Title of Invention

AN APPARATUS FOR SENSING THICKNESS VARIATION OF THE FIBRE BATT IN A CARDING MACHINE

Abstract According to the present invention, the said apparatus comprises the feed roller (3), feed plate (4), sensing roller (1) located parallel to the feed roller and arranged along the width of the carding machine and supported on two end brackets (6) rigidly fixed to a support frame (8). A plurality of sensing plates (2) arranged along the entire width of sensing roller (1), characterized in that the sensing roller (1) being located closer to the feed roller (3) and driven at the same speed as that of feed roller (3). Each sensing plates (2) comprises vertical stud with middle portion (2a) and bottom portion (2b) on the side opposite to the side facing sensing roller (1), middle portion (2a) passes through linear bearing (10), bottom portion (2b) passes through spring (11) and attached to plurality of input sensing pistons (13) provided in a fluid cylinder (12). The combined pressure generated by plurality of sensing pistons (13) provide movement to an output piston (14) provided on said fluid cylinder (12) in a direction perpendicular to that of the direction of movement of input sensing pistons (13) and sensing means (15, 16) located coaxial to said output piston (14).
Full Text This invention relates to an apparatus for sensing thickness variation of fibre batt and controlling the lap or loose fibers in the feed batt fed to a carding machine in order to achieve lesser sliver coefficient of variation.
In a carding machine the output sliver quality depends on the uniformity in weight per unit length of the feed material in the form of lap or loose fibers. Normally in any carding machine the feed material, whether in lap form or loose fibers, is bound to have variations in weight per unit length, both in length wise and width wise. Since there is a huge draft between feed and dehvery, a small variation in feed is multiplied heavily on the delivery sliver. Hence controlling the feed weight per unit length is very important for the output sliver quality.
At present the feed material is controlled by means of a sensing and controlling the speed of feed roller. The sensors are fitted at both ends of the feed roller and the feed roller is allowed to move up and down, against a predetermined spring load. This movement depends on the variation in feed weight per unit length. The sensing and corrections are carried out in a single roller only. The width wise variations are not taken into consideration.
Sliver coefficient of variation (CV%) is a statistical term which indicates the magnitude of variations in sliver weight per unit length. Number of samples are 20 and the cut length is 5m. Weight is measured in gms. Lesser shver CV% reduce the yam count variations. Consequently, stripiness is eliminated in woven and knitted fabrics.

The feed roller, placed along the machine width, adjacent to the licker_ in, is driven by a motor through chains. The motor speed is varied by an inverter servo drive through an electronic control device which is getting signals from sensing means and averaging it, to feed a uniform weight per unit length material to the licker_in. Bearing housings are fitted at both end shafts of the feed roller and the housings are supported in two end brackets. Needle bearings may be used for smooth, continuous rotation. The brackets are rigidly fixed over the feed plate. A coating may be given on the feed roller surface to avoid lap licking. The feed roller is loaded with springs at both ends.
The invention provides an apparatus for sensing thickness variation in a carding machine comprising a plurality of sensing plates adjacent to a feed plate and feed roller of the carding machine, a sensing roller located on the plurality of sensing plates along the width of the carding machine and rigidly fixed to a support frame mounted on end brackets, each said plurality of sensing plates having a middle stud portion and a bottom stud portion, the said middle stud portion of each of the sensing plates passes through a linear bearing and is supported by a sensing plate support allowing free vertical motion of the sensing plate, said bottom stud portion of each of the sensing plates passes through a spring and acting on an input sensing piston provided on a fluid cylinder and provide movement on an output piston provided on the fluid cylinder in a direction perpendicular to that of the direction of movement of the input sensing piston and a sensing means to sense the movement of the output piston which corresponds to the variation of the thickness in the fibre batt fed to the licker in.

The apparatus according to the invention senses variation in the feed thickness along the length and width of the feed fibre batt. The sensing means may be preferably a proximity sensor or a load cell providing signals corresponding to the movement of the output piston provided to the fluid cylinder. Since the apparatus according to the invention senses the thickness variation of the fibre batt along the length of the feed roller by means of plurality of sensing plates, an accurate measure of thickness variation of the fibre batt will be obtained. The signal corresponding to the integral value of the thickness variation of the fibre batt will be provided by the sensing means for controlling the feed roller drive.
The apparatus according to the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings :
Figure 1 shows the apparatus according to the invention.
Figure 2 shows preferred embodiments of the sensing means provided with the fluid cylinder.
Figures 3 A and 3B shows two preferred embodiments of the apparatus according to the invention viewed from the side perpendicular to the side shown in fig. 1
Figure 4 is the top view of the plurality of sensing plates on a support frame of the apparatus according to the invention.

A sensing roller (1) is rotatably mounted with two end brackets (6) with roller bearings (7) and the end brackets (6) are fixed to a support fi:ame (8). The sensing roller (1) is located close to feed roller (3) and feed plate (4) of the carding machine. The feed roller (3) is located close to the lickerin (5) of the carding machine. The sensing roller (1) is driven against the array of plurality of sensing plates (2) at the same speed as the speed of the feed roller (3). Each said plurality of sensing plates (2) has a vertical stud with a middle portion (2a) and bottom portion (2b) on the side opposite to the side facing the sensing roller (3). The middle stud portions (2a) of each sensing plates (2) passes through a linear bearing (10) and is supported by a sensing plate support (9) allowing free vertical motion of the sensing plate (2). The bottom stud portion (2b) of each sensing plate (2) passes through a spring (11) and acts on plurality of input sensing pistons (13) provided in a fluid cylinder (12). The compression on the fluid in the fluid cylinder (12) by the plurality of the input pistons (13) attached to bottom studs (2b) of the sensing plates (2) will be in accordance with the variation of the batt thickness fed to the lickerin (5) of the carding machine. The compression on the fluid, pushes an output piston (14) provided at one end of the fluid cylinder (12) perpendicular to the direction of the input pistons (13). The movement of the output piston (14) will correspond to the variation in the batt thickness fed to the lickerin (5). The movement of the output piston (14) is sensed by a sensing means and provided as electrical signal for controlling the feed motor drive. A preferred sensing means is a proximity sensor (15) located close to the output piston (14). Another preferred sensing means is a load cell (16) attached to the output piston (14).

Our co-pending applications 1031/MAS/2000 and 1033/MAS/2000 describe two distinct apparatuses for sensing thickness variation of feed in a carding machine having distinct features.





WE CLAIM :
1. An apparatus for sensing thickness variation of the fibre batt in a carding machine comprising a plurality of sensing plates (2) adjacent to a feed plate (4) and feed roller (3) of the carding machine, a sensing roller (1) located on the plurality of sensing plates (2) along the width of the carding machine and rigidly fixed to a support frame (8) mounted on end brackets (6), each said plurality of sensing plates (2) having a middle stud portion (2a) and a bottom stud portion (2b), the said middle stud portion (2a) of each of the sensing plates (2) passes through a Unear bearing (10) and is supported by a sensing plate support (9) allowing free vertical motion of the sensing plate (2), said bottom stud portion (2b) of each of the sensing plates (2) passes through a spring (11) and acting on an input sensing piston (13) provided on a fluid cylinder (12) and provide movement on an output piston (14) provided on the fluid cylinder (12) in a direction perpendicular to that of the direction of movement of the input sensing piston (13) and a sensing means (15, 16) to sense the movement of the output piston (14) which corresponds to the variation of the thickness in the fibre batt fed to the lickerin (5).
2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing means is an electronic proximity sensor (15).
3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sensing means is a load cell (16) kept in contact with the end opposite to the end of the output piston (14) provided on the fluid cylinder (12).

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said sensing roller (1) has a knurled surface profile.
5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said sensing roller (1) comprises a saw-tooth clothing mounted on a plain roller.
6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the surface of the said sensing roller (1) is provided with diamond patterns.
7. An apparatus for sensing thickness variation of the fibre batt in a carding machine, substantially as hereinabove described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.


Documents:

1032-mas-2000-abstract.pdf

1032-mas-2000-claims filed.pdf

1032-mas-2000-claims grand.pdf

1032-mas-2000-correspondnece-others.pdf

1032-mas-2000-correspondnece-po.pdf

1032-mas-2000-description(complete) filed.pdf

1032-mas-2000-description(complete) grand.pdf

1032-mas-2000-description(provisional).pdf

1032-mas-2000-drawings.pdf

1032-mas-2000-form 1.pdf

1032-mas-2000-form 19.pdf

1032-mas-2000-form 26.pdf

1032-mas-2000-form 3.pdf

1032-mas-2000-form 5.pdf


Patent Number 198891
Indian Patent Application Number 1032/MAS/2000
PG Journal Number 23/2006
Publication Date 09-Jun-2006
Grant Date 20-Feb-2006
Date of Filing 30-Nov-2000
Name of Patentee LAKSHMI MACHINE WORKS LIMITED
Applicant Address PERIANAICKENPALAYAM, COIMBATORE 641 020
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 NE NE
PCT International Classification Number N/A
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 NA