US 4,240,180 AGranted

Fiber feeding apparatus for carding machines and the like

AssigneeRando Machine Corporation

InventorsDennis E. Wood, Charles R. Auten, Paul L. Dellinger, Jr., Gary M. Holland, Eddy W. Bullington

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Abstract

In this pneumatic feeding system fibers are conveyed by air to surge sections formed in the upper ends of vertical branch ducts. Two sets of feed rolls are mounted in the midsection of each duct beneath the lower end of its surge section to feed fibers downwardly onto a kicker roll, which opens the fibers and directs them downwardly through a tapered duct section and onto a rotating screen condenser which is mounted in the lower end of each vertical duct. The fibers are withdrawn in a uniform layer from each screen by a doffer roll, and are fed to the feed assembly of a web forming machine. In one embodiment the density of the fibers in the surge section of a duct is controlled by selectively admitting atmospheric air to the duct adjacent its midsection, while in another embodiment this control is effected by adjusting the rate of flow of air in a closed air flow system. An adjustable accelerator plate can be mounted in the midsection of each duct adjacent its associated kicker roll to control the rate and direction of flow of air and fibers through the duct.

Claims16

Dependent claims

In a pneumatic fiber feeding system, apparatus for feeding fibers from a main fiber supply duct to a carding machine or the like, comprising

a vertical branch duct having a surge section in its upper end connected to said main duct to receive air-borne fibers therefrom,
a pair of feed rolls rotatably mounted in said branch duct adjacent the lower end of said surge section normally to cause a column of fibers from the supply duct to accumulate in said surge section,
a rotatable kicker roll mounted beneath said feed rolls in an opener section of said branch duct, and in registry with the nip formed between said feed rolls,
means for simultaneously driving said feed and kicker rolls, whereby fibers are fed by the feed rolls downwardly from said surge section into the path of the rotating kicker roll, which opens the fibers and directs them downwardly through a batt forming section in the lower end of said branch duct,
suction means connected to the bottom of said branch duct to maintain a pressure drop as between the air pressure in said surge and said batt forming sections, respectively, of said duct, whereby air tends to flow downwardly in said duct and through the column of fibers accumulated in said surge section,
a condenser mounted adjacent the lower end of said branch duct and having thereon a foraminous surface positioned to travel past an opening between said batt forming section and said suction means, whereby fibers which pass through said batt forming section are deposited in the form of a thin, fibrous matt on said travelling surface for delivery thereby to a carding machine or the like, and
control means on said branch duct between said surge and said batt forming sections thereof and operable selectively to adjust the rate of flow of air downwardly through said column of accumulated fibers, thereby to control the degree of compaction of the fibers in said surge section, and the rate at which said fibers are fed to said condenser.

4 more elements

In a pneumatic fiber feeding system in which each of a plurality of vertical branch ducts delivers fibers from a main, overhead supply duct to the surface of a cylindrical condenser screen which rotates in an opening in the bottom of the branch duct, apparatus for feeding fibers from an accumulated supply thereof in the upper end of each branch duct, to a batt forming section in the lower end of each duct for directing fibers onto said screen, comprising

a plurality of feed rolls mounted in each branch duct and forming therebetween a nip which registers with the supply of fibers accumulated in the upper end of the branch duct,
a kicker roll mounted in each branch duct beneath the associated feed rolls and in registry with the nip formed thereby,
drive means connected to said rolls and operative to rotate said rolls in unison, whereby fibers are fed by said feed rolls into the path of the rotating kicker roll which opens the fibers and discharges them downwardly into said batt forming section,
suction means connected to the bore of each condenser to maintain the air pressure in said bore lower than the pressure in the upper end of the associated branch duct, whereby air flows downwardly in the branch duct from the upper end thereof to the bore in the associated condenser,
means for sensing the pressure differential between the batt forming section of each branch duct and the bore of the condenser associated therewith,
means between said surge and said batt froming sections operable to adjust the rate of flow of air through the fibers accumulated in said duct thereby to control the degree of compaction of said accumulated fibers, and
means responsive to a change in said pressure differential to effect a corresponding change in the rate of rotation of said feed rolls.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.