US3470585A

US3470585A - Apparatus and method for reducing fiber bales

Info

Publication number: US3470585A
Application number: US542129A
Authority: US
Inventors: Christian Just
Original assignee: Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG
Current assignee: Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG
Priority date: 1966-04-12
Filing date: 1966-04-12
Publication date: 1969-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 1986-10-07

Description

Oct. 7, 1969 c. JUST 3,470,585

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING FIBER BALES Filed April 12, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet l 6 i r 1 I w & w

pl 1 r3 5 34 a; i 7 l I 1 25 I so 6 Fig.1 7 \j INVENTOR.

CHRISTIAN JUST A TTORE 7S APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING FIBER BALES Filed April 12, 1966 C. JUST Oct. 7, 1969 3 Sheets-5heet 2 Fly. 2

' JNVENTOR.

CHRISTIAN JUST ZATT R2 EVS Oct. 7, 1969 c. JUST 3,470,585

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING FIBER BALES Filed April 12, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet. I5

JNVENTOR.

CHFHST/AN JUST M W 41310 EYS United States Patent 3,470,585 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR REDUCING FIBER BALES Christian Just, Winterthur, Switzerland, assignor to Maschinenfabrik Rieter A.G., Winterthur, Switzerland, a corporation of Switzerland Filed Apr. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 542,129 Int. Cl. D01g 7/08, 7/12 US. Cl. 19-80 12 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The compressed fiber bales are passed over the reducing elements in a stepwise manner. During movement of a bale across the reducing elements the presser plate presses the bale against the reducing element for reducing of the bale whereas, after movement of the bale, the presser plate is adjusted into a lower position to compensate for the reduced portion of the bale.

This invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing fiber bales. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing a compressed fiber bale at a predetermined reducing output per unit of time. Still more particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus and method for reducing a series of compressed fiber bales at the same rate.

Heretofore, the conventional apparatus and method for reducing fiber bales relied on the use of a dead weight which pressed the fiber bale against a reducing element which moved relative to the fiber bale. In some cases the weight of the fiber bale was used to create the dead weight thereby allowing a progressively diminishing load on the reducing element while in other cases additional weights were placed on the fiber bales as they were being progressively reduced in order to maintain a constant load against the reducing element.

However, both the diminishing and constant load methods apparatus are objectionable since they cannot reduce fiber bales of different compressed densities. Thus, a higher compressed density fiber bale is reduced at a slower rate than a lower compressed density fiber bale under the same load. Further, the mixture ratio of the fiber material of the bales have been disturbed at the lower reducing output of individual reducing elements and at the reduced delivery of the fiber material.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for reducing a compressed fiber bale at a predetermined rate.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for reducing a series of compressed fiber bales at the same rate.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method of reducing compressed fiber bales in progressive steps to obtain a predetermined rate of output.

It is another object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method of reducing compressed fiber bales in progressive steps under a constantly moving load to obtain a predetermined rate of output.

Generally, the apparatus of the invention comprises at least one bale receiving means for receiving a com- "ice pressed fiber bale, at least one reducing element means for reducing the fiber bales, loading means for pressing the fiber bales in the receiving means towards the reducing element means and mechanism means for adjustably increasing the pressure of the loading means on the' fiber bales before the bales are moved over the reducing element means so as to obtain a predetermined rate of output from the reducing element means.

The method of the invention comprises the steps of positioning at least one compressed fiber bale adjacent a reducing element means, pressing the positioned bale at a constant rate in a direction towards the reducing element means to impose a load on the bale and moving the bale across the reducing element means to reduce the bale at a predetermined rate of output.

These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a portion of an apparatus according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is a large scale sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged illustration of an advance mechanism for the pressure increasing mechanism of the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by like numerals, compartments 1 in respective frames 2 each receive a bale 7. The frames 2 move in the direction indicated by the arrow (FIG. 1) on a table 3 along an annular rail 4. A plurality of reducing elements 5 is mounted on the table 3 and equally distributed around the center of the rail 4. The reducing elements or rasps 5 extend between bars of rockable grates 6 (FIG. 2) and reduce the bales placed in the compartments 1 of the frame 2 as the bales move over the table 3.

Two vertical threaded spindles 10 and 11 are located in walls 8 and 9, respectively, of the compartments and extend through threaded bores in a loading plate 12 for lifting or lowering the piate 12 upon rotation of the spindles. A bale 7 placed underneath the plate 12 is pressed downward against the table 3 upon suitable rotation of the spindles 10 and 11 by means of a chain 13 engaging

sprocket wheels

16 and 17 mounted thereon. The chain 13 is stepwisely driven by means of a sprocket wheel 14 mounted on a vertical shaft 15 which is driven by a ratchet mechanism supported by the frame 2. The ratchet mechanism shown on an enlarged scale in FIG. 3 comprises an arm 18 freely swingable on the vertical shaft 15, a spring loaded pawl 19 mounted on the arm 18, a ratchet Wheel 20 fastened on the shaft 15, and an adjustable covering element 21 interposed between the pawl 19 and the ratchet wheel 20. The covering element 21 is movable around the shaft 15 and can be fixed by any suitable means such as a screw 22 in any desired angular position relative to a stationary hub 23 which is concentric with the shaft 15. The covering element 21 prevents engagement of the pawl 19 with the part of the wheel 20 covered by the element 21. Upon each revolution of the frame 2 due to engagement of the arm 18 with a stationary abutment 25 mounted on a ceiling 24 (FIG. 2) above the apparatus the arm 18 is swung through an angle B into the position shown by dotted 3 lines in FIG. 3. The pawl 19 moves thereby beyond the covering element 21 and drops into a gap between the teeth of the ratchet wheel 20 and turns the wheel through an angle a.

Where it is desired to increase the advance of a bale in a particular compartment, for example, because the bale is initially higher than the other bales of a series and, therefore, requires a greater reducing speed in order to completely reduce the bale within the same time as is required for other bales, the covering element 21 is turned clockwise around the hub 23 so as to increase the angle a. This effects earlier engagement of the pawl 19 with the ratchet wheel 20 and a rotation of the wheel through a greater angle.

The grate 6 is swingably supported at the location where the bale moves onto the grate and is pressed upwardly by means of a spring 26 acting on an arm 27 which is rigidly connected to the grate.

Where, due to the disparity of the bales, reduction of a certain bale is insuflicient, i.e., that the reduction rate does not correspond to the desired reducing output per time unit, the constant advance of the loading plate 12 results in increasing pressure being exerted by the bale on its support so that, when the bale passes over the grate 6, the latter is turned somewhat downward agaiiist the action of the spring 26 and the reducing element digs deeper into the bale. In this Way the initial small reduction caused by the compactness of the bale is compensated in a very simple manner.

In order to avoid manual operation of the spindles: and 11 when lifting of the loading plate 12 is desired, a spur gear 20' is mounted on the upper end of the shaft to engage with a pinion 28 (FIG. 2) on the shaftof a motor 30 when the frame 2 is in a predetermined position. The motor 30 is connected to a lever 29 which is pivotally connected to the ceiling 24. Engagement of the pinion 28 with the gear is effected by a spring 31 (FIG. 1). The shaft of the motor 30, when the motor is not energized, is rotated somewhat at every passage of a bale container and after a slight deflection of the levr 29. If it is desired to lift the plate 12 after sufiicient reduction of a bale, rotation of the frame 2 is stopped by conventional manual means (not shown) at the moment when the pinion 28 engages with the spur 20 whereafter the motor 30 is started by pressing a switch 32. When the plate 12 has reached its uppermost position, the motor 30 is stopped by a limit switch 33. A new bale can then be placed into the empty compartment 1 from the side after opening a door 34 (FIG. 1) and rotation of the frame can be resumed.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for reducing compressed fiber bales comprising:

a table,

at least one grate mounted on said table for receiving a compressed fiber bale thereon,

at least one reducing element means extending through said grate for reducing the compressed fiber bale on said grate,

at least one frame movably mounted on said table for receiving a compressed fiber bale therein to move the received bale across said grate,

loading means movably mounted in said frame above the received bale for pressing the received compressed fiber bale in a direction toward said reducing element means, mechanism means mounted in said frame for advancing said loading means toward said grate to adjustably increase the pressure of said loading means on the compressed fiber bale for pressing of the fiber bale against said reducing element means, and

means for actuating said mechanism means to produce a predetermined reducing rate of output.

2. An apparatus for reducing compressed fiber bales comprising at least one bale receiving means for receiving a compressed fiber bale therein, at least one reducing element means for reducing the compressed fiber bale in said bale receiving means,

loading means for pressing the compressed fiber bale in said bale receiving means in a direction toward said reducing element means,

mechanism means mounted on said bale receiving means for advancing said loading means at a predetermined stepwise rate towards said reducing element means in order to influence the pressure of said loading means on the compressed fiber bale in said bale receiving means so as to compensate for the pressure drop caused during the reducing of the compressed fiber bale by a preceding passage by said reducing element means, and

means for actuating said mechanism means after passage by said reducing element means.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said mechanism means includes means operatively connected to said loading means for advancing said loading means towards said reducing element means in increments of predetermined size.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means operatively connected to said loading means includes a rotatable ratchet wheel, means for rotating said ratchet wheel at a constant rate, and an adjustable cover means interposed between said ratchet wheel and said means for rotating said ratchet wheel for adjusting the extent of advancement of said loading means towards said reducing element means.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said cover means is manually adjustable.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for rotating said ratchet wheel includes a pivotally mounted arm having a pivotally mounted pawl thereon for engaging said ratchet wheel and said actuating means includes a stationary shaft for abutting said arm and pivoting said arm about said ratchet wheel whereby said pawl engages said ratchet wheel to rotate said wheel at a constant rate.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said loading means comprises a vertically mounted reciprocal loading plate for engaging the upper side of a compressed fiber bale in said bale receiving means.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 which further comprises a motor means for lifting said loading means away from said bale receiving means to permit insertion of another fiber bale in said bale receiving means. 9. A method of reducing compressed fiber bales which comprises the steps of positioning at least one compressed fiber bale adjacent a reducing element means,

pressing the positioned compressed fiber bale against the reducing element means by advancing the compressed fiber bale at a predetermined stepwise rate under a load being advanced at a predetermined stepwise rate towards the reducing element means to reduce the fiber bale at a predetermined rate of output, and

moving the loaded fiber base across the reducing ele ment means.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein said steps of positioning, advancing and moving the bale are repeated in sequential order.

11. A method as set forth in claim 9 wherein a plurality of compressed fiber bales are successively advanced at a constant stepwise rate by adjustment of the extent of advancement of the load towards the reducing element means whereby a constant reducing rate of output is obtained from each of the plurality of compressed fiber bales.

12. A method as set forth in claim 11 wherein the advancing of a bale is responsive to the rate of reduction 5 output of the pressed fiber bale whereby the extent of advancement of the loaded fiber bale can be adjusted before subsequent movement across the reducing element means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,650,745 9/1953 Oberwortman 146-123 X 2,681,090 6/1954 Hicks et a1. 146-119 10 3,166,797 1/1965 Mayer 19-81 6 3,175,595 3/1965 Coutts 146-701 3,110,062 11/1963 Wildbolz et a1. 19-80 FOREIGN PATENTS 519,873 3/1931 Germany.

144,428 3/1965 U.S.S.R.

W. GRAYDON ABERCROMBIE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R.