[0001] The present invention relates to cylinders exploited on machines used for manufacturing
fabrics, and the invention pertains more particularly to a cylinder incorporating
a motor for operating it.
[0002] In the field of textile machines, several kinds of cylinders are used generally.
Among these, some exploit a motor to be driven or rotated, such as driving or transmission
cylinders as well as spreader rolls, the rotating speed of which needs to be varied
according to the particular kind of fabric that is manufactured.
[0003] Therefore, textile machines always need to have a space provided for seating a motor
for driving said cylinders and rolls and a space for accommodating transmission devices
such as belts, chains and gearing connecting the motor to the cylinder that has to
be rotated.
[0004] Obviously, the arrangement of these mechanical units on the textile machine can sometimes
involve encumbrance problems and, successively, maintenance problems, particularly
for the transmission devices.
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a textile machine cylinder that
is motorised, so as to prevent the above identified problems from occurring.
[0006] This object is attained according to the invention by a textile machine cylinder,
characterised in that it comprises a motor of the kind in which the rotor forms the
peripheral part of the motor and the stator forms the central part of the motor; the
motor being fitted inside the cylinder proximate to at least one of its ends.
[0007] For a better understanding of the above and other features and advantages of the
present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of a preferred
embodiment considered in conjunction with the enclosed drawings, in which:
- Figure 1
- shows a textile machine provided with cylinders motorised according to known prior
art;
- Figure 2
- is a partial section view to an enlarged scale of an end of the cylinders shown in
Figure 1;
- Figure 3
- is a partial section view of an end of a cylinder according to this invention; and
- Figure 4
- is a front view of the cylinder of this invention shown in Figure 3.
[0008] Referring to the drawings, numeral 1 indicates a known textile machine, fitted with
spreading rolls 2. These rolls are rotated by a motor 3 through a transmission device
4, not shown in detail because hidden by a protective box 5. Referring also to Figure
2, the spreading rolls 2 are rotated by a shaft 6, which is in turn rotated by the
motor 3 through the transmission 4. It can be understood, as being evident from Figure
1, that the motor and its relevant transmission device take up a space that surely
increases the bulk of the machine.
[0009] According to this invention, the motor and transmission unit, the protective box
and also the shaft 6 located at the end of spreader roll 2, are substituted by a particular
type of electric motor 8, of known kind, that is inserted within the roll 2, as shown
in Figure 3.
[0010] This kind of motor is particular in that the stator unit is located in a central
position, while the rotor forms the peripheral part of the motor, shell included.
[0011] In this way, upon connecting or fixing the motor's outer shell 9 to the inside of
the wall 10 at an end of the roll, and connecting or fixing to the frame of the machine
1 the stator 11 that represents the rotation axis of the motor, the need to provide
a motion transmission device is eliminated.
[0012] Figure 4 clearly shows the minimum bulk represented by this kind of spreader roll
motorization. As stated above, the field of this invention is not limited to spreader
rolls as shown in the alleged drawings, but it embraces any kind of cylinder or roll
applied to a textile machine.
1. A textile machine cylinder (2) characterized in that it comprises a motor (8) of the
kind in which the rotor forms the peripheral part of the motor and the stator (11)
forms the central part of the motor; the motor (8) being fitted inside the cylinder
(2) proximate to at least one of its ends (10).
2. A cylinder according to claim 1 characterized in that the stator (11) of the motor
(8) is fixed to the frame of the textile machine (1).
3. A cylinder according to claim 1 characterized in that the rotor of the motor (8) is
fixed to one end (10) of the cylinder (2).
