Apparatus for liquid treatment of textile material webs

Claim 2

Apparatus for liquid treatment of a textile material web in open width form comprising taNk means for containing a length of textile web to be treated as arranged in an open width loop, said tank means enclosing a generally annular chamber and including web guide means for forming a throat zone of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration and further including spaced arcuate inner and outer wall means for defining a treatment zone adjacent to and of greater cross-sectional area than said throat zone, and treatment liquid circulating means operatively communicating with said tank means for circulating a flow of treatment liquid through said chamber, said circulating means including web moving means for directing portions of the circulating liquid flow through said throat zone for entraining the textile web therein and further including web treating means for directing portions of the circulating liquid flow into said treatment zone through said inner and outer wall means for impinging the liquid against both surfaces of the textile web, whereby agitated contact of treatment liquid with the textile web occurs throughout the throat and treatment zones and thorough treatment of the textile web is thereby facilitated.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tank means further includes shell means extending generally parallel to said wall means for defining with said wall means liquid flow passageways and further wherein said wall means define perforations for operative communication between said passageways and said treatment zone, said perforations being distributed in a predetermined manner over a predetermined arc of said annular chamber for subjecting the moving textile web to predetermined agitated treatment in both said throat and treatment zones.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said perforations are distributed over an arc of said annular chamber of at least 90* .

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said perforations are distributed over an arc of said annular chamber of about 200* .

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said tank means further includes baffle means for forming an expansion zone at least partially within said chamber and for retaining a predetermined depth of liquid within said chamber while receiving in said expansion zone any excess of liquid above that required for maintenance of such depth of liquid and further wherein said circulating means includes pump means operatively communicating with said expansion zone for withdrawing liquid therefrom and for recirculating withdrawn liquid to both the throat and treatment zones.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising means operatively communicating with said expansion zone for introducing treating agents thereinto for intermixing with treatment liquid during withdrawal and recirculation thereof whereby dilution of treating agents prior to contact thereof with a textile web being treated is facilitated.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising heat exchanger means operatively interposed between said pump means and said throat and treatment zones for exchanging heat between recirculating liquid and a fluid heat exchange medium.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said circulating means comprises conduit means operatively communicating with said annular chamber for withdrawal of liquid therefrom and operatively communicating with said throat and treatment zones for distributing recirculated liquid across the width of the textile web whereby continuing mixing of the circulating liquid facilitates maintenance of uniform conditions throughout the chamber.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said conduit means communicates with said chamber at a plurality of locations therewithin for withdrawal of a corresponding plurality of flows of liquid therefrom and communicates with said throat and treatment zones through a corresponding plurality of distributive paths so as to promote the continuing mixing of the circulating liquid.

Claim 11

Apparatus for liquid treatment of a textilE material web in open width form comprising an enclosing shell means for retaining a body of treatment liquid, spaced arcuate inner and outer wall means within said shell means and forming an arcuate portion of a generally annular chamber for receiving open width loop of textile web to be treated, said wall means being spaced from said shell means for defining therebetween corresponding inner and outer liquid flow passageways and having perforations for directing flow of treatment liquid from said passageways into a treatment zone extending over a predetermined arc of said annular chamber, web guide means located within said shell means adjacent one end of said arcuate portion formed by said wall means, said web guide means forming a throat zone of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration for passage of looped textile web into said treatment zone, baffle means within said shell means for forming an expansion zone and for establishing a predetermined depth for said body of liquid retained within said shell means, and pump means operatively communicating with said shell means for withdrawing treatment liquid therefrom and for recirculating withdrawn treatment liquid thereto, said pump means communicating with said expansion zone for withdrawing liquid from a plurality of locations therein and communicating with said throat zone and liquid flow passageways for distributing corresponding portions of recirculated treatment liquid thereacross widthwise of the textile web being treated, said pump means inducing textile web entraining flow of treatment liquid through said throat zone for moving the looped textile web within said annular chamber and inducing textile web treating impingement of treating liquid against both surfaces of textile web in said treatment zone.

Claim 12

Apparatus for liquid treatment of a textilE material web in open width form comprising an enclosing shell means for retaining a body of treatment liquid, spaced arcuate inner and outer wall means within said shell means and forming an arcuate portion of a generally annular chamber for receiving open width loop of textile web to be treated, said wall means being spaced from said shell means for defining therebetween corresponding inner and outer liquid flow passageways and having perforations for directing flow of treatment liquid from said passageways into a treatment zone extending over a predetermined arc of said annular chamber, web guide means located within said shell means adjacent one end of said arcuate portion formed by said wall means, said web guide means forming a throat zone of generally rectangular cross-sectional configuration for passage of looped textile web into said treatment zone, baffle means within said shell means for forming an expansion zone and for establishing a predetermined depth for said body of liquid retained within said shell means, and pump means operatively communicating with said shell means for withdrawing treatment liquid therefrom and for recirculating withdrawn treatment liquid thereto, said pump means communicating with said expansion zone for withdrawing liquid from a plurality of locations therein and communicating with said throat zone and liquid flow passageways for distributing corresponding portions of recirculated treatment liquid thereacross widthwise of the textile web being treated, said pump means inducing textile web entraining flow of treatment liquid through said throat zone for moving the looped textile web within said annular chamber and inducing textile web treating impingement of treating liquid against both surfaces of textile web in said treatment zone.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said pump means comprises first and second pumps each communicating with said expansion zone at a corresponding one location and each communicating with a corresponding one of said inner and outer liquid flow passageways and with one side of said throat zone whereby continuing mixing of two flows of treatment liquid circulated by said first and second pumps is facilitated.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 11 further comprising heat exchange means interposed between said first and second pumps and said shell means for receiving corresponding flows of circulating treatment liquid discharged from said pumps and for exchanging heat between said corresponding flows of circulating treatment liquid and a fluid exchange medium.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said heat exchange means comprises an elongate housing means, first and second elongate tube bundles mounted within said housing means and operatively communicating with corresponding ones of said pumps for receiving corresponding flows of treatment liquid, conduit means communicating with said housing means for supplying fluid exchange medium thereto and baffle means within said housing means for directing flow of fluid exchange medium therethrough, said tube bundles, conduit means and baffle means cooperating in distributing flows through said heat exchange means symetrically for evenly exchanging heat therebetween so as to equalize the temperatures of said flows of treatment liquid.