US3631691A

US3631691A - Apparatus for liquid-treating fiber materials and drying said materials

Info

Publication number: US3631691A
Application number: US829408A
Authority: US
Inventors: Friedrich W J Karrer; A Pedretti
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1968-05-31
Filing date: 1969-06-02
Publication date: 1972-01-04
Anticipated expiration: 1989-01-04
Also published as: DE1927651B2; DE1927651A1; CH496484A; FR2068098A5

Abstract

An apparatus for the liquid treatment and drying of fiber materials has a container with first and second chambers communicating with each other, and means located within the container support the material in a position between the chambers so that they communicate with each other solely through the intermediary of the material. The suction side of a vacuum pump is connected to the first chamber for evacuating it during treatment of the material, and to the second chamber through a condenser to facilitate drying of the material by means of air and/or steam introduced through a conduit into the first chamber.

Description

United States Parent 1 3,631,691

[72] Inventors Fridrieh Wilhelm Johann Kan-er 5 References Cited Strandvngen 37, Stockholm, Sweden;

Alberto Pedr'ettl, V18 Chelinl 9, Rome, Italy U D STATES PATENTS [2]] App]. 829,408 465,871 12/1891 Mason 68/189 X [22] Filed June 2 1969 2,207,899 7/1940 Seymour 68/189 [45] Patented Jam4, 1972 2,446,502 8/1948 Wehrli 68/189 X Priority May 31,1968 3,145,555 8/1964 Krantz 68/189 [33] Sweden Primary Examiner-Stanley N. Gilreath [31] 7396/68 Attorney-Brumbaugh, Graves, Donohue & Raymond APPARATUS FOR LIQUID-TREATING FIBER ABSTRACT: An apparatus for the liquid treatment and drying MAT R AL AN DRYING A MATERIALS of fiber materials has a container with first and second cham- 2 Claims, 3 Drawing g bers communicating with each other, and means located 52 U.S. Cl as/2o, within the eemehrer supper the materiel a Poem 6368H8928l58 between the chambers so that they communicate with each 51 Int. Cl D06f 17/02 Other eelely rhreugh the intermediary efrhe materiel The erre- 501 Field of Search 68/20, 7, Side of e vaeurrm P is eermeeted re first ehember 23/58, 8/154 155, 1551 1552 for evacuating it during treatment of the material, and to the second chamber through a condenser to facilitate drying of the material by means of air and/or steam introduced through a conduit into the first chamber.

PATENTEI] JAN 4 i972 SHEET 1 BF 3 PATENTEUJAH M972 3.631.691

SHEET 2 UF 3 7 Jf Tw APPARATUS FOR LIQUID-TREATING FIBER MATERIALS AND DRYING SAID MATERIALS The present invention is concerned with an apparatus for treating fiber materials with liquid and drying said materials, and is particularly concerned with such treatment of textile materials such as yarn wound on bobbins.

The invention is also concerned with an apparatus in which the liquid treatment and drying of such materials can be effected rapidly and with small power consumption.

It has previously been suggested to dry the textile material in the same apparatus as that in which the liquid treatment process was effected. Hitherto, however, drying of the material has required such a long time that it has not been economically profitable to perform this process in the same apparatus as that in which the material was treated with liquid, despite the obvious advantages that this would imply. However, such a drying process can be effected to great advantage in an apparatus designed in accordance with the present invention upon completion of the liquid treatment process.

The apparatus comprises a known dyeing apparatus, in the form of a closed container having holders for positioning the textile material therein in such a manner that communication between two chambers located in the apparatus is only obtained through the material, conduits for introducing treatment fluid in one chamber and a vacuum pump, the suction side of which is connected to the other chamber to provide for its evacuation.

According to the invention conduits are also connected to the container for passing air and/or steam to the other chamber, and a vacuum pump is also adapted to be connected at its suction side to the first chamber. In addition a condenser is positioned in the conduit passing to the suction side of the vacuum pump, or the pump itself is adapted to condense steam.

The apparatus will now be described with reference to the drawings, in which FIG. 1 shows a dyeing and drying apparatus according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the treatment container proper in enlarged scale, and

FIG. 3 shows a modification of the system of FIG. 1.

The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 includes a container 21 for receiving stationarily arranged treatment goods, such as bobbins, and a dye container 22.

Connected to the treatment container 21, which may be heat insulated or provided with a steam jacket for heating the material during and/or before the process, is a circulation system, comprising a conduit 24 provided with a shutoff valve 25, a heat exchanger 26 adapted to be heated with water, steam or some other heating medium which is conducted through the conduit 27, a conduit 28, a circulation pump 29 and a conduit 30 provided with a valve 31.

The dye container 22 is provided with an outlet conduit 34 by means of which the dye can be transferred from the circulation system to the treatment container 21, via the conduit 35 presenting the shutoff valve 36.

Also connected to the container 21 is a conduit 48 provided with a valve 49, which communicates with the suction side of a vacuum pump 52.

A conduit 59 having a shutoff valve 60 connects the conduit 30 with the conduit 48.

A condenser 61 is placed in the conduit 48 and is provided with a conduit 62 for leading away the condensed water. If the pump 52.is, for instance, a water ring pump the condenser 61 can be omitted since steam can condense in the pump.

As will be seen from FIG. 2 the lower portion of the container 21 is provided with an inner chamber 10, connected to the conduit 30. Material carrier means 15 in the form of perforated tubes are mounted on the chamber and communicate with the interior thereof. The carriers are arranged to support bobbins 16.

The outer space 12 of the container communicates with the conduit 48 and with the conduit 24. A steam conduit 58, having a valve 580, and an air conduit 50, having a valve 50a, also communicate with the outer space 12. A heat exchanger 57 is provided for heating the air.

The dyeing process is carried out, for instance, so that subsequent to placing the material in the container 21 the said container is placed in connection with the suction side of the pump 52, so that the outer space 12 of the container is evacuated. When the desired vacuum has been reached liquid dye is passed into the treatment container from the container 22 through the conduit 24, until the material in the container 21 is completely covered with liquid. The circulation is then started up through the heat exchanger 26, by means of the circulation pump 29.

When the dyeing process has been terminated and the circulation stopped the used dyeing liquid is tapped off and lead away by conduits (not shown) connected to the conduit 30. Washing water can then be passed to the system (from a source, not shown in the drawings) for washing the material.

Subsequent to dyeing the material the atmosphere of the container and the said material may be mechanically dewatered and heated by introducing hot air and steam or a mixture thereof. When using a mixture of air and steam the steam condensing in the material may serve to remove remaining chemical residues, whereby the preceding washing operation can be shortened. The chamber 10 is then evacuated via

conduits

30, 59, 48 to a lower pressure (e.g. about 0.5 atm.,) whereupon the pressure in the main part 12 of the container adjusting itself to a higher pressure in response to the resistance to flow through the material, e.g. O. l0.3 atm. higher than in the chamber 10, simultaneously as hot air and/or steam is or are passed through the

conduits

50 and 58 respectively. The steam formed during the drying process then departs to the chamber 10 through the material, concurrently as presteaming heat is supplied to the air in the main part of the container by means of the heat exchanger 57 and/or steam. The material, is, in this way, dried rapidly. The formed steam is condensed in the condenser 61 or the pump 52, and the resulting hot water, which is carried away by the conduit 62, can be reused to supplement the hot-water requirements of the factory.

Since the drying process requires but relatively low power from the pump, it may be convenient to arrange two containers 21 connected to the same vacuum pump 52, and operate them alternately, both for drying and dyeing. This alternative is shown to the left in FIG. 1, where a container 21b is shown connected to the vacuum pump 52 in the same way as the container 21. Corresponding elements have the same main designations as the container 21 but with the addition of b. However, for the sake of simplicity certain elements with regard to the container 21b have been omitted, such as the circulation system.

It is also possible, within the scope of this invention, to operate one of the devices permanently as a drying apparatus and the other permanently as a dyeing or other liquid treatment apparatus. This is illustrated in FIG. 3, where the container 21 is to be used only for dyeing purposed, and the container 21b only for drying purposes. The system is similar to the system of FIG. 1 except that for container 21 the conduit 59 is omitted, and for container 21b the conduit 48b is omitted. Both containers are connected to the same vacuum pump 52, whereby it will be possible to accelerate dyeing in one apparatus and dry in the other apparatus by means of one vacuum pump.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for liquid treatment and drying of fiber material, comprising a container having first and second chambers therein communicating with each other, means located within the container for supporting material to be treated and dried in a position between each other solely through the intermediary of the material, means for introducing treatment liquid into the first chamber and for circulating said liquid through the material, a vacuum pump having a suction side connected to the first chamber for evacuating said two treatment containers are connected in parallel to the same vacuum pump so that while effecting a drying process in one container the dying process can be simultaneously expedited in the other l i t t PO-105O (5/69) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFEQE CERTEFIQATE @F QGRREQTEQN Patent N 3,631,691

Dated January 4, 1972 Inventofls) Fridrich Wilhelm Joha n Karrer It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 2, line 38, after "or" line 50, after last word "of insert a-;

line 58, "purposed" should be --purposes, line 71, after "between" insert the following phrase -the chambers so that the chambers communicate with.

Signed and sealed this 25th day of July 1972.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER, JR. Attesting Officer ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Commissioner of Patents '1 insert in;

Claims

1. An apparatus for liquid treatment and drying of fiber material, comprising a container having first and second chambers therein communicating with each other, means located within the container for supporting material to be treated and dried in a position between each other solely through the intermediary of the material, means for introducing treatment liquid into the first chamber and for circulating said liquid through the material, a vacuum pump having a suction side connected to the first chamber for evacuating said first chamber during the liquid treatment process, the suction side of the vacuum pump communicating with the second chamber through a conduit in which is included a condenser, and means connected to the first chamber for introducing air and/or steam for drying the material.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that two treatment containers are connected in parallel to the same vacuum pump so that while effecting a drying process in one container the dying process can be simultaneously expedited in the other.