A DEVICE FOR ARTIFICIALLY AGEING AND FINISHING A FABRIC

Abstract: A device for artificially ageing and/or finishing fabrics comprises a roller brush (5) equipped with bristles (6) fashioned from carbon or aluminium fibre reinforced nylon, which is positioned over the path followed by a web (2) of fabric advancing from an infeed point (3) to an outfeed point (4) in such a way that the bottom generator of the rolling surface makes contact with the fabric. As the brush rotates, the action of the nylon bristles on the face of the fabric produces the desired ageing or finish.

Description: A DEVICE FOR ARTIFICIALLY AGEING AND FINISHING A FABRIC Description The present invention relates to a device for artificially ageing and finishing a fabric. More specifically, though not exclusively, such a device can be employed with advantage to obtain special visual effects on fabrics of various types (simulated leathers, denim, etc.) by applying a mechanical treatment designed to produce a certain degree of wear on the outermost superficial layer of the fabric, but without tearing or lacerating the body of the material. Reference is made in particular to devices capable of applying such an artificial ageing treatment as a continuous process. The prior art embraces devices of the type referred to above, in which a web of fabric is passed around and tensioned over a plurality of pulleys appearing substantially as cylinders, of which one at least will be power driven. Drawn forward by the power driven cylinder, the web of fabric advances from an infeed station toward an outfeed station, following a prescribed path along which, at a given point, the fabric is subjected to a mechanical treatment applied by a roller of which the axis of rotation is disposed parallel with the plane occupied by the fabric and perpendicular to the direction of movement of the advancing web. The peripheral surface of the roller is faced with emery paper or abrasive materials. The roller is positioned such that one generator of its peripheral surface will remain in contact with the face of the fabric subjected to the mechanical treatment, and driven in rotation with the selfsame peripheral surface revolving in opposition to the advancing web. In effect, the fabric is subjected to a process of emery rubbing from which it emerges with the outer face displaying evidence of wear, and presenting an appearance of age considered desirable by many. Nonetheless, there are certain drawbacks with this conventional type of device. Firstly, the effect obtained does not faithfully reproduce the look of "natural" wear that a fabric will effectively acquire only with time and use; in short, the end result is not altogether satisfying. Secondly, it can happen on occasion, by reason of irregular contact or non-uniform relative velocity between the periphery of the roller and the web of fabric, or for other reasons, that the treatment in question will produce transverse or longitudinal lines or streaks on the material which are entirely undesirable. The object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks through the provision of a constructionally simple and economical device capable of applying an artificial ageing treatment to the surface of a fabric in a continuous cycle, obtaining effects very similar to those produced by natural wear, and of finishing the fabric, without giving place to unwanted transverse or longitudinal streaks. Advantageously, the device disclosed is also a_ ^ « to create patterns on a fabric, so that the fa.. _c itself acquires a superior and original appearance. The stated object is fully realized in the device disclosed, as characterized by the appended claims. Preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example, with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which: -fig 1 is a schematic side elevation of the device disclosed; -figs 2 and 3 afford enlarged views of a detail from fig 1, each indicating a possible alternative embodiment . Referring to the drawings, 1 denotes a device, in its entirety, for artificially ageing and finishing a fabric; such a device comprises a continuous feed system by which a web 2 of fabric is directed along a predetermined path from an infeed station 3 to an outfeed station 4. The feed direction followed by the web is indicated by an arrow, denoted 12. The continuous feed system comprises a plurality of cylinders 13 of which one, denoted 13' in fig 1, is power driven. The web 2 of fabric is passed around the cylinders 13 and tensioned. The power driven cylinder 13' will be faced with a blanket or layer of rubber and set in rotation by a geared motor of conventional type, not illustrated in .the drawings, which operates in conjunction with an inverter and a potentiometer affording control over the linear velocity of the advancing web 2 of fabric. The feed system further comprises a cylinder 13'', likewise faced with rubber, which is coupled to a pneumatic disc brake of conventional embodiment and thus provides the means for tensioning the web 2 of fabric. The path followed by the web of fabric comprises a substantially horizontal stretch, denoted 14, along which the artificial ageing treatment is applied. To this end, the device comprises a roller brush 5 positioned above the web along this same stretch 14 and rotatable thus about a horizontal axis disposed transversely to the feed direction. The bristles 6 of the brush are fashioned from nylon impregnated with carbon or aluminium fibres. The brush 5 is coupled by way of drive belts 15 to an asynchronous motor 16 operated in conjunction with an inverter so as to allow of varying the angular velocity of the brush according to the linear velocity of the advancing web of fabric. The bottom generator of the roller brush 5 remains permanently in contact with the uppermost face of the web 2 of fabric receiving the ageing treatment. The direction of rotation of the brush, indicated by the arrow denoted 17, is such that the bristles move in opposition to the advancing web 2. 7 denotes an element positioned below the roller brush 5 in such a manner that the web 2 of fabric passes between the element 7 and the brush with the reverse face (remote from the face subjected to the ageing treatment) riding on the upwardly directed surface of the element 7. The element 7 in question is mounted to linear actuators 18 with vertically disposed axes, and can thus be moved toward and away from the brush. In the example of fig 1, the element 7 takes the form of two freely revolving rollers 20 between which the web 2 of fabric is extended in such a way as to form the substantially horizontal stretch 14 aforementioned. In the solution of fig 3, the upwardly directed surface of the element 7 is flat, offered in flush contact to the reverse face of the web 2 of fabric, and embodied with depressions 9 and/or projections of selected pattern and depth. Fig 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the device in which the element 7 comprises a cylinder disposed with its axis parallel to that of the brush 5. The effects obtained with the device disclosed are eminently similar to those exhibited by a naturally aged fabric. Neither will the device leave unwanted transverse lines or streaks on the fabric: indeed the surface wear produced by the brush, simulating the appearance of age, is notably uniform. Employing the type of element 7 with a flat surface affording depressions 9 and portions in relief, the device 1 can also be used to create particularly pleasing special effects and shadings on a fabric, predominantly in the longitudinal direction. In a further possible embodiment of the device, not illustrated in the drawings, use might be made of a plurality of brushes 5 arranged in series so as to produce a finish by degrees. Another possible solution might be to set the brush in rotation convergently with the feed direction of the web 2 of fabric: with this type of arrangement, naturally, the tangential velocity of the brush 5 will be dissimilar to the linear velocity at which the fabric advances. Whilst reference is made throughout the foregoing description to a web of fabric, the device might be employed to equally good effect for ageing and/or finishing all types of weft and warp weave, knitted cloth and non-woven fabric, in natural or man-made or mixed fibres, also impregnated, gel, coated and printed fabrics. The device can also be used for artificially ageing natural or simulated leathers.

Claims: CLAIMS 1) A device for artificially ageing and/or finishing fabrics, of the type comprising a continuous feed system by which a web (2) of fabric is advanced along a predetermined path from an infeed station (3) to an outfeed station (4) characterized in that it comprises a roller brush (5) positioned along the path followed by the web of fabric with the axis of the roller disposed parallel to the plane occupied by the fabric and transversely to the feed direction and the bristles interactively associated with the face of the advancing fabric; and in that the tangential velocity of the brush and the linear velocity of the advancing web of fabric are dissimilar. 2) A device as in claim 1, wherein the bristles (6) of the roller brush (5) are fashioned from nylon with added carbon or aluminium fibres. 3) A device as in claim 1, wherein the roller brush (5) rotates in opposition to the direction followed by the advancing web of fabric. 4) A device as in claim 1, comprising an element (7) located in close proximity to the roller brush (5) and disposed in contact with the face of the fabric remote from the face subjected to the ageing and/or finishing treatment, wherein the advancing web of fabric passes between the element and the roller brush. 5) A device as in claim 4, wherein the element (7) can be selectively moved toward and distanced from the roller brush (5) . 6) A device as in claim 4, wherein the element (7) ' presents an essentially flat face offered in direct contact to the fabric and affording depressions (9) and/or projections of selected pattern and depth. 7) A device as in claim 4, wherein the element (7) comprises a cylinder (8) of which the axis extends parallel to the axis of the roller brush (5) . 10 A device as in claim 4, wherein the element (7) consists essentially in two revolving rollers (20) distanced one from the other, around which the web of fabric is wrapped in part and in such a way as to afford a substantially flat stretch (14) subject to the action of the roller brush (5) .

Inventors: SALA ENRICO, SALA, ENRICO
Applicants: SALA ENRICO, STAMPERIA EMILIANA SRL, SALA, ENRICO, STAMPERIA EMILIANA S.R.L.
Application year: 1995
Main classification: D06B11
IPC codes: D06B11