US 4,768,262 AGranted

Apparatus and method for textile strand drafting

AssigneeIndustrial Innovators, Inc.

InventorJosef K. Gunter

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Abstract

A novel fiber drafting system disclosed according to which a textile fiber strand is passed through a plurality of pairs of drafting rollers wherein one of each pair of drafting rollers includes a circumferential groove for receiving the fiber strand and the other roller includes a circumferential rib for compressing the strand in the recessed groove to a cross-sectional shape substantially conforming to the groove. The plurality of pairs of rib and groove rollers are rotated such that each successive pair along the drafting pathway of the textile fiber strand has a greater circumferential speed than the preceeding pair of drafting rollers. In this fashion a textile fiber strand is compressed into a cross-section configuration which substantially equalizes the pressure on all fibers being drafted and thereby provides a more uniformly drafted strand.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An improved apparatus for drafting a textile fiber strand wherein said fiber strand is compacted into a relatively narrow fiber strand of substantially uniform height by the drafting apparatus, comprising:

at least two pairs of top and bottom drafting rollers for drafting the fiber strand during its passage along a drafting pathway through said drafting apparatus, wherein one roller of each pair of drafting rollers comprises a circumferential recessed groove therearound for receiving the fiber strand and the other roller of each pair of drafting rollers comprises a circumferential rib therearound adapted to mesh and compress the strand in said recess and wherein said at least two pairs of drafting rollers are each arranged with an upper and lower drafting roller, said upper drafting rollers at least once alternately comprising a drafting roller with a circumferential recessed groove and a drafting roller with a circumferential rib;
means for urging at least one of said at least two pairs of drafting rollers into operative engagement;
and
means for rotating said pairs of drafting rollers such that each successive pair along the drafting pathway of the fiber strand has a greater circumferential speed than the preceeding pair of drafting rollers.

1 more element

An improved method of drafting a textile fiber strand wherein said fiber strand is compacted into a relatively narrow fiber strand of substantially uniform height by the drafting process, the method comprising:

feeding the fiber strand to at least two pairs of top and bottom drafting rollers for drafting of the fiber strand during its passage along a drafting pathway through said at least two pairs of drafting rollers wherein one roller of each pair of drafting rollers comprises a circumferential recessed groove therearound for receiving the silver strand and the other roller of each pair of drafting rollers comprises a circumferential rib therearound adapted to mesh and compress the strand in said recess and wherein said at least two pairs of drafting rollers are each arranged with an upper and lower drafting roller, said upper drafting rollers at least once alternately comprising a drafting roller with a circumferential recessed groove and a drafting roller with a circumferential rib;
urging at least one of said at least two pairs of drafting rollers into operative engagement;
rotating each of said pairs of drafting rollers at a circumferential speed which is greater than the circumferential speed of the preceeding pair of drafting rollers along the fiber strand drafting pathway;
and
drafting the fiber strand between successive pairs of said at least two pairs of drafting rollers along the fiber strand drafting pathway.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.