Method and apparatus for treating tubular knit goods

An apparatus for treating tubular textile goods comprising:

• a steaming device adapted to apply steam to the goods;
• a circular spreader including a substantially conical feed section and including a substantially cylindrical main section arranged in a tempered heat fixing chamber, wherein said circular spreader extends longitudinally along a vertical axis with said feed section above said main section;
• a driven feed roller device arranged above said feed section of said circular spreader on a goods transport path between said steaming device and said feed section of said circular spreader, and adapted to feed the goods downwardly onto said feed section at a first transport velocity;
• and
• a driven take-off roller device arranged below said circular spreader on said goods transport path downstream from said main section of said circular spreader and adapted to pull the goods downwardly from said feed section along said main section of said circular spreader at a second transport velocity.

A method of treating tubular textile goods in an apparatus including a steaming device, and a circular spreader that includes a feed section and a main section which is arranged in a heat fixing chamber, said method comprising the steps:

• a) applying steam to said goods with said steaming device;
• b) after said step a), feeding said goods onto said feed section of said circular spreader at a first transport velocity so as to form a temporary goods buffer of an excess quantity of said goods on said feed section;
• c) drawing off said goods from said temporary goods buffer on said feed section onto and along said main section of said circular spreader at a second transport velocity, and heat-fixing said goods in said heat fixing chamber while said goods are circularly spread on said main section of said circular spreader;
• wherein said steps b) and c) are carried out so as to establish and maintain said goods buffer on said feed section.

A method of treating tubular textile goods in an apparatus including a steaming device, and a circular spreader that includes a feed section and a main section which is arranged to extend longitudinally vertically in a heat fixing chamber with said feed section vertically above said main section, said method comprising the steps:

• a) applying steam to said goods with said steaming device;
• b) after said step a), feeding said goods downwardly onto said feed section of said circular spreader at a first transport velocity;
• and
• c) drawing off said goods from said feed section downwardly onto and along said main section of said circular spreader at a second transport velocity, and heat-fixing said goods in said heat fixing chamber while circularly spreading and vertically downwardly moving said goods on said main section of said circular spreader.