Apparatus for treating fabric for shrinkage

摘要

An apparatus is operative for treating both tubular and open-width fabrics for shrinkage. The apparatus includes an elongated continuously advancing belt, a nose roller which defines a curved area in the extent of the belt, and a low-friction compression shoe which is preferably made of tetrafluoroethylene. The compression shoe is received in substantially mating relation with the curved area of the belt and biased toward the belt in a compression area which includes a portion of the curved area and a portion of the area which is immediately past the curved area and which is preferably substantially straight. The belt has a significant thickness relative to the radius of the nose roller so that the outer surface of the belt travels at an increased rate of speed where it is stretched in the curved area. The apparatus is operative by longitudinally advancing an elongated fabric strip so that it is received in pressurized engagement between the belt and the shoe so that the fabric initially travels at a relatively high rate of speed with the belt over the curved area and so that thereafter the fabric is compressed as the outer surface of the belt is contracted as it returns to an unstretched condition in the substantially straight area.