Title of Invention

A DEVICE FOR LOCKING A PLUCKING HEAD OF A FIBRE PLUCKING MACHINE

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device for locking a plucking head of a fibre plucking machine. The device comprises a spring loaded spindle with a free end. A plucking head is attached to the spindle so as to slide in a vertical direction. The free end of the spindle pass through a indexing hole in a turn table in order to turn the head from one side of the machine to the other side. The turn table is mounted on a trolley in a rotatable manner. A locking hole is provided on the opposite sids of the trolley for receiving the free end of the spindle and locking the plucking head attached thereto.

Full Text

The present invention relates to a device for locking a plucking head of a fibre plucking machine. In a fibre processing machine, such as plucking machine, the fibres are plucked from fibre bales by a plucking head and fed to next: stage of processing through a suction duct. The fibre bales are arranged on both sides of the machine. The plucking head of the plucking machine first travels horizontally in a linear path in order to pluck fibres from the bales arranged on one side of the machine. Once the fibres arranged on one side of the machine are fully plucked, the head turns to pluck fibres from the bales that are arranged on opposite side of the machine. The head needs to be locked after it turns from one side to the other side of the machine, so as to ensure that the head travels horizontally in a linear path to pluck fibres and does not roll back to the other side of the machine. The plucking machine comprises a trolley which slides on rails in forward and backward directions. A turn table is rotatably fixed on the trolley to turn the plucking head from one side of the machine to the other side. The plucking head is mounted on a spindle. A free end of the spindle passes through a indexing hole in the turn table. A locking hole is provided on each side of the trolley. The plucking head gets locked when the spindle is inserted into the locking hole in the trolley. Once the plucking head completes plucking of fibres from one side of the machine, the spindle is lifted from the locking hole and the turn table, which is now free to rotate, turns the spindle together with the head to the other side of the machine till the free end of the spindle is inserted into the locking hole on the opposite side of the trolley. The insertion and the removal of the spindle in the said locking holes are enabled by a separate spindle drive arrangement comprising of expensive and complicated driving means such as a motor which involves cost and frequent maintenance. The object of the present invention is to provide a device for locking the plucking head using self-locking arrangement. Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for locking the plucking head which is simple in structure and less expensive. We have found that the insertion of the spindle into the locking hole can be achieved using a simple spring loading mechanism. Accordingly the present invention provides a device for locking a plucking head of a fibre plucking machine, comprising a spring loaded spindle with a free end, a plucking head attached to the spindle, the said plucking head being slldeable in a vertical direction, a turn table with an indexing hole for receiving the free end of the spindle and for tuming the plucking head from one side of the machine to the opposite side, a trolley having locking holes on its opposite sides for locking the spindle and the plucking head attached thereto. The application no. 196/MAS/99 describes and claims a detachable suction hood for a fibre processing machine. The application no. 197/MAS/99 describes and claims a drive system for rotating a turn table of a fibre plucking machine. The application no. 198/MAS/99 describes and claims an interchangeable grill assembly for textile plucking machine. The application no. 200/MAS/99 describes and claims a device for lifting and lowering the head assembly of a fibre plucking machine. The application no. 201/MAS/99 describes and claims a plucking head assembly of a fibre plucking machine. The device for locking a plucking head of a fibre plucking machine according to the invention, will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig 1 is a front view of a device for locking a plucking head, in which the plucking head is in unlocked position. Fig 2 is a side view of a dewce for locking a plucking head with the plucking head in locked position. The fibre plucking machine comprises a trolley (8) which runs on a rail (not shown) in a horizontal direction. A turn table (7) is mounted on top of the trolley (8) and is capable of rotating on a semicircular path so as to move a plucking head (4) from one side of the machine to the other side. The plucking head (4) is attached to a spindle (1) with the use of a lifting guide (2) in such a way that the head travels vertically on a linear path. A driving means is provided foV"driving the head in a vertical direction. The spindle (1) and the driving means are housed in a tower (6). The spindle is provided with a spring bias (3) and a guiding rib (5) on its top end. The other end of the spindle pass through a positioning hole (11) in the tower, an indexing hole (10) in the turn table and a locking hole (9) in the trolley when the plucking head is locked for plucking fibres from the fibre bales arranged on one side of the machine. Initially, the plucking head (4) plucks fibres from the bales arranged on one side of the fibre plucking machine. The plucking head (4) travels in forward and backwards direction along with the trolly (8). The free end of the spindle (1) is inserted into the locking hole (9) in the trolley, as shown in Fig 2, so that the plucking head is locked to one side of the machine and is not turned to other side of the machine. Once the fibre bales arranged on one side of the machine are plucked completely, the plucking head (4) is lifted upwards and the lifting guide (2) lifts the spindle (1) so that the free end of the spindle (1) is released from the locking hole (9) in the trolley (8) as shown in Fig 1. The plucking head (4) is now free to turn to the other side of the machine. The turn table (7) enables the plucking head (4) to travel in a semicircular path. The spindle (1) also travels along with the head (4) abutting the trolley (8) till the free end of the spindle (1) gets inserted into the locking hole (9) on the opposite side of the trolley (8). The plucking head (4) travels downwardly while the turn table (7) turns to the other side of the machine. Once, the free end of the spindle (1) is inserted into the locking hole (9) of the trolley (8) the plucking head travels horizontally in a linear path to pluck fibres from the bales that are arranged on the other side of the machine. This process continues so that the plucking head (4) of the fibre plucking machine can pluck fibres continuously from the fibre bales arranged on both sides of the machine. While only a single preferred embodiment has been disclosed for the purpose of illustration, many variations and modifications could be made thereto. It is intended to cover all these variations and modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention as defined by the following claims. WE CLAIM : 1. A device for locking a plucking head (4) of a fibre plucking machine, comprising a spring loaded spindle with a free end, a plucking head (4) attached to the spindle (1), the said plucking head (4) being slideable in a vertical direction, a turn table (7) with an indexing hole (10) for receiving the free end of the spindle (1) and for turning the plucking head (4) from one side of the machine to the opposite side, a trolley (8) having locking holes (9) on its opposite sides for locking the spindle (1) and the plucking head (4) attached thereto. 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the plucking head is attached to the spindle through a lifting guide (2). 3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spindle has a spring loading (3) at one end thereof. 4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the spindle has a guiding rib (5) at the spring loaded end. 5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spindle is housed in a tower (6). 6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bottom surface of the tower (6) has a positioning hole (11) for receiving the free end of the spindle (1). 7. A device for locking a plucking head of a fibre plucking machine, substantially as herein described with the accompanying drawing.

Documents:

0199-mas-1999 abstract-duplicate.pdf

0199-mas-1999 abstrcat.jpg

0199-mas-1999 abstrcat.pdf

0199-mas-1999 claims-duplicate.pdf

0199-mas-1999 claims.pdf

0199-mas-1999 correspondence-others.pdf

0199-mas-1999 correspondence-po.pdf

0199-mas-1999 description(complete)-duplicate.pdf

0199-mas-1999 description(complete).pdf

0199-mas-1999 drawings-duplicate.pdf

0199-mas-1999 drawings.pdf

0199-mas-1999 form-1.pdf

0199-mas-1999 form-19.pdf

0199-mas-1999 form-26.pdf

0199-mas-1999 form-3.pdf

0199-mas-1999 form-5.pdf

0199-mas-1999 petition.pdf