Patent GB-889395-A (GB)
Title: Apparatus for treating textile fabric webs
IPC: D06B17/06
Filed: 1959-11-20
Abstract: Apparatus for treating textile fabric webs comprises a chamber, a web-supporting drum within the chamber, the drum having a cylindrical wall provided with a plurality of axially and circumferentially spaced perforations and two axially spaced end walls mounted for rotation on a stationary shaft, a fixed partition means supported by the shaft to divide the interior of the drum into two substantially half-cylindrical spaces, a pair of substantially sector-shaped axially movable wall members disposed in one of the half-cylindrical spaces in parallel relationship with the two end walls to define with the cylindrical wall and the partition means a suction chamber of variable volume, means for reciprocating the wall members simultaneously in two opposite axial directions, and means to create in the suction chamber a pressure lower than atmospheric.  As shown in Fig. 1, the lower portion of a chamber 15 contains water fed by a pipe 14.  A coil pipe 16 containing pressure-fed steam is used as an immersion heater for the water in chamber 15.  Vertical pipes 17 adjacent to a chamber wall project steam over the full height of the interior of the chamber.  The opposite vertical chamber wall is provided at its lower <PICT:0889395/IV (c)/1> <PICT:0889395/IV (c)/2> <PICT:0889395/IV (c)/3> portion with an opening 23 through which fabric enters and leaves the chamber.  The fabric, folded in accordion-like manner on a carriage 26, passes over deflection rolls 27, through a tension regulating device 28 and then round a grinding roll 29 before entering the chamber by the action of a take-up drum 31.  A chain 21 passing around four drums 22 is intermittently mobilised by a cam 40 driven by motor 20 to receive the fabric in festooned arrangement from a folding device made up of a rod 41 supported at each end by a lever 42 pivoted on a horizontal shaft 44 and subjected to the action of a cam 43.  Cams 40, 43 are so synchronised that, as soon as the chain 21 has moved a distance equal to the width of a fold, the rod 41 drops on to the fabric and initiates the formation of a new fold.  Subsequently, the fabric passes over roll 33 and via rolls 34-38 into a collection receptacle 39.  As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, take-up drum 31 has an air-pervious cylindrical wall 102 closed by two airtight end-walls 103.  End-walls 103 of the drum are journalled on a stationary tubular axle 104 mounted on two supports 105.  Rotation of the drum is effected by means of a chain drive 106 with a chain wheel 107 secured to one of the end-walls of the drum.  Mounted on the stationary axle are two baffle plates 111 each in the shape of a sector having a radius substantially equal to that of the inner surface of the drum and the arc of which is roughly equal to an arc of fabric in contact therewith.  The edges of the baffle plates are lined with a seal strip 112, e.g. rubber, adapted to bear in frictional engagement against the drum.  Axle 104 also carries two radial partitions 113 which extend substantially to both generatrices of the drum and along which the fabric makes and breaks contact with the drum.  Thus a half-cylindrical chamber is located between wall 102, baffle plates 111 and partitions 113. The portion of tubular axle 104 adjacent this chamber has perforations 115 while a pipe 116 enables the interior of the axle and therefore the chamber to communicate with a vacuum pump and thereby to produce a pressure within the chamber lower than atmospheric.  Baffle plates 111 are axially adjustable by means of rotary control spindle 117.  A brush 126 cleans fibrous adhering material from the exterior surface of wall 102.