US 5,666,704 AGranted

Detwisting mechanism for fabric processing line

AssigneeTubular Textile LLC

InventorsEllie E. Price, William C. Hardin, Jr., Chris Bostian

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Abstract

A improved upper level de-twisting mechanism is provided to facilitate the handling of rope form fabric as it is drawn from a bulk container, typically in wet condition, and conveyed to a processing operation, such as spreading. The mechanism includes a rigid support positioned under a lifting roller and mounting a poteye through which the fabric is drawn. Three or more grooved guide rollers engage the lower flange of the poteye, supporting it for rotation about its axis. A reversible drive motor is mounted along side the poteye and drive belts are trained about the drive motor output and the grooved external contours of the poteye for controllably rotating the poteye. Resiliently biased arms, each carrying a fabric engaging roller, are mounted on the top flange of the poteye, such that rope form fabric, passing through the poteye, is grippingly engaged between the rollers for positive twist control over the fabric when the poteye is rotated is response to a twist sensing device arranged to sense the condition of the fabric as it is conveyed from the container.

Claims14

Dependent claims

In a system for de-twisting tubular knitted fabric in preparation for further processing, the system including an open top container for holding said tubular knitted fabric in rope form, a lifting roller for lifting fabric from said container, twist sensing means located to receive fabric from said lifting roller, a controllably rotatable turntable supporting said container and responsive to said twist sensor for rotating said container in a direction to correct a twist condition, and an elevated de-twisting mechanism positioned between said container and said lifting roller and responsive to said twist sensor for rotating the elevated fabric in a direction to correct a twist condition, an improved elevated de-twisting mechanism which comprises,

(a) a rigid support structure mounted directly above said turn table and closely adjacent to said lifting roller,
(b) said support structure forming an opening for the upward passage of rope form fabric from said container,
(c) a poteye carried in said support structure and having a generally circular central opening of a size to accommodate passage of said rope form fabric and defining an axis of said poteye,
(d) said poteye having upper and lower radially outwardly extending flanges and an arcuate side wall joining said flanges and defining an outwardly concave outwardly opening annular groove and an inwardly convex inner guide surface for fabric conveyed upwardly by said lifting roller,
(e) means supporting said poteye for rotation about an axis generally aligned with the rope fabric being lifted by said lifting roller,
(f) a controllable, reversible drive motor mounted on said support structure and having an output pulley,
(g) drive means connecting said pulley and said poteye, for controllably rotating said poteye in either direction, and
(h) resiliently biased fabric engaging means mounted on said poteye for rotation therewith and having means for resiliently gripping fabric at a point between said poteye and said lifting roller and closely adjacent to the latter.

5 more elements

(a) a rigid support structure mounted directly above said turn table and closely adjacent to said lifting roller,
(b) said support structure forming an opening for the upward passage of rope form fabric from said container,
(c) an annular guide member having a central axis and carried by said support structure for rotation about its axis,
(d) said annular guide member having a central opening for the free passage of fabric in rope form,
(e) fabric engaging means mounted on said annular guide member for rotation therewith,
(f) said fabric engaging means comprising an opposed pair of rollers mounted for rotation about parallel axes disposed at right angles to the central axis of said annular guide member,
(g) means for resiliently urging said rollers toward said central axis for gripping engagement with a rope form fabric passing though said annular guide member, and
(h) controllable reversible drive means associated with said annular guide member and responsive to said twist sensor for rotating said annular guide member in a direction to correct a twist condition.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.