Gaston Systems, Inc.

Gaston County Dyeing Machine Co.

Dieter Friedrich Zeiffer

Christoph Walter Aurich

Hermann A Neupert

John S Samilo

Graham F Clifford

Jerry D Morgan

George M Junkins

An apparatus for dyeing a textile substrate using a plurality of applicators that each apply an increment of a total dye application. In one form a reduced indigo dye in a leuco-state is applied in an inert atmosphere substantially isolated from oxidizing substances. In another form the foamed dye is applied while open to the atmosphere. In both forms holddown rollers or inverted applicators are located between applicators at decreasing depths to minimize increases in tension as the substrate travels over successive applicator faces.

Apparatus for dyeing textile substrates with foamed dye

An apparatus and method for applying a foamed composition to a traveling substrate that has a tendency to be dimensionally unstable. A pair of closely spaced driven guide rollers guides a traveling substrate with sufficient roller engagement and controlled tension to minimize dimensional distortion. A foam applicator with a substrate engaging foam dispensing nozzle face is positioned within the space between the rollers to deflect the substrate inwardly between the rollers. The face extends in close proximity to the rollers to minimize the free extent of travel of the substrate between the rollers and the nozzle face. Two pairs of guide rollers and two nozzles may be arranged for applying foamed composition to the opposite sides of the traveling substrate.

Apparatus and method for applying a foamed composition to a dimensionally unstable traveling substrate

A coater for applying foamed coating material to a traveling textile substrate including a frame, a flush pan, an applicator having an open slot, a pivot shaft journaled in a pair of support arms that are pivotally mounted to the frame and piston-cylinder mechanisms to move the applicator between an operating position wherein the open slot is adjacent the traveling substrate and a flush position wherein the open slot is adjacent the flush pan by pivoting the support arms and rotating the pivot shaft. Foamed coating material is applied by supporting the traveling substrate between two spaced support elements, contacting the traveling substrate with a foam applicator, and forcing a metered amount of foamed material at least partially into the interstices of the textile substrate before the foamed coating material collapses. A metered amount of foamed coating material is applied onto or into a textile substrate regardless of textile substrate structure and regardless of the viscosity of the coating material. The foamed coating material may be flushed from the coater by stopping flow of foamed material through the applicator, moving the applicator to the flush position, and commencing flow of a flushing fluid through the applicator and into the flush pan. Foamed coating material may also be flushed from the applicator by stopping flow of foamed material through the applicator, commencing flow of a flushing foam through the applicator, stopping flow of flushing foam through the applicator, and commencing flow of a flushing fluid through the applicator.

Apparatus for applying foamed coating material to a traveling textile substrate

An applicator apparatus for controlling the uniform (or predetermined non-uniform) application of a treating fluid to a traveling fabric, web or other substrate includes one or more fluid applicators, each having spaced apart housing or body walls interconnected by a body edge preferably of a generally parabolic shape. Each applicator includes a fluid inlet in one body wall and a transversely elongated fluid outlet in the opposite body wall. The body walls define a fluid distribution chamber extending substantially equally and oppositely relative to the fluid inlet, with the chamber being divided by a plate member having preferably generally parabolically shaped peripheral edges substantially corresponding in shape with and spaced inwardly from the body edge.

Controlled flow applicator

An apparatus for applying a chemical foam to a traveling substrate in which a plurality of shut-off valves are spaced along a foam conduit between a foam generator and an applicator head to form the conduit into isolated sections when the valves are simultaneously closed upon stoppage of the traveling substrate, thereby maintaining pressure differential along the length of the conduit in readiness for resumption of operation when the substrate resumes travel and the valves are opened. To avoid decomposition of the foam in the applicator head during stoppage, a small by-pass conduit is connected to the valved conduit upstream and downstream of the valves to allow a small quantity of foam to continue to flow to the applicator head during stoppage of the substrate. A discharge valve at a discharge outlet of the applicator head opens during substrate stoppage to allow foam to discharge from the applicator head and maintain circulation of foam therein. The discharged foam is either returned directly to the generator for recycling or is fed selectively to one or the other of a pair of settling tanks until that settling tank is full, at which time the foam is directed to the other settling tank and the foam in the first settling tank is allowed to decompose to a liquid, following which it is recycled to the generator for regeneration and recycling through the apparatus.

Apparatus for applying a chemical foam to a traveling substrate

A coater for applying foamed coating material to a traveling, textile substrate including a frame, a flush pan, an applicator having an open slot, a pivot shaft journaled in a pair of support arms that are pivotally mounted to the frame and piston-cylinder mechanisms to move the applicator between an operating position wherein the open slot is adjacent the traveling substrate and a flush position wherein the open slot is adjacent the flush pan by pivoting the support arms and rotating the pivot shaft. Foamed coating material is applied by supporting the traveling substrate between two spaced support elements, contacting the traveling substrate with a foam applicator, and forcing a metered amount of foamed material at least partially into the interstices of the textile substrate before the foamed coating material collapses. A metered amount of foamed coating material is applied onto or into a textile substrate regardless of textile substrate structure and regardless of the viscosity of the coating material. The foamed coating material may be flushed from the coater by stopping flow of foamed material through the applicator, moving the applicator to the flush position, and commencing flow of a flushing fluid through the applicator and into the flush pan. Foamed coating material may also be flushed from the applicator by stopping flow of foamed material through the applicator, commencing flow of a flushing foam through the applicator, stopping flow of flushing foam through the applicator, and commencing flow of a flushing fluid through the applicator.

Means and method for extracting moisture from a traveling web of textile material containing high-moisture content processing fluid using a fluid applicator extending transversely across the path of the traveling web for applying low-moisture content fluid through holes in a distribution manifold on one side of the traveling web. A flow restricting roller is disposed on the opposite side of the travelling web in opposition to the fluid applicator holes closely downstream from the holes and serving to confine the low-moisture content fluid flow from the applicator into and through the traveling web, thereby causing displacement of high-moisture content fluid from the traveling web with low-moisture content fluid. The flow restricting roller is disposed at a spacing above the applicator less than the free-standing thickness of the traveling web and applies pressure to compress the traveling web and effect flow restriction. A plurality of such extracting means can be arranged in series for extraction and wet-on-wet finish applications. A surfactant can be included in the high moisture content processing fluid to produce foam that evidences expansion and resulting moisture extraction. Further, a surface active agent can be included to induce an explosive reaction that provides a scrubbing action to remove contaminants. Similarly chemical treating material can be used for displacing the high moisture containing fluid and thereby chemically impregnating the traveling web. Such chemical treating material may be a dyeing assisting agent.

Means and method for extracting moisture from a traveling web of textile

Means and apparatus for extracting moisture from a traveling web of textile material containing high-moisture content processing fluid using a fluid applicator extending transversely across the path of the traveling web for applying low-moisture content fluid through holes in a distribution manifold on one side of the traveling web. A flow restricting roller is disposed on the opposite side of the traveling web in opposition to the fluid applicator holes closely downstream from the holes and serving to confine the low-moisture content fluid flow from the applicator into and through the traveling web, thereby causing displacement of high-moisture content fluid from the traveling web with low-moisture content fluid. The flow restricting roller is disposed at a spacing above the applicator less than the free-standing thickness of the traveling web and applies pressure to compress the traveling web and effect flow restriction.

A method and apparatus for generating and dispersing immiscible liquid particles in a carrier liquid by introducing the immiscible liquid as streams into a tubular flow of carrier liquid and shearing particles from the streams immediately as they enter the flow path with shearing elements rotating through the tubular flow path closely adjacent the ends of the tubes. The flow of the particle-containing liquid is stabilized by vanes extending parallel to the tubular flow path and the flow is disrupted to disturb any uneven concentration of particles by an offset portion of the flow conduit, which offset portion is rotated. The flow is distributed into dispensing conduits mounted on a support that is reciprocated to impart a primary reciprocal motion and a secondary reciprocal motion to the dispensing of the particle-containing carrier liquid for application to a substrate, such as carpet. The reciprocal motions are provided by an orbiting shaft having a sprocket fixed thereon and one end of a link connected thereto with the other end of the link connected to an eccentric shaft on the support to impart primary reciprocal motion and a sprocket carried on the eccentric shaft connected by a chain to the sprocket on the orbiting shaft imparts a lesser secondary reciprocal motion through the eccentric shaft to the support.

Method and apparatus for generating and dispersing immiscible liquid

An applicator for applying foamed treating liquor across the flat width of a traveling textile fabric or like substrate includes an arcuate housing having an arcuate interior partition wall intermediate a foam inlet port and a foam emission nozzle opening in the housing to define a distribution chamber providing a turning foam pathway from the inlet port about the curved edge of the partition wall to the emission opening. The curved edge of the interior wall is parabolic in shape to define substantially all possible foam flow paths from the inlet port linearly to the curved edge and linearly the respective shortest distances therefrom to the emission opening to be of substantially the same total length. Accordingly, foam residence time within the distribution chamber is substantially constant regardless of the flow path assumed, to control foam degeneration to occur uniformly for uniform widthwise treatment of the traveling fabric.

Foamed treating liquor applicator

Treating liquor is applied to open-width textile substrate by pressure feeding the liquor in foamed condition to a distribution chamber having gently changing cross sectional areas and contours and arranged to deliver the foamed treating liquor evenly widthwise of the substrate through an application head past which the substrate is caused to travel under conditions that result in liquefying the foamed treating liquor in the course of application to the substrate.

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Iron Station, NC, United States of America

Dieter Friedrich Zeiffer