GB2290312A

GB2290312A - Apparatus for feeding fibre material to a spinning preparation machine

Info

Publication number: GB2290312A
Application number: GB9512288A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ferdinand Leifeld
Original assignee: Truetzschler GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Truetzschler GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 1994-06-18
Filing date: 1995-06-16
Publication date: 1995-12-20
Anticipated expiration: 2015-06-16
Also published as: JP3474676B2; ITMI950938A0; GB2290312B; JPH0841732A; IT1274464B; CH690176A5; GB9512288D0; BR9502811A; ITMI950938A1

Abstract

Apparatus for feeding fibre material (e.g. callon, synthetic fibre material) which is in flock form, to a spinning preparation machine (e.g. a carding machine, cleaner), in which the fibre material passes through a take-in device, for example a take-in roller 1 cooperating with a tray 2a, and taken through at least one opener device, for example an opener roller, and the tray 2a consists of an extruded section, for example of aluminium or an aluminium alloy, and that surface 2", 2' of the tray 2a which faces the fibre material is made wear-resistant. The tray may have a sheet of wear-resistant material, e.g. steel. The surface may be plated. A wear-resistant layer, e.g. enamel, ceramics, titanium nitride, may be alternatively applied. The layer may be of hardened steel. Ceramic materials include sintered ceramics such as aluminium oxide, silicon nitride or zirconium oxide, and ceramic coatings. Tungsten carbide in a cobalt matrix may be hardened metals. The take-in device incorporates pre biased fibre sensing elements 14a displaceable in response to variations in the thickness of the fibre material. <IMAGE>

Description

Apparatus for feedina fibre material to a spinning prenaration machine The invention relates to an apparatus for feeding fibre material, for example cotton, synthetic fibre material and the like, which is in flock form to a spinning preparation machine, for example a carding machine, cleaner or the like.

Our earlier British Patent Application No. 9326204.6 describes a feeding apparatus in which the fibre material passes through an intake device, for example a take-in roller cooperating with a tray, and then through at least one opener device, for example an opener roller, having a scanning device comprising a take-in roller and sensing elements, wherein each sensing element is movably mounted for a displacement in the case of variations in the thickness of the fibre material and is prebiased, the sensing elements being joined to a common rotatably or movably mounted holding element prestressed by a force element, at which holding element the summation result of the displacements of the individual sensing elements is present, the sensing elements comprising at one end a securing region which is fixably connected to the holding element, wherein the sensing elements form a guide element for the rotation or displacement of the prestressed holding element and the scanning region is formed by the other end of the sensing elements and wherein the tray consists of an extruded section, for example of aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

It is an object of the invention to improve even further the apparatus for feeding fibre material, for example cotton, synthetic fibres and the like, which is in flock form.

The present invention provides an apparatus for feeding fibre material to a spinning preparation machine, having a take-in device including a feed tray, wherein the tray comprises an extruded section and the surface of the tray that in use of the feed apparatus faces the fibre material is made wear-resistant.

As a result of the wear-resistant formation of that surface of the tray which faces the fibre material in use of the apparatus, the service life of the tray is substantially increased, and at the same time the advantages of the tray in the form of an aluminium extruded metal member come into effect.

Expediently, that surface of the tray which faces the fibre material is made wear-resistant. Preferably, the tray surface is provided with a sheet of wearresistant material, for example of steel. Preferably, the tray surface is plated. There is advantageously applied to the tray surface a wear-resistant layer, for example enamel, ceramics, titanium nitride, or any other suitable hard material, including hardened metals. The wear-resistant layer may be of hardened steel. Suitable ceramic materials include sintered ceramics such as aluminium oxide (A1203), silicon nitride (SiN) or zirconium oxide (Zr02), and ceramic coatings. Hardened metals for use in accordance with the invention may comprise a suitable hard material embedded in a metal, for example tungsten carbide in a cobalt matrix.

Expediently, the tray surface is hardened.

The arrangement of the invention is especially advantageous where there is associated with the take-in device a sensing device comprising sensing elements each sensing element being movably mounted so as to be displaceable in the case of variations in the thickness of the fibre material and being prebiased, the sensing elements being joined to a common rotatably (pivotally) or movably mounted holding element prestressed by a force element, at which holding element the displacements of the individual sensing elements are summed, the sensing elements each being attached at one end to the holding element, and the other ends of the sensing elements serving to sense the fibre.

Thus, more especially, the invention provides an apparatus for feeding fibre material, for example cotton, synthetic fibre material and the like, which is in flock form, to a spinning preparation machine, for example a carding machine, cleaner or the like, in which the fibre material passes through a take-in device, for example a take-in roller cooperating with a tray, and then through at least one opener device comprising a take-in roller and sensing elements, wherein each sensing element is movably mounted for a displacement in the case of variations in the thickness of the fibre material and is prestressed, the sensing elements being joined to a common pivotally or movably mounted holding element prebiased by a force element, at which holding element the summation result of the displacements of the individual sensing elements is present, the sensing elements comprising at one end a securing region which is securely joined to the holding element, wherein the sensing elements form a guide element for the pivotal movement or displacement of the prestressed holding element and the scanning region is formed by the other end of the sensing elements and wherein the tray consists of an extruded section, for example of aluminium or an aluminium alloy, wherein that surface of the tray which faces the fibre material is made wear-resistant.

The invention further provides an apparatus for feeding fibre material to a spinning preparation machine, having a take-in device including a continuous feed table, the apparatus comprising a plurality of sensing elements associated with the table for sensing variations in the thickness of the fibre material.

Certain illustrative embodiments of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a side view of an apparatus according to the invention with a hardened tray surface; Fig. 2 shows the tray surface of another apparatus, having a stainless steel sheet; and Fig. 3 is a side view of another apparatus having a continuous feed table and a tray with a coated surface.

With reference to Figure 1, a feed apparatus for feeding fibre material to a spinning preparation machine, comprises a tray 2a, which comprises an extruded section, for example of aluminium or an aluminium alloy, and a feed roller 1. A licker-in 3 is arranged downstream of the feed roller and the tray, for receiving fibre material therefrom. The surface 2" of the tray 2a facing the slowly rotating feed roller 1 and the surface 2 facing the rapidly rotating licker-in 3 are hardened, for example by nitration.

In the embodiment of Figure 2 the two surfaces 2" and 2' are plated, for example with a thin sheet 70 of stainless steel. The sheet 70 can be secured to the tray, for example adhesively, or alternatively mechanically, for example by screws.

In the embodiment of Figure 3, the surfaces 2" and 2' of the continuous tray of the one-piece feed table 2 are provided with a wear-resistant layer, for example a sprayed-on ceramics layer. The feed table 2 is springmounted by a spring 59 with respect to the machine frame, so that it it possible for it to yield if there are some especially thick areas or foreign bodies. The holding element 15 (summation beam) is likewise continuous and is rotatably mounted with respect to the fixed frame of the machine for the purpose of measuring and scanning the fibre material. The leaf springs 14a to 14n are secured at one end to the holding element 15, for example by screws 71. The leaf springs 14a to 14n are simultaneously clamping springs for the fibre material.

The free ends of the leaf springs 14a to 14n lift off the front surface 2' of the feed table 2 during operation.

Reference numeral 28 designates a lever arm for the holding element 15, the lever arm being supported via a spring 30 on the machine frame.

The invention extends also to an arrangement in which only one of the surfaces 2" or 2' is made wearresistant.

By means of the invention it is possible for there to be used for construction of the feed table an extruded section, for example of aluminium or an aluminium alloy whilst, by virtue of making the surface of the table more wear-resistant than the extruded section (or, where a surface portion of the extruded section is itself hardened, for example by chemical treatment, than the rest of the extruded section), the service life of the tray may be substantially increased.

Claims

1. An apparatus for feeding fibre material to a spinning preparation machine, having a take-in device including a feed tray, wherein the tray comprises an extruded section and the surface of the tray that in use of the feed apparatus faces the fibre material is made wear-resistant.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the extruded section is of aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein there is associated with the tray surface a sheet of wear-resistant material, for example of steel.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tray surface is plated.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein a wear-resistant coating is applied to the tray surface.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the tray surface has been treated to harden it.

7. An apparatus for feeding fibre material to a spinning preparation machine, having a take-in device including a continuous feed table, the apparatus comprising a plurality of sensing elements associated with the table for sensing variations in the thickness of the fibre material.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 7, which is further in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 6.

9. An apparatus for feeding fibre material, for example cotton, synthetic fibre material and the like, which is in flock form, to a spinning preparation machine, for example a carding machine, cleaner or the like, in which the fibre material passes through a takein device, for example a take-in roller cooperating with a tray, and then through at least one opener device comprising a take-in roller and sensing elements, wherein each sensing element is movably mounted for a displacement in the case of variations in the thickness of the fibre material and is prestressed, the sensing elements being joined to a common rotatably or movably mounted holding element prestressed by a force element, at which holding element the summation result of the displacements of the individual sensing elements is present, the sensing elements comprising at one end a securing region which is fixedly connected to the holding element, wherein the sensing elements form a guide element for the pivotal movement or displacement of the prestressed holding element and the scanning region is formed by the other end of the sensing elements and wherein the tray consists of an extruded section, for example of aluminium or an aluminium alloy, wherein that surface of the tray which faces the fibre material is made wear-resistant.

10. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, which is further in accordance with any claim of our earlier British Patent Application No. 9326204.6.

11. An apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by any one of Figures 1 to 3.