Apparatus for continuously relaxing a textile fabric

An apparatus for continuously relaxing a textile fabric comprising, in combination:

• a. a treating vessel for containing a treating liquid and a textile fabric to be treated with said treating liquid;
• b. a lower open conveyer having numerous openings formed thereon and movable along a closed lower path formed in said treating vessel, said closed lower path having a horizontally extending upper portion;
• c. an upper open conveyer having numerous openings formed thereon and movable along a closed upper path formed above said closed lower path, said closed upper path having a lower portion facing said upper portion of said closed lower path whereby a narrow path in which said fabric is relaxed is formed between said upper portion of said closed lower path and said lower portion of said closed upper path;
• d. a plurality of first nozzles, for jetting said treating liquid toward said narrow relaxing path, said nozzles being located outside of said narrow relaxing path along said upper portion of said closed lower path and said lower potion of said closed upper path;
• e. a roller for feeding said fabric into said treating vessel;
• f. a roller for delivering said fabric from said treating vessel;
• g. means for recycling said treating liquid from said treating vessel to said nozzles;
• h. an overflow vessel for containing a portion of said treating liquid, located above said treating vessel;
• i. means for recycling a portion of said treating liquid from said treating vessel to said overflow vessel;
• j. a duct for feeding said fabric into said narrow relaxing path, said duct having an upper inlet portion extending upwardly through the bottom of said overflow vessel and terminating in said overflow vessel to allow said treating liquid in said overflow vessel to overflow into said duct and carry said fabric through said duct, and a lower outlet portion coupled to said inlet portion and extending horizontally and terminating at one end of said narrow relaxing path to allow said treating liquid to be discharged horizontally and to introduce said fabric into said narrow relaxing path;
• and
• k. a plurality of second nozzles aligned above said one end of said narrow relaxing path and above the normal level of said treating liquid in said treating vessel, for jetting a plurality of streams of said treating liquid toward said one end of said narrow relaxing path for assisting the smooth introduction of said textile fabric into said narrow relaxing path while opening said fabric in the lateral direction thereof.