Patent GB-1041051-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to the treatment of fabric
Inventor: SHELTON WILLIAM EWART ALAN
IPC: D06C7/02
Filed: 1963-03-06
Abstract: 1, 041, 051. Finishing fabrics. SAMUEL PEGG & SON Ltd. June 8, 1964 [March 6, 1963], No. 8866/63. Heading D1S. [Also in Division F4] Fabric treating apparatus comprises an internal stretcher 7 over which flattened tubular fabric F can be drawn and means whereby the fabric F can be fed on to the stretcher 7 at one predetermined speed and can be drawn along and off the stretcher 7 at a predetermined different speed. The stretcher 7 comprises four upright members 11 which may be parallel or slightly inclined to each other and interposed between closely spaced pairs of which are endless conveyer belts 12, 13 each engaged upon six pulleys 14 rigidly mounted on freely rotatable spindles 15. The two pairs of members 11 are connected together by toggle levers 16 each comprising pairs of straight levers 17, 19 pivoted to the members 11 by pins 18, 20 respectively, and each lever 17 to a lever 19 by a pin 21. Extensions 17a, 19a of the levers 17, 19 are pivoted to pairs of members 23, 24. Tension springs 25 are interposed between lugs 23a, 24a provided on the members 23, 24 and the members 11 so that the two pairs of members 11 are urged away from each other. A flexible wire frame 26 is secured to the lower ends of the members 11 and provides a tapered lead-in for the fabric F. The upper ends 11a of the members 11 are outwardly divergent. Upper drive wheels 27 are located adjacent two pairs of pulleys 14<SP>1</SP> and have portions of the belts 12, 13 urged into engagement therewith to drive these belts. A pair of wheels 28 is provided to flank the pulley 14 on each of the two lowermost spindles 15 upon which they are freely rotatable. Two further wheels 29 are mounted vertically below the wheels 28 and are freely rotatable upon spindles 30. Lower drive wheels 31 contact the wheels 28, 29. The wheels 27, 31 lie externally of the fabric F. The wheels 27 are driven from a shaft 44, Fig. 1, which is driven from a gear box 32 by the system of chain and sprockets shown. Similarly, the wheels 31 are adapted to be driven from a shaft 50 driven from the gear box 32 via a further adjustable speed gear box 42 so that the wheels 31 can be driven at a speed determined by the setting of of the gear box 42, this speed usually being different from that of the wheels 27 and the belts 12, 13. These speeds are indicated on dials 51, 52. The width of the stretcher 7 may be adjusted by rotating a hand wheel 59 to move blocks 54, 56 supporting the wheels 27, 31, respectively, along screw threaded rods 57, 58. The stretcher 7 is situated in a cabinet 2 in which the fabric is subjected to hot air, e.g. for drying. Cold air is blown by a fan 5 along a duct 4 to a heating chamber 3 in which it may be heated by electric heating elements and the heated air is directed into the cabinet 2. Warm air is recirculated along a return duct 6 to the fan 5. Steam may be supplied to the cabinet 2 so that a desired condition of temperature and/or humidity can be provided. Steam heated calender rollers 8 are situated above the cabinet 2 and are driven from the gear box 32 by the sprockets and chains shown. The fabric is finally folded in zig-zag fashion by a device 10.