Abstract: Method and apparatus for treating continuously moving staple length textile fibrous materials to uniformly apply a liquid treating composition, such as a dye or other chemical thereto, wherein loose staple fibers are temporarily formulated into a web for continuous delivery by gravity down a conveying chute into the nip portion of a pair of applicator rollers containing a treating liquid on their surfaces, and wherein the fiber conveying chute and its discharge end are maintained at preferred angles of inclination and distances from the nip of the two applicator rollers to facilitate continuous delivery of the fibers uniformly through the nip portion of the applicator rollers to improve the application of liquid materials thereto. The fibers are thereafter continuously conveyed for heat treatment in loose random staple length form and under compression through a RF energy confined heating tube.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for continuously treating staple length fibrous materials by applying a liquid dye or other chemical to the fibrous materials, conveying the liquid impregnated materials into and through an elongate heating tube under compression to react or fix the dye or chemical in the fibers, and collecting the fibers; and wherein the continuously moving loose fibers are condensed into a fibrous web before passage through the liquid dye or chemical applicator to provide sufficient cohesive integrity to the web so that it can be passed into and through the liquid dye or chemical, and the driven nip rollers of the dye applicator without parting.

Abstract: Improved apparatus for continuously treating moving textile material in staple length fiber form by impregnating the moving fibers with a dye or other chemical, compressing and conveying the impregnated fibers in a continuous compacted mass form through an elongate heating tube to fix or react the dye chemical on the fibers, and periodically discharging in compacted mass sections of the fibers onto a conveyor which transports the fibers while they are being washed. The improvement in such apparatus comprises a pair of agitating rollers and a pin conveyor section disposed in the path of movement of the compacted fiber mass sections to break the sections apart and generally uniformly distribute the fibers on the washing conveyor to facilitate removal of excess dye or chemical therefrom.

Abstract: A process for continuously dyeing or chemically treating textile staple length fibers having thermoplastic properties while conveying the fibers in a desired path of travel wherein the fibers are impregnated by passage through a liquid dye or chemical applicator and subsequently compressed and advanced in compressed form into and through a confined heating zone for reaction of the dye or chemical with the fibers, and wherein the fibers are preheated prior to their compaction at a temperature below their second order transition point but above the reaction temperature of the dye or other chemical applied thereto to compact and reduce the bulk of the same before their compression and delivery into the confined heating zone.