Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to an improved fiber opening and blending device. 
   In order to speed production of opening blending and cleaning fibers, a trend has developed in which the cording machine is eliminated from the process in lieu of the faster fiber batt forming machines. It has been found with the fiber batt process and especially in the case where fibers of different textures, sizes or colors are blended that complete and even blending does not always occur. Techniques such as lapping can correct this shortcoming yet here again, this method is expensive and time consuming. 
   It is therefore an object of this invention to provide opening and blending apparatus and system in which both high production and complete and thorough opening and blending is achieved. 
   Another object of the invention is a mixing machine which provides for fiber treatment during opening and mixing with liquid or solid material. 
   Another object of the invention is an opening and mixing apparatus which utilizes a zig zag fiber motion through the opening area. 
   Another object of the invention is the provision of teeth for use with opening rolls which create air currents which flow in a zig zag pattern through the openings and blending machine. 
   Another object of the invention is the provision of an opening and blending arrangement which includes a heavy duty blending section and a fine blending section. 
   Another object of the invention is the provision of an array of opening and blending rolls with interacting teeth which both physically engage the fibers to move along an sinusoidal path and also create an air flow which assists the fibers along this path. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The instant invention is directed to a fiber opening and blending arrangement for use in thoroughly mixing fibers for formation of fiber batts. The arrangement includes a plurality of fiber handling stations including a feed station, a blending and opening station and a fine blending and opening station. 
   The feed station may comprise a silo into which opened fibers are fed. The silo includes feed rolls which act to open, blend and feed the fibers onto an array of opening and blending rolls. 
   The feed station may comprise a plurality delivery belts arranged in association with compression rolls, mixing rolls and feed rolls which act to deliver fibers into the cabinet and onto top surfaces of the array of opening and blending rolls. 
   The array of opening and blending rolls are preferably arranged within a cabinet and along an incline. Each of the rolls rotates in the same direction. Each roll contains a plurality of parallel rows of teeth which act to both engage, open, blend and move the fibers through the cabinet but also to create an air flow within the cabinet. 
   The teeth are arranged in opposing positions between the rows. The positions along with the shape of the teeth cause the fibers and the air flow to move along a sinusoid path over the array of rolls. 
   The cabinet includes a chamber arranged over the array of rolls. The cabinet may also include feeds for the delivery of water, dye, and/or chemicals into the chamber for mixing with the fibers during the blending and opening operations. 
   The opening process within the cabinet carries the fibers first over and down the inclined array of opening and blending rolls. The fibers are fluffed or caused to tumble when passing through the chamber. As the fibers reach the end of the array of rolls, they are passed about the end opening and blending roll and then moved over the lower surface of each roll of the array of rolls again moving along a sinusoid path. Upon reaching the exit, the fibers are discharged into a fine fiber mixing machine. 
   A first fine mixing arrangement may include a receiving belt arranged perpendicular of the opening and blending rolls of the array of rolls. A second receiving belt is arranged above the first receiving belt. The fiber exit includes a compression roll which discharges the fibers for further processing. A mixing roll engages the fibers in progress to the compression area. 
   A second fine mixing arrangement includes a pair of opening rolls, a main roll and an inner chamber as described in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/244,185 filed on Sep. 16, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herewith. 

   
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a cutaway side view of an arrangement for opening and blending fibers in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a sectional side view of a portion of the fiber blending and opening arrangement shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a cutaway side view of a second arrangement for opening and blending fibers in accordance with the invention. 
       FIG. 4   a  is a top view of the opening rolls shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 . 
       FIG. 4   b  is a side view of the opening rolls shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is an enlarged side sectional view of an opening roll shown in  FIG. 4   b.    
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a tooth used with the opening and blending rolls shown in  FIG. 4   a.    
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1  shows a fiber opening, blending and cleaning arrangement  10  in accordance with the invention. The arrangement includes a silo  12  which receives opened fibers through delivery  14 . Preferably the fibers delivered to the silo comprise a blend of fibers which may include fibers, different materials, different sizes, and/or different textures. 
   The fibers are moved through the lower end of the silo and into an inclined opening and blending unit  18  by feed rolls  16 ,  16   1 . 
   Unit  18  comprises a cabinet  20  which houses an inclined array of four opening and blending rolls  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 . Rolls  22 – 24  are arranged adjacent and parallel each other and are driven in the same direction as indicated by the arrows. A chamber  26  is formed above rolls  22 – 25  while an under casing  28  is arranged adjacent lower surfaces of rolls  22 – 25 . 
   Casing  28  encircles about ¼ the periphery of rolls  23 ,  24  slightly more of the periphery of roll  25  and slightly less of the periphery of roll  22 . Casing  28  terminates at exit  30  which connects with a fine blending and opening apparatus. 
   Teeth  32  are arranged in parallel and spaced rows about the periphery of each of rolls  22 – 25  as shown in  FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b  and  5 . Preferably there are six rows of teeth although the number could be less or more. Preferably each roll  22 – 25  is formed with a plurality of raised bars  34 . Bars  34  assist in opening and blending the fibers and also in creating air current within the cabinet. Teeth  32  are mounted in spaced positions on top of each bar  34 . 
   Each tooth  32 , as best shown in  FIG. 6 , includes a base  36  and a substantially L-shaped body  38 . Body  38  comprises a pair of planar portions  38   a  and  38   b . Each planar portion extends vertically from base  36  and are connected along one edge to extend at about a 60° angle to each other. A tip  40  is formed atop each planar section. 
   Teeth  32  are secured along bars  34  with one planar section  38   a ,  38   b  being perpendicular the axis of the bar and the other planar section  38   a ,  38   b  being at about 60° to the opposite planar section. The teeth are arranged in like manner along each row  34  and in alternating manner between rows  34 . 
   Positioned beneath exit  30  is a fine mixing arrangement  42  which is best shown in  FIG. 2 . Mixing arrangement  42  includes a feed belt  44  arranged at 90° to the axis of roll  22 . A compression belt  46  is arranged over feed belt  44  and includes a compression roll  48  at its delivery end  50 . A mixing roll  52  is arranged across belt  44  and acts to blend and open the fibers delivered from exit  30 . A mixing roll  54  receives the fibers from delivery  50  and feeds them into a pneumatic carrier  56 . 
   Turning again to  FIG. 1 , there is seen a pair of deliveries  58  and  60 . Delivery  58  may supply a water spray into chamber  26  for mixing with the fibers during opening and cleaning. Delivery  60  is designed to deliver chemicals and/or dye into chamber  26  during the opening and blending process to blend with the fibers. The chemicals and/or dye is compounded and delivered through known means as illustrated at  62 . 
   In operation, fibers are delivered into silo  12  which in turn feeds them through feed  17  onto upper roll  22  of the array of opening and blending rolls  22 – 25 . Teeth  32  engage the fibers opening, blending and moving them over to roll  23 , which performs the same action moving the fibers onto roll  24 . Simultaneous with this action fibers are fluffed or tumbled through chamber  26  further opening and blending them. 
   Due to the configuration of teeth  32  and their arrangement on rolls  22 – 25  air currents which move in a sinuoid or zig zag path are created as illustrated in  FIG. 4   a . The shape and arrangement of the teeth also when engaging the fibers force them to move first in one direction and then the other. These forces create a fiber movement which brings about enhanced opening and blending and also evenly distributes the fibers across the length of the rolls. 
   If desired and simultaneously with the operation water, dye and/or chemicals are emitted into chamber  26  to be blended with the fibers during this opening and blending operation. 
   Upon reaching roll  25 , the fibers are carried around the roll to its lower surface where they are continued to be acted upon by the teeth and air currents as they are moved between the lower periphery of rolls  22 – 25  and casing  28  to exit  30 . 
   The fibers pass through exit  30  into belt  44  of fine opener  42 . Here they are again mixed by roll  52  as they pass through the compression exit  50  and into air transport  56 . 
   The opening and blending arrangement is shown in a slightly different context in  FIG. 3 . Here the opening arrangement  64  includes a feed  66  which comprises a plurality of feed belts  68  which carry fibers from an opening and blending arrangement generally described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,319 to mixing and blending arrangement  18 . The fibers may pass beneath compression rolls  70  and mixing rolls  72 ,  74 . Roll  74  doffs the fibers from belt  68  and tosses them into chamber  26  of cabinet  20 . 
   A feed indicated at x may be provided to deliver water, dye and/or chemicals into chamber  26  as earlier described. 
   Again, the fibers are acted upon by rolls  22 – 25  in the manner earlier described. Upon reaching exit  30  the fibers are deposited into inner chamber  78  of fine opening device  80 . Fine opening device  80  includes an opening and blending doffer  82  constructed similarly to rolls  22 – 25 , a doffing roll  83 , a pair of opening rolls  84 ,  85 , a main roll  86 , mote knives  89 , waste removal chamber  88 , and doffing and removal duct  90 . 
   The fibers delivered from roll  22  are thrown through exit  30  as shown by the arrow engaged by roll  82  or its resulting air currents and tumbled into inner chamber  78 . Here they are continued in a tumbling motion and picked up by opening rolls  84 ,  85  or doffer  83  and moved through the various channels with continued opening, blending and cleaning to be finally removed through removal duct  90  for further processing. This arrangement is more fully described, both structurally and operationally, in more detail in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/224,185 filed on Sep. 16, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein. 
   The fibers processed by way of the above arrangements are more thoroughly blended throughout and produce more evenly distributed fibers within fiber batts subsequently formed.

Technology Category: d