Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
This invention relates to a fluid dispensing appara-tus for forrning
durable creases.
In our British Patent Specification No. 1 472 852 we disclose a
method of forming a durab]e crease in a textile article in which a temporary
crease is formed in the article, a rotary applicator is supplied with a
liquid adhesive composition that sets to a solid insoluble in water and dry- ;
cleaning solvents, and -the applicator is guided along the temporary crease
to deposite a line of the liquid composi-tion in the apex of the crease before
final hot pressing.
In our earlier specification various types of rotary applicator
are disclosed. The present invention is concerned with an applicator which
at the point of application of the compound to the textile is non-rotary,
in order to deliver sufficient compound into the apex of the crease.
According to the present invention there is provided an
a~plicator for depositing a flowable crease-setting composition on a line of
an intended crease in a textile fabric or garment, the applicator comprising
a reservoir for such composition, a nozzle in communication wi-th the reservoir,
a rotatable member mounted on said applicator for ro-tation about an axis
perpendicular to the crease line and having a pair of flanges adapted to be
disposed on opposite sides of the crease line for engagement with the fabric
or garment surface on both sides of such line and rotatable by relative
movement between the surface and the applicator, and means responsive to
rotation of the rotatable member to urge composition from the reservoir
through the nozzle.
The nozzle is preferably of non-circular cross-section partlcularly
towards its dispensing extremity, and may advantageously be formed as a sli-t
orien-tated in a direc-tion transverse -to that of the rotational axis of the
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member. The speed of rotation of the member may determine the rate of
egress of fluid from the nozzle, and accordingly the amount of compound
deposited in the crease ~measured for example in g/m) is independent of the
speed of passage of the apparatus along the crease.
The reservoir is preferably a replaceable 'throw-away' cartridge
and may conveniently be a moulded plas-tics material hypodermic syringe body.
Such bodies are available commercially in large numbers and are therefore
very inexpensive.
In this case the nozzle may be adapted from, or fitted to, -the
nozzle already formed in the syringe body.
The means responsive to rotation of the member preferably comprises
a worm gear arrangement designed to urge a plunger into the reservoir as
the member rotates. In order that the nozzle should not ooze fluid after
use owing to excess pressure existing within the reservoir, means for
retracting the plunger a small way may be provided which can be operated
at the end of each run. Complementary means for inducing an initial pressure
in the reservoir at the beginning of each run may also be provided.
The apparatus of the present invention may be used with advantage
with a guiding system comprising a surface having a channel contoured to
receive the crease of a pre-creased textile article whereby the article can
be supported and contained in the area of the crease during application of
adhesive.
The textile articles to be durably creased may be in the form of
garments, e.g. pleated skirts, or trousers. The fabrics or garments may
be made of any fibre or blend of fibres, natural or synthetic, but it
is envisaged that the process will be principally applicable to the non-heat-
settable natural fibres, e.g. cellulosics and keratinous fibres, and especially
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wool. The fabrics or garments may be woven, kni-tted or non-woven. The
invention is particularly useful with fabric constructions, e.g. kni-tted
structures, in which it has hitherto been difficult to form a durable
crease.
Preferably -the crease-setting composition is a natural or
synthetic casting compound which sets or cures to a flexible, rubbery
subs-tance insolub]e in water or dry-cleaning solvents. Advantageously,
the amount of compound used is sufficient -to fill the apex of the crease
to a depth of from ~ to 2 millimetres, preferably about 1 mm. Much more
than this will produce creases the appearance of which resembles the
sewn-in creases sometimes employed with jersey fabric trousers; much less
and the 'casting' effect will be insufficient. The compound may be a curable
latex or a curable thiol, polyurethane or silicone rubber, preferably the
latter.
The silicone compositions which it is preferred to apply in the
process of the invention are those which cure to a soft, flexible, insoluble
rubber-like material. Such compounds are commercially available for a number
of end-uses, e.g. as caulking compounds. Particularly useful compounds are
available under the tradenames Silastic RTU (Dow Corning) or Silcoset 151,
152 and 153 (ICI). The curing of such compounds is believed to be in -the
nature of a chemical cross-linking and is -therefore irreversible.
The curing takes place at room temperature and it is preferred to
keep the textile article folded -flat along the crease line for the duration
of the curing period.
It has been found -that the amount of casting compound to be used
is greater than the amoun-t of adhesive used in the process of our earlier
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Specification No. 1 472 852 bu-t-the properties of -the compound are such
that durable and aesthetically pleasing creases can be obtained wi-thout a
final pressing step.
The invention will be described further, by way of example only,
with reEerence to the accompanying drawing, in which:
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~igure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a
dispensin~ apparatus according to this invention;
~igure 2 is an end view of the dispensi~
appaxatus taken in the direction II in ~i~ure 1;
~igure 3 is an end view of the dispen~ing
apparatus take~ in the direction III i~ ~igure 1;
Figuxe 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showi~
further details; and
~igure 5 is a cross section tnrou~h the dis-
pensi~g app~ratus used in combinatio~ with the grooved
garment support and guide apparatus.
~s shown in t,he drawings, the dispensing apparatu~
10 compris~s a reservoir 11 in the form of a moulded
plastics hypodermic syringe body having a nozzle 12. ~he
nozzle 12 is threaded a~d screwed on.to it is a fishtail
noz~le-end 14 ~rhich, as ca~ be seen from Figuxe 27 iS
flat and presents a slot,-shaped exi~ for the co~ents of
the rese~voir 10. ~fhexe the reservoir has a different
foxm, for example with ~ axial termi~al nozzle as more
usual with hypodermic syringe bodies, the shape o~ the
nozzle 12, and more especially its lergth and an~ularity,
m~y be modified accordi~lgl~7
The reservoir 1~ is push-fitted or screwed onto
a ~haped plastics block 16. The block may be adapted for
fittil~g to any suitable form of reservoir. A ~econd
plas1;ics block 18 i3 a ~.lidi~ fit in cylindrical recess
i~ the blocX 16 and is biassed outwaxdly by a compressio~
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sprin~ 20~ A metal cover 22 pivo-tall~ attached to the
block 16 by a pin 24 holds the second block 18 i~ place
by txappi~g pegs 26 which extend from the second block 1~9
i~ recessad portions 28 of the cover 22~ ~he shape of the
recessed portions 28 is such -that the pegs 26 will
normally locate in their lowest corners unle.s~ the cover
: is pivoted doYmwardly~ when the pegs will ride up the
adaacent inclined surfaces 32 and urge the second block
18 further into the recess in the block 160
~'he second block 18 is formed with a recess 34
which carries an internally threaded and externally
toothed. gear wheel 36. ~ threaded rod 3~ is engaged with
the internal thread of the gear wheel 36, while the latter
è~ga~es exter~aliy a worm drive 40 which forms part of a
rotatable member 42 ha~i.rlg two outer flan~es 46 and two
i~ner rubber surface~ 48~ ~hus when the member 42 is
rotated the gear wheel 36 is rotated and the rod 38 mo~es
axially, relative to the block 180
At the extremity of the threaded rod 38, withi~
the reser~oir 10, is a ti~htly slidably fitted seal 50
carried on a former 52, designed to sweep the conte~ts of
the reservoir 10 towards the nozzle 12.
In use the reservoir 10 is filled with fluid, for
example a curable ~ilicone rubber compound~ and the block
16 fitted thexeto with the threaded rod and ~eal assembly
screwed Up clO5e to the block. On enæaging the rotata~le
member 42 with the surface to which the flu.id is to be
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applied, the cover 22 is depressed into contact with the
second block 18~ forc~n~ the peg 26 up the inclined
surfaces 32 to the position shown i~ Fig~ure 1 and
slightly pressurising the fluid in the reservoir, so
bringin~ it to the orifice of the noz~le. q'he nozzle is
po~itioned as desired and the apparatus moved by rolling
: on the rotatable member 42, which revolves and thus
drives the threaded rod 38 and the seal 50 through the
reservoir, expressing fluid from the nozzle-end 14 in an
amolmt proportional to the speed of rotation of the
member 42. When the desired line of ~luid has been laid
the apparatus is lifted from the surface and the pressura
on the cover 22 released. The spring 20 acting throu~h
the second block 18 and pegs 26 forces the latter down
the surfaces 32 to the lowest corners of the recssses
30, causing the rod 38 and seal 50 to withdraw sli~htly
and depressurise the reservoir 10 and thereby pr~venting
unwanted oozing of fluid from the nozzle end 14.
As shown in ~i~. 4, a knurled knob 54 m~y be
provided on the end o~ the rod 38 to assist the operative
in pre-loadin~ the plunger when a new adhesive cartridge
(i~e. reservoir 10) is fitted to the operating mechanism~
The apparatus of the invention is particularl~
useful for ~erforming the creasing process of the inven-
tion9 especiall~ in con~junction with the yrooved yarment
su~port and guide apparatus with which it is speci-
fically desi~ned to co-operate. Figure 5 shows the
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combination in use, with a grooved support arm ~
supporting a trou~er leg 56~ turned inside out, ~Jhich
bears a temporary crease 58 and is engaged by the
apparatu~ 10~ ~he flan~es 46 of the rotatable member 42
fit on ei-ther side of the upper part of the ~support a~m
54, and the rubber surfaces 48 rest on the trou~er fabric
on either side of the crease line 58. ~he worm drive 40
is thus held clear of the fabric. The nozzle end 14 can
be directed right into the apex of the crease to give a
very accurate application of silicone compound to the
pre-creased trousers, which are then removed from the
ax~l 54, turned right way out 9 and laid flat to allow the
compound to cure.
~rousers so treated have creases of good
appearance 7 durable to ~rear, dr~-cleaning and washing.
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