Patent ID: 6895621

Claim:
A low pressure steam jet fabric finisher for steam setting of dyes on fabric during a steaming cycle, said apparatus comprising: a housing defining a water reservoir 70 and a steaming chamber 88 , said steaming chamber having an opening at its front end 35 , said steaming chamber in fluid communication with said water reservoir via a steam inlet 84 ; a steaming chamber pressure door 104 at said front end 35 having clamping means 106 to clamp shut said pressure door and for providing a pressure-tight seal to said steaming chamber; heating means 72 to heat water in said water reservoir; a hollow steaming core 80 positioned within said steaming chamber, said steaming core having a plurality of apertures for the passage of steam from said steaming core into said steaming chamber; support means 90 adapted to fit over said steaming core while supporting a sheet of fabric and keeping it separate from the steaming core during the steaming cycle; and control means 38 for providing operator control of the start, duration, and temperature of the fabric steaming cycle; characterized in that when the steaming cycle is commenced, said heating element heats water in said water reservoir to create steam, which passes into said steaming core and thereafter through said plurality of holes in said steaming core into said steaming chamber to set inks and/or dye on fabric.