US2369696A - Continuous piece goods processing machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 20, 1945. W.-M. EN-r2 V CONTINUOUS PIECE GOODS PROCESSING MACHINE s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 17, 1942 l r n eatz 'IN EN R ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1945. I w, w 1 z 2 ,369,696

CONTINUOUS YIECE GOODS PROCESSING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1942 3'Sheets-Sheet 2 L mlliqql M natz INVENTOR I BYM; I

ATTORNEY Feb. 20, 1945. V w. M. WE'NTZ 2,369,696 CONTINUOUS PIECE GOODS PROCESSING MACHINE Filed June 17, 1942 3 Sheets-Shet 5 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 20, 1945 U ITED STAT-E S PATENT OFFICE CONTINUOUS PIECE GOODS PROCESSING MACHINE William M. Wentz, Carneys' Point, N. J., assignor to E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Company, Wilmington,.Del.,.a corporation of Delaware '3 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine m processing piece 'goods wherein the goods may be subjected to treatment in a liquid treating bath in a continuous manner for an extended period of time. r

In the dyeing, finishing and other processing of textile fabrics in the piece by the continuous methods in which the goods must be subjected attendant loss of dissolved chemicals, for the solutions are often unstable and even when stable the storage of large volumesgf such liquids isimpracticable.

It is therefore an object of" this invention to provide a fabric treating apparatus for treating cloth in thecontinuous piece and in a continuous to the treating bath for an extended period of time ithas been the practice to pass the piece goods over and under numerous rollers so that it passes horizontally or vertically back and forth through the solution until treatment is completed. Ordinarilythese machines are-run at a speed whereby the cloth passes over the rolls at from to 120 yards per minute. Where, only a short contact with the solution is necessary no particular'problem is involved in the use of this type of apparatus, but where the fiber is to to be treated for an" extended period of time and the same speed of production must be maintained. an extraordinarily large treating bath or a number of such treating baths must be employed to permit the goods to remain in the solution for the required time. 'In many cases the passing of piece goods over and under numerous rolls presents difliculties because of the tension under whichthe goods must be put to move it along.

To avoid the tension on the goods that is attendant in the conventional apparatus, methods have been devised to drive a larger number of the manner for an extended period of time, which is compact, simple in operation and in which the fabric is not subjected to undue tension while being treated A further object of the invention is to provide a continuous piecegoods dyeing and treating machine which requires a minimum volume of treating liquor per unit of goods under treatment whereby in processes in which an equilibrium must be established between the treating solution and the material, before uniformity of treatment is finally attained, the time required to,establish this equilibrium is reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a continuous piece goods dyeing and treating machine in which-the'time of treatment of the goods passing there-through can be increased without altering the speed of the machine or the volumeof-the treating bath.

rolls over which the goods pass, or to employ nip or squeeze rollsspaced at more frequent intervals to pull the cloth along and to squeeze out excess liquor where desired. However, due to shrinking and stretching of goods when wetted,

these methods are not entirely satisfactory, ex=-. cept where complicated e'lectricalcontrols and compensators are employed and such controls add greatly to the cost of the equipment. Furthermore, in treating pile fabrics, the use of numerous squeeze rolls is-to be avoided because of the tendency of such rolls to impart a permanent matting to the pile.

In the conventional continuous piece goods dyeing machines, where the fabric is to be maintained in contact with the solutions for extended periods of'time, large volumes of the treatin liquor are required to accommodate the amount of goods that must be under treatment at any one time because of the bulky manner required for manipulating-the goods inthe baths. -The amounts of chemicals and dyes employed in the fiber treating solutions is of course proportional to the amount of solution used and at the end In the attached drawings which form a part of this application,

Fig. l is an isometric view, partially in section,

of a preferred form of fiber treating apparatus:

illustrating the invention. 1

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view, partly in section showing the machine of Fig. 1 as a multiple unit with modified take-off mechanism Fig. 3 is a fragmentary isometric section showing a modified arrangement of the machines in tandem carrying the cloth directly from one Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view of a modified form of the apparatus illustrating the addition of a further'treating bath throughwhich the cloth maybe run.

' Fig. 6 is a diagrammatical detail view illustrating a method of taking oil the fabric in the when the inside of the machine, and

. Figsfl? and 8 are sectional views illustrating modified forms of the cloth carrying reels.

In the accompanying drawings inwhich like reference numerals refer to correspond n parts in the several views, numeral l designates-a tank orvat adapted to hold the liquid with which the cloth is to be treated. In this tank is mounted for rotation a cloth carrying reel 2 made up with side plates 3 attached to a cylindrical center por-. tion 4 with connecting rods 5 spaced away from the cylindrical center 4, the reel being of a length to accommodate the maximum width of cloth for which the machine is constructed.

Mounted above the reel 2 on a frame .II! is a second reel II of similar construction to that or reel 2. The reels 2 and I I are mounted in alignment so that the cloth, in a continuous piece,

may be wrapped around the reels in the open width or in a folded strip in such a manner that the inner wrap is removed from the reels at the same rate of speed as the cloth is fed onto the reels as the outer wrap. The reel 2 is mounted at any desired depth within the tank I so. the" solution may completely cover the reel or any portion thereof, whereby the cloth as it passes about the reels 2 and I i is treated for the desired length of time, the time of treatment being de pendent upon the number of wraps oi cloth'about the reels and the speed at which the machine is operated. r

As illustrated in Figure 1 the cloth C i led into the machine in the open width or in a folded strip-over the roller I5 and down into the treating liquor under the roll I6, to give the goods a preliminary wetting then passed between the nip or squeeze rolls I1 and I8 which may also constitute the impelling force for moving the strip of; cloth into the machine. The cloth is then passed under a rollv 20 to give it a further wetting, then over the roll 2I and about the reel 2 as the outer wrap. It is then led over the reel I I andback around the reels 2 and II in a multiple of wraps,

through thesecond machine in the same manner illustrated 'in F18. l. 1

Variable speed transmissions of conventional types may be employed in driving the squeeze rolls I|--l8, 21-2. and 25-48 if desired, to permit adjustment for any variation in the feeding of the cloth in the'machine, such as may be caused by shrinkage or stretching of the goods when wetted by the treating solutions. The reel 2 which operates in the vat I is preferably a closed cylinder about which the rods 5, secured in the flanges 3 are spaced suiliciently far from the cylinder portion 4 to permit adequate access of the treating liquor to the inside as. well as the outside layer of the cloth that passes about this reel. By using a closed cylinder type or reel as illustrated, the

volume of treating solution in the bath may be kept at a minimum. It is to be understood that in the accompanying drawings the feed rolls, float rolls, reels, etc., are arranged further apart than will be necessary in order that the invention may be properly illustrated in the drawings. The more compact the arrangement of rolls and reels within the vat, I, the smaller will be the amount of treating solution required to etfectively treat any given amount of cloth that is constantly P ssing through the machine. Where tandem machines the number being dependent upon the time required to complete the treatment 01' the goods in the treating bath. The goods is then led out over roll 25 and under the float roll 26 through the nip or squeeze rolls 21 and'28, then out from the side of the machine over the guiddlfl. As illustrated in Fig. 1, the goods may then be carried around the rolls 32 and 23 over a second 45 guide- 34 and through thetake-ofi rolls 35, 28. The cloth may then be batched or led into another ma-v chine arranged in a line with the machine illustrated.

' Y'I'he feed rolls l'i-I8, 21 -28 and take-oi! rolls "35-36 are all driven from any source or power such as through chain 38 on shaft 39 by conven: tional driving means or by sprockets and chains as'illustrated in the drawings. The reels 2 and II may also be driven or they may rotate freely with th cloth as'it passes thereabout, the cloth being moved through the machineentirely by the nip i or squeeze rolls.

As illustrated in Fig. 2 the machines maybe arranged in tandem, and the cloth may be carried .from the machines in. rope form through the poteyes and over the take-oil reels II. The. goods 1 taken from th'e reels may be further treated in a rope form or 'passed throughscutchersor other-conventional opening devices after whichit may again be treatedin the open width or sub- .iected to the usual'flnishingoperations in any desired type of apparatus.

Fig. 3 illustrates the arrangement of two or more machines whereby the cloth is taken directly, from one machine'and passed into the second bath for treatment without undue exposure to air. By ihnnsips'the cloth from the 45 guide at, directly to a sbriddfiguidefilin the second machine,

then under the roll GI-wdrom where it passes,

arearranged in line, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the squeeze rolls used for feeding the cloth in and taking the cloth from the -machines may be,

due to the gradual increase in the eifective diameter of the reels, particularly where heavy goods are being treated, there tends to be an increase in the amount of goods taken onto the outer wrap, as compared with the amount oi. goods delivered from the inside wrap! about the reels. This difierence in amount of goods is compensated for by the construction of the reels 2 and II. As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the rods which are spaced about the central portion of the reel and which carry the goods to be treated permits the goods to be carried about the reels in a loose form as more particularly illustrated in Figs. 4.5 and 6. The modified forms of reels may of course be employed to accomplish the. same results as more particularly illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. When an ordinary cylinder is employed, in place of the reels of the types illustrated, it has been found that after a number of yards of goods have been passed through the machine, the goods begin to collect and drop down below the reel 2, especially where heavy goods is being treated or where a large number or wraps are madewbout the two reels. 13y the use of the rods 3 or the corrugated surfaces 15 and II (as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8), this diiflculty has been overcome, for the same amount of goods that is fed onto the reels as the outer-wrap is carried. evenly there-about and taken oi! from the inside at the same rate. It has. been found that several thousand yards of goods may be passed-throushthe type of machine is to be run before it is unduly expcsedto the air. I Inthis view clothis taken-oi! from one .0! the lower reels andm'ubiected to a further treatment in a bath by itthroush squeeze rolls 2,309,606 and over the guide rolls a: and as. Where this.

treatment is a water wash, the water may be sprayed from pipes 90 onto the goods as it passes upward to the squeeze rolls 9|.

As illustrated in Fig. 6 the goods may be taken of! through the squeeze rolls 21-28 and batched on a conventional drum winder till-6|. As'furbe positioned vertically above the lower reel 2, the arrangement of these two reels being in any desired manner that may be required to get them into the space available for the construction of the machine. Furthermore,'where the reels carry the cloth on an incline, as in Fig. 6, the looser inner wraps are carried from reel 2 to reel H onthe outer wraps, when the movement of the cloth is clockwise as illustrated.

With the apparatus of this invention, as illustrated in the attached drawings, piece goods may be treated in a treating bath in a continuous manner for extended periods of time, the'length ther illustrated in Fig. 6 the top reel ll need not of time being dependent upon the number of wraps about the reels 2 and H and the speed at which the machine is operated. The greater the number of wraps about the reels 2 and H the longer will be the time of treatment of the fiber in the treating solution fcr'any given speed of operation of the machine; With light fabrics a large number of wraps may be made about the reels without undue drag or tension, particularly where both upper and lower reels are driven,

making the machine particularly suitable for the treating of thin, easily distortedfabrlcs. with 4 heavier fabrics the number-of wraps about the two reels will necessarily be less.

With 8 ounce duck it has been found that 24 wraps about the reels, which was the -number required for the particular operationto give the necessary time of treatment at the speed of operation of the machine, operated very successfully. Where a longer treatment is desired without an increase in the speed of the machine a greater number of wraps may of course be employed, while for a shorter period of treatment the number of wraps may be reduced.

With this apparatus the cloth may be treated in the continuous piece in a single relatively small fiber treatingbath thereby keeping at a minimum the amount of solution required for any particular amount of cloth to be treated. This is of particular importance in treating relaor drying the chemicals with whic tively short runs of from one thousand to several thousand yards of cloth. This small volume is also of particularimportance in dyeing processes such as in the development of'vat dyes, where it is essential that equilibrium between the padded goods and the development bath be attained inthe shortest possible'time, as more particularly described in my U. S. Patent 2,318,133 which.

issued May 4, 1943. In the developmentof vat dye'sfwhere the goods must be maintained, in

'contactwith the developing solution for an extended period of time, the machine as above described ofiers the particular advantage that a comparatively small volume of treating solution is required and the'cloth which first enters the bath is continuously treated in that same bath for the full period of time required to establish the equilibrium.

Although in the apparatus illustrated in the drawir s the goods wrapped about the reels 2 and II isimmersed in the treating bath for only apart of the time ,dur ing its rotation, it has been found that, even with vat dyestufiswhereoxidation of the color in the {solution and premature ployed in all processes having to do with the treating of textilefibers in the continuous piece either in the open width or in a folded form, such as in the dyeing, bleaching, scouring, impregnating, developin finishing, etc.

The apparatus of this invention, as more particularly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, may also be employed'in the aging, steamlng, baking or'other treatment 'of goods in the continuous piece even where a liquid treating bath is not required, by enclosing the mechanism in a steam tight chamber or box, whereby heat, steam or acid vapors may be introduced in the conventional manner,

Due to the continuous removal of the,.inner wrap of goods from the reels, this apparatus is particularly suitable for subjecting gods while it is passing about the reels to the action of infra red rays where such treatment is desir d in baking the fabric is treated.

Where the time required for thetreatment of the goods in the apparatus is not unduly long the output of the machine maybe materially increased by leading a plurality of pieces of goods into the machine at the same time to form several wraps about the reels and taking them off together as a layer or separately, as the situation.

demands. This apparatus is suitable for the application of all types of dyes such as vats, direct, acid and the various types of azo dyestuffs including those in which the dye is formed on the fiber by treating the previousl impregnated fabric with a coupling component in solution. All types of fabrics may be treated with this apparatus including those which are adversely affected by tension, since there is a, minimum amount of tension applied to the goods during its passage through the machine.

Iclaim: 1. In a continuous piece goods dyeing and treating apparatus, a bath adapted to hold the solution with which the goods-are to be dyed or treated, a reel mounted to rotate in the bath with the lower portion below the surface of the treatlng solution, a second reel spaced from and mounted in cooperative relationship with the first reel about which the piece goods in open width may be 'wound in a plurality of wraps about itself on the reels to permit prolonged treatment of the goods in the bath while it is-continuously fed onto and taken all from said reels, said reels being of a diameter substantially greater than the ag- 'gregate thickness of said wraps, said reels being provided with alternatively arranged raised portions and depressions extending -,axially the effective length of the reels into which depressions the loose folds of goods on the inner wraps may be carried, said raised portionsbeing spaced apart a distance suflicient to receive and carry in the intervening depressions the loose folds of the inner wraps, means for feeding the goods onto and, for taking it from said reels;

2. In a continuous piece goods dyeing and 3. In a continuous piece'goods treating appatreating apparatus, a bath adapted to hold the ratus, a first reel and a second reel spaced theresolution with which the goods are to be dyed from and mounted in cooperative relationship or treated, a reel mounted to rotate in the bath with the first reel about which two reels the piece with'the lower portion below the surface of the goods in open width may be wound in a plurality treating solution; a second reel spaced froin and of wraps about itself: to permit prolonged treatmouuted in cooperative relationship with the first ment of the goods in the. treating apparatus while reel about which the piece goods in open width the said goods is fed continuously onto and taken may be wound in a plurality of wraps about itself from said reels, said reels being of a diameter subon the reels to permit prolonged treatment of the 10 stantially greater. than the aggregate thickness of goods in the bath while it is continuously fed onto said wraps, means associated with said reels proand taken 01! from said reels, said reels being or a vided with alternatively arranged raised portions diameter substantially greater than the aggregate and depressions extending axially the efiectlve thickness s eals wraps, means associated with I length of the reels into which depressions the said reels provided with alternatively arranged loose folds of goods on the inner wraps may be raised portions and depressions extending axiallycarried, said raised portions being spaced apart a the eflective length of the reels into which dedistance suflicient to receive and carry in the pressions the loose folds of goods on the inner intervening depressions the loose folds of the wraps may be carried, said raised portions being inner wraps, means for feeding thegoods onto spaced apart a distance suihcient to receive and g and for taking it from said reels.

carry in the intervening depressions the loose folds of the inner wraps, means for feeding the I WILLIAM M. WENT-Z. goods onto and for taking it from said reels. 7

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