GB2034772A - Apparatus for Chopping Fibres - Google Patents

Apparatus for Chopping Fibres Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2034772A
GB2034772A GB7845241A GB7845241A GB2034772A GB 2034772 A GB2034772 A GB 2034772A GB 7845241 A GB7845241 A GB 7845241A GB 7845241 A GB7845241 A GB 7845241A GB 2034772 A GB2034772 A GB 2034772A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
fibres
cutting
blades
cutting cylinder
cylinder
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB7845241A
Other versions
GB2034772B (en
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Pilkington Group Ltd
Original Assignee
Pilkington Brothers Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Pilkington Brothers Ltd filed Critical Pilkington Brothers Ltd
Priority to GB7845241A priority Critical patent/GB2034772B/en
Priority to ZA00795854A priority patent/ZA795854B/en
Priority to AU52465/79A priority patent/AU5246579A/en
Priority to NL7908222A priority patent/NL7908222A/en
Priority to JP14614479A priority patent/JPS5571642A/en
Priority to DE19792946179 priority patent/DE2946179A1/en
Priority to FR7928281A priority patent/FR2441670A1/en
Priority to BR7907490A priority patent/BR7907490A/en
Priority to IT7969239A priority patent/IT7969239A0/en
Priority to IN1210/CAL/79A priority patent/IN152192B/en
Priority to ES486175A priority patent/ES486175A1/en
Priority to BE0/198214A priority patent/BE880169A/en
Priority to DK493979A priority patent/DK493979A/en
Publication of GB2034772A publication Critical patent/GB2034772A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2034772B publication Critical patent/GB2034772B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D01—NATURAL OR MAN-MADE THREADS OR FIBRES; SPINNING
    • D01G—PRELIMINARY TREATMENT OF FIBRES, e.g. FOR SPINNING
    • D01G1/00—Severing continuous filaments or long fibres, e.g. stapling
    • D01G1/02—Severing continuous filaments or long fibres, e.g. stapling to form staple fibres not delivered in strand form
    • D01G1/04—Severing continuous filaments or long fibres, e.g. stapling to form staple fibres not delivered in strand form by cutting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H51/00—Forwarding filamentary material
    • B65H51/16—Devices for entraining material by flow of liquids or gases, e.g. air-blast devices
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
    • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
    • C03B37/00—Manufacture or treatment of flakes, fibres, or filaments from softened glass, minerals, or slags
    • C03B37/10—Non-chemical treatment
    • C03B37/16—Cutting or severing
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65H—HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES
    • B65H2701/00—Handled material; Storage means
    • B65H2701/30—Handled filamentary material
    • B65H2701/31—Textiles threads or artificial strands of filaments

Abstract

For chopping fibres, e.g. strands of glass fibres, to desired lengths, and in particular for chopping different types of glass fibre simultaneously to different respective lengths, the apparatus comprises a rotary cutting cylinder (10) with cutting blades (21) spaced around its periphery and means for supplying fibres oriented at right angles to the cutting cylinder axis, wherein the uniform spacing between the cutting blades (21) in one portion (10a) of the length of the cutting cylinder is smaller than the uniform spacing between the blades in another portion (10b) of its length, so that fibres supplied to the first portion are chopped to a smaller length than fibres supplied to the other portion. The blades (21) may extend through both portions of the cutting cylinder (10) and the different spacing may then be obtained by cutting away or grinding down the cutting edges of a proportion of the blades in the second portion of the cylinder. The means for supplying the fibres may comprise a plurality of tubes with air-entrainment devices therein. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for Chopping Fibres The invention relates to apparatus for chopping fibres, particularly though not exclusively glass fibres in the form of multi-filament strands such as are used for reinforcing composite materials.
A chopping apparatus has previously been described in British Patent Specification 1,167,552 (Fibreglass Ltd) which comprises a rotary cutting cylinder provided with a plurality of cutting blades extending parallel to its axis and spaced around its periphery. The fibres are supplied in a substantially uniform orientation at right angles to the cutting blades of the cutting cylinder by means of currents of air in a plurality of parallel tubes. A cushion roller having a resilient outer surface is urged against the cutting cylinder by means of an air-pressure actuated device, so as to cooperate with the cutting cylinder in bringing the fibres into contact with the cutting blades. The cutting blades are uniformly spaced from one another around the periphery of the cutting cylinder, so that the fibres are chopped to substantially uniform lengths.If a variety of lengths of chopped fibres are required, the blade spacing may be varied around the periphery of the cutting cylinder, so that the cutting cylinder cuts the fibres to a shorter length during one portion of a revolution than during the remaining portion of that revolution. Thus a mixture of chopped fibre of different lengths can be obtained.
In some case, however, it is desirable to be able to chop two different kinds of fibre simultaneously, with different strand lengths for the different types of fibre. This requirement can occur, for instance, in the production of certain types of glass fibre reinforced cement, using chopped non-dispersible strands of an alkali resistant glass fibre of a given strand length together with chopped dispersible strands of a different type of glass fibre with a shorter strand length. This requirement cannot be met by means of the known apparatus described above, which would chop both types of glass fibre to a variety of different strand lengths.
Another requirement which cannot be met by the known machine is for the production of chopped strands of different lengths during different parts of the process of manufacturing a glass fibre reinforced cement composite article.
For example, it may be desired to use shorter chopped strands when forming the outer portion of the article, so as to obtain a good surface finish and then to employ longer chopped strands for the interior of the article to give it additional strength.
According to the present invention, apparatus for chopping fibres to desired lengths comprises a rotary cutting cylinder provided with a plurality of cutting blades spaced around its periphery, and means for supplying fibres to the cutting blades in a substantially uniform orientation at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, wherein the cutting cylinder is divided lengthwise into at least two portions, the cutting blades in one such portion being substantially uniformly spaced from one another at a spacing which is smaller than the substantially uniform spacing between the cutting blades in another such portion, whereby fibres supplied to the first-mentioned portion are chopped to a smaller length than fibres supplied to the other portion.
Preferably the cutting blades extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cutting cylinder. In an alternative arrangement the blades may extend helically along the periphery of the cylinder.
With these arrangements, by supplying different types of fibre to the respective portions of the length of the cutting cylinder, the different types of fibre can be simultaneously cut to different lengths. Alternatively, by switching the supply of fibre from one portion of the length of the cutting cylinder to the other, the length of the chopped strands produced can be varied during operation of the apparatus.
Conveniently all of the blades in the firstmentioned portion extend through the other portion of the cutting cylinder, but a proportion of the blades have their cutting edges cut away in the said other portion to leave only the desired number of uniformly-spaced cutting blades effective therein. The blades may be held in grooves in the periphery of the cutting cylinder.
Preferably the means for supplying fibres in a substantially uniform orientation comprise a plurality of tubes leading to the different portions of the cutting cylinder, and means for entraining fibres in a current of air in each such tube. The means for entraining the fibres in a current of air may comprise an air-entrainment device incorporating a venturi member in each such tube. In operation, it has been found that the air supply need only be applied for a short period at the beginning of the cutting operation; thereafter the air supply can be cut off andthe fibres will continue to be drawn through the tubes to the cutting cylinder.
The apparatus may further comprise means for removing chopped fibres from the vicinity of the cutting cylinder in a current of air. The means for removing chopped fibres may comprise an airentrainment device incorporating a venturi in a discharge duct beneath the cutting cylinder.
The cutting cylinder may be driven directly or indirectly by an electric motor.
Conveniently a cushion roller having a resilient outer surface is urged against the cutting cylinder and cooperates with the cutting cylinder in bringing the fibres into contact with the cutting blades. The cushion roller may be urged against the cutting blades of the cutting cylinder by means of an air-pressure actuated device.
A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a general perspective view of the apparatus, Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cutting cylinder and cushion roller and their mounting in the apparatus, Figure 3 is a sectional plan view of the cutting cylinder and cushion roller and their mountings, and Figure 4 is a sectional view to a larger scale of an air-entrainment device.
In the apparatus illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the rotoary cutting cylinder 10 is mounted horizontally in a housing 11. A cushion roller 12 having a resilient outer part 13 is mounted in a yoke 14 which is movable towards the cutting cylinder 10 by means of an air-actuated piston 1 5 working in a cylinder 1 6 having air inlet and exhaust connections 1 7, 18. The piston 1 5 is connected to the yoke 14 by a piston rod 1 9. The cutting cylinder 10 is arranged to be directly driven by an electric motor 20.
As best shown in Figure 2, the cutting cylinder 10 is provided with a plurality of cutting blades 21 extending parallel to its axis and uniformly spaced around its periphery. The cutting cylinder 10 is effectively divided lengthwise into two portions 1 0a, 1 Oh. In the right-hand portion 1 Oa, all the cutting blades 21 extend to the same height from the surface of the cylinder 10. In the left-hand portion 1 or, however, a proportion of the blades 21 are cut away or ground down so that they no longer form effective cutting blades.
The blades 21 which are left standing to their full height in the portion 1 or, as shown one in six of the blades 21, thus provide effective cutting blades which are spaced uniformly apart by a greater distance than the effective cutting blades in the portion 1 Oa of the cutting cylinder.
Reverting to Figure 1 of the drawings, a plurality of tubes 22 are provided for supplying glass fibres to the apparatus in a substantially uniform orientation, at right angles to the length of the blades 21. Each of the tubes 22 is provided at one end with a small air-entrainment device or "air-mover" 23, as shown in Figure 4. The glass fibres are supplied to the open, wider end 24 of a venturi 25, while compressed air is supplied through an inlet tube 26 to the annular space 27 around the outside of the venturi 25. This air passes through a restricted passage 28 between the narrow end of the venturi 25 and a reduced portion 29 of the casing of the air-mover 23, which causes its velocity to increase and it thereby entrains the glass fibres and carries them into the respective tube 22.
The tubes 22, which may be six in number as illustrated in Figure 1 , terminate at a slot in the top cover of the casing 11, in which is mounted a small diameter roller 30 which assists in drawing the fibres into the casing 11 and directing them into the nip between the cutting cylinder 10 and the cushion roller 12, without losing their substantially uniform orientation.
The fibres are chopped as they pass through the nip between the cutting cylinder 10 and the cushion roller 1 2 and are then discharged into a funnel-shaped discharge duct 31 beneath the cutting cylinder 10. A further air-entrainment device 32 removes the chopped fibres from the discharge duct 31 through a delivery tube 33.
In Figure 1, the main air supply is indicated at 35, leading via a filter 36 to a branch 37 which supplies the air-movers 23 of the fibre supply pipes 22 and a branch 38 which supplies the airmover 32 of the discharge duct 31. The air supply also leads via a pressure regulator 43, a lubricator 39 and a change-over switch 40 to the inlet and outlet 1 7, 18 of the cylinder 1 6. The electric motor 20 is connected via leads 41 and switch panel 42 to a 3-phase and neutral supply.
In operation, the air supply to the air-movers 23 of the fibre supply pipes 22 need only be applied for a short period at the beginning of the cutting operation. Once the operation is under way, the air supply to the air-movers 23 can be cut off and the fibres will continue to be drawn through the tubes 22 into the housing 11 to the cutting cylinder 10.
By supplying different types of glass fibre through selected supply tubes 22 to the respective portions 1 Oa, 1 Oh of the cutting cylinder 10, one can obtain a mixture of chopped fibres of different types, with the different types each being chopped to a different length.
Alternatively, by transferring the supply of glass fibre from one set of supply tubes 22 to another, so as to transfer the supply from the portion 1 Oa to the portion 1 Ob (or vice versa) of the cutting cylinder 10, one can alter the length of the chopped fibres produced, without any substantial cessation in production.
In order to alter the range of lengths of chopped fibre which can be produced, the cutting cylinder 10 can be removed from the casing 11 by removai of the end bearing 34 shown in Figure 2, and replaced by a cutting cylinder with differently-spaced cutting blades 21.
While the embodiment illustrated shows the use of a cutting cylinder divided lengthwise into two portions producing different lengths of chopped fibre, it is obviously possible to divide it lengthwise into three or more portions each having a different effective spacing between the cutting blades so as to produce three or more different lengths of chopped fibre.

Claims (12)

Claims
1. Apparatus for chopping fibres to desired lengths, comprising a rotary cutting cylinder provided with a plurality of cutting blades spaced around its periphery, and means for supplying fibres to the cutting blades in a substantially uniform orientation at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the cylinder, wherein the cutting cylinder is divided lengthwise into at least two portions, the cutting blades in one such portion being substantially uniformly spaced from one another at a spacing which is smaller than the substantially uniform spacing between the cutting blades in another such portion, whereby fibres supplied to the first-mentioned portion are chopped to a smaller length than the fibres supplied to the other portion.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the cutting blades extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the cutting cylinder.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the cutting blades extend helically along the periphery of the cutting cylinder.
4. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein all of the blades in the first-mentioned portion extend through the other portion of the cutting cylinder, but a proportion of the blades have their cutting edges cut away in the said other portion to leave only the desired number of uniformly-spaced cutting blades effective therein.
5. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the blades are held in grooves in the periphery of the cutting cylinder.
6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein the means for supplying fibres in a substantially uniform orientation comprise plurality of tubes leading to the different portions of the cutting cylinder, and means for entraining fibres in a current of air in each such tube.
7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the means For entraining the fibres in a current of air comprises an air-entrainment device incorporating a venturi member in each such tube.
8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims, further comprising means for removing chopped fibres from the vicinity of the cutting cylinder in a current of air.
9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein the means for removing chopped fibres comprises an air-entrainment device incorporating a venturi in a discharge duct beneath the cutting cylinder.
10. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the cutting cylinder is driven by an electric motor.
11. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein a cushion roller having a resilient outer surface is urged against the cutting cylinder and cooperates with the cutting cylinder in bringing the fibres into contact with the cutting blades.
12. Apparatus according to Claim 11, wherein the cushion roller is urged against the cutting blades of the cutting cylinder by means of an airpressure actuated device.
1 3. Apparatus for chopping fibres to desired lengths, substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
GB7845241A 1978-11-20 1978-11-20 Apparatus for chopping fibres Expired GB2034772B (en)

Priority Applications (13)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB7845241A GB2034772B (en) 1978-11-20 1978-11-20 Apparatus for chopping fibres
ZA00795854A ZA795854B (en) 1978-11-20 1979-10-31 Apparatus for chopping fibres
AU52465/79A AU5246579A (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-02 Apparatus for chopping fibres
NL7908222A NL7908222A (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-09 DEVICE FOR CHOPPING FIBERS.
JP14614479A JPS5571642A (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-13 Fiber cutter
DE19792946179 DE2946179A1 (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-15 DEVICE FOR CUTTING FIBERS
FR7928281A FR2441670A1 (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-16 APPARATUS FOR DEBITTING FIBERS IN DESIRED LENGTH
BR7907490A BR7907490A (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-19 FIBER TRIMMING EQUIPMENT
IT7969239A IT7969239A0 (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-19 DEVICE FOR CUTTING FIBERS PARTICULARLY GLASS FIBERS
IN1210/CAL/79A IN152192B (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-20
ES486175A ES486175A1 (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-20 Apparatus for Chopping Fibres
BE0/198214A BE880169A (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-20 APPARATUS FOR CHOPPING FIBERS
DK493979A DK493979A (en) 1978-11-20 1979-11-20 FIBER CUTTING APPLIANCE

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB7845241A GB2034772B (en) 1978-11-20 1978-11-20 Apparatus for chopping fibres

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2034772A true GB2034772A (en) 1980-06-11
GB2034772B GB2034772B (en) 1982-08-25

Family

ID=10501170

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB7845241A Expired GB2034772B (en) 1978-11-20 1978-11-20 Apparatus for chopping fibres

Country Status (13)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS5571642A (en)
AU (1) AU5246579A (en)
BE (1) BE880169A (en)
BR (1) BR7907490A (en)
DE (1) DE2946179A1 (en)
DK (1) DK493979A (en)
ES (1) ES486175A1 (en)
FR (1) FR2441670A1 (en)
GB (1) GB2034772B (en)
IN (1) IN152192B (en)
IT (1) IT7969239A0 (en)
NL (1) NL7908222A (en)
ZA (1) ZA795854B (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0080987A1 (en) * 1981-11-26 1983-06-08 Ab Rovac An improved cutter mechanism
WO1993011288A1 (en) * 1991-12-03 1993-06-10 Nordson Corporation Method and apparatus for processing chopped fibers from continuous tows
WO1999051407A1 (en) * 1998-04-07 1999-10-14 E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Static chopper for thin webs
FR2847249A1 (en) * 2002-11-14 2004-05-21 Saint Gobain Vetrotex Installation for the valorization of waste from the fabrication of glass fibres by producing strands of glass fibres for use in filtering or soundproofing elements or as mechanical reinforcement

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO1998001610A1 (en) * 1996-07-04 1998-01-15 Hennecke Gmbh Cutting tool for glass fibre rovings
FR2781815B1 (en) 1998-08-03 2000-09-15 Vetrotex France Sa METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANUFACTURING CUT THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL THREADS
IT1313760B1 (en) * 1999-09-13 2002-09-17 Afros Spa PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT FOR CUTTING FIBER MATERIAL, AND FOR MONITORING CUT FIBER BOWS

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1167552A (en) * 1966-11-30 1969-10-15 Fiberglass Ltd Methods and apparatus for Distributing Cut Fibres
JPS5438926A (en) * 1977-07-11 1979-03-24 Nitto Boseki Co Ltd Cutting of glass strand and its device

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0080987A1 (en) * 1981-11-26 1983-06-08 Ab Rovac An improved cutter mechanism
WO1993011288A1 (en) * 1991-12-03 1993-06-10 Nordson Corporation Method and apparatus for processing chopped fibers from continuous tows
US5450777A (en) * 1991-12-03 1995-09-19 Nordson Corporation Method and apparatus for processing chopped fibers from continuous tows
WO1999051407A1 (en) * 1998-04-07 1999-10-14 E.I. Du Pont De Nemours And Company Static chopper for thin webs
FR2847249A1 (en) * 2002-11-14 2004-05-21 Saint Gobain Vetrotex Installation for the valorization of waste from the fabrication of glass fibres by producing strands of glass fibres for use in filtering or soundproofing elements or as mechanical reinforcement
WO2004046055A1 (en) * 2002-11-14 2004-06-03 Saint-Gobain Vetrotex France S.A. Cutting installation and method for reprocessing waste from glass yarn manufacture

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS5571642A (en) 1980-05-29
NL7908222A (en) 1980-05-22
IT7969239A0 (en) 1979-11-19
BR7907490A (en) 1980-06-24
ZA795854B (en) 1981-06-24
DE2946179A1 (en) 1980-05-29
AU5246579A (en) 1980-05-29
IN152192B (en) 1983-11-12
DK493979A (en) 1980-05-21
BE880169A (en) 1980-05-20
GB2034772B (en) 1982-08-25
ES486175A1 (en) 1980-05-16
FR2441670A1 (en) 1980-06-13

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US2787314A (en) Apparatus and method for forming a fiber reinforced plastic article
US2719336A (en) Method and apparatus for conveying and severing mineral fibers
GB2034772A (en) Apparatus for Chopping Fibres
US2732885A (en) Method and apparatus for producing
CN1970266B (en) Cutter wheel, scribing device using the cutter wheel, and cutter wheel manufacturing device for manufacturing the cutter wheel
RU2139835C1 (en) Apparatus for cutting reinforcing fibrous material
US3945280A (en) Apparatus for cutting thread
CN101270513A (en) Rabbit hair carding machine
AU760573B2 (en) Method of forming discrete length fibers
US3192571A (en) Fiber processing system
US3942401A (en) Method for cutting fibers
EP0400259B1 (en) Apparatus for opening and mixing staple cotton
CN214293253U (en) Novel carpet cutting machine
EP0172028A2 (en) Fibre reinforced inorganic body
US3130912A (en) Fiber cutter and aspirator
CN2344149Y (en) Fibre and slurry mixed spraying machine
RU2493935C1 (en) Method of producing brake plate blanks of composite carbon-carbon materials and unit to this end
CN206465307U (en) A kind of new chopping equipment
US3028282A (en) Method for smoothing and evening out the surfaces of pre-moulded parts consisting ofinorganic or organic fibers and resulting product
CN207127688U (en) A kind of Automated mould wire-drawing frame
CN1214028A (en) Method of forming insulation product
SU872615A1 (en) Device for dispersing fibrous material
CN108754680B (en) Carding machine
SU1236084A1 (en) Installation for making facing panels based on mineral binders reinforced with dispersed glass fibres
SU1123863A1 (en) Device for centrifugal forming of fiber-reinforced products from polymeric materials

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee