SETTING DEVICE FOR A CARDING ENGINE

Abstract: There is disclosed a setting device (25) and a method of setting the flats/cylinder clearance of a carding machine (10) having a main toothed cylinder (11), a revolving flat assembly (14) comprising a series of flats (15) which are movable along a working path (16) alongside the outer periphery (17) of the cylinder (11) to carry out carding operation in cooperation with the teeth of the cylinder, support means (19, 20) supporting the flats (15) and movable along a guide in the form of a flexible bend (18) mounted on the frame of the machine to determine the working path (16) of the flats, and adjuster means in the form of temporary jacks (23) engageable with the flexible bend (18) and operable to adjust the position taken-up by the flexible bend (18) for the purposes of adjusting the flats/cylinder clearance along the working path (16), and setting means for use in conjunction with the adjuster mens (23) to set any required clearances; characterised by the setting means comprising a plurality of setting devices (25) arranged at respective setting locations along the length of the flexible bend (18) and each extending between the bend (18) and a respective fixed datum in the form of fixed bend (24), each setting device being connected at one end (27) to one of the flexible and fixed bends (18, 24) and having a setting mode in which its other end (28) is movable relative to the other of the flexible and fixed bends (18, 24) upon adjustment of the flexible bend (18) under the action of the jacks (23) to set a predetermined flats/cylinder clearance corresponding to the particular setting location; and in that each setting device (25) also has a locking mode in wich an adjustable locking element (30) on the device (25) is operable to clamp said other end (28) to the fixed bend (24) through the intermediary of a standard spacer (31) after a predetermined flats/cylinder clearance has been set.

Description: SETTING DEVICE FOR A CARDING ENGINE This invention relates to a setting device for a carding engine having a main toothed cylinder and a revolving flats assembly comprising flats which are moveable along a working path adjacent to the outer periphery of the main cylinder to carry out a carding operation in cooperation with the teeth of the cylinder. The invention is particularly applicable to a "cotton card", though of course other fibrous feed stock than cotton can be carded on such carding engines, including synthetics. It is very important to set-up and to maintain pre-set clearances between the tips of the teeth of the cylinder and the "flats" so that efficient carding operations can be carried out, and typical clearances for cotton feed stock may be of the order of 0.05 inches, whereas clearances of the order of 0.02 inches, for example, may be suitable for some synthetics. It is important to obtain substantially uniform clearance between all parts of the cylinder surface and the revolving flats as they cooperate along the working path, and this can only be achieved by the adoption of suitable manufacturing standards in the manufacture and assembly of the cylinder and the wire clothing thereon and also of the flats. However, the setting of any particular clearances required for any given operation is carried out at present by relatively unsophisticated techniques on site. The working path of the revolving flat assembly is defined by a so-called "flexible bend" on which run support rollers which support the movement of the flats. The flexible bend is curved to correspond with the curvature of the cylinder, but small adjustments along the length of the flexible bend in radial spacing from the axis of the cylinder are usually required to obtain desired clearances. The setting of the clearances is usually carried out by use of "feeler gauges" inserted between the flats and the cylinder periphery at different positions along the working path, and necessary small radial adjustments of the flexible bend are then made along its length to obtain the required flats / cylinder clearances. However, inevitably the quality of the setting operation can vary from one operator to another, by reason of the nature of the task, in that the feeder gauge is being inserted into the gap between the tips of wire teeth and the way in which the operation is carried out can give different results of measured clearance between one operator and another, i.e. one operator may tend to force the gauge into the clearance gap whereas another may be satisfied with a looser fit. Also, the wires on the "flats" are usually more flexible than the wires on the cylinder, and therefore the setting operation is very much dependent upon operator skill and attention or individual "feel", and this makes the setting operations unpredictable, varying from one operator to another. The adjustment usually takes place at setting points (usually five) acting between a fixed part of the carding engine, usually a so-called "fixed bend", and the flexible bend. Once the adjustments have been completed, the carding engine can then be operated for substantial periods. However, over a period of time, wear takes place (especially of the flats wires), and re-grinding then becomes necessary, and it then becomes essential to re—set the clearances to take into account the re-grinding which has taken place. Furthermore, modern equipment may require closer settings, and there is therefore an additional need to de- skill the setting operations and take away the present reliance upon individual skill and attention or "feel" of the operative carrying out the setting operation. Also, in the event of a requirement to adjust the clearances set for one type of feed stock, e.g. cotton, to say synthetics, a different clearance has to be set. Using existing techniques, this requires a complete re-setting operation using feeler gauges as described above. This is a time consuming task, and represents significant "down time", especially when converting the carding engine to operate with a different type of feed stock. In addition, there is the remaining dependency of the accuracy of the clearance set being dependent on individual operator skill and attention given to the task. The invention therefore seeks to provide an improved setting method and device for a carding engine which provides a more reliable initial setting of the flats / cylinder clearance and which permits easy adjustment of the initial setting when required. According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a carding machine having a main toothed cylinder, a revolving flat assembly comprising a series of flats which are movable along a working path alongside the outer periphery of the cylinder to carry out a carding operation in cooperation with the teeth of the cylinder means supporting the flats and movable along a guide mounted on the frame of the machine to determine the working path of the flats, an adjuster means engageable with the guide and operable to adjust the position taken-up by the guide for the purposes of adjusting the flats / cylinder clearance along the working path, and setting means for use in conjunction with the adjuster means to set any required clearances: characterised in that the setting means comprises a plurality of setting devices arranged at respective setting locations along the length of the guide and each extending between the guide and a respective fixed datum, each setting device being connected at one end to one of said guide and said datum and having a setting mode in which its other end is movable relative to the other of said guide and said datum upon adjustment of the guide to set a predetermined flats / cylinder clearance corresponding to the particular setting location; and in that each setting device also has a locking mode in which an adjustable locking element on the device is operable to clamp said other end through the intermediary of a standard spacer after a predetermined flats / cylinder clearance has been set. The invention therefore enables the guide to be adjusted throughout its length to provide required flats / cylinder clearance along the working path, with the setting devices being in their setting mode, and then each clearance is clamped by operation of the adjustable locking element using the standard spacer. Then, if it should be required to alter the pre-set flats / cylinder clearance, e.g. after re-grinding, or to render the carding engine suitable for treating a different feed stock, it is only necessary to loosen said one end of each setting device and allow the standard spacer to be removed and replaced by another standard spacer, followed by re-tightening of said one end. Therefore, following initial setting-up, it is easy to adjust the clearances to suit requirements without any special skills being needed. There is no need to use feeler gauges, and once the carding engine has been accurately set¬ up initially, the locking elements can remain in their locked positions, to define a datum standard, and any required deviation therefrom can easily be carried out in accurately controlled manner, without special skills, by replacement of the standard spacer with a suitable replacement spacer(s). Preferably, the initial setting-up of the required flats / cylinder clearance is obtained by using a standard or "dummy" spacer having a tracking head set to a required position using a standard jig to give a particular clearance, and this spacer is then caused to track along the working path with the tracking head sliding along the surface of the cylinder. The adjuster means and the setting devices will then be used to set-up the required clearance, and this operation de-skills the setting operation as it avoids the need for feeler gauges to be used as in existing practice. Preferably, each setting device includes a rod having a threaded portion(s) and the lower end of which extends through the datum and is fixed there by a first nut or other threaded fastener and at the other side of the datum a second nut or other threaded fastener is provided which is tightened onto the datum via the standard spacer, whereas the upper end of the rod is connected to the guide. The datum preferably comprises a usual "fixed bend" of a carding engine, and the guide may comprise the usual "flexible bend" on which roller supports of the flats run, or on a fixture secured to the flexible bend. The flexible bend is usually built-up from a number of adjacent guide sections, each of which is independently adjustable. The first nut therefore can be loosened to allow each setting device to adopt the setting mode, and then is operated to complete the tightening operation after setting has been completed by the second nut. The second nut clamps the device via the standard spacer, and may be provided with a locking element, e.g. a grub screw or a clamping head and if desired any suitable form of "tamper evident seal" may be provided which can only be removed by authorised personnel. To provide further accuracy in the setting-up operation, a torque wrench may be provided which will be set to maximum torque values which cannot be exceeded, in order to tighten-up the first and second nuts. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of setting the flats / cylinder clearance in a carding engine having a main toothed cylinder, a revolving flat assembly comprising a series of flats which are moveable along a working path alongside the outer periphery of the cylinder to carry out a carding operation in cooperation with the teeth of the cylinder, means supporting the flats and moveable along a guide adjustably mounted on the frame of the carding engine to determine the working path of the flats, an adjustment means engageable with the guide and operable to adjust the position taken-up by the guide for the purpose of adjusting the flats / cylinder clearance, and a setting means comprising a plurality of setting devices arranged at setting locations along the length of the guide and each extending between the latter and a datum, with each setting device being connected at one end to one of said guide and said datum, in which each setting device is adjustable between a setting mode and a locking mode: comprising the steps of setting-up the flats / cylinder clearance by operating the adjuster means to adjust the position taken-up by the guide along its length, and with each setting device in the setting mode said other end thereof is allowed to move relative to the other of said guide and said datum, and then each setting device is locked in the locking mode by operation of an adjustable locking element on the device which clamps said other end through the intermediary of a standard spacer. The invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a revolving flat—type carding engine to which the invention may be applied; Figure 2 is a schematic illustration showing the interaction which takes place between the teeth of the moveable flats and the cylinder wire teeth in the carding engine shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a schematic side view illustrating a detail of part of a carding engine according to the invention, incorporating an improved flats / cylinder clearance setting device; and. Figure 4 is a schematic illustration of a jig and standard or dummy flat which can be used in the setting-up of required flats / cylinder clearance using the setting arrangement shown in Figure 3. Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there will be described an existing design of carding engine to which the invention may be applied, and which is designated generally by reference 10, having a main toothed cylinder 11, a taker—in 12, a doffer 13, and a revolving flat assembly 14 positioned above the outer periphery of the cylinder 11 in the region between the taker—in 12 and the doffer 13. The revolving flats assembly 1 comprises a series of flats 15 which are moveable along a working path 16 adjacent to the outer periphery 17 of the cylinder 11 to carry out a carding operation in cooperation with the teeth of the cylinder 11. Figure 2 shows the way in which the movement of the flats 15 along the working path 16 is guided by use of a so-called "flexible bend" 18 on which run rollers 19 which support the flats 15 via cradles 20. The flexible bend 18 usually comprises a number of adjacent segments and is curved to correspond with the curvature of the cylinder 11 , but small adjustments will be made along the length of the flexible bend 18, in radial spacing from the axis 21 of the cylinder 11, to adjust the flats / cylinder clearance to any required value. In the carding engine in Figures 1 and 2, the adjustment of the flexible bend 18 takes place by operation of jacks 22 (see Figure 3) which react between a fixed part of the frame of the carding engine and the flexible bend 18. Only one jack 23 is shown in Figure 3, but it should be understood that these will be arranged at uniform spacing along the length of the flexible bend 18 to allow small increments of adjustment radially of the flexible bend 18 at desired positions along its length. The existing practice in determining the flats / cylinder clearance involved use of "feeler gauges" which are manually inserted between the facing tips of the teeth of the flats 15 and the cylinder 11 at various positions along the working path 16. This technique suffers from the drawbacks referred to in the introduction. There will now be described an embodiment of setting device and method of setting according to the invention, by way of example only, with reference to Figures 3 and 4 of the drawings. As referred to above, jacks 23 are provided to enable adjustment of the position take-up by the flexible bend 18, and these jacks 23 effectively comprise one form of an adjuster means connected to the flexible bend 18, which itself constitutes "an adjustably mounted guide" on the frame of the carding engine to determine the working path 16 of the f lats . The means by which the required flats / cylinder clearance can be set—up will be described later with reference to Figure 4. The description that will follow with reference to Figure 3 concerns the construction and method of operation of the setting device which is adjusted to set a predetermined clearance after adjustment of the position of the flexible bend 18 by the jacks 23 consequential upon use of a standard or dummy flat as shown in Figure 4. A carding engine according to the invention will be provided with a setting means which comprises a plurality of setting devices arranged along the length of the guide (flexible bend) 18 with each setting device extending between the guide and datum. By way of example only, the datum in the arrangement shown in Figure 3 will comprise the usual "fixed bend 24". Only one setting device designated generally by reference 25, is shown in Figure 3, but it should be understood that a number of these will be provided, at required spacing along the length of the flexible bend 18, according to requirements. The device 25 comprises a threaded rod 26 which is connected at one end 27 to the flexible bend 18 and at its other end 28 to the fixed bend or datum 24. When the setting device 25 is in a setting mode, the lower end 28 can move relative to the fixed bend 24 upon adjustment of the flexible bend 18 under the action of one of the jacks 23. The setting device 25 also has a locking mode in which an adjustable locking element on the device is operable to clamp the end 28 through the intermediary of a standard spacer after the predetermined flats / cylinder clearance has been set. The setting mode is permitted when a lower nut or threaded fastener 29 is loosened sufficiently or even removed entirely, thereby allowing free upward and downward movement of the threaded rod 26 in response to adjustment movement of the flexible bend 18. When the flexible bend 18 has been adjusted to suit a required clearance to be pre-set, a further nut or threaded fastener 30 is operated to press a standard spacer 31 into firm contact with the upper surface of the fixed bend 24. The nut 30 can then be locked in this position, e.g. by use of a grub screw or any other suitable ens, such as a clamping head taken around the nut 30. The lower nut 29 can then be tightened up onto the underside of the fixed bend 24, and the setting device 25 is then in its locking mode, in which the required clearance is set. Figure 3 shows an arrangement in which it is the upper end 27 of the rod 26 which is secured to the flexible bend 18, whereas the lower end 28 is free to move linearly within fixed bend 24 when in the setting mode. However, evidently the arrangement could be readily reversed, and still permit the setting device to operate in both its setting mode and its locking mode to define a pre-set clearance. Any suitable standard spacer 31 may be fitted, and this then establishes a datum appropriate to a particular clearance. Then, if it should be required to alter the flat / cylinder clearance e.g. after re-grinding, or to convert the carding engine to operate with a different feed stock with a different clearance, it is only necessary to loosen nut 29 and allow the standard spacer 31 to be removed and replaced by another standard spacer appropriate to the newly required clearance, followed by re-tightening of the nut 29. During this adjustment, the upper nut 30 remains in its previously adjusted position. Accordingly, following initial setting-up, it is easy to adjust the clearances to suit requirements without any special skills being needed. There will now be described a preferred means adopted in the initial setting-up of the required flats / cylinder clearance, using a standard or dummy flat as shown in Figure 4. Referring now to Figure 4, a standard or dummy flat 32 is shown, having a tracking head 33 carried at the lower end of linearly reciprocable rod 34 mounted within the flat 32. The flat 32 is positioned on a separately formed jig 35 having a model track 36 to suit any required clearance, and the tracking head 33 will engage model track 36. The linear movement undergone by rod 34 will then be monitored by a gauge 37, and this reading on gauge 37 will be used as the datum level during subsequent movement of flat 32 along the working path 16. Thus, flat 32 can be caused to move along the working path 16, with its support rollers in engagement with the flexible bend 18, and the tracking head 33 making direct contact with the toothed peripheral surface of the cylinder 11. The flexible bend 18 will then be upwardly or downwardly adjusted accordingly, by operation of the jacks 23 successively, to provide the same reading on the gauge 37 as was provided when using the standard jig 35. This monitoring technique provides reliable and consistent results, and without the need to use feeler gauges which give rise to the difficulties referred to earlier. Therefore, this de—skills the setting operation, and enables accurate clearances to be set, which is a very important part of efficient carding. To further ensure accuracy in the setting-up of clearances, preferably a torque wrench is provided for tightening the nuts 29 and 30.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A carding machine (10) having a main toothed cylinder (11), a revolving flat assembly (14) comprising a series of flats (15) which are movable along a working path (16) alongside the outer periphery (17) of the cylinder (11) to carry out a carding operation in cooperation with the teeth of the cylinder, means (19, 20) supporting the flats (15) and movable along a guide (18) mounted on the frame of the machine to determine the working path (16) of the flats (15), an adjuster means engageable with the guide (18) and operable to adjust the position taken-up by the guide (18) for the purposes of adjusting the flats / cylinder clearances along the working path (16), and setting means (25) for use in conjunction with the adjuster means (23) to set any required clearances: characterised in that the setting means (25) comprises a plurality of setting devices arranged at respective setting locations along the length of the guide (18) and each extending between the guide (18) and a respective fixed datum (24), each setting device being connected at one end (27) to one of said guide (18) and said datum (24) and having a setting mode in which its other end (28) is movable relative to the other of said guide (18) and said datum (24) upon adjustment of the guide (18) to set a predetermined flats / cylinder clearance corresponding to the particular setting location; and in that each setting device also has a locking mode in which an adjustable locking element (30) on the device (25) is operable to clamp said other end (28) to the datum (24) and through the intermediary of a standard spacer (31) after a predetermined flats / cylinder clearance has been set. 2. A carding machine according to Claim 1, in which each setting device (25) includes a rod (26) having a threaded portion and the lower end (28) of which extends through the datum (24) and is fixed there by a first nut (29) or other threaded fastener and at the other of the datum (24) a second nut (30) or other threaded fastener is provided which is tightened onto the datum (24) via the standard spacer (31), whereas the upper end (27) of the rod (26) is connected to the guide (18). 3. A carding machine according to Claim 1 or 2, in which the datum comprises a fixed bend (24) of a carding engine, and the guide comprises a flexible bend (18) on which roller supports (19) of the flats (15) run, or on a fixture (not shown) secured to the flexible bend (18). 4. A method of setting the flats / cylinder clearance in a carding engine (10) having a main toothed cylinder (11), a revolving flats assembly (14) comprising a series of flats (15) which are moveable along a working path (16) alongside the outer periphery of the cylinder (11) to carry out a carding operation in cooperation with the teeth of the cylinder (11), means (19, 20) supporting the flats (15) and movable along a guide (18) adjustably mounted on the frame of the carding engine (10) to determine the working path (16) of the flats (15), an adjustment means (23) engageable with the guide (18) and operable to adjust the position taken-up by the guide (18) for the purpose of adjusting the flats / cylinder clearance, and a setting means comprising a plurality of setting devices (25) arranged at respective setting locations along the length of the guide (18) and each extending between the latter and a datum (24), with each setting device being connected at one end (27) to one of said guide (18) and said datum (24), in which each setting device is adjustable between a setting mode and a locking mode: comprising the steps of setting-up the flats / cylinder clearance by operating the adjuster means (23) to adjust the position taken-up by the guide (18) along its length, and with each setting device (25) in the setting mode, said other end (28) thereof is allowed to move relative to the other (24) of said guide (18) and said datum (24), and then each setting device is locked in the locking mode by operation of an adjustable locking element (30) on the device (25) which clamps said other end (28) through the intermediary of a standard spacer (31). 5. A method according to Claim 24, in which each setting device (25) comprises a threaded rod (26) which is connected at its upper end (27) to the guide (18) and which extends downwardly through the datum (24) so that the lower end (28) of the rod (26) can be fixed there by a first nut (29) or other threaded fastener, and at the other side of the datum (24) a second nut (30) or other threaded fastener is provided which is tightened onto the datum (24) via the standard spacer (31). 6. A method according to Claim 4 or 5, in which the adjuster means comprises a series of temporary jacks (23), and the guide comprises a flexible bend (18) and the datum comprises a fixed bend (24) of a carding engine, the jacks (23) being operated, when required, in order to adjust the spacing between the flexible bend (18) and the fixed bend (24) when adjustment of the flexible bend (18) is required. 7. A method according to Claims 5 to 6, in which the initial setting-up of the required flats / cylinder clearance is obtained by using a standard or dummy spacer (32) having a tracking head (33) which is set to a required position using a standard jig (35) to give a particular clearance, this standard space (32) being caused to track along the working path (16) with the tracking head (33) sliding along the surface of the cylinder (11) and the adjuster means (23) and the setting devices (25) being used then to set-up the required clearances.

Inventors: VARGA JOHN, VARGA, JOHN
Applicants: CARDING SPEC CANADA, CARDING SPECIALISTS (CANADA) LIMITED
Application year: 1992
Main classification: D01G15
IPC codes: D01G15