Process for the wet treatment of textile tubular fabric

The fabric (1), which is pre-treated wet and is supplied in strand form, is inflated to form a balloon (15, 15', 15", 15"') by means of a gaseous medium, is then combined again to form a strand and in strand form is guided through an overflow pipe (17, 17', 17", 17"'). Subsequently, these process steps are repeated a plurality of times in analogous sequence.

The invention relates to a process for the continuous wet treatment of 
textile tubular fabric, to an apparatus for carrying out this process and 
to the use of this process. 
The object of the present invention is in particular to provide a process 
which requires significantly less water, chemicals and energy than 
processes known hitherto to achieve the same wet treatment effect, and in 
which the passage of the fabric is insensitive to holes in the fabric, 
permits the greatest variety of fabric web widths, and brings about a high 
level of washing shrinkage effect. 
The object is achieved by a method for the continuous wet treatment of 
textile tubular fabric, characterized in that said fabric, is pre-treated 
wet and is supplied in strand form. The method comprises the steps of 
inflating the fabric to form a balloon by means of a gaseous medium; 
combining the fabric to form a strand; guiding the fabric in strand form 
through an overflow pipe; and repeating the above steps a plurality of 
times in analogous sequence. 
As a result of the repeated inflation to form a balloon, effected during 
the treatment process, the treatment fluid therebetween is repeatedly 
distributed extremely evenly over the fabric which is meanwhile in a 
fold-free, untwisted state and which, moreover, during each subsequent 
combining to form a strand consequently automatically achieves the effect 
of different strand parts repeatedly coming into mutual contact during the 
subsequent wet treatment in the overflow pipe. 
The subject of the invention is, moreover, an apparatus for carrying out 
the above process.

As can be seen from the drawings, the fabric 1 to be treated is drawn off a 
stack 2, impregnated a first time with the bleaching liquor in the fluid 
container 3, is then guided through a first open-width squeezing unit 4, 
and then impregnated a second time with the bleaching liquor in the fluid 
container 5. 
The fabric 1 impregnated thus with the bleaching liquor is then inflated by 
means of an inflating device 6 to form a balloon 7, so that the 
impregnating fluid is distributed extremely evenly over the fabric web 
portion which is in a fold-free state. 
Then, the fabric 1 impregnated in this wet manner is supplied through a 
second open-width squeezing unit 4 to a fabric web store 8 where the 
fabric 1 dwells for a certain period of time to allow the impregnating 
fluid to take full effect. 
Thereafter, the impregnated fabric 1 is withdrawn in open width from the 
fabric web store 8 at approximately 100 m/min, and in a heating unit 9 is 
heated by means of steam nozzles 10 arranged on either side to 
approximately 95.degree. to 100.degree. C. as it passes through. 
Then, the heated fabric 1, still laid out in open-width form, is passed 
through a steamer unit 11, with a dwell time of for example 30 to 40 
minutes and a temperature of approximately 95.degree. to 100.degree. C., 
and at the outlet of this steamer unit 11 it is also guided continuously 
through rinsing liquor in the rinsing unit 12 and is then passed into a 
storage section 13. 
The process steps described below are then repeated many times in analogous 
manner, the same equipment parts being provided with analogous reference 
numerals. 
For reductive after-treatment, the fabric in open-width form is removed 
from the storage section 13 is combined to form a strand, then inflated by 
means of an inflating unit 14 to form a balloon 15, so that the rinsing 
fluid may be distributed extremely evenly over and in the fabric 1 which 
is presented in fold-free manner and spread out. 
Then, if desired, the impregnated, wet fabric 1 may be guided by location 
16 through an open-width squeezing unit, containing squeezing rollers, 
which serve to remove the treatment fabric in open width form after the 
forming of the fabric into a balloon. 
After roller 16, the fabric 1 which passes through at this point in the 
open-width state is passed into a flushing-in funnel 18 which is in 
fluid-tight.sup.2 connection with the inlet of the overflow pipe 17, is 
there combined again to form a strand, and in strand form is passed 
through the overflow pipe 17 filled with liquor. The length of the 
overflow pipe 17 in the example illustrated is approximately 9 to 10 
meters. 
FNT .sup.2 Translator's Note: "flussigkeitsschichtverbunden" [=in fluid-layer 
connection] has been assumed to be an error for 
"flussigkeitsdichtverbunden" [=in fluid-tight connection] which appears 
later in the text. 
Arranged at the outlet of the overflow pipe 17, for the purpose of draining 
the liquor out of the fabric 1 which is treated thus, is a fabric store 19 
which holds approximately 6 to 8 kg of fabric and is provided with liquor 
discharge openings, out of which fabric store 19 the liquor passes into 
the liquor receiving and removing container 20 for further use. 
The fabric 1 to be treated 19 is removed again in the form of a strand from 
the fabric store 19, inflated to form a balloon 15' by means of an 
inflating unit 14', so that the rinsing fluid can be distributed again 
extremely evenly over and in the spread-out fabric 1 which is now again 
presented in fold-free manner, removed in open width in the open-width 
state over the roller arrangement located at the point 16', passed into a 
flushing-in funnel 18' which is in fluid-tight connection with the inlet 
of the next overflow pipe 17' (not illustrated in FIG. 2 for the sake of 
clarity), combined again there to form a strand, and in strand form is 
passed through the overflow pipe 17' filled with liquor. 
Arranged at the outlet of the overflow pipe 17', for the purpose of 
draining the liquor from the fabric 1 which is treated thus, is another 
fabric store 19' which is provided with liquor discharge openings and out 
of which the liquor passes into a liquor receiving and removing container 
20' for further use. 
These process steps are now repeated a plurality of times, as can be seen 
in particular in FIGS. 3 and 4. 
Fold-free opening, which is repeated a plurality of times, of the fabric to 
be treated to form a balloon, the subsequent laying out of the fabric in 
open-width manner, the renewed combining of the fabric 1, which is 
inevitably different from that carried out previously, to form a strand, 
the wet treatment thereof, renewed opening of the fabric 1 to form a 
balloon, etc. effects an extremely intensive wet treatment of the fabric 1 
with a minimum of treatment fluid and energy. 
As a result of the repeated balloon formation during the washing procedure, 
a pressing mark which may be made by the roller arrangements 16, 16', 16" 
etc. is always moved each time to a different location on the tubular 
fabric 1, so that no pressing mark can still be detected on the end 
product. 
The fabric 1, its treatment complete, emerges from the plant at the point 
21 (FIG. 4). 
The provision of saturated steam to the plant is effected by way of the 
supply line 22, removal of the condensate is effected by way of the line 
23, the liquor circulation is effected by way of the lines 24, and the 
water supply is effected by way of the supply lines 25.