DE69115110T2 - Textile machine. - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a textile machine for processing fiber feed material in the form of a batt. In particular, this invention relates to a combing machine with at least one combing head, comprising a combing unit and a support means for a batt roll to be combed. The invention also relates to a winding reversing section with a drafting device and a support means for a batt roll to be stretched.

As is known, combing machines fed with batting from a lap fixed to a support have been provided with a detector element comprising, for example, a photoelectric cell or a light barrier to stop the machine when the end of a batting is reached. The support is then filled with a new lap of batting either manually or by a conveyor. The beginning of the batting from the new lap is then placed manually on the end of the batting from the previous lap (this end can be torn to the correct length if necessary) and is joined to it by pressure, after which the machine can be restarted. The thickness of the overlap produced by this process (despite possible "plucking" of the incoming end by the operator) leads to a quality defect in the final product (combed sliver).

In U.S. Patent Specification No. 2,559,074, a technique for automating the manual process described above is described. According to the description, the end of an incoming batt is laid on the end of the outgoing batt upstream of the front batt unwinding roller and the joint (overlap) thus formed is passed along the normal batt conveying path into the combing unit. The use of "comb teeth" to tear the outgoing batt is also described, but this is only a separation process and has no bearing on the preparation of the batt end.

A device according to US 2,559,074 leads to at least a severe quality defect due to the overlap and may not be operational due to the blockage of the combing unit caused by the double thickness of the feed material introduced.

Therefore, it is an object of the invention to bring the beginning of a batt from a new lap automatically and reliably to the end of a batt from a previous lap without causing an interruption in operation of a combing unit (or other batt processing unit) or an unacceptable deterioration in product quality.

A further object of the invention is the connection of cotton wool ends in a cotton wool processing machine in a simple and reliable manner without causing a quality defect in the connected ends.

Briefly stated, the invention provides a method of joining an incoming batt to an outgoing batt extending to a batt processing unit in a batt processing machine, wherein both the trailing end of the outgoing batt and the leading end of the incoming batt are prepared, overlapped and then joined by pressing for feeding to the batt processing unit.

The invention also provides a lap processing machine having at least one lap processing head comprising a lap processing unit and a support means for receiving a lap roll to be combed, having means for forming a prepared end at a discharge end, and means for supporting a length of the discharge lap upstream of the lap processing unit, the prepared end being in a substantially predetermined position, means for Forming a prepared end on an incoming batt and means for bringing the prepared ends together and feeding them to the batt processing unit.

A wadding machine according to another aspect of the invention may comprise at least one wadding head comprising a wadding unit and a support means for supporting a wadding roll to be processed, with means for forming a prepared end on an outgoing wadding and a prepared end on an incoming wadding, as well as means for bringing the prepared ends together by overlapping them and conveying means for supplying the waddings with the overlapped ends to the wadding unit.

As described in the earlier application, additionally, a detector means may advantageously be provided for determining the time at which the first batt has been almost completely unwound from the first reel. The detector means may at this time start a control means which then activates the means for severing the first batt and then activates a reel conveying means for feeding a new reel to the carrying means and then activates the means for separating the second batt and then activates the means for connecting the second batt end to the first batt end.

The invention is particularly well suited for a combing machine comprising one or more groups of combing heads, e.g. a group of eight combing heads or two groups of six combing heads each, the lap roll change being carried out simultaneously on all combing heads of a group in each case and the control means described above carrying out the start-up on all combing heads of the group simultaneously. To start the control means, it is advantageous to provide each combing head of the group with its own detector means. so that the control means is triggered as soon as the first batt has been almost completely unwound from the first lap on a combing head in the group. The first batts are then automatically severed at the same height on all combing heads in the group, new laps are fed in, the second batts are severed from the new laps at the same height and the batt ends are joined together.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows schematically a combing head of a combing machine according to the earlier application;

Fig. 2 to 8 show details of Fig. 1, with the parts in different positions and operating states;

Fig. 9 is a schematic representation of a combing head according to European Patent Application No. 89105756 for comparison with the systems according to the invention;

Fig. 10 is a schematic representation of an alternative type of combing head according to U.S. Patent No. 3,479,699;

Fig. 11 is a schematic representation of a combing head as shown in Fig. 10, with modifications according to the invention;

Fig. 12 is a schematic representation of a first modification of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 8;

Fig. 13 shows another possible modification of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 8;

Fig. 14 A, B and C three possible modifications of the wad end search arrangement shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 15 A and B schematic representations to explain the necessary or at least highly desired Preparation of cotton ends to form a connection according to the invention;

Fig. 16 is a schematic representation to explain a first possible arrangement for cotton end preparation as shown in Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a schematic representation of an alternative arrangement for batting end preparation;

Fig. 18 is a schematic representation of a drive system for a device according to Fig. 1;

Fig. 19 schematically shows elements of a control system for a drive arrangement according to Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 the same system with different elements of the control means;

Fig. 21 is a timing diagram for use in explaining the control system shown schematically in Figs. 19 and 20;

Fig. 30 and 31 the completion of the first end preparation step of a trailing end of a running batting in side view;

Fig. 32 a detail in elevation;

Fig. 33 a pressing arrangement for a carrier according to the invention;

Fig. 34 shows another modified pressing arrangement for a carrier;

Fig. 35 an alternative type of wadding processing machine, known as a winding sweep line according to the invention, and

Fig. 36 shows a modification of the device shown in Fig. 35.

The present description initially refers to the "conventional" comb heads shown in Figures 9 and 10 in order to provide a basis for the following presentation of various embodiments of the present invention. Such an embodiment has already been shown in the above-mentioned earlier application, and the schematic Representations of this application are also included here as Figures 1 to 8 in order to provide a starting point for the modifications shown in the other figures.

The various schematic representations presented in this application show only those elements of a combing machine that are essential for operation according to the present invention. Furthermore, only those work steps are disclosed that are directly related to operation according to the invention. A more detailed description of a combing machine can be found, for example, in the book "Drawing, combing and Roving", by Zoltan S. Szaloki, published by the Institute of Textile Technology, Charlotteville, Virginia, USA, which is volume 3 of "The Institute Series on Textile Processing", published by this institute.

Against this background, the combing head shown schematically in Figure 9 comprises a rotating lap roll carrier roller 100, a rotating drive shaft 102 for a comb roller 111 carrying a needled circular comb, an oppositely rotating nipper drive shaft 103 and a pair of take-off rollers 104. The nipper drive shaft 103 carries a crank arm 105 to which the rear end of a nipper assembly 60 is pivotally connected at 62. The front end of the nipper assembly 60 is pivotally connected to connecting pieces 67 which in turn can pivot about the axis of the rotating shaft 102 for the comb roller 111.

The pliers assembly 60 further comprises a base or cushion plate 63, the front end (not specifically designated) of which is designed to form a clamping point K together with a correspondingly shaped upper pliers element 68. The pliers element 68 is carried by a lever 65 which is hinged at 69 to the main structural element of the pliers assembly 60. A so-called feed roller 110 is arranged directly behind the pair of pliers 63, 68.

The elements described so far in connection with Figure 9 represent the essential functional elements of the combing unit, which carries out the essential function of a combing machine. Since the combing process itself is not directly of interest in the present invention and details of it can be found in the literature (e.g. in the above-mentioned book), this process is not disclosed in detail here. It is sufficient to state here that a batt or layer of fiber material to be combed is conveyed (by a system which is described in more detail below) to the feed roller 110 and from there with the aid of a guide plate 66 to the clamping point K formed by the pliers 63, 68. Fibers that protrude from the nip are combed by the needles on the circular comb 120 and then passed on by the nippers to be "attached" to a fiber tuft that protrudes from the back of the take-off rollers.

After the tongs have deposited the freshly combed fiber tuft on the tuft protruding from the take-off rollers, the tongs are opened and retracted, while the freshly combed fibers are retracted from the combing unit by the take-off rollers 104. In this stage, the fibers pulled forward by the take-off rollers are further combed by a so-called fixed comb (not shown in Figure 9). In the meantime, the tongs are returned to the starting position shown in Figure 9 and closed to clamp a fiber edge freshly fed from the feed roller 110. As can easily be seen, this process is essentially discontinuous, so that the feed roller 110 is only operated step by step.

The cotton wool to be combed has a width of e.g. 30 cm and is fed to the machine in the form of a roll, which is shown partially in dashed lines at 101 in Figure 9. This lap roll rests on two support rollers, only one of which is shown at 100 in Figure 9. The second support roller is arranged parallel to the first and both are rotated so that the lap 101 is unwound in one direction, whereby the lap is continuously fed to the combing unit already described. In the feeding system shown in Figure 9 and described in our earlier European Patent Application No. 338,300, the lap unwound from the lap 101 is passed first to a generally horizontal guide plate 113 and thence to a generally vertical guide plate 114, from which the lap passes to the already mentioned feed roller 110 and the guide plate 66.

The guide plates 113 and 114 are pivotally connected at 190 by a strip of flexible material which is secured to the respective plates by clamping bars 201, 210 and screws 220, 230. The other ends of the plates are secured to the machine frame (not shown) by suitable connecting means shown schematically at 115 and 117 respectively. The pivot connections 115, 117 and 190 enable the positions of the plates 113 with respect to each other and to the machine frame to be adjusted in accordance with the reciprocation of the tong assembly 60 as defined by the above-mentioned combing action. By providing a suitable guide support for the batt between the batt roll support arrangement (partially shown at 100) and the combing unit, it is possible to feed the batt continuously at a slow speed from the roll 101, although this batt is only picked up and processed in the combing unit incrementally.

From Figure 9 it can be seen that the "front" carrier roller 100 (i.e. the roller located closer to the combing unit) is set back from the combing unit so that the batt has to travel a horizontal distance after it comes off the roller 100. This horizontal movement of the batt is guided by the plate 113 until the batt reaches a position above the feed roller 110, whereupon the path of the batt swings downwards approximately vertically under the guidance of the plate 114. This movement pattern (the "machine geometry") is not essential. An alternative is shown in Figure 10.

The terms used in US 3,479,699 are used herein to describe the embodiment of Figure 10. Thus, using a pair of lap carrier shafts 202, 204, a lap roll 200 is supported and unrolled to pass to a nipper assembly comprising a pad plate 206, a grooved feed roller 208 and a top nipper 212 which cooperates with the pad plate 206 to form a nip. Take-off rollers 214, 216 collect the fibers after they have been combed by the circular comb 218 driven on the shaft 222. As shown in Figure 10, the nipper assembly is located almost directly below the carrier roller 202 so that the lap moves generally straight down to the nippers.

The tong assembly swings in the manner of a pendulum about a squeeze roller swing shaft, which is only partially shown at 226. A collecting rod 224 moves back and forth between a position shown in solid lines and a position shown in dashed lines in synchronism with the movements of the tong assembly and thereby picks up a slack part of the batting which is created by the continuous feed from the tape roll 200 and the step-by-step pick-up at the feed roller 208.

The description immediately following first deals with a proposal for automating an arrangement generally corresponding to Figure 9. Thereafter, modifications are disclosed which are generally suitable for other combing systems.

Figure 1 shows the essential parts of a combing head in a schematic view that corresponds approximately to a vertical section. The essential combing elements of the combing unit of the combing head are again shown in the form of a rotatable comb 1, an upper comb 2, two take-off rollers 3 and a pliers unit that includes a lower pliers 4 and an upper pliers 5 that can be pivoted in relation to the lower pliers. A drivable feed roller 6 is attached to the lower pliers 4 and a cotton wool 7 to be combed is fed to it. The cotton wool 7 runs from a roll 8 that is carried by a support means that in the illustrated embodiment consists of two parallel cotton wool rolls 9 and 10 on which the cotton wool roll 8 lies.

In the path of the batting 7 from the lap 8 to the combing elements 1 - 5, two transport rollers, means for cutting the batting and means for attaching a first batting end to a second batting end are provided, the first batting end being a rear end of the batting running to the combing elements and the second batting end being a front end of a batting coming from a new batting lap, as will be described in detail below.

In the embodiment shown, the transport roller pair is formed by the front lap roll 9 and a pressure roller 11 that interacts with it. As an alternative, a transport roller pair can be provided separately from the front lap roll 9 for the lap coming from the roll 8. The transport roller pair 9, 11 is driven by a controlled drive means 12.

In the embodiment shown, the wadding cutting means are designed to tear the wadding after the transport roller pair 9, 11. For this purpose, a second transport roller pair 13, 14 is arranged after the first transport roller pair 9, 11 and is driven by a second controlled drive means 15. In normal operation of the combing machine, the two transport roller pairs 9, 11 and 13, 14 run at the same peripheral speeds. If a wadding is to be separated or torn, the drive means 12 and 15 are controlled, as explained below, to rotate the two transport roller pairs 9, 11 and 13, 14 at different peripheral speeds and/or in different directions, so that the wadding 7 tears between the two transport roller pairs. Alternatively, the first transport roller pair 9, 11 can be stopped and the second 13, 14 can continue to be driven, or the first transport roller pair 9, 11 can be driven in the opposite direction while the second pair 13, 14 remains stationary. In any case, the cotton wool is severed.

The means for connecting a first cotton end to a second cotton end comprises a pair of pressure rollers 16, 17, which are driven by a drive means 18, and a movable deflection element for at least one of the two cotton ends that are to be connected to one another. In the illustrated embodiment, the deflection element is a slider 19, which is arranged upstream of the pair of pressure rollers 16, 17 in the direction of movement of the cotton 7 and is moved, for example, by a piston-cylinder unit 20.

Figure 1 shows the described combing head in normal operation. The batting 7 is unwound from the roll 8 by rotating the batting roll 9, is fed to the combing elements 1 - 5 by the transport roller pairs 13, 14 and 16, 17, which rotate at the same peripheral speed rotate and is combed out by the combing elements. In Figure 1, however, the cotton wool 7 is in principle already completely unwound from the reel 8. This moment is detected by a detector means, eg a photoelectric cell 21, which detects the passage of the end 7a of the cotton wool 7 on the core 8a of the reel 8, for example by responding to the different brightness and/or colour of the cotton wool 7 and the core 8a. Of course, other detector means are possible for this purpose.

The detector means 21 outputs a signal to a control means 22, which then drives the drive means 12, 15 and 18 and other drive means to be described below in the combing machine in such a way that a change of the batt is carried out automatically.

The control means 22 first actuates a piston-cylinder unit 23, which swings the rear cotton winding roll 10 downwards, as shown in Figure 2. The almost empty core 8a therefore rolls backwards by gravity on a suitable guide 24 to a collecting element in the form of a trough-shaped plate 25. The remaining cotton is unwound from the core 8a under these conditions.

The control means 22 then controls the drive means 12 (Figure 1) in such a way that it stops the transport roller pair 9, 11 or rotates it in the opposite direction. The batting 7 is thus torn off by the second transport roller pair 13, 14 while it is rotating normally, the tearing taking place between the two transport roller pairs 9, 11 and 13, 14, so that a new rear batting end 7b is formed at a precisely defined point on the batting 7, which runs to the combing elements 1 - 5, as shown in Figure 3.

The second transport roller pair 13, 14 and the pressure roller pair 16, 17 continue to rotate until the newly formed rear end of the batt 7b is immediately in front of the pressure roller pair 16, 17 stops, as shown in Figure 4. The drive means 18 of the pressure roller pair 16, 17 is then stopped, and at the same time the combing elements 1 - 6 (Figure 1) are also stopped.

When the first transport roller pair 9111 has simply been stopped to tear off the batting 7, the severed rear end part 7c of the batting 7 is still held in the transport roller pair 9, 11, as shown in Figure 4. The transport roller pair 9, 11 is therefore now again rotated in the forward direction together with the second transport roller pair 13, 14 in order to guide the end part 7c to a suction channel 26 through which it is removed. Alternatively, the end part 7c can also be removed through a suction channel 27 which is arranged further back, the first transport roller pair 9, 11 now being rotated in the opposite direction until the beginning of the end part 7c falls into this suction channel 27. However, if the first transport roller pair 9, 11 has already been rotated sufficiently in the opposite direction to tear off the batting 7, the beginning of the end part 7c can fall into the channel 27 without difficulty and no further rotation is required.

The rear lap roll 10 is then pivoted back into its upper position or the normal working position by actuating the piston-cylinder unit 23.

The control means 22 then actuates a cotton roll transport device, of which only one arm 28 with a holding pin 29 is shown in Figure 5. The roller transport device brings a new cotton roll 8' and places it on the cotton roll rollers 9 and 10.

The transport roller pairs 9, 11 and 13, 14 are then rotated in the forward direction. The lap roll 9 rotates the lap roll 8' lying on it. The surface of the lap roll 9 is permeable to air, e.g. perforated, and inside it is arranged a fixed tube 9a which has a slot 9b in an upper region. A suction effect is now generated in this tube 9a so that air is sucked through the slot 9b and the air-permeable surface of the lap roll 9. The start 7a' of the lap 7' from the new roll 8' is therefore exposed to the suction effect from the lap roll 9 as soon as it reaches it. Consequently, as shown in Figure 5, the start 7a' is brought to the circumference of the lap roll 9. The lap 7' is then moved downwards by the transport roller pair 9, 11 and 13, 14.

After the beginning 7a' of the batting 7' has passed through the second transport roller pair 13, 14, the first transport roller pair 9, 11 is stopped after a predetermined time interval, or the second transport roller pair 13, 14 is accelerated with respect to the first pair 9, 11. As a result, the batting 7' is torn between the two transport roller pairs 9, 11 and 13, 14, i.e. a new front batting end 7b' is formed at an exactly defined location on the batting 7' coming from the roll 8', as shown in Figure 6.

The severed front end portion 7c' of the cotton wool 7' is then sucked into the suction channel 26 and removed from the latter after it has completely passed through the second transport roller pair 13, 14.

The two transport roller pairs 9, 11 and 13, 14 then continue to run at the same peripheral speeds and move the batting 7' coming from the roll 8' downwards. As soon as the new front batting end 7b' has reached approximately the position shown in Figure 7 in front of the pressure roller pair 16, 17 or between the latter and the slider 19, the control means 22 actuates the piston-cylinder unit 20 in order to push the slider 19 to the left against the pressure roller pair 16, 17. As shown in Figure 8, the slider 19 under these conditions comes into contact with the front end 7b' of the batting and brings it onto the rear end 7b of the batting 7, which is still held in the clamping point of the pressure roller pair 16, 17 and protrudes from it, whereby it lies partially on the circumference of the lower pressure roller 17. Then the drive means for the pressure roller pair 16, 17 and at the same time the drive element for the combing elements 1 - 6 are switched on again. The rear end 7b of the batting 7 is pulled together with the front end 7b' of the batting 7' lying on it into the pressure roller pair 16, 17, which presses the two ends 7b and 7b' together and connects them. Under these conditions the slide 19 is retracted to the right again by the piston-cylinder unit. The combing head then starts normal operation.

Figure 8 also shows that the collecting element 25, on which the empty winding core 8a lies, has been raised to an upper position by a drive means in the form of a piston-cylinder unit 30. In this upper position, the empty winding core 8a is grasped and unloaded by the winding transport means 28, 29 (Figure 5), whereupon the collecting element 25 is lowered to its starting position, as shown in Figure 1.

The combing head described can be arranged in a combing machine in a group of combing heads in which combined drive means are provided for the combing elements 1 - 5 of all combing heads of the group. The control means 22 is then connected to all combing heads of the group. The drive means which are controlled by the control means 22, in particular the drive means 12, 15 and 18, and the piston-cylinder units 20, 23 and 30, together with the means for generating the suction effect in the front lap roll 9 and in the suction channels 26 and 27 and the winding transport means (28, 29) can also be connected to all combing heads of the group (although the common control means could in principle also control separate drive means).

On the other hand, each combing head of the group has its own associated detector means 21 (Figure 1). As soon as the batting 7 has been substantially completely unwound from the lap 8 on one of the combing heads, the associated detector means 21 issues a signal to the common control means 22, which then carries out the above-described batting lap change on all combing heads of the group simultaneously. At the start of the batting lap change process, different lengths of batting 7 may still be present on the batting lap cores 8a in the different combing heads of the group; the new rear batting ends 7b, which were formed by the simultaneous cutting (tearing off) of the batting strips 7 between the transport roller pairs 9, 11 and 13, 14, are then at the same height in all combing heads of the group. Likewise, the new front lap ends 7b', which were formed by tearing off the new lap bands 7', are at the same height in all combing heads, even if the start 7a' of the lap on the new lap roll 8', which is fed by the lap roll transport means (28, 29), is not located exactly at the same place on the circumference. The front lap ends 7b' can therefore be connected to the rear lap ends 7b without difficulty in the same way in all combing heads by the sliders 19 (or a common slider 19) and the pressure rollers 16, 17.

In the combing head described, when changing the batting, both the batting 7 and then the batting 7' are separated or torn off from the batting roll 8 or the new batting roll 8' by a different drive of the two transport roller pairs 9, 11 and 13, 14. In modified embodiments, however, separate means for cutting the cotton wool 7 and for severing the cotton wool 7'. Likewise, there is no absolute need for a second pair of transport rollers for the purpose of severing. Instead, another separating means can be provided which is designed to be actuated by the control means 22.

The previous application concerns the tearing or cutting of the cotton wool. However, it is not desirable to achieve either of the two results, namely:

- a jagged tear with deep notches in the end of the wadding to be connected, or

- a very smooth cut with practically no fibers protruding from the cut surface (as if the layer had been cut with scissors).

The preferred form of the batt end is a beard or fringe projecting from a substantially straight base line which preferably extends at right angles to the length of the batt. The beard or fringe should be "thinned out" with respect to the normal thickness of the batt layer. In this form, the two prepared ends are similar to "combed" ends which are normally joined in a combing machine by a "tacking" at the take-off rolls. The batt tacking operation is then similar to the tacking of a combed web which is normally carried out, for example, at rolls 104 (Fig. 9) or 214, 215 (Fig. 10).

This shape of prepared end can best be created by applying a clamping force to the batt along a straight line (similar to the clamping force exerted by the forceps) while removing fibers that are not held either directly by the clamping force or indirectly by the fiber layer. The clamping force is preferably evenly distributed over the length of the clamping line, i.e. preferably across the width of the batt.

The desired result can be achieved by clamping between a pair of rollers and pulling the batt apart in the area of the clamping point (as described with reference to Figures 1 to 8) by a second pair of rollers. The distance between the clamping points should be at least slightly greater than the longest fiber in the array. This distance can be several centimeters longer than the longest fiber in the batt. This process creates two "prepared" ends, i.e. upstream and downstream of the "tear" or "break", although only one of these ends is of interest for forming a joint.

A similar result can be achieved by clamping the cotton along a first line (for example between a pair of clamps), clamping the cotton along a second line (for example by another pair of clamps) and then moving the lines apart. The distance between the clamp lines should meet the requirements already described with regard to the clamp lines of the pull roller pairs. This process also creates two prepared ends.

The desired form of end preparation is shown schematically in Figures 15A and 15B. Figure 15A shows a plan view of a prepared end of a batt, while Figure 15B shows the same batt end seen from one side on a much larger scale.

The batting of width W and thickness T unwound from the batting roll is shown at 250 in Figures 15A and 15B. The line N in Figure 15A shows the nip line created, for example, by a pair of rollers 9, 11 in Figure 1. Figure 15A shows the preferred arrangement in which the nip line is at right angles to the length of the web. The nip line may be at a different angle to the length of the wadding (as shown in dotted lines, for example), but significant deviations from a right-angled relationship complicate the joining process. However, an angle other than 90º may result in a further reduction in quality deterioration at the joint.

The clamp line N is shown in Fig. 15B by two arrows N drawn in that figure. As shown in Fig. 15B, the preferred batting end then takes the form of a thinned fiber beard or fiber fringe 252 projecting from the clamp line where the batting is substantially the same thickness as in the wrap (compression by the clamping elements is ignored for the purposes of this explanation - the "thickness" of the batting is assumed to be directly proportional to the fiber mass per unit length of batting).

In the theoretically perfect joint between the batt ends (outgoing and incoming), the thinned ends complement each other when placed on top of each other, so that a new feed batt of essentially constant "thickness" (fiber mass per unit length) is obtained for feeding to the nipper assembly. This can be easily seen by referring to Fig. 15B, which shows the gradual reduction in fiber mass per unit length from the nip line to the free batt end.

The examination of Fig. 15A shows that it is in principle impossible to achieve an absolutely perfect joint across the entire width of the batting. The difference in the prepared batting ends must therefore be kept within acceptable limits in order to achieve an acceptable joint. The absolute limits are given on the one hand by the blockage of the combing unit and on the other hand by a "thin spot" which leads to a break in the batting before it reaches the combing arrangement or when it is in this arrangement.

The length L (Fig. 15B) of the prepared end must be substantially predetermined to enable "quality splicing". A "ragged" end (as shown by the dot-dash lines 254 in Fig. 15A) is undesirable because it is very unlikely that this ragged end will correspond to an equally ragged end on the other batt involved in the splicing operation. An absolute length L of the prepared batt end across the total width W of the batt cannot be guaranteed. This effect is schematically shown by the lines ("fibers") extending from the clamping point in Fig. 15A. This effect occurs, for example, due to the differences in the lengths of the fibers clamped to the clamping line and therefore held during the severing operation.

However, the length of the batt end can be influenced by the manner in which the prepared end is formed, as will now be described with reference to Figures 16 and 17.

Figure 16 shows a severing (and end preparation) means in the form of two pairs of clamping rollers 256, 258, with the batting 250 still extending continuously between them (before the severing operation). The distance D between the clamping lines created by these pairs of rollers exerts an influence on the batting ends created by holding the clamping rollers 256 and driving the pair of rollers 258 in the direction of the arrows drawn thereon. This distance D should be at least somewhat greater than the length of the longest fiber in the fiber layer to be severed. This avoids "holding" which would lead to fiber breakage or at least to operational disruptions.

However, the distance D should not be much longer than the longest fiber, otherwise packets of uncontrolled or incompletely controlled fibers may be formed, leading to the jagged end problem as shown in Fig. 15A. The arrangement should be such that substantially all of the fibers in the layer extending between the roller pairs 256, 258 at the time of stopping the roller pair 256 are either well controlled by the fiber beard extending from the roller pair 256 or pass easily into the fiber beard pulled out by the roller pair 258. Those fibers that become clamped in the nips of the roller pairs 256, 258 will not cause problems (provided they are not clamped in both nips) - the remaining "floating" (shorter) fibers between the nips will be subjected to a stretching force during the separation process, but should remain under control during the pull apart due to frictional engagement with their neighbors in the fiber layer (due to the "force fields" created by the nips in the fiber layers). An operation of this type will result in two properly prepared ends (upstream and downstream).

In a short staple fiber combing machine, the longest fiber in the fiber layer to be processed normally has a fully stretched length of not more than about 45 mm. The distance D should normally be chosen in the range 60 mm to 120 mm, with the preferred distance being 90 mm. This gives fiber beard lengths L in the range 20 mm to 60 mm, with the preferred length L being about 40 mm.

Fig. 17 shows an alternative arrangement. The fiber layer 250 is clamped between nippers 260, 262 (for example similar to the nippers of the combing unit). When the layer 250 moves to a pair of nip rollers (similar to the pair of rollers 258) downstream (right) of the nippers 260 the relevant considerations regarding the spacing of the nip lines are the same as explained in Fig. 16 and remain the same when this downstream pair of rollers is replaced by a second pair of nippers similar to nippers 260, 262.

However, a cutting (and end preparation) operation can be performed on the layer 250 to the right of the pliers 260, 262 by (for example) inserting a straight comb 264 into the layer to the right of the clamp line and combing out the tuft clamped in the clamp. Such an operation can be used, for example, to prepare the end of the incoming batt. To ensure a controlled batt end, the comb 264 must be inserted into the batt at a distance from the clamp line so that the fibers remaining in the tuft are either clamped in the clamp or controlled by engagement with other fibers in the layer (by the "force field" created by the clamp). The same effect can be achieved by applying a very strong suction to a ply end projecting from the tongs 260, 262 (for example by means of a suction nozzle shown schematically in dotted lines at 266) or by working the ply end with a rotary comb shown at 265. In such an operation only one prepared end is obtained. An arrangement as described with reference to Fig. 17 was used as the basis for the embodiment shown in Fig. 11, which is a modification of the conventional arrangement shown in Fig. 10.

As shown in Figure 11, in the modified embodiment, the "collecting rod" 224 is replaced by a pair of transport rollers 228, 230, and a pressure roller 232 (similar to the pressure roller 11 in Figure 1) is connected to the lap roll carrier roller 202 A suction nozzle, shown schematically at 234, is connected by a flexible conduit (shown schematically at 236) to a vacuum source 238. The suction nozzle is movable between a retracted position (not shown) and an advanced position (Figure 11) in which the suction effect exerted by the suction nozzle acts on the batting immediately downstream of the nip line created by the roller 202 and the pressure roller 232.

The device works as follows:

- First, a prepared end is formed on the outgoing batt by stopping the roller 202 and simultaneously driving the rollers 228, 230, so that the batt is torn apart as previously described with reference to Fig. 16, immediately downstream of the nip line formed by the roller 202 and the pressure roller 232;

- As already described, this gives a prepared end upstream (on the batt extending back to the roller 202) and a prepared end downstream (on the "trailing" end of the length of batt extending to the clamping elements). The prepared trailing end of the latter is held immediately upstream of the clamping line of the roller pair 228, 230 (as already described with reference to the rollers 16, 17 in Figure 1). The severed length of batt with the prepared end thereon is held between the roller pair 228, 230 and the combing unit (feed roller 208 and cushion plate 206);

- Then the remaining cotton wool on the old roll is removed by any suitable means (for example, by only feeding it forward into the suction nozzle 234 which has been moved to its working position as shown in Figure 11). The empty roll is then replaced by a new reel, e.g. as described with reference to Figure 5;

- A prepared end is then formed on the new wad by passing it into the nip formed by the roller 202 and the pressure roller 232 and then applying suction from the nozzle 234 to the wad end exposed from the nip, thereby removing any fibres which are not held by the nip or the force field created thereby (as described with reference to Figure 17);

- The prepared leading end on the new wad is then moved straight down until it rests on the prepared end previously formed on the old wad, which is still engaged by the rollers 228, 230 and the nipper assembly. For this purpose, the roller pair 228 is preferably arranged in the position of the dashed line shown in Figure 11 - in this case it is not necessary to provide for deflection of the prepared wad end from its straight downward movement. When the roller pair 228, 230 is in the position shown in solid lines, deflection of the wad end from its straight downward path may be necessary to lay the end of the new wad on the prepared end of the old wad;

- The joint is formed as described with reference to Figure 1 by restarting the feed at all points along the path from the carrier roller 202 to the feed roller 208, the superimposed batting ends in this case being pressed together by the rollers 228, 230.

It is obvious that in order to form a clamping point, the pressure roller 232 shown in Figure 11 can be replaced by a clamping bar which lies against the fixed carrier roller 202.

When comparing the arrangement shown in Figure 11 with that shown in Figure 1, the following can be determined:

- The arrangement shown in Figure 11 does not require any deflection means (similar to elements 19, 20 of Figure 1) since the downward movement of the incoming wadding carries the prepared end of the wadding onto the previously prepared end of the outgoing wadding,

- The arrangement shown in Figure 11 also does not require an additional pair of rollers similar to the rollers 13, 14 in Figure 1, since the preparation step for the second end (on the incoming wadding) is carried out by the suction device 234 in conjunction with a clamping point which is formed on the carrier roller 202.

The arrangement according to Figure 1 has two advantages:

1. Firstly, the basic arrangement of a machine as shown in Figure 9 remains unchanged - the pair of rollers 16, 17 feeds the batting horizontally onto the sheet 113 (Figure 9) or an equivalent element, and the elements required to carry out the piecing process can be added to the existing machine in the form of a "superstructure". This is of course no longer essential if a new machine design can be considered.

2. Secondly, the end preparation obtained by pulling the wadding apart by a pair of rollers (16, 17; 13, 14; 11, 9) is probably better than that obtained by a suction device such as a nozzle 234 (Figure 11).

Figure 11 shows that the preparation step for the first end (on the outgoing batt) can be carried out by the pair of rollers which is subsequently used to press the batt ends together (the "joining" or "pressing" roller pair 16, 17 in Figure 1). Therefore, in the arrangement of Figure 1, the outgoing batting end can be prepared by clamping the batting on the roller pair 13, 14 and operating the roller pair 16, 17 to pull the batting apart between these roller pairs (see Figure 3). This can simplify the task of arranging the prepared end on the upstream side of the clamping point of the roller pair 16, 17 to receive the prepared end of the incoming batting. However, it can also complicate the entire drive system, as will be explained below with reference to Figure 18.

After carrying out this preparation step for the first end, the pair of rollers 16, 17 must be held stationary in order to arrange the length of the outgoing batt extending from this pair of rollers to the pliers arrangement. This pair of rollers (the "joining" or "pressing" rollers) cannot therefore take part in the preparation step for the second end (on the incoming batt). Therefore, if the use of a pair of rollers for pulling the batt apart in the preparation step for the second end is desired, an additional pair of rollers 13, 14 must be provided. Furthermore, if the width of the machine cannot be increased, this additional pair of rollers must be arranged above the pair of rollers 16, 17 (as shown in Figure 1), whereby the deflection means 19, 20 are required to bring the downwardly moving incoming batt onto the prepared end of the outgoing batt held by the pair of rollers 16, 17 which discharges the batt horizontally.

In view of these remarks, some other possible modifications of this arrangement shown in the figure become easily understandable, namely:

Firstly, if the machine can be widened, the incoming batting can be fed horizontally from the roller 9 to the pair of rollers 16, 17. However, the batting end cannot be fed without a moving means be reliably moved in a horizontal direction by a device specially designed for this purpose. For example, a clamp of the type shown in Figure 17 could be designed as a "pivoting clamp" (similar to the pliers in the combing unit). The pivoting clamp would generally move horizontally to bring the prepared ends together. This is probably not a desirable alternative, but it is possible to

Secondly, the roller pair 16, 17 could be arranged in the joining area of the sheets 113, 114 (Figure 9) instead of at the feed to the sheet 113 (as shown schematically in Figure 1). The other clamping point could then be provided at the feed to the sheet 113. In this case too, means for "conveying" the prepared end of the incoming wadding along the horizontal path from the upstream clamping point to the roller pair 16, 17 would be required.

Thirdly, the pair of rollers 13, 14 could be omitted and a suction nozzle (similar to the nozzle 234 in Figure 11) or a comb could be used to prepare the end of the incoming batt which is held at the nip formed by the carrier roller 9 and the pressure roller 11 (Figure 1).

A practical difficulty may arise when it is necessary to transmit the drive to an element which is not fixed in relation to the machine frame during normal operation (eg the roller 228 in Figure 11). However, it is possible to form the clamping point only at the time of carrying out a lap piecing operation by moving the second roller of the pair (roller 230) from a retracted position into engagement with the guide roller (228) in response to a signal that lap piecing is required. The drive may be applied to the second roller and may be frictionally applied to the guide roller (228), which is only mounted for free rotation about its axis.

During normal operation, when the drive roller (roller 230) has returned to its retracted position, the guide roller (228) is free to pivot as required by normal machine operation. The driving contact of the drive roller with the guide roller can be broken as soon as the joined batt ends have passed through the nip formed between the joining or pressure rollers.

In all embodiments it is desirable to form a "channel" through which the joined ends must pass to the feed roll (110, Figure 1; 208, Figure 10) after they have left the pair of joining rolls. The "channel" should have guide surfaces facing the two main surfaces of the batt. A suitable channel can be formed by modifying the sheets 113, 114 (Figure 9) as shown by the sheets 313, 314 (Figure 12). This (partial) "enclosing" of the joined ends as they pass to the feed roll reduces the risk of tearing apart the (relatively) weak joining region of the fiber layer.

Figure 13 shows a modification of the wadding roll carrier. In this case, the axis of the roller (Figure 1) is fixed in relation to the machine frame, and a slider 300 is provided to push the empty rolling core 8a out of the carrier unit. A piston-cylinder unit 23 acts in this case on the slider 300 and not on the holder for the carrier roller 10.

Figures 14A, 14B and 14C show modifications of the batting end search arrangement. In each case, the outermost turn of batting on the reel is shown schematically. These arrangements can be used if no perforated roller is desired as the carrier roller 9 (Figure 1). In Figure 14A, a mechanical "scraper" 302 is used to "pull" the lap end off the lap while the latter is rotated by the carrier rollers. The scraper 302 extends over the entire width of the lap and is moved against the lap surface (eg by a piston-cylinder unit 304) in response to a signal from the control unit when a new lap is placed on the carrier unit (eg as shown in Figure 5). The free edge of the scraper may be notched.

Figure 14B shows a perforated tube or nozzle 304 that can be used to create an airflow at the wrap surface to pull the batting end off. This airflow can be created by compressed air or suction. The tube or nozzle 304 can also be moved (from a suitable retracted position, not shown) into position for the batting end searching operation. The tube or nozzle extends across the entire width of the batting roll.

Figure 14C shows a roller 306 with radially extending "arms" 308 that can be brought against the outer surface of the roll to pull off the batting end. The roller 306 is also supported, for example, by a pivoting arm (not shown) so that it can move between a retracted position (not shown) and an operating position, as shown. In the operating position, the roller can be rotated about its own longitudinal axis. The roller 306 also extends across the entire width of the batting roll.

Figure 18 shows schematically a drive system suitable for an arrangement as shown in Figure 1. In this arrangement, the lower pressure or connecting roller 17 is driven by the normal combing machine drive system, in this connection replacing the lap roll carrier roller 100 (Fig. 9) which is normally integrated into the combing machine drive system. The operation of the roller 17 is therefore directly linked to the operation of the combing unit by the normal combing machine control system.

An auxiliary drive is now provided for the additional elements involved in the attachment process, namely

- the carrier unit, which comprises the carrier rollers 9, 10 (together with the pressure roller 11), and

- the transport or end preparation rollers 13, 14.

A first auxiliary motor 340 is provided (for example in the machine end head) and is connected by a suitable transmission (for example a toothed belt 342) to gear wheels 344 associated with the rollers 9 and 10, respectively. A tension roller 346 may be provided to keep the belt taut.

A second auxiliary motor 348 is provided (for example also in the machine end head) and is connected, for example, by a toothed belt to a gear wheel 352 associated with the lower roller 14 of the roller pair 13, 14. The rollers 14, 17 can be designed as "cylinders" that extend along the full length of the machine (i.e. connected to all combing heads on one side of the machine).

The drive arrangement shown in Fig. 18 is the preferred arrangement in which the end preparation is carried out by means of the auxiliary drive (acting on the roller pairs 9, 11 and 13, 14) and the joining operation (carried out by the roller pair 16, 17) is integrated into the normal machine drive system, i.e., is coupled to the drive of the combing unit.

The rollers 11, 13 and 16 are preferably designed as pressure rollers, i.e. they are not directly driven but are mounted for free rotation about their own longitudinal axes. There may be a set of such pressure rollers for each combing head, that is, these rollers do not extend over the entire length of the machine but are associated with corresponding combing positions. The set of three pressure rollers 11, 13, 16 may be mounted on a common support frame 54 which is pivotally mounted on the machine frame (not shown) for example at 356. The support frame 354 can be pivoted upwards about the pivot mounting 356 to move the pressure rollers away from their drive cylinders and to gain access to the lap conveyor path for servicing the combing head.

With reference to Figures 19 and 20, in which like reference numerals indicate like parts as above, the combing machine comprises a pair of connecting or pressure rollers 16, 17, a pair of transport or end preparation rollers 13, 14 and a further pair of transport rollers 11, 9, one of which also serves as a lap roll carrier roller. This second lap roll carrier roller is indicated at 10. The drive arrangement is that shown schematically in Figure 18, which comprises a motor 340 which drives the support rollers 9, 10 and a motor 348 which drives the transport roller 14. These motors are added to the main combing machine drive which is shown schematically at 360. The drive 360 operates the combing arrangement (not shown in Fig. 19) as well as the connecting or pressure rollers 16, 17. A pulse signal generator 362 is included in the drive transmission to the roller pair 16, 17. This generator 362 supplies a signal to a central controller 364, which can thereby provide for synchronization of the auxiliary drives 340, 348 with the main combing machine drive 360 as and when required (e.g. during normal operation of the machine).

Figure 19 focuses on the drive arrangements and their integration into the overall control system. As already described with reference to Figure 18, the rollers 17, 14, 9 and 10 extend along the entire row of combing heads (in a single-sided machine or at least along one of the two rows of combing heads in a double-sided machine). Figure 20, on the other hand, focuses on the sensors which are individually connected to each combing head. There are two such sensors in each combing head, namely a first sensor 366 for detecting the presence or absence of a batt on the tube 8a carried by the support rollers 9, 10, and a second sensor 368 for detecting the presence or absence of a batt on the path running between the roller pairs 13, 14 and 16, 17.

The operation of the system is apparent from Figure 21, which is initially described as a timing diagram. Section A of Figure 21 shows the change in the state of the drive 340 for the transport rollers 13, 14 in a certain time interval in which a piecing operation is carried out. Section B of Figure 21 shows the state of the drive 348 for the carrier rollers 9, 10 in the same time interval. Section C of Figure 21 shows the state of the drive 360 for the combing machine (and in particular for the connecting roller pair 16, 17) in the same time interval. Finally, sections D, E, F and G show the operating state of the deflection system 19, 20 (Figure 1), the sleeve ejection element 23 (Figure 1), the vacuum source 370 (Figure 19) for the suction system 26 and the vacuum source (not shown) for the perforated end-finding device, which is represented in Figures 1 and 19 by the perforated carrier roller 9.

At time T0, the machine is in its normal operating state, so that all drives 340, 348, 360 are supplied with energy to feed cotton to the Combs at a speed determined by the main drive unit 360. This speed depends on a setting entered into the machine (eg manually) via the control system 364. The drives 340 and 348 are synchronized with the drive 360 by the output signal from the generator 362 and the corresponding control signals passed from the control unit 364 to the drives 340 and 348. The other elements, the operating states of which are shown in the diagram of Figure 21, are not operational at time T0.

At time T1, one of the sensors 366 (Figure 20) detects the end of the batting in its combing head and sends a corresponding signal to the central control unit 364. The control unit 364 immediately cancels the synchronization of the drives 340 and 348 with the drive 360 and takes over direct control of the operating speeds of all motors. After a short delay, the control unit 364 blocks the drive 340 so that the carrier rollers 9, 10 come to a stop. The drives 348, 360 remain in their operational state so that the batting tears between the now stationary pair of rollers 9, 10 and the rotating pair of transport rollers 13, 14.

After a predetermined time delay t, the controller 364 locks the main machine drive 360 so that the combing heads in general and the joining rollers 16, 17 in particular are brought to a stop. The time delay t can be made adjustable to ensure that the prepared wad end formed by the tearing process is correctly positioned in relation to the joining rollers 16, 17 and ready for the following piecing process.

At time T3, the controller 364 restarts the drive 340 for the carrier rollers 9, 10, as shown in sections A and B of Figure 21. The carrier rollers 9, 10 and the transport rollers 13, 14 are now accelerated to a relatively high speed (above the normal operating speed of these rollers) so that the cotton wool residues are removed as quickly as possible via the suction system 26. The suction system itself was previously supplied with energy, preferably at the time of the first stop of the carrier rollers 9, 10.

The operation of the drives 340 and 348 for feeding the batting remains into the suction system 26 continues until all sensors 368 (Figure 20) have indicated to the control system 364 that no batting can be detected in their detection field. The control 364 must therefore register the state of each of the sensors 368 and can only proceed to the next step of the piecing process when the correct signal has been received from the last sensor 368 to detect the continued presence of batting in its combing head. When the end of this last batting is detected (T4), the control 364 switches off the drive 340 for the carrier rollers 9, 10 and slows down the transport rollers 13, 14 to the normal operating speed.

There follows a short time interval during which the device 23 (Figure 1) is operated (section F of Figure 21) to eject the empty lap carrier tube 8a and a new lap roll is applied to the carrier rollers 9, 10. The latter operation is not shown in Figure 21 since, although it is initiated by the machine control 364, the movements of the incoming lap rolls are separately determined by a transport system control. During the interval during which new lap rolls are placed in position by the transport system, the combing machine itself is not in operation, but since this interval is very short, the drive for the transport rollers 13, 14 is continued.

At time T5, the transport system reports to the controller 364 that new lap rolls have been applied to the support rollers 9, 10 on each of the combing heads under the control of the unit 364. This unit therefore causes the support rollers 9, 10 to be restarted to enable a lap end search operation to be carried out, as described with reference to the previous figures. For this purpose, a suction effect is exerted on the perforated roller 9 (section G of figure 21). The drive 340 for the rollers 9, 10 remains energized until time T6, at which the last of the sensors connected to the controller 364 indicates that a new lap has been detected in its detection field. The machine is therefore ready for the second end preparation step.

At time T6, the unit 364 therefore switches off the drive 340 again, while the drive for the transport rollers 13, 14 remains. The new cotton therefore tears between the pair of rollers 13, 14 and the pair of rollers 9, 11, and the severed part is immediately picked up by the suction system 26, which is still in operation. The preparation step for the second end is thus completed, and it is now necessary to move the prepared end of the new cotton forward to place it on the prepared end of the old cotton, which was previously arranged on the connecting rollers 16, 16, 17.

After a predetermined time delay (not specifically shown in the diagram) sufficient for the end preparation step (including removal of the waste material), the drive 340 is started again at time T7 to guide the prepared batt end forward to the connecting rollers 16, 17. At about the same time, the deflection means 19, 20 (Figure 1) is actuated as shown in section D of Figure 21. At time T8, after a further optionally adjustable time delay (not specifically shown in the diagram), the drive 340 and also the drive 348 are switched off by the control unit 364 so that the feeding of the new batting end ceases, whereby the batting end is correctly positioned for connection with the old batting end. The adjustability of the time delay at this stage guarantees the correct superimposition of the two prepared batting ends.

After a very short delay, which allows the drives to run down, the combing machine drive 360 is started again at time T9. At this time, the synchronizing control connection from the signal generator 362 via the control unit 364 to the auxiliary drives 340, 348 is also re-established, so that the latter drives now once again operate synchronously with the main combing machine drive 360. All of these drives are therefore accelerated synchronously until they reach the normal operating speed and they remain in this state until the next piecing process is triggered by one of the sensors 366 (Figure 20).

The deflector 23 (Figure 1) is returned to its retracted position a certain time after normal operating conditions are restored to bring the machine into a predetermined state ready for the next piecing operation. However, the timing of this step is not critical since the deflector plate 19 does not interfere with normal operation. The suction system 26 is turned off by the control unit 364 at the time the deflector plate 19 advances to its operating position.

Figure 21 has been interpreted in the above description as a timing diagram corresponding to the use of timing means to initiate the various operating steps and also to control the movements of the prepared batting ends. It However, it may be preferable to eliminate time as a control parameter for the latter function and instead use pulse signals indicating the distance travelled by the relevant batt end. For example, with respect to the first prepared batt end (on the old batt), it would be possible to use pulses output by the signal generator 362 to control the positioning of the prepared batt end on the connecting rollers 16, 17. The main combing machine drive 360 could then continue to operate after the start of a tearing operation until a predetermined number of pulses have been counted by the control unit 364. This can avoid the dependence of the positioning of the prepared batt end on the operating speed of the combing machine. This dependence arises when the adjustment is made to a favourable operating point in terms of a time delay t.

The second adjustable timing operation for positioning a batting end (the interval T7 to T8) can be omitted by, for example, using stepper motors in the auxiliary drives 340 and 348 and issuing operating pulses under the control of the unit 364.

Figures 30 to 32 show an arrangement for tearing a batt to form a prepared end. In this case, the connecting rollers 440, 442 form a fixed clamping point for gripping the batt, while the opposite rotation of the rollers 440, 442 could therefore be replaced in this case by a clamping point in the form of a pair of pliers, which is closed immediately before an end preparation step. The prepared end 447 in this case lies on a guide plate 443 which is fixed between the front carrier roller 444 and the pair of connecting rollers 440, 442.

The weight of an empty tube 448 resting on the support rollers 444, 446 may not be sufficient to ensure that the opposite rotation of the rollers 444, 446 is effectively transmitted to the batt, thus pulling it back and tearing it downstream of the pair of rollers 440, 442. Therefore, a means is preferably provided to press the empty tube 448 down onto the rollers 444, 446, while the tube is allowed to rotate about its own axis. The tube 448 therefore forms a nip 450 together with the front support roller 444 and this is sufficient (with opposite rotation of the roller 444) to pull the batt back and bring about the required severing operation.

Figure 31 shows a suitable pressure means in the form of a pair of support rods 452, 454, each of which is pivotally attached to one end of the reciprocating connecting rod 456 of a double-acting piston-cylinder unit 458. Each support rod 452, 454 is pivotally attached between its ends to a support 460 which is attached to a part of the machine frame 462 between the aforementioned lap roll support rollers 444, 446 and the pair of lap roll support rollers (of which only one roller 464 is visible in Figure 31) for feeding material to the adjacent combing head. Each rod 452, 454 has a roller 466 which is rotatably attached to its free end.

When the piston-cylinder unit 458 is operated in one direction, the rods 452, 454 are moved to a non-operating position (dashed lines) in which they do not come into contact with the empty tubes 448 at the associated (adjacent) combing stations (or the batts previously carried by these tubes). However, as a step to bring the machine into the condition for a piecing operation, the unit 458 is used to move the rods 452, 454 in their operative position (solid lines) in which each roller 466 engages the inner surface of the associated empty tube 448 to push the tube firmly downwardly onto the corresponding carrier roller 44, 446 or 464, thereby ensuring a firm drive connection between the tube and the carrier rollers sufficient to form a nip for withdrawing the batting residue (not shown) and causing a tear upstream of the connecting rollers 440, 442. Each tube 448 has two associated pressure rollers 446 at each end of the tube.

The pressure means could of course exert a force on the outside of the tube 448 and could even be formed by the incoming batt lying on the old tube. However, it is preferred to provide a device directly under the control of the machine and in a position where it does not interfere with the incoming batt.

The wadding residue severed from the old wadding section, which still extends through the connecting rollers 440, 442 to the combing assembly, is removed by a suction device with a suction head 470 (Fig. 30) provided adjacent to the trailing or rear carrier roller 446. For this purpose, the rotation of the carrier rollers 44, 446 is continued in the opposite direction until the severed end of the wadding residue has been moved beyond the opening of the suction head 470, and then the rotation of these rollers is reversed so that they rotate once more in the normal feeding direction. As the severed end of the wadding residue is conveyed beyond the opening of the suction head, it is separated from the sleeve 448 and directed into the suction head by air currents generated by the suction effect exerted. The rotation of the sleeve is continued in the normal feeding direction, until a suitable sensor 469 indicates that all residue has been collected in the suction head.

The now empty tube 448 is first released by operating a unit 458 (Fig. 31) to retract the pressure rollers 466 and then ejected by a suitable mechanism (for example as previously described). A new batt 480 (Fig. 32) is then placed on the carrier rollers 444, 446 by a transport system also referred to previously. The new batt 480 is positioned so that the free batt end 482 is close to but "upstream" of the rear carrier roller 446, viewed from the normal direction of rotation of the batt to guide the material into the combing head, i.e. clockwise in Fig. 32.

The carrier rollers 444, 446 are now set in rotation in the normal feed direction and the free batting end 482 is thus aligned with the suction head 470, which continues to be subjected to a negative pressure from a distributor 484. The free batting end is pulled from the batting roll by the suction air flow and drawn into the suction line 470.

The suction head 470 is similar to the suction head 390 described with reference to Figure 22A in that it has an openable and closable mouthpiece comprising a lip 486 at a portion 488 connected to the main body of the suction head by a flexible strip 490. A piston-cylinder unit 492 is provided for opening and closing the mouthpiece, thereby opening and closing the clamping point formed by the lip 486 and the surface of the suction head opposite the lip.

The distributor 484 is carried by a connecting piece 494 which is pivotable about the axis of the rear carrier roller 446. Therefore, as soon as the free end of the cotton has been picked up in the suction head 470 (which is detected by a suitable sensor, not shown, in the suction head itself can be grasped), the support rollers 444, 446 are stopped, the nip at the mouth of the suction head 470 is closed by operating the unit 492 and the distributor 484 is pivoted anti-clockwise (as viewed in Figure 32) about the axis of the roller 446. The portion of batting held by the nip in the head 470 is thereby torn away from the "fiber fringe" or "fiber beard" protruding from the "nip" formed between the main body of the batting itself and the rear support roller 446. If attention is paid to the end preparation requirements already explained with reference to Figures 15A and 15B, a properly prepared end is thereby obtained on the fresh batting.

The batt 480 is now rotated back into the normal feed direction (by rotating the carrier rollers 444, 446) to bring the prepared batt end into a position immediately downstream of the front carrier roller 444 (in the normal feed direction). An end finder (shown schematically at 495) is provided for pulling the just prepared end from the main body of the batt, as has already been generally described with reference to the preceding figures.

The end just found is then dropped onto the guide plate 443, which still carries the previously prepared end of the old batting, as already described with reference to Figure 30. A mechanical device (not shown) may be provided which both assists in pulling the new batting end off the main batting roll, directs it downwards onto the plate 443 with the old batting end, and holds these batting ends together while the system is restarted to feed the superimposed ends into the connecting rollers 440, 442. The machine can then continue with the combing process as normal.

Referring to Figure 33, the pressing means which presses the cotton core or sleeve 448 against the cotton roll support rollers 464 (only one of which is visible in Figure 33) may include a pair of rollers 475. As shown, the rollers 475 are independently mounted, one at each end of the sleeve 448 when the latter is in a normal position on the support rollers 464. Each roller 475 is carried by a piston-cylinder unit 472 which is operable to reciprocate the corresponding roller 475 between a retracted position (shown in solid lines in Figure 33) and a disengaged position (shown partially in dashed lines). Each roller 475 is freely rotatable on a rod (not visible in Figure 33) which connects the roller to its associated piston so that it rotates on a common axis of rotation with the other roller. Each roller 475 has a frusto-conical end portion 474 which engages a corresponding beveled surface 487 on the adjacent end of the sleeve 448.

As shown in Figure 33, the support rollers 464 may be grooved. When the pressure rollers 475 are tensioned to their disengaged positions, contact with the beveled surfaces 487 forces the sleeve 448 down onto the grooved rollers 464 and forms an appropriate frictional drive connection so that the rollers 475 rotate with the sleeve 448.

Figure 34 shows a modification of the pair of connecting or pressing rollers 440, 442 with a means provided for moving the upper roller 440 between an operative position for pressing the lap ends together and a retracted position. In the arrangement shown, the moving means comprises a piston (not visible) of a piston- Cylinder unit 489 connected to the upper roller 440 for moving the roller 440 between the retracted position (shown in solid lines) and a disengaged or operative position (shown partially in dashed lines). When in the operative position, the upper roller 440 provides the nip necessary for preparing the ends and for piecing the batt ends. The upper roller 440 can be retracted after these operations are completed.

The lower roller 442 is driven by suitable means (not shown) and is freely rotatable on its mount. The drive of the lower roller 442 can be switched off when the upper roller 440 is retracted. The lower roller 442 then serves as a simple guide.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 32, the pivoting of the distributor 484 may be unnecessary if the rollers 444, 446 are again set to rotate in the opposite direction in order to rotate the fresh batting after its end has been guided into the suction device 470 and clamped therein. It is of course also possible to carry out the end preparation step on the new batting by both pivoting the distributor 484 and simultaneously setting the rollers 444, 446 to rotate in the opposite direction.

Fig. 35 shows schematically the application of the invention to another type of lap processing machine known as a lap returner. This machine is used in the preparation of laps which are fed to the combing machine itself. The lap returner is the second machine in a pair of combing preparation machines, the first machine (the sliver winding machine) of the pair forming sliver feed material into a lap and the second machine (the lap returner) processing the laps obtained. stretched and doubled to ensure a suitable feed to the combing machine. Therefore, a good piecing system is also required to enable automated operation of the winding return section. Further details of the winding return section can be found in the book by Zoltan S. Szaloki, to which reference has already been made.

The conventional lap return line includes, as shown in Fig. 35, a pair of lap roll support rollers 500, 502 which are substantially the same as those shown, for example, at 444, 446 in Fig. 30. The full lap roll (partially shown in dashed lines at 504) which passes to the lap return line for processing therein is also formed on a center core or support sleeve 506 which remains on the rollers 500, 502 when the lap feed runs out.

A guide plate 508 is provided in a conventional manner between the lap support unit 510 and a lap processing unit, which in this machine is formed by a stretching unit 512. The stretching unit comprises three stretching zones defined between a feed roller pair 514, a delivery roller pair 516 and two middle roller pairs 518, 520. The sets of upper and lower stretching rollers have respective cleaning belts 522, 524 which run around the drive and guide rollers 526. The cleaning belts in motion collect fluff between the roller pairs from the sides of the rollers which are remote from the nips.

After exiting the stretching unit 512, the stretched batt is doubled with batts similarly stretched in adjacent stretching heads, and the doubled batts are fed to a batt lap forming unit (not shown). This aspect of the machine is irrelevant to the present invention and will not be discussed in more detail below.

The conventional arrangement shown in Fig. 35 can be modified as follows to enable operation according to the present invention:

1. A cotton tube ejection mechanism 534 (Fig. 6), for example as shown in Fig. 1 at 23 or in Fig. 13, is connected to the cotton roll carriers 500, 502;

2. A pair of pressure or connecting rollers 530 (Fig. 6) are provided, similar to the rollers 440, 442 in Fig. 30;

3. An end preparation device is provided to prepare the end of an outgoing lap which is placed immediately upstream of the joining or pressure rollers (this device may take the form of a suction unit 532, Fig. 6, or it may comprise means which use the empty lap tube to form a nip, as described with reference to Figs. 31 and 33);

4. An end preparation device is also provided to prepare the end of the incoming batt (this device may be the device 532 referred to in item 3 above or may be a separate end preparation device, for example the unit 470 in Fig. 30).

The piecing process for a winding return section modified in this way is identical to that already described with reference to the combing machine, so that it is not considered necessary to repeat the piecing process or the details of the drives and control sequences.

A modified arrangement with additional elements 530, 532, 534 has been shown in Fig. 36 only by way of example, but it is obvious that the other modifications generally outlined above are also possible.

Claims (18)

1. Method for attaching an incoming batt (7') to an outgoing batt (7) which extends to a batt processing unit in a winding processing machine, characterized by the following steps: preparing a trailing end (7b') of an outgoing batt (7); preparing a leading end (7b') of an incoming batt (7'); overlapping the prepared ends to join the batts and feeding the joined batts to the batt processing unit, wherein at least one of the above-mentioned preparation steps includes a step of reducing the fiber mass per unit length of batt in the prepared end. 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein each of the above-mentioned preparation steps comprises a gradual reduction of the fiber mass per unit length towards the free end of the batting (7b, 7b') and wherein the fiber mass per unit length in the attachment area corresponds approximately to the fiber mass per unit length along the batting. 3. A method according to claim 1, comprising the steps of: clamping an outgoing batt (7) extending to a batt processing head along a pair of clamping bars (7) spaced apart by a distance greater than the longest fiber in the batt; tearing the batt apart between the clamping bars (N) to cause at least one prepared trailing end (7b, 413) on the batt extending to the batt processing head, this end having a gradual reduction in the fibre mass per unit length towards the outgoing end; subsequently clamping an incoming new batt (7') extending from a roller (9, 382, 446) along a pair of clamping lines (N) which are at a distance greater than the longest fibre in the new batt; tearing the new batt apart between said clamping lines (N) to obtain at least one prepared front end (7b', 416) of the new batt, the front end having a gradual reduction in the fibre mass per unit length towards the front end; subsequently overlapping the two ends; subsequently pressing the overlapped ends together to obtain a joint having a fibre mass per unit length which corresponds to the fibre mass per unit length in a respective batt. 4. The method of claim 3, wherein one of the clamping lines (402, 408) is moved away from the other clamping line to cause a tearing apart of an intervening batt. 5. Method according to claim 3, wherein the distance between the clamping lines (N, 402, 408) is 60 to 120 mm. 6. A method according to claim 1, comprising the following steps: clamping an outgoing batt (7, 250) extending to a batt processing head along a clamping line (N); severing the batt upstream of the clamping line while simultaneously combing out the batt extending from the clamping line to the severed end. batting to form a trailing end (7b, 413) having a gradual reduction in fiber mass per unit length towards the trailing end; clamping an incoming new batt (7, 250) extending from a roller (9, 382, 446) along a nip line; severing the new batt (7', 250) downstream of the second nip line while simultaneously combing out the batt extending from the second nip line to the severed end to form a leading end having a gradual reduction in fiber mass per unit length towards the leading end. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the combing towards the end of each cotton wool (250) is carried out under suction. 8. A wadding machine comprising at least a wadding head with a wadding processing unit; support means (9, 10; 382, 384; 444, 446; 500, 502) for receiving a wadding roll to be processed; means (13, 14; 390) for forming a prepared end (7b, 413) on a length of an outgoing wadding extending to the wadding processing unit; means for supporting the length of the outgoing wadding upstream of the wadding processing unit, the prepared end being in a substantially predetermined position; means (13, 14; 390; 470) for forming a prepared end (7b', 416) on an incoming wadding (7'); and means (16, 17, 386, 388, 440, 442) for bringing the prepared ends together and feeding them in assembled form to the wadding processing unit. 9. A wadding processing machine comprising at least a wadding processing head with a wadding processing unit; a support means (9, 10; 382, 384; 444, 446; 500, 502) for supporting a wadding roll to be processed; means for preparing the trailing end (7b₁ 413) of an outgoing wadding (7) and the leading end of an incoming wadding (7'); means (19, 20, 392) for bringing the prepared ends together by overlapping them; and means (16, 17; 386, 388) for supplying the waddings with the overlapped ends to the wadding processing unit. 10. Machine according to claim 9, wherein the means (13, 14; 390; 470; 264, 265) for preparing the trailing end (b, 413) on the outgoing batt (7) and for preparing the leading end (7b', 416) on the incoming batt (7') comprises means for forming a tapered end on each batt. 11. A lap processing machine for carrying out the method according to claim 3, comprising a support means (382, 384; 444, 446) with at least one roller for supporting a lap roll thereon; a lap processing head with lap processing elements for receiving a lap from the support means; means (386, 388; 440, 442) for defining a clamping point (N) between the support means and the lap processing head in order to hold a lap therewith; a guide plate (392, 443) between the support roller (382, 444) and the clamping point for guiding a lap from the A carrier roller to the nip; a suction head (390, 470) for receiving and combing out a leading end (416; 482) of a fresh batt on the carrier means; control means (364) connected to the carrier roller (382, 444) for reversing the rotation of the roller to cause a batt to be torn apart between the nip and the roller to form a trailing end for bearing on the guide plate (392, 443) and for subsequently rotating the carrier roller to deliver the leading end (416) of a fresh batt onto the guide plate (392, 443). 12. A cotton processing machine according to claim 11, wherein the means is a pair of rollers (382, 388; 440, 442). 13. A lap processing machine according to claim 11, wherein the support means comprises a pair of rollers (444, 446) for supporting a lap roll (480) thereon, and the suction head (470) is located between these support rollers. 14. A lap processing machine according to claim 11, which additionally comprises a pressing means (458, 475) for pressing a lap roll (448) against the carrier roller (444, 446). 15. A lap processing machine according to claim 14, wherein the pressing means comprises a pair of pressure rollers (475), wherein each pressure roller is located at the respective ends of the carrier roller and is movable into a position within the lap winding roll (448) on the carrier roller (444, 446) in order to press the lap winding roll against the carrier roller. 16. A cotton processing machine according to claim 15, wherein each pressing means (458) is pivotally mounted for movement into a cotton winding roll (448) and out of the latter. 17. A lap processing machine according to claim 15, wherein the pressure rollers (475) are supported for reciprocation on a common axis, each of the pressure rollers having a frusto-conical end portion (474) for engaging the beveled surface within a lap winding roll (448). 18. A lap processing machine according to claim 11, wherein the means defining the nip (N) comprises a pair of rollers (440, 442) and means (489) for moving one of the rollers (440) relative to the other roller (442) for defining the nip in a working position of one roller.