US3593546A

US3593546A - Fabric-relaxing apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3593546A
Application number: US780420A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fumisato Hasegawa; Hiroyuki Nagata
Original assignee: Hirano Steel Recycle Co
Current assignee: Hirano Steel Recycle Co
Priority date: 1967-12-16
Filing date: 1968-12-02
Publication date: 1971-07-20
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-20
Also published as: DE1814380A1

Abstract

A fabric-relaxing apparatus wherein a continuous fabric drawn from a roll is led to the top of the receiving region of a main treating tank either directly or after it is passed through a liquid in a preparatory tank in a taut state, and at the main treating tank the fabric is delivered by shaking-off means positioned to effect a folding of the fabric essentially at the liquid level in the tank with each fold descending in the liquid in spaced relation to the next formed fold. The region, or vertical passage, through which the fabric descends is positioned within a vertical passage frame comprising two plates which are vibrated essentially out of contact with the fabric, and their vibration effects agitation or pulsation of the liquid, which in turn imparts beat shocks, i.e. pulsations, to the fabric. The fabric is then led out of the bottom of the vertical passage frame to one side of the main treating tank through a guide installed in the liquid and being then led out of the main treating tank through the opening in said guide, said fabric being then stacked as folded at a predetermined place outside the main treating tank.

Description

United States Patent 72] lnventors Furnisato llasegawa KBhiwara-shi; liiroyuki Nagata, Hiroshima-shi, both of, Japan [21] Appl. No. 780,420 {22] Filed Dec. 2, 1968 [45] Patented July 20,1971 [73 Assignee Hiram) Kinzoku Kabushiki Kaisha Osaka-511i, Japan [32] Priority Dec. 16, 1967 J p [31] 42/105845 [54] FABRlC-RELAXING APPARATUS 5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 68/178 51 lm. Cl B05c 3 05, B05c 3/ 134 [50] Field ofSearch 68/178 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,061,905 11/1962 Schifiers et a1. 68/178 X 3,402,410 9/1968 Schumm et a1. 68/178 X OTHER REFERENCES Dungler: Berman Patent Specification No. Dl9828 VII/8a; published 10/56: copy in 68/178 (art unit 359).

Primary ExaminerRobert L. Bleutge Attorney-Hall & l-loughton a CT: A fabric-relaxing apparatus wherein a continuous fabric drawn from a roll is led to the top of the receiving region of a main treating tank either directly or after it is passed through a liquid in a preparatory tank in a taut state, and at the main treating tank the fabric is delivered by shaking-off means positioned to etfect a folding of the fabric essentially at the liquid level in the tank with each fold descending in the liquid in spaced relation to the next formed fold. The region, or vertical passage, through which the fabric descends is positioned within a vertical passage frame comprising two plates which are vibrated essentially out of contact with the fabric, and their vibration effects agitation or pulsation of the liquid, which in turn imparts beat shocks, i.e. pulsations, to the fabric. The fabric is then led out of the bottom of the vertical passage frame to one side of the main treating tank through a guide installed in the liquid and being then led out of the main treating tank through the opening in said guide, said fabric being then stacked as folded at a predetermined place outside the main treating tank.

PATENTED 41120 I911 SHEET 1 OF 2 INVENTORS M BY ATTORNEY PATENTED JUL20 ism SHEET 2 OF 2 FUMISATO YASEGAWJ INVENTORS ATTORNEY FABRIC-RELAXING APPARATUS BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a fabric-relaxing apparatus which, in an apparatus for washing contractable continuous fabrics with water, comprises a. a liquid containing main treating tank having a liquid I level therein,

b. means for shaking off continuous fabric, disposed above said liquid level, means for delivering downwardly through said shakingoff means a web of fabric to be treated, said shaking-off means (b) being positioned to deliver the fabric to said liquid level and effect the folding of the fabric substantially at said liquid level, so that each fold may descend in the liquid into spaced relation to the liquid level as the next fold is formed essentially at said liquid level,

. vibratory wall means defining a vertical passage in said tank below said liquid level, said vibratory wall means comprising (I) plates mounted to be movable toward and from each other and (2) means for vibrating said plates toward and from each other, said plates being positioned to be vibrated by said vibratory means essentially in laterally spaced relation to the folds of fabric descending in the vertical passage between them so that the folded fabric descending in the liquid will be subjected to treatment by the vibrationally agitated liquid essentially without any mechanical working against the vibrating plates, and

f. means for removing fabric from the lower end of said vertical passage and delivering it from said tank,

g. said means (f) comprising (1) means for drawing off the fabric from the lower end of said vertical passage to a point of deliver outside the tank and (2) means defining a passage for guiding the drawn-off fabric as a straightening web from the lower end of said vertical passage to a point above the liquid level of the tank. The object of the invention is to contract woven or knitted fabrics essentially of processed yarns as much as possible during washing and finishing processes in a manner imparting bulkiness, stretchability and softness to the cloth and preventing wrinkles, creases and irregularities in bulkiness.

Woven or knitted fabrics made of this kind of processed yarns are prepared by weaving or knitting processed yarns of long fiber such as textured yarns and are characterized by the stretchability and bulkiness possessed by the textured yarns and superior softness, luster and handling developed by the first-mentioned properties. Such oven fabrics are in extensive use, ranging from light textures including blouses and shirting to heavy textures including men's and ladies suiting and coating, while the knitted fabrics are used for overcoats and the like having a heavy texture.

For the woven or knitted fabrics of this kind, it is, therefore, most desirable that in washingtreatment the stretchability latently possessed by textured yarns be fully developed in the woven or knitted cloth and the treated product be improved in the so-called relaxation properties in including superior bulkiness, stretchability and softness.

Heretofore, washing treatment for relaxation has been effected by means of the usual washer used, for example, by laundries, etc. In addition, the washer process is a process wherein a rotary drum bored with a large number of small holes around the periphery thereof and having vanes centrally extending at four to five places on the inner surface thereof is horizontally disposed in a treatment liquid in such a manner as to immerse about one-third of the drum in the liquid and a yard-wound or yard-folded material to be treated put in a water-permeable bag is put in said drum and treated while it is being stirred and rolled within the drum. In this case, however, a fabric, which is a body to be treated, is charged into the drum in successive fixed quantities in a folded state according to the capacity of the washer and beaten by means of a rotary plate rotating in alternate directions to impart shocks to the body to be treated thereby producing relaxation effect. Therefore, the body to be treated cannot be continuously treated, so that the process is limited essentially to the treatment of lightweight fabrics of relatively light texture if it is desired to increase efficiency of treatment. In addition, with such washer, the beating by the rotary plate during treatment, the folded configuration or other factors bring about an undesirable situation causing troubles in relaxation treatment as wrinkles and folds occur in the material to be treated. Because of the aforesaid drawbacks, with the washer it is almost impossible to treat fabrics of heavy texture.

As another example, relaxation treatment is effected by passing a body to be treated through a water tank while nipping and passing it through a series of upper and lower rolls horizontally installed in said water tank and suitably vibrating these upper and lower rollers to impart the resulting vibrations to the material to be treated. In this case, although continuous treatment is possible, the material to be treated tends to assume a tensioned state and since the material in such state is treated by vibrations alone, the intended relaxation effect could not be realized unless the time of treatment is prolonged. As a result, it becomes necessary to prolong the period of passage and increase the size or number of treating tanks, thus involving disadvantages such as high costs of installation. In addition, with such conventional relaxation treatment, contractability may be achieved only to some extent, but not toa greater extent enough to further improve the softness, luster, etc., of the product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of a relaxing apparatus provided with a vertical passage frame employing a system in which two plates are concurrently vibrated in opposite directions with their lower ends as their respective fulcrums.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of a relaxing apparatus provided with a vertical passage frame employing a system in which two plates are concurrently vibrated in opposite directions and in a parallel state.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section of a relaxing apparatus provided with jet pipes for impregnating a body to be treated with a liquid immediately before it is dropped into a vertical passage frame.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a vertical passage frame consisting of two plates adapted to be vibrated in opposite directions with their lower ends as their respective fulcrums.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a vertical passage frame of a type in which two plates are vibrated in a parallel state.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The arrangement of this invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIGS. 1-3 show a preparatory tank 1 and a main treating tank 2 disposed side by side on a frame 3. The preparatory tank 1 and the main treating tank 2 are filled with hot water or boiling water 4 at 50l00 C. with or without detergent. The purpose of the preparatory tank 1 is to allow the water to fully penetrate into a body to be treated 5 to allow no air cells to remain therein, thereby making effective the subsequent treatment in the main treating tank 2. Further, the body to be treated 5 is contracted to some extent during its travel in the preparatory tank. When a body which is highly water-absorptive is to be treated, the preparatory tank may be omitted. In the case of a body which is more difficult to treat for relaxation, two or more main treating tanks may be installed side by side. In short, whether a preparatory tank is additionally provided or two or more main treating tanks are used is suitably determined according to the quality of material and other facnet type, lattice type or other type of conveyor 6, is passed through the hot water 4 in the preparatory tank 1 in a taut state by means of a guide roll 7 and is conveyed to the top of the receiving region of the main treating tank by means of guide rolls 8, 9 and a net type, lattice type or other type of conveyor 10. Installed between the front end of the conveyor 10 and a vertical passage frame 11 provided in the receiving region is shake-off means 15 consisting of a motor and reduction gear 12, crank mechanism [3, inducer 14 for bodies to be treated, etc. The continuously supplied body to be treated 5 is supplied to the vertical passage frame 11 in a folded states by said shakeoff means. The temperature of the hot water in the main treating tank is controlled by heating means 16, 17 such as steampipes. Though not shown in the drawings, the temperature of the hot water in the preparatory tank is controlled by similar means. As shown in FIG. 4, the vertical passage frame 1 l is constituted by a flat plate 18 and a plate 19 of U- shaped section with a width such that the flat plate 18 is just fitted therein in such a manner that its upper and lower portions are open.

The vertical passage frame 11 shown in FIG. 4 is of the type in which both plates are vibrated in mutually opposite directions with

lower pivots

20 and 21 as their respective ful crums. The drive mechanism therefor is as follows. U-shaped

members

22 and 23 are rigidly secured to the outer side of both plates and

eccentric cams

24 and 25 are fitted in the U- shaped recesses in said members. The

eccentric carns

24 and 25 are rigidly secured to

shafts

26 and 27 journaled in the tank and the phases of eccentricity of the right and left

eccentric cams

25 and 24 are opposed. The

shaft

26 and 27 are rotated in the same direction by a motor 28 through a reduction gear. When the eccentric cams are rotated within the recesses in the

members

22 and 23, both plates are concurrently repeatedly vibrated in opposite direction with the pivots'20 and 21 as their respective fulcrums'and according to the amount of eccentricity. A vertical passage frame shown in FIG. 5 is another embodiment and is of the type in which both plates 29, 30 are concurrently repeatedly vibrated in opposite directions while remaining in a parallel state. The drive mechanism therefor is asfollows. Receiving members3l, 32 and 33, 34 for grasping eccentric cams are rigidly secured above and below to the outer side of both plates 29 and 30, and

eccentric earns

39, 40 and 41, 42 rigidly secured to

shafts

35, 36 and 37, 38 are fitted in the U-shaped recesses in said receiving members. Thus, both plates are held parallel to each other by the

shafts

35, 36 and 37, 38. The other arrangements are the same as in the vertical passage frame shown in FIG. 4.

Further, both plates of each of the vertical passage frames in FIGS. 4 and 5 are porous plates with a sufiiciently high degree of porosity to prevent the hot water to be forced out through the'upper and lower openings owing to the vibration of the plates. The body to be treated supplied in a folded state by the shake-off means 15 is passed from the vertical passage, through a passage 45 consisting of two upper and lower guide plates 43 and 44 and it is drawn from the other side of the main treating tank 2 to the outside of the tank by means of a guide roll 46 and nip rollers 47 and 48.

The body to be treated which has been hydroextracted by the nip rollers is transferred by a net-type or lattice-type conveyor 49 to above a table 50 positioned outside the tank and is then stacked as folded on said table 50 by means of'shake-off means 51 positioned thereabove. FIG. I shows an apparatus using the vertical passage frame shown in FIG. 4, and FIG. 2 shows an apparatus using the vertical passage frame shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 3 shows an apparatus wherein hot water jet pipes 52 and 53 open to the inlet of the vertical passage frame are provided opposite to each other on both sides of the shake-off means 15 and above the vertical passage frame, whereby jet hot water is poured to the body to be treated immediately before it enters the vertical passage to render it impregnated with water to some extent and increase the weight so that the body to be treated in a folded state may naturally descend within the vertical passage frame by its own weight.

The body to be treated leaving conveyor 6, in the course of its fall, is first passed through the shake-off means 15, where by the right and left reciprocating movement of the shakingoff means it falls downwardly onto the surface of the liquid while swinging right and left and is thus supplied into the liquid-filled vertical passage frame 11 in mutually spaced or open folds as indicated in the drawings. It enters the passage 45 defined between the lower guide plate still in the same folded form as it'leaves the vertical frame 11 and the leading end thereof is held between the nip rollers 47 and 48 and is thus pulled out of the tank. And it is folded up on the table outside the tank. In addition, in case the body to be treated withdrawn from the main treating tank is supplied directly to a subsequent treating machine, e.g. dryer, the shaking-off means installed outside the tank is, of course, unnecessary.

Accordingv to this invention, a vertical passage frame for bodies to be treated constituted by two plates concurrently vibrating in opposite directions and a passage constituted by two upper and lower guide plates are connected togetherand installed in hot water in a main treating tank and the two plates impart beat shocks to the opposed folded sides of a folded body to be treated thereby to vibrate the entire surface and subsequently it is sinuously passed through the hot water; therefore, the body to be treated preliminarily contracted in the preparatory tank is subjected to treatment in an absolutely free liquid-supported state essentially without being subjected to any external force from mechanical working against the vibrating plates such as tension and compression during passage for treatment, so that it is continuously treated without producing wrinkles, folds, irregularities in bulkiness, etc., and, when passed through the vertical passage frame, it is desized and cleaned and contracted, and moreover, the time of treatment in this main treating tank is naturally prolonged and the entire surface is fully contacted with the vibrationally moving or pulsing treating water to increase the relaxation effect.

Bodies treated by the present apparatus can be made a product which is highly contractable and possesses a superior handling with the bulkiness and stretchability possessed by the constituent processed yarns fully developed.

We claim:

1. Fabric-relaxing apparatus comprising in combination a. a liquid containing main treating tank having a liquid level therein,

b. means for shaking off continuous fabric disposed above said liquid level,

c. means for delivering downwardly through said shakingoff means a web of fabric to be treated,

d. said shaking-off means (b) being positioned to deliver the fabric to said liquid level and effect the folding of the fabric substantially at said liquid level, so that each fold may descend in the liquid into spaced relation to the liquid level as the next fold is formed essentially at said liquid level,

e. vibratory wall means defining a vertical passage in said tank below said liquid level, said vibratory wall means comprising 1) plates mounted to be movable toward and from each other and (2) means for vibrating said plates toward and from each other, said plates being positioned to be vibrated by said vibrating means essentially in laterally spaced relation to the folds of fabric descending in the vertical passage between them so that the folded fabric descending in the liquid will be subjected to treat ment by the vibrationally agitated liquid essentially without any mechanical working against the vibratin plates,

f. means for removing fabric from the lower end of said vertical passage and delivering it from said tank, and said means (f) comprising 1) means for drawing off the fabric from thelower end of said vertical passage to a point of delivery outside the tank and (2) means defining a passage for guiding the drawn-off fabric as a straightening web from the lower end of said vertical passage to a point above the liquid level of the tank.

and are engaged by said eccentric cam means between said liquid level and said pivoted mountings.

5. Fabric-relaxing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plates (e) (l) are mounted for movement toward and away from each other in parallel relation, and are engaged by said eccentric cam means at vertically spaced positions below said liquid level.

Claims

1. Fabric-relaxing apparatus comprising in combination a. a liquid containing main treating tank having a liquid level therein, b. means for shaking off continuous fabric disposed above said liquid level, c. means for delivering downwardly through said shaking-off means a web of fabric to be treated, d. said shaking-off means (b) being positioned to deliver the fabric to said liquid level and effect the folding of the fabric substantially at said liquid level, so that each fold may descend in the liquid into spaced relation to the liquid level as the next fold is formed essentially at said liquid level, e. vibratory wall means defining a vertical passage in said tank below said liquid level, said vibratory wall means comprising (1) plates mounted to be movable toward and from each other and (2) means for vibrating said plates toward and from each other, said plates being positioned to be vibrated by said vibrating means essentially in laterally spaced relation to the folds of fabric descending in the vertical passage between them so that the folded fabric descending in the liquid will be subjected to treatment by the vibrationally agitated liquid essentially without any mechanical working against the vibrating plates, f. means for removing fabric from the lower end of said vertical passage and delivering it from said tank, and g. said means (f) comprising (1) means for drawing off the fabric from the lower end of said vertical passage to a point of delivery outside the tank and (2) means defining a passage for guiding the drawn-off fabric as a straightening web from the lower end of said vertical passage to a point above the liquid level of the tank.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means (g) (2) comprises upper and lower fixed guide plates disposed below the liquid level in said tank.

3. Fabric-relaxing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vibrating means (e) (2) for the plates (e) (1) comprises eccentric cam means engaged with said plates and located within the tank below the liquid level thereof.

4. Fabric-relaxing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plates (e) (1) are pivotally mounted at their lower ends and are engaged by said eccentric cam means between said liquid level and said pivoted mountings.

5. Fabric-relaxing apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the plates (e) (1) are mounted for movement toward and away from each other in parallel relation, and are engaged by said eccentric cam means at vertically spaced positions below said liquid level.