Patent GB-1114374-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to means for feeding textile sheets to calendar feedbands
IPC: D06F67/04
Filed: 1965-01-11
Abstract: 1,114,374. Feeding sheets. N. S. VALENTINE. 6 April, 1966 [11 Jan., 1965 (2)], Nos. 1186/65 and 1187/65. Heading B6B. [Also in Division D1] Apparatus for presenting laundered textile sheets to calender feed bands comprises conveyer means to which an operator can attach each sheet by its upper edge or corners in suspended condition, the conveyer carrying each sheet to a location above the calender feed bands and releasing it there with the sheet spread out, and further means that act on the lower edge of the descending sheet to sweep or turn it in a direction in which it is deposited on the feed bands after it has been drawn over a drag plate extending across the feed bands. In one form, Figs. 1, 3 (Specification 1,114,374), the sheets 3 from a loading station A, which may comprise a conveyer 15, are attached one by one by the operator to clips on a conveyer 1. The conveyer 1, which may move continuously or intermittently, has an upward run so as to position the lower edge of a sheet above the level of the calender feed bands 2, and then carries the sheet forward to a position where its lower edge is engaged by a suction channel 18 and is stretched downwardly thereby. Subsequently the sheet is carried past a door 13 into a chamber comprising side plates 5, 6 and open at the bottom, the door 13 being opened and closed under control of a photo-electric device sensing the approach of a sheet. When the sheet is within the chamber, a device opens the clips and releases the sheet so that it falls towards the feed bands 2. At the same time, an upward flow of air in the chamber is caused by suction applied to an air trunk 7 above the chamber and supports the sheet in a floating manner. As the sheet 3 drops, an air jet 19 or an oscillating bar acts on its lower end to move it over a drag bar 20 into a position where it is moved forwardly by the feed bands 2. A roller or rollers 21 co-operate with the feed bands, and transverse jets of air from nozzles 22 or brushes, act on the sheet edges to smooth out wrinkles in the side edges of the sheet. In another embodiment, Fig. 2 (Specification 1,114,374), the operator 12 attaches each sheet 10 at its upper corners to holding devices 8 on two conveyer bands 7 which diverge as they move away from the receiving position so that the sheet is spread out laterally when the bands 7 reach a roller 3. At this position the lower edge of the sheet passes over suction means to stretch the sheet downwardly. A downward reach of the bands 7 following the roller 3 causes the sheet to be draped over a suction table 19 which detaches it from the bands 7. A switch 20 on the table 19 is operated by the draped sheet so that rollers 21 and belts are driven to feed the sheet over a drag plate 18 and towards the calender feed bands 25. When the trailing edge of the sheet passes the rollers 21, the drive isstopped by photo-electric sensing means and the sheet is fed on to the bands 25 by feed belts 26. An air nozzle 27, a drag bar 29, and edge smoothing air jets are provided as in the first embodiment. In one modification (Fig. 3, Specification 1,114,374, not shown), the bands 7 carry the sheets directly to the calender feed bands 25 where devices (27, 28, 29) cause the sheets to be deposited on the bands 25 as before. According to another modification (Fig. 4, Specification 1,114,374, not shown), a sheet after passing roller 3 drapes itself around' a suction nozzle (35) on vertical conveyer bands (36) which are not driven and are braked. The nozzle is so situated that the lower end of the sheet is engaged by the calender feed bands and is moved forward thereby carrying the suction nozzle with it, the latter braking the sheet. In an arrangement, Fig. 2, of the Complete Specification, for ensuring that a sheet as it descends towards the calender feed-bands shall have its leading edge applied to the feed bands in the desired manner, a suction duct 39 and an oscillating suction tube 48 with a mouth 50 are mounted above the calender feed bands 25. A flap 51 pivoted at 52 is mounted in the mouth 50. Suction is applied to the mouth 50 to draw in the front edge of the descending sheet and the tube 48 is then rotated to present the front edge to the nip of the roller 30 and the bands 35, the flap 51 being pivoted outwardly for this purpose. The suction is then cut-off from tube 48 and applied to duct 39 which draws in part of the sheet so that the sheet does not descend in a loose mass. A drag plate 40. is provided on the duct 39. The oscillating tube and mouth may be placed by a fixed duct (41, Fig. 1, Complete Specification, not shown). The suction in the duct 39 and tube 48 may be controlled by photo-electric devices sensing the position of the sheet.