Abstract: An apparatus for producing permanently set crumple pleat crease patterns in fabric webs, having a heatable crumple tube with an oscillatingly driveable stuffing element with which a fabric web in rope form is batchwise successively inserted into the crumple tube, compressed and finally forced out. Upstream of the entry end of the crumple tube there is a rope feed tube of smaller diameter than the crumple tube. The rope feed tube has a through-hole connected on the outside to a vacuum source, while part of the crumple tube is concentrically surrounded by a jacket tube. Annular gaps between the crumple and jacket tubes are tightly sealed by annular walls, thereby forming a heating chamber with an inlet and an outlet for a fluid heating medium.

Abstract: A steam kiln (10) for the setting of pleats in fabrics. The steam kiln (10) has shielding walls (32, 40) disposed at a distance from the lateral inside walls (26) and from the roof (22). These shielding walls form an integrated system of air guiding chambers (34, 42) for the return of steam aspirated by a fan (46) through an opening (44) in the horizontal top shield (40) from the interior of the kiln into the bottom area of the kiln interior. Heating elements (28) are provided in the air guiding chambers (34) for the reheating and superheating of the steam atmosphere. The steam is injected into the bottom part of the steam kiln from an external steam source (54).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for making textured patterns on originally smooth web of fabric which was subjected to a mechanical pleating treatment, i.e., which was provided with upright or flat permanently fixed pleats in regular or irregular distribution.For this purpose, the mechanically pleated web of material is continuously heated and the pleated pleats are deformed simultaneously or subsequently to the heating either by tensioning the web of fabric or by at least partial compression of the pleats. The deformation is then fixed by cooling the web of fabric. In addition, the textured fabric may be partially printed in the transfer-printing method in a color and/or pattern deviating from the base material within the areas of the textured web of fabric, in that a web of thermal printing paper is pressed against the web of fabric in the desired color or the desired pattern during the heating step.

Abstract: A method of producing edge-printed, flare-pleated fabric garment pieces in which a fabric garment piece is placed in a corresponding pleating form and is held folded together with the form, thermal printing paper is so laid on the front edges of pleat creases visible in the form that its color-yielding face lies on the edges of the pleat creases, and in which pressure is applied to the back of the thermal printing paper with the simultaneous application of heat.