US 5,987,934 A · Textile wet processing machine having an adjustable inner wall

Abstract

A textile wet processing machine includes a processing chamber having an adjustable inner wall. The inner wall is continuously adjustable to accommodate textile fabrics in cloth rope form having great variations in weight, texture, thickness, flexibility and load. The inner wall may be positioned at any position relative to the outer wall of the processing chamber between a predetermined innermost position and a predetermined outermost position. In a preferred embodiment, adjustment is accomplished by a worm gear assembly, a transverse drive shaft coupled to the worm gear assembly and a linkage assembly. The worm gear assembly includes a worm gear positioned within a gear box housing that is rotated manually by a hand wheel, or is rotated automatically by an electric drive motor or pneumatic positioner programmed by an electronic processor to set the volumetric size of the processing chamber in accordance with a preselected textile fabric. The transverse drive shaft includes a worm wheel at one end adjacent the worm gear. The linkage assembly includes a first rigid link fixed to the transverse drive shaft and a second rigid link rotatably secured to the free end of the first rigid link. The free end of the second rigid link is secured to the inner wall such that rotation of the transverse drive shaft rotates the inner wall of the processing chamber about a transverse axis between the predetermined innermost position and the predetermined outermost position.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A textile wet processing machine for wet processing textile fabric in continuous cloth rope form, said machine comprising

a processing chamber comprising
a pair of opposed side walls;
an outer wall extending transversely between said pair of opposed side walls;
and
an inner wall extending transversely between said pair of opposed side walls opposite said outer wall;
and
adjustment means for positioning at least a portion of said inner wall at any position relative to said outer wall between a predetermined innermost position and a predetermined outermost position, said adjustment means comprising
a worm gear;
and
a transverse drive shaft having a first end and a second end, said transverse drive shaft rotatably coupled to said worm gear adjacent the first end and attached to said portion of said inner wall medially between the first end and the second end.

7 more elements

A textile wet processing machine for wet processing textile fabric in continuous cloth rope form, said machine comprising

a hollow vessel;
at least one processing chamber positioned within said vessel for receiving the textile fabric therein, said processing chamber comprising
a pair of opposed side walls;
an outer wall extending transversely between said pair of opposed side walls;
an inner wall extending transversely between said pair of opposed side walls opposite said outer wall, at least a portion of said inner wall rotatable about a transverse axis extending between said pair of opposed side walls;
and
a first pivot for rotatably securing said portion of said inner wall about said transverse axis;
and
adjustment means for positioning said portion of said inner wall at any position relative to said outer wall between a predetermined innermost position and a predetermined outermost position, said adjustment means comprising
a worm gear;
and
a transverse drive shaft having a first end and a second end, said transverse drive shaft rotatably coupled to said worm gear adjacent the first end and attached to said portion of said inner wall medially between the first end and the second end.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Textile wet processing machine having an adjustable inner wall

Life of this patent

Textile wet processing machine having an adjustable inner wall

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17