A fiber tumbler for tumbling a plurality of fiber types, the fiber tumbler comprising:
- a tumbler frame;
- a fiber cage structure, the fiber cage structure including:
- a cage frame pivotally coupled to the tumbler frame for rotation of the fiber cage structure about a rotational axis;
- at least one removable first cage panel, wherein the first cage panel covers an exterior portion of the cage frame when installed on the cage frame, the removable first cage panel including a plurality of first openings sized large enough to permit particles to exit the fiber cage structure while yet sized small enough to substantially retain a first type of fiber within the fiber cage structure;
- and
- at least one removable second cage panel, wherein the second cage panel covers the exterior portion of the cage frame when installed on the cage frame, the removable second cage panel including a plurality of second openings sized large enough to permit particles to exit the fiber cage structure while yet sized small enough to substantially retain a second type of fiber within the fiber cage structure, wherein a user selects at least one cage panel from the at least one removable first cage panel and the at least one removable second cage panel suitable for use on the cage frame when tumbling a selected fiber, wherein the user inserts and removes the selected fiber into and from the fiber cage structure by removing at least one selected cage panel and reinstalling the removed at least one selected cage panel prior to rotating the fiber cage structure, wherein the selected fiber tumbles within the fiber cage structure upon rotation of the fiber cage structure, and wherein particles are removed from the selected fiber upon rotation of the fiber cage structure;
- a power unit for rotating the fiber cage structure, wherein the cage frame comprises one of:
- a round cylinder;
- an octagonal cylinder;
- a hexagonal cylinder;
- and a square cylinder, wherein each face defined by the cage frame parallel to the rotational axis of the one of the octagonal cylinder;
- the hexagonal cylinder;
- and the square cylinder is adapted to receive the selected cage panel, wherein each end of the round cylinder comprises a circular end frame, and the end frames are connected to each other by at least two cage frame members parallel to the rotational axis, the cage frame members defining surface segments of the round cylinder such that each surface segment is adapted to receive the selected cage panel, and wherein the fiber cage structure rotates when the power unit is turned on by the user and stops when the power unit is turned off by the user;
- and
- an automatic controller for controlling operation of the power unit, the automatic controller comprising:
- a Run Set Time control whereby the user programs a run time corresponding to a desired total rotation time of the fiber cage structure;
- a Reverse Set Time control whereby the user programs a reverse time corresponding to an amount of time to rotate in a first direction before reversing and rotating in a second direction;
- an Initial Direction control whereby the user programs a direction of rotation corresponding to the first direction, wherein the fiber cage structure will not reverse direction of rotation and will rotate only in accordance with the Initial Direction control if the Reverse Set Time control is programmed to a zero setting;
- a Run Time display;
- a Reverse Time display;
- a Set Time control, wherein the programmed run time and the programmed reverse time are respectively displayed in the Run Time display and the Reverse Time display when the Set Time control is activated momentarily;
- a Start control for starting rotation of the fiber cage structure;
- a Stop control for stopping rotation of the fiber cage structure;
- wherein each of the Run Time display and the Reverse Time display count down on a timely basis while the fiber cage structure is rotating, the Run Time display showing a remaining total rotation time, and the Reverse Time display showing a remaining rotation time for the current direction of rotation;
- wherein, if the Reverse Set Time control is programmed to a zero setting, the fiber cage structure rotates only in the direction programmed with the Initial Direction control;
- wherein, if the Reverse Set Time control is programmed to a non-zero setting, when the Reverse Time display has counted down to zero, the power unit paused by deactivating for a period of time sufficient to allow rotation of the fiber cage structure to stop, after which the power unit is reactivated in the opposite direction and the Reverse Time display redisplays the time programmed with the Reverse Set Time control;
- and
- wherein, when the Run Time display has counted down to zero, rotation of the fiber cage structure is stopped by deactivating the power unit.