A FABRIC TREATMENT MACHINE AND METHOD

Abstract: In a fabric washing and milling machine fabric to be treated is carried through a passage or tunnel (5) by means of a heated air stream to a milling trough (8). Water may be supplied to the fabric in the passage (5). In a modification the milling trough comprises two endless conveyor belts which carry the fabric forward and subject it to a reciprocating force. As the fabric may be treated withouth being passed through a nip faults in the fabric are reduced or eliminated.

Description: A FABRIC TREATMENT MACHINE AND METHOD The present invention relates to a fabric treatment machine and particularly, but not exclusively to a fabric washing and milling machine and to a method of fabric treatment. In conventional fabric washing and milling machines the fabric in rope form is driven around the machine by a pair of nip or squeeze rollers. If the rope runs in the same fold for too long running marks in the form of longitudinal fold lines occur. In addition, or alternatively, fabrics an be damaged by any one or more of the following:- too much squeeze pressure bursting the weave of a woven fabric, too little squeeze pressure allowing fabric to slip on the surface of a roller or similar causing rubbing marks or possibly rubbed holes, and bruising where rollers or similar bounce after being forced apart to allow piece end sewing to pass through. In conventional rotary milling machines and combined scouring and milling machines, a milling trough positioned following nip rollers is essential to perform lengthwise milling or shrinkage. This creates an even greater hazard to the fabric where it has to be stripped from the surface of a roller to force the rope ahead down the trough. If fabric becomes trapped between the surface of a nip roller and a stripper plate disposed at either the top or the bottom of the trough, this at best, may tear a hole in the fabric providing the following rope can pull the trapped fabric free or worse stop the machine necessitating a machine strip down to free the fabric. If fabric becomes trapped between the edge of a nip roller and a side of the trough a tear or weft breakage in woven fabric is likely to occur. According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided apparatus for treating a length of fabric comprising a passage through which the fabric may be transported, means for creating a gasflow through the passage whereby to transport the fabric therethrough, means for supplying fabric to the passage and means disposed downstream of the passage for treating the fabric. According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of treating a length of fabric including the steps of feeding the fabric to a passage creating a gasflow through the passage to transport the fabric through the passage and means for treating the fabric after passage through the passage. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the means for treating the fabric comprises a milling trough. The trough may have a pivotally mounted lid which may be pivoted by means of a pneumatic piston and cylinder device to alter the degree of milling. Alternatively the milling trough may comprise one or more conveyor belts. One or more belts may be supported on guide rollers and some at least of the guide rollers may be arranged for reciprocation to subject the fabric to an alternating force as it passes through the trough. One of the guide rollers may be movable transverse to a direction of movement of the fabric through the trough. The movable guide roller may be arranged to operate a microswitch to slow down the corresponding conveyor. A slip sensor roller may be provided to sense the degree of slip of fabric therethrough and to speed up the conveyor at a chosen slip value. Where there are two conveyor belts, these are arranged on opposite sides respectively of the trough with the fabric travelling between them. A reciprocable foot may be provided to urge fabric emerging from the passage into the means for treating the fabric. The means for creating a gasflow (usually air) may comprise a blower supplying air to the passage advantageously via an air heater. The blower draws in air through an air filter from an enclosure in which the tube is disposed. Apertures may be provided in the passage for the discharge of gas. The means for supplying fabric to the passage comprises a winch roller advantageously driven by an electric motor and having surface projections to engage fabric. Means may be provided for supplying liquid such as water to the fabric in the passage. This may comprise a pump connected to the passage via a pipe. A liquid heater may be disposed for heating the liquid. A heater board or comb may be disposed downstream of the means for treating. ln order that the invention may be more clearly understood, embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 diagrammatically shows a scouring and milling machine according to the invention, Figure 2 shows a first modification of the machine of figure I, Figure 3 shows a modification of the milling trough of the machine of figure 1 , and Figure 4 shows a second modification of the milling trough of figure Referring to figure I, the scouring and milling machine comprises a housing I. In the upper part of the housing I, a winch roller 2 is rotatably mounted. An electric drive motor 3 is provided for rotating the winch roller 2 in conventional manner. The winch roller 2 has surface projections or formations 4 to engage fabric passing round the roller. Downstream of the roller 2 is disposed an air passage or tunnel indicated generally by the reference numeral 5. The upper part of this tunnel comprises a convergent section 6 followed by a parallel sided section 7 which is angled towards and leads into a milling trough 8. The lower angled part 9 of the parallel sided section 7 is provided with apertures 10 through which air may be discharged in the direction of the arrows shown during the milling operation. An air inlet duct 1 1 leads into the section 7. This duct 1 1 is connected to an air heater 1 2 which in turn is connected via a further air duct 1 3 to a blower 14 driven by an electric motor 15. In operation this blower 14 draws air through an air filter 16 and duct 17 from the housing 1 and supplies it via duct 13 air heater 12 and inlet duct 1 1 to the air tunnel 5. The milling trough 8 comprises a reciprocating foot 18 which serves in operation to urge fabric emerging from the downstream end of the air tunnel 5 in folds into the milling trough 8. The foot 18 is reciprocated by a reciprocator drive which comprises an electric motor 19 driving through a belt 20 and pulley 21 a crank 22 and connecting rod 23. The top of the milling trough 8 comprises a pivotally mounted lid 24 the position of which may be altered to alter the degree of milling. For this purpose a pneumatically operable piston and cylinder device 25 is attached to the free end of the lid 24 remote from the end at which the lid 24 is pivoted. Means are also provided for supplying water to the fabric as it passes through the air tunnel 5. This comprises a water pump 26 which draws water from a main supply on the base of the housing and supplies it via a water pipe 27 to the air tunnel 5. A water heater 28 is provided in the base of the housing to heat water drawn out by the pump 26. A drain 29 is also provided in the housing base to enable contaminated water to be drawn off. For scouring, a beater board or comb 30 is disposed adjacent the exit end of the milling trough 8. Also, a fabric guide 31 is disposed on the fabric run up to the winch roller 2. The base of the housing 1 is also curved to guide the fabric. In operation of the above described arrangement a continuous run of fabric F is drawn into the air tunnel 5 by the rotating winch roller 2. The fabric is carried through the tunnel by means of a heated air stream supplied by the blower 14 and heater 1 2. Air is discharged from the air tunnel 5 through the apertures 10 in the direction of the arrows shown while the fabric continues its journey into the milling trough 8 into which it is urged by the reciprocating foot 18. The degree of milling may be altered as described by operating the piston and cylinder device to raise and lower the lid 24. Where water treatment (washing) is required water is simultaneously pumped to the tunnel 5 by the water pump 26 via the water pipe 27. In the modification shown in Figure 2, the milling trough comprises two endless conveyor belts 40 and 41 disposed on opposite sides respectively of the fabric. The conveyor belts 40 and 41 run on respective guide rollers 42 and 43. Reciprocating rollers 44 and 45 are disposed on belt runs between pairs of guide rollers 42 and 43. These rollers 44 and 45 reciprocate to subject the fabric F passing through the trough to alternating forces substantially transverse to the forward direction of movement. Controls are provided to speed up or slow down the conveyors. The speed up control comprises a slip sensor roller pair 46 which acts to speed up the conveyors when a predetermined degree of slip of the fabric F through the rollers is sensed. The slow down control comprises a microswitch 47 which is operated by one of the guide rollers 42 which is mounted for movement transverse to the forward direction of movement. If insufficient fabric accumulates between the conveyors the roller 42 contacts the microswitch to slow down the conveyors. In the modification shown in figure 3, the lid 24 of the milling trough 8 of figure I is replaced by a series of seven driven rollers (the number may be varied as desired) . The inner five rollers 50 are mounted for reciprocating movement and the position of the final roller 51 is controlled by means of a pneumatic piston and cylinder device 52. The reciprocating rollers subject fabric passing through the trough 8 to alternating forces. In the modification shown in figure 4, the lid 24 of the milling trough 80 of figure 1 is replaced by a driven conveyor belt 60. This belt 60 runs on driven guide rollers 61 , 62 and 63. Guide rollers 61 are fixed, guide rollers 62 are reciprocable and guide roller 63 may be moved up and down by means of a pneumatically operable piston and cylinder device 64. The reciprocating rollers subject fabric passing through the trough 8 to alternating forces. In all cases, as the fabric is not passed through a nip, the faults outlined in the introductory part of the specification are either eliminated or reduced. It will be appreciated that the above embodiments have been described by way of example only and that many variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims: CIAIMS 1 . Apparatus for treating a length of fabric comprising a passage through which the fabric may be transported, means for creating a gasflow through the passage whereby to transport the fabric therethrough, means for supplying fabric to the passage and means disposed downstream of the passage for treating the fabric. 2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , in which the means for treating the fabric comprises a milling trough (8) 3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the trough (8) has a pivotally mounted lid (24) to alter the degree of milling. 4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3, in which a pneumatic piston and cylinder device (25) are provided to pivot the lid(24). 5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the milling trough (8) comprises one or more conveyor belts (40, 41 ) . 6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, in which one or more conveyor belts (40, 41 ) run on guide rollers (42, 43, 44, 45) and one or more guide rollers (43, 45) are arranged for reciprocation to subject fabric (F) to an alternating force as it passes through the trough (8) . 7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5 or 6, in which control means (46, 47) are provided to speed up or slow down the conveyor belts (40, 41 ). 8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, in which the control means to speed up the conveyor belts (40, 41 ) comprises a slip sensor roller pair (46) operative to speed up the conveyor belts when a predetermined degree of slip of the fabric (F) through the rollers is sensed. 9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or 8, in which the control means to slow down the conveyor belts (40, 41 ) comprises a microswitch (47) which is arranged to be operated by one of the guide rollers (42) which is mounted for movement transverse to the forward direction of movement. 10. Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 5 to 9, in which there are two conveyor belts (40, 41 ) disposed on opposite sides respectively of the trough (8) with the fabric, in operation, travelling between them. 1 1 . Apparatus as claimed in any of claims 2 to 10, in which the trough (8) comprises a reciprocating foot (18) operative to urge fabric into the trough (8) . 1 2. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the means for creating a gas flow comprises a blower (14). 13. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which a heater (12) is provided for heating the gas flow. 14. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the means for supplying fabric comprises a winch roller (2) having surface projections (4) to engage the fabric. 1 5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, in which means are provided for supplying liquid (26, 27) to fabric in the passage. 16. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 5, in which the means for supplying comprises a pump (26) connected to the passage (5) via a pipe (27) 17. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 5 or 1 6, in which the heater (28) is provided for heating liquid. 18. A method of treating a length of fabric including the steps of feeding the fabric to a passage creating a gasflow through the passage to transport the fabric through the passage and means for treating the fabric after passage through the passage. 19. A method as claimed in claim 18, in which the fabric is treated by milling a trough (8). 20. A method as claimed in claim 19, in which the degree of milling is varied. 21 . A method as claimed in claim 19, in which the fabric is conveyed by conveyor belts (40, 41 ). 22. A method as claimed in claim 21 , in which the fabric is subjected to an alternating force as it passes through the trough (8). 23. A method as claimed in claim 21 or 22, in which the speed of the conveyor belts is controlled to control the passage of the fabric though the trough (8). 24. A method as claimed in any of claims 18 to 23, in which liquid is supplied to the fabric in the passage. 25. A method as claimed in claim 24 in which the liquid is heated.

Inventors: COLDWELL STEPHEN, HAMILTON LAURENCE, COLDWELL, STEPHEN, HAMILTON, LAURENCE
Applicants: COLDWELL STEPHEN, HAMILTON LAURENCE, HOLMES HEATON HUDDERSFIELD LIM, COLDWELL, STEPHEN, HAMILTON, LAURENCE, HOLMES HEATON (HUDDERSFIELD) LIMITED
Application year: 1998
Main classification: D06C17
IPC codes: D06C17