US3241195A - Staple fiber cutter and crimper - Google Patents

Description

March 22, 1966 R. F. BAER STAPLE FIBER CUTTER AND CRIMPER Filed Oct. 10, 1963 INVENTOR RUSSEL F. BAER United States Patent 3,241,195 STAPLE FIBER CUTTER AND CRIMPER Russel F. Baer, Beloit, Wis., assignor to Monsanto Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 315,134 5 Claims. (Cl. 19--.32)

This invention relates to apparatus used for cutting and criping synthetic fiber into staple fiber. More specifically, the invention relates to a cutte-r'crirnper which cuts the filament into staple fiber and crimps it with one machine in one operation.

In the conventional practice synthetic filament is crimped, and after further processing is cut into staple fiber, t-husly requiring the use of two machines and two operations. These two machines may be combined by associating a cutting assembly with one of the feed rolls to eliminate a cutting machine and a separate cutting operation, thereby reducing costs. The initial cost of machinery would be less and the maintenance costs thereof would be reduced. Similarly the cost of labor would be reduced since the overall time period for the process would be shortened. Accordingly, one of the objects of this invention is to combine a cutting assembly with one of the feed rolls of a crimping machine.

It is another object of this invention to provide a novel apparatus for cutting and crimping synthetic filament in a single operation.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved rotary cutting assembly for cutting filament.

A further object of this invention is to provide an im proved apparatus for crimping staple fiber.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description, drawing, and claims.

One embodiment of the present invention contemplates an apparatus for accomplishing the above objects by delivering a continuous filament to a pair of feed rolls wherein one of the rolls has a cutting assembly associated therewith for cutting the filament into staple fiber which is fed into a crimping chamber that is provided with a clapper arm for impeding movement of the staple fiber therethrough to develop a back pressure therein for crimping the fibers.

Referring now to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view showing a preferred embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the invention in crosssection taken on line AA in FIGURE 1.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a tow of continuous synthetic fibers is passed over a guide 11 and fed between feed rolls 13 and 14, which preferably have smooth cylindrical surfaces, and thereafter, to a crimping chamber 12. Feed roll 13 is rotatably mounted on reduced portion 15 of shaft 16 which is connected by any conventional means to a suitable power source, not shown, and is secured thereon by washer 17 and nut 18. Similarly, feed roll 14 is rotatably mounted on shaft 20 and is secured thereon by washer 21 and nut 22.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, feed roll 13 is counterbored to provide a space between the shaft 16 and a re maining portion 19 of the feed roll. The remaining portion 19 of feed roll 13 is provided with a plurality of bores 23 extending therethrough outwardly relative to the shaft. A cutter assembly consisting of a cutter blade 31 mounted in one end of a stud 32 is disposed in each bore. The cutter blade is held in a retracted position by spring 33 which encircles a portion of stud 32 at the other end. Bore 23 is enlarged to provide a shoulder 35 which forms an abutment means to support 3,241,195 Patented Mar. 22, 1 966 one end of spring 33. The other end of the spring is abutted by retainer means 36 which is affixed to the end of stud 32 opposite cutter blade 31. The spring assembly normally extends into the inner space formed between shaft 16 and portion 19 when the spring is expanded, whereby the cutting edge of cutter blade 31 is held in a retracted position within bore 23. In the inner space is mounted a stationary member or cam having a dome-shaped surface 39 facing outwardly from shaft 16. Member 40 is mounted on housing 41 by support arm 42 with its axis being in the same plane as shafts 16 and 20.

As shown, the crimping and relaxing chamber 12 is formed by the feed rolls 13 and 14, a panel 43, a removable cover plate 44, diverging doctor blades 45 and 46, and downwardly inclined clapper bar which is pivoted at 48. The clapper bar 47 is operated by a pneumatically actuated plunger 49 being engageable therewith which is reciprocably mounted in an air cylinder 50 fixed to doctor blade 46 and connected to a source of air, not shown.

, Removable cover plate 44 may be attached to the doctor blades which may be mounted on panel 43. The .panel 43 extends along a plane parallel with support housing 41 and is integral with it or fixed thereto.

The doctor blades comprise the opposite sides of chamber 12 and are fixed to panel 43 in diverging relation with their upper ends abutting against rolls 13 and 14, below the nip of the rolls to control the deflection of the staple fiber leaving the nip. Clapper bar 47 forms a partial bottom closure for the crimping chamber 12 to restrict movement of the staple fiber following the cutting operation. Although the crimped staple fiber is continuously discharged from chamber 12, the exit passage is narrow enough to cause sufficient back-pressure to develop in the chamber to insure that the staple fiber assumes a crimped condition. As shown, the staple fiber is treated with steam as it passes from the nip of rolls 13 and 14, where it is cut, to the restricted exit 53. Steam is introduced into the chamber through pipe 54 from a source not shown.

In operation tow 10 is fed over guide 11 into feed rolls 13 and 14. As feed roll 13 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing, relative to stationary member 40, spring retainer means 36 contacts the dome-shaped surface 39 whereupon the surface 39 cams the cutter assembly 30 outwardly toward the feed roll 14 to cut the tow. The feed roll 14 is provided with a hard rubber sleeve 55 to prevent damage to blade 31 when it is pressed against the sleeve to perform the cutting operation. Further movement of roll 13 disengages the cutter assembly from stationary member 40 permitting spring 33 to return to its normal position whereby cutter blade 31 is returned to its retracted position within bore 23.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understod that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for converting a bundle of continuous textile filaments into crimped staple fibers comprising, a pair of feed rollers mounted with their surfaces in contact for advancing the bundle between said rollers, one of said rollers having a cutter disposed therein and having a knifed edge positioned at a point flush with the surface thereof, means for projecting the knifed edge radially beyond the surface of the said one roller at least equal to the depth of the bundle, said projection occurring at a point on the axial line of contact of said rollers to sever the continuous textile filaments into staple fibers,

1nd a chamber formed in part by said feed rollers for :rirnping said fibers.

2. Apparatus for converting continuous textile filanents into crimped staple fibers comprising, a chamber raving a passageway therethrough, a first and a second .eed roller mounted with their surfaces in contact to adrance a bundle of continuous textile filaments to said :hamber adjacent said feed rollers, said feed rollers orming a part of the chamber, a cutter having a knifcd :dge disposed in the first feed roller, said knifed edge eing positioned at a point flush with the surface thereof, 1 resilient sleeve member on the second feed roller, means or projecting the knifed edge radially beyond the sur- 'ace of said first feed roller at least equal to the depth f the bundle to contact the resilient sleeve member at t point on the axial line of contact between said first LIld second feed rollers to convert the continuous textile ilaments into staple fibers, means for retracting the cuter to its normal position, means for restricting the flow vf staple fibers through the chamber, and means for ntroducing a source of steam into the chamber.

3. Apparatus for converting continuous textile filanents into crimped staple fibers in a single operation :omprising, a set of feed rollers having smooth surfaces omposed of a first and a second roller mounted on tarallel spaced axes with their surfaces in contact, means or guiding a bundle of textile filaments to the nip of aid feed rollers, means for driving said rollers to coninuously feed said textile filaments to a chamber havng a passageway therethrough and connected with the xit side of the feed rollers, a plurality of cutters dis- )OSCd internally in the first roller, said cutters each havng a knifed edge positioned internally of the surface of aid first roller, actuating means for extending the knifed edge externally beyond the surface at least equal to the diameter of the textile filaments to engage the smooth surface of said second roller, said actuation occurring at the axial line of contact between the first and second feed rollers to convert the textile filaments into staple fiber, means for retracting the cutter to its normal position, means for restricting fiber movement through the passageway of said chamber whereby a back-pressure is developed therein to impart to the staple fiber a folded condition, and means for introducing a source of steam into the chamber to impart a permanent crimped condition to the staple fibers.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the actuating means is a stationary cam positioned on the axial line of the feed rolls and within a recessed portion of the first feed roller to intermittently cam each cutter radially therefrom upon rotation of the first feed roller to bring the cutters into contact with the cam.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the retracting means is a spring positioned concentrically about a stud portion of the cutter.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,010,078 8/1935 Hale 89-913 X 2,418,125 4/1947 Koster et al. 1966 2,419,320 4/1947 Lohrke 19-32 X 2,653,355 9/1953 Essman 19-37 X 2,719,336 10/1955 Stotler 196 X 2,795,010 6/1957 Hess 19'56 DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner. D. NEWTON, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING A BUNDLE OF CONTINUOUS TEXTILE FILAMENTS INTO CRIMPED STAPLE FIBERS COMPRISING, A PAIR OF FEED ROLLERS MOUNTED WITH THEIR SURFACES IN CONTACT FOR ADVANCING THE BUNDLE BETWEEN SAID ROLLERS, ONE OF SAID ROLLERS HAVING A CUTTER DISPOSED THEREIN AND HAVING A KNIFED EDGE POSITIONED AT A POINT FLUSH WITH THE SURFACE THEREOF, MEANS FOR PROJECTING THE KNIFTED EDGE RADIALLY BEYOND THE SURFACE OF THE SAID ONE ROLLER AT LEAST EQUAL TO THE DEPTH OF THE BUNDLE, SAID PROJECTION OCCURRING AT A POINT ON THE AXIAL LINE OF CONTACT OF SAID ROLLERS TO SEVER THE CONTINUOUS TEXTILE FILAMENTS INTO STAPLE FIBERS, AND A CHAMBER FORMED IN PART BY SAID FEED ROLLERS FOR CRIMPING SAID FIBERS.

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