DEVICE FOR REMOVING WASTE PRODUCTS FROM TEXTILE MACHINES

Abstract: Device for removing waste products from weaving machines, with the characteristic that it consists essentially of two parts, namely a first part (9) which travels along the machine or machines to be cleaned (1), and a second part (10) which is mounted on the machine or machines concerned (1), so that the first and second parts (9, 10) can operate together.

Description: This invention concerns a device for removing waste products from textile machines, i.e. a device for creating an airstream for removing dust and/or thread ends and/or similar materials from machines. It is known that on textile machines, and in particular on weaving machines, a relatively large amount of dust is generated, in particular textile dust as waste material. Obviously, such dust can interfere with the correct operation of the machine and can also cause faults in the textile, and so has to be regularly removed. It is also known that, on such machines, thread ends are formed; these are generally collected in recipients which have to be emptied at regular intervals. Until now, two main types of cleaning devices have been known for removing dust, such as textile dust, from textile machines. The first type, in which the cleaning device makes up a fixed part of the textile machine concerned, is known from patents or patent applications DE 1.710.296, DOS 2.063.521, GB 2.027.878, US 2.400.792 and US 4.543.999, among others. These devices have the disadvantage of taking up lots of space in the machine. As a result - for example on weaving machines - little space is left for automatic devices, such as are more and more being used. The second type uses cleaning devices which can move along the textile machines, completely independently of said machines, and which can blow away and/or suck up dust by presenting air conduits, which may or may not be movable, to the machine. Such cleaning devices are known from documents EP-A1-192.014, DOS 1.919.229, DAS 2.815.188 and US 3.429.746, among others. However, they have the disadvantage of not being able to clean parts of the machine that are difficult to reach. Still another solution for cleaning textile machines is described in patent application DE 1.205.920, providing a cleaning device consisting of a first part comprising blowing means moving along the machines to be cleaned, and a second part comprising suction means located underneath the machines. This device however shows the disadvantage that dust and thread ends cannot efficiently be removed from the most inaccessible places. The present invention concerns a completely new type of cleaning device for textile machines which avoids all the abovementioned disadvantages and which also offers the possibility of removing thread ends and the like from the recipients mentioned earlier. To this end the invention relates to a device for removing waste products from textile machines, consisting essentially of two parts, namely a first part which travels along the machine or machines to be cleaned, and a second part which is mounted on the machine or machines concerned, so that the first and second parts can operate together, whereby the first part consits of a blower and/or suction device to which air conduits with blower and/or suction nozzles are connected, while the second part consists essentially of air conduits which are mounted on the machine and which are also fitted with blower and/or suction nozzles, characterized in that when the first and second parts operate together, the air conduits of the second part form together with a number of the air conduits of the first part continuous air circuits, and in that the air conduits of the second part are situated between the air conduits of the first part. Clearly, in this way the number of components of the cleaning device incorparated in the machine concerned is reduced to a minimum, while fine dust, thread ends and suchlike can be efficiently removed from the most inaccessible places. For the purposes of explaining the characteristics of the invention, by way of example only and without being limitative in any way, the following preferred embodiments are described with reference to the accompanying drawings, where: fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a weaving machine equipped with a device according to the invention: figs. 2 and 3 show variants. Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a weaving machine 1, showing the most important components such as the warp beam 2, the harnesses 3 which form the shed 4, the sley 5 and the cloth beam 6. The warp threads 7 and the woven cloth 8 are also shown. The device according to the invention consists essentially of a first part 9 and a second part 10 which can operate together. The first part 9 can travel along the weaving machine 1 and can also be presented successively to several other weaving machines in a similar way. The travel of the first part 9 can be, for example, by means of a transport mechanism 11 which travels along guides or rails 12 mounted above the weaving machines 1. The first part 9 consists essentially of a blower and/or suction device 13, e.g. a compressor and an air pump, to which are connected air conduits 14 and 15 fitted respectively with blower nozzles 16 and suction nozzles 17, arranged so that the nozzles can be presented close to the weaving machine 1. The second part 10 of the device is formed, at any rate in the embodiment illustrated, by a number of air conduits 18 and 19 incorporated in the weaving machine 1 and which are also fitted with blower nozzles 20 and/or suction nozzles 21, so that when the first part 9 of the device is presented to the weaving machine 1 the air conduits 18 and 19 of the second part 10 form extensions of the air conduits 14 and 15 of the first part 9. The air conduits 18 and 19 of the second part 10 are of course arranged so that the blower nozzles 20 and suction nozzles 21 are appropriately situated so as to provide an airstream 22 to blow or suck away waste materials at all necessary points in the weaving machine 1. The dust and suchlike is blown out of the weaving machine 1 at the bottom and removed at the sides by the suction nozzles 17 of the first part 9, which are mounted near the floor 23. The air conduits 14-15 and 18-19 of the first part 9 and of the second part 10 may be fitted with closures to prevent unwanted airstreams and/or penetration of unwanted dust during the phase in which the parts 9 and 10 are not working together. Fig. 2 shows a variant of the device according to the invention, for another type of weaving machine. Fig. 2 illustrates schematically how the transport mechanism 11 (shown in continuous lines) may be replaced by a transport mechanism 24 (shown in dotted lines) with a supporting structure which rolls along the floor 23. It is also possible to use rails or suchlike mounted on adjacent weaving machines. In a particular variant, as shown in fig. 3, the device can incorporate various displacement mechanisms which enable particular components of the first part 9 and/or the second part 10 to carry out certain movements in order to reach all parts of the weaving machine 1. Such a mechanism can for instance consist of a telescopic suspension 25 for the first part 9, or also of other telescopic joints 26, translation mechanisms 27 or rotation mechanisms 28 for the purpose of moving a number of air conduits. The displacement mechanisms may be programmed or may carry out motions guided by templates in order to perform a particular cleaning cycle. Finally, fig. 3 schematically illustrates a recipient 29 for thread waste or suchlike which can operate with air conduit 15 of the first part 9 and which may also have a conduit 19. Instead of a compressor or air pump, the blower and/or suction device 13 can also consist of connections to a compressed air or suction installation. Clearly, the transport mechanisms 11 or 24 can provide a continuous or discontinuous movement of the first part 9, and clearly also the displacement mechanisms 25 to 28 may or may not be controlled in combination with the movement of the first part 9. In order to obtain a better cleaning effect, the device may use air pulses. The travelling part 9 may of course carry all sorts of other equipment, for example a tying-in device.

Claims: Device for removing waste products from weaving machines, consisting essentially of two parts, namely a first part (9) which travels along the machine or machines to be cleaned (1), and a second part (10) which is mounted on the machine or machines concerned (1), so that the first and second parts (9, 10) can operate together, whereby the first part (9) consists of a blower and/or suction device (13) to which air conduits (14, 15) with blower and/or suction nozzles (16, 17) are connected, while the second part (10) consists essentially of air conduits (18, 19) which are mounted on the machine (1) and which are also fitted with blower and/or suction nozzles (20, 21), characterized in that when the first and second parts operate together, the air conduits (18, 19) of the second part (10) form together with a number of the air conduits (14, 15) of the first part (9) continuous air circuits, and in that the air conduits of the second part are situated between the air conduits of the first part. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and/or second parts (9, 10) are equipped with displacement mechanisms (25, 26, 27, 28) for the purpose of moving a number of components of these parts. Device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the first part (9) is equipped with a transport mechanism (11) which enables the first part (9) to travel along guides (12) mounted above the machines (1). Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the first part (9) consists of a blower and suction device (13) which travels above the machines, and a number of air conduits (14, 15) which extend underneath into the vicinity of the machine (1) to be cleaned. Device according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the first part (9) is fitted with a transport mechanism (24) which enables this part (9) to travel across the floor (23). Device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the air conduits (14, 15; 18, 19) are fitted with closures. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second part (10) includes one or more recipients (29) for collecting the waste products. Device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that it includes transport mechanisms (11, 24) which provide continuous movement of the first part (9) with respect to the first part (10). Device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that it includes transport mechanisms (11, 24) which provide discontinuous movement of the first part (9) with respect to the first part (10). Device according to any of the above claims, characterized in that the first part (9) and/or the second part (10) is fitted with one or more displacement mechanisms (25 to 28) which enable certain components of the first part (9) and/or the second part (10) to carry out movements while the first part (9) travels.

Inventors: SHAW, HENRY
Applicants: PICANOL N.V.
Application year: 1988
Main classification: D03J1
IPC codes: D03J1