US3276080A - Carding machine sliver and lap stop motion apparatus - Google Patents

Description

4, 1966 J. P. SCARBOROUGH 3,276,030

CARDING MACHINE SLIVER AND LAP STOP MOTION APPARATUS Filed Dec. 23, 1963 O) O N INVENTOR.

N Joseph P Scurboroug United States Patent 3,276,080 CARDIN G MACHINE SLIVER AND LAP STOP MOTION APPARATUS Joseph P. Scarborough, 1217 Royall Ave., Goldsboro, N.C. Filed Dec. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 332,457 6 Claims. (Cl. 19.25)

The present invention relates to textile carding machines and specifically to an apparatus for stopping. the carding process upon certain defects or a breakage occurring in the web or sliver or upon the lap running out.

In the operation of conventional carding machines such as the Model H made by the Whitin Machine Works of Whitinsville, Massachusetts, on which the present descrip tion is based, it is known that if the web or sliver breaks or if it becomes bunchy, too heavy, or too light or if foreign matter gets intermingled with the web or sliver, it is desirable to stop the carding process and clear the defect whatever it might be in. order to minimize the amount of defective sliver coming out of the calender rolls. Another reason for stopping the carding process develops when the lap runs down to about one-half to one and one-half yards from the lap end. This is because the tail end of the lap usually contains oil and sometimes foreign matter and is frequently of a diiferent weight and evenness from that found in the bulk of the lap. Therefore, it is desirable when the tail end of the lap is reached to stop the carding process, remove the tail end of the lap in process and start a new lap. Aside from other considerations it is known that there is a real risk of damaging the card elements if the last yard or soof the tail end of the lap is allowed to go through the lap feed roll. One other aspect of card protection that should be mentioned is the fact that when the web or sliver breaks before the lap has run out it is desirable to restore the web and sliver flow through the calender rolls without disturbing the lap. However, when the lap runs out, it is deemed best practice to break the web and sliver and start a new flow of web and sliver at the same time a new lap is started to insure that the lap end does not become sliver work product.

Prior art apparatus for protecting the web and sliver flow has usually taken the form of a pivoted trumpet through which the web flows and which is designed to fall and cause the drive belt to shift to an idle pulley whenever a defect occurs in the web. Other forms of sliver protection have been employed however the pivoted trumpet concept is probably the most widely employed type. The conventional pivoted trumpet devices nevertheless have certain shortcomings in that the operator usually has to use one of his hands for holding the trumpet in place while it is being threaded after clearing a defect whereas the preferable device would be one that leaves both hands free for manipulating the web into the trumpet entrance. Conventional trumpet type sliver protectors lack means for shifting the belt independent of the mean connected to the trumpet which means that the web must be broken when the belt is shifted. It is also known that some sliver protectors of the pivoted trumpettype interfere with operation of the doffer knock-off lever and in some cases even prevent use of the doffer knock-off lever. Recognition should also be made of the difficulty of getting a tfine sensitivity in those types of trumpet protectors which employ different size trumpet inserts as a means of getting a fine adjustment in sensitivity.

So far as lap run out protection apparatus is concerned some attempts are shown in the prior art including a form of pneumatic control. In any event there has been no widespread acceptance of any form of l-ap run out protection. More specifically the conventional lap run Patented Oct. 4, 1966 out apparatus does not connect lap run out and sliver protection such that when the lap runs out the web is also made to part and the trumpet to fall.

With the foregoing in mind a general object of the invention is to provide an improved protection apparatus for carding machines to prevent card damage and production losses.

Another object is to provide an improved sliver protection apparatus of the pivoted trumpet type.

Another object is to provide an improved lap run out protection apparatus. 7

Another object is to provide an apparatus which combines protection against web and sliver defects and lap run out.

Another object is to provide an improved sliver protection apparatus which can be made extremely sensitive to those types of web and sliver defects normally encountered in the carding process.

Another object is to provide an improved sliver protection apparatus of the pivoted trumpet type Which incorporates means for shifting the drive belt without disturbing the trumpet position.

Another object is to provide a combined web and sliver defect and lap run out protection apparatus in which la-p run out effects a stoppage of the lap and a breakage of the sliver.

The above and other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds and in the drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric skeleton view of some of the principal elements of a carding machine and showing an embodiment of the invention arranged with these elements.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged isometric view of one of the linkage connection employed in the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a partial plan View of the calender roll area illustrating how the trumpet is adjusted.

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of a rod connecting member.

The invention is described in reference to the previously mentioned Type H, Whitin carding machine though it can be applied to carding machines of other manufacturers. The invention employs a typical trumpet through which the web passes and which is delicately balanced on a pivoted lever mechanism connected to a belt shifter. When the trumpet encounters a defect such as abunch area in the web or a web or sliver weight outside of the range to which the trumpet has been adjusted, the trumpet falls and effects a shifting of the drive belt which stops the lap feed roll, the lap roll, the doifer, the calender rolls and the coiler rolls. To this extent the invention is broadly conventional and no claim is made to the same except as to the later described and claimed improvements thereon. I

Departing from the conventional pivoted trumpet apparatus, the invention provides a separate linkage to the belt shifter which can be operated with the knee and which can be employed to shift the belt without disturbing the trumpet so that other machine adjustments can be made without having to interrupt the web and sliver flow through the trumpet. The pivoted trumpet apparatus of the invention also departs from conventional apparatus of the same type in that a very high degree of sensitivity and delicate balance is obtained by providing means for adjusting the distance between the face of the trumpet and the center line of the calender rolls, this adjustment being provided to supplement the conventional adjustment which depends on shifting a weight incorporated in the pivoting linkage.

Another significant departure is found in the provision for'lap run out protection. In this regard, the invention recognizes that the position of the lap pin bears a direct relation to the amount of lap remaining. A lever actuating means is provided which is operated by the lap pin striking the actuating means and which results in effecting an operation of the belt shifter and in a preferred form also effects an operation of the sliver pivoted trumpet apparatus.

Referring in more detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the various figures, in FIGURE 1 the reference numeral 10 designates a roll of lap material in process, the number 11 designates one of the members conventionally provided for supporting a spare lap, not shown, and the number 12 designates the conventional lap pin having an extension portion 13 that extends beyond the end of the lap 10 and which is utilized as later described.

The lap feed roll is represented at 15, the doffer cylinder at 16, the comb at 17, the crushing rolls at 18, the upper calender roll at 19, the lower calender roll at 20, the calender roll stand at,21, the calender roll stand support at 22 and the calender roll condenser plate at 23. While not shown, it will of course be understood that the feed roll 15, the doffer cylinder 16, the comb 17 which has a vibrating action, the crushing ll'OiiS 18 and the calender rolls 19, 20 are all provided with the conventional drive apparatus such that their respective functions are coordinated with the functions of other conventional parts such as the card cylinder, flats, lap roll and the like which are not shown but which are well understood in the art. That is, the description and drawings are not intended to represent a complete carding machine but rather only those elements with which the invention is primarily concerned and sufficient to teach the invention in one embodiment to those skilled in the art. To complete this portion of the description the drive belt 25 is arranged to be shifted between a drive pulley 26 and idle pulley 27 and may be driven by an individual or line belt drive, neither being shown.

As has been previously mentioned, the invention is concerned with both sliver defect and lap run out protection and the description will now refer particularly to the sliver protection. In this regard, the web represented at 30 is arranged to pass through a conventional hollow, truncated, horizontally oriented cone shaped trumpet member 31. On leaving the trumpet 31, the sliver is pulled through the calender rolls 19, 20 and emerges as sliver 32 which is directed to the coileir apparatus, not shown. The condenser plate 23 is suitably arranged as at the indented portion '33 (FIGURE 3) to receive the trumpet 31 such that the trumpet exit, when the trumpet is operative, can be placed proximate the calender roll entrance. With respect to fine balancing of the trumpet, the invention makes provision for the adjusting screws 40, 41 which are threadably mounted in the trumpet 31 and which allow the face of the trumpet to be moved with respect to the center line of the calender rolls as represented by the solid line perative position of trumpet 31 in FIGURE 3 compared to the inoperative dotted line position 31. Thus for fine adjustments of trumpet 31, adjusting screws 40, 41 can be moved in and out and thereby regulate the distance between the trumpet face and the center line of the calender rolls.

Continuing the description of the sliver protection apparatus, the trumpet 31 is pivoted on a bent rod member 50 which passes through a spacer 51 secured to rod 50 and is supported in a fixed frame bearing member represented at 52. Secured to rod 50 is a cantilevered weight structure 53 and which includes a sleeve 54 secured to rod 50, a rod 55 secured to sleeve 54 and a weight 56 adjustably secured to rod 55. A rough balancing can thus be obtained for trumpet 31 by shifting weight 56 on rod 55 with a fine adjustment being obtained with previously mentioned adjusting screws 40, 41.

Rod 50 mounts a further sleeve member 60 which has an integral lever portion 61 containing a hole 62. Lever 61 is connected to an additional rod member 63 which operates the belt shifter as later explained. It is particularly important that the conection between rod 63 and lever 61 have a minimum of friction and to accomplish this a preferred connector construction is represented in FIG- URES 2 and 4. In particular, an externally threaded bolt 64 is arranged to be threaded into a female member 65. Member 65 has a cylindrical hub portion 66 and integral therewith a square stern portion 67 having internal threads 68 adapted to mate with the threads of bolt 64. The hub portion 66 has a hole 69 in which rod 63 is positioned as shown in the drawings and once positioned is suitably secured as by the set screw 70. The advantage of this form of connection is that only the four edges of the stem 67 contact the interior surface of hole 62 and thus lint and other foreign matter which inevitably collects in this particular area of the machine during the carding operation is unlikely to substantially increase the friction at the connection.

Rod 63 is pivotally connected at 75 to an L-shaped member 76 which in turn is pi-votally supported at 77 on a post member 78. Post 78 is positioned on a pair of horizontally disposed fixed rods 80, 81 which are supported at one end by a pair of fixed plate members 82, 83 secured to the machine frame, not shown, and are supported at the opposite end on a fixed post member 84- secured by suitable means not shown to the main machine frame. Member 76 has a further pivotal connection at 85 to a rod 86 which is operated by the lap run out mechanism later described and also has a pivotal connection at 87 to a rod 88 which actuates the forked belt shifter member 89. Belt shift 89 is slida'bly mounted on the two rods 80, 81 such that it can be moved laterally to effect a shifting of the drive belt 25 from the drive pulley 26 to the idle pulley 27. When moved toward the drive pulley 26, shifter 89 tends to compress a coil spring which is loosely mounted on rod 80, and whose purpose is discussed later in the description.

From the description thus far, it will be seen that a positive connection is made between the trumpet 31 and the belt shifter 89 such that the position of trumpet 31 can be used to control the position of belt shift 89. With the weight 56 and the screws 40, 41 properly adjusted an extremely sensitive sliver protection system is established. Of special interest is the fact that when trumpet 31 is positioned for operation, the lever 61 and rod 63 are brought down to the solid line position shown in FIGURE 1 against the tension of spring 95 such that rod 63 is substantially resting on sleeve 60 and exerting almost zero moment of force on rod 50. A very slight movement of trumpet 31 however as might arise by a change in web or sliver weight or by a bunched web attempting to go through trumpet 31, will disturb this equilibrium and allow lever 61 to move up which puts a moment on rod 50 that is amplified by the tension in spring 95. This then tends to cause a rapid movement of belt shifter 89.

Once the web and sliver is broken, trumpet 31 has nothing to support it and will remain in the tripped posi tion indicated in dotted lines 31 and rod 63 will remain in the dotted line position 63'. In order to restart the carding process it is of course necessary to put the trumpet back into its normal operating position and start the web and sliver back through the trumpet. This is an operation which at the least requires expert and experienced hands since it is difficult to use one hand to hold the web and form it into a pointed end for feeding into the trumpet to form the sliver and use the other hand to hold the trumpet in position. The invention provides a unique system for assisting in this operation in providing a separate trumpet position holding mechanism which can be operated by the :operators knee to hold the trumpet in position thus leaving both the operators hands free to manipulate the web and sliver. This mechanism includes a T-shaped bar which has a horizontally disposed member 101 adapted to be engaged by the operators knee and which is integral with a somewhat square shaped rod 102 that has a round rod integral extension 103. That is, member 101, rod 102 and rod 103 form the integral structure 100 with the rod portion 102 being mounted to slide in a fixed plate member 104 suitably secured to the machine frame. Rod 103 passes through, in a free slidable relation, an L-shaped member 5 which is made integral with a sleeve member 106 secured to rod 50. Member 105 slides on rod 103 and assumes the dotted line position 105' when trumpet 31 is at position 31". A coil spring 107 surrounds rod 103 between member 105 and plate 104 and a pin .108 fixed in rod-102 limits the outward travel of the overall T-shaped rod 100. In operation, it will be seen that the operator can use his knee to press in on member 101 and thus hold trumpet 31 in position and at the same time hold belt shifter 89 in position to hold belt 25 engaged with drive pulley 26 which leaves both hands free to restart the sliver 32 through the calender rolls 19, 20.

Another practical need for a completely satisfactory sliver protection apparatus is recognized by the provision in the invention for means to shift the drive belt 25 independent of the trumpet operated belt shifting means. For example if the operator wan-ts to pick out foreign matter out of the web before it reaches the trumpet it should be possible for him to do so without having to break the web itself. This feature is not provided by conventional apparatus in which the belt can be shifted only by the trumpet operated shifter. Referring further to FIGURE 1, there is provided a bent lever 120 which pivots on a suitable fixed pin .121 and which connects through a belt 122 to a cable 123 entrained around pulleys 124 and 125. Cable 123 is in turn connected to a suitably bent lever 126 which pivots on a pin 12'] and which has a belt engaging portion 128. It will be seen that when lever 120 is pushed in by the hand or knee, lever 126 is pivoted in a manner to cause belt 25 to shift to the idle pulley 27 but without disturbing the web or sliver. The travel of lever 120 is limited by a suitable stop member 129 that is secured to plate 104.

The description thus far has dealt with the linkage by which the fall of the trumpet causes the drive belt to shift, the linkage by which the operator can use his knee to hold the trumpet in operating position and the linkage by which the operator can shift the drive belt without disturbing the drive belt shifter linked to the trumpet. The description next turns to the lap run out protection means. For this purpose, rod 86 passes loosely through a hole at 1 50 provided in a vertically positioned angle member 151 which is pivoted at 152 on plate member 153 fixedly secured to the machine frame. In order that rod 86 can be operated manually for purposes later described, the end which extends through angle member 151 is bent in the form of a handle as shown at 154 and a suitable washed 155 is loosely mounted on rod 86 adjacent handle 154.

A bent plate member 160 is secured to a pawl member 161 which is pivoted at 162 on angle member 151. Mem her 160 is provided with a V-shaped notched portion 163 and is so arranged with respect to the conventional extension portion 13 of lap pin 12 that as the lap 10 is depleted the extension portion 13 will gradually move down and engage the notched portion 166 of member 160. Two means are provided to give pawl 161 a positive inoperative position which means include a spring 165 secured at one end to the frame by suitable means, not shown, the other end of the spring 165 being in engagement with pawl 1 61 such that spring 165 always tends to lift pawl 161 with the travel of pawl 161 being limited by an inverted U-shaped member 166 fixedly secured to the frame by means not shown. As lap 10 becomes depleted it will be seen that the extension portion 1 3 will gradually move down, will engage the notched portion 116 3 of member and will cause pawl 161 to move down against the tension of spring 166.

As lap 10 becomes depleted and pawl 161 moves down, the end 176 of pawl 1'61 engages a cam which is mounted on the end of the feed roll 15 and which rotates with the feed roll 15. Therefore, as lap 10 becomes depleted cam 175 effectively feels the position of pawl 161 on each revolution of feed roll 15 and whenever member 161 is moved down sufiiciently by reason of lap 10 being depleted, earn 175 will cause pawl 161 to move outward or rearwardly. As member 161 moves outward, angle member 151 will bear against the handle portion of rod 86 and will cause rod 86 to rotate member 76. As member 76 is moved, all of the linkage associated with trumpet 3 1 and belt shifter 89 is moved which causes trumpet 31 to start falling and the drive belt 25 to be shifted. Since any small shaft in the trumpet 31 position causes trumpet 31 to fall, the belt shifting will be completed by reason of trumpet 3 1 falling to its inoperative position 31". That is, a depletion of lap 10 causes trumpet 31 to move as if it had encountered a sliver defect and consequently the linkage between cam 17-5 and trumpet 31 once established need give trumpet 31 only a relatively small movement to accomplish a shifting of belt 25. From an operating viewpoint, it should also be noted that if the operator is near the lap he can stop the carding process simply by pulling on handle 154. That is, the lap run 'out linkage inherently provides a means to shift the drive belt from the lap end of the machine.

As has already been explained, it is desirable when the lap runs out to res-tart the web and sliver since the lap trailing end usually has oil and various foreign matter not conducive to making satisfactory sliver. Thus, by breaking the web and sliver when the lap runs out the operator is automatically reminded of the need to and in fact is required to clear the old web and sliver. It is possible of course to use the lap run out mechanism with enough throw to shift the shifter 89 whatever amount is required. It is also recognized that many of the inventions advantages might be realized by using one belt shifting linkage connected to the lap run out mechanism and another belt shifting mechanism linkage connected to the trumpet sliver protection mechanism such as the independently operating mechanism connected to lever (126.

Having described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. In a textile carding machine for conversion of fibrous material from lap to sliver form and having drive and idle pulleys, a drive belt, a shifter for shifting said belt between said pulleys, a trumpet arranged to receive and condense a web into .a sliver, first linkage means pivotally mounting said trumpet and connecting said trumpet and shifter to automatically effect said shifting upon said trumpet encountering certain predetermined sliver defects, a driven lap feed roll, a lap pin mounting a lap and movable downwardly as said lap is depleted, the improvement comprising, in combination, a cam mounted on one end of said feed roll and rotatable therewith and second linkage means connected to said belt shifter and arranged to be actuated by said lap pin establishing an operative relation between said second linkage means and said cam upon said lap pin reaching some predetermined low position to also automatically effect said shifting when the lap depletion corresponds to said position.

2. In a textile carding machine for conversion of fibrous material from lap to sliver form and having drive and idle pulleys, a drive belt, a shifter for shifting said belt between said pulleys, a trumpet arranged to receive :and condense a Web into a sliver, first linkage means pivotally mounting said trumpet and connecting said trumpet and shifter to automatically effect said shifting upon said trumpet encountering certain predetermined sliver defects, a driven lap feed roll, a lap pin mounting a lap and movable downwardly as said lap is depleted, the improvement comprising, in combination, a cam mounted on one end of said feed roll and rotatable therewith, a follower arm normally positioned out of contact with said cam and so arranged that said lap pin brings it into operative relation with said cam upon said lap =pin reaching some predetermined low position, and second linkage means connecting said arm to said shifter to also automatically effect said shifting when the lap depletion corresponds to said position.

3. In a textile carding machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein said second linkage means connecting said arm to said shifter includes a handle equipped connecting member located proximate said lap and arranged for a manual shifting operation independent of said automatic shifting thereby enabling said shifter to be manually shifted from the lap end of said machine and independent of lap depletion.

4. In a textile carding machine for conversion of fibrous material from lap to sliver form and having drive and idle pulleys, a drive belt, a shifter for shifting said belt between said pulleys, a trumpet arranged to receive and condense a web into a sliver, first linkage means pivotally mounting said trumpet and connecting said trumpet and shifter to automatically effect said shifting upon said trumpet encountering certain predetermined sliver defects, a lap pin mounting a lap and movable downwardly as said lap is depleted, the improvement comprising, in combination, second linkage means connected to said first linkage means and arranged to be actuated by said lap pin at some predetermined low position thereof sufiicient to trip said trumpet and cause said trumpet to fall and to automatically effect said shifting when the lap depletion corresponds to said position.

5. In a textile carding machine for conversion of fibrous material from lap to sliver form, in combination, drive and idle pulleys, a drive belt, first and second independently operable belt shifters for shifting said belt between said pulleys, a trumpet arranged to receive and condense a web into a sliver, first linkage means pivotally mounting said trumpet and connecting said trumpet and first shifter to automatically effect said shifting upon said trumpet encountering certain predetermined sliver defects, calender rolls, a condenser plate proximate said rolls, adjustable screw means mounted in said trumpet and engageable with said plate thereby enabling the position of said trumpet to be finely adjusted with respect to said rolls, bar means connected to said first linkage means and adapted to be engaged by the operators knee for holding said trumpet in its operative position, a manually operable lever mounted proximate and operable independent of said bar means, second linkage means connecting said second shifter and said lever thereby enabling manual shifting of said belt without disturbing the position of said trumpet, a driven lap feed roll, a cam mounted on one end of said feed roll and rotatable therewith, a lap pin mounting a lap and movable downwardly as said lap is depleted, a follower arm normally positioned out of contact with said cam and so arranged that said lap pin brings it into operative relation with said cam upon said lap pin reaching some predetermined low position, and third linkage means connecting said arm to said first shifter to automatically effect said shifting when the lap depletion corresponds to said position.

6. In a textile carding machine for conversion of fibrous material from lap to sliver form and having drive and idle pulleys, a drive belt, a shifter for shifting said belt between said pulleys, a lap feed roll, a lap pin mounting a lap and movable downwardly as said lap is depleted, the improvement comprising, in combination, a cam mounted on one end of said feed roll and rotatable therewith, a follower arm normally positioned out of contact with said cam and so arranged that said lap pin brings it into operative relation with said cam upon said lap pin reaching some predetermined low position, and means connecting said arm to said shifter to automatically effect said shifting when the lap depletion corresponds to said position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 457,354 8/1891 Lawry 19.25 461,171 10/1891 Meats l9.2 493,870 3/1893 Lawry 19-.24 582,991 5/1897 Walsh 19.25 1,450,044 3/1923 Morris l9.2 2,554,104 5/1951 Hand 19-.25 X 3,167,819 2/1965 Bradburn l9.25

FOREIGN PATENTS 14,582 1896 Great Britain.

MERVIN STEIN, Primaly Examiner.

DONALD W. PARKER, D. NEWTON, I

Assistant Examiners.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent NO. 3,276,080 October 4, 1966 Joseph P. Scarborough It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 2, line 35, for "connection" read connections column 4, lines 32 and 42, for "shift", each occurrence, read shifter column 5, line 56, for "washed" read washer column 6, line 17, for "shaft" read shift Signed and sealed this 29th day of August 1967.

(SEAL) Atteat:

ERNEST W. SWIDER I. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

Claims (1)

1. IN A TEXTILE CARDING MACHINE FOR CONVERSION OF FIBROUS MATERIAL FROM LAP TO SLIVER FORM AND HAVING DRIVE AND IDLE PULLEYS, A DRIVE BELT, A SHIFTER FOR SHIFTING SAID BELT BETWEEN SAID PULLEYS, A TRUMPET ARRANGED TO RECEIVE AND CONDENSE A WEB INTO A SLIVER, FIRST LINKAGE MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID TRUMPET AND CONNECTING SAID TRUMPET AND SHIFTER TO AUTOMATICALLY EFFECT SAID SHIFTING UPON SAID TRUMPET ENCOUNTERING CERTAIN PREDETERMINED SLIVER DEFECTS, A DRIVEN LAP FEED ROLL, A LAP PIN MOUNTING A LAP AND MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY AS SAID LAP IS DEPLETED, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CAM MOUNTED ON ONE END OF SAID FEED ROLL AND ROTATABLE THEREWITH AND SECOND LINKAGE MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID BELT SHIFTER AND ARRANGED TO BE ACTUATED BY SAID LAP PIN ESTABLISHING AN OPERATIVE RELATION BETWEEN SAID SECOND LINKAGE MEANS AND SAID CAM UPON SAID LAP PIN REACHING SOME PREDETERMINED LOW POSITION TO ALSO AUTOMATICALLY EFFECT SAID SHIFTING WHEN THE LAP DEPLETION CORRESPONDS TO SAID POSITION.

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