US3079098A - Textile picker machine with clutch-controlled driving mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Feb.- 26, 1963 R. L. ROBERTS 3,079,098

TEXTILE PICKER MACHINE WITH CLUTCH-CONTROLLED DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ana SOURCE- Feb. 26, 1963 R. L. ROBERTS 3,079,098

TEXTILE PICKER MACHINE WITH CLUTCH-CONTROLLED DRIVING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5, 1960 2 heer 2 S fly-4 Q tl/ww s 3| 6| so 5b sz 32 s Z 57 JRJ 2i so 3 0= 54- /////////////////////7/,&'

INVENTOR: RALPH L. Rosem's BY 4* W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3 il79,il8 TEXTHJE PECKER It fACHINE WRTH CLUTCH- EGNTRGLLED DRIVING MEEHANHSM Ralph L. Roberts, Granite Falls, N.C., assignor to Granite Machine Company, Hickory, N.C., a corporation of North Iarolina Filed inn. 5, 1950, Ser. No. 571 Claims. (Ci. 24255.l)

The present invention relates to an improved clutchcontrolled driving mechanism in a machine for forming lap rolls of fibrous textile material, commonly known as a picker machine, and more particularly, to an improvement over the driving mechanism disclosed in my co-pend ing application, Serial No. 763,274, filed September 25, 1958.

conventionally, the picker mechanism of a picker machine is operated from a main driven gear to which rotation is imparted from a continuously rotating power shaft by means of a driving pinion gear mounted on the power shaft for rotation therewith and adapted to be moved into and out of meshing relationship with the main driven gear to start and stop the picker mechanism. A belt drive in constant operation assures continous rotation of the power shaft. A knock-oft lever supports the power shaft in a bearing and may be moved to position the pinion gear carried by the power shaft for rotation therewith in and out of meshing relationship with the main driven gear of the picker machine.

The movement of the continuously rotating power shaft by the knock-off lever to place the pinion gear in meshing relationship with the main operating gear for the picker mechanism necessarily requires the rotating teeth of the pinion gear to be thrust into meshing relationship with the stationary teeth of the main operating gear as the initial step in operating the picker mechanism. The natural consequences of such an arrangement result in a relatively inefficient driving means for the picker machine. Not only is there a considerable amount of clattering noise whenever the rotating pinion gear is moved into meshing engagement with the then stationary main operating gear of the picker machine, a situation is presented wherein the teeth on either or both of the pinion gear and the main operating gear may be broken due to the excessive strain placed thereon. Extremely rapid wear of these gears will inevitably occur, while the possibility of flying sparks from the clashing of the gears which are metallic causes a tire hazard.

While the picker driving mechanism disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 763,274, is effective to overcome the difficulties presented by the ineflicient driving mechanism described above, the improvement described in my co-pending application does not affeet the operation of the power shaft for the picker machine which remains in continuous rotation even when the picker mechanism of the machine is not operating. Moreover, other shafts which derive their power from the belt drive either directly or indirectly for operating various parts associated with the picker machine remain in continuous rotation, thus adding to the load imposed on the belt drive. The belt drive of the picker machine therefore remains under a constant variable load at all times which limits the effective life of the belt drive machinery while increasing wear of the parts associated with the picker machine which remain in operation even though the picker mechanism is stopped.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide in a picker machine equipped with a belt drive, a power shaft, and a pinion gear rigidly mounted on the power shaft for continuous meshing engagement with a main operating gear which drives the picker mechanism; a clutch assembly operably associated with a pulley of the belt drive and 3,379,6fi8 Patented Feb. 25, 1963 controllable by an operator to impart rotation to the power shaft only when the clutch assembly is in clutching engagement with the pulley.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide in combination with a picker machine equipped with a belt drive, an operating shaft and a power shaft driven by the belt drive through the operating shaft, wherein the power shaft has a pinion gear rigidly mounted thereon for continuous meshing engagement with a main operating gear which drives the picker mechanism; a clutch assembly mounted on an end of the operating shaft which extends through a pulley of the belt drive, the clutch assembly being controlled by an operator between clutching and de-clutching positions with respect to the pulley to permit the operating shaft and the power shaft to be rotated only when clutching engagement between the clutch assembly and the pulley of the belt drive is effected.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a picker machine equipped with the improved clutch-controlled driving mechanism embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view, looking at the left-hand side of the picker machine shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view, looking at the right-hand side of the picker machine shown in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIGURE 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, a portion of a machine for forming lap rolls of fibrous material, more commonly referred to as a picker machine, is illus trated in FIGURES 1-3, inclusive. As seen in FIGURE 1, the picker machine comprises side frame members 10, Ill between which are suitably journaled a lower operating shaft 11 and an upper power shaft 12, the upper shaft 12 being in vertically spaced parallel relationship with respect to the lower operating shaft 11.

The picker machine includes the usual lap pin 13 around which is adapted to be wound the lap 14. The proper amount of downward pressure may be exterted on both ends of the lap pin 13 by suitable means, such as piston heads 15 which are urged downwardly into engagement with the ends of the lap pin 13 by fluid pressure housed in pressure cylinders 16 mounted above the lap pin 13.

The power shaft 12 is driven by the operating shaft 11 through a chain drive. In this connection, a sprocket 20 is provided on one end of the power shaft 12, a sprocket 21 is provided on the cor-responding end of the operating shaft 11, and an endless chain 22 is entrained about the sprockets 29' and 21. A pinion gear 24 is rigidly aflixed to the other end of the power shaft 12 for rotation therewith. The pinion gear 24 is continuously maintained in meshing engagement with a main operating gear 25 which serves to operate the picker mechanism.

From FIGURE 4, it will be seen that a clutch assembly. 30 is rigidly mounted on the end of the operating shaft 11 carrying the sprocket 21 around Which chain 22 is entrained for driving the power shaft 12. The clutch assembly 30 is similar to that disclosed and claimed in my aforesaid co-pending application, Serial No. 763,274, and comprises a generally cylindrical housing 31 having a rear radial wall 32 which is provided with a pair of upper and lower rearwardly extending annular flanges 33, 34. e

The bore through the lower annular flange 34 of the clutch housing 31 receives the end of the operating shaft 11, the lower annular flange 34 being affixed to the operating shaft 11 by key 35 to cause the clutch assembly 30 to be rigidly carried by the operating shaft 11. The clutch assembly 3i is further secured to the end of the ope-rating shaft 11 by means of a cylindrical plug 36 pressed snugly Within the bore of the lower annular flange 34 and a threaded bolt 37 which extends through the plug 36 into a threaded socket 323 provided in the end of the operating shaft 11. The plug 36 includes an annular radial flange 3h which abuts the rear wall 32 of the clutch housing 31.

The belt drive for the picker machine includes a pulley or wheel 48- about which belt 41 is entrained, the pulley or wheel 40 having an annular inner hub portion 42 surrounding the lower annular flange 34- of the clutch housing 31 in radially spaced relationship with respect thereto. Suitable means, such as anti-friction ball bearings 13, 43, are interposed between the lower flange 34 of the clutch housing 31 and the hub portion 42 of the pulley 4a to mount the puhey 4i; for relative rotation with respect to the operating shaft 11 and the clutch assembly 3% carried thereby. i

It will be noted that the hub portion 42 of the pulley 4%) is provided with an internal annular collar is intermediate the ends thereof which serves as a spacer element between the bearings 43, 43, while the lower annular flange 34 of the clutch housing 31 includes a shoulder 45 adjacent rear wall 32 and a threaded portion 46 on its end remote from the rear wall 32 for reception of a nut 47 which is adapted to bear against the inner race of the bearing 43 adjacent thereto. Upon tightening the nut 47, the bearings 43, 43 rotatively mounting the pulley 49 are clamped between the shoulder 45, the collar 44, and the nut 47 to prevent axial movement of the pulley 4i; relative to the clutch assembly 3% and the operating shaft 11.

The remaining details of the clutch assembly 3i} shown in FIGURE 4 are substantially identical with those of the clutch assembly disclosed and claimed in my aforesaid co-pending application. In this respect, the forward open end of the clutch housing 31 is closed by a cover plate 50 which includes a marginal annular lip portion 51 and an integral radially inwardly extending body portion 52, the thickness of the body portion 52 being substantially less than that of the marginal annular lip portion 51 to provide an inwardly opening pocket. A resilient pressureresponsive diaphragm or disk 53 is sandwiched between the clutch housing 31 and the annular marginal lip portion 51 of the cover 50. The diaphragm 53 closes the open end of the pocket formed in the cover plate 50 to provide a pressure chamber 54 of varying volume. On the side of the diaphragm 53 opposite from the pressure chamber 54, there is located a flat metal disk or piston 55. The clutch housing 31 and its cover plate h define a pressure cylinder in which the piston 55 is mounted for reciprocable movement for a purpose to be subsequently described.

Au annular clutch plate 56 having a substantially planarclutching surface is mounted outside of the clutch housing 31 adjacent the rear wall 32, the clutch plate 56 being rigidly connected to the piston 55 for axial movement therewith by pins 57 which extend through suitable apertures in the rear wall 32 of the clutch housing 51. The pins 57 cooperate with the rear wall 32 of the clutch housing 31 to constrain the piston Y55 and the clutch plate 56 to rotate with the clutch housing 31, while additionally maintaining the piston 55 and clutch plate 56 in properly centered relation to the clutch. housing 31.

The cover 59 receives a fluid conduit 60 which is suitably journaled therein to permit the entire clutch assembly 30 to rotate with respect to the fluid conduit 60. The fluid conduit 60 provides communication between the pressure chamber 54 within the clutch housing 3-1 and a source of fluid pressure, as for example, compressed air. Upon the delivery of fluid pressure through the conduit 60 into the pressure chamber 54, the resilient diaphragm 53 being pressure-responsive is stretched rearwardly toward the rear wall 32 of the clutch housing 31. As the 4 resilient diaphragm 53 stretches rearwardly, it imparts axial movement to the piston 55 which results in the rearward axial movement of the clutch plate 56.

The hub portion 52 of the pulley ill carries a friction disk 61 provided with a substantially planar clutching surface, the friction disk 61 being mounted on one end of the hub portion 4 2 in opposition to the clutch plate 56. It will be observed that the outer annular flange 33 ex tending from the rear wall 32 of the clutch housing 31 surrounds the clutch plate 56 and the friction disk 61 to guard against accidental defacing of the planar clutch surfaces of these two elements.

Unless fluid pressure is supplied to the clutch assem bly 36, the clutch plate 56 and the friction disk 61 will be retained in spaced apart relationship by virtue of the biasing action of a coil spring 62 which is seated between the threaded bolt 37 and the piston 55. The spring 62 biases the piston 55 forwardly to place the clutch plate 56 in abutment with the rear wall 32 of the clutch housing 31.

Thus, it will be apparent that the driving belt 41 assures continuous rotation of the pulley 49, while the clutch assembly 30 and the operating shaft 11 to which it is aflixed are stationary at times when the clutch plate 56 carried by the clutch assembly 30 and the friction disk 61 which is carried by the hub portion 42 of the pulley 40 are in spaced apart relationship. The belt drive while providing for continuous rotation of the pulley 4-0 therefore does not operate under the load of the operating shaft 11 and the power shaft 12 unless clutching engagement is effected between the clutch plate 56 and the trio tion disk 61.

Upon supplying suflicient fluid pressure through the conduit 66} into the pressure chamber 54 to force the diaphragm 53 and its associated piston 55 toward the rear wall 32 of the clutch housing 31 a distance great enough to enable the clutch plate 56 to engage the friction disk 61 carried by the pulley 40, such clutching engagement is effective to impart rotation from the pulley 40 to the clutch assembly 30 and the operating shaft 11 to which it is rigidly aflixed. Consequently, the power shaft 12 is rotated because ofthe chain and sprocket drive between the power shaft 12 and the operating shaft 11 and the pinion gear 24 carried by the opposite end of the power shaft 12 is likewise rotated for driving the main operating gear 25 to operate the picker mechanism.

During the initial stages of the clutching engagement between the clutch plate 56 and the friction disk 61, a certain amount of slippage exists therebetween which causes the operating shaft 11 and the elements driven thereby to be rotated at a speed somewhat slower than the normal operating speed induced from the belt drive. As fluid pressure continues to build up in the pressure chamber 54, the degree of friction between the opposed surfaces of the clutch plate 56 and friction disk 61 is increased to reduce the amount of slippage therebetween until the clutch assembly 30 and the operating shaft 11 aflixed thereto are driven in unison with the pulley 49.

This driving arrangement assures that little or no noise will result from the starting-up of a picker machine, this relatively silent starting-up stage being also accomplished by the driving mechanism disclosed in my aforesaid copending application, Serial No. 763,274, and presenting a decided contrast to the loud clattering necessarily re sulting from convention-a1 picker drive mechanisms. In addition to substantially reducing Wear between the pinion gear 24 and the main operating gear 25 driven thereby, the present invention also removes the load from the belt drive of the picker machine except during periods of actual operation of the picker mechanism. In this connection, conventionally the operating shaft 11 and the power shaft 12 are in continuous rotation, the operating shaft 11 serving to continuously drive a secondary shaft 63 by means of suitable gear boxes 64, 65 (FIGURE 3). The secondary shaft 63 may operate a beater section (not shown) which cleans trash and lint from the fibrous strands prior to their formation into the lap roll 14. Under these conditions, conventional picker mechanisms and the improved drive means for a picker machine disclosed in my co-pending application require that the belt drive be maintained under a continuous load imposed by the constant rotation of the operating shaft 11 and the elements driven thereby together with the power shaft 12. The present invention frees the belt drive from operating under an adverse load except during times when the picker mechanism is actually in operation by providing for the rotation of the operating shaft 11 and the power shaft 12 only when it is desired to operate the picker mechanism.

The supply of fluid pressure to operate the clutch assembly 30 is controlled by providing valve means 66 in the conduit 60 to regulate the delivery of fluid pressure to the chamber 54. The valve 66 is opened to deliver fluid pressure into the chamber 54 for actuating the clutch assembly 30 in the manner previously described by depressing a foot pedal 67 pivotally connected to the housing of valve 66.

The foot-operated valve 66 may be tied in with the knock-0d means on the picker machine in such a manner as to automatically deactivate the clutch assembly 30, thus stopping the picker machine when the lap roll 14 has reached -a predetermined diameter, the foot pedal 67 being operatively connected to the knock-off lever 70 in the same manner disclosed in my aforesaid co-pending application for this purpose.

Upon the closing of valve 66, a port (not shown) in the valve housing which communicates with the pressure chamber 54 in the clutch assembly 30 is opened to permit the fluid pressure to be exhausted therefrom for deactivating the clutch assembly 30 to stop the rotation of the operating shaft 11 and consequently stop the picker machine. The valve 66 is opened by depressing the foot pedal 67 which automatically closes the exhaust port. Alternatively, raising of the knock-off lever 7t? to an elevated position causes the foot pedal 67 to be depressed for opening valve 66.

Thus, it will be seen that the present invention constitutes an improvement over the clutch-controlled picker drive mechanism disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 763,274, in that the belt drive for the picker machine may operate without being subjected to an additional load thereon during the period when the picker machine mechanism itself is not in operation. In this connection, the present invention contemplates the intermittent rotation of the operating shaft 11 and the power shaft 12 for a picker machine, such rotation being imparted from the belt drive and being controlled through the clutch assembly 30. Upon fluid pressure being supplied to the clutch assembly 30 in the manner previously described, clutching engagement is effected between the clutch plate 56 carried by the clutch assembly 30 and the friction disk 61 carried by the pulley 46 of the belt drive to transmit rotation from the belt drive to the operating shaft 11 and the power shaft 12.

While the drawings in this application illustrate a clutch assembly 329 of the type disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial N 0. 763,274, it will be understood that the present invention is not to be restricted to the specific details thereof because various clutch assemblies utilizing substantially planar clutching surfaces could be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms a-re employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitations, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. in a picker machine for forming lap rolls of fibrous material, the combination of means including a belt-driven pulley providing a source of constant motive energy, an operating shaft, :1 power shaft, a pinion gear rigidly mounted on said power shaft, a main gear for operating the picker mechanism of the machine, said pinion gear being in continuous meshing engagement with said main gear, means for driving said power shaft from said operating shaft, clutch means carried by one of said pulley and said operating shaft, and means to actuate said clutch means into clutching engagement with the other of said pulley and said operating shaft for transmitting motive energy from said pulley to said ope-rating shaft for rotating said operating shaft, whereby rotation is imparted to said power shaft and said pinion gear mounted thereon in response to actuation of said clutch means for driving said main gear to operate the picker mechanism of the machine.

2. In a picker machine for forming lap rolls of fibrous material, the combination of means including a bel driven pulley providing a source of constant motive energy, an operating shaft, a power shaft, a pinion gear rigidly moutned on said power shaft, a main gear for operating the picker mechanism of the machine, said pinion gear being in continuous meshing engagement with said main gear, means for driving said power shaft from said operating shaft, clutch means carried by said operating shaft, and means including a knock-off lever to actuate said clutch means into clutching engagement with said pulley for transmitting motive energy from said pulley to said operating shaft for rotating said operating shaft, whereby rotation is imparted to said power shaft and said pinion gear mounted thereon in response to actuation of said clutch means for driving said main gear to operate the picker mechanism of the machine.

3. In a picker machine for forming a lap roll of fibrous material, the combination of means including a beltdriven pulley providing a source of constant motive energy, an operating shaft, a power shaft, a pinion gear rigidly mounted on said power shaft, a main gear for operating the picker mechanism of the machine, said pinion gear being in continuous meshing engagement with said main gear, means for driving said power shaft fro-m said operating shaft, a fluid-pressure operated clutch means carried by said operating shaft, a conduit extending between said clutch means and a source of fluid pressure, valve means in said conduit to regulate the delivery and exhaustion of fluid pressure to and from said clutch means, and means to open said valve means for delivering fluid pressure to said clutch means, said clutch means being thereby actuated into clutching engagement with said pulley for transmitting motive energy from said pulley to said operating shaft for rotating said operating shaft, whereby rotation is imparted to said power shaft and said pinion gear mounted thereon in response to actuation of said clutch means for driving said main gear to operate the picker mechanism of the machine, and picker knockoff means operable upon the lap roll attaining a predetermined diameter to close said valve means for deactivating said clutch means to release said clutch means from clutching engagement with said pulley.

4. In a picker machine for forming a lap roll of fibrous material, the combination of a driven pulley providin a source of motive energy, an operating shaft, a power shaft, a pinion gear rigidly mounted on said power shaft, a main gear for operating the picker mechanism of the machine, said pinion gear being in continuous meshing engagement with said main gear, means for driving said power shaft from said operating shaft, clutch means including a substantially smooth clutching surface carried by one of said pulley and said operating shaft, a substantially smooth surface complementary to said clutching surface and opposed thereto being provided on the other of said pulley and said operating shaft, and means to actuate said clutch means for moving said clutching surface into clutching engagement with said complementary substantially smooth surface opposed thereto provided on the other of said pulley and said operating shaft for transmitting motive energy from said pulley to said operating shaft for rotating said operating shaft, whereby rotation is impart d to said power shaft and saidpinion genr mounted thereon in resgonse to actuation of said clutch means for driving said main gear to operate the picker mechanism of the machine.

5. in a picker machine as defined in elairn 4, wherein said clutch means including said substantially smooth 8) clutching surface is carried by said operating shaft, and said oompiemeriiary si bstsntialiy smooth surface opposed to said clutching surface is provised on said pulley.

References Qieal t'ne file of this patent

Claims (1)

1. IN A PICKER MACHINE FOR FORMING LAP ROLLS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL, THE COMBINATION OF MEANS INCLUDING A BELT-DRIVEN PULLEY PROVIDING A SOURCE OF CONSTANT MOTIVE ENERGY, AN OPERATING SHAFT, A POWER SHAFT, A PINION GEAR RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON SAID POWER SHAFT, A MAIN GEAR FOR OPERATING THE PICKER MECHANISM OF THE MACHINE, SAID PINION GEAR BEING IN CONTINUOUS MESHING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MAIN GEAR, MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID POWER SHAFT FROM SAID OPERATING SHAFT, CLUTCH MEANS CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID PULLEY AND SAID OPERATING SHAFT, AND MEANS TO ACTUATE SAID CLUTCH MEANS INTO CLUTCHING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE OTHER OF SAID PULLEY AND SAID OPERATING SHAFT FOR TRANSMITTING MOTIVE ENERGY FROM SAID PULLEY TO SAID OPERATING SHAFT FOR ROTAT-

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