GB2030608A

GB2030608A - Combing Machine for Textile Fibres

Info

Publication number: GB2030608A
Application number: GB7922184A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: SANT ANDREA NOVARA OFFICINE
Current assignee: SANT ANDREA NOVARA OFFICINE
Priority date: 1978-09-22
Filing date: 1979-06-26
Publication date: 1980-04-10
Also published as: FR2436831A1; BE877518A; IT7853723V0; ES482225A1; AR217754A1; DE2926901A1

Abstract

A combing machine (1) for processing textile fibres is provided with a hood (5) which can be closed down over an upper working zone of the machine (1) to contain dust and noise produced during machine operation. Air extraction ducting serves to withdraw dust-laden air from within the hood (5). The hood (5) is pivoted on the rear of the machine (1) about an axis running parallel to the front face of the main body. The turning effect about the pivot axis produced by the weight of the hood (5) is counteracted by, for example, compression springs (18) reacting between the main body and the hood (5). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Combing Machine for Textile Fibres The present invention relates to combing machines for the processing of textile fibres, comprising a main body with an upper working zone lying between front and rear faces of the body.

In the practical use of these machines, the unceasing demand for increased production has resulted in an increase in the noise and the dust produced by these machines. Such dust and noise is disadvantageous as it creates an undesirable working environment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a combing machine for textile fibres in which this disadvantage is overcome in a relatively simple manner.

In accordance with the present invention, noise and dust pollution produced by a combing machine for textile fibres is reduced by providing the combing machine with a hood pivoted on the main body of the machine adjacent a rear face thereof about a pivot axis parallel to a front face of the machine, the hood being arranged when in a lowered position to cover an upper working zone of the combing machine, and the hood comprising a top cover skirted by downwardly extending side walls, the machine further including air extraction ducting defining a plurality of air intake apertures which open into the interior of the hood and through which dust-laden air can be withdrawn from the working zone of the machine, and thrust means acting on the hood in a manner to normally counter-balance the turning effect of the weight of the hood about the said pivot axis.

The presence of the hood besides inhibiting the diffusion of the dust and noise into the surrounding environment also provides a safeguard against accidents by preventing accidental access to the working zone of the machine.

A combing machine embodying the invention will now be particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the combing machine showing a hood of the machine in a lowered position; Figure 2 is a plan view on line Il-Il of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the hood in a raised position and partly in section; Figure 4 is a section on line lV-IV of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a part-sectional view to an enlarged scale of a detail of the machine.

As shown in the drawings, the combing machine 1 for combing textile fibres is provided on its rear face with two spines 3 which are integral with the main body of the machine and extend vertically upwards from the bottom. A hood 5 of rectangular form in plan, is articulated along its rear edge to the upper ends of the spines 3 by means of two aligned pivot pins 4 each associated with a respective spine 3. The two pins 4 together define a single axis of pivoting for the hood 5.The hood 5 is arranged to close over the upper part of the combing machine 1 and is formed by a cover plate 6 which has the form of an upturned U the arms of which have been opened out to enclose an angle A approximately equal to 140-1 500. Furthermore, the peripheral portions of the cover plate 6 which correspond to the ends of the two arms of the U, are bent downwards to form downwardly extending walls 7. Secured to the portion of the cover of the cover plate 6 corresponding to the base of the U is a profiled plate 8 which defines in conjunction with the plate 6 a duct 9. The bottom of the plate 8 is provided with a plurality of holes 8a which serve as air intakes.

An openable flap 10 of transparent plastics material is provided on the rear sloping face of the cover plate 6. In addition, a window 11 formed by transparent plastics material is provided on the front sloping face of the plate 6. This window 11, which cannot be opened, is provided to allow observation of the space enclosed by the hood 5.

Two boxed beams 12 and 13, formed by bent plates, are arranged along respective lateral sides of the cover plate 6. At their rear ends, these beams 12 and 13 form two coupling lugs 1 2a and 1 3a respectively through which the pivot pins 4 extend to couple the hood 5 to the spines 3.

The boxed beam 13 is made airtight except for apertures 14 and 1 5 which respectively open into the duct 9 and into one end of a duct 16. The opposite end of the duct 1 6 is connected with air extraction means (not shown) for example a fan.

Each coupling lug 1 2a, 1 3a of the hood 5 is pivotally connected to one end of a respective rod 1 7, at a position adjacent to but forward of the respective pin 4. Each rod 1 7 is coaxially encompassed by a helical compression spring 1 8.

The upper end of each spring 18 reacts against a seat 1 9 integral with the corresponding rod 1 7.

The lower end of each spring 1 8 reacts through an intermediate element against a small ring 20, slidable on the rod 1 7 and received in a fixed seat 21 provided in a part integral with the main body of the combing machine 1. The bottom of the seat 21 has an aperture 21 a through which extends the lower end of the rod 1 7. This lower end of the rod 17 has an enlarged cylindrical portion 22 provided with a stop collar 23. The diameter of the intermediate part of the rod 17 is slightly less than the internai diameter of the ring 20. Similarly the diameter of the enlarged portion 22 of the rod 1 7 is slightly less than the diameter of the aperture 21 a in the seat 21.

During operation of the combing machine 1, the hood 5 is closed down over the top of the machine and the extraction fan is turned on to cause a pressure reduction inside the duct 1 6 and therefore inside the duct 9. This results in air laden with dust produced during the processing of the textile fibres, being drawn up into the duct 9 through the intake apertures 8a. Furthermore, the hood 5, with its skirt formed by the walls 7 and lateral beams 12 and 13 provides a complete cover over the top of the combing machine 1 which, due to its configuration, has a silencing effect. The provision of the transparent flap 10 makes it possibie to observe the underlying rear zone of the combing machine 1 and enables access to that zone even when the combing machine is running and the hood 5 is in its lowered position.

If it is necessary to gain unobstructed access to the top of the machine, for example for maintenance purposes, the hood 5 can be raised to the position shown in Figure 3, in which the enlarged portions 22 of the rods 1 7 are in contact with their corresponding ring 29 (Figure 5).

During the raising of the hood to this position, the two springs 18, reacting against the main body of the machine through the rings 20, facilitate the raising operation by urging the hood 5 clockwise about the pivot pins 4 (as viewed in Figure 3). The strength of the springs 1 8 may be chosen so as to substantially balance the weight of the hood itself.

The hood 5 can be further raised above the position shown in Figure 3 to a position defined, for example, by contact of the stop collars 23 against the part of the machine in which the seats 21 are formed. During this second phase of raising, the enlarged portions 22 of the rods 1 7 lift the rings 20 off the seats 21 so that the springs 1 8 no longer produce any balancing effect on the hood 5. Thus this second phase of raising of the hood 5, requires the operator to exert a lifting force sufficient in itself to overcome the weight of the hood.

Claims

1. A combing machine for textile fibres comprising a main body with a working zone lying between front and rear faces of the body, a hood pivoted on the main body adjacent said rear face about a pivot axis parallel to said front face, the hood being arranged when in a lowered position to cover the working zone of the machine and the said hood comprising a top cover skirted by downwardly extending side walls, air extraction ducting opening into the interior of the hood and through which dust-laden air can be withdrawn from the working zone of the machine, and thrust means acting on the hood in a manner tending to counter-balance the turning effect of the weight of the hood about the said pivot axis.

2. A combing machine according to Clain 1, wherein said top cover of the hood is provided towards the rear of the machine with an openable flap to allow access to said working zone of the machine when the hood is in its lowered position.

3. A combing machine according to Clain 2, wherein.said openable rear flap of the hood is formed by transparent material.

4. A combing machine according to Claim 2, wherein said top cover of the hood is provided towards the front of the machine with a transparent part, the said intake ducting extending along the underside of the top cover substantially parallel to the said pivot axis of the hood and between the openable rear flap and the front transparent part of the hood.

5. A combing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross-sectional form of the top cover of the hood, considered in a plane perpendicular to said pivot axis, has the shape of an inverted U the arms of which have been opened out to enclose an angle greater than 900.

6. A combing machine according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said thrust means comprises at least one spring normally arranged to act between the body and a point on the hood adjacent to the said axis of pivoting of the hood.

7. A combing machine for textile fibres, substantially as hereinbefore desi]eee aih refere ie to the accompanying drawings.