IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO CARDING ENGINES

Abstract: A carding engine has a main carding cylinder (1) with side plates (4) at each side thereof. Each side plate carries a support member (6) having a radially outwardly facing surface (7). A plurality of bend segments (8 to 12) are mounted on the support member (6) and are adjusted relative thereto by shims (16) between the surface (7) and a radially inwardly facing surface (13) of the segment. Each segment presents a bearing surface (14) on which supports (15) on the flat ends may travel.

Description: IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO CARDING ENGINES This invention relates to carding engines. It is generally accepted as being very desirable to have the ability to set the flats of a carding engine as close to the main carding cylinder as possible, i.e. to make the spacing between the tips of the teeth on the flats and the tips of the teeth on the cylinder as small and consistent as possible. Despite this well-known objective it has not hitherto been possible to run cards consistently with flat settings as low as seven thousandths of an inch. The technical problems associated with such small settings are considerable and include, for example, a greater accuracy in measuring the flat to cylinder wire tip distance than has hitherto been achieved and a greater accuracy in setting the bearing surface of the bends relative to the cylinder surface. It is the bearing surfaces of the bends that support the ends of the flats as they travel in their path around an arc of the main cylinder. The objective of the present invention is to provide a bend construction that will facilitate both accurate and close settings in a carding engine, and will allow removal of subjective factors in achieving those settings. A conventional bend construction comprises a fixed bend supported from the frame of the carding engine together with a flexible bend mounted on the fixed bend, the flexible bend having an outer circumferential surface that forms the bearing surface on which the ends of the flats run. The fixed bend and flexible bend are notionally concentric with the main carding cylinder, and the flexible bend is radially adjustable with respect to the fixed bend at a number of angularly spaced points around the flexible bend. Thus, the flexible bend can be adjusted to achieve a degree of concentricity. However, it is an extremely skilled matter to achieve adjustment that is sufficiently accurate to enable even short-term successful operation of the carding engine with very low settings between the flats and the main cylinder. According to the present invention we provide a carding engine having a main carding cylinder and side plates one to each side of the carding cylinder, each side plate carrying an adjustable bend assembly comprising a plurality of separate, circumferentially adjacent arcuate segments each having a radially outer bearing surface, the ends of the bearing surface of each segment lying adjacent to the ends of the bearing surfaces of the or each next adjacent segment, and means mounting each segment on the side plate so as to be adjustable relative to the side plate in a direction generally radially of the cylinder. Dividing that part of the bend that forms the. bearing surfaces for the flats into a plurality of individually adjustable arcuate segments significantly facilitates setting of the bend to provide a track for the flats that presents a very high degree of accuracy relative to the envelope of the carding elements on the main carding cylinder. Preferably, for each segment two adjustable mounting means are provided, and are angularly spaced apart adjacent to respective ends of the segment. Preferably each mounting means comprises support means secured to the side plate and having an accurate radially outwardly facing surface that is substantially concentric with the surface of the carding cylnder, means for adjusting the spacing between a radially inwardly facing surface of the segment and the radially outwardly facing surface of the support means and means for securing the segment to the suppo means with the required spacing therebetween. At each side of the carding engine the support means may be a continuous arcuate member secured to the side plate and extending at least the full annular extent of all the segments. Alternatively, the support means may comprise one or more separate support blocks for each individual segment. The preferred adjusting means comprises shims between the radially inwardly facing surface of the segment and the radially outwardly facing surface of the support means. The use of shims gives particular advantage as will be explained in more detail hereinafter, and allows segments to be re-set to new spacings both rapidly and with a high degree of accuracy. As an alternative to the use of shims, the adjusting means may comprise any suitable type of screw-threaded adjuster , for example a filbow arrangement. Radially outward adjustment of the segments to provide a bearing surface of greater radius also has the effect of widening gaps between the confronting ends of adjacent segments. To a degree, such gaps can be tolerated without significantly affecting the movement of the flats over the bearing surfaces. However, if the radial outward movement of the segments combines with some slight circumferential movement of the segments it is possible that segments can bunch together in one region of the bend construction, so leaving quite a large gap between adjacent segments in another region of the bend. Restraint on the movement of certain of the segments can reduce this problem and conveniently at least a centre one of the segments is constrained against any circumferential movement relative to the side plate. Furthermore at least one of the end segments may be constrained to move relative to the side plate only in a direction parallel to the plane of that end face of the segment which confronts the end face of the next adjacent segment. Both features, either alone or, more preferably, together, reduce the problem of sudh gaps. In order that the invention may be better understood specific embodiments of bend construdtion in accordance therewith will now be described in more detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a side elevation of a carding engine incorporating a first bend structure according to the invention; Figure 2 is a partial cross-section on the line Il-Il of Figure 1 illustrating setting of the bends; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a flat supported on the adjusted bend; Figure 4 shows a side elevation of part of a carding engine incorporating a second embodiment of bend structure; Figure 5 is a partial cross-section on the line V-V of Figure 4 illustrating setting of the bend; and Figure 6 shows a developed partial plan view of a modified bend arrangement. Figures 1 to 3 show part of a carding engine comprising a main cylinder 1 having carding elements 2 on its outer surface. The cylinder is hollow and is supported by a conventional spider 3 on a suitable bearing assembly at each side of the cylinder. A fixed side plate 4 is secured to the frame 5 of the carding engine. It will be understood that the construction at each side of the carding cylinder is idential, except for being of opposite hand, and accordingly only one side is to be described. side At each/of the carding cylinder the side plate 4 has welded thereto a continuous arcuate support member 6 having a radially outwardly facing surface 7 that is concentric with the surface of the carding cylinder. A total of five bend segments 8 to 12 are supported on the support member 6. Each segment has a radially inwardly facing surface 13 and a radially outwardly facing surface 14 which forms a bearing surface for the support of bearing members on flats supported by and travelling on the bends. In the particular example shown the bearing members of the flats are rollers 15 rotatably mounted on spindles 16 supported by end assemblies 17 of the flats 18. Alternatively, flats may be supported by end members which slide on the bends, The profile of the radially outer surface of the segments is, of course, shaped to accommodate and support whatever support arrangement the particular flats are provided with. Each of the segments is adjustable relative to the side plate 4 in a direction generally radially of the cylinder, and for this purpose adjusting means are provided adjacent to each end of each segment. The adjusting means comprises shims 16 between the radially inwardly facing surface 13 of the segment and the radially outwardly facing surface 7 of the support member 6. Additionally, a bolt 17 passes through a bore in the support member 6 and engages a tapped bore 17anon the segment. As will be described in more detail later use of appropriate thickness of shims 16 enables proper adjustment of each segment on the side plate. Once appropriate shims are in place the bolt 17 is tightened to clamp the segment to the support member 6. Each segment is also formed with an enlarged hole 19 through which a bolt 20 passes to engage a tapped bore 25ain the side plate 4, so additionally securing the segment to the side plate in a direction extending axially of the cylinder. The centre segment 10 is formed with a radially extending groove 21 in that surface which faces towards the side plate 4 and a peg 22 secured to and extending from the side plate engages in the grooves The segment 10 is thus constrained to move in a true radial direction during its adjustment, and circumferential movement relative to the side plate 4 is prevented. Movement of the two end segments 8 and 12 is also constrained by the presence of respective stop plates 22, 23 which are pinned or welded in position on the side plate 4. An abutment surface 24 of the stop plate 22 confronts an abutment surface 25 of the segment, surfaces 24 and 25 lying in planes which are parallel to the plane of the end face 26 of the segment which confronts the end face of the next adjacent segment 9. The segment 8 is thus constrained to move in a direction parallel to those planes. Similarly, confronting surfaces 27 of the stop plate 23 and 28 of the segment 12 are coplanar with the end face 29 of the segment 12 which confronts the next adjacent segment 11. It will be seen that constraint on circumferential movement of the segments 8, 10 and 12 relative to the side plate 4 is imposed by the described constraining means. No similar constraint is imposed on the segments 9 and 11. However, their degree of freedom of circumferential movement is limited by the immediately adjacent segments and thus, even on a radially outward adjustment of all segments the width of the gaps such as 30 between adjacent segments will be limited. Accordingly, the flat support elements such as the rollers 15 will be able to travel without noticeable effect-over the gaps. Setting of the segments on the side plate 4 will now be described with reference to Figure 2. In one common carding arrangement it is necessary to maintain the spacing between the tips of the carding elements 2 on the carding cylinder and the tips 31 of cooperating carding elements on the flats at a uniform spacing along the whole of the arc over which the flats confront the cylinder. This -requires, therefore, that the spacing a between the bearing surface 14 of each segment and the tips of the teeth 2 on the carding cylinder should be as uniform as possible around the whole of the bend. Setting of the segments is effected without the flats present on the carding engine and using a setting tool 32. The tool 32 comprises a bar 33 having a width sufficient to span the whole width of the cylinder. Rigid pads 34 extend downwardly from the bar towards each end thereof and are designed to lie on the tips of the carding elements 2. At each end of the bar there is a micrometer screw arrangement 35 having a tip 36 designed to engage the bearing surface 14 of the appropriate segment such as 10. The base setting of each segment is effected in turn. The setting tool is placed so that the pads 34 bear on the tips of the cylinder wires with the bar 33 extending axially of the cylinder and with the tips of the micrometer screws35 lying generally in the same radial plane as the bolts 17 at the appropriate ends of the respective segments at each side of the carding engine. A base shim 16 is then selected and inserted between the segment and support member 6, the shim thickness being such as to cause contact between the tip of the screw .35 and the bearing surface 14. With the proper shim selected and positioned the bolt 17 is then tightened. The setting tool 32 is then moved to the region of the other end of the segments at opposite sides of the machine and similar shim selection and tightening of the bolt 17 is effected. The procedure is then repeated for all the other segments. At the completion of the procedure it will.be seen that each end of the bearing surface of each segment has been set to exactly the same spacing a from the carding elements on the cylinder. To obtain absolute concentricity between the bearing surfaces and the main cylinder at this base setting it is then possible to grind the bearing surfaces so as to obtain such concentricity, which will not thereafter change except by shim replacement. If at any time after this initial or base setting has been established it is desired to increase the spacing between the carding elements on the flats and the cylinder then it is a simple matter to release the bolts 20 and 17, insert additional shims of the desired thickness and retighten the bolts. Use of shims of predetermined thickness in this way entirely removes the need for feeler gauges or other subjective means of establishing the new setting. A reduction in the spacing may be handled in a similar manner, shims being removed as required or each shim being replaced by a shim thinner than the original by a predetermined amount. As already stated, one common practice is for the spacing between the carding elements on the flats on the carding cylinder to be uniform over the arc where the flats confront the cylinder. Another arrangement, however, requires the spacing to increase progressively around that arc. It will be seen that this can be achieved very simply with the described apparatus, merely by selecting shims of progressively increasing thickness between the segments and the support member 6, but desirably using shims of the same thickness at the adjacent ends of each pair of segments to avoid the formation of a step in the bearing surface. Referring now to the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5 these show part of a carding engine having a main carding cylinder 101 furnished with carding elements 102. The carding cylinder is supported by bearings on a frame from which side plates 103 extend at each side of the cylinder. Each side plate 103 carries an adjustable bend assembly comprising a plurality of arcuate segments 108, all of which are similar in their construction and associated components. Each segment has a radially outer bearing surface 109 for supporting the ends of the flats during their travel around the carding cylinder. Each segment 108 has two support blocks 110 and 111 contacting the inner surface of the segment at angularly spaced locations. Each support block is radially adjustable on the side plate 103 and can be secured thereto by way of bolts 112, 113 and 114, 115 respectively, the bolts passing through oversize holes in the blocks to allow the required adjustment and engaging in tapped holes in the side plate 103. Each block also carries an adjusting bolt 116, 117 passing through the block and engaging into a tapped bore in the radially inner surface of the segment 108. Segment 108 is further secured to the side plate at two angularly spaced locations by two bolts 118, 119 passing through oversize holes in the segment and into tapped bores in the side plate lib3. As in the previous embodiment the segments can be set so that their radially outer bearing surfaces abut to form a substantially continuous track around the relevant arc of the carding machine, the track being substantially concentric with the main carding cylinder. To set each segment the following procedure is adopted. The segments and bearing blocks axebolted loosely to the side plate, and the adjusting bolts 116, 117 bolted loosely through the bearing blocks into the segments. A setting plate 120 is then bolted at angularly spaced positions by bolts such as 121 to the bearing surface of the segment, to overlie and rest on the tips of the carding elements on the main cylinder as shown in Figure 5. With the setting element held hard against the carding elements the bolts 118, 119 are then fastened tight to secure the segment 108 in position. The bearing blocks 110 and 111 are then each pulled hard up against the radially inner surface of the element by tightening the bolts 116 and 117, the bearing blocks then being fastened hard against the side plate by tightening the bolts 112 to 115. Setting plate 120 and bolt 121 can then be removed so leaving the bearing surface of the segment set level with the tips of the carding elements on the main cylinder. It will usually be the case that that bearing surface needs to lie somewhat above the tips of the carding elements on the main cylinder and to achieve this the bolts 118, 119 are then loosened and bolts 116, 117 are released so that the segment 108 may be moved radially outwards. Shims 122 equal in thickness to the required spacing are then inserted between each support block 110, 111 and the radially inner surface of the segment, the bolts 116, 117 are re-tightened to bring the segment onto the shims and the bolts 118 and 119 are again tightened to secure the element firmly to the bend. As in the embodiment of Figure 1 some space may be present between the ends of adjacent segments 108,- but this can be minimised by proper constraint of the segments during their setting to prevent circumferential bunching of the segments. Interference with smooth running of the .flats by these gaps may further be reduced by shaping the ends of the segments so that the gap 123 between adjacent segments is diagonal as shown in Figure 6 of the drawings. If it is desired to avoid gaps completely in the bearing surface then after setting of the segments a steel band of uniform thickness may be secured onto the bearing surfaces of all the segments, the bend spanning the gaps and its radially outer surface thus becoming the bearing surface for the ends of the flats. It will be understood that the insertion of shims between the segments and the support means, be it a continuous member or individual blocks, may change the relationship between the bearing surface and main cylinder from a condition wherein the bearing surface is exactly concentric with the envelope of the tips of the carding elements on the main cylinder. Radially outward or inward movement of the segments due to the shim changes will remove the concentricity from this relationship. Thus, for each segment the spacing between the bearing surface and that envelope will vary around the arc of the bearing surface from a maximum value at the centre of the bearing surface to a minimum value at each end of the bearing surface. However, it can readily be shown that if the angle subtended by each segment at its centre is no more than 700 and if the percentage difference (if any) between the radius of the bearing surface and the radius of the envelope of the tips of the carding elements is no more than 0.05% then the clearance differences are so small that they can be ignored, even when it is desired to run the carding engine with very small settings, of the order of seven thousandths of an inch or less, between the carding elements on the flats and those on the main cylinder. The subtended angle of the segment is of course not limited to a maximum of 700, and segments of greater extent may be used, still achieving settings that are closer and more accurate than those hitherto achieved. Obviously bend constructions utilising a number of segments differing from those particularly described may be made, and similarly there are other methods of providing the necessary supporting elements for the bend segments and of adjustably mounting the bend segments on those support elements. The cooperation between the flats and the bend segments has been described with respect to the conventional arrangement wherein the flats move over the bearing surfaces of the bends.

Claims: CLAIMS: .1. A carding engine having a main carding cylinder and side plates one to each side of the carding cylinder, each side plate carrying an adjustable bend assembly comprising a plurality of separate, circumferentially adjacent arcuate segments each having a radially outer bearing surface, the ends of the bearing surfaces of each segment lying adjacent to the ends of the bearing surfaces of the or each next adjacent segment and means mounting each segment on the side plate so as to be adjustable relative to the side plate in a direction generally radially of the cylinder. 2. A carding engine according to claim 1 in which for each segment two adjustable mounting means are provided, and are angularly spaced apart adjacent to respective ends of the segment. 3. A carding engine according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which each mounting means comprises support means secured to the side plate and having an arcuate radially outwardly facing surface that is substantially concentric with the surface of the carding cylinder, means for adjusting the spacing between a radially inwardly facing surface of the segment and the radially outwardly facing surface of the support means and means for securing the segment to the support means with the required spacing therebetween. 4. A carding engine according to claim 3 in which the adjusting means comprises shims' between the radially inwardly facing surface of the segment and the radially outwardly facing surface of the support means. 5. A carding engine according to claim 3 or claim 4 in which at each side of the carding engine the support means for all the mounting means is a continuous arcuate member secured to the side plate and extending at least for the full angular extent of all the segments. 6. A carding engine according to any one of the preceding claims in which at least a centre one of the segments is constrained against any circumferential movement relative to the side plate. 7. A carding engine according to any one of the preceding claims in which at least one of the end segments is constrained to move relative to the side plate only in a direction parallel to the plane of that end face of the segment which confronts the end face of the next adjacent segment. 8. A carding engine according to any one of the preceding claims and including means for securing each segment, after adjustment, to the respective side plate in a direction axially of the carding cylinder.

Inventors: VARGA, JOHN MAXIMILIAN JULES
Applicants: CARDING SPECIALISTS (CANADA) LIMITED
Application year: 1983
Main classification: D01G15
IPC codes: D01G15