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(11) | EP 0 673 448 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Discrete fitting for a sliver feed tube Zubehörteil für ein Rohr zum Zuführen eines Faserbandes Tube-garniture monté sur un ruban de fibres |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to the art of textiles and more particularly to a fitting for a sliver feed tube for the spinning of textile fibers into yarn products.
[0002] Various plant structures have existed for the production of textile yarns for ultimately weaving or knitting into desired fabric.
[0003] Traditionally, two techniques of spinning have been utilized, i.e. ring spinning and open-end spinning. An example or open-end spinning is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,939,895 to Raasch, et al. assigned to W. Schlafhorst & Co. of Germany. As described in this particular patent, cans of coiled sliver typically are positioned on the floor adjacent to an open-end spinning apparatus and vertically bent upwardly into the open-end spinning apparatus.
[0004] An example of an open-end spinning apparatus is the Autocoro 240 automatic rotor spinning and winding machine produced and sold by W. Schlafhorst & Co.
[0005] In a conventional plant arrangement, a roving frame carrying a plurality of sliver spools is positioned proximate associated ring spinning machines. While plants have effectively operated utilizing this arrangement, the formation of spools and the manual changing of spent spools on the roving frame have been known to consume significant amounts of time. Moreover, roving frames require considerable floor space. Thus, room exists for improvement in the overall plant operations utilizing ring spinning devices.
[0006] US Patent No. 3,448,571 discloses the features of the pre-characterising portion of the independent claim. US 3,469,385 discloses a sliver feeding apparatus with a break section in the form of regulating plates in the pipe such that the regulating plates restrict the open space for permitting the free passage of sliver and the feed speed is thereby regulated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] It is thus an object of this invention to provide a novel apparatus for feeding a sliver to a ring spinning apparatus. According to the present invention there is provided a discrete fitting adapted for engagement with a lower end of a sliver feed tube as defined in claim 1.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009]
Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates a plant structure in accordance with this invention.
Figure 2 of the drawings schematically illustrates the feeding of a ring spinning apparatus in accordance with this invention.
Figure 3 of the drawings is a cross-sectional view along the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 of the drawings is a side elevation view illustrating a sliver feed tube fitting constructed in accordance with this invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] A plant housing apparatus for the ring spinning of textile fibers into yarns is operated by locating the ring spinning apparatuses on the first floor of an at least three story plant structure and by feeding sliver to the spinning apparatuses alternately from the second and third floors of the plant facility. Sliver feed tubes are provided to appropriately direct the sliver from the second and third stories to adjacent ring spinning apparatuses.
[0011] Figure 1 of the drawings illustrates generally a plant structure 1 having a first floor 3, a second floor 5 and a third floor 7. Located on the first floor or ground floor 3 are conventional first and second ring spinning apparatuses 11 and 13.
[0012] Located on the second floor 5 are a plurality of cans referenced as 15 containing sliver 17 spiralled therein. Sliver 17 is formed by techniques known in the textile art for the cleaning and opening of textile fibers such as cotton.
[0013] The third floor 7 contains an arrangement similar to the second floor 5 having cans such as 21, also having sliver 23 coiled therein.
[0014] The arrangement in accordance with this invention of utilizing sliver cans on the second and third floors permit the second and third floors to have very tightly controlled temperature and humidity conditions so as to have a sliver properly conditioned for the ring spinning process. This is achieved by the use of conventional air conditioners 2 located on the second or third floors. The first floor 3, housing the ring spinning apparatuses 11, 13, is maintained at a different temperature and humidity which is more appropriate for spinning. It has been found to be highly advantageous to separately maintain the sliver at an optimum conditioning temperature while spinning at a different but optimum spinning temperature and humidity.
[0015] The conventional can is normally at a maximum of 0,508 m (twenty inches) by 1,22 m (forty-eight inches). However, also 0,355 m (fourteen inch) by 1,27 m (fifty inch (14"x50")) cans 15 can be utilized.
[0016] Sliver feed tubes 31 and 33 extend respectively from the second floor 5 and the third floor 7 to appropriately direct the sliver toward ring spinning apparatuses 11 and 13. As shown in Figure 1, it is seen that the sliver feed tubes 31, 33 pass through the floor structures of the second and third floors 5 and 7. The sliver feed tubes 31, 33 may be immediately adjacent a sliver can or may terminate just above the appropriate floor structure.
[0017] Referring to Figure 2 of the drawings, which is shown in greater detail with regard to the first floor structure, it is seen that the sliver feed tubes 31, 33 each extend vertically downwardly and are provided with fittings 41 and 43, respectively. Thus, sliver travels through a sliver feed tube and then through a fitting, at which point the sliver is fed directly to the intake of the ring spinning apparatus. Utilizing this construction, no modification of the ring spinning apparatus is required, and it generally still receives the sliver in the same manner that it would receive a sliver if it were fed directly from a spool on a closely proximate roving frame.
[0018] The sliver feed tube is generally a smooth, hollow construction and preferably is made transparent so that the movement of the sliver through the tube may be visually observed. It is critical to this invention to have the sliver descend through the tubes without any breakage. The tube must be of sufficient diameter to permit the sliver to pass down in a snake-like fashion without significant rubbing on the walls of the tube. The tube walls also include an anti-static agent to prevent sticking should contact occur.
[0019] Referring to Figure 3 of the drawings, sliver feed tubes 31 and 33 respectively have sliver 17 and 23 passing therethrough. The interior surface of the sliver feed tubes 31 and 33 should be very smooth so as to not snag sliver passing therethrough. A material possessing the requisite characteristics of smoothness is generally an extruded tubing formed from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is the type of material normally utilized for beverage containers.
[0020] Figure 4 illustrates a typical sliver tube fitting, for example, fitting 41, in detail. Fitting 41 includes an inlet section 42 which is press fit over the lower end of a sliver feed tube 31 and which extends vertically therefrom, a brake section 44 extending vertically from the inlet section 42, and a slide section 46 extending at an obtuse angle to the brake section 44, and thus to the sliver feed tube 31. A brake 50 is mounted onto the exterior surface of brake section 44 to temporarily halt the descent of a portion of sliver 17 until nip rollers 52 of ring spinning apparatus 13 (Fig. 2) exert a pull on that portion. A cover 54 is hingedly mounted on the exterior surface of slide section 46 to permit periodic inspection of a taut portion of sliver 17 just before it passes to the nip rollers 52. The fitting 41 is preferably constructed of PVC and should possess identical characteristics discussed above with regard to the sliver feed tubes 31, 33, except that fitting 41 is preferably opaque.
an inlet (42) directly communicating with said lower end of said sliver tube (31);
a brake section (44) directly extending downwardly from said inlet (42);
a slide section (46) extending at an obtuse angle and ending immediately adjacent
a spinning device (13);
characterised in that said brake section (44) extends vertically downwardly from said
inlet (42) and includes a vertically oriented stationary brake (50) to temporarily
halt descent of a portion of sliver (17) through said sliver feed tube (31) until
said ring spinning device (13) exerts a pull on said portion (17) and the slide section
(46) is immediately adjacent a lower end of said brake (50) and said brake section
(44).
einen Einlaß (42), welcher mit dem unteren Ende des Bandzuführrohres (31) direkt in Verbindung steht;
einen Bremsabschnitt (44), welcher sich direkt von dem Einlaß (42) nach unten erstreckt;
einen Gleitabschnitt (46), welcher sich in einem stumpfen Winkel erstreckt und unmittelbar
an eine Spinnvorrichtung (13) angrenzend endet;
dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß sich der Bremsabschnitt (44) von dem Einlaß (42) vertikal
nach unten erstreckt und eine vertikal orientierte stationäre Bremse (50) aufweist,
um den Niedergang eines Abschnitts des Bandes (17) durch das Bandzuführrohr (31) temporär
aufzuhalten, bis die Ringspinnvorrichtung (13) eine Spannung auf den Abschnitt (17)
ausübt, und wobei der Gleitabschnitt (46) unmittelbar an ein unteres Ende der Bremse
(50) und des Bremsabschnitts (44) angrenzt.
une entrée (42) communiquant directement avec ladite extrémité inférieure dudit tube de guidage de ruban (31);
une section de freinage (44) s'étendant directement à l'arrière de ladite entrée (42);
une section de glissement (46) s'étendant suivant un angle obtus et aboutissant à
proximité immédiate d'un métier à filer (13);
caractérisé en ce que ladite section de freinage (44) s'étend verticalement vers le
bas à partir de ladite entrée (42) et comprend un frein fixe (50) orienté verticalement
pour arrêter provisoirement la descente d'une partie du ruban (17) dans ledit tube
de guidage de ruban (31) jusqu'à ce que ledit métier à filer à anneau (13) exerce
une traction sur ladite partie (17), et la section de glissement (46) est à proximité
immédiate d'une extrémité inférieure dudit frein (50) et de ladite section de freinage
(44).