EP3184676B1 - Fibre processing installation and method for opening and mixing fibre material in a fibre processing installation - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a fiber processing system for opening and mixing fiber material, e.g. B. cotton u. The invention also relates to a method for opening and mixing fiber material in a fiber processing plant.

Bale openers are used to roughly loosen fibers of natural or synthetic origin from fiber bales. There are different types of bale openers, including those in which the bales are placed close together and one arm of the machine moves slowly over them while it loosens and sucks up individual clumps of fiber. Since several bales are set up next to each other, the fiber clumps from different bales are already mixed here. This improves the mix. In other known bale openers, each bale opener weighs its fiber material and transfers it to the associated conveyor device. Such bale openers are designed, for example, as weigh box feeders, in each of which only a certain predetermined amount of fibers is dispensed. Processed materials are, for example, man-made fibers made of PP, PA, PES, etc.

For example, from the DE 28 55 311 A1 a device for processing fibers is known which has three bale openers. From the bale openers, the fibers are placed on a conveyor that feeds the fibers to the feeder. In the U.S. 2,090,955 A describes a device for collecting lint from cotton, in which two rows of ginning machines are supplied with a dust separator and the collected lint can be transported away through the pipes assigned to the ginning machines. Furthermore, also disclose U.S. 2,718,671 A and the CH 436 050 A a device for opening, cleaning and blending cotton.

The opened and weighed fiber material is discharged either by means of a conveyor belt onto which the fiber material plucked from the row of bales falls or is deposited. Alternatively, the loosened fiber material is transported away by means of a suction conveyor. The opened and possibly mixed fiber material is generally collected or sent to a downstream processing machine, e.g. B. a card, card or the like. Supplied, which is equipped with a box feeder or a feed chute as a feed device.

Often several bale openers are placed next to each other in order to increase the throughput and to make the mixture even more effective by conveying together on the conveyor belt. The total number of bale openers, however, is generally limited to up to six machines, since - without redesigning the equipment involved - the fiber volume can no longer be handled by the available conveyor equipment, i.e. the conveyor belt (s). The scales placed on the transport route are also not able to weigh very large amounts of fiber.

It is the object of the present invention to increase the fiber material throughput of a fiber processing plant in accordance with the preamble of the independent claims, without having to undertake significant redesigns on existing machines.

This object is achieved by a fiber processing plant according to claim 1, in which the plurality of bale openers, which are designed as weigh box feeders, are divided into at least two opener groups which each produce a fiber mixture. Each opening group is a conveyor assigned, the conveying devices being able to transport away the fiber mixtures in different directions with respect to the associated opening group. The conveying devices are guided in their further course in the direction of the said processing device in front of or in which the fiber mixtures are brought together to form a total fiber mixture. At least one of the conveyor devices comprises one or more slivers.

The object is also achieved by a corresponding method according to the independent method claim.

The invention offers the particular advantage that at least two conveying devices are designed and arranged in such a way that they are able to transport the respective associated fiber mixture from one opening group in each case - relative to the respective opening group - in different directions. The conveying devices are preferably brought together again directly in front of (or even in) the processing device, so that the total fiber mixture can be processed in the processing device, preferably a mixing chamber or a card feeder. In this way, in particular, known conveying devices and known scales can be used. These are then preferably used for one of the fiber material partial flows or fiber mixtures.

In the present case, the term fiber mixture is understood to mean an accumulation of fibers which contains fibers obtained from several bale openers and mixed with one another, which are mixed and transported on a conveyor belt (or also several conveyor belts running next to one another).

Opener groups according to the invention do not have to occur as a spatially related group of bale openers. This is probably the case in most applications, but in general the term "NC group" the corresponding functional unit is meant, which throws fiber material onto a conveyor which transports the fibers of these bale openers in a common direction. The term "conveying device" is also to be understood as meaning the device with regard to its function of mixing and transporting away fibers that is received from an opening group.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the bale openers of at least two groups of openers are arranged in a row. In the case of a total of two opener groups with a total of, for example, ten bale openers, these ten bale openers are positioned next to one another, each opening group comprising, for example, five bale openers. The division can also be, for example, six to four bale openers or seven to three bale openers. In these two opener groups, one conveyor device conveys the fiber mixture of one opener group in one direction and the other conveyor device of the other opener group in another direction.

Alternatively or additionally, the bale openers of at least two opener groups are arranged opposite each other (directly opposite or offset from one another), the said conveying devices conveying the fiber mixtures away relative to the respective opening group in opposite directions and in absolute terms in a common direction. In the case of two opposing opening groups - viewed from the rear of a bale opener in the direction of its exit - the fiber mixture of one opening group is transported to the right and the fiber mixture of the opposing opening group to the left. Both directions then run parallel and are oriented in the same way (have the same orientation). In this embodiment in particular, it is advisable if the two conveying devices are designed as a common conveying device or as a conveyor belt on which the two fiber mixtures are conveyed essentially next to one another as seen in the direction of transport. The two fiber blends can also mechanically oppose one another be pushed to reduce their overall conveyor width.

According to the invention, at least one of the conveyor devices comprises one or more conveyor belts. Here, a conveyor belt can transport the fibers away from one or more or all of the bale openers in a group of openers. A single conveyor belt, for example, or a plurality of conveyor belts connected one behind the other, in particular to enable a change of direction of the conveying direction, can be responsible for an opening group. In this case, several conveyor belts can then be arranged one behind the other at an angle to one another.

According to one embodiment, several conveyor belts run close to one another in order to convey the fiber material away from the bale openers of an opener group. The fiber material obtained from an opener group is mixed on the conveyor belt or belts. When the direction of the conveying device changes, a further, angled row of conveyor belts running close to one another follows.

Particularly preferably, a separate collecting device is connected upstream of the processing device, to which the conveying devices lead and in which the fiber mixtures (M1, M2) are brought together. The collecting device is accordingly connected upstream of the processing device and ensures that the entire fiber mixture is fed to the processing machine.

The collecting device is advantageously designed as a fiber store or as a fiber air separator in which the fibers are at least partially separated from the air surrounding them. The air is sucked out through a sieve, for example, which the fibers cannot pass through.

The processing device is preferably preceded by a feed device, in particular a box feeder or a filling chute, which is preceded by the collecting device. The conveying sequence of the fibers is therefore as follows: fiber bale - bale opener - conveying devices that run in different directions - collecting device - possibly feeding device - processing machine.

In another embodiment, the fiber mixtures are only brought together in the processing machine.

It is also possible for each fiber mixture to pass through a fiber air separator before the fiber mixtures are brought together, for example in a funnel or another fiber air separator, in order to then be transferred to the processing machine.

The invention also relates to a method for opening and mixing fiber material in a fiber processing plant as described above, the fiber material being obtained by opening fiber bales with the aid of a plurality of bale openers. Here, the plurality of bale openers is subdivided into at least two opener groups, with each opener group producing a fiber mixture. The at least two fiber mixtures are each deposited on a conveyor device, and each conveyor device transports the respective fiber mixture - in relation to the respective opener group - in a different direction. These fiber blends are brought together again before or in a downstream processing device.

This method offers the advantage, among other things, that the conveying and weighing processes can in principle be carried out as before, ie in particular without modifications with regard to a larger design of the known machines. For example, there is no need to construct extra-wide conveyor belts or scales with an oversized support surface. The transport Rather, the dissolved fiber material is divided into at least two different transport routes in relation to the respective opening group, which are each made available by a conveyor device.

As stated above, in the case of opposing opener groups, the two conveying devices can also be combined in a single conveying device.

The at least two fiber mixtures guided on different transport routes (with at least partially different conveying directions) are preferably brought together mechanically and / or pneumatically in a collecting device, preferably designed as a fiber air separator or fiber mixer. It is possible, for example, for one of the at least two fiber mixtures to be fed mechanically into the collecting device, while the other fiber mixture is sucked in pneumatically. In the case of more than two fiber mixtures fed to the collecting device, the majority of the fiber mixtures are preferably fed to the collecting device by means of pneumatic suction.

The combined fiber mixtures form a total fiber mixture which is preferably first fed to a box feeder or a filling chute, which in turn feeds the processing machine, for example a mixing chamber or a card feeder.

Figur 1

eine Draufsicht auf eine erste Ausführungsform einer schematisch dargestellten Faserbearbeitungsanlage, und

Figur 2

eine Draufsicht auf eine zweite Ausführungsform einer schematisch dargestellten Faserbearbeitungsanlage.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to figures. It shows:

Figure 1

a plan view of a first embodiment of a schematically illustrated fiber processing system, and

Figure 2

a plan view of a second embodiment of a schematically illustrated fiber processing system.

In Figure 1 a fiber processing plant 1 with ten bale openers 2 set up in a row is shown schematically in a plan view, which are designed, for example, as weigh box feeders. The bale openers 2 are divided into two opener groups 3a, 3b, which in the present case each comprise five bale openers 2 arranged directly next to one another. In some of the bale openers 2, a fiber bale FB is indicated, from which a removal device, not shown, tears off fibers. A plurality of fiber bales FB can also be placed next to one another in a bale opener 2 in front of its removal device (not shown). Each of these opener groups 3a and 3b is assigned a conveyor device 4a or 4b, onto which the bale openers 2 drop the fibers that have been loosened or opened from one another. According to the invention, the conveying directions of the conveying sections of the two conveying devices 4a and 4b opposite the bale openers 2 run in different, here opposite directions R1 and R2.

The arrows not provided with reference symbols on the conveying devices 4a, 4b indicate the direction of travel of the conveying devices 4a, 4b.

The conveying devices 4a, 4b comprise conveyor belts which also serve as so-called mixing belts for mixing the fiber material of a respective opening group 3a or 3b of five bale openers 2 in the present case. The mixture is not created by active mixing, but rather by placing the fiber material of the bale openers 2 on top of and / or next to one another in a respective opener group 3a or 3b.

A conveyor device 4a or 4b can be designed as a single conveyor belt or as a series of individual conveyor belts or as a plurality of conveyor belts running close together.

The conveying device 4a guides the fiber mixture M1 transported by it, which is produced by being deposited by the bale openers 2 of the opening group 3a, directly in the direction R1 of a fiber processing device 10, while the conveying device 4b transports away the fiber mixture M2 in the opposite direction R2. The fiber mixtures M1, M2 are only indicated over a short section of their respective transport route.

The conveying device 4b is subdivided into several conveying sections 5i, 5ii, 5iii, 5iv, which overall form an approximately U-shaped course. The conveyor section 5i leads along the opening group 3b (in the opposite direction R2 compared to the direction R1 of the conveyor 4a). After passing the last bale opener 2, the conveyor section 5ii connects, which runs at 90 ° to the conveyor section 5i. The design of the conveying sections 5i, 5ii for transferring the fiber mixture M2 from one to the other conveying section 5i, 5ii (and the other subsequent transfers) is known to the person skilled in the art and does not need to be explained in more detail here. At the end of the conveying section 5ii, the further conveying section 5iii connects, both conveying sections also being offset by 90 ° with respect to one another and the two conveying sections 5i, 5iii running in opposite directions. The conveying device 4b thus ensures a 180 ° deflection of the fiber mixture M2.

In each case, a weighing device or scale 6 is indicated in the transport path of the two conveying devices 4a, 4b, which weighs the fiber mixture M1 or M2 and controls subsequent textile machines (for example the processing device 10) and / or upstream machines (for example the bale openers 2 and / or the Funds 4a, 4b) regulates.

The two fiber mixtures M1, M2 now finally transported in parallel in the direction R1 are fed to a collecting device 7, into which the two conveying devices 4a, 4b open. It is indicated here that the two fiber blends M1, M2 are not fed into the collecting device 7 next to one another. Rather, a further conveying section 5iv is provided on the last section of the conveying device 4b, which here leads obliquely to the collecting device 7. Other transport methods and directions for bringing together the fiber blends M1, M2 are easily possible.

In the present case, the collecting device 7 is designed as a fiber air separator into which the fiber mixtures M1, M2 are introduced. In this case, the conveying device 4a can feed the fiber mixture M1 directly into the collecting device 7, for example (mechanical feed), while the fiber mixture M2 is sucked into the collecting device 7, for example pneumatically. In the collecting device 7, the fiber mixtures M1, M2 are separated from air and combined to form a total fiber mixture GM. According to an alternative, a fiber store can be used instead of a fiber air separator.

A feed device 9, in which the total fiber mixture GM is transported, for example by means of a belt conveyor 8, is connected to the collecting device 7. From the feed device 9, which is preferably designed as a box feeder or filling store, the total fiber mixture GM is ultimately fed into the processing device 10, for example a mixing chamber or a card feeder or a card. From this the resulting fiber mixture RM is transported away by means of a further conveying device 11. The transport of the fiber mixtures from the collecting device 7 is shown by a dashed arrow.

In the following description of the in Figure 2 The alternative exemplary embodiment shown are used for features that are different in comparison to the in Figure 1 The first exemplary embodiment shown are identical and / or at least comparable in their design and / or mode of operation, the same reference numerals are used. Unless these are explained again in detail, their design and / or mode of action corresponds to the design and mode of action of the features already described above.

In the Figure 2 two opener groups 13a, 13b, each with five bale openers 2, are shown schematically in plan view. In the case of the Fig. 2 The upper opening group 13a has its fiber mixture M1 by means of the conveying device 14a - viewed in relation to the exit of the bale opener 2 of this opening group 13a - transported to the right in the direction R1 ', while in the lower opening group 13b its fiber mixture M2 by means of the conveying device 14b - viewed in relation on the exit of their bale opener 2 - to the left in the direction of R2 'is transported away. In relation to the respective opening group 13a, 13b, the two fiber blends M1, M2 are thus conveyed away in different, here opposite directions. These directions R1 ', R2' coincide in absolute terms (ie not relatively in relation to the opening groups 13a, 13b) and lead to the collecting device 7. The two conveying devices 14a, 14b are in FIG Figure 2 shown as separate conveyors or as separate conveyor belts. However, it is also advantageous that the two conveyor devices 14a, 14b are designed as a single common conveyor device (not shown), for example as a relatively wide conveyor belt which can be 2 m wide, for example. The fiber mixture M1 is then deposited on one half of this conveyor belt from one side, while the fiber mixture M2 is thrown from the other side onto the other half of the conveyor belt. The total conveying width can be reduced by means of mechanical slides, so that it is 80 cm, for example, and can therefore pass through a scale according to the prior art.

The invention has been explained in more detail on the basis of exemplary embodiments. The present invention is not limited to the illustrated and described exemplary embodiments. Modifications as well as a combination of the features, even if these are shown and described in different exemplary embodiments, are, however, easily possible within the scope of the claims. For example, there are also three or more NC groups, each with the same or at least partially different number possible on bale openers with a connected conveyor. The number of bale openers per opening group is also not limited to a specific number. The multiple opening groups of a fiber processing system can also each have a different number of bale openers.

List of reference symbols

1

Fiber processing plant

2

Bale opener

3a

Break group

3b

Break group

4a

Conveyor

4b

Conveyor

5i

Conveyor section

5ii

Conveyor section

5iii

Conveyor section

5iv

Conveyor section

6th

scale

7th

Collection facility

8th

Conveyor

9

Power supply

10

Machining facility

11

Conveyor

13a

Break group

13b

Break group

14a

Conveyor

14b

Conveyor

M1

Fiber blend

M2

Fiber blend

GM

Total fiber mixture

RM

Resulting mixture

R1

direction

R2

direction

R1 '

direction

R2 '

direction

Claims (11)

1. Fiber processing system for opening and mixing fiber material, with a multiple number of bale openers (2) for opening fiber bales (FB), implemented as weighing tray feeders and conveying devices (4a, 4b; 14a, 14b) downstream of the bale openers (2) for mixing and conveying the opened fiber material to a downstream processing device (10), for example a mixing chamber or a carding feed, wherein at least one of the conveying devices (4a, 4b; 14a, 14b) comprises one or more conveyor belts, characterized in that the bale openers (2) are divided into at least two opener groups (3a, 3b; 13a, 13b), each of which produces a fiber mixture (M1, M2), and that each opener group (3a, 3b; 13a, 13b) is allocated with a conveying device (4a, 4b; 14a, 14b), whereas the conveying devices (4a, 4b; 14a, 14b) are designed and arranged in such a manner that the respective fiber mixture (M1, M2) is transported away in relation to the associated opener group (3a, 3b; 13a, 13b) in different directions (R1, R2; R1', R2') and the fiber mixtures (M1, M2) are combined before or in the processing device (10) into an overall fiber mixture (GM).
2. Fiber processing system according to claim 1, characterized in that the bale openers (2) of at least two opener groups (3a, 3b) are arranged in one row.
3. Fiber processing system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bale openers (2) of at least two opener groups (13a, 13b) are arranged opposite each other, whereas the specified conveying devices (14a, 14b) convey the fiber mixtures (M1, M2) relative to the respective opener group (13a, 13b) in opposite directions and, viewed in absolute terms, in a common direction.
4. Fiber processing system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the two conveying devices (14a, 14b) are formed as one common conveying device, in particular a conveyor belt, on which the two fiber mixtures (M1, M2) are, viewed in the direction of transport, conveyed essentially side by side.
5. Fiber processing system according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that upstream of the processing device (10) there is connected a collecting device (7), to which the conveying devices (4a, 4b; 14a, 14b) lead and in which the fiber mixtures (M1, M2) are combined.
6. Fiber processing system according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the collecting device (7) is formed as a fiber air separator or as a fiber accumulator.
7. Fiber processing system according to the claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the processing device (10) is connected downstream of a feeding device (9), in particular a tray feeder or a filling shaft, which in turn is connected downstream of the collecting device (7).
8. Method for opening and mixing fiber material in a fiber processing system according to one of the preceding claims, whereas fiber bales (FB) are opened with the assistance of a multiple number of bale openers (2), implemented as weighing tray feeders, characterized in that the bale openers (2) are divided into at least two opener groups (3a, 3b), whereas each opener group (3a, 3b) produces a fiber mixture (M1, M2), that the at least two fiber mixtures (M1, M2) are deposited on one conveying device (4a, 4b) each, whereas the conveying devices (4a, 4b) transport away the respective fiber mixtures (M1, M2) in relation to the associated opener groups (3a, 3b; 13a, 13b) in different directions (R1, R2; R1', R2'), and that such fiber mixtures (M1, M2) are combined before or in a downstream processing device (10) into an overall fiber mixture (GM).
9. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the bale openers (2) of at least two opener groups (3a, 3b; 13a, 13b) are arranged side by side in a row or opposite one another.
10. Method according to one or more of the preceding method claims, characterized in that the at least two fiber mixtures (M1, M2) are mechanically and/or pneumatically combined in a collecting device (7), preferably in the form of a fiber air separator or a fiber accumulator.
11. Method according to one or more of the preceding method claims, characterized in that the overall fiber mixture (GM) arising from the combination is fed to a feeding device (9), preferably in the form of a tray feeder or a filling shaft, which in turn feeds the processing machine (10).

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