Claims
- 1. An apparatus for impregnating a dry, moving fabric with liquid, comprising:
- tank means for containing a supply of the liquid;
- means for conveying the fabric into and out of the tank means; and
- purging means for urging a condensable gas through the dry fabric immediately prior to entry of the fabric into the supply of the liquid, the purging means including both first chamber means for communicating the condensable gas with one side of the dry fabric and means for providing a pressure differential through the fabric, said means for providing the pressure differential including means for substantially sealing the dry fabric with respect to the first chamber means.
- 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the condensable gas is steam.
- 3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first chamber means includes a first chamber member provided on a first side of the fabric, the steam being supplied to the first chamber member at a first predetermined pressure.
- 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the purging means further includes a second chamber member provided on a second side of the fabric substantially opposite the first chamber member, air and surplus steam being withdrawn from the fabric through the second chamber at a second predetermined pressure.
- 5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the first and second chamber members are arranged so as to define a passageway extending substantially an entire width of the fabric and extending in a machine direction, the fabric passing through the passageway of the purging means.
- 6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the first chamber member includes a rectangular frame portion having an opening to provide communication between an interior of the first chamber member and the fabric.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the purging means further includes a second chamber member provided on a second side of the fabric, the second chamber member including a rectangular frame portion having an opening with air and surplus steam being withdrawn from the fabric through the second chamber member at a second predetermined pressure.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the means for substantially sealing the dry fabric includes first and second seal members provided at the rectangular frame portions of the first and second chamber members, the first and second seal members being provided on either side of the fabric.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the first and second seal members are of polytetrafluoroethylene.
- 10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for conveying the fabric into and out of the tank means includes a first endless, perforate conveyor belt, the first conveyor belt carrying the fabric through the tank means.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the means for conveying the fabric into and out of the tank means includes:
- a first roller member provided adjacent the steam purging means and substantially within the tank means, the first conveyor belt passing beneath the first roller member with the fabric between the first roller member and the first conveyor belt; and
- means for urging the belt against the first roller member whereby the fabric is squeezed between the first roller member and the first conveyor belt.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the means for urging the belt against the first roller member includes a second roller member arranged downstream of the first roller member with an uppermost portion of the second roller member provided vertically higher than a lowermost portion of the first roller member, the fabric and first conveyor belt passing over the second roller member with both the first roller member and the second roller member being substantially within the tank means.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for conveying the fabric includes a first roller within the tank means, the fabric passing beneath the first roller while within the supply of liquid.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
- means for maintaining a condensable gas environment around the fabric between said purging means and said entry of the fabric into the supply of liquid.
- 15. A method of impregnating a dry, moving fabric with liquid, comprising the steps of:
- conducting the fabric to a tank of the liquid;
- supplying a condensable gas to a first chamber on a first side of the fabric immediately upstream of the liquid;
- pressurizing said first chamber relative to ambient atmospheric pressure whereby a substantially uniform pressure differential is provided through the fabric throughout a first opening of the first chamber adjacent the fabric;
- substantially sealing the first opening of the first chamber with respect to the fabric;
- displacing a non-condensable gas in the fabric with the condensable gas of the first chamber;
- immediately immersing the fabric into the liquid of the tank to condense the condensable gas within the fabric; and
- conducting the fabric out of the liquid of the tank.
- 16. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of withdrawing the non-condensable gas and surplus condensable gas from the fabric with a second chamber on a second side of the fabric, the second chamber being located substantially opposite and adjacent to the first chamber.
- 17. The method of claim 16 further comprising the step of:
- substantially sealing the second chamber with respect to the fabric.
- 18. The method of claim 15 wherein the pressure differential across the fabric is not more than 0.1 atmospheric pressure.
- 19. The method of claim 15 wherein the pressure differential across the fabric is not more than 0.01 atmospheric pressure.
- 20. The method of claim 15 wherein the condensable gas is supplied to the first chamber at a positive pressure of at least one-half inch of water.
- 21. The method of claim 15 further comprising the steps of:
- conveying the fabric through the liquid of the tank on a first endless conveyor belt; and
- squeezing the fabric after immersion of the fabric into the fluid of the tank, with the fabric provided between the first endless conveyor belt and a first squeeze roller.
- 22. The method of claim 15 wherein the condensable gas is steam.
- 23. The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:
- maintaining a condensable gas environment around the fabric between displacing the non-condensable gas and immersing the fabric into the liquid.
- 24. An apparatus for impregnating a dry, moving fabric with liquid, comprising:
- tank means for containing a supply of the liquid;
- means for conveying the fabric into and out of the tank means; and
- purging means for urging a condensable gas through the dry fabric immediately prior to entry of the fabric into the supply of liquid, the purging means including a first chamber having a first opening, which first opening is substantially sealed with respect to one side of the dry fabric, the purging means also including means for providing a substantially uniform pressure differential through the dry fabric throughout the first opening of the first chamber.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 859,167 entitled IMPREGNATOR/RINSER and filed on Dec. 9, 1977, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,297, patented June 19, 1979.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
859167 |
Dec 1977 |
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