Method and apparatus for cleaning carding flats
AssigneeJohn D. Hollingsworth on Wheels, Inc.
InventorsAlphonsus J. Lambe, Gary F. Keener
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Method and apparatus for the intermittent cleaning of carding flats by the use of pressurized air. A carriage having a plurality of nozzles is oscillated intermittently back and forth on a track adjacent to flats revolving about a carding cylinder of a carding machine. Pressurized air delivered from the nozzles on the flats blow trash and debris from the clothing of the flats downwardly into a vacuum plenum for disposal. A proximity sensor is provided for sensing a flat to initiate the cleaning cycle, wherein the carriage and nozzles are activated for cleaning a particular carding flat. After the cleaning cycle, delivery of pressurized air to the nozzles is ceased and is again activated upon the next predetermined cleaning of a carding flat.
Claims22
An apparatus for cleaning debris from a series of elongated carding flats of a carding machine, the carding flats being substantially continuously carried about a circuitous transport path, comprising:
- a mounting structure associated with the carding machine;
- at least one nozzle associated with said mounting structure, said nozzle having an inlet for receiving pressurized air and an outlet for directing the pressurized air towards at least one carding flat;
- pressurized air delivery means connected to said inlet of said nozzle for selectively delivering pressurized air to said inlet of said at least one nozzle;
- control means connected to said pressurized air delivery means for selectively causing said pressurized air delivery means to deliver pressurized air to said inlet of said at least one nozzle;
- and
- carding flat sensing means connected to said control means for sensing the position of a carding flat relative to said at least one nozzle and for signaling said control means upon the carding flat being adjacent said outlet of nozzle such that said control means causes said pressurized air to be delivered to said inlet of said nozzle, thereby allowing pressurized air to be delivered from said outlet of said nozzle to the carding flat for cleaning debris from the carding flat, and wherein said control means causes said pressurized air delivery means to cease delivery of pressurized air to said inlet of said nozzle upon the carding flat no longer being positioned adjacent said outlet of said nozzle.
An apparatus for cleaning debris from a series of elongated carding flats of a carding machine, the carding flats being substantially continuously transported about a circuitous transport path, comprising:
- a mounting structure associated with the carding machine;
- at least one nozzle associated with said mounting structure, said nozzle having an inlet for receiving pressurized air and an outlet for directing the pressurized air towards at least one carding flat;
- pressurized air delivery means connected to said inlet of said nozzle for selectively delivering pressurized air to said inlet of said at least one nozzle;
- control means connected to said pressurized air delivery means for selectively causing said pressurized air delivery means to deliver pressurized air to said inlet of said at least one nozzle upon a carding flat being positioned adjacent said outlet of said at least one nozzle for allowing pressurized air to be delivered from said outlet of said nozzle to the carding flat for cleaning debris from the carding flat, and wherein said control means causes said pressurized air delivery means to cease delivery of pressurized air to said inlet of said nozzle upon the carding flat no longer being positioned adjacent said outlet of said nozzle;
- and
- said at least one nozzle being configured for directing pressurized air from said outlet thereof to a carding flat in a direction substantially opposite to the direction of travel of the carding flats about said transport path.
An apparatus for cleaning debris from a series of moving elongated carding flats of a carding machine, comprising:
- a support structure associated with the carding machine adjacent to the carding flats;
- a track connected to said support structure;
- a carriage carried on said track for movement on said track with respect to said support structure;
- at least one nozzle connected to said carriage for movement therewith, said nozzle having an inlet for receiving pressurized air and an outlet for directing the pressurized air towards at least one carding flat;
- a fluid-actuated piston/cylinder unit connected to said carriage for selectively moving said carriage upon fluid actuation of said piston/cylinder unit, said carriage being moved by said piston/cylinder unit on said track;
- fluid delivery means connected to said piston/cylinder unit for selectively delivering pressurized fluid to said piston/cylinder unit to actuate said piston/cylinder unit;
- pressurized air delivery means connected to said at least one nozzle for selectively delivering pressurized air to said inlet of said nozzle;
- carding flat sensing means connected to said control means for sensing the position of a carding flat relative to said at least one nozzle;
- and
- control means connected to said carding flat sensing means, said pressurized air delivery means and said fluid delivery means;
- said control means selectively causing said fluid delivery means to deliver pressurized fluid to said piston/cylinder unit for actuation thereof, such that upon said carding flat sensing means sensing a carding flat being positioned adjacent said at least one nozzle, said piston/cylinder unit moves said carriage on said track;
- said control means selectively causing said pressurized air delivery means to deliver pressurized air to said inlet of said nozzle, thereby allowing pressurized air to be delivered from said outlet of said nozzle to the carding flat for cleaning debris from the carding flat.
A method of non-contact cleaning of debris from a plurality of elongated carding flats of a carding machine, the carding flats being substantially continuously carried about a circuitous transport path, a portion of the transport path being adjacent to a carding cylinder of the carding machine, and another portion of the transport path being spaced from the carding cylinder, such carding flats being of the type having a clothing surface for interacting with fibers on the carding cylinder while on the portion of the transport path adjacent to the carding cylinder, the method comprising:
- transporting a carding flat to be cleaned along the transport path to an area for cleaning, such area being spaced away from the carding cylinder;
- sensing the location of the carding flat to be cleaned among the plurality of carding flats;
- automatically positioning the carding flat to be cleaned adjacent at least one nozzle when the carding flat is in the area for cleaning for directing pressurized air against the clothing surface of the carding flat;
- and
- initiating delivery of pressurized air to the nozzle upon the carding flat being positioned adjacent the at least one nozzle such that the pressurized air is delivered from the nozzle to the clothing surface of the carding flat for removal of debris therefrom;
- and
- after a predetermined period of time substantially corresponding to the time the carding flat to be cleaned is adjacent the at least one nozzle, automatically shutting off the pressurized air delivery to the nozzle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.