US2946174A

US2946174A - Apparatus for doffing lint collection chambers

Info

Publication number: US2946174A
Application number: US666507A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Agnew H Bahnson
Original assignee: Wachovia Bank and Trust Co
Current assignee: Wachovia Bank and Trust Co
Priority date: 1957-06-19
Filing date: 1957-06-19
Publication date: 1960-07-26
Anticipated expiration: 1977-07-26

Description

July 26, 1960 A. H. BAHNsoN, JR 2,946,174

APPARATUS FOR DOFFING LINT COLLECTION CHAMBERS Filed June 19, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 SQ MA g- BY m, JM@ & PJM

ATTORNEYS July 26, 1960 A. H. BAHNsoN, JR

APPARATUS FOR DoFFING LINT' COLLECTION CHAMBERS Filed June 19, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Agr/ew Ba/WwamL//f i ATTORNEYS JAW@ x, PMA

July 26, 1960 A. H. BAHNsoN, JR 2,946,174

APPARATUS FOR DOFFING LINT COLLECTION CHAMBERS Filed June 19, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 V) A Q *l A INVENTOR BY WJCCWAMMAM ATTORNEYS July 26, 1960 `A. H. BAHNsoN, JR 2,946,174

APPARATUS FOR noFFING LINT COLLECTION CHAMBERS Filed June 19, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 all INVENTOR Agnew Ba/mor/,J/t WAM, JWMOMAW w N A A E ATTORNEYS United States Patent O APPARATUS FR DFFING LINT COLLECTION CHAMBERS Agnew H. Bahnson, Jr., Winston-Salem, N.C., assignor to Wachovia Bank and Trust Company, Winston-Salem, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina, trustee Filed June 19, 1957, ser. No. 666,507 16 claims. (ci. 51-56) This invention relates to machines such as spinning and drawing frames and the like for processing textlle iibers and more particularly to such machines as are provided with pneumatic suction equipment for keep- -ing the machines relatively free from lint in the vicinity of the libers being processed. This is a particularly important problem where the fibers are in a loose or only slightly twisted strand such as a rove for the reason that iibers in such condition are most likely to break and also shed loose particles which grow into liuts as they are blown about. These loose particles and uis can easily become entangled in the roves and tend to reduce quality of product. Moreover, the lint and uiis get into the moving parts of the machines which is also undesirable.

One type of apparatus that has been developed for clearing textile machines such as a spinning frame and the like or" lint and iluis as well as broken strands is comprised of a plurality of air suction tubes positioned adjacent the strands as they come oli the drawing rolls, these tubes including an intake orice or slot in alignment with each strand. The air suction maintained at these oriiices is effective for drawing in loose particles in the vicinity of the strands and also for catching and drawing in the ends of any strands which should happen to break between the drawing rolls and the spindles. The collection tubes are themselves manifolded so to speak into a larger central duct which runs for the entire length of and inside the spinning frame, and a suction fan connected to one end of this central duct serves to draw the air and collected lint and broken strand ends into a filter box where the lint and broken strand material are caught by a iilter screen, the iltered air being then discharged.

According to present practice, the lint, broken strand ,ends and iiuiis trapped in the filter box is removed i.e.

doied by hand, put into carts and then carried back to the picker room, forexample, and reprocessed with new fibers. However, this is not entirely satisfactory since the filter boxes may become oVerlilled and interfere with proper suction of the lint into the collection tubes along the machines. Also, the labor cost of doiing each filter box by hand is considerable.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide an automatic system for periodically doiiing the filter boxes and conveying the lint back to the picker room for reprocessing.

More specifically the automatic dotiing system includes a duct under suction for conveying the lint back to the picker room, this conveying duct being located for example below the iloor of the room in which the machines are located and servicing a row or plurality of rows of the textile machines. A conduit extends from the iilter box associated with the suction collection system of each one or a pair of machines to the conveying duct. At the point where each such conduit enters the conveying duct, a vertically arranged swinging damper is provided and this damper is normally held closed both by gravity -underframe portion.

and by the suction of the fan in the combined suction and filter box unit which is higher than that in the conveying duct. In this way each of the conduits is sealed ot from the conveying duct so long as the related suction collection system is in operation, and the lint remains in the lint collection chamber of the related filter box. To do the lint from the ilter box a damper in the filtered air outlet side of the fan or in the inlet side of the fan, depending upon the type of fan used, is closed for a brief period by a solenoid or equivalent actuating means controlled by a timing unit. When this damper closes, it chokes back the suction fan and takes the suction pressure oil the box from that source. The suction prevailing in the conveying duct then opens the damper at the end of the conduit causing the lint to be sucked out of the collection cham-ber through the conduit and into and through the conveying duct to the picker room or other location for reprocessing. The timer can be arranged to open and close the damper in the filtered air outlet rapidly several times to make certain that the rapid interchange of suction more or less shakes the lint and sucks all of it into the conveying duct.

The conveying duct can either be equipped with a material conveying fan or it can be the same duct as that used for removing the motor alley heat as described in my co-pending application Serial No. 591,765, iiled lune 15, 1956, now United States Letters Patent No. 2,898,727 granted August 11, 1959, a filter of theconical type being inserted in the duct to separate the lint from the hot motor alley air, and the lint being carried from the filter under suction to the picker room.

The foregoing, as well as other objects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description of two practical embodiments of the invention and the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a somewhat diagrammatic view of a portion of a spinning room containing a plurality of spinning frames, one of the frames being shown and requipped with an automatic system for doiiing the lint from the collection chamber of the combined suction and iilter box, the conveying duct including a material handling suction fan.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the lint collection chamber;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. l but wherein the con'- veying duct forms part of the system for removing the heat in the motor alley; and f Fig. 4 is also a view similar toFig. 1 but illustrating an embodiment wherein the suction produced on each machine for drawing the lint and broken thread ends into the collection chamberof the filter box is not established by a fan individual to each machine but rather is established by a central suction fan with suction ducts extending to a plurality of such machines.

With reference now to Figs.4 1 and 2, the iloor of the spinning room is indicated at 10 upon which stands a plurality of spinning machines, arranged in rows, the motor end portion only of the machine being illustrated to simplify the drawings. The roving bobbins 11 are mounted between the creel boards 12 and the roving 13 from the same is drawn yby and between rolls 14 for winding on the spindle bobbins 15. The latter are driven -in pairs at each side of the machine by meansof endless tapes 16 which are driven olf a cylinder 17 'that extendsv for the full length of the machine in the so-called The cylinder 17 is driven `by a motor l18.

The air suction apparatus for collecting loose particles of lint, fluiis and brokenends comprises a central'collection duct 19 extending for the full length of the machine beneath the level of the rolls. The end of duct 19 at 4the end of the machine opposite the end shown is closed -29 of theraxial intake, tangential discharge type.

and the other end of duct 19 is connected to the inlet of a combined suction yand filter box unitv 20 situated above the drive motor 1S. The unit 2li functions to maintain la suction of about 5" in the collection duct 19, to filter the fiber laden air which flows into the same and to discharge the cleaned air.

Connected to duct 19 by means of tubings 2l are a plurality of collectionflutes 22 each containinga plurality of spaced slots 23 located where each roving 13 passes from the rolls 14. These slots suck in any loose lint and also suck in the end of any rovi-ng should the latter break between the rolls 14 and spindle bobbin 15.

The combined suction and filter unit comprises a casing 24. that is divided by a filter screen 25 into a rear lint collection chamber 26 and a front suction fan chamber 27. As shown in Fig. 2, the duct 19 is connected to the lint collection chamber 26 and delivers the lint laden air to it. The lint is stopped by the lter screen 25 and hence collects in this chamber. It has been found that there is a tendency for the lint to swirl as the air enters chamber 26 which causes the lint to Irope up and form hard ends. To break up this undesirable swirling action, an inclined bafiie 28 is installed in the chamber 26. This tends to throw the lint over to the opposite side of the chamber from which the baiiie 2S slants.

Located within the front chamber 27 is a suction fan The fan 29 maintains the suction Vin the lint collection chamber 26 and draws the cleaned air through the filter screen 25, thencethrough the fan 29 and then discharges this air through the tangential outlet duct 30. Fan 29 can be driven by any suitable means such as an electric motor 3l mounted atop the casing 24 and connected to the im rotor by means of a belt drive 32.

In order to remove the lint from the collection chamber 26, it will be seen that a conduit 33 extends downwardly from the lower end of the chamber, at the side of the baffle 28 where the lint tends to collect, and terminates within a conveying duct 34 that extends beneath the iloor 10. A material handling fan 35 connected to the end of this duct establishes a suction in the duct 34 of about 2" to 3" which is lower than that maintained in the collection chamber 26.

The lower terminal end of conduit 33 within duct 34 includes a horizontal conduit portion 33a extending parallel with duct 34. One end of the conduit portion 33a is closed and the opposite end is closable by a damper plate 36 preferably hanging vertically and hinged at 37 at its top so as to normally stay in a closed position. The damper plate 36 is openable, however, by the suction maintained in the conveying duct 34 whenever the suction is cut oi or reduced in the filter box lint collection chamber 26 to a value lower than that normally maintained in the chamber 26 and hence sucks all of the lint out of the chamber into the conveying duct and through the material handling fan 35 back to the picker room. If desired, the damper plate 36 may be located elsewhere in the conduit 33 so long as it performs its function of opening to place the lint chamber 26 in communication with the conveying duct 34 whenever the suction in the lint chamber is reduced. It is also possible to provide an `arrangement other than that based upon a pressure differential for opening the conduit 33 to the conveying duct 34 whenever it is desired to empty the lint chamber.

To cut olf the suction normally maintained in the lint chamber 26, the motor 31 driving fan 29 could be stopped but the same effect is produced by closing off the air outlet duct from the lter box such as by -a damper vane 38 which normally remains open. If the suction fan is of the radial type which has no scroll and tangential outlet, the necessary suction cut-off to the lint collection chamber can be eiected by means of a similar damper vane on the intake side of the fan. The vane 38 can be actuated by a solenoid 39 periodically energized by means of a timer 40. This timer also is used to control the similar solenoids on the other suction and lint collection boxes associated with the other machines in the room having similar `arrangements for emptying the lint into the conveying duct 34. As soon as the suction from fan 29 is cut 0E, the damper 37 opens thus transferring the suction to theconveying duct 34. In addition to emptying the lint chamber 26, the reduced suction obtaining in the lint chamber also is still sufiicient to maintain a reduced but workable operating suction pressure at the flutes 22 along the machine. Preferably the timer 40 is also arranged to open and close the damper plate 38 rapidly several times at each operation to make certain that the rapid interchange of suction between fan 29 and fan 35 more or less shakes the lint and sucks all of it into the conveying duct 34. Also it is preferred that the timer arrange to doff only one and possibly two or three of the boxes at a time but not an entire row.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 the arrangement is Abasically similar to that of Figs. l and 2 and hence corresponding components have been assigned the same numerals but with primes added for purposes of distinction. To remove the motor alley heat, the drive motor 18' is enclosed within a box 4l and the air outlet 30 from the filterl box unit 20' is connected so as to deliver its air which is also heated to some extent into the enclosure 41. An outlet duct 42 through the floor 10 within the enclosure 41 communicates with a central heat removal duct 43, in which a suction, corresponding to the suction in duct 34, is maintained by a fan 44. Consequently, duct 43 serves to remove the heat from motor 18 and the heated air discharged from outlet 30 as well as to convey away the lint trapped in the lint chamber of the boxes 20. To separate the lint from air in duct 43, a conical lter screen 45 may be inserted therein and a pipe 46 connected to the small end of screen 45 as shown. Suc tion is maintained in pipe 46 by suitable means and the lint is carried through pipe 46 to the picker room or other point of disposal.

The embodiment shown in Fig. 4 is similar to Figs. l and 2 insofar as the inventive concept is concerned but differs structurally in that the lter unit on each machine does not incorporate its own suction fan. Components in Fig. 4 which correspond to those in Fig. l have been assigned like reference numerals but with double` primes 'added for purposes of distinction.

As a matter of economy, some installations of suction collection systems Vfor a great number of machines operat ing in a single room will provide one central fan for establishing the suction on about fifteen to twenty machines. With such an arrangement the central fan 50 is so located as to establish the necessary primary suction in a main suction duct 5l. Branching off the main suction duct at each machine is a suction duct 52 that is connected with the collection chamber 26 in the filter box for that machine through a filter screen 25" which prevents any of theV lint and thread ends from escaping into the suction duct system, thus trapping all of the lint and thread ends in the collection chamber 26". A normally closed conduit 33 with gravity closable damper plate 36 extends from the collection chamber 26 on the filter box of each machine to the conveying duct 34 in which a secondary suction is established by a material handling fan similar to fan 35 in Fig. l, and a damper plate 53 is provided in the suction duct 52. The damper plate is normally open but is closed periodically such as by the solenoid 39 and timer 40" organization thus shutting oi the higher primary suction from the suction duct 52 on the collection chamber 26" whereby the damper plate 36" in the conduit part 33a" will be drawn open, thustransferring the suction in the. collection chamber 26 to the lower secondary suction prevailing in the conveying duct 34, and all of the lint and thread ends which have been accumulatingl in the collection chamber 26" will be drawn out of the same through the conduit 33" into the conveying duct 34".

medir.

In conclusion it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the construction described and illustrated without, however, departing from the spirit and scope of the inventive concept as dened in the vappended claims.

I claim: p 1. An assembly for collecting and removing broken thread ends and loose lint in spinning and similar textile fiber strand working machines comprising a collecting duct extending longitudinally of the machine, intake orifice means disposed adjacent the fibrous strands being worked `and communicating with said collecting duct, a filter box including a collection chamber for collecting lint and thread ends, said collecting duct being connected to said collection chamber, means establishing a primary suction effective to draw the lint and thread ends through said collecting duct into said collection chamber for accumulation therein, a conveying duct under a secondary suction, a normally closed conduit extending from said collection chamber to said conveying duct, and means for rendering said primary suction ineffective and opening said conduit thereby to place said collection chamber under the suction prevailing in said conveying duct and draw the accumulated lint and thread ends out of said collection chamber into said conveying duct.

2. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein the suction in said conveying duct is established by a material handling fan.

3. An assembly as dened in claim l wherein said machine includes a drive motor at one end thereof and which further includes means enclosing said motor within a housing and a conduit connecting an outlet from said housing to said conveying duct for removing the heated air from said motor.

4. An assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said conveying duct includes filter means for separating the loose lint and thread ends from the heated motor air passing through the same.

5. An assembly as defined in claim l wherein said conduit from said collection chamber to said conveying duct is normally closed by a damper therein, said damper being pivotally mounted to close by gravity and being opened by the secondary suction in said conveying duct when said primary suction is rendered ineffective.

6. An assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said pivotally mounted gravity closable damper in said conduit is located at the lower end thereof within said conveying duct.

7. An assembly as defined in claim l wherein said means for rendering said primary suction ineffective cornprises means for shutting it off from said collection chamber and said conduit includes a damper therein normally remaining closed but which is opened automatically by the secondary suction in said conveying duct when said primary suction is shut od from said collection chamber.

.8. An assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for rendering said primary suction ineffective |and opening said conduit to place said collection chamber under the suction prevailing in said conveying duct is `arranged for periodic operation by a timer.

9. An -assembly as dened in claim 1 wherein said means for rendering said primary suction ineffective comprises a normally open rst damper movable to a closed position to shut od said primary suction from said collection chamber and said conduit includes a normally closed second damper therein movable to an open position when said first damper moves to a closed position.

:10. An assembly as dened in claim 1, wherein said collection chamber includes an inclined bafiie for defiecting the lint laden air coming into the same through said collecting duct and said conduit is connected to said collection chamber opposite the air intake side of said bafiie.

11. An assembly for collecting and `removing broken thread ends and loose lint in spinning and similar textile ber strand working machines comprising a collecting under a secondary suction, a normally closed conduit extending from said collection chamber to said conveying duct, and means for shutting off the primary suction in said collection chamber and opening said conduit thereby to place said collection chamber under the suction prevailing in said conveying duct and draw accumulated lint and thread ends out of said collection chamber and through said conduit into said conveying duct.

12. An assembly for collecting and removing broken thread ends and loose lint in spinning and similar textile fiber strand Working machines comprising a collecting duct extending longitudinally of the machine, intake ori.

lice means disposed adjacent the fibrous strands being worked and communicating with said collecting duct, a filter box including a collection chamber for lint and thread ends, said collectio'n chamber being connected with said collecting duct and said collection chamber including a screen portion defining at least a part of one Wall thereof, means establishing a primary suction in said collection chamber through said screen portion thereby to draw broken thread ends and lint through said collecting duct into said collection chamber for accumulation therein, a conveying duct under a secondary suction, a normally closed conduit extending from said collection chamber to' said conveying duct, and means for cutting ofi said primary suction from said collection chamber and opening said conduit thereby to place said collection chamber under the suction prevailing in said conveying duct and draw the accumulated lint and thread ends out of said collection chamber and through said conduit into said conveying duct.

13. An assembly for collecting and removing broken thread ends and loose lint in spinning and similar textile fiber strand working machines comprising a co1- lecting duct extending longitudinally of the machine, intake orifice means disposed adjacent the fibrous strands being worked and communicating with said collecting duct, a filter bo'x including a collection chamber for lint and thread ends, said collecting duct being connected to said collection chamber, a suction duct communicating with said collection chamber through filter screen means, the suction established in said suction duct establishing a primary suction in said collection chamber thereby to' draw lint and thread ends through said collecting duct into said collection chamber for 4accumulation therein, a conveying duct under suction, a normally closed conduit extending from said collection chamber to said conveying duct, and means for closing oi said suction duct from said collection chamber and opening said conduit thereby to transfer the suction in said collection chamber to the secondary suction prevailing in said conveying duct and draw the accumulated lint and thread ends out of said collection chamber and through said conduit into said conveying duct.

14. An assembly as defined in claim 13 wherein said means for closing off said suction duct comprises a normally open damper therein and wherein said means for opening said conduit comprises a normally closed damper therein.

15. An assembly for collecting and removing broken thread ends and loose lint in spinning and similar textile ber strand working machines, comprising a collecting duct extending longitudinally of the machine, intake orifice means disposed adjacent the fibrous strands being worked and communicating with said collecting duct, a

combined suction and `filter box including a vlter screen dividing the interior of said box into a fan chamber and a collection chamber for lint and thread ends, said collecting duct being connected to said collection chamber, a suction fan in said fan chamber establishing a primary suction in said collection chamber to draw lint and thread ends through said collecting duct into saidV collection chamber for accumulation therein, a conveying duct under a secondary suction, a normally closed conduit extending from said collection chamber to said conveying duct and means for shutting o the primary suction in saidv collection chamber and opening said conduit thereby to place said collection chamber under the secondary suction prevailing in said conveying duct and draw the accumulated lint and thread ends out of said collection chamber and through said conduit into said conveying duct.

16. An assembly for collecting and removing broken thread ends and loose lint in spinning and similar textile ber strand working machines comprising a collecting duct extending longitudinally of the machine, intake orifice means disposed adjacent the librous strands being worked and communicating with said collecting duct, a filter box including a collection chamber for collecting lint and thread ends,A said collecting duct being connected toI said collection chamber, means establishing a primary suction eiective to draw the lint and thread ends through said collecting duct into said collection chamber for accumulation therein, said primary suction being sufcient to retain said accumulation of lint and thread ends in said collection chamber, a conveying duct under a secondary suction, a conduit extending from said collection chamber to said conveying duct, and means for rendering said primary suction ineffective to retain said accumulation of lint and thread ends in said collection chamber thereby eecting a Withdrawal yof said accumulated lint and thread ends from saidA collection chamber through said counduit into said conveying duct.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 908,341 -Shipp Dec. 29, 1908 2,799,356 Hewitt July 16, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,084,314 France July 7, 1954 1,121,726 France May 7, 1956