GB2162307A

GB2162307A - Dust extraction apparatus for warp beam winder

Info

Publication number: GB2162307A
Application number: GB8517446A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Magnavac Air Systems Ltd
Current assignee: Magnavac Air Systems Ltd
Priority date: 1984-07-14
Filing date: 1985-07-10
Publication date: 1986-01-29
Also published as: GB8517446D0; GB8417994D0; GB2162307B

Abstract

Dust extraction apparatus for a warp beam winder 1 comprises a deflector 10 connected by ducting 13, 14 and 15 to a rotary fan 16 and an outlet duct 20. In operation, when yarn is wound at high velocity onto a warp beam 4, the dust and fly etc. liberated is deflected by the deflector 10 into the ducting 13, 14 and 15 and removed by the outlet duct 20 to a filtering system. The deflector 10 is movable to allow access by an operator of the winder 1 to repair broken threads of yarn etc. The rear wall (10b) of the deflector may be transparent. Instead of the side walls 2 of the winder 1 being shaped aerodynamically (as shown) they may be rectangular (Fig. 4) and have a preferably curved deflector positioned therebetween. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Dust extraction apparatus for warp beam winder THIS INVENTION relates to dust extraction apparatus for a warp beam winder of the type in which warp threads are wound in generally parallel relationship onto a rotatable warp beam.

A conventional warp beam winder comprises a creel frame carrying a large number of bobbins, typically five hundred or so, from each of which a single thread can be drawn onto a warp beam. To ensure that each thread maintains a substantially parallel relationship with an adjacent thread, sets of upright pins, called reeds, are disposed at the end of the creel frame and above the warp beam. In operation, each of the threads is wound onto the warp beam which rotates at high speed and thus the threads themselves are drawn along the creel frame and between the reeds at a correspondingly high speed.

Large quantities of dust and fly etc. are liberated from the threads during the winding operation, and because the threads are travelling at a relatively high velocity, an air stream carrying the dust and fly etc. is generated in the direction of the warp beam. This repre- sents a serious health hazard to the operator of the machine who must stand in front of the warp beam and in line with the threads so that whenever one of them breaks it can be repaired and, if necessary, repositioned correctly between the reeds.

It is an object of the present invention to provide dust extraction apparatus for a warp beam winder which substantially eliminates the hazard of dust and fly etc. to the operator of the machine and others working nearby whilst, at the same time, ensuring that the operator is able quickly and simply to attend to breakage of the threads.

According to the invention there is provided dust extraction apparatus for a warp beam winder comprising a deflector adjacent the reeds of the warp beam winder and operable to deflect air including dust and fly etc. liberated from the threads during winding, into extraction ducting provided with suction means and filter means, the deflector being movable away from the reeds to allow access to the threads.

Preferably, the deflector is transparent so as to permit visual inspection of the threads approaching the warp beam.

Conveniently, the deflector may be fitted with a handle to move it away from the reeds and hence out of the air flow to allow access to the threads.

The deflector may be hinged to the ducting and may incorporate spring means to hold it in any desired position. The spring means may conveniently comprise one or more gas struts pivotally mounted between the deflector and the ducting.

The deflector may be substantially planar or may instead be curved to provide a smooth change in direction of the air, dust and fly etc.

Instead of a single deflector, a plurality of deflectors may be provided mounted side-byside such that if breakage of one thread occurs only one of the deflectors need be moved to allow access thereto. If a plurality of deflectors are provided then they may be provided with elastomeric seals such as rubber seals between adjacent deflectors to prevent air, dust and fly etc. from escaping therebetween.

The or each deflector may be conveniently provided with side-walls which help to guide the air, dust and fly etc. into the ducting and also keep spillage thereof to a minimum.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic side elevation of apparatus according to the invention fitted to a conventional winding machine; Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the apparatus of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a side elevation corresponding to that of Fig. 1 but in which the deflector has been moved to allow access to the threads; Fig. 4 is a side elevation similar to Fig. 1, but showing an alternative form of machine; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of the machine illustrated in Fig. 4.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a warp beam winder 1 comprises a pair of side plates 2, between which are concentrically disposed a pair of drive shafts 3 adapted to rotatably hold a cylindrical warp beam 4 therebetween. A guide roller 5 is mounted between the side plates 2 above the warp beam 4. A set of reeds 6 are off-set from the roller 5 and extend vertically from the winder 1.

At the rear of the winder 1 is disposed a creel frame 7 upon which are horizontally mounted a number of bobbins 8 (typically around 500), each of which carries a thread which can be guided through a respective creel frame reed 9 mounted at the front of the creel frame 7.

The warp beam winder 1 and frame 7 as thusfar described are entirely conventional and in operation the threads from the bobbins 8 are guided in parallel relationship between the reeds 6 and wound by the drive shafts 3 onto a respective warp beam 4. When the warp beam 4 is full it is detached from the drive shafts 3 and stored for subsequent processing whereby each of the warp threads are utilised in weaving lengths of textile material on a loom. An empty warp beam 4 can be subsequently mounted between the drive shafts 3 to continue the process.

Dust extraction apparatus according to the invention comprises an inclined deflector 10, a transparent polycarbonate screen 1 Oa and side walls 1 Ob. The lower end of deflector 10 is disposed in an operative position just above the path of the threads between roller 5 and reeds 6. A handle 11 and a hinge 12 are provided by which the deflector 10 is pivotally mounted on an inlet duct 13, itself connected by ducting 14, 15 to an electrically operated rotary fan 16. The hinged ends of the deflector 10 are provided with lobes 17 on each of which is pivotally mounted one end of a respective gas spring 1 8, the other end of which is pivotally mounted on an elongate bracket 19 fixed to the duct 14. An outlet duct 20 extends horizontally from the rotary fan 16 and leads to a filtering system (not shown) of conventional type.

In operation, when the warp beam roller 1 is winding yarn from the bobbins 8 onto the warp beam 4 at high speed, typically 600 metres per minute, dust and fly etc. from the bobbins 8 are liberated as they are unwound and as they travel through the reeds 6 and 9.

8ecause of the high velocity of the yarn the dust and fly tends to be drawn towards the warp beam end of the winder 1 in the direction of the arrows and, without the present invention, would normally be distributed around the work environment and, in particular constitute a serious health hazard to an operator of the winder 1 who normally stands in front of the warp beam 4 to facilitate repair of any yarn which becomes broken as it passes through the reeds 6.

However, apparatus according to the present invention when fitted to the warp beam roller deflects the air including dust and fly etc. in the direction of the arrows by means of the deflector 10 whereafter it is drawn into the inlet duct 13 by the suction effect of the rotary fan 16. whereafter it is ejected along the outlet duct 20 and subsequently processed in a conventional filtering system in which the air is recirculated into the environment and dust and fly etc. collected for subsequent disposal.

Because of the important requirement for an operator of the winder 1 to be able quickly and easily to repair any of the yarn threads which become broken, the deflector 10 is provided with a handle 11, whereby it can be articulated to the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The provision of the gas springs 18 provides means whereby the deflector 10 can be held in any desired position away form the reeds 6 whilst a repair to any of the yarn threads is made. Also, the operator of the winder 1 can view the yarns to watch for breakage, the rear of the deflector 10 is transparent.

Referring now to Figs. 4 and 5, in some cases the side walls or body of the warp beam winder, instead of being shaped aerodynamically as illustrated in Fig. 1, may be of a more rectilinear shape such as illustrated at 30 in Fig. 4. In this case, to ensure that the general air stream from the creel frame follows the paths of the threads, a deflector plate 31 may extend from the top of the winder 30 downwards to the floor. The deflector 31 may be flat but is preferably curved as illustrated.

In addition, side plates 32 (see especially Fig. 5) may act as guides to channel the flow of air and dust, fly etc. in a converging manner towards the beam 1. Since the operator might require access to the area between the creel frame 7 and the warp beam winder, side walls 32 which may be of a greater height than as depicted in Fig. 4, are preferably adapted to be readily removed, by a sliding or pivotting action to permit free access to that part of the machine.

It will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and may, for example, comprise two or more deflectors 10, mounted in tandem, across a width of a warp beam 4. In such an event, an elongate elastomeric seal, such as rubber, may be provided between adjacent-deflectors 10 to prevent leakage of air, dust and fly etc.

onto the operator. Furthermore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular type of warp beam winder described but can be utilised in any type of winder where yarn threads are drawn through a set of reeds and dust and fly etc. is liberated, at high velocity.

Claims

1. Dust extraction apparatus for a warp beam winder comprising a deflector adjacent reeds of the winder and operable to deflect air including dust and fly etc. liberated from the warp threads during winding, into extraction ducting connected with suction means and filter means, the deflector being movable away from the reeds to allow access to the threads.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, in which the deflector is transparent so as to permit visual inspection of the threads approaching a warp beam.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the deflector is inclined with its lower end disposed in an operative position above the paths of the threads between the reeds and the warp beam.

4. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the deflector is fitted with a handle to move it away from the reeds and hence out of the air flow to allow access to the threads.

5. Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the deflector is hinged to the ducting.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the deflector incorporates spring means to hold it in any desired position.

7. Apparatus according to Claim 6, in which the spring means comprises one or more gas springs pivotally mounted between the deflector and the ducting.

8. Apparatus according to any preceding claim in which the deflector is substantially planar.

9. Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, in which the deflector is curved to provide a smooth change in direction of the air, dust and fly etc.

10. Apparatus according to any preceding claim comprising a plurality of deflectors mounted side-by-side such that if breakage of one thread occurs only one or some of the deflectors need be moved to allow access thereto.

11. Apparatus according to Claim 10, in which an elastomeric seal is provided between the sides of adjacent deflectors to prevent air, dust and fly etc. from escaping therebetween.

12. Apparatus according to Claim 11, in which the seal is an elongate rubber seal.

13. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, in which the or each deflector is provided with side-walls to guide the air, dust and fly etc. into the ducting and also to minimise spillage therefrom.

14. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, including a generally inclined guide member providing a sloping surface below the threads to assist the air flow towards said deflector.

15. Apparatus according to any preceding claim, including a pair of side plates so disposed as to assist the air flow inwardly towards said deflector in a horizontal direction.

16. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.