Blade quality monitor
AssigneeLummus Industries, Inc.
InventorsDonald W. Van Doorn, William D. Beeland
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A blade quality monitor for use with cutter reels having specifically identifiable blades utilize a sensor to detect the position of a physical anomaly on the reel. Additional sensors sense the force at the interface between the cutter reel, the material wrapped thereon and the associated pressure roller. The position of the physical anomaly is correlated with the sensed force to determine the magnitude thereof at each blade which is indicative of the condition of the blade with respect to sharpness or intactness.
Claims16
In an apparatus for cutting fibers into shorter lengths wherein fibers are urged between the blades of a rotating reel assembly and a pressure roller, a reel for supporting said blades including means for identifying each blade relative to a fixed reference point on said reel assembly and sensor means for identifying said fixed reference point as said reel rotates wherein each blade is identifiable during high-speed operation of said rotating reel assembly.
In a cutter reel assembly having a plurality of blades mounted therein for cutting fibers into shorter lengths, a pressure roller for urging said fibers against said blades;
- means for sensing the angular position of said assembly;
- means for sensing the force applied to said pressure roller by the fiber on said reel assembly;
- means for providing an indication of the condition of the blades in said cutter reel assembly as a function of said angular position and the force applied to said pressure roller.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.