Claims
- 1. A single station process for imparting lengthwise compressive shrinkage to tubular knitted fabrics and the like, which comprises
- (a) delivering the fabric in flat form and in moist condition,
- (b) defining an arcuate entry path for said fabric, by means of a feeding roller and an arcuately contoured confining shoe,
- (c) advancing the fabric through said entry path in a controlled manner by contacting one surface of said fabric with said feeding roller while closely confining the opposite surface of the fabric, under limited controlled pressure, by said confining shoe,
- (d) yieldably urging said confining shoe towards said feeding roller under low pneumatic pressure during feeding of said fabric,
- (e) defining a short confinement zone for said fabric by means of opposed surfaces of said confining shoe and an exit shoe,
- (f) said confinement zone being of short length, in the order of a small fraction of an inch, while being of greater length than the thickness of the fabric,
- (g) the entry end of the said zone being positioned closely adjacent the surface of said feeding roller and being disposed at angle to the exit end of said entry path of between 30 and 60 degrees,
- (h) causing the fabric to be abruptly diverted from said entry path out of contact with said feeding roller and into said confinement zone and to travel through said confinement zone under limited confining pressure,
- (i) adjustably controlling the confinement pressure in said zone by positioning said confining shoe with respect to said exit shoe such that the confinement pressure is not substantially greater than necessary to avoid creping of the fabric,
- (j) defining an arcuate exit path for said fabric, offset from said entry path, by means of a retarding roller and an arcuately contoured surface of said exit shoe,
- (k) the entry end of said arcuate exit path being joined with the exit end of said confinement path and being disposed at a sharp angle thereto,
- (l) yieldably confining said fabric in said exit path by urging said retarding roller toward said exit shoe under controlled fluid pressure,
- (m) causing said feeding and retarding rollers to be controllably driven in such manner that the surface speed of the feeding roller is controllably greater than the surface speed of the retarding roller.
- 2. The process of claim 1, further characterized by
- (a) imparting heat to said fabric during said advancing operation,
- (b) said heat being imparted controllably and form opposite sides of the fabric.
- 3. The process of claim 1, further characterized by
- (a) said fabric being guided through said confinement zone at an angle of about 45.degree. to the adjacent surface of the feeding roller and for a distance of about 0.17 inch.
- 4. The process of claim 3, further characterized by
- (a) said fabric comprising a tubular knitted fabric,
- (b) said tubular knitted fabric being delivered by being laterally distended to predetermined uniform width and, while held at such width, steamed.
- 5. The process of claim 1, further characterized by
- (a) initially providing insufficient confining pressure on said fabric in said confinement zone to prevent creping of the fabric,
- (b) gradually increasing said confinement pressure until said creping is prevented, and
- (c) maintaining said confinement pressure substantially at, but not substantially greater than, the level at which said creping is prevented.
- 6. The process of claim 1, further characterized by
- (a) said fabric being confined in said confinement zone by opposed confinement surfaces, of said shoes which contact opposite surfaces of the fabric
- (b) said opposite surfaces of said fabric moving at the same relative speed with respect to the confinement surface with which they are in contact.
- 7. The process of claim 6, further characterized by
- (a) said confinement surfaces being maintained substantially stationary during processing of said fabric.
- 8. The process of claim 7, further characterized by
- (a) said opposed confinement surfaces being restrained against separation by controlled, limited fluid pressure, whereby said confinement surfaces may be separated by predetermined separating force to accommodate the passage through said confinement zone of inclusions of increased thickness.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 107,953, filed Oct. 13, 1987, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (13)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
107953 |
Oct 1987 |
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