Sealing arrangement

An apparatus for continuous treatment of a textile web at an atmospheric pressure different from ambient pressure, the apparatus comprising, in combination:

• a vessel having an inner surface for defining a wall of an enclosure having the different pressure;
• a rotatable roller having a surface forming another wall of the enclosure;
• means for rotating the roller about a longitudinal axis;
• means for holding the web in contact with the roller to advance the web through the enclosure as the roller rotates;
• and,
• a sealing arrangement, comprising:
• at least one retaining member extending longitudinally along the roller in spaced relation thereto to form a passage for the enclosure through which passage the web passes;
• at least one longitudinal seal element mounted on the retaining member and extending longitudinally along the roller, said seal element engaging the web as the web is advanced by the roller through the enclosure and said seal element sealing the passage of the enclosure;
• a pair of side walls spaced from the ends of the roller and ends of the retaining member and forming end walls of the enclosure;
• spacers extending inwardly from the end walls for holding the end walls spaced from the end of the roller, and
• sealing gaskets positioned between and abutted by the spacers and retaining members and extending radially of the roller, said sealing gaskets engaging the surface of the roller outboard of the ends of the seal element while being held in engagement with the ends of the seal elements by the spacers.