Mysteries of Woollen Fabrics.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 22, 29 May 1912, Page 59

Mysteries of Woollen Fabrics.

Woollen fabrics appear to undergo a change after they have been made up into clothing, and even fabrics of the best quality, and their appearance and texture liecome modified. This seems to be due to atmospheric effects, and the stuff s lose their good appearance, becoming streaked or swelled up in places. For the best qualities, experiments were made by stretching the fabrics upon frames up to 150 feet length in covered sheds so as to expose them to the air beforehand, but without avail. A new method is devised by Otto Huckenbech in Germany. He noticed that when the stuffs had been stretched on the frames while the weather was cold and damp the effect was better and the fabrics kept a good aspect. Then he used an artificialcooling chamber, but found that a better way was to, treat the new-ly-made fabric when rolling out horizontally. by sending up a blast of cooled and damp air from an air-box placed underneath and provided with a long slit. Ice is put in the lower part of the

b.IT Tor the purpose. As this proved expensive. lie made it new apparatus, and now the fabric passes through a long closed cooling chamber. The cold air sheet from a cooling-box strikes tile fabric at the bottom as before, but now tho used air is collected from the main chamber and goes back in a closed path to the cooling-box so as to lie sent out again. A worm tube witli a refrigerating brine occupies the bottom of the coolingbox, and the air is moistened by a water spray within the box.