Tank for washing a warp thread

Abstract

The invention relates to a tank for washing a warp thread, provided with a device for intensifying the washing effect set in rotation inside the tank. Each device includes a body having cylindrical geometry, having circular cross section, which has a plurality of longitudinal bars arranged along the cylindrical side surface of the device. Between each pair of adjacent bars a longitudinal slit is defined. The body also has a pair of end elements extending radially, forming the opposite bases of the body and configured to support and enclose the bars. The body also has a pair of opposite rotation pins, obtained on the respective outer surfaces of the end elements and that extend along an axial direction and parallel to the direction of extension of the bars. The body also has a tangential turbodynamic flow generator, arranged inside the body and configured to intensify the interchange between the washing liquid and the warp thread through the longitudinal slits during the rotation of the device.

Claims

1. A tank for washing a warp thread through a washing liquid, comprising a device for intensifying the washing effect of said warp thread, each device being configured to be set in rotation inside said tank and consisting of a body having cylindrical geometry with a circular cross section that comprises: a plurality of longitudinal bars, arranged along the cylindrical side surface of each device, a longitudinal slit being defined between each pair of adjacent bars; a pair of end elements extending radially, forming the opposite bases of said body having cylindrical geometry, said end elements being configured to support and enclose said bars; a pair of opposite rotation pins, obtained on the respective outer surfaces of said end elements, said rotation pins extending along an axial direction and parallel to the direction of extension of said bars; and a tangential turbodynamic flow generator, arranged inside said body having cylindrical geometry and configured to intensify the interchange between the washing liquid and the warp thread through said longitudinal slits during the rotation of each device, wherein each bar of each device has a circular shape in cross section, so as not to break down a configuration of the warp thread, avoiding overlapping of respective threads.

2. The tank according to claim 1, wherein each longitudinal slit has a length substantially equal to the length of said bars.

3. The tank according to claim 1, wherein said end elements are made in the shape of circular plates.

4. The tank according to claim 3, wherein said bars are joined to the respective end elements close to the circumferential edges of said end elements.

5. The tank according to claim 1, wherein the tangential turbodynamic flow generator consists of a rotor provided with one or more blades arranged longitudinally inside said body having cylindrical geometry, said rotor being integral with said end elements.

6. The tank according to claim 5, wherein each blade has a length in the longitudinal direction substantially equal to the length of each of said bars.

7. The tank according to claim 5, wherein each blade has a profile in cross section shaped like an arc of circumference, suitable for generating a predetermined thrust on the washing liquid, and has a width in the radial direction that is substantially equal to the radius of the directrix circumference of said body having cylindrical geometry so that, for each complete revolution of each device around the respective rotation pins, said blades are capable of expelling the entire volume of washing liquid contained inside said body having cylindrical geometry.

8. The tank according to claim 1, further comprising: a guide roller, configured to convey the warp thread inside said tank so that said warp thread is immersed in the washing liquid for a predetermined length portion thereof; two or more motorized wringing cylinders, positioned above said tank and through which said warp thread passes; wherein each device is immersed in the washing liquid and is configured to define a guided path for the warp thread inside said washing liquid when said warp thread, moved by said two or more motorized wringing cylinders, winds at least partially around each device.

9. The tank according to claim 8, wherein said two or more motorized wringing cylinders are configured to apply an adjustable pressure on said warp thread, so as to eliminate at least part of the washing liquid that impregnates said warp thread exiting from said tank.

10. The tank according to claim 9, further comprising a spraying group for spraying the warp thread, arranged upstream of said two or more wringing cylinders and hydraulically connected to a feeding pipe for the washing liquid.

11. The tank according to claim 10, further comprising a flow meter and an overflow duct arranged at the upper edge of said tank, said overflow duct being configured to keep the amount of washing liquid contained in said tank constant and being sized to discharge from said tank an amount of washing liquid greater than the maximum flow rate that can be fed with said flow meter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The characteristics and advantages of a tank for washing textile materials and of a device for intensifying the washing effect of such textile materials according to the present invention will become clearer from the following description, given as an example and not for limiting purposes, referring to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a generic tank for washing textile materials on which three devices for intensifying the washing effect according to the present invention are installed;

(3) FIG. 2 is a section view of a device for intensifying the washing effect of textile materials according to the present invention; and

(4) FIG. 3 is an axonometric view of the device of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(5) With reference in particular to FIG. 1, a generic tank for washing textile materials is shown, wholly indicated with reference numeral 12. The tank 12 is parallelepiped shaped, open on top and equipped with a generically convex bottom, in this case tile-shaped. The tank 12 is filled with a liquid or washing bath, like for example water.

(6) At least one first feeding pipe 14 for the washing liquid extends from the bottom of the tank 12. The first feeding pipe 14 is intercepted by a first adjustment valve 16. Immediately above the tank 12, on the other hand, there is at least one guide roller 18, configured to convey the textile material, consisting of a warp thread 22, inside the tank 12 itself, so that the warp thread 22 is immersed in the washing liquid for a predetermined length portion thereof. The warp thread 22 moves in the direction of the arrows based on a predetermined linear speed that, in general, constitutes a parameter imposed for the dyeing operation.

(7) One or more devices 20 for intensifying the washing effect of the warp thread 22 are arranged inside the tank 12. Each device 20 consists of a body having cylindrical geometry immersed in the washing liquid. The term body having cylindrical geometry is meant to indicate the location of the generatrix lines, parallel to a predetermined direction and passing through the single points of a given directrix curve, in this specific case consisting of a circumference. In other words, each device 20 consists of a body having cylindrical geometry with circular cross section. The devices 20, described in greater detail hereinafter, are configured to define a guided path for the warp thread 22 inside the washing liquid contained in the tank 12 when such a warp thread 22, moved by two or more wringing cylinders 24, at least partially wraps around such devices 20.

(8) After the aforementioned guided path in the washing liquid, the warp thread 22 rises and passes through two or more wringing cylinders 24, commonly called foulards, positioned above the tank 12 and configured to eliminate at least part of the washing liquid that impregnates such a warp thread 22 exiting such a tank 12. The wringing cylinders 24 are motorised, are actuated at a controlled speed, which determines the advancing speed of the warp thread 22, and are configured to apply an adjustable pressure on such a warp thread 22. The tank 12 is thus provided, at the wringing cylinders 24, with a countersunk portion 26 of its upper edge, which allows the washing liquid wrung by the wringing cylinders 24 themselves to fall back into the tank 12 and be reused.

(9) At the wringing cylinders 24 and, more precisely, upstream of such wringing cylinders 24, there can also be a spraying group 28 of the warp thread 22, hydraulically connected to a second feeding pipe 30 for the washing liquid. The second feeding pipe 30 is intercepted by a second adjustment valve 32.

(10) The washing liquid in inlet both into the first feeding pipe 14 of the tank 12, and into the second feeding pipe 30 of the spraying group 28, can be measured through a flow meter 34, whereas the adjustment of the flow rate is carried out through the adjustment valves 16 and 32. Both the first adjustment valve 16, and the second adjustment valve 32 are thus slaved to such a flow meter 34 for measuring the flow rate. The washing liquid introduced with the spraying group 28 flows in counter-current with respect to the advancing direction of the warp thread 22, which rises towards the wringing cylinders 24.

(11) The tank 12 is finally equipped, at its upper edge, with at least one overflow duct 36 that keeps the amount of washing liquid contained in the tank 12 itself constant. The overflow duct 36 is sized to discharge from the tank 12 an amount of washing liquid greater than the maximum flow rate that can be fed with the flow meter 34.

(12) According to the invention, each device 20 for intensifying the washing effect of the warp thread 22 comprises a plurality of longitudinal bars 38, in other words parallel to the generatrix lines of the cylindrical body that constitutes the device 20 itself. In other words, the bars 38 are arranged along the cylindrical side surface of the device 20. As shown in FIG. 2, each bar 38 advantageously has a circular shape in cross section, so as not to break down the organised configuration of the warp thread 22, avoiding the overlapping of the respective threads. Between each pair of adjacent bars 38 a longitudinal slit of length substantially equal to the length of such bars 38 is defined.

(13) Each device 20 also comprises a pair of end elements 40 extending radially, forming the opposite bases of the cylindrical body that constitutes the device 20 itself. The end elements 40, made in the form of circular plates, support and enclose the longitudinal bars 38, with which such outer elements 40 are made integral. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 2, the longitudinal bars 38 are joined to the respective end elements 40 close to the circumferential edges of such end elements 40.

(14) Each end element 40 also supports, on the respective outer surface, a corresponding rotation pin 42 that extends along an axial direction (FIG. 3) and parallel to the direction of extension of the bars 38. The two opposite pins 42 are operatively and rotatably connected to predetermined portions of the tank 12 to allow the rotation, induced by the movement of the warp thread 22, of the respective cylindrical body that constitutes each device 20.

(15) Inside the cylindrical body that constitutes the device 20 a tangential turbodynamic flow generator 44 is arranged, configured to intensify the interchange between the washing liquid and the warp thread 22 during the rotation of such a device 20 through the longitudinal slits of the device 20 itself. The tangential turbodynamic flow generator 44 consists of a rotor provided with one or more suitably shaped blades 46, arranged longitudinally inside the cylindrical body that constitutes the device 20. Each blade 46 advantageously has a length in the longitudinal direction that is substantially equal to the length of each longitudinal bar 38. The rotor is made integral with the end elements 40 of the device 20.

(16) As shown in FIG. 2, each blade 46 has a profile in cross section shaped like an arc of circumference, suitable for generating a predetermined thrust on the washing liquid, and has a width in the radial direction such as to occupy as much space as possible inside the cylindrical body that constitutes the device 20, in other words a width in the radial direction that is substantially equal to the radius of the directrix circumference of the cylindrical body that constitutes the device 20. As shown in the non-limiting example embodiment of FIG. 2, each blade 46 can be shaped like an arc of circumference in section, but this does not exclude the possibility of making the blades 46 with other shapes in section, like for example a flat shape, a generically curved shape or a shape of an open broken line.

(17) Thanks to the profile and the dimensions of the blades 46 of the tangential turbodynamic flow generator 44, for each complete revolution of the device 20 about the pins 42 such blades 46 perform the expulsion of the entire volume of washing liquid contained inside the cylindrical body that constitutes such a device 20. The blades 46 thus thrust, with moderate kinetic energy, the aforementioned volume of washing liquid to pass through the warp thread 22 that partially wraps around the device 20, thus enormously increasing the interchange of washing liquid with the warp thread 22 itself with respect to conventional cylinders.

(18) It has thus been seen that the device for intensifying the washing effect of textile materials according to the present invention achieves the purposes outlined earlier, in particular obtaining the following advantages: efficiency of washing; total elimination of the pigmented dye; complete cleaning of the yarn; considerable reduction of water consumption; possibility of reduction of the number of washing tanks in one same system; environmental and economic advantage; technological advantages in the final treatments of the fabric; commercial advantages (better visual appearance of the fabric, white weft); absence of filters, clogging and stress on the yarn.

(19) The device for intensifying the washing effect of textile materials of the present invention thus conceived can in any case undergo numerous modifications and variants, all of which are covered by the same inventive concept; moreover, all of the details can be replaced with technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the shapes and sizes, can be whatever according to the technical requirements.

(20) The scope of protection of the invention is therefore defined by the attached claims.