US3643474A

US3643474A - Apparatus for wet treating textile fabrics

Info

Publication number: US3643474A
Application number: US73763A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gunter Schiffer
Original assignee: Joh Kleinewefers Soehne KG
Current assignee: JOH KLEINWEFERS SOHNE; Joh Kleinewefers Soehne KG
Priority date: 1969-09-22
Filing date: 1970-09-21
Publication date: 1972-02-22
Anticipated expiration: 1989-02-22
Also published as: GB1321908A; CH515078A

Abstract

An apparatus for wet treating webs of textile material in which the web is passed over and below staggered rollers in a trough adapted to receive treating liquid into which at least some rollers are at least partially immersed while the web material leaving the last roller is wound onto a perforated drum which latter is, relatively to said last roller, pressed against the latter at a substantially uniform pressure during the winding-up operation, said drum being arranged in a housing adapted selectively to be closed completely for independent wet treatment of material on the perforated drum.

Description

Tlnited States Patent Schififier [151 AMAA'M [54] APPARATUS FOR WET TREATING TEXTILE FABRICS [72] Inventor: Gunter Schiller, Krefeld, Germany [73] Assignee: Joli. Kleinwelers Sohne, Krefeld, Germany [22] Filed: Sept. 21, 1970 [21] App]. No.: 73,763

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Sept. 22, 1969 Germany ..P 19 47 858.1

[52] US. Cl. ..68/8, 68/22 R, 68/43, 68/ 180 [51] lint. (ll ..]B05c 8/02 [58] FieldolfSeai-ch ..68/180,7, 8, 22 R, 43,5C; 8/149.l

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,357,212 12/1967 Schif fe r II... ..68/8

3,402,577 9/1968 Blount et al ..68/5 C FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 463,640 8/1928 Germany ..68/7 1,107,035 3/1968 GreatBritain ..68/l80 Primary ExaminerWilliam 1. Price Attorney-Walter Becker [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for wet treating webs of textile material in which the web is passed over and below staggered rollers in a trough adapted to receive treating liquid into which at least some rollers are at least partially immersed while the web material leaving the last roller is wound onto a perforated drum which latter is, relatively to said last roller, pressed against the latter at a substantially uniform pressure during the winding-up operation, said drum being arranged in a housing adapted selectively to be closed completely for independent wet treatment of material on the perforated drum.

8 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures APPARATUS lFOR WET TREATING TEXTILE FAlBlRlICS The present invention relates to an apparatus for wet treating textile fabrics, especially for mercerizing and, if desired, for boiling and bleaching, with wide web guiding means.

Smaller and medium quantities of textile webs are customarily mercerized on padding machines or jiggers. In this connection, the fabric is impregnated, with or without maintaining a fixed cloth guidance with caustic soda solution and is wound under tension onto a drum in such a way that the fixed cloth guidance will not be lost during the winding-up operation and that the fabric will undergo a minimum of shrinkage. After the required staying time, the impregnating liquid absorbed by the fabric is removed from the goods by alternately winding the goods onto the pressing roller or drum while simultaneously spraying water.

The above-mentioned method has the drawback that in view of the continuous winding-on and winding-off of the goods a shrinking in the width occurs. The washing-out of the caustic soda solution from the goods is difficult in view of the fixed cloth guidance, and the reaction time of the impregnating liquid with the fabric from the beginning of the fabric web to the end thereof is rather nonuniform. The situation becomes even more unfavorable due to the fact that the washing-out of the impregnating medium starts at the end of the woundup impregnated fabric web where the impregnating medium has the shortest staying time.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which will make possible the wet treating of textile fabric webs being guided over a considerable width, especially the mercerizing and, if necessary, the boiling and bleaching of small or medium quantities of textile fabrics, which apparatus will avoid above all the disadvantageous shrinking as to width of the fabric web during the impregnating operation.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus as set forth in the preceding paragraph, which will permit to carry out a plurality of treatments in varying sequences.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 diagrammatically illustrates a side view of the apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 2 represents a diagrammatic side view of a modified apparatus according to the invention.

The apparatus according to the present invention is characterized primarily by an impregnating device which comprises a set of rollers pressed against each other over which the fabric is being passed in a fixed cloth guiding way while being steeped into an impregnating liquid or while impregnating liquid is sprayed thereon. The apparatus is furthermore characterized by a drum for winding-up the impregnated fabric which drum engages the last roller of the impregnating device at a uniform pressure. In the impregnating device of the apparatus according to the invention, the fabric is guided in fixed cloth guiding means and is simultaneously impregnated. The transfer of the impregnated fabric to a drum is likewise effected with a fixed cloth guiding means inasmuch as the last roller of the impregnating device is pressed against the mantle surface of the skein or hank being formed. In this connection there is provided the possibility, while maintaining the pressure, to increase the distance between the mantle surface of the skein and the last roller of the impregnating device to the extent to which the fabric is wound onto the skein. After the fabric permeated with the impregnating liquid in the impregnating device has been completely wound onto the drum, it is bandaged and the fabric thus wound onto the drum is subjected to a further treatment as, for instance, washing, boiling, or bleaching.

According to a further advantageous development of the apparatus according to the invention, the rollers in the impregnating device may be offset with regard to each other as to height. In this way the guiding of the goods to be impregnated can be improved. Furthermore, as a result thereof the possibility is obtained, according to a further development of the invention, to cause at least some rollers and the fabric web passed thereover partially to rotate in the impregnating liquid contained in a trough. The respective lower rollers of the impregnating device rotate with a portion of their circumference and with the fabric web passed thereover in the impregnating liquid in the trough whereby the fabric web absorbs impregnating liquid. Additionally, impregnating liquid may by means of nozzles be sprayed onto the fabric web moving over the rollers. However, it is also possible to permeate the fabric web passed over the rollers only by spraying devices which should be arranged at both sides of the fabric web in order to bring about a uniform permeation or soaking of the fabric web.

According to a further advantageous development of the apparatus according to the invention, the winding-up drum may be formed by a perforated drum. This permits the washing of the woundup impregnated fabric web by introducing washing liquid through the interior of the drum and through the woundup fabric web on said drum toward the outside. Such an arrangement has over the treatment on known padding machines or jiggers the advantage that those fabric sections are washed first which have been impregnated first and have been wound onto the drum first whereby the staying time of the impregnating liquid in the fabric is practically equalized. The perforated drum having the fabric wound thereon may furthermore be arranged in a chamber adapted to be closed in which, following the complete winding-up of the impregnated web of fabric and the removal of the im pregnating device, the washing and, if-desired, the boiling and bleaching may be carried out while the drum is rotating. In this instance the impregnating device may through an opening in the chamber be moved toward the drum until the impregnated web of fabric has been completely wound onto the drum. After the impregnating device has been removed, the opening of the chamber is closed and the treatment of the impregnated goods is continued.

In order effectively to prevent a shrinkage as to width of the treated web, it is necessary not only to press the rollers of the impregnating device against each other but also the last roller of the impregnating device must be pressed against the skein or against the drum onto which the impregnated web has been wound. This may be effected according to the invention in two ways. One possibility consists in that the impregnating device is displaceable or movable while the drum is stationarily arranged and while by mechanical, hydraulic or pneumatic means the impregnating device and, more specifically, its last roller is pressed against the skein or against the drum. The pressing device must be so designed that the pressure between the last roller of the impregnating device and the skein or the drum will remain the same while the distance between both is variable in conformity with the increasing diameter of the skein. Thus, the impregnating device must be held under a yieldable but uniform pressure against the skein or the drum.

According to another embodiment of the apparatus accord ing to the invention, the impregnating device may be displaceable but must be kept stationary during the impregnating and winding operation while the drum or the skein is displaceably arranged and the drum or the skein is by its own weight or by additional pressing means or relief means pressed against the last roller of the impregnating device. For this purpose an arrangement is suggested according to which the im pregnating device has its last roller in the lower region engage the mantle surface of the skein or drum while the skein or the drum is adjustable as to height so that at the start of the winding-up operation the skein or the drum will, due to its own weight or with the aid of additional pressing means, be pressed along a mantle line against the last roller of the impregnating device and will during the winding-up operation be able to move relative to the last roller of the impregnating device to the extent to which fabric is wound thereon.

According to still another development of the invention, a stretching frame may be arranged in front of the impregnating device from which the fabric web stretched as to width is introduced into the impregnating device.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the web of goods 1 passes from a skein 2, if desired over a stretching frame 3, into the impregnating device 4. This impregnating device comprises a set of rollers 5 which are pressed against each other along a mantle line and which, as shown in FIG. 1, may be offset or staggered relative to each other as to height. The web 1 is passed over rollers 5 along a fixed guiding path whereby the shrinkage as to width during the permeation with liquid can be effectively prevented. The lower rollers 5 at the impregnating station 4 may entirely or partially rotate in a container or trough 6 and may immerse in the liquid 7 in trough 6 which liquid may represent the impregnating liquid. The rollers may immerse into said liquid entirely or only partially. The web 1 passing over the rollers 5 immersed in the liquid 7 absorbs liquid and can additionally or instead be soaked on its other side by means of spraying devices 8.

The last roller 9 of the impregnating device 4 is along a mantle line pressed against a drum 10 upon which the web 1 is wound after effected impregnation. The roller 9 may be pressed against the drum 10 pneumatically, hydraulically or mechanically by means of a device 11 which may engage the displaceable or movable trough 6. When the rollers 5 and 9 of the impregnating device 4 do not rotate in a liquid-filled trough 6, but instead the web 1 is soaked with liquid only by means of spraying devices 8, the

rollers

5 and 6 may be journaled in a stand which may be displaceable or movable and which in such an instance is engaged by the pressing device 11.

The pressing device 11 must be so designed that while maintaining a uniform pressure between rollers 9 and drum 10, an increase in the distance between said rollers 9 and drum 10 will be possible to such an extent as the diameter of the drum with the impregnated fabric thereon increases due to the winding-up operation.

Preferably, drum 10 may be perforated and may be provided with means for permitting steam or liquid to escape from the interior through the wound-up fabric web toward the outside. The impregnated web I wound onto the drum 10 may after completion of the winding-up operation immediately be subjected to further treatments, for instance, to a washing operation. To this end, it is suggested that the drum 10 be arranged within a chamber 12 adapted to be closed into which chamber the impregnating device 10 may be inserted during the winding-up of the web 1. After the web 1 has been completely wound upon the drum 10, the impregnating device 4 is moved out of chamber 12 and chamber 12 is closed, for instance, by means of a foldable door 13. Subsequently, the vapor or liquid medium provided for the next following treatment step is introduced, for instance, through the hollow shaft of drum 10 into the interior of the latter and is through its perforated outer wall pressed through the woundup fabric 1. The impregnating liquid absorbed at the impregnating station 4 may now be washed out. Subsequently, a boiling (scalding) and/or bleaching of the fabric may be effected. The sequence of the above outlined method steps may, however, also be varied in any convenient manner.

FIG. 2 shows a modified device according to the present invention which differs from that of FIG. 1 merely in the manner in which the pressure between the last roller and the impregnating device 4 and the drum 10 is effected. The drum 10 which expediently is again arranged in a chamber 12 is movably journaled for movement in upward and downward direction as indicated by the double arrow 14. The impregnating device 4 has its last roller 9 at the lower section of the drum pressed against the circumferential surface of drum 10. This pressure between drum 10 and roller 9 is brought about by pressing the drum 10 which is displaceable in vertical direction by its own weight against the surface of roller 9 of the impregnating device 4. This pressure may, if desired, be further increased by a pressing device acting upon drum 10. During the winding-up operation, the impregnating device 4 is held stationary but otherwise is longitudinally displaceable similar to the arrangement of FIG. 1. In view of the displaceable mounting of drum 10, there is obtained the possibility of increasing the spacing between drum 10 and roller 9 with increasing windings on drum 10 while the same pressure is maintained.

After the drum has been filled with the web and the impregnating device 4 is moved out ofthe chamber 12, chamber 12 can again be closed and the treatment of the wound-up fabric 1 may be continued while drum 10 is rotated.

The fixed guiding path provided in the impregnating device over rollers 5 and 9 in conformity with the invention is known per se for the wet treatment of webs. Also the arrangement of a rotating perforated drum in a closed chamber is known, for instance, in connection with bleaching operations. Therefore, within the frame work of the present invention only the combination of both portions of the device according to the invention is claimed as novel inasmuch as it is highly advantageous for various wet treatments of small and medium quantities of textile fabrics and represents an advance in the art over heretofore known devices used for similar purposes.

It is furthermore to be noted that the device according to the present invention is not limited to mercerizing but is also advantageous for boiling and bleaching and other wet treatments in any desired sequence of the individual treatment steps.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular showing in the drawing but also comprises any modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for wet treating webs of textile material, which includes: impregnating means for impregnating the web to be wet treated, said impregnating means comprising a plurality of rollers together defining a path for the web to be treated and adapted to receive therebetween the web to be treated while exerting a firm pressure thereon, one of said rollers forming the web discharging roller for discharging the impregnated web from said impregnating means, a perforated winding-up drum arranged adjacent said discharging roller for receiving the wet treated web from said discharging roller and winding up said web, and means operable to press said discharging roller and said drum relative toward each other at a substantially uniform pressure to thereby exert a substantially uniform pressure on the web material passing between said drum and said discharging roller.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said rollers are located in staggered arrangement with the axes of rotation of said rollers located in different substantially parallel planes.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said impregnating means includes trough means adapted to receive an impregnating liquid, and in which at least some of said rollers are extending at least partially into said trough means.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said perforated winding-up drum includes sections telescopically arranged one within the other for selectively adjusting the width of said drum so that only that perforated portion of said drum is active which corresponds to the width of the respective web being wound thereupon.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, which includes housing means having said drum arranged therein and adapted to receive fluid for passing the same through the material on said drum from the inside thereof to the outside of said housing means, said housing means including means for selectively completely closing and opening said housing means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said impregnating means is displaceable and which includes means yieldably and at uniform pressure holding said discharging roller against woundup material on said perforated drum.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, in which said perforated drum is vertically displaceable, and in which said impregnating means is selectively movable and arrestable below said perforated drum so that the latter has its vertical axis in substantial alignment with the vertical axis of said discharging roller.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, which includes a stretching mechanism arranged in from of said impregnating means. 5

Claims

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, which includes a stretching mechanism arranged in front of said impregnating means.