Apparatus for delivery end cleaning of carding machines

Claim 2

In a carding machine having a main cylinder and a delivery end section including a doffer cylinder having a portion adjacent the main cylinder at a transfer zone for doffing fibers therefrom and web transfer means for withdrawing the fibers from the doffer cylinder at a withdrawal zone and transferring them as a web to the delivery end of the carding machine, a of manifold assembly for capturing fly and trash in said delivery end section and to the same to an external collecting station comprising wall means collectively with parts of the carding machine defining a suction chamber transversely spanning the carding machine in overlying relation to said doffer cylinder and extending from adjacent said main cylinder over said web transfer means substantially to said delivery end, suction connection means for communicating the interior of said suction chamber with an external suction source to establish selected internal static pressure conditions therein for capturing and pneumatically removing fly and trash released from the web and carding machine parts into said suction chamber, said suction chamber being in open and direct pneumatic communIcation throughout with an upper sector of the doffer cylinder extending from said transfer zone over a major portion of the upper half of the doffer cylinder toward said withdrawal zone, said manifold assembly including a first section defining a first plenum zone overlying said doffer cylinder and a hood section hingedly connected to said first section and extending therefrom substantially to the delivery end of the carding machine in covering relation to the web extending from said withdrawal zone to said delivery end defining a second plenum zone overlying the web and communicating with the first plenum zone to establish air currents for capturing fly and trash released in the second plenum zone and conveying the same into said first plenum zone, and a baffle member in said chamber forming boundary means between said first and second plenum zones defining a variable area opening therebetween with a surface thereof exposed to the internal static pressure conditions in said first plenum zone, said baffle member being automatically movable responsive to variations in said internal static pressure conditions to vary the area of the opening defined thereby and thereby vary the admission of air from said second plenum zone to said first plenum zone in selected relation to maintain substantially constant static pressure in said first plenum zone.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said baffle member is a rigid damper transversely spanning the suction chamber and pivoted for movement about a horizontal axis located adjacent its uppermost edge, said damper having a horizontal lower edge disposed upwardly adjacent the periphery of the doffer cylinder at a location between said withdrawal zone and the uppermost part of the doffer cylinder and defining said variable area opening between said lower edge and the periphery of the doffer cylinder.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said baffle member is a resiliently deformable flap transversely spanning the suction chamber and fixed along its uppermost edge to said wall means, the flap having a lower edge disposed upwardly adjacent the periphery of the doffer cylinder at a location between said withdrawal zone and the uppermost part of the doffer cylinder and defining said variable area opening therebetween, the spacing between said lower edge and the periphery of the doffer cylinder being varied upon variable flexing of the flap responsive to variations in the internal static pressure in said first plenum zone to vary the size of said opening.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the carding machine includes a flats chain of clothed flats upwardly adjacent the periphery of the main cylinder having a delivery and bight spaced above the doffer cylinder and a flats comb for sweeping accumulated fiber strips from the flats clothing as the flats move along the path of said bight from the main cylinder, said wall means including wall portions terminating adjacent said bight and defining an air inlet orifice spanning the width of the flats chain outwardly adjacent the flats in a region beyond the flats comb from the main cylinder and communicating with said first plenum zone to induce air currents inwardly through said orifice adjacent the flats and pneumatically clean fibers from the flats clothing.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said first section includes vertical sidewalls adjacent the opposite sides of the carding machine and a plurality of partitions extending between said sidewalls including first and second portions defining upper and lower walls of a suction duct communicating with said suction connection means transversely spanning said first plenum zone above the doffer cylinder and an upwardly opening narrow trough formation underlying said bight, said upper wall and a third portion of said partitions defining downwardly converging hopper walls underlying said bight and leading downwardly into said trough formation, and said upper and lower walls defining a laterally opeNing main suction orifice along a side of said trough formation adjacent the bottom thereof for drawing material from the latter into said duct.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said third portion of said partitions includes means defining a second laterally opening suction orifice spaced above the level of said main suction orifice along the opposite side of said trough formation for communicating suction pressure conditions from said main suction orifice to the region of said first plenum zone immediately over said doffer cylinder, and said third portion including a nose formation immediately above to said second suction orifice to shield the latter against passage therethrough of matter falling from the region of said bight.

Claim 8

In a carding machine having a main cylinder and a delivery end section including a doffer cylinder having a portion adjacent the main cylinder at a transfer zone for doffing fibers therefrom and web transfer means for withdrawing the fibers from the doffer cylinder at a withdrawal zone and transferring them as a web to the delivery end of the carding machine, a suction manifold assembly for capturing fly and trash in said delivery end section and removing the same to an external collecting station comprising wall means collectively with parts of the carding machine defining a suction chamber transversely spanning the carding machine in overlying relation to said doffer cylinder and extending from adjacent said main cylinder over said web transfer means substantially to said delivery end, suction connection means for communicating the interior of said suction chamber with an external suction source to establish selected internal static pressure conditions therein for capturing and pneumatically removing fly and trash released from the web and carding machine parts into said suction chamber, said suction chamber being in open and direct pneumatic communication throughout with an upper sector of the doffer cylinder extending from said transfer zone over a major portion of the upper half of the doffer cylinder toward said withdrawal zone, said manifold assembly including a first section defining a first plenum zone overlying said doffer cylinder and a hood section hingedly connected to said first section and extending therefrom substantially to the delivery end of the carding machine in covering relation to the web extending from said withdrawal zone to said delivery end defining a second plenum zone overlying the web and communicating with the first plenum zone to establish air currents for capturing fly and trash released in the second plenum zone and conveying the same into said first plenum zone, the carding machine including a flats chain of clothed flats upwardly adjacent the periphery of the main cylinder having a delivery end bight spaced above the doffer cylinder and a flats comb for sweeping accumulated fiber strips from the flats clothing as the flats move along the path of said bight from the main cylinder, said wall means including wall portions terminating adjacent said bight and defining an air inlet orifice spanning the width of the flats chain outwardly adjacent the flats in a region beyond the flats comb from the main cylinder and communicating with said first plenum zone to induce air currents inwardly through said orifice adjacent the flats and pneumatically clean fibers from the flats clothing, said first section including vertical sidewalls adjacent the opposite sides of the carding machine and a plurality of partitions extending between said sidewalls including first and second portions defining upper and lower walls of a suction duct communicating with said suction connection means transversely spanning said first plenum zone above the doffer cylinder and an upwardly opening narrow trough formation underlying said bight, said upper wall and a third portion of said partitions defining downwardly converging hopper walls underlying said bight and leading downwardly into said trough formation, said upper and lOwer walls defining a laterally opening main suction orifice along a side of said trough formation adjacent the bottom thereof for drawing material from the latter into said duct, said third portion of said partitions including means defining a second laterally opening suction orifice spaced above the level of said main suction orifice along the opposite side of said trough formation for communication suction pressure conditions from said main suction orifice to the region of said first plenum zone immediately over said doffer cylinder, and said third portion including a nose formation immediately above said second suction orifice to shield the latter against passage therethrough of matter falling from the region of said bight.

Claim 9

In a carding machine having a main cylinder and a delivery end section including a doffer cylinder having a portion adjacent the main cylinder at a transfer zone for doffing fibers therefrom and web transfer means for withdrawing the fibers from the doffer cylinder at a withdrawal zone and transferring them as a web to the delivery end of the carding machine, a suction manifold assembly for capturing fly and trash in said delivery end section and removing the same to an external collecting station comprising wall means collectively with parts of the carding machine defining a suction chamber transversely spanning the carding machine in overlying relation to said doffer cylinder and extending from adjacent said main cylinder over said web transfer means substantially to said delivery end, suction connection means for communicating the interior of said suction chamber with an external suction source to establish selected internal static pressure conditions therein for capturing and pneumatically removing fly and trash released from the web and carding machine parts into said suction chamber, said suction chamber being in open and direct pneumatic communication throughout with an upper sector of the doffer cylinder extending from said transfer zone over a major portion of the upper half of the doffer cylinder toward said withdrawal zone, said manifold assembly including a first section defining a first plenum zone overlying said doffer cylinder and a hood section hingedly connected to said first section and extending therefrom substantially to the delivery end of the carding machine in covering relation to the web extending from said withdrawal zone to said delivery end defining a second plenum zone overlying the web and communicating with the first plenum zone to establish air currents for capturing fly and trash released in the second plenum zone and conveying the same into said first plenum zone, the carding machine including a flats chain of clothed flats upwardly adjacent the periphery of the main cylinder having a delivery end bight spaced above the doffer cylinder and a flats comb for sweeping accumulated fiber strips from the flats clothing as the flats move along the path of said bight from the main cylinder, said wall means including wall portions terminating adjacent said bight and defining an air inlet orifice spanning the width of the flats chain outwardly adjacent the flats in a region beyond the flats comb from the main cylinder and communicating with said first plenum zone to induce air currents inwardly through said orifice adjacent the flats and pneumatically clean fibers from the flats clothing, said first section including vertical sidewalls adjacent the opposite sides of the carding machine and a plurality of partitions extending between said sidewalls including first and second portions defining upper and lower walls of a suction duct communicating with said suction connection means transversely spanning said first plenum zone above the doffer cylinder and an upwardly opening narrow trough formation underlying said bight, said upper wall and a third portion of said partitions defining downwardly converging hopper walls underlying said bight and leading downwardly into said trough formation, said upper and lOwer walls defining a laterally opening main suction orifice along a side of said trough formation adjacent the bottom thereof for drawing material from the latter into said duct, said third portion of said partitions including means defining a second laterally opening suction orifice spaced above the level of said main suction orifice along the opposite side of said trough formation for communication suction pressure conditions from said main suction orifice to the region of said first plenum zone immediately over said doffer cylinder, and said third portion including a nose formation immediately above said second suction orifice to shield the latter against passage therethrough of matter falling from the region of said bight.

Claim 10

In a carding machine having a main cylinder and a delivery end section including a doffer cylinder having a portion adjacent the main cylinder at a transfer zone for doffing fibers therefrom and web transfer means for withdrawing the fibers from the doffer cylinder at a withdrawal zone and transferring then as a web to the delivery end of the carding machine, a suction manifold assembly for capturing fly and trash in said delivery end section and removing the same to an external collection station comprising wall means collectively with parts of the carding machine forming a suction chamber defining a plenum zone transversely spanning the carding machine and overlying said doffer cylinder, suction connection means for communicating the interior of said suction chamber with an external suction source to establish selected internal static pressure conditions therein for capturing and pneumatically removing fly and trash discharged into said plenum zone, said suction plenum zone being in open and direct pneumatic communication throughout with an upper sector of the doffer cylinder extending from said transfer zone over a major portion of the upper half of the doffer cylinder toward said withdrawal zone and with said transfer zone and immediately adjacent peripheral portions of the main cylinder, a baffle member transversely spanning the suction chamber at a location above the doffer cylinder and spaced toward said delivery end from said main cylinder forming the boundary of said plenum zone nearest said delivery end, said baffle member having a surface thereof exposed to the internal static pressure conditions in said plenum zone and defining a variable area opening with adjacent surface portions of the doffer cylinder for admission of air from the region above said web transfer means into said plenum zone, the baffle member being automatically movable responsive to variations in said internal static pressure conditions to vary the area of said opening thereby varying the admission of air from said region in selected relation to maintain substantially constant static pressure in said plenum zone.

Claim 11

In a carding machine having a main cylinder and a delivery end section including a doffer cylinder having a portion adjacent the main cylinder at a transfer zone for doffing fibers therefrom and web transfer means for withdrawing the fibers from the doffer cylinder at a withdrawal zone and transferring then as a web to the delivery end of the carding machine, a suction manifold assembly for capturing fly and trash in said delivery end section and removing the same to an external collection station comprising wall means collectively with parts of the carding machine forming a suction chamber defining a plenum zone transversely spanning the carding machine and overlying said doffer cylinder, suction connection means for communicating the interior of said suction chamber with an external suction source to establish selected internal static pressure conditions therein for capturing and pneumatically removing fly and trash discharged into said plenum zone, said suction plenum zone being in open and direct pneumatic communication throughout with an upper sector of the doffer cylinder extending from said transfer zone over a major portion of the upper half of the doffer cylinder toward said withdrawal zone and with said transfer zone and immediately adjacent peripheral portions of the main cylinder, a baffle member transversely spanning the suction chamber at a location above the doffer cylinder and spaced toward said delivery end from said main cylinder forming the boundary of said plenum zone nearest said delivery end, said baffle member having a surface thereof exposed to the internal static pressure conditions in said plenum zone and defining a variable area opening with adjacent surface portions of the doffer cylinder for admission of air from the region above said web transfer means into said plenum zone, the baffle member being automatically movable responsive to variations in said internal static pressure conditions to vary the area of said opening thereby varying the admission of air from said region in selected relation to maintain substantially constant static pressure in said plenum zone.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said baffle member is a rigid damper transversely spanning the suction chamber and pivoted for movement about a horizontal axis located adjacent its uppermost edge, said damper having a horizontal lower edge disposed upwardly adjacent the periphery of the doffer cylinder at a location between said withdrawal zone and uppermost part of the doffer cylinder and defining said variable area opening between said lower edge and the periphery of the doffer cylinder.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said baffle member is a resiliently deformable flap transversely spanning the suction chamber and fixed along its uppermost edge to said wall means, the flap having a lower edge disposed upwardly adjacent the periphery of the doffer cylinder at a location between said withdrawal zone and the uppermost part of the doffer cylinder and defining said variable area opening therebetween, the spacing between said lower edge and the periphery of the doffer cylinder being varied upon variable flexing of the flap responsive to variation in the internal static pressure in said plenum zone to vary the size of said opening.

Claim 14

Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said carding machine includes a flats chain upwardly adjacent the main cylinder having a delivery end bight spaced above the doffer cylinder, said wall means defining said plenum zone including vertical sidewalls adjacent the opposite sides of the carding machine and a plurality of partitions extending between said sidewalls including first and second portions defining upper and lower walls of a suction duct communicating with said suction connection means transversely spanning said suction chamber above the doffer cylinder and an upwardly opening narrow trough formation underlying said bight, said upper wall and a third portion of said partitions defining downwardly converging hopper walls underlying said bight and leading downwardly into said trough formation, and said upper and lower walls defining a laterally opening main suction orifice along orifice side of sad trough formation adjacent the bottom thereof for drawing material from the latter into said duct.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said third portion of said partitions includes means defining a second laterally opening suction orifice spaced above the level of said main suction orifice along the opposite side of said trough formation for communicating suction pressure conditions from said main suction orifice to the region of said plenum zone immediately over said doffer cylinder, and said third portion including a nose formation immediately above said second suction orifice to shield the latter against passage therethrough of matter falling from the region of said bight.