Abstract: A tubular fabric (4) is withdrawn from a supply roll (3), over a spreader (5), by means of a support band (11) and a pressure band (14). The spreader (5) comprises an inner longitudinal guide member (17), and an outer longitudinal guide member (18), and are mounted on the free ends of two or more telescoping tubes (22). The inner and outer guide members are urged apart by helical compression springs and are drawn together by wire cables (26). A cutting device (41), comprising at least one circular knife (43), is disposed between the engaging projections (40) of the guide members (17,18) and the next telescoping tube (22). This cutting device cuts a longitudinal slit (49) in the wall of the tubular fabric, producing two slit edges (51, 52). The lower slit edge (51) lies on the support band (11) and is pressed so as to be held down by the inner guide member (17). The other upepr slit edge (52) lies on the upper side of the inner guide member.

Abstract: Flat tubular web is supplied from a textile finishing machine and cooled down by jets in a cooling unit to the room temperature or thereunder and dried in the process. The web is then passed by a laying unit onto a table in the form of a folded stack. The laying unit comprises a reciprocating carriage that is moved by an endless chain with a sliding member thereon running in a slide on the carriage. The carriage is supported on parallel rods. There is a tenter placed inside the web tube and over two rotating bars in the carriage. The web passes between the bars on its way to the stack. The bars are driven by a stationary double chain acting as a rack and by sprocket wheels which are connected with the bars by freewheels such that the bars are driven alternately as the carriage is reciprocated. When the stack has grown to the desired height the table operates a limit switch for operation of a clearing conveyor for removing the stack sideways.