Combing machine

A combing machine comprising

• a carrier means for supporting a lap roll thereon;
• a plurality of combing elements for receiving and combing a lap from said carrier means;
• a first pair of transport rollers between said carrier means and said combing elements for conveying a lap therebetween;
• a second pair of transport rollers between said first pair of transport rollers and said combing elements for conveying a lap therebetween;
• a pair of pressing rollers between said second pair of transport rollers and said combing elements;
• a movable deflector element adjacent said pressing rollers for directing a lap end between said pressing rollers;
• and
• control means to sequentially actuate said pairs of transport rollers to effect a differential rotation therebetween to sever a lap extending therebetween to form a first lap end, said pressing rollers to stop conveyance of the lap therebetween, said first pair of transport rollers to deliver a fresh lap, said pairs of transport rollers to sever the fresh lap therebetween to form a second lap end and then said deflector element to move the second lap end onto the first lap end and said pressing rollers to combine the lap ends.

In a combing machine, the combination comprising

• carrier means for supporting a lap roll thereon;
• a first pair of transport rollers for conveying a lap from a lap roll on said carrier means in a first direction of travel;
• a pair of pressing rollers downstream of said transport rollers relative to said direction of travel to receive a lap therefrom;
• a plurality of combing elements downstream of said pressing elements relative to said direction of travel for receiving a combing a lap therefrom
• severing means disposed between said transport rollers and said pressing rollers to sever a lap extending therebetween;
• control means connected to said severing means to sequentially actuate said severing means to sever a first lap between said transport rollers and said pressing rollers to form a first lap end extending to said pressing rollers and to thereafter sever a second lap extending from said transport rollers to form a second lap end extending to said transport rollers;
• and
• deflector means for directing the second lap end onto the first lap end adjacent said pressing rollers for combining therebetween.

In a combing machine, the combination comprising

• carrier means for supporting a lap roll thereon;
• a first pair of transport rollers for conveying a lap from a lap roll on said carrier means in a first direction of travel;
• a pair of pressing rollers downstream of said transport rollers relative to said direction of travel to receive a lap therefrom;
• a plurality of combing elements downstream of said pressing rollers relative to said direction of travel for receiving and combing a lap therefrom;
• severing means disposed between said transport rollers and said pressing rollers to sever a lap extending therebetween;
• and
• control means connected to said severing means to sequentially actuate said severing means to sever a first lap between said transport rollers and said pressing rollers to form a first lap end extending to said pressing rollers and to thereafter sever a second lap extending from said transport rollers to form a second lap end extending to said transport rollers for subsequent superposition with said first lap end for passage through said pressing rollers.

A method of joining an incoming lap with an outgoing lap in a combing machine comprising the steps of

• severing an outgoing lap upstream of the combing machine relative to the direction of lap movement;
• supporting a severed length of the outgoing lap extending from the combing machine;
• bringing the end of an incoming lap from a lap carrier together with the end of the outgoing lap at a lap joining means;
• joining the ends of the outgoing lap and incoming lap together in the lap joining means;
• and
• thereafter feeding the joined laps to the combing machine.

A method of connecting lap ends in a combing machine comprising the steps of

• severing a lap extending between a pair of pressing rollers and a pair of transport rollers to form a first lap end extending to said pressing rollers;
• thereafter severing a second lap extending from said transport rollers to a lap roll on a carrier means to form a second lap end extending to said transport rollers;
• superimposing the second lap end on the first lap end;
• and
• passing the superimposed ends through said pressure rollers to piece said ends together.