US1994176A - Feed or drawing roller for textile machines - Google Patents

Description

March 12, 1935. FQSSEL FEED OR DRAWING ROLLER FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed April 6, 1933 Joseph. Fosselmap/W Afiorney Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES l,99,l?t

Farsi ri'i FEED on DRAWING ROLLER FOR TEXTILE MACHINES.

tain cases, intermeshing fluted rollers between which the fibers are fed or drawn. In this type of instrumentality, the intermeshing rollers provide an extremely uneven tension or draft on the material which results in the formation of an uneven web leaving Weak and. non-uniform places in the finished filament. The .intermeshing rollers also have a tendency to crush the fibers as they pass therebetween, with the result that the finished material is reduced in tensile strength.

Another form of drawing instrumentality, in prior devices of this character, has involved the use, of a fluted roller in connection with a roller having a cylindrical surface. The fluted roller has been provided with a large number of closely arranged teeth and, in order to procure a positive feeding action, it has been necessary to provide an extremely heavy pressure between the feed roller and the cooperating pressure roller. As a result of the extremely heavy pressures, certain of the fibers passing between the rollers are crushed or broken and the outer covering of the pressure roller is subjected to undue wear resulting particularly in the formation of corrugations therein by the action of the teeth on the feed roller. In this type of instrumentality, moreover, the extremely heavy pressures tend to bend Q the rollers so that a uniform engagement throughout the length of the rollers is impossible. The formation of grooves in the pressure roller has beenavoided either by. varying materially the spacing between successive teeth of the roller or,

in other cases, by varying materially the width engagement with the surface of a cooperating pressure roller. The principal object of the pres.- ent invention is to provide a feed roller which incorporates the advantages of the invention disclosed in the copending application with none of the above noted disadvantages and also provides for an extremely uniform feeding and drawing action.

By the present invention, the spreading and flaring action which occurs in prior feeding devices is entirely eliminated, thereby avoiding the use of guides and resulting in the formation of an extremely uniform web or ribbon of material. The roller of the presentinvention is applicable not only to the long drafting of fibrous material but is also equally applicable to short drafting of fibrous material so that the feeding or drawing instrumentalities are moreuniformly applicable than prior devices which have been limited in use either to short or'to long drafting.

Although the roller disclosed in the above identified copending application 'is' completely satisfactory in operation and produces a uniform web or ribbon by providing a positive feeding action, it has been found, in certain cases, by varyingthe width of lands in a multiplicity of cycles around the periphery of the roller, that a more evenweb is produced, particularly in the use of the roller in drawing frames.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following de tailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of a drawing frame showing one application of a roller embodying the present invention.

Fig; 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sec-'- tionshowing the operation of .a series of rollers embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section of a feed roller, greatly enlarged, to show more clearly the in-.- vention.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the novel feed roller is shown in connection with a draw box of the usual construction, although the use of the roller isnot limited to draw boxes or drawing frames as will be apparent. The particular draw box shown is arranged for the long drafting of cotton fibers. The web or sliver 1 passes successively between the positively driven feed rollers 2, 2a and 2b and the cooperating pressure rollers 3, 3a and 319. Each pressure roller is held in engagement with the corresponding feed roller with a predetermined pressure which may be applied through suitable weights or springs suspended from or attached to members 4 on the shafts of the pressure rollers. The Web 1 is drawn or elongated materially by each successive pairs of rollers as a result of the positive feeding action of said rollers so that the web, as it leaves the roller 2b is materially longer and lighter in weight than the web as it passes between the rollers 2 and 3. The attenuation of the web by a draw box incorporating the novel rollers may be as much as thirteen or fourteentimes the original length of the web and the operation of the feed rollers permits the attenuated web to be entirely uniform throughout. At the same time, the draw box requires only three pairs of drawing rolls.

Each successive feed or drawing roller is driven at a faster rate than the preceding roller to accommodate the increasing length of the sliver, as well as to procure a further drawing operation, by suitable gearing shownin dot-dash lines in Fig. 1. Referring to these. figures, a drive shaft 5 below the second feed roller 2a carries a gear 6- Which engages an idler gear 7, the latter meshing with a gear 8 on one end of the feed roller 2 for actuating said roller. The drive shaft 5 also carries a larger gear 9 which drives a gear 10 on the third feed roller 2b through idler gears 11 and 12 on a single shaft, said gears meshing respectively with the gears 9 and 10. The second or middle feed roller 20. is driven from a gear 13 on the feed roller 2b through an idler gear 14 which meshes with a gear 15 on the roller 2a.

In order to obtain a uniform elongation of the web or sliver between successive feed rollers, it is necessary that the web be given a positive and uniform feeding action by each roller and to this end the feed rollers 2, 2a and 2b are of a novel construction best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Each feed roller is in the form of acylinder, the outer surface of which is provided with a plurality of relatively large flutes, said flutes being materially reduced in number from the usual flutes provided in prior art machines. Said flutes define teeth 21, each of which provides an outer land or surface 22 concentric to the axis of. the roller and of a material width to provide a cylindrical surface on each tooth for engagement with the cooperating pressure roller. The opposite faces 23 of each tooth extend at an angle of substantially 45 to each other and also extend at equal angles to the outer surface 22 of the tooth. The outer surface 22 of successive teeth Vary slightly in width from the minimum width of one sixtyfourth of an inch, the variations being on the order of from two to seven thousandths ofan inch in order to avoid the formation of permanent notches or depressions in the surface of the pressure roller by continued use of said pressure roller. It will be apparent that if all of the teeth were of equal width, they would soon form uniformly spaced depressions in the surface of the pressure roller and the latter would then function as a gear meshing with the teeth or flutes of the feed roller, a result which is obviously objectionable and undesirable. The small variations in widths in successive teeth are great enough'to avoid a permanent notching of the pressure rollers so that the latter are usable over a relatively long period of time before it is necessary to replace them; at the same time, the variations in width of successive teeth are so slight that the varying feeding effect produced on the sliver cannot be noticed regardless of the extent to which the web is drafted or attenuated in the draw box.

drawing roller 2a, which operates on a sliver of lighter weight, is one and one-fourth inches in are somewhat more closely arranged than in the roller 2. The third drawing roller 21), which is equal in size to the roller 2, being one and onehalf inches indiameter, accommodates a finer or lighter sliver and is accordingly provided with sixty flutes. The flutes are thus more closely spaced than in either of the preceding rollers; at the same time, as shown in the drawing, all of the flutes of each roller are uniform'in size. Thus, the distance between the centers of successive teeth varies slightly inacoordance with the variation in the width of the lands on said teeth.

This variation is so slight thatthe flutes or teeth are nevertheless substantially evenly spaced about the periphery of theroller. it has been found that the circumferential spacing of the teeth on the successive rollers should be reduced to some extent as the weight of the sliver engaged by the roller is reduced.

The lands on successive teeth vary in width For proper operationf 1 froma minimumof one sixty-fourth of an inch by increments of between two and seven thousandths of'an inch in'a plurality of cycles around the periphery of the roller. Referring particularly to Fig. 3, in which the roller is shown, the land 22a represents a land of minimum Width which is substantially one sixty-fourth of an inch in width. The successive land 22?) is slightly wider, being two-thousandths of an inch greater in width than the land 22a. The next land 220 is three-thousandths of an inch' wider than the minimum land 22a. The land 22d adjacent the land 220 is the maximum'width being seventhousandths of an inchwider than the minimum land 22a. The cycle then beginsto decrease with the succeeding land 22c only four-thousandths of an inch wider than the width of the minimum land 22a. The last tooth of the cycle 22f has a land three-thousandths of an inch wider than the minimum land 22a. The above described cycle then repeats itself beginning with the successive land 22a of the minimum width.

It will thus appear that a'plurality of cycles of lands of varying widths are provided throughout the periphery of the roller with the lands in each cycle varying in the same manner as the lands in each of the othercycles. Each cycle includes'six teeth which. vary from a minimum width through a maximum'width and back to a minimum, and

the roller 2 accordingly has seven cycles throughout the periphery. Similarly, the roller 2a has seven cycles and the roller 21) which has sixty flutes has ten cycles.

The particular structure shown is arranged for use in the drawing of cotton sliver. The length of a cycle in the roller 2 peripherally of the rolleris slightly less than one inch and accordingly substantially equal to'or slightly less than the average length of a cotton fiber in the mass of fibers passing between said roller and the cooperating pressure roller. The width of the lands, in proportion to the number of teeth or flutes in the roller, is such that the spacing between successive lands is great enough to allow the web 10 diameter with forty-two flutes so that the flutes 7 over a relatively smallarea; with very little or,

no clamping action' therebetween. -In this manner, a more positive clampingaction is obtained than would bepossible with a smooth feed roller or if the lands of theteeth were much greater in width, andthe' teeth were more closely spaced. At the same time, the lands are of a sufficient width to avoid-crushing or cutting of the fibers engaged thereby} As the length of the cycle is equal to or less than the average lengthof the fibers of the material, each separate fiber is held. by each tooth in a cycle and a definite uniform advancing movement occurs. This result obviously would not be obtained if the length of the cycle were greater than the average length of the fibers.

By the formation of each of the teeth with flats or lands 22 varying slightly in width from the minimum of one sixty-fourth of an inch, it has been found possible to obtain a positive feeding action by rollers of this type, to materially decrease the pressure exerted on the web or sliver by the pressure roller, and at the same time. to increase the weight of material passing between the cooperating rollers. The particular angle of the side surfaces of the flutes and the proper spacing of the flutes in a roller embodying the present invention provide for a definite clamping or engagement of the web or sliver between said roller and the cooperating pressure roller which definitely supports each individual fiber in the web against undesired movement and obtains the desired result, that each fiber is advanced a predetermined amount relative to each other fiber in the web. This positive gripping action of the teeth of the feed roller also prevents the objectionable flaring or spreading of the web and maintains perfect selvedges at opposite edges thereof. It has been found that the width of the web in passing through a draw box incorporating the novel rollers is maintained entirely uniform throughout the length of the draw box. By eliminating the heretofore necessary guides, the amount of waste commonly, known as fly resulting from the drawing action is materially reduced.

In the proper drawing of the web, the successive feed rollers are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of the longest fibers in the web so that no fiber is engaged by a succeeding roller until it has been released from the preceding roller. This eliminates breaking of the fibers and also eliminates the tendency of the fibers to become disarranged and no longer retain their proper direction in the web.

Referring now particularly to Fig. 2, it will be noted that the pressure rollers cooperating with the feed rollers are provided with a layer of felt 24 covered by leather 25 or other resilient material. By this arrangement which, in itself, is not novel, the fluted feed rollers are able to form temporary depressions in the pressure roller during the passage of the web therebetween, so that the feed roller engages the web over a predetermined distance on both sides of the center line of the feed and pressure rollers. The clamping action by each successive pair of rollers is not immediately released but as the material passes therethrough, the clamping action is gradually diminished, providing for a more uniform drawing action between successive pairs of rollers as will be apparent. As most clearly shown in Fig. 2, the spacing of the flutes on the rollers is such that the web is positively engaged at all times by at least twoof the teeth and at the same time the spacing and the width of the flats on the teeth is such that a positive clamping action on the web is obtained without the use of excessive pressure between the pressure roller and the corre sponding feed roller. a

With drawing rollers of the type shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the web or sliver is positively anduniformly fed through each successive pair'of rollers and at the same time each feed rollerpositively supports the fibers against being. pulled through by the successive feed roller so that each fiber in the web is advanced relative to each other fiber the same predetermined amount and a uniform web greatly attenuated is delivered from the draw box. The use of this type of feed roller makes possible a greater elongation of the web than in prior constructions and provides for a uniform attenuation by reason of the positive engagement between the surfaces of the feed roller and the corresponding pressure roller.

Although the variation in the width of successive lands is quite small, the variation is nevertheless great enough to avoid formation of grooves in the cooperating pressure roller and the small variation in width does not procure a change in the rate of the advancing movement of the fibers which would result in a non-uniform web of material. I

The disclosure has been directed specifically to drawing rollers but it will be apparent that the same type of fluting may be applied as well to the detaching and feed rollers of a combing machine or to the other feed rollers in textile machines.

I claim,

1. A drawing or feeding roller for use in textile machines, said roller having a small number of relatively large flutes spaced substantially evenly about the periphery of said roller, said flutes defining teeth, each presenting an outer surface of substantial width concentric to the axis of the roller, the opposite faces of each tooth extending at an angle at substantially forty-five degrees to each other, the outer surfaces on successive teeth varying slightly in width according to a predetermined cycle, the width of teeth in each cycle varying from a minimum to a maximum and back to a minimum, said cycle being repeated a multiplicity of times about the periphery of the roller with the peripheral length of each cycle no greater than the average length of fibers in the material fed by said roller.

2. A drawing or feeding roller for use in textile machines, said roller having a small number of relatively large flutes spaced substantially evenly about the periphery. of said roller with the opposite faces of said flutes extending at an angle of substantially forty-five degrees to each other and symmetrically to the axis of the roller, said flutes defining teeth which present outer surfaces of substantial width concentric to the axis of the roller, successive outer surfaces varying slightly in width according to a predetermined cycle, the width of teeth in each cycle varying from a minimum to a maximum and back to a minimum, said cycle being repeated a multiplicity of times about the periphery of said roller.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination with a member providing a smooth arcuate surface, of a feed or drawing roller in parallel alinlementtherewith, said feed roller having a small number of relatively large flutes spaced substantially evenly about the periphery of said roller, said flutes defining teeth which provide outer surfaces of substantial width concentric to the axis of the roller for engagement with the arcuate surface of said member, with the opposite faces of each tooth extending at an angle of approximately forty-five degrees to each other, successive outer surfaces varying slightly in width according to a predetermined cycle, the widthiof teeth in each cycle varying from a minimum to a maximum and back to a minimum, said cycle being repeated a multiplicity of times about the periphery of said roller.

4. A drawing or feeding roller for use in textile machines, said roller having a small number of relatively large flutes spaced substantially even- JOSEPH FOSSEL. 1

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