Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
224 words
Apparatus for forming fiber material into a length of sliver, comprising: carding means, comprising a carding cylinder, a feed roller and a doffer, for receiving such fiber material and forming it into the length of sliver; sensing means for monitoring the operation of said carding means and providing signals representative of that operation; analog/digital converter means connected to said sensing means for receiving the signals provided by said sensing means and converting those signals into digital representations of the operation of said carding means; a digital electronic control unit connected to receive the digital representations formed by said analog/digital converter means and including a microprocessor having memories, means for generating digital representations of desired values of selected operating parameters of said carding means, and means performing operational, regulating, control and display functions, said control unit being arranged to provide digital signals for regulating the operation of said carding means; digital/analog converter means connected to said control unit for deriving analog signals corresponding to the digital signals provided by said control unit; and controllable regulator means controlled by the analog signals derived by said digital/analog converter means for regulating the operation of said carding means; said control unit supplying signals via said converter means to said regulator means for matching the speeds of said carding cylinder, said feed roller and said doffer to one another.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
224 words
Apparatus for forming fiber material into a length of sliver, comprising: carding means, comprising a carding cylinder, a feed roller and a doffer, for receiving such fiber material and forming it into the length of sliver; sensing means for monitoring the operation of said carding means and providing signals representative of that operation; analog/digital converter means connected to said sensing means for receiving the signals provided by said sensing means and converting those signals into digital representations of the operation of said carding means; a digital electronic control unit connected to receive the digital representations formed by said analog/digital converter means and including a microprocessor having memories, means for generating digital representations of desired values of selected operating parameters of said carding means, and means performing operational, regulating, control and display functions, said control unit being arranged to provide digital signals for regulating the operation of said carding means; digital/analog converter means connected to said control unit for deriving analog signals corresponding to the digital signals provided by said control unit; and controllable regulator means controlled by the analog signals derived by said digital/analog converter means for regulating the operation of said carding means; said control unit supplying signals via said converter means to said regulator means for matching the speeds of said carding cylinder, said feed roller and said doffer to one another.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said control unit comprises means for controlling said analog/digital converter means.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 or 2 wherein said microprocessor comprises means for storing the digital representations formed by said analog/digital converter means in said memories.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said sensing means monitor the actual operating speed of said feed roller, and said control unit supplies digital representations of speed values monitored by said sensing means to said memories.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said microprocessor comprises means for feeding digital representations of the actual value of the speed of said carding cylinder into said memories.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said sensing means monitor the speed of said doffer, and said microprocessor comprises means for feeding digital representations of the actual speed of said doffer into said memories.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said carding means comprise a motor driving said feed roller, said sensing means monitor the current supplied to said motor of said feed roller, and said microprocessor comprises means for feeding digital representations of the actual value of the motor current for said feed roller into said memories.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said carding means comprise a motor driving said doffer, said sensing means monitor the current supplied to said motor of said doffer, and said microprocessor comprises means for feeding digital representations of the actual value of the motor current for said doffer into said memories.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said carding means comprise a motor having said feed roller, said sensing means monitor the voltage applied to said motor of said feed roller, and said microprocessor comprises means for feeding digital representations of the actual value of the motor voltage for said feed roller into said memories.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said carding means comprise a motor driving said doffer, said sensing means monitor the voltage applied to said motor of said doffer, and said microprocessor comprises means for storing digital representations of the actual value of the motor voltage for said doffer in said memories.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a testing device connected for testing the operation of said apparatus.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
41 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said sensing means comprise a device for producing signals representing the actual value of the thickness of the sliver, and said microprocessor comprises means for feeding digital representations of such signals into said memories.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said microprocessor comprises means for feeding digital representations of the actual value of the quantity of fiber passing through said machine into said memories.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said microprocessor comprises means for feeding digital representations of the operating conditions of devices disposed ahead of said carding means into said memories.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said microprocessor comprises means for feeding digital representations of the operating conditions of devices disposed after carding means into said memories.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said microprocessor comprises means for delivering operational control value digital representations for controlling said carding means into said memories.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
30 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said microprocessor comprises means for feeding digital representations of signals from said sensing means into said memories in order to indicate operational malfunctions.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
31 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising higher order control means for a plurality of carding means connected to transmit digital representations to, and receive digital representations from, said memories.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising a programming module connected to transmit data representations to, and receive data representations from, said memories for permitting reprogramming of variable data for said carding means as desired.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said memories are connected for providing digital representations for transmission to, and for receiving digital representations from, a machine operator so as to change the state of said machine.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said regulator means are connected to transmit digital representations to, and receive digital representations from, said memories.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said memories provide digital representations for transmission to said digital/analog converter means for controlling the operation of said feed roller.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said memories provide digital representations for transmission to said digital/analog converter means for controlling the operation of said doffer.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said microprocessor comprises means for reading digital representations of signals for operational control elements of said carding means out of said memories.