Abstract: A method of making a mechanical fastening strip and a reticulated mechanical fastening strip are disclosed. The method includes providing a backing having upstanding posts; providing interrupted slits through the backing, the interrupted slits being interrupted by at least one intact bridging region; spreading the slit backing to provide multiple strands separated from each other between at least some of the bridging regions to provide at least one opening; and fixing the multiple strands of the backing in a spread configuration. The reticulated mechanical fastening strip includes multiple strands of a backing attached to each other at bridging regions in the backing and separated from each other between the bridging regions to provide openings. Upstanding posts on each of the multiple strands have bases attached to the backing, and each of the multiple strands has a width that is greater than that of the bases of its attached upstanding posts.

Abstract: The knitting spirality stabilizer is constituted of a frame (1) and a circle pattern constituted of one fixed ring (2) and one movable ring (3). A layout circumferentially located on the movable ring regulates the operation diameter according to the fabric. The layout includes external rests (4), which can be height regulated and position stabilized using external pins (6). External magnets (7) are located on the external rests. Turn wheels (10) on the external rests enable smooth fabric rolling without wears. Internal mechanism (9) is positioned inside the frame and constituted of foldable frame (11) and internal pins (16) for the initial placement. Internal rests (12) on the foldable frame correspond to the external rests, and have their own respective turn wheels (10) and internal magnets (8). Internal and external magnets have opposite polarity to create a magnetic field. Flexible bands (13) are used as drivers during the fabric passage.

Abstract: An inflatable element in the form of a tension tube, and method of making same. The method involves forming a tube by a knitting process, then heatsetting the tube whilst simultaneously maintaining it under lengthwise tension. The tension in the tube is maintained during cooling of the tube. An option relaxation stage may also be included.

Abstract: An apparatus for heatsetting a knitted fabric in tubular form comprises flat expansion means which extend the tubular fabric in substantially flattened form, with two superimposed surfaces, and cause said fabric to assume a preselected width, conveying means which feed said flattened tubular fabric, heatsetting elements which form at least one air flow, at a preselected temperature, and guiding rods associated with the conveying elements and the heatsetting elements; the rods being capable of supporting internally the flattened tubular fabric along its side edges, owing to the action of the heatsetting elements, while keeping the side edges extended, leaving the two superimposed surfaces free to be passed through by the air flow and keeping the width of the flattened tubular fabric unchanged.

Abstract: In a method and an apparatus for treating tubular knitted goods containing elastomeric fibers, the goods are effectively relaxed, expanded, and heat fixed or set in the desired expanded condition, while maintaining the tubular configuration of the goods and without cutting open and re-sewing the tubular configuration of the goods. The tubular knitted goods are continuously transported through a relaxing process followed by a heat fixing process and then a cooling process, while constantly maintaining the tubular structure of the goods. The goods are expanded in the radial or width direction by a tubular expander, and in the lengthwise direction by being transported between a feed roller arrangement and a draw-off roller arrangement operating at different transport velocities respectively. The temperature in the heat fixing chamber is preferably over 200.degree. C. and the transport velocity of the tubular knitted goods can be greater than 18 m/min.

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: A singeing device (V) for the gassing of circular goods (1), for instance circular knitted textile goods, having a singe burner (3) and a cloth guide (W) in order to obtain uniform gassing. The guidance of the goods (W) is developed so as to result in flat sides (a) of the circular goods (1) which extend substantially parallel to each other and rounded transition sides (b), and the singe burner (3) gasses the circular goods (1) both on the flat sides (a) and on the transition sides (b).

Abstract: A stretching machine for treating removable belts supported on rollers, such as felts and wires in papermaking machines, comprises two rollers, over which the belt is trained in a loop. A heated belt contact structure has a contact surface adapted to contact the belt on the outside of the loop and between the rollers. A press roller is adapted to make press contact with the belt on the inside of the loop opposite the belt contact structure. The belt contact structure comprises a glide contact surface and a roller, the press roller acting against this latter roller.

Abstract: A covering device for the inlet and outlet slots of a tenter comprises a flexible plastic strip whose ends are fastened in the region of the ends of the respective slot. In the area where the chain rail guides extend through the slot, the plastic strip is deflected in U-shaped configuration by deflector elements outside the slot and spanning the chain guides. The deflector elements are angularly oriented relative to the longitudinal axis of the slot at an angle of about 45 degrees and are fastened on a movable carriage connected to the chain guides so that movement of the chain guides transversely of the slot functions also to move the U-shaped configuration of the flexible plastic strip.

Abstract: Equipment for the calendering of tubular knitted fabric (13) which, in the end step of a processing cycle, allows, by means of a cloth expander device (16), a steaming cxhamber (18) and a flattening, the width of the tubular fabric to be determined and fixed, besides giving the tubular fabric a commercially acceptable appearance. A plurality of calenders (19, 20, 26, 27) are disposed in series for being selectively used in engagement with the tubular knitted fabric (13) to effect a finishing treatment suitable for the individual type of tubular knitted fabric (13) which is undergoing treatment.

Abstract: Three consecutive work zones are provided in a drying apparatus for tubular textile wares, equipped with an expander arranged vertically floating in the interior of the tubular textile material. Zones, in which drying air is blown from the outside into the tube interior, are located upstream an entry ring which expands the tube and downstream of a corresponding exit ring of the expander, which may be circular, for example. In a third, center zone located between the entry ring and the exit ring of the expander, the tubular textile material is exposed to substantially radially outwardly directed suction of the drying air which may cause undesirable deformation of the tubular textile material. A gas-permeable substantially cylindrical jacket is provided in the center zone. This jacket envelopes the tubular textile material which bears against the inner wall of the jacket during the drying, whereby such deformations are avoided or controlled.

Abstract: An apparatus is operative for treating both tubular and open-width fabrics for shrinkage. The apparatus includes an elongated continuously advancing belt, a nose roller which defines a curved area in the extent of the belt, and a low-friction compression shoe which is preferably made of tetrafluoroethylene. The compression shoe is received in substantially mating relation with the curved area of the belt and biased toward the belt in a compression area which includes a portion of the curved area and a portion of the area which is immediately past the curved area and which is preferably substantially straight. The belt has a significant thickness relative to the radius of the nose roller so that the outer surface of the belt travels at an increased rate of speed where it is stretched in the curved area.

Abstract: An process is disclosed for finish drying of tubular knitted fabrics from a wet condition to a substantially finished form in a single process. Wet treated and mechanically extracted fabric is significantly overspread laterally as it enters the upstream end of the dryer and, importantly, although already wet, the fabric is steamed. Thereafter, and throughout most of its travel through the dryer system, the fabric is handled with special care to avoid stitch tension to the greatest possible extent while the wet fabric is assuming geometric stability. The discharged fabric is unique in comparison to conventionally dried fabric in that it is virtually finished and ready for the cutting table. The invention also makes possible mechanical roller compacting of fabrics in wet condition, enabling the wet-compacted fabric to be dried to a substantially finished condition without significant loss of its compacting.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of drying tubular knitted fabric on a continuous basis, which method includes the steps of:(A) overfeeding a rope of wet fabric (4) after untangling to a first transverse stretcher (20);(B) transversely stretching the untangled fabric to from 100% to 150% of a final dry fabric width to thereby bring the number of knitted courses per unit fabric length to substantially that in the final dry fabric;(C) expressing water by nip rollers (10) from the transversely stretched fabric to remove water carried in the interstices of the fabric;(D) overfeeding the expressed fabric to the exterior of a rotating drying drum (32) at from 0% to 25%;(E) revolving the fabric around the drum (32) and reducing the water content to from 10% to 40% of the dry fabric weight while passing heated air from the drum exterior to the interior to thereby produce an unstretched, moist elastic fabric;(F) drawing the fabric from the drum upwardly onto a second transverse stretcher (41) to finally adjust the fabr

Abstract: The disclosure relates to techniques for high efficiency drying of wet-processed tubular knitted fabric. The wet tubular fabric is initially spread to flat form and then guided in a controlled manner over a so-called Mach nozzle, at which high velocity gaseous medium, usually steam, at speeds approaching the speed of sound and above, is discharged directly through the fabric, which is maintained in tension as it passes over the nozzle outlet. The thus treated tubular knitted fabric, now with a greatly reduced liquid content, is then immediately directed over a second spreader device, which distends the fabric widthwise to a predetermined, uniform width, to restore the fabric width lost during wet processing and during the relatively high tension nozzle treating operation. In this damp, geometrically stabilized condition, the fabric may be directed immediately into an otherwise conventional tensionless dryer for tubular knitted fabric, where the necessary final drying operations are completed.

Abstract: This invention relates to equipment for gas-singeing runs of textiles comprising a floating expander in which a cylinder spreads approximately cylindrically and which is used for a textile tubular fabric moving over it, and further comprising at least one annular structure surrounding the expander and acting as a support for a plurality of singeing means containing gas-burner nozzles and being displaceable in a radial and synchronous manner with respect to the expander.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improvement in drying equipment for tubular textile ware comprising a vertically floating circular expander adapted to spread the tubular ware from the inside, with drying air being blown from the outside into the tubular ware inside in a first zone and evacuated from the inside to the outside in an adjacent second zone, the improvement which comprises (a) three zones consecutive in the direction of motion of the ware, the zones being mutually bounded by a partition transverse to the direction of motion of the ware and surrounding the circular expander, and being located in the area of an entry part spreading the tubular ware and a corresponding exit part, (b) the zone located between the entry part and the exit part being designed as a suction chamber and the outer zones being designed as blowing chambers, and (c) the entry part and the exit part including axial flow openings for the drying air.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for stretching a thermoplastic polymer film in which the opposite selvages of the film are gripped by gripping means and are stretched transversely during heating by moving the selvages along two divergent arcuate paths lying in the same plane and extending over a predetermined circumferential range from a quater to a half of the full circumference of the circle containing the arcuate paths. In order to avoid drawbacks in the existing equipment such as irregular molecular orientation in and rupture of the film, the longitudinal travel of the film while being stretched is controlled by controlling means so that the central web portion is advanced by substantially the same distance as the gripped film selvages, whereby the amound of longitudinal movement of the film is held always constant throughout the width of the film.

Abstract: An apparatus for the steam conditioning of lengths of textile fabrics includes a frame carrying a fabric spreader for spreading of the fabric in a spreading zone, steam boxes for application of steam to the spread fabric within a steam zone, a cooling zone, and fabric advancing mechanism for advancing the fabric through the steam and cooling zones. A duct system encloses the steam boxes and, in conjunction with one or more blowers, evacuates steam upwardly and downwardly from a region adjacent the steam boxes thereby confining the steam zone to the region between the discharge sections of the steam boxes and preventing the migration of steam to areas upstream and downstream of such steam zone.

Abstract: Method and equipment for drying and/or shrinking of textile structures which are formed into a tubular conformation and sleeved onto a tubular carrier. By the application of a heated gaseous medium under pressure, the tubular conformation is transported in alternate directions on the tubular carrier.

Abstract: A method of reducing the liquid content of air-permeable material in tubular form, especially for reducing the moisture content of tubular fabric, involves moving the tube of material longitudinally through a device for applying suction to the outer surface of the tube, either in a single area which extends all round the tube or in a plurality of areas which together extend substantially all round the tube.Means for carrying the method into effect may comprise one or more hollow members defining a frame to surround the tube of material from which liquid is to be removed. Each hollow member has apertures in its inwardly-facing wall, each of which apertures communicates with the hollow interior of its hollow member, and means is provided for creating a sub-atmospheric pressure in each hollow member.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to method and apparatus for processing of tubular knitted fabric with a liquid material, for uniformly impregnating the fabric with the liquid. The fabric initially is directed over a propeller-spreader frame, in which the fabric is laterally distended to flat form and to predetermined, uniform width. At the discharge end of the spreader, the fabric is guided directly into the nip of a pair of opposed, resilient pad rollers. Immediately in advance of the pad rollers, both the upper and lower surfaces of the generally horizontally disposed fabric are sprayed with the liquid processing solution. The sprays are directed from a plurality of nozzles, spaced across the width of the fabric, and directed at an angle to the surface of the fabric and toward the nip area of the pad rolls. The spreader frame is inclined downwardly toward the pad rolls, at a slight angle (e.g. 6.degree. or 7.degree.

Abstract: A machine to process fabric knit in tubular form which includes apparatus to lay down a stripe of a gumming composition to allow the tubular fabric to be slit in the center of the solidified gumming stripe. The slit knit fabric is then opened up to full width and taken up. The tubular knit goods are conveyed through the gumming and slitting operation by a four belt conveying system which allows the lengthwise tension and the width of the tubular fabric to be controlled.

Abstract: A high production steamer for tubular knitted fabrics or the like which comprises means for distending and conveying the fabric along a predetermined, generally horizontal processing plane and a pair of steam boxes mounted in opposed relation, one above and one below the processing plane. The steam boxes are of a heretofore known dripless construction which includes discharge openings extending across the width of the fabric and arranged to direct steam toward the upper and lower faces of the fabric. According to the invention, a novel steam confining means is provided to confine the discharged steam to a limited region closely surrounding the fabric. The confining means comprises a chamber formed by wall-forming members associated with the discharge sides of the steam boxes and the end plates of the opposed steam boxes which are arranged in a contacting relation along the sides of the path of conveyance for the fabric.

Abstract: Mercerisation plant for tubular fabrics comprising a tank for impregnating a tubular fabric with caustic soda, a station for stretching the impregnated fabric and for washing and rinsing the impregnated stretched fabric. The fabric is stretched in a station comprising at least one support structure of tower shape, members for feeding the fabric through the tower structure, at least one pair of expanding vertical rod elements for the fabric arranged inside thereof and support members engaging the expanding rod elements and adapted to enable these elements to approach or withdraw from each other to adjust the tension or stretching of the fabric in the direction of its width.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for continuously framing and steaming discrete segments of tubular knitted fabric, particularly sweater body segments and the like which are constructed to include a body section provided with a cuff at one end. The apparatus provides for differential width stabilization of the segment, such that the body portion is set at one width and the cuff portion is set at a slightly narrower width. Individual segments are advanced over a spreader frame and distended to the desired width for the body portion. The section is discharged, cuff first, off of the spreader and enters between a pair of conveyor blankets. The blankets are held in noncontacting relation, initially, to permit the cuff to return to narrower dimensions, but the blankets then close upon the segment, so that the body portion thereof is maintained at an increased width. While the segment is thus engaged, it is steamed to stabilize its geometry.

Abstract: A method for processing tubular knitted fabrics in a continuous form, wherein the tubular fabric is delivered in a substantially dry condition and the edge portions thereof are engaged for simultaneous conveyance and lateral stretching. In this manner, the fabric is stretched to a uniform, predetermined width. In accordance with the invention, the fabric is maintained free of externally applied moisture during the lateral distension of the fabric. The distended fabric is then discharged onto endless supporting surfaces while the edge portions are disengaged in a zone of predetermined dimensions to accommodate a controlled, lateral relaxation of the fabric. Thereafter, both faces of the laterally relaxed fabric are engaged between the endless supporting surfaces. During the time the fabric is engaged by the endless supporting surfaces, steam is applied over the entire area of the fabric to accommodate further relaxation and adjustment of the fabric.

Abstract: The disclosure is that of an invention directed to a horizontal padder and extractor for circular knit fabric tubes and includes a pair of squeeze rolls disposed with their axes in the same horizontal plane, thus defining an upwardly open nip for retaining a puddle of impregnating liquid. A safety guard is pivotally mounted over the squeeze rolls and is operably connected to an electrical interlock to deactivate the machine whenever the safety guard is not in proper position. A steaming station is provided ahead of the padder and extractor and a horizontal orienting spreader feeds the spread fabric tube to the padder at a tangent to the upper surface of the front squeeze roll thereof.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed principally to a novel apparatus for finish processing of knitted sweater body sections in a continuous, flow-through manner. Knitted tubular sweater sections, including a body section and a relatively elastic cuff section, are applied in succession to a spreading frame and are distended to a predetermined, uniform width throughout. The spreader frame discharges the distended sweater sections into a processing section, including a pair of opposed conveyor blankets. In a controlled space interval, between the end of the spreading frame and the line of engagement of the sweater section by the opposed conveyor blankets, controllable width contraction of the sweater section is caused or permitted to occur.

Abstract: The disclosure is that of conditioning equipment for performing either straightening or overfeed calendering operations upon circular knit fabric tubes and includes a feed stand, a control roll station, a drive roll station, a steaming station and a calender station. A horizontal spreader extends from the control roll station to the calender station and provides a circumferential drive for the fabric tube at the control roll station, a face drive therefor at the drive roll station and an internal edge drive therefor along at least that portion of the length of the spreader that extends from the control roll station through the drive roll station. Thermo-fixing of the conditioned fabric tube also may be effected.

Abstract: The disclosure is that of conditioning equipment for performing either straightening or overfeed calendering operations upon circular knit fabric tubes and includes a feed stand, a control roll station, a drive roll station, a steaming station and a calender station. A horizontal spreader extends from the control roll station to the calender station and provides a circumferential drive for the fabric tube at the control roll station, a face drive therefor at the drive roll station and an internal edge drive therefor along at least that portion of the length of the spreader that extends from the control roll station through the drive roll station. Thermo-fixing of the conditioned fabric tube also may be effected.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an apparatus for steam processing tubular knitted fabric, as in a spreading or calendering operation. The steamer apparatus of the invention is characterized by its ability effectively to impart steam to the fabric at much higher rates than has been possible heretofore, consistent with satisfactory quality. Since the steaming of the fabric heretofore has constituted a limiting or bottleneck stage of calendering or similar processing operations, the ability of the new steaming device to increase the effective rate of steam application can be translated directly into higher production rates in the fabric processing operation as a whole.The new steaming apparatus includes a pair of dripless steam boxes of heretofore known construction arranged above and below the plane of the fabric in a manner well known per se.

Abstract: The disclosure is that of an invention directed to a horizontal padder and extractor for circular knit fabric tubes and includes a pair of squeeze rolls disposed with their axes in the same horizontal plane, thus defining an upwardly open nip for retaining a puddle of impregnating liquid. A safety guard is pivotally mounted over the squeeze rolls and is operably connected to an electrical interlock to deactivate the machine whenever the safety guard is not in proper position. A steaming station is provided ahead of the padder and extractor and a horizontal orienting spreader feeds the spread fabric tube to the padder at a tangent to the upper surface of the front squeeze roll thereof.