Method for continuously fulling and working textile material in rope form

A method for continuously pleating, compressing and fulling textile material in rope form, said method comprising:

• providing an elongated enclosure having at least two opposite walls thereof defined by movable members, with each of said movable members comprising a plurality of separate surfaces spaced from each other longitudinally of said enclosure;
• continuously introducing textile material in endless rope form into a first end of said enclosure at a first speed;
• driving all of said separate surfaces of each of said movable members at a second speed slower than said first speed, thereby forming said textile material into folds, and continuously and positively contacting said folds with all of said separate surfaces of each of said movable members which move in the same direction as said folds, thereby continuously guiding and carrying said folds through said enclosure at said second speed;
• simultaneously urging all of said separate surfaces of at least one of said movable members toward said folds in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of said folds through said enclosure, thereby compressing said folds;
• continuously discharging said folds at a uniform rate from a second end of said enclosure;
• and
• repeatedly passing said textile material through said enclosure, thereby repeatedly folding and compressing said textile material.