Title of Invention

A FIBER BUNDLE COLLECTING DEVICE OF A SPINNING MACHINE

Abstract A fiber bundle collecting device (30) is equipped with a send-out portion (31) provided on the downstream side of a final send-out roller pair of a drafting device, and a suction pipe (32) having a slide surface equipped with a suction hole (32a) formed so as to extend on the upstream side of the nip point of the send-out portion (31) with respect to the direction in which the fiber bundle moves. On the opposite side of the suction pipe (32), there is provided a wrapping member (33), with a bottom nip roller (35a) for forming the send-out portion (31) being therebetween. An air-permeable apron (34) is wrapped around the suction pipe (32), the wrapping member (33), and the bottom nip roller (35a). The wrapping member (33) is provided as a component separate from the suction pipe (32) in order to increase the fleece angle. The suction pipe (32) is connected to a duct through a connection pipe (48), with a suction device being connected to the duct.
Full Text

FIBER BUNDLE COLLECTING DEVICE OF A SPINNING MACHINE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention:
The present invention relates to a fiber bundle collecting device of a spinning machine, and more specifically, to a fiber bundle collecting device of a spinning machine which is arranged, for example, on the downstream side of a drafting device (drafting part) of a spinning frame and adapted to collect a fiber bundle drafted by the drafting device. Description of the Related Art:
Conventionally, JP 07-238425 A discloses a fiber bundle collecting device of this type in which, as shown in Fig. 7, there is provided, on the downstream side of a pair of final rollers 61 forming a drafting device, a pair of delivery rollers 63 equipped with a perforated apron 62, which is provided with an air suction device 64 for applying a suction airflow^to the conveying surface of the perforated apron 62 . In this fiber bundle collecting device, the suction airflow is applied to the conveying surface of the perforated apron 62 through a suction groove hole formed in an apron cage 65 for guiding the perforated apron 62.
Similarly, disclosed in DE 19708410 Al is a fiber bundle collecting device in which, as shown in Fig. 8, there is provided, on the downstream side of a pair of final rollers 71 constituting a drafting device, a pair of delivery rollers 73 equipped with a perforated apron 72 forming a fiber bundle conveying surface, which is provided with an air suction device 74 for applying a suction airflow to the conveying surface of the perforated apron 72. In this device, the suction airflow is applied to the conveying surface of the perforated apron 72 through a groove hole formed in an apron guide 75 for guiding the perforated apron 72. Further, tension is

applied to the perforated apron 72 by a guide member 76 and is rotated in "that state.
Further, JP 11-286837 A discloses a fiber bundle collecting device in which there is provided, on the downstream side of the final rollers and on.the bottom side of a drafting device, a.hoilqwV'- * profile (guide cylinder) forming a stationary sliding surface having a suction slit, and in which a perforated belt for transportation is wrapped around the hollow profile. In this device, on the top side, there is provided a nipping roller held in contact with the perforated belt to define a nipping point. The above mentioned nipping roller is driven by the above mentioned final rollers through a transfer belt. Instead of the construction in which the nipping roller is driven through the transfer belt, there is also disclosed a construction in which driving is effected through a transfer roller in contact with the final rollers.
As compared with the case in which thread is produced by spinning by using a spinning machine not equipped with a fiber bundle collecting device, using a spinning machine equipped with such a fiber bundle collecting device for producing thread through spinning leads to a reduction in fluff generation and in thread specks to thereby achieve an increase in U%. However, there is a demand for a further improvement in this regard.
It has been known that increasing a fleece angle is effective in restraining fluff generation. However, this is likely to lead to generation of thread breakage, which is greatly disadvantageous fromthe viewpoint of operation. Here, the term "fleece angle" means the angle made by the segment connecting the center of curvature of the arcuate surface along which the fiber bundle (fleece) having passed the nip point is guided to the draw-out position and the nip point and the segment connecting the center of curvature and the draw-out point for the fiber bundle F.

In the above-described fiber bundle collecting device, no particular consideration is given to'achieving an improvement in terms of thread quality through suppression of fluff generation by an increase in fleece angle. For example, in JP 07-238425 A, mentioned above," the fiber bundle F is, as shown in Fig. 7, drawn*. . out substantially tangentially on the downstream side of the nip point of the send-out roller pair 63, and no consideration is given to increasing the fleece angle. In DE 19708410 Al also, the fiber bundle F is drawn out substantially tangentially on the downstream side of the send-out roller pair 73, and no consideration is given to increasing the fleece angle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present applicant prepared a fiber bundle collecting device with a positively increased fleece angle, and equipped a spinning machine with this fiber bundle collecting device to shoot thread being produced by spinning by this spinning machine with a high-speed video camera, comparing the thread condition with that in the case of a spinning machine^equipped with a conventional fiber bundle collecting device. As a result, it was seen that when the fleece angle was increased, the thread (fiber bundle) reciprocates while rolling along the apron on the downstream side of the nip point of the send-out roller pair, while in the conventional construction in which the fleece angle is small, the thread slidingly reciprocates . Further, measurement was performed for both cases in terms of hairiness and U% of the thread obtained by spinning. The" results of the measurement showed that U% was much the same in the two cases, while, regarding Ijairiness, the construction with a positively increased fleece angle proved to be obviously superior. On the basis of this knowledge, the present inventor has completed the present invention.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fiber bundle collecting device of a spinning machine in which generation of fluff is more restrained than in the prior art by means of a simple construction, making it possible to achieve an improvement in terms of-thread quality
In order to attain the above ob j ect, the fiber bundle collecting device of a spinning machine according to the present invention relates to a fiber bundle collecting device for collecting a fiber bundle drafted by a drafting part of the spinning machine, comprising: a send-out portion provided on a downstream side of a final send-out roller pair of the drafting part and equipped with a nip roller; a suction portion having a slide surface equipped with a suction hole formed so as to extend on an upstream side of a nip point of the send-out portion with respect to a direction in which the fiber bundle moves; and an air-permeable apron forming the send-out portion and adapted to be rotated while in contact with the slide surface, on a downstream side of the suction portion with respect to the direction in which the fiber bundle moves, there being provided a wrapping member around which the air-permeable apron is wrapped to thereby achieve an increase in a fleece angle.
In this invention, the fiber bundle drafted in the drafting part is collected by the fiber bundle collecting device provided on the downstream side of the final send-out roller pair of the drafting part, and moves in a collected state, so that, as compared with the case of a spinning machine with no fiber bundle collecting device, it is f^ossible to restrain generation of fluff and waste cotton, thereby achieving an improvement in terms of thread quality. Further, due to the wrapping member provided on the downstream side of the suction portion and separately therefrom, the fleece angle is increased, whereby the fluff generation restraining effect is enhanced to further restrain fluff generation, thereby achieving

It is an object of the present invention to provide a fiber )undle collecting device of a spinning machine in which generation )f fluff is more restrained than in the prior art by means of a simple construction, making it possible to achieve an improvement Ln terms of-thread quality;
In order to attain the above ob j ect, the fiber bundle collecting ievice of a spinning machine according to the present invention relates to a fiber bundle collecting device for collecting a fiber Dundle drafted by a drafting part of the spinning machine, comprising: a send-out portion provided on a downstream side of a final send-out roller pair of the drafting part and equipped with a nip roller; a suction portion having a slide surface equipped with a suction hole formed so as to extend on an upstream side of a nip point of the send-out portion with respect to a direction in which the fiber bundle moves; and an air-permeable apron forming the send-out portion and adapted to be rotated while in contact with the slide surface, on a downstream side of the suction portion with respect to the direction in which the fiber bundle moves, there being provided a wrapping member around which the air-permeable apron is wrapped to thereby achieve an increase in a fleece angle.
In this invention, the fiber bundle drafted in the drafting part is collected by the fiber bundle collecting device provided on the downstream side of the final send-out roller pair of the drafting part, and moves in a collected state, so that, as compared with the case of a spinning machine with no fiber bundle collecting device, it is possible to restrain generation of fluff and waste cotton, thereby achieving an improvement in terms of thread quality. Further, due to the wrapping member provided on the downstream side of the suction portion and separately therefrom, the fleece angle is increased, whereby the fluff generation restraining effect is enhanced to further restrain fluff generation, thereby achieving

an improvement in terms of thread quality. After passing the nip point, the fiber bundle moves toward the downstream side while receiving twisting action. Since the fiber bundle is drawn out of the nip point while being collected by the sucking action of the suction hole, it is easier for the twi-st due to the taking-up action to reach the vicinity of the nip point to increase the thread strength, so that, even when the fleece angle is increased, it is possible to restrain occurrence of thread breakage.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is a schematic side view, partly in section, of a fiber bundle collecting device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2a is a partial schematic view of the fiber bundle collecting device as seen from the front side with respect to the fiber bundle moving direction;
Fig. 2b is a front view of a rotation shaft;
Fig. 3 is a partial enlarged view of Fig- 1;
Fig. 4a is a sectional view schematically illustrating the operation when*'a wrapping member exits;
Fig. 4b is a sectional view schematically illustrating the operation when no wrapping member exits;
Fig. 5a is a perspective view schematically illustrating the operation when a wrapping member exits;
Fig. 5b is a perspective view schematically illustrating the operation when no wrapping member exits;
Fig. 6 is a graph showing hairiness measurement results;
Fig. 7 is a schematic side view of a conventional construction; and
Fig. 8 is a schematic side view of another conventional construction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 1 through 6. Fig. 1 is a schematic side view, partly in section, showing one side of "a drafting device and a fiber bundle collecting device. Fig. 2a is a schematic view of the fiber bundle collecting device as seen in a fiber-drawing-out direction at a nipping point (as seen from the front side with respect to a fiber bundle moving direction in the drafting device). Fig. 3 is a partial enlarged view of Fig. 1.
As shown in Fig. 1, a drafting device 11 as a draft part is of a three-line construction equipped with a front bottom roller
12, a middle bottom roller 13, and a back bottom roller 14. The
front bottom roller 12 is supported at a predetermined position
with respect to a roller stand 15 forming a machine base frame,
and the middle and back bottom rollers 13 and 14 are supported through
the intermediation of support brackets 13a and 14a secured to the
roller stand 15 so as to allow position adjustment in the longitudinal
direction. The support brackets 13a and 14a are fastened to
predetermined positions by means of bolts and nuts (all not shown)
passed through an elongated hole formed in the roller stand 15.
A bottom apron 16 is wrapped around a bottom tenser 17 and the middle
bottom roller 13.
Supported by a weighting arm 18 through the intermediation of top roller support members are a front top roller 19, a middle top roller 20, and a back top roller 21 at positions respectively corresponding to the front bottom roller 12, the middle bottom roller
13, and the back bottom roller 14. Each of the top rollers 19 through
21 is supported in a two-spindle unit. The front bottom roller 12
and the front top roller 19 constitute the final pair of delivery
rollers of the drafting device 11.

On the weighting arm 18, there is arranged a lever 18a so as to be rotatable to a pressurizing position and a releasing position. In the condition in which the lever 18a is arranged at the pressurizing position where it abuts the frame 18b of the weighting arm 18 shown in Fig. 1, a lock state i§ maintained in which the top rollers 19 through 21 supported by the weighting arm 18 are in the pressurizing position (spinning position) in which they are pressurized toward the bottom rollers 12, 13, and 14. In the condition in which the lever 18a has been rotated from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the upper, releasing position, the lock state is canceled.
As shown in Fig. 1, a fiber bundle collecting device 30 is arranged on the downstream side of the pair of final delivery rollers of the drafting device 11. The fiber bundle collecting device 30 is equipped with a delivery portion 31, a suction pipe 32 as a sucking portion, a winding member 33, and an air-permeable apron 34. The delivery portion 31 is composed of a bottom nip roller 35a formed on a rotation shaft -35 arranged in parallel to the front bottom roller 12, and a top nip roller 31a pressurized against the bottom nip roller 35a through the intermediation of the air-permeable apron 34.
As shown in Fig.'2a, in the fiber bundle collecting device 30 of this embodiment, the top nip roller 31a is, like the top rollers 19 through 21 of the drafting device 11, supported in every two spindles by the weighting arm 18 through the intermediation of a support member 36 (shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3) . Note that, in this embodiment, the support member 36 is formfed integrally with the support member of the front top roller 19.
On the other hand, on the bottom side of the fiber bundle collecting device 30, half the spindles arranged between the roller stands 15 of the drafting device 11 which are adjacent to each other, i.e., four spindles in this embodiment, constitute one unit. At

the middle position of the roller stands 15 arranged at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal directionofthemachinebase^ a support arm 38 (shown only in Fig. 2a forming the machine base frame) is arranged in a state in which its base end is supported by a support beam 37"extending in the longitudinal direction of the machine bas^/ and the rotation shaft 35 is supported between the roller stand 15 and the support arm 38.
As shown in Fig. 2b, the rotation shaft 35 is formed in a predetermined length corresponding to a plurality of spindles (four spindles in this embodiment), and a bearing 39 is fixed to either end thereof. The bearings 39 are fitted into end plugs 40, and, as shown in Fig. 2a, end plugs 40 are supported in engagement portions 40a by support portions 15a and 38a provided on the roller stand 15 and the support arm 38, whereby the rotation shaft 35 is rotatably supported between the roller stand 15 and the support arm 38. The support portions 15a and 38a are formed so as to be capable of supporting two end plugs 40 mounted to the end portions of the adjacent rotation shafts 35.
The support portion 15a is formed by a block f ixed-tg the roller
»
stand 15, and has an engagement recess extending obliquely upwards on the front side of the machine base. The support portion 38a also has an engagement recess extending obliquely upwards on the front side of the machine base- Then, the end plug 40 has an engagement portion 40a capable of being engaged with the engagement recesses, and is formed so as to be capable of being snapped in place with a Single motion with respect to the support portions 15a and 38a in the engagement portion 40a.
The rotation shaft 35 has at its longitudinal center a gear 41 which is formed integrally with the rotation shaft 35. As shown in Fig. 3, the front bottom roller 12 has a gear portion 12a at a position opposed to the gear 41. Further, an intermediate gear

43 in mesh with the gear portion 12a and the gear 41 is rotatably
supported by a support arm 42 whose base end is fixed to the support
beam 37 like the support arm 38. That is, the torque of the front
bottom roller 12 is transmitted to the rotation shaft 35 by way
of the gear portion 12a, the intermediate gear 43, And the gear
41.
As shown in Fig. 1, in the machine base of the spinning frame, ducts 44 serving as suction sources (negative pressure sources) for the fiber bundle collecting device 30 are arranged so as to extend in a longitudinal direction thereof (in a direction perpendicular to the plane of Fig. 1). A plurality of the ducts
44 are provided so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of
the machine base of the spinning machine. Suction devices 45 for
maintaining negative pressure in each of the ducts 44 are connected
to each of the ducts 44 through pipes 46. The suction devices 45
are composed of fan motors in which fans 47a are driven by motors
47. As shown in Fig. 1, the ducts 44 are arranged on the upper rear
side of the drafting device 11 and at the center of the machine
base of the spinning machine, and the suction devices 45 are arranged
below the ducts 44. The suction pipe 32 is connected to the ducts
44 through connection pipes 48 so as to extend parallel to the ducts
44. ■ .
The suction pipe 32 and the wrapping member 33 are also supported in a state in which their end portions are in fitting engagement with the pair of end plugs 40 supporting the rotation shaft 35. The suction pipe 32 has a slide surface 32b in which are formed slit-like suction holes 32a extending toward the upstream side with respect to the direction in which the fiber bundles (fleeces) F move with respect to the nip points of the bottom nip rollers 35a. The wrapping member 33 has a slide surface 33a for slidingly guiding the air-permeable aprons 34• And, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4a, the

suction pipe 32 is arranged on the upstream side of the nip point of the bottom nip roller 35a with respect to the moving direction of the fiber bundle F, and the wrapping member 33 is arranged on the downstream side thereof.
The suction pipe 32 is in a configuration such that it can guide the air-permeable aprons 34 so as to bring them to the vicinity; of the nip points of the front bottom rollers 12 and the front top rollers 19 • The wrapping member 33 is arranged such that the distance L between the nip point and the position where the fiber bundle F is separated from the air-permeable apron 34 on the downstreair side of the nip point is not less than 5 mm, more preferably, 8 to 10 mm. The wrapping member 33 consists of a bar-like solid member.
Each air-permeable apron 34 is wrapped so as to be in contact
partly with the suction pipe 32, partly with the wrapping membei
33, and partly with the bottom nip roller 35a, and is adapted tc
rotate while rolling on the slide surfaces 32b and 33a as the bottoir
nip roller 35a rotates. In this embodiment, the air-permeable aprons
34 are formed of woven fabric, which ensures appropriate
air-permeability.
* ., ,
As shown in Figs .1,2a, etc ., arranged below and in the vicinity of the wrapping member 33 are the forward end portions of the suctior nozzles 49 of a single-type pneumatic device adapted to suck the fiber bundles F sent out of the drafting device 11 upon thread breakage The base ends of the suction nozzles 49 are connected to a pneumatic duct 50 shared by all the spindle units.
Next, the operation of the device constructed as describee will be illustrated.
When the spinning frame is operated, each fiber bundle F is drafted by passing between the bottom rollers 12 through 14 anc the top rollers 19 through 21, and then guided to the fiber bundle collecting device 30 . The top nip roller 31a of the send-out portior

31 is rotated somewhat faster than the surface velocity of each
of the front bottom roller 12 and the front top roller 19, and after
passing the nip point of the send-out portion 31 under appropriate
tension, the. fiber bundle F moves toward the downstream side while
receiving twisting action. . • - -■ - •
Further, the sucking action of the duct 44 is exerted on the suction pipe 32 through the connection pipe 48, and the sucking action of the suction hole 32a formed in the slide surface 32b is exerted on the fiber bundle F through the air-permeable apron 34. And, the fiber bundle F moves while being sucked and collected at a position corresponding to the suction hole 32a. Thus, as compared with the case of a spinning machine with no fiber bundle collecting device 30, it is possible to restrain generation of fluff and waste cotton, thereby achieving an improvement in terms of thread quality.
Due to the presence of the wrapping member 33 provided on the downstream side of and separately from the suction pipe 32, the fleece angle .1 shown in Fig. 4a is larger than the fleece angle .2 when no wrapping member 33 exists as shown in Fig. 4b. In the state in which the fleece angle is large, the distance covered by the fiber bundle F until it is separated from the surface of the air-permeable apron 34 after passing the nip point, is relatively long. Thus, due to the twisting action exerted on the fiber bundle F from the take-up portion, the fiber bundle is rotated, with fibers f sticking out of the periphery of the fiber bundle F being in contact with the air-permeable apron 34, so that the fibers f are easily twisted into the fiber bundle F, thereby restraining generation of fluff. Further, as shown in Fig. 5a, in the construction in which the wrapping member 33 exists, the fiber bundle F reciprocates while rolling on the apron. As a result, the fibers f sticking out of the periphery of the fiber bundle F are easily twisted into the fiber bundle F.

In contrast, in the state in which the fleece angle is small, the distance covered by the fiber bundle F until it is separated from the surface of the air-permeable apron 34 after passing the nip point is relatively short. Thus, due to the twisting action exerted on the fiber bundle F from the take-up portion, it is rather difficult for the fiber bundle to be rotated with the fibers f sticking out of the periphery of the fiber bundle F being in contact with the air-permeable apron 34, and the fibers are not twisted into the fiber bundle F, so that fluff generation is likely to occur. Further, in the construction in which, as shown in Fig- 5b, no wrapping member 33 exists and in which the air-permeable apron 34 is wrapped around the bottom nip roller 35a and the suction pipe 32, the fiber bundle F does not roll on the apron but reciprocates slidingly. As a result, the fibers f sticking out of the periphery of the fiber bundle F are not easily twisted into the fiber bundle F.
Production of thread of 40 yarn count by spinning was conducted by using a spinning machine equipped with the fiber bundle collecting device 30 having the wrapping member 33 anda spinning machine equipped
with the fiber bundle collecting device 30.and having no wrapping
• ■ • . - - • •
member 33 to perform hairiness and U% measurement. The measurement
result showed that while the one having the wrapping member 33 was
somewhat more satisfactory in terms of U%, no great superiority
was observed. In contrast, regarding hairiness, the one with the
wrapping member 33 provided an obviously better result. Fig. 6 shows
the measurement results regarding hairiness. Note that the term
"hairiness" means the sum total [cm] of the lengths of the fluffs
existing in 1 cm of thread. It is general practice to express it
with no unit. In the case in which the wrapping member 33 existed,
the average hairiness value was 3.64, whereas, in the case in which
there was no wrapping member 33, the average hairiness value was
3.96. Generally speaking, a difference in hairiness value of 0.1

is regarded as superiority. Thus, a difference in hairiness value as large*as 0.3 as in this case, obviously indicates a remarkable fluff generation restraining effect. In the case of the thread obtained by the spinning machine equipped with no fiber bundle collecting, device 30, the hairiness value was 4.77^-
It has conventionally been believed that an increase in fleece angle makes the thread subject to breakage. However, in the case in which the fiber bundle collecting device 30 is provided, the fiber bundle F is drawn out from the nip point while being collected by the sucking action of the suction hole 32a, so that the twisting due to the take-up action easily reaches the vicinity of the nip point to thereby achieve an increase in thread strength, restraining an increase in occurrence of thread breakage even when the fleece angle is increased. Thus, it is possible to restrain a reduction in productivity due to thread breakage.
This embodiment provides the following advantages: •a) The fiber bundle collecting device 30 is equipped with the suction pipe 32 provided on the upstream side of the nip point of the send-out portion 31 with respect to the direction in which the fiber bundle F'moves, and the air-permeable apron 34 adapted to be rotated while in contact with the slide surface 32b of the suction pipe 32. And, on the downstream side of the suction pipe 32 with respect to the direction in which the fiber bundle F moves, there is provided, separately from the suction pipe 32 , the wrapping member 33 around which the air-permeable apron 34 is wrapped, thereby increasing the fleece angle. ; Thus, the fluff generation restraining effect is enhanced, and fluff generation is further restrained, thereby achieving an improvement in terms of thread quality. Further, even if the fleece angle is increased, the fiber bundle F is drawn out of the nip point while being collected by the sucking action of the suction hole 32a, so that the twisting due to the take-up

action reaches the vicinity of the nip point, thereby restraining an increase in occurrence of thread breakage.
b) The wrapping member 33 is provided such that the distance between the nip point of the send-out portion 31 and the position where the fiber bundle leaves the air-permeable apron 34 on the downstream side of the nip point is not less than 5 mm. Thus, as the fiber bundle F moves while rolling on the air-permeable apron 34, the fibers f sticking out of the fiber bundle F are easily twisted into the fiber bundle F, thereby improving the fluff generation restraining effect.
c) The suction pipe 32 and the wrapping member 33, around which the air-permeable apron 34 is wrapped, are supported such that at least one end of each of them is in fitting engagement with the supported portions (end plugs 40) detachably supported with respect to the support portions 15a, 38a provided on the machine base frame. Thus, it is easy to arrange the suction pipe 32 and the wrapping member 33 such that the above-mentioned distance is not less than 5 mm.
d) The wrapping member 33 consists of a bar-like solid member. Thus, as compared with the case in which the wrapping member 33 is formed in a tubular configuration, its production is facilitated. Further, even if the wrapping member 33 collides with other members at the time of mounting, dismantling and maintenance operation, etc., it is not easily damaged.
e) The force with which the top nip roller 31a pressurizes the air-permeable apron 34 is borne by the bottom nip roller 35a,^ and the pressurizing force of the top nip roller 31a is not applied to the suction pipe 32. Thus, as compared with the case of the conventional device (JP 11-286837 A), the rigidity required of the suction pipe 32 is less, and a sufficient strength can be secured even if it is formed of resin.

f) The duct 44 serving as the negative pressure source is provided independently of the pneumatic device for sucking fleece sent out from the drafting part at the time of thread breakage. Thus, the sucking pressure of the suction pipe 32 can be easily adjusted to an appropriate pressure-.
The above-described embodiment should not be construed restrictively. For example, it is also possible to adopt the following construction-
Regarding the distance L between the nip point of the send-out portion 31 and the position where the fiber bundle F leaves the air-permeable apron 34 on the downstream side of the nip point of the send-out portion 31, the fluff generation restraining effect . is satisfactory as long as the distance L is not less than 5 mm. There is no particular upper limit to the distance L. However, making it too long does not help much in improving the fluff generation restraining effect but only results in an increase in the size of the machine base. Therefore, the distance ranges preferably from 8 to 10 mm.
The construction of the send-out portion of the fiber bundle collecting device 30 is not restricted to the one equipped with the nip roller pair- For example, it is also possible to adopt a construction for driving the air-permeable apron 34 which includes eliminating the suction pipe 32 and the bottom nip roller 35a, providing a suction pipe egg-shaped in section, forming a suction hole at a predetermined position of the suction pipe, and slidably wrapping the air-permeable apron 34 around the outer peripheries of the suction pipe and the wrapping member 33. Then, by making the top nip roller 31a be positively driven, the air-permeable apron 34 is driven by driving the top nip roller 31a while keeping it in press contact with the air-permeable apron 34. In this case, it is possible to endow the wrapping member 33 with a tension adjusting

function for the air-permeable apron 34.
The suction pipe 32, the wrapping member 33, and the rotation shaft 35 are not restricted to the construction in which four spindle units constitute one unit. It is also possible to adopt a construction in which the spindle units {-e.g., eight spindle units) between the adjacent roller stands 15 constitute one unit or a construction in which two spindle units constitute one unit. Further, it is not always necessary for all the units to have the same number of spindle units; it is also possible to make the numbers of spindle units between the adjacent roller stands 15 different from each other (e.g., six and two), providing two kinds of units in correspondence therewith.
Instead of forming the wrapping member 33 as a solid member, it is also possible to form it in a tubular configuration. In this case, a reduction in weight is achieved.
It is also possible for the end portions of the suction pipe 32 to be closed. In this case, there is no need for the end plugs 40 to hermetically seal the end portions of the suction pipe 32, and it is only necessary to pipovide an engagement hole with which the bearing 39 is engaged and engagement portions (engagement holes) with which the end portions of the suction pipe 32 and the wrapping member 33 are engaged, thereby facilitating the production.
It is also possible to adopt a construction in which the end portions of the suction pipe 32 and the wrapping member 33 on the side opposite to those end portions in fitting engagement with the end plugs 40 are brought into engagement with a connection member that can be connected to the connection pipe 48.
Instead of providing the plurality of ducts 44 extending in the longitudinal direction, it is also possible to provide a single duct extending over the entire length of the machine base of the spinning machine.

The position of the duct 44 is not restricted to the one on the rear side of and above the drafting device 11; it may also be arranged on the rear side of or on the rear side of and below the drafting device 11.
*\ ' • Instead of the arrangement in which the duct 44 is shar-ed'by •, the suction pipes 32 arranged on the right and left sides of the spinning frame, it is also possible to adopt an arrangement in which the ducts are arranged in two rows, respectively for the right and left sides, so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the machine base of the spinning machine.
The construction of the suction device is not restricted to the one in which the fan 47a is driven by the motor 47. It is also possible, for example, to use a pressure reducing pump (vacuum pump) . The vacuum pump may be a rotary type pump or a reciprocating type.
Instead of forming the air-permeable apron 34 of woven fabric, it is also possible to form the air-permeable apron 34 of knitted fabric. In this case also, it is possible to obtain an appropriate level of air-permeability without taking the trouble to form small
perforations in the belt forming the air-permeable apron 34, making
■.. . i' I. . ,j ■ h
it possible to manufacture the air-permeable apron 34 at low cost. Further, due to the elasticity of the knitted fabric, it is possible for the air-permeable apron 34 to be rotated under appropriate tension without having to provide any special tension device.
Instead of forming the air-permeable aprons 34 of woven fabric or knitted fabric, it is also possible to form the air-permeable aprons 34 by perforating resin belts formed of rubber or elastic resin.
It is also possible to adopt a construction in which the rotation shaft 35 with the bottom nip rollers 35a formed thereon is a shaft shared by all the spindle units and driven by a motor through a row of gears provided at the gear end of the machine base as in

the case of the bottom rollers 12 through 14 of the drafting device 11.
It is also possible to use a common negative pressure source for the suction pipe 32 and the pneumatic device•
As the pneumatic device, it is also possible to adopt a flute-type construction instead of a single nozzle type one.
As described in detail above, in accordance with the fiber bundle collecting device of the present invention, it is possible, with a simple construction, to further restrain fluff generation as compared with prior art, thereby achieving an improvement in terms of thread quality.



WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A fiber bundle collecting device of a spinning machine for
collecting a fiber bundle drafted by a drafting part of the spinning
machine, comprising: a send-out portion provided on a downstream
side of a final send-out roller pair of the drafting part and equipped
with a nip roller; a suction portion having a slide surface equipped
with a suction hole formed so as to extend on an upstream side of
a nip point of the send-out portion with respect to a direction
in which the fiber bundle moves; and an air-permeable apron forming
the send-out portion and adapted to be rotated while in contact
with the slide surface,
on a downstream side of the suction portion with respect to the direction in which the fiber bundle moves, there being provided a wrapping member around which the air-permeable apron is wrapped to thereby achieve an increase in a fleece angle.
2. A fiber bundle collecting device of a spinning machine according to claim 1, wherein the wrapping member is provided separately from the suction portion.
3. A fiber bundle collecting device of a spinning machine according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the wrapping member is provided such that a distance between the nip point and a position where the fiber bundle leaves the air-permeable apron on a downstream side of the nip point is not less than 5 mm.
4. A fiber bundle collecting device of a spinning machine according to claim 3, wherein the wrapping member is provided such that the distance between the nip point and the position where the fiber bundle leaves the air-permeable apron on the downstream side of the nip point is not less than 8 mm and not larger than 10 mm.

5. A fiber bundle collecting device of a spinning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein each of the suction portion and the wrapping member, around which the air-permeable apron- is wrapped, is supported such that at least one end thereof is engaged with a supported portion detachably supported with respect to a support portion provided on a machine base frame.
6. A fiber bundle collecting device of a spinning machine according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the wrapping member is formed of a bar-like solid member.

7. A tiber bundle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.


Documents:

713-che-2003-abstract.pdf

713-che-2003-claims duplicat.pdf

713-che-2003-claims original.pdf

713-che-2003-correspondnece-others.pdf

713-che-2003-correspondnece-po.pdf

713-che-2003-description(complete) duplicate.pdf

713-che-2003-description(complete) original.pdf

713-che-2003-drawings.pdf

713-che-2003-form 1.pdf

713-che-2003-form 26.pdf

713-che-2003-form 3.pdf

713-che-2003-form 5.pdf

713-che-2003-other document.pdf


Patent Number 200373
Indian Patent Application Number 713/CHE/2003
PG Journal Number 27/2006
Publication Date 07-Jul-2006
Grant Date 16-May-2006
Date of Filing 08-Sep-2003
Name of Patentee KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
Applicant Address 2-1 TOYODA-CHO, KARIYA-SHI, AICHI-KEN,
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 YASUYUKI KAWAI C/O. KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI 2-1 TOYODA-CHO, KARIYA-SHI, AICHI-KEN
2 TSUTOMU NAKANO 2-1 TOYODA-CHO, KARIYA-SHI, AICHI-KEN
3 AKITOSHI SANO 2-1 TOYODA-CHO, KARIYA-SHI, AICHI-KEN
4 TAKAHISA ISHII 2-1 TOYODA-CHO, KARIYA-SHI, AICHI-KEN
PCT International Classification Number D01H5/72
PCT International Application Number N/A
PCT International Filing date
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 2002-264336 2002-09-10 Japan