A cloth spreading apparatus is capable of eliminating the troublesome work of pulling a cloth when the cloth is held by feeding chucks to reduce burden of the worker and operation time. A cloth spreading apparatus includes a pair of feeding chucks grasping adjacent corners of a cloth, a moving device for moving the pair of feeding chucks between a feeding position and a delivery position of the cloth to draw the cloth, and spreading chucks for receiving the cloth directly or indirectly from the pair of feeding chucks and spreading the cloth in a direction of separating the adjacent corners from each other. The moving device has separate moving trajectories corresponding to the respective feeding chucks so that the pair of feeding chucks can move between the feeding position and the delivery position independently of each other.

Provided is a cloth spreading apparatus in which a pair of feeder chucks are engaged with adjacent corners of a piece of cloth at a lowered position, and raise the cloth to a traversing position of spreading chucks; the pair of spreading chucks traverse to positions closer to each other to receive the adjacent corners of the cloth from the feeder chucks, and then traverse to positions farther away from each other to pull the adjacent corners so as to spread the cloth; an intermediate movable body receives, at an advanced position, an upper end portion of the spread cloth from the spreading chucks and retains the upper end portion, and then releases the upper end portion while moving to a retracted position so as to transfer the cloth onto a belt conveyor; and the belt conveyor carries out the cloth in a spread state, wherein the intermediate movable body has: a rear-facing surface that is a part of an upper surface between a front part and a sunken part located at a lower level than the front part, and that extends downward; a clamp that is placed opposite to the rear-facing surface; and a clamp driving device that advances and retracts the clamp to and from the rear-facing surface so as to hold an upper portion of the cloth between the clamp and the rear-facing surface and release the upper portion from therebetween.

A spreading method using a spreading machine, includes generating spreading plan information through a dedicated input program for spreading; transmitting the spreading plan information to the spreading machine; and allowing the spreading machine to perform the spreading according to the spreading plan information. The spreading plan information includes numbering information. A numbering spreading system includes a computer in which a dedicated input program for spreading is installed to generate spreading plan information; and a spreading machine for receiving the spreading plan information from the computer to perform spreading according to the spreading plan information. The spreading plan information includes numbering information.

A spreading method using a spreading machine, includes generating spreading plan information through a dedicated input program for spreading; transmitting the spreading plan information to the spreading machine; and allowing the spreading machine to perform the spreading according to the spreading plan information. The spreading plan information includes numbering information. A numbering spreading system includes a computer in which a dedicated input program for spreading is installed to generate spreading plan information; and a spreading machine for receiving the spreading plan information from the computer to perform spreading according to the spreading plan information. The spreading plan information includes numbering information.

A continuous process for the wet chemical treatment of fibers employs one or more squeezing/opening operations post chemical treatment to provide even chemical distribution on the fibers being processed. For squeezing the fiber batt impregnated with chemicals, one or more sets of squeeze rollers which include at least one roller with grooves are used to remove the liquid chemicals from the fiber batt efficiently. The squeezing operation can be coupled with the ability to collect and recycle chemicals for reuse in the chemical treatment process. The continuous process for the chemical treatment of fibers may employ the use of a blending box for the dried chemical-treated fibers in order to compensate for any uneven chemical distribution on fibers occurred during the chemical treatment process.

A process for producing a polymer nonwoven fabric includes providing a polymer blend of a thermoplastic elastomer and a further thermoplastic material. Fibers are produced from the polymer blend. A nonwoven semifinished product is formed from the fibers. In order to then produce the polymer nonwoven fabric, a volume increase is produced by mechanical stretching of the nonwoven semifinished product and subsequent relaxation. A process for using a semifinished nonwoven product and a process for using a polymer nonwoven are also provided.

A process for producing a polymer nonwoven fabric includes providing a polymer blend of a thermoplastic elastomer and a further thermoplastic material. Fibers are produced from the polymer blend. A nonwoven semifinished product is formed from the fibers. In order to then produce the polymer nonwoven fabric, a volume increase is produced by mechanical stretching of the nonwoven semifinished product and subsequent relaxation. A process for using a semifinished nonwoven product and a process for using a polymer nonwoven are also provided.

The present disclosure relates to a method of finishing non-iron fabrics, and the non-iron fabrics made by this method. This method includes the steps of mercerizing a fabric without liquid ammonia; curing the fabric by applying a low temperature, low formaldehyde curing resin and dry cross linking it; and massaging the fabric using an air blast textile finishing machine. The non-iron fabrics (and garments) produced according to this method have an improved durable press rating and reduced formaldehyde content or are even formaldehyde free when compared to similar products finished according to conventional liquid ammonia moisture-cure processing.

The invention relates to a fibrous tape made from fibers comprising highly oriented polymer, the tape having a tenacity of at least 1.2 N/tex and an areal density of between 5 and 250 g/m.sup.2, wherein the tape has a transversal strength of at least 0.5 MPa. The invention also relates to sheets comprising the tape of the invention and antiballistic articles comprising at least two of said sheets. The invention further relates to a process for the preparation of the tapes of the invention.

The invention relates to a fibrous tape made from fibers comprising highly oriented polymer, the tape having a tenacity of at least 1.2 N/tex and an areal density of between 5 and 250 g/m.sup.2, wherein the tape has a transversal strength of at least 0.5 MPa. The invention also relates to sheets comprising the tape of the invention and antiballistic articles comprising at least two of said sheets. The invention further relates to a process for the preparation of the tapes of the invention.