Loop length correction of spirally set textile fabric in processing apparatus

A method for unifying the individual loop lengths of a continuous textile fabric fed in a feeding direction through a textile fabric processing apparatus, said method comprising the step of:

• providing a textile fabric processing apparatus having a squeeze roller assembly elongated in an axial direction,
• passing said textile fabric successively and spirally around said squeeze roller assembly from one end to the other end thereof so as to cause squeezing and nipping of said fabric at a plurality of nip points, to form a plurality of loop-like portions of said fabric formed between adjacent ones of said plurality of nip points,
• providing said fabric with at least one detectable portion thereof,
• providing a plurality of detectors disposed along said path at respective ones of said plurality of nip points for detecting said at least one detectable portion,
• stopping the feed of said fabric at each respective nip point when said detector disposed at said each respective nip point detects one of said at least one detectable portion of said fabric,
• determining a point on that portion of said fabric backward adjacent with respect to said feeding direction, which point is spaced from said each respective nip point by a predetermined reference loop length,
• correct feeding that portion of said fabric backward adjacent with respect to said feeding direction until said point determined by said determining step reaches a nip point backward adjacent to said each respective nip point, whereby the loop length of one of said loop-like portions is corrected to said reference loop length,
• releasing said stoppage of that portion of said fabric backward adjacent with respect to said feeding direction, and
• repeating said steps above with respect to other loop-like portions;
• wherein said method comprises the additional step of:
• measuring the amount of travel of said continuous textile fabric during said passing step;
• said plurality of detectors each comprising a first detector and a second detector backward adjacent thereto;
• said determining step comprising the steps of:
• measuring said amount of travel upon detection of said detectable portion by means of said second detector,
• disabling the measuring upon detection of said detectable portion by means of said first detector, whereby actual loop length of the loop like portion between the nip point associated with said first detector and the nip point associated with said second detector is determined, and
• comparing said actually measured loop length of said loop like portion with said reference loop length for evaluating the difference length therebetween;
• said correct feeding step comprising the step of feeding
• said continuous textile fabric a distance corresponding to said difference length in a direction corresponding thereto.

A method of loop length correcting a continuous spirally set textile fabric being conveyed through a processing tank in a forward feed direction, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a pair of squeeze rollers having one end and another end adjacent to said processing tank for squeezing a fabric passing therethrough at a nip point;
• (b) successively and spirally setting said textile fabric around said squeeze rollers from one end to the other end thereof so as to define a plurality of said nip points whereby a plurality of loop like portions are formed between respective adjacent two nip points of said continuous textile fabric,
• (c) providing said continuous textile fabric with at least one detectable portion in corresponding at least one of said loop like portions,
• (d) process feeding said continuous textile fabric for processing the same,
• (e) detecting said at least one detectable portion of said continuous textile fabric in the vicinity of a predetermined at least one nip point,
• (f) stopping, upon detection of said detectable portions of said continuous textile fabric, the feed of the loop like portion of said continuous textile fabric corresponding to said at least one nip point,
• (g) determining a point on said continuous textile fabric spaced by a predetermined reference loop length from said corresponding at least one nip point of said continuous textile fabric,
• (h) feeding said continuous textile fabric, except for said loop like portion corresponding to said at least one corresponding nip point of said continuous textile fabric which is stopped, until said determined point reaches the nip point adjacent to said corresponding nip point, whereby the loop length of said corresponding loop like portion is corrected to said reference loop length,
• (i) releasing said stoppage of said loop like portion stopped in step (f), and
• (j) repeating said steps (c) through (i) with respect to other loop like portions.

A method of loop length correcting a continuous spirally set textile fabric being conveyed through a processing tank in a forward feed direction, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a pair of squeeze rollers having one end and another end adjacent to said processing tank for squeezing a fabric passing therethrough at a nip point;
• (b) successively and spirally setting said textile fabric around said squeeze rollers from one end to the other end thereof so as to define a plurality of said nip points whereby a plurality of loop like portions are formed between respective adjacent two nip points of said continuous, textile fabric,
• (c) providing said continuous textile fabric with at least one detectable poortion in corresponding at least one of said loop like portions,
• (d) process feeding said continuous textile fabric for processing the same,
• (e) detecting said at least one detectable portion of said continuous textile fabric in the vicinity of a predetermined at least one nip point,
• (f) stopping, upon detection of said detectable portions of said continuous textile fabric, the feed of the loop like portion of said continuous textile fabric corresponding to said at least one nip portion,
• (g) determining a point on said continuous textile fabric spaced by a predetermined reference loop length from said corresponding at least one nip point of said continuous textile fabric,
• (h) feeding said continuous textile fabric, except for said loop like portion corresponding to said at least one corresponding nip point of said continuous textile fabric which is stopped, until said determined point reaches the nip point adjacent to said corresponding nip point, whereby the loop length of said corresponding loop like portion is corrected to said reference loop length,
• (i) releasing said stoppage of said loop like portion stopped in step (f), and
• (f) repeating said steps (c) through (i) with respect to other loop like portions;
• said method comprising the additional step of:
• measuring the amount of travel of said continuous textile fabric during said process feeding step;
• said determining step comprising the steps of:
• providing a first detector at a corresponding first nip point and a second detector at a corresponding second nip point, backward adjacent to said first nip point,
• measuring said amount of travel upon detection of said detectable portion by means of said second detector,
• disabling the measuring upon detection of said detectable portion by means of said first detector, whereby the actual loop length of the loop like portion between the nip point associated with said first detector and the nip point associated with said second detector means is determined, and
• comparing said actual loop length of said loop like portion with said reference loop length for evaluating the difference length therebetween;
• said correct feeding step comprising the step of feeding said continuous textile fabric a distance equal to said difference length in a direction corresponding thereto.