Method and apparatus for cleaning a textile creel and winding apparatus

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1 including increasing the velocity of air flow adjacent the rewinding point to accelerate the movement of waste material.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 2 wherein the step of increasing the velocity of air flow further includes turning the air flow from the direction of strand movement to a direction generally transverse thereto forwardly of and adjacent to the rewinding point to divert the waste material from movement toward the rewinding point.

Claim 7

A method according to claim 4 further comprising the step of passing a portion of the flowing current of air transversely of the plurality of strands immediately adjacent the winding apparatus so that the strands are free of loose waste material as the strands are wound into a consolidated package.

Claim 8

A method according to claim 4 further comprising the step of inducing a portion of the flowing current of air to pass immediately adjacent the mill room floor so that waste material otherwise descending to the floor is swept therealong.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 4 particularly adapted to facilitate cleaning of a room enclosing a plurality of yarn package supporting creels and a corresponding plural number of beam winding apparatus and further comprising the step of dividing the recirculating current at a location behind and medially of the creels so that generally similar volumes of flow pass through each of the creels.

Claim 10

In a winding apparatus having a creel for supporting a multiplicity of packages of textile strand material and a rewinding means spaced from the creel for withdrawing a multiplicity of textile strands therefrom, advancing the strands toward the rewinding means and rewinding the textile strands into a consolidated beam package, the combination therewith of means for removing waste material such as lint and the like generated by handling of the textile strands and normally moved from the creel toward the rewinding means by the textile strand movement and comprising means for passing the entirety of a flow of air from behind the creel substantially uniformly through the cross-sectional area thereof and toward the rewinding means at a velocity below that required to convey air-borne waste material by air movement alone in the direction of yarn movement thereto and for importing additional impetus to the waste material to ensure continued conveyance thereof toward the winding apparatus, and waste material collection means operatively associated with said means for passing a flow of air through the creel for collecting waste material from the air flow at a location adjacent the rewinding means.

Claim 11

In a winding apparatus having a creel for supporting a multiplicity of packages of textile strand material and a rewinding means spaced from the creel for withdrawing a multiplicity of textile strands therefrom, advancing the strands toward the rewinding means and rewinding the textile strands into a consolidated beam package, the combination therewith of means for removing waste material such as lint and the like generated by handling of the textile strands and normally moved from the creel toward the rewinding means by the textile strand movement and comprising means for passing the entirety of a flow of air from behind the creel substantially uniformly through the cross-sectional area thereof and toward the rewinding means at a velocity below that required to convey air-borne waste material by air movement alone in the direction of yarn movement thereto and for importing additional impetus to the waste material to ensure continued conveyance thereof toward the winding apparatus, and waste material collection means operatively associated with said means for passing a flow of air through the creel for collecting waste material from the air flow at a location adjacent the rewinding means.

Claim 12

The combination according to claim 8 wherein said means for passing a flow of air through the creel includes fan means.

Claim 13

The combination according to claim 9 wherein said means for passing a flow of air through the creel further includes duct means having an inlet opening adjacent the winding apparatus, and an outlet opening spaced rearwardly of the creel operatively communicating with said fan means.

Claim 14

The combination according to claim 10 wherein said inlet opening is spaced forwardly and laterally of the creel for turning air flow transversely across the direction of strand movement between the creel and the winding apparatus.

Claim 15

The combination according to claim 11, wherein the cross-sectional area of said inlet opening is less than the effective cross-sectional area at which the recirculating flow of air passes through the creel for accelerating the velocity of air flow as the air flow is turned transversely across the direction of strand movement into said inlet opening and so that conveyance of waste material thereto by the air flow is facilitated.

Claim 16

Means for collecting waste material such as lint and the like from a textile mill room enclosing a yarn package supporting creel and a beam winding apparatus spaced from the creel for unwinding a multiplicity of textile strands from packages supported thereby, advancing the textile strands to a point spaced from the creel and rewinding the textile strands into a consolidated beam package; said means comprising duct means extending from a location adjacent the beam winding apparatus to a location spaced rearwardly of the creel, fan means operatively coupled to said duct means for inducing a recirculating flow of air through said duct means and said mill room, said duct means and fan means cooperating to pass the entirety of the air flow substantially uniformly through the cross-sectional area of the creel in the direction of yarn movement to the winding apparatus and at a velocity below that at which waste material is borne by the air flow alone for imparting to the waste material impetus toward the beam winding apparatus which adds with movement imparted thereto by advancement of strands toward the winding apparatus and results in continued conveyance of waste material to the duct means, and filter means operatively connected to said duct means for removing waste material from air flowing therethrough adjacent the beam winding apparatus.

Claim 17

Means for collecting waste material such as lint and the like from a textile mill room enclosing a yarn package supporting creel and a beam winding apparatus spaced from the creel for unwinding a multiplicity of textile strands from packages supported thereby, advancing the textile strands to a point spaced from the creel and rewinding the textile strands into a consolidated beam package; said means comprising duct means extending from a location adjacent the beam winding apparatus to a location spaced rearwardly of the creel, fan means operatively coupled to said duct means for inducing a recirculating flow of air through said duct means and said mill room, said duct means and fan means cooperating to pass the entirety of the air flow substantially uniformly through the cross-sectional area of the creel in the direction of yarn movement to the winding apparatus and at a velocity below that at which waste material is borne by the air flow alone for imparting to the waste material impetus toward the beam winding apparatus which adds with movement imparted thereto by advancement of strands toward the winding apparatus and results in continued conveyance of waste material to the duct means, and filter means operatively connected to said duct means for removing waste material from air flowing therethrough adjacent the beam winding apparatus.

Claim 18

Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said duct means further comprises suction box means positioned closely adjacent the beam winding apparatus for drawing a portion of the air flow transversely through the plurality of strands immediately prior to winding of the strands into a beam.

Claim 19

Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said duct means includes an inlet opening immediately adjacent the floor of the mill room and near the beam winding apparatus for drawing a portion of the air flow across the floor and sweeping into said duct means any waste material which descends to the floor.

Claim 20

Apparatus according to claim 13 particularly adapted for cleaning a mill room which encloses a plurality of sets of creels and associated beam winding apparatus and wherein said duct means extends generally longitudinally of the mill room medially of a pair of creels and beam winding apparatus and incluDes a housing positioned medially of the pair of beam winding apparatus and defining an inlet opening into which air flows for recirculation, and further wherein said filter means is disposed in said inlet opening for removing waste material from the air flow before passage thereof through said duct means.