GB2089307A

GB2089307A - Apparatus for conveying a fluid and/or a fluid-borne material including a translucent pipe and associated light source

Info

Publication number: GB2089307A
Application number: GB8037908A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: TEXAIDE Ltd
Current assignee: TEXAIDE Ltd
Priority date: 1980-11-26
Filing date: 1980-11-26
Publication date: 1982-06-23
Also published as: GB2089307B

Abstract

A plurality of translucent duct members 12 are secured together to form a duct 10 through which fibres are blown by means of a blower 22. A light is provided to illuminate the translucent duct 10, so that the build up of any fibres therein can be immediately detected, and the duct 10 kept in a clean condition so that it may be used for fibres of different colours, etc. Preferably, the duct members 12 are secured together by inserting one end of one duct member into an enlarged portion end of an adjacent duct member, with a gasket wedged between the mating ends of the adjacent duct members 12. The duct members 12 are preferably provided with inspection covers 34, to provide access within the duct. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for conveying a fluid and/or a fluid-borne material The invention relates to apparatus for convey ing a fluid and/or a fluid-borne material, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to ducts for use in pneumatically conveying textile fibres.

According to the invention apparatus for conveying a fluid and/or a fluid-borne material comprises a duct formed of a translucent material, a pump, fan or blower connected to the duct, and a light source associated with the duct.

The passage of the fluid and/or the fluid borne material and the collection of any contaminants in the duct can be observed through the translucent material. This ability to observe the progress of the fluid and/or the fluid-borne material through the duct is of particular advantage where different fluids and /or different fluid-borne material need to be conveyed through the same duct at different times, since any contaminants which remain in the duct following the passage there through of one fluid or one fluid-borne material are able to be observed and removed from the duct before they lead to pollution, dilution or a similar interaction with a second fluid or a second fluid-borne material subsequently conveyed through the duct.

Preferably the duct is formed of a plastics material and may comprise a rigid plastics material such as, for example, polyethylene.

The polyethylene may be moulded to form the duct or to form a plurality of members which when secured together form the duct.

Polyethylene is resistant to attack by acids and alkalies so that a duct formed of polyethylene can be used to convey acids, alkalies or material which are either acidic or alkaline.

Preferably, the duct is formed of a series of duct members which are secured together, and each duct member may be provided with securing means to enable each duct member to be secured to an adjacent duct member.

Each duct member may be formed in any one of a plurality of different shapes and sizes Thus, a duct member may be of circular, rectangular or square cross-section, and may comprise a straight duct member, an elbow a bend a Y-branch, a cross member, a T junc- tion, a plug, a cap, a member having a recuded diameter portion, or a member having an enlarged diameter portion. The duct, or one or more duct members may each be provided with an inspection hatch or cover to allow access to the inside of the respective duct or duc member.

The duct may have one or more valves connected thereto to enable the flow of the fluid and/or the fluid-borne material through the duct to be controlled. The duct or one or more of the duct members may each be provided with a sealing means arranged to restrict the passage of a fluid into or from the duct or duct member. The sealing means may provide a seal between one duct member and an adjacent duct member, and the seal may comprise a gasket such as, for example, a rubber gasket ring.

The invention aiso includes a method of forming an apparatus for conveying a fluid and/or a fluid borne material comprising securing two or more duct members together in end to end relationship to form a duct, connecting a pump, fan or blower to the duct and providing a light source for the duct. The method of securing the duct members together may comprise providing a gasket on one end of a first duct member, inserting said one end of the first duct member into the other end of a second duct member, and wedging the gasket between the one end of the first duct member and the other end of the second duct member. The second duct member.The said other end of the second duct member may comprise an enlarged diameter portion arranged to receive the said one end of the first duct member.

One embodiment of an apparatus for conveying a fluid and/or a flud borne material in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings of which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of an apparatus for conveying a fluid and/or a fluid borne material, Figure 2 is a detailed side view of the part of the apparatus indicated at A in Fig. 1, to a larger scale, and Figure 3 is a plan view of part of an apparatus similar to that shown in Fig. 1, including a series of different members any one or more of which could be used in conjunction with the the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

In the blending of woollen fibres prior to the spinning thereof, a bundle of fibres all having one particular colour are convention- ally conveyed as individual fibres in a stream of compressed air through a galvanised metal duct. The conventional duct comprises a series of duct members each having a flange at each end thereof, the flange of one such member being bolted to an abutting flange of another member. During the conveying of the fibres through the ducts in the stream of compressed air, some of the fibres may coag slate and form a mass of fibres which settles to the bottom of the duct and remains behind in the duct when all of the other fibres of that particular colour have been conveyed in the compressed air through the duct.If fibres having a different colour are then conveyed through the duct, there is the possiblity that some of the mass of fibres which have a different colour to those then being conveyed, could become mixed into the fibres being conveyed through the duct and hence contaminate them. Clearly, it is undesireable to have a mixing of fibres of different colours prior to the spinning thereof since the yarn produced from such fibres would not be of a consistant colour. This inconsistancy of colour is likely to be most marked if black fibres become contaminated with white fibres, or vice versa.

Once it has been established that the duct contains a mass of fibres or some other foreign body which could form a contaminant for other fibres being conveyed through the duct, it is possible to remove the contaminant through an inspection cover of the duct, if available, or by either sweeping the inside of the duct with a plug of material pushed therethrough, or by unbolting one or more of the duct members and dismantling at leas part of the duct in order to gain access to the contaminant. It will, however, be appreciated that the unbolting, dismantling and reassembly of the members is time consuming as is the sweeping of the duct with a plug.Also, it will be understood that there is often no indication, particularly if no inspection covers are provided on the duct, that any contaminant remains in the conventional duct after fibres of one particular colour have been conveyed through the duct, and before fibres of some other colour are conveyed therethrough.

Thus, either the duct has to be swept or dismantled after each different colour of fibre has been conveyed therethrough, to ensure that no contami nt remains in the duct, or if no such action is taken there is a possibility that a contaminant may remain in the duct and interreact with fibres which are subsequently conveyed through the duct. Whilst it is desireable to avoid contamination of the fibres conveyed through the duct, it would obviously be very time consuming to sweep or dismantle the duct after every fibre conveying operation, the sweeping or dismantling of the duct also leading to a long "down time during which the conveying apparatus could not be used.

The present invention provides a duct for conveying woollen fibres in which the difficulties associated with the conventional duct are eleviated or mitigated.

A duct for conveying woollen fibres is indicated generally at 10 and comprises a series of pipes 1 2 of circular cross section, each pipe 1 2 being secured to at least one adjacent pipe 12. The pipes 12 are each rigid and translucent, and each pipe 1 2 is formed of polyethylene by a moulding process. The pipes 1 2 each have at least one enlarged diameter coupling portion 16 formed thereon, at one end and/or at one side thereof.The other end of each pipe 1 2 is of smaller diameter than the coupling portion 1 6 thereof, and the smaller diameter end of each pipe 1 2 is arranged to inserted within, and connected to a coupling portion 1 6 at the one end of another pipe 1 2. Each smaller diameter end of a pipe 1 2 is secured to a coupling portion 1 6 of an adjacent pipe 1 2 by means of a rubber ring gasket 14.Each gasket 14 extends around the smaller diameter end of one pipe 1 2 and engages within the coupling portion 16 of a second pipe to both secure the first and second pipe together by being wedged therebetween, and also providing a seal between the pipes to restrict the leakage of air from the duct 10 between the pipes 1 2.

When it is required to secure a first pipe 1 2 to a second adjacent pipe the ring gasket 14 on the first pipe is pushed towards the middle of that pipe away from the smaller diameter end thereof. The smaller diameter end of the first pipe is then inserted into the coupling portion 1 6 of the second pipe, and then the ring gasket 14 on the first pipe is forced towards the smaller diameter end of the first pipe between the first and second pipes sides to wedge the pipes together and to provide a seal therebetween.

In order to decouple one pipe from another, the smaller diameter end of one pipe is pulled from within the coupling portion 1 6 of the other pipe, a gasket 14 being pulled from within the coupling portion 1 6 of the other pipe on the end of the smaller diameter end of the said one pipe. The pipes 1 2 forming the duct 10 can thus be easily and quickly secured together or dismantled one from another. The duct members of conventional ducts are bolted together so that the assembly or dismantling of a conventional duct which involves the manipulation of a great number of nut and bolt connections, is time consuming compared with the relative ease and speed with which the duct 10 can be assembled or dismantled.

The first pipe 1 2 of the duct 10 comprises a T junction 1 8 having a first coupling portion 1 6 at one end thereof, and having a second coupling portion 1 6 on the end of a side arm 20 formed on, and extending outwardly from one side thereof. The smaller diameter end of the T junction is connected to one end of a fan 22, and a inlet tube 24 is connected to the other end of the fan 22. A series of straight pipes 26 are connected in end to end relationship to the coupling portions 1 6 at the said one end of the T junction 18 to form the duct 10.

An elbow 28 is connected to the coupling portion 16 of the side arm 20 of the T junction 18, and a straight pipe 26 is connected to the coupling portion 1 6 of the elbow 28. The straight pipe 26 connected to the elbow, the elbow 28 and the side arm 20 together form a side branch 30 of the duct 30.

Each pipe 1 2 has a hole 32 formed through a central portion of the upper face thereof, and each hole 32 is covered by an 9" diame ter circular inspection cover plate 34. Each plate 34 is hinged to the upper face of an associated pipe 1 2 adjacent one side of an associated hole 32, each plate 34 being pivotable over the associated hole 32 to cover the latter, or pivotable away from the associated hole 32 to provide access to and through the hole 32 so that the inside of each pipe can be examined through the hole 32 associated therewith, or any foreign body located in a pipe 1 2 can be removed through the associated hole 32.

When it is required to convey woollen fibres through the duct 10 the fan 22 is energised and woollen fibres 36 having one uniform colour are firstly sprayed with a lubricant and/or water and are then pushed through the side branch 30 into the T junction 1 8.

The fan 22 is then energised and the air forced through the duct 10 by the fan 22 carries the fibres 36 through the duct towards a spinning apparatus the direction of which is as indicated by the arrow B in Fig. 1. The lubricant and/or water aids the passage of the fibres 36 through the duct. During the assembly of the duct 10 wetting out agent, such as a liquid detergent, is normally wiped over the inside of each pipe 1 2 in order to resptrict the build up of static electricity within the pipes 12, as the fibres 36 pass through the duct.

Fibres 36 sometimes coagulate together and fall as a mass 38 to the bottom of the duct 10. If the velocity of the air forced through the duct by the fan 22 is insufficient to dislodge the mass of fibres 38 on the bottom of the duct, the said mass remains in the duct when all the fibres 38 have been conveyed therethrough. The mass of fibres 38 could, if left in the duct 10, contaminate fibres of a different colour which are conveyed through the duct at a later time. Thus, it is necessary, to remove the mass of fibres 38 and any other foreign bodies (not shown) remaining in the duct 10 when the fibres 36 have all been conveyed therethrough so that any other fibres subsequently conveyed through the duct do not become contaminated either with any fibres 36 from the mass 38 or with any other foreign bodies (not shown).

The cover plate 34 of a pipe 1 2 containing a mass of fibres 38 pivoted away from the associated hole 32 to provide access to the mass of fibres which can be removed through the hole 32 of the pipe, and the cover plate can then be pivoted back over the hole 32.

A fluorescent light source 40 is provided above the duct 10 so that a mass of fibres 38 and any other foreign bodies (not shown) can be observed as a dark patch 42 through the translucent body of a pipe 1 2 as clearly indicated in Fig. 2. At the end of a conveying operation the base of each pipe 1 2 can be checked to see if any dark patches 42 (the tell-tale sign of any contaminants remaining in the duct) are seen therethrough. If any dark patches 42 are noted in any of the pipes 1 2, then the contaminants which result in the dark patches 42 can be removed from the respective pipes through the holes 32 of the pipes as previously described.If necessary, one or more of the pipes 1 2 could be dismantled from the duct as described above, to enable contaminants to be removed from the duct, to remove any obstructions from the duct, and/or to clean the duct internally. If the pipes 1 2 were opaque so that no light could pass therethrough, it would be very difficult to detect any mass of fibre 38 or other foreign bodies (not shown) remaining in the duct. In order to detect such contaminants it would then be necessary to obtain access to the inside of each pipe 1 2 by pivoting the cover plates 34 away from the associated holes 32 and viewing the inside of the pipes through the associated holes 32.Because the pipes 1 2 are translucent, the dark patches thereon can be readily observed and any contaminants remaining in the ducts can be tracked down and easily removed from the duct 10.

In Fig. 3 there is shown as assembly of pipes 41 which could be used in conjunction with, or instead of the pipes 1 2 to form the duct 10. The pipes 41 comprise a Y-branch 43, a cross 44, a bend 46, a reducing connection 48, an enlarging connection 50, a small diameter straight pipe 52, and a large diameter pipe 54.It will be appreciated that by a suitable use of one or more of the pipes 41 and 1 2 the ducts could be connected to any number of the side branches like the side branch 30, even where such a side branch may include a pipe having a diameter larger or smaller than that of the duct 1 0. The assembly in Fig. 3 also includes valves 56, and if required, the duct 10 could be provided with one or more valves 56 to control the feeding of fibres 36 from the side branch 30 into the main duct 10, and/or to control the passage of air from the fan 22 through the duct 10.

Because each pipe 12, or 41 can be easily moulded in polyethylene, the pipes can be produced much more cheaply than conventional duct members which are fabricated from sheet metal.

It will be understood that the duct 10 could be used to convey fluids other than air if required. The duct 10 could thus be used to convey a gas, a liquid, or other fluid borne materials such as solids suspended in a liquid.

Alternative embodiments according to the invention are also envisaged. Thus for example, the gasket 14 could be replaced by a packing which provides a sealing means between pipes 1 2. The fluorescent light source 40 could be replaced by a natural light source, and the fan 22 could be replaced by a blower or a pump. The duct may be formed of any size of pipes 1 2 or 41 and could include any number of side branches 30 and valves 56.

Claims

1. Apparatus for conveying a fluid and/or a fluid-borne material, comprising a duct formed of a translucent material, a pump, fan or blower connected to the duct, and a light source associated with the duct.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein said material is a plastics material.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein said material is a rigid material.

4. Apparatus according to Claims 2 and 3, wherein said material comprises polyethylene.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the duct is formed of a series of duct members secured together.

6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein at least some of said duct members are of different shapes.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein at least some of the duct members each have a first end which is of larger diameter than a second end of the member, such that said ends of said duct members interengage to connect the duct members together.

8. Apparatus according to Claim 7, wherein a sealing gasket is provided between each interengaged said first and second end of two adjacent duct members.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein the or each sealing gasket serves to serve together the respective two duct members.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the duct or at least one of the duct members is provided with an inspection hatch to allow access to the inside of the duct.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 10, wherein a plurality of said inspection hatches are provided at intervals along the duct.

1 2. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein said duct extends from a fibre loading point to said apparatus.

1 4. A method of conveying fluid-borne fibres into fibre-processing apparatus, the method including the steps of passing the fibres down a translucent duct, and illuminating the duct with a light source so as to disclose any fibres on the walls of the duct.

1 5. A method according to Claim 16, wherein the apparatus is in accordance with any one of Claims 2 to 13.

1 9. A method of conveying fluid-borne fibres into fibre-processing apparatus, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

11. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein at least one valve is connected to the duct to control flow therethrough.

1 2. A method of forming an apparatus for conveying a fluid and/or a fluid-borne material comprising the steps of securing together two or more translucent duct members end to end to form a duct, connecting a pump, fan or blower to the duct, and providing a light source to illuminate the duct.

1 3. A method according to Claim 12, wherein said duct members are secured together by providing a gasket on one end of a first duct member, inserting said one end into another end of a second duct member, and wedging the gasket between said one and other ends.

14. Apparatus for conveying a fluid and /or a fluid-borne material, the apparatus being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 or Figs. 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

1 5. A method of forming an apparatus for conveying a fluid and/or a fluid-borne material, the method being substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

CLAIMS (19 Feb 1982)

1. Fibre-processing apparatus provided with means for conveying fluid-borne fibres into the apparatus, said means comprising a duct formed of a translucent material, a pump, fan or blower connected to the duct, and a light source arranged to illuminate the duct so as to disclose any fibres on the walls of the duct.