Classifications

• • 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
  • D06C21/00—Shrinking by compressing

Definitions

• textile item means any type of continuous and non-continuous fabrics such as, for example, orthogonal fabrics, knitted fabrics, non-woven fabrics, and so on.
• the present invention applies to the textile industry, and, in particular, relates to a shrinking machine for textile items.
• the present invention relates to the shrinking portion of a shrinking machine.
• textile item shrinking machines are known to induce the recovery of the longitudinal lengthening and achieve its stabilization.
• shrinking machines comprising a flexible and extensible conveyor belt, usually made of rubber, arranged in a closed loop around a series of rollers, which manage, among other things, its movement.
• a series of rollers which manage, among other things, its movement.
• stretching roller interposed between the inlet roller and the outlet roller, and having a diameter considerably greater than these.
• the textile item to be treated is passed in a stretching channel identified between the stretching roller and the conveyor belt. The thrust exerted by the latter on the textile item against the stretching roller achieves the desired stretching.
• the conveyor belt undergoes an elongation obtained by imposing a rotation speed on the tensioning roller lower than the one of the inlet roller. The moment the conveyor belt loses contact from the inlet roller, it tends to contract until it returns to its previous condition.
• Such phenomenon is then used to shrink the textile item. In fact, it is sufficient to deposit it on the conveyor belt before its contraction and hold it close to the belt itself to have it shrunk. The foregoing occurs in the stretching channel.
• the contraction of the conveyor belt already begins in the last portion in contact with the inlet roller. This typically occurs before entering the stretching channel, i.e. before the textile item is held close to the conveyor belt. The result is a loss of shrinking capability, since the contraction of the belt begins before the instant when it is transferred also to the textile item.
• the difference in the rotation speed of the inlet and tensioning rollers is increased so as to increase the elongation of the belt.
• the tension to which the conveyor belt is subjected favours the slipping of the belt itself on the inlet roller with subsequent loss of shrinking on the textile item.
• the object of the present invention is to overcome at least partially the drawbacks highlighted above by providing a shrinking machine that allows the proper shrinking of textile items using the technique of elongation of the conveyor belt.
• an object of the present invention is to provide a shrinking machine that allows the degree of shrinking achieved to be improved by optimizing the contraction imparted by the conveyor belt to the textile item.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide a shrinking machine that allows the contraction of the conveyor belt before the textile item is held thereon to be avoided.
• a further object of the present invention is to avoid the formation of ripples in the conveyor belt during the elongation step.
• Another object is to avoid the slipping of the conveyor belt on the inlet roller as a result of the tension of the belt.
• the machine comprises at least one elastically flexible and extensible conveyor belt for transporting and treating a textile item.
• Such belt generally made of rubber, is arranged in a closed loop around a plurality of rollers for its movement.
• At least one stretching roller whose at least one section of the outer surface identifies, with a corresponding section of the conveyor belt, a stretching channel for the textile item having an inlet and an outlet.
• inlet roller arranged alongside the stretching roller to define the inlet of the stretching channel.
• tensioning roller operatively placed upstream of the inlet roller and rotating with a rotation speed of the surface lower than the rotation speed of the surface of the inlet roller.
• the conveyor belt undergoes an elongation induced by the difference in rotation speed of the surfaces of the rollers long before reaching the inlet of the stretching channel. In this situation, it receives the textile item, supporting it.
• the inlet roller has at least one circular crown made of a compressible material, generally rubber.
• the stretching roller moreover, is arranged at least during operation against the inlet roller, compressing at least partially the circular crown.
• the compression of the circular crown of the inlet roller enables to have a wide contact area between the circular crown and the conveyor belt.
• the compression of the circular crown is maximum at the axis connecting the centre of the inlet roller to the centre of the stretching roller.
• the contraction of the belt occurs only downstream of such axis.
• the compression of the circular crown of the inlet roller allows the inlet of the stretching channel to be moved operatively upstream of the above-mentioned axis connecting the rotation centres of the inlet roller and the stretching roller.
• the textile item is held against the conveyor belt before the latter has begun the contraction step, increasing the shrinking effect of the textile item compared to what occurs in the known art.
• the compressible material which forms the outer surface of the inlet roller, increases the friction between the conveyor belt and the roller itself, improving the slip resistance.
• the shrinking machine also comprises at least one guiding roller operatively arranged between the inlet roller and the tensioning roller.
• the guiding roller allows the belt to be guided from the tensioning roller to the inlet roller, while avoiding that the belt itself may form ripples or corrugations, which would then affect the textile item.
• FIG. 1 represents a shrinking machine according to the invention in a schematic view.
• textile item T means, as previously defined, any type of continuous and non-continuous fabrics.
• Such conveyor belt 2 comprises an elastically flexible and extensible conveyor belt 2, for supporting and transporting a textile item T.
• Such conveyor belt 2 is typically made of an elastic material, generally rubber. This feature must not be regarded as limiting for the invention, since the belt 2 may be made up of any material having features of elasticity and flexibility sufficient to serve the purpose.
• the conveyor belt 2 is arranged in a closed loop around a plurality of rollers 3 for its movement.
• an inlet roller 4 and a stretching roller 5 are identified.
• a section of the outer surface 6 of the latter identifies, with a corresponding section 7 of the conveyor belt 2, a stretching channel 8 for the textile item T.
• the channel 8 has an inlet 9 and an outlet 10.
• the conveyor belt 2 pushes the textile item T against the stretching roller 5.
• the latter is heated, generally by steam injected into a cavity of the stretching roller 5 itself, so as to heat the textile item T.
• the shrinking machine 1 also comprises one tensioning roller 14 operatively placed upstream of the inlet roller and rotating 4 with a rotation speed of the surface lower than the rotation speed of the surface of the aforementioned inlet roller 4.
• the conveyor belt 2 during its sliding between the tensioning roller 14 and the inlet roller 4, undergoes an elongation induced by the difference in rotation speed of the two rollers 4, 14.
• the belt 2 is then lengthened and at this stage receives the textile item T.
• the contraction that the conveyor belt 2 undergoes upon detachment from the inlet roller 4 will induce shrinking of the textile item held against the belt 2 by the stretching roller 5.
• the stretching roller 5 is not always placed against the inlet roller 4, but is movable along an axis X connecting a first rotation centre 11 of the inlet roller 4 to a second rotation centre 12 of the stretching roller 5.
• the stretching roller 4 may be moved from the contact position to facilitate maintenance interventions or not to damage the belt when the machine is stopped.
• the inlet roller is movable with respect to the stretching roller, or wherein both are static in contact with each other
• the inlet roller 4 has a circular crown 13 made of a compressible material, generally composed of rubber. Such feature should not be regarded as limiting for the invention. In fact, according to a possible alternative embodiment not shown in figures, the inlet roller is entirely made of a compressible material. The type of material used is also a non-limiting feature for the invention.
• the stretching roller 5 is arranged against the inlet roller 4, partially compressing the circular crown 13 made of a compressible material.
• the compression of the crown 13 of the inlet roller 4 enables to deform an initial section of the stretching channel 8 and, therefore, to move the inlet 9 of the stretching channel 8 operatively upstream of the axis X connecting the rotation centres of the inlet roller 4 and stretching roller 5. That is, the contact between the inlet roller 4 and the stretching roller 5 does not identify a single point of tangency, but a section in which the stretching roller 5 is secant to the circular area of the inlet roller 4.
• the textile item T is held against the conveyor belt 2 before the latter is no longer in contact with the inlet roller 4, i.e. before the conveyor belt 2 has started the contraction step.
• This allows a greater shrinking of the textile item T compared to what occurs in the known art, wherein the textile item is held against the conveyor belt only after the contraction step of the latter has started.
• conveyor belt is often operated with particularly high tensioning values so as to achieve a greater lengthening of the belt and, therefore, to achieve an increased and more effective shrinking of the textile item.
• tensioning values so as to achieve a greater lengthening of the belt and, therefore, to achieve an increased and more effective shrinking of the textile item.
• the presence of a circular crown 13 made of a compressible material increases the friction between the conveyor belt 2 and the inlet roller 4, improving the slip resistance that can occur during the elongation step of the belt 2.
• the tensioning roller 14 also has an outer crown 15 made of rubber or other material which advantageously increases the friction with the belt 2, further reducing the risk of the slipping thereof along its trajectory.
• an outer crown 15 made of rubber or other material which advantageously increases the friction with the belt 2, further reducing the risk of the slipping thereof along its trajectory.
• the shrinking machine 1 also comprises a guiding roller 16 interposed between the tensioning roller 14 and the inlet roller 4.
• the presence of the guiding roller 16 keeps the conveyor belt 2 stretched and shortens the air path between the tensioning roller 14 and the inlet roller 4. As a result, the generation of ripples on the belt 2 is eliminated, improving the quality of the textile item T.
• the shrinking machine 1 comprises an additional guiding roller 17, operatively placed upstream of and near the tensioning roller 14.
• the presence of the additional guiding roller 17, also together with the action of the guiding roller 16, allows the surface of the conveyor belt 2 in contact with the tensioning roller 14 to be increased. This way, the friction between the belt 2 and the tensioning roller 14 is increased, enhancing the slip resistance.
• the shrinking machine of the invention also allows the formation of ripples in the conveyor belt during the elongation step to be avoided.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Textile Engineering (AREA)
• Treatment Of Fiber Materials (AREA)
• Yarns And Mechanical Finishing Of Yarns Or Ropes (AREA)
• Centrifugal Separators (AREA)
• Electrical Discharge Machining, Electrochemical Machining, And Combined Machining (AREA)

Priority Applications (2)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (1)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2019
  • 2019-03-04 IT IT102019000003121A patent/IT201900003121A1/it unknown
• 2020
  • 2020-02-26 WO PCT/IB2020/051646 patent/WO2020178670A1/en unknown
  • 2020-02-26 EP EP20715195.2A patent/EP3902950B1/en active Active
  • 2020-02-26 CN CN202080017923.1A patent/CN113508200B/zh active Active

Patent Citations (4)

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