Patent CH-693344-A5 (CH)
Title: Assembly for cleaning fiber laps and slivers has a mesh drum where the material is divided into fiber packets to be transferred to a cleaning drum for the extraction of dirt and debris
Inventor: BROSE THOMAS
IPC: D01G19/20
Filed: 1998-08-28
Abstract: The system to clean a fiber lap (10), for combing and the like, has a cleaning unit (30,38). The lap (10) is clamped at right angles to its direction of movement. The projecting free end, from the clamping point, is subjected to an air flow which detaches and carries off unclamped impurities such as short fibers, neps, dust, etc. - DETAILED DESCRIPTION - Before the lap (10) reaches the cleaning station (30), it is divided into separate fiber packets (24) with a longitudinal extension, with the separate fibers aligned in parallel. The spaced fiber packets (24) are formed by intermittent pulling of fibers from the free end of the lap (10). The separate fiber packet (24) is clamped at a gap from its leading end (K), where the air stream is applied. The air flow is aligned towards the free end of the lap or packet (24), from the clamping points. A suction or compressed air flow passes through the free end of the lap projecting from the clamping points. After cleaning, the clamping forces are relaxed at the clamping points, and the cleaned lap is transferred to a station to be converted into sliver, through a partial overlay of the cleaned fiber packets (24). At least two slivers can be fed to the cleaning system together, with a common air flow through their free ends, or between their free ends. At least one additional air flow can be delivered from the clamping points, towards the free ends of the slivers. - An INDEPENDENT CLAIM is included for a fiber lap cleaning assembly, with clamps (44) to hold fiber packets (24) at a gap from the free ends. An air flow system (33,34,36,38) generates an air flow from the clamping points to the free ends of the fiber material. Preferred Features: A system (5,6,18) separates the lap (10) from the feed (1) into fiber packets (24), to be transferred (3) to the cleaning station (30). The lap feed is a belt drawing unit (1). The material is separated into packets (24) by a rotating roller (5) which forms a clamping point with a rotating mesh drum (3), opposite the exit of the drawing unit (1). The rotating roller (5) has a belt (6) round part of its circumference, and at least at the clamping zone, and lies against the mesh drum (3) at the clamping point. The mesh drum (3) has surface projections (18) at intervals round it. The cleaning drum (30) is on a parallel axis to the mesh drum (3), with a number of suction slits (38) aligned outwards. The suctions slits (38) are at the position of the smallest gap to the outer circumference (SU) of the mesh drum (3) from the under pressure zone (32) within the cleaning drum (30), linked to a suction unit (34). Elastic projections (44) are at the outer circumference (AU) of the cleaning drum (30) at the openings of the suction slits (38), to give a clamping action against the mesh drum (3) where there is the narrowest gap between the drum surfaces. The mesh drum (3) has an under pressure system (20-22) to apply internal suction at the outer circumference (SU) of the drum between the point where the belt (6) is against the drum surface and the transfer zone (A) for the fiber material to the cleaning drum (30). A stripper roller (46) is at the outer circumference of the cleaning drum (30), on an axis parallel to the drum axis, and at a tangent to the drum surface. The surface of the stripper roller (46) is fitted with a clothing (47). The assembly can have a feed to deliver two slivers simultaneously, with a guide working with the clamping points. The guide has at least one air jet, with its opening aligned on the direction of sliver travel, opening between the two clamping points, and connected to a compressed air supply. A feed roller extends into the two troughs forming the guide, to advance the sliver. Air jets are integrated into the sliver clamp surfaces, connected to a compressed air supply. A pair of rollers form the sliver clamps, with a hollow cylinder for at least one of the paired rollers. It has an inner under pressure, and surface openings. A unit to form the material into sliver is after the paired rollers, as a