Continually operated textile web processing assembly to wet-treat woven or knitted material that degrades under longitudinal elongation tensile load

摘要

A continually operated textile web processing assembly (100) wet-treats woven or knitted material (W) which is sensitive to longitudinal elongation. The assembly has an otherwise enclosed housing (1) with an inlet (22) and an outlet (36) enclosing a three or more rotating web transport drums in a stacked vertical array. The lowest first drum (6) has a mantle, is non-powered and rotates on journals (13) that may be raised and lowered. The drum has ribs extending the axial width of the drum that maintain radial separation (17) between the drum mantle and the web. A second non-powered intermediate drum (19) is located above and parallel to the first drum (6) and rotates on journals (13) that may be raised and lowered as required. The third top-drum rotates on fixed journals. The hollow enclosed drum rotates within a liquid filled bath where it is subject to upthrust, thereby lifting itself and pressing the second drum against the top drum. The drums have end-discs that rotate against each other without applying a nip to the fabric. The third upper drum is powered and, when the first and second drums are raised, in direct contact with the second drum and indirect contact with the first drum. The liquid in the bath is free to mingle with the loose web (W) fibres.