Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for forming and finishing a continuous fabric web in a single operation. The apparatus includes a fabric web forming station for forming a continuous fabric web and a finishing station downstream from the fabric web forming station for receiving the continuous fabric web from the fabric web forming station and for providing a finishing treatment to the continuous fabric web. In the preferred embodiment, the finishing station includes a substantially excess-free applicator which helps to prevent thick spots in the coated fabric web which may occur when a coating applicator is stopped and restarted. In the preferred embodiment, the finishing station includes a curing station downstream from the applicator. The curing station may include both a drying station and a heat set station downstream from the drying station. The operating temperatures of the drying and heat set stations are controlled to minimize the amount of air having VOCs to be treated before being discharged into the atmosphere. Also in the preferred embodiment of the present invention is an accumulator located between the fabric web forming station and the finishing station for providing a fabric web reserve between the fabric web forming station and the finishing station. The accumulator includes a control system for varying the speed of the finishing station in response to the amount of the fabric reserve.

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First Claim