17 within the tank 15, and above the tank 15 upper squeeze rolls 18 and 19, one of which is driven and the other of which is moved downwardly by gravity. For some purposes, a single lower guide roll 17 and one set of upper squeeze rolls 18 and 19 will suflice. If desired however, an additional lower guide roll 20 and upper squeeze Tolls 21 and 22 may be provided for more thorough impregnation.

An enclosure 25 is provided having a horizontal top wall 26, vertical side walls 27, a vertical entrance wall 28, a vertical exit wall 29, and a floor 30. The

Walls

26, 27, 28 and 29 may be insulated, if desired, to conserve heat.

The entrance wall 28 has an opening 31 theret'hrough for an endless conveyor belt 32, horizontally disposed and carried on supporting

rolls

33 and 34. The belt 32 extends outwardly of the wall 28 and is preferably substantially at the level of the top of the roll 21. The belt 32 may be of any desired heat resistant material and construction with adequate friction on its exposed face, and is preferably of woven asbestos. In a particular embodiment the belt 32 has a width of twenty inches.

The rolls 18 and 21 have their supporting shafts journaled in bearings 35 fixedly carried by the frame 10 and the rolls 19 and 22 have their supporting shafts journaled in bearings 36 slidably vertically mounted so that the rolls 19 and 22 can move downwardly under their weight so that with the rolls 18 and 21 the fabric is gripped and squeezed to prevent the advance of an undesired quantity of impregnating material and to force the impregnating material into the interstices of the narrow fabric and increase the pentration for impregnation.

The rolls 18 and 19 have driving

sprockets

37 and 38 and the roll 33 has a driving sprocket 39 with which a driving chain 40 is in engagement.

A motor and speed reducer 41 has a sprocket 42 which engages the chain 40 to drive the

rolls

18, 21 and 33 in unison and thereby provide the same linear velocity at the periphery of the roll 21 and at the outer surface of the belt 32.

The supporting roll 34 has vertically slidably mounted thereabove a roll 44 to hold the narrow fabric down against the belt 32 at the roll 34 and guide the fabric as it leaves the belt 32.

A plurality of parallel upper rolls 45 are provided suitably journaled in bearings 46 along the side walls 27 and have driving sprockets 47 exteriorly disposed with respect to one of the side walls 27.

Lower guide rolls 48 are also journaled in bearings 49 outside the side Walls 27.

In order to drive the rolls 45 in unison and at the desired velocity a driving roller chain 50 is provided en- 3 gaging the sprockets 47. The chain 50 is guided by lower supporting idler sprockets 51 and an upper supporting idler sprocket 52. The sprockets 51 and 52 may be adjustably mounted in a well known manner so as to apply the desired tension on the chain 50.

The chain 50 is engaged with a driving sprocket 53 keyed to a shaft 54 which also has a sprocket 55 keyed thereto. The shaft 54 has take off roll 56 mounted thereon as an idler and the sprocket 55 is connected by a roller chain 57 to a sprocket 58 keyed on a shaft 59. The shaft 59 has a driven take off roll 60 driven thereby and has a sprocket 61 keyed thereto.

The sprocket 61 has a roller chain 62 engaged therewith, the chain 62 being driven from a sprocket 63 on the output shaft 64 of a take off drive motor and speed reducer unit 65.

The frame also carries a guide rod 66 for directing the narrow fabric from the roll 60.

In order to provide heat for drying at a spaced location above the belt 32, a plurality of horizontally dis posed electric heating units 70 in reflectors 71 are provided.

Above the heating units 70 an air preheater 73 may be provided with an entrance screen 72 carried thereby and with electric heating elements 74 therein for heating air drawn through and below the preheater 73. An air inlet opening 166 partially closed by a lamp reflector 67 for lamp 68 provides for limited air make up. The lamp 68 provides for lighting the interior of the enclosure 25 to observe the operation.

A circulating fan 76 on a shaft 77 draws air through the preheater 73 and causes it to flow downwardly between the preheater 73 and the entrance wall 28 where it picks up some heat from the heating units 70 and the belt 32 and passes downwardly in the space beneath the belt 32 and into the space in which the rolls 45 and rolls 48 carry the fabric being treated.

The circulating fan shaft 77 extends through the entrance wall 2-8, is carried in bearings 78 on the frame 10 and has a driving sprocket 79 keyed thereto.

The sprocket 79 is driven by a roller chain 80 which engages a sprocket 81 keyed to a shaft 82. The shaft 82 is driven by a circulating fan driving motor 83 which is mounted on the entrance wall 28 at the upper part thereof.

The top wall 26 preferably above the centermost of the rolls 45 has a vent opening 85 with a duct 86 connected to an exhaust fan 87 which is driven by an exhaust fan motor 8-8 for withdrawing air carrying moisture and for solvent pick up by air circulated within the enclosure 25.

In order to protect the fabric as well as the belt 32 if the same are not in motion, a blcwer 90 is carried on the entrance wall 28 for directing a strea mof cool air horizontally below the heating units 70 to carry the heat away from that location and for withdrawal by the operation of the exhaust fan 87.

One of the side walls 27 may be provided with an access door 92 for access to the heating units 70, the air preheater 73 and to the belt 32. An access door 93 in the same wall 27 provides access to the drive rolls 45 and the idler rolls 48 for inspection and for initial mounting of the narrow fabric.

The mode of operation should be apparent from the foregoing but will be reviewed briefly.

Narrow fabric to be treated and carried on a take off roll 12 is advanced over the guide roll 16 and caused to pass down through tank around the guide roll 17 and then upwardly and between the squeeze rolls 18 and 19 where excess liquid is removed while liquid is also forced into the interstices of the fabric. The fabric may then be passed downwardly into the tank 15 for a second immersion guided by the guide roll and then advanced upwardly and between the squeeze rolls 21 and 22 where the excess liquid is removed and the liquid is again forced into the interstices of the fabric.

Upon subjection of the fabric to the liquid in the tank 15 there is an initiation of a tendency to shrink.

The fabric from between the squeeze rolls 21 and 22 moves onto the conveyor belt 32 where it is subjected to the action of the heat from the heating units 70 to effect the drying of the fabric from the tank 15.

The subjection of the fabric to heat for drying further enhances the shrinkage and it is considered desirable that no stress or tension be imparted to the fabric at this location. To effect this the linear velocity of the belt 32 and consequently of the fabric moving thereon must be the same as the linear velocity of the fabric as it moves through the squeeze rolls 21 and 22.

Following the drying of the resins which was effected as the fabric advanced with the belt 32 the fabric is directed for curing over the first roll 45, under the first roll 48 and then successively in similar manner over the remaining rolls 45' and under the remaining rolls 48.

The air circulated in and around the fabric as it is advanced by the rolls 45 aids in removing moisture so that the fabric withdrawn through the exit wall engaging the take off

rolls

56 and 60 moves over the guide rod 66 and is dropped into any convenient receptacle.

It will thus be seen that apparatus has been provided for attaining the objects of the invention.

We claim: 1. Apparatus for treating narrow fabrics comprising a tank for fluid impregnating material, squeeze rolls above the tank for advancing the fabric therebetween to and through the tank, said rolls limiting the quantity of impregnant carried forward by the fabric and forcing the impregnant into the fabric, an enclosure having an entrance wall and an exit wall, an endless conveyor belt extending through said entrance wall into the interior of the enclosure, said belt being contiguous to said squeeze rolls for the reception of fabric therefrom, means for driving said squeeze rolls and said belt at the same peripheral speed whereby said fabric is advanced without stretching thereof, heating means in said enclosure for applying heat to the fabric on said belt, said enclosure having a plurality of spaced sets of upper and lower rolls for receiving the fabric from said conveyor belt, means for driving the rolls of one of said sets for advancing the fabric engaged therewith, means for circulating hot air over the fabric engaged with said sets of rolls for curing said fabric, and take off rolls for said fabric at the exit wall of said enclosure. 2. Apparatus for treating narrow fabrics as defined in claim 1 in which said heating means includes horizontally disposed heating elements in spaced relation above said conveyor belt. 3. Apparatus for treating narrow fabrics as defined in claim 1 in which said means for directing hot air includes a fan above said heating means. 4. Apparatus for treating narrow fabrics as defined in claim 1 in which means is provided for shielding the fabric on said conveyor belt from the heat from said heating means. 5, Apparatus fortreating narrow fabrics as defined in claim 1 in which common driving means is provided for said take off rolls and said sets of rolls. 6. Apparatus for treating narrow fabrics as defined in claim 1 in which said enclosure has an upper wall with a vent opening,

and a venting fan is connected to said opening.

5 6 7. Apparatus for treating narrow fabric as defined in References Cited claim 1 in which I said squeeze rolls have another set of squeeze rolls UNLED STATES PATENTS above said tank and in series therewith, and 1,595,237 8/ 1926 Minton 34-9 lower guide rolls are provided in the tank for each S 5 2,445,443 7/1948 Long 3460 of squeeze rolls.

8. Apparatus for treating narrow fabrics as defined in claim 1 in which WILLIAM J. W YE, Primary Examiner.

an air heater is provided within said enclosure for supplying heat to the air directed by said circulating US, Cl, X,R means. 346, 9, 95

3,009,257 11/1961 Scott 3495