Carding machine fiber and air control method and means

Claim 2

In a carding machine, the combination with a carding cylinder, and a lickerin roll operating thereat to feed the cylinder, of a first arcuate cover plate shrouding said cylinder beyond said lickerin roll, a second arcuate cover plate shrouding the surface of said lickerin roll beyond said cylinder in converging and abutting relation to said first cover plate, a third arcuate cover plate additionally shrouding the surface of said lickerin roll in complementary relation with respect to said second cover plate, said second cover plate extending from said first cover plate concentrically over said lickerin roll in relatively close shrouding relation thereto, said third complementary cover plate overlapping the adjacent edge portion of said second cover plate and extending therebeyond eccentrically over said lickerin roll so as to space the overlapping edge portions of said second and third cover plates, and means for inducing an air draft outwardly through the spacing between said overlapping edge portions.

Claim 3

In a carding machine, the combination with a carding cylinder, and a lickerin roll operating thereat to feed the cylinder from the delivery of a feed roll cooperating with a feed plate at said lickerin in approximate diametrically opposite relation to said cylinder, of a first arcuate cover plate shrouding said cylinder beyond said lickerin roll, second and third complementary arcuate cover plates shrouding the surface of said lickerin roll beyond said cylinder to said feed roll, said seconD cover plate extending from converging and abutting relation with said first cover plate concentrically over said lickerin roll in relatively close shrouding relation thereto in an extent terminating short of said feed roll, said third cover plate overlapping the adjacent edge portion of said second cover plate and extending therebeyond to said feed roll eccentrically over said lickerin roll so as to space the overlapping edge portion thereof with respect to the overlapped edge portion of said third cover plate, and means for inducing an air draft outwardly through the spacing between said edge portions.

Claim 4

In a carding machine, the combination with a carding cylinder, and a lickerin roll operating thereat to feed the cylinder from the delivery of a feed roll cooperating with a feed plate at said lickerin in approximate diametrically opposite relation to said cylinder, of a first arcuate cover plate shrouding said cylinder beyond said lickerin roll, second and third complementary arcuate cover plates shrouding the surface of said lickerin roll beyond said cylinder to said feed roll, said seconD cover plate extending from converging and abutting relation with said first cover plate concentrically over said lickerin roll in relatively close shrouding relation thereto in an extent terminating short of said feed roll, said third cover plate overlapping the adjacent edge portion of said second cover plate and extending therebeyond to said feed roll eccentrically over said lickerin roll so as to space the overlapping edge portion thereof with respect to the overlapped edge portion of said third cover plate, and means for inducing an air draft outwardly through the spacing between said edge portions.

Claim 5

In a carding machine, the combination defined by claim 2 and further characterized in that said third cover plate is pivotally mounted adjacent said feed roll, and in that means is provided for adjustably setting the overlapping edge portion thereof at a selected spacing with respect to the overlapped edge portion of said second cover plate.

Claim 6

In a carding machine, the combination defined by claim 2 and further characterized in that said draft inducing means comprises a suction hood superstructure disposed over said second and third cover plates to impose an exterior suction at the spacing between said overlapping cover plate edge portions.

Claim 7

In a carding machine, the combination defined by claim 4 and further characterized in that said suction hood superstructure comprises a bonnet mounted above said second and third cover plates and a tubular conduit member extending through said bonnet in lengthwise relation to said lickerin roll with lateral apertures formed therein at a substantially central position with respect to the length of said roll for imposing said external suction within said bonnet.

Claim 8

In a carding machine, the combination defined by claim 5 and further characterized in that said bonnet encloses a space above said second and third cover plates that extends to each side of said tubular conduit member respectively toward said first cover plate and said feed roll, and in that said bonnet has respective extending edges arranged parallel and remotely with respect to said tubular conduit member and terminating short of the respectively adjacent structure to leave the bonnet enclosed space open sufficiently thereat to induce additional suction drafts respectively adjacent said first cover plate and said feed roll from said tubular conduit member.

Claim 11

The method defined in claim 7 and further characterized in that said reversely directed air withdrawal is modulated at a level sufficient for removing a selected portion of all undesirable short fiber from said roll surface.

Claim 12

In a carding machine, the combination with a fiber carrying roll surface thereof of a first means disposed for shrouding said roll surface relatively closely for an extent sufficient to direct air currents generated at said roll surface for seating fiber carried thereon in the clothing thereat, a complementary second shroud means disposed at said roll surface in following relation to said first means to overlap the downstream edge portion thereof in spaced relation thereto for releasing air from said roll surface between the overlapping portions of said first and second shrouD means reversely with respect to the roll surface traveling direction thereof, and means for adjusting the position of said second shrouding means relative to said first shrouding means to modulate the reversely directed air release at a level sufficient for removing a selected proportion of all undesirable short fiber from said roll surface while predominantly retaining usable long fiber thereon.

Claim 13

In a carding machine, the combination with a fiber carrying roll surface thereof of a first means disposed for shrouding said roll surface relatively closely for an extent sufficient to direct air currents generated at said roll surface for seating fiber carried thereon in the clothing thereat, a complementary second shroud means disposed at said roll surface in following relation to said first means to overlap the downstream edge portion thereof in spaced relation thereto for releasing air from said roll surface between the overlapping portions of said first and second shrouD means reversely with respect to the roll surface traveling direction thereof, and means for adjusting the position of said second shrouding means relative to said first shrouding means to modulate the reversely directed air release at a level sufficient for removing a selected proportion of all undesirable short fiber from said roll surface while predominantly retaining usable long fiber thereon.

Claim 14

In a carding machine, the combination with a fiber carrying roll surface thereof of first means con-centrically disposed at said roll surface for shrouding the same relatively closely for an extent sufficient to direct air currents generated thereat for seating fiber carried thereon in the surface clothing, and a complementary second shroud means disposed at said roll surface in following relation to said first means to overlap the downstream edge portion thereof and space the adjacent edge portions of said first and second means, and means for inducing an air draft through the spacing between said overlapping edge portions reversely with respect to the traveling direction of said roll surface, whereby fiber removed from said roll surface is limited predominantly to undesirable short fiber while usable long fiber is predominantly retained on said roll surface.

Claim 15

In a carding machine, the combination with a fiber carrying roll surface thereof of first means con-centrically disposed at said roll surface for shrouding the same relatively closely for an extent sufficient to direct air currents generated thereat for seating fiber carried thereon in the surface clothing, and a complementary second shroud means disposed at said roll surface in following relation to said first means to overlap the downstream edge portion thereof and space the adjacent edge portions of said first and second means, and means for inducing an air draft through the spacing between said overlapping edge portions reversely with respect to the traveling direction of said roll surface, whereby fiber removed from said roll surface is limited predominantly to undesirable short fiber while usable long fiber is predominantly retained on said roll surface.