Year: 1885

page_text: I, DUNCAN STEWART, of London Road Iron Works, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows, that is to say:—
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and operation
of apparatus for subjecting printed or other fabrics to the action of steam.
My improved apparatus is arranged for working continuously and comprises a
steaming chamber through which the fabric is moved at a rate such that each
portion in passing from the entering part to the delivering part is subjected for the
necessary length of time to the action of the steam and air or gas in the chamber.
For conveying the fabric through the steaming chamber two endless chains are
provided together with suitable driving wheels and guiding wheels or pulleys,
which are arranged to lead the fabric up and down in a series of successive vertical
folds. The fabric is held and moved by clips which are formed on or fixed to the
links of the endless chains, these clips being by preference, made with points which
passing through the fabric are covered on the other side by the movable parts of
the clips to prevent the fabric from escaping. The covering parts of the clips do
not however nip the fabric which is touched by the points only so that no part is
covered from the action of the steam or air. The fabric does not touch any rollers
inside of the steaming chamber being supported exclusively by the clips of the
endless chains. Each pair of the wheels and pulleys driving and guiding the
endless chains is on a shaft, and one of each pair is movable on its shaft and is
acted on by a spring or weight tending to move it towards the end of the shaft, by
which means the fabric is kept distended to its full width as it passes through the
apparatus.
The steaming chamber is by preference constructed with metal plates for its
sides, and with a steeply inclined roof or other suitable arrangement for preventing
condensed moisture from dropping on the fabric. In one modification the endless
chains are arranged entirely within the structure in which the steaming chamber
is formed; whilst in another modification they are led out at the delivery part and

page_text: are guided by pulleys so as to pass under the chamber on their way back to the
entering part. In both modifications apparatus may be provided for cleaning and
drying the endless chains on their way back to the entering part of the structure.
The fabric is led into contact with the endless chains by guide rollers which cause
it to become gradually applied upon the clip points and at the entering end the
covers of the clips are opened by the action on projections formed on them, of
stationary cam guides. In a similar way cam guides cause the opening of the clip
covers at the delivery part, and the fabric is there led by guide rollers so as to
gradually leave the clip points. At a narrow opening through which the fabric
enters the steaming chamber, there are placed above and below boxes or pipes
formed with slits or rows of orifices through which heated air or steam is blown to
prevent the entrance of cold air along with the fabric. When air is used it may be
heated in a heat exchanger heated by waste steam, a fan or blowing machine being
used to propel the air through the apparatus.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for subjecting
Fabrics to the Action of Steam.
I, DUNCAN STEWART, of London Road Iron Works, Glasgow, in the County of
Lanark, North Britain, 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, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object to improve the construction and operation
of apparatus for subjecting printed or other fabrics to the action of steam.
My improved apparatus is arranged for working continuously, and comprises a
steaming chamber through which the fabric is moved at a rate such that each
portion in passing from the entering part to the delivering part is subjected for the
necessary length of time to the action of the steam and air or gas in the chamber.
For conveying the fabric through the steaming chamber two endless chains are
provided together with suitable driving wheels and guiding wheels or pulleys,
which are arranged to lead the fabric up and down in a series of successive vertical
folds. The fabric is held and moved by clips which are formed on or fixed to the
links of the endless chains, these clips being by preference made in a special
manner hereinafter particularly described. The fabric does not touch any rollers
inside of the steaming chamber, being supported exclusively by the clips of the
endless chains. Each pair of the wheels and pulleys driving and guiding the end-
less chains is ou a shaft; and one of each pair is movable on its shaft, and is acted
on in a manner tending to move it towards the end of the shaft, by which means
the fabric is kept distended to its full width as it passes through the apparatus.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings to
be hereinafter referred to and representing steaming apparatus as made with my
improvements.
Figures, 1, and 2, on the accompanying sheet of drawings are vertical sections,
as at right angles to each other, of the steaming chamber, and showing the courses
of the endless clip chains by which the fabric is carried through the apparatus.
Figures, 3, to 6, are enlarged views showing the construction of the clip chains;
figure, 3, being a plan, figure, 4, a section of one clip figure, 5, a front view of one
clip with its link, and figure, 6, an end view of a link and its clip. In these
drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated.
The steaming chamber, 7, which is of a rectangular form in horizontal section, is
by preference constructed as shown, with metal plates for its sides, and with a
steeply inclined roof, 8, or other suitable arrangement, for preventing condensed
moisture from dropping on the fabric. To reduce condensation at the roof, 8, as
much as possible coils, 9, of steam piping are applied against the inside of it.
Various arrangements may be used for guiding the endless clip chains so as to
carry the fabric to be steamed in a continuous manner into, through, and out of
the steaming chamber, 7. In the arrangement shown in the drawing there are at

page_text: one side of the steaming chamber, a pair of inclined guide frames, 10, up and down
which the ingoing and outcoming parts of the endless chains, 11, are guided. The
outcoming parts of the endless chains, 11, are undermost in the guides, 10, and
passing round guide pulleys, 12, where the fabric is detached from them, proceed
horizontally to outer guide pulleys, 13, where the fresh fabric is taken hold of by
the clips. The attaching of the fabric to the clips of the endless chains, 11, and
the detaching of it from them are effected. as in ordinary stentering or finishing
machines, the clips being acted on as the chains move along, by suitably placed cam
guides which open and close the clips as required. From the entering pulleys, 13,
the chains, 11, carry the fabric in an inclined direction to guide pulleys, 14, and
from these pulleys pass up the inclined guides, 10, to the upper part of the steaming
chamber, 7. In the steaming chamber, 7, the chains, 11, passing over guide
pulleys, 15, are thence led across to guide pulleys, 16, at the other side and descend
to guide pulleys, 17, at the lower part of the chamber. The chains, 11, are led
alternately under and over guide pulleys, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, at the lower and
upper parts of the chamber, so as to carry the fabric in a series of vertical folds;
and from the last pair, 22, of upper pulleys the chains with the fabric pass out of
the chamber and return downwards along the inclined guides, 10. At the opening
in the side of the chamber through which the chains and fabric enter and leave the
chamber, there are placed above and below boxes or pipes, 23, 24, formed with slits
or rows of orifices directed through the opening into the chamber, and steam or
heated air is blown through the slits or orifices to prevent the entrance of cold air
along with the fabric. When air is used it may be heated in a heat exchanger
heated by waste steam, a fan or blowing machine being used to propel the air
through the apparatus.
Steam is admitted into the chamber, 7, by a pipe, 25, extending across the
bottom of it and perforated on its under side; and to insure dryness of the steam
within the chamber a series of pipes, 26, having steam passing through them is
fixed across a little above the steam inlet pipe, 25, so that the steam issuing
from the pipe, 25, may in ascending pass in contact with them and be heated by
them. The shafts, 27, of the various guide pulleys inside the chamber, 7, are
hollow and steam is admitted into them by pipes, 28, which also communicate with
the coils, 9, for heating the roof, 8. Of the pair of pulleys on each shaft, 27, one is
fixed, but the other is movable and the movable one is connected by a key passing
through a slot in the shaft to a piston; 29, fitted to work inside of the shaft. The
piston, 29, is made long enough to cover the slot in the shaft in all positions, its
end parts being hollow or tubular. A small tube, 30, fixed to the piston, 29,
projects beyond the end of the hollow shaft, 27, and passes through a stuffing box
into the steam pipe, 28; and there is an annular area of the piston round the small
tube, 30, which is exposed to the atmosphere; so that the steam inside of the
hollow shaft acting against the annular area tends to move the piston, 29, out-
wards and the piston acting on the guide pulley, and through it, on the endless
clip chain at that side tends to keep the fabric distended to its full width whilst
passing through the steaming chamber, 7. Springs or weights may be applied in
conjunction with the steam-pressed pistons, 29, to provide a means of regulating
the distending action; or springs or weights may be used for the distending action
without the steam-pressed pistons. For moving the endless chains, 11, and the
fabric through the apparatus, power, may be applied in any convenient way to as
many of the pulley shafts, 27, as may be found desirable.
The kind of clip chain which I employ for carrying the fabric through the
steaming chamber, 7, will be clearly understood from figures 3 to 6, two links and
part of a third being shown in figure, 3, and a single link or part of one being
shown in the other figures. The links are, as regards the chain part, similar in
construction to a kind commonly used in stentering or finishing machines. From
each link body, 31, there project side arms, 32, carrying an outer bar, 33, formed
with projecting prongs, 34, armed with points or pins, 35. To the side arms, 32,
there is jointed the movable part or cap, 36, which is made with prongs, 37, formed

page_text: with holes to cover the points, 35, of the prongs, 34, below. The cap, 36, is acted
on by a spring, 38, coiled on the pin of the joint, so as to tend to close the cap;
but the cap is closed only to the extent necessary to prevent the fabric from
escaping from the points, 35; and the cap prongs, 37, do not nip the fabric which
is touched by the points, 35, only so that no part is covered from the action of the
steam or air. The cap is made with the usual horn or projection, 39, which is
the part acted on by the stationary cam guides when opening the clips.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. Improved apparatus for subjecting printed or other fabrics to the action of
steam, in which apparatus the fabrics are carried through the steaming chamber by
clip chains substantially as herein before described.
2. The improved construction of chain clip for carrying fabrics through
steaming apparatus substantially as herein before described with reference to
figures, 3 to 6, of the accompanying drawings.
EDMUND HUNT,
Applicant's Agent.