Continuous dyeing plant for warp threads comprising an oxidation apparatus having variable and recoverable capacity

Abstract

A continuous dyeing plant for a warp thread including a plurality of dyeing/squeezing groups arranged in line, each of which is provided with a respective impregnation or dyeing tank in which the warp thread is immersed, and an oxidation apparatus that has a plurality of upper and lower return rollers, configured to arrange the warp thread on a plurality of vertical planes parallel to each other, and a support frame having at least one upper strut and at least one lower strut, where a plurality of upper return rollers are mounted on the upper struts, such that at least one part of the lower return rollers is rotatably mounted on at least one respective support device that is movable in the vertical direction between a first operating position, in which the movable support device is placed close to the lower struts to keep the lower return rollers at a maximum predefined distance from the corresponding upper return rollers, and a second operating position, in which the movable support device is placed close to the upper struts to keep the lower return rollers at a minimum predefined distance from the corresponding upper return rollers.

1 . Continuous dyeing plant with a dyeing substance for a warp thread, the dyeing plant comprising:
 a plurality of dyeing/squeezing groups arranged in line, each of said dyeing/squeezing groups being provided with a respective impregnation or dyeing tank into which the warp thread is immersed;   an oxidation apparatus that comprises a plurality of upper and lower return rollers, which are configured to place the warp thread onto a plurality of vertical planes parallel to each other, and a support frame placed downstream of said plurality of dyeing/squeezing groups, said support frame comprising at least an upper strut and at least a lower strut forming a laterally, downwardly and upwardly open structure to allow the oxidation of the dyeing substance by means of the contact of the dyed warp thread with the maximum possible amount of air, a plurality of upper return rollers being mounted on said at least one upper strut; and   an electronic control unit,   wherein at least one part of the lower return rollers is rotatably mounted on at least one respective support device that is movable in a vertical direction between a first operating position, wherein said movable support device is placed at said at least one lower strut in order to keep the lower return rollers at a maximum predefined distance from the corresponding upper return rollers, and a second operating position, wherein said movable support device is placed at said at least one upper strut in order to keep the lower return rollers at a minimum predefined distance from the corresponding upper return rollers.   
     
     
         2 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 1 , wherein each movable support device is vertically moved along a plurality of linear guide uprights, said linear guide uprights being integral at the bottom to a pair of lower struts, parallel to one another, and integral at the top to a pair of upper struts, parallel to one another and to said lower struts, wherein said upper struts and said lower struts, together with said linear guide uprights of each movable support device, constitute the perimeter of a parallelepiped-shaped cage that supports the upper return rollers and the lower return rollers. 
     
     
         3 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 1 , wherein each movable support device is provided with upper struts separated from the corresponding upper struts of the movable support devices that are contiguous thereto. 
     
     
         4 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 3 , wherein the linear guide uprights of each movable support device are made integral to the lower struts by means of reversible fixing means. 
     
     
         5 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 1 , wherein each movable support device is provided with at least one movement means that is operatively associated with the support frame and with the electronic control unit of the dyeing plant. 
     
     
         6 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 1 , further comprising one or more movement means operatively associated on one side, with the support frame and, on the other side, by means of corresponding movement transmission means, with a plurality of movable support devices that are separated from each other. 
     
     
         7 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 5 , wherein each movement means comprises at least one of:
 movement means of the pneumatic type;   movement means of the hydraulic type;   movement means of the electric type; and   movement means of the mechanical type.   
     
     
         8 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 5 , wherein each movement means is of the pneumatic type and comprises a pneumatic actuator cylinder, which is integral with a fixed portion of the support frame, the stem of which is integral with a respective movable support device. 
     
     
         9 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 8 , wherein each stem is integral with a respective movable support device by means of the interposition of a guide rod. 
     
     
         10 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 1 , wherein each movable support device is placed downstream of a first impregnation or dyeing tank and upstream of the following impregnation or dyeing tank. 
     
     
         11 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 1 , further comprising a position transducer configured to place one or more movable support devices at a predefined intermediate height between said least one lower strut and said at least one upper strut of the support frame. 
     
     
         12 . Dyeing plant according to  claim 1 , wherein each movable support device is provided with at least one sensor operatively connected to the electronic control unit of the dyeing plant, said at least one sensor being configured to identify the achievement of the maximum limit of the upper and/or lower end stroke, with reference to the upper struts and to the lower struts of the support frame respectively, by each movable support device.