Abstract: The invention provides a drying apparatus for a preliminary drying operation for tubular fabrics which includes a pair of drivable squeeze rollers forming a water expression nip, a freely rotatable supply roller resting against one of the squeeze rollers to form a fabric transportation nip, a transverse stretching device and air bubble forming means arranged below the water expression nip, a tube for receiving fabric from the fabric transportation nip at an upper end and a draining surface extending under the transverse stretching device and the lower end of the tube for receiving bundled fabric from the tube for passing to the transverse stretching device, and a means for supplying water to the tube for assisting downward fabric movement through the tube. The apparatus is compact, simple and can be effectively combined with other machinery for a final drying operation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process of finishing textiles, for example treating them with a dyestuff, in which the textile is driven around a closed circuit. Progress of the textile may be assisted by contact with a driven roller but is at least partially advanced by the action of a flow of air under pressure impinging at an oblique angle on the textile while the treatment liquor is being applied and then by a flow of steam or steam and air impinging on the textile, which also raises the temperature to the fixing temperature of the dyestuff.