Method and apparatus for treating a belt-like article

An apparatus for treating a continuously travelling belt-like article with various processes in a tightly closed treatment chamber having inlet and outlet ports through which the belt-like article is to be introduced into and discharged from said treatment chamber, said apparatus comprising:

• an upper roller rotatably mounted in an upper part of said treatment chamber and horizontally extending along a path of travel of the belt-like article;
• and
• a plurality of lower rollers mounted in a lower part of said treatment chamber perpendicularly to said upper roller and horizontally arranged along the path of travel of the belt-like article, said lower rollers aligned along a vertical plane parallel to an axis of the upper roller
• wherein the belt-like article introduced horizontally into said treatment chamber from said inlet port is guided up and down in a meandering path between said upper roller and said successive lower rollers, the belt-like article being twisted by 90.degree. alternately in opposite directions between said individual lower rollers and said upper roller so as to come into contact at only one surface with said individual upper and lower rollers.

An apparatus for treating a continuously travelling belt-like article with various processes in a tightly closed treatment chamber having inlet and outlet ports through which the belt-like article is to be introduced into and discharged from said treatment chamber, said apparatus comprising:

• an upper roller rotatably mounted in an upper part of said treatment chamber and horizontally extending along a path of travel of the belt-like article;
• and
• a plurality of lower rollers mounted in a lower part of said treatment chamber perpendicularly to said upper roller and horizontally arranged along the path of travel of the belt-like article;
• wherein the belt-like article introduced horizontally into said treatment chamber from said inlet port is guided up and down in a meandering path between said upper roller and said successive lower rollers, the belt-like article being twisted by 90.degree. alternately in opposite directions between said individual lower rollers and said upper roller so as to come into contact at only one surface with said individual upper and lower rollers;
• wherein there are mounted, in said treatment chamber, cleaning means, steaming means, and drying means;
• and
• wherein said cleaning means includes a shower nozzle unit situated near said upper roller, an ultrasonic vibrator situated near said upper roller, and a suction pipe situated between said individual lower rollers.