Process for the continuous dyeing or printing of lengths of material

A process for the continuous dyeing or printing of a length of textile material, particularly a velour-type carpet panel having a base side and a pile side, the materials forming the base and/or pile sides including shrinkable fibers which are set prior to the application of dyes or printing inks, which comprises transporting the length of material with the pile side under pressure to a sieve drum having a perforated circumferential support surface, guiding the length of material onto the circumferential support surface of the sieve drum with the backside of the textile material lying on the support surface, forcing a hot liquid medium from within said sieve drum outwardly through the length of material in the direction of tips of the pile whereby the pile is spread and made upright during the flow of the liquid medium therethrough and the shrinkable fibers are set by said hot liquid medium with the pile in the spread and upright state and thereafter transporting the length of material with the pile surface not under pressure to and through a cooling zone to cool the length of material and the hot liquid contained therein.