Title of Invention

A SLIVER FUNNEL AND AN APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING A SLIVER FOR SUBSEQUENT MANUFACTURE OF A SPUN YARN

Abstract The present invention provides a sliver funnel and an apparatus for manufacturing a silver for subsequent manufacture of spun yarn. The sliver funnel is for a sliver guide without a longer collecting tube or guide tube, said sliver funnel comprises a guide duct which tapers conically to a cylindrical front portion; a plurality of injector bores, which are inclined in the conveying direction of a sliver, provided in the cylindrical front portion. The apparatus for manufacturing a silver for subsequent manufacture of spun yarn, comprises a silver funnel as described above and calender discs, wherein the diameter (d) of the cylindrical front portion of the silver funnel is considerably smaller than the axial width (b) of the calender discs.
Full Text





The present invention relates to a sliver funnel and an apparatus for manufacturing a sliver for subsequeht manufacture of a spun yarn .
The technical field of the invention is textile machines. In this field a drawing frame is encountered which is provided downstream of the drawing unit with a calender device which comprises at least two opposing calender discs by means of which the sliver is con¬densed. Both are described in the German Utility Model 295 10 871 Ul of 5th July 1995. Comprehensive reference is made to this publication, in particular to Claim 1 thereof, which is further developed in the present invention.
As a rule, a plurality of SLIVERS are doubled to form a sliver upstream of the drawing unit. The doubled sliver is conveyed into the drawing unit. During the drafting procediu-e the sliver is enlarged to fonn a fibre fleece and is conv^ed in this state by the pair of delivery rollers of the drawing unit. The fibre fleece must be shaped again to form the silver. This is perfonne3T)y the fleece funnel. As the fibre fleece enters the opening of the fleece funnel, a sliver is formed again.
It is known m the prior art for a pair of delivery rollers, which convey the said fibre fleece into a fleece funnel, to be arranged at the outlet of a drawing unit of a drawing frame (for example a sliver-processing machine). The fibre fleece is combined in the fibre funnel and is shaped by the fimnel opening to form a sliver again and is passed to a sliver tube of considerable length. At the end of the sliver tube the sliver is inserted into a sliver funnel which deflects the conveying direction of the sliver by about 90° and inserts it between a pair of calender rollers (calender discs). After passing through the pair of calender rollers the sUver condensed there is passed to the deposition device of the drawing frame (c/ for example EP 593 884 Al, US 4,372,010 or DE-A 26 23 400).
In the East German Specification 290 697, die fleece funnel and the sliver funnel are spaced apart by a considerable distance by way of a sliver tube. An aerating opening (ref. 13) allows the air flowing in at the beginning of the collecting tube (ref. 5) to escape com¬pletely upstream of the narrowest point of the funnel, so as to quickly build up a suction flow again using compressed air introduced by an injector bore in the portion of the fleece-duct having the smallest diameter.

The object of the invention is to introduce the beginning of the fibre fleece into the sliver duct between the delivery rollers and the calender discs automatically and to deposit it directly upstream of the clamping gap of the calender discs, in particular in an economical manner within the constraints of the guiding air.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a sliver funnel for a sliver guide without a longer collecting tube or guide tube, said sliver funnel comprising: a guide duct which tapers conically to a cylindrical front portion; a plurality of injector bores, which are inclined in the conveying direction of a sliver, provided in the cylindrical front portion.
Accordingly, the present invention also provides an apparatus for manufacturing a silver for subsequent manufacture of spun yam, comprising a silver funnel as described above and calender discs, wherein the diameter (d) of the cylindrical front portion of the silver funnel is considerably smaller than the axial width (b) of the calender discs.

Reference is made below to a pair of calender discs or to the calender discs, in which case a pair of calender rollers is likewise covered by this term. This is possible since, as compared with a pair of calender rollers, a pair of calender discs does not constitute a restriction of the invention.
The diameter of the cylindrical portion can be less than a third of the width of the calender discs or, conversely, the calender discs are at least three times wider than the dia¬meter of the narrowest portion of the sliver funnel.
The process operates both with the clamping gap closed and with the clamping gap opened,
In order that the sliver funnel and the guide duct diereof may approach quite closely to the clamping gap, the front end converges to a point and terminates in a linear manner
curved surface portions of the front end of the sliver fimnel, which are adapted
to the curvattire of the surface of the calender discs, also terminate at this line. The pointed end can correspond to the width of the clamping gap.
The invention permits a quicker and reliable attachment, i.e. insertion of the drawn sliver, by dispensing with the long sliver tube of the prior art, as a result of which the

fleece funnel and the sliver funnel are arranged one directly behind the other. This corresponds to the guide device.
It is possible for the attachment, i.e. insertion of the drawn sliver, to be accelerated and simplified and for the losses in the available air to be reduced as far as possible. As a result of dispensing with the sliver tube, the sliver guide according to the invention becomes particularly short and compact. Long paths and therefore dead periods which are awkward to control can be reduced. Despite their compact design, the fibre guide accor¬ding to the invention is easy to manipulate and even pennits two positions of the
assembled nozzles by way of the air-tight articulation one for normal operation
and one for the attachment. What is surprising is that the compact sliver guide can nevertheless be adjusted in a simple manner and is easy to maintain and service. Despite the compact design of the guide device it is possible to exchange the nozzle inserts in order to permit a rapid change-over when changing parts.
The virtually completely loss-free guidance of the air from the fleece funnel to a position upstream of the clamping gap of the calender discs is characteristic of the automatic, air-guided insertion of the fibre fleece into the sliver guide duct of the textile machine. The air guidance from the fleece funnel (which rolls in and joins together the drawn fibre fleece) as far as the sliver funnel (which causes the sliver to be condensed upstream of the pair of calender discs) is performed without losses. No lateral opening, from which the air could escape, is provided in the guide duct in this area; only lateral inflow bores (injector bores), which produce and maintain the air suction flow, are present in this area.
As a result of the air guidance being closed upstream of the clamping line, the method of automated insertion of the beginning of the fibre fleece is highly economical within the constraints of the air available. At the same time the method is not susceptible to fluctuations in the pressure of the compressed air used for the insertion and it can operate reliably in a wide compressed-air range.
By oblique application inclined in the conveying direction of the sliver, the com¬pressed air becomes a suction flow formed at the top.
Threading a ponion of the fibre fleece into the fleece funnel mechanically is dispensed with completely. It is merely necessary for the fibre fleece to be given a narrower width (to the width Fl) at the front end and for the remaining narrower portion to be shortened to a pre-determined length which is calculated from the weight of the fibre fleece and the

length of the fibre duct from the fleece funnel to the clamping gap {to the length H). The momentary switching-on of a compressed-air generator to generate a brief compressed-air pulse causes the narrowed portion of the fibre fleece to be threaded into the fleece funnel and the said portion to be conveyed m front of the clamping gap, where the complete threading-in or the complete insertion of the sliver between the calender discs is achieved with a brief rotary movement of the calender discs.
The compressed-air pulse can advantageously be linked to a rotary movement slightly staggered in tune, so that the operator merely needs to press a button in order to thread m the fibre fleece. A fibre fleece cannot be supplied, inserted and put in the operating position more simply, rapidly and reliably in the prior art.
The suction flow upstream of the point of applying the compressed air is reliably formed when the compressed air is inserted at the point of the sliver-conveying duct which has the smallest diameter. This is the sliver funnel, which is situated close to the calender discs. A compressed-air flow applied here m the direction towards the calender discs results in a reliable suction flow above the application point as far as the fleece funnel, since no air losses occur there.
In the entire guiding portion from the fleece funnel as far as the sliver funnel, no openings are provided which are orientated transversely to the guide duct and which could allow an escape of air. The reliable build-up of the suction flow, starting from the foremost end of the conveying path and acting backwards as far as the point of entry of the enlarged sliver (the fleece funnel), makes it possible to dispense with any additional inflow of air in this area, which is generally necessary in the case of the prior art, when an inflow of compressed air is provided at the fleece funnel or just downstream thereof, but aeration is provided at the sliver funnel or just upstream thereof
In this way, according to the invention the fibre fleece is caught at the front end by the air flow, is then drawn as a sliver along the entire sliver duct and is supplied directly to the calender discs. The sliver is not "pushed" by compressed air and aerated far upstream of the calender discs.
An embodiment of the invention is intended to broaden and deepen the understanding thereof

Fig. 1 shows, superimposed, a conventional arrangement of a sliver guide with a long sliver tube (left-hand half of the drawing) and a compact design according to the invention (right-hand half of the drawing) with assembled nozzle inserts 30, 40, 50, 60, of which two nozzle inserts 40, 50 are tillable with respect to the other two nozzle inserts 30, 60 which are mounted on a nozzle holder 20 fixed above the calender discs 100a, 100b. The superimposed drawing is used to illustrate the reduction in the conveying path. The deflecting roller 71 belongs to the compact design of the right-hand part of the drawing.
Fig. 2 shows a sliver guide according to the prior art.
Fig. 3 shows the preparation of the fibre fleece F for insertion into the fleece funnel 50.
Figs. 4a, 4b and 4c show, as an enlargement of Fig. 1, the sliver funnel 30 which brings the flowing guiding air directly to the clampmg gap 100c without loss.
Figs. 5a and 5b show the pivoting of a fleece funnel with a nozzle insert 40' and a calender disc 100b about a common pivot point SP.
The superimposition in Fig. 1 illustrates the difference between the invention and the prior art, which is shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2. In the case of the prior art the undrawn sliver FV during the insertion is inserted mto a long guide tube 8 by means of fleece funnels 1 by way of drawing rollers 68a, 68b, 69a, 69b and delivery rollers 70a, 70b. The sliver funnel deflects the sliver FB by substantially 90° into the clamping gap of the calender with its calender discs 100a, 100b. The calendered sliver KF emerges vertically downwards from the calender and is stored in a deposition device. This guidance of the sliver is also illustrated in Fig. 2 with the same reference numerals.
An embodiment of the invention shortens the sliver path and dispenses with the sliver tube 8. A further deflecting roller 7! is added, which causes a deviation of substantially 60° from the conveying direction FV of the fleece and introduces the sliver into one of a plurality of operational members forming the sliver duct. The first member is the fleece funnel 50 with an inclined ramp face 50b and a funnel portion 50a which is arranged directly thereon and in which the sliver (also referred to as the fibre fleece) arriving in a wide state is folded, turned over and inserted into a first portion of the duct. The portion of the duct is formed by an insert 40 which is introduced on the rear side of the portion 50a of the fleece funnel 50 and is secured by a screw.
At the front end of the insert 40 an articulation face is provided, which, in the angular position shown in Fig. 1, allows the guide duct to be sealed off from the following sliver funnel 30.

The articulation face of the front cylindrical portion of the inner insert 40 comprises two continuously curved portions which become narrow towards the rear and which engage in a corresponding bearing face 35 on the sliver funnel 30. Pivoting the fleece funnel 50 in the direction a into the other end position does not break the radially air-dght seal between the fleece funnel and the sliver funnel, and radially air-right guidance of the sliver is made possible both in the pivoted-in and in the pivoted-out state.
The radial sealing on the articulation faces 35 is adjustable. For this purpose the upper part - above the articulation face - can be altered in its position relative to the lower part in the axial direction and also in particular in the radial direction. The firmly mounted holder 20, in which the sliver funnel is inserted, forms a base for the adjustment.
If the fleece funnel 50 is constructed in two parts - with an insert inserted into the bore of the fleece funnel contrary to the conveymg direction of the sliver - the aforesaid relative setting can be performed with a handle 51.
The sliver funnel 30 is constructed as an msert and, with a V-shaped end converging to a point, engages between the calender discs 100a, 100b to immediately against the clamping gap lOOc. The insert 30 is shaped in such a way that it can be inserted axially into a sliver-funnel holder 60 and can be held.
The sliver is conveyed into the guiding duct as far as the clamping gap lOOc by the fleece nozzle 50, the inner insert 40 and the sliver funnel 30, for which purpose the fleece funnel 50 is pivoted outwards. The portion Fl of the sliver narrowed by hand as shown m Fig. 3 and held in the fimnel opening 50a is sucked in by way of injector bores 34a, 34b, 64a, 64b in the sliver fuimel. A brief suction flow in the order of magnitude of 500 m/sec in duration is sufficient to convey the narrowed sliver Fl to a position upstream of the clamping gap 100c with the mirumum expenditure of compressed air, since the articulation bearing face 356 and the articulation face of the inner insert 40 are closed in a radially air¬tight mamier. Mechanical aids for insertion are not required.
In order to introduce the portion Fl of the fibre fleece and with it the entire width F of the fibre fleece at the beginning of the fleece funnel and to convey them as a converted sliver through the clamping gap, a brief rotational movement of the duration T2 is given to
the calender disc.
It can switch on automatically after a pre-determined suction period T2, it can be superimposed thereon or it can be performed separately by hand.

The shape of the sliver funnel 30 may be clearly seen in Fig. 4a, where the direction and arrangement of the injector bores 34a, 34b in the sliver funnel are shown enlarged. They open into a cylindrical duct 31 which forms the front end of the sliver duct. The cylindrical portion 31 widens by way of a tapered portion 32 to the diameter of the sliver duct which is pre-set by the inner insert 40.
The inclined injector bores 34a, 34b can extend at an angle of about 45° with respect to the axis 200b of the sliver-funnel insert 30; they can be offset but parallel in order to impart a twist and additional strength to the insoted sliver.
The sliver-funnel holder 60 has a central, substantially cylindrical opening into which the sliver-funnel insert 30 is inserted. An annular duct 33, which can be supplied with compressed air by two or more cylindrical bores 64a, 64b, extends in the peripheral direction open towards the inside in the cylindrical opening. Starting from the annular duct, the compressed air introduced from the outside is fed into the aforesaid inclined injector bores 34a, 34b when the sliver-funnel insert 30 is inserted, in order to open into the cylindrical portion 31 of the sliver duct which is situated closely adjacent the clamping gap 100c.
The front end of the insert 30 is made V-shaped with slightly curved V-legs which are adapted to the surface of the calender rollere 100a, 100b in their curvature, In this way the sliver-funnel insert 30 can be inserted directly into the interspace which narrows in a slightly curved manner between the calender discs and the cylindrical portion 31 terminates with its front end directly upstream of the clamping gap 100c. This is shown particularly clearly in the lateral view according to Fig. 4c. The diameter d of the cylindrical guide duct 31 is illustrated there. In this case the front cylindrical portion of the sliver-fimnel insert 30 comprises two surface portions 31a, 31b which taper laterally upwards and which have the curvature shown in Fig. 4a. In accordance with the sliver-fimnel insert 30 converging to a point and the cylindrical bore 31 of constant diameter, a V-shaped opening end is produced, from which the flowing air of the injector bores issues, by which air the fleece is conveyed as far as the clamping gap.
Because of the width b of the calender discs in relation to the perceptibly smaller dia¬meter d of the cylindrical guide duct 31, the air can escape laterally to only a slight extent or slowly, so that the major part of the flowing air is guided as far as the clamping gap and and carries with it the fibre fleece entrained therewith.

A plan view is shown in Fig. 4b, in which the width b of the two calender discs 100a, 100b may be recognized. The injector bores 64a, 64b are also recognizable as feed ducts to the annular duct 33, as well as the inclined injector ducts 34a, 34b offset but parallel in the insert 30. At least two injector ducts are provided, so that the sliver is centred and at the same time is given a twist.
As an example of the compressed air pressure to be used, 4 bar can be mentioned, this being adapted to a duct diameter of about 3-8 mm in the sliver funnel and about 8 mm in the insert 40 of the fleece funnel 50. Tests have shown that even a compressed air pulse with a duration of about 500 m/sec is sufficient for inserting the front part Fl of the sliver as far as the clamping gap 100c in a reliable manner. The length HI of the manually narrowed fibre fleece is adapted to the distance of the fleece funnel 50 from the clamping gap 100c and thus to the length of the air-tight sliver duct.
In an alternative variant (not shown in the drawing) the aforesaid annular duct 33 can also be formed on the insert 30, for example by a surrounding groove.
Fig. 5a shows a fleece fimnel 50 with a nozzle insert 40'. The insert 40' is constructed as a complete piece. The insert 40' has its sliver guide shaped in such a way that in a first portion the sliver guide corresponds to the sliver guide of an insert 40 and in a subsequent portion to the sliver guide of a sliver funnel 30 (as shown m Fig. 4a). As shown in Fig. 5a, an insert 40' of this type is in an attachment position, i.e. a position for inserting the fibre fleece into the funnel area 50a. The insert 40' occupies this position according to Fig. 5a even when a build-up of the fibre fleece has occurred.
Changing the insert 40' is considerably more rapid than changing the insert 40 and the sliver funnel 30 as shown in Fig. 1. Re-adjustment or alignment can be dispensed with owing to the compact (integral) shape of the insert 40'. In addition, an air-tight, pivotable articulation becomes imnecessary.
In an advantageous embodiment, a calender disc 100b and the insert 40' are arranged in a common support means or holding means (not shown). The support means is mounted so as to be pivotable about a pivot point SP. It is possible for the calender disc 100b and the insert 40' to pivot about the common pivot point SP. Since the insert 40' is connected to the fleece funnel 50, both are pivoted as a result. On grounds of simplicity, however, only the pivoting of the insert 40' is described below. The pivoting allows the operator to have improved access to and view of the insert 40'. As a result, conveyed fibre fleece can be inserted into the fimnel area 50a by hand, in order to thread the beginning of

the fibre fleece. The fibre fleece is shaped by the fleece funnel to form the sliver and is immediately conveyed to between the opened calender discs 100a and 100b. For the start of stationary operation the insert 40' and the calender disc 100b are pivoted back mto the position according to Fig. 5b. This corresponds to the position for stationary operation (operating position) of the insert 40'.
Another embodiment permits a separate pivoting of the inset 40' and a separate pivot¬ing of the calender disc 100b about the pivot point SP. This makes it possible for the calender disc lOOb to remain in the closed position during the insertion of the sliver. Only the insert 40' is pivotable in order to introduce the beginning of the sliver. If it is necessary to open the calender discs, this can be performed separately.
An embodiment is also possible in which the insert 40' is arranged so as not to be pivotable, but stationary, in accordance with Fig. 5b. With such an embodiment the guiding face LF of the fleece funnel 50 must be constructed so as to be pivotable. A pivot shaft must expediently be arranged in the lower region of the guiding face, so that the guiding face LF can only be pivoted away from the funnel area 50a. This allows the guiding face LF to be pivoted away in the event of build-up of the fibre fleece, so that the fibre fleece can escape from the funnel area 50a. In addition, the pivotability of the guiding face LF provides the operator with a view into the funnel area 50a. With this em¬bodiment, a calender disc 100b can also be mounted so as to be separately pivotable ith respect to a pivot point SP.

WE CLAIM:
1. A sliver funnel (30) for a sliver guide without a longer collecting tube or guide tube (8), said sliver funnel (30) comprising: a guide duct (31, 32) which tapers conically (32) to a cylindrical front portion (31); a plurality of injector bores (34a, 34b), which are inclined in the conveying direction of a sliver, provided in the cylindrical front portion (31).
2. The sliver funnel (30) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cylindrical front portion (31) terminates externally in a pointed end (36).
3. The sliver funnel (30) as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the cylindrical front portion (31) comprises two surface portions (31a, 31b) which taper laterally, having a curvature in the shape of a circular arc, for conforming to the circumference of respective calender discs (100a, 100b).
4. The sliver funnel (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the injector bores (34a, 34b) extend at an angle of about 45° to the central axis of the sliver funnel (30).
5. The sliver funnel (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the injector bores (34a, 34b) are inclined in the direction of the conveying of a sliver and are arranged on opposite sides of the guide duct (31, 32) but staggered in parallel.

6. The sliver funnel (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the sliver funnel is pivotable.
7. The sliver funnel (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein a fleece funnel (50) having a nozzle insert (40') which tapers towards an end of the fleece flinnel close to the sliver funnel (30) is provided.
8. The sliver funnel (30) as claimed in claim 7, wherein a guiding face (LF) of the fleece funnel (50) is pivotable.
9. The sliver funnel as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein an air flow is supplied for a short time through the injector bores (34a, 34b) in the cylindrical front portion (31).
10. An apparatus for manufacturing a silver for subsequent manufacture of spun yam, comprising a silver funnel (30) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and calender discs (100a,100b), wherein the diameter (d) of the cylindrical front portion of the silver funnel is considerably smaller than the axial width (b) of the calender discs (100a,100b).
U. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the diameter (d) is less than a third of the width (b) of the calender discs.
12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 or claim 11, wherein the pointed linear end (36) of the silver funnel (30) is substantially the same width as a clamping gap (100c) between the calender discs.

13. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, and arranged such that there is an airflow through the at least two nozzle portions (30, 60, 40) in the silver guide to directly upstream of a clamping gap (100c) between the calender discs (100a, 100b) in order to allow a part (Fl) of a fibre fleece (F) to be inserted initially into a guiding device (50, 40, 60, 30) automatically and to allow it to be deposited directly upstream of the clamping gap (100c).
14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the airflow is adapted to escape directly at the clamping gap (100c) transversely to the conveying direction of the silver.
15. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the clamping gap (100c) is adapted to be opened slightly so as to perceptively let through guiding air, by moving away one calender disc (100a) with respect to the other calender discs (100b).
16. The apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 15, wherein a fleece funnel (50) is located adjacent the sliver funnel (30).
] 7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the fleece funnel (50) comprises a nozzle insert (40'), which nozzle insert is arranged on a common supporting means with one calender disc (100b), the insert (40') and the calender disc (100b) being pivotable about a common pivot point (SP).
1 J

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein a guiding face (LF) of the fleece funnel (50) is pivotable, and the nozzle insert (40') is stationary relative to one ofthe calender discs (100a, 100b).
19. A sliver funnel substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
20. An apparatus for manufacturing a sliver for subsequent manufacture of a spun
yam substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying
drawings.


Documents:

548-mas-1996 abstract.jpg

548-mas-1996 abstract.pdf

548-mas-1996 claims.pdf

548-mas-1996 correspondence others.pdf

548-mas-1996 correspondence po.pdf

548-mas-1996 description (complete).pdf

548-mas-1996 form-2.pdf

548-mas-1996 form-26.pdf

548-mas-1996 form-4.pdf

548-mas-1996 petition.pdf


Patent Number 194001
Indian Patent Application Number 548/MAS/1996
PG Journal Number 08/2007
Publication Date 23-Feb-2007
Grant Date 05-Jan-2006
Date of Filing 03-Apr-1996
Name of Patentee M/S. RIETER INGOLSTADT SPINNEREIMASCHINENBAU AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Applicant Address POSTFACH 10 09 60, FRIEDRICH-EBERT STRASSE 84, D-85046 INGOLSTADT
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 GOHLER, WOLFGANG OSTLICHE ROMERSTRASSE 12, D-85113 BOHMFELD
2 NAUTHE ALFRED OSTLICHE ROMERSTRASSE 12, D-85113 BOHMFELD
PCT International Classification Number B65H75/66
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 29506107.3 1995-04-07 Germany