Fiber feeding apparatus with fiber leveling means

Claim 3

An apparatus for feeding fibers, the improvement defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said air current generating means includes blower means located exteriorly of said chute wall with the suction side of said blower means being in open communication with said perforation.

Claim 4

An apparatus for feeding fibers, the improvement defined in claim 2 and further characterized in that the discharge of air from said blower means is directed around the upper half of said opening roller in the direction of said rotation thereof to form a closed air circuit through said perforations and said blower means and around said upper portion of said opening roller.

Claim 5

An apparatus for feeding fibers, the improvement defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said chute wall includes a movable portion pivoted at the upper end thereof for oscillating movement with respect to an opposite wall of said chute to densify the fibers in said chute, said upper pivoted end of said movable wall portion being located beneath and adjacent said area of perforations in said chute wall.

Claim 6

An apparatus for feeding fibers, the improvement defined in claim 1 and further characterized in that said chute includes fiber level sensing means disposed therein adjacent the upper end thereof and at a level within the vertical limits of said area of perforations, and includes means for selectively controlling the supply of fibers to said chute in response to signals from said level sensing means.

Claim 7

Apparatus for feeding fibers to a carding machine or the like, said apparatus including an axially extending rotatable opening roller disposed above chute means having an open upper end extending along and parallel to the axis of said opening roller to receive fibers as they leave said opening roller, said chute means having generally downwardly extending imperforate walls forming a generally enclosed chamber with one of said walls havng a width corresponding to the axial length of said opening roller, the upper portion of said one wall having perforations formed therein in an area extending across the width thereof and extending above and below the normal level of fiber collected in said chute means and the portion of said one wall beneath said area of perforations being pivoted at the upper end thereof for oscillating movement with respect to an opposite wall of said chute means to densify fiber therebetween, and air circulating means including blower means located exteriorly of said chute with the suction side thereof in open communication with said perforations and including air passageways for forming a closed air circuit that flows from the outlet of said blower means, around the upper portion of said opening roller in the direction of rotation thereof, and generally tangentially therefrom toward and through said perforations to the inlet of said blower means.

Claim 8

Apparatus for feeding fibers to a carding machine or the like, said apparatus including an axially extending rotatable opening roller disposed above chute means having an open upper end extending along and parallel to the axis of said opening roller to receive fibers as they leave said opening roller, said chute means having generally downwardly extending imperforate walls forming a generally enclosed chamber with one of said walls havng a width corresponding to the axial length of said opening roller, the upper portion of said one wall having perforations formed therein in an area extending across the width thereof and extending above and below the normal level of fiber collected in said chute means and the portion of said one wall beneath said area of perforations being pivoted at the upper end thereof for oscillating movement with respect to an opposite wall of said chute means to densify fiber therebetween, and air circulating means including blower means located exteriorly of said chute with the suction side thereof in open communication with said perforations and including air passageways for forming a closed air circuit that flows from the outlet of said blower means, around the upper portion of said opening roller in the direction of rotation thereof, and generally tangentially therefrom toward and through said perforations to the inlet of said blower means.

Claim 9

Apparatus for feeding fibers as defined in claim 6 and further characterized in that fiber level sensing means is mounted in said chute means at a level corresponding to the normal level of fiber in said chute means, said sensing means generating a signal when the sensed level of said fiber falls beneath said normal level, and in that said opening roller is selectively operated to supply fibers to said chute means in response to receiving said signal from said fiber level sensing means.

Claim 12

An apparatus for feeding fibers, the improvement defined in claim 8 and further characterized in that said perforations are formed in said chute wall in an area having an upper vertical limit that is just below said normal level of fibers collected in said chute.

Claim 13

An apparatus for feeding fibers, the improvement defined in claim 8 and further characterized in that said air current generating means includes blower means located exteriorly of said chute wall with the suction side of said blower means being in open communication with said perforation.

Claim 14

An apparatus for feeding fibers, the improvement defined in claim 10 and further characterized in that the discharge of air from said blower means is directed around the upper half of said opening roller in the direction of said rotation thereof to form a closed air circuit through said perforations and said blower means and around said upper portion of said opening roller.

Claim 15

An apparatus for feeding fibers, the improvement defined in claim 8 and further characterized in that said chute wall includes a movable portion pivoted at the upper end thereof for oscillating movement with respect to an opposite wall of said chute to densify the fibers in said chute, said upper pivoted end of said movable wall portion being located beneath and adjacent said area of perforations in said chute wall.

Claim 16

An apparatus for feeding fibers, the improvement defined in claim 8 and further characterized in that said chute includes fiber level sensing means disposed therein adjacent the upper end thereof and at a level just above the upper limits of said area of perforations, and includes means for selectively controlling the supply of fibers to said chute in response to signals from said level sensing means.