JPH0242937B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a novel device for mechanically preshrunk textile fabrics, particularly knitted fabrics. This device utilizes at least a portion of the fabric shrinking technology described in US Pat. No. 4,156,955. A Teflon-coated fiberglass sheet as described in this patent is secured at one end adjacent to a drum dryer or palmer, with the sheet and its free end interposed between the drum and a continuous flexible blanket that revolves around the drum. pass through. The fabric is introduced into a nip formed between the Teflon coated fiberglass sheet and the flexible blanket where it is compacted or preshrunk.

The above-mentioned compression contraction device is very effective and equipment,
Although there are significant inherent savings in operating and capital costs, the method and apparatus typically result in shrinkage of textile fabrics of up to about 6 to 12 percent. Although this may be sufficient for some purposes, there may be cases where more pre-shrinkage is required than the above-described devices can provide.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to describe a compression contraction device that includes some aspects of the method and device described above, but which includes not only a single stage but also two stages to provide more contractions than previously possible. It has a structure that allows compression and contraction.

The apparatus for mechanically compacting fabrics in the longitudinal direction according to the invention comprises a heated drying drum 31 and a drying drum 31.
1 and a continuous flexible blanket 32 surrounding most of the circumference of the drum to dry the fabric while the fabric 12 is carried around said drum 31. 3
1 and a blanket 32, and a supply device 14 for supplying packed fabric to the introduction device 34, the supply device 14 is flexible. It comprises a belt 16 and a guide drive 17, 18, 19, 20 for guiding and driving this belt in a curved closed loop path, which guide drive 17, 18, 19, 20 is connected to the belt-support roll arrangement 18. , 19 so that the belt 16 has this belt-support roll arrangement 18,
Part 30 of the belt when passing around 19
, the belt 16 has a friction surface on the outwardly facing side of the loop adapted to engage the surface of the fabric 12 , and the belt-support roll devices 18 , 19 are connected to the belt 16 . forming a belt with cooperating spaced apart curved portions 30 and relatively straight portions 16'therebetween;
Furthermore, the feeding device 14 includes a flexible sheet 22 having a low-friction surface, and a device 21 for anchoring one end of the flexible sheet 22 to a location adjacent to one of the curved portions 30 of the belt 16; The belt 1
Straight section 1 of the belt along the direction of movement 6
6' over a certain distance.
Pressure device 2 for pressing 2 onto the belt 16
3, thereby forming a compaction area between the belt 16 and the sheet 22, and further comprising:
It comprises a device 24, 25, 26, 27 for varying the amount of pressure applied by the pressure device and an introduction device 13 for introducing the fabric into the compaction area for compacting the fabric 12. It is characterized by

According to one aspect of the present invention, the apparatus for pressurizing the sheet to form the tamping zone between the belt and the sheet is a heatable flat member that transfers heat to the sheet to generate steam, so that the fabric is Reduces friction between the sheet and fabric as it passes over the sheet. Further contemplated by the present invention is the use of a second compacting means which is essentially similar to the compacting method described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,156,955 when more compacting is required. If a second filling means is used, the device and means according to the invention
The flexible sheet of the tamping means is used to convey the material in a relatively tension-free manner to the second means to minimize tension on the taming in the first means.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 first shows a two-stage filling apparatus 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
The apparatus 10 includes a steam vessel 11 through which a textile fabric 12 passes. Fabric 12 may be, for example, a knitted tubular fabric that is passed through an indwelling dilator as shown. However, the device 10 can also be used with open-width knitted fabrics (single layer). The fabric moistened with steam passes through the guide rollers 13 and then the first means 14 of the two-leveling device 10 according to the invention.
Enter. The filling means 14 is a continuous flexible belt 16.
including. The flexible belt 16 is made of felt, but could be made of rubber or other suitable material. Belt 16 passes over rollers 17, 18 and 19. The surfaces of the rollers 17 to 19 have a rubber layer and frictionally engage with the inner surface of the belt 16. One or both of rollers 18 and 19 are drive rollers for rotating belt 16 in the direction of the arrow. A guide roll 20 is provided outside the loop of the belt 16. The guide roll 20 prevents the belt 16 from meandering over time (i.e., the rollers 17, 1
8, 19),
This is to keep the rollers 17, 18, and 19 running at the center position.

An anchoring arm 21 is provided below and adjacent to the roller 13, to which one end of a flexible sheet 22 of a Teflon-treated glass fiber sheet or equivalent structure is fixed. The sheet 22 is wrapped around the armrest 21 and has a length extending substantially over the entire underside of the horizontal portion 16' of the flexible belt 16. The free end 22' of the seat 22 is supported by a flat, sturdy seat support member 23 as shown. The seat support member 23 can change the pressing force against the horizontal portion 16' of the belt 16. For this reason, the seat support member 2
3 are attached to the frame 28 by bolts 24, 25 which are vertically movable in grooves 26, 27 of the frame 28. Thus the edge 22' of the sheet
The pressure applied to the fabric can be adjusted to ensure that the fabric does not ripple in the soiled area. The heating element 29 heats the sheet edge 22' of the support member 23.

These areas of consolidation are located in the horizontal part 16' of the belt.
and the end 22' of the flexible sheet, through which the fabric 12 passes. The fabric 12 is attached to the curved portion 30 of the belt 16 formed by the roller 19.
It first travels around the belt 16 and then frictionally engages the outer surface of the belt 16, and then enters the ground area.
As the fabric 12 advances further in the compaction area formed between the horizontal portion 16' of the belt 16 and the end 22' of the flexible sheet 22, the fabric 12 is compacted in its direction of travel according to known principles. . Since the fabric is pre-moistened, the heating element 29 causes some of the moisture present in the application fabric 12 to be released as steam. This steam acts as an additional lubricant in addition to the Teflon coating of sheet 22. The compacting means 14 can shrink or compact the fabric by 6 to 12% in the longitudinal direction, and the degree of compaction is determined by the roller 1.
It can be seen that it can be changed to some extent by changing the curvature of the belt 9 and the pressure and material of the belt 16.

A second soil filling means 15 is provided following the soil filling means 14. The compaction means 15 comprises a heated drying drum 31 surrounded by a continuous flexible blanket 34, the blanket 32 moving in the direction of the arrow and the drum 31 rotating clockwise. Drum 31 drives blanket 32, and rollers 33 and 34 support such movement of blanket 32. An anchoring frame 36 is placed directly above the roller 34.
is provided, and the end of a second flexible sheet 37 having the same structure as the sheet 22 is fixed to its lower end. The remaining portion of the sheet 37 is the drum 31 and the blanket 3.
2. The free end 37' of the sheet 37 and the drum 31 are in frictional contact, and as the drum rotates, the sheet 37 is pulled. This tension, in conjunction with the tension in the blanket 32 and the contact between the blanket 32 and the drum 31, creates a nip between the blanket portion 32' and the sheet portion 37'.

After passing through the nip of the packing means 14, the fabric 12 advances between the blanket 32 and the flexible sheet 37, bending with a curvature determined by the rollers 34, so that the portion 32' of the blanket and the sheet 3
7 into the nip area between section 37'. The fabric 12 is repacked as it passes through this nip area.

A small space 38 is provided between the end 22' of the sheet 22 and the beginning of the sheet 37 to allow consideration of the tension on the fabric 12 as it passes through the space. The slightly downward curve shown in the figure indicates that the fabric 12 is substantially tension-free. Fabric 12 is space 3
8 indicates a condition under longitudinal tension, meaning that at least some of the fabric filling by the filling means 14 has been removed or stretched.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment according to the invention. Second
Since the illustrated apparatus is substantially the same as the mechanical structural members described in FIG. 1, except that it does not use the two flexible sheets 22, 37, the same parts or components shown in FIG. use the same reference numbers. In the embodiment of FIG. 2, a single sheet 40 is anchored to the armrest 21 in the same manner that the sheet 22 is anchored to the anchorage arm 21. However, the sheet 40 extends longitudinally around the roller 41 and its end 40' extends along the drum 31 and is interposed between the blanket 32 and the drum 31.

Thus, in the apparatus of FIG.
The fabric 12 is first packed in the space in the nip area formed between the portion 40'' of the sheet 40. The fabric 12 then advances along the upper surface of the sheet 40 (as shown in FIG. 40' and blanket 3
2 into the nip area formed by portion 32'. As the fabric 12 passes from the first compacting means 14 to the second compacting means 15, the fabric exits into the space 38' and the degree of tension on the fabric can be observed.
Normally, the fabric would sag slightly here without substantial tension, but since the sheet 40 supports the fabric 12 from below, it is not affected by the weight of the fabric. Therefore, as the fabric moves over the sheet 40 toward the second compacting means, the fabric compacted by the first means of the apparatus will not tend to be stretched and unshrunk.

The apparatus of FIG. 1 may be preferable to the apparatus of FIG. 2 because it packs the fabric onto both sides of the fabric, one side at a time, by each means. That is, both sides of the fabric slide against the sheets 22 and 37, respectively, so that only one side is finished. Although the apparatus of FIG. 2 may not be preferred for the reasons set forth above, the present invention provides substantial support for the fabric by a flexible sheet along its entire length as it passes through the two-stage stuffing means. illustrates the basic principle of The apparatus of FIG. 2 is advantageously used when it is desired to slide a non-tubular fabric against the flexible sheet 40 on only one side thereof.

3 and 4, another method and apparatus for constraining fabric and compressing a flexible sheet forming a compacted area is shown. In the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4, a flexible belt 50 (which consists of a conventional endless rubber belt) is placed around rollers 51 and 52 (one or both of which are drive rollers) and of a small diameter. It passes around the roller 53. Frame 54 supports roller 53 and further supports rollers 56, 57 and 58. These rollers 56 to 58 are provided at positions that are in contact with the inner surface 50a of the belt 50 in order to prevent the belt 50 from flexing in the area surrounding them.

A arm 59 is provided on the outside of the closed loop 2 formed by the flexible belt 50 adjacent to the roller 53.
A flexible sheet attachment rod 60 is provided inside the arm 59 and fixed to the arm 59 with a pin 61 to prevent the rod 60 from rotating relative to the arm 59. US Patent No.
A flexible sheet 62 made of a Teflon-treated glass fiber sheet according to the teaching of No. 4156955 is attached to the mounting rod 6.
0, align the end 62a around the screw 63
The end portion 62a is fixed and attached to the flat portion 60a of the mounting rod using the push plate 64. flexible sheet 6
The remaining portion of the belt 50 is adjacent to the roller 53.
along the outside and around its top (as shown in Figure 3). After the fabric 65 passes through the dilator 66, the fabric 65 connects to the outer surface 50b of the belt 50 and the sheet 6.
It enters between the inner surfaces 62b of 2. The illustrated embodiment illustrates a tubular fibrous knitted material.

In the illustrated embodiment, the sheet 62 extends adjacent the outer surface 50b of the belt 50 to a distance somewhat beyond the location of the rollers 57. In a region adjacent to the roller 53 and extending laterally to a position approximately adjacent to the roller 57, the device forms a compacting zone in which the fabric 65 is compacted according to known principles. The fabric frictionally engages the outer surface 50b of belt 50 and is packed between sheets 62 of belt 50 after passing around the arc formed by belt 50 and rollers 53. The degree of clogging is a function of the curvature caused by the roller 53,
Grounding occurs in the compacting area between the outer surface 50b of belt 50 and the inner surface 62b of sheet 62 as long as sheet 62 prevents ripples of the fabric in the compacting area. This prevention device will be described.

An anti-undulation device consisting of a box-shaped beam 67, a holding member 68 and an inflatable bladder 69 is provided in the ground-filling area. The box beam 67 and bladder 69 extend longitudinally across the entire width of the fabric to be stuffed. The ends (not shown) of the beam 67 can be secured to adjacent frame members (not shown), and the retainer 68 can be slid along the beam 67 and positioned to hold the bladder 69 in place. (See Figure 4). Accordingly, air or other suitable fluid (which can be heated to generate steam from the damp fabric as it passes through the compaction area) is admitted into the bladder 69 through the fluid connection 70. , and the pressure of the fluid inside the bladder 69 inflates the bladder, causing the surface 67 of the beam 67 to
a and the belt 50, the sheet 62 is attached to the belt 5
Press it to 0. The pressure exerted by the bladder 69 on the sheet 62 must be sufficient to prevent fabric ripple in the compaction area. This pressure can be applied accurately under various conditions, such as compaction speed, fabric thickness, etc., so that uniform compaction can be achieved to the required extent. The belt 50 is supported by the frame 54 and rollers 56 to 58.
Since the belt 50 provides low friction and firm support against the pressure exerted by the air bladder 69, the belt 50 does not bend due to the pressure applied by the air bladder 69. In the illustrated embodiment, roller 53 is quite small, so the curvature of the belt around roller 53 is more significant than if the roller were of a larger diameter. Larger curvatures result in greater compaction in the compaction area and it is therefore very important to hold the flexible sheet 62 firmly and reliably against the fabric as it passes through the compaction area. . The bladder 69 is itself flexible and can conform to the surface of the sheet 62 over the width of the fabric, which varies somewhat depending on the properties of the fabric and the amount of compaction that occurs in the compaction area.

2, again described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, shows the fabric having been packed in the apparatus of FIGS.
Although it is possible to rely on soil filling means, roller 5
The curvature of the belt 50 about 3 is so large that high rates of compaction can be achieved in a single stage of compaction using the embodiment and apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4.

It is to be understood that the above description has been made of specific embodiments of the present invention and is therefore representative only.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a two-stage filling device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a two-stage filling device according to another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 shows yet another embodiment of a single-stage filling section according to the present invention. FIG. 4 shows a pressurizing device for the single-stage filling section of FIG. 3.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A fabric stuffing device 10 for stuffing fabric 12 in the vertical direction, comprising: a heating drying drum 31;
A device for rotating the drum 31, a continuous flexible blanket 32 surrounding most of the circumference of the drum, and a fabric 12 for drying the fabric while it is carried around the drum 31. A fabric stuffing device comprising an introduction device 34, 32' for introducing the material between the drum 31 and the blanket 32, and a supply device 14 for feeding the stuffed fabric to the introduction device 34, 32'. , the feeding device 14 comprises a flexible belt 16 and guide drives 17, 18, 19, 20 for guiding and driving this belt in a curved closed loop path, said guide drives 17, 18, 19 , 20 have a belt-support roll arrangement 18, 19, and the belt 16 has a belt-support roll arrangement 18, 19.
Part 30 of the belt when passing around 19
, the belt 16 has a friction surface on the outwardly facing side of the loop adapted to engage the surface of the fabric 12 , and the belt-support roll devices 18 , 19 are connected to the belt 16 . forming a belt with cooperating spaced apart curved portions 30 and relatively straight portions 16'therebetween;
Furthermore, the feeding device 14 includes a flexible sheet 22 having a low-friction surface, and a device 21 for anchoring one end of the flexible sheet 22 to a location adjacent to one of the curved portions 30 of the belt 16; Said belt 1
Straight section 1 of the belt along the direction of movement 6
6' over a distance from said sheet 22
a pressing device 23 for pressing the belt 16
and thereby forming a compaction area between said belt 16 and said sheet 22, further comprising a device 24, 25, 26, 27 for varying the amount of pressure applied by said pressure device. and the fabric 1
2. A fabric stuffing device for vertically stuffing fabric, comprising an introduction device 13 for introducing the fabric into the stuffing area for stuffing fabric. 2. A fabric stuffing device according to claim 1, wherein said pressure device is a flat, relatively inflexible member. 3. A flexible bladder 69 that can be expanded by the pressurizing device.
A fabric stuffing device according to claim 1. 4. Fabric stuffing device according to claim 1, wherein said pressurizing device is heated 29 to generate steam in the stuffing area. 5. The introducing device 34, 32' consists of a curved portion 32' of the blanket 32 and a second flexible sheet 37 with a low friction surface, and the free end 37' of the second sheet 37 is inserted into the blanket. 32 and the drum 31 and the fabric 12
between the second flexible sheet 37 and the blanket, and the blanket 32
2. A fabric stuffing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second sheet 37 forms a nip for stuffing said fabric 12 after it has passed around the curved portion 32' of said blanket 32. 6 The second sheet 37 described above consists of two parts, one of which is used to transport the fabric 12 to the drying drum 31.
6. A device according to claim 5, anchored adjacent to the device 34, 32' for introduction into the device. 7 The above flexible sheet 22 and second sheet 3
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, in which the sheets 22, 37 are spaced apart by a short distance between which the fabric passes without being supported by either sheet 22, 37.