Method of padding and extracting a continuously advancing circular knit fabric tube

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.

I claim: 
     
       1. In a method of padding and extracting a continuously advancing circular knit fabric tube having upper and lower layers by passage through a puddle of impregnating liquid contained within an upwardly open nip defined by a pair of opposed horizontally disposed squeeze rolls, the steps of spreading the advancing fabric tube to a predetermined width .Iadd.by passage over a spreader and.Iaddend., then immediately directing said spread fabric tube onto one of said squeeze rolls for advance in a generally downward direction through said puddle into said nip, the said upper layer of said fabric tube being free from contact with either of said squeeze rolls until its passage through said nip, and expelling any entrapped air in said fabric tube .Iadd.by free movement of the air from the nip area forwardly towards the spreader and .Iaddend.through the said upper layer thereof during its advance over the said one of said squeeze rolls toward engagement with said nip as the result of directing said fabric tube into said puddle of impregnating liquid under controlled tension. 
     
     
       2. In a method of padding and extracting a continuously advancing circular knit fabric tube having upper and lower layers by passage through a puddle of impregnating liquid contained within an upwardly open nip defined by a pair of opposed horizontally disposed squeeze rolls, the steps of spreading the advancing fabric tube to a predetermined width .Iadd.by passage over a spreader.Iaddend., geometrically orienting the said upper and lower layers of said advancing fabric tube while said fabric tube is in its spread condition, then directing said spread and geometrically oriented fabric tube onto one of said squeeze rolls for advance in a generally downward direction through said puddle into said nip, and expelling any entrapped air in said fabric tube .Iadd.by free movement of the air from the nip area forwardly towards the spreader and .Iaddend.through the said upper layer thereof as the result of directing said fabric tube into said puddle of impregnating liquid under controlled tension by selectively varying the speed of advance of said upper and lower layers relative to the speed of advance through said nip.