Abstract: A method and apparatus for shrink finishing a traveling textile fabric web includes a fabric drawing-in unit, a wetting unit, a fabric stetching unit, a fabric shrinking unit, and a fabric drying unit. Individual drives for each unit are provided, with the drive for the shrinking unit being the main drive and being operated as a function of the lengthwise elongation of the fabric web by the stretching unit to achieve a desired overall degree of lengthwise shrinkage of the fabric web. Automatic control of the system is provided by digital synchronization of the several drives and through moisture sensors which monitor the moisture content in the fabric web in advance of the shrinking unit and after the drying unit and by tension sensors which monitor the actual tension in the web intermediate each successive pair of the units.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for shrink treating both woven and knitted textile fabrics with essentially equal effectiveness provides a fabric-elevating intake device, a shrinking unit, a calendering device and a cuttling device in sequence for shrink treatment of woven fabrics in conventional fashion. Knitted fabrics bypass the fabric wetting device in the intake device and are wetted only lightly by a steaming cylinder provided at the intake side of the shrinking unit. An auxiliary fabric spreading device having driven rolls is also provided at the intake side of the shrinking unit to insure that knitted fabric is opened to a smooth full-width flat form. A small diameter drying cylinder is provided for partially drying knitted fabric without passage through the calendering device and a conveyor transports the knitted fabric in a relaxed condition to a winding mechanism.