MOVABLE FLATS IN A CARDING MACHINE

Abstract: A carding machine (10) which comprises a carding cylinder (11), a set of movable flats (15) which co-operate with the outer periphery of the carding cylinder to assist the carding operation and which are movable along an endless path which includes a working run (16) alongside an arcuate portion of the path of travel of the teeth of the carding cylinder and a return run (17), and at least one trash knife (21) which is movable with the flats (15) along the endless path (16, 17) to assist in removal of trash particles generated during the carding operation and preferably being mounted on a respective one of the movable flats (20).

Description: MOVABLE FLATS IN A CARDING MACHINE This invention relates to a carding machine which comprises a carding cylinder, and a set of movable flats which co-operate with the outer periphery of the carding cylinder to assist the carding operation, in which the flats are movable along an endless path which includes a working run alongside an arcuate portion of the path of travel of the teeth of the carding cylinder. According to the invention there is provided a carding machine which comprises a carding cylinder, and a set of movable flats which co-operate with the outer periphery of the carding cylinder to assist the carding operation, said flats being movable along an endless path which includes a working run alongside an arcuate portion of the path of travel of the teeth of the carding cylinder, in which at least one trash knife is movable along said endless path to assist in removal of trash particles generated during the carding operation. The use of fixed trash knives is known in connection with carding operations, but the present invention uniquely applies a trash knife to move along the endless path with the movable flats, to achieve advantageous separation of trash particles generated during carding operation. Preferably, the or each trash knife is carried by a respective one of the movable flats. In a preferred arrangement of the set of movable flats, more than one trash knife is provided, and any suitable sequence of flats, with and without trash knives may be provided, to give the most effective results. In a particularly preferred arrangement, a first sequence of flats is provided with one or more trash knives, and a second sequence of flats follows with one or more trash knives also, but with a control plate i.e. a non-toothed plate, separating the first and second sequences of flats. The movable flats follow an endless path, which includes the working run, and a return run, and preferably a suction chamber is defined in the space between the working run and the return run, to assist in the removal of trash particles. The trash knives may be mounted on the movable flats in any convenient manner and via a mounting arrangement which includes means of adjustment to vary the radial setting of the tip of each knife relative to the outer periphery of the carding cylinder, to achieve the most effective results. A preferred embodiment of carding machine according to the invention will now be described in detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawing. Referring now to the drawing, a carding machine according to the invention is designated generally by reference 10, and comprises a main toothed carding cylinder 11 , a feeding device designated generally by reference 12, a taker-in 13, and a doffer 14. These components of the carding machine can be of any suitable existing design. A set of movable flats, designated generally by reference 15, co-operates with the outer periphery of the carding cylinder 11, to assist the carding operation, in which the flats move along an endless path which includes a working path 16 alongside an arcuate portion of the path of travel of the teeth of the carding cylinder 11 , and a return run 17. A suction chamber 18 is defined within the endless path of the flats, to assist in the separation of trash particles. At least one of the movable flats carries a trash knife, to assist in removal of trash particles generated during the carding operation. In the illustrated embodiment, a first sequence of flats is provided, two of which are designated by references 19 and 20 respectively, and it will be noted that flat 20 carries on its trailing face a trash knife 21. A second sequence of flats follows the first sequence, and designated by references 22, 23 and 24, and it will be noted that flat 24 is provided also with a respective trash knife 21 on its trailing face. Between the two sequences of flats, there is arranged a control plate 25, which is a non-toothed plate, and whose setting, (angularly and / or radially relative to the periphery of cylinder 11 ), is adjusted to suit requirements . It has been found that the provision of a set of movable flats with at least one trash knife being carried by the set of flats provides advantageous results in separation of trash particles generated during the carding operation. Conveniently, as shown in the drawing, each trash knife is mounted on one of the flats. However, it is within the scope of the invention for one or more trash knife to be mounted at any suitable position on the "train" of flats i.e. on connecting elements between successive flats, so that one or more trash knife sweeps over the arcuate portion of the carding cylinder 11 while the moving flats co-operate with the teeth of the carding cylinder. It should be understood that the invention may be applied to a carding machine having a single main carding cylinder and related components, as shown schematically in the drawing of the illustrated example. However, it may also be applied to other arrangements of carding machine, including a tandem card in which each carding cylinder has a respective set of movable flats and at least one trash knife co-operating therewith.

Claims: CLAI MS 1. A carding machine (10) which comprises a carding cylinder (11), and a set of movable flats (15) which co-operate with the outer periphery of the carding cylinder to assist the carding operation, said flats being movable along an endless path which includes a working run (16) alongside an arcuate portion of the path of travel of the teeth of the carding cylinder, in which at least one trash knife (21) is movable along said endless path (16, 17) to assist in removal of trash particles generated during the carding operation. 2. A carding machine according to claim 1, in which the or each trash knife (21 ) is carried by a respective one (20) of the movable flats (15). 3. A carding machine according to claim 1 or 2, including a first sequence of flats (19, 20) and a second sequence of flats (22, 23, 24), at least one of said sequences of flats having one or more trash knives (21 ). 4. A carding machine according to claim 3, in which each of said first and second sequences of flats has one or more trash knives, and a control plate (25) separates the first and second sequences of flats. 5. A carding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, in which the movable flats (15) are arranged to follow an endless path which includes the working run (16) and a return run (17), and a suction chamber (18) is defined in the space between the working run (16) and the return run (17), to assist in the removal of trash particles. 6. A carding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, in which the or each trash knife (21 ) is mounted on a respective one of the movable flats (15) via a mounting arrangement which includes means of adjustment to vary the radial setting of the tip of each knife relative to the outer periphery of the carding cylinder. 7. A carding machine according to claim 1, in which at least one trash knife (21) is mounted on a respective connecting element between successive flats so as to be movable with a train of flats along the endless path. 7. A carding machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, and taking the form of a tandem card, in which each carding cylinder (11) has a respective set of movable flats and at least one trash knife co-operating therewith.

Inventors: RIMMER MICHAEL, VARGA JOHN, RIMMER, MICHAEL, VARGA, JOHN
Applicants: CROSROL LTD, RIMMER MICHAEL, VARGA JOHN, CROSROL LIMITED, RIMMER, MICHAEL, VARGA, JOHN
Application year: 1997
Main classification: D01G15
IPC codes: D01G15