Process and apparatus for the continuous dyeing or printing of endless lengths of materials

A process for the continuous dyeing or printing of a length of textile material having pile fibers on one side and a backing material on the other side, said backing material being made of shrinkable fibers which will be subjected to a change in length during fixation of dye to the pile fibers under saturated steam conditions, which comprises, successively, passing the length of textile material through a setting zone under tension, treating the fibers making up the backing material with a gaseous medium heated to a setting temperature for the shrinkable fibers during passage of the length of textile material through said setting zone, said backing material being heat-set in said setting zone by passing the textile material over a perforated surface of a sieve drum means with the backing material resting on the surface of the sieve drum means and by drawing the heated gaseous medium by suction through said textile material on the perforated surface of said sieve drum means, then passing the heat-treated length of textile material into a dye application system to apply dye to said pile fibers, and thereafter fixing the dye to said pile fibers by passing the dye-containing length of textile material through a zone wherein the length of textile material is subjected to saturated steam conditions.