GB719495A - Improved feeding means for machinery operating on textile fibrous material - Google Patents

Abstract

719,495. Feeding fibrous material. T.M.M. (RESEARCH), Ltd. Feb. 17, 1953 [May 16, 1952; Aug. 5, 1952], Nos. 12505/52 and 19674/52. Class 120(1) [Also in Groups XXXV and XL(b)] Apparatus for feeding opened fibrous material comprises means for conveying the material thereto, means for condensing the conveyed material, a feed trunk beneath the condenser, metering elements at the base of the trunk for delivering material at a controlled rate in the form of a partially compacted sheet, and means sensitive to the head of the material in the trunk for automatically regulating the delivery of the material to the conveying means so as to maintain the head constant. As shown, fibrous material delivered through a pneumatic duct 1 is deposited on a cage condenser 3 whence it falls into a vertical trunk 9 the walls of which diverge slightly and one wall 9a of which is adjustable to vary the crosssectional area of the trunk. Ribbed rollers 10, 11 deliver the material from the trunk in the form of a lightly compacted sheet to a lattice 12 feeding a subsequent machine; or the material may be delivered to other feed elements, to a rotary beater, or to calendering or lap-forming rollers. A motor 13 drives the various rotary members, a variable-speed gear 23 being included in the drive to rollers 10, 11. Uniformity of the delivered fibrous sheet is ensured by maintaining a constant head of material in the trunk; this is achieved by means of a photo-cell P illuminated by a light beam traversing the trunk, interruption of the beam for more than a pre-determined time disconnecting relay apparatus 5 (see Group XXXV), to cause a controller 29 to arrest or slow down the feed of material to trunk 9. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specification 706,043.