U.S. patent number 3,808,846 [Application Number 05/097,012] was granted by the patent office on 1974-05-07 for apparatus for the continuous treatment of natural and synthetic fibers with a solvent.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Vepa AG. Invention is credited to Heinz Fleissner.
United States Patent |
3,808,846 |
Fleissner |
May 7, 1974 |
APPARATUS FOR THE CONTINUOUS TREATMENT OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC
FIBERS WITH A SOLVENT
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to an apparatus for the
treatment of textile materials which comprises a wet-treatment
device containing in its first portion a trough-shaped tank which
contains a solvent, inlet means for introducing the materials to be
treated to the wet-treatment device and into the solvent in a
folded state, a sieve drum means subjected to a suction draft
rotatably disposed in the second portion of the wet-treatment
device, roller means for conveying the material being treated from
the trough-shaped tank to the sieve drum means, press means
disposed behind the sieve drum means for at least partially
removing the solvent from the material being treated, dryer means
disposed behind the press means, said dryer means comprising at
least one sieve drum means subjected to a suction draft rotatably
disposed in a treatment chamber, exhaust means provided at the
outlet side of the treatment chamber, said recycle means also
communicating with the solvent recovery device for recycling the
substantially solvent free treatment medium back to the treatment
chamber and outlet means for removing the material being treated
from the dryer means.
Inventors: |
Fleissner; Heinz (Egelsbach bei
Frankfurt, DT) |
Assignee: |
Vepa AG (Basel Schweiz,
DT)
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Family
ID: |
26792312 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/097,012 |
Filed: |
December 10, 1970 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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835529 |
Jun 23, 1969 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
68/19.1;
68/903 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06B
9/02 (20130101); Y10S 68/903 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
D06B
9/02 (20060101); D06B 9/00 (20060101); B05c
003/138 () |
Field of
Search: |
;68/DIG.5,5D,5E,9,18C,19.1,158 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Hornsby; Harvey C.
Assistant Examiner: Coe; Philip R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Craig and Antonelli
Parent Case Text
This is a division of application Ser. No. 835,529, filed June 23,
1969, and now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for the treatment of textile materials which
comprises, in combination, a washing plant comprising at least one
sieve drum washing bath enclosed in a gastight housing, said
housing being provided with substantially vertical inlet and outlet
ducts in the inlet and discharge side of the housing, an
intermediate ceiling disposed in said housing, said ceiling being
inclined towards the discharge end of the housing, a sieve drum
dryer disposed behind said washing plant, said dryer being divided
by partition means into a drying zone and a fixing zone, each of
said zones containing at least one sieve drum means subjected to a
suction draft, a cooling device disposed behind the sieve drum
dryer and a means for recovering the material being treated from
the apparatus.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein another sieve drum dryer
containing at least one sieve drum means subjected to a suction
draft is arranged in front of said washing plant.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein creel means are provided for
introducing the material to be treated to the other sieve drum
dryer.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein a pair of tension rolls are
provided for conveying the material from the other dryer to an
inlet of the washing plant.
5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein cooling means are operatively
associated with the washing plant for cooling the material entering
said washing plant.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein cooling means are disposed in a
zone defined by the intermediate ceiling and the ceiling of the
washing plant.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a collecting drain is provided
near an outlet of the washing plant in the vicinity of the
intermediate ceiling so that vapor condensing in said zone defined
by the intermediate ceiling and the ceiling of the washing plant is
collected in said collecting drain.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said washing plant includes a
plurality of sieve drum washing baths arranged in series, and means
are provided for recycling the condensate from the collecting drain
to the last bath of the series in the washing plant.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of sieve drum
means are arranged in series within said washing plant and a pair
of squeeze rollers are disposed behind each sieve drum means
disposed in the washing plant.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein dancer rolls are disposed in
front of each of said pair of squeeze rolls.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the drying zone has an inlet
disposed above the sieve drum means in said drying zone so that the
material being treated is introduced in free fall to said sieve
drum means in said drying zone.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein a first conveyor belt conveys
the material being treated from the washing plant to the inlet of
the drying zone and a second conveyor belt conveys the material
being treated from the drying zone.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the fixing zone has an inlet
disposed above the sieve drum means in said fixing zone so that the
material being treated is introduced in free fall to said sieve
drum means in said fixing zone.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein a third conveyor belt conveys
the material being treated to the inlet of the fixing zone and a
fourth conveyor belt conveys the material being treated from the
fixing zone.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein an impregnating means
containing a treatment liquor is disposed in the dryer between the
drying zone and the fixing zone.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein roller means are provided for
conveying the material being treated to, through and from the
impregnating means.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein a pair of squeeze rolls are
disposed behind the impregnating means.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein a predrying duct containing
heating means is provided immediately after and above the
impregnating means, the material being treated being conveyed
through said duct.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the drying zone and fixing
zone are each provided with exhaust ducts, said exhaust ducts
communicating with cooling means.
20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein means are provided for
conveying the condensate from the cooling means to a purifying
plant and for recycling the purified solvent from said purifying
plant to the washing plant.
21. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cooling device is a sieve
drum means subjected to a suction draft.
22. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein swing arm depositing means is
operatively associated with the cooling device for receiving the
material therefrom, said swing arm also depositing the material in
a folded stack.
23. An apparatus for the treatment of textile materials which
comprises, in combination, a washing plant comprising at least one
sieve drum washing bath enclosed in a gastight housing, said
housing being provided with substantially vertical inlet and outlet
ducts in the inlet and discharge side of the housing, an
intermediate ceiling disposed in said housing, said ceiling being
inclined towards the discharge end of the housing, a sieve drum
dryer disposed behind said washing plant, containing at least one
sieve drum means subjected to a suction draft for drying the
textile material, and a means for introducing the textile into and
recovering the material from the apparatus.
24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said sieve drum dryer is
divided into a drying zone and a fixing zone, each of said zones
having at least one sieve drum means.
25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein said gastight housing is
provided with gas exhaust means, said gas exhaust means being
connected to a solvent recovery plant whereby a solvent used in
said washing plant may be recovered by said solvent recovery plant.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for the continuous
treatment of natural and synthetic fibers with a solvent, such as
for example, chlorinated hydrocarbon compounds, wherein the
solvents are recovered and once again employed in the treatment
process. In this connection, the material can be coated, printed,
or padded with preparations containing a solvent, as well as
dyestuffs which can be fixed under the influence of heat and/or
agents required for high-finishing, for example, synthetic resins,
optical brighteners, bleaching agents or binders. Optionally,
thickeners and additional auxiliary agents can be contained in the
preparations. In the present process, the solvents are removed from
the textile material preferably by means of a gas, such as air
and/or steam, heated to a temperature above the evaporating
temperature of the solvent. In this connection, it is advantageous
to have the heated gas flow through the textile material.
Cleaning plants which work discontinuously are conventional,
operating with chlorinated hydrocarbons. In these plants, the
clothes are introduced into a drum which is thereafter immersed
into a solvent. After the cleaning process, the solvent is removed
by pumping and conducted into a recovery plant. The clothes are
then dried within the drum. Also the solvent vapors are conducted
into the recovery plant.
In the recovery plant, the dirt and oil particles are removed from
the solvent and if water is present, this is also separated. The
thus purified solvent can once again be utilized for the cleaning
of clothes and similar textile articles.
Furthermore, a continuously operating cleaning plant has been
suggested, said plant using solvents as a cleaning agent. This
continuously operating unit consists of a cleaning plant and a
drying and recovery plant. In the cleaning plant, the webb of
material is conducted over two rows of rolls, the lower row of
rolls being disposed in the solvent bath. Squeeze rolls can be
associated with the upper row of rolls in order to achieve an
improved cleaning effect. At the end of the cleaning bath, a press
(wringer) is provided. The thus-pressed web of material is then
conveyed to a dryer where the material is once again guided over
rolls and is subjected to drying air emanating from nozzles. The
material is subjected to high longitudinal tension and stress in
the cleaning bath as well as in the dryer.
It has also been suggested to conduct dyeing and high-finishing
processes with the aid of solvents. However, such treatments cause
difficulties, particularly since special products suitable as
solvents must be further developed and also because the fixing
process must be adapted to the solvent.
The advantage of treatment with solvents resides especially in a
substantially more economical mode of operation. The customary
solvents evaporate more readily and rapidly, at a much lower
temperature, then water. For example, the boiling point of
trichlorotrifluorethane (1,1,2-trichloro-1,2,2-trifluoroethane) is
47.6.degree.C. Also, the amount of heat required for the drying
step is substantially smaller. Furthermore, by using solvents, the
problems and expenses involved in waste water disposal, which are
becoming increasingly larger, are substantially eliminated.
During a continuous treatment of textile fibers with solvents, a
larger or smaller proportion of water is entrained into the solvent
liquor, depending on the fibers being treated in the particular
case and on the ambient atmospheric humidity. Accordingly, during
the solvent washing step, the water mixes with the solvent which
results in a constant enrichment with water. Consequently, the
solvents employed must be conducted through a water separator
(water trap) at certain intervals in order to remove the water.
However, a more troublesome aspect is that the treatment effect
likewise differs, due to the differing proportions of water in the
solvent.
For the continuous treatment of the material with liquids, i.e.,
with solvents and also with other fluids, several treatment baths
are generally provided, through which the material passes
successively. Between the treatment baths, presses or suction
devices are disposed for squeezing the material or for the partial
withdrawal of moisture from the material. By pressing and also by
the use of suction, the material is placed under high stresses.
Thus sensitive goods, such as structured knitted goods, for
example, can sustain damage during such dewatering processes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to avoid the prior art
disadvantages in the solvent treatment of textile materials.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved
apparatus for the continuous treatment of material and synthetic
fibers with a solvent wherein the solvent is recovered and once
again employed in the treatment process.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved
apparatus for the solvent treatment of textile materials wherein
the treatment effect is very uniform and the efficiency of the
apparatus is substantially improved.
Other objects and further scope of applicability of the present
invention will become apparent from the detailed description given
hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detailed
description and specific examples, while indicating preferred
embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration
only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and
scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the
art from this detailed description.
Pursuant to the present invention it has been found that the
above-mentioned disadvantages may be eliminated and a much improved
process for solvent treating textile materials may be obtained by
removing the solvent with a gas, e.g., air and/or steam, heated to
a temperature above the evaporating temperature of the respective
solvent, said gas being drawn through the fibers of said textile
material. By subjecting the fibrous material to a throughflow in
this manner, the solvents are evaporated substantially more rapidly
and intensely. At the same time, it is possible to enrich the gas
to a greater extent with evaporated solvent.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, it is suggested,
in connection with an apparatus of the type described above, to
conduct the fixing of the dyestuffs, the high-finishing agents, the
binder, the optical brightener, and the like, after the removal of
the solvent from the textile material, at substantially higher
temperatures than the evaporating temperature of the solvent. Said
fixing can advantageously be conducted in an air and/or steam
atmosphere. In this connection, the fixing treatment can be carried
out essentially at the same temperatures as in the previous
corresponding hot-air or hot-steam fixing processes.
A treatment which is even substantially more intense is obtained by
providing that the fibers, at least during a portion of the wet
treatment, have solvent liquor flowing therethrough, during which
procedure the fibers are preferably guided on at least one sieve
drum subjected to a suction draft. The aforementioned process
cannot only be employed in general for the cleaning of textile
articles, but also for fixing dyeing, optical brightening, and
bleaching, as well as for the application of synthetic resins,
i.e., high-finishing processes in general.
In order to eliminate the negative results obtained from the
moisture entrained in the solvent bath, it is suggested to dry the
material to be treated, immediately before the solvent treatment,
to a constant moisture value, e.g., to a final moisture content of
about 1 percent, or to dry the material entirely. A satisfactory,
uniform drying or complete drying of the material is obtained by
conducting a drying medium through the material. It is particularly
advantageous to conduct the drying step in a sieve drum dryer which
is subjected to a suction draft.
It has been surprisingly found that by employing the apparatus of
the present invention, it is possible in an advantageous manner to
dry and fix in one single process prior to the solvent treatment,
textile fibers, particularly synthetic fibers, or woven or knitted
materials of synthetic fibers. Thus it is possible to permanently
apply, simultaneously with the drying step, a mechanically produced
structure by the use of hot air and/or steam.
In general, such a fixing treatment prior to a wet treatment is
disadvantageous, since during the fixing process any auxiliary
agents or foreign substances which may be present also dry onto the
fibers and firmly adhere thereto. However, it was found that even
firmly adhering and even baked-in auxiliary agents or foreign
substances are removed by the subsequent treatment with
solvents.
In a further feature of the present invention, it is suggested to
expose the textile material, during the drying step and the removal
of the solvent as well as during at least part of the fixing
process, to a suction draft, i.e., to hold and fix the textile
material on a conveying means for example, a sieve means which is
subjected to a suction draft. Because of the suction draft, the
textile material is subjected to an intense throughflow of the
heat-carrying medium, i.e., the gas or the steam, and the solvent
evaporated during this process is simultaneously removed. However,
for the drying process and the evaporation of the solvent, it is
also possible to provide infrared irradiation, high frequency,
contact heat, or other conventional heat transfer procedures. In
many cases, especially in connection with the dyeing step, it is
advantageous to conduct the web-shaped textile material without any
contact, at least at the beginning of the drying process. It is
also possible to apply hot air, gas or steam through nozzles to the
material, or such a treatment can be additionally employed, for
example, in conjunction with infrared irradiation.
According to the present invention, it is furthermore suggested, to
remove moisture from the material in between two liquid treatments
by conducting a drying step in place of a squeezing or suction
removal step. This is readily possible without any great
expenditure in case of solvents, in particular, since the solvents
evaporate very rapidly, i.e., the material moistened by the
solvents dries veryquickly. An especially gentle treatment is
achieved by conducting or drawing a gaseous or vaporous treatment
medium through the material disposed on the sieve drum, for
purposes of drying the material. The sieve drum, provided for the
partial intermediate drying of the material can be associated
additionally with a nozzle drying device or an infrared irradiating
device in order to dry the material more rapidly.
It is particularly economical to wash the material with solvents,
then to dry the material in a continuous process in a
solvent-containing atmosphere, and thereafter to finish the
material by means of solvents, e.g., to dye, print and/or apply
synthetic resins to the material. By drying the material with a
solvent-containing atmosphere, the drying takes place more
uniformly, and the danger of a migration of the preparations, for
example dyestuffs or synthetic resins, during the drying step is
prevented.
It has also been found to be especially advantageous to dry the
material without any contact, after the application of the dye bath
or the bath containing the synthetic resins and the like or to
pre-dry the material to a moisture of below about 25-30 percent,
and to thereafter fix the thus-applied dyestuffs, synthetic resins
and the like onto or into the fiber. This is preferably done by the
use of at least one sieve means subjected to a suction draft, for
example a sieve drum. A sieve drum exhibits the advantage that, on
the one hand, the material is held and guided without tension by
the suction draft and, on the other hand, the treatment takes place
very uniformly and intensely, since every fiber is surrounded by
the flow of the treatment medium. During the predrying step, it has
been proven to be advantageous to conduct the material vertically,
and to dry the same by means of irradiation, nozzle drying devices
and/or high frequency electrical energy. When the material is
conducted and dried in this manner, no dyestuff migration leading
to two-sidedness occurs. In the case of knitted goods which tend to
shrink in width when guided freely over a certain distance, it is
advantageous to guide the material, at least during the predrying
or drying step, in tentering chains, preferably in a vertical
orientation. By guiding the material in tentering chains, it is not
only possible to entirely avoid a shrinkage in width, but the
material can even be stretched in its width by this procedure.
Since many materials, especially textured knitted goods, should
substantially finish their shrinking to as large an extent as
possible during the wet treatment, it is suggested to conduct these
materials in a buckled (dammed-up) condition over the permeable
rolls and the sieve drums subjected to a suction draft. It is
especially advantageous to alter the buckling during the treatment
process. Thus, the buckling can be conducted in stages during the
transfer from a permeable roll to a drying drum, and then again
during the transfer from the sieve drum to a subsequent roll
immersed in the treatment bath. However, it is also possible to
pass the material in a buckled manner only on the rolls immersed in
the treatment bath or, conversely, to conduct the material in a
smooth condition on these rolls and to convey the material in the
buckled condition only on the drying drums.
According to the present invention, the thermosol dyeing process
can be adapted to solvent treatment by dispersing the dispersion
dyed in the solvent and applying the dyes uniformly to the textile
material with the aid of the solvent. After the drying step and the
removal of the solvent, the fixing (thermosoling) can then be
carried out under the thermosol conditions of temperatures
customary for the respective dye-stuffs.
In accordance with the present invention, it has furthermore been
discovered that solvents can also be employed for the reinforcement
of non-woven materials, stitched felts, and similar products, by
dispersing or dissolving a binder in the solvent. By the use of
solvents, here again a substantial increase in efficiency and a
more economical mode of operation can be obtained.
In order to be able to subject to the solvent treatment materials
which tend to roll up, such as, for example, knitted goods, as well
as tension-sensitive goods, such for example, very thick carpets,
particularly tufted and stitched felt carpets, non-reinforced
non-woven materials, combed yarn and loose fibrous material, it is
suggested to guide these materials during the treatment process on
conveying elements which are subjected to a suction draft,
particularly sieve drums subjected to a suction draft, and to do
this during the impregating step as well as during the drying and
fixing steps.
In order to conduct the above-mentioned processes, an apparatus is
suggested wherein a dryer containing sieve drums is provided with a
gastight housing, said dryer being provided with an air exhaust
which is in communication with a solvent recovery plant. In this
connection, after the recovery of the solvent, it is advantageous
to recycle the gas, e.g. the air, employed for the removal of the
solvent from the fibers back into the dryer for the purpose of
removing further solvent. Due to this feature, it is unnecessary to
remove the solvent completely from the gas, for example the air.
This is practically impossible anyway. The solvent losses can
thereby be substantially reduced. It is furthermore suggested for
the treatment of fibrous material to dispose at least one sieve
drum bath containing at least one sieve drum within a gastight
housing, or to provide such sieve drum bath with a gastight
housing, and to connect said housing with a solvent purification
and recovery plant. In this connection, the treatment medium flows
through the sieve drums by means of a suction draft or by means of
a difference in levels between the liquid disposed outside of the
sieve drum and the liquid present inside of the sieve drum. It is
likewise possible to subject the sieve drum to an excess pressure
(superatmospheric pressure) and to force the solvent through the
sieve drum and through the material disposed about the sieve
drum.
In order to achieve higher production, it is advantageous to
provide several sieve drum baths in series, and to associate at
least one residence bath with the sieve drum baths. In this
connection, the residence bath is connected with the sieve drum
bath or the sieve drum baths in a gastight manner, o is arranged in
a common gastight housing.
In order to be able to remove moisture from materials, particularly
tension-sensitive materials, between two solvent treatment stages,
it is suggested to connect a permeable suction roll directly behind
the roll immersed in the solvent bath. By means of such a suction
roll, all tensile stresses which otherwise occur in the material,
are substantially avoided.
In this connection, it is suggested to expose the suction roll to a
throttled suction draft in the entire zone covered by the material
and to a full suction draft at least a narrow zone. However, the
zone which is free of material is completely shielded from the
suction draft by a cover member. Such a staggering of the suction
zones has the advantage that the material is taken over
automatically by the suction roll and is guided to a subsequent
conveying element, if such an element is appropriately associated
with said suction roll. Thus the adherence of the material to the
suction roll is thereby improved, and accordingly a completely
tension-free conductance is ensured. Furthermore, the liquid
entrained by the material from the bath can be removed in part by
the throttled suction zone so that, at the suction slot proper, a
more uniform and satisfactory dewatering can take place.
This subdivision into different zones can be attained in an
effective manner by a stationary tube disposed in the suction roll,
said tube being provided with webs for the purpose of sealing the
individual suction zones from one another. At the webs, elastic
sealing strips can be attached, or said webs can be provided with a
labyrinth packing (seal) in order to avoid any large frictional
forces. In the throttled partial zones of the tube, several bores
are provided. The number of free bores is dependent on the desired
vacuum pressure on the suction roll in these zones. The stationary
tube furthermore exhibits a suction slot, or several suction slots,
at those points where the full suction effect is to occur. In the
zone wherein the suction roll is not covered by the material, the
innter stationary concentric tube likewise exhibits no openings.
The inner stationery tube is in communication with a suction
device. In place of a tube, it is also possible to employ several
cover parts, tube parts or baffle plates which, in this case, are
suitably connected with each other at the sealing webs. In this
embodiment sealing strips can be provided between the cover
plates.
It is also possible to expose the suction rolls to a slight suction
draft over the entire region covered by the material, and to form
the dewatering zone or zones proper by providing at these points a
blowing device such as a blowpipe outside of the suction roll. With
the aid of this blowpipe, air is pressed through the textile
material at a high velocity for dewatering purposes. This blowing
device can also be additionally provided on a suction roll which is
provided with at least one narrow zone subjected to the full
suction draft.
In a multiple-bath unit, it is suggested to dispose the suction
roll at the transfer point between two baths. In this connection,
it is advantageous to associate the suction roll directly with two
adjacent rolls in the treatment liquor, that is, in case of a
multiple-bath unit, preferably with the rolls of two adjacent
baths.
The lower portion of the suction roll can also be immersed in the
bath liquid. The transverse partition between the two baths can be
sealed to the roll by means of an elastic sealing strip.
It has proved to be advantageous to design the jacket of the
suction rolls with as large a free area as possible. The free area,
in this connection, should be larger than 50 percent, preferably
larger than 80 percent. Such large free areas are obtained, for
example, by manufacturing the jacket of so-called "expanded metal"
(metal mesh). Such an expanded metal consists of narrow webs with
large cavities or hollow spaces in between. In connection with very
pressure-sensitive materials, it is advantageous to stretch a
fine-mesh screen fabric over the jacket of the suction roll.
The diameter of the suction roll proper is not to be too small.
This suction roll is to exhibit at least approximately the same
diameter as the rolls in the treatment bath.
In accordingly with another feature of the present invention, it is
suggested, for the purpose of removing moisture from the material
between and after the solvent treatment steps, to combine a washing
plant with a dryer, particularly with a sieve drum dryer, in such a
manner that the washing plant is provided with a housing forming a
gas-tight structural unit with the dryer. When employing a
multiple-bath washing plant, it is recommended to insert a suction
drum after each bath.
In many cases however, it is more advantageous to dispose a sieve
drum dryer above the bath containers and to provide the inlet and
outlet opening or openings in the bottom of the sieve drum dryer
housing.
In order to be able to execute the finishing process in a
continuous procedure with the washing and drying steps, it is
suggested to dispose, after the dryer, a printing unit and/or an
impregnating device, as well as a drying and/or fixing device. Here
again, the housings of these devices can form a gastight structural
unit with the dryer.
If desired, the dryer housing can be subdivided by partitions into
individual compartments, especially in the case where the process
is to be conducted with differing treatment temperatures or drying
temperatures. A suitable drying medium can be air, superheated
steam, or a steam-air mixture, or, if required, it is also possible
to employ protective gases or a vapor, for example, solvent vapors,
as the drying medium.
In place of a dryer, a sieve drum steamer can also be provided.
This, then, exhibits the advantage that it is possible to conduct,
in addition to the above-mentioned drying process, also steam
treatments with saturated steam or superheated steam between the
individual bath treatments. Such a device can accordingly be used
with a substantially greater versatility.
Particularly in the case of a steamer arrangement and solvent
treatments, it is advantageous to dispose the treatment baths and
the sieve drums in a common housing. In such a disposal of the
treatment baths and the sieve drums in a common housing, it is
furthermore suggested to dispose the sieve drums directly adjoining
the throughflow rolls associated with the baths, so that the
material can be transferred from the throughflow rolls directly to
the sieve drums, and vice versa. In such an arrangements, it is
also possible to pass the material in a radically extending
(pleated) manner over all of the drums. Also, the construction of
this device is not complicated since no additional guide elements,
such as rolls or belts, are required.
A satisfactory seal of the above-mentioned device is obtained by
disposing the inlet and outlet openings for the web-shaped material
in the ceiling of the housing or in the proximity of the ceiling of
the housing. Since the solvents employed in this connection are
substantially heavier than air, the difference in the specific
gravities provides a thorough separation and sealing effect in this
arrangement. It is further suggested to construct the inlet and
outlet openings of the treatment chambers, particularly the washing
plant, as a duct and to provide said duct with a cooling unit. The
solvent entering the well thus condenses on the cooled walls of the
well and runs down along said walls. At the bottom, collecting
channels can be provided by means of which the condensed solvent is
returned into the bath. Furthermore, it has proven to be
advantageous to provide an intermediate ceiling in the housing of
the washing plant, said ceiling being provided with a cooling unit.
For example, the intermediate ceiling can be equipped with cooling
pipes. A large portion of the solvent evaporated from the washing
plant condenses on this intermediate ceiling, and at the same time,
the sealing effect of the upper portion of the housing is thereby
improved as well. Furthermore a constant cooling of the solvent
atmosphere in the washing plant is attained. Above the intermediate
ceiling, a slight suction can be maintained so that the interior of
the housing in the washing plant is under a slight vacuum pressure.
Thus any efflux of the solvent at the inlet and outlet of the
apparatus is avoided.
In order to remove the thus-formed condensate on the intermediate
ceiling, said ceiling is disposed in an inclined manner, and a
condensate collecting drain is provided on its lowermost side.
It has also proven to be advantageous to construct the inlet and
outlet openings of the dryer and/or the fixing unit, above a sieve
drum which is subjected to a suction draft, so that the material
can be introduced to the sieve drum by free fall and can again be
withdrawn therefrom in a vertical direction.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, it
is suggested to also employ the conventional washing, impregnating,
and drying devices suitable for a water treatment and to dispose
these devices in a compartment or chamber which is sealed in a
gastight manner. The individual devices, as well as the chambers,
are then connected with the recovery plant. The chamber can be made
accessible by way of doors which prevent an efflux of the
solvent.
Another arrangement of the apparatus according to the present
invention comprises an impregnating device, a printing device
and/or a coating device enclosed in an airtight fashion and a dryer
provided with a gastight housing, as well as a solvent recovery
plant and a fixing device which is combined with the dryer and
which makes it possible to heat the textile material, in a
shock-like manner, to a fixing temperature of, for example, about
170.degree.-250.degree.C.
In this connection, the dryer and the fixing device can be
accommodated in a common housing which is subdivided into at least
two treatment chambers, wherein at least the first treatment
chamber is in communication with a solvent recovery plant.
However, it is also possible, and advantageous in many cases, to
dipose the dryer and the fixing plant separately from each other,
thereby making it also possible to operate the fixing plant by
itself. Thus between the dryer and the fixing plant there should be
provided room for at least a mandrel or a cart on which the textile
material is disposed in folds.
In many cases, it is advantageous, especially for dyeing processes,
to construct the dryer as a duct through which the textile material
is conducted without any contact. In this connection, the drying
duct can be an infrared and/or nozzle dryer, as well as a
high-frequency dryer.
The impregnating device, the printing device, or coating device
should be enclosed so that it is gastight, and furthermore should
be connected with the dryer in a gastight manner. Ultimately, these
devices can be accommodated in the dryer housing.
When providing devices having at least one sieve drum subjected to
a suction draft for drying and/or fixing purposes, a simple
recovery of the evaporated solvent is made possible by placing
these devices in communication with a cooler wherein a large part
of the solvent contained in the treatment gas can be separated by
condensation. The gas which still contains a minor portion of
solvent, is then recycled to the treatment plant. Accordingly, a
complicated and expansive absorber for the removal of the solvent
is unnecessary in this device.
Very low solvent losses are produced when disposing a cooling unit
after the final dryer or fixing unit, containing at least one
cooling drum subjected to a suction draft, and also when providing
that the blower of this cooling drum is in communication with an
absorber, so that the cooling air drawn in by the cooling drum can
be conducted into the absorber where it is freed from the residual
solvent. The thus-recovered solvent is recycled to the treatment
plant.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the
detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying
drawings which are given by way of illustration only and thus are
not limitative of the present invention and wherein,
FIG. 1 shows a device for the treatment of woven and knitted goods
with solvents;
FIG. 2 shows a device for the treatment of loose fibrous material
with solvents;
FIG. 3 shows a drying and fixing device;
FIG. 4 shows a washing device with a suction units in a
longitudinal sectional view;
FIG. 5 is a cross section of the apparatus of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of the washing and suction device
in a longitudinal sectional view;
FIG. 7 shows a washing and drying device in a longitudinal
sectional view; and
FIGS. 8-10 show other embodiments of the washing and drying
device.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the apparatus of FIG. 1, the textile material 1 to be treated is
introduced into a wet treatment device 5, sealed in a gastight
fashion by means of a driven pair of rolls 4. The wet treatment
devices comprises, in the first portion, a trough-shaped tank 7
which is partially filled with a solvent. The web-shaped textile
material is introduced into the solvent bath, in a pleated or
folded condition and remains there for a certain period of time.
Thereafter, the textile material 1 is fed by way of rolls 12, which
can optionally be constructed as spreader rolls, to a sieve drum 9
which is subjected to a suction draft. While on the sieve drum, the
textile material 1 is subjected to an intense throughflow of the
solvent. The solvent, which is drawn from the sieve drum 9, is
preferably pumped back into the trough-shaped tank 7 beneath the
textile material. The conveyance of the textile material in the
solvent bath is likewise effected on the sieve drum. Thereafter,
the textile material 1 is squeezed by passing it through a press
13, where it is substantially freed of solvents. Underneath the
press rolls 13, a collecting container 14 is disposed wherein the
pressed-out liquid is collected and pumped to a recovery plant. It
has been generally found that the solvent liquor removed from the
material by the presses is highly contaminated. However, it is
possible to pump part of the solvent liquor drawn from the sieve
drum 9 to the solvent recovery plant. The thus-purified solvent can
then be recycled to the wet treatment device 5.
By way of conveyor belt 15, the textile material 1 passes into the
dryer 19. At the inlet to the dryer, a pair of rolls 27 is
associated with the conveyor belt 15. The construction of the dryer
19 essentially corresponds to the conventional sieve drum dryers.
In the dryer 19, sieve drums 25 subjected to a suction draft are
disposed. Also, screen covers 22 are arranged above and below the
sieve drums. A fan is provided at at least one front end of each
drum, said fan generating a vacuum pressure in the sieve drum 25
thereby effecting a throughflow of the treatment medium through the
textile material. The treatment medium exhausted by the fan (not
shown) is blown back into the treatment chamber via heating
elements and through screen covers to the sieve drums 25. The
screen covers 22 distribute the treatment medium uniformly over the
surface of the sieve drums. The treatment medium can be air steam,
air-steam mixture or other gases. On the side of the sieve drum
free of material being treated, a cover member is associated with
the inside surface of the sieve drums, said cover member preventing
any of the treatment medium from being drawn into the sieve drum at
this point. The cover member 26 of the individual sieve drums can
be disposes in an offset or staggered manner with respect to each
other, so that an automatic transfer of the material is effected
from one sieve drum to the next sieve drum. At the outlet of the
dryer, a chute or slide 28 and a roll 29 are provided.
The solvent-enriched air can be partially removed, for example, at
the inlet or front end of the dryer 19, by an air exhaust means 31
and passed to the recovery plant (not shown). The air which is
substantially freed of the solvent can then be recycled from the
recovery plant through a duct 32 at the front end of the dryer
outlet into the drying chamber. The textile material 1 removed from
the drying chamber is laid down in pleats or folds or wound on a
mandrel.
In the wet treatment device 5, as well as in the housing 17
surrounding the conveyor belt 15, windows 34 are advantageously
provided in order to observe the textile material. Similarly,
windows (not shown) can also be arranged in the housing 20 of the
dryer 19.
The apparatus according to FIG. 2 has a hopper feeder (box feeder)
33 through which the loose fibrous material is passed onto a
conveyor belt 16 as a uniform fleece 2. The conveyor belt 16
extends into the gastight housing of the wet treatment device 5. At
the inlet of the housing 6, a pair of rolls 12 is associated with
the conveyor belt 16. The fleeve 2 of loose fibrous material is
then conveyed to a drum 8 essentially corresponding, with respect
to its diameter, to the sieve drum 9 disposed therebehind. The
fleece is pressed and squeezed between the drum 8 and the sieve
drum 9 and immersed into the treatment liquor. On the sieve drum 9,
the fleece is exposed to an intense throughflow of the solvent
bath. From the sieve drum 9, the fleece is then transferred
directly to a press 13. From there, the fleece passes to another
sieve drum 9 disposed in a bath with squeeze rollers connected
thereafter. Depending on the type of treatment and the capacity
desired, several such sieve drum baths can be arranged in series.
In the illustrated device three sieve drums are provided. Now, the
fleece 2 passes via a conveyor belt 15 into a dryer 19 in order to
remove any still adhering solvent which may be still adhering to
the material being treated. This dryer 19 corresponds to that of
FIG. 1 with respect to its construction. Accordingly, identical
parts bear the same reference numerals.
In the device of FIG. 2, it is not only possible to treat
continuously with a solvent, web-shaped textile materials, but also
garments, if the conveyor belt 16 is long enough, or if the hopper
feeder 33 is removed. It is also possible to treat, by means of
this apparatus, skein-like goods or parallel groups of threads.
If a longer residence time or several treatments in the solvent
bath are not required, for example in impregnating processes, then
the textile material 1 can be conducted directly into the last
sieve drum bath, as indicated by the dot-dash lines. The
trough-shaped container in FIG. 1 and the sieve drum baths in FIG.
2 can be by-passed in this way in a very effective manner.
Accordingly, the illustrated devices can likewise be employed for
the impregnation, sizing, high-finishing, or reinforcing textile
materials.
This device shown in FIG. 3 consists of a sieve-drum impregnating
wet-treatment device 5 having a gastight housing 6 which is
extended to the dryer housing 20.
The inlet of the impregnating wet-treatment device 5 is sealed by a
pair of rolls 4. A sieve drum 9 subjected to a suction draft served
for guiding the material through the impregnating liquor. A portion
of the treatment bath is removed from the web-shaped textile
material 1 by means of a press 13. The textile material 1 then
passes via a conveyor belt 15 into the dryer chamber 23 where a
sieve drum 25 subjected to a suction draft is arranged. The side of
the sieve drum 25 not covered with the material being treated is
shielded from the suction draft in a conventional manner by the use
of a stationary cover member 26. On one or both front ends of the
sieve drum 25, fans (not shown) are disposed for the production of
the suction draft and for circulating the treatment medium, for
example air.
Part of the treatment medium enriched with the solvent is conducted
via an exhaust duct 31 to a recovery plant (not shown). Exhaust
apertures 35 are provided for removing the solvent vapors by means
of a suction.
The dryer housing 20 is subdivided by a wall 21 into the drying
chamber 23 and a fixing chamber 24. In the fixing chamber 24,
substantially higher temperatures are utilized than in the drying
chamber 23. For example, the treatment medium circulated in this
fixing chamber can be heated to about 250.degree.C. or more. The
heating device in the drying chamber 23 as well as in the fixing
chamber 24 can be provided in a conventional manner above and
beneath the fans, or above and beneath the sieve drums. It is
possible to operate with steam, oil, gas or electric heating
means.
Sieve drums 25 subjected to a suction draft are also disposed in
the fixing chamber 24, the textile material being alternately
guided over these drums in a conventional manner. However, it is
also possible to convey the textile material on only one side, i.e.
only over the upper side or the lower side thereof, along the sieve
drums. Such a guidance is required for the treatment of tufted
carpets. Screen covers 22 for rendering the flow uniform are
disposed above and below the sieve drums.
At the outlet of the illustrated apparatus, another conveyor belt
30 is provided. However, in place of this conveyor belt, a pair of
rolls or a chute can be arranged at this point. An exhaust duct 31
is also provided in the fixing chamber 24, which duct, if required,
can likewise be extended to a solvent recovery plant. However, in
most cases this exhaust duct 31 vents the treatment medium to the
atmosphere.
Of course, it is also possible to provide any desired number of
sieve drums, for example a higher number than that illustrated, or
to use one or several conveyor belts subjected to a suction draft
in place of sieve drums. Also, a combination of sieve drums and
conveyor belts is possible. Furthermore, a combination of sieve
drums and a residence compartment containing two rows of rolls, for
example, as in a hot flue can be used, over which rolls the textile
material is alternately conveyed. Also, a hot flue by itself can be
employed, if the textile material can withstand the tensile force
occurring in a hot flue.
The apparatus of FIGS. 4 and 5 comprises a tank 7 subdivided by a
transverse partition 36 into two baths 37 and 38. In each bath, a
sieve roll 9 is disposed which has liquid flowing therethrough. The
material 1 to be treated is fed to the sieve roll 9 via a roll 3
associated therewith and has the liquid flowing therethrough into
said roll as a result of a difference in liquid level on the
outside and inside of the sieve roll. At the transfer point from
bath 37 to bath 38, a suction roll 10 is disposed outside of the
treatment fluid. In the illustrated embodiment, the pereable roll
10 has a full suction zone 39 and two throttled suction zones 40.
The cover member 11 has the shape of a tube and is provided with a
few bores 41 in the zones 40, as well as webs 42 which separate the
individual zone 39, 40 and 43 from one another, the latter not
being subjected to a suction draft.
The material 1 can, in this connection, be a sensitive knitted
material or a sensitive non-woven product. However, it can also
consist of groups of threads, e.g., yarns or spun cable.
As can be seen from FIG. 5, the sieve rolls 9 are open at one front
end. At this front end a liquid collecting tank 44 with an
intermediate bottom 45 is laterally disposed. A pump 47 is provided
in an opening 46 in the intermediate bottom 45. The pump motor 48
is mounted on a transom 49 outside of the treatment fluid. This
transom 49, in the present embodiment, also carried the suction
unit 50 with the motor 51 for the suction roll 10.
The device of FIG. 6 is of similar construction as the device
according to FIGS. 4 and 5. The same parts thus bear identical
reference numerals. In this device, the sieve rolls 9 are suction
rolls and are completely immersed in the treatment liquor. In each
sieve roll 9, a pump 52 is arranged at a front end thereof, said
pump producing the suction draft. The suction rolls 10 are
partially immersed in the fluid and separate the individual baths
from one another in cooperation with the transverse walls 36. Such
baths are also suitable for solvent treatment. For this purpose,
cover hoods (not shown) are provided.
In the device of FIG. 7, a web-shaped textile material 1 is drawn
off from a stack 53 by way of a material inlet creel 3 and is
conveyed via web guides 54 into a sieve drum-dryer 19. The latter
contains a sieve drum 25 subjected to a suction draft, said drum
being shielded from the suction draft on the side free of material
by means of a cover member 26. Here, the textile material 1 is
either completely dried, or dried to a constant moisture content of
between about 1-2 percent. The dry textile material passes via a
pair of tension rolls 4 and a vertical inlet duct 18 into the
washing plant 5. The washing plant has a gastight housing 6
surrounding three sieve drum washing baths 24. Each sieve drum
washing bath 24 is provided with a sieve drum 9 which has the
treatment liquid flowing therethrough. After each bath 24, a pair
of squeeze rollers (a press) 13 is provided. By way of a dancer
roll 55, the press velocity is controlled so that even is case of a
shrinking material a material feed which is low in tension is
ensured. The outlet of the washing plant 5 is again constructed as
a duct 18. Cooling coils 56 are also disposed above an intermediate
floor 57 so that the solvent vapor which enters the space above the
intermediate floor 57 can be condensed at that location. The
intermediate floor 57 is arranged in an inclined fashion so that
the condensate can run into a collecting drain 58 and from there
can be recycled into the last bath. The web-shaped textile material
1, after leaving the duct 18, is passed by means of a conveyor belt
15 to the inlet duct 59 of the dryer disposed thereafter which
dryer is divided by partition walls 80 into a drying zone or unit
19 and a fixing zone or unit 63. By free fall, the material is
deposited on the sieve drum 25 subjected to a suction draft, which
is arranged therebelow. The drying air or the superheated steam, or
the steam-air mixture is drawn through the material by the suction
draft. The evaporating efficiency is correspondingly high. The
solvent-enriched air or steam passes, via an air exhaust 31, to a
cooler 60 wherein a large part of the solvent vapors are collected
as condensate. This condensate is recycled to the washing baths,
optionally by way of a purification plant. Also the exit of the
dryer is formed as a duct 59.
Subsequently, the material 1 passes, by way of a further conveyor
belt 16, to a foulord or padder 61 where it is impregnated with a
dye liquor and/or a bath containing a synthetic resin. Thereafter,
the web-shaped textile material 1 passes, without contact, through
a predrying duct 62, where it is dried to a certain moisture
content by means of nozzles, radiant heat and/or by means of high
frequency. It has proved to be advantageous to dry the material in
this predrying duct at least to a water content of about 20-30
percent.
The residual drying and the fixing of the dyestuffs, or the
condensing of the synthetic resins, take place in a subsequently
disposed sieve-drum drying and fixing unit 63 having essentially
the same construction as the sieve drum dryer unit 19. A cooling
unit 64 is inserted after the sieve drum drying and fixing unit 63,
said cooling unit containing a sieve drum 65 subjected to a suction
draft. The material guided around the sieve drum 65 is cooled with
ambient air, by drawing this air through the material into the
sieve drum. Thereafter, the drawn-in air is passed into an absorber
(not shown) where the small amounts of solvent are removed from the
air and recovered. The cooling unit 64 is associated with a swing
arm depositer 66, which again deposits the web-shaped material 1 in
the form of a folded stack 53. However, the web-shaped material 1
can also be wound up by means of a reeling-up device (not
shown).
The device of FIG. 8 contains treatment baths 5 and drying devices
19 disposed separately from one another. In the treatment baths 5,
a sieve drum 9 having liquid flowing therethrough is provided. In
the present example, the sieve drum 9 is subjected to a flow due to
a level difference, that is, the level of the liquid in the drum 9
is substantially lower than that outside of the drum. The drum 9 is
open at one front end, so that the liquid flowing through the
material 1 can exit at this front end into a collecting tank (not
shown). From there, the liquid is recycled into the bath by means
of a pump (not shown). Guide rolls 8 are associated with the drum
9. The material 1 passes to a sieve drum 25 of the drying device 19
by way of a conveyor belt 15. The drying device 19 has a
heat-insulated housing 20 containing a sieve drum 25 subjected to a
suction draft. The suction draft is produced by a fan (not shown)
arranged at the front end of the sieve drum. The fan is associated
with a heating unit. The air drawn from the sieve drum by the fan
is conducted via the heating unit back to the space 23 around the
sieve drum 25. In order to render the flow of the conveyed air
uniform, a screen cover 22 is provided. In the sieve drum 25, a
cover member 26 is disposed on that side free of material,
shielding the suction draft on this side. The material 1 thereafter
passes, via another conveyor belt 16, to a second treatment bath 5
and from there, in the same manner into a further dryer 19. Any
desired number of baths 5 and dryers 19 can be combined.
In the device of FIG. 9, the same baths 5 as in the device of FIG.
8 are provided. Several sieve drums 25 are disposed in a common
housing 20 in this device, which housing is located above the baths
5. The inner space of the dryer 19 can be subdivided into
individual treatment chambers by walls 21, as indicated by the
dashed lines. The remaining structure corresponds to the dryer of
FIG. 8. At the end of the device, a reeling-up device 67 can be
provided. However, it is also possible to employ a device laying
the material down in pleats.
In the device of FIG. 10, the baths 5 are disposed in the dryer
housing 20. In this connection, the sieve drums 25 are directly
associated with the pereable drums 9 in the baths 5. Such an
apparatus exhibits the advantage that it is also usable for solvent
and steaming treatments, and that the material 1 can be conveyed
through the device in a particularly gentle manner and without any
tensile stress.
* * * * *