Indian Patents. 251752:COMBING MACHINE

Title of Invention	COMBING MACHINE
Abstract	Abstract The invention relates to a metallic guide device for the guidance of fibre material between the lap rollers (WW) and a sliver lay (BA) of a combing machine (1). To improve the guidance properties of the fibre material, it is proposed that at least one of the guide devices (3) be provided with a surface coating which contains nanoparticles and which reduces an adhesion of fibres. Fig. 1

Full Text	FORM 2 THE PATENTS ACT, 1970 (39 OF 1970) As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005 & The Patents Rules, 2003 As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2006 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (See section 10 and rule 13) TITLE OF THE INVENTION Fleece guide device of a combing machine APPLICANTS Name : MASCHINENFABRIK RIETER AG Address : Klosterstrasse 20 CH-8406 Winterthur, Switzerland Nationality : a Swiss company INVENTORS a) Name : Bachmann Othmar Nationality : Swiss Address : Kirchweg 7, CH-8547 Gachnang, Switzerland b) Name : Neubauer Holger Nationality : German Address : Dorfstrasse 33, CH-8184 Bachenbulach, Switzerland c) Name : Zollinger Thomas Nationality : Swiss Address : Gartematt 4, CH-8180 Bulach, Switzerland PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed : The invention relates to a combing machine. Such guide devices are known in a combing machine between the lap rollers and the sliver lay. In this case, the wadding unwound from a wadding lap lying on driven lap rollers is introduced in a nipper assembly via a guide plate. The fibre material delivered from the nipper to a following pair of detaching rollers after the combing process is delivered by means of a fleece guide plate, via a pair of take-off rollers, to a following sliver table on which it is then present in sliver form. As a rule, the combing machine is equipped with eight combing heads, each delivering a sliver to the following sliver table. The slivers are transferred via the sliver table to a following drafting arrangement in which the silvers are drafted and combined into one sliver. This sliver is likewise transferred via corresponding guide devices to a pair of calender rollers, via which it is deposited into a can via a funnel wheel of a sliver lay. On its way from a lap to a sliver lay, the fibre material is guided via a plurality of guide devices which are not driven. In this case, faults may occur, particularly when an electrostatic charging of the fibre material arises due to friction or the fibre material has tacky constituents, such as, for example, honeydew. The faults in the transport of the fibre material may occur at various points between the lap rollers and the sliver lay and are also dependent on the existing form (wadding, fleece, sliver) of the fibre material. In particular, the transport of the fibre material is susceptible to faults with regard to the abovementioned criteria when it is in the form of a fleece. This form occurs when the fibre material is delivered discontinuously to a following fleece guide plate via the front pair of detaching rollers. As a rule, nowadays, conventional combing machines contain detaching rollers mounted in a machine frame, as a rule two pairs which are rotated back and forth in a pilgrim step motion when the combing machine is in operation. The detaching rollers form a combing machine fleece from combed-out fibre fringes supplied in succession and deliver this fleece to a fleece guide plate which guides the fleece to a pair of take-off rollers likewise mounted in the machine frame. The take-off rollers, during operation, rotate continuously at a uniform speed. Since the detaching rollers are rotated back and forth, as already mentioned, the fleece forms waves on the fleece guide plate. In this case, it may happen that these fleece waves build up, downstream of the detaching rollers, on the fleece guide plate differently and irregularly, depending on the content of moisture and impurities in the fibre material and on its electrostatic charge. This may lead, for example, to increased lapping of the, as a rule, rubber-coated upper detaching roller of the pair of detaching rollers adjacent to the fleece guide plate and to other faults. That is to say, due to the faults, the fibre fleece may no longer slide regularly on the guide plate, as a result of which the uniform fleece structure is sometimes destroyed, this having an adverse effect on the production of a homogeneous combing machine sliver and also possibly leading to transport interruptions and ultimately to the stopping of the entire combing machine. The object of the invention is to design the fleece guide devices specified in the introduction, in such a way that faults in the transport or transfer of the fibre material between the lap rollers and the sliver lay of a combing machine can be as far as possible avoided. This object is achieved in that it is proposed that at least one of the guide devices be provided with a surface coating which has nanoparticles and which reduces an adhesion of fibres. According to the invention there is provided a combing machine comprising lap rollers (WW) and a sliver lay (BA) and a plurality of metallic guide devices (3, 7) disposed between the lap rollers and the sliver lay for the guidance of fibre material, characterized in that one or more of the guide devices (3, 7) is provided with a surface coating consisting of a sol/gel layer base containing crystalline nano particles in an amorphously curing solution designed to be anti-static or electrically conductive to reduce adhesion of fibres to the one or more coated guide devices and to repel the fibres. General examples regarding the use of nanotechnology are described in the literature (VDI-Nachrichten of 7 September 2001, No. 36, page 17, and Technische Rundschau No. 1/2 2002 - pages 22, 23). These describe, for 3 example, hard material coatings for tools which, in particular, increase the abrasion resistance. For this application, finely dispersed titanium nitride crystallites are introduced into a matrix of silicon nitride. It is likewise possible, with an appropriate formation of the nanoparticles (for example, nanotubelets with electrically conductive inclusions), to increase the electrical conductivity of the surface coating. Such developments of coatings based on nanotechnology are known particularly from medical technology, in the sector of tool production and also in connection with lacquerings of parts from the automobile industry. What is new is the use of such coatings for guide devices of fibre material in the sector of textile machines, particularly in the sector of combing machines, where there is sometimes a fibre composite of very low adhesive force to be transported, the structure of which is not to be destroyed during transport. Thus, furthermore, for the region where the fibre material is in fleece form, it is proposed that the fleece guide plate directly following a pair of detaching rollers be provided at least partially with the surface coating containing nanoparticles. It is further proposed that the surface coating consist of a sol/gel layer which contains crystalline particles in an amorphously curing solution. Furthermore, the surface coating may contain crystalline nanoparticles which increase the abrasion resistance and scratch resistance or which achieve the anti-adhesion properties by means of a microstructure, also called the lotus blossom effect. As proposed, further, the surface layer may additionally contain fluoropolymers, such as PTFE, FEP, PFA or ETFE. The surface coating may be designed to be anti-static or electrically conductive. As a result, in the first case, an electrostatic charge is at the most 4 part prevented and, in the second case, a static charge possibly present is dissipated by the surface coating. Further advantages of the invention ensue from the following description in which the invention is explained in more detail by means of an exemplary embodiment. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatical side view of a combing head of a combing machine with a fleece guide plate, Fig. 2 shows a diagrammatical front view of a combing machine, Fig. 3 shows a diagrammatical top view of a combing machine according to Fig. 2. Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a combing head K of a combing machine 1 with lap rollers WW on which a wadding lap W for unrolling lies. The fibre material in the form of a wadding WT is supplied to a nipper Z which, when the nipper is in a rear closed position, presents the wadding end for combing out to a circular comb mounted rotatably below the nipper. The combed-out wadding end (also called a fibre fringe) is presented, in the front position shown in Fig. 1, with a nipper Z open, to a following pair of detaching rollers 2 for piecing to the fleece previously formed. In the example shown, two pairs of detaching rollers 2 succeeding one another are shown, in particular the pair of detaching rollers which directly follows the nipper Z being responsible for the detaching operation and the piecing operation. The front pair of detaching rollers 2 is followed by a fleece guide plate 3, a pair of take-off rollers 4, a funnel 5, calendar rollers 6 and a sliver table 7. The fleece (not shown) discharged from the front pair of detaching rollers 2 onto the fleece table 3 is combined by the funnel 5 into one sliver and is deposited by the calendar rollers 6 onto the sliver table 7. The slivers FB 5 deposited onto the sliver table 7 by the respective combing head K are transferred to a drafting arrangement S, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, and are drafted there and combined (not shown) into a single sliver. This sliver is transferred via corresponding guide means to calendar rollers KW and is deposited there into a can KN via a funnel wheel. That is to say, further guide devices for the fibre material are required on the way from the respective combing head K to the sliver lay BA. Depositing onto the sliver table 7 by the calendar rollers 6 takes place continuously. However, since the detaching rollers 2 execute a back-and-force or pilgrim step motion , but the fleece should in this case not be teared, a material reserve must be capable of being formed periodically between the detaching rollers 2 and the take-off roller 4. For this purpose, a fleece guide plate or web pan 3 is arranged at this point. During the forward motion of the detaching rollers 2, the fleece arranges itself in wavy form as an excess in the fleece guide plate or web pan 3 and, during the return motion of the detaching rollers 2, it is drawn approximately smooth again. The fleece guide plate 3 thus acts as a fleece stabilizing zone. The combining of the fleece takes place on the fleece guide plate or web pan 3 or in the zone downstream of the latter. This may take place centrically or eccentrically, as was the case in the combing machines of the last decades. Where centric fleece bowls are concerned, the funnel 5 being arranged in the middle of the web pan 3, the piecing lines assume an arcuate shape and lead to a pronounced markedness of the combing or piecing periods. If, by contrast, the fleece is taken up eccentrically, the funnel 5 being arranged on one side of the web pan 3, the piecing lines arranged themselves diagonally, thus leading to a partial compensation of the piecing points. It first became apparent, then, after intensive tests, that a web pan 3 provided with a plastic coating has no advantages at all, as compared with the conventional web pan consisting of a metal sheet, such as, for example, stainless steel sheet. In particular, there were serious problems in the starting 6 of the combing machine. Surprisingly, however, very good results were achieved with a surface coating consisting of a layer on a sol/gel base with a glass-ceramic basic structure, the web pan 3 having a surface which repels tacky impurities. Then, in particular, honeydew and fibres in the fleece which are contaminated with honeydew no longer remain adhering to the fleece guide plate 3. Furthermore, it proves particularly appropriate, in order to increase the abrasion resistance and scratch resistance, if ceramic nanoparticles are additionally incorporated into the layer. Moreover, the layer may additionally have fluoropolymers, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer), PFA (perfluoroalkoxyl) or ETFE (Halar, copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene). These layers are gradient materials, as they are known, since the perfluorinated carbon chains are concentrated on the surface of the layer, whilst the inorganic part is concentrated in the lower region of the layer and consequently allows excellent adhesion with the substrate. Depending on the type of coating, these coatings are cured at a temperature of 340°C to 400°C. The layer thickness is in this case between 10 and 50 u,m. A further alternative for the coating is afforded in that the surface coating contains crystalline nanoparticles which increase the abrasion resistance and scratch resistance. As a result, in particular, the anti-adhesion properties can be achieved by means of a microstructure (lotus blossom effect), with the result that the transport properties of the fleece guide plate are likewise improved. The discontinuous delivery of the fibre material from the detaching rollers 2 also gives rise to a back-and-forth movement in the fibre fleece on the web pan 3, thus giving rise to friction between the fleece and the web pan 3 and also between the detaching rollers 2 and the fleece. The fibre fleece 3 is thereby charged statically, which may likewise lead to transport faults (for example, partial fleece breakaway). In order to avoid this at least partially, it 7 is advantageous if the surface coating is designed to be anti-static, with the result that electrical charging between the fibre fleece and the web pan is prevented. Another possibility for avoiding these disadvantages is for the surface coating to be designed to be electrically conductive. This may take place by means of electrically conductive constituents which are incorporated into the surface layer and via which the electrical charge of the fleece is dissipated to the electrically conductive web pan which, in turn, is connected electrically to the machine frame. Such coatings of guide elements may, of course, also be used at other points between the lap rollers and the sliver lay, in order to avoid settlements of fibres and ultimately to improve the transport properties. 8 We claim : 1. Metallic guide device for the guidance of fibre material between the lap rollers (WW) and a sliver lay (BA) of a combing machine (1), characterized in that at least one of the guide devices (3) is provided with a surface coating which contains nanoparticles and which reduces an adhesion of fibres. 2. Metallic guide device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fleece guide plate (3) directly following a pair of detaching rollers (2) is provided at least partially with the surface coating. 3. Metallic guide device according to either one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the surface coating consists of a sol/gel layer which contains crystalline particles in an amorphously curing solution. 4. Metallic guide device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the surface coating contains crystalline nanoparticles which increase the abrasion resistance and scratch resistance or which achieve the anti-adhesion properties by means of a microstructure, also called the lotus blossom effect. 5. Metallic guide device according to either one of Claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the surface coating additionally has fluoropolymers, such as PTFE, FEP, PFA or ETFE. 9 6. Metallic guide device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the surface coating is designed to be anti-static or electrically conductive. Dated this 17th day of August 2006 (Prita Madan) of Khaitan & Co Agent for the Applicants 10 Abstract The invention relates to a metallic guide device for the guidance of fibre material between the lap rollers (WW) and a sliver lay (BA) of a combing machine (1). To improve the guidance properties of the fibre material, it is proposed that at least one of the guide devices (3) be provided with a surface coating which contains nanoparticles and which reduces an adhesion of fibres. Fig. 1

Full Text

FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 OF 1970)
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Act, 2005
&
The Patents Rules, 2003
As amended by the Patents (Amendment) Rules, 2006
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See section 10 and rule 13)
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
Fleece guide device of a combing machine
APPLICANTS
Name : MASCHINENFABRIK RIETER AG
Address : Klosterstrasse 20 CH-8406 Winterthur, Switzerland
Nationality : a Swiss company
INVENTORS
a) Name : Bachmann Othmar
Nationality : Swiss
Address : Kirchweg 7, CH-8547 Gachnang, Switzerland
b) Name : Neubauer Holger
Nationality : German
Address : Dorfstrasse 33, CH-8184 Bachenbulach, Switzerland
c) Name : Zollinger Thomas
Nationality : Swiss
Address : Gartematt 4, CH-8180 Bulach, Switzerland
PREAMBLE TO THE DESCRIPTION
The following specification particularly describes the nature of this invention and the manner in which it is to be performed :

The invention relates to a combing machine.
Such guide devices are known in a combing machine between the lap rollers and the sliver lay. In this case, the wadding unwound from a wadding lap lying on driven lap rollers is introduced in a nipper assembly via a guide plate. The fibre material delivered from the nipper to a following pair of detaching rollers after the combing process is delivered by means of a fleece guide plate, via a pair of take-off rollers, to a following sliver table on which it is then present in sliver form. As a rule, the combing machine is equipped with eight combing heads, each delivering a sliver to the following sliver table. The slivers are transferred via the sliver table to a following drafting arrangement in which the silvers are drafted and combined into one sliver.
This sliver is likewise transferred via corresponding guide devices to a pair of calender rollers, via which it is deposited into a can via a funnel wheel of a sliver lay.
On its way from a lap to a sliver lay, the fibre material is guided via a plurality of guide devices which are not driven. In this case, faults may occur, particularly when an electrostatic charging of the fibre material arises due to friction or the fibre material has tacky constituents, such as, for example, honeydew. The faults in the transport of the fibre material may occur at various points between the lap rollers and the sliver lay and are also dependent on the existing form (wadding, fleece, sliver) of the fibre material.
In particular, the transport of the fibre material is susceptible to faults with regard to the abovementioned criteria when it is in the form of a fleece. This form occurs when the fibre material is delivered discontinuously to a following fleece guide plate via the front pair of detaching rollers.
As a rule, nowadays, conventional combing machines contain detaching rollers mounted in a machine frame, as a rule two pairs which are rotated back and forth in a pilgrim step motion when the combing machine is in operation. The detaching rollers form a combing machine fleece from combed-out fibre fringes supplied in succession and deliver this fleece to a fleece guide plate which guides the fleece to a pair of take-off rollers likewise mounted in the machine frame. The take-off rollers, during operation, rotate continuously at a uniform speed. Since the detaching rollers are rotated back and forth, as already

mentioned, the fleece forms waves on the fleece guide plate.
In this case, it may happen that these fleece waves build up, downstream of the detaching rollers, on the fleece guide plate differently and irregularly, depending on the content of moisture and impurities in the fibre material and on its electrostatic charge. This may lead, for example, to increased lapping of the, as a rule, rubber-coated upper detaching roller of the pair of detaching rollers adjacent to the fleece guide plate and to other faults. That is to say, due to the faults, the fibre fleece may no longer slide regularly on the guide plate, as a result of which the uniform fleece structure is sometimes destroyed, this having an adverse effect on the production of a homogeneous combing machine sliver and also possibly leading to transport interruptions and ultimately to the stopping of the entire combing machine.
The object of the invention is to design the fleece guide devices specified in the introduction, in such a way that faults in the transport or transfer of the fibre material between the lap rollers and the sliver lay of a combing machine can be as far as possible avoided.
This object is achieved in that it is proposed that at least one of the guide devices be provided with a surface coating which has nanoparticles and which reduces an adhesion of fibres.
According to the invention there is provided a combing machine comprising lap rollers (WW) and a sliver lay (BA) and a plurality of metallic guide devices (3, 7) disposed between the lap rollers and the sliver lay for the guidance of fibre material, characterized in that one or more of the guide devices (3, 7) is provided with a surface coating consisting of a sol/gel layer base containing crystalline nano particles in an amorphously curing solution designed to be anti-static or electrically conductive to reduce adhesion of fibres to the one or more coated guide devices and to repel the fibres.
General examples regarding the use of nanotechnology are described in the literature (VDI-Nachrichten of 7 September 2001, No. 36, page 17, and Technische Rundschau No. 1/2 2002 - pages 22, 23). These describe, for
3
example, hard material coatings for tools which, in particular, increase the abrasion resistance. For this application, finely dispersed titanium nitride crystallites are introduced into a matrix of silicon nitride. It is likewise possible, with an appropriate formation of the nanoparticles (for example, nanotubelets with electrically conductive inclusions), to increase the electrical conductivity of the surface coating.
Such developments of coatings based on nanotechnology are known particularly from medical technology, in the sector of tool production and also in connection with lacquerings of parts from the automobile industry. What is new is the use of such coatings for guide devices of fibre material in the sector of textile machines, particularly in the sector of combing machines, where there is sometimes a fibre composite of very low adhesive force to be transported, the structure of which is not to be destroyed during transport.
Thus, furthermore, for the region where the fibre material is in fleece form, it is proposed that the fleece guide plate directly following a pair of detaching rollers be provided at least partially with the surface coating containing nanoparticles.
It is further proposed that the surface coating consist of a sol/gel layer which contains crystalline particles in an amorphously curing solution.
Furthermore, the surface coating may contain crystalline nanoparticles which increase the abrasion resistance and scratch resistance or which achieve the anti-adhesion properties by means of a microstructure, also called the lotus blossom effect.
As proposed, further, the surface layer may additionally contain fluoropolymers, such as PTFE, FEP, PFA or ETFE.
The surface coating may be designed to be anti-static or electrically conductive. As a result, in the first case, an electrostatic charge is at the most
4

part prevented and, in the second case, a static charge possibly present is dissipated by the surface coating.
Further advantages of the invention ensue from the following description in which the invention is explained in more detail by means of an exemplary embodiment.
In the drawing:
Fig. 1 shows a diagrammatical side view of a combing head of a combing
machine with a fleece guide plate,
Fig. 2 shows a diagrammatical front view of a combing machine,
Fig. 3 shows a diagrammatical top view of a combing machine according
to Fig. 2.
Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically a combing head K of a combing machine 1 with lap rollers WW on which a wadding lap W for unrolling lies. The fibre material in the form of a wadding WT is supplied to a nipper Z which, when the nipper is in a rear closed position, presents the wadding end for combing out to a circular comb mounted rotatably below the nipper.
The combed-out wadding end (also called a fibre fringe) is presented, in the front position shown in Fig. 1, with a nipper Z open, to a following pair of detaching rollers 2 for piecing to the fleece previously formed. In the example shown, two pairs of detaching rollers 2 succeeding one another are shown, in particular the pair of detaching rollers which directly follows the nipper Z being responsible for the detaching operation and the piecing operation.
The front pair of detaching rollers 2 is followed by a fleece guide plate 3, a pair of take-off rollers 4, a funnel 5, calendar rollers 6 and a sliver table 7. The fleece (not shown) discharged from the front pair of detaching rollers 2 onto the fleece table 3 is combined by the funnel 5 into one sliver and is deposited by the calendar rollers 6 onto the sliver table 7. The slivers FB
5

deposited onto the sliver table 7 by the respective combing head K are transferred to a drafting arrangement S, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3, and are drafted there and combined (not shown) into a single sliver. This sliver is transferred via corresponding guide means to calendar rollers KW and is deposited there into a can KN via a funnel wheel. That is to say, further guide devices for the fibre material are required on the way from the respective combing head K to the sliver lay BA.
Depositing onto the sliver table 7 by the calendar rollers 6 takes place continuously. However, since the detaching rollers 2 execute a back-and-force or pilgrim step motion , but the fleece should in this case not be teared, a material reserve must be capable of being formed periodically between the detaching rollers 2 and the take-off roller 4. For this purpose, a fleece guide plate or web pan 3 is arranged at this point.
During the forward motion of the detaching rollers 2, the fleece arranges itself in wavy form as an excess in the fleece guide plate or web pan 3 and, during the return motion of the detaching rollers 2, it is drawn approximately smooth again. The fleece guide plate 3 thus acts as a fleece stabilizing zone. The combining of the fleece takes place on the fleece guide plate or web pan 3 or in the zone downstream of the latter. This may take place centrically or eccentrically, as was the case in the combing machines of the last decades. Where centric fleece bowls are concerned, the funnel 5 being arranged in the middle of the web pan 3, the piecing lines assume an arcuate shape and lead to a pronounced markedness of the combing or piecing periods. If, by contrast, the fleece is taken up eccentrically, the funnel 5 being arranged on one side of the web pan 3, the piecing lines arranged themselves diagonally, thus leading to a partial compensation of the piecing points.
It first became apparent, then, after intensive tests, that a web pan 3 provided with a plastic coating has no advantages at all, as compared with the conventional web pan consisting of a metal sheet, such as, for example, stainless steel sheet. In particular, there were serious problems in the starting
6

of the combing machine. Surprisingly, however, very good results were achieved with a surface coating consisting of a layer on a sol/gel base with a glass-ceramic basic structure, the web pan 3 having a surface which repels tacky impurities. Then, in particular, honeydew and fibres in the fleece which are contaminated with honeydew no longer remain adhering to the fleece guide plate 3.
Furthermore, it proves particularly appropriate, in order to increase the abrasion resistance and scratch resistance, if ceramic nanoparticles are additionally incorporated into the layer. Moreover, the layer may additionally have fluoropolymers, such as PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene), FEP (fluorinated ethylene propylene polymer), PFA (perfluoroalkoxyl) or ETFE (Halar, copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene). These layers are gradient materials, as they are known, since the perfluorinated carbon chains are concentrated on the surface of the layer, whilst the inorganic part is concentrated in the lower region of the layer and consequently allows excellent adhesion with the substrate. Depending on the type of coating, these coatings are cured at a temperature of 340°C to 400°C. The layer thickness is in this case between 10 and 50 u,m.
A further alternative for the coating is afforded in that the surface coating contains crystalline nanoparticles which increase the abrasion resistance and scratch resistance. As a result, in particular, the anti-adhesion properties can be achieved by means of a microstructure (lotus blossom effect), with the result that the transport properties of the fleece guide plate are likewise improved.
The discontinuous delivery of the fibre material from the detaching rollers 2 also gives rise to a back-and-forth movement in the fibre fleece on the web pan 3, thus giving rise to friction between the fleece and the web pan 3 and also between the detaching rollers 2 and the fleece. The fibre fleece 3 is thereby charged statically, which may likewise lead to transport faults (for example, partial fleece breakaway). In order to avoid this at least partially, it

7

is advantageous if the surface coating is designed to be anti-static, with the result that electrical charging between the fibre fleece and the web pan is prevented.
Another possibility for avoiding these disadvantages is for the surface coating to be designed to be electrically conductive. This may take place by means of electrically conductive constituents which are incorporated into the surface layer and via which the electrical charge of the fleece is dissipated to the electrically conductive web pan which, in turn, is connected electrically to the machine frame.
Such coatings of guide elements may, of course, also be used at other points between the lap rollers and the sliver lay, in order to avoid settlements of fibres and ultimately to improve the transport properties.
8

We claim :
1. Metallic guide device for the guidance of fibre material between the lap rollers (WW) and a sliver lay (BA) of a combing machine (1), characterized in that at least one of the guide devices (3) is provided with a surface coating which contains nanoparticles and which reduces an adhesion of fibres.
2. Metallic guide device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the fleece guide plate (3) directly following a pair of detaching rollers (2) is provided at least partially with the surface coating.
3. Metallic guide device according to either one of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the surface coating consists of a sol/gel layer which contains crystalline particles in an amorphously curing solution.
4. Metallic guide device according to Claim 2, characterized in that the surface coating contains crystalline nanoparticles which increase the abrasion resistance and scratch resistance or which achieve the anti-adhesion properties by means of a microstructure, also called the lotus blossom effect.
5. Metallic guide device according to either one of Claims 3 and 4, characterized in that the surface coating additionally has fluoropolymers, such as PTFE, FEP, PFA or ETFE.
9

6. Metallic guide device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the surface coating is designed to be anti-static or electrically conductive.

Dated this 17th day of August 2006

(Prita Madan)
of Khaitan & Co
Agent for the Applicants
10

Abstract
The invention relates to a metallic guide device for the guidance of fibre material between the lap rollers (WW) and a sliver lay (BA) of a combing machine (1). To improve the guidance properties of the fibre material, it is proposed that at least one of the guide devices (3) be provided with a surface coating which contains nanoparticles and which reduces an adhesion of fibres.
Fig. 1

COMBING MACHINE

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