Apparatus for separating waste and short fibers from a carding cylinder

A carding machine comprising:

• (a) a main carding cylinder having a direction of rotation and a cylinder surface carrying a cylinder clothing thereon;
• (b) a licker-in cooperating with said cylinder for transferring fiber material, including long and short fibers, from said licker-in to said carding cylinder;
• (c) a doffer cooperating with said cylinder for transferring fiber material from said carding cylinder to said doffer;
• (d) a cylinder cover extending circumferentially underneath said carding cylinder between said licker-in and said doffer;
• (e) an air inlet opening provided in said cylinder cover for introducing an air stream into a space between said cylinder cover and said cylinder clothing for exerting, on the short fibers, a removing force greater than a retaining force exerted by the cylinder clothing carrying the fiber material;
• (f) a waste outlet opening provided in said cylinder cover downstream of said air inlet outlet opening as viewed in said direction of rotation for discharging short fibers removed from said cylinder clothing by the air stream;
• and
• (g) a suction hood coupled to said waste outlet opening for receiving the short fibers from said waste outlet opening.

A carding machine comprising:

• (a) a main carding cylinder having a direction of rotation and a cylinder surface carrying a cylinder clothing thereon;
• (b) a licker-in cooperating with said carding cylinder for transferring fiber material, including long and short fibers, from said licker-in to said carding cylinder;
• (c) a doffer cooperating with said carding cylinder for transferring fiber material from said carding cylinder to said doffer;
• (d) a cylinder cover extending circumferentially underneath said carding cylinder between said licker-in and said doffer;
• (e) a waste outlet opening provided in said cylinder cover for discharging short fibers from said fiber material carried by the cylinder clothing;
• (f) a suction hood coupled to said waste outlet opening for receiving the short fibers from said waste outlet opening;
• (g) an additional outlet opening provided in said cylinder cover upstream of said waste outlet opening as viewed in said direction of rotation;
• and
• (h) a rotary removal roll disposed in said additional outlet opening and cooperating with said carding cylinder for removing long fiber therefrom.