Back to results
US 4,080,165 AGranted
Piece goods dyer and process of dyeing
AssigneeMcGraw-Edison Company
InventorRichard D. Thompson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeMcGraw-Edison Company
InventorRichard D. Thompson
Estimating the term…
This disclosure teaches a process and machine particularly suited for dyeing at a low liquid to goods ratio synthetic fibers, such as polyesters, orlon, and nylon, or blends of such with cotton, where further there are minimal risks of thermal shock, cracking, or bruising during cool down. The disclosed apparatus has a tub enclosing the dye bath, spaced air inlet and outlet openings for the tub, and a blower for forcing air through these openings and in close proximity to the dye bath and its surface. This forced venting of the dye bath enclosure with air effectively cools the dye bath quickly but uniformly during the cool down phase of the dye cycle. Preferably, dampers at the inlet and outlet openings can be closed to minimize the unwanted escape of vapors from the dye bath during the heat up and/or boil phases of the dye cycle; and further can be opened controlled amounts for varying the volume of airflow over the dye bath during cool down. The blower is preferably located in the system downstream of the outlet opening to create a negative pressure over the dye bath itself, which firstly reduces the flash or boil temperature of the dye bath for fast dissipation of heat from the bath, and secondly minimizes leakage of vapors from the apparatus to the nearby ambient.
A method of dyeing fabric, comprising the steps of exposing the fabric uniformly to an agitating dye bath at a temperature elevated above that where the dye strikes the fabric and for a sufficient dwell period to allow the dye to leave the bath for transfer to the fabric, and then cooling the still agitating dye bath while the goods are still exposed thereto by forcing atmospheric air at a temperature cooler than the bath over and in close proximity to the agitating bath and by then discharging the cooling air to the atmosphere remotely of the bath.
In a fabric dyeing machine having a tub for holding a dye bath, means for agitating the dye bath, and means for heating the dye bath to above the strike temperature of the dye to the fabric and even to the boil, the improvement comprising means for cooling the dye bath, said last mentioned means consisting of air moving means and means for directing atmospheric air at a temperature cooler than the bath for forced passage sequentially in close proximity to the agitating dye bath and then for discharge remotely of the dye bath, and means for simultaneously circulating the bath as an ejected discharge into the tub and directly into the path of the forced air movement.
A fabric dyeing machine, comprising the combination of a tub for holding dye bath, means for heating the dye bath to the boil, means for agitating the dye bath and any goods therein to be dyed, means defining an enclosure above and immediately proximate to the agitating dye bath, spaced inlet and outlet air openings communicating with the enclosure, means for moving atmospheric air at a temperature cooler than that of the dye bath from outside of the enclosure via the inlet opening for forced passage through the dye bath enclosure in close proximity to the agitating dye bath and for discharge remotely of the dye bath via the outlet opening, and said air moving means including a blower located downstream of the outlet opening thereby serving to place the tub enclosure under a subatmospheric pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.