U.S. patent number 3,727,325 [Application Number 04/795,993] was granted by the patent office on 1973-04-17 for process and apparatus for the treatment of textiles materials.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Farbwerke Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft normals Meister Lucius of Bruning, Vepa AG. Invention is credited to Erich Feess, Heinz Fleissner, Wilhelm Gahlert.
United States Patent |
3,727,325 |
Fleissner , et al. |
April 17, 1973 |
PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR THE TREATMENT OF TEXTILES MATERIALS
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to a process and apparatus
for the heareatment of textile materials, particularly those
materials which are only slightly or not permeable to air when in a
wet condition. More particularly, the present disclosure is
directed to a process and apparatus for producing a steam cushion
at the surface of the material being treated, said material being
conveyed on the surface of sieve drum means.
Inventors: |
Fleissner; Heinz (Egelsbach,
DT), Feess; Erich (Lorsbach, DT), Gahlert;
Wilhelm (Hofheim, DT) |
Assignee: |
Vepa AG (Basel, CH)
Farbwerke Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft normals Meister Lucius of
Bruning (Frankfurt/Main, DT)
|
Family
ID: |
5689247 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/795,993 |
Filed: |
February 3, 1969 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
|
|
|
|
|
Feb 3, 1968 [DT] |
|
|
P 17 10 509.8 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
34/115;
26/90 |
Current CPC
Class: |
D06B
19/0041 (20130101); D06B 19/007 (20130101); D06B
19/0076 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
D06B
19/00 (20060101); F26b 011/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;34/4,41,115,1
;219/405,411,349 ;26/1N |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Sprague; Kenneth W.
Claims
It is claimed:
1. An apparatus for processing lengths of wet textile material
which comprises at least one rotatable sieve drum means having a
perforated conveying surface; inlet means for introducing the wet
textile material to be treated onto at least a portion of the
perforated surface of said sieve drum means; fan means associated
with said sieve drum means for directing a gaseous treatment medium
through the perforated surface of said sieve drum means and through
the material traveling on said portion of the perforated surface;
at least one baffle means disposed in said drum means for
interrupting the passage of the gaseous treatment medium at at
least one portion of the perforated surface in contact with the
textile material and radiant heating means disposed outside of said
sieve drum means and operatively associated with at least a portion
of said baffle means for heating the textile material at the
beginning of its travel on said perforated surface to evaporate the
liquid contained in the material whereby the wet material on said
perforated surface becomes more permeable to the passage of said
gaseous treatment medium and for heating the textile material
traveling on said one portion of the perforated surface of said
sieve drum means to thereby form a layer of evaporated vapor in and
at the surface of the textile material being conveyed over said one
portion of the perforated surface where the treatment medium is
interrupted.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the heating means are infrared
radiators.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the baffle means is stationary
and is arranged within said sieve drum means to interrupt the
gaseous treatment medium over substantially the entire perforated
conveying surface of the sieve drum means.
4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said baffle means is arranged
so that only small portions of the conveying surface at the inlet
and discharge side of the sieve drum means are subjected to the
treatment medium.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein movable baffle means are
provided around the outside and extend a distance from the
perforated conveying surface of the sieve drum means, said movable
baffle means being disposed between the perforated conveying
surface of the sieve drum means and the heating means and means for
moving the baffle means in front of the heating means upon stoppage
of said sieve drum means.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the baffle means include
shutter plates so that the entire perforated conveying surface of
the sieve drum means can be subjected to the gaseous treatment
medium upon stoppage of said sieve drum means.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a blower means is associated
with the perforated surface of the sieve drum means for blowing
fresh air against the material being treated which is resting on
the conveying surface.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein tensioning means are associated
with the surface of the sieve drum means for holding the material
in a tentered condition while it is being conveyed around the sieve
drum means.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sieve drum means are
disposed in a treatment housing containing additional heating means
in the circulation path of the treatment medium.
10. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the material being treated is
introduced to and discharged from the same side of the sieve drum
means and the stationary baffle means includes a small baffle means
between said small portions of the conveying surface at the inlet
and discharge side of said sieve drum means.
11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein outlet means is provided with
a deflector roller which conveys the treated material to a plating
device.
12. An apparatus for processing lengths of textile material which
comprises at least one rotating sieve drum means having a
perforated conveying surface, fan means associated with the sieve
drum means for subjecting said sieve drum means to a gaseous
treatment medium under a suction draft whereby said gaseous
treatment medium is drawn through said perforated conveying
surface, inlet means for introducing the wet textile material to be
treated to the sieve drum means, said suction draft holding said
wet textile material against said perforated conveying surface, at
least one stationary baffle means disposed inside the sieve drum
means for interrupting the gaseous treatment medium at at least one
portion of the sieve drum means, a plurality of infrared radiator
heating means operatively associated with said baffle means and
surrounding the outside of at least one of the sieve drum means at
that one portion of its surface which is covered with the material
being treated whereby a layer of evaporated vapor is formed between
the textile material and said one portion of the perforated surface
where the treatment medium is interrupted, a plurality of movable
baffle means concentrically positioned around and extending a
distance from the perforated surface of the sieve drum means, said
movable baffle means being disposed between the surface of the
sieve drum means and the infrared radiator heating means to prevent
radiant heating of said textile material upon stoppage of said
sieve drum means and outlet means for removing the material being
treated from the sieve drum means.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the moveable baffle means
are staggered with respect to the infrared radiator means and
control means are provided for rotating said baffle means in front
of said infrared radiator means.
14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said control means also
turns off the infrared radiator means.
15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the moveable baffle means
are disposed directly in front of the infrared radiator means and
control means are provided for pivoting said baffle means, in
place, from an open to a close position and vice versa.
16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the stationary baffle means
interrupts the treatment medium over a substantial surface of the
sieve drum means.
17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein more than one sieve drum
means is used and only the first sieve drum is provided with
infrared radiator means, the remaining sieve drum means being
subjected to a suction draft or a positive pressure.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein all of the sieve drum means
are provided with infrared radiator means, said infrared radiator
means being divided into individual groups and means are provided
for separately switching said individual groups on and off.
19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sieve drum means are
provided with a wire mesh.
20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the sieve drum means are
disposed in a steam-tight treatment chamber and means are provided
for producing and maintaining a steam atmosphere.
21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein baffle means are provided at
the back side of the infrared radiator means for directing the heat
eminating from said side toward the sieve drum surface.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for the
treatment of textile material, preferably lengths of textile
material, utilizing at least one conveying means, for example sieve
drum means subjected to a suction draft. Said sieve drum means is
preferably covered with at least one wire mesh and is provided with
at least one interior stationary baffle means which interrupts the
suction draft at at least a portion of the sieve drum jacket.
Devices for drying, heat-setting and steaming materials of all
types, particularly textile materials, using sieve drums subjected
to a suction draft as conveying means are well known. In these
devices, the treatment medium is drawn through the textile
material. These devices are particularly advantageous for
processing materials which are permeable to air. However, there are
many materials which are only slightly or not permeable to air when
wet, for example skins or fabrics of rayon staple, and particularly
lining fabrics or materials which are coated with substances which
are impermeable to air.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to avoid the prior art
disadvantages in the heat-treatment of materials, particularly the
steam-treatment of textile materials.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved
process and apparatus for the treatment of textile materials which
are only slightly or not permeable to air when in the wet
condition.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved
process and apparatus for the treatment of textile materials which,
up to now, could not at all or only with difficulty be treated on
devices using sieve drums subjected to a suction draft.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide an
improved process and apparatus for fixing dyestuffs on textile
materials, said dyestuffs being usually fixed in a steam atmosphere
or at least partially fixed in a steam atmosphere.
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
abovementioned disadvantages may be eliminated and a much improved
process and apparatus for the heat-treatment, particularly the
steam-treatment of textile materials may be obtained by adapting
conveying means, particularly sieve drum means subjected to a
suction draft to the treatment of textile materials which are only
slightly or not permeable to air when in the wet condition. This
can be effected by not only exposing the material being treated to
a gaseous treatment medium but also by utilizing additional heating
means, for example infrared radiation. Accordingly, it is therefore
suggested to surround at least one sieve drum means, preferably the
first sieve drum means with infrared radiators at that side of the
sieve drum means which is covered with the material being treated.
Advantageously, the conveying means used in the present invention
are sieve drum means subjected to a suction draft. Sieve drum means
are the preferred conveying means because the material being
processed can be held to and guided on the sieve drums without
producing creases and tension in the material being treated.
The apparatus of the present invention can be effectively used for
fixing dyestuffs on textile materials, said dyestuffs being usually
fixed in a steam atmosphere or at least partially fixed in a steam
atmosphere. The dyestuffs are applied by pad-dyeing or printing
possibly together with other dyestuffs and/or thickeners and other
common auxiliary agents. The textile material is then fed onto the
conveying means, for example a sieve drum means, which is
surrounded by infrared radiators, said sieve drum being subjected
to a suction draft only within two narrow ranges at the inlet and
discharge side of the suction drum. To effect the desired flow of
the treatment medium, the suction draft is interrupted by
stationary baffle means disposed at the remaining portions of the
sieve drum jacket, so that, as a result of the infrared radiation,
a steam cushion is formed on the material being treated. The
suction draft at the inlet side and at the material discharge side
of the drum is sufficient for holding the material to the sieve
drum safely and without producing creases therein, even at high
operating speeds. The sieve drum proper may also serve as a
draw-off element which draws the material length out of a printing
unit, a padder, a doctor device or another applicating means. This
is of special importance in printing processes because behind the
printing unit the printed surface should not come into contact with
any conveying or guiding element before the dyestuffs are dried or
set. The apparatus of the present invention is also suitable for
heat-setting dyestuffs in a two-bath method wherein the material to
which the dyestuffs have been applied and on which they have been
dried is passed through a second bowl containing vat or developer
liquid and then on to the sieve drum which is surrounded with
infrared radiators. Furthermore, the apparatus of the present
invention can also be employed for fiber setting, for example for
setting polyamide knit goods which expediently should be set in a
steam atmosphere. In this case, no steam-tight housing with
complicated steam control means is required as in the case of the
common steamers.
In order to avoid scorching or overdrying of the material in case
of sudden stoppages, it is suggested to provide a rotating device
between the sieve drum and the infrared radiators said device
comprising baffles which are arranged at a distance from each
other, concentrically around the sieve drum. The baffles are
provided with a drive and control mechanism which pushes them in
front of the infrared radiators and simultaneously switches off the
radiators if the sieve drum is stopped. In addition, and if
necessary, a blower may be provided which blows fresh air against
the material which rests on the sieve drum. Also, the stationary
baffles which are arranged in the sieve drum may be designed as
shutter plates, which, in case of stoppages, are opened by means of
a suitable mechanism, so that the whole drum can be subjected to a
suction draft permitting fresh air to be drawn through the material
being treated.
As already mentioned, the apparatus of the present invention can
also be used for setting textile material, for example a polyamide,
which is usually set in a steam atmosphere, if the suction draft at
that side of the sieve drum which is covered with the material
being treated is substantially eliminated or limited by means of
baffle plates. In such a situation, the moisture which is
evaporated from the material remains as a steam layer on and in the
material. Depending on the intensity of the infrared radiation and
the reaction time, the steam layer is heated up to a certain
temperature. Measurements have shown that it is very possible to
produce a steam cushion of superheated steam, for example at a
temperature of about 150.degree. to 200.degree.C. In order to
obtain a certain final width of the textile material lengths which
are subjected to a treatment in which they shrink considerably, it
is furthermore suggested to provide tensioning element, for example
pin chains for holding the material in a tentered condition on or
around the sieve drum.
For drying, for example materials which are not permeable or only
slightly permeable to air when wet, it is advantageous to surround
at least the first sieve drum with infrared radiators and to
arrange behind said sieve drum one or more sieve drums which are
subjected to a suction draft or to a positive pressure but which
are not provided with infrared radiators. However, it is also
possible to surround all of the sieve drums with infrared
radiators. In order to render it possible to adapt such a device to
an individual treatment process, it is suggested to combine the
radiators into groups and to provide means for switching each
individual group on and off, separately. In this case, it is
possible to provide, for example only the first or last sieve drum
or only part of the treatment path on one sieve drum with infrared
radiation. This is a particular advantage for devices using one
sieve drum of large diameter, for example a diameter of about 2 to
5m.
Also, it has been found to be advantageous, in accordance with the
present invention, to equip a sieve drum steaming device with
infrared radiators, for example for dyeing polyester-cotton blends.
In this case the cotton component is dyed with dyestuffs which are
fixed in a saturated steam atmosphere and the polyester component
of the blend is dyed with dyestuffs which are fixed under the
influence of high temperatures in a superheated steam or hot air
atmosphere, for example with disperse dyestuffs. For such
treatments, it is suggested to provide the apparatus of the present
invention with a steam-tight housing and with a device for
producing and maintaining a steam atmosphere, under normal
pressure, in the housing. Such a device can, according to the
present invention, be employed for steaming and for drying. For
example the steaming treatment can be effected on the first sieve
drum and drying can be achieved on the other sieve drums which are
subjected to a suction draft or to a positive (excess) pressure or
blowing effect. However, with such a device, it is also possible to
treat the material first with saturated steam and then, on the
subsequent sieve drums with superheated steam, by switching on the
infrared radiation. Also, for pure drying processes, such a device
can be used with advantage. The material can be dried down by
infrared radiation until it is more permeable to air and then can
be finally dried on sieve drums subjected to a suction draft. Also,
for skin drying, the combined use of hot air and infrared radiation
is advantageous, at least in the first drying phase, thereby
substantially reducing the drying times.
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 is a section of the apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of a treatment apparatus using a
plurality of sieve drum means,
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a sieve drum means;
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention according
to FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 shows the switching system for controlling the radiators,
and
FIG. 6 shows the use of a tentering means in conjunction with the
sieve drum means;
FIG. 7 shows an enlarged view of the arrangement between the
radiant heaters means and the shutter means.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now the drawings wherein like reference numerals are used
throughout the various views to designate like parts, the apparatus
of the present invention comprises, according to FIG. 1, a sieve
drum means 1 subjected to a suction draft, said sieve drum means
being adapted to be covered with a wire mesh. In the sieve drum
stationary baffles 2 are arranged so that the suction draft is only
effective at a material feeding side 3 and at a material discharge
side 4. Around the sieve drum infrared radiators 5 are arranged for
heating up textile material lengths 6. By the evaporation of the
liquid in the material a steam cushion is formed on and in the
textile material 6 which serves for setting the fiber and/or the
dyestuff. In order to obtain a certain final width of the textile
material lengths which are subjected to a treatment in which they
shrink considerably, it is further suggested to provide tensioning
elements 26, for example pin chains 27, for holding the material 6
in a tentered condition on or around the sieve drum. Between the
sieve drum 1 and the infrared radiators 5 a shutter member
consisting of individual sheets 7 is arranged so that said sheets
are automatically rotated in front of the infrared radiators 5 in
case of stoppages. Thus damage to the material as a result of the
after-glowing of the infrared radiators is avoided. Alternatively,
the individual sheets may be disposed directly in front of the
infrared radiators and merely pivoted 90.degree. when a stoppage
occurs. On the other side of the infrared radiators, baffle means
10 are provided for directing the heat eminating from the radiators
toward the material being treated. In addition, and if necessary, a
blower 21 may be provided which blows fresh air against the
material which rests on the sieve drum. At the material discharge
side 4 a deflector roller 8 is provided over which the material is
conveyed, for example to a plating device 9. The sieve drum as well
as the other parts shown are laterally supported in two uprights.
The sieve drum drive and the suction device which subjects the
sieve drum to a suction draft are also mounted to one of these
uprights.
In the device according to FIG. 2, several sieve drums 1 which are
staggered to each other are provided, however, the sieve drums may
also be arranged in a single line in a well known way. This device
has a heat-insulated housing 11 which, similarly as shown in FIG.
3, is subdivided by means of a longitudinal partition into a
treatment chamber in which the sieve drums 1 are located and into a
fan chamber in which the fans 13 are arranged. A heating system 14
is correlated to the fans. Above and beneath the sieve drums 1,
sieve sheets 15 are arranged which serve for equalizing the flow
conditions to the sieve drum means. A drum drive 16 and a fan drive
17 to which a variable gear 18 is correlated, are mounted to the
housing 11, so that by varying the speed the most favorable suction
draft for the respective treatment process and/or the respective
material can be established. In the device according to FIG. 2, a
shutter baffle 2' is correlated to the first drum in addition to
the standard baffle, so that the drum side which is covered with
the material can, at option, be subjected to the suction draft or
alternatively, the suction draft can be interrupted. In this
device, the textile material lengths are fed over an intake
conveyor belt 19 and are discharged over a slide 20.
The design of a steaming device is of similar construction. For the
generation of steam, a heated sump 22 with steam tubes 23 may be
provided at the bottom of the housing and/or live steam may be
injected into said housing through steam spraying tubes 24.
It is advantageous that you surround the first sieve drum with
infrared radiators. However, it is also possible to surround all of
the sieve drums with infrared radiators. In order to render it
possible to adapt such a device to an individual treatment process,
it is suggested to combine the radiators into groups and to provide
means 25 for switching each individual group on and off,
separately.
The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the
same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be
regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention,
and all such modifications as would be apparent to one skilled in
the art are intended to be included.
* * * * *