Abstract:
A can-free system for handling fiber sliver includes a sliver delivery device which deposits fiber sliver in the form of a free-standing sliver pile in a depositing area. A sliver receiving device is disposed in the depositing area to receive and collect the free-standing fiber sliver pile delivered by the delivery device. A packaging apparatus compresses the collected free-standing fiber sliver pile applies one or more straps to the compressed free-standing sliver pile.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/247,276, filed Oct. 12, 2005, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The present application additionally claims priority from Indian Application No. IN 864 filed in India on Sep. 19, 2005, the disclosure of which is also incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to a system and method for efficiently packaging cotton sliver for handling and transport.  
         [0003]     The process of producing yarns from staple fibers, such as cotton, traditionally includes, between the step of opening and cleaning of the staple fiber and the step of spinning and winding of the yarn, an intermediate step comprising the formation of a loosely coalescent, bulky strand of fibers known as sliver. The cotton fibers in sliver are generally aligned in lengthwise relation, but the sliver does not possess any twist or strength against separation of the fibers, even against its own weight.  
         [0004]     As those skilled in the art of yarn making will recognize, the quality of the yarn relates directly to the quality of the sliver. For instance, sliver of a uniform thickness and density forms a uniform, consistently strong yarn, while a sliver that has bumps (extra thick regions) or voids (thinner regions) will form a yarn of inconsistent quality. While processes have been developed that enable such imperfections to be cut from a yarn during processing, this is an inefficient process, and it is therefore desirable to minimize imperfections in the sliver. During handling, sliver is particularly susceptible to the introduction of bumps and voids because of its lack of strength and resiliency.  
         [0005]     For those reasons, the prevailing conventional view has been that the packaging of sliver is difficult and undesirable, both because of the additional handling and movement of the sliver that would be required, and because the traditional methods of handling sliver did not lend themselves to a packaging solution. However, this convention stands at odds with modern distributed manufacturing processes. In many cases, it is considered to be more efficient to specialize the functions of a processing plant, such that a portion of the yarn making process occurs in one plant, a second portion in another, and a third portion in yet another. However, if a particular function, such as the forming of sliver, is to be specialized into a plant, it is necessary for the sliver to be transported.  
         [0006]     Traditionally, sliver is drawn from processed bulk cotton using a draw frame, a card, or a comb, and deposited in circular rows into a cylindrical sliver can made of plastic or another durable material. These sliver cans allow large volumes of sliver to be moved without excessively handling the sliver, but they are expensive and heavy. If the distance to be traversed is small, such as different buildings in a plant complex, then the sliver could be transported in sliver cans without great difficulty. However, if the distance to be traversed is large, such as would make use of over-the-road or overseas transport, then the weight and expense of the cans, the necessity of transporting empty cans, and the minimal density of uncompressed sliver make such transport imprudent and inefficient. Generally, the determinative factor concerning the expense of transporting cotton is not the weight of the material, but the bulk.  
         [0007]     Conventional methods of compressing cotton fiber, such as baling, have proven impractical for sliver deposited in conventional cylindrical cans. The reason for this is that the conventional pattern of deposition of sliver into a cylindrical can in essentially concentric circular rows of sliver, does not result in a substantially uniform density of sliver. Specifically, the density of sliver in the center of the can is higher than the density of sliver near the edge. If sliver in a cylindrical can is compressed to its maximum practical density at the center of the can, then the sliver at the edge is insufficiently compressed to allow the resulting compressed package to be handled. Such compression does not result in a stable package. Compression of the sliver has heretofore been thought to be impractical.  
         [0008]     Consequently, the usual practice is to conduct substantially all of the steps by which staple fiber is processed into yarn in the same location. This is, however, an inflexible, capital-intensive, and inefficient arrangement in many cases, because of a desire on the part of yarn makers to conduct some operations, such as cleaning and carding, near the cotton gin, and therefore near the cotton fields. Other operations, such as spinning, may be conducted in an area where labor or equipment costs might be lower.  
         [0009]     What is needed is a system for and a method of packaging sliver in a manner that preserves the physical integrity of the sliver, while permitting efficient transport in a compressed state, without requiring transport to be made in a sliver can.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     In an exemplary embodiment of the invention there is provided a can-free system for handling fiber sliver, comprising: a sliver delivery device which deposits fiber sliver in the form of a free-standing sliver pile in a depositing area; a sliver receiving device disposed in the depositing area to receive and collect the free-standing fiber sliver pile delivered by the delivery device; and a packaging apparatus comprising a device to compress the collected free-standing fiber sliver pile and a device to apply one or more straps to the compressed free-standing sliver pile.  
         [0011]     According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the sliver pile may be placed on a bottom cap, and the system further includes a mechanism to place a top cap onto the free-standing sliver pile, whereby the sliver pile is compressed between the top cap and the bottom cap.  
         [0012]     According to a further exemplary embodiment of the invention, at least one of the caps may be formed of fiberboard, corrugated cardboard, or plastic. The strapped pile is preferably sufficiently rigid to form a coalescent unit.  
         [0013]     In a further exemplary embodiment, the sliver receiving device may include a receiving surface that serves both as a receiving surface and a bottom cap.  
         [0014]     In anther exemplary embodiment, the receiving surface may comprise a first planar surface that first receives the fiber sliver, and there is additionally provided a mechanism to thereafter transfer the free-standing sliver pile from the first planar surface onto a bottom cap. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]     Further features, embodiments, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, with reference to the drawings, wherein:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a general perspective view of a sliver package that result from the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIG. 1A  is a lateral view of the sliver package as shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0018]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a loaded sliver can;  
         [0019]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a packaging system according to the present invention;  
         [0020]      FIGS. 4A-4E  show a sequence of views of a compression method according to the present invention;  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a schematic flow chart showing a compression method according to the present invention.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6   a  is a diagrammatic side view of an embodiment having, for can-free sliver deposition and as a conveying-away device, a conveyor belt that can be raised and lowered, during the depositing procedure;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6   b  is a diagrammatic side view of the embodiment of  FIG. 6   a  during the conveying-away procedure.  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic side view of an embodiment having a push device for changing of the sliver pile in a can-free deposition arrangement; and  
         [0025]      FIG. 8  is a diagrammatic side view of an embodiment having a lifting device and a relatively long conveyor belt which services, at the same time, for both movement back and forth during can-free deposition and for conveying-away.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]     Referring now to the drawings,  FIGS. 1 and 1 A illustrate, respectively in perspective and side views, a sliver package  10  according to the present invention which has been compressed and banded for efficient transport. Sliver package  10  includes a substantially continuous length of cotton sliver  12  accumulated into a pile that has an oblong footprint. The density of the pile of cotton sliver is substantially uniform throughout because the sliver draft  12  has been laid in a pattern of offset loops designed to produce a uniform density as compared to the density produced when sliver is laid with a circular footprint in conventional systems.  
         [0027]     In  FIGS. 1 and 1 A, the pile has been compressed to a substantially higher, substantially uniform compressed density such that the sides  14  of the sliver package  10  are sufficiently rigid and coherent as to allow the package to be handled without damaging or disturbing the sliver draft  12  at the sides  14  of the sliver package  10 . Because of the uniform density of the sliver pile as it is initially laid (in a process to be described in greater detail below), the pile may be compressed by the introduction from the top and the bottom of a compressive force, which maintains the uniformity of density of the sliver pile throughout the compression process.  
         [0028]     The compressive force is applied, more specifically, to a top cap  16  and a bottom cap  18 , which provide rigid surfaces against which the compressive force may be applied. The top and bottom caps  16 , 18  are substantially similar and are preferably formed of a material such as fiberboard, corrugated cardboard, plastic, or any other suitable material of sufficient rigidity and durability to survive the compression process and to maintain the sliver package  10  in a compressed state. The top and bottom caps  16 , 18  are maintained in their compressed locations by a number of straps or bands  20 , formed of fiber-reinforced plastic or another suitable material, which encircle the sliver package  10  (including the caps  16 , 18 ) and maintain the compressive force upon the caps  16 , 18  and, by extension, the sliver pile  12 .  
         [0029]     The strapped sliver package  10  may be provided with a cover of polyethylene or another suitable material in order to protect the sliver from being soiled or damaged in transport. The strapped pile is sufficiently rigid, because of the uniformity of sliver density and the structural reinforcement presented by the caps  16 , 18  and straps, to be a coalescent unit capable of being handled substantially without damage to the sliver. Once the sliver package  10  has been transported to the desired location, the straps may be removed from the sliver package  10  which may be allowed to relax, and the sliver draft  12  may be used as normal in further yarn making operations.  
         [0030]     Referring now to  FIG. 2 , there is shown a known system and method for packaging sliver that is first deposited in a can. See for example U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0065554, filed Sep. 28, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.  FIG. 2  shows a sliver can  30  in a perspective view. The sliver can has an open top  31  and has been loaded with sliver  32  drawn from a draw frame (not shown) and laid in a pattern of substantially uniform density to form a pile  12 . The sliver can  30 , in comparison with conventional cylindrical sliver cans, is oblong, and this oblong shape allows the sliver  32  to be laid in a pattern of offset circles that permits a substantially uniform density throughout the pile  12 . The sliver can  30  is provided with an apertured base  34  that will permit the sliver pile  12  to be pushed upward and out of the can  30 , while still providing sufficient support to retain the sliver pile  12  in the can for short-range transport. As can be seen in  FIG. 2 , the sliver can has a widthwise dimension A and a lengthwise dimension B that is substantially longer than the widthwise dimension A.  
         [0031]     A bottom cap  18  having an oblong footprint is placed at the bottom of the sliver can prior to filling, and this bottom cap  18  will form the base of the sliver package. The sliver  32  is then laid in the can  30  on top of the bottom cap  18 . The basic elements of the package are completed by the placement of a top cap  16 , having the same profile as the bottom cap  18 , on top of the full sliver can  30  and the sliver  32  accumulated into the pile  12 .  
         [0032]     The filled sliver can  30  shown in  FIG. 2  is then transported to baler apparatus  40 , which is shown in a perspective view in  FIG. 3 . The sliver can  30  is doffed from the draw frame (not shown) onto a conveyor  42 , which is capable of accommodating a number of sliver cans  30  in a queue for processing. Conveyor  42  is directed at the baler apparatus  40 , which includes a compression section  44 , an elevator section  46 , means for pushing the sliver package  10  (such as piston  48 ), and a second conveyor  50  ( FIGS. 4A-4E ) for delivering the sliver package  10  and the now-empty sliver can  30  to a collection location.  
         [0033]     An exemplary embodiment of the sections of the baler apparatus  40  is shown in greater detail in connection with  FIGS. 4A-4E .  FIG. 4A  shows a filled sliver can  30  being deposited into the compression area  44 . A ram  60  is extended through the apertures in the base  34  of the sliver can  30  and exerts an upward force upon the bottom cap  18  and thus the sliver pile  12 , driving the sliver pile  12  upward against a means, such as a rigid plate  62 , for applying counter-pressure to the top cap  16  and the sliver pile  12  as shown in  FIG. 4B .  
         [0034]     The compression area  44  is sized to prevent the widthwise expansion or disintegration of the sliver pile  12  as it is removed from the sliver can  30 . Consequently, an even pressure, preferred to be about 3600 psi or any other suitable pressure, is applied to compress the sliver pile  12  into a smaller, denser but still uniformly dense, coalescent unit  70  as shown in  FIG. 4C .  
         [0035]     As part of the compression process, a set of straps  20  are placed about the sliver pile  12  in order to retain the coalescent unit  70  in its compressed state following compression. In  FIG. 4B , these straps  20  are shown extending not quite fully around the sliver pile  12 , but as the pile  12  is compressed as shown in  FIG. 4C , the straps  20  may then reach completely around the sliver pile  12  and may be fastened upon each other in the conventional manner. Because the straps  20  encircle the caps  16 , 18  as well, the caps  16 , 18  are preferably provided with a corresponding set of recesses  17  ( FIG. 1A ) that locate the straps  20  in the proper place and ensure that sufficient strapping is in place to prevent the unwanted decompression of the package  70 .  
         [0036]     In  FIG. 4D , the sliver package  70  now rests in the upper portion of the compression area  44 , and the empty can  72  rests in the lower portion of the compression area  44 . The sliver package  70  in a preferred embodiment is then conveyed by pushing it using a piston  48  or another suitable method to the elevator section  46  and, as can be seen in  FIG. 4E , lowered to ground level to a conveyor  50  to allow the package  70  to be delivered to a collection point. Likewise, the empty can  72  may be delivered to an empty can collection point for reuse in another iteration of the method of the present invention.  
         [0037]     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , there is shown an exemplary embodiment of the method described above in the form of a flow chart illustrating steps in the sliver package-forming process. At step  100 , a bottom cap of an oblong profile is placed into a can having a lengthwise dimension and a widthwise dimension, with the lengthwise dimension being substantially longer than the widthwise dimension. In other words, the can is oblong as well. At step  102 , the sliver is drawn from a draw frame in the direction of the sliver can. At step  104 , the sliver is laid in a pattern having a substantially uniform uncompressed density into the can on top of the bottom cap.  
         [0038]     At step  106 , a top cap is placed upon the laid sliver pile. As has been noted above, the top and bottom caps are formed of a material of sufficient rigidity, in combination with strapping to be noted below, to prevent decompression of the sliver package. Such materials may include corrugated cardboard, fiberboard, plastic, or any other suitable material. The caps themselves may be provided with recesses for locating the straps.  
         [0039]     At step  108 , the can is delivered to a compression baler. The sliver pile is then pressed upward, driving it out of the can, at step  110 . Pressure continues to be applied from the bottom; at step  112 , counter-pressure is applied to the top of the pile, and the pile is thus compressed via the application of at least 3200 psi thereto. At step  114 , the compressed sliver and caps are strapped to form a substantially rigid and independently stable package, and the straps retain the package at a desired compressed density selected to enable handling of the package without damage to the sliver. At step  116 , the sliver package is delivered to a collection point and may be bagged or covered for transport.  
         [0040]     The present invention combines a sliver deposition apparatus that forms a free-standing, i.e. canless sliver pile with an apparatus similar to that described in connection with  FIGS. 4A-4E  for forming a sliver package as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1 A. However, because the sliver pile that is packaged starts out as free-standing, the provision of and disposition of cans in the process described above in connection with  FIGS. 4A-4E , is completely eliminated, thus significantly simplifying the process, as will become apparent from the following description.  
         [0041]     Referring now to  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b , sliver is delivered by a high-performance draw frame  201  (autoleveller draw frame), for example the HSR  1000  (trade mark) high-performance draw frame made by Trützchler GmbH &amp; Co. KG of Monchengladbach, Germany. The fiber slivers, coming from cans (not shown) enter a drawing mechanism, and are drawn out therein. After exit from the drawing mechanism, the fiber slivers are combined to form a fiber sliver which passes through a revolving plate  202  and is then deposited in a can-free manner as a sliver pile  204  in a ring arrangement on a base provided on a carriage  203  which moves back and forth in the direction of arrows C and D. The carriage  203  is driven by a controllable drive motor (not shown) which is connected to an electronic control and regulation device, for example a machine control means. Reference numeral  210  denotes a cover plate for the sliver-depositing device (coiler), which cover plate is connected to the supporting plate  207 . Reference letter F denotes the work direction (flow of fiber material) in the draw frame, the fiber sliver  204  being deposited by the revolving plate  202  in a substantially perpendicular direction. Reference numeral  208  denotes the depositing area and reference numeral  209  denotes the area to the outside of the depositing are  208 .  
         [0042]      FIG. 6   a  shows one end position and  FIG. 6   b  shows the other end position of the carriage  203 , which moves back and forth horizontally beneath the revolving plate  202  in directions C, D during deposition of the fiber sliver  204 . On the upper surface of the carriage  203  there is arranged a holding apparatus  234   a ,  234   b , for example posts, on which a conveyor belt  233  is so mounted that its height can be adjusted in the direction of arrows M, N. The sliver pile  204  is deposited on the upper portion  233   a  of the conveyor belt  233 , optionally on a plate (not shown in the drawing) arranged on the upper portion  233   a . During sliver deposition, the carriage moves back and forth in the direction of arrows C, D. The sliver pile  204  is likewise moved back and forth beneath the revolving plate  2  in the direction of arrows C. D. After it has reached the end position shown in  FIG. 6   a , the carriage  203  moves in the direction of arrow D, during which the carriage  203  is accelerated, driven at constant velocity and then braked. After the carriage  203  has reached the end position shown in  FIG. 6   b , the carriage  203  moves back in the direction of arrow C, during which the carriage  203  is accelerated, driven at constant velocity and then braked. Switching-over between the back and forth movements is accomplished by means of a control device in conjunction with the drive motor, neither of which is shown in the drawings.  
         [0043]     Each time an end position is reached, the conveyor belt  233  is adjusted downwards in direction M by about one fiber sliver thickness, for example 10 mm, by a drive motor (not shown). Referring to  FIG. 6   b , when fiber sliver deposition has been completed, the upper portion  233   a  of the belt is moved in direction R, for example by a controlled drive motor (not shown), so that the sliver pile  204   1  is slid onto a substantially level support plate  235  located alongside, for example a transportation tray. That edge of the support plate  235  which faces the carriage  203  may be, for example, beveled-off, rounded-off or the like. If, as described above, the sliver has been deposited onto a deposition plate (bottom cap  18 ) received on the conveyor belt  233 , the plate together with the sliver pile may be slid onto an adjacent support, which may then if desired omit the plate  235 . A top cap  16  may then be placed upon the top of the sliver pile  204   1  on the support plate  235  (and/or the deposition plate if present), and the sliver thereafter compressed and strapped, for example in the manner described with reference to  FIGS. 4A  to  4 B, including the support plate  235  or the deposition plate, if present (acting in each case as bottom cap  18 ) and the top cap.  
         [0044]     The carriage  203  is driven by a variable-speed electric motor (not shown) in a jolt-free or substantially jolt-free manner, that is smoothly. The velocity between acceleration and braking is constant. It is thus ensured that the sliver pile  204  remains stable both during back and forth movement within the depositing area  208  according to  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b , and during a movement out from the depositing area  208 . The movements are so controlled that a production rate which is as high as possible is achieved, without the sliver pile slipping or tipping over.  
         [0045]      FIG. 7  illustrates another exemplary embodiment involving can-free deposition wherein there is arranged on the carriage  203  a lifting platform  236 , for example a plate, which can be mounted on holding elements in a manner known per se (see for example German patent document DE 445 07 849 A1), and adjusted in the direction of arrows O, P. A supporting element, for example a post  237 , is provided on the carriage  203 . A pushing device  238  is mounted on post  237  by a suitable controlled drive element  239 , for example a pneumatic cylinder, spindle drive or the like. Each time an end position is reached, the platform  236  is adjusted downwards in direction O by about one fiber sliver thickness, for example, 10 mm. When deposition of the sliver pile  204  on the surface of the lifting platform  236  has been completed, the pushing device  238  is moved against the sliver pile  204  in the direction of arrow S so that the sliver pile  204  is pushed from the lifting platform  236  onto the support plat  235  as a result of direct contact pressure from the pushing device  238 . The support plate  235  which rests on a stand  240  or the like, can be taken off the surface of the stand  240  together with the sliver pile  204 . Optionally, instead of or in addition to support plate  235 , there can be used during deposition a plate (bottom cap  18 ) that is received upon the platform  236  during deposition and which can be pushed, together with the sliver pile, onto the stand  240  or onto the support plate  235 . A top cap  16  may be placed upon the sliver pile  204   1 , and a compressing force may be applied to the sliver pile  204   1  between the top cap and the support plate  235  of the deposition plate (in each case acting as bottom cap  18 ), followed by strapping of the sliver pile  204   1  with the top cap  16  and the bottom cap  18 , in the manner described above with reference to  FIGS. 4A  to  4 E.  
         [0046]      FIG. 8  shows another exemplary embodiment wherein there is provided a lifting plate  241 , which can be raised and lowered by lifting elements  242   a ,  242   b , for example controlled pneumatic cylinders, in the direction of arrows T, U, and V, W. On the surface of the lifting plate  241  there is provided a conveyor belt  243 , the belt portions of which can be moved in the direction of arrows X, Y by a drive motor and control means (not shown). During deposition, the upper portion  243   a  of the belt is moved back and forth in the direction of arrows X, Y beneath the revolving plate  202 . After the fiber sliver has been deposited in the from of a sliver pile  204  on the upper portion  243   a  of the belt, the drive motor is so controlled by the control means that the upper portion  243   a  of the belt moves the sliver pile  204  out from the depositing area  208  beneath the revolving plate  202  and unloads it onto a support surface  235 . Optionally, in analogous manner to that described with reference to  FIGS. 6A, 6B  and  7  above, the sliver may if desired be deposited onto a deposition plate (bottom cap  18 ) received on the belt  243 , which can then be transferred with the sliver pile  204  to the adjacent support stand  240  (optionally provided with support surface  235 ). The unloaded sliver pile  204   1  can the be compressed, with the assistance of a top cap  18 , and strapped as described with reference to preceding  FIGS. 4A-4E .  
         [0047]      FIGS. 6A, 6B ,  7  and  8  show embodiments in which the sliver is deposited on a surface without the use of a can, that is, the surface upon which the sliver is deposited substantially unenclosed, in contrast to arrangements in which the sliver is deposited upon a bottom cap that is located in a sliver can. An advantage of such can-free depositing methods is that, while in the draw frame, a pressure can already be exerted on the silver pile  204 , which is thereby pre-compressed. The use of cans thus can be dispensed with completely.  
         [0048]     In view of the aforesaid written description of the present invention, it will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible of broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than herein described, as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonable suggested by the present invention and the foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the present invention. Accordingly, while the present invention has been described herein in detail in relation to preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made merely for purposes of providing a full and enabling disclosure of the invention. The foregoing disclosure is not intended nor is to be construed to limit the present invention or otherwise exclude any such other embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, the present invention being limited only by the claims appended hereto and the equivalents thereof.