Device for opening bales of textile fibers and the like

Claim 1

A device for removing tufts of textile fibers from a compressed bale and dispensing said tufts of fibers comprising a. a rotatably mounted opener roller having a plurality of opener teeth mounted on the cylindrical surface thereof to remove and open flocks from said bale, b. shaft means including means for feeding said bale into contact with said opener teeth at a first position adjacent said opener roller while said opener roller is rotating to continuously remove and open flocks from said bale, the width of said shaft means and the diameter of said opener roller being substantially the same, c. a rotatably mounted back-stripper roller adjacent said opener roller at a second position downstream of said first position considering the direction of rotation of said opener roller and having back-stripper teeth on the cylindrical surface thereof for selectively removing insufficiently opened flocks from said opener teeth, d. a rotatably mounted cleaning roller positioned adjacent said back-stripper roller and spaced from said opener roller for removing and freeing said insufficiently opened flocks from said stripper teeth, e. a panel extending from a position adjacent said cleaning roller to a position adjacent said opener roller, f. said opener, back-stripper, and cleaning rollers and said panel being so arranged to substantially define a gathering chamber for receiving and containing said insufficiently opened flocks, g. said panel being pivotally mounted at said position adjacent said cleaning roller, and means being provided for continuously oscillating said panel towards and away from said opener roller to compress said free insufficiently opened flocks in said gathering chamber against said opener roller while said opener roller is rotating whereby said insufficiently opened flocks are recycled to said opener roller and are engaged and opened by said opener teeth, and h. means downstream from said second position for removing and dispensing the opened flocks from said opener teeth, i. whereby only completely opened flocks are dispensed from said compressed bale.

Claim 2

A device for removing tufts of textile fibers from a compressed bale and dispensing said tufts of fibers comprising a. a rotatably mounted opener roller having a plurality of opener teeth mounted on the cylindrical surface thereof to remove and open flocks from said bale, b. shaft means including means for feeding said bale into contact with said opener teeth at a first position adjacent said opener roller while said opener roller is rotating to continuously remove and open flocks from said bale, the width of said shaft means and the diameter of said opener roller being substantially the same, c. a rotatably mounted back-stripper roller adjacent said opener roller at a second position downstream of said first position considering the direction of rotation of said opener roller and having back-stripper teeth on the cylindrical surface thereof for selectively removing insufficiently opened flocks from said opener teeth, d. a rotatably mounted cleaning roller positioned adjacent said back-stripper roller and spaced from said opener roller for removing and freeing said insufficiently opened flocks from said stripper teeth, e. a panel extending from a position adjacent said cleaning roller to a position adjacent said opener roller, f. said opener, back-stripper, and cleaning rollers and said panel being so arranged to substantially define a gathering chamber for receiving and containing said insufficiently opened flocks, g. said panel being pivotally mounted at said position adjacent said cleaning roller, and means being provided for continuously oscillating said panel towards and away from said opener roller to compress said free insufficiently opened flocks in said gathering chamber against said opener roller while said opener roller is rotating whereby said insufficiently opened flocks are recycled to said opener roller and are engaged and opened by said opener teeth, and h. means downstream from said second position for removing and dispensing the opened flocks from said opener teeth, i. whereby only completely opened flocks are dispensed from said compressed bale.

Claim 3

A device for removing tufts of textile fibers from a compressed bale and dispensing said tufTs of fibers comprising: a. opener means for withdrawing and opening flocks from said bale, said opener means comprising a plurality of opener teeth and means continuously moving said teeth along a closed path, b. shaft means including for progressively feeding said bale to a first position along said path for action by said opener teeth passing therethrough to continuously remove and open flocks from said bale, the widths of said shaft means and opener means being substantially coextensive, c. first stripper means at a second position along said path downstream of said first position for selectively removing from said opener teeth insufficiently opened flocks; d. cleaning means positioned adjacent said first stripper means and spaced from said opener means for removing and freeing said insufficiently opened flocks from said opener teeth, e. a panel extending from a location adjacent said first stripper means to a location adjacent said cleaning means, f. said opener means, first stripper means, cleaning means, and panel being so arranged to substantially define a gathering chamber for receiving and containing insufficiently opened flocks, g. said panel being pivotally mounted at said location adjacent said first stripper means, and means being provided for continuously oscillating said panel towards and away from said opener means to compress said free insufficiently opened flocks against said opener means while said opener means is operating whereby said insufficiently opened flocks are recycled to said opener means to be engaged and opened by said opener teeth, and h. second stripper means at a third position along said path downstream of said second position for removing and dispensing from said opener teeth the opened flocks, i. whereby only completely opened flocks are dispensed from said compressed bale.

Claim 4

A device for removing tufts of textile fibers from a compressed bale and dispensing said tufTs of fibers comprising: a. opener means for withdrawing and opening flocks from said bale, said opener means comprising a plurality of opener teeth and means continuously moving said teeth along a closed path, b. shaft means including for progressively feeding said bale to a first position along said path for action by said opener teeth passing therethrough to continuously remove and open flocks from said bale, the widths of said shaft means and opener means being substantially coextensive, c. first stripper means at a second position along said path downstream of said first position for selectively removing from said opener teeth insufficiently opened flocks; d. cleaning means positioned adjacent said first stripper means and spaced from said opener means for removing and freeing said insufficiently opened flocks from said opener teeth, e. a panel extending from a location adjacent said first stripper means to a location adjacent said cleaning means, f. said opener means, first stripper means, cleaning means, and panel being so arranged to substantially define a gathering chamber for receiving and containing insufficiently opened flocks, g. said panel being pivotally mounted at said location adjacent said first stripper means, and means being provided for continuously oscillating said panel towards and away from said opener means to compress said free insufficiently opened flocks against said opener means while said opener means is operating whereby said insufficiently opened flocks are recycled to said opener means to be engaged and opened by said opener teeth, and h. second stripper means at a third position along said path downstream of said second position for removing and dispensing from said opener teeth the opened flocks, i. whereby only completely opened flocks are dispensed from said compressed bale.