US1889615A - Waste combing machine, express-card - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 29, 1932. L. SCHORSCH 1,389,615

IAS'IE COHBING MACHINE EXPRESS CARD Filed June 15, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Conreyo Nov. 29, 1932. L. scHoRscH 1,889,615

WASTE COMBING MACHINE EXPRESS CARD Filed June 15, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 29, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE was'rn comma normal,

Application fled .l'nne is, leashed-1 Io. 285,000, and in Germany I ane 1a, 1027.

The present invention relates to the preparation of fibers preparatory to spinmng or other usual textile operations and relates particularly to a method of and apparatus for 5 opening and cleaning such fibers. The impurities contained in raw textile fibers, for example cotton or wool, as well as in waste formed during spinning and other textile operations, maybe divided into two general classes,-first those impurities which are loosely mixed with the fibers, and second, those which adhere to the fibers with more or less tenacity.

For separating the impurities from the useful fibers, two distinct processes are commonl employed. In the first process the loose y mixed im urities are removed in large part, at least, by beating or similarly treating the material, while in the second process the 9 adhering impurities are removed by combing. For the practice of these two processes wholly different types of mechanism have been developed. Thus, for removing the loose dirt and impurities, machines having rotary or other forms of beater are employed, said machinesbeing variously known in accordance with their specific construction or mode of operation, as beaters, pickers, openers, scutchers, lappers, deviling machines, spiral-devils,

, etc. and being hereinafter referred to by the general term, heaters.

For removing impurities which adhere tenaciously to the fibers and which are not readily shaken off by beating, the material is com- 35 monly subjected to the action of toothed ele-' ments which comb out the fiber and remove the impurities therefrom. Usually the toothed element takes the form of a rotating drum having a multitude of pins or teeth projecting from its peripheral surface (for exam le the drum may be covered with card clothing or with garnet wire) and the impurities removed during this combing operation fall through a grate, while the clean fiber is removed from the teeth of the drum and swept away by an air current. One commonl known mechanism of this type is the so-ca led Risler express card, described-and illustrated on pages 140 and 141 of a work entitled Textile raw materials by Julius Zipser, of which an English translation by. Salter was published in 1901 by Scott Greenwood & Son of 8 Broadway Ludgate Hill E. C. London, England. Other mechanisms of this general type have been known to the 55 trade as carding-heaters, waste-brakers, pickers, etc., all of which are intended to clean and open the fibers prior to the carding operation proper. While the known cleaning mechanisms are useful in dealing with 50 good and dry fibrous material, they are not wholly satisfactory or reliable for cleaning material containing dirt of an oily, fatty, or generally sticky nature, since the teeth of the combing device rapidly fill up with the sticky dirt or become covered or embedded with fiber so that the device will not function properly.

Heretofore the above two steps of the cleaning operation, to wit: removal of loose particles and the combing out of adhering dirt have been performed independently of each other, the product of the first process usually being formed into lap rolls or conveyed into bins or other storage receptacles from which it is afterward delivered to the mechanism for performing the second step of cleaning. This usual process is thus wasteful of floor space, consumes an unnecessary amount of time, requires several handlings with resultant abnormal waste in the form of fly or lint, and is uneconomical in thelabor required.

In accordance with the present invention I combine the several aforesaid independent cleaning processes into a single continuous process which may, if desired, consist of a single stage of each type of cleaning, or in which each type of cleaning may be repeated as many times as desired and in any order with respect to the other step. For performing this improved combined process in the most efficient manner I have devised improved mechanism which enables me effectively to clean fibers of all types even when extremely short and when containing oily or adhering dirt.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in vertical section, illustrating a preferred embodiment of means for practicing the improved process; 7

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views of diagrammatic character similar to Fig. 1, respectively sh0wlnits the cleaning of very ing modified arrangements of mechanism designed to carry out modifications of my proc- Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section to larger scale showing details of that portion of the apparatus illustrated at the right hand part of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 is a composite view, to still larger F scale, showing in side elevation and in end elevation, respectively, an improved combing element, together with certain adjunct-ive features.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 wherein the preferred method is illustrated with reference to a desirable embodiment of mechanism, the fiber to be treated is delivered by a feeder a of any desired type, for example the well known Bramwell card feeder,

' to continuously operated beating mechanism 6. This beating mechanism may be of any desired type, for example it is herein indicated as a spiral opener or waste cleaner. In the beater here illustrated the fiber moves laterally (Fig. 2) while undergoing an intense beating during which the loose dirt, comprising sand, sticks, etc., is knocked out of the fiber and drops through a grid while the partially cleaned fiber is condensed upon a condenser cylinder 0 from which it is delivered in the form of a bat or fleece.

From the condenser cylinder 0 the material is preferably conveyed by suitable devices, for example, endless belts, lattices, or the like, (1 d, d to a distributor d, which lays the material in superposed transverse, and preferably zig-zag, folds or plies upon the moving feed apron or belt of the combing mechanism 6 where the material is combed to remove adhering dirt. This combing mechanism e is here illustrated as of that type sometimes called a picker-lapper and its function is commonly referred to as a picking operation. While I prefer to employ bhlts and distributing means as above described for conveying the material from condenser c to the combing mechanism 6, I contemplate that other and equivalent means may be employed.

As above stated, the present invention perdirty fibrous materials, such for example as oily or fatty waste or material containing a large percentage of short fiber, lint, or motes, and to accomplish this result I prefer to employ combing or picking mechanism 0 embodying the following features.

Referring particularly .to Figs. 6 and 7, the fleece or bat g resting upon the feed apron of the combing or ,picking mechanism e is moved slowly toward the feed or licker-in roll it and is presented to the combing drum 7 in such a manner that the teeth of the drum comb out the fibers which are nipped between the roll it and a bar 2, the latter being opposed to the roll 72, and mounted on a weighted lever 0. The peripheral surface of the combing drum f is provided with pins, teeth, or the like, such as are commonly used-in carding or combing machinery, and of such type, length, and fineness as may be required in dealing with the material to be worked. The dirt combed off by the teeth of the drum f is removed by means of knives or equivalent means, here shown as a plurality of angular bars is spaced to form a grate through which the impurities fall. The combed fibers-are carried along by the teeth of the drum f and, if oily or otherwise adhesive, this fiber might cling so firmly to the drum teeth that it would not be removed therefrom and swept away by the air current. To insure proper separation of the cleaned fibers from the drum I preferably provide a brush cylinder Z having projectingbristles preferably of considerable length as compared with the teeth of the drum f. This brush Zis driven at somewhat higher circumferential speed than that of the drum f and in the opposite direction so that the brush bristles strip off the fiber mechanically from the teeth of the drum. The air current (whether produced by suction or pressure) which enters through the conduit or passage m and passes between the drum f and the brush Z is easily able to pick off any fiber which tends to stick to the tips of the brush bristles, since the direction of movement of the teeth of the drum and the opposed brush bristles is the same as that of the air current. The cleaned and combed fibers may now be delivered directly by the air current to the next stage of the fiber treating process, or, if desired, may be delivered to condenser cylinders 11,, n where it is formed into a hat or fleece which may be delivered in this form or wound into rolls by any usual means, not shown.

Usually, a straight edged or smooth bar p is employed in express cards and similar machines but when such a bar is used, the very short fiber is not reliably retained during the combing operation, so that it is delivered by the drum 7 in an unopened and dirty condition. Accordingly, when treating material containing much short fiber, for example picker motes, I substitute for the usual smooth bar a toothed bar such as shown in Fig. 7 (preferably made separate from and removably secured to the lever 0). This toothed bar p may be made of any desired (preferably hard and wear resistant) material, and may have teeth of any desired de gree of sharpness, depth, or fineness, and may be replaced when worn or broken. This toothed bar p reliably retains even the shortest fibers or motes in the wedge-like spaces between its teeth so that they are properly combed and cleaned, although the continuously advancing batvor fleece entering be-- neath the roll it gradually pushes the cleaned fibers from between the teeth of the comb bar so that the latter does not become clogged or filled up.

While I prefer to use the comb or picker mechanism hereinabove described in performing my improved continuous process, I eontemplate that specifically different mechanism may be employed for combing and opening the fiber to remove adhering dirt, but it should be noted that the broad combination of mechanism here described results in great saving in time, space, material and labor, and that even oily or fatty fiber including motes may be cleaned without difliculty. Moreover, the combing mechanism herein specifically described may find utility in other environments, either alone or in combination with other mechanism and in particular the improved serrated comb bar p may advantageously be used in express-cards, waste-brakers or other combing mechanism of generally similar type.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5 I have shown other desirable combinations of mechanism whereby certain modifications of my process may be practiced. Asa rule in all such combinations it is desirable to arrange the beater mechanism first in order, since the output of such mechanism is reduced by the removal of a substantial proportion of loose dirt, and thus the combing or picker mechanism which is slower in operation, is able to actin an efficient manner.

Fig. 3 illustrates an arrangement for cleaning very dirty material, for example dirty or oily cotton waste. As illustrated, I provide a pair of mechanisms suchasfshown in Fig. 1, arranged in series so that the partially cleaned material from the combing means of the first unit is delivered directly and continuously to the beater mechanism of the second unit. Thus, as shown, the material is first placed in the feeder a from which it passes to beater. 6 then over the conveyors D to the first combing mechanism a. It then passes in the form of a bat or fleece to the second beater b and then over the conveyors D to the second combing mechanism e from which it is delivered in the form of a lap roll q. Obviously, in this broad combination of mechanism, different specific types ofbeater,

conveyor and combing means may be substituted for those shown. Whatever the specific means employed, this repetition of the beating and combing in a continuous process results in an eflicient cleaning and opening of the fiber, and its delivery in good condition for subsequent'operations.

In Fig. 4 the'mechanism comprises a single beater I) followed by two combing or picker mechanisms 6 6 operating in series. This arrangement is particularly desirable in treating fibrous material having a great deal of adhering dirt, or fine fiber, for example picker motes. In such an arrangement the combing devices of the successive mechanisms e and e are referably provided with teeth or pins of dierentdegrees of fineness so as to obtain graded and accurate opening and combing action. In Fig. 5, the beater b and the carding mechanism 6 are disposed substantially as shown in Fig. 1, but the bat or fleece from .the combing mechanism 0 is delivered in overlapping transverse folds or plies to form a double bat which is wound into a lap roll q. Thus the feeder a delivers the material to the beater b from which the conveyor d carries it to the combing device 0; from the combing device the bat or fleece is carried by conveyors of suitable type to a distributing device r similar, if desired, to that disclosed in my Patent No. 1,642,178 dated September 13, 1927 which lays it in zigzag, transverse, overlapping folds or pliesvupon an endless belt or conveyor which delivers it to suitable means 'for forming it into a lap roll 9. Such a roll, consisting of a doubled, transversely folded bat or fleece, is particularly desirable for use in processes where the material is delivered directly, after a single carding operation, to a tape condenser or the like where it is divided into roving ready for spinning and where great uniformity in the fleece from the card is requisite.

While I have herein illustrated certain desirable mechanisms and combinations of mechanism for use in performing my improved continuous process of cleaning fibrous materials, I wish it to be .understood that the process in its broader aspects is not dependent upon the employment of these specific mechanisms and as respects the mechanisms disclosed various changes in details, including the substitution of elements for their equivalents may be made without departing. from the invention.v

I claim:

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising means for beating loose dirt out of fibrous material, means for combing the-material including a rotary toothed drum, a brush for doling the drum, and means for directing an air current between the .drum and the brush to convey. away the cleaned material.

2. Apparatus of the class described comprising a toothed combing drum, means for presenting fiber to said drum, a rotary brush turning in a direction opposite to that of the drum, said brush having bristles for dofling fiber adhering to the teeth of the drum, means for-directing an air current between the brush and drum, the air moving in the same direction as the adjacent peripheral portions ofthe brush and drum, and condenser means adapted to receive the fiber from the air current and to form it into a bat.

3. Apparatus of the class described comprising a toothed combing drum, fiber pre- 5 scnting means includin a roller and an oposed toothed bar, a weighted lever supportmg said bar and urging it toward the roller,

a grid comprising a series of spaced angular bars for removing impurities carried by the teeth of the drum, a brush for doifing fibers adhering to the teeth of the drum, means for directing an aircurrent between the brush and drum, and means for condensing the fiber carried by the air current.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name this 2nd day of June, 1928. Y

LUDWIG SCHORSGH.

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