# US 4,398,319 A · Gill boxes with rotating heads > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,398,319 A - Document ID: US4398319A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/258,444 - Filed: 1981-04-28 - Granted: 1983-08-16 - Earliest claimed: 1980-06-19 - Assignees: Officine Savio S.p.A. - Inventors: Ferdinando Viaggi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4398319A ## CPC - D01H 5/02: Gill boxes or other drafting machines employing fallers or like pinned bars - D01H: SPINNING OR TWISTING (twisting oakum D01G35/00; crimping or curling of fibres, filaments, or yarns D02G1/00) ## Abstract An improved gill box with rotating heads, which comprises a plurality of needles acting on an assemblage of slivers fed substantially continuously and consists of a feeder group, a group which controls the fibers and is constituted by two heads with combs superimposed one above the other and rotating in cooperation, and a drawing group. The gill box can comprise the following improvements: opposed rotating means to guide the ends of the combs; stationary guide-cam means cooperating in an intermediate position between the needle field and the rotating guide means; means to lubricate the rotating guides; means to feed and convey fluid under pressure into the zone of the outgoing sliver and inside every needle field; means to ensure a differentiated path of insertion of the needles into the sliver; means for a perpendicular and non-interfering withdrawal of the needles from the sliver; means for individual protrusion of the combs for better cleaning of the needles; pulling means always in phase with the rotating guide means; means to reduce angular play; and means to reduce the distance travelled by the outgoing sliver. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An improved gill box with rotating heads, comprising a plurality of needles that act on an assemblage of slivers fed substantially continuously, and composed of a feeder group, a group controlling the fibers which consists of a pair of heads with combs having ends and a needle field superimposed one above the other and rotating in cooperation, and a drawing group, said gill box comprising opposed rotating guide means to guide the ends of the combs, fixed guide-cam means cooperating in an intermediate position between the needle field and said rotating guide means, means to lubricate said rotating guide means, means to feed and convey fluid under pressure into an outgoing zone of the sliver and inside each needle field, means to ensure a path of differentiated insertion of the needles into the sliver, means for a perpendicular and non-interfering withdrawal of the needles from the sliver, means for individual protrusion of the combs for better cleaning of the needles, pulling means always in phase with said rotating guide means, means which reduce angular play, and drawing means positioned to reduce the outgoing travelling distance of the sliver. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The improved gill box as in claim 1 wherein the rotating means defines a flange body and comprise grooves separated by guides solidly fixed at their rear to the flange body, whereby said grooves advantageously lie substantially at a tangent to a circle concentric with said flange body. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2) The improved gill box as in claim 1 or 2, wherein said combs have at their ends sliding block means cooperating with said guide means defined by said rotating means, and comprise, between the needle field and said end, means to cooperate with said fixed guide-cam means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The improved gill box as in claim 1 wherein said fixed guide-cam means comprise means causing a path of differentiated insertion, means to reduce the distance travelled by the outgoing slivers, upper and lower means causing individual and perpendicular withdrawal of the needles, and also means for replacement of the combs. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The improved gill box as in claim 1 wherein said fixed guide-cam means defines an outer part which has a frequency of vibration different from the frequency of the knocking of the combs, whereby said frequency of vibration of the outer part is greater than said frequency of the knocking of the combs. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The improved gill box as in claim 1 wherein said upper and lower means causing individual and perpendicular withdrawal of said needles present in the cam means together with the inclination of the guides in the rotating means, with the conformation of the zone of travel of the combs and with the inclination of the needles, whereby the upper withdrawal means lie advantageously further to the rear than the lower withdrawal means and the perpendicular withdrawal of the needles from the sliver is obtained. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The improved gill box as in claim 1 wherein cooperation of the rotating means with the combs and also of the cam means with the zone of travel of said combs and the rotating means of the two needle fields directly meshed together and connected to the frontally positioned reciprocal rotating means by shaft means bearing gear wheels meshed to said rotating means, enables reduction in angular play. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The improved gill box as in claim 1 wherein said heads define chambers for said needle fields, said chambers having diffusers mounted thereon and being kept under pressure by fluid under pressure being fed into the zone where the combs leave the sliver of fibers. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The improved gill box as in claim 1 wherein the cam of the lower needle field has a pointed conformation to reduce the distance travelled by the outgoing slivers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The improved gill box as in claim 1 wherein said upper head defines an axis about which the upper head can be pivoted.