GB1119900A - Improvements in or relating to combing machines for wool and other textile fibres - Google Patents

Abstract

1,119,900. Combing machines. UNISEARCH Ltd. 2 Dec., 1966 [9 Dec., 1965], No. 54035/66. Heading D1N. A combing machine for textile fibres comprises feeding mechanisms 11 arranged on a "feed circle" for intermittently forwarding slivers 12, a rotating comb such as a pinned drum 24 to comb the forward ends of the sliver, means to move the rotating comb relative to the feed mechanisms to comb the sliver ends in turn and means such as plates 22 (see also Fig. 3 not shown) to clamp each sliver adjacent its forward end while the forward end is combed. The combed forward ends of the slivers are drawn off by means such as a rotating circular arrangement of clamping jaws 34 which moves bodily relative to the feeding mechanisms and pulls the fibres through a comb 31 (see also Fig. 3) which is inserted through the fibres for the drawing off action and then conveys the fibres to means such as rollers 38 which carry away the fibres released by the draw off means and form them into slivers. In Fig. 3 not shown a sliver (12) is fed by a smooth roller (13) and a fluted roller (14) to a porcupine roller (16) and then to a plate (17) against which the fibres can be clamped by the plates (22). The feed is intermittently operated by a hydraulically activated lever and ratchet device. The axis of combing drum 24 is arranged at an angle to the plane of the feed circle and the magnitudes of its rotational speeds about its own axis and about the axis of the feed circle can be arranged so that the fibres are combed with no lateral movement: similarly the rotational speeds of the draw off ring about its own axis and about the axis of the feed circle can be so arranged that the fibres are drawn off radially of the feed circle. The pins on comb 24 can be of varying length. A brush 29 is provided to clean each comb 24. Plates 22, combs 31, clamps 34 and the drive for the feed mechanisms are operated in the required relation by individual hydraulic cylinder devices. In Figs. 4, 5 not shown, comb cylinders 24 are replaced by a circular, horizontal arrangement of upper and lower pinned segments (42, 43) which rotates about its own axis and also about the axis of the feed circle. The upper and lower segment are brought towards each other adjacent the feed circle to penetrate and then comb the fibres, the combing action being substantially radial of the feed circle. When the segments open the waste matter therein is removed by air jets. The drawing off arrangement of Fig. 2 may be replaced by a pair of horizontal rubber or like rings which are brought into fibre clamping and releasing relation in the same way as the clamps of Fig. 2: alternatively a ring of vertically arranged roller pairs is provided.