GB474128A - Improvements in elastic fabric and method of making the same - Google Patents

Abstract

474,128. Elastic fabrics ; coated fabrics ; compound fabrics. INTERNATIONAL LATEX PROCESSES, Ltd. Feb. 24, 1937, No. 5518. Convention date, March 17, 1936. Addition to 448,669. [Class 140] The process of making elastic fabrics described in the parent Specification is modified by applying a rubber-containing substance to the knitted, woven, lace or pile fabric so as temporarily to secure it to a surface stretched under tension and, after allowing the surface to contract and condense the fabric, causing the rubber to assume properties which will maintain the fabric normally in a condensed condition. The rubber-containing fluid may be rubber solution or an aqueous dispersion of rubber such as latex with or without compounding or vulcanizing ingredients and in vulcanized or unvulcanized condition. It may be applied by spreading or spraying and rendered tacky by heating or application of a coagulant or by using a heat-sensitive latex. As shown in Fig. 1, a fabric F from a roll 10 is sprayed with latex at L and with a coagulant at C. A second coating may be applied at L<1>. The fabric is introduced between the stretched portions of an inner belt 11 to which it adheres, and an outer belt 15. The belts are stretched by passing over a drum 12 and drums 13, 16 which are driven at a slower surface speed than drum 12. Pinch rolls 14, 18, 18<1> may cooperate with drums 13, 16, 12 to prevent slipping. Contraction of the belts as they approach the top of drum 12 gradually condenses the fabric which is held in condensed condition by the belt 11. The rubber is set or vulcanized sufficiently to maintain this condition by heaters 19 and the fabric is stripped from the belt and wound on roll 20. In a modification, the inner elastic belt is omitted and the lower surface of the fabric is rendered tacky and is engaged between the drum and the outer belt. In a further modification shown in Fig. 2, the fabric F is sprayed on its lower face at 22, partially dried by a heater 23 and fan 24 and introduced between the stretched portions of belts 25, 26 passing over drums 27, 28, 29, 30. Adjacent runs of the belts are held together by adjustable rolls 36, and heavy non-elastic belts 32, 33 driven by drums 27, 29, 34, 35 rotating at the same surface speed are provided to support the elastic belts 32, 33. The belts may be of rubber or webbing preferably woven of elastic warps and non-elastic wefts so that no transverse contraction occurs on longitudinal stretching. Less than the entire area of the fabric may be condensed by applying the rubber at selected areas or by applying to portions of the elastic belt a substance which prevents the fabric from adhering. A two-way stretched fabric is produced by stretching a knitted fabric longitudinally to contract it transversely before condensing it. Two condensed fabrics may be united by an adhesive such as latex.