GB1059985A - Method and apparatus for treating textiles - Google Patents

Abstract

1,059,985. Textile treating apparatus. M. BOHLER & F. WEBER, [trading as BOHLER & WEBER KOMM GES]. May 8, 1964 [May 8, 1963], No. 19342/64. Heading D1L. In treating textiles with an organic solvent containing an emulsifier and dispersed water the solvent is circulated by means of a pump through a closed pipe-circuit directly to the treatment vessel and back to the pump and the emulsifier and water are added to the circulating solvent on the inlet side of the pump. With the apparatus shown, woven or knitted material to be milled is loaded through opening 14 into drum 12 and the door 15 closed. Programme controller 41 is started to energise motor M, which runs throughout the processing cycle, rotates the drum 12 and drives pump 13. Controller 41 also operates valve V 1 so that solvent flows from tank 24 to the washing housing 11, the quantity of solvent being regulated by a float control. Valve V 1 is then closed and valve V 3 opened, valve V 2 also being operated so that pump 23 may pump dry cleaning solvent from housing 11 and back to it in a closed circuit. Simultaneously with or shortly after the operation of valve V 3 , valve V 4 is opened in order to feed water and surface active substances from the addition device 33 to the solvent stream in the drain pipe 31, upstream of pump 23. The pump acts as a dispersing means producing a fine dispersion of the water in the solvent. The drum is then rotated at a low speed for about five minutes after which valves V 2 and V 4 are closed. Valve V 3 stays open and either valve V 5 or valve V 6 is opened. Solvent from the housing 11 is then pumped directly or via filter F to tank 24. After draining, valve V 5 or V 6 is closed, V 7 opened, clutch C operaed to drive the drum 12 at a higher speed and distillation unit D started. Liquid remaining in the textiles 13 is thus extracted by centrifugal force and pumped via valve 7 to distillation unit D. When the extraction is completed valve V 7 is closed and clutch C switched off so that the drum 12 again rotates at the lower speed in order to tumble the textiles 13. Valve V 8 is then operated to conduct a heated drying-air stream to the housing 11. While the textiles are drying, the solvent vapour containing air is conducted to the condenser of the distilling unit D where the solvent is recovered. At the end of the cycle, motor M is switched off and the textiles are taken out. The treating solvent may be heated by heater 42 under thermostatic control. In another embodiment continuous lengths of cloth are fed into and out of an open solvent container through which solvent is circulated. The temperature of the solvent is preferably maintained between 20‹ to 60‹C. and the weight of water used may range between 5% and 30% of the weight of textiles. A water-soluble or water-dispersible sizing or other finishing agent e.g. a commercial silicone-ester for abrasionresisting finish may be added with the emulsifier and the water.