Apparatus for the continuous treatment of textile fibrous materials

In apparatus for continously treating moving textile materials in fiber form, including means for impregnating the fibers with a dye or other chemical, means for compressing and conveying the impregnated fibers in continous compacted mass form through an elongate heating tube to fix or react the dye or chemical on the fibers, means for periodically discharging compacted mass sections of the fibers from the heating tube, and means for conveying the discharged fiber sections in a path of travel to wash the fibers prior to collection;

• the improvement therewith comprising means positioned in the path of movement of said compacted fiber mass sections from the heating tube for breaking apart the sections and generally uniformly distributing the fibers on said conveying means to facilitate washing of the fibers prior to collection, said breaking and distributing means comprising first agitating means positioned adjacent a first surface portion of said conveying means for engaging the compacted fiber mass sections and directing fibrous portions of the same in an arcuate path of movement onto a second surface portion of said conveying means, second agitating means positioned adjacent said second surface portion of said conveying means for engaging the fibrous portions of the fiber sections on the conveying means and for redirecting at least portions of the same in an arcuate path back onto said first surface portion of said conveying means for reengagement by said first agitating means.