US3838968A - Process for the continuous steaming of man-made fibers - Google Patents

Process for the continuous steaming of man-made fibers Download PDF

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Publication number
US3838968A
US3838968A US00276081A US27608172A US3838968A US 3838968 A US3838968 A US 3838968A US 00276081 A US00276081 A US 00276081A US 27608172 A US27608172 A US 27608172A US 3838968 A US3838968 A US 3838968A
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United States
Prior art keywords
steam
fibrous material
housing
air
steamer
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00276081A
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English (en)
Inventor
H Fleissner
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Vepa AG
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Vepa AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from DE2137759A external-priority patent/DE2137759A1/de
Priority to DE2137759A priority Critical patent/DE2137759A1/de
Priority to DE2156764A priority patent/DE2156764A1/de
Priority to DE2211792A priority patent/DE2211792A1/de
Priority to FR7226999A priority patent/FR2147238A1/fr
Priority to US00276081A priority patent/US3838968A/en
Application filed by Vepa AG filed Critical Vepa AG
Priority to DE2305154A priority patent/DE2305154A1/de
Priority to US05/446,339 priority patent/US3934432A/en
Publication of US3838968A publication Critical patent/US3838968A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D06—TREATMENT OF TEXTILES OR THE LIKE; LAUNDERING; FLEXIBLE MATERIALS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • D06C—FINISHING, DRESSING, TENTERING OR STRETCHING TEXTILE FABRICS
    • D06C7/00—Heating or cooling textile fabrics
    • D06C7/02—Setting

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a process for treating more specifically shrinking man-made fibers, e.g., crimped synthetic fibers.
  • this object and others are attained by providing at least one hoodor dome-type housing, i.e., a housing having a hermetically joined ceiling and side walls and an open base floor, or bottom portion.
  • At least one sloped conveying installation or means for the fibrous material to be treated enters this dome-shaped housing at its entrance or intake end, and this means is positioned in an upward direction and at the delivery end this means or some other sloped conveying installation or means juts from the housing in a downward direction.
  • the conveying installation means terminates in front of the rear wall of the housing and overlaps at least one other conveying installation means which is arranged underneath it and protrudes out of the housing.
  • steam producing and/or steam supplying means are installed in the upper section of the dome-type housing.
  • At least one continuously driven conveying installation or means is located in the bottom section of a hood-type or dome-type housing and fills a substantial part of this housing when the latter, i.e., the housing, is seen in horizontal cross section.
  • the dome shaped housing may. for instance, have the form of a rectangular box with rounded edges. i.e.. it may consist of two parallel side walls when seen endwise and a vaulted top surface formed by an arched roof or like construction.
  • Steam producing and/or steam supplying means should preferably be located in the top section of the housing and at different heights.
  • such means should be arranged to be adjustable in height and/or to the sides.
  • the parallel side walls of the dome-shaped housing stand at each and every point at the same distance from the ground and that the housing walls overlap or rather extend downward beyond the conveying installation or installations which are located inside the steamer housing.
  • the housing can be equipped with an inside and/or outside steam collecting installation such as a conduit or the like. Since the housing is to stand at a certain distance from the ground, stilt supports are provided which may reach into the chamber which the housing walls form and may even extend up to the top.
  • Generally known installations such as heating coils or the like serve for heating the water up to its evaporating point to provide steam within the housing.
  • Another embodiment of the invention relates to a combination of a generally known totally enclosed steaming device with the above-described open steamer which is the subject matter of the present invention.
  • a known totally enclosed steaming device may be used.
  • the openings in the floor can be shut by easily operable means such as flaps, slides, etc.
  • the invention further is concerned with steam conveying installations including fans or the like which are located inside or adjacent to the housing and produce a steam flow through the material to be treated, which is thereby more rapidly heated.
  • the invention is based on the finding that the material to be treated, especially if it is voluminous, drags a large volume of air into the steaming device and that there already is a certain quantity of air in the housing before the steaming apparatus is started; it is also based on the finding that, since air has a higher specific grav' ity than steam. the air can be easily caused to flow off in downward direction and that this air flow can be intensified by suction.
  • the natural steam flow through the material and towards the open floor be reinforced by an artificially produced stream and that at least at the beginning of the steam treatment; the artificial stream must not impair the freedom of movement of the material during shrinkage, for instance, and must not reduce its voluminosity nor create any vorticity in the steam bell formed in the housing.
  • a series of trials showed that a negative pressure of 0.1 to 0.5 mm W.G. preferably of 0.2 mm W.G. is most advantageous for this purpose. By this negative pressure which is very low indeed and hardly noticeable, the time required for heating the material up is divided by 5 as clearly proved by a number of tests.
  • the fibrous material When adjusting the negative pressure, i.e., when creating the artificial stream, care has to be taken that the steam level inside and at the bottom of the steamer hood is not destroyed. In case vortices are produced, this may cause the outside air to enter the steamer hood.
  • the fibrous material usually dwells in the steam atmosphere at saturated steam temperature for approximately one minute which clearly shows that the heating-up time represents a substantial part of the total steam-treating time.
  • Adhesion is defined as the maximum pushing force relative to the weight per unit of length which is required to overcome the frictional force prevailing among the individual fibers of a tuft. Therefrom it follows that the adhesion largely depends on a coefficient of friction which on its part is influenced by quite a number of quantities such as the crimp of fibers, the staple length, the titre, or the orientation of fibers.
  • the above-described apparatus not only ensures the abbreviation of the heating-up time but also permits the fibers of the web to shrink simultaneously. It is obvious that, while shrinking simultaneously, the fibers hinder each other in their movement because there necessarily results a certain friction between them. Adhesion could therefore be improved by reducing the friction during shrinkage, e.g., by compensating for the tensions which result from shrinkage.
  • This problem is solved by freeing the fibers from tensions at least once for a short time during the heatingup phase; this can be done, for instance, by subjecting the fibers to pressure.
  • the apparatus which conducts this aspect of this process is equipped with a pressure roller at the intake end, inside the steamer hood, which pressure roller is arranged above the conveying installation and compresses the fibers.
  • a pressure roller at the intake end, inside the steamer hood, which pressure roller is arranged above the conveying installation and compresses the fibers.
  • several pressure rollers in tandem arrangement compress the fibers for a short time. The exact number of pressure rollers to be installed is to be found out by trials.
  • the material On having been heated up, i.e., on having been penetrated by steam at a relatively high steam velocity and on having been freed from inherent tensions, the material may then enter into the steam atmosphere in the form of a thicker and more dense layer.
  • the above-described apparatus is also suited for shrinking crimped staple fibers, and it is also advantageous to use it for shrinking endless, continuous fibers which are thereupon crimped and the crimp of which is finally fixed in a perforated drum machine.
  • FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section through the steamer hood or housing of this invention
  • FIG. 2 shows a steamer similar to that shown in FIG. 1 having a different arrangement of the conveying installation or means
  • FIG. 3 shows a perforated drum steamer used with a preceding hoodor dome-type steamer
  • FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through a steamer hood with a suction unit at the intake end;
  • FIG. 5 shows the steamer hood according to FIG. 4 which is equipped with pressure rollers at the intake end.
  • FIG. 1 shows an open steamer which consists of a dome-shaped housing without base plate in which a steam bell is' produced.
  • the fibrous material 2 to be treated is guided into the steam atmosphere by an upward inclined belt conveyor means 18 on which the material then dwells for a certain variable time.
  • the fibrous material 2 may then be transported downward out of the steamer by the same conveyor means or the material may fall onto another conveyor means 9 which is arranged underneath the first; this second possibility is shown in FIG. 1.
  • the longitudinal section through the steamer hood 5 in FIG. 1 shows that there is a topless box or open container means 3 provided at the bottom edges of the hood, which box serves as water sump means.
  • the box 3 is continuously filled with water which is heated up to evaporation point by means of heated coils 4, for instance, in which superheated steam is circulated. In this way there is pure saturated steam instead of superheated steam produced in the steamer hood.
  • the steam fills the free space inside the hood 5, and the steam level which is shown by the line 26 in the FIGS. 4 and 5 is maintained constant by laterally positioned exhaust units which, however, are not shown in the drawings.
  • FIGS. 1 to 3 there is a collecting conduit 6 installed around the lower edges of the housing hood 5 from which the steam which tends to escape in downward direction from the housing is exhausted by appropriate means so that it does not flow off to the outside atmosphere.
  • Steam generation from the water boxes 3 is preferably controlled in such a way that only the appropriate quantity of steam required for heating the fibrous material and compensating for heat losses is produced plus a small volume of surplus steam which can be exhausted from the collecting conduit 6.
  • This arrangement ensures that there is a pure saturated steam atmosphere inside and down to the lowest part of the housing 5 and that any air which may have been in the steamer or which may have been dragged in by the ingoing fibrous material 2 falls out, i.e., downward from the housing.
  • FIG. 2 shows an apparatus similar to that shown in FIG. 1, the only difference being that the intake conveyor means is separated from the dwell conveyor means 1 1 inside the steamer. This provision permits the over-feeding of the material from the intake conveyor onto the dwell conveyor means and consequently, the shortening of the dwell conveyor means.
  • any other appropriate type of transporting means e.g., perforated drums or rollers, can be used for transporting fabrics, webs, etc. through the steamer.
  • FIG. 3 shows the combination of a totally enclosed steamer 13 with a pre-steamer that is without base plate 5.
  • This pre-steamer is of the dome-type described heretofore and serves for removing the air from the fibrous material 2 which is thereupon guided into the enclosed steamer 13.
  • This combination is advantageous in that the enclosed steamer 13 need not be equipped with a special sealing unit at its intake end because the fibrous material 2 entering it does not contain any air.
  • the housing of the enclosed steamer has only to be provided with an opening near the floor through which the air contained in the steamer itself may be exhausted before operation starts. During actual operation this opening can be shut because there need not be any air removed from the material 2.
  • the treatment medium i.e., the steam may also be circulated respectively superheated; with an open steamer this possibility is restricted because the superheated steam would be cooled down near the open bottom of the steamer and also, because circulated steam would escape from the steamer.
  • the drawing shows perforated drums 16, I7 which serve as transporting elements inside the enclosed steamer but it is also possible to provide for belt conveyors, rollers, or the like.
  • the present invention also relates to suction units at the front portion of the steamer, which serve for facilitating the removal of the air displaced bysteam from the ingoing material.
  • FIG. 4 shows such a suction unit.
  • the steamer hood 5 is supported on stilts 19, at a distance from the ground 20.
  • An endless wire mesh conveyor 21 passes through the steamer after having been guided in slightly inclined upward direction by the deflector roller 22 at the intake end of the steamer. From the deflector roller 23 inside the steamer hood 5, the conveyor then runs horizontally and is finally deflected downward by the deflector roller 24 and runs towards the roller25. This provision ensures that the fibrous material 2 which is shown in the drawing to be a web is guided completely tension-free into, through and out of the steam atmosphere.
  • the fibers may thus freely shrink down from their initial length X, to the final length X
  • the endless conveyor 21 is guided back to the deflector roller 22 in horizontal direction by the deflector roller 25. As shown, the thickness of the material on the conveyor is thus reduced.
  • the undisturbed and vorticity-free steam level 26 is a main prerequisite for the proper functioning of the open steamer.
  • a suction unit 27 located underneath the front part of the endless conveyor 21; this suction unit is immediately adjoined to the wire mesh belt 21.
  • the suction unit 27 is combined with a fan 28 the sucking action of which is infinitely variable.
  • this fan 28 and the suction unit 27 there is a very light suction draft, i.e., a slow steam flow towards the fan and through the material 2 is produced. Also, the displaced air is drawn by this draft.
  • the negative pressure which the fan 28 creates must not be too strong in order to prevent any vorticity of the steam in the steam bell and the steam level 26 must not be changed. It is obvious that exact steaming conditions for the various types of material have to be determined by experimentation. It may be said, however, that the negative pressure usually ranges be tween 0.1 mm and 0.6 mm W.G. in apparatus of the type shown.
  • FIG. 5 shows an apparatus according to the invention with pressure rollers 32 near the front part of the endless conveyor 21 which rollers compress the web for a short while to remove any tensions which may have been induced during the heating-up period, owing to the shrinkage that takes place at this stage.
  • the roller 32 could be replaced by a pressure belt butthe inventor advises against using the belt because of the low steam-permeability of the belt and because the belt hinders the fibers from re-orientation.
  • the exact location of the pressure roller in the heating-up zone is very important (The first roller is shown positioned approximately at the level of line 26.). The point where the web is first subject to a certain pressure influences the shrinkage. It should in any case be possible to vary the number of rollers and their location in accordance with the type of fibers to be processed.
  • a process for the continuous steaming and more specifically shrinking, of fibrous material which comprises supplying pure and air-free saturated steam within an open hood-shaped steamer housing having a substantially open bottom portion and defining a steam bell, transporting a length of fibrous material through said pure and air-free saturated steam within said open steamer housing, and causing the steam to flow through the length of material within said housing to displace air from within said material and outside of said housing.
  • said fibrous material includes loose stock, tops, tows, knit fabrics, woven fabrics, synthetic fibers, webs and the like.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
US00276081A 1971-07-28 1972-07-28 Process for the continuous steaming of man-made fibers Expired - Lifetime US3838968A (en)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2137759A DE2137759A1 (de) 1971-07-28 1971-07-28 Nachbehandlung von kunstseide
DE2156764A DE2156764A1 (de) 1971-07-28 1971-11-16 Verfahren und vorrichtung zum kontinuierlichen daempfen von chemiefasern
DE2211792A DE2211792A1 (de) 1971-07-28 1972-03-11 Verfahren und vorrichtung zum kontinuierlichen daempfen von chemiefasern
FR7226999A FR2147238A1 (de) 1971-07-28 1972-07-25
US00276081A US3838968A (en) 1971-07-28 1972-07-28 Process for the continuous steaming of man-made fibers
DE2305154A DE2305154A1 (de) 1971-07-28 1973-02-02 Vorrichtung zum kontinuierlichen daempfen von textil- oder chemiefasergut
US05/446,339 US3934432A (en) 1971-07-28 1974-02-27 Apparatus for the continuous steaming of man-made fibers

Applications Claiming Priority (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE2137759A DE2137759A1 (de) 1971-07-28 1971-07-28 Nachbehandlung von kunstseide
DE2156764A DE2156764A1 (de) 1971-07-28 1971-11-16 Verfahren und vorrichtung zum kontinuierlichen daempfen von chemiefasern
DE2211792A DE2211792A1 (de) 1971-07-28 1972-03-11 Verfahren und vorrichtung zum kontinuierlichen daempfen von chemiefasern
US00276081A US3838968A (en) 1971-07-28 1972-07-28 Process for the continuous steaming of man-made fibers
US05/446,339 US3934432A (en) 1971-07-28 1974-02-27 Apparatus for the continuous steaming of man-made fibers

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US05/446,339 Division US3934432A (en) 1971-07-28 1974-02-27 Apparatus for the continuous steaming of man-made fibers

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US3838968A true US3838968A (en) 1974-10-01

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US05/446,339 Expired - Lifetime US3934432A (en) 1971-07-28 1974-02-27 Apparatus for the continuous steaming of man-made fibers

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DE (2) DE2156764A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2147238A1 (de)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3949577A (en) * 1973-02-02 1976-04-13 Vepa Ag Apparatus for the continuous steaming of textile material of man-made fiber material
US3967473A (en) * 1973-04-20 1976-07-06 Roberto Arioli Equipment for selective steam treatment of continuous fabric pieces
US4070877A (en) * 1973-02-02 1978-01-31 Vepa Aktiengesellschaft Apparatus for the continuous steaming of textile material of man-made fiber material
US4169707A (en) * 1976-11-04 1979-10-02 Etablissements Superba S.A. Process for treatment of yarn within a steaming chamber
US4214330A (en) * 1979-02-23 1980-07-29 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of Agriculture Method for treatment of fibers with ozone-steam mixtures
US4231129A (en) * 1979-03-28 1980-11-04 Cotton, Incorporated Apparatus and method for impregnating a dry fiber batt
WO2016135602A1 (en) * 2015-02-23 2016-09-01 Ms Printing Solutions S.R.L Device for steam treating a printed fibrous sheet material, particularly for fixing printing ink, and process of fixing ink on said printed fibrous sheet material

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE2310195C2 (de) * 1973-02-02 1983-01-20 Vepa AG, 4125 Riehen, Basel Dämpfer mit zumindest teilweise horizontaler Warenführung
US4232416A (en) * 1979-04-13 1980-11-11 Morton Machine Works, Incorporated Process for wetting fiber
US4402332A (en) * 1980-12-19 1983-09-06 Haden Schweitzer Corporation Apparatus for heat energy recovery from escaping steam
US5369968A (en) * 1993-04-15 1994-12-06 Sperotto Rimar S.P.A. Apparatus for continuous steaming and dimensional stabilization of continuous fabric webs
DE29800803U1 (de) * 1998-01-21 1999-05-20 Eduard Küsters Maschinenfabrik GmbH & Co. KG, 47805 Krefeld Dämpfer
US8539967B2 (en) * 2007-05-08 2013-09-24 Gerd Wurster Spray pretreatment system and method for pre-treating workpieces by spraying

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2833136A (en) * 1958-05-06 Ager for processing printed fabrics
US3503331A (en) * 1968-08-23 1970-03-31 Purex Corp Ltd Controlled current flow electrostatic printing
US3521989A (en) * 1966-10-04 1970-07-28 Commw Scient Ind Res Org Method of dyeing wool and composition therefor

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE1635336A1 (de) * 1966-07-22 1971-05-06 Vepa Ag Vorrichtung zum Behandeln insbesondere von Textilgut

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2833136A (en) * 1958-05-06 Ager for processing printed fabrics
US3521989A (en) * 1966-10-04 1970-07-28 Commw Scient Ind Res Org Method of dyeing wool and composition therefor
US3503331A (en) * 1968-08-23 1970-03-31 Purex Corp Ltd Controlled current flow electrostatic printing

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3949577A (en) * 1973-02-02 1976-04-13 Vepa Ag Apparatus for the continuous steaming of textile material of man-made fiber material
US4070877A (en) * 1973-02-02 1978-01-31 Vepa Aktiengesellschaft Apparatus for the continuous steaming of textile material of man-made fiber material
US3967473A (en) * 1973-04-20 1976-07-06 Roberto Arioli Equipment for selective steam treatment of continuous fabric pieces
US4169707A (en) * 1976-11-04 1979-10-02 Etablissements Superba S.A. Process for treatment of yarn within a steaming chamber
US4214330A (en) * 1979-02-23 1980-07-29 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of Agriculture Method for treatment of fibers with ozone-steam mixtures
US4231129A (en) * 1979-03-28 1980-11-04 Cotton, Incorporated Apparatus and method for impregnating a dry fiber batt
WO2016135602A1 (en) * 2015-02-23 2016-09-01 Ms Printing Solutions S.R.L Device for steam treating a printed fibrous sheet material, particularly for fixing printing ink, and process of fixing ink on said printed fibrous sheet material
CN107532360A (zh) * 2015-02-23 2018-01-02 麦斯印刷解决方案有限公司 用于蒸汽处理印刷的纤维片材材料、特别地用于固着印刷墨的设备，以及将墨固着在所述印刷的纤维片材材料上的工艺
US10087562B2 (en) 2015-02-23 2018-10-02 Ms Printing Solutions S.R.L. Steam treating printed fibrous sheet material

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US3934432A (en) 1976-01-27
DE2211792A1 (de) 1973-09-13
DE2156764A1 (de) 1973-05-24
FR2147238A1 (de) 1973-03-09

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