Patent GB-1364602-A (GB)
Title: Treatment of sheet materials
IPC: D06C21/00
Filed: 1972-02-16
Abstract: 1364602 Shrinking fabrics R R WALTON 16 Feb 1972 [16 Feb 1971] 7209/72 Heading D1S A process of longitudinally compressing a running length of flexible material 16 comprising pressing the material 16 with a confining surface 12 against a curved moving drive surface 10 and, beyond the surface 12 and on the same side of the material 16, engaging the material with a retarding surface 14, is characterized in initially positioning the surface 12 in material driving position, employing a movement of a presser means 30 generally along the surface 10 to position the surface 14 with increasing closeness to the surface 10 to progressively increase the retarding effect until the desired relation of the surfaces is obtained, and thereafter longitudinally compressing the material while continuing the pressing of the surface 12 so that there occurs at all times travel of the material 16 without slippage relative to the surface 10 up to the vicinity of the surface 14. The material 16 may be a woven, non- woven or knitted fabric, e.g. nylon tricot. The treatment may longitudinally shrink, crepe or bulk the fabric.  In one embodiment, Fig. 1, the surface 12 is defined by a member 22, e.g. of an ironnickel alloy, and the surface 14 by a non- resilient fabric 24 having a coated grit facing, e.g. emery cloth. A spring steel keeper 26 is inserted between the fabric 24 and a relatively thick, unyielding keeper 28. The assembly 22, 24, 26, 28 extends as a cantilever and is pressed towards the roll 20 by a presser 30 which is adjustable towards the surface 10 to vary its radial pressure and back and forth in the lengthwise direction to alter the point of application. Instead of emery cloth, the surface 14 may be formed by a thin metal mesh or metal or other hard fibre weave in which the crossing elements form projections; finely perforated dimpled or scratched metal plate; fixed brush or needle-like projections; or a metal plate having tiny tungsten carbide particles adhered thereto by a plasma coating technique or a gun shot technique. In operation, the presser 30 is initially in the left hand dotted position or further to the left of Fig. 1 so that the surface 14 is relatively ineffective and the material 16 remains uncompressed longitudinally. When uniform feeding conditions are established, the presser is advanced tangentially to the right until the surface 14 contacts the material 16. In another embodiment, Fig. 2, the emery cloth 24b is backed by a rubber member 26b and the metal keeper 28 is thin. The confining surface is formed by two overlapping members 23a, 25, the member 25 being made of an iron-nickel alloy or polytetrafluoroethylene impregnated blue steel.  In a further embodiment, Fig. 3, the surface 12 is defined by a metal sheet 100 and the surface 14 by a layer 102, e.g. of emery cloth or a metal surface made rough by tungsten carbide particles. The cantilever assembly is mounted on a holder mounted on arms 114, Fig. 9, pivoted on a shaft 116 slidable in a slot 118. Operation of a handwheel 126 to rotate a shaft 124 operates jacks 122 at both ends of the machine to move the assembly back and forth. Pressure is applied to the assembly by pneumatic cylinders 130 acting on rollers 128. In a still further embodiment, Fig. 11, an additional stationary retarder 140 is provided.