WO2009084056A1

WO2009084056A1 - Axial opener for the treatment of fiber tufts

Info

Publication number: WO2009084056A1
Application number: PCT/IT2007/000933
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mario Mascheretti
Original assignee: Marzoli S.P.A.
Priority date: 2007-12-31
Filing date: 2007-12-31
Publication date: 2009-07-09
Also published as: BRPI0722127A2; CN101842527B; EP2225411A1; CN101842527A

Abstract

An axial opener (8) for fibers in tufts comprising an input pipe (10), opener rollers (16,22) and a separation 5wall (42) upline of the cleaner rollers, to separate the compartments where the rollers are lodged and channel the fibers to be processed in part towards the first compartment and in part towards the second compartment of the opener.

Description

"Axial opener for the treatment of fiber tufts"

DESCRIPTION

[001] The present invention relates to an axial opener for fiber tufts.

5 [002] As it is known, to obtain a textile yarn starting from the fiber, the fiber must undergo numerous processes, so as to free it of impurities and dirt, align the fibers and straighten them. Such processes result in the production of a fiber strip, subsequently processed,Ofor example on a spinning machine, to obtain the yarn. [003] The various processes are performed by various machines in that, to obtain an optimal result, such operations need to be repeated a number of times in a progressively vigorous manner. 5 [004] Specifically, by way of example, for the treatment of fiber, the bale of fiber is taken up by a drawing machine, so as to obtain tufts transported by currents of air.

[005] The tuft is subsequently processed in a machine to0remove the impurities, such as stones or non- ferrous materials mixed in with the tufts, before going to an axial opener, in which the tufts of fibers are opened and separated from impurities a first time.

[006] Subsequently, the fiber undergoes further cleaning,5aligning and straightening in horizontal openers and carding machines so as to produce a strip of fiber. [007] Currently a strong need is felt to produce fiber treatment lines suitable to process increasingly large quantities of fiber.

5 [008] To increase the quantities that can be processed however, it is not practical to design new machines with proportionally larger dimensions in the working width, diameter or length of the opening hooks, or increase the number of machines, since the production of the same lOalready involves considerable technological and production difficulties, as well as problems of space due to the size, high costs and poor quality of the processed tuft.

[009] The design of an axial opener proves particularly

15important, in that it is the first machine on the treatment line, in which the fiber in tufts is opened and cleansed of the coarser impurities.

[0010] The conditions in which the tufts come out of the axial opener have a considerable influence on the

20efficacy of the processes performed downline of the said opener .

[0011] Specifically, it has been seen that denser flows of fiber to the opener produce outgoing fiber tufts still contaminated by impurities and greatly tangled and

25therefore not satisfactory for achieving good results from the further treatment downline. It has also been observed how the outgoing tufts, when the input of fiber is high, are not homogenous in their physical properties. [0012] Conversely it was seen how low inputs of fiber to

5the openers result in better quality of the processed tufts, which also prove homogenous in their properties. [0013] The purpose of the present invention is to produce an axial opener for a treatment line suitable to obviate the known problems at the present state of the art and lOsatisfy the aforesaid requirements, especially that of treatment high inputs of fiber while maintaining high quality of the processed tufts and homogeneity of their properties .

[0014] Such purpose is achieved by an opener made

15according to claim 1 below. The dependent claims describe embodiment variations .

[0015] The features and advantages of the opener according to the present invention will be evident from the description given below, made by way of an indicative

20and non-limiting example according to the following figures, wherein:

[0016] - figure 1 shows a lateral, longitudinal cross- section of an opener according to an embodiment variation of the present invention;

25 [0017] - figure 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section layout of the opener of figure 1;

[0018] - figure 3 shows a transversal cross-section of

. the opener of figure 1, drawn according to the cross- section line III-III in figure 2;

5 [0019] - figure 4 shows a transversal cross-section of the opener of figure 1, drawn according to the cross- section line IV-IV in figure 2;

[0020] - figure 5 shows a lateral, longitudinal cross- section of an opener according to a further embodiment lOvariation of the present invention;

[0021] - figure 6 illustrates a transversal cross-section of the opener of figure 5, drawn according to the cross- section line VI-VI in figure 5; and [0022] - figure 7 shows a lateral, longitudinal cross-

15section of an opener according to a further embodiment .variation of the present invention.

[0023] With reference to the attached figures, reference numeral 1 globally denotes an assembly for the treatment of tufts, constituting a section of a treatment line of

20the fiber.

[0024] The assembly illustrated comprises a feed pipeline 2 for transport of the fiber to be processed, for example coming from the drawing machine . [0025] The assembly comprises a feeder device 4 suitable

25for separating the dusty air from the fiber. For example the fiber F to be processed, is transported towards the device 4 by means of aspiration exerted by a fan lodged in the said device 4. An air expulsion pipe 6 sticks out of the device 4, so as to let out the dusty air A sucked

5in.

[0026] According to one embodiment variation, the fan is housed externally to the device 4.

[0027] Furthermore, the assembly 1 comprises an axial opener 8, situated downline of the feeder device 4, lOcomprising an input pipe 10 which connects it to said feeder device 4.

[0028] The input pipe 10 extends mainly along a line of entry X, situated substantially in a vertical position in relation to the ground T which the opener sits on.

15 [0029] Preferably, the opener 8 comprises a box-like casing 12, towards which the input pipe 10 transports the fiber to be processed.

[0030] According to a preferred form of embodiment, the input pipe 10 comprises an initial section 14 having a

20decreasing cross-section, for example, linearly, upline to downline, that is, in the assembly illustrated, from the feeder device 4 towards the casing 12 of the opener. [0031] The opener comprises a first opener roller 16, lodged in a first compartment 18, motorised and suitable

25to turn around a first rotation axis Y. [0032] The first roller 16 is provided with first opening means distributed along its lateral surface, suitable to entangle the tufts to open them when pulled. [0033] For example, said opening means comprise a

5plurality of pegs 20, protruding from the lateral surface of the roller, having a rectilinear or fractioned or ramified direction so as to have multiple tips. [0034] Preferably, the pegs 20 are arranged along an imaginary helicoidal line traced around the lateral lOsurface of the roller.

[0035] The opener 8 also comprises a second opener roller 22, lodged in a second compartment 24, motorised and suitable to turn around a second rotation axis Z, essentially parallel and for example aligned with a

15horizontal plane (in relation to the ground T) passing through the rotation axis Y of the first roller 16. [0036] The second roller 2'2 is provided with second opening means distributed along its lateral surface, for example structurally and essentially similar to the

20opening means described above.

[0037] The input pipe 10 feeds the fiber to be processed F to the first compartment 18 and second compartment 24, at the same time . [0038] In addition, the opener 8 comprises a first exit

25pipe 30, communicating with the first compartment 18, to channel the fiber for subsequent treatment, and a second exit pipe 28, communicating with the second compartment 24, also destined to channel the fiber for subsequent treatment . [0039] For example, as for the assembly illustrated, assembly 1 comprises a fan 40, to which the exit pipes 28, 30 of the opener 8 are connected, to aspirate the fibers being processed through the compartments 18, 24, from the input pipe 10 towards the exit pipes 28, 30. [004O] The opener 8 also comprises separating means, partially positioned upline of the cleaner rollers, suitable to separate the flow of fibers to be processed F and direct it towards the first compartment 18 and towards the second compartment 24 of the opener 8. [0041] For example, the separating means comprise a separation wall 42, having a free side facing onto or into the input pipe 10, from the side from which the fiber to be processed and separated arrives, so as to produce two separate passages of the fiber towards thetwo compartments 18, 24 of the opener 8.

[0042] According to a preferred form of embodiment, the separation wall 42 extends partially into the input pipe 10 (figure 1) , to separate the fiber before it goes into the compartments 18, 24 containing the opener rollers 16,22. [0043] The separation wall 42, also extends along the rotation axes Y, Z of the rollers 16, 22, so as to keep the first compartment 18 separate from the second compartment 24. The fiber to be processed F is thus

5separated into two flows to be processed, separately- processed by the first roller 16 and by the second roller 22, without interference between them, and delivered from the opener through separate exit pipes 28, 30. [0044] In other words, according to said form of lOembodiment , the separation wall 42 comprises two portions :

[0045] - a longitudinal portion 42a which extends along the rotation axis Y, Z of the rollers 16, 22, so as to keep the first compartment 18 separate from the second

15compartment 24; and

[0046] - an axial portion 42b which goes back along the input pipe 10, that is in the direction of provenance of the fiber F, to separate the two flows before reaching the opener rollers .

20 [0047] According to a further embodiment variation

(figure 7) , the separation wall 42 extends solely downline of the input pipe, without penetrating it; in other words, according to said embodiment, at the end of the input pipe 10 is the side of the separation wall 42.

25 [0048] In other words again, in said embodiment variation, the separation wall 42 comprises solely the longitudinal portion 42a, without any backflow in the direction of provenance of the fiber F going back along the input pipe 10.

5 [0049] According to yet a further embodiment variation

(figure 5)., the separation wall 42 extends in its axial portion 42b all along the input pipe 10, even protruding from the same, on the side connected to the separator device 4; in other words, according to such embodiment, lOthe side of the separation wall 42 extends as far as the roller of the separation device .

[0050] It should be noted how, in the aforesaid variations, the two flows of processed tufts F¹ only merge again in the fan 40 and, after being remixed, are

15sent on for further treatment .

[0051] According to a further embodiment variation (figure 3) , the separating means comprise a blower 46 suitable to blow air and deviate the incoming flow of fiber towards the first and second compartments.

20 [0052] Preferably, the blower 46 has air output holes along the side encountering the incoming flow of fiber.

[0053] For example, in the embodiment form with axial portion 42b of the separation wall 42, the holes are positioned along the free side of the axial portion

25facing the incoming flow of fiber. [0054] According to a preferred form of embodiment, the opener 8 comprises cleaning means suitable to co-operate with a respective roller 16, 22 to separate impurities from the fibers being processed.

5 [0055] For example, the cleaning means comprise a grid 50 which extends in an arch around its respective cleaning roller 16, 22 along said rotation axis Y, Z, in the area below this in the direction of the force of gravity.

[0056] In other words, the grids 50 are positioned below lOthe rollers 16, 22, so that by centrifugal force and the action of the fibers against each other, impurities such as the husks of the tufts being processed are separated.

[0057] The separated impurities are taken away from the opener by suitable means of conveyance and transport of

15the accumulated impurities.

[0058] In normal functioning of the treatment line of the fibers, the fiber to be processed, that is the fiber in the tufts which is still quite dirty and mixed with impurities, is transported, for example aspirated towards

20the feeder device 4, in which, as a result of the collision action, the small impurities and the dust are separated.

[0059] The fiber to be processed F is then sent to the input pipe 10 which contemporarily feeds the two

25compartments 18, 24, separating the flow of fibers into two flows, each processed by an opening roller. [0060] Specifically, the flow of fibers is efficiently divided between the two compartments by deviating means, for example, functioning by mean of a jet of air. [0061] The separation occurring downline of the separating means takes place in fact in a section where the fibers are evenly arranged around the width of the feeder pipe to the rollers and where the flow speed is low, with the help of the force of gravity. [0062] Advantageously, this means that the separation is only slightly influenced by agents, such as a high speed flow or other suction entity which could cause greater or lesser filling of one compartment as opposed to the other, as has been found to happen with T or Y separatingmeans positioned along the feed pipes to the machines. [0063] This way, each roller opener works approximately half of the total fibers being processed on the treatment line, advantageously minimising the quantity of fiber processed in the individual compartments and thedifferences in the degree of treatment of the two flows of fiber, with excellent results in terms of quality and homogeneity of the tufts.

[0064] It has in fact been seen how the tufts being processed are opened more efficiently when they do not "smother" the opener roller, and that they are also more efficiently cleansed.

[0065] In the compartments, for example, by means of aspirated air the tufts entangled on the pegs of the openers tend to pass from one peg to another,progressively moving from the entrance to the exit, encountering a sort of unthreading which opens the tufts. [0066] In addition, the tufts pulled into rotation, collide against the grid 50, so as to provoke the separation from further impurities such as husks. [0067] The effect of the grids too, is more efficient, both because effected on tufts which have been opened more efficiently by the rollers, and because the grids find themselves treatment substantially equal quantities of tufts, without being smothered or treatmentinsufficient quantities .

[0068] Only downwardly of the rollers, do the two flows of processed tufts F¹ join together again, specifically in the fan 40, merging with each other. [0069] The tufts coming from the two opener rollers,opened more than if they had been processed by a single roller, are mixed downline of the opener, in the same way the subsequent cleaning operations, more intense than those occurring in the axial opener, prove more efficacious. [007O] Innovatively, the opener according to the present invention resolves the known problems of the state-of- the-art in that it avoids having to design openers for large quantities of fibers, both difficult to produce and of unacceptable dimensions and at the same time makes it

5possible to obtain high quality, homogeneously processed fiber tufts .

[0071] At the same time, the opener according to the present invention allows a reduction of production costs compared to the realisation of two independent fiber lOtreatment lines.

[0072] In fact, the opener according to the present invention makes it possible to concentrate the salient processes in a single machine, with a highly technological content, significant for defining the

15quality of the fiber, dividing the flow of fiber so as to achieve a high quality, while the transport of the fibers between the various machines takes place for the entire flow of fibers through a single channel .

[0073] A technician skilled in this area, may make

20numerous modifications and adjustments to the opener described above so as to satisfy contingent and specific requirements, all moreover contained within the sphere of protection defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. Axial opener (8) for the treatment of fibers in tufts, comprising: an input pipe (10) to feed in the fiber to be 5processed; a first opener roller (16) , lodged in a first compartment (18) , which can turn around a first rotation axis (Y) , provided with first opening means distributed along its lateral surface, suitable to entangle the tufts lOto open them when pulled; a second opener roller (22) , lodged in a second compartment (24) , which can turn around a second rotation axis (Z) , provided with second opening means distributed along its lateral surface, wherein the input pipe feeds 15the fiber to be processed to the first and second compartment;

- a first exit pipe (30) , communicating with the first compartment, for feeding the fiber for subsequent treatment ;

20 - a second exit pipe (28) , communicating with the second compartment also destined to feed the fiber for subsequent treatment ;

- separating means, partially positioned upline of the cleaner rollers, suitable to separate the flow of fibers

25to be processed and direct it towards the first compartment (18) and towards the second compartment (24) of the opener .

2. Opener according to claim 1, wherein said separating means are suitable to separate the first and second

5compartment from each other to prevent the transit of fiber being processed in the first compartment towards the second compartment and vice versa.

3. Opener according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein said separating means comprise a separation wall (42) , having

10a side facing the incoming flow of tufts to be separated.

4. Opener according to claim 3 , wherein the separation wall comprises a longitudinal portion (42a) which extends along the rotation axis of the rollers to separate the two compartments.

155. Opener according to claim 4, wherein the separation wall comprises an axial portion (42b) which extends along the input pipe (10) , that is in the direction of the incoming flow of tufts to be separated.

6. Opener according to claim 5, wherein the axial portion 20 (42b) of the separation wall (42) extends along the input pipe (10) , protruding from it where it connects with machinery upline of the opener.

7. Opener according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the separating means comprise a blower (46)

25suitable to blow air to deviate the incoming flow of tufts towards the first and second compartment.

8. Opener according to claim 7 , wherein said blower has exit holes along the free side of the separation wall .

9. Opener according to claims 5 and 8 , wherein the holes 5are positioned along the free side of the axial portion of the separation wall .

10. Opener according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the first and second rotation axes are parallel .

11. Opener according to any one of the previous claims, lOwherein the first and second compartments are contained in a single box-like casing (12) .

12. Opener according to any one of the previous claims , wherein the openers comprise a plurality of pegs (20) , protruding from the lateral surface of the roller.

1513. Opener according to claim 12 , wherein said pegs are arranged along an imaginary helicoidal line traced around the lateral surface of the roller.

14. Opener according to any one of the previous claims, comprising cleaning means suitable to co-operate with a

20respective roller to separate impurities from the fibers being processed.

15. Opener according to claim 14, wherein said cleaning means comprise a grid (50) which extends in an arch around its respective cleaning roller along said rotation

25axis, in the area below this in the direction of the force of gravity.

16. Assembly (1) for the treatment of fibers in tufts comprising:

- an axial opener (8)' made according to any one of the 5previous claims ;

- a fan (40) ; wherein the exit pipes of the opener are connected to said fan to aspirate the tufts being processed through the compartments, from the input pipe towards the exit lOpipes, and to mix them.

17. Assembly (1) for the treatment of fiber in tufts comprising:

- a feed pipe (2) of the fibers being processed;

- a feeder device (4) suitable to separate the relatively 15heavy impurities of the fiber transported, connected to the feed pipe;

- an axial opener (8) made according to any one of the claims 1-15; wherein the input pipe (10) of the opener is connected to 20the feeder device (4) .