Improved Process and Apparatus for Pressing and Shrinking Cloth, Felt, Stuffs, and other similar Woven Fabrics.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Mar., 189'-Accepted, 5th June, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Process and Apparatus for Pressing and Shrinking Cloth,
Felt, Stuffs, and other similar Woven Fabrics.
I, CARL HERMANN BEHNISCH, of 60 Friedrich Strasse, Luckenwalde, in the
Province of Brandenburg, Kingdom of Prussia, Engineer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :--
This invention has reference to an improved method of, and apparatus for, pressing
and shrinking cloth, felt, stuffs and other similar woven fabrics, and is so arranged as
to enable these operations to be carried out simultaneously.
Hitherto the pressing of cloth or other similar fabrics has had the disadvantage
that, when a fabric has been properly pressed, it receives a hard, pressed, and
unfinished appearance.
If, to avoid this hard, unfinished appearance, the pressure
has been made as light as possible, the fabric receives a softer appearance, but this
is not durable. On the least contact with rain or damp of any kind, this said
appearance disappears and leaves a fabric which is incomplete in every respect and
worthless as regards durability.
The object of my invention is to remove these disadvantages by enabling the cloth
or other fabric to he so pressed and shrunk that it is complete in both respects and
by giving to same, in addition, a silk-like finish or gloss on its upper surface —
a finish, or gloss, moreover, which will not disappear on the fabric being made wet
or on its being ironed.
My improved process consists essentially in moistening the whole of the upper
surface of the fabric in an equal degree, and then applying pressure to same by
means of a cylinder press whose outer mantle is heated by steam and whose inner
cylinder can be heated by steam or gas. Between the inner cylinder and the outer
mantle of this press, is an elastic press-mantle, between which and the cylinder proper
the fabric is pressed or drawn. The said elastic press-mantle is provided with steam
chambers and perforations in order that steam can be ejected direct on to the fabric
simultaneously with the pressing action, which latter can be effected by air, steam or
hydraulic pressure. The effect of this steam is to keep the fibres and bairs of the
fabric in a moistened condition whilst they are being heated and pressed, and the result
is that a perfectly pressed and shrunk fabric is obtained which is at once soft and
durable, and whose superior finished or silky appearance will not be affected by damp
or fluids or by being ironed after being taken out of the press.
I will now explain my invention and the method of carrying out the same with
reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a side elevation.
Fig. 2 a front elevation.
Fig. 3 a cross section.
Fig. 4 a longitudinal section.
Fig. 5 a cross section of the inner cylinder with its intermediate, elastic press-mantle
and double outer mantle or shell.
Fig. 6 is a cross section of the elastic press-mantle, and,

page_text: water pipe connection 21. 2 is a welded iron outer double mantle which, also, can be
heated by steam, and which is provided with an opening above, along its length, for
the passage in and out of the fabric, and an opening or slot below at 26 for the inlet
of the steam for, and the outlet of the water from, the elastic press-mantle.
3 and 4 are the elastic press-mantle of copper or other suitable metal, having a flat
inner surface and a more or less corrugated outer surface, and which is made steam-
tight in its position by means of soldering or rivets. This press-mantle is provided
with steam chambers 6, formed by soldering half a tube on to same in the space
between the inner and outer surfaces and to which steam is conducted by means of a
flexible steam pipe c introduced from the side of the mantle. The end of this pipe is
run into the centre of the chamber so as to leave a certain length of piping free and
which causes the packing to remain intact when the chamber distends or contracts
corresponding to the contraction or distension of the mantle itself. On the part of
the inner surface of the press-mantle covered by the steam chambers, or on a portion
of same, perforations are arranged for the ejection of steam on to the fabric in such
way that all parts of the said fabric are steamed equally.
The purpose of the corrugations in the outer surface of the press-mantle is to keep
the circular pressure equal. The elastic press-mantle is so arranged between the
cylinder 1 and the outer double mantle 2, and the two end laps d of same are so
fastened by means of a rail and screw to the support 14, that the said press-mantle
can distend both sideways and circumferentially.
5 are gearing wheels keyed on to the inner cylinder, and 6 are driving pinions
which engage with same. These latter are keyed on to the shaft 7 which also
carries 2 worm-wheels 8, engaging with two worms 9, and the pinion 41 for driving
the water-roller 34 which last serves for actuating the endless band 33. 10 are
fixed and loose pulleys, 11 the worm shaft and 12 the bearings for this worm shaft
and the driving shaft 7. 13 are two connecting pieces in the longitudinal opening of
the outer double mantle 2, and 14 are two supports to the side flaps of which the
connecting pieces 13 are secured. The end laps d of the elastic press-mantle are also
secured to the upper surface of the said supports 14. 15 are two longitudinal
supports secured to the outer double mantle 2 and to which are fastened cross-pieces 16
serving as bed for the cylinder bearings 17. 18 is the steam pipe for the cylinder
and 19 the safety-valve and gauge. 20 is a cut-off valve and 21 the waste-water pipe
from the cylinder. 22 is an air valve for the cylinder, 23 a cut-off valve and 24 the
blow-off pipe. 25 is a steam reducing valve with adjustable safety valve and gauge
for pressures from 1 to 5 atmos. 26 is a steam and waste-water pipe to and from
the inner press-mantle 3 or 4. 27 is a steam pipe to the outer double mantle
and 28 the waste-water pipe from same. 29 is the cut-off cock for the outer double
mantle. 30 represents the roller over which the fabric is passed and the means for
driving same. 31 is a water tank or fluid receptacle with a tension roller 32 for
an endless felt band 33. The water or moisture is communicated from this band 33
to a water roller 34 round which is wound a strong, thick, seamless, circular-
woven felt, which sucks in the water from the felt band 33. 35 is an adjustable
roller for regulating the pressure on the water-roller of the fabric to be moistened.
36 is a guide roller for the fabric. 37 are moveable stretchers which stretch the
fabric laterally before it enters into the press to prevent creases. 38 are two
stretching laths for guiding the fabric and keeping same at a proper tension.
39 is the fabric passing forward to be operated upon and 40 shows the same leaving
the press.
The method of operation of my invention is as follows:
The apparatus is set in motion from the driving shaft and the fabric begins to
move upward from 39. The amount of moisture required for the fabric having been
determined, the pressure of same on the water-roller is regulated at 35, the endless
felt band and felt-coated water-roller having been previously set in motion by gear
from the shafts 11 and 7. The moistened fabric is then stretched laterally, after
which it enters the press.
As soon as the elastic press-mantle is filled with steam, water or air, it commences

page_text: to press with its outer corrugated surface against the outer double mantle and with
its inner smooth surface against the rotary cylinder 1. The fabric is then pressed
between the inner surface of the press-mantle and the circumference of the rotary
cylinder. This causes the circumference of the inside of the press-mantle to be some-
what lessened, but this is equalised by the increase of the outer corrugated surface.
The press-mantle is moved with the rotary motio of the cylinder until its end is tight
against the round end of the double outer mantle at the point where the fabric enters
the press, and it then encloses almost the whole of the cylinder and presses the
fabric against this. Sufficient space is left below at 12 for the twist of the press-
mantle.
In working with a pressure of up to 2 atm., the machine can be kept working
continuously. But if a higher pressure is used, say to 5 or more atmospheres, the
friction of the fabric on the inner surface of the press-mantle becomes so great
that it needs great power to turn the cylinder. In this case it is preferable to
work the cylinder intermittently, for which purpose the variations of pressure can be
automatically regulated.
If it is desired to shrink the cloth whilst pressing it, steam is ejected on to same
while it is being drawn round the press with the rotary movement of the cylinder.
This steam is ejected from the steam chambers in the press-mantle through
perforations in the inner surface of same as previously explained, and has the effect
of keeping the hairs and fibres of the fabric perfectly soft while being pressed
flat and in giving the upper surface of the fabric a firm, but soft and glossy
appearance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to he performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A process for pressing, or simultaneously pressing and shrinking, woven fabrics
of all kinds, such as felt, cloth, stuffs, curtains or the like, consisting in moistening
the fabric with water or other fluid and in pressing same by means of an elastic
press-mantle held in a double outer mantle and filled with a pressing agent, such as
air, steam, or water, against a rotary, heated cylinder, and in shrinking the fabric
by distributing steam equally on all parts of same from steam chambers in the
aforementioned press-mantle by means of perforations in same while the cylinder is
rotating and without the pressure being diminished, substantially as set forth.
2. A pressing and shrinking machine of the character specified, consisting of an
outer double mantle which can be heated, an intermediate, steam-tight, elastic
press-inantle having its inner side smooth and its outer side more or less corrugated,
and a rotary inner cylinder heated by steam or gas, in combination with means
for supplying the necessary heating and pressure agents and with means for actuating
the rotary cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose described and shown in the
drawings.
3. In a pressing and shrinking machine of the character specified, the combination
with the outer double mantle 2, the inner elastic steam-tight press-mantle 3 and 4
and the inner rotary cylinder 1, of supports 15 and 16 carrying the bearings 17
for the said rotary cylinder substantially as and for the purpose described and shown
in the drawings.
4. In a pressing and shrinking machine of the character specified, the combination
of the inner cylinder with gear 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 and with outer double
mantle and inner elastic press-mantle as and for the purpose shown and described.
5. In a pressing and shrinking machine of the character specified, the combination
with an outer double mantle, an inner elastic press-mantle and a rotary cylinder
and with gear for actuating same, of steam chambers b and perforations in the
inner side of the elastic press-mantle substantially as and for the purpose described
and shown.
6. In a pressing and shrinking machine of the character specified, the combination
with an outer double mantle, an inner elastic press-mantle and an inner cylinder, of

page_text: steam inlet and waste-water outlet openings and with the cut-off valves belonging to
same substantially as and for the purpose shown and described.
7. In a pressing and shrinking machine of the type specified, the combination with
an outer double mantle, inner elastic press-mantle, inner rotary cylinder and means for
actuating same, of steam and waste-water connections and steam and air valves
substantially as and for the purpose described and shown.
8. In a pressing and shrinking machine of the type specified, the combination with
the outer double mantle, inner elastic press-mantle, inner rotary cylinder and shafts 7,
of supports 14 to which the ends of the elastic press-mantle are fastened, substantially
as and for the purpose described and shown.
9. In combination with a pressing and shrinking machine of the character specified,
a moistening apparatus consisting of a water tank or receptacle, guide rollers, and
endless band and a water-roller over which the fabric passes, and a pressure regulator,
substantially as and for the purpose described and shown.
10. In combination with a pressing and shrinking machine and with an apparatus
for moistening the fabric, of the types specified, two stretchers 37, substantially as and
for the purpose described and shown.