Apparatus for the sorting or selection of a fibre sliver comprising textile fibres, especially for combing

Abstract

An apparatus for the sorting or selection of fibre, especially for combing, is supplied by supply device to a sorting device. Clamping devices are provided which clamp the fibre sliver at a distance from its free end, for combing in order to loosen and remove non-clamped constituents, such as, for example, short fibres, neps, dust and the like from the free end. To enable productivity to be increased and an improved combed sliver to be obtained, downstream of the supply there is arranged at least one rotatably mounted roller which is provided with clamping devices for the fibre sliver, which clamping devices are distributed spaced apart around the periphery of the roller, and combing elements are associated with the periphery of the roller.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority from German Patent Application No. 10 2006 050 384.8 dated Oct. 20, 2006, German Utility Model Application No. 20 2007 010 686.6 dated Jun. 29, 2007 and German Patent Application No. 10 2007 037 426.9 dated Aug. 8, 2007, the entire disclosures of all of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to an apparatus for the sorting or selection of a fibre sliver comprising textile fibres, especially for combing. It is known for fibre slivers to be supplied by means of supply means to a fibre-sorting device, especially a combing device, in which clamping devices are provided which clamp the fibre sliver at a distance from its free end, mechanical means being present which generate a combing action from the clamping site to the free end of the fibre sliver in order to loosen and remove non-clamped constituents, such as, for example, short fibres, neps, dust a...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]It is an aim of the invention to provide an apparatus of the kind described at the beginning which avoids or mitigates the mentioned disadvantages and which in a simple way, in particular, enables the amount produced per hour (productivity) to be substantially increased and an improved combed sliver to be obtained.

[0017]By implementing the functions of clamping and moving the fibre bundles to be combed-out on a rotating roller, high operating speeds (nip rates) are achieved—unlike the known apparatus—without large mass accelerations and reversing movements. In particular, the mode of operation is continuous. When a high-speed roller is used, a very substantial increase in hourly production rate (productivity) is achieved which had previously not been considered possible in technical circles. A further advantage is that the rotary rotational movements result in a calming of vibration as well as more uniform movement sequences of the machine and accordingly in an improved combed sliver. The ecartement is advantageously not limited structurally. Moreover, the feed quantity of the incoming fibre lap is increased as a result and the separation of long-fibres is reduced.

Problems solved by technology

A disadvantage of that known combing method is, in particular, the discontinuous mode of operation, in which large masses have to be accelerated and decelerated during the operating cycle.

The back and forth swinging movement of the nipper assembly gives rise to very substantial vibration, especially in the case of high nip rates, which on the one hand requires the drive elements and bearing elements to be of suitably stable construction and on the other hand places high demands on the framework of the machine as well as on the base on which the machine is mounted.

In the case of the 450 nips per minute usually required, the large masses being moved result in a high level of dynamic agitation of the entire combing machine which limits its operating speed and productivity.

Furthermore, a problem of conventional combing machines is that when the combed fibres are removed by the counter-rotating take-off rollers, up to 50% of the fibre length has not been cleaned by the circular comb, because during the combing process, that is to say when the combing segment passes, the fibres were clamped between the jaws of the nipper arrangement or were located behind the jaws, seen in the transport direction.

Such an arrangement is disadvantageous because, in particular, the nipper apparatus has to perform a variety of very large movements with greater or lesser degrees of acceleration.

The operating speed is thus considerably limited, a large amount of noise is generated and the inertial forces that arise result in above-average wear.

A further crucial disadvantage is that the free end of the fibre tuft that has just been combed also has to be moved at relatively high speed, with its free fibre tips to the front, over large distances and placed in an exactly defined position onto the returned end of the combed sliver.

In any case, however, losses of quality are observed in the combed sliver.

A further disadvantage of the known apparatus is that uncontrolled fold-formation occurs between the detaching roller pair and the take-off rollers as a result of the pilgrim-step motion of the detaching rollers, which additionally results in disruption of the combing process.

High nip rates result in high acceleration.

The known flat combing machine has reached a performance limit with its nip rates, which prevents productivity from being increased.

Furthermore, the discontinuous mode of operation causes vibration in the entire machine which generates dynamic alternating stresses.

Disadvantages of that combing machine are especially the large amount of equipment required and the low hourly production rate.

A particular problem is the discontinuous mode of operation of the combing heads.

Additional disadvantages result from large mass accelerations and reversing movements, with the result that high operating speeds are not possible.

Finally, the considerable amount of machine vibration results in irregularities in the deposition of the combed sliver.

Moreover, the ecartement, that is to say the distance between the nipper lip of the lower nipper plate and the clamping point of the detaching cylinder, is structurally and spatially limited.

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