Patent GB-1248907-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in machines for finish processing of endless felts
Inventor: HINDLE THOMAS
IPC: D21F1/00
Filed: 1967-11-14
Abstract: 1,248,907. Finishing fabrics. HINDLE, SON & CO Ltd. 11 Nov., 1968 [14 Nov., 1967], No. 51667/67. Heading D1S. A machine for finishing endless felts 1 comprises a first main roller 2 rotatably mounted in pillow-blocks 4, 4a attached to carriages 5, 5a, a second main roller 3 parallel to the roller 2 and rotatably mounted in pillow-blocks 6, 6a on a movable carriage comprising side frames 8, 8a connected by a cross-frame 15, and heater means 10, 11 to apply heat to both sides of a felt 1 extending around and supported by the rollers 2, 3. The carriages 5, 5a, 8, 8a are provided with wheel 5c, 8c which run on rails 12. Since the carriages 5, 5a are not mutually supporting cantilever arms 14 are fixed thereto to engage rails 13 parallel to the rails 12 to maintain the carriages erect. The carriages are propelled by chains or steel wire ropes actuated by a winch or by chains or racks on the rails 12 meshing with toothed wheels on shafts rotatable either manually or by power means. The pillowblocks 6, 6a are slidable along the top of the frames 8, 8a by a mechanism situated at the mid-point 15a of the frame 15 and comprising screw and nut mechanisms 40, 41, Figs. 6A and 11, driven by a motor 33 through reduction gearing 24, tubular cross shafts 35, bevel gears 36 and shafts 37, 37a having pinions thereon meshing with spur gears on the screws 40. The carriages 5, 5a and 8, 8a, 15 are each provided with a vertical slidable bolt 20, Fig. 5, lowerable by a pneumatic cylinder 20c to enter one of a series of holes formed in the tops of the rails 12 to lock the respective carriage in position when suitably positioned. When brought together, the carriages may be temporarily coupled by pins 22, Fig. 5, so that they can be moved along the rails 12 in unison. Hook bolts 42 are provided on the carriage to engage top flange plates of the rails 12 to prevent the rear ends of the carriages from lifting or tilting. The rollers 2, 3 are each independently driven by units 22, 23, Fig. 1A, each comprising an electric motor with variable speed transmission, Figs. 6 and 6A, driving an enclosed worm gear 25 and spur gears 26, 27, the gear 27 being secured to the extended shaft 28 of the respective roller 2 or 3. The torque reaction of each unit 22, 23 is resisted by lugs 31 engaging abutments 32 on the frames 5a, 8a. An upper heater box 10 is carried on overhead runways 16, Fig. 1, so as to be retractable during- loading and unloading. A lower heater box 11 is mounted between the felt runs on seatings on the carriages 5, 5a. An additional upper heater 10X may be provided. The upper run of the felt 1 is supported by at least one roller 17 carried A-frames 18 and the lower run is supported by at least one roll 19 adapted, when not in use, to lie in a trench in the floor. Lifting blocks 17b for the rolls 17 are movable along overhead runways 17a. In operation, after the felt has been finished, the current to the heaters is switched off and the rollers 2, 3 are kept rotating until the heaters have cooled down. The cooling may be accelerated by fan draught. The rollers 2, 3 may be cooled by the circulation of cold water therethrough. The electric cables 11c to the heaters 11 are disconnected; the roll 17 is lifted by the blocks 17b and the frames 18 removed; the rolls 19 are lowered into their trenches; the roller 3 is moved along its slides towards the roller 2; the bolts 20 of the carriage 8, 8a, 15 are disengaged from the rails 12 and this carriage is moved therealong and coupled to the carriages 5, 5a by the pins 22; the carriages 5, 5a are unlocked by lifting their bolts 20 and the combined carriages 5, 5a, 8, 8a, 15 are moved to overlie a scissors lift 25; the roller 17 is deposited on vee-blocks on the heater 11; the blocks 17b are removed; the scissors lift 25 is operated to lift the rollers 2, 3 out of their pillow-blocks and to lift the heater 11; the carriages 5, 5a 8, 8a, 15 are moved away from the elevated rollers 2, 3 and heater 11; and the felt 1 is removed. To load a new felt to be finished the above process is reversed.