US3531832A

US3531832A - Drafting roll clearer and buffer

Info

Publication number: US3531832A
Application number: US769915A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard K Whitehead Sr; Otis B Alston; Richard K Whitehead Jr; Harry C Whitehead; Alvin C Whitehead
Original assignee: ALVIN C WHITEHEAD
Current assignee: ALVIN C WHITEHEAD
Priority date: 1968-10-23
Filing date: 1968-10-23
Publication date: 1970-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 1987-10-06

Description

Oct. 6, 1970 R. K. WHETEHEAD, sR.. EFAL 1,

" DRAF'I'ING ROLL CLEARER AND BUFFER Filed Oct. 23, 1968 INVENTORS RICHARD K. WHITEHEAD, SR. OTIS B. AL'STON RICHARD K. WHITEHEAD, JR. HARRY C. WHITEHEAD ALVIN C. WHITEHEAD United States Patent 3,531,832 DRAFTING ROLL CLEARER AND BUFFER Richard K. Whitehead, Sr., 1216 Zonolite Road NE., Atlanta, Ga. 30306; Otis B. Alston, 5423 Hunter Road, Columbus, Ga. 31907; and Richard K. Whitehead, Jr., Harry C. Whitehead, and Alvin C. Whitehead, all of 1216 Zonolite Road NE., Atlanta, Ga.

Filed Oct. 23, 1968, Ser. No. 769,915 Int. Cl. D01h /62 US. Cl. 19-265 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Background of the invention In the processing of textile materials, the textile or textile fibers are passed between pairs of rolls serving to draw out, attenuate or othewise affect the relationship between the processed fibers. In the fabrication of cotton or the like yarns, the rolls of the drawing, roving, twisting and spinning frames have a propensity for the collection of fly lint and the like material.

A further problem associated with drafting roll assem blies stems from the fact that the lower roll is ordinarily constructed of steel and possesses a relatively hard, fluted surface whereas the top roll is provided with a cover of synthetic rubber or like resilient material which is relatively soft as compared to the surface of the bottom roll. As a consequence, the relatively soft surface of the top roll tends to become glazed by virtue of its continual contact slippage of fibers with the material being drawn, with the result that the drawing action is adversely affected. Consequently, the top rolls are periodically removed and machine ground or buffed to deglaze them and, as can be appreciated, this procedure represents considerable and repeated expense in the operation of the textile machinery.

For the purpose of wiping off or removing the material accumulating on the surface of the top roll, not only stationary clearers but also specially constructed movable clearers have been employed. Furthermore, such movable clearing devices have utilized members which oscillate with and against the top roll, as exemplified by the constructions disclosed in U.S. Pats. 2,858,575 and 3,196,476.

Unfortunately, the roll clearing devices of the prior art have conventionally employed felt rolls, pads or flexible tubes engaged against the relatively soft surface of the top roll and although these devices have been partially successful in effecting clearing action, they require periodic manual cleaning, and they are not beneficial as regards the glazing of the top roll.

Brief summary of the invention According to the present invention, not only is lint effectively removed from the relatively soft surface of the top roll, but also the propensity toward glazing of this surface by virtue of its contact with the material being drawn and the relatively hard and smooth surface of the lower roll is greatly attenuated with the result that the top rolls require manual deglazing only after very extended periods of time.

The method involved according to the present invention for simultaneously removing lint from and deglazing the relatively soft surface of the top roll comprises engaging the edge of a blade member against the surface of the top roll while allowing the blade edge to oscillate in a wiping fashion with respect to the surface of the top roll and simultaneously moving the blade into and out of contact with the top roll surface in a repetitive, forceful fashion. The combination of these two actions not only efiects a superior lint removing function but also serves automatically to deglaze the surface of the top roll.

Brief description of the drawing figures FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the invention associated with a conventional drawing roll assembly;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of another illustrative embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, partly in section, illustrating the assembly shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken through a portion of a further embodiment of the invention.

Detailed description of the invention With reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, a top roll is indicated therein generally by the reference character 10 and a bottom or lower roll is indicated by the reference character 12. As is conventional, the lower roll 12 is driven and comprises a relatively hard steel shaft having a fluted surface 14- whereas the top roll 10 comprises a metallic core 16 having a covering 18 of relatively soft material such as synthetic rubber or the like. As is also conventional, means (not shown) is provided continuously urging the top roll 10 into contact with the bottom roll 12 and the bottom roll, being driven, causes rotation of both rolls as indicated by the arrows in FIGS. 1 and 3. The roving 20 is passed between the rolls 10 and 12 and issues therefrom as indicated by the reference character 22 for twisting or like action.

In any event, the relatively soft surface 24 of the top roll assembly 10 is propense to picking up lint and, as has been discussed hereinabove, is also subject to becoming glazed by virtue of its contact continuously with the material being drawn. In the illustrative embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the clearer assembly is effective to impart both an improved lint removing function and to effect deglazing of the relatively soft surface 24 of the top roll 10. The structure involved includes an elongate resilient arm member 26 of spring steel or plastic provided with a clamp device 28 at one end which grips a shaft 30 rotatably received in the free end portion 32 of a bracket 34 having a mounting portion 36 which is removably clamped to a suitable bar or other member 38 which forms the supporting base for the entire assemblage. As shown, the clamp 28 may simply take the form of a body split as indicated by the reference character 40 and provided with a clamping screw 42 having a handle 44 whereby the shaft 30- may be securely clamped.

The opposite end of the arm 26 is provided with an enlarged head portion 46 of zinc or steel or other high mass material provided with a transverse slot or groove 48 within which one marginal edge 50 of a rectangular blade assembly 52 is rigidly held. The blade assembly projects from the head 46 to present a free marginal edge portion 54 thereof terminating in the side edge 56 which engages the surface 24 of the top roll 10 substantially with a line contact. The axis of the shaft 30 is parallel to the axis of the top roll 10 and the blade 52 engages the surface 24 along a line parallel to the axis of the top roll 10. However, it has been found that the most advantageous disposition of the blade 52 is accomplished when the free marginal edge portion 54 thereof, when relaxed, is contained within a plane substantially parallel to the plane 58 which, as indicated in FIG. 3 passes through the axis of the top roll and the point of tangency of a line AA passing through the axis of the shaft 30 and tangent to the surface 24 of the top roll 10. The plane B-B containing the edge 54 is offset in a direction advanced with respect to the rotation of the roll with respect to the plane 5-8 as indicated in FIG. 3. The included angle should advantageously be in the order from to The rotation of the top roll 10 acting against the blade 52 causes the free marginal edge portion 54 of the latter to flex in oscillatory fashion back and forth in a wiping action with respect to the surface 24 of the top roll 10 and this flexing action, in turn, causes the arm 26 to oscillate in such fashion as to cause the blade to hammer against the surface 24 of the top roll. The enlarged head portion 46 is provided with a C-shaped weighting portion which typically may be in the order of 1 /2 ounces and which serves, together with the weight of the arm 26 and head 46 to urge the edge 56 of the blade 52 into engagement with substantially line contact against the surface 24 of the top roll 10 and normally subjects the blade to compressive force. Advantageously, construction of the assembly is such as to cause the hammering action to take place at a rate of 400 to 1600 cycles per minute, the optimum rate being about 1000 cycles per minute.

The blade advantageously may be made of urethane, neoprene or other similar energy storing material having a durometer hardness in the order of 85. A fine abrasive, such as aluminum oxide or silicon dioxide or similar grit (180-300 grit range), may be impregnated into the contact tip of the blade.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the arm 62 is directly connected to the supporting shaft 64 by means of an enlarged journal portion 66, the arm 62 being free to oscillate about the shaft 64 and being provided, as before, with an enlarged head mounting the blade as sembly.

A further embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 2. In this case, the arm 68 is curved around and fixedly attached or integrally formed with a rectangular mounting bracket portion 70. In this case, the compression of the blade 72 is effected by preloading the resilient arm 68 and, for this purpose, the mounting bar 74 upon which the mounting portion is engaged is fixed in such position as to preload the resilient arm 68 and cause the free edge portion 72 of the blade normally to reside under compressive force.

In any event, the combined blade flexing and blade hammering actions are effective. Not only does this simultaneously produce the effect of lint removal and the effect of deglazing the surface 24 of the top roll 10, but it also has been observed that the lint removal action is much improved as compared with conventional top roll clearers. It is believed that the hammering action of the blade against the surface 24 of the top roll 10 actually serves to roll up or chop up lint or fibrous material which may be picked up by the surface 24 of the top roll which would account for the superior lint removal action observed.

For spinning using modern drafting systems, we have found the blade material to properly resist abrasive wear, compress properly and react at the required frequency may be polyurethane, extruded, natural, of durometer with a thickness of .062 to .070 inch in the compressive area with a free length of approximately .250-.300 inch, and they incorporate an abrasive in the wear edge of 300 grit particles of zinc oxide to do the automatic roll clearing and bufling satisfactorily but not excessively wear the rolls; and such a blade may be mounted in a head made of zinc or steel or similar high mass material having a mass of from 1 oz. to 1 /2 oz. which may be mounted on a pivot arm of approximately 4 inches length and made of spring steel or plastic, and the bracket carrying the pivot arm may conveniently be mounted on the rear neb arm or overarm rod.

Equipment utilizing these exemplary weights and dimensions functions as desired so that as the blade is compressed between the roll contact point and the support point as the roll turns toward the blade, the blade is deflected some 5-10 degrees against the inertial resistance of the head and the springly head supporting arm so that the blade stores energy as it is compressed and deflected until the blade friction against the roll allows it to disengage from the roll a distance of between .030 inch and .075 inch at a rate of 4004600 cycles per minute. This self-induced vibration occurs when the compression load reaches a point where the friction of the blade against the roll has compressed the urethane to the point that the mass is raised from the roll and the friction suddenly ceases, the head comes back down and the blade hits the roll and beats or chops off any adhering lint or fly, and rolls it into a ball and knocks it off the roll into the air where the customary suction system picks it up as the action of our device continues to clean lint and fly from the front top roll and disperse it into the air near the pneumatic suction intake, and at the same time the roll is slowly buffed automatically, preventing the glaze from continually increasing and varying the quality and twist and draft in the yarn in process.

The present invention, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein. While the presently illustrative embodiments of the invention are given for the purpose of disclosure, numerous changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a drafting roll assembly including a bottom roll and a top roll adapted to engage a roving therebetween, the top roll having a surface which is relatively soft as compared to the bottom roll and which tends to pick up lint from the roving and also to become glazed, the improvement comprising a clearer assembly for removing lint from the surface of said top roll and for deglazing such surface,

said clearer assembly including an elongate arm provided with mounting means at one end for oscillation of said arm about an axis generally parallel to but remote from the axis of said top roll,

a resilient blade member carried by the opposite end of said arm, said blade member having a free marginal edge portion which, when relaxed, is disposed in a plane substantially normal to a line tangent to said surface of the top roll passing through said axis of oscillation of said arm and is advanced, with respect to a parallel plane containing the axis of said top roll, in the opposite direction of rotation of said top roll,

and means urging said blade into substantially a line contact against said relatively soft surface of said top roll to compress said free marginal edge portion of the blade, whereby rotation of said top roll causes oscillation both of said free marginal edge portion of the blade and of said arm to effect hammering and wiping of the blade upon the relatively soft surface of said top roll simultaneously to remove lint from and deglaze said top roll.

2. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises a clamp, a shaft engaged by said clamp, and a bracket rotatably receiving said shaft.

3. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 2 wherein said means urging said blade against the top roll comprises a weight positioned over said blade.

4. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 1 wherein said mounting means comprises a bracket fixed to said one end of the arm.

5. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 4 wherein said means for urging said blade against the top roll comprises a mounting bar for said bracket.

6. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 1 wherein said arm is provided with an enlarged head at said opposite end thereof, said head being slotted to receive an edge portion of said blade, and said means for urging said blade against the top roll comprising a weight on said head.

7. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 1 wherein said blade comprises low energy storing material.

8. In the drafting roll assembly according to claim 7 wherein said blade includes abrasive material impregnated therein.

9. The method of simultaneously removing lint from and deglazing the relatively soft surface of a top roll which bears against the hard surface of a bottom roll, which comprises the steps of:

urging the edge of a resilient blade member into engagement with the relatively soft surface of the top roll while rotating the top roll to oscillate the blade in wiping fashion with respect to the top roll,

and simultaneously moving the blade into and out of engagement with the top roll in a repetitive, forceful fashion.

5 10. The method according to claim 9 wherein said blade is moved into and out of contact with the top roll at a rate of 4001600 cycles per minute 10 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,191,366 2/1940 Buccicone 15256.5l

FOREIGN PATENTS 15 664,665 9/1933 Germany.

DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner US, Cl, X3. 5- 5651