Patent ID: 7500294
Filing Date: 2009-03-10
Classification: B65H,D04H

Abstract:
1. A water needling device comprising: a housing having an intake side and defining a generally horizontal transport direction extending downstream from the intake side; a support in the housing having an upwardly directed foraminous support face; upstream and downstream reversible winders in the housing spaced apart in the direction; a plurality of rollers in the housing between the winders; means in the housing defining for a textile web a path starting at the intake, extending over the support face and the rollers, and then downstream out of the housing; means including a nozzle beam directed downward at the surface for projecting a plurality of high-pressure water streams at the textile web and thereby consolidating and finishing it as it passes over the foraminous face; a threading-in conveyor strand secured to the winders, having a gripper attachable to the textile web, and extending over at least some of the rollers; and means for operating the winders in a forward direction for, when the gripper is attached to a leading end of the web, pulling the web over the rollers and through the housing and for, when the gripper is not attached to the web, operating the winders in a reverse direction to return the gripper upstream.