Patent Publication Number: US-2012039559-A1

Title: Apparatus including an asymmetrical wedge-like member for controlling deflection in small diameter rolls of an open width stabilizer so as to create a straight line nip with uniform pressure across the nip

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The instant non-provisional patent application claims priority from provisional patent application No. 61/401,380, filed on Aug. 12, 2010, entitled WEB NIP WEDGE FACE HAVING ASYMMETRICAL ALIGNMENT TO CONTROL NIP WIDTH FOR COMPRESSIVE PRESHRINKING OF FABRIC, and incorporated herein by reference thereto. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A. Field of the Invention 
     An embodiment of the present invention relates to an apparatus for correcting deflection in an open width stabilizer, and more particularly, an embodiment of the present invention relates to an apparatus for correcting deflection in small diameter rolls of an open width stabilizer so as to create a straight line nip with uniform pressure across the nip. 
     B. Description of the Prior Art 
     Circulatory knit fabric produced in the U.S. has mostly been finished in tubular form. Machinery has been developed around an internal spreader to propel the fabric through various finishing operations, such as steaming and compacting, to reduce length shrinkage. 
     In contrast, Europeans slit the fabric tube, open it, and finish the fabric in open width using mostly woven good finishing equipment, such as tenter frames and belt compactors, some modified to accommodate the elastic nature of the knit construction. To control length shrinkage, the Europeans use various versions of a belt compactor or sanforizing machines, none of which can reduce shrinkage to less than the 5% that is required by most world wide garment manufacturers. 
     Americans developed a two-roll compactor for tubular fabric, with one roll feeding the fabric at a given speed, and with a second retarding roll slowing the fabric travel to compact the fabric in its length, thus reducing length shrinkage, as required, to a zero length shrinkage on some fabrics. 
     When the two-roll principal was tried on wide open width circular knits, it became apparent that the rolls would have to be made larger in diameter to reduce deflection, however, this created a wider nip area where the fabric has to change its length dimension, causing objectionable friction on the fabric, resulting in poor quality. 
     Catallo used a small diameter roll and overcame the deflection problem by bending the rolls to produce a straight nip. A way to do this at the time was by using a wedge between the ends of the rolls, as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,365 to Catallo. When this system was used in production, however, quality of the fabric was not always acceptable in the full width of the fabric, and it was determined that the nip was not uniform as a result of the wedge&#39;s reaction forces to bend the rolls. The rolls were not bent on the nip line, but deflected downward, changing the nip line in the center of the rolls. 
     The apparatus taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,553,365 to Catallo can best be seen in  FIGS. 1-3 , which are, respectively, a diagrammatic perspective view of a prior art two-roll fabric shrinker, an enlarged diagrammatic end view of the area generally enclosed by 1 dotted curve identified by ARROW  2  in  FIG. 1 , and a diagrammatic top plan view taken generally in the direction of ARROW  3  in  FIG. 2 , and as such, will be discussed with reference thereto. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a prior art shrinker is shown generally at  10  for a fabric web material, and comprises a feed roll  14 , a retard roll  16 , and an apparatus  18  for adjusting deflection of the feed roll  14  and the retard roll  16  to thereby maintain a desired size to a passageway  20  between the feed roll  14  and the retard roll  16  to optimize compaction of the fabric web material. The feed roll  14  has a pair of ends  22 , with only one being shown, and the retard roll  16  has a pair of ends  24 , with only one being shown. 
     The apparatus  18  comprises bearings  26 . The bearings  26  of the apparatus  18  are mounted to the pair of ends  22  of the feed roll  14 , respectively, with only one being shown. The apparatus  18  further comprises lever bearings  28 . The lever bearings  28  of the apparatus  18  are mounted to the pair of ends  24  of the retard roll  16 , respectively, with only one being shown. The bearings  26  of the apparatus  18  are in a form of pillow block bearings  29 . 
     The apparatus  18  further comprises a pneumatic cylinder  30 , and a shaft  32  having an upper end  34  and a lower end  36 . The upper end  34  of the shaft  32  of the apparatus  18  is connected to the lever bearings  28  of the apparatus  18 , and the lower end  36  of the shaft  32  of the apparatus  18  is connected to the pneumatic cylinder  30  of the apparatus  18 . 
     By providing for the pivoting of the lever bearings  28  of the apparatus  18  by moving the shaft  32  of the apparatus  18 , the feed roll  14  and the retard roll  16  are allowed to move towards or away from one another, thereby changing the desired size of the passageway  20 , 
     The apparatus  18  further comprises the feed roll  14  having an axial shaft  38 , the retard roll  16  having an axial shaft  40 , a feed roller bearing  42 , a retard roller bearing  44 , and a symmetrical wedge-like member  46 . 
     The feed roller bearing  42  of the apparatus  18  is connected to the axial shaft  38  of the feed roll  14  of the apparatus  18 , and the retard roller bearing  44  is connected to the axial shaft  40  of the retard roll  16  of the apparatus  18 . The symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  is disposed between, and in moving relationship to, the feed roller bearing  42  of the apparatus  18  and the retard roller bearing  44  of the apparatus  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  is a relatively thin solid in front view, and defined by a bottom  52 , a top  54 , a feed side  56 , and a retard side  58 . The bottom  52  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  is straight and horizontally oriented. The top  54  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  is straight, horizontally oriented, and above, parallel to, shorter than, and centered on, the bottom  52  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18 . The feed side  56  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  engages the feed roller bearing  42  of the apparatus  18 , while the retard side  58  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  engages the retard roller bearing  44  of the apparatus  18 . The feed side  56  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  and the retard side  58  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  are of equal length, reciprocally skewed, and extend from the bottom  52  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  to the top  54  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  so that no corners  60  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  are 90°. 
     The symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  exerts reaction forces  48  against the feed roller bearing  42  of the apparatus  18  and the retard roller bearing  44  of the apparatus  18  in response to forces  50  exerted thereon by the feed roller bearing  42  of the apparatus  18  and the retard roller bearing  44  of the apparatus  18 , with the reaction forces  48  acting on identical elevations  51  on the feed side  56  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  and the retard side  58  of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18  due to the symmetry of the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18 , and as shown in  FIG. 3 , the reaction forces  48  cause the feed roll  14  and the retard roll  16  to deflect downwardly, thereby changing the nip in the center of the feed roll  14  and the retard roll  16  so as to form a non-uniform nip. 
     Adjustment of the pneumatic cylinder  36  of the apparatus  18  causes movement of the lever bearings  28  of the apparatus  18  to move the feed roll  14  and the retard roll  16 . 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Thus, an object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide apparatus for correcting deflection in small diameter rolls of an open width stabilizer so as to create a straight line nip with uniform pressure across the nip, which avoids disadvantages of the prior art. 
     Briefly stated, another object of an embodiment of the present invention is to provide improved apparatus for correcting deflection in a small-diameter feed roll and a small-diameter retard roll of an open width stabilizer so as to create a straight line nip with uniform pressure across the nip. The improved device is of the type having a feed roll, a retard roll, and an apparatus for adjusting deflection of the feed roll and the retard roll to thereby maintain a desired size to a passageway between the feed roll and the retard roll to optimize compaction of a fabric web material. The apparatus includes a feed roller bearing connected to the feed roll, a retard roller bearing connected to the retard roll, and a wedge-like member disposed between, and in moving relationship to, the feed roller bearing and the retard roller bearing. The wedge-like member is asymmetrical, has a feed side that engages the feed roller bearing, a retard side that engages the retard roller bearing, and exerts reaction forces against the feed roller bearing and the retard roller bearing in response to forces exerted thereon by the feed roller bearing and the retard roller bearing. The improvement includes the reaction forces acting on different elevations on the feed side of the wedge-like member and the retard side of the wedge-like member due to the asymmetry of the wedge-like member, with the reaction forces causing the feed roll and the retard roll to not deflect downwardly, thereby not changing the nip in the center of the feed roll and the retard roll so as to create the straight line nip with uniform pressure across the nip. 
     The novel features considered characteristic of an embodiment of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. An embodiment of the present invention itself, however, both as to its construction and to its method of operation together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read and understood in connection with the accompanying figures of the drawing. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWING 
       Figures of the drawing are briefly described as follows: 
         FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic perspective view of a prior art two-roll fabric shrinker; 
         FIG. 2  is an enlarged diagrammatic end view of the area generally enclosed by the dotted curve identified by ARROW  2  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic top plan view taken generally in the direction of ARROW  3  in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a diagrammatic end view of the area generally enclosed by the dotted curve identified by ARROW  4  in  FIG. 1 , and with the improved wedge replacing the prior art wedge, thereby correcting deflection in small diameter rolls of an open width stabilizer so as to create a straight line nip with uniform pressure across the nip; and 
         FIG. 5  is a diagrammatic top plan view taken generally in the direction of ARROW  5  in  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS UTILIZED IN THE FIGURES OF THE DRAWING 
     A. Prior Art 
     
         
           10  prior art shrinker for fabric web material 
           14  feed roll 
           16  retard roll 
           18  apparatus for adjusting deflection of feed roll  14  and retard roll  16  to thereby maintain desired size to passageway  20  between feed roll  14  and retard roll  16  to optimize compaction of fabric web material 
           20  passageway between feed roll  14  and retard roll  16   
           22  pair of ends of feed roll  14   
           24  pair of ends of retard roll  16   
           26  bearings of apparatus  18   
           28  lever bearings of apparatus  18   
           29  pillow block bearings of bearings  26  of apparatus  18   
           30  pneumatic cylinder of apparatus  18   
           32  shaft of apparatus  18   
           34  upper end of shaft  32  of apparatus  18   
           36  lower end of shaft  32  of apparatus  18   
           38  axial shaft of feed roll  14  of apparatus  18   
           40  axial shaft of retard roll  16  of apparatus  18   
           42  feed roller bearing of apparatus  18   
           44  retard roller bearing of apparatus  18   
           46  symmetrical wedge-like member of apparatus  18   
           48  reaction forces of symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of apparatus  18   
           50  forces exerted on symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of apparatus  18  by feed roller bearing  42  of apparatus  18  and retard roller bearing  44  of apparatus  18   
           51  identical elevations on feed side  56  of symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of apparatus  18  and retard side  58  of symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of apparatus  18   
           52  bottom of symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of apparatus  18   
           54  top of symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of apparatus  18   
           56  feed side of symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of apparatus  18   
           58  retard side of symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of apparatus  18   
           60  corners of symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of apparatus  18   
       
    
     B. Embodiment of Present Invention 
     
         
           70  asymmetrical wedge-like member of embodiment of present invention 
           110  open width stabilizer 
           114  small diameter feed roll of open width stabilizer  110   
           116  small diameter retard roll of open width stabilizer  110   
           148  reaction forces 
           150  forces 
           151  different elevations on feed side  156  of asymmetrical wedge-like member  70  and retard side  158  of asymmetrical wedge-like member  70   
           152  bottom of asymmetrical wedge-like member  70   
           154  top of asymmetrical wedge-like member  70   
           156  feed side of asymmetrical wedge-like member  70   
           158  retard side of asymmetrical wedge-like member  70   
           160  corners of asymmetrical wedge-like member  70   
       
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     A. An Embodiment of the Present Invention 
     Referring now to the  FIGS. 4 and 5 , which are, respectively, a diagrammatic end view of the area generally enclosed by the dotted curve identified by ARROW  4  in  FIG. 1 , but with the improved wedge replacing the prior art wedge and thereby correcting deflection in small diameter rolls of an open width stabilizer so as to create a straight line nip with uniform pressure across the nip, and a diagrammatic top plan view taken generally in the direction of ARROW  5  in  FIG. 4 , the asymmetrical wedge-like member of an embodiment of the present invention is shown generally at  70  for correcting deflection in a small diameter feed roll  114  and a small diameter retard roll  116  of an open width stabilizer  110  so as to create a straight line nip with uniform pressure across the nip. 
     The asymmetrical wedge-like member  70  is similar to the symmetrical wedge-like member  46  of the apparatus  18 , except that:
         The top  154  of the asymmetrical wedge-like member  70  is not centered on the bottom  152  of the asymmetrical wedge-like member  70 ;   The feed side  156  of the asymmetrical wedge-like member  70  is shorter than the retard side  158  of the asymmetrical wedge-like member  70 ;   The feed side  156  of the wedge-like member  70  is preferably perpendicular to or substantially perpendicular to the horizontal centerline of the feed roll  114 ; and   The reaction forces  148  in response to forces  150  exerted by the feed roll  114  and the retard roll  116  cause the feed roll  114  and the retard roll  116  to not deflect downwardly, thereby not changing the nip in the center of the feed roll  114  and the retard roll  116  so as to create the straight line nip with the uniform pressure across the nip.       

     B. Another Embodiment of the Present Invention 
     Alternatively, other ways may be employed to create a straight nip with uniform pressure across the nip by using a linear actuator to open and close the retard roll and also to apply pressure against the ends of the feed roll and the retard roll. 
     C. Impression 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above. 
     While an embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an apparatus for correcting deflection in small diameter rolls of an open width stabilizer so as to create a straight line nip with uniform pressure across the nip, however, it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions, and changes in the forms and details of an embodiment of the present invention illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of an embodiment of the present invention. 
     Without further analysis the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of an embodiment of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of an embodiment of the present invention.