Title of Invention

AN AEROMECHANICAL INDIVIDUALIZER FOR INDIVIDUALIZING ENTITIES

Abstract

An aeromechanica~ individua~izer for individualizing entities within a fiber sample includes a cylindrical rotating beater wheel, having a non-permeable .cylindrical surface and having carding elements, such as pins or wire points, on the cylindrica~ surface. A . cylindrical feed roller and feed plate supply the fiber sample. to the beater wheel in the form of a beard at a first point along the rotational path thereof. A nozzle directs a qas flow across the feed plate and the beard such that fibers are dragged from the feed plate into engagement with the carding element. At a second point along the rotational path of the beater wheel there is a doffer for removing entities of the beater wheel. An enclosure surrounds the beater wheel and substantially prevents the ingress or egress of the gas except gas flow which enters via the nozzle at the first point and which exits at the second point.

Full Text

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an aeromechanical individualizer for individualizing entities, and, generally, to the testing of fiber samples and, more particularly, to apparatus for individualizing single fibers and other entities in textile fiber samples for testing purposes. Testing of fiber samples, such as, but not limited to, cotton, is important for determining the market value of a particular batch of material, as well as for determining a suitable usage and what processing may be required in gins or spinning mills. Today, nearly 100% of the cotton grown in the United States is classed employing testing instruments* Testing includes determining such characteristics as fiber length, as well as the content of undesired textile entities such as trash and neps. As a relatively early example, a comb-like device for preparing a sample of ginned cotton for measuring the fiber length thereof is disclosed in Hertel U.S. Pat. No. 2,404,708, which issued in 1946. That same inventor later developed what is now known as a Hertel needle sampler, disclosed in Hertel U.S. Pat. No. 3,057,019. The Hertel needle sampler is a comb-like device arranged for movement past a perforated plate which has a fibrous mass pushed against the opposite side so that portions of the fibrous mass protrude through the perforations and are loaded onto the needles. A screw-thread based locking device then retains the fibers on the needle sampler, forming what is known in the art as a tapered beard because the fibers are of varying lengths. The tapered beard is prepared by combing and brushing to parallelize the fibers, as well as to remove loose fibers. Automated versions of the Hertel needle sampler have been developed. Individual entities can be analyzed at rates as high as 1000 per second. An AFIS more particularly includes an aeromechanical separator or fiber individualizer; high speed entity sensors; and a high information rate computer for data collection and analysis. Improvements to the AFIS, particularly improved sensors where a single sensor analyzes neps, trash and fibers individualized all in one air stream are disclosed in Shofner et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,270,787, titled "Electro-Optical Methods and Apparatus for High Speed, Multivariate Measurement of Individual Entities in Fiber or Other Samples;11 in Shofner et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,496, titled "Apparatus for Monitoring Trash in a Fiber Sample;" >rresponding Indian Patent No. 180782),] and in Shofner et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,253, titled "Apparatus and Method for Testing Multiple Characteristics of Single Textile Sample with Automatic Feed M (corresponding idmn Patent No. 182708). The fiber individualizer portion of an AFIS, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,512,060 and 4,686,744, includes a cylindrical rotating beater wheel having projections which engage fibers of fibrous material fed to the beater wheel for testing. The beater wheel rotates at typically 7,500 rpm, which is ai circumferential velocity of 5,000 FPM, and is similar to the licker-in of a conventional carding machine, or the beater stage of an open-end spinning head, with the exception that the AFIS beater wheel includes perforations which allow radially inward airflow. The perforations in the prior art beater wheel and, more particularly, the radially inward air flow through the perforations, is significant in that it causes the fibers to engage the pins on the rotating beater wheel. If fiber is merely presented to a rotating beater wheel, the fiber tends to run away and not engage. As a result, the entities are not individualized well, neps are produced, and trash is not removed as efficiently. An enclosure surrounds the beater wheel and substantially prevents the ingress or egress of the gas except gas flow which enters via the nozzle at the first point and which exits at the second point. A card flat may be provided at a third point along the rotational path of the beater wheel intermediate the first and second points. The beater wheel rotates in a direction such that the surface thereof moves towards the nozzle, and the nozzle supplies gas flow at a velocity at least as great as the circumferential velocity of the beater wheel, The individualizer of the subject invention is particularly adapted for use in conjunction with measurement apparatus disclosed in concurrently filed United States patent application Ser. No. 08/944,913, filed October 6, 1997, by Frederick M. Shofner and David A. since granted as US Patent No. 5,890.264, Hinkle, titled "High Throughput Nep Measurement, entire disclosure of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference. A characteristic of that apparatus is much higher throughput. In particular, multiple individualized entities (mostly fibers and occasional neps) are directed through a sensing volume at one time. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS While the novel features of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims, the invention, both as to organization and content, will be better understood and appreciated, along with other objects and features thereof, from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a self-contained apparatus for rapidly testing a fiber sample to measure the quantity and size distribution of nep-like entities in the fiber sample; and consistent with the relatively higher feed rate of the testing apparatus of (10) compared to prior art apparatus. The acceleration/deceleration gas flow nozzle 82 and sensing volume 84 are elements of nep measurement apparatus disclosed in the above-incorporated concurrently-filed United States patent application Ser. since granted as US Patent No. 5,890,264. No. 08/944,913, filed October 6, 1997. /Individualized entities comprising fibers and neps are presented to the nozzle 82 at a throughput rate such that at least portions of multiple fibers, for example thirty fibers, and occasional single neps, are presented to the sensing volume 84 at one time. After passing through the acceleration/deceleration gas flow nozzle 82, the fiber and other entities are collected either in the small lint box 34 or the large lint box 36, depending on whether the deflector/screen 42 is in place, for subsequent removal. Referring now to FIG. 2, a significant aspect of the individualizer 52 is that it is, in general, tightly sealed such that air flow enters and exits at well-defined points. Thus, an enclosure 110 surrounds the feed roller 60, as well as the beater wheels 62 and 64 such that the only entering air flows are air flow Q1 entering via nozzle 112, directed towards the first beater wheel 62, and air flow Q2 entering via nozzle 114, and directed towards the second beater wheel 64. Air flow exits via a passage way 116, drawn by section from the blower 26, to be directed into the transport duct 80 via a transition piece (not shown) . Above the cylindrical feed roller 60 is a fiber input opening 120 supplied from the feed belt 48. The arrangement is such that little air enters via the port 120. Although the illustrated embodiment includes first and second cylindrical rotating beater wheels 62 and 64, comprising a two-stage machine, in accordance with the :ylindrical rotating beater wheel 64. Doffing occurs primarily by airflow drawing entities off of the beater theel 62, aided by opposing rotation of the wheel.64. to Intermediate/the feed point and the doffer 136 is i card flat 140, connected to the enclosure 110 in a manner iuch that outside air does not enter in the vicinity of the sard flat 140. The card flat 140 significantly enhances the individualizing process. During operation, gas flow from the nozzle 112 is directed across the beard such that fibers are dragged from the feed plate 128 into engagement with the carding elements 130. Thus, good engagement with the carding elements 130 results• The optional second cylindrical rotating beater wheel 64 is essentially identical in construction and operation. The second cylindrical rotating beater wheel 64 is approximately six inches in diameter, and rotates at 4,000 rpm. Air flow entering at Q2 via nozzle 114 causes fibers from a feed plate 128 to engage on carding elements 230, which fibers and other entities are then doffed by vacuum pull at 236 to exit at 116. A trash compartment 238 is likewise provided, as well as multiple card flats 240. By way of example, combined airflow Q^, plus Q2 is 50 CFH, and the velocity through the nozzles 112 and 114 is approximately 50 ft/sec. Nozzle velocity should be at least as great as the circumferential velocity of the beater wheels 62 and 64. A higher velocity results in a higher energy consumption, without- necessarily an increase in performance. While specific embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, it is realized that numerous modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such WE CLAIM : 1. An aeromechanical individualizer for individualizing entities within a fiber sample, said individualizer comprising: a cylindrical rotating beater wheel (62) having a non-permeable cylindrical surface and having carding elements on said cylindrical surface; a cylindrical feed roller (60) and a feed plate (128) for supplying the fiber sample to said beater wheel in the forrr) of a beard at a first point along the rotational path thereof; a nozzle (112) directing a gas flow across the beard such that fibers are dragged from said feed plate (128) into engagement with said carding elements; a doffer(136) for removing entities from said beater wheel (62) at a second point along the rotational path thereof; an enclosure (110) surrounding said beater wheel (62) and substantially preventing the ingress or egress of gas except gas flow which enters via said nozzle at the first point and which exits at the second point. 2. The aeromechanical individualizer as claimed in claim 1, which is provided with a card flat (140) at a third point along the rotational path of said beater wheel (62) intermediate the first and second points. 3. The aeromechanical individualizer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said beater wheel (62) is adapted to rotate in a direction such that the surface thereof is caused to move towards said nozzle (112), whereby said nozzle (114) supplies gas flow at a velocity at least as great as the circumferential velocitv of said beater wheel (62V 4. An aeromechanical individualizer for individualizing entities, substantially as herein described, particularly with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

2073-mas-1998-abstract.pdf

2073-mas-1998-claims duplicate.pdf

2073-mas-1998-claims original.pdf

2073-mas-1998-correspondance others.pdf

2073-mas-1998-correspondance po.pdf

2073-mas-1998-description complete duplicate.pdf

2073-mas-1998-description complete original.pdf

2073-mas-1998-drawings.pdf

2073-mas-1998-form 1.pdf

2073-mas-1998-form 26.pdf

2073-mas-1998-form 3.pdf

2073-mas-1998-form 4.pdf