Dual-slip compressive shrink-proofing apparatus for fabric and related method

A compressive shrinkage apparatus for a tube of knitted textile fabric, in a flattened condition, the fabric having a fabric thickness, the knitted textile fabric having interlocked loops arranged along stitch rows, the apparatus comprising:

• a feeder roller mounted for rotation about a feeder axis and having a feeder surface;
• a retarder roller mounted for rotation about a retarder axis and having a retarder surface, the retarder roller arranged closely adjacent to and parallel with the feeder roller;
• the feeder axis and the retarder axis defining a nip plane passing through a region in which the feeder roller and the retarder roller most closely approach each other;
• the feeder roller and the retarder roller having between them a compression zone in the vicinity of the nip plane;
• the feeder roller and the retarder roller at the nip plane being spaced apart a distance substantially equal to double the fabric thickness;
• an entry fabric confining means conforming to the feeder roller and defining therewith a confined entry path for advancement of the tube of the fabric by engagement with the feeder roller to the compression zone;
• an exit confining means conforming to the retarder surface and defining therewith a confined exit path for discharge of the tube of fabric from the compression zone directly to the exit confining means by engagement with the retarder roller;
• the entry fabric confining means extending into the compression zone;
• advancing means comprising the feeder surface and the retarder surface rotating in an opposite sense from each other and engaging opposite surfaces of the tube of fabric for confined and controlled passage of the tube of fabric during transit form the entry fabric confining means through the compression zone to the exit fabric confining means;
• and
• the compression zone organized to be in-line whereby the interlocked loops of the knitted fabric are pushed toward each other orthogonally substantially each of the loops relative to its related stitch row causing the knitted textile fabric to shrink in volume.

A method for compressively shrinking a continuous tube of knitted fabric in a flattened condition, the fabric having a fabric thickness, the method comprising steps as follows:

• organizing a feeder roller having a feeder surface and a retarder roller having a retarder surface, with each of the rollers positioned adjacent the other and with each of the rollers having an axis parallel to the axis of the other roller, the axes defining a nip plane;
• spacing the feeder surface and the retarder surface of the respective rollers apart a distance substantially equal to double the thickness of the fabric, with the surfaces having between them a compression zone where the rollers most closely approach each other;
• confining the tube of fabric by means of an entry slip sheet against the feeder surface in an entry path for advancement of the fabric into the compression zone, and providing an exit shoe with a nadir for confining the fabric against the retarder surface in an exit path while discharging the tube of fabric from the compression zone;
• rotating the rollers with the retarder at a retarder surface speed slower than a feeder surface speed of the feeder roller, and with each of the rollers rotating in a sense opposite to the other so that confronting respective feeder and retarder surfaces engage in seriatim opposite sides of the tube of fabric for reducing volume of the fabric and controlling passage of the web through the compression zone;
• and
• organizing the compression zone to be in-line whereby interlocked loop pairs of the knitted fabric are pushed toward each other orthogonally substantially each of the loops relative to its skewedly oriented stitch row causing the knitted textile fabric to reduce in volume.

A method for compressively shrinking a tube of knitted textile fabric having loops formed from one or more yams made of natural and/or man-made fibers, the loops organized along successive stitch rows arranged substantially transversely to a path of travel of the tube, each of the loops interlocked with a paired other of the loops orthogonally relative to and across an associated one of the stitch rows, the method comprising steps of:

• organizing a feeder roller having a feeder surface and a retarded roller having a retarded surface, with each of the rollers positioned adjacent the other and with each of the rollers having an axis parallel to the axis of the other roller, the axes defining a nip plane;
• spacing the feeder surface and the retarder surface apart a distance substantially equal to double the thickness of the fabric, with the surfaces having between them a compression zone where the rollers most closely approach each other;
• confining the tube of fabric in a heated and moistened condition by means of an entry slip sheet against the feeder surface in an entry path for advancement of the fabric into the compression zone, and providing exit confining means for confining the fabric against the retarder surface in an exit path to control expansion of the fabric while discharging the tube of fabric from the compression zone;
• rotating the rollers with the retarder roller at a retarder surface speed slower than a feeder surface speed of the feeder roller, and with each of the rollers rotating in a sense opposite to the other so that confronting respective portions of the feeder surface and of the retarder surface engage in seriatim opposite sides of the tube of fabric for reducing volume of the fabric and controlling passage of the web through the compression zone;
• and
• organizing the compression zone to be in-line whereby the interlocked loop pairs of the knitted fabric are pushed toward each other orthogonally across their associated stitch row to eliminate unwanted tension in the fabric and to compensate for skewed, wavy or non-linear orientation of the stitch rows from perpendicular orientation with the path of travel of the tube, and the yam unravels and expands to fill interstices between the stitches thereby preventing further shrinkage when the fabric is washed and dried as a garment.