GB1580045A

GB1580045A - Combs for textile combing machines

Info

Publication number: GB1580045A
Application number: GB1558576A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Stewart & Sons Hacklemakers
Current assignee: Stewart & Sons Hacklemakers
Priority date: 1977-07-15
Filing date: 1977-07-15
Publication date: 1980-11-26

Description

(54) COMBS FOR TEXTILE COMBING MACHINES (71) We, WM. R. STEWART & SONS (HACKLEMAKERS) LIMITED, a British Company organised under the laws of Scotland of Marine Parade, Dundee, Scotland, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to combs for textile combing machines, and in particular to half-lap combs used in rectilinear combing machines.

Half-lap combs used in rectilinear textile combing machines comprise an array of spaced pins. This array of pins is drawn through a fringe of fibres presented to the comb, with the result that the longer fibres in the fringe are disentangled, brought into parallel alignment with each other and freed from shorter fibres. In a half lap comb, the pins are mounted on an axially extending arcuate surface, which is usually cylindrical in shape, and the pins are arranged in parallel axially extending rows, the rows being equally spaced along the circumferential length of the comb. In order to secure the pins in the comb, they are usually mounted on strips of metal, which are then attached to a semi-cylindrical support composed of steel or cast iron.

In one known type of half-lap comb, the spacing between adjacent pins in each row increases along the circumferential length of the comb from its leading axial edge to its trailing axial edge. Additionally, the diameters of the pins in each row decrease in the same direction. In this construction, the pins of smaller diameter are susceptible to damage either by foreign matter in the material being combed or by the stronger fibres in the material.

As a result of a close study of the combing process we have now established that three separate process are involved, namely: alignment of the longer fibres, removal of shorter fibres and elimination of knots or neps. Moreover we have also found that the efficiency with which each of these processes is performed by a comb varies with the spacing between adjacent rows of pins, and that the optimum spacing for adjacent rows of pins differs for each process.

According to the present invention we now provide a comb for a textile combing machine comprising an axially extending arcuate surface carrying a plurality of generally axially extending rows of comber pins, the spacings between adjacent rows of comber pins decreasing progressively along the circumferential length of the comb in a direction from a leading axial edge of the comb to a trailing axial edge of the comb.

The spacings of the rows of pins is such that, in use, the rows of pins adjacent the leading edge of the comb are the most widely spaced, and those adjacent the trailing edge are the most closely spaced.

In the simplest form of the comb, each row of pins extends along a straight line parallel to the leading and trailing edges of the comb.

The rows may however extend at an angle to the leading and trailing edges. Alternatively the rows may extend along curved lines.

Although an improved combing action may be obtained using pins arranged in rows with only two different spacings, the rows are preferably arranged with three or more different spacings. With this arrangement, the most widely-spaced rows of pins effect the alignment of the longer fibres, the rows of pins having intermediate spacings effect smooth and gentle removal of the shorter fibres, and the closest-spaced rows of pins effect removal of the knots or neps from the fibres.

The rows of pins may be arranged in separate bands, the spacings between adjacent rows in each band being the same. Alternatively, the spacings of the rows may decrease uniformly along the length of the comb so that the combing action is smooth and does not subject the fibres to excessive shock loads, which promote breakage of the fibres.

Typical values for the spacings of the rows range up to 1/2 inch, for example from 3/8 inch to 1/4 inch, in the most widely-spaced rows, and down to 40 thousandths of an inch, for example between 1/4 inch to 50 thousandths of an inch, for example, one tenth of an inch, in the most closely spaced rows.

We have also found that the efficiency of the combing process is affected by the angles at which the pins are inclined to the normal to the surface of the comb.

Thus, in addition to the progressive decrease in spacing, the angles of inclination of the pins to the normals to the surface of the comb at their points of attachment to the comb may also decrease along the circumferential length of the comb from a leading axial edge to a trailing axial edge of the comb.

The rows of pins adjacent the leading axial edge are therefore inclined at a relatively large angle to the normals to the surface of the comb and, in use, draw fibres from a fringe of fibres presented to the comb down onto the surface of the comb. The rows of pins adjacent the trailing axial edge of the comb are inclined at a small angle to the ormals to the surface of the comb and can comb through the fringe of fibres without trapping the fibres between the pins and the surface of the comb.

Typically, the said angle of inclination of the pins adjacent the leading edge of the comb is from 55 to 45 , for example 50 , and the said angles of inclination of the pins adjacent the trailing edge is between 45" and 35 , for example 40". The direction of the inclination of the pins will be from the trailing edge towards the leading edge of the comb.

Although the said angles of inclination of the pins may be substantially constant along the circumferential length of the comb, preferably, the comb is constructed in accordance with both aspects of the invention so that both the inter-row spacing and the angles of inclination of the pins decrease along the circumferential length of the comb.

A further improvement in the combing action is obtained when the distances by which the pins project from the surface of the comb varies across the circumferential surface of the comb. The longer pins assist in drawing the fibres down onto the comb, whilst the shorter pins allow the fibres to leave the comb freely.

Preferably therefore the pins positioned adjacent the leading axial edge of the comb are longer than those positioned adjacent the trailing edge of the comb. Typically, the pins adjacent the leading edge of the comb will project from the surface of the comb by from 9/16 to 1/4 inch, for example 1/2 inch and the pins adjacent the railing edge of the comb project from the surface of the comb by between 1/4 and 1/16 inch, for example 3/32 inch.

Desirably, the distances by which the pins project from the surface of the comb vary smoothly across the circumferential length of the comb so that steps in the combing surface are avoided.

Apart from the arrangement of the rows of pins, the comb itself may be of any appropriate construction. Preferably the comb is in the form of a unitary half lap, i.e. a partlycylindrical plate adapted to be mounted on a combing cylinder of a combing machine.

Such plates may be of metal, the pins projecting from the convex surface of the plate. Our British Patent Specification No. 1298561 disclosed and claimed a suitable method of mounting pins in such plates.

The pins themselves may be of uniform size throughout the whole comb, and the spacing between adjacent pins in each row may be equal. In certain cases however, it has been found advantageous to space the pins in the rows adjacent the trailing edge of the comb more closely than those in the rows adjacent the leading edge.

The invention also includes textile combing machines incorporating combs in accordance with the invention.

In order that the invention may be better understood, a preferred embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sketch of a textile combing machine incorporating a half-lap comb in accordance with the invention; and Figures 2 to 4 are sketches showing, on an enlarged scale, radial cross sections through three different half lap combs according to the invention.

The textile combing machine illustrated in Figure 1 is of conventional construction, and a person skilled in the art will be familiar with its operation. A brief description thereof is given for the sake of clarity.

Referring to Figure 1, a cotton lap 1 is fed over feed rollers 2, 3 to a reciprocable nip 4 which presents a fringe 5 of fibres to a rotatable combing cylinder 6. The nip 4 is reciprocable towards and away from a set of detaching rollers 10 which detach the fibres of the fringe 5 from the lap 1 after combing to form a web or piecing 11. The separation of the combed fringe 5 from the lap 1 by the detaching rollers 10 is assisted by a top comb 12 which is movable along a cyclic path towards and away from the detaching rollers 10 in synchronism with the nip 4.

The combing cylinder 6 carries a half lap comb 8 constructed in accordance with the invention. A rotatable brush 9 is positioned beneath the combing cylinder 6 to intercept the comb 8 as the cylinder 6 is rotated.

The half-lap comb illustrated in Figure 2 comprises a part-cylindrical supporting plate 15 which carries a series of rows of pins 16.

The pins 16 may be secured in the plate 15 by any convenient method. Preferably however the shanks of the pins 16 are fixed in oversize bores in the plate 15 by means of an adhesive, as described in our British Patent Specification No. 1298561. Each pin projects above the surface of the plate 15 by the same amount, i.e. approximately 0.25 inches.

The rows of pins 16 are arranged axially along the surface of the plate 15 and the circumferential spacing between adjacent rows decreases regularly along the circumferential length of the comb in a direction from the leading axial edge 18 to the trailing axial edge 19 of the comb. Thus, the spacing a between the stems of the two rows of pins 16 adjacent the leading edge 18 is equal to 2 inch whilst the spacing b between the stems of the two rows of pins adjacent the trailing edge 19 is 0.040 inches. The pins 16 are all inclined by the same amount to the normals to the surface of the plate 15 at their points of attachment. In each case, this angle of inclination is approximately 45".

The half-lap comb illustrated in Figure 3 is of similar construction to that of Figure 2 except that the angles 0 of inclination of the pins 16 to the normals to the surface of the plate 15 at their points of attachment decrease along the circumferential length of the comb from the leading edge 18 to the trailing edge 19. Thus, the row of pins adjacent the leading edge of the plate is inclined at a greater angle to the normals than the row of pins adjacent the trailing edge of the plate.

In the embodiment illustrated the pins 16 in the row adjacent the leading edge 18 are inclined at 500 to the normal, and the pins in the row adjacent the trailing edge are inclined at 400 to the normal. As in the embodiment of Figure 3, all the pins project equally above the surface of the plate 15.

The half lap comb shown in Figure 4 is of similar construction to that of Figure 2. Thus, the inter-row spacing of the pins 16 decreases uniformly along the circumferential length of the plate 15 from the leading axial edge 18 to the trailing axial edge 19. In addition, the distances by which the pins 16 in each row project from the surface of the plate 15 decreases uniformly along the circumferential length of the comb. The pins in the row adjacent the leading edge 18 project from the surface by up to nine-sixteenths of an inch, whilst the pins in the row adjacent the trailing edge 19 of the comb project by at least one-sixteenth of an inch.

In use, one of the half-lap combs illus trated in Figures 2 to 4 is mounted on the combing cylinder 6 of the combing machine, as shown in Figure 1. With the nip 4 in the position shown in Figure 1, the combing cylinder 6 is rotated so that the comb 8 combs the fringe 5. With the comb of Figure 2, the most widely-sp.lced rows of pins adjacent the leading edge I or the comb align the longest fibres in the fringe 5 in the direction of movement of the comb 8. The more closely spaced rows of pins in the central region of the comb 8 remove short fibres from the fringe and retain them in the comb, the closest spaced rows of pins adjacent the trailing edge of the comb 8 engage with knots or neps in the fringe and retain them in the comb 8.

A similar action is produced by the comb of Figure 3. However, since the pins nearer the leading edge of the comb are inclined at a relatively large angle to the normals to the surface of the comb, they not only align the longest fibres in the fringe 5, but also tend to direct them down onto the surface of the plate 15, thus trapping loose fibres and neps in the fringe 5 against the surface of the comb 8. The less sharpely-inclined pins 16 adjacent the trailing edge 19 of the comb 8 are then free to comb more smoothly through the fringe 5.

The comb of Figure 4 produces a similar combing action to that of Figure 2, but the action of the more closely spaced rows of pins on removing neps and short fibres is improved by virtue of the relative shortness of the pins.

As the comb 8 passes through the fringe 5, the nip 3 is reciprocated towards the detaching rolls 10, which are simultaneously operated to feed the tail end of the piecing 11 towards the nip 3. When the comb 8 has passed through the fringe 5, the fringe is advanced by the nip 4 to enter the detaching rolls 10, thereby to overlie the tail end of the piecing 11. The nip 3 is then released, and the detaching rolls 10 are rotated to feed the piecing 11 and the combed fringe 5 away from the nip 3. At the same time a further length of the lap 1 is fed through the nip 3 so that the combed fringe 5 is drawn into the detaching rolls 10 together with the tail end of the piecing 11. The nip 4 is then reciprocated away from the detaching rolls and is closed leaving the combed fringe 5 in the detaching rools 10 and separating a fresh fringe of uncombed fibres therefrom.The nip 3 then returns to the position shown in Figure 1. The separation of the fibres held by the nip 3 from those held in the detaching rolls 10 is assisted by the top comb 12 which moves downwardly onto the lap and then follows the movement of the nip 3 away from the detaching rolls 10.

During the reciprocation of the nip 3 towards and away from the detaching rolls 10, the comb 8 passes through the brush 9 which removes waste material and tangles fibres from the comb 8.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A comb for a textile combing machine comprising an axially extending arcuate surface carrying a plurality of generally axially extending rows of comber pins so mounted that the spacings between adjacent rows of pins decrease progressively along the circumferential length of the comb, in a direction from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the comb.

2. A comb according to claim 1 wherein the pins are arranged in axially extending bands, each of which contains a plurality of rows of pins, and the spacings between adjacent rows of pins in each band are the same, but different from the spacings in the or each adjacent band.

3. A comb according to claim 1 wherein the spacing between adjacent rows of pins decreases uniformly along the circumferential length of the comb.

4. A comb according to any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the spacing between the rows of pins adjacent the leading edge of the comb is from 1/2 to 1/4 inch, and the spacing between the rows of pins adjacent the trailing edge of the comb is from 1/4 inch to 40 thousandths of an inch.

5. A comb according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the angles of inclination of the pins in each row are substantially constant along the circumferential length of the comb.

6. A comb according to any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the angles of inclination of the pins to the normals to the surface of the comb at their points of attachment decrease along the circumferential length of the comb.

7. A comb according to claim 6 wherein the said angles of inclination of the pins adjacent the leading edge of the comb is from 55" to 45" and the said angles of inclination of the pins adjacent the trailing edge of the comb is between 45" and 35".

8. A comb according to any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein the distances by which the pins project from the surface of the comb decrease along the circumferential length of the comb.

9. A comb according to claim 8 wherein the longest pins are positioned adjacent the leading axial edge of the comb.

10. A comb according to claim 8 or claim 9 wherein the pins adjacent the leading edge project from the surface of the comb by from 1/2 to 1/4 inch. and the pins adjacent the trailing edge of the comb project from the surface of the comb by between 1/4 to 1/16 inch.

11. A comb according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the pins in the rows adjacent the trailing edge of the comb are more closely spaced than those in the rows adjacent the leading edge of the comb.

12. A half lap comb substantially as described with reference to any one of Figures 2 to 4 of the drawings.

13. A textile combing machine including a comb according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. fibres from the comb 8. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A comb for a textile combing machine comprising an axially extending arcuate surface carrying a plurality of generally axially extending rows of comber pins so mounted that the spacings between adjacent rows of pins decrease progressively along the circumferential length of the comb, in a direction from a leading edge to a trailing edge of the comb.