Method and apparatus for pre-treatment of non-continuous textiles

Abstract

A method and apparatus for treating textiles and textile materials prior to dyeing said textiles or textile materials includes the steps of loading a textile substrate into a vessel and saturating the textile substrate therein with pre-treatment chemicals. The impregnated textile substrate and excess process solution are transferred into a hydraulic press having a flexible bladder. The press squeezes the textile substrate uniformly to remove the excess solution which is captured and recycled for reuse. The squeezed, impregnated textile substrate is stored in airtight containers to allow dyesite formation. The textile substrate is then neutralized, washed, and dried and as thus pre-treated can be dyed in an ecologically sustainable, energy-efficient, and economical process. The method and apparatus ensure uniform moisture pick-up and distribution of the chemical(s) throughout the textile substrate.

1 . A method of pre-treating textiles in advance of a dyeing process, comprising the steps of:
 (a) loading a textile substrate into a vessel;   (b) saturating the textile substrate with pre-treatment chemicals in the vessel;   (c) unloading the pre-treated textile substrate from the vessel;   (d) loading the textile substrate unloaded in step c into a hydraulic press;   (e) extracting the pre-treatment chemicals from the textile substrate in the press;   (f) unloading the textile substrate from the press; and   (g) recirculating the extracted pre-treatment chemicals from the press back to the vessel.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein:
 the textile substrate is a non-continuous textile made of cellulosic material; and 
 the textile substrate unloaded in step (f) is stored in the absence of air for a period to allow the pre-treatment chemicals to fully develop the desired dye sites on the cellulosic molecules of the textile material. 
 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 2  wherein:
 The textile substrate stored for said period is loaded into a neutralizer/wash module and neutralized, washed, and then dried. 
 
     
     
         4 . An apparatus for pretreating textiles in advance of dying, comprising
 (a) a vessel for loading a textile substrate and saturating the substrate with pre-treatment chemicals;   (b) a press in which the textile substrate in (a) loaded and squeezed to remove excess pre-treated chemicals;   (c) a means for re-cycling non-exhausted chemicals from the press (b) to the vessel (a);   (d) a vessel for storing the textile substrate from the press (b) in the absence of air   (e) a tunnel washing unit for neutralizing or washing the textile substrate from the storage vessel (d); and   (f) a drying machine for drying the textile substrate from the vessel (e).   
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein:
 the vessel (a) is a tunnel washer; 
 the press (b) is a hydraulic press; and 
 the means for recycling non-exhausted chemicals from the press (b) to vessel (c) is a conduit, which can be attached, if desired, to an intermediate tank for storage of the recycled chemical solution prior to its reintroduction into the saturator unit.