Patent ID: 6557223
Filing Date: 2003-05-06
Classification: D04H,D06C

Abstract:
Equipment for hydroenhancing and finishing nonwoven and knit fabric, including spun and/or spun filament yarn, comprising:a manifold having a row of jet orifices which emit a curtain of fluid jets at a given level of total delivered energy per weight of fabric; transport means for transporting the fabric in a travel direction at a given speed relative to the manifold so that the curtain of fluid jets impacts on the fabric; wherein the manifold is operated in movement relative to the transporting of the fabric such that the curtain of fluid jets is delivered to the fabric at a low energy per pass which is a selected fraction of the given level of total delivered energy and in a high number of passes on the fabric which is a multiple corresponding to the selected fraction, whereby an improved conversion of delivered energy to enhancement energy is obtained on each pass and waste of energy is reduced, wherein the manifold is a drum manifold having a plurality of jet strips with respective rows of jet orifices mounted around the periphery thereof, said drum manifold being rotated to apply the fluid curtains from the plurality of jet strips in overlapping swathes to simulate multiple passes on the fabric.