Abstract:
A textile fiber processing machine has a fiber processing roller; a carrier element supported in the machine immediately radially adjacent the roller and covering a circumferential portion thereof; a plurality of fiber processing elements arranged on the carrier element and cooperating with the roller; and a securing arrangement for separately adjustably mounting each fiber processing element on the carrier element.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority of Federal Republic of Germany Application No. P 39 02 204.8 filed Jan. 26th, 1989, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a carding machine, a cleaner or a similar fiber processing machine, particularly for cotton fibers, in which a rotating fiber processing roller is associated with a carrier element which covers circumferentially at least part of the roller periphery and on which there are arranged processing elements such as carding elements and/or cleaning elements, for example, a mote knife for waste separation. 
     In a known arrangement of the above-outlined type, the cleaning and carding elements are fixedly mounted on a common carrier which is radially adjustable with respect to the fiber processing roller (such as a sawtooth roller). It is a disadvantage of this prior art arrangement that by virtue of the fixed mounting of the fiber processing elements on the carrier element, changing the distance of the mote knife with respect to the roller periphery necessarily involves changing the distance of the stationary carding element and conversely. It is a further drawback of the prior art arrangement that the joint alteration of the distance from the roller periphery is possible only between narrow limits because the radius of curvature of the fiber processing roller and that of the carrier element would significantly differ from one another in case of a large distance variation, preventing an optimal cleaning and opening of the fiber material. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide an improved arrangement of the above-outlined type from which the discussed disadvantages are eliminated and which, in particular, makes possible an improved cleaning and opening of the fiber material and furthermore permits an improved mounting of the arrangement in the fiber processing machine. 
     This object and others to become apparent as the specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention, according to which, briefly stated, each fiber processing element is mounted on the common carrier element such that each fiber processing element may be adjustable independently of the others. 
     By virtue of the fact that the cleaning and/or carding elements, for example, mote knives, stationary carding elements and the like and also, guide elements as well as suction chambers mounted on the carrier element may be at least partially adjustable independently from one another on the common carrier element, an individual and differentiated cooperation with the associated fiber processing roller (for example, the main carding cylinder of a carding machine) is made possible. It is particularly advantageous from the point of view of the assembling operation that the common carrier element may be installed as a whole, with the fiber processing elements mounted thereon. In this manner, the structural advantage of the common carrier element with the technological advantage of an individual, optimal adjustment of the fiber processing elements with respect to the fiber processing roller may be combined. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of one part of a fiber cleaning machine incorporating two units constructed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic side elevational view of another preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevational view of still another preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are schematic side elevational views of three further preferred embodiments of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic side elevational view of a fiber cleaner similar to FIG. 1 showing another preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic side elevational view of components of a carding machine incorporating the invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic side elevational view of a carding machine illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention arranged along the main carding cylinder. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Turning to FIG. 1, there is illustrated therein a textile fiber cleaner which may be, for example, a model RSK machine, manufactured by Trutzschler GmbH &amp; Co. KG, Monchengladbach, Federal Republic of Germany. The cleaner has two feed rollers 1, 2, a sawtooth cylinder 3 and a suction arrangement 4 which draws away the fiber material generally tangentially from the sawtooth cylinder 3. The direction of rotation of the rotating components 1, 2 and 3 is designated by arrows B, C and A, respectively. The air flow in the suction device 4 is designated by arrows 4a, 4b. 
     Radially adjacent the sawtooth cylinder 3 there are arranged two circumferentially spaced carrier elements 5 and 6 each supporting a respective mote knife 7, 8, a respective suction chamber 9, 10 and a pair of respective clothed stationary carding elements 11, 12; and 13, 14. At the downstream end of the carrier element 5--as viewed in the direction of rotation A of the sawtooth cylinder 3--there is mounted an adjustable guide element 15 which cooperates with the downstream-arranged mote knife 8 mounted on the carrier element 6. The distance a between the carrier element 15 and the mote knife 8 corresponds to the circumferentially measured width of a waste removal opening 19. Between the lower feed roller 1 and the mote knife 7 a waste removal (waste discharge) opening 18 is defined. The respective mote knives 7 and 8 are secured to the upstream end of the carrier element 5 and 6, respectively. The suction chambers 9 and 10 which are associated with respective mote knives 7 and 8 are operatively connected to a non-illustrated suction source. 
     Turning to FIG. 2, with the sawtooth cylinder 3 (not shown in FIG. 2) there cooperates a clothed intermediate roller 20 and an opening and cleaning roller 21. In the zone defined between and below the rollers 20 and 21 a carrier element 22 is positioned whose downstream end, as viewed in the direction of rotation E of the roller 21 supports a guide element 23. Further, underneath the roller 21 there is supported a carrier element 5 on which there are mounted a mote knife 7 and a suction chamber 9. The mote knife 7 is circumferentially spaced from the guide element 23 and defines therewith an aperture 24 which constitutes a waste removal opening. 
     Turning to FIG. 3, the carrier element 5 shown therein is an extruded member in which there are formed recesses 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e and 5f. The recess 5a is of T shape whose leg extends from an edge of the extruded body 5. The mote knife 7 which is received in the recess 5f is, by means of a screw 25 and a nut 26 secured in the T recess in such a manner that upon loosening the nut 26 it may be shifted in the direction of the arrows F and G. The recess 5b is of hollow cylindrical configuration. The cross-sectionally circular and discontinuous suction chamber 9 has, at one of its ends bounding the discontinuity, a cylindrical projection 9a which is supported in the recess 5b for journalling motion in the direction of the arrows H and I. At the downstream end of the carrier element 5 a guide element 15 is rotatably supported in the recess 5c and is thus movable in the direction of the arrows J and K. In the flat T-shaped recess 5d two stationary, carding elements 11 and 12 are disposed which are adjustably mounted in the T-recess 5e by means of a securing element 27, a screw 28 and a nut 29. 
     The carrier element 5 further has two slots 40 and 41 which are oriented radially relative to the roller (not shown in FIG. 3) with which the guide element is associated. Two securing screws 38 and 39 pass through the respective slots 40 and 41 to fasten the guide element 5 to a non-illustrated component of the cleaning machine. By loosening the screws 38, 39 the guide element 5 may be, as a unit, radially adjusted relative to the fiber processing roller with which it is associated. 
     Turning to FIG. 4, in the embodiment shown therein the extruded carrier body 5 is provided with a cylindrical projection 5g receiving a complementally curved hollow cylindrical attachment 9d forming part of the suction chamber 9. This securing arrangement permits the suction chamber 9 to be pivoted, for example, with manual force, for adjustment in the direction of arrows H, I. 
     Turning to FIG. 5, the carrier element 5 has at its downstream end as viewed in the direction of rotation A of the cylinder 3, a projection 5k underneath which the circular recess 5c is situated. The cross-sectionally generally U-shaped guide element 15 has at one end a cylindrical enlargement 15a which is received in the cylindrical opening 5c such that the guide element 15 is pivotally held in the recess 5c for swinging motion as indicated by the arrows J and K. Thus, in order to enlarge the width of the waste discharge opening bounded by the guide element 15, the latter may be pivoted into its dash-dot line end position 15&#39; in which it is received in a large recess 5h provided in the carrier body 5. 
     In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6, there is provided a linear guide element 16 which is received in a recess 5i of the guide element 5 for a linear adjusting motion therein, in the direction of the arrows L and M. The guide element 16 may be immobilized in any desired position by a screw 30 which tightens the guide element 16 to the carrier element 5. 
     Turning to FIG. 7, underneath the feed roller 1 there is arranged a carrier element 31 which extends into the gap defined between the feed roller 1 and the sawtooth cylinder 3. In this manner, a peripheral circumferential length portion of the sawtooth cylinder 3 is covered. At the downstream end of the carrier element 31, as viewed in the direction of rotation A of the sawtooth cylinder 3 there is secured an adjustable guide element 32 which cooperates with the mote knife 7 which, in turn, is supported in a guide element 5 spaced from the guide element 31. 
     Turning to FIG. 8, there is shown the input zone of a carding machine which may be, for example, an EXACTACARD DK 740 model, manufactured by Trutzschler GmbH &amp; Co. KG. The carding machine has a feed roller 33, a feed table 34, a licker-in 35 a main carding cylinder 36 and a doffer 37. At the end of the feed table 34 an adjustable guide element 32 is secured which is oriented towards the licker-in 35. Underneath the licker-in 35 two carrier elements 5 and 6 are arranged which are structured as shown and described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 3. 
     Turning now to FIG. 9, there are schematically shown other components of the carding machine illustrated in FIG. 8. Thus, with the main carding cylinder 36 there cooperates a doffer 37. Underneath the carding cylinder 36 there are arranged six carrier elements 5 structured as described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 3. The direction of rotation of the components 33, 35, 36 and 37 is designated with respective arrows drawn into those components. 
     It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.