METHOD, SYSTEM AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATIC SEPARATION OF A BUNDLE OF FIBRES

Abstract

 The invention is related to the device, the system and the method for the automatic separation of a bundle of fibres. The device for automatic separation comprises a separation unit, which is configured to separate the bundle of fibres in an automatic way. The separation unit comprises two needle bars, which are a holding needle bar with a holding needle and a moving needle bar with a central needle and two side needles. The central needle of the moving needle bar has the grooves for joining the needles in it. This invention is applicable in all bast fibre industry, especially used for long fibre (+ 20 cm) such as flax fibres, hemp fibres, sisal fibres, kenaf fibres, jute fibres.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is related to a device, a system, and a method for automatic separation of a bundle of fibres. This invention is applicable in all bast fibre industry, especially used for long fibre (+ 20 cm), such as flax fibres, hemp fibres, sisal fibres, kenaf fibres, jute fibres.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The object of the present invention is to provide a machine or apparatus which will separate the fibres into bundles of any required size or weight.

[0003] The application of the automatic separation is to make weighed (or not) pulls which are then afterwards introduced in a hackling machine or in any other machine. Today the operator in these industries is manually separating and/or weighing the pulls or bundles and manually introducing the pulls or bundles in the machines. Such separation of the fibres into pieces or bundles has been carried out entirely manually by the trained person. The separation of the bundles of fibres takes a long time, the fibres are varying in weight and the final product is not regular.

[0004] A patent EP0693582 describes a method for supplying scutched flax to a hackling device which mainly consists in the combination of the formation of a layer of flax fibres (3); the successive grasping of equal lengths of this layer, such that equal flax fibre bundles (7) are obtained; the clamping of the flax fibre bundles in clamping devices (9); the separation of the flax fibre bundles (7) which are still entangled among themselves in successive clamping devices (9) and the insertion of the separated flax fibre bundles (7) with their clamping devices (9) in the hackling device (1). The big diameter of the 2 needles do not separate the fibre qualitatively, it gets tangled up.

[0005] GB515946 describes the machine which consists essentially of two parallel guides one arranged above the other at any desired distance apart between which the fibres are fed at right angles to them and about equidistant from each end of the fibres, a movable stopper or gate at the delivery end of the guides which is controlled to hold or release the fibres then required, a dividing device behind the movable stopper or gate which penetrates into the fibres and separates between it and the gate the requisite amount to form piece or bundle, means for moving forward the separated piece or bunch to a receiving device which carries it away from the slides and means for moving up the body of the fibres to the gate when a separated piece or bundle has been removed and the dividing device withdrawn so that when the latter again enters the fibres it can separate a further piece or bundle. The disadvantage of this invention is that the dividing device does not have needle bars which keep the fibres in place and the fibre becomes tangled during separation.

[0006] The invention is a big advantage for the industry for following reasons: there is no need for very experienced qualified operators for the separation of the bundles of fibres, and the complex operation is reduced to a non-qualified job. The separation is performed precisely, the fibres do not tangle and are separated with equal weighed split pulls.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0007] The invention concerns a device for the automatic separation of a bundle of fibres, where the device comprises a separation unit, which is configured to make the bundles of fibres in an automatic way. The separation unit comprises at least two needle bars, which are a holding needle bar with a holding needle and a moving needle bar with a central needle with three grooves, and two side needles. The holding needle and the two side needles are joined together in the three grooves of the central needle.

[0008] The holding needle bar and the moving needle bar have over the length of the bar spread needles which are configured to keep the fibres in place over the length of the bars. The purpose of both the holding needle bar and the moving needle bar is to keep the nap of fibres in place in the same length and to prevent interlocking and resisting of the fibres during the separation process. The separated bundle of fibres is remaining on the length of the needle bar. The holding needle bar has a holding needle which is configured to join in the longitudinal direction of the groove of the central needle of the moving needle bar. At the back of the moving needle bar is the central needle, in which grooves are performed, one of which is at the back side of the central needle and will serve to receive the holding needle of the holding needle bar, wherein the two other grooves are performed at both opposite lateral sides of the central needle to receive each one of the side needles. It can be considered also to put the central needle at the front of the holding needle and the holding needle on the moving needle bar. The separation effect will be the same. The side needles are mounted in opposite sides of the central needle and is configured to move in a horizontal movement joining into the central needle and move in a vertical movement, preferably in down direction. The side needles can be introduced in horizontal way from an angle of 20° to 160°, specifically at 90° and -90° of each side of the central needle and joining in that way that the needle point is deeper or hidden in the grooves of the central needle.

[0009] On the basis of the holding needle bar and the moving needle bar is an elastic material, such as a foam, configured to create a pressure in the separation zone in order to avoid the sliding of the fibre in the lateral direction.

[0010] According to another embodiment a system for automatic separation of a bundle of fibres is provided with a U-profile which is configured to block the fibres underneath the nap during penetration of the central needle through the nap of fibres, an interruption bridge for the passing of the two side needles and blocking arms which are configured to give pressure on the fibres against the transport interruption bridge creating tension on both sides of the fibres.

[0011] The system further comprises the weighing balance unit which is configured to achieve a set weight of the bundle of fibres to be separated. The weighing balance unit has two side belts at both sides of the transport bar to transport the nap of fibres on the weighing balance unit and a stopper which avoids that the beginning of the nap is transported further than the weighing balance unit.

[0012] According to another invention embodiment the inventions also concerns the method of separation of the bundle of fibres, which comprises feeding of the nap of fibres on a conveyor; joining the needle of the holding needle bar and the side needles into the grooves of the central needle of the moving needle bar; penetrating of the central needle in the nap of fibres; separating of the bundle of fibres from the nap of fibres; and going back the moving needle bar (16) to the starting position.

[0013] The method further comprises a step of weighing the fibres on the weighing balance unit wherein the feeding of the fibres is stopped when the preset weight of the fibres is on the weighing balance sheet.

[0014] The counter U-profile creates counter pressure under the nap of fibres during the penetration of the central needle with the joined holding needle and the two side needles at the upper side of the nap of fibres.

[0015] The side needles do a lateral movement when the central needle with the three joined needles is in down position, ready to start the separation action. At that moment, at the same time of the start of the separation action, the interruption bridge and the U-profile is going down meanwhile the side needles are doing a lateral movement to pass the two bars of the transport bar to avoid during the separation action to get fibres from both tail ends in the transport bar.

[0016] According to another invention embodiment the method is used for the long fibres, specifically for fibres longer than 20 cm.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] 

Fig. 1 represents a side view of the device for automatic separation of the bundle of fibres.

Fig. 2 represents a top view of the device for automatic separation of the bundle of fibres.

Fig. 3 represents a detailed separation area.

Fig. 4 represents a vertical moving U-profile.

Fig. 5a represent a top view needle system where the central needle is mounted on the moving needle bar and the holding needle on the holding needle bar.

Fig. 5b represent a top view needle system where the central needle is mounted on the holding needle bar and the holding needle on the moving needle bar.

Fig. 6a represents the holding needle mounted on the holding needle bar and the central needle with the three grooves on the moving needle bar in horizontal and vertical movement.

Fig. 6b represents the central needle mounted on the holding needle bar with the three grooves and the holding needle on the moving needle bar in horizontal and vertical movement.

Fig. 7a represents a top view of the needle bar after the separation action of the bundles of fibres where the central needle with the three grooves is mounted on the moving needle bar and the holding needle on the holding needle bar.

Fig. 7b represents a top view of the needle bar after the separation action of the bundles of fibres where the holding needle is mounted on the moving needle bar and the central needle with the three grooves on the holding needle bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] For a better explanation of the essence and the characteristics of the invention, the detailed description of the device, the system and the method of the automatic separation of bundle of fibres are described as the examples. It should be understood that numerous specific details are presented to provide a complete and comprehensible description of the invention embodiment. However, the person skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment examples do not limit the application of the invention, which can be implemented without these specific instructions.

[0019] This invention is applicable in all bast fibre industry however, it is particularly suitable for use in the method of production of long fibres (+ 20 cm).

Transport of a nap of fibres during the cycle

[0020] A nap of fibres (1) is fed in manual or automatic way, from an unwinder (2) on a conveyor (3) (horizontal) or transport bar (hanging down) and transported by the conveyors (3) and (4). Optionally, a pre-weighing balance unit (5) is used before the fibres are fed to the separation unit. The fibres can be pre-opened or not by beating drums (6) or pin drums and/or cut in length in automatic way at both sides of the ends of the fibre (root and top side) by a cutting system (7) and is measured in length by the length measurement unit (8) before presentation to the weighing balance unit (13a) and the separation unit (13b). The pre-weighing balance unit (5) improves the regularity of the nap fed to the separation balance (13a) as the nap of the fibres coming from the supplier can be very irregular in weight per meter. To improve this, the pre-weighing balance unit (5) has a conveyor (4) which is accelerating or slowing down to improve the preset weight per meter of the nap according to the weighed fibre nap. This device on the other hand is not necessary for the good functioning of the separation unit (13b).

[0021] The fibres are transported from the pre-weighing balance (5) to the end of the separation action over the top of two flat parallel horizontal bars which are a part of the transport bar (18) with a distance in the width between both vertical bars. The nap of fibres is sliding over the bars assisted by belts (9), (10) and (24) or by the moving needle bar (16) to the collection point.

[0022] The weighing balance unit (13a) is a complete isolated unit from the feeding zone and the evacuation zone to avoid interference on the weight on the balance. The nap stopper of the balance (23) is avoiding that during transport of the fibre nap on the balance, the fibres would pass over the weighing balance unit (13a). The weighing balance unit (13a) is fed by the feeding zone (transport conveyors and belts (3), (4), (9), (10) and (24)) till the weighing balance (13a) indicates the right set weight and then the feeding transport (transport conveyors and belts (3), (4), (9), (10) and (24)) is stopping till completion of the separation action according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. After separation, the weighing balance unit (13a) is free again and the feeding zone with transport conveyors and belts (3), (4), (9), (10) and (24) is feeding again with fibres till the balance weight achieves the preset weight again. The feeding stops and a new separation action is activated. This action is realised up till 30 actions per minute and so 30 bundles is produced of a preset weight per minute.

[0023] The separation action can also be set up in a continuous flow without stopping transporting.

Separation action during the cycle

[0024] The separation unit (13b) comprising the needle bars which make the separation action comprises two needle bars, such as a holding needle bar (15) with a holding needle (21) and a moving needle bar (16) with a central needle (22) and two side needles (17) according to Fig. 3.

[0025] The two needle bars (15) and (16) are from 5 cm up to 50 cm long. The width of the needle bars varies between 1 mm and 20 cm, specifically 12 mm. The spread of the needles on the length of the bars varies between 0,5 needles per cm to 5 needles per cm, specifically 1 needle per cm. The needles are mounted in a single row or in multiple rows. The length of the needles varies from 1 mm to 20 cm, specifically 4 cm.

[0026] The central needle (22) with the three grooves in vertical direction is mounted at the back of the moving needle bar (16). The needle point is downwards and is going upwards in conical form to a base surface of minimum 3 mm diameter to a maximum of 30 mm diameter, specifically 12 mm diameter. Three grooves from bottom to the top of the needle are milled out of the body of the central needle (22). One groove is at the back side of the central needle (22) and will serve to receive the holding needle (21) of the holding needle bar (15). The two other grooves are mounted at the opposite lateral sides of the central needle (22) to receive each one of the side needles (17). The three needles are joined into the three grooves of the central needle (22).

[0027] On the holding needle bar (15) at the front of the needle bar (in production direction) is a holding needle (21).

[0028] At the beginning of the separation process the central needle (22) moves horizontally to the starting position and joins the holding needle (21) in up position. The holding needle (21) point is deeper or hidden in the groove of the central needle (22) according to Fig. 5a, 6a and 7a.

[0029] The holding needle (21) and the central needle (22) can be interchanged in that way that the holding needle (21) is on the moving needle bar (16) and the central needle (22) is on the holding needle bar (21) according to Fig. 5b, 6b and 7b.

[0030] The side needles (17) which can be introduced in horizontal way in up position from an angle of 20 ° to 160°, specifically at 90° and -90° of each side of the central needle (22) and with the joining in that way that the needle points are deeper or hidden in the side grooves of the central needle (22).

[0031] The two needle bars are mounted on an up and down movement unit (19), which can be a piston or whatever other technology to move the bars up and down. At least the moving needle bar (16) is mounted on a guide (20) which can horizontally transport the moving needle bar (16) by means of the horizontal movement unit (25).

[0032] The U-profile (11) is going in up position just under the nap of fibres in between the interruption bridge (12) which is in up position. The blocking arms (14) are going down to put tension on the fibres (Fig. 4).

[0033] The holding needle bar (15) and moving needle bar (16) and the two side needles (17) are going down and the central needle (22) with the joined holding needle and the two side needles (17) is penetrating through the nap of fibres.

[0034] The blocking arms (14) are now leaving the interruption bridge (12). The interruption bridge (12) and the U-profile (11) is going down. The side needles (17) are doing a lateral movement about 1 - 2 cm. Then the U-Profile (11) moves up towards the holding needle (21), then the side needles (17) continue the lateral movement from 2 cm to 60 cm, specifically 10 cm to keep the fibres outside the transport bar (18). When the side needles (17) are passed, the interruption bridge (12) is going in up position.

[0035] The stopper (23) is going down and the moving needle bar (16) with the central needle (22) accelerates away from the holding needle bar (15) and in this action the weighed bundle of the fibres is separated from the nap of fibres (1).

[0036] Immediately after, the holding needle bar (15) is going up to the starting position of the following cycle. The transport conveyors and belts (3), (4), (9) and (10) and (24) are feeding the following cycle on the weighing balance unit (13a).

[0037] The moving needle bar (16) is transporting the separated bundle of fibres to the end of the transport bar (18). The separation action goes up till 30 actions per minute.

[0038] At the end of the transport bar (18) at the collection point, the moving needle bar (16) with the central needle (22) is going in up position, releasing the transported separated bundle of fibres which are remaining on the collection point and returns to the starting position to restart the following cycle.

[0039] The separated bundle of fibres is collected by a robot or further transported by a transport belt to be collected manually respecting the safety rules.

[0040] The invention is a big advantage for the bast fibre industry as the complex operation is reduced to a non-qualified job. The two needle bars (15) and (16) keep the fibres in place to avoid the interlocking, compacting and resisting of fibres during the separation process. The bundle of fibres is separated in the required length. The side needles (17) enable fast and high-quality separation of the bundle of fibres and prevent fibres in the vicinity of the separation side of the bundle and the nap end side to fall in between the transport bar (18) so that the fibres are not torn and do not tangle.

[0041] The separation tools do not necessarily need to contain needles. Other separation tools such as pointed rods or pointed fingers could be used.

List of reference signs:

[0042] 

1. Nap of fibres

2. Unwinder

3. Transport conveyor of nap of fibres

4. Speed regulated conveyor for weight regulation of the nap

5. Pre-weighing and nap weighing regulating unit

6. Pre-opener drums

7. Cutter knife (left and right side)

8. Length measurement unit

9. Transport belt

10. Side transport belt

11. U-profile going up and down

12. Interruption bridge

13. Separation and weighing balance unit

13a. Weighing balance unit

13b. Separation unit

14. Blocking arms

15. Holding needle bar

16. Moving needle bar

17. Side needles

18. Transport bar

19. Up and down movement unit of the moving and holding needle bars

20. Guide of the moving needle bar

21. Holding needle

22. Central needle

23. Nap stopper of the balance

24. Side belts of the balance

25. Horizontal movement unit of the moving needle bar

Claims

1. A device for the automatic separation of a bundle of fibres, comprising the separation unit which comprises two needle bars, characterised in that the separation unit (13b) comprises a holding needle bar (15), a moving needle bar (16) with the central needle (22) in which the grooves are preformed, and two side needles (17);

wherein the holding needle bar (15) has a holding needle (21) which is configured to join into the groove of the central needle (22) of the moving needle bar (16);

wherein the two side needles (17) are configured to join into the grooves of the central needle (22);

wherein the holding needle bar (15) and the moving needle bar (16) are configured to keep the fibres in place to avoid the interlocking, compacting and resisting of fibres during the separation process.

2. The device for the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to claim 1, characterised in that the moving needle bar (16) comprises the central needle (22), in which the grooves are performed, one of which is configured to receive the holding needle (21) of the holding needle bar (15), and wherein the two other grooves are performed at the both opposite sides of the central needle (22) which is configured to receive each one of the side needles (17).

3. The device for the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to any of claims 1-2, characterised in that the holding needle (21) of the holding needle bar (15) is joining the central needle (22) of the moving needle bar (16) in that way the needle point is deeper or hidden in the back groove of the central needle (22).

4. The device for the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to any of claims 1-3, characterised in that the side needles (17) which can be introduced in horizontal way from an angle of 20 ° to 160°, specifically at 90° and -90° of each side of the central needle (22) and also with joining the central needle (22) in that way that the needle point is deeper or hidden in the side grooves of the central needle (22).

5. The device for the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to any of claims 1-4, characterised in that on the basis of the holding needle bar (15) and the moving needle bar (16) is an elastic material configured to create a pressure in the separation zone in order to avoid the sliding of the fibres.

6. The device for the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to any of claims 1-5, characterised in that the holding needle (21) and the central needle (22) are interchangeable with each other on either the holding needle bar (15) or the moving needle bar (16).

7. A system for the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres, characterised in that it comprises:

a) the device for separation of the fibres according to claims 1-6;

b) a U-profile (11) which is configured to block the fibres during penetrating of the central needle (22) through the nap of fibres (1);

c) an interruption bridge (12) configured for the passing of the two side needles (17);

d) blocking arms (14) which are configured to give pressure on the fibres.

8. The system for the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to claim 7, characterised in that it further comprises the weighing balance unit (13a) which is configured to achieve a set weight of fibres to be separated.

9. A system for the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to any of claims 7 or 8, characterised in that the weighing balance unit (13a) comprises separated side belts (24) to transport the nap of fibres on the weighing balance unit (13a) and a nap stopper of the balance (23) which avoids that the beginning of the nap is transported further than the weighing balance unit (13a).

10. A method of the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres, wherein the method steps comprise:

- feeding of the nap of fibres (1) on a conveyor (3);

- joining the holding needle (21) and the two side needles (17) into the grooves of the central needle (22);

- penetrating of the two needle bars (15) and (16) with the joined holding needle (21) and the two side needles (17) in the central needle (22) through the nap of fibres (1);

- separating the bundle of fibres by the moving needle bar (16) with the central needle 22 away from the holding needle bar (15);

- going back the moving needle bar (16) to the starting position.

11. The method of the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to claim 10, characterised in that the method further comprises a step of weighing the fibres on the weighing balance unit (13a) wherein the separation process is started when the preset weight of the fibres is reached on the weighing balance (13a).

12. The method of the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to any of claims 10-11, characterised in that the U-profile (11) creates counter pressure under the nap of fibres (1) during the penetration of the central needle (22) through the nap of fibres (1).

13. The method of the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to any of claims 10-12, characterised in that the method is used for the long fibres which are longer than 20 cm.

14. The method of the automatic separation of the bundle of fibres according to any of claims 10-13, characterised in that the method is used with stopping of the transport of the nap or with continuous transport of the nap.

Drawing