Hosiery processing method

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The present invention is directed to a flat steam chamber for use in a hosiery processing apparatus wherein steam is applied at high pressure to hosiery being carried on forms.
The steam chamber includes a first wall member and a movable second wall member.
The first and second wall members have facing major surfaces defining opposing major walls of the chamber and perimeter seals surrounding the major surfaces and defining minor walls of the chamber.
Each major wall has a substantially greater area than each minor wall so that the chamber has a substantially flat configuration.
An actuating mechanism opens and closes the steam chamber to permit hosiery carrying forms to pass through the chamber.
A source of pressurized steam applies pressurized steam to the chamber in the range of approximately 18 psi to 30 psi.
The major surfaces of the wall members are reinforced to prevent buckling of the major surfaces during the application of the pressurized steam to the chamber.
In a preferred embodiment, the major surfaces of the wall members are formed of relatively thin metal sheets, and the reinforcement of the metal sheets is comprised of a grid work of metal bars in contact with the outer surface of each thin metal sheet.
The movable wall member is suspended from support beams in a substantially vertical position and a reciprocating drive mechanism reciprocates the movable wall member toward and away from the stationary wall member between open and closed positions of the steam chamber.
A latch mechanism selectively holds the second wall member in the closed position during the application of steam to the chamber.
The latch mechanism preferably includes latching bars located along the upper and lower ends of the steam chamber.
The steam inlet is preferably located adjacent a lower end of the stationary wall member, and the steam outlet adjacent its upper end.
A plurality of flow diverters are located adjacent the steam inlet to divide the steam entering the steam chamber into a plurality of flow paths