Device and method for adjusting carding gap of carding machine

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and an associated method for dynamically adjusting a carding gap (15) of a carding machine (1). The device is provided with a controller (31), a drum (6) and a rotary cover plate assembly (10). The carding gap (15) is formed by the distance between the roller clothing (7) and the rotary cover plate (11). A sensor (32) is provided for detecting the position of the revolving flap (11), and a flap curve (38) is stored in the controller (31). An adjustment of the distance (30) between the flexible bow (24, 25) and the drum shaft (9) is provided by at least one actuator (27), where the adjustment is adapted to the cover curve (38) during the movement of the revolving cover (11) such that the carding gap (15) is constant.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a device and a method for dynamically adjusting the carding gap of a carding machine in operation.

[0002] Carding machines are used in spinning preparation plants and contain various working elements for cleaning, sorting, opening, and combing the fiber material to be processed. In this case, the most common fiber types are cotton or synthetic fibers, or mixtures thereof. In a carding machine, the revolving flat area, together with the drum, forms the main carding zone. Its function is to break down the lint into individual fibers, separate impurities and dust, remove very short fibers, break up neps, and straighten the fibers.

[0003] A narrow gap forms between the clothing of the revolving flats and the clothing of the drum, known as the carding gap. When using revolving flats, the result is that the revolving flats, guided by bowed bars—so-called flexible bows, adjustment bows, bending bows, or sliding bows—are guided in the circumferential direction of the drum at a distance determined by these bars. In revolving flat carding machines, the carding gap dimensions range from 0.10 mm to 0.30 mm for cotton, or up to 0.40 mm for synthetic fibers. However, contact with opposing elements should be avoided, as this often damages the revolving flats and the drum. Therefore, the precise setting of the carding gap is crucial. Such revolving flats should have a height and flatness accuracy of 0.10 mm relative to the plane opposite the drum clothing, which is formed by the tips of the flat clothing. The revolving flats of a revolving flat assembly are connected to each other via chains or belts, and in carding machines used today, up to one hundred or more revolving flats may be arranged one behind the other. Due to the large differences in the individual revolving flats relative to the ideal carding gap, it is difficult to adjust the carding gap. The gap width of the carding gap to be set depends on the fiber material to be processed, the production volume and the quality requirements of the processed product.

[0004] It is known that the flexible bow must be designed to be radially adjustable in order to ensure that the carding gap is constant throughout the entire path of the flexible bow or can be varied as required. Radial adjustability is necessary for various reasons, such as to readjust the carding gap during the manufacture of the carding machine or after changing the roller clothing, or to readjust the carding gap in the event of wear on the clothing, or to readjust the carding gap after grinding the clothing. Various actuator designs are used; for example, EP 1 201 797 discloses a device in which the flexible bow is supported on a rotatably mounted roller, wherein the roller is designed as a rotatable worm-type cam. By turning the cam, the flexible bow is raised or lowered. Furthermore, EP 2 392 703 A1 discloses a device in which the flexible bow is mounted on an eccentrically mounted bolt. EP 3 124 657 A1 discloses a device in which the bearing of the flexible bow is held on a bearing bolt connected to an adjusting rod and provided with a helical surface. The adjusting rod causes a rotation of the bearing bolt, which in turn results in a radial displacement of the flexible bow.The actuator may be driven pneumatically, electrically or electropneumatically.

[0005] According to the prior art, attempts are made to pre-measure the revolving flats required for a revolving flat assembly and eliminate those with high deviations. However, large height differences still occur when individual revolving flats must be replaced due to wear or other defects. When setting the combing gap, the highest revolving flat is regularly sought and used as a reference for the setting. As a result, the combing gap can fluctuate by up to a tenth of a millimeter during one revolving flat cycle, which can result in the gap width doubling if the combing gap size is correspondingly smaller.

[0006] This means that only that part of the fiber material where the highest revolving flat is closest to the drum surface is combed to specification. Revolving flats with a greater distance to the drum surface therefore lead to quality losses or quality fluctuations in the processed fiber material.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to propose a device and a method which make it possible to achieve a constant carding gap during operation of the carding machine, regardless of the manufacturing tolerances in the revolving flats with the card clothing.

[0008] This object is achieved by the features set forth in the characterizing portion of the independent claim. To address this problem, a device for dynamically adjusting the carding gap of a running carding machine is proposed. The device comprises a controller, a drum equipped with a drum clothing, a drum shaft, and a revolving flat assembly provided with a plurality of revolving flats. The revolving flats are connected in the revolving flat assembly to form a continuous chain. Connecting revolving flats in a chain is known in the prior art and is achieved, for example, by roller chains, belts, or ribbons. The revolving flat chain is driven continuously by a drive device via deflecting rollers. Each revolving flat has a flat clothing consisting of individual wire hooks that penetrate a base and point toward the drum. The wire hooks engage the fiber material conveyed by the drum, separating and parallelizing the fiber material. The revolving flats are held on at least one flexible bow on both sides of the drum in the direction of the drum shaft, and the revolving flats are moved along the outer surface of the drum clothing on the flexible bow. By appropriately arranging the deflecting rollers, the revolving flats are pressed onto the flexible bows and guided accordingly. The flexible bows provide a path for the revolving flats that can be concentric with the surface of the drum clothing. However, it is common practice to guide the revolving flats in such a way that when the fibers enter the revolving flats, the flat clothing is further away from the surface of the drum clothing than when the fibers leave. This results in a narrowing of the carding gap in the direction of rotation of the drum. The carding gap is formed by the distance between the outer surface of the drum clothing and the flat surface of the revolving flats facing the drum clothing.

[0009] Furthermore, a sensor is provided to detect the position of the endless chain of revolving flats. To allow for the dynamic setting of the combing gap, the controller must always know which revolving flats are positioned relative to the drum at which point. For example, the revolving flats can be numbered and the sensor detects the number, or a reference flat detected by the sensor is provided. The flat curve for one cycle of the chain of revolving flats is stored in the controller. The coverage curve indicates the height deviations of the individual revolving flats. For example, the deviations of the individual revolving flats can be determined by measuring them in advance or during installation. The measurement can be done optically or manually or using other measuring techniques. The deviations of the revolving flats arranged one after another in the chain are correspondingly combined over the entire cycle of the chain to form the flat curve.

[0010] At least one actuator is used to adjust the distance between the flexible bow guiding the revolving flats and the drum axis. The actuator is a motorized device consisting of at least a drive unit and a path measuring device. The drive unit, in turn, comprises at least one electric motor or pneumatic cylinder and, if necessary, a transmission ratio. The transmission ratio necessarily depends on the choice of drive unit used to adjust the flexible bow within a range of a few microns. The path measuring device is also capable of measuring adjustments of a few microns, allowing the controller to adjust the flexible bow accordingly. Depending on the choice of drive unit, the path measuring device can be integrated into the drive unit or attached to the actuator or device. Distance adjustment by the actuator adapts to the flat curve during the movement of the revolving flats, ensuring a constant carding gap during the chain cycle. Due to the flat curve and the position of the revolving flat chain, the controller can set a predetermined carding gap independent of the height of the revolving flats. The actuator is controlled based on the corresponding flat curve as the revolving flats move along the surface of the drum clothing. This device continuously adjusts the distance, thereby achieving a constant carding gap. Despite the constant movement of the revolving flats, the dynamic adjustment of the flexible bows ensures consistent processing quality that meets the requirements.

[0011] Advantageously, the flat curve corresponds to the path of the distance between the flexible bows guiding the revolving flats and the drum axis during one revolution of the revolving flat chain in the revolving flat assembly at a zero millimeter combing gap. By normalizing the flat curve as the combing gap approaches zero and simultaneously displaying it as a path of distance, the relative difference in distance is displayed regardless of the specified gap width of the combing gap. When the carding machine is in operation, the flat curve is added to the selected combing gap of, for example, 100 μm, and the flexible bows are adjusted accordingly by the actuator. This results in a change in the radial distance of the flexible bows, for example, between 100 μm and 200 μm, due to the differences between the revolving flats during one revolution of the revolving flat chain.

[0012] Preferably, the chain of revolving flats, or at least one of the revolving flats, has a marking, and a sensor is provided for detecting this marking. The advantage of this marking is that the starting position of the chain can be easily identified. The marking can be, for example, a color marking, a depression, a protrusion, or an additional element on one or more revolving flats. The sensor is designed as an optical, inductive, capacitive, or tactile sensor corresponding to the marking. Barcodes or QR codes can also be used, which is particularly advantageous if cameras are already used for machine monitoring. By providing markings on both ends of the revolving flat, it is possible to determine whether the revolving flat is running obliquely on the surface of the drum clothing, as seen in the direction of the drum axis. This makes it possible to synchronize the ends of the revolving flats arranged on both sides of the drum in the direction of the drum axis, for example, when reinstalling the elements connecting the revolving flats.

[0013] It is also advantageous to provide independent flat curves for the flexible bows arranged on both sides of the drum. This has the advantage that the actuators interacting with the flexible bows do not need to be calibrated. Tolerances in the length of the revolving flats or their clothings can also be compensated. In this embodiment, the flexible bows arranged on both sides of the drum are moved independently of each other by associated actuators. By controlling the carding machine, the carding gap is thus influenced from both sides of the carding machine, and any deviations in the height of the revolving flats across their width, as viewed in the direction of the drum axis, are thus compensated.

[0014] In another refinement, the flexible bows arranged on both sides of the drum are each divided into multiple segments, with each individual segment of the flexible bow being provided with an actuator. This has the advantage that not only a single actuator can be used to adjust the radial distance of the flexible bow from the drum axis. By dividing the flexible bow into multiple segments, a greater variation in the carding gap can be achieved over the entire length of the flexible bow. Therefore, a separate flat curve is stored in the controller for each individual segment.

[0015] Advantageously, the device includes a contact measurement unit. Setting the carding gap is based on knowing when it is zero, that is, when contact occurs with oppositely positioned components. This allows for easy calibration of existing adjustment devices, taking into account the structural characteristics of individual components such as the flexible bow and the pivoting flats. Precisely determining the contact allows for precise maintenance of the carding gap and avoids damage to the components. In various embodiments, contact measurement units for determining the contact between the flat clothing and the drum clothing are known from the prior art. For example, DE 10 2006 002 812 A1 discloses a device in which the drum and the flats are electrically insulated from each other. These components are connected as contact elements to a circuit in which a measuring element for determining contact is present. Furthermore, DE 39 13 996 A1 discloses sensors for measuring the distance between the clothings, including capacitive, inductive, and optical sensors. WO 2008 055 367 A1 discloses measurement using spark discharge. CH 695 351 A5 discloses a structure-borne sound measurement for detecting the contact between a drum clothing and a flat clothing.

[0016] Furthermore, to generate a flat curve during one revolving flat cycle, the carding gap is adjusted by the controller using an actuator so that contact occurs between the surface of the drum clothing and the plane of the revolving flat, with this contact being detected by a contact measurement unit. This makes it easy to record the paths of the individual revolving flats, which are guided one after another via the flexible bow, in a curve, taking into account design-related and production-related differences. The curve generated in this way during one revolving flat cycle is then added to the specified carding gap, thereby achieving a constant carding gap during the operation of the carding machine through dynamic control of the actuator, regardless of the height differences of the individual revolving flats. Determining contact is much easier and clearer than measuring the actual distance, as there are no measurement tolerances or incorrect measurements.

[0017] To produce the flat curve, the revolving flats are preferably moved counter-to the working direction, and the drum rotates counter-to the running direction. By moving the revolving flats counter-to the working direction, it is ensured that the revolving flats meet the drum clothing at the point that provides the widest carding gap, thus avoiding direct contact. By rotating the drum counter-to the running direction, the flat clothing, or its tips, contact the back of the drum clothing, preventing the flat clothing from becoming stuck in the drum clothing. This operating mode also prevents unnecessary wear on the tips of the flat clothing and drum clothing due to contact between the tip surfaces that are active during the carding process.

[0018] Preferably, the flat curve generation is performed separately for each flexible bow or each section of a flexible bow, wherein during this generation, the other flexible bow or other section of a flexible bow is positioned in a non-contacting position by a corresponding actuator. This procedure avoids the need to allocate the detection of a touch to one of the two sides of the drum. Due to the geometric arrangement of the revolving flats, contact can only occur on the moving side of the drum. Although the disadvantage is that the chain must make two revolutions to capture both curves, the advantage of locally limiting possible contact between the drum clothing and the flat clothing outweighs the disadvantage.

[0019] Advantageously, the contact measurement unit is a current measuring device. The drum and revolving flats are electrically insulated from one another, for example by means of an electrically insulating mounting of the drum shaft in the machine frame, and are connected to a voltage source. As soon as the drum clothing and the flat clothing come into contact, the circuit is closed, which is detected by the corresponding measuring device. This has the advantage, compared to non-contact distance measurement using, for example, optical sensors, that a clear distinction can be made between touch and approach. In an alternative embodiment, the contact measurement unit is a structure-borne sound measurement. As soon as the clothing comes into contact, vibrations occur, which are propagated as structure-borne sound. This structure-borne sound can be measured using acceleration sensors in the area of the flexible bow, the machine frame, or the drum. The advantage of structure-borne sound measurement over current measurement is that the intensity of the contact can be determined. This means that accidental contact between the individual tips of the flat clothing and the drum clothing can be excluded as irrelevant.

[0020] A method for dynamically adjusting the carding gap of a running carding machine is also provided. The carding machine comprises a controller, a drum equipped with a drum clothing, a drum shaft, and a revolving flat assembly provided with a plurality of revolving flats. The revolving flats in the revolving flat assembly are connected to form a continuously circulating chain. Each revolving flat has a flat clothing and is guided on at least one flexible bow on both sides of the drum in the direction of the drum shaft and moves in the working direction along the outer surface of the drum clothing. The drum rotates in the running direction. The carding gap is defined by the distance between the outer surface of the drum clothing and the flat surface of the revolving flats facing the drum clothing. The flat curve for one cycle of the revolving flat chain is stored in the controller, and the controller detects the position of the revolving flat chain via a sensor. At least one actuator adjusts the distance between the flexible bow guiding the revolving flats and the drum shaft. This distance is adjusted during the movement of the revolving flats and is adapted to the flat curve stored in the controller so that the carding gap remains constant during each cycle of the chain.

[0021] Advantageously, the generation of the flat curve during the rotation of the drum counter to the running direction and the movement of the chain of the revolving flats counter to the working direction comprises the following method steps:

[0022] a) Determine the starting position of the chain of the revolving flat;

[0023] b) reducing the distance by means of an actuator until the contact measuring unit detects contact between the surface of the cylinder clothing and the plane of the revolving flat;

[0024] c) recording the position of the actuator by reference to the position of the chain by the controller;

[0025] d) increasing the distance by means of the actuator until the surface of the cylinder clothing is no longer in contact with the plane of the revolving flat;

[0026] e) Repeat steps b) to d) until the starting position of the chain of the revolving flat is reached again;

[0027] f) The course of the recorded positions is stored in the controller as a cover curve, and the rotation of the drum and the movement of the chain are turned off.

[0028] The flat curves generated using this method accurately reflect the geometric differences present in the revolving flats used. Therefore, the controller adds a specified carding gap of, for example, 150 μm to the value from the flat curve corresponding to the chain position. The resulting value is set via the actuator.

[0029] Depending on the movement of the revolving flat chain, the controller continuously adjusts the value to be set using the actuator, and the carding gap is dynamically adjusted. Although the setting is dynamic, i.e., it changes over time, the current carding gap remains constant in terms of its width acting on the fiber material.

[0030] The method is advantageous for generating flat curves during new installations and after overhauls (for repairs or maintenance work, such as replacing the drum clothing) or after replacing individual revolving flats due to damage. It is also advantageous to generate new flat curves after grinding the drum clothing or the flat clothing. In principle, it is advantageous to generate new flat curves after the running-in phase of a new card (after approximately 20 tons of production) and after an overhaul of a card (after approximately 200 tons of production).

[0031] Preferably, a flat curve is generated separately for each flexible bow, wherein during the generation of the flat curve for the first flexible bow, the second flexible bow is adjusted via a corresponding actuator and remains in its position during the generation of the flat curve for the first flexible bow, so that in the region of the second flexible bow, there is no contact between the surface of the drum clothing and the plane of the revolving flats. While the flat curve is being generated for the first flexible bow, the second flexible bow is fixed in a position that ensures no contact, thereby preventing incorrect measurements. The same procedure is also used when generating separate flat curves for the various sections of the flexible bow.

[0032] In a further development of the method, the cover plate curve stored in the controller is influenced by a correction factor resulting from at least one of the following influences:

[0033] - Rotation speed of the drum

[0034] -Process temperature

[0035] -Ambient temperature

[0036] -Run time.

[0037] To achieve the most efficient carding effect possible in a carding machine, the carding gap must be kept as small as possible, particularly in the main carding zone between the revolving flat clothing and the drum clothing. The drum clothing is applied to the outer surface of the carding machine's drum using specialized tensioning and fastening methods. To achieve high production throughput, the rotational speeds of the drum have been increasing in recent years. In other words, drums with rotational speeds exceeding 600 rpm are now being used. Increasing the rotational speed increases the centrifugal forces on the carding machine's drum, which, due to the resulting uneven stresses, causes uneven elastic deformations across the diameter of the carding machine's drum. Due to the resulting uneven elastic deformations in the drum area, the carding gap set in the idle state may change during operation. This can lead to poor carding due to loss of carding surface, as well as collisions and, consequently, damage to the card clothing. This is accounted for by applying corresponding correction factors to the flat curves.

[0038] During the carding process, the temperature in the carding area or between the flat clothing and the drum clothing increases. These temperature changes cause various components involved in the process, such as the revolving flats, the drum, or the flexible bow, to expand or deform. Furthermore, the geometric conditions are affected by changes in ambient temperature, for example by the expansion of the frame, which directly affects the position of the flexible bow attached to it relative to the drum axis. These geometric changes in the components caused by temperature differences affecting the carding gap should advantageously be taken into account by appropriate correction factors.

[0039] Running time also affects the carding gap. As the carding machine is used and the amount of fiber processed in the card increases, the various components, especially the card clothing, wear out. Wear of the card clothing causes the carding gap to increase with running time, which must also be compensated by adding appropriate correction factors to the flat curve.

[0040] A carding machine comprising a device as described above is also proposed.

[0041] The present invention will now be described with reference to exemplary embodiments and will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0042] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a side view of a carding machine according to the prior art;

[0043] Figure 2 is based on Figure 1 A magnified view of region X;

[0044] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a side view of an embodiment of the apparatus;

[0045] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a side view of another embodiment of the apparatus;

[0046] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of a cross section of an embodiment of the apparatus;

[0047] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a cross section of another embodiment of the apparatus, and

[0048] Figure 7 is a graphical representation of the curve of the cover plate according to the present invention.

[0049] Figure 1 A schematic side view of a carding machine 1 according to the prior art is shown. The fiber material 2 to be carded, which can consist of natural or synthetic fibers, or a mixture thereof, is introduced into a filling chute 3 in the form of coarsely cleaned and dissolved fiber lint. From the filling shaft 3, the fiber material 2 is fed to a feed roller 4 and received as lint by a breaker or licker-in roller 5. The licker-in roller 5 can be a single licker-in roller or multiple licker-in rollers. From the licker-in roller 5, the fibers are transferred to a bobbin or drum 6. On the drum 6, the fiber lint is broken down into individual fibers, parallelized, and cleaned. The drum 6 is equipped with a drum clothing 7 on its outer circumference. Due to the rotational movement of the drum 6 in the running direction 8, the fiber material carried by the drum clothing 7 reaches the main carding zone, which is formed in conjunction with a revolving flat assembly 10 arranged above the drum 6. The revolving flat assembly 10 is provided with a schematically illustrated circumferential revolving flat 11 equipped with a flat clothing 12. A carding gap 15 is formed between the drum clothing 7 and the flat clothing 12, through which the fiber material passes. The individual revolving flats 11 are connected to one another and assembled to form a continuously circulating chain 13. The chain 13 is continuously moved in a working direction 14 in the revolving flat assembly 10 by a drive (not shown). The working direction 14 of the revolving flats 11 is generally opposite to the running direction 8 of the drum 6. The drum 6 is rotatably mounted on a drum shaft 9 and is mounted in a frame 15 of the carding machine 1 via bearings (not shown). The drum shaft 9 is connected to a drive (not shown in detail) of the carding machine 1.

[0050] After the revolving flat assembly 10, the carded fiber material reaches the area of a rotatably mounted doffer 17, which transfers the fiber material removed from the drum 6 to a rotatably mounted doffer roller 18. The doffer roller 18 conveys the fiber material removed by the doffer 17 via a guide device (not shown in detail) to a subsequent pair of press rollers 19, which convey the fiber material via further guide devices (not shown) (for example, transverse conveyor belts) to a nonwoven hopper 20. The fiber material formed in the nonwoven hopper 20 is calendered in the form of a carded sliver 22 by a subsequent calender roller pair 21 and transferred to a sliver storage (not shown).

[0051] Figure 2 is based on Figure 11 . An enlarged view of the area X of the cylinder 6 is shown. Two revolving flats 11 are arranged on the chain 13, details of which are shown. The revolving flats 11 are each equipped with a flat clothing 12 on the side assigned to the cylinder 6. The flat clothing 12 is formed by a plurality of wire hooks provided with tips, which form a flat surface 29. The cylinder 6, which is arranged opposite the revolving flats 11, is provided with a cylinder clothing 7. The tips of the cylinder clothing 7 form its outer surface 28. The distance between the flat surface 29 of the flat clothing 12 and the surface 28 of the cylinder clothing 7 forms the carding gap 15. During operation, the cylinder 6 moves in the running direction 8 and the chain 13 moves in the working direction 14. However, when a flat curve is generated, the cylinder (6) rotates counter to the running direction (8) and the chain (13) moves counter to the working direction (14).

[0052] Figure 3 A schematic diagram shows a side view of an embodiment of an apparatus having a revolving flat assembly 10, which is arranged above a drum 6. The drum 6 has a drum shaft 9 and is provided with a drum clothing 7 on its outer circumference, forming an outer surface 28. The revolving flat assembly 10 comprises a plurality of revolving flats 11, which are connected to one another and form a continuous chain 13. The chain 13 is guided on deflection rollers 23 and along the surface 28 of the drum 6 on flexible bows 24, one of the deflection rollers 23 being designed as a drive roller (not shown). The revolving flats 11 are equipped with a flat clothing 12 on the side opposite the drum clothing 7 and interact with the drum clothing 7. In this example, the working direction 14 of the revolving flats 11 points opposite the running direction 8 of the drum 6.

[0053] In the case of the revolving flats 11 directly opposite the drum 6, the tips of the flat clothing 12 point in the direction of the surface 28 forming the tip of the drum clothing 7. Figure 2 As can be seen in the enlarged view of the cylinder, there is a certain distance between the plane 29 formed by the tips of the flat clothing 12 and the drum clothing 7. This distance is called the carding gap 15. The carding gap ranges between 0.1 mm and 0.4 mm. To keep the carding gap 15 constant, a flexible bow 24 is attached, on which the revolving flats 11 rest. The flexible bow 24 is connected to an actuator 27, which is arranged so that the distance 30 between the drum shaft 9 and the flexible bow 24 or the plane 29 of the flat clothing 12 can be adjusted by the actuator 27.

[0054] Furthermore, a controller 31 is provided, in which a flat curve 38 is stored. The controller 31 is also connected to the actuator 27 and to a contact measuring unit 34 and a sensor 32. The sensor 32 detects a marker 33 attached to one of the revolving flats 11. The controller 31 thus knows where the chain 13 is located and can adjust the distance 30 of the flexible bow 24 via the actuator 27 according to the flat curve 38. The contact measuring unit 34 is necessary for generating the flat curve 38, but can also be used as a collision sensor in normal operation to prevent unwanted contact between the flat clothing 12 and the drum clothing 7.

[0055] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a side view of another embodiment of the device. In the following, only the embodiment according to Figure 3 The differences between the embodiments are discussed in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of partially identical structures of the device. The flexible bow 24 is divided into three segments 26. The distances 30 of the three segments 26 from the drum axis 9 can be adjusted independently of one another via correspondingly assigned actuators 27. Depending on the number of segments 26, different cover curves 38 are stored in the controller 31.

[0056] Figure 5 A schematic diagram shows a cross-section of an embodiment of an apparatus having a drum 6 and a revolving flat 11. The drum 11 is provided with a drum clothing 7 on its outer circumference, the tips of which form an outer surface 28. The drum 6 is mounted in a machine frame 16. On the side facing the drum 6, the revolving flat 11 is equipped with a flat clothing 12, the tips of which form a flat surface 29. The carding gap 15 is formed by the distance between the surface 28 and the flat surface 29. The revolving flat 11 is mounted on both sides of the drum 6 and guided on a first flexible bow 24 and a second flexible bow 25, respectively. An actuator 27 is provided between the machine frame 16 and the flexible bows 24 and 25, respectively, with which the distance 30 between the flat surface 29 and the drum axis 9 can be adjusted. An example of a structure-borne sound sensor 35 is shown on the drum axis 9, connected to a contact measurement unit 34 that includes an evaluation unit.

[0057] Figure 6A schematic diagram of a cross section of another embodiment of the device during the production of a flat curve 38 with a drum 6 and a revolving flat 11 is shown. The drum 11 is provided on its outer circumference with a drum clothing 7, the tips of which form an outer surface 28. The drum 6 is mounted in a frame 16. The revolving flat 11 is equipped with a flat clothing 12 on the side facing the drum 6, the tips of which form a plane 29. The carding gap 15 is formed by the distance between the surface 28 and the plane 29. The revolving flat 11 is mounted on both sides of the drum 6 and is guided on both sides on a first flexible bow 24 and a second flexible bow 25. Between the frame 16 and the flexible bows 24 and 25, an actuator 27 is provided in each case, with which the distance 30 between the plane 29 and the drum axis 9 can be adjusted. In the representation shown, the flat curve 38 is produced for the second flexible bow 25 (see Figure 7 For this purpose, the actuator 27 of the first flexible bow 24 is fixed in a position in which no contact between the drum clothing 7 and the flat clothing 12 is ensured in the region of the first flexible bow 24. Therefore, any contact that occurs during the generation of the curve can be attributed to the arrangement of the second flexible bow. Between the revolving flats 11 and the drum 6, a current sensor 36 is shown as an example, which is connected to a contact measurement unit 34 that includes an evaluation unit. The revolving flats 11 and the drum 6 are electrically insulated from each other via an insulation 37, so that a current is only detected in the contact measurement unit 34 when the flat clothing 12 and the drum clothing 7 are in contact with each other.

[0058] Figure 7 A graphical representation of a cover curve 38 in the form of a diagram according to the invention is shown. The cover curve 38 shows the course 41 of the distance between the first flexible bow and the drum axis (see Figure 3 or Figure 4), and the path 42 of the distance between the second flexible bow and the drum axis 9. The first and second flexible bows are, for example, two flexible bows arranged on either side of a drum in a carding machine, with a separate flat curve 38 or separate paths 41 and 42 generated for each. In the diagram shown, one cycle 39 of the revolving flat chain is plotted on the abscissa, and a measured variable 40 in μm is plotted on the ordinate. The difference in the measured distance between the drum axis and the flexible bow relative to the position within one cycle 39 is then entered as the measured variable 40. The flat curve 38 with paths 41 and 42 is used to control the correction of the specified carding gap when setting the actuator. As shown, the maximum deviation 43 of 42 μm occurs at position 0.4 of cycle 39. Without the ability to dynamically set the carding gap, this means that for a specified carding gap of 150 μm, the carding machine must operate with a carding gap of at least 193 μm to avoid collisions with the card clothings. The result is a corresponding loss in the quality of the processed fiber material.

[0059] The invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described. Modifications and combinations of features are possible within the scope of the claims, even if these features are shown and described in different embodiments.

[0060] Explanation of symbols

[0061] 1 Carding machine

[0062] 2 Fiber materials

[0063] 3 Filling chute

[0064] 4 Feed rollers

[0065] 5 licker-in

[0066] 6 rollers

[0067] 7. Roller clothing

[0068] 8. Running direction of the roller

[0069] 9 Roller shaft

[0070] 10 Swing cover assembly

[0071] 11. Rotating flat

[0072] 12 Flat clothing

[0073] 13 Chain

[0074] 14 Work Direction

[0075] 15 Combing gap

[0076] 16 racks

[0077] 17 Dolph

[0078] 18 doffer rollers

[0079] 19 roller pairs

[0080] 20 Nonwoven Funnel

[0081] 21 A pair of calender rollers

[0082] 22 Combing cotton strips

[0083] 23 Deflection roller

[0084] 24 first flexible bow member

[0085] 25 second flexible bow member

[0086] 26 Section of flexible bow

[0087] 27 Actuator

[0088] 28 Drum clothing surface

[0089] 29 Flat clothing level

[0090] 30 Distance

[0091] 31 Controller

[0092] 32 sensors

[0093] 33 Mark

[0094] 34 contact measurement unit

[0095] 35 Structure-borne acoustic sensor

[0096] 36 Current Sensor

[0097] 37 Insulation

[0098] 38 Cover curve

[0099] 39 loops

[0100] 40 measured variables

[0101] 41 Route of the first flexible bow

[0102] 42 Route of the second flexible bow

[0103] 43 Maximum deviation

Claims

1. A device for dynamically adjusting the carding gap (15) of a running carding machine (1), the device comprising a controller (31) and a drum (6) equipped with a drum clothing (7) and a drum shaft (9), and a revolving flat assembly (10) provided with a plurality of revolving flats (11), wherein the revolving flats (11) in the revolving flat assembly (10) are connected to form a continuous loop chain (13), wherein the revolving flats (11) each have a flat clothing (12) and are held on both sides of the drum (6) in the direction of the drum shaft (9). The invention relates to a carding device comprising: ... A sensor (32) is provided for detecting the position of the circulating chain (13) of the revolving flat (11), and a flat curve (38) of the circulation (39) of the chain (13) of the revolving flat (11) is stored in the controller (31), and adjustment of the distance (30) between the flexible bow (24, 25) of the revolving flat (11) and the roller shaft (9) is provided by at least one actuator (27), the adjustment being adapted to the flat curve (38) during the movement of the revolving flat (11) so that the combing gap (15) is constant during the circulation (39) of the chain (13).

2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that During one cycle (39) of the chain (13) of the revolving flats (11) in the revolving flat assembly (10) at a zero millimeter combing gap (15), the flat curve (38) corresponds to the course (41, 42) of the distance (30) between the flexible bows (24, 25) guiding the revolving flats (11) and the drum axis (9).

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The chain (13) of the revolving flat (11) or at least one revolving flat (11) has a marking (33), and the sensor (32) is provided for detecting the marking (33).

4. The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that Independent cover curves (38) are provided for the flexible bows (24, 25) arranged on both sides of the drum (6).

5. The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The flexible bows (24, 25) arranged on both sides of the drum (6) are each divided into a plurality of sections (26), wherein each of the sections (26) of the flexible bows (24, 25) is each provided with an actuator (27).

6. The device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The device has a contact measuring unit (34) and, in order to generate the flat curve (38) during one cycle (39) of the revolving flat (11), the controller (31) uses the actuator (27) to adjust the combing gap (15) so that contact occurs between the surface (28) of the cylinder clothing (7) and the plane (29) of the revolving flat (11), wherein the detection of the contact is provided by the contact measuring unit (34).

7. The device according to claim 6, characterized in that In order to generate the flat curve (38), a movement of the revolving flat (11) counter to the working direction (14) and a rotation of the drum (6) counter to the running direction (8) are provided.

8. The device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that The generation of a cover curve (38) is provided individually for each flexible bow (24, 25) or each section (26) of said flexible bow (24, 25), wherein during said generation, the other flexible bow (24, 25) or the other section (26) of said flexible bow (24, 25) is in each case arranged in a non-contacting position by means of the corresponding said actuator (27).

9. The device according to at least one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that The contact measurement unit (34) comprises a current measuring device (36).

10. The device according to at least one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that The contact measurement unit (34) includes a structure-borne sound sensor (36).

11. A method for dynamically adjusting the carding gap (15) of a running carding machine (1), the carding machine comprising a controller (31) and a drum (6) equipped with a drum clothing (7) and a drum shaft (9), and a revolving flat assembly (10) provided with a plurality of revolving flats (11), wherein the revolving flats (11) in the revolving flat assembly (10) are connected to form a continuous loop chain (13), wherein the revolving flats (11) each have a flat clothing (12) and are arranged on at least one flexible bow ( 24, 25) on both sides of the drum (6) in the direction of the drum axis (9) and is moved in the working direction (14) along the outer surface (28) of the drum clothing (7), and the drum (6) rotates in the running direction (8), and wherein the combing gap (15) is defined by the distance between the outer surface (28) of the drum clothing (7) and the plane (29) of the flat clothing (12) of the revolving flat (11) facing the drum clothing (7), characterized in that The flat plate curve (38) of the cycle (39) of the chain (13) of the revolving flat plate (11) is stored in the controller (31), and the controller (31) detects the position of the circulating chain (13) of the revolving flat plate (11) via a sensor (32), and guides the distance (30) between the flexible bow (24, 25) of the revolving flat plate (11) and the roller shaft (9) to be adjusted by at least one actuator (27), and the distance (30) is adjusted during the movement of the revolving flat plate (11) and adapted to the flat plate curve (38) stored in the controller (31), so that the combing gap (15) is constant during the cycle (39) of the chain (13).

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that The flat curve (38) is generated during a rotation of the drum (6) counter to the running direction (8) and a movement of the chain (13) of the revolving flat (11) counter to the working direction (14), comprising the following method steps: a) determining the starting position of the chain (13) of the revolving flat (11); b) reducing the distance (30) by means of the actuator (27) until a contact measuring unit (34) detects contact between the surface (28) of the cylinder clothing (7) and the plane (29) of the revolving flat (11); c) recording the position of the actuator (27) by the controller (31) with reference to the position of the chain (13); d) increasing the distance (30) by means of the actuator (27) until the surface (28) of the cylinder clothing (7) is no longer in contact with the plane (29) of the revolving flat (11); e) repeating steps b) to d) until the starting position of the chain (13) of the revolving flat (11) is reached again; f) storing the recorded path (41, 42) of the position as a cover curve (38) in the controller (31), and shutting down the rotation of the drum (6) and the movement of the chain (13).

13. The method according to claim 12, characterized in that A flat curve (38) is generated separately for each flexible bow (24, 25), wherein during the generation of the flat curve (38) of the first flexible bow (24), the second flexible bow (25) is adjusted via the corresponding actuator (27) and remains in its position during the generation of the flat curve (38) of the first flexible bow (24) so that in the area of the second flexible bow (25) there is no contact between the surface (28) of the roller clothing (7) and the plane (29) of the revolving flat (11).

14. Method according to at least one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that The cover plate curve (38) stored in the controller (31) is affected by a correction factor resulting from at least one of the following effects: - the rotation speed of the drum -Process temperature -Ambient temperature -Run time.

15. A carding machine (1) having a device according to at least one of claims 1 to 10.

Images