Continuous line for irradiation and chemical treatment of textile webs

A progressive line for irradiation and chemical treatment of a textile web, comprising a succession of treatment stations including an irradiation station with a ray accelerator having a ray exit window for treating the textile web with electron rays;

• adjustable conveyor means having an upper run for holding and advancing the web between the stations, and a lower run;
• said irradiation station being surrounded by an outer electron ray screening protective jacket formed with outer openings for passing through at least the upper run of the conveyor means together with the web, and also including an inner electron ray screening protective jacket surrounding the exit window of the ray accelerator and having inner openings for passing through the upper run with the web, the inner openings and the corresponding outer openings being vertically offset relative to each other;
• guiding channels arranged in the irradiation station for guiding and protecting the upper and lower runs of the conveyor means, the guding channel for the upper run having a central portion extending parallel to the plane of the ray exit window between said inner openings of the inner protective jacket, and two sloping lateral sections extending between the outer openings in the outer protective jacket and the inner openings, respectively;
• ray-shielding means including displaceable shielding blocks which are connected with the guiding channels and arranged for movement together therewith along the inner and outer openings in a plane of the textile web for adjusting a clearance between the guiding channels in dependence upon a width of the textile web and cooperating to move in two opposite directions transversely to the web feeding direction;
• and control means arranged to sense the movement of the displaceable shielding blocks and to thereby control the ray accelerator and the conveyor means to convey the textile web.