DESCRIPTION "ELLIPTICAL-SECTIONED DRUM SYSTEM WITH HELICAL EXPANDER"

This invention relates to "elliptical-sectioned drum system with helical expander". It is the elliptical-sectioned drum system with helical expander used on textile finishing machines and subjecting the processed fabric to beating and expanding actions. Until today, some of the drums being used on textile finishing machines have structure of circular cylinder section and helical expander. These perform the fabric expanding process not with pulse effects, but with continuously rotational motions. There are also drums called as beater cylinders and subjecting the fabric to only beating motion. These don't have expanding function. They consist of small diameter cylinders located around a large diameter cylinder and they also have beaters in the form of spinning wheel (consisting of profiles like hollow tubes). There are also configurations giving volume and touching by having the fabric beaten and bulked through mechanical or pneumatic mechanisms. In our invention, there is an elliptical-sectioned drum body and an expander section wound helically over this body. Expander section is wounded differentially from center to perimeter. It beats the fabric with pulse contacts through its edges on large diameter (principal axis), while performing rotational motion on the machine it is fitted. The frequency and the strength of the pulses are adjusted with the drum cycle and the distance of drum to the fabric. While the fabric is being softened by helical expanders wound over drum, it is expanded to the width and the hems are eliminated. While the sharp impact edges of the drum soften and expand the fabric by beating, the broad and shallow sliding surfaces prevent the processed fabric from wrapping around drum.

Since the drums expanding the fabric with circular cylindrical structures and continuously rotational motion don't have beat effects, the areas of usage are limited to only expanding the width of the fabric. The beater cylinders being used today cannot fulfill the function of expanding due to their only beat effect structure. The examples giving volume and touching by mechanical or pneumatic mechanisms don't have expanding effect on fabric and they cause breaks on creases of the processed fabric. In our invention, homogenous and strong beating and expanding effects are created due to the pulse and linear beat effects of the sharp impact edges. The broad and shallow sliding surfaces within our invention prevent wounding by slightly contacting the processed fabric attempting to wound over drum shortly after beating. Differential structured helical wound on the drum allows the fabric to expand to the width, thereby folds and wrinkles are prevented. Since the rotation speeds and distances to the fabric of the drums, which can be used at desired number, can be adjusted, the strength of the beating and expanding effect to be provided to the fabric can be

kept at desired level and over-wearing of the fabric is prevented. For the fabrics that are not easy to expand, soften ^' and give volume, providing much more effects and processing this kind of fabrics within shorter times are enabled. Unlike other drums being used today, it is possible to use one single drum instead of separate beater and expander cylinders as it incorporates the features of providing both expanding and beating effects for the processed fabric. Since the beating and expanding effects can be applied together to the fabric, the process residues, such as undesired dust and clips, are removed. For better explanation of the invention; In Figure 1; the general view of our invention, In Figure 2, front and side view details are given, and the reference numbers of the parts been used and their description are as follows;

1) elliptical drum

2) differential helical expander

3) impact edges 4) broad and shallow sliding surfaces 5) bearing and drive shafts

On the elliptical drum (1) to which rotational motion is given and which is beard over bearing and drive shafts, there is a differential helical expander (2) preventing the processed fabric to fold and providing it to be expanded. Continuously rotating due to rotational motion it obtains from bearing and drive shafts (5), the elliptical drum (1) performs cross-linear impact beating over impact edges (3) on both narrow sides. In other words, the impact edges (3) make the expanding effect of differential helical expander (2) on fabric easier and allow the fabric to be softened and to gain volume. In the meantime, the broad and shallow sliding surfaces (4) located on two other large sides (4) of the elliptical drum (1) prevents wounding over elliptical drum (1) by slightly contacting the fabric attempting to wound over elliptical drum (1) through the act of beating effect of impact edges (3).

Our invention can be fitted to textile finishing machines and used to expand, soften, give volume to any woven and knitted fabric and to adjust their weight in grams by expanding to the width.