Abstract:
A fiber processing machine includes a first roll having a circumferential surface carrying a first clothing; a second roll having a circumferential surface carrying a second clothing and adjoining the first roll for taking over fiber material carried by the first roll as the first and second rolls rotate; a nip defined between the first and second clothings at a location where the first and second clothings are closest to one another; a bight defined by a generally triangular area immediately adjoining the nip and bounded by an end thereof and by circumferential length portions of the first and second clothings extending away from the nip end; and a cutting edge positioned in the bight and cooperating with one of the rolls for separating impurities from the fiber material as the fiber material is carried past the cutting edge by the roll clothing.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the priority of German Application No. 100 48 664.9 filed Sep. 30, 2000, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    This invention relates to a trash removal assembly in a fiber processing machine such as a carding machine, a cleaner or the like, particularly for processing cotton fiber. The fiber processing machine is of the type which includes at least two consecutive clothed rolls arranged downstream of a fiber feeding assembly, as viewed in the direction of fiber advance. The clothing may consist of saw teeth, needles or pins. At least one of the clothed rolls is associated with a cutting (severing) edge, for example, of a mote knife, oriented opposite the direction of roll rotation for removing trash or other waste from the fiber material. The mote knife is associated with a waste outlet opening. To expose the fiber material to a draft, the circumferential speed of a downstream arranged a clothed roll is greater than that of an upstream clothed roll. Viewing two consecutive clothed rolls, the downstream clothed roll cooperates with the upstream clothed roll as a takeover and opening roll.  
           [0003]    In a known multi-roll cleaner with each clothed roll a mote knife is associated which cooperates with a cover element which shrouds one part of the same roll. The fiber material removed from the upstream roll and entrained by the downstream roll advances in a closed space through the cover in the direction of roll rotation. The cover element extends in a direction against the direction of rotation into the upstream bight, fully occupying that space. Between the mote knife and the open end of the cover element a waste outlet opening for impurities (trash) is provided. Material passing through the waste outlet opening is carried away by a suction stream passing through a hood.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It is an object of the invention to provide an improved waste removal assembly of the above-outlined type in a carding machine, a cleaner or the like.  
           [0005]    This object and others to become apparent as the specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention, according to which, briefly stated, the fiber processing machine includes a first roll having a circumferential surface carrying a first clothing; a second roll having a circumferential surface carrying a second clothing and adjoining the first roll for taking over fiber material carried by the first roll as the first and second rolls rotate; a nip defined between the first and second clothings at a location where the first and second clothings are closest to one another; a bight defined by a generally triangular area immediately adjoining the nip and bounded by an end thereof and by circumferential length portions of the first and second clothings extending away from the nip end; and a cutting edge positioned in the bight and cooperating with one of the rolls for separating impurities from the fiber material as the fiber material is carried past the cutting edge by the roll clothing.  
           [0006]    By virtue of the arrangement of the mote knife according to the invention, a separation of trash or other impurities from the fiber material is possible in the region where fiber opening takes place. By virtue of the fact that the circumferential speed of a consecutive roll is greater than that of a preceding roll, the fiber material is exposed to a draft as it passes from one roll to the other. In such an arrangement all fibers shift relative to one another and thus the fiber is opened. The impurities in the fiber material too, move and reorient themselves in the drafted, and thus loosened, fiber mass. Further, the fiber material, as it passes from one roll to the successive roll, assumes an arcuate course which is opposite to that on the preceding roll. At that location, particularly between the location of separation from the upstream roll and the transfer location on the downstream roll in which the fiber material proceeds freely between the clothing of the two rolls so that it may undergo drafting, the impurities are effectively separated from the fiber material by the mote knife and are guided away from the clothed rolls. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0007]    [0007]FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a carding machine incorporating the invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail of FIG. 1, showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 3 is a schematic side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention incorporated in a multi-roll fiber cleaner.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 4 is an enlarged detail of FIG. 2 showing two adjoining clothed rolls illustrating the transition and drafting of the fiber material between the two rolls.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic side elevational view of a licker-in and further illustrating a mote knife and its angular orientation to, and its distance from, the licker-in.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 6 is a fragmentary schematic side elevational view of two adjoining clothed rolls and a trash-removal assembly disposed therebetween. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 shows a carding machine CM which may be, for example, a DK 903 model, high-performance carding machine manufactured by Trutzschler GmbH &amp; Co. KG, Monchengladbach, Germany. The carding machine CM has a feed roll  1 , a feed table  2  cooperating therewith, licker-ins  3   a,    3   b,    3   c,  a main carding cylinder  4 , a doffer  5 , a stripping roll  6 , crushing rolls  7 ,  8 , a web-guiding element  9 , a sliver trumpet  10 , calender rolls  11 ,  12  and a traveling flats assembly  13  having slowly circulating flat bars  14 . The direction of rotation of the rolls of the carding machine is shown by respective arrows. At the output of the carding machine a sliver coiler  16  is disposed which deposits sliver into a coiler can  15 . The advancing direction (working direction) of the fiber material is designated at K.  
         [0014]    Also referring to FIG. 2, the fiber material to be carded is, as a fiber batt, advanced from a non-illustrated device to the feeding arrangement of the carding machine, composed of the feed roll  1  and the feed table  2 . The fiber batt is held firmly between the feed roll  1  and the feed table  2  and as the feed roll  1  is rotated clockwise, the material is slowly advanced in the direction of the licker-in  3   a.  The pins  3   2  of the licker-in  3   a  penetrate into the advancing fiber batt and loosen fibers therefrom which are further transported by the needles  3   2 . The licker-in  3   a  rotates significantly faster than the feed roll  1  and its direction of rotation is opposite to that of the feed roll  1 . The loosened fibers pass by a waste outlet opening where a severing edge of a mote knife  18   a  removes impurities which are transported away by means of a suction device. Thereafter, the fibers pass through a stationary carding element  18  before they reach the successive, clockwise-rotating licker-in  3   b  which has a sawtooth clothing  3   4 . From the rotating licker-in  3   b  the fibers are transferred to the counterclockwise-rotating licker-in  3   c  which is provided with a sawtooth clothing  3   6 ; the teeth are finer than those carried by the licker-in  3   b.  From the licker-in  3   c  the fibers are transferred to the main carding cylinder  4  of the carding machine CM. All licker-ins  3   a,    3   b  and  3   c  are provided with a cover. A drive  3  rotates the licker-in  3   b  faster than the licker-in  3   a  and rotates the licker-in  3   c  faster than the licker-in  3   b.    
         [0015]    Particularly referring to FIG. 2, between the licker-ins  3   a  and  3   b  an upper, diverging bight and a lower, converging bight are formed. The bights have a generally triangular area and extend from both ends of the nip (the closest distance between the clothing  3   2  and the clothing  3   4 ) between circumferential length portions of the clothings  3   2  and  3   4 . In the lower, converging bight of the licker-ins  3   a  and  3   b,  that is, in the bight which closes as the licker-ins  3   a  and  3   b  rotate in the direction  3   1  and  3   3  toward the nip, respectively, a cover element  21  is provided which substantially fills and thus closes the area of the converging bight. The cover element  21  may be, for example, an extruded member. In the upper, diverging bight, that is, in the bight which opens as the licker-ins  3   a  and  3   b  rotate in the direction  3   1  and  3   3  away from the nip, respectively, a mote knife  22  is positioned whose severing edge  22   a  is oriented against the rotary direction  3   3  of the licker-in  3   b  and is spaced from the clothing  3   4  at a distance a (shown in FIG. 5) adjustable by a setscrew  25 . Also, in the diverging bight between the licker-ins  3   a  and  3   b  a curved cover element  23  is provided which has a free end  23   a.  The cover element  23  covers one part of the licker-in  3   a.  The cover element  23  is, in a manner not illustrated, shiftable concentrically to the cylindrical outer face of the licker-in  3   a.  It also can be pivoted towards or away from the licker-in  3   a  about a point of rotation. The edge  22   a  of the mote knife  22  and the free end  23   a  of the cover element  23  define a waste outlet (separating) opening which constitutes the inlet of a hood  24  for removing trash, dust, short fibers and the like separated from the fiber material.  
         [0016]    Similarly, between the licker-ins  3   b  and  3   c  two bights are formed. As shown in FIG. 2, in the converging bight a cover element  26  is arranged, such as an extruded profile member which fully occupies and thus closes the bight. In the diverging bight a mote knife  27  is disposed whose severing edge  27   a  is oriented opposite the rotary direction  3   5  of the licker-in  3   c  and is spaced at a distance a (shown in FIG. 5) from the clothing  3   6 . The distance a may be adjusted by a setscrew  30 . Also, in the diverging bight between the licker-ins  3   b  and  3   c  a curved cover element  28  is provided which has a free end  28   a . The cover element  28  covers one part of the licker-in  3   b . The cover element  28  is, in a manner not illustrated, shiftable concentrically to the cylindrical outer face of the licker-in  3   b . It also can be pivoted towards or away from the licker-in  3   b  about a point of rotation. The edge  27   a  of the mote knife  27  and the free end  28   a  of the cover element  28  define a waste outlet (separating) opening which constitutes the inlet of a hood  29  for removing trash, dust, short fibers and the like separated from the fiber material.  
         [0017]    Three stationary carding elements  19   a ,  19   b ,  19   c  and two stationary carding elements  20   a ,  20   b  cooperate with respective licker-ins  3   b  and  3   c . The stationary carding elements are associated in each instance with the upstream-arranged mote knife as viewed in the rotary direction of the respective rolls.  
         [0018]    Turning to FIG. 3, four rolls  31 ,  32 ,  33  and  34  of a fiber cleaning apparatus are consecutively arranged; their rotary direction is designated at A, B, C and D, respectively. At the end of the roll  34  a pneumatic suction device  35  is disposed for the fiber material F. The rolls  31 - 34  have the same diameter and the circumferential speed of each roll is greater than the upstream preceding roll.  
         [0019]    The fiber material to be cleaned, particularly cotton, is advanced as fiber tufts to the cleaning apparatus accommodated in a closed housing. Such material advance is effected, for example, by means of a non-illustrated feed chute, a supply belt or the like. The fiber tuft mass (fiber batt) is admitted to the roll  31  (having a pin clothing) by means of two feed rolls  36 ,  37  which clamp the fiber batt. The roll  31  may have a diameter of 150-300 mm (for example, 250 mm). The roll  31  is followed by the roll  32  (having a sawtooth clothing). The circumferential speed of the roll  31  may be approximately 10-21 m/sec, for example, 15 m/sec, whereas the roll  32  may have a circumferential speed of, for example, 15-25 m/sec; the roll  33  may have a circumferential speed of about 30-35 m/sec, for example, 32 m/sec; and the roll  34  may have a circumferential speed of 40-50 m/sec, for example, 46 m/sec.  
         [0020]    A waste outlet opening  38  is associated with the roll  31  for discharging impurities. The size of the opening  38  may be adjusted to adapt it to the degree of impurity of the cotton to be treated. The waste outlet opening  38  is bordered by a mote knife  39 . In the rotary direction A of the roll  31  a further waste outlet opening  40  and a mote knife  41  associated therewith are arranged. stationary carding elements  42  and  43  are cooperating with the clothing of the roll  31  between the openings  38  and  40 .  
         [0021]    Cover elements  44 ,  45 ,  46  are disposed in the respective converging bights formed between rolls  31 , 32 ;  32 , 33 ; and  33 ,  34 . Further, mote knives  47 ,  48 ,  49  are disposed in the respective diverging bights formed between rolls  31 , 32 ;  32 , 33 ; and  33 ,  34 .  
         [0022]    Cover elements  50 ,  51  and  52  are associated with the respective rolls  31 ,  32  and  33  and face the respective mote knives  47 ,  48  and  49 . Suction devices  53 ,  54 ,  55  are coupled to the respective mote knife  47  and the cover element  50 ; the mote knife  48  and the cover element  51 ; and the mote knife  49  and the cover element  52 .  
         [0023]    Pairs of stationary carding elements  56   a ,  56   b ;  57   a ,  57   b ; and  58   a ,  58   b  cooperate with rolls  32 ,  33  and  34 , respectively.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 4 illustrates the construction and structural relationships of the region between any two adjoining rolls, in the example between rolls (licker-ins)  3   b  and  3   c  of the carding machine CM of FIG. 1. The same features are present between rolls  3   a  and  3   b  as well as between any adjoining rolls  31 - 34  in the fiber cleaning apparatus of FIG. 3.  
         [0025]    Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, between the severing edge  27   a  of the mote knife  27  and the open end  28   a  of the cover element  28  a clearance b is provided through which trash I separated from the fiber material H passes and is removed by suction. The clearance b extends far into the diverging bight defined between rolls  3   b  and  3   c . Between the clearance b and the nip between the rolls  3   b  and  3   c  no structural elements are provided. In that space the fiber material H passes from the  3   b  to the roll  3   c.    
         [0026]    In the description which follows, the operation of the construction shown in FIG. 3 will be described.  
         [0027]    The fiber tuft batt is admitted from the feed rolls  36 ,  37 , under a clamping effect, to the roll  31  which combs through the fiber material and entrains fiber staples on its clothing. As the material passes by the waste outlet opening  38 , dependent upon the circumferential speed and curvature of the roll as well as the size of the opening  38  adapted to this first separating stage, short fibers and coarse impurities are hurled away by centrifugal forces from the fiber material which, after passing through the opening  38 , are introduced into a trash chamber in the housing. The fiber material, preliminarily cleaned in this manner, is taken over from the roll  31  by the clothing of the roll  32 , whereby a further opening of the material takes place. As the material on the roll  32  passes by the mote knife  47 , further impurities are thrown out from the fiber material by centrifugal forces. The fiber material carried by the roll  34  is stripped therefrom by an air stream E traveling in a conduit  35  which is oriented generally tangentially to the roll  34 .  
         [0028]    Reverting to FIG. 4, the fiber material H, as it passes from the rotating licker-in  3   b  to the more rapidly rotating licker-in  3   c , is exposed to a draft in the region L which designates a first opening distance. This distance which is adjustable, corresponds essentially to the distance between the location of removal of the fiber material H from the licker-in  3   b  and the location of take-over of the fiber material H on the licker-in  3   c . The distance between the location of removal of the fiber material H from the licker-in  3   b  and the open end  28   a  of the cover element  28  is designated at Y and represents a second opening distance which is also adjustable.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 5 shows that the mote knife  27  is oriented against the rotary direction  3   5  and forms an angle α with the tangent drawn to the clothing  3   6 . The knife edge  27   a  is at a distance a from the clothing  3   6 .  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 6 shows a mote knife  56  and a cover element  57  disposed in the diverging bight defined between the licker-ins  3   a  and  3   b  connected by a suction hood  58 .  
         [0031]    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.