Abstract: Provided are a method and device for marking an article for security, tracking or authentication. The method includes depositing a solution comprising a nucleic acid marker onto at least a portion of the article. The nucleic acid marker may be activated, for example, by adding a functional group to the nucleic acid marker. The activation of the nucleic acid marker may be performed by exposure to alkaline conditions. The method is well suited for marking fibers and textiles, as well as many other items.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced base material, which is capable of manufacturing a fiber-reinforced base material of high quality while preventing generation of defects such as wrinkles during stacking of the base material sheet. The method for manufacturing the fiber-reinforced base material formed by stacking a base material sheet including a reinforcement fiber onto a mold having a double-curved surface shape, includes steps of: supplying the base material sheet onto the mold from a base material roll while applying distribution varying in a width direction (X direction) to a length of the base material sheet in a sheet-supplying direction of the base material sheet (Y direction) in correspondence with the double-curved surface shape of the mold; and applying pressure to the base material sheet in contact with the mold.

Abstract: An apparatus for pliabilizing tubular materials including a frame, a ring holder, and a mandrel assembly. The ring holder assembly is mounted to the frame and includes a circumferential ring, and a plurality of pairs of non-mechanically driven, rotatable wheels mounted around the ring and having a recess extending circumferentially around an outer edge. The mandrel assembly includes a mandrel having proximal and distal ends and a maximum outer circumference, and a plurality of non-mechanically driven, rotatable wheels spaced apart about a circumference of the mandrel and mounted thereto so as to extend radially beyond the maximum outer circumference. The wheels of the mandrel assembly are positioned between and so as to mate with respective pairs of the wheels of the ring holder assembly, and the wheels of the mandrel assembly are sized shaped to mate with the recesses of the respective pairs of wheels of the ring holder assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for pliabilizing tubular materials including a frame, a ring holder, and a mandrel assembly. The ring holder assembly is mounted to the frame and includes a circumferential ring, and a plurality of pairs of non-mechanically driven, rotatable wheels mounted around the ring and having a recess extending circumferentially around an outer edge. The mandrel assembly includes a mandrel having proximal and distal ends and a maximum outer circumference, and a plurality of non-mechanically driven, rotatable wheels spaced apart about a circumference of the mandrel and mounted thereto so as to extend radially beyond the maximum outer circumference. The wheels of the mandrel assembly are positioned between and so as to mate with respective pairs of the wheels of the ring holder assembly, and the wheels of the mandrel assembly are sized shaped to mate with the recesses of the respective pairs of wheels of the ring holder assembly.

Abstract: This invention relates to an elliptical-sectioned drum system with a helical expander used on textile finishing machines. The system subjects the processed fabric to beating and expanding actions and has broad and shallow sliding surfaces and impact edges.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for finding the best match between buyers (or buyers consortiums) and sellers (or sellers consortiums), by a set of software intermediaries, and for using the information developed in those matches to define monetary and performance commitments between parties, and to create fair distribution of the benefits of the agreement among the respective participants. The system solves three related optimization problems concurrently: the optimal aggregation of individual buyers into buyers consortiums; the optimal aggregation of individual sellers into sellers consortiums, and the optimal match of requirements, posed by the buyers consortium, to offers, posed by the sellers consortium.

Abstract: A circular spreader for spreading tubular textile goods includes a spreader arrangement with an inlet mandrel and an outlet mandrel at opposite ends thereof inside the tubular goods, an inlet support structure arranged around the inlet mandrel outside of the tubular goods with an inlet guide gap therebetween, and an outlet support structure arranged around the outlet mandrel outside of the tubular goods with an outlet guide gap therebetween. The mandrels and the support structures are magnetic, to magnetically repel each other across the guide gaps. The components may be permanent magnets or electromagnets, or have separate discrete magnets provided thereon. The spreader arrangement is supported by magnetic levitation relative to the support structures, without direct contact therebetween. The tubular goods pass through the guide gaps with low friction, no pressing force exerted thereon, and no impairment of the structure or quality thereof.

Abstract: A circular spreader for spreading tubular textile goods includes a spreader arrangement with an inlet mandrel and an outlet mandrel at opposite ends thereof inside the tubular goods, an inlet support structure arranged around the inlet mandrel outside of the tubular goods with an inlet guide gap therebetween, and an outlet support structure arranged around the outlet mandrel outside of the tubular goods with an outlet guide gap therebetween. The mandrels and the support structures are magnetic, to magnetically repel each other across the guide gaps. The components may be permanent magnets or electromagnets, or have separate discrete magnets provided thereon. The spreader arrangement is supported by magnetic levitation relative to the support structures, without direct contact therebetween. The tubular goods pass through the guide gaps with low friction, no pressing force exerted thereon, and no impairment of the structure or quality thereof.

Abstract: The circular stretchers are arranged in front and back of a ring-shaped die, and must ensure that the tubular fabrics are transported on the ring-shaped die pressed down smoothly and without any folds. The circular stretchers each have a spreader ring, which is held within the tubular goods completely free of attachment, and a centering ring locked to the spreader rings, which are positioned directly in front and back of the ring-shaped die in the running direction of the tubular fabrics. The ring-shaped die is used for water removal or wet finishing dry tubular fabrics through vacuum extraction.

Abstract: A stretcher comprising: two stretcher arms (1), the stretcher arms being provided with idle shaped rings (5), driving wheels (2a, 2b), and two pairs of inclined wheels (4, 4′) in correspondence with the shaped rings (5), in which the inclined wheels (4, 4′) are respectively mounted on two plates (12, 13) that are adjacent to the arms (1) and detachably interconnected to each other with the possibility of disengaging the arms (1) from the plates (12, 13).

Abstract: 1.

Abstract: A stretcher for tubular knitwear fabric comprising: two arms (5, 6), driving wheels (7a, 7b), wheels (10, 11) with inclined axis (12), rings (8) mounted on the arms (5, 6) and magnets (17, 18) the magnets attracting the arms (5, 6), respectively, such that the rings (8) are offset from the inclined wheels (10, 11) and attracted against the driving wheels (7a, 7b).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for guiding a textile tube to the rollers of a machine, which reduces the tensioning of the fabric and accordingly reduces post-production shrinkage. A feeding arm mounted on a support, preferably at a slight downward incline, provides a spreader having a breadth sufficient to flatten the textile tube. In a preferred embodiment a plurality of feeding arms are rotatably mounted to the support, so that as one feeding arm is being used to feed the fabric into the machine another feeding arm can be loaded with a textile tube.

Abstract: A cylindrical shaped mandrel is used as a support inside the sleeve of tubular knit fabric, for maintaining the cylindrical shape of the fabric during extraction and compacting processes. Encasing the fabric and the mandrel is a larger diameter cylindrical ring member which presses the fabric against the mandrel in order to perform the extraction and compaction processes. The ring member extends for some distance in the longitudinal direction of travel of the knit fabric and contains a mechanism, such as a detent, for retaining the mandrel in place. A rope of tubular fabric is conveyed into the mandrel/ring assembly by an endless conveyor or belt made from a flexible material such as rubber. As the fabric is fed onto the mandrel, the belt forms a cylindrical sleeve around the fabric and the mandrel and is compressed by the cylindrical ring.

Abstract: A tubular knit fabric descending from a knitting head is spread and flattened by a fabric spreader disposed within the fabric just above a pair of take-down rolls forming a nip through which the fabric passes. The spreader comprises a generally flat frame formed by tubular members. The tubular members include a pair of U-shaped sections having open ends spaced apart and facing each other, and having closed ends defining opposite fabric-engaging edge surfaces of the frame. First legs of the U-shaped sections are telescopingly and adjustably joined to a tubular center section, the center section and first legs collectively forming a roll-engaging member for pressing the fabric against the take-down rolls. The width of the spreader is adjusted by releasing screws fixing the center section to the U-shaped sections, sliding the U-shaped sections inward or outward, and using the screws to fix the frame at the new width.

Abstract: A method and apparatus removing creases from a tubular fabric including an assembly for moving the fabric through a fabric travel path, an assembly for internally stretching the fabric locally in the area of the creases and an arrangement for applying steam locally to the internally stretched fabric in the area of the creases.

Abstract: An expanding device (11) for tubular knitted fabrics (34) comprising a translating unit (12) on which two magnets (17), 17'), two pairs of traction wheels (15, 16, 15', 16') and two lateral expanders (22, 22') are fastened by a plurality of supporting plates (13, 13'), and on which two metal plates or, preferably, two magnets (23, 23') are attached closely facing the magnets (17, 17'); where the lateral expanders (22, 22') are fitted on swiveling pins with four pairs of sliding rollers (26-29, 26'-29') associated with four pairs of guiding belts (30-33, 30'-33') engaged with the traction wheels (15, 16, 15', 16'), so that the lateral expanders (22, 22') become rigidly connected to the translating unit (12) thanks to the force of attraction between the facing magnets (17, 17', 23, 23'); where the lateral expanders (22, 22') each hold two bipolar magnets (24, 25, 24', 25'), and four pairs of magnets or electromagnets (18-21, 18'-21') are fastened to the supporting plates (13, 13').

Abstract: A mangle for circular knitted fabric has a circular spreader is combined with several mangling stations circularly arranged around the spreader for the removal of treatment liquor from tubular fabrics. In order to protect the fabric against excessive squeezing, an upper roller head is entirely avoided by confining the circular spreader in the horizontal direction exclusively by the mangling stations. The vertical support of the spreader is provided fully by the mangling stations if the mangling rollers are mounted in positions slanting to the vertical. If the mangling rollers are not mounted in slanted positions it is preferred that a lower roller head operated by a lifting mechanism assists the mangling rollers in supporting the spreader (8) vertically. In both instances an upper roller head becomes unnecessary.

Abstract: A spreader-propeller apparatus for processing of tubular knitted fabric. Each of two spaced-apart frame sections is formed of upper and lower sheet metal sections mounting a plurality of grooved guide rollers carrying fabric-engaging propeller belts. The frame structure supports entry-side and exit-side belts which, in the mid-regions of the frame structure, are trained about vertically extended substantially cylindrical driving rolls. Smooth surfaced, large diameter tubular structural elements are rigidly secured above and below the sheet metal frame sections and are transitionally contoured in bridging portions to extend at least slightly above and slightly below the vertically extending drive rollers. The geometry of the sheet metal frame sections and the smooth wall tubing secured thereto is such that tubular knitted fabric being processed on the spreader is at all times guided away from and held in spaced relation to fixed surfaces presenting an edge or corner.

Abstract: A spreader included in tubular knit conditioning or finishing equipment is disclosed and includes a frame serving to support a pair of support members having fabric gripping means mounted on the spaced and oppositely disposed support members. A series of rolls some of which are driven are connected to the fabric gripping means to cause same to move the fabric through the equipment or the spreader. An actuator is connected to the spreader and arranged to move the fabric gripping means to move the fabric while moving through the equipment to adjust for any changes in dimension of the fabric to a desired dimension.

Abstract: A device to correct the longitudinal torsion in a tubular fabric includes a plurality of conveyor belts placed on two opposite sides of a balloon shaped by air pressure in a vertical segment of a fabric tube, each one composed of several rotatable rules which press the balloon up with its movement to pull it in the direction of a plurality of squeezer rubber cylinders which are in a transversal sliding direction in friction contact with the fabric to eliminate the longitudinal torsion from it.

Abstract: A hose having a multicolored decoration and method for making in which the decoration appears to be a tattoo on the skin of the wearer under the hose. The illusion is created by screen printing water based acrylic inks onto the hose wherein the properties of the ink, particularly the viscosity and surface tension, is selected in operable combination with the selected denier and modification number of the fiber of the fabric to maximize the reflectivity and transmissivity of the decorated fabric. Each color is screen printed in succession with the other colors. Registration between areas of the design is maintained by steps of the method including the step of preshrinking the hose and by using a novel rack to load the hose onto a form having an adhesive coating.

Abstract: Tubular textile fabric is guided during longitudinal travel substantially without circumferential torque or twisting by a guide apparatus having a series of guide rings which open the tubular fabric into circular form, a drive ring affixed co-axially to the guide rings and mounted rotationally on the apparatus frame, and a drive motor connected to the drive ring through an endless drive belt for incremental reversible rotation of the drive ring and guide rings as a unit as necessary to counteract fabric torque or twisting. A linear guide stripe or line extends lengthwise along the tubular fabric and is monitored by a photo-optic sensor operable in conjunction with a microprocessor to control incremental and reversing operation of the drive motor as necessary to counteract detected non-linearities in the guide line which indicate the existence of fabric torque or twist.

Abstract: A device for continuously imparting a predetermined twist to an elongated tubular shaped flaccid work piece composed of first and second sets of arcuate shaped spaced apart ribs delimiting a space having a funnel shaped portion, a moving device affixed to the first and second set capable of moving the first and second set of ribs in misalignment with one another, and a device for supplying gas under pressure to the space delimited by the first and second sets of ribs.

Abstract: Circular spreaders for tubular textile goods make it necessary to keep the spreader arms in a desired spread-out condition so that an unintended reduction in the diameter of the circular spreader is prevented. Such unintended reduction could be caused by operational vibrations or by impacts to which the spreader may be exposed during operation. For this purpose the spreader is equipped with a locking mechanism which, on the one hand, permits a continuous adjustment or a stepwise adjustment of the circular spreader to a maximum spread diameter and which, on the other hand, prevents a reduction of the once adjusted spreader diameter. A ratchet mechanism is provided for this purpose.

Abstract: Tubular fabric that is being expanded radially outwardly by a so-called circular expander, has a tendency to develop a reduced pressure inside the volume of the tubular fabric, whereby the operation of the expander is hindered. To avoid the formation of reduced pressure, the expander is equipped with at least one air blower nozzle for introducing pressurized air into the space enclosed by the tubular fabric. The air blower nozzle is movable toward and away from the tubular fabric and preferably can stretch the fabric slightly to improve the passage of air through the fabric, which is sufficient permeable to pressurized air.

Abstract: System for treating fabrics in rope form in a closed ring, wet or dry, includes the arrangement of at least a main device in the form of a sucking conveying element with a perforated surface through which sucking action is applied to suck the fabrics onto a part of the perforated surface, and at least one secondary device to draw the fabrics in rope form near to the main device, the arrangement simultaneously providing positive carriage of the fabrics, and any of the operations of opening the fabrics in rope form, unfolding them transversely to their advancement direction, interchanging the fluids of the process with the fabrics and extracting such fluids in a controllable degree from the fabrics.

Abstract: A spreader for tubular fabric has a divided central carrier to which struts or support arms are pivoted for carrying longitudinal guide rods, e.g., in parallelogram type fashion. The two sections of the central spreader carrier telescope relative to each other against the force of a spring which presses the two sections of the spreader against upper and lower sets of position determining roller pairs. Support rollers are inserted between the positioning determining roller sets at the upper and lower ends of the spreader. The operation or action of the struts or support arms enables the adjustment of the spreader even in its working position while fabric is running over the spreader. This is possible by changing the axial length of the spreader by an externally arranged lifting mehcanism for raising and lowering at least one of the position determining roller sets. Raising one roller set decreases the spreader diameter while lowering at least one roller set increases the spreader diameter.

Abstract: The invention relates to the wet processing in particular of knitted tubular material in the broad tubular state which in a first processing section is led through a fluid bath then inflated to form a balloon section and afterwards led in the broad tubular state through the gap between a pair of squeezer rollers. Within the fluid bath the incoming material in hank form is subjected to twist sensing and if any twist is detected the incoming tubular material is rotated in the region before the first processing section to undo the twist. The completely and stably relaxed and untwisted tubular material leaves this first processing section in a stable broad tubular state and can then be passed in an optimum manner through the succeeding principal processing sections.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and to apparatus for stretching tubular material by blowing in compressed air, in which the delivery speed and/or the removal speed of the tubular material are regulated. In this way, a very uniform stretching of the tubular material is achieved without impairing the surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the treatment of continuously moving tubular fabric (1) in the wet state, in which this tubular fabric is deliberately expanded in an expansion zone (3) by blowing air in and the fabric width (WB) effectively obtained is measured. The actual value obtained for the fabric width is compared with a predetermined theoretical value and in the event that they differ a correction value is formed and the quantity of air blown into the tubular fabric is controlled as a function of this correction value. The tubular fabric (1) is expanded immediately after wet treatment and is then delivered to the expansion zone free of tension and with a sealing material store. In this way a compact apparatus is achieved which functions simply and reliably.

Abstract: The invention relates to apparatus for inflating a continuously moving length of tubular material, in which the nozzle tube is rotatable and an arrangement is provided which locks the nozzle tube in an angular position in which the nozzle is in contact with the length of material during the discharge of gas from the nozzle. Such apparatus is distinguished during the greater part of the production time by a considerable reduction in the friction between the length of material and the nozzle tube.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for impregnating tubular fabrics wherein the fabric is driven over an elongate driving member extending through an impregnation station by means of a transport layer or tube extending between said fabrics and said guiding member and driven to transport the fabric through the impregnating station.

Abstract: A cloth tentering device wherein the tentering force for spreading cloth is produced magnetically between a permanent magnet member accommodated within a tubular cloth or engaged with the selvages of a flat cloth and rows of electromagnets in position separate from and parallel to the cloth. The tentering force can be freely adjusted in the course of the tentering operation by controlling the energizing current of the electromagnets.

Abstract: At least one nozzle is provided for supplying a stream of air to tubular knitted textile material. A retaining device, including at least one guide roller, is provided for retaining an air bubble formed in the textile material by the air supplied thereto. Means for controlling the air supply comprises a probing device for measuring said air bubble which is separate from and is located ahead of said retaining device, and includes a feeler element in contact with the side of the air bubble which is remote from said nozzle.

Abstract: A method for forming a coating of rubber or a synthetic resin having an even thickness on the external surface of a tubular textile jacket made of fibers woven or knitted in a tubular form, which comprises continuously passing the tubular textile jacket through one or more baths of a coating liquid and then solidifying the coating liquid attached to the external surface of the jacket, characterized in that an expanding assembly provided with plural expanding members which are capable of inflating the tubular textile jacket to almost circular or elliptical form in its cross section and are arranged at appropriate intervals in the longitudinal direction of the assembly is put in the interior space of the jacket and maintained in a definite position to the coating liquid in the baths, thereby keeping the jacket almost circular or elliptic in its cross section at least for a distance from the position where the tubular textile jacket departs from the bath of coating liquid to the position where fluidity of the co

Abstract: A perforated drum drier with a first lower inlet opening in a rear wall of a drier housing for feeding a tubular knit fabric to a first drum in the housing, and with a substantially horizontal stentering chain mechanism extending through a second upper inlet opening into the housing to a front guide roller for the two pin-studded stentering chains, the axis of which is located slightly ahead of a vertical plane extending through the axis of the first drum, and so far above the first drum that the parts of the lower stringers of the chains adjacent to the front guide roller are substantially in horizontal alignment with the top of the first drum so that an open fabric will be removed from the pins of the chains by its own gravity and by the suction of the first drum and be transferred simultaneously to this drum. The stentering mechanism is located so highly from the floor that an operator can stand underneath it.

Abstract: A spreading and stretching apparatus for textile calender machines especially adapted for use with knitted and other tubular fabrics to prevent the pinching and tearing of the fabric as it is drawn into the calender rolls of the machine. Magnetic repulsion means are included to constantly bias and space a spreading and stretching frame away from the calender rolls as the fabric is drawn into the rolls over and around the frame. Variable speed feeding rollers enable controlled feeding of the tubular fabric into the calender rolls.