US3031732A - Apparatus for use in the finishing of textile fabrics - Google Patents

Description

May 1962 H. CARLISLE 3,031,732

APPARATUS FOR use IN THE FINISHING 0F TEXTILE FABRICS Filed March 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I I I IN VENTOR ORNEY' H. CARLISLE May 1, 1962 APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE FINISHING OF TEXTILE FABRICS Filed March 29, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I A l I |l {a ATTO NEY ited Patented May 1, I962 fiice 3,031,732 APPARATUS FOR USE IN THE FINISHlNG F TEXTELE FABR Herbert Carlisle, Stand, Whitfield, Manchester, England,

assignor to Chemstrand Limited, London, Engiand, a

British company Filed Mar. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 18,345 Qiaims. (Cl. 26-57) This invention relates to textile finishing apparatus and more particularly to apparatus for finishing fabrics made of synthetic textile fibers produced from acryloniuile polymers.

When dyeing and finishing loosely formed fabrics such as cellular fabrics made of acrylonitrile polymer fibers, in order to insure maximum development of thecellular structure of the fabric, it is desirable that the processing of the fabric be carried out while the fabric is in a relaxed condition. This manner of handling, coupled with the inherent plasticity of the basic fiber, results in a tendency for the fabric to become creased, rolled, curled or otherwise distorted along the selvages thereof so that the width of the fabric is not uniform. With this problem in mind, one of the objects of this invention is to provide novel and improved apparatus for finishing textiles.

Another object of this invention is to provide apparatus for removing creases or curls from selvages of a fabric.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus wherein a fabric is held at its selvages and at points spaced from the selvages and is then placed under tension between these points and the selvages to remove creases or curls from the area adjacent to the selvages.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus having a first pin-carrying belt for engaging and holding a fabric at the selvage thereof, and also having a second pin-carrying belt positioned at an angle from the first belt and adapted to engage and hold the fabric along a line spaced from the selvage in such a manner that, when the belts are moved, the fabric between the belts and along the selvage is placed under tension.

One embodiment of this invention contemplates an apparatus having a first pair of parallel pin-carrying belts which are adapted to engage and hold a fabric at the selvages thereof, the pins piercing and holding the fabric. A second pair of pin-carrying belts positioned between the first pair of belts and mounted so as to converge toward each other and away from the first pair of belts is adapted to engage and hold the fabric at points spaced from the selvages. As the fabric is moved along on the belts, the convergence of the inner belts causes the fabric to be stretched in the area of the selvages, thereby removing curls or creases from these areas. The portion of the fabric between the inner belts remains in a state of relaxation as the fabric passes through the apparatus, steam being applied to the fabric as the creases are removed from the selvages.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent when the following detailed description is read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a plan view of an apparatus illustrating one embodiment of the invention and showing the manner in which the pin-carrying belts are positioned;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary end view of the apparatus showing a fabric supported on the pin-carrying belts;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 33 of FIGURE 1 showing one of the mounting brackets which supports one of the outer belts;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 1 showing one of the rollers supporting one of the inner belts at a point where the inner belt changes direction; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 55 of FIGURE 1 showing a bracket supporting a roller which carries one of the inner belts at the forward end of that belt.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, a frame 11 is shown supporting a plurality of tubes 12 from which steam issues through ports 13 to treat an elongated fabric strip =14 made up from acrylonitrile fibers. This is a con ventional treatment. The fabric strip 14 is supported on a belt 18 positioned above the tubes 12 in any convenient manner and constructed in such a manner that the steam from the tubes 12 readily passesthrough the belt and engages the fabric strip 14 for treating and softening this strip in a well-known manner.

A pair of parallel outer belts 19 and 20 having a plu rality of projecting pins 21 for engaging and holding the selvages of the fabric strip 14 are carried by rollers 24 supported above the frame 11, the pins 21 being adapted to pierce and hold the fabric. The rollers 24 are supported on brackets 25 (FIGURE 3) movably mounted on the frame 11 and threadediy connected to threaded shafts 28 and 29 which are rotatably mounted on the frame 11. Handles 31 and 32 attached to the shafts 28 and 29 are provided for rotating the shafts to move the belts 19 and 20 together or apart for accommodating fabric strips of various widths, the opposite ends of each of the shafts 28 and 29 being threaded in opposite directions.

An inner pair of belts 36 and 37 are provided with a plurality of pins which are adapted to pierce and hold the fabric strip 14 at points spaced from the selvages thereof. A shaft 40 rotatably mounted on the frame 11 at the forward end thereof movably supports a pair of brackets 41 having mounted thereon rollers 42 which support the belts 36 and 37 at the forward end of the apparatus. The shaft 46 is provided with a handle 43 which may be operated to rotate the shaft and move the leading ends of the belts 36 and 37 together or apart, the shaft 49 being oppositely threaded on opposite ends. The trailing ends of the belts 36 and 37 are carried by rollers 50 mounted on brackets 51 adjustably supported on the base 11 and connected to a shaft 52 having its opposite ends threaded in opposite directions. A handle 53 secured to the shaft 52 is provided for rotating the shaft 52 to move the trailing ends of the belts 36 and 37 together or apart.

A pair of rollers all mounted on brackets 61 adjustably secured to the frame 11 and connected to a threaded shaft 62 enage the belts 36 and 37 at intermediate points thereof for permitting a change of direction of the belts 36 and 37. A handle 63 secured to the shaft 62 may be operated to rotate the shaft 62 and move the rollers 60 together or apart, the shaft 62 being oppositely threaded on its opposite ends.

It will be noted from the drawings that the outer belts 19 an i 20 are positioned parallel to each other for gripping the edges or selvages of the fabric strip 14 and that the inner belts 36 and 37 are positioned in such a manner that these belts are positioned fairly close to the outer belts 7.9 and 2d at the leading end of the apparatus and converge toward each other and away from the outer belts 19 and 26 toward the rollers 60. From the rollers 60 to the rollers 50, the belts 36 and 37 are parallel to each other. The convergence of the inner belts 36 and 37 is provided for stretching the fabric strip 14 in the area of the selvages.

Inasmuch as the leading ends of the inner belts 36 and 37 are not normal to the shaft 46, it is necessary to provide for a pivoting of the axes of the rollers 42 relative to the axis of the shaft 40. To accomplish this, the brackets 41 are made up of two parts, the body of the 3 bracket (indicated by the reference numeral 41) and a yoke 65 having a pin 66 extending downward into a bore in the bracket body. The yoke 65 and the pin 66 may be rotated in the bore in the bracket body to align the roller 42 with the belt. A set screw 6'7 is provided for holding the yoke 65 in its adjusted position.

In operation of the apparatus, the fabric strip 14 is advanced in any convenient manner into the leading end of the apparatus. The pins of the inner belts 35 and 37 pierce and hold the fabric at points near the selvages thereof.

Inasmuch as the shaft 40 is positioned in advance of the shaft 28, the belts 36 and 37 engage and grip the fabric strip 14 shortly before the strip is caught on the pins of the belts 19 and 20. Immediately after the fabric strip 14 engages the belts 36 and 37, the pins on the belts 19 and 2t) pierce and-hold the selvages of the fabric strip 14.

During further movement of the strip 14, the area between the belts 19 and the area between the belts 20 and 37 are placed under tension and stretched to remove any creases or curls therein. This stretching and tensioning operation continues until the rollers 60 are reached. No further stretching takes place after the rollers 60 are reached, since the belts 36 and 37 are parallel to each other and to the belts 19 and 20.

The steam applied from the tubes 12 softens the fibers of the fabric so that by the time the fabric passes the trailing ends of the belts 36 and 37 all of the tension in the stretched areas has been relaxed. The central portion of the fabric strip 14 is carried through the apparatus on the belt 18 in a relaxed condition. In this manner, the edges or selvages of the fabric strip are smoothed and creases removed therefrom.

The amount of stretching of the fabric may be adjusted by adjustment of the belt-supporting rollers on the frame, this being accomplished by operating the handles secured to the threaded shafts.

It is to be understood that the embodiment of the in- Vention disclosed herein may be modified or changed and that many other embodiments may be contemplated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for removing creases from a fabric, comprising a frame, a first belt movably mounted on the frame and having thereon means for gripping the fabric at the selvage thereof, a second belt movably mounted on the frame and having thereon means for gripping the fabric at points spaced from the selvage, said second belt having a first portion positioned at an angle to the first belt in such a manner that movement of the fabric past the belts applies increasing tension to the area between said points and said selvage, said second belt also having a second portion parallel to the first belt for applying a uniform tension to said area after said increasing tension has been applied thereto.

2. An apparatus for removing creases from a fabric, comprising a frame, a first pair of parallel belts movably mounted on the frame and having a plurality of projecting pins for piercing and holding the edges of the fabric, a second pair of belts movably mounted on the frame and having a plurality of projecting pins for piercing and holding the fabric at points spaced from said edges, said second pair of belts being convergent in the direction of travel of the fabric in such a manner thatthe areas of the fabric between the first and second pairs of belts are stretched.

3. An apparatus for removing creases from the selvages of a fabric made or" synthetic fibers, comprising a frame, means on the frame for applying steam to a fabric advanced along a path over the frame, a first pair of parallel belts movably mounted on the frame and having a plurality of pins for piercing and holding the edges of the fabric, and a second pair of belts movably mounted on the frame between the first pair of belts and having a plurality of pins for piercing and holding the fabric at points spaced from said edges, said second pair of belts being convergent in the direction of travel of the fabric so that the areas of the fabric between the first pair of belts and the second pair of belts are stretched.

4. An apparatus for removing creases from a fabric made of synthetic fibers, comprising a frame, a plurality of apertured tubes mounted on the frame for applying steam to a fabric being advanced along a path above the.

frame, a plurality of first rollers adjustably mounted on the frame, a first pair of parallel belts mounted on the first rollers and having a plurality of projecting pins for piercing and holding the edges of the fabric, a plurality of second rollers adjustably mounted on the frame, and a second pair of belts mounted on the second rollers between the first belts and having a plurality of projecting pins for piercing the fabric at points spaced from said edges, said second pair of belts being convergent in the direction of travel of the fabric.

5. An apparatus for removing creases from a fabric, comprising a frame, a supporting belt mounted over the frame for carrying the fabric along a path over the frame, a pair of parallel belts movably mounted on the frame on opposite sides and spaced from the supporting belt and having a plurality of pins for piercing and holding the fabric at the edges thereof, and a second pair of belts positioned on opposite sides of the supporting belt and inside the first pair of belts, said second pair of belts having a plurality of pins for piercing and holding the fabric at points spaced from the edges, said second pair of belts having opposed first portions which are convergent and opposed second portions which are parallel to each other and to the first pair of belts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 645,237 Sharp Mar. 13, 1900 1,732,089 Honeyman et al. Oct. 15, 1929 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,239 Great Britain of 1882 911.0 ermany M y 0. 1954

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