US3104954A

US3104954A - Apparatus for flash aging printed fabrics

Info

Publication number: US3104954A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1963-09-24
Anticipated expiration: 1980-09-24

Description

.Sept. 24, 1963 J. GRIFFITHS ETAL APPARATUS FOR FLASH AGING PRINTED FABRICS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1959 INVENTOR 5:

.(Ack GRIFFITHS 8 WILLIAM GORDO/V l/ARLAND Sept. 24, 1963 J. GRIFFITHS ETAL 3,104,954

APPARATUS FOR FLASH AGING PRINTED FABRICS Filed Oct. 5 1959 4 SheetsSheet 2 um m'oas;

in Ck age/rinks mun/u 09mm min/ma ATTO R N EY p 24, 1963' J. GRIFFITHS ETAL APPARATUS FOR FLASH AGING PRINTED FABRICS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Got. 5, 1959 mvgn TORS: JAF/ f GRIFFITHS WILLIAM Galena/Y HARLA/YD Sept. 24, 1963 GRIFFITHS ETALV 3,104,954

APPARATUS FOR FLASH AGING PRINTED FABRICS Filed Oct. 5, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 l NVENTQR 5 JACK GRIFFlT/ls WILL/AM Galena uA mA/b'.

ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,104,954 APPARATUS FOR FLASH AGING PRINTED FABRICS Jack Grifliths, Wythenshawe, Manchester, and William Gordon Harland, Finney Green, Wilmslow, England, assignors to The Cotton Silk and Man-Made Fibre Research Association Filed Oct. 5, 1959, Ser. No. 844,417 Claims priority, application Great Britain Oct. 7, 1958 7 Claims. (Cl. 34-85) This invention concerns the printing of fabrics and yarns (hereinafter called material), especially cellulosic fabrics, with vat and sulphur dyes.

Two-phase printing processes are known. In one such process cellulosic fabric is printed with vat dyestnif, dried, and padded with an alkaline reducing agent. Finally, steaming, oxidation, soaping off and like finishing operations are carried out in conventional manner. Improved selection of the reducing'agent has resulted in reduced times for steaming being required.

Such two-stage processes as generally practised have certain disadvantages, one of the more serious being the incidence of marking-oft". This usually occurs during the steaming process and is the more likely to occur with processes requiring only short steaming times because of the correspondingly greater concentration of reduced dyestutf at any given moment. In so-called flash ageing, which is a two-stage process involving the use of a solution of caustic soda and sodium hydrosulphite, markingoff from the rollers during steaming is a major difficulty, and it is with this type of two-stage process that the present invention is more particularly concerned, its object being however, a general improvement in the process of firing the dyestuif after it has been applied to a fabric or yarn in the initial stage of a two-stage process of the broad type which has been referred to hereinbefore.

According to the present invention a method of printing material, especially cellulosic fabrics with vat and sulphur dyes includes the stages of passing the material, printed with the dyestufi and treated with a reducing agent, around a system of heated rotating cylinders, the material being held against part of the periphery of each cylinder by a travelling band of fluid-tight material, and passing substantially directly from the peripheral surface of one cylinder to that of the next, whereby to reduce the dyestufi to the soluble form, and continuously cleaning the cylinder surfaces at another part of their periphenes.

The invention also includes a machine for the flash ageing of material, especially cellulosic fabrics which comprises a plurality of rotatable cylinders capable of being heated by internal means, an endless band of fluid-tight material, means for supporting said band around part of the periphery of each cylinder, so as to move with said cylinders when rotated and pass substantially directly and successively from the peripheral surface of one cylinder to that of the next, means for introducing said material between those parts of the cylinder surfaces and the band so that same is also progressed in like manner, and

means for continuously cleaning the peripheral surfaces of the cylinders at another part of their peripheries when rotating.

The use of more than one cylinder, and the use of internally heated cylinders insteadof a steam atmosphere is very practical because we have found, contrary to previous belief, that short passages in air (as is inevitable between cylinders) of the fabric are not detrimental, and because we have designed an efficient cleaning device for the rotating surface of a cylinder with a non machined surface, normally built up from sheet metal, of the commerically available and inexpensive type. The prin- 3,104,954 Patented Sept. 24, 1963 FIGURE 3 is a scrap view showing in more detail 7 the cylinder cleaning arrangements;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional end view of one of the cylinder cleaning devices; and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of one of the cylinder cleaning devices.

The drawings illustrate a two-cylinder machine for the flash ageing of cellulosic fabrics. The two

cylinders

11, 12 are built up from sheet metal and approach four feet in diameter. They are disposed as illustrated, one vertically above the other with their axes horizontal. A system of parallel rollers, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 support an endless band 24 of rubberised fabric or other suitable fluid-tight material for passage round the cylinders 11 12, as shown, through a washing trough 25 divided into two sections each having a rotary brush 25a, one for applying cleaning liquid and the other for removing surplus liquid, and through a drying device 26 (if necessary). One roller 15 applies the tension to the band 24 whilst another roller 16 is adapted to act as a tracking roller to maintain the correct portion of the band axially of the cylinders.

Padding mangle bowls

27, 28 are disposed so as to enable printed and padded fabric 29 to be fed into the machine between the band 24 and the cylinder 11. A reservoir 30 is provided for the liquor to be padded on and the bowl 23 clips into this. A further system of

parallel rollers

31, 32, 33, 34, 35 are provided for guiding the fabric through the padding system and a grooved scroll bar 36 ensures the 'widthwise stressing of the fabric coming to the padding system. The fabric is progressed between the band 24 and the cylinders 11, 12 (the band being at least slightly wider than the fabric) the direction of rotation or progression of the various elements being as indicated by the arrows, finally to be led off at an elevated level.

Washing or cleaning means 37 is provided for each of the

cylinders

11, 12 disposed between the points at which the fabric 29 enters and leaves contact therewith. The lower cleaning means 37 has along its trailing edge m absorbent squeegee 38, for example of felt which spreads condensed drops of moisture for rapid evaporation from the surface of the cylinder 11. It is not necessary to make such provision in the upper cylinder 12 since the location of the upper cylinder washer is such that condensate falling therefrom will fall onto the lower cylinder washer.

In practice, the roller 22 is closer to the line joining the cent-res of

cylinders

11 and 12 than is shown in the drawings, thus the fabric moving round the roller is less likely to be contaminated by drops of moisture falling from the upper cleaning means.

Referring more particularly to FIGURE 1, an electric motor or other prime mover (not shown) drives a chain wheel assembly 39 and by means of chains 40, 41, the drive is transmitted respectively to a chain wheel 42 associated with the lower cylinder 11 to rotate the latter, and to a chain wheel 43 associated with the 1 01161 21, to rotate the latter and, through a further chain 44, chain Wheel 45 associated with roller 22, and chain wheel 46 associated with roller 23 to rotate

rollers

22, 23. It is a layer should be of a like extent.

desirable that the drive to the

rollers

21, 22, 233 should be through a slipping clutch '(not shown) so that, in the event of slip occurring between the band 24 and the

rollers

11 and 12 the

rollers

21, 22, 23 can take over the driving of band 24. This arrangement also compensates for cylinder non-uniformity. A further prime mover (not shown) drives a chain wheel 47 and by means of a chain 48 the drive is transmitted to a chain wheel 49 associated with the lower mangle bowl 28 whereby to rota-te the latter.

Refenring more particularly to FIGURE 1A both

cylinders

11, 12 are provided at the other side with chain wheels 50, 51 and chain 52 transmits the drive from the lower cylinder 11 to the upper cylinder 12.

The roller 35 (FIGURE 1) is preferably arranged to be sensitive to the fabric tension, and to cause the speed of the cylinders 1'1, '12 relative to that of the mangle bowl 23 to be adjusted by a variable gear so that substantially constant fabric tension is achieved. The top mangle bowl 27 has (-FIGURE 2) an assembly 55 associated with each of its bearings whereby the mangling pressure can be adjusted.

Steam inlet pipes 53 and outlet pipes 54 are provided 7 whereby the steam necessary to heat the cylinders 11 12 is introduced thereto and removed therefrom.

Referring now to FIGURES 3, 4 and the cleaning means or washer 37 for the surfaces of

cylinders

11, 12 Will now be described in more detail.

Each washing or cleaning means 37 consists of a boxlike structure with its only :open side towards the cylinder periphery, suitable sealing means between this and the cylinder surface, a brush element, and means for passing cleaning water therethrough. The sealing means is a polytetrafiuorro-ethylene gasket 55, .010 inch thick bonded to a three-eighths :of an inch thick microcellular (nonconnecting cells) synthetic rubber layer 56, which is in turn firmly fixed to the main box 57 of the washer, which is of metal, and in turn itself supported by a channel iron 57a. In the main box 57 is disposed a brush 5-8 supported at intervals along its length by pieces of microcellular synthetic rubber, and which extends across the operative width of the respective cylinder, the bristles 58a of which contact the cylinder. Water inlet and Outlet pipes 5-9, 60 are provided at the base of the washer to enable water to pass to and from the brush region. To avoid undue distortion of the micro-cellular synthetic rubber We have found that the Washer should have threequarter inch walls, and the gasket and synthetic rubber In practice, we make the Wall thickness of the main box 57 slightly greater than the lateral extent of the layer 56. The lateral extent of the gasket 55 where it overlies the layer 56 is in excess of that of the layer 56 to prevent wear of the latter where it tends to be pressed out laterally during operation of the cleaning device.

Each washer 37 is urged into contact with the respective cylinder wall by spring or screw means, the force exerted by which is adequate to ensure a sealing effect, but not suflicient to cause any undue braking effect on the

cylinders

11, 12. We prefer to support each cleaning means or washer 3-7 in a rigidly mounted channel 61 running across the width of the machine and to load the device into sealing contact with its cylinder by means of compression springs housed in mountings 62 which have screw caps whereby the spring force exerted can be varied. We have found four such springs equi-spaced across the Width of the machine to be an adequate number.

In operation we have found that for completely effective removal of printing paste from the cylinder, it is necessary to pass water continually through the washer, or cleaning means, via the inlet and outlet pipes. Suction may be applied to the outlet side as a precaution ders by suitable internal means, such as steam, to the appropriate temperature for reduction and continuously pass the fabric (or a plurality of ends of yarn) printed and padded between the band 24 and the

cylinders

11, 12. The printed side of the fabric may be against the cylinders. The band 24 and the cylinder surfaces are continuously cleaned and We have found that good results were obtained, with marking-off eliminated. When using suitable reducing agents, the reduction time is very short. The passage inair when the fabric moves between the cylinders has no deleterious effect.

Advantages which result from the use of a plurality of.

cylinders is that output speeds may be increased, and space saved.

The invention is not limited to the details of the embodiment just described and improvements and modifications may be made. Thus, more than two cylinders can be used; the temperature of the respective cylinders may be arranged to be different, as may be best suit the circumstances, this being a further advantage of using more than one cylinder; and so forth.

We claim: a

1. In a machine for the flash ageing of material especially cellulosic fabrics, which machine comprises a plurality of rotatable cylinders capable of being heated by internal means, an endless band of fluid-tight material,

means for supporting said band around part of the periphery of each cylinder, so as to move with said cylinders when rotated and pass substantially directly and successively from the peripheral surface of one cylinder to that of the next, and means for introducing said material between those parts of the surfaces and the band so that same is also progressed in like manner, the improvement which comprises a box-like cylinder cleaning member for the surfaces of, the respective cylinders with only one open side, said open side being in opposed relation to the surface of its respective cylinder, a brush therewith the bristles of which extend to said open side, a liquid inlet and outlet means in connection with the interior of said member, the box-like member being loaded against the cylinder surface with the interposition of sealing means, whereby to cause the brush bristles to contact the cylinder surface and to enable cleaning. liquid to be continuously circulated therethrough, both while the cylin- V der is rotating. 7

2. A machine according to claim 1 in which the sealing means comprises a thin gasket of polyeteraiiuoro-ethylene lying against the cylinder surface supported on a resilient layer.

3. A machine according to claim 2 in which the gasket is approximately .010 inch thick. 7

4. A machine according to claim 1 including a resilient layer is approximately thzree-eighths of an inch thick. rubber between said sealing means and the main body of said cleaning means.

5. A machine according to claim 4 in which resilient layer is approximately three-eighths of a ninch thick.

6. A machine according to claim 1 in which the lateral extent of the walls of the gasket, the resilient layer and box-like member is at least three-quarters of an inch;

7. A machine according to claim 1 in which a squeegee of absorbent material is adapted to contact the cylinder surface adjacent the trailing edge of the box-like mem- References Cited in the file of this patent 2,537,290 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 235 322 521,816 Fififitt June 26, 1894 1,317,100 Plant Sept. 23, 1919 5 1,764,631 Hubinger June 17, 1930 616,071 1,861,623 Chapin June 7, 1932 1,056,910 2,317,533 Joslin Apr. 27, 1943 2,326,121 BllldWOI'th Aug. 10, 1943 2,445,504 Williams July 20, 1948 10 2,499,142 Helmus Feb. 28, 1950 1953, P-

6 Williams Jan. 9, 1951 Bailey Aug. 11, 1953 Griffiths et a1 Aug. 11, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Jan. 17, 1949 France Oct. 28, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES AATCC Monograph N0. 2, Application of Vat Dyes,

Claims

1. IN A MACHINE FOR THE FLASH AGEING OF MATERIAL ESPECIALLY CELLULOSIC FABRICS, WHICH MACHINE COMPRISES A PLURALITY OF ROTATABLE CYLINDERS CAPABLE OF BEING HEATED BY INTERNAL MEANS, AN ENDLESS BAND OF FLUID-TIGHT MATERIAL, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID BAND AROUND PART OF THE PERIPHERY OF EACH CULINDER, SO AS TO MOVE WITH SAID CYLINDERS WHEN ROTATED AND PASS SUBSTANTIALLY DIRECTLY AND SUCCESSIVELY FROM THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF ONE CYLINDER TO THAT OF THE NEXT, AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING SAID MATERIAL BETWEEN THOSE PARTS OF THE SURFACES AND THE BAND SO THAT SAME IS ALSO PROGRESSED IN LIKE MANNER, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES A BOX-LIKE CYLINDER CLEANING MEMBER FOR THE SURFACES OF THE RESPECTIVE CYLINDERS WITH ONLY ONE OPEN SIDE, SAID OPEN SIDE BEING IN OPPOSED RELATION TO THE SURFACE OF ITS RESPECTIVE CYLINDER, A BURSH THEREWITH THE BRISTLES OF WHICH EXTEND TO SAID OPEN SIDE, A LIQUID INLET AND OUTLET MEANS IN CONNECTION WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID MEMBER, THE BOX-LIKE MEMBER BEING LOADED AGAINST THE CYLINDER SURFACE WITH THE INTERPOSITION OF SELAING MEANS, WHEREBY TO CAUSE THE BRUSH BRISTLES TO CONTACT THE CYLINDER SURFACE AND TO ENABLE CLEANING LIQUID TO BE CONTINUOUSLY CIRCULTED THERETHROUGH, BOTH WHILE THE CYLINDER IS ROTATING.