Disclosure of Invention
Starting from this known prior art, the object of the present invention is to provide a combing machine and a method for combing out staple fibers, with which the aforementioned disadvantages are reduced.
The invention relates to a combing machine having a plurality of combing heads, wherein at least one sliver is unwound from a lap at each combing head and fed to a feed roller and a nipper mechanism, combed noil is combed out from the sliver by means of a top comb and a circular comb and the resultant fibre layer is deformed by means of a horn mouth into fibre strands which are drawn together with the other fibre strands of the other combing heads into a single fibre strand.
The invention comprises the technical teaching that a first and a second pair of detaching rollers are arranged after the nipper mechanism, wherein the first pair of detaching rollers are configured to perform a back and forth rotary movement for the engagement and detachment of the fiber fleece to the fiber layer, and the second pair of detaching rollers are configured to perform a constant rotary movement, so that a suspension of the fiber layer is formed between the pair of detaching rollers, the length of which suspension varies within one combing cycle. The overhang forms a material buffer of the fibre layer which compensates for the different rotational movements and rotational speeds of the detaching roller pairs without damaging the fibre tufts which are joined to the fibre layer. The overhang must be so long that no tensile stress or draft occurs on the joined fibrous layers. Depending on the amount of cotton fed and also on the diameter of the detaching roller. Thus, the first pair of detaching rollers can maintain the Pierce format motion, thereby maintaining the conventional combing process including nipper motion and the transmission. Only the movement and the driving pattern of the second pair of separating rollers are changed, wherein the pair of separating rollers have a constant rotation direction. The motor for the second detaching roller can be made smaller and not provided with water cooling, which makes the combing machine cheaper and more energy-efficient.
Accordingly, the combing process according to the invention is designed such that the fiber tufts are separated from the sliver by a back and forth rotary movement by means of a first pair of separating rollers arranged downstream of the nipper mechanism and the fiber tufts are joined to the fiber layer, wherein the downstream second separating rollers in the fiber transport direction perform a rotary movement which is constant in the fiber transport direction, wherein the length of the overhang of the fiber layer formed between the separating rollers in pairs varies within one combing cycle. Since the rotation directions and speeds of the pair of detaching rollers are different, by forming the overhang portion to create a material buffer portion with which it is possible for the rotation direction of the second detaching roller to be unchanged, although the first pair of detaching rollers continues to perform the picocell movement and the movement of the second pair of detaching rollers is thus reversed.
The rotational movement of the second detaching roller is preferably constant over all combing cycles. Thus, a simpler drive motor can be used for the second separating roller, which is designed as a servomotor with significantly lower drive power. Since the final advancing movement of the detaching roller pairs must be absolutely identical in order not to run out the size of the overhang, the drive motor of the first detaching roller and the drive motor of the second detaching roller must run synchronously. However, the drive motor for the second separating roller can be constructed more simply, with lower power and without active cooling.
Alternatively, the rotational movement of the second detaching roller during one combing cycle can be non-uniform with the same rotational direction. The second separating roller changes the rotation speed with the same rotation direction, thereby keeping the length of the overhang between the pair of separating rollers constant. Thus, the length of the overhang portion is reduced from pulsating formation between a maximum value and a minimum value.
Preferably, the overhang of maximum length is formed at a first reversal point of the first pair of separating rollers, from which point the separating rollers move the fibre layer again against the fibre transport direction towards the nipper mechanism.
Preferably, a suspension of minimum length is formed at a second reversal point of the first pair of separating rollers, from which the separating rollers again move the fibre layer away from the nipper mechanism in the fibre transport direction. In this case, the difference in rotation angle between the two pairs of separating rollers is still so large that no drawing load or drawing action is exerted on the fibre layer between the two pairs of separating rollers.
In a preferred embodiment, the overhang is formed at the beginning of the combing process by the first pair of detaching rollers being stationary and the second pair of detaching rollers performing a rotary motion against the fibre transport direction. The non-combed sliver is first guided downstream of the second separating roller by the nipper mechanism and guided to the take-off roller by the flare. The formation of the overhang can then be started by controlling the combing machine. Then, after starting the combing machine, the fibre sliver that was not combed at the time must be removed according to the length that was not combed.
Alternatively, the second separation roller may be stationary or only slowly rotated in the fiber transport direction, and the first separation roller conveys the non-combed sliver only in the fiber transport direction until the second separation roller receives the sliver and forms a overhang. In this case, the difference in rotational speed between the first and second split rollers is important when the rotational direction is unchanged.
After the formation of the overhang is completed, the first separation roller conveys the fiber layer in the fiber conveying direction, and the second separation roller reverses the rotation direction, and also conveys the fiber layer in the fiber conveying direction.
Preferably, the formation and the position of the overhang can be improved by means of a device in that the overhang is formed by means of an air flow between the upper detaching rollers or between the lower detaching rollers. In the case of combing cycles exceeding 500 times per minute, the formation of the overhang is a highly dynamic process, wherein small disturbances (for example due to adhesion of the fibers to the separating roller) may interrupt the process, or the resulting fiber layer may be uneven or damaged.
Detailed Description
Fig. 1 shows a combing head 20 according to the prior art, at least eight combing heads being mounted on a combing machine. For clarity, this embodiment shows and describes only one combing head 20, with the details shown here being mounted on each of these combing heads, except for a common drive unit and coiler. The carding head 20 further comprises two lap transport rollers 2, 3, on which the lap 1 with the winding bobbin is placed and the sliver 4 is unwound from the winding bobbin by means of a feed roller 7 due to the tensile load. The lap transport rollers 2, 3 may be driven individually or both together. The construction of the lap transport rollers 2, 3, whether they are merely rotationally undriven or driven singly or both, is irrelevant to the invention.
The sliver 4 is transferred to a feed roller 7 of the nipper mechanism 5. The nipper mechanism 5 can be driven in a manner that it can be moved back and forth by means of a lever via a shaft 6, which is connected to a transmission mechanism 17. According to the example shown, the nipper mechanism 5 is located in a forward position and delivers the carded fibre fleece to a subsequent first pair of separating rollers 10, 12 in the fibre transport direction. A circular comb 8 is rotatably mounted below the nipper mechanism 5, which circular comb, via its needle plate seat, combs out the fibre tufts provided by the closed nipper. The circular comb 8 is likewise in driving connection with a transmission 17. A ratchet wheel, not shown, is fastened to the feed roller 7, which ratchet wheel is rotated stepwise by a pawl, also not shown, due to the reciprocating movement of the nipper mechanism 5 and thereby feeds the sliver 4 to the jaws of the nipper for carding out. In operation, the sliver 4 is continuously unwound as a result of the rotational movement of the fleece 1 by the fleece transport rollers 2, 3 and reaches the feed roller 7. Next, for carding, the cotton is fed to the nip of the nipper mechanism 5 by the feed roller 7 and then passed to the first pair of separating rollers 10, 12 in the fiber transport direction. The fiber tufts that meet here are finally pulled through the top comb 9 and engage with the preceding fiber tufts. The fibre layer 14 thus produced is transferred by means of the second separating rollers 11, 13 in the fibre transport direction. The fibre layer 14 produced here consists of individual bonded fibre strands, is pulled out of the bell 15 by means of the draw-off rollers 16 and is deformed into fibre strands 21, and is fed to a drawing device, not shown, together with fibre strands which are likewise formed on other combing heads. The fibre layers combed by the drafting mechanism are combined into fibre slivers, so-called combed slivers, and transferred to a coiler for winding in cans.
In the prior art, the nipper mechanism 5 is moved into a forward, open position, in which the detaching rollers 10, 12, by rotating rearward, convey the previously combed fiber fleece with its rear end section towards the front end section of the cotton nipped by the nipper. The detaching rollers 11, 13 perform the same movement, so that the fibre layer 14 moves a little backwards. The fiber tufts that are drawn out of the circular comb 8 are deposited onto the downstream end section and are pulled together with the latter into the clamped position of the detaching rollers 10, 12, since the detaching rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13 again change the direction of rotation. The rotation angle in this rotation is about twice as large as in the previous backward rotation, when the fiber tufts separate from the cotton in the nipper mechanism 5. In this case, the rear end of the separated fiber tufts is pulled through the top comb 9. In this case, the detaching rollers 10, 12, 11, 13 perform a Pierce-type movement (Pilgerschrittbewegung), wherein they return the ends of the fiber tufts pulled away in the previous combing cycle when rotating in the opposite direction. The beginning of the fiber bundle is placed on this end and after reversal of the direction of rotation, it is joined by the pressure of the two detaching rollers 10, 12. In each combing cycle, the detaching rollers 10, 12, 11, 13 have to change their direction of movement not only twice, but also the path of rotation on return is shorter than in advance.
Fig. 2a shows the initial state of the movement according to the invention of the detaching rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13 in a left-hand view, wherein the sliver 4 gripped by the nipper mechanism 5 enters the first pair of detaching rollers 10, 12 in the direction of fiber transport (arrow) and is arranged as a tensioned fiber layer 14 between the pair of detaching rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13. This initial state is introduced once at the beginning or at each start of the combing machine. In the motion diagram on the right associated therewith, the rotation angle of the detaching roller is plotted on the ordinate and the time is plotted on the abscissa. For example, in the motion profile, the combing machine is operated at 20 combing cycles per minute, so that one combing cycle lasts 3 seconds. Within the numerical range of 1 to 3, a combing cycle 30 is performed entirely. This means that in the motion diagram, the rotational movements of the paired detaching rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13 in the three combing cycles 30 are shown on the abscissa of 0 to 10, and the start of the combing machine at the start of forming the overhang (Schlaufe) 32 or buffer is shown in the range of 0 to 1. In the case of a combing cycle of 500 combing cycles per minute, 75 combing cycles with the same curve course are shown within 9 seconds, with the same pattern division. The movement of the second pair of separating rollers 11, 13 in the direction of transport of the fibers is shown in solid lines and the movement of the first pair of separating rollers 10, 12 is shown in broken lines. When the abscissa value is 0, the rotation angle of the two pairs of separation rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13 is 0 °. In this initial state, the detaching rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13 are stationary.
Fig. 2b shows a buffer or overhang 32 of the fibre layer 14 formed between the pair of detaching rollers 10,12 and 11, 13. Here, the first pair of separating rollers 10,12 is stationary and does not rotate, while the second separating rollers 11, 13 are rotated in this view by an angle of approximately-150 °, so that the overhang 32 is formed because the length exceeds the total 60mm distance of the separating rollers 10,12 and 11, 13 from each other. In the embodiment of fig. 2b, the overhang 32 is currently formed with a length of about 33mm with a rotation angle of 150 °. This position is shown in the motion profile at a value of 0.5 s. The size of the overhang 32 depends on the rotation angle of the detaching rollers 11, 13 and their diameters and can vary due to the type of combing machine. The adjustment of the return quantity of the detaching rollers 11, 13 (i.e. how much the second detaching rollers 11, 13 turn) is also dependent on the amount of feed provided at the nipper mechanism 5 and can thus be varied. In this embodiment the outer diameter of the lower rollers 10, 11 is about 25mm and the outer diameter of the upper rollers 12, 13 is about 24.5mm. In this case, only the detaching rollers 10 and 11 are driven, while the detaching rollers 12 and 13 are pressed onto the lower rollers 10 and 11 and are driven by friction by the lower rollers.
In fig. 2c, the cushioning or overhang 32 is formed almost entirely from the fibrous layer 14. At this point it is sufficient to initiate the combing process. The overhang 32 can be up to 60mm when the detaching rollers 11, 13 return 270 ° and thus sag in the form shown between the detaching rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13. The length of the overhang 32 then increases briefly and reaches its maximum in the difference in rotation angle between the first reversal point U1 of the detaching rollers 10, 12 and the continuous rotary movement of the detaching rollers 11, 13. The arrow in the motion diagram just shows the reversal point of the rotational motion of the detaching rollers 11, 13 or the starting point of the rotational motion of the detaching rollers 10, 12 again, while the detaching rollers 10, 12 are still stationary, but now start the rotational motion. The overhang 32 of the fibre layer 14 serves to compensate for the different rotational directions of the detaching roller pairs 10, 12 and 11, 13, i.e. in particular to compensate for the return of the first detaching roller pair 10, 12, in order to detach and subsequently engage the fibre fleece against the fibre transport direction. As can be seen from the motion profile, the first separating rollers 10, 12 also perform a conventional pierce-type motion according to the prior art, while the second separating rollers 11, 13 perform a linear rotary motion with a constant speed after the reversal of direction.
The rotational movement of the detaching rollers 10, 12 from the abscissa value 1s to the first reversal point U1 is in the direction of the fibre transport (arrow), i.e. towards the detaching rollers 11, 13, so that the sliver 4 is pulled off the detaching rollers 10, 12 and the engaged fibre fleece is compressed. The direction of rotation of the detaching rollers 10, 13 is reversed from the first reversal point U1 against the fibre transport direction, so that the combed-out end of the fibre fleece or the sliver 4 in this view is transported towards the clamping mechanism 5 in order to initiate a new joining process. The rotational movement of the detaching rollers 10, 12 returns almost 270 ° and the overhang 32 or the buffer decreases, so that the fibre layer 14 is arranged almost straight between the detaching rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13. The second reversal point U2 shows this because the distance in the motion curve of the graph between the detaching rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13 is minimal. After the second reversal point U2, the detaching rollers 10, 12 are again rotated in such a way that the fibre layer 14 is transported in the fibre transport direction (arrow) and the overhang 32 is enlarged again until the combing cycle 30 ends, wherein the fibre fleece is engaged and then detached from the nipper mechanism 5. The size or length of the overhang 32 is indicated by the outer circumference of the detaching rollers 10, 11 by means of a rotation angle difference 31 indicated by a vertical arrow between the curves of the detaching rollers 10, 12 and the detaching rollers 11, 13. In this motion profile, it can be seen that the detaching rollers 10, 12 with steep curves experience a rather high acceleration and deceleration, i.e. continuously changing the speed and the direction of rotation (pierce format). In this embodiment, the detaching rollers 11, 13 rotate at a constant speed in only one direction during the combing process. The detaching rollers 11, 13 are rotated backwards only when the combing machine is started, when combing is started, so that a first overhang 32 is formed.
The detaching rollers 11, 13 can be operated at a variable speed with a constant direction of rotation, wherein during the return of the detaching rollers 10, 12 between the first reversal point U1 and the second reversal point U2 the detaching rollers 11, 13 can be rotated slower and from the second reversal point U2 they can be rotated faster again. But finally the embodiments disclosed herein are in a form that is more energy efficient for the operation of the detaching rollers 11, 13.
The overhang 32 or buffer of the fibre layer 14 shown in fig. 2b and 2c is suspended here downwards between the detaching rollers 10 and 11. Depending on the air flow, a overhang 32 may also be formed between the detaching rollers 12 and 13. Air blown from above or below between the pair of detaching rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13 can promote the formation of the overhang because the spacing between the pair of detaching rollers 10, 12 and 11, 13 is quite small.
The advantage of the invention is that only the first pair of separating rollers 10, 12 performs a pi-type movement, while the second pair of separating rollers 11, 13 performs a constant rotational movement. Thus, the power consumption for driving the second detaching rollers 11, 13 is reduced, thereby reducing the energy consumption of the combing machine. For the second separating rollers 11, 13, the water cooling of the drive motor can be omitted and the drive motor design has a significantly lower drive power.
In order that the overhang 32 as a material buffer is not piled up or removed, the two detaching roller pairs 10, 12 and 11, 13 have to perform the same final advancing movement, i.e. the final rotation angle is the same. Depending on the type of construction of the combing machine, the overhang 32 can also be constructed smaller than in the described embodiment. This can be influenced by the spacing of the detaching roller pairs 10, 12 and 11, 13, their diameter, the amount of cotton fed and other factors.
According to the invention, the second separating rollers 11, 13 have a rotational movement in the same direction, i.e. a constant rotational movement, after the formation of the overhang 32. The rotational movement can preferably have the same speed (constant rotational movement), whereby a better effect is achieved in terms of energy saving. However, the rotational movement of the second separating rollers 11, 13 can also vary in speed, whereby the formation of the overhang can be positively influenced and the resulting fibre layer 14 can be made more uniform.
List of reference numerals
1. Cotton roll
2. Cotton roll transporting roller
3. Cotton roll transporting roller
4. Sliver
5. Clamp plate mechanism
6. Shaft
7. Cotton feeding roller
8. Round comb
9. Top comb
10 Separating roller
11 Separating roller
12 Separating roller
13 Separating roller
14 Fiber layer
15 Horn mouth
16 Strip roller
17 Transmission mechanism
18 Motor
19 Control device
20 Combing head
21 Fibre strip
30 Combing cycle
31 Rotation angle difference
32 Overhang
U1 first inversion point
U2 second inversion point