GB1589565A - Apparatus for cleaning fabrics - Google Patents

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR CLEANING FABRICS (71) We, VERTEX ENGINEERING LIMITED, a British Company of Queens Road East, Beeston, Nottingham NG9 2FD do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to apparatus for cleaning fabrics.

The apparatus of the present invention is particularly concerned with cleaning of fabrics to which katoons have been applied so as to remove the backing fabric of the katoon which is broken down by the process of applying the katoon to the fabric. A katoon is a design which is embroided onto a backing fabric, the embroidery having heat setting yarns incorporated therein. The katoon is applied to a piece of fabric by heat and pressure during which process the backing fabric disintegrates and the embroidery is adhered to the fabric by the heat setting yarns.

According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for cleaning fabrics, including support means having a support surface on which fabric to be cleaned may be laid with its surface to be cleaned facing away from the support surface, removal means for removing loose particles from said surface to the fabric, the removal means and support means being movable relative to one another so that the removal means is movable across said surface of the fabric laid on the support means, and gripping means operable to grip fabric laid on the support means so that the fabric is restrained from moving relative to the support surface during said relative movement between the support means and removal means.

The removal means operate to disturb and lift particles lying on the surface of the fabric. A conventional removal means may be used for this purpose and at present, it is preferred to use a rotary brush.

In a preferred embodiment the support means is in the form of a conveyor which conveys the fabric to be cleaned to the removal means. Advantageously, the conveyor is in the form of a continuous belt which preferably has an outer facing upon which the fabric is received and which is capable of frictionally engaging the fabric.

The brush is conveniently movably mounted between an operative and inoperative position, the brush in its operative position being located so as to engage said surface of fabric being conveyed by the conveyor and in its in-operative position being spaced from the conveyor.

The gripping means are preferably operable to engage the fabric either side of the brush so as to grip the fabric between the gripping means and the conveyor whilst the brush is in its operative position. Conveniently the gripping means includes two continuous bands which are located either side of the brush.

The brush and gripping means are conveniently mounted on a common frame which is movable towards and away from the conveyor to move, in unison, the brush and gripping means to their operative positions.

Advantageously, vacuum means may be provided for co-operation with the brush in order to remove particles disturbed by the brush.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of an apparatus according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a perspective view of part of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view looking from above of part of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Referring initially to Figure 1 the apparatus is shown generally at 10 and comprises a continuous belt 12 mounted on a frame 13 so as to have horizontally extending upper and lower runs. The belt 12 has a support surface which is capable of frictionally engaging fabric materials laid on the upper run of the belt 12. The belt 12 is trained about two rollers 17 which are rotatably carried in frame 13. As seen more clearly in Figures 2 and 3 a platform 16 is provided over which the upper run of belt 12 passes. The platform 16 is located slightly above the horizontal frame elements 13a of frame 13.

A drive motor (not shown) is provided which drives one of the rollers. Conveniently one of the rollers is mounted on a slide so that it may be moved towards and away from the other roller in order to adjust the tension of the belt.

An upstanding frame 18 is provided which straddles the belt 12 at approximately the mid-point of the upper run of belt 12.

The frame 18 slidably carries a carriage 20 which is movable vertically towards and away from the upper run of belt 12. The frame 18 includes two vertically extending laterally spaced frame elements 18a on either side of the belt 12 which are connected at their upper ends by frame elements 18b and 18c.

The carriage 20 includes a frame 22 which has upper frame elements 22a extending laterally of frame elements 18a and which are spaced from one another by frame elements 22b.

Vertically depending downwardly from each frame element 22a are two frame elements 23 which at their lower ends are connected to a frame element 24.

Frame elements 22a and 24 each carry a pair of rollers 25a which engage and run along side faces of frame elements 18a and serve to guide vertical movement of the carriage during use and restrain movement of the carriage 20 laterally of frame elements 18a.

Frame elements 23 are also each provided with a pair of rollers 27a which engage and run along the inner faces of frame elements 18a and also serve to guide vertical movement of the carriage 20 and restrain movement of the carriage in a lateral direction with respect to the belt 12.

The frame elements 24 are held in spaced relationship by two shafts 25, 26 which are respectively located adjacent opposite ends of the frame elements 24. Each shaft 25, 26 has externally threaded end portions (not shown) of reduced diameter which project through bores formed in elements 24 to threadedly receive a nut (not shown).

A shaft 28 is secured in a similar manner to frame elements 22a and is located approximately mid-way between frame elements 22b.

Two continuous bands 30, 31 are each trained about pulleys 33. 34 and 35 which are freely rotatably carried by shafts 25, 26 and 28 respectively. The bands 30, 31 are laterally spaced from one another by a distance less than the width of the belt 12 and each have an outer surface 30a, 31a which is capable of frictionally engaging the belt 12 or fabric passing along belt 12.

Located between shafts 25,26 is a shaft 27 which is rotatably received in bearings 38 carried by frame elements 24. These bearings 38 are bolted to frame elements 24 and are arranged so that the vertical position of shaft 27 in relation to frame elements 24 may be variably adjusted as desired.

A brush 39 is fixedly mounted on shaft 27 so as to be located directly above the belt 12. An electric motor 40 is mounted on the frame 22 and is arranged to drive a belt 41 which is trained about a pulley 42 which is fixedly secured to shaft 27.

Vertical movement of the carriage 20 relative to the upper run of belt 12 is achieved by means of three pneumatic rams, viz, ram 50 which is located above the carriage and is fixed to a cross-member 51 extending between frame elements 18c and two rams 52 (only one being shown) which are located either side of the carriage and which are connected between respective frame elements 18b and the carriage.

All three rams 50 and 52 are operable to lift the carriage 20 from a lower operative position to a raised in-operative position.

However, during lowering of the carriage, ram 50 is pressurised with a high pressure to lower the carriage whereas rams 52 are pressurised with a low pressure to resist downward movement and so serve to cushion the downward movement of the carriage.

Two adjustable stops 60 are provided which are arranged to limit the downward movement of the carriage.

In use fabric onto which a katoon has just been applied, is placed on the upper run of belt 12 with the katoon uppermost. The fabric is dragged by the belt 12 towards the carriage 20 which is in its raised nonoperative position.

When the leading edge of the fabric is immediately below bands 30, 31 rams 50, 52 are operated to lower the carriage so that the bands 30, 31 frictionally engage the upper surface of these fabrics and the upper surface of the conveyor.

Operation of the rams 50, 52 may be done either manually by an operative or automatically by incorporating a sensor for sensing the arrival of the fabric at the carriage.

The brush 39 is rotated by means of motor 40 in a direction opposing motion of the upper run of belt 12 and is arranged so that in the lower position of the carriage it engages the upper surface of belt 12.

Eventually, belt 12 presents the fabric beneath brush 39 which serves to brush away the broken down pieces of the backing fabric of the katoon as it passes underneath the brush 39. Vacuum means (not shown) may be provided for co-operation with brush 39 so that the removed pieces may be removed from the vicinity of the brush.

During brushing of the fabric, the fabric is frictionally gripped between bands 30, 31 and the upper run of belt 12 and so is restrained from puckering.

In the above described embodiment, the fabric to be brushed is presented to the rotary brush by means of the conveyor. It is to be appreciated that if desired the fabric may be placed on a movable platform which is moved to and fro below the brush to clean a desired area of the fabric.

Also, it is to be appreciated that the support for the fabric may be a stationary platform and the brush may be mounted for movement to and fro across fabric received on the platform.

Although the above described embodiment includes a rotary brush it is to be appreciated that a rotary brush is only a preferred means for disturbing and removing particles lying on the surface of the fabric and that other means producing the same effect may be used, e.g. a brush arranged for oscillating motion.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An apparatus for cleaning fabrics, including support means having a support surface on which fabric to be cleaned may be laid with its surface to be cleaned facing away from the support surface, removal means for removing loose particles from said surface of the fabric, the removal means and support means being movable relative to one another so that the removal means is movable across said surface of the fabric laid on the support means, and gripping means operable to grip fabric laid on the support means so that the fabric is restrained from moving relative to the support surface during said relative movement between the support means and removal means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the removal means includes a brush.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the removal means includes a vacuum means for removing disturbed particles from the fabric.

4. An apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the support means includes a stationary platform and the removal means are movable across the platform.

5. An apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the removal means is stationary and the support means are movable to present fabric to the removal means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the support means is in the form of a conveyor which conveys the fabric to be cleaned to the removal means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the conveyor is a continuous belt which has an outer surface upon which the fabric is laid and which is capable of frictionally engaging the fabric.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the removal means includes a rotary brush which is movably mounted for movement between operative and inoperative positions, the brush in its operative position being located so as to engage said surface of fabric being conveyed by the conveyor and in its in-operative position being spaced from the conveyor.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the gripping means includes two continuous bands which are located either side of the brush.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the gripping means and rotary brush are mounted on a common frame which is movable towards and away from the conveyor to move in unison the brush and gripping means to their operative positions.

11. An apparatus for cleaning fabrics substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (11)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. beneath brush 39 which serves to brush away the broken down pieces of the backing fabric of the katoon as it passes underneath the brush 39. Vacuum means (not shown) may be provided for co-operation with brush 39 so that the removed pieces may be removed from the vicinity of the brush. During brushing of the fabric, the fabric is frictionally gripped between bands 30, 31 and the upper run of belt 12 and so is restrained from puckering. In the above described embodiment, the fabric to be brushed is presented to the rotary brush by means of the conveyor. It is to be appreciated that if desired the fabric may be placed on a movable platform which is moved to and fro below the brush to clean a desired area of the fabric. Also, it is to be appreciated that the support for the fabric may be a stationary platform and the brush may be mounted for movement to and fro across fabric received on the platform. Although the above described embodiment includes a rotary brush it is to be appreciated that a rotary brush is only a preferred means for disturbing and removing particles lying on the surface of the fabric and that other means producing the same effect may be used, e.g. a brush arranged for oscillating motion. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An apparatus for cleaning fabrics, including support means having a support surface on which fabric to be cleaned may be laid with its surface to be cleaned facing away from the support surface, removal means for removing loose particles from said surface of the fabric, the removal means and support means being movable relative to one another so that the removal means is movable across said surface of the fabric laid on the support means, and gripping means operable to grip fabric laid on the support means so that the fabric is restrained from moving relative to the support surface during said relative movement between the support means and removal means.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the removal means includes a brush.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the removal means includes a vacuum means for removing disturbed particles from the fabric.

4. An apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the support means includes a stationary platform and the removal means are movable across the platform.

5. An apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the removal means is stationary and the support means are movable to present fabric to the removal means.

6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein the support means is in the form of a conveyor which conveys the fabric to be cleaned to the removal means.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the conveyor is a continuous belt which has an outer surface upon which the fabric is laid and which is capable of frictionally engaging the fabric.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the removal means includes a rotary brush which is movably mounted for movement between operative and inoperative positions, the brush in its operative position being located so as to engage said surface of fabric being conveyed by the conveyor and in its in-operative position being spaced from the conveyor.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the gripping means includes two continuous bands which are located either side of the brush.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9 wherein the gripping means and rotary brush are mounted on a common frame which is movable towards and away from the conveyor to move in unison the brush and gripping means to their operative positions.

11. An apparatus for cleaning fabrics substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.