US2787811A

US2787811A - Clearer for textile machines

Info

Publication number: US2787811A
Application number: US298581A
Authority: US
Inventors: Norman E Klein
Original assignee: Milliken Research Corp
Current assignee: Deering Milliken Research Corp; Milliken Research Corp
Priority date: 1952-07-12
Filing date: 1952-07-12
Publication date: 1957-04-09
Anticipated expiration: 1974-04-09

Description

April 9, 1957 N. E. KLEIN CLEARER FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed July 12, 1952 l as 3 INVENTOR.

4/08/1414 E. KLE/N 'wzi w AT TOPA/E K nited States Patent CLEARER FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Norman E. Klein, Pendleton, S, C., assignor to Deering Millikan Research Corporation, Pendleton, S. C., a corporation of Delaware Application July 12, 1952, Serial No. 298,581

11 Claims. (Cl. 19-440) This invention relates to clearers for textile machines and is particularly directed to clearer rolls for drawing frames, spinning frames and the like.

It is well known that the front rolls of drawing and spinning frames have a much greater propensity toward the colllection of fly, lint and other deleterious material thereon than do the other rolls of the frame. For this reason, the expedient of equipping these rolls, particularly the top roll, with means for clearing or cleaning the same has long been adopted.

Conventionally, the clearing means has taken two general forms: (1) that of a cylindrical roll covered with felt with or other similar material 7 supported by the frame for rolling contact with the'roll to be cleared, and (2) that of a block or its equivalent non-rotatively supported by the frame for sliding contact with the roll. It will, thus, be seen that each of these two forms is dependent upon a different type of engagement with. the roll for its clearing action, that of the first being a rolling engagement and that of the second being a sliding engagement.

Each of these types of engagement has certain desirable characteristics as well as undesirable ones. The sliding action performs well in removing loose fibers from the roll, but it tends to accumulate fibers which, after a period of time, act to clog the surface of the clearer and lower its efficiency. Also, tufts or bunches of fibers are pulled from this accumulation and introduced into the sliver or roving, destroying its uniformity. On the other hand, the rolling action is not efficient in picking up loose fibers. It does, however, make available more surface for fiber accumulation and constantly presents a different surface to the roll.

It is thus the broad object of thisinvention to provide a clearer roll which combines a sliding action with a roll ing action and, thus, incorporates the desirable characteristics of each without the undesirable characteristics inherent therein.

It is another object of this invention to provide a clearer roll with means for retarding the rotation thereof so that a combined sliding-rolling action is achieved, the retarding force applied by such means being proportional to the velocity of the roll.

A further object of this invention is the provision of rotation retarding means which is small in size, inaccessible to fly and lint, and mounted so as to have minimum interference with the normal operation of the machine.

A still further object is to furnish a clearer roll with a brake disposed within a recess provided in one'end of the roll.

Other and further objects and advantages will be revealed in the following detailed description when read in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure l is an elevation view of a portion of a spinningframe, the top clearer roll being partially cut away to show the present invention in operative relationship therewith;

Figure 2 is a detailed cross sectional view of one form 2,78 7,81 l Patented Apr. 9, 1957 clearer roll of conventional size and configuration having associated therewith means for retarding rotation of the" roll, which means is disposed within a recess provided in one end of the roll. The clearer roll being prevented from attaining a rate of rotation equal to that of the draft roll slips or slideswith respect to that roll, thus producing the desired clearing action.

Turning now to a detailed description of my invention,"

Figure 1 shows one end of one section of a conventional drawing frame or spinning machine and, in this figure, the

numeral 11 designates that portion of the frame which supports the drawing rolls l2 and 13 of the frame, which portion includes an upstanding slotted or channel-Shaped iournal 14 for receiving the axle of a conventional clearer roll 15. Generally, such axles have been circular in cross section to permit the clearer roll to turn freely by virtue of its contactual relationship with the top draw' ing roll 13. According to my invention, however, it is necessary that the member which corresponds to the axle of the clearer roll be of square or other irregular cross section so that it is engaged by the channel member 14 andheld against rotation. As can be seen from Figure 1,

the clearer roll is of conventional configuration with the exception that it is provided at one end thereof with an axial recess or bore 16, within which recess is housedthe braking or rotation retarding means, generally designated 17.

One form of rotation retarding means, best shown in Figures 2 and 3, consists broadly of a step-up planetary gearing system driven by rotation of the clearer roll, to

which is coupled a centrifugally operated brake which functions to resist rotation of the roll.

that of the axial recess 16 is press-fitted therein. Rotatably held within the capsule 20 by means of a bushing 21, formed, preferably, of nylon or similar material, is a shaft 22 extending axially of the capsule, one end of which projects outwardly of the capsule fit! to function as one axle of the clearer roll 15, being provided, as heretofore mentioned, with a rectangular head 23 which fits within the channel member 14. The other end of the shaft 22 is provided with an enlarged cylindrical portion 24 in which is formed a pair of diametrically spaced

holes

25 and 25 which extend parallel to the axis of the shaft and an axial hole 26 located intermediate the

holes

25 and 25. Fixed within the

holes

25 and 25 are a pair of pins 27 and 27' which project beyond the enlarged portion 24. Rotatably carried by the projecting portion of the pins 27 and 27 are a pair of gears 28 and 28' which mesh with an internal gear 29 provided on the internal surface of the capsule 2t).

Meshing with the

gears

28 and 28 is a pinion 30 car ried by a shaft 31, one end of which is rotatably joun naled in the axial hole 26. Thus, the internal gear-gear.--

pinion array functions as a step-up planetary gearing the closure member 32 is a transversely disposed clement, generally designated 35, which, in the embodiment shown in Figures 2 and 3', has a pair of radially extending arms' A cylindrical" member or capsule 20 conforming in size and shape to 36 and 36' extending radially therefrom. The

arms

36 and 36" terminate just short of the internal walls of capsule 20, radially extending recesses 37 and 37' being formed in the ends thereof. Inserted in each of the recesses 37 and freely slidable therein is a slug 38 of any suitable wear-resistant material, the slugs being fully received by the recesses when in their inoperative position but capable of being expelled outwardly therefrom into contact with the inner surface of the capsule 20.

In operation, the capsule and the components housed thereby are inserted into the recess at the end of clearer roll 15 and the clearer roll placed in operative position on the drawing frame, the square head 23 of the shaft 24 being inserted into the channel member 14. Upon rotation of the clearer roll 15 by virtue of its contact with top drawing roll 13, the capsule rotates bodily with the roll, the pinion is being driven at a much higher rate of rotation than that of the clearer roll 15 through the gears 28 and the internal gear 29. The transverse member rotates with the pinion so that the slugs 38 are urged outwardly under the action of centrifugal force into frictional engagement with the internal surface of the walls of the capsule 20, exerting a braking force thereon, which force is, of course, proportional to the speed of the roll. The force or torque exerted upon the roll to drive the same is virtually constant, being a function of the weight of the roll and the coefficient of friction between the surface of the clearer roll and the draft roll. Thus, the actual or resultant speed of the clearer roll is that at which the driving force and braking force are in equilibrium. It will be apparent that the braking characteristic of this embodiment is a function of the mass of the slugs, the length of the radially extending

arms

36 and 36 and the ratio of the step-up gearing array. Hence, by proper choice of a value for each of these variables, any desired braking characteristic can be obtained.

Another form of rotation retarding means, illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, consists broadly of a fixed member and a member rotating with the clearer roll, the two being coupled through a viscous medium. In this modification, a capsule 40 capable of being pressfitted into recess 16 has rotatably mounted therein by means of a bushing 41 a shaft 42, one end of which projects outwardly from the capsule, having a head 43 of square cross-section formed thereon, similar to head 23 of shaft 22 in the embodiment shown in Figure 2. The other end 44 of the shaft 42 disposed within the capsule 40 is of non-circular cross section, for example, flattened on each side thereof. The interior of the capsule 4t isfilled with a high viscosity medium 45, such as a silicone fluid having a dynamic viscosity of several hundred thousand centistokes or a semisolid silicone resin such as that sold under the trade name of Silly Putty, both of which are manufactured by Dow Corning Corp, of Midland, Michigan. Suitable sealing means, designated 46, is furnished between the viscose medium and the bushing 41.

With a view to facilitating the introduction of the viscous medium into the capsule 40, the internal end of the capsule 46 is provided with a tapped hole 47 in which a screw 48 is removably embedded. Upon removal of the screw 48, the viscous medium can be injected through the hole into the capsule.

In order to prevent the shaft 42 from being forced out of a capsule under the thrust of the high viscous medium, a washer 49 is secured to the shaft 42 by means of a snap ring 50 placed in an annular groove formed on the shaft 42, the washer 49 bearing against the inner face of the bushing 41.

In operation, the device is assembled as specified in the case of the form of the invention illustrated in Figure 2. The high viscosity medium will engage the irregular surface of the internal end 44 of the shaft 42 and the inner surface of the capsule 40 and resist relative rotation between these two members with the result that the rate of rotation of the clearer roll will be established at that velocity at which the driving torque and the resisting torque are in equilibrium. The braking characteristic of this modification will, of course, be dependent upon the geometry and size of the end 44 of shaft 42 as well as the viscosity of the medium 45.

Obviously, the instant invention is susceptible of wide variation in detail by one skilled in the art. For example, it could be modified for use with a bottom clearer roll as well as for a top clearer roll as illustrated, the number of arms provided on the transverse member 35 could be increased or decreased in accordance with the dictates of a particular situation, a magnetic eddy current coupling between elements rotating at different rates of speed could be employed, and other minor changes could be made, all without departing from the spirit of this invention. Hence, I do not choose to be limited to the details of the specific embodiments of this invention, but only by the claims hereunto appended.

Having thus described my invention, that which is claimed is:

1. The combination with a clearer roll for textile machines, said machines having top and bottom rolls and means for supporting said clearer roll in frictional engagement with one of said rolls, said clearer roll being provided with an axial recess in at least one end thereof, of means for applying a force against the interior surface of said recess to resist rotation of said clearer roll, said force being proportionate to the velocity of said roll.

2. The combination with a clearer roll for textile machines, said machines having top and bottom rolls and means for supporting said clearer roll in frictional engagement with one of said rolls, of means restrained against rotation by engagement with said clearer roll supporting means, means rotatable with said roll, and means operable by virtue of the relative rotation of the two said means to partially restrain said roll against free rotation.

3. The combination with a clearer roll mounted in peripheral abutment with a driven draft roll of a textile machine, being rotated by virtue of said abutment, of braking means disposed within and operable upon said clearer roll in response to rotation thereof to partially and continually restrain free rotation and cause slippage with respect to said driven roll.

4. The combination with a rotatable member driven by frictional engagement with a driven rotary member of means for producing slip between said members, said means comprising an element fixed against rotation, an element carried by said rotatable member and rotatable therewith, and means frictionally coupling said elements together to partially restrain said rotatable member against free rotation with said driven rotary member.

5. The combination with a rotatable member adapted to be rotated by peripheral contact with a driven rotary member, of means for producing slip between said members, said means comprising a shaft fixed against rotation on which said rotatable member is mounted, means carried internally of said rotatable member and rotatable therewith, and means coupling said shaft and said internal member, being operable upon relative rotation of said shaft and said internal member to exert a force upon said rotatable member to resist rotation of the.

7. The device as in claim 6 wherein said first-named means is a cylindrical member open at its outer end, said coupling means is a highly viscous semi-fluid medium contained within said cylindrical member, the inner end of said shaft is formed with an irregular surface adapted to be frictionally engaged by said medium, and sealing means is provided adjacent the outer end of said cylindrical means to prevent the escape of said medium therefrom.

8. The device as in claim 6 wherein said first-named meansis an internal gear, the inner end of said shaft is provided with a support portion, at least one gear rotata'bly carried by said support portion, said second named gear meshing with said internal gear, a pinion meshing with said second named gear, and means rigidly connected to said pin-ion, said last-named means being operable upon rotation of the pinion to frictionally engage the walls of said recess to partially brake the clearer roll against rotation.

9. The device in claim 8 wherein said lastnamed means comprises at least one arm rotatable with said pinion and extending radially thereof to a point just short of the internal walls of said axial recess, a radially extending recess being provided in the end of said arm and a slug of wear-resistant material disposed within said recesses, being freely slidable therein, whereby rotation of said pinion urges said slug against the internal wall of said axial recess to partially brake the clearer roll.

10. The combination with a clearer roll mounted in peripheral abutment with a driven draft roll of a textile machine, being rotated substantially solely by virtue of said abutment, of braking means disposed within and operable upon said clearer roll in response to rotation thereof to partially and continually restrain free rotation and cause slippage with respect to said driven roll.

11. The combination according to claim 10 wherein said braking means includes speed responsive means for exerting a braking force on said roll which is a function of the velocity of said roll.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,639,802 Jones Aug. 23, 1927 1,745,151 Co-mber Jan. 28, 1930 2,051,793 Casablancas Aug. 18, 1936 2,112,937 Taylor Apr. 5, 1938 2,112,938 Taylor Apr. 5, 1938 2,151,273 Hess Mar. 21, 1939 2,180,325 Toenniessen Nov. 14, 1939 2,350,254 Shaw May 30, 1944 2,362,782 Truslow et al Nov. 14, 1944 2,382,214 Dunleavy "Aug. 14, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 609,142 Germany Feb. 8, 1935