Machine for finishing textile material, especially knitted fabric, in a continuous manner
United States Patent Monti 1 1 Apr. 29, 1975 1 MACHINE FOR FINISHING TEXTILE 3.605.280 9/1971 Flcissncr 26/60 x MATERAL ESPECIALLY KNITTED 3.670.375 6/1972 Cohn ct al. .1 26/52 X FABRIC, IN A CONTINUOUS MANNER FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Inventor; Mario Monti Marconi FFHDCC I I t 1 I I I I Thiene In). 46-14598 4/1971 Japan 26/60 1.302.443 9/1963 Germany 26/60 [22] Filed: Dec. 12, 1972 Appl. N0.: 314,439  
 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Mini-Tenter for Knitted Yardgoods. Kitted Outerwear Times; Vol. 36. N0, 6. February 6. 1967.  
 The Twin-Set Frame and Beam Batcher. Bulletin by Shawmut. 208 Canton St. Stoughton. Mass. 02072.  
 Primary E.\aminerR0bert Rv Mackey Attorney. Agent. or Firm-Michael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT A machine for finishing textile material. and more par ticularly a machine for the finishing of open knitted fabrics, which includes a vaporizing device. a heatfixing device. a calendering device. a heat-printing device and a decatizing device. all arranged in series.  
 9 Claims, 11 Drawing Figures PfJENTEEmzszars smear MR NF E. E OF E. 3mm  
 mEml-imzsms 3,879,816 sum 3 pg 1 PATENYEBAPRZS 1975 saw 7 15 f MACHINE FOR FINISHING TEXTILE MATERIAL, ESPECIALLY KNITTED FABRIC, IN A CONTINUOUS MANNER This invention relates to a new machine for finishing textile material, and more particularly a machine for the finishing of open knitted fabric, which includes a vaporizing device, a heatfixing device, a calendering device, a heat-printing device and a decatizing device, all arranged in series.  
  As it is well known, the finishing or dressing of textile material constitutes the last manufacturing stage of textiles prior to the manufacture thereof into articles of apparel.  
  Said finishing treatment, which includes several operations of both mechanical and chemical nature, serves to improve the appearance of textiles and to increase the value of the garments obtained therefrom.  
  Among said operations, particularly outstanding are the heat-fixing and calendering steps, which impart to the textile material a complete dimensional stability. The aforementioned operations are presently carried out discontinuously, thereby negatively affecting production time.  
  Furthermore, with the use of traditional type calenders, it is only possible too handle tubular fabric, which, once it has been opened, has the disadvantage of showing a permanent crease.  
  Said disadvantages are obviated by the machine according to the present invention, which permits all said finishing operations to be carried out in one single continuous pass through the machine.  
  The calendering process, furthermore, is carried out on open fabric with unquestionable advantages of both a functional and aesthetical character for the textile itself.  
  Another inconvenience which was encountered in connection with traditional type textile finishing apparatuses stemmed from the fact that it was impossible to obtain therein a temperature uniformity during treatment of the fabric.  
  Said inconvenience is overcome in the machine of this invention by using a particular cylinder, which is heated by electrical resistances immersed in a diathermic oil bath.  
  Furthermore, should the translatory motion of the fabric terminate, in the heabfixing devices as used heretofore, there develops an alteration of the product by overheating.  
  In such event, even by timely stopping the heat supply, the fabric could be damaged by the radiations due to the thermic inertia of the hood or reflector under which the fabric undergoes the treatment.  
  The latter inconvenience has been obviated in the machine according to the present invention by using one or more overturning hoods, provided internally with batteries of infra-red ray lamps, so that when an emergency occurs, the fabric may be instantly taken out of contact with either direct or indirect radiation.  
  The machine of this invention is further provided with a belt, consisting of polyester fibres, driven between two drums.  
  Said belt means supports the fabric to be handled, which is driven by means of two side chains so as to pass through a vaporizing zone and subsequently under one or more batteries of infra-red ray lamps. The aforementioned belt supports the fabric and avoids dangerous dimensional tensions, provoked by increased fabric weight due to moisture absorption during the vaporizing stage.  
  Thereafter, the fabric, guided by extractor rollers, passes about a calendering cylinder and then a decatizing cylinder. The calendering cylinder may reach a sufficient temperature to ensure a heat-printing of the fabric handled through a sublimation technique.  
  The fabric, after leaving the decatizing cylinder, is fed to a folding or rolling up device, by which it is suitably folded or rolled up.  
  These and further characteristic features of a functional and constructional nature of the textile finishing machine according to the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken taken in conjunction with the figures on the accompanying drawings, in which:  
  FIG. I shows in a perspective view the machine according to this invention, from the fabric introduction side;  
  FIG. 2 represents the same machine as above in a longitudinal section;  
  FIG. 3 shows a top view of the contol panel and fabric feed attachments fitted to the machine of this invention;  
  FIG; 4 is a perspective view of the hood receiving the infra-red ray lamps, in open position;  
  FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the portion of the machine in which the vaporizing and heat-fixing operations of the fabric are carried out;  
  FIG, 6 shows the same portion as above of the machine in a side view, with particular reference to the vapour sucking devices;  
  FIG. 7 is a detailed perspective view of the portion of the machine in which the fabric goes to the calendering device FIG. 8 shows the suction device connected to the drying and decatizing roller;  
  FIG. 9 is a perspective side view of a detail of the calendering and drying rollers;  
  FIG. 10 shows in a perspective view the fabric folding device; and  
  FIG. II is a schematic side view illustrating a heatprinting arrangement Referring now particularly to the numeral symbols on the various figures of the accompanying drawings, the textile finishing machine according to the present invention includes first of all a member I shaped like an overturned L&#34; for the support of the fabric 2 to be handled.  
  Said fabric is conveyed into the instant machine by a pair of feed rollers 3, after it has been caused to pass about the guide roller 55 and through a pair of widening rollers 20, consisting of threaded cylindrical bars. The working plane of the machine is delimited by two parallel side-members 56, at the initial portion of which there is located a selvedge unrolling device 4.  
  At the opposite ends of said side-members 56 there is disposed two paris of toothed wheels or gears 57 and 58, engaging two endless pin holding chains 7, the mutual spacing of which may be regulated by hand via the pushbuttons 40 or automatically via two feelers, connected to specially provided control boxes 53. Said pin holding chains 7 grasp the fabric 2, which is pressed against them by two special rotary brushes 6, and transport it underneath the hood 9, arranged over a vaporizing apparatus.  
  Underneath the fabric and slightly spaced therefrom an endless belt conveyor 8, consisting of undeformable polyester fibers resisting high temperatures, is moved by a pair of rotating drums 59 and 59.  
  The feed speed of the fabric 2, controlled by the overfeeder 5 is maintained conveniently higher than the translation speed of the two chains 7, so that the fabric cannot be subjected to harmful longitudinal tensions, especially when it is vapor impregnated and therefore increased in weight. Furthermore, the aforementioned overfeed may be carried out in a differential manner with a variable speed on each fabric side to ensure the straightness of the weft or courses of the fabric by actuating the specially provided handwheels S4, placed on both sides of the machine.  
  The vaporizing apparatus includes an a tiltable hood 9 with a pneumatic lifting device controlled by the pushbutton 47 and a vapour connection 17, located underneath the belt conveyor 8, the vapour being blown into the fabric and then sucked in by the hood 9. More accurately, the vapour may be blown or insufflated through one of three different nozzles 42&#39;, 43&#39; and 44&#39; of different cross section, controlled respectively by the switches 42, 43 and 44, depending on the fabric type to be handled.  
  Alongside said vapour connection there is further placed a connection 16 for discharging condensates.  
  The hood 9, inside of which there are disposed suitable heat sources (not shown in the figure) in order to prevent possible vapour condensations on the fabric, is connected via a deflector 60 to a suction apparatus 61.  
  The fabric 2 passes then through one or more heatfixing zones, enclosed by hood 10, which may be turned by a pneumatic lifting device, actuated by a pushbutton 46.  
  Inside said hood 10 (v. FIG. 4) there are placed a plurality of infra-red ray lamps 62 actuated by a switch 30, the operation of which is controlled by a thermostat abutting a thermometer 31. The hood 10 is also connected via a deflector 63 and a connection duct 64 to the suction apparatus 61.  
  The heat-fixing of the fabric 2 is carried out while it passes underneath said hood 10. The heat-fixed fabric is forwarded then via a pair of extractor rollers 11 and a guide roller 65 onto the calendering cylinder 12 on which it is forced to rotate under the action of another guide roller 66, disposed in the vicinity of and parallel of the roller 65.  
  The fabric is maintained in close contact with the calendering cylinder 12 by a felt 21, which is caused to slide over the rollers 65, 66, 67, 68&#39;, the roller 68 acting as a stretcher means. The external surface of the calendering cylinder 12 is maintained at a uniform temperature by means of a series of oil-immersed electrical resistances 12a, which extend in the axial direction of the cylinder in the interior thereof.  
  The temperature of the cylinder is regulated by an electronic thermostat 26.  
  The machine of this invention permits heat-printing of the fabric by sublimation during its travel on the calendering cylinder 12. The surface temperature, which may be taken up by said cylinder may in fact be such as to ensure the direct transfer of designs and decorations from suitably prepared paper rolls onto the fabric by sublimation of the dye.  
  To this effect, the paper is wound on a member 75 (FIG. 11) and is guided over support rollers 77, be-  
 tween which there is mounted a cutting device, consisting of a slider 79, which is transversely movable and hand actuated by means of the handle 80.  
  The aforesaid slider 79 supports a cutting disc 81, which by cooperating with a cross bar 78 permits the paper to be cut when the fabric to be printed terminates.  
  The paper sheet, adapted to ensure the heat-printing by sublimation, after passing between said rollers 77 is driven by the cylinder 12 after being guided over the cylinder 82.  
  The latter performs a compensating action as it is spring suspended at both ends and avoids thereby a defective introduction of the paper between the fabric 2 and the surface of the cylinder 12. In particular, the cylinder 82 rotates about two small side blocks 83 which may each slide in a guide 84 so as to describe an alternating rectilinear vertical motion.  
  The side blocks 83 are balanced by compensating springs 85, which are regulated by the handwheels 86.  
  The machine of this invention is completed from an operating standpoint with a decatizing cylinder 13, which is connected via a duct 69 to a suction device (v. FIG. 8).  
  The fabric passes on said cylinder and is maintained in compressed condition by a felt 21&#39;, guided by a series of rollers 71 and a felt tensioning roller 72. During its passage on the latter cylinder 13, the fabric 2 is subjected continuously to a decatizing and complete drying process.  
  The same fabric, stretched by the roller 73, passes onto the roller 74 and enters the folding device 14.  
  The drive is delivered to the different component parts of the instant machine by a main speed change unit 15, a speed reducer l8, actuating the fabric feed cylinders and a change unit 19, controlling the parallel shifting of the chains 7 via the pushbuttons 40 or the feelers, connected on the lower portion to the automatic adjustment boxes, which feelers are actuated by the switch 41.  
  On the control panel 22, disposed transversally at the head of the machine, there are located the switch 23 for the actuation of the suction devices of the two hoods 9 and 10, and the switch 24 for the suction of the decatizing cylinder 13 with related vacuum gauge 25.  
  On the same panel, there are further located the switch 28 for the heating of the calendering and heatprinting cylinder 12, the pushbuttons 32 and 33 for the increase and reduction of the fabric overfeed to the machine, an overfeed indicator 34, a machine speed indicator 35 and the pushbuttons 36 and 37 for the increase and reduction of the machine speed.  
  The control panel 22 is completed with a machine start-stop pushbutton 38, a pushbutton 39 for the connection of the selvedge unrolling devices 4, a pressure gauge 45 for controlling the pressure of the vapour blown onto the fabric, a pin chain control lever 52, a general switch 48 for connecting the motors of the machine to a power supply and three pilot lamps 27, 29 and 49 respectively, indicating closing of the switches 28, 30 and 48.  
  From the foregoing specification and the various figures of the accompanying drawings, one may easily see the functinal character and the operating completeness of the textile finishing machine according to the present invention.  
  Obviously, the instant machine has been described above and represented in a preferred but non-limiting example.  
  It is, therefore, understood that several changes and modifications as well as improvements may be introduced in the machine according to the present invention, without departing from the scope of the invention itself.  
 What I claim is:  
  1. Machine for finishing textile material, especially knitted fabric, in a continuous manner comprising, in combination, feeding means for feeding the fabric in longitudinal direction and comprising elongated support means, two pairs of gears turnably mounted on said support means spaced in longitudinal direction of the latter, and two endless transversely spaced chains extending about and respectively driven by said gears and provided with pins for engaging the fabric in the region of the opposite edges thereof; a pair of drums turnably mounted on said support means spaced in longitudinal direction of the latter and an endless porous belt extending about said drums to be driven thereby and having an upper run downwardly spaced a small distance below the fabric transported by said feeding means; a vaporizing apparatus comprising a first hood located above the fabric, means for feeding vapor upwardly through said belt conveyor in the region of said hood, heating means within said first hood, and suction means communicating with the interior of said first hood; at least one heatfixing zone comprising a second hood located above said fabric downstream of said first hood, heating means within said second hood and suction means communicating with the interior of said second hood; a calendering cylinder turnably mounted on said support means downstream of said second hood and including heating means within said calendering cylinder for heating the outer surface thereof; means for maintaining the fabric in close contact with said outer surface of said calendering cylinder; decatizing cylinder turnably mounted on said support means downstream of said calendering cylinder and including a suction device communicating with the interior of said decatizing cylinder; means for pressing the fabric against the outer surface of said decatizing cylinder and means for driving said gears, drums, calendering and decatizing cylinders.  
  2. A machine as defined in claim 1, and including means at the upstream end of said chains for feeding the fabric at a speed slightly higher than that of said chains.  
  3. A machine as defined in claim I, wherein said heating means in said second hood comprises a plurality of infrared ray lamps.  
  4. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said heating means in said calendering cylinder comprises a plurality of oil-immersed electrical resistances.  
  5. A machine as defined in claim I, wherein said means for maintaining the fabric in close contact with the outer surface of said calendering cylinder and the means for pressing the fabric against the outer surface of said decatizing cylinder each comprise an endless belt extending about part of the outer surface of the respective cylinder.  
  6. A machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said porous belt is made from polyester fibers.  
  7. A machine as defined in claim 1 including means mounting each of said hoods for pivotal movement about an axis extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of said chains.  
  8. A machine as defined in claim 1, and including two rotary brushes arranged above the fabric for pressing the fabric onto the pins carried by said chains and means for rotating said brushes.  
  9. A machine as defined in claim 8, including a pair of widening rolls and selvage unrolling devices upstream of said brushes and means for driving said rolls and selvage unrolling devices.