GB1582405A

GB1582405A - Apparatus for blending and paralleling textile fibres

Info

Publication number: GB1582405A
Application number: GB224778A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Dixie Yarns Inc
Current assignee: Dixie Yarns Inc
Priority date: 1978-01-19
Filing date: 1978-01-19
Publication date: 1981-01-07

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR BLENDING AND PARALLELING TEXTILE FIBRES (71) We, DIXIE YARNS INC., a corporation of, Tennessee of, 1100 Watkins Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37401, United States of America, 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:- This invention relates to apparatus for treating textile fibres, both man-made and natural.

In conventional drafting of, for instance, a sliver of cotton a large proportion of the short fibres tends to bunch up, to an extent that the overall quality of the finished sliver is adversely affected, particularly with respect to unevenness of parallelization. The short fibres are, by and large, not paralleled; instead, they simply go with the stream of longer fibres. Experience indicates that conventional drafting frames cannot parallel the shortest fibres of the sliver. If for example the drafting distance is set at 1 1/4 inches (3 2 cms), a cotton sliver will have many fibres shorter than that distance which will not be parallel because they are too short to bridge the gap between the nips of the rolls.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for paralleling and blending fibres which are in a sliver, such apparatus including a toothed work roll, a toothed arcuate section located round part of the periphery of the work roll with its teeth closely adjacent the teeth of the work roll, an infeed means for feeding a sliver of fibres directly to the work roll, the infeed means including a pair of cooperating rolls of smaller diameter than the work roll and mounted closely adjacent to the work roll and one of which is fluted, means to rotate the work roll and to drive the infeed means so that the surface speed of the work roll is greater than the rate of infeed of the sliver thereto, andout- feed means comprising a pair of cooperating rools of smaller diameter than the work roll and located closely adjacent the work roll to receive the sliver directly therefrom.

Apparatus of the invention offers improved parallelization of the fibres, particularly the short ones, and blending and incidental clean ing of the fibres may be improved as compared to conventional drafting systems employing rollers.

The invention will be more clearly under stood from the following description which is given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a vertical, diagrammatic sectional view through an apparatus of the invention; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged, diagrammatic view illustrating the preferred shape of the teeth, both on the work roll and the arcuate mem ber, together with the preferred clearances between the points of the same.

Figure 1 shows a work roll which is of approximately 3 5/16ths inch (8 4 cms) diameter, is made of steel, and is mounted in bearings and driven in the direction of the arrow 11 by means of a motor, pulleys and belt 10". The surface of the roll 10 is covered with metallic wire 12 shaped into teeth. Pre ferably there are about 400 teeth per square inch (62 teeth per cm2). The entire surface of the roll 10, which may be some 8 inches (20 cms) in length, is covered with such wire 12.

Mounted beneath the roll 10 is a block or arcuate section 13 with an arcuate surface 16 which is covered with similar metallic wire 14 in the form of teeth, preferably to the same tooth density. The block 13 as a vertical slot substantially throughout its length as indi cated at 17 and the wire 14 is also cut away at 18.

As shown in Fig. 2 the wire teeth 12 of the work roll 10 are raked forward as shown at 12a, that is to say, the points 12b precede the bases thereof in the direction of rotation. As shown in the Figure, the angle of rake is pre -ferably 0 to 7 .

The teeth 14 of the arcuate section are raked opposite to the wire teeth 12; thus the working edges 14Q thereof are rearward, with regard to the direction of rotation of the work roll 10. Preferably, the degree of rake on the teeth 14 is on the order of five to fifteen degrees as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The points 12b and the points 14b of the teeth are very close, the clearance being, preferably between 005 inch to 015 inch (0.012cm to 0 036 cm).

Fig. 1 also shows a pair of infeed rolls comprising a lower, metallic, fluted roll 19 and an upper, rubber covered roll 21, these rolls defining a nip and being driven in the direction of the arrows, to receive a fibre sliver F and forward it to the surface of the work roll 10 upstream of the arcuate section 16.

A pair of assist rolls made up of a lower, metallic, fluted roll 22 and an upper rubber covered roll 23 is, optionally, provided to aid in the presentation of the sliver F to the rolls 19 and 21.

Downstream of the arcuate section 16 are a lower, metallic, fluted outfeed roll 24 and either a metallic fluted roll or a rubber covered roll 26.

The rolls 19, 22 and 24 are driven by motors pulleys and belts 19", 22a and 24". The rolls 19 and 22 drive the rolls 21 and 23. Roll 24 drives the roll 26.

Rolls 19-21 and 24-26 are of considerably smaller diameter than the work roll 10, so that the nips between the rolls 19-21 and 2426 are as close as possible to the surface of the work roll 10, this giving greater control over the fibres passing through the system, especially short fibres.

The work roll 10 may turn atasurfacespeed to deliver 1,000 linear feet per minute of the finished fibre sliver while the rolls 19 and 21 will be turned according to the draft differential desired. Thus, we have drafted from forty grain to eighty grain sliver at a draft of from five to twelve. The outfeed rolls 24 and 26 will be driven at a slightly greater speed than the surface speed of roll 10, thus to doff the roll 10 without causing the sliver to condense.

The assist rolls 22 and 23 may or may not be required depending upon the length of fibre being handled, the bulk of fibre being handled, and to some degree, the kind of fibre being handled.

With this apparatus, long, short, and intermediate fibres can be paralleled between the work roll 10 and the arcuate section 14, and drafted on entering the gap. Parallelization of the fibres takes place because they are being acted upon by a large number of relatively fine, close running teeth. Thus, the apparatus parallel short fibres just as well as it parallels long fibres. Dirt entrained between the work roll 10 and arcuate section 14 can be discharged through the slot 17, 18. We have run through such apparatus a cotton sliver of fibres of from 1 3/32 inch to 15/16ths (2.6 to 2 4 cms). The lustre was better than would have been obtained with an ordinary drafting system, indicating greater parallelization of the fibres, a decrease in bunching, and a cleaner product.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus for paralleling and blending fibres which are in a sliver, such apparatus including a toothed work roll, a toothed arcuate section located round part of the periphery of the work roll with its teeth closely adjacent the teeth of the work roll, an infeed means for feeding a sliver of fibres directly to the work roll, the infeed means including a pair of cooperating rolls of smaller diameter than the work roll and mounted closely adjacent to the work roll and one of which is fluted, means to rotate the work roll and to drive the infeed means so that the surface speed of the work roll is greater than the rate of infeed of the sliver thereto, and outfeed means comprising a pair of cooperating rolls of smaller diameter than the work roll and located closely adjacent the work roll to receive the sliver directly therefrom.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work roll and arcuate section have metallic wire teeth.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the teeth on the work roll are forwardly raked in the direction of rotation of the work roll, and the teeth of the arcuate section are oppositely raked.

4. Apparatus acording to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the arcuate section extends around the lower periphery of the work roll.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including a vertical slot in the arcuate section.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim including drive means to operate the outfeed means to forward the sliver at least as fast as the surface speed of the work roll.

7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the work roll has a diameter of about 3 5/16 inches (8.4 cms) and both the work roll and arcuate section have about 400 teeth per square inch (62 teeth per cm2).

8. Apparatus for paralleling and blending fibres which are in a sliver, such apparatus being constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying draw ings.

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Claims

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

work roll 10. Preferably, the degree of rake on the teeth 14 is on the order of five to fifteen degrees as illustrated in Fig. 2.

The points 12b and the points 14b of the teeth are very close, the clearance being, preferably between 005 inch to 015 inch (0.012cm to 0 036 cm).

Fig. 1 also shows a pair of infeed rolls comprising a lower, metallic, fluted roll 19 and an upper, rubber covered roll 21, these rolls defining a nip and being driven in the direction of the arrows, to receive a fibre sliver F and forward it to the surface of the work roll

10 upstream of the arcuate section 16.

A pair of assist rolls made up of a lower, metallic, fluted roll 22 and an upper rubber covered roll 23 is, optionally, provided to aid in the presentation of the sliver F to the rolls

19 and 21.

Downstream of the arcuate section 16 are a lower, metallic, fluted outfeed roll 24 and either a metallic fluted roll or a rubber covered roll 26.

The rolls 19, 22 and 24 are driven by motors pulleys and belts 19", 22a and 24". The rolls

19 and 22 drive the rolls 21 and 23. Roll 24 drives the roll 26.

Rolls 19-21 and 24-26 are of considerably smaller diameter than the work roll 10, so that the nips between the rolls 19-21 and 2426 are as close as possible to the surface of the work roll 10, this giving greater control over the fibres passing through the system, especially short fibres.

The work roll 10 may turn atasurfacespeed to deliver 1,000 linear feet per minute of the finished fibre sliver while the rolls 19 and 21 will be turned according to the draft differential desired. Thus, we have drafted from forty grain to eighty grain sliver at a draft of from five to twelve. The outfeed rolls 24 and 26 will be driven at a slightly greater speed than the surface speed of roll 10, thus to doff the roll

10 without causing the sliver to condense.

The assist rolls 22 and 23 may or may not be required depending upon the length of fibre being handled, the bulk of fibre being handled, and to some degree, the kind of fibre being handled.

With this apparatus, long, short, and intermediate fibres can be paralleled between the work roll 10 and the arcuate section 14, and drafted on entering the gap. Parallelization of the fibres takes place because they are being acted upon by a large number of relatively fine, close running teeth. Thus, the apparatus parallel short fibres just as well as it parallels long fibres. Dirt entrained between the work roll 10 and arcuate section 14 can be discharged through the slot 17, 18. We have run through such apparatus a cotton sliver of fibres of from 1 3/32 inch to 15/16ths (2.6 to 2 4 cms). The lustre was better than would have been obtained with an ordinary drafting system, indicating greater parallelization of the fibres, a decrease in bunching, and a cleaner product.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. Apparatus for paralleling and blending fibres which are in a sliver, such apparatus including a toothed work roll, a toothed arcuate section located round part of the periphery of the work roll with its teeth closely adjacent the teeth of the work roll, an infeed means for feeding a sliver of fibres directly to the work roll, the infeed means including a pair of cooperating rolls of smaller diameter than the work roll and mounted closely adjacent to the work roll and one of which is fluted, means to rotate the work roll and to drive the infeed means so that the surface speed of the work roll is greater than the rate of infeed of the sliver thereto, and outfeed means comprising a pair of cooperating rolls of smaller diameter than the work roll and located closely adjacent the work roll to receive the sliver directly therefrom.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the work roll and arcuate section have metallic wire teeth.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the teeth on the work roll are forwardly raked in the direction of rotation of the work roll, and the teeth of the arcuate section are oppositely raked.
4. Apparatus acording to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the arcuate section extends around the lower periphery of the work roll.
5. Apparatus according to claim 4 including a vertical slot in the arcuate section.
6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim including drive means to operate the outfeed means to forward the sliver at least as fast as the surface speed of the work roll.
7. Apparatus according to any preceding claim wherein the work roll has a diameter of about 3 5/16 inches (8.4 cms) and both the work roll and arcuate section have about 400 teeth per square inch (62 teeth per cm2).
8. Apparatus for paralleling and blending fibres which are in a sliver, such apparatus being constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying draw ings.