US3268941A - Hinged cleaner trunk for floor cleaner - Google Patents

Description

J. F. KING, JR

HINGED CLEANER TRUNK FOR FLOOR CLEANER Aug. 30, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25, 1964 INVENTOR IAMES F. Emma, 3R.

BY masm j mwwau fa awdmca ATTORNEYS 0, 1966 J. F. KING, JR 3,268,941

HINGED CLEANER TRUNK FOR FLOOR CLEANER Filed Nov. 25, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet F3 INVENTOR JAMES F 1m 015i cum mac ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,268,941 HINGED CLEANER TRUNK FOR FLOOR CLEANER James F. King, .lr., Winston-Salem, N.C., assignor to The Bahnson Company, Winston-Salem, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Nov. 23, 1964, Scr, No. 413,210 Claims. (Cl. 115-312) The present invention relates in .general to travelling lint collecting apparatus for removing lint, dust and other loose materials from textile processing machine and the surrounding floor area, and more particularly to apparatus for use with travelling blower or air blast cleaning means to collect lint from the air immediately following dislodgement of lint and other undesirable materials from textile processing machines by the travelling air blast cleaning means and to concurrently accumulate and periodically withdraw settled lint from the floor surface alongside such textile processing machines.

A number of devices have been developed in recent years to automatically remove lint, dust and other loose, undesirable materials from textile processing machines such as spinning frames, looms and the like, and from the surrounding area in spinning rooms of textile mills, as such materials if allowed to remain on or near the machines, reduce the quality of the textile product when it is drawn into the product and constitute a continuing fire hazard in the textile mill. Such devices .generally employ an overhead carriage travelling on an overhead track and having one or more fan units supplying air under pressure to blower trunks or ducts depending from the carriage into the aisles flanking the textile spinning machine or row of such machines, the blower trunks having blower nozzles directed toward various parts of the machines to dislodge lint therefrom. The same fan unit or another fan unit provides suction pressure to depending suction ducts or trunks extending to a level adjacent the floor in the aisle regions to collect the lint dislodged by the blower trunks. One type of such travelling lint cleaners is disclosed in the prior application for US. Letters Patent, Serial Number 232,055 filed October 22, 1962, and now Patent No. 3,177,515 by Agnew H. Bahnson, In, wherein each depending suction trunk is provided with suction nozzles or openings in the upper zones thereof to establish suction air currents in immediately trailing or leading relation to the blower trunks to normally withdraw lint from the air above the floor level, and which is provided at its lower end with a mechanical lint accumulator to engage the floor and sweep lint which has settled onto the floor along the path or movement of the trunks, which lint sweepings are then periodically withdrawn by application of suction to the open lower end of the trunk adjacent the mechanical accumulator. In the specific form illustrated in said earlier patent application Number 232,055, the mechanical accumulator was in the form of a transversely extending accumulator blade or floor wiper of somewhat greater lateral extent that the diameter of the suction trunk, and was pivotally supported from the suction trunk about a transverse pivot axis located above the suction nozzle or opening at the'lower end of the suction trunk by suitable depending links.

Since the mechanical accumulator at the lower end of the suction trunks moving in the narrow aisles between spinning frames occupies a large portion of the width of the aisle, it becomes diflicult for doffers or other operating personnel attending the spinning frames to readily lift the lower portions of the suction trunks over or beside the bodies of such attendant personnel or the doffing carts or other equipment which may constitute obstructions in the aisles as the travelling cleaner passes such ICC areas. It is also apparent that when the suction trunk is lifted or displaced from its normal position to permit passage by such persons or obstructions, and such lifting or displacement wholly lifts the lint accumulator off the floor, provision must be made to effect suction withdrawal of the accumulated lint sweepings through the suction trunk nozzle before the lint accumulator rises out of contact with the floor to avoid leaving the lint accumulations or sweepings on the floor.

An object of the present invention, therefore, is the provision of a novel suction trunk construction for travelling lint cleaning apparatus of the type employing a mechanical lint accumulator having a floor engaging member for concurrently accumulating lint on the floor and moving it along a predetermined path, wherein means are provided to facilitate passage of the suction trunk alongside or over obstructions in the path along which the suction trunk travels and for automatically effecting lint withdrawal of accumulated lint sweepings at the accumulator when the trunk is so manipulated.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel lint collecting apparatus involving a suction trunk depending to near floor level in the aisles flanking textile processing machines, wherein the suction trunk is provided with a floor engaging accumulator member for accumulating lint on the floor and moving it in a predetermined path along the aisle, and wherein said trunk includes portions which are readily manually rotatable in a manner to facilitate passage of the accumulator beside obstructions in the aisle and means are automatically responsive to such rotation of portions of the trunk to effect suction withdrawal of accumulated lint at the accumulator during the initial portion of rotation thereof.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating one preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a travelling lint collecting unit embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end elevation of the travelling lint collecting unit illustrated in association with a spinning frame;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevation view of the suction trunk of the present invention viewed from the side adjacent the spinning frame;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical transverse section view to enlarged scale of the suction trunk, taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse horizontal section view taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 4 illustrating the location of components in the rotatable joint between upper and lower sections of the suction trunk when the lower portion of the suction trunk is in normal position;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view similar to FIGURE 5 showing the components of the rotatable joint when the lower trunk portion has been rotated to permit the accumulator to clear obstacles in the aisle; and

FIGURE 7 is a schematic diagram of an exemplary electrical circuit that may be used with the present invention.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the travelling lint collecting unit of the present invention, indicated generally by the reference character 10, includes an overhead carriage 11 which in the illustrated embodiment is towed, but which can be a self-propelling unit if desired. The carriage 11 is designed to run overhead on a trackway 12 which extends longitudinally of a row of spinning frames 13, here shown diagrammatically and including for example the usual creels 14, 15, drafting rolls 16 and spinning bobbins 17 spaced above the floor 18. The trackway 12 is conventional, and may be supported in any desired fashion, for example, by posts 19 extending upwardly from the spinning frame 13. The carriage 11 includes a fan casing 20, which while it may be designed to provide suction conditions only and operate in conjunction with a unitary self-powered travelling air blast cleaner, for example of the type disclosed in detail in US. Patent No. 2,886,- 843, granted May 19, 1959 to A. H. Bahnson, In, to which the carriage is connected by a tow bar, is preferably designed in a known manner to provide both suction inlets and blower or high pressure outlets at both sides of the carriage over the aisles flanking the spinning frames and drawn by a tow bar 21 connected to a suitable tractor or prime mover 22 to draw or propel the unit along the track 12. A depending blower trunk 23, of conventional design extends from. the blower outlet fitting 24 of the casing substantially to the floor and is provided with inwardly directed nozzles 25 to direct blasts of air toward desired parts of the spinning frame 13, for example, toward the creels 14, 15 and bobbins 16, 17.

The overhead fan casing 20 of the preferred embodiment may be of one known type having a fan of the centrifugal type located directly over the trackway 12, and including an impeller and scroll providing high pressure air at the blower outlet fittings 24 near the right hand end of the casing 20 as viewed in FIGURE 1 and providing suction conditions to a pair of screened laterally spaced suction air inlets communicating with depending collecting chambers or canisters 26 at the opposite sides of the casing 20 disposed in flanking relation to the track- Way 12, each having a depending suction inlet fitting 27 at the bottom thereof. An example of such a fan and scroll arrangement providing both suction and high pressure or blower conditions at outlets to be connected to suction and blower trunks is found in US. Patent No. 3,053,700 granted September 11, 1962 to Kulp and U.S. Patent No. 3,080,598 granted March 12, 1963 to McEachern. The suction inlet fitting 27, and the blower inlet fitting 24 in the present embodiment have an outwardly inclined transition and terminate in vertical cylindrical portions over the aisles to facilitate removable clamping of flexible trunks or boots thereto.

A depending suction sweeper trunk generally indicated at 30 is secured at its upper end to the terminal portion 27' of the suction inlet fitting 27 and extends to a level near the floor 18, terminating in a suction intake nozzle 31 at its lower end. An annular mounting ring 32 is provided on the trunk 30 a short distance above the lower suction nozzle 31 to which is pivoted a pair of depending links 33 having a lint accumulator or sweeper 34 fixed to the lower end thereof. The accumulator 34, in one preferred example, comprises a transversely extending accumulator blade or floor wiper 35 formed of a recurved strip of rubber, neoprene or similar flexible plastic material secured along its upper edge to a sheet metal plate 36 of truncated triangular configuration connected to the depending links 33 and having a length to span a Width considerably greater than the diameter of the suction nozzle 31. Alternately, a sweeper of the construction disclosed in the-earlier-mentioned application Serial Number 232,055 filed October 22, 1962 by A. H. Bahnson, Jr. may be used. The effect of the accumulator blade 35 is to retain accumulated sweepings which impinge upon the accumulator blade 35 and move them along the direction of travel of the unit 10 in a pile or mass directly beneath the suction nozzle 31. Stop lugs 37 may be provided on the mounting ring 32 to limit the angular position of the wiper and the forces of gravity and the weight of the trunk 30 relied on to hold the blade 35 against the floor, or centering springs may be connected between the depending links 33 and stationary anchors connected to the mounting ring 32 to continuously tend to dispose the links 33 in alignment with the axis of the sweeper trunk 30.

The suction sweeper trunk 30 of the present invention is formed of an upper section 38 and a lower section 39 journaled to the upper section 38 for rotary movement about the axis thereof. Both sections 38, 39 may be made of pliable or flexible material conventionally employed in constructing blower and suction trunks of this class. The upper section 38 is provided with an internal partition member 40 extending substantially along the central axis of the trunk and joined to the trunk wall material along the sides and at the bottom of the partition member 40 to divide the interior of upper section 38 into a closed bottom chamber 41 and a suction passage 42 open at both ends. Dampers 43 and 44 hinged on transverse pivot pins 43', 44' in the fitting 27 control opening and closing of the upper ends of chamber 41 and passage 42, respectively. The pivot pins 43, 44 of the dampers 43, 44 are linked together to operate in opposite phase by lugs or arms 45, 46 on pivot pins 43', 44' interconnected by link 47 and driven by link 48 connected to the plunger 49' of solenoid 49. This assembly is biased by spring 50 to the position shown in FIGURE 4, wherein chamber 41 is open to the suction inlet at fitting 27 and damper 44 closes the passage 42, and may be driven to the opposite condition closing chamber 41 and opening passage 42 upon energization of solenoid 49.

The wall of the upper section 38 of suction trunk 30 is provided with suction openings or nozzles 51 along the height of the chamber 4 1 and communicating with the chamber, located at a height corresponding generally to the blower nozzles adjacent the c- reels 14, 15 and draft rolls 16 to effect suction entrainment and withdrawal into the chamber 41 of lint and dust which is blown into the air in the upper regions of the spinning frame. By locating the suction openings 51 close to the blower trunk 23 and maintaining the dampers 43, 44 in the position shown in FIGURE 4, most of the time, the substantial quantities of lint which are blown from the spinning frame parts into the surrounding air by the air blasts issuing from blower nozzles 25 are collected by the suction trunk While still airborne before the lint becomes diffuse generally into the air above the spinning frame or begins to settle onto the spinning room floor.

In order to effect periodic collection of the lint sweepings accumulated by the wiper block 35, provision is made to momentarily activate the damper valves 43, 44 to reverse their relative positions and open the passage 42 to place the sweeper trunk 30 under suction at predetermined points during the travel thereof along the trackway 12. To this end, the trackway 12 may be provided with suitably located, fixed track earns 53 to activate a suitable snap-action switch (designated at 6 5 in FIGURE 6) on the carriage 11 and energize the solenoid 49 to shift the dampers 43, 44 to a position closing the chamber 41 and opening passage 42 to communicate suction to the lower sweeper trunk section 39 and such the accumulated lint sweepings collected by the accumulator blade 35 to the casing 20 of the collecting unit 10. It has been found in practice that momentary application of suction to the passage 42 for a period of about two seconds during the travel thereof at intervals of about 20 seconds or longer is adequate to suck the accumulated lint sweepings collected by the accumulator blade 35 into the collecting facility of the casing 20.

If desired, the tnack cam may be foreshortened in length, and disposed at a position on the trackway adjacent an end of a spining frame, or row of spinning frames, just before the air blast cleaner and collecting unit assembly proceeds into the spinning room aisle beyond the end of the row of spinning frames or across the transverse aisle intervening between two longitudinally aligned spinning frames to stop the travel of the assembly for a predetermined period or until the same is manually restarted. This may be accomplished by providing another switch, responsive to the last-mentioned track cam to terminate the current to the propulsion motor or by providing a pair of track cams or a single complex cam so located as to first activate a switch to reverse the direction of drive of the propulsion motor through a motor controller unit and then activate a second switch to terminate the supply to the same, operating in a manner similar to the reversing and supply terminating switches for the propulsion motor disclosed in earlier US. Patent No. 2,886,843 or in said application Serial Number 232,055.

Since the accumulator assembly 34 at the bottom of the sweeper trunk 30 is a rather wide structure which would make it difficult to move the sweeper trunk and accumulator past or over obstructions in the narrow aisles between spinning frames, the lower trunk section 39 is joined to the upper trunk section 38 of a special journal assembly 55. By this arrangement an attendant in the aisle can readily grasp the trunk 30 and swing the lower section 39 and accumulator through an arc of approximately 90 about theaxis of the trunk to clear the obstruction. As such swinging of the accumulator 34 would leave the accumulated lint sweepings on the floor when the accumulator is so twisted, means are also provided to automatically energize the solenoid 49 responsive to the initial swinging movement of the trunk to momentarily shift the dampers 43, 44 to positions closing the chamber 41 and opening passage 42.

To this end, the journal assembly 55 includes an outer bearing sleeve 56 fixed to the upper end of lower trunk section 39 and an inner concentric sleeve 57 fixed to upper trunk section 39, together with a suitable friction relieving annulus 58 intervening between the sleeves 56, 57 and fixed for example to the latter. The annulus 58 is relieved as at 59 to provide a circumferential recess in which spiral coils of spring 60 may track. The spring 60 is formed of a strip of suitable thin spring metal whose opposite ends are coiled upon themselves to normally form coils 60a, 60b in flanking relation to the center of the spring anchored to the inner sleeve 57, and flanking a block 61 fixed to the outer sleeve 56 and movable in the recess 59. A snap-action switch 62 is fixed to the inner sleeve 57 adjacent the center of the spring and includes an actuator 62 which projects through accommodating apertures in the sleeve 57 and spring 60 and is normally pressed to open condition by block 61. The switch 62 is internally spring biased to closed position to close a circuit to solenoid 49 when the block 61 is circumferentially displaced from its normal position aligned with the center of spring 60. One or more handles 63 project from outer sleeve 56 to facilitate swinging of the lower trunk section 39 about its axis.

If desired, a snap-action switch responsive to the angular position of the links 33 relative to the trunk 30 whose contacts close when the depending links are in substantial axial alignment with the sweeper trunk and open when the links are in either the forwardly or rearwardly inclined positions, as disclosed in said application Serial Number 232,055, may be provided. The purpose of such a snap-action switch is to provide a safety facility which will automatically effect momentary energization of the solenoid 49 to shift the damper valves 43, 44 to a position closing the chamber 41 and communicating the passage 42 with the suction inlet opening whenever the sweeper trunk 30 strikes an obstruction such as a doffer cart or personnel in the aisles and begins to lift the accumulator off the floor without turning. Such a switch would be normally open wthen the accumulator is in inclined position during normal operation. When sweeper trunk 30 strikes on obstruction, rearward flexing of the sweeper trunk 30 begins to lift the lint accumulator 34 off the floor, permitting the accumulator and links 33 to settle to the normal center position, activating the snapact-ion switch which responds to the angular position of 6 the links to close its contacts and completing the supply circuit to the solenoid 49.

Referring to FIGURE 7, there is illustrated one exemplary control circuit which may be employed, wherein the coil of the solenoid 49 is connected by one lead to one conductor, for example the conductor A of a three-phase supply system A, B, C, and is connected through the switch 62 in the journal assembly 55 of the sweep trunk 30 to the supply conductor B. Additionally, the switch 55 responsive to the track cams 53 may also be connected in parallel with the switch 62 to the supply conductor B. If a switch is to be also provided to energize the solenoid 49 and apply suction to the sweeper trunk intake nozzle 31 when the travelling cleaner reaches the end of a spinning frame or row of spinning frames before proceeding into a transverse aisle, such a switch should also have normally open contacts in parallel with the switch 62 and 65, as indicated star in broken lines in FIGURE 7. The motor for the tractor 22 or other propulsion facility, which motor is indicated by the reference character 67 in FIGURE 7, is connected in a conventional manner through a motor controller 63, for example having circuitry similar to that disclosed in said earlier Patent 2,886,843, across the three-phase supply lines A, B, C.

In the operation of the above-described apparatus in connection with removal and collection of lint from a row of textile spinning frames in a spinning room, the lint collecting unit 10 is caused to travel on the overhead trackway 12 to describe a desired path of travel along the rows of spinning frames. The blower trunks 23 and sweeper trunks 30 hang alongside the spinning frames at the op posite sides thereof in the aisles between adjacent rows of frames. As the unit moves along the trackway 12, the lint will be blown off of the parts of the spinning frames in the path of the air blast discharged by the nozzles of the blower trunks 23 and tend to gradually settle to the floor. Since the dampers 43, 44 are normally in the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 the suction established at the inlet openings of the casing 20 by the fan is normally applied to the chamber 41 and the suction openings 51 in the upper portion 38 of each sweep trunk 30, thus sucking in lint from the air zones, adjacent the openings 51 and conveying the lint through the chamber 41 and suction inlet fitting 27 to the collecting canisters 26 where the lint is separated from the air and collected. Because the suction intake openings 51 of the sweeper trunks 30 are located immediately adjacent the blower trunks 23 relative to the direction of unit travel, the lint in the air adjacent the upper region of the spinning frames will be withdrawn into the chambers 41 by suction currents im-' mediately after the lint is blown into the air by the blower trunks 23 and before the lint becomes generally diffused from this region. By this means, a great portion of the lint discharged from the spinning frames is removed by suction before it diffuses or settles to the floor. Concurrently, the accumulator blades 35 depending from the sweeper trunks 30 sweep along predetermined rectilinear paths on the floor surface alongside the spinning frames at opposite sides thereof to accumulate lint sweepings against the blades 35 immediately beneath the nozzles 31. When the trunks 23, 30 reach a position in an aisle occupied by an attendant or obstructions, the attendant may grasp the handles 63 and rotate the lower sweeper trunk section 39 approximately about the axis of the sweeper trunk to facilitate passage of the accumulator 34 alongside the attendant or obstruction. At the lower trunk section 39 and its associated outer sleeve 56 begin to rotate relative to the upper trunk sect-ion 38 and inner sleeve 57, the block 61 afiixed to the outer sleeve 56 begins to unwind one of the spring coils 60a, 60b and at a very early stage in such travel passes out of engagement with the actuator 62' and the switch 62 thereby closing the switch 62 and energizing the solenoid 49. This immediately through the links 48, 47 and lugs 46, 45 rotates the dampers 43, 44 in a counterclockwise direction from the position shown 7 in FIGURE 4 to close the damper'43 and open the damper 44. Opening of the damper 44 immediately communicates suction to the passage 42 and sweeper trunk nozzle 31 to withdraw the lint sweepings which have accumulated against the accumulator blade 35 up through the nozzle 31 and into the collecting canister 26.

Also, at selected intervals, for example at the end of each spinning frame and/ or row of spinning frames, the solenoid 49 is normally energized by switch 65 responding to one of the track cams 53 to similarly shift the dampers 43, 44 from their FIGURE 4 positions and communicate suction to the passage 42 and sweeper trunk nozzle 31 for withdrawing the accumulated lint sweepings into the collecting canisters 26.

While but one preferred example of the present invention has been particularly shown and described, it is apparent that various modifications may be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is desired, therefore, that only such limitations be placed on the invention as are imposed by the prior art and set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a travelling cleaner for textile processing machines, an overhead carriage movable longitudinally of the machines having a suction source, a vertically elongated suction trunk communicating at its upper end with said suction source and depending from said carriage to a position adjacent the floor, said suction trunk having a downwardly opening suction inlet nozzle at its lower end, a mechanical lint accumulator supported on a lower portion of said suction trunk having a transversely extending fioor engaging accumulator member immediately below said inlet nozzle to sweep lint which has settled onto the floor along the floor in a path paralleling the adjacent sides of the machines, damper means normally occupying a first position closing off said inlet nozzle of said suction trunk from communication with said suction source and movable to a second position to establish communication between said inlet nozzle and said suction source to effect suction withdrawal of lint sweepings accumulated by said accumulator member to said carriage, said suction trunk having journal means intermediate the uper and lower ends thereof for accommodating rotation of this lower end portion of said trunk and said accumulator relative to the trunk portion thereabove from a normal position through a selected arc about the longitudinal axis of the trunk to facilitate passage of the accumulator member past obstructions alongside the machines, and means responsive to rotation of said lower trunk portion and accumulator member for adjusting said damper means from said first position to said second position to efitect suction withdrawal of lint sweepings accumulated by said accumulator member to said carriage immediately upon rotation of said lower trunk portion from its normal position.

2. In a travelling cleaner for textile processing machines, an overhead carriage movable longitudinally of the machines having a suction source, a vertically elongated suction trunk communicating at its upper end with said suction source and depending from said carriage to a position adjacent the floor, said suction trunk having a downwardly opening suction inlet nozzle at its lower end, a mechanical lint accumulator supported on a lower portion of said suction trunk having a transversely extending floor engaging accumulator member immediately below said inlet nozzle to sweep lint which has settled onto the floor along the floor in a path paralleling the adjacent sides of the machines, damper means normally occupying a first position closing off said inlet nozzle of said suction trunk from communication with said suction source and movable to a second position to establish communication between said inlet nozzle and said suction source to effect suction withdrawal of lint sweepings accumulated by said accumulator member to said carriage, said suction trunk having an upper section and a lower section, journal means intercoupling said lower section to said upper section for rotation independently of the upper section from a normal position through a selected are about the longitudinal axis of the trunk to swing said accumulator member into substantional parallelism with said path, and means responsive to rotation of said lower trunk section and accumulator member for adjusting said damper means to said second position immediately upon displacement of said lower section from its normal position to effect suction withdrawal of accumulated lint sweepings adjacent said accumulator member through said inlet nozzle and trunk to said carriage.

3. A travelling cleaner for textile processing machines as defined in claim 2 wherein said journal means comprises an outer cylindrical sleeve fixed to the upper end of said lower trunk section, an inner cylindrical sleeve concentric with said outer sleeve and fixed to the lower end of said upper trunk section, an actuator block member fixed to said outer sleeve and located between said inner and outer sleeves to rotate therein about the axes of said sleeves with said outer sleeve, spring means urging said block member to a normal centered position wherein said accumulator occupies said normal position, and said switch means including a switch having a movable actuator engaged by said block member at said normally centered position to open said switch means and freed from contact with said block member to close said switch means when said block member is displaced from said centered position.

4. A travelling cleaner for textile processing machines as defined in claim 3, wherein said spring means comprises an elongated spring strip having its longitudinal center in registry with said block member at said normally centered position and having its opposite end portions arranged in spiral coils flanking and contacting opposite surfaces of said block member to urge the same to said centered position, said coils being progressively unwound by relative movement of said block member from said centered position in their respective directions.

5. In a travelling cleaner for textile processing machines, an overhead carriage movable longitudinally of the machines having a suction source, a vertically elon gated suction trunk communicating at its upper end with said suction source and depending from said carriage to a position adjacent the floor, said suction trunk having a downwardly opening suction inlet nozzle at its lower end, a mechanical lint accumulator supported in a lower portion of said suction trunk having a transversely extending floor engaging accumulator member immediately below said inlet nozzle to sweep lint which has settled onto the floor along the floor in a path paralleling the adjacent sides of the machines, damper means normally occupying a first position closing off said inlet nozzle of said suction trunk from communication with said suction source and movable to a second position to establish communication between said inlet nozzle and said suction source to effect suction withdrawal of lint sweepings accumulated by said accumulator member to said carriage, said suction trunk having journal means intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof for accommodating rotation of said lower end portion of said trunk and said accumulator relative to the trunk portion thereabove from a normal position through an arc of substantially about the longitudinal axis of the trunk to facilitate passage-of the accumulator member past obstructions alongside the machines, electrical means for shifting said damper means to said second position, and

switch means at said journal means responsive to rota tion of said lower trunk portion and accumulator member for activating said electrical means to shift said damper means from said first position to said second position to effect suction withdrawal of lint sweepings accumulated by said accumulator member to said carriage immediately upon rotation of said lower trunk portion from its normal position.

6. In a travelling cleaner for textile processing machines, an overhead carriage movable longitudinally of the machines having a suction source, a vertically elongated suction trunk communicating at its upper end with said suction source and depending from said carriage to a position adjacent the floor, said suction trunk having a downwardly opening suction inlet nozzle at its lower end, a mechanical lint accumulator supported on a lower portion of said suction trunk having a transversely extending floor engaging accumulator member immediately below said inlet nozzle to sweep lint which has settled onto the floor along the fioor in a path paralleling the adjacent sides of the machines, said suction trunk having an upper section and a lower section, journal means intercoupling said lower section to said upper section for rotation independently of the upper section from a normal position through a selected are about the longitudinal axis of the trunk to swing said accumulator member into substantial parallelism with said path, said upper section having partition means therein dividing the same into a passage through said upper section and a closed'bottom chamber along the major portion of the length of said upper section, said upper section having suction inlet openings communicating with said chamber and facing the machines located alongside upper portions of the machines to attract and withdraw airborne lint from the air in the region of the upper parts and convey the lint to said carriage, damper means normally occupying a first position closing said passage and opening the top of said chamber to close off said inlet nozzle of said suction trunk from communication with said suction source and movable to a second position closing the top of said chamber and opening said passage to establish communication between said inlet nozzle and said suction source to effect suction withdrawal of lint sweepings accumulated by said accumulator member to said carriage, and means responsive to rotation of said lower trunk section and accumulator member for adjusting said damper means to said second position immediately upon displacement of said lower trunk section from its normal position to terminate suction source communication with said chamber and establish suction source communication with said passage to effect suction withdrawal of accumulated lint sweepings adjacent said accumulator member through said inlet nozzle and trunk to said carriage.

7. In a travelling cleaner for textile processing machines, an overhead carriage movable longitudinally of the machines including a casing having a fan and a downwardly opening suction inlet and blower outlet served by said fan, a blower trunk depending from said casing in communication with said blower outlet and extending alongside the machines to discharge lint therefrom, a vertically elongated suction trunk communicating at its upper end with said suction inlet and depending from said casing to a position adjacent the floor, said suction trunk having a downwardly opening suction inlet nozzle at its lower end, a mechanical lint accumulator supported on a lower portion of said suction trunk having a transversely extending floor engaging accumulator member immediately below said inlet nozzle to sweep lint which has settled onto the floor along the floor in a path paral leling the adjacent sides of the machines, damper means at said suction inlet normally occupying a first position closing off said inlet nozzle of said suction trunk from communication with said suction inlet and movable to a second position to establish communication between said inlet nozzle and said suction inlet extending to effect suction Withdrawal of lint sweepings accumulated by said accumulator member to said casing, said suction trunk having an upper section extending downwardly alongside upper parts of the machines immediately adjacent said blower trunk and a lower section, journal means intercoupling upper and lower sections for accommodating rotation of said lower section of said trunk and said accumulator relative to said upper section from a normal position through an arc of substantially about the longitudinal axis of the trunk to facilitate passage of the accumulator member past obstructions alongside the machines, electrical means for shifting said damper means to said second position, and switch means at said journal means responsive to rotation of said lower trunk portion and accumuator member for activating said electrical means to shift said damper means from said first position to said second position to effect suction withdrawal of lint sweepings accumulated by said accumulator member to said casing immediately upon rotation of said lower trunk section from its normal position.

8. In a travelling cleaner for textile processing machines, an overhead carriage movable longitudinally of the machines, including a casing having a fan and a downwardly opening suction inlet and blower outlet served by said fan, a blower trunk depending from .said casing in communication with said blower outlet and extending alongside the machines to discharge lint therefrom, a vertically elongated suction trunk communicating at its upper end with said suction inlet and depending from said casing to a position adjacent the floor, said suction trunk having a downwardly opening suction inlet nozzle at its lower end, a mechanical lint accumulator supported on a lower portion of said suction trunk having a transversely extending floor engaging accumulator member immediately below said inlet nozzle to sweep lint which has settled onto the floor along the floor in a path paralleling the adjacent sides of the machines, said suction trunk having an upper section extending downwardly alongside upper parts of the machines immediately adjacent said blower trunk and a lower section, journal means intercoupling said lower section to said upper section for rotation independently of the upper section from a normal position through a selected are about the longitudinal axis of the trunk to swing said accumulator member into substantial parallelism with said path, said upper section having partition means therein dividing the same into a passage through said upper section and a closedbottom chamber along the major portion of the length of said upper section, said upper section having suction inlet openings communicating with said chamber and facing the machines to attract and withdraw airborne lint from the air in the region of the upper parts and convey the lint to said casing, damper means at said suction inlet normally occupying a first position closing said passage and opening the top of said chamber to close off said inlet nozzle of said suction trunk from communication with said suction inlet and movable to a second position closing the top of said chamber and opening said passage to establish communication between said inlet nozzle and said suction inlet to effect suction withdrawal of lint sweepings accumulated by said accumulator member to said casing, and means responsive to rotation of said lower trunk section and accumulator member for adjusting said damper means to said second. position immediately upon displacement of said lower trunk section from its normal position to terminate suction inlet communication with said chamber and establish suction inlet communication with said passage to effect suction withdrawal of accumulated lint sweepings adjacent said accumulator member through said inlet nozzle and trunk to said casing.

9. A travelling cleaner for textile processing machines as defined in claim 8 wherein said journal. means comprises an outer cylindrical sleeve fixed to the upper end of said lower trunk section, an inner cylindrical sleeve concentric with said outer sleeve and fixed to the lower end of said upper trunk section, means between said sleeves having a circumferential groove, an actuator block member fixed to said outer sleeve and located in said groove between said inner and outer sleeves to move therein through an arc of about 90 in either direction from a normal centered position about the aXes of said sleeves with said outer sleeve, spring means urging said block member to said normal centered position wherein said accumulator occupies said normal position, and said means for adjusting said damper means including a switch having a movable actuator engaged by said block member at said normally centered position to open said switch and freed from contact with said block member to close said switch when said block member is displaced from said centered position.

10. A travelling cleaner for textile processing machines as defined in claim 51, wherein said spring means comprises an elongated spring strip having its longitudinal center in registry with said block member at said nor- References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,011,202 12/1961 Holtzclaw 15312.1 3,080,598 3/1963 McEachern 153 12.1 3,177,515 4/1965 Bahnson 15-312 ROBERT W. MITCHELL, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN A TRAVELLING CLEANER FOR TEXTILE PROCESSING MACHINES, AN OVERHEAD CARRIAGE MOVABLE LONGITUDINALLY OF THE MACHINES HAVING A SUCTION SOURCE, A VERTICALLY ELONGATED SUCTION TRUNK COMMUNICATING AT ITS UPPER END WITH SAID SUCTION SOURCE AND DEPENDING FROM SAID CARRIAGE TO A POSITION ADJACENT THE FLOOR, SAID SUCTION TRUNK HAVING A DOWNWARDLY OPENING SUCTION INLET NOZZLE AT ITS LOWER END, A MECHANICAL LINT ACCUMULATOR SUPPORTED ON A LOWER PORTION OF SAID SUCTION TRUNK HAVING A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING FLOOR ENGAGING ACCUMULATOR MEMBER IMMEDIATELY BELOW SAID INLET NOZZLE TO SWEEP LINT WHICH HAS SETTLED ONTO THE FLOOR ALONG THE FLOOR IN A PATH PARALLELING THE ADJACENT SIDES OF THE MACHINES, DAMPER MEANS NORMALLY OCCUPYING A FIRST POSITION CLOSING OFF SAID INLET NOZZLE OF SAID SUCTION TRUNK FROM COMMUNICATION WITH SAID SUCTION SOURCE AND MOVABLE TO A SECOND POSITION TO ESTABLISH COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID INLET NOZZLE AND SAID SUCTION SOURCE TO EFFECT SUCTION WITHDRAWAL OF LINT SWEEPINGS ACCUMULATED BY SAID ACCUMULATOR MEMBER TO SAID CARRIAGE, SAID SUCTION TRUNK HAVING JOURNAL MEANS INTERMEDIATE THE UPER AND LOWER ENDS THEREOF FOR ACCOMMODATING ROTATION OF THIS LOWER END PORTION OF SAID TRUNK AND SAID ACCUMULATOR RELATIVE TO THE TRUNK PORTION THEREABOVE FROM A NORMAL POSITION THROUGH A SELECTED ARC ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE TRUNK TO FACILITATE PASSAGE OF THE ACCUMULATOR MEMBER PAST OBSTRUCTIONS ALONGSIDE THE MACHINES, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO ROTATION OF SAID LOWER TRUNK PORTION AND ACCUMULATOR MEMBER FOR ADJUSTING SAID DAMPER MEANS FROM SAID FIRST POSITION TO SAID SECOND POSITION TO EFFECT SUCTION WITHDRAWAL OF LINT SWEEPINGS ACCUMULATED BY SAID ACCUMULATOR MEMBER TO SAID CARRIAGE IMMEDIATELY UPON ROTATION OF SAID LOWER TRUNK PORTION FROM ITS NORMAL POSITION.

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