US2239572A - Method of and apparatus for finishing fabrics - Google Patents

Description

J. H.'RICHA April 22, 1941.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING FABRICS Filed Sept. 8,1939 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 In I n INVENTOR Jo/m hf. IP/t/Ia.

April 22,

J. H. RicHA I METHOD, or AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING FABRICS Filed Sept, 8, 1939 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Jo lm hf Ric/2a.

TTORNEY' Patented Apr. 1941 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FINISHING rAB nos John H. Richa, KansasCity, Mo., 'assignor,- by

direct and name assignments, of one-half to said Richa and one-half to Charles B. Jones,

Kansas City, Mo'.

Application September a, 1939, Serial no. 293,882

24 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for finishing fabrics, particularly shaping and removal of wrinkles therefrom.

Heretofore fabrics and fabric garments have been restored to shape and the wrinklesremoved therefrom by pressing with hot irons, steam presses and like appliances, but such methods have not been satisfactory, especially in the pressing of certain types of fabrics and garments havingirregular shapes, for example velvets, the puffed sleeves of ladies garments, the tops of men's trousers, the shoulder and sleeve portions of coats, and other parts of complex shape.

When such articles are pressed either by hot irons orsteam presses they require many lays of the garment with the result that overlapping press marks remain in the garment after finishing, the nap is pressed flat giving a shiny or gloss like appearance, and more than likely parts of the'gannent have been pressed out of shape. These difliculties have been alleviated in part by the use of special presses having shaped bucks, but even in well equipped establishments having all of the latest pressing appliances, it is impossible to press successfully all of the garments which are to be processed.

It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive method of finishing fabrics and partic-' ularly irregularly shaped portions of garments with a single lay and without resorting to pressure, so that the finished article is retained in normal shape with the nap or pile in natural condition. l

A further object of the'invention is to provide a simple and relatively inexpensive apparatus for practicing my improved process.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, hereinafter pointed out, I have provided an, improved apparatus, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig, 1 is a perspective view of a finishing apparatus embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section through the blower and heater elements of the apparatus with the motor shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the ap- Watus.

Fig. 4 is a detail side elevationalview particularly illustrating the construction and mounting of the heating element.

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on the line 5'5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective viewof the bag,

part of which is brokenaway to better illustrate the construction thereof. I

Fig. 7 is a detail view illustrating application of the sleeve and shoulder of a garment on the bag, and illustrating inflation thereof to restore shape and remove the wrinkles therefrom.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of a modified form of bag restricting band.

Referring more in detail to" the drawings:

I designates a finishing apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention and. with which I am able to practice my improved method in finishing fabric garments without resorting to pressure of irons or the like.

The apparatus illustrated includes a base 2 having a standard 3 supporting a plate-like head 4. Mounted on the head l is a motor 5 and a blower 6 carrying a heater 1. The blower includes a casing} attached to a flange 9 of the head and is provided with an air inlet l0 and an outlet ll to-a'nozzl l2,} ,wh'ich nozzle, in the illustrated instance;extends. laterally with respect to the standard 3; j-Tliei'annature shaft I3 of the motor projects intfothe blower casing and mounts an impellerfllg The heater 1 includesa' shelll5 covering the opening Ill and having anair inlet 16 in a side thereof. Supported within the shell is'a plurality of tubular coils I! having fins l8 across which air is drawn into the blower for discharge through the nozzle l2.

The coils are connected with a source of steam supply througha pipe l9 connecting a separator 20 and a pipe 2| connecting the separator with the inlet of the coils. The steam and condensate, after passing through coils of the heater, are discharged through a pipe 22 under control of a valve 23 to maintain a pressure in the separator.

Fixed within the nozzle l2 and to the upper side thereof is a laterally extending tubular arm 24 having a closed outer end 25 and an open inner end 26 communicating directly with the blower outlet H. The upper-portion of the arm 24 is provided with a plurality of apertures 21 through which the portion of the air entering the open end 26 is discharged along. the length of the arm for a purpose later described.

A portion of the pipe 2| above referred to pref erably extends through the nozzle and into the arm 24 in theform of a p 28, which loop extends substantially the entire length'the-reof and returns through the open end 26- as shown in Fig. 3, so that the steam withinthe loop 28 of the pipe 2! is utilized in maintaining the parts in heated condition and for avoiding condensation of steam that is discharged thereinto by way of a distributing conduit 29.

The conduit 29 extends Within and is coextensive in length with the arm 24 and is provided with a plurality of apertures 29 for discharging steam along the length thereof which steam passes outwardly through the apertures 21. The

inlet end of the conduit 29 extends through thenozzle and connects by way of a throttle valve 30 with the separator. The valve 30 carries an actuating lever 3| that is operated by a foot treadle 32 through a flexible connection 33, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

' The air outlet of the blower is controlled by a damper 34, which damper is carried on a shaft 35 having its ends journalled in the side walls of the fan casing. The end of the shaft 35 on the operators side of the machine terminates in a handle 36 by which the damper may be swung to and from closing relation with respect to the opening. The handle 36 also operates an electrical switch 31, which switch is electrically connected in the circuit of the motor 5, and is constructed and arranged so that when thedamper is open, the switch is 'closed and the motor is energized for operating the blower, but when the damper is closed the switch is open and the motor is de-energized for stopping the blower.

Sleeved over the arm 24 is a closed bag 38, which bag may approximate the shape and size of a garment or a portion of a garment to be finished. The bag may be of any suitable shape depending upon the work in hand. In the illustrated instance the bag is especially designed for finishing tubular portions of garments such as sleeves, including their shoulder portions, and therefore includes a cylindrical portion 39 of somewhat larger diameter and of longer length than the corresponding dimensions of a sleeve of maximum size to be conditioned with the apparatus. The inner end of the bag carries a neck 40 that is engaged over the nozzle l2 and secured thereon by suitable fastening means such as bands 4! as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The bag 38 is flexible and constructed of a material permeable to a fluid medium such as "air and/or steam, and preferably of a fabric material .woven with sufficient tightness to provide limited permeability to effect ballooning or distension thereof and the maintenance of a certain pressure therein when steam and/or :air is passed thereinto by way of the nozzle and arm 24, the pressure employed depending upon the nature and character of the work being finished. The weaving, however, must be sufficiently open to provide limited permeability and permit restricted discharge of the steam and/or air through the meshes thereof for treating and softening the fabric of the garment for finishing and to effect curing of the fabric following the inital finishing operation. The important function of the bag is to support and distend the garment or the portion thereof under treatment to its normal size and to provide uniform distribution of steam and/or air to all portions of the garment being treated. The amount of pressure is regulated by positioning of the damper 34, which damper controls the volume and velocity of the air entering the bag. The excess material in the bag for a given sized garment is automatically taken up by folds in the bag. It is possible, however, to form the bag of porous material of elastic character, whereby the wall of the bag may expand under inflation pressures regulated by the operator.

In practicing my improved method with the apparatus as above described for finishing a sleeved garment, the sleeve of the garment is passed over the bag while it is in deflated condition. The sleeve readily passes over the collapsed bag for the reason that the arm 24 retains the bag in a laterally extended condition. In order to prevent flaring of the edge of sleeve by ballooning of the bag, where the bag is not constricted by the sleeve, a rigid band 42 is passed over the bag ahead of the garment as shown in Fig. '7, or, if desired, an extensible band 43, as shown in Fig. 8, may be attached to the nozzle and withdrawn to the point where it meets the wrist end of the sleeve. The band 43 is shown as consisting of a pluralityof extensible sections 44, one slidable over the other. With this band, expansion of the portion of the bag ahead of the sleeve is restricted to the confines of the sleeve and there is no great loss of fiuid medium from the bag except through the fabric of the garment. When the sleeve is in position the operator steps on the treadle 32 to open the throttle valve 30, whereupon steam is admitted to the conduit 29 from which it is exhausted through the apertures 29 into the arm 24, escaping through the open end 26 of the arm 24 andthrough the apertures 21 therein into the bag, ballooning the bag to the shape of the garment, as best shown in Fig. '7. The excess material in the bag will wrinkle as shown, but this has no effect on the smoothness of the garment. The ballooned bag will thus conform to the normal shape of the garment and the steam will pas substantially uniformly through the meshes of the bag and through the fabric of the garment to soften the fabric and allow smoothing of the wrinkles in the garment during distension thereof to its former shape.

At the time of steaming, or subsequent thereto, the air valve is opened the proper amount for admitting'air in the desired quantity into the bag 38 for distending the sleeve and shoulder of the garment to their proper shape and completely remove all wrinkles therefrom. The degree of valve opening for a given type garment is soon determined, and the operator may tell when maximum pressure for the work has been reached through noting expansion of the garment. After the steam is shut off the blast of heated air maintains the proper distension and thoroughly dries out the garment so that the fabric is set or cured on the distended bag. When the fabric is set, the handle 36 is shifted to its normal position so as to close the damper 34 and stop operation of the motor. The bag will then immediately collapse so that the sleeve of the garment may be readily removed therefrom, completing the operation. The other sleeve may then be treated in like manner, after which the body portion of the garment may be similarly finished by applying it in like manner to a bag having a similar shape.

In finishing wet garments, the fabric of which is already thoroughly moistened, the steam may be dispensed with, and the entire finishing operation effected with the hot air alone.

While I have illustrated only one shape and form of bag, it is obvious that various shapes and forms may be provided, it being clearly obvious that to finish the tops of trousers a bag must be provided substantially conforming insliape and form with the seat, waist, and hip portions thereof.

It is further obvious that, as in the case of the sleeve bag, a given sized bag may be used in the topping operation, the surplus material being taken up in the folds of the bag when the bag is ballooned in the garment.

When a garment is finished in accordance with the present invention, the nap or pile is moved by the steam and air to its normal position so that the nap over the entire portion of the garment under treatment extends in the same direction. Since no pressure is applied, or ironing op-- While several different shaped bags may be required to meet the needs of commercial work, they are relatively inexpensive and represent no large investment on the part of the user.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

i. In an aparatus of the character described, a blower having an inlet and an outlet nczr'le, a tubular arm connected with said nozzle and having outlet apertures, apermeable bag sleeved over said arm and secured with respect tothe nozzle, a heater connected to the,inlet of said blower, an apertured pipecoextensive with said arm, a steam supply connected with said pipe for introducing steam into said bag, and a heating coil supported in said arm for retarding con densation of said steam in the bag.

2. Apparatus for finishing garments of the character described, including a flexible bag adapted to be clothed by a garment and distendable in response to pressure of a fluid medium, and means for introducing the fluid medium into the bag for balooning the bag to the expanded shape of a garment clothed thereon, said bag having a permeable body portion for discharging the fluid medium through the garment'clothed thereon for conditioning the fabric of the gar ment simultaneously with expansion of the garment.

3. Apparatus for finishing garments of the character described, including a flexible, inflatable bag adapted to be clothed by a garment and distendable in response to pressure of a fluid medium, and means for introducing the fluid medium into the bag for ballooning the'bag to the expanded shape of a garment clothed thereon, said bag having a permeable body portion of limited permeability for discharging the fluid medium outwardly through the garment clothed thereon and retaining suflic'ient fluid medium for maintaining inflation of the bag to condition the fabric of. the garment simultaneously with expansion of the garment.

4. Apparatus for finishing garments of the character described, including a flexible bag adapted to be clothed by a garment and distendable in response to pressure of a fluid medium, means for, introducing the fluid,medium into the bag for ballooning the bag to the expanded shape of a garment-clothed thereon, said bag having a permeable body portion for discharging the fluid medium through the garment clothed thereon for conditioning the fabric of the garment simultaneously with expansion of the garment, and means for supplying moisture for application to the garment.

5. Apparatus for finishing garments of the character described, including a flexible, inflatable bag adapted to be clothed by a garment and distendable in response to pressure of a fluid medium, means for introducing the fluid medium into the bag for ballooning the bag to the expanded shape of a garment clothed thereon, said bag having a permeable body portion of limited permeability for discharging the-fluid medium outwardly through the garment clothed .thereon and retaining su'flicie'nt fluid medium for maintaining inflation of the bag to condition the fabric of the garment simultaneously with expansion of the garment, and means for supplying moisture to the fluid medium for application therewith to said garmentI' 6. Apparatus for finishing garments of the character described, including a flexible, inflatable bag adapted to be clothed by a garment and distendable in response to'pressure of a fluid. medium, means for introducing the fluid medium.

into the bag for ballooning the bag to the expanded shape of a garment clothed thereon, said bag having a permeable body portion for discharging the fluid medium through the garment clothed thereon and retaining suflicient fluid medium for maintaining inflation of the bag to condition the fabric of the garment simultaneously with expansion of the garment, and a sleeve slidable over the bag to, control ballooning of that portion of the bag not clothed by the I garment and to restrict escape of the fluid medium through said unclothed portion of the bag. 7. Apparatus for finishing garments of the character described, including a flexible bag adapted to be clothed by a garment and distendable in response to pressure of a fluid medium, means for introducing the fluid medium into the bag for ballooning the bag to the expanded shape of a garment clothed thereon, said bag having a permeable body portion for discharging the fluid medium through the garment clothed thereon for conditioning the fabric of the garment si. multaneously with expansion of the garment, and means for heating the fluid medium prior to application thereof to the garment.

8. Apparatus for finishing garments of the character'described, including a flexible bag adapted to be clothed by a, garment and distendable in response to pressure of a fluid medium, means for introducing the fluid medium into the bag for ballooning the bag to the expanded shape .of a garment clothed thereon, said bag having a permeable body portion for discharging the fluid medium through the garment clothed thereon for conditioning the fabric of the garment simultaneously with expansion of the garnient, means for supplying moisture for application-to the garment, and means for heating the fluid medium prior to application thereof to the garment.

QIApparatus for finishing garments of the character described, including a flexible bag adapted to be clothed by a garment and distend able in response topressure of a fluid medium, means for introducing the fluid medium into the bag for ballooning the bag to the expanded shape of a garment clothed thereon, said bag adapted to be clothed by a garment and distendable in response to pressure of a fluid medium, means for introducing the fluid medium into the bag for ballooning the bag to the expanded shape of a garment clothed thereon, said bag having a permeable body portion for discharging the fluid medium through the garment clothed thereon for conditioning the fabric of the garment simultaneously with expansion of the garment, and means controlling volume of the pressure medium discharged into the bag for regulating expansion of the bag.

11. Apparatus of'the character described, including a flexible bag having a mouth, means supporting the bag by its mouth for free distension thereof from said supporting means in response to pressure of a fluid medium introduced into the bag, means having connection with the mouth of the bag. for supplying the fluid medium, said bag having limited permeability for effecting a restricted discharge of the fluid medium through the bag, and means controlling volume of the pressure medium discharged into 0 the bag for regulating distension of the bag.

12. Apparatus of the character described, including a support, an armextending from the support, a flexible bag having a mouth loosely sleeved over the arm, means connecting the mouth of the bag with the support, and means having discharge into the mouth of the bag for introducing a fluid medium into the bag to effect free distension thereof about the arm, said bag having limited permeability to maintain a restricted discharge of the fluid medium through the bag.

13. Apparatus of the character described, including a flexible bag having a mouth, means supporting the bag by its mouth for free disten- L sion thereof from said supporting means in response to pressure of a fluid medium introduced into the bag, a blower having connection with the mouth of the bag for supplying the fluid medium, said bag having limited permeability for I effecting a restricted discharge of the fluid medium through the bag, means for introducing steam through the mouth of the bag for discharge through the bag, and an imperforate sleeve adjustably slidable over the mouth of the bag for controlling distension of the bag by said fluid medium and to restrict discharge of the steam. v

14; Apparatus of the character described, in-

- cluding a support, an arm extending from the support, a flexible bag having a mouth loosely sleeved over the arm, means connecting the mouth of the bag with the support, a blower having discharge into themouth of the bag for introducing a fluid medium into the bag to effect free distension thereof about the arm, said bag having limited permeability to maintain a restricted discharge of the fluid medium through the bag, and a heater located in the path of the fluid medium for heating the fluid medium prior to its introduction into the bag.

15. Apparatus of the character described, including a woven fabric bag having a mouth, means supporting the bag by its mouth for free distension thereof from said supporting means in response to pressure of a fluid medium introduced into the bag, and means having connection with the mouth of the bag for supplying the fluid medium, said bag being flexible for self-adjustment within an article placed thereover and woven. sufliciently close for retaining fluid medium to maintain said distension while discharging the fluid medium through the bag.

16. Apparatus of the character described, including a support, an arm extending from the support, a flexible bag having a mouth loosely sleeved over the arm, means connecting the mouth of the bag with the support, means for introducing a fluid medium through the mouth of thebag to efiect free distension of the bag about the arm, said bag having-limited permeability adapted for temporarily maintaining said distension in response to restricted discharge of the fluid medium through the bag, and a steam supply duct extending along the arm and having aplurality of perforations for distributing steam within the bag.

17. Apparatus of the character described, including a support, an arm extending from the support, a flexible bag having a mouth loosely sleeved over the arm, means connecting the mouth of the bag with the support, means having discharge into the mouth of the bag for introducing a fluid medium into the bag to efiect free distension thereof from the support for restoringa garment placed thereover to its natural shape, said bag having limited permeability to temporarily maintain said distension in response to restricted discharge of the fluid medium from. the bag, a steam'supply duct extending along the arm and having outlet into the bag for discharge through the bag into contact with the garment, and a preheater extending along the arm to preheat said arm and retard condensation in the steam supply duct.

18. Apparatus for finishing garments of the character described, including a textile fabric bag adapted for filling out a garment, placed thereon responsive to pressure of steam and air introduced into the bag, means supporting the bag, means having connection with the bag for injecting steam into the bag to inflate the bag for effecting distension of the garment to its original shape, the fabric of said bag having interstices proportioned to provide outlet of the steam into contact with the garment while maintaining inflation of the bag, means controlling .flow of steam to the bag, and means connected with the bag for injecting heated air into the bag for selectively supplementing the steam in inflating the bag and for maintaininginflation of the bag upon suspension of the flow of steam by said control means and for diffusion through said interstices to dry the distended garment flow of steam to the bag, a heater having support in the path of air moved by the blower for heat-. ing the air prior to its discharge into the bag,

valving means controlling discharge of the air from said blower, and means controlled by the valving means for energizing the motor. 7

20. The method of finishing a fabric garment, including positioning the garment upon an inflatable and permeable bag while the bag is in deflated condition, distending the garment to its normal shape by inflating the bag with a pressure medium, and simultaneously subjecting the fabric of the garment to the inflating medium by permeation of the inflating medium through the bag into contact with the garment.

21. The method of finishing a fabric garment,

including positioning the garment upon an inflatable and permeable bag while the bag is indeflated condition, distending the garment to its normal shape by inflating the bag with steam, and simultaneously softening the fabric of the garment with steam permeating through the bag into contact with the garment.

22. The method of finishing ,a fabric garment,

23.- The method of finishing a fabric garment, including positioning the garment upon an inflatable and permeable bag while the bag is in deflated condition, distending the garment to its normal shape by inflating the bag, moiste ning the garment, maintaining distension of the moistened including positioning the garment upon an inflatable and permeable bag while the bag isin deflated condition, distending the garment to its normal shape by inflating the bag, softening the fabric of the garment by permeating steam through the inflated bag into contact with the garment, suspending flow of the steam, maintaining distension oi the garment by introduction or hot air into the bag, and drying the garment on the inflated bag by permeating the hot ininto contact with the flating air through the bag garment.

garment by the bag, and drying the garment on the inflated bag by permeating the inflating medium through the bag into contact with the garment;

24". Apparatus for finishing and shaping garments of the character described, including a flexible, inflatable bag adapted to be clothed by a garment, the shape of said bag conforming generally to the shape of said garment and being distendable in response to pressure of steam or air, said bag being limitedly permeable for re--'

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