Abstract:
An apparatus for forming a non-woven fiber baft of fibrous material which includes a housing connecting with a plurality of feed chutes which feed fibers from a plurality of sources into a mixing chamber. Feed rolls, adjacent each discharge end of the feed chutes, are driven at selected speeds to withdraw fibers from the feed chutes at selected rates. A combing roll within the mixing chamber acts to assist the fibers from the mixing chamber into a beater chamber where they are further blended and opened. From the beater chamber the fibers move into a batt forming chute where they are formed into a fiber batt. The batt forming chute includes a packing belt and a vibrating assembly each driven at selected speeds to compact the fibers into a fiber batt of desired density. Volume dependent controls within the batt forming chute act to control the rate of the feed rolls and the beater roll while weight or density dependent controls outside the batt forming chute act to control the rate of the packing belt and the vibrating assembly.
Abstract:
A fiber processing assembly includes a fiber processing machine having an inlet and an outlet; an arrangement for introducing fiber material into the fiber processing machine through the inlet; a fiber opening and cleaning machine having an inlet and an outlet and being disposed underneath the fiber processing machine; and an arrangement for advancing the fiber material from the fiber processing machine to the fiber opening and cleaning machine substantially solely by gravity.
Abstract:
A method for operating a bale opening machine (1) includes the step of defining a desired normal or operational take-off depth for the take-off device or extraction member (6) to be applied to all of the bales (7) of the bale lie. An actual take-off depth is computed for predetermined positions along the bale line as a function of the normal take-off depth and factors computed for the respective positions to take into account bale height differences and density differences between the bales. With respect to the bale height differences (4MAX−aMIN), the take-off factors have a proportional value based on a bale height at the respective positions compared to a total bale height difference between the highest and lowest bales. A total bale height is recomputed prior to each pass of the take-off device and the actual take-off depth factors are set to a value of 1 if the computed total bale height difference is reduced to at least the magnitude of the normal take-off depth. The bale density factors are applied simultaneously with the height take-off factors and are computed based on a percentage of bale height and a perceived density characteristic of each bale.
Abstract:
Two dispersers tunnels (20, 22) are provided at a disperser station. Each disperser tunnel (20, 22) houses two dispersers (24, 26 and 28, 30). Each pair of dispersers (24, 26 and 38, 30) are spaced apart and confront each other, with a mixing zone (42, 54) being defined between them. A separate conveyor (32, 34, 36, 38) is provided for feeding textile fiber modules, e.g. cotton boll modules (18, 18′, 18″, 18′″), to the dispersers (24, 26, 28, 30). Each pair of dispersers (24, 26) removes fiber clumps from the leading ends of the modules (18, 18′, 18″, 18′″) and dispenses them into the mixing zone (42, 54) in admixture with the fiber clumps from the other disperser (24, 26, 28, 30) of the pair. The blend or mixture of fiber clumps is collected in the upper run (50) of a conveyor (52) that serves to carry the fiber clumps away from the disperser station. The feed rate of the modules (18, 18′, 18″, 18′″) may be regulated and varied by regulating and varying the speed rates of the conveyors (32, 34, 36, 38).
Abstract:
An apparatus for making a fiber lap from a mass of fiber tufts includes a generally vertically extending feed chute having relatively wide first and second walls facing one another and relatively narrow third and fourth walls facing one another. The distance between the third and fourth walls defines the width of the feed chute. Each first and second wall has a mid region and flanking edge regions. The first and/or second wall is provided with air outlet openings in a bottom region. The apparatus further has a device for charging the feed chute with fiber tufts at a top portion thereof, and a device for withdrawing the fiber tufts from the feed chute as a fiber lap at a bottom portion of the feed chute. A plurality of side-by-side arranged elements are positioned in a series on the first wall at a bottom portion thereof along the wall width. The distance between any given element and the second wall defines the depth of the feed chute at the given element. The elements in the mid region have a first dimension measured parallel to the wall width, and the elements in the edge regions have a second dimension measured parallel to the wall width. The first dimension is greater than the second dimension, and the elements in the mid region are at a greater distance from the second wall than the elements in the edge regions of the first wall.
Abstract:
Two dispersers tunnels (20, 22) are provided at a disperser station. Each disperser tunnel (20, 22) houses two dispersers (24, 26 and 28, 30). Each pair of dispersers (24, 26 and 38, 30) are spaced apart and confront each other, with a mixing zone (42, 54) being defined between them. A separate conveyor (32, 34, 36, 38) is provided for feeding textile fiber modules, e.g. cotton boll modules (18, 18′, 18″, 18′″), to the dispersers (24, 26, 28, 30). Each pair of dispersers (24, 26) removes fiber clumps from the leading ends of the modules (18, 18′, 18″, 18′″) and dispenses them into the mixing zone (42, 54) in admixture with the fiber clumps from the other disperser (24, 26, 28, 30) of the pair. The blend or mixture of fiber clumps is collected in the upper run (50) of a conveyor (52) that serves to carry the fiber clumps away from the disperser station. The feed rate of the modules (18, 18′, 18″, 18′″) may be regulated and varied by regulating and varying the speed rates of the conveyors (32, 34, 36, 38). The feed conveyors may be provided with sidewalls so as to define storage bins. Bodies of particulate material may be stored in the storage bins and feed to the dispersers by use of the feed conveyors. The dispersers can be operated to dispense particles from the bodies of particulate material into the mixing zone, in admixture with particles of the other disperse of the pair. The feed rate of the conveyors can be varied for varying the feed rate of particulate material to the dispersers.
Abstract:
A fiber tuft feeder includes a chute; a first air-pervious surface forming part of the chute wall; and a first exhaust air chamber adjoining the first air-pervious surface externally of the interior. The first exhaust air chamber is in a pneumatic communication with the chute through the first air-pervious surface. A device-charges the chute with an air stream carrying fiber tufts. A first part of the air stream is separated from the fiber tufts by, and passing through, the first air-pervious surface into the first exhaust air chamber whereby a fiber tuft column is formed in the chute in the region of the first air-pervious surface. A second air-pervious surface forms part of the chute wall and is situated upstream of the first air-pervious surface. A second exhaust air chamber adjoins the second air-pervious surface externally of the chute interior and is separate from the first exhaust air chamber. The second exhaust air chamber is in a pneumatic communication with the chute interior through the second air-pervious surface for receiving a second part of the air stream. An air outflow opening is provided in a wall of the second exhaust air chamber and an adjustable valve cooperates with the air outflow opening for varying a flow passage area thereof.
Abstract:
A fiber material feeder includes a spiked lattice which has an upper and a lower end roller each having a longitudinal axis. The spiked lattice has an inclined, endless belt supported on the end rollers and a plurality of spikes carried at the outer belt surface and forming a series of consecutive rows extending along the belt width oriented parallel to the roller axes. The spike rows are oriented at an oblique inclination to the roller axes. Further, a drive is provided for circulating the endless belt about the end rollers for advancing fiber material, entrained by the spikes, upwardly toward the upper end roller. A scale including a weighing bin is provided for catching fiber material leaving the belt at the upper end roller.
Abstract:
A fiber processing machine for forming a fiber lap from fiber tufts includes a generally vertically oriented reserve chute, a generally vertically oriented feed chute having an inlet adjoining the outlet of the reserve chute, and a fiber feeding assembly drawing fiber from the reserve chute and advancing fiber into the feed chute. The fiber feeding assembly includes a generally horizontally oriented feed roll having a rotary axis extending parallel to the horizontal width of the reserve chute, and a feed tray array cooperating with the feed roll and being composed of a series of individual feed trays lined up along the feed roll and rotatable about an axis. Each feed tray defines a nip with the feed roll. Measuring elements are coupled to each feed tray for emitting signals representing an extent of excursion of the respective feed tray as the fiber material passes through the respective nip. A control and regulating device is connected to the measuring elements for receiving the signals therefrom. Movable wall elements are arranged side-by-side parallel to the reserve chute width and form part of at least one of the reserve chute walls. Setting members are connected to the wall elements for moving the wall elements in sections in a direction parallel to the reserve chute depth for varying the size thereof.