Title of Invention

"METHOD FOR RECTILINEAR COMBING AND RECTILINEAR COMBING MACHINE THEREFOR"

Abstract Rectilinear combing method, characterised in that it consists essentially in combing the fibre heads with a circular comb (7), covered with needles or teeth (8) distributed over at least 60% of its periphery, said circular comb (7) performing a non-integer number of rotations (N) per machine cycle.
Full Text Method for rectilinear combing and rectilinear combing machine therefor
The present invention relates to the field of the textile industry, in particular rectilinear combers, and its subject is a combing method and a comber for implementing this method.
The combing cycle of modem rectilinear combers, which are derived from models dating from the middle of the nineteenth century, is well known, and may be divided into two phases, the first of which is called the fibre head combing phase and the second the fibre end combing phase. The fibre head combing phase occurs when the clamp is closed while the fibre end combing phase occurs at the time of lifting, when the clamp is open.
The fibre head combing phase is carried out by a segment of needles or teeth arranged over a portion of the periphery of a rotatory cylinder, commonly known as a circular comb, while the fibre end combing phase is carried out by a comb commonly known as a fixed or rectilinear comb.
The circular comb, the axis of rotation of which is fixed relative to the frame of the machine, performs one complete rotation per machine cycle. This circular comb is a cylinder, one part of the periphery of which is provided with a segment, covered with needles or teeth, with increasing density with respect to the direction of rotation of the cylinder, and which will be used to clear the fibre heads protruding from the clamp during the head combing phase, hi certain cases, the speed of the circular comb is successively accelerated, then decelerated over the course of a complete cycle of the machine.
The other part of the periphery of the cylinder is not provided with needles, but is smooth and hollowed, because the presence of needles on this part of the cylinder is not necessary at the time of lifting, and because space must be made for the mechanical components moving during the lifting process. As emerges from various publications, on the one hand, the needles of the circular comb may only be mounted on one part of the surface of the cylinder which carries them (FR-A-2 114 192) and, on the other hand, there is a danger of collision between the circular comb and the lower jaw of the clamp, which is part of the mechanical components moving during the lifting process (EP-A-0 936 292).
Furthermore, according to EP-A-0 735 168, it is known that a collision between the circular comb, the clamp, the lifting cylinders and the pneumatic sensor must be avoided.
The segment is generally covered with needles with increasing density (FR-A-1 209 191), so as to comb the fibre heads gradually. The first needles bars are thus covered with large, broadly spaced needles, while the last needle bars are covered with finer, tightly packed needles.
The needle segment of the circular comb is currently cleaned by a cylindrical brush (FR-A-2 651 512), which is itself stripped by a doffer cylinder, which is in turn unloaded by a doffer comb. For this purpose, the speed of rotation of the cylindrical brush, the direction of rotation of which is the reverse of that of the circular comb, is greater than that of the circular comb. Thus, with each combing cycle of a modern rectilinear comber, the circular comb performs a complete rotation, and the segment covered with needles, by passing in front of the cylindrical brush, is cleaned once per cycle.
It is known that the quality of the combed top, in particular its cleanliness, depends on the effectiveness of the fibre head and fibre end combing, which is not optimal if the circular comb is not correctly cleaned by the cylindrical brush. It frequently occurs that satisfactory cleaning of the needles or teeth of the covered segment may not be obtained.
Owing to the gradualness of the density of the needles or teeth of the segment of the circular comb, vegetable impurities and defects, such as neps and excessively short fibres, which the segment is responsible for removing from the tops to be combed, very easily become stuck between the finest and closest needles or teeth of the bars, and the cylindrical brush is unable to remove them from the circular comb.
It is therefore periodically necessary to clean the segment of the circular comb manually, by stopping the machine. This process sometimes requires the circular comb to be removed. Failure to do this would result in gradual deterioration of the quality of the combed top.
To remedy this drawback, it had been proposed to use very hard, or even metallic (DE-A-328 146), bristled brushes, which would, however, not be satisfactory, as they lead to rapid wear of the needles or teeth of the covered segment. It has also been proposed, by EP-A-0 735 168, to perform at least two circular comb rotations per machine cycle, so as to clean the covered segment at least twice per cycle.
However, owing to the gradualness of the density of the covering of the segments with needles, and despite a plurality of brushings of the covered segment, the impurities accumulate preferably between the first needles or teeth brought into contact with the textile material and, subsequently, between the
finest and most tightly packed needles or teeth. This causes gradual deterioration of the cleanliness of the combed tops.
The object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a novel rectilinear combing method and a novel rectilinear comber implementing this method, allowing improvement of the combing qualities, as well as of the cleaning of the comb.
For this purpose, the rectilinear combing method is characterised in that it consists essentially in combing the fibre heads by means of a circular comb, covered with needles or teeth distributed over at least 60% of its periphery, said circular comb performing a non-integer number or an integer number of rotations per machine cycle.
A further subject of the invention is a novel rectilinear comber implementing this method, comprising a feeder, a lifting device, a fibre head cleaning device, comprising a circular comb and a fibre end cleaning device, characterised in that the circular comb is a cylinder, covered over at least 60% of its periphery with needles or teeth (8), with identical or different characteristics, a cylinder whose speed of rotation is continuous and adjustable, and which is mounted on a support shaft, the position of which is fixed relative to the frame of the machine, this comb performing a non-integer number or an integer number of rotations per machine cycle.
A better understanding of the invention will be facilitated by the following description, which relates to a preferred embodiment, given by way of a non-restrictive example, and illustrated with reference to the appended schematic drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a schematic view in lateral elevation of a comber according to the invention;
Fig. 2 is a partial view in lateral elevation and in cross-section, at a larger scale, of the clamp in the fibre head combing position;
Figs. 3 to 7 are views in lateral elevation of various alternative embodiments of the circular comb; Figs. 8 and 9 are views in frontal elevation of other alternative embodiments of the circular comb, and
Figs. lOa to lOe are schematic views representing various combing cycles in relation to a machine cycle.
Fig. 1 of the appended drawings represents a rectilinear comber comprising a supply comb 1 associated with a supply grid 2, a clamp 3 formed by an upper jaw 4 cooperating with a lower jaw 5, an inter-clamp plate 6, a circular comb 7, covered with needles or teeth 8, the speed of rotation of which is continuous, and which is mounted on a support shaft 9, the position of which is fixed relative to the frame 10 of the machine, a cylindrical brush 11 covered with bristles, a doffer 12 covered with metallic points, a doffer comb 13, a carriage 14 supporting the lifting cylinders 15 and 16, a connecting piece 17, a movable part 18, a lifting sleeve 19, a tensioning cylinder 20, and a fixed comb 21 integral with an articulated lever 22.
According to the invention, this rectilinear comber implements a rectilinear combing method, which consists essentially in combing the fibre heads with a circular comb 7, covered with needles or teeth 8 distributed over at least 60% of its periphery, said circular comb 7 performing a non-integer number of rotations N per machine cycle.
According to a characteristic of the invention, the active arc of the comb 7, corresponding to the length of the needles or teeth 8 covering used during the fibre head combing phase, is dephased from one machine cycle to the other.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the rectilinear combing method may also consist essentially in combing the fibre heads with a circular comb 7, covered with needles or teeth 8 distributed over at least 60% of its periphery, said circular comb 7 performing an integer number of rotations N per machine cycle.
Also, the circular comb 7 may perform at least one rotation N per machine cycle.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the fibre heads are advantageously combed by the circular comb 7 while the circular comb performs between 0.7 and 1.5 rotations.
According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the fibre heads are preferably combed while the circular comb 7 performs less than one complete rotation.
It is also possible, according to another alternative embodiment of the invention, to comb the fibre heads during more than one complete rotation of the circular comb 7.
For this purpose, the circular comb 7 is a cylinder, covered over at least 60% of its periphery with needles or teeth 8, with identical or different characteristics, a cylinder whose speed of rotation is continuous and adjustable, and which is mounted on a support shaft 9, the position of which is fixed relative to the frame 10 of the machine, this comb 7 performing a non-integer number or an integer number of rotations N per machine cycle.
Fig. 1 of the appended drawings represents the rectilinear comber according to the invention in the lifting phase, this comber comprising a feeder, a lifting device, a fibre head cleaning device and a fibre end cleaning device.
The feeder is formed by the supply comb 1, which is associated with a supply grid 2, by a clamp 3, formed by an upper jaw 4 cooperating with a lower jaw 5, and by an inter-clamp plate 6. The textile material is displaced by the feeder, which is thus formed to be brought into contact with the fibre head cleaning device, which two devices carry out the phase of combing said fibre heads.
The textile material passes between the supply comb 1 and the supply grid 2, which are movable in such a way that they may be set apart from each other and may be displaced together, either in the displacement direction of the textile material or in the opposite direction to the displacement of the textile material. If, during a machine cycle, the comb 1 moves away from the grid 2, then the comb and the grid move back together, the comb is then close to the grid, and the needles of the comb go through the textile material. This assembly thus formed then moves forward, carrying the textile material with it, in such a way as to introduce the fibre heads 23 (Fig. 2) to the fibre head cleaning device, and to start supplying a new fringe of fibres.
At this moment, the clamp 3 closes and the lower jaw 5, which is articulated with the frame 10 of the machine, is lowered such that it draws close to the fibre head cleaning device. The upper jaw 4, which is also articulated with the frame of the machine, is lowered, in order to draw close to the lower jaw 5, until it enters into contact with it, so as to clamp and retain the fibres located between the two jaws 4 and 5. The upper jaw 4 then continues its movement in the direction of the fibre head cleaning device, and brings the lower jaw 5 with it. This displacement of the lower jaw towards the circular comb 7 occurs gradually. The fibre head combing phase then starts and is carried out by the fibre head cleaning device, which is formed by the circular comb 7, in the form of a cylinder, covered over at least 60% of its periphery with needles or teeth 8, the speed of rotation of which is continuous and adjustable, this comb being mounted on a support shaft 9, which is arranged in a fixed manner with
respect to the frame 10 of the machine. This cleaning device also comprises a cylindrical brush 11 covered with bristles, a doffer 12 covered with metallic points, and a doffer comb 13.
During their rotation, the needles or the teeth 8 of the circular comb 7 penetrate the fibre heads 23 introduced by the clamp 3, and remove the short fibres and impurities (Fig. 2) therefrom. The cylindrical brush 11, the bristles of which interpenetrate in the needles or in the teeth 8 of the circular comb 7, turns more quickly than said circular comb 7, but in the opposite direction, such that it removes the short fibres and the impurities conveyed by the needles or the teeth 8 of the circular comb 7, and such that it keeps the circular comb 7 clean.
The doffer turns less quickly than the cylindrical brush 11 and in the opposite direction to said cylindrical brush 11, and its points make flush the bristles of the cylindrical brush 11 and remove short fibres and impurities conveyed by the brush from said bristles of said cylindrical brush 11.
The doffer comb 13 of the fibre head cleaning device is a blade which is set in oscillation in proximity to the points of the doffer 12, this blade being responsible for clearing short fibres and impurities conveyed by the points of the doffer 12. The short fibres and the impurities form the noil, which is recovered by gravity and/or by suction, in order to evacuate it.
The textile material is then displaced by the feeder, so as to be brought into contact with the lifting device and the fibre end cleaning device, these devices carrying out the lifting and fibre end cleaning phases.
This lifting device is formed, in particular, by a carriage 14, by a connecting piece 17, by a movable part 18, by a pair of lifting cylinders 15 and 16, by a lifting sleeve 19, and by a tensioning cylinder 20 (Fig. 1).
The carriage 14 is a lever, the lower end of which is articulated via a bearing 24 with the frame 10 of the machine, and the upper end of which is articulated via a bearing 25 with the movable part 18. The connecting piece 17 is a lever, the lower end of which is articulated via a bearing 26 with the frame 10 of the machine, and the upper end of which is articulated via a bearing 27 with the movable part 18. The movable part 18 is formed by two integral and inter-sliding parts, not shown in the appended drawing, one of which supports the bearing 25 of the high articulation of the carriage 14, and the other of which supports the high articulation 27 of the connecting piece 17.
The carriage 14 oscillates about its low articulation 24 via a lever (not shown) connected to a reciprocating actuating device. The carriage 14 may thus be displaced between two end angular positions, separated from each other by a distance commonly known as the carriage course. In one of its two end positions, the upper end of the carriage 14 is located in proximity to the feeder, and, in the other end position, the movable part 18 is in proximity to a stuffer box 28.
In its upper part, the carriage 14 supports the lower lifting cylinder 15, which is controlled positively in rotation according to a so-called "back-step" law of motion, and which is topped by the upper lifting cylinder 16, the lifting sleeve 19 being clamped between the lifting cylinders 15 and 16.
The movable part 18 supports, in its part close to the stuffer box 28, the tensioning cylinder 20 of the lifting sleeve 19, which is kept under tension by setting the two sliding parts of the movable part 18 apart from each other. Furthermore, the movable part 18 supports, between the tensioning cylinder 20 and an outlet funnel 29, a pair of detacher cylinders 30a and 30b and, above the lifting sleeve 19, a plate on the sleeve 31 and an anti-burr cylinder 32.
During the fibre lifting phase, the upper end of the carriage 14 is located in proximity to the feeder, and the lifting cylinders 15 and 16 associated with the lifting sleeve 19 clamp the end of the fibre heads 23 introduced by the feeder. For this purpose, the clamp 3 is open, and the inter-plate 6 is moved forward in the displacement direction of the fibres, so as to force the end of the fibre heads to be introduced between the lifting cylinders 15 and 16. The lifting cylinders 15 and 16 are set in rotation, so as to extract the fibre heads from the supply comb 1, and the carriage 14 is displaced, in order to move away from the clamp 3.
The fibre ends will be combed with the aid of the fibre end cleaning device simultaneously to this displacement of said fibres. For this purpose, the fibre end cleaning device has a fixed comb 21, integral with an articulated lever 22. The fixed comb 21 is moved near the fibre heads 23, in such a way that the needles of the fixed comb 21, by going through the material, remove the impurities therefrom during the displacement of the material by the lifting device. The impurities thus retained are recovered by gravity and/or by suction through the circular comb 1 and a pneumatic sensor 33.
According to another characteristic of the invention, the circular comb 7 is integral with a support shaft (not shown), mounted rotatably and projecting from the frame 10 of the machine, this frame having, on the side of the free end of the support shaft, an aperture allowing lateral extraction of the circular comb. This support shaft is set in rotation by a driving means, such as a notched pinion, a
toothed wheel, a smooth pulley or an electric motor, and performs the axial blocking and blocking in rotation of the circular comb via stops. This circular comb 7 may be cast in one piece or made of a plurality of parts, and is formed by a cylinder, the two ends of which are mounted on flanges integral with the support shaft.
It is known that the support shaft may also be mounted in rotation on two bearings, each placed on the frame, either side of the circular comb.
Figs. 3a, 3b and 4 to 9 of the appended drawings represent schematically alternative embodiments of the circular comb 7.
The circular comb 7 is covered with needles or teeth 8 distributed over at least 60% of its periphery (Fig. 3a). In this configuration, the circular comb 7 does not have a smooth part and a hollowed part, as are known in the prior art. The needles or teeth 8 are distributed along the overall circumference of the circular comb over at least 60% of said circumference, the zones that are not covered with needles or teeth being distributed along the overall circumference. Preferably the circular comb 7 is covered with needles or teeth 8 over its entire circumference (Fig. 3b).
In the embodiments according to Figs. 3a and 3b, the circular comb is formed by a cylinder 34, on which the needles or the teeth 8 are placed. In the embodiment according to Figs. 4 to 6, the circular comb is formed by a plurality of portions in an arc of a circle 34', each provided with teeth or needles
The teeth or needles 8 may have identical (Figs. 3 to 6) or different characteristics, or are arranged according to a repetitive sequence (Figs. 7 to 9), depending on whether a generatrix or the circumference of the comb 7 is viewed. The points of the needles or teeth 8 of the circular comb 7 are not necessarily all located on the same radius or the same generatrix of the circular comb 7. For this purpose, said points of the needles or teeth 8 of the circular comb 7 are arranged on cylinder casings with various radii. An arrangement of this type allows differences in height to be obtained between two teeth or needles, or lines of teeth or groups of successive lines of teeth, so as further to improve cleaning.
In the embodiment according to Fig. 8, the teeth or needles 8 of the circular comb 7 are made by winding, according to a winding angle between 55° and 125° with respect to the axis of the circular
comb 7, one or more toothed wires 35, with joined turns having identical or different characteristics A, B, C, D, etc., or the sequences of which are periodically repeated.
In a case of this type, the circular comb is preferably made by winding at least one toothed wire, with jointed turns, about a cylinder, in the style of a carding drum. During the winding of more than one toothed wire about a cylinder, each toothed wire may have different characteristics, such as, for example, density, i.e. the distance separating two consecutive points, or the thickness of the wire, or even the shape of the teeth. In a case of this type of a toothed wire wound about a cylinder, care will be taken, during the production of the comb, to avoid the formation of images, i.e. local peripheral zones of the covering where the teeth would be arranged in regular lines in relation to other zones, where the teeth would be arranged randomly.
When the circular comb is made by winding one or more toothed wires about a cylinder, a covering cleaning device of the type of those used for carding drums, an example of which is known from FR-A-2 705 367, will be selected in order to clean the circular comb thoroughly.
As Figs. 7 and 9 show, and depending on whether a generatrix or the circumference of the comb is viewed, the circular comb may be made by stacking cut-out plates in the form of circular crowns 36, the outer periphery of which is provided with teeth that are identical or have different characteristics A, B, C, etc., or are arranged according to a repetitive sequence, and the inner periphery of which is equipped with holding means allowing the centring, driving in rotation and fixing of said crowns (Fig. 7).
In the case of a covering obtained by stacking of cut-out plates, it may be chosen, when the covering is mounted on more than one partially cylindrical shell, to stack sections of circular crowns 37, one against the other (Fig. 6), on each of the shells forming the circular comb.
Furthermore, the teeth or needles 8 of the circular comb 7 have an identical density over the entire periphery of said circular comb 7, or different densities, for example by arrangement in succession of contiguous lines of needles or teeth 8 with different densities.
Fig. 1 Oa of the appended schematic drawings represents a complete 360 degrees cycle of rotation of a rectilinear comber of the known type. The phase of combing the fibre heads is labelled "a", and the combing angle of the heads associated with the phase "a" is labelled "a". The angle "a" corresponds
to the fraction of the machine cycle during which the fibre heads are combed. This head combing angle is commonly approximately 130 degrees.
Fig. lOb represents schematically the rotational movement of a circular comb during a standard complete cycle of rotation on conventional rectilinear combers. The angle "b" defines the active arc of the covering of the circular comb, corresponding to the length of the needle or teeth covering which will be used during the fibre head combing phase, and the angle "a" defines the active arc of the comb covering. On a conventional rectilinear comber, this angle of the comb covering is approximately 160 to 220 degrees. The circular comb performing exactly one rotation per machine cycle, the angular speed of rotation of the comb is increased, then reduced.
Fig. lOc is a schematic representation of an example of an embodiment according to the invention. In the active arc of the comb covering is equal to the circumference of the comb, and the angle of the comb covering is 360 degrees. The rotation period of the circular comb in relation to the machine cycle is labelled "p", and is expressed in degrees; the speed of rotation of the comb is constant.
Fig. lOd represents an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which the circular comb performs more than one rotation during the fibre head combing phase, i.e. "p is Fig. lOe represents another example of an embodiment according to the invention, where the circular comb also performs more than one rotation during the fibre head combing phase, but where the angular speed of the comb is increased, then reduced.
Li the case of the angular speed of the circular comb being constant, the number of rotations performed by the circular comb per machine cycle is labelled "N", i.e.:
with: "360" machine degrees/machine cycle; "p" machine degrees/comb rotation, and "N" comb rotation/machine cycle.
The angular position, expressed in degrees, that the circular comb occupies at the time when the first line of needles or teeth engages in the fibre head at the start of the fibre head combing phase is defined as the origin of the active arc of the comb covering.
According to a characteristic of the invention, the value "p" of the rotation period of the circular comb
7 is selected such that the active arc of the comb covering 7 which is the length of the needle or teeth
8 covering used during the fibre head combing phase has an origin, which corresponds to the angular
position, expressed in degrees, that the circular comb 7 occupies at the time when the first line of
needles or teeth 8 engages in the fibre head at the start of the fibre head combing phase, and which is
dephased, from one machine cycle to the other, by a value "kl", expressed in degrees, of the circular
comb 7 corresponding to the relationship:

The angle "kl" increases in the direction of rotation of the comb. Thus, when two consecutive cycles of the machine are considered, it is never the same line or bar of needles or teeth which, by engaging in the fibre heads protruding from the clamp, will determine the origin of the active arc of the comb covering, which will be used during the head combing phase.
Furthermore, the method consists in selecting a relative origin of the active arc of the comb covering, kl', such that kl' = kl - [ENT(N)*360], and where ENT(N) represents the integer value of the number N.
Furthermore, a relative origin of the active arc of the comb covering will preferably be selected such that the variable "kl"' is between 10 and 350 degrees. For this purpose, "kl"' values that are relatively close to 350 degrees and far from 10 degrees will also be preferred.
In the example represented in Fig. lOc, the circular comb may perform one complete rotation during the fibre head combing phase and approximately 2.77 rotations per machine cycle, i.e., in this case, p = a = 130.1 machine degrees/comb rotation, and N = 2.77 comb rotations/machine cycle.
The origin of the active arc of the comb covering of two consecutive cycles of the machine is dephased in each cycle by kl = 996.2 degrees, i.e., relatively to the comb itself, by a value of kl' = 276.2 degrees, is obtained by the following process: (996.2 - (2*360)). In this case, when the machine

performs a cycle, the circular comb will rotate by 996.2 degrees, i.e. approximately 2.77 rotations, and the cylindrical brush will clean 996.2 degrees of the circular comb. In other words, the circular comb will be cleaned approximately 2.77 times per machine cycle.
On a conventional rectilinear comber equipped with a circular comb with a segment covered with needles of increasing density, occupying one portion only of the periphery of the cylinder, the origin of the active arc of the comb covering, the length of the arc of the comb covering, and the rotation period of the comb are seen always to be the same in each machine cycle. The impurities that are removed by the covered segment, i.e. the excessively short fibres and the defects such as neps, and vegetable waste, which is retained by the needles or the teeth of the covered segment, are confined systematically and preferably, on the one hand, close to the origin of the active arc of the comb covering, as these are the first needles, which perform the majority of the cleaning, and, on the other hand, towards the end of the active arc of the comb covering, where the impurities often become stuck between the finest and most tightly packed needles.
The cylindrical brush, which is responsible for cleaning the covered segment, must therefore be capable of removing from between the needles, on the one hand, a large build-up of impurities, that is confined close to the origin of the active arc of the comb covering, and, on the other hand, impurities stuck between the fine and tightly packed needles that are located towards the end of the active arc of the comb covering. For this purpose, the speed of rotation of the cylindrical brush is greater than that of the circular comb, and the bristles of the brush must interpenetrate sufficiently the needles of the circular comb, which causes rapid wear of said cylindrical brush and of the needles of the covered segment.
On a conventional rectilinear comber, the interpenetration of the bristles of the brush with the needles of the covered segment is high, as the covered segment is only cleaned once per machine cycle, since it only passes in front of the bristles of the cylindrical brush once per cycle. Furthermore, the needles of the covered segment wear out equally rapidly in contact with the textile material, as it is always the same needles that have the greatest fibre head cleaning responsibility.
The present invention allows these drawbacks to be remedied. As it is possible to stagger evenly, in each machine cycle, the origin of the active arc of the comb covering, the same needles or teeth of the circular comb never engage twice in succession in the fibre head at the start of the head cleaning phase. The length of the active arc of the comb covering is adjustable and proportional to the diameter of the comb and to the rotation period of the comb. Preferably, the rotation period of the comb is

selected such that the circular comb performs at least one rotation per machine cycle. The active arc of the comb covering will thus be cleaned more than once per machine cycle.
This makes the work, performed by the cylindrical brush, of cleaning the circular comb easier, and the wear of the bristles of the brush is reduced, as the interpenetration of the bristles of the brush with the needles of the circular comb may be less high. At the same time, the wear of the needles or the teeth of the circular comb is also reduced. The circular comb is cleaned better and therefore remains effective for a longer time. This means that the combed top is of better quality, as the mechanical elements, such as the needles or teeth of the circular comb, and the cylindrical brush, have an increased service life, and as the cleaning operations of the cylindrical comb, and the replacement operations of the cylindrical brush or of the needles or teeth of the circular comb, are less frequent. The productivity of the comber is thus improved, and the labour burden on staff alleviated.
The value "p" of the rotation period of the circular comb 7 is, preferably, approximately 130 degrees. This value "p" of the rotation period of the circular comb will advantageously be selected from all of the real numbers "k2", such that:
where the GCD (p, 360) is the greatest common denominator of the values "p" and "360", expressed in degrees.
Thus, for example, if the rotation period of the circular comb is 130 degrees, k2 will be equal to 13, and if it is 131 degrees, k2 will be equal to 131.
The variable "k2" represents the number of machine cycles, at the end of which the same line of needles or bar of needles of the circular comb will engage in the fibre heads protruding from the clamp. Thus, when the rotation period of the circular comb is 130 degrees, the same line of needles will then be used in all 13 machine cycles.
Preferably, a rotation period of the circular comb will be selected such that the variable "k2" is the largest possible, in such a way that the same line of needles is used as infrequently as possible, and the wear of the needles of the circular comb is as even as possible. Furthermore, a rotation period of the

circular comb will be taken into account, such that the variable "N", which corresponds to the number of rotations performed by the circular comb during a machine cycle, is as large as possible.
Other examples of rotation of the circular comb, over a partial rotation or distinctly more than one rotation during the fibre head combing phase, are given below:


(Table Removed)
When the value "p" is greater than "a" degrees, the circular comb performs less than one rotation during the fibre head combing phase and, conversely, when the value "p" is less than "a" degrees, the circular comb performs more than one rotation during the fibre head combing phase.
Preferably, the diameter of the circular comb is less than that commonly used. This results in a lower production price, and it is easier to handle, as it is less bulky and less heavy. Furthermore, all other things remaining equal, as it is less bulky, more space can be made between the pneumatic sensor and the circular comb.
Moreover, because the circular comb is covered over at least 60%, but preferably all, of its periphery, in contrast to conventional combs, which are equipped with one covered segment and one non-covered segment, it is perfectly balanced dynamically. It may be covered with either needles or teeth, the size and density of which are selected according to the textile material to be worked and the combing or recombing process to be carried out. Its speed of rotation is preferably uniformly constant, which causes better overall balancing of the comber.
Preferably, an automatic cylindrical brush-advance device, such as that described in FR-A-2 651 512, which is intended to compensate for wear to the cylindrical brush, is associated with the circular comb according to the invention.
The burden, placed on the brush, of cleaning the circular comb being lightened, the bristles of the brush interpenetrate the needles or the teeth of the circular comb slightly, so as to clean them. Periodically, and over a short period, an automatic device increases the interpenetration value of the bristles of the brush with the teeth of the circular comb, in such a way that the needles or the teeth of the circular comb are cleaned thoroughly.
At the end of this thorough cleaning period, the automatic device reduces the interpenetration value, so that the brush once more assumes the position that it had before said thorough cleaning period. The wear of the bristles of the cylindrical brush is thus reduced, and its service life extended.
Preferably, according to another characteristic of the invention, and as Fig. 2 of the appended drawings shows, the rectilinear comber is not provided with a beating brush for the fibre head 23. A beating brush of this type is generally responsible for forcing the fibre head 23 to penetrate between the needles or the teeth 8 of the circular comb 7. The upper jaw 4 of the clamp 3 is then advantageously provided with a setting device 4", equipped with a detour surface 4', which forces the fibre head 23 to be orientated almost perpendicularly to the tangent of the circular comb 7. This setting device 4" has, in its lower part, a support surface 4'", intended to cooperate with the fibre head 23 and to force it to penetrate between the needles or the teeth 8 of the circular comb 7, said support surface 4'" extending from the detour surface 4' over a distance of at least 3 mm.
The support surface 4'" of the setting device 4" may be plane or curved. In this last case, its radius of curvature is concentric to that of the circular comb 7.
The setting device 4" may form an integral part of the upper jaw 4 of the clamp 3, or be removable, and is advantageously made of the same material as the upper jaw 4, i.e. a metallic, plastic or composite material.
In order to comb the fibre heads, the upper jaw 4, which is articulated, is brought close to the lower jaw 5, until they are touching and the fibres located between the two jaws are clamped and thus retained. The upper jaw then continues its reconciliation movement towards the circular comb 7, and brings with it the lower jaw 5 to a distance such that the support surface 4'" of the setting device 4" makes flush the needles or the teeth 8 of the circular comb 7, without touching them.
The invention is not of course limited to the embodiment described and represented in the appended drawings. Modifications are possible, in particular with regard to the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention.









WE CLAIM:
1. Rectilinear combing method, characterised in that it consists essentially in combing the fibre heads with a circular comb (7), covered with needles or teeth (8) distributed over at least 60% of its periphery, said circular comb (7) performing an integer number or a non-integer number of rotations (N) per machine cycle.
2. Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circular comb (7) performs at least one rotation (N) per machine cycle.
3. Method as claimed in claims 1 and 2, wherein the fibre heads are combed by the circular comb (7) while the circular comb performs between 0.7 and 1.5 rotations.
4. Method as claimed in claims 1 to 3, wherein the fibre heads are combed while the circular comb (7) performs less than one complete rotation.
5. Method as claimed in claims 1 and 2 to 4, wherein it consists in choosing a value 'p' of the rotation period of the circular comb (7), such that the active arc of the comb covering (7), which is the length of the needle or teeth (8) covering used during the phase of combing the fibre heads has an origin, which corresponds to the angular position, expressed in degrees, which is occupied by the circular comb (7) at the moment when the first line of needles or teeth (8) engages in the fibre head at the start of the phase of combing the fibre heads, and which is dephased, from one machine cycle to the other, by a value kl expressed in degrees, of the circular comb (7) corresponding to the relationship as herein described.
6. Method as claimed in claim 5, wherein it consists in choosing a relative origin of the active arc of the comb covering, kl' as herein described.

7. Method as claimed in claim 6, wherein kl' is close to 350 degrees and far from 10 degrees.
8. Method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the value 'p' of the rotation period of the circular comb (7) is selected from among all the "k2" real numbers as herein described.
9. Method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the value "p" of the rotation
period of the circular comb (7) is approximately 130 degrees.
10. Rectilinear comber for implementing the method as claimed in claims 1 to 9, having a feeder, a lifting device, a fibre head cleaning device having a circular comb and a fibre end cleaning device, wherein the circular comb (7) is a cylinder, covered over at least 60% of its periphery with needles or teeth (8), with identical or different characteristics, a cylinder whose speed of rotation is continuous and adjustable, and which is mounted on a support shaft (9), the position of which is fixed relative to the flame (10) of the machine, this comb (7) performing a non-integer number or an integer number of (N) per machine cycle.
11. Comber as claimed in claim 10, wherein the circular comb (7) is integral with a support shaft, mounted rotatably and projecting from the frame (10) of the machine, this flame having, on the side of the free end of the support shaft, an aperture allowing lateral extraction of the circular comb.
12. Comber as claimed in claims 10 and 11, wherein the circular comb (7) is covered over its entire periphery with needles or teeth (8).
13. Comber as claimed in claims 10 and 12, wherein the points of the needles or teeth (8) of the circular comb (7) are arranged on cylinder casings with various radii.

14. Comber as claimed in claims 10 to 13, wherein the circular comb (7) is
formed by a plurality of portions in an arc of a circle (34"), each provided with
teeth or needles (8).
15. Comber as claimed in claims 10 to 14, wherein the teeth or needles (8) of the circular comb (7) are made by winding, according to a winding angle between 55° and 125° to the axis of the circular comb (7), one or more toothed wires (35), with joined turns having identical or different characteristics (A, B, C, etc.), or the sequences of which are periodically repeated.
16. Comber as claimed in claims 10 to 13, wherein the circular comb (7) is made by stacking toothed crowns (36) or sections of circular crowns (37), having identical teeth or teeth with different characteristics (A, B, C, etc.) in a repetitive sequence.
17. Comber as claimed in claims 10 to 16, wherein the teeth or needles (8) of the circular comb (7) have an identical density over the entire periphery of said circular comb (7), or different densities, for example by arrangement in contiguous lines of needles or teeth (8) with different densities.
18. Comber as claimed in claim 10, wherein said comber (7) it is not provided with a beating brush for the fibre head (23).
19. Comber as claimed in claim 10, wherein said fibre head (23) is forced to be orientated almost perpendicularly to the tangent of the circular comb (7) by the upper jaw (4) of the clamp (3) provided with a setting device (4"), equipped with a detour surface (4').
20. Comber as claimed in claim 19, wherein the setting device (4") has, in its lower part, a support surface (4""), intended to cooperate with the fibre head (23) and to force it to penetrate between the needles or the teeth (8) of the circular comb (7), said support surface (4"") extending from the detour surface (4") over a distance of at least 3 mm.

21. Comber as claimed in claim 20, wherein the support surface (4"") of the setting device (4") is plane.
22. Comber as claimed in claim 20, wherein the support surface (4"') of the setting device (4") is curvilinear, its radius of curvature being concentric to that of the circular comb (7).
23. Comber as claimed in claim 18, wherein the setting device (4*) forms an integral part of the upper jaw (2) of the clamp (3).
24. Comber as claimed in claim 18, wherein the setting device (4W) is detachable.


Documents:

1862-DELNP-2003-Abstract-(12-06-2008).pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Abstract-(21-11-2008).pdf

1862-delnp-2003-abstract.pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Claims-(12-06-2008).pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Claims-(21-11-2008).pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Claims-(23-01-2009).pdf

1862-delnp-2003-claims.pdf

1862-delnp-2003-complete specification (granted).pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Correspondence-Others-(12-06-2008).pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Correspondence-Others-(17-11-2008).pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Correspondence-Others-(21-11-2008).pdf

1862-delnp-2003-correspondence-others.pdf

1862-delnp-2003-description (complete)-12-06-2008.pdf

1862-delnp-2003-description (complete).pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Drawings-(12-06-2008).pdf

1862-delnp-2003-drawings.pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Form-1-(21-11-2008).pdf

1862-delnp-2003-form-1.pdf

1862-delnp-2003-form-18.pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Form-2-(21-11-2008).pdf

1862-delnp-2003-form-2.pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Form-3-(17-11-2008).pdf

1862-delnp-2003-form-3.pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-GPA-(12-06-2008).pdf

1862-delnp-2003-gpa.pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Others-Document-(17-11-2008).pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-PCT-409-(12-06-2008).pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Petition-137-(17-11-2008).pdf

1862-DELNP-2003-Petition-138-(17-11-2008).pdf

abstract.jpg


Patent Number 231624
Indian Patent Application Number 1862/DELNP/2003
PG Journal Number 13/2009
Publication Date 27-Mar-2009
Grant Date 06-Mar-2009
Date of Filing 10-Nov-2003
Name of Patentee N. SCHLUMBERGER
Applicant Address 170 RUE DE LA REPUBLIQUE-68500 GUEBWILLER, FRANCE.
Inventors:
# Inventor's Name Inventor's Address
1 GERARD GAIRE 9 ALLEE DES TILLEULS- 68500 GUEBWILLER, FRANCE.
2 JEAN-BAPTISTE SCHAFFHAUSER 5 RUE DES PIERRES, 68610 LAUTENBACH, FRANCE.
3 JEAN-LOUIS DUMAS 1 ALLEE DES CEDRES, 68500 GUEBWILLER , FRANCE.
PCT International Classification Number D01G 19/10
PCT International Application Number PCT/FR02/01489
PCT International Filing date 2002-04-29
PCT Conventions:
# PCT Application Number Date of Convention Priority Country
1 01440122.8 2001-04-30 EPO