Title of Invention

DEVICE ON A CARDING MACHINE FOR SETTING THE WORKING GAP BETWEEN THE CYLINDER AND AT LEAST ONE NEIGHBOURING ROLLER.

Abstract

In a device on a carding machine for setting the working gap between the cylinder and at least one neighbouring roller, which cooperate with one another with a small gap between their cylindrical surfaces (working gap) at the fibre transfer points, the working gap is re-adjustable to a pre-determined value as a result of changes in dimensions caused by thermal expansion and/or centrifugal forces. In order that in the event of changes in the dimensions of the rollers it is readily possible to set the same or substantially the same gap between neighbouring rollers in a structurally simple way, the temperature of the framework walls carrying the cylinder can be so matched to the working gap by supplying or discharging heat that, in the event of a change in the dimensions of the rollers, the working gap between the cylinder and at least one neighbouring roller is the same or substantially the same.

Full Text

Device on a carding machine for setting the working gap between the cylinder and at least one neighbouring roller The invention relates to a device on a carding machine for setting the working gap between the cylinder and at least one neighbouring roller, which cooperate with one another with a small gap between their cylindrical surfaces (working gap) at the fibre transfer points and in which the working gap is readjustable to a pre-determined value as a result of changes in dimensions caused by thermal expansion and/or centrifugal forces. During carding, increasingly large amounts of fibre material are processed per unit of time, which requires higher working component speeds and higher performance. The increasing throughput of fibre material (production rate), even when the working surface area remains constant, results in increased generation of heat as a result of the mechanical work. At the same time, however, the technological carding result (sliver uniformity, degree of cleaning, nep reduction etc.) is constantly being improved, which requires a greater number of effective surfaces in carding engagement and narrower settings of those effective surfaces, e.g. fixed card tops and/or revolving card tops, with respect to the cylinder (tambour). The proportion of synthetic fibres being processed, which - compared with cotton - generate more heat as a result of friction when in contact with the effective surfaces (clothings) of the machine, is continually increasing. The working components of high performance carding machines are nowadays totally enclosed on all sides in order to conform to the high safety standards, to prevent the emission of particles into the spinning room environment and to minimise the need for servicing of the machines. Grids or even open, material- guiding surfaces allowing exchange of air are largely a thing of the past. The said circumstances markedly increase the input of heat into the machine, while the discharge" of heat by means of convection is markedly reduced. The resulting more intense heating of high performance carding machines leads to greater thermoelastic deformation which, on account of the non- uniform distribution of the temperature field, affects the set spacings of the effective surfaces: the gaps between cylinder and card top, doffer, fixed card tops and separation points are reduced. In an extreme case, the set gap between the effective surfaces can be completely consumed by thermal expansion, so that components moving relative to one another collide, resulting in considerable damage to the affected high performance carding machine. Accordingly, particularly the generation of heat in the working region of the carding machine can lead to different degrees of thermal expansion when the tempera- ture differences between the components are too great. Carding gaps and roller spacings on a carding machine are extraordinarily important. The carding quality stands or falls with the exact setting of those gaps (roller gaps). Under the action of heat, the rollers expand and the gaps change. In addition to expansion of the rollers caused by centrifugal force, which greatly changes the gaps, a high production rate and carding-intensive synthetic fibres additionally give rise to intense heating of the rollers. Thermally induced changes in the dimensions of the rollers occur. In order to achieve optimum carding quality it is necessary for the roller spacings to remain constant during operation. "Constant" means in this context that the change in spacing should be preferably less than 0.01 mm. In a known device (DE 29 48 825), in a carding machine having at least two cooperating rollers the gap between the two rollers is changed in order to compensate for heating. This change is effected by means of additional mechanical displacement elements which are so constructed that they are able to change the spacing of the axes of the rollers in accordance with the prevailing temperature. For that purpose, the stationary framework of the carding machine is in the form of a frame having four supports (only two are shown) and having two horizontal longitudinal bars (only one is shown). The two longitudinal bars and the supports are joined together by crossbars (not shown) to form a stable, rigid support frame for two rotating rollers (cylinder and doffer) which are equipped with pointed clothing and operate a short distance a apart. The cylinder is fixedly mounted so as to be rotatable about its axis by means of two bearings (of which only one is shown) which are tightly screwed to the longitudinal bars by means of screws, and is driven and rotated. The doffer is likewise mounted so as to be rotatable about its axis by means of two bearings (only one is shown) on the longitudinal bars of the framework. The bearings for the doffer are not, however, tightly screwed to longitudinal bars but are each guided by means of two collar screws so that they are displaceable parallel to the axis by a small amount of the order of 1 to 2 mm. For that purpose, slot openings are provided in the bearings for the projecting screws, which allow exact lateral guidance of the bearings while ensuring their displaceability in the longitudinal direction. By parallel displacement of the bearings in the slot openings, the gap between the cylindrical surfaces of the two rollers can be varied. For that purpose, the machinery framework is provided on each of its longitudinal bars with a fixed stop for adjusting devices (displacement elements) which are inserted between the fixed stop and the bearing of the doffer. The adjusting devices are capable of determining the position of their corresponding bearing in respect of that of the fixed bearing for the cylinder. A disadvantage of this device is the structural complexity. Additional separate mechanica! adjusting elements are required for displacement. A particular shortcoming is that the bearings of the high-speed doffer are displaceably arranged. In addition to the apparatus-related expense for ttve. displacement elements on the bearings, the fact that the bearing arrangement for the heavy doffer roller is not completely rigid is a particular disadvantage. Displacement of the doffer that is only very slightly unequal results in a non- uniform roller gap and can lead to the destruction of the machine. In the known device, in every case the bearings of the doffer have to be loosened for adjustment and then fixed again. US 4384398 provides the working conditions between two rotating cylinders (4,5) which are provided with a point clothing (9, 19) and are processing or mutually transferring a fibre web, of a processing machine of the staple fibre spinning plant are always maintained on a predetermined value by adapting the distance between the surfaces of the two cylinders (4, 5). For this purpose moving means (21) are used, which permit very precise setting of the distance between the rotational axes (8, 14) of the two cylinders (4,5) and which are controlled by control means (22)- To control means (22) the measuring signal of a characteristic directly connected with the dismeter of one of the cylinders (4 or 5), as scanned by a measuring element (25), is transmitted, and the control means (22) control the moving elements (21) in function of this Characteristic. Thus complete elimination of the disturbing influences of the centrifugal force and of the increase in temperature of the cylinders onto the working condition is achieved. The invention accordingly relates to the problem of providing a device of the kind described at the beginning which avoids the mentioned disadvantages, which has an especially simple structure and enables a predetermined spacing between neighbouring rollers to be set in a simple manner in the event of changes in the dimensions of the rollers. This problem is solved by the features of the invention. As a result of the features according to the Invention it is possible in a simple manner to maintain constant roller scacings in carding machines under the action of heat The machinery framework is partitioned thermally in such a manner that the cylinder is raised by heating of its supports, which are "insulted" from the remainder of the framework. On so doing, the gap between the cylinder and at least one neighbouring roller, for example licker-in and/or doffer, is changed. In this way, compensation of the roller diameter changed by the change in temperature is realized in a specific manner and with a low heat output. Special further advantages are that separate adjusting elements for the displacement of a roller and the mechanical and fibre-technological problems associated with roller displacement are completely avoided. The roller gap can be made to track a change in temperature automatically, without the need to loosen, displace and then fix a bearing for a roller on the framework. The bearings of the rollers remain rigidly connected to the framework. The advantageous developments of the invention are described in the subsequent paragraphs. The invention is described in greater detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. Fig- 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a carding machine for the device according to the invention. Fig. 2 shows, in diagrammatic form, a section through the cylinder with shaft, framework walls with heating elements and side panels; Fig. 3 shows the spacings of the clothed cylinder from a licker-in and from the doffer; Fig. 4 is a side view of a carding machine framework wall with three framework part- walls for the cylinder, for a licker-in and for the doffer; Figs 5a, 5b show a side view of the carding machine with a change in the working gaps between the cylinder and a licker-in and the doffer; and Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing the setting and readjustment of the working gaps between neighbouring rollers. Fig. 1 shows a carding machine, for example a Trutzschler High Performance Carding Machine DK 903, having a feed roller 1, feed table 2, lickers-in 31, 32, 33, cylinder 4, doffer 5, stripper roller 6, nip rollers 7, 8, web guide element 9, sliver funnel 10, delivery rollers 11, 12, revolving card top 13 with card top bars 14, can 15 and coiler 16. The directions of rotation of the rollers are indicated by curved arrows. M denotes the centre point (of the axis or shaft) of the cylinder 4. Between licker-in 3 and card top guide roller 3a there are working elements, for example fixed carding segments 17, and between doffer 5 and card top guide roller 13b there are working elements, for example fixed carding elements 18. Reference numeral 19 denotes the cylinder covering (cylinder cover elements); reference numeral 20 denotes the licker-in covering (cover elements) and reference numeral 21 denotes the doffer covering (cover elements). The cylinder 4 is provided with clothing 4a; the licker-in 33 is provided with clothing 3a and the doffer 5 is provided with clothing 5a. Reference letter A denotes the working direction. The carding machine is fully enclosed by a machinery housing 34, especially made of sheet metal with doors, flaps and the like. Fig. 2 shows a portion of the cylinder 4 having a cylindrical surface 4f of the casing 4e and cylinder bases 4c, 4d (radial support elements). The surface 4f is provided with clothing 4a, which in this example is in the form of wire having sawteeth. The sawtooth wire is wound on the cylinder 4, that is to say is wound around it in closely adjacent turns between side flanges (not shown) in order to form a cylindrical working surface eguipped with points. On the working surface, fibres should be processed as uniformly as possible. The carding work is performed between the opposing clothings. It is influenced essentially by the position of the one clothing relative to the other and by the clothing gap a between the tips of the teeth of the two clothings. The working width of the cylinder 4 is a determining factor for all other working elements of the carding machine, especially for the revolving card top 14 or fixed card tops, which, together with the cylinder 4, card the fibres uniformly over the entire working width. In order that uniform carding work can be performed over the entire working width, the settings of the working elements (including additional elements) must be adhered to over that working width. The cylinder 4 itself can, however, be deformed by the winding-on of the clothing wire, by centrifugal force or by heating arising as a result of the carding process. The shaft 22 of the cylinder 4 is rotatably mounted in bearings 26a, 26b (see Fig. 5a, 5b) which are mounted on the fixed machinery framework 23a, 23b. The diameter, for example 1250 mm, of the cylindrical surface 4f, that is to say twice the radius r3, is an important dimension of the machine and is increased by the working heat during operation. The side panels 24a, 24b are mounted on the two machinery frameworks 23a, 23b, respectively. The two flexible bends 25a, 25b are mounted on the side panels 24a, 24b, respectively. The rollers shown in. Fig. 3 arranged immediately adjacent to the cylinder 4 and co-operating therewith, the licker-in 33 and the doffer 5, are constructed and clothed in substantially the same way as the cylinder 4, so that the comments made above in connection with the cylinder 4 in the description of Fig. 2 apply in corresponding manner. Between the points of the clothing 4a of the cylinder 4 on the one hand and between the points of the clothing 3a of the licker-in 33 there is a roller gap a. Between the points of the clothing 4a of the cylinder 4, and on the other hand, and between the points 5a of the doffer there is further a roller gap b. When, during operation, heat is generated in the carding gap by the carding work, especially in the case of a high production rate and/or the processing of synthetic fibres or cotton/synthetic fibre mixtures, the cylinder casing 4e is expanded, that is to say the radius r3 increases and the roller gaps a and b become smaller. The heat is conducted by way of the cylinder casing 4e into the radial supporting elements, the cylinder bases 4c and 4d. The cylinder bases 4c, 4d likewise expand as a result, that is to say the radius r3 (Fig. 2) increases- The cylinder 4 is virtually fully enclosed (encased) on all sides: In the radial direction by the elements 14, 17, 18, 19 (see Fig. 1) and to both sides of the carding machine by the elements 23a, 23b; 24a, 24b; 25a, 25b. The machinery housing 34 comes in addition. As a result of the increase in the diameter of the cylinder 4 caused by thermal and/or centrifugal force expansion, the roller gaps a and b become smaller. As a result of the features according to the invention, the roller gaps a and b are increased again to the distances required for optimum carding. The roller gaps between the surfaces, or clothings, of neighbouring rollers are thus set or readjusted. Fig. 4 shows the framework wall 23a on one side of the carding machine; the framework wall 23b (see Fig. 2) on the other side of the carding machine is basically of the same structure. The framework wall 23a - preferably made of sheet steel - consists of a framework wall 231 for the fibre feed, especially for mounting the feed device (feed roller 1, feed table 2) and the lickers-in 31 to 33, and of a framework wall 233 for mounting the fibre take- off elements, especially the doffer 5. On the upper crossmembers of the framework walls 231 and 233 there are fixedly mounted inter alia the pivot bearing 27a for the licker-in 33 and the pivot bearing 28a for the doffer 5. Between the framework walls 231 and 233 there is located a framework wall 232 for mounting the cylinder 4. The framework wall 232 consists of two vertical support struts 23" and 23"" which are joined to one another at their upper end by a horizontal crossmember 23""". On the crossmember 23""" there is fixedly mounted the pivot bearing 26a for the shaft 22 of the cylinder 4. The framework walls 231, 232 and 233 are joined to one another, for example by welding. The support struts 23" and 23"" and the crossmember 23""" project above the upper boundary of the framework walls 231 and 233. In each of the support struts 23", 23"" (support columns), a heating rod 291, 292, respectively, is so arranged that the support struts 23" and 23"" can be expanded or contracted in their longitudinal direction (that is to say in the vertical direction according to Fig. 4). The heating elements 291 and 292 are preferably arranged in the regions of the support struts 23" and 23"" that project above the framework walls 231 and 233, because in those regions - irrespective of the welded bonds - free expansion is possible. The expansion of the support columns 23" and 23"" is only small and takes place exclusively within the material of the support struts 23" and 23"". According to Fig. 5a, before the carding machines are started into operation, for example at room temperature, there is a gap a between the cylinder 4 and the licker-in 33 on the one hand and a gap b between the cylinder 4 and the doffer 5 on the other hand, for example in each case 8/1000". During operation of the carding machine, after the machinery, especially the rollers, has undergone heating, according to Fig. 5a the gaps between cylinder 4 and licker-in 33 and between cylinder 4 and doffer 5 have been reduced to a1 and b1 respectively, for example in each case 2/1000". By means of the heating rods 291 and 292 shown in Fig. 2 and 4 (and - in a manner not shown - by means of the heating rods 293 and 294 in the support struts of the framework wall for the cylinder 4 in the framework wall 23b on the other side of the carding machine) the support struts 23" and 23"" are expanded in the vertical direction. As a result, the crossmember 23""", the bearing 26a (and the bearing 26b not shown) and the axis 22 with the cylinder 4 are likewise raised upwards in the vertical direction. In this way the distance c1 between the machinery or framework base and the centre point M of the shaft 22 (Fig. 5a) is increased to the distance C2 (Fig. 5b). At the same time, the gaps a1 and b1 are increased to the gaps a2 and b2, respectively (see Fig. 5b), which can be determined by geometric calculation. The distances e1 and d1 between the machinery or framework base and the centre point of the shaft of the doffer 5 and the centre point of the shaft of the licker- in 33 remain the same. T1 = temperature cylinder 4, licker-in 33, doffer 5 T2 = temperature side panels 24a, 24b T3 = temperature framework 23 The temperature increases from the level of the rollers by way of the side panels as far as the machinery framework. In accordance with the invention, compensation for changes in the dimensions of the rollers is realised in a specific manner and with a low heat output. The machinery framework 23 is so partitioned thermally that the cylinder 4 is raised by heating of its supports 23", 23"", which are "insulated" from the remainder of the frame, measurements being taken of e.g. the cylinder temperature (Tl) and the framework temperature (T3). The temperature (T4) to be set can then be determined by means of a simple calculation (Da = R x a x DT). The spacings a, b of the rollers can be kept constant by controlling (see Fig. 6) the temperature T4. By raising T4, the columns 23", 23"" (support struts) become longer and the cylinder 4 is raised relative to the remainder of the framework. Depending upon the angle (a) and the temperature (T4), the greater thermal expansi-on of the rollers relative to the framework is compensated. The heating of the support struts 23", 23"" (columns) can advantageously be effected using commercially available apparatus (heating rod 29). The gaps between neighbouring rollers or between their clothing surfaces can be determined, for example, in the manner described in DE-A-39 13 996. According to Fig. 6, for setting or readjusting the working gaps a and b there is provided an electronic control and regulating device 30, for example a microcomputer having a microprocessor, to which a memory element 31 for predetermined working gaps a, b is connected. Furthermore, two measuring elements 32, 33 for the working gaps a, b are connected to the control and regulating device 30. The measuring elements 32, 33 can detect the working gaps directly or indirectly. Four heating elements 29a to 29d are connected to the control and regulating device 30. Measuring elements for the roller temperatures can be connected to the control and regulating device in a manner not shown. Stepwise or stepless setting of the temperature of the heating elements 29a to 29d can be provided. As a result, supply and discharge of heat can be effected. WE CLAIM 1. Device on a carding machine having a carding cylinder supported by a support member for setting an working gap between the cylinder and at least one adjacent device, which cooperates with one another with a working gap between their cyHndricai surfaces at the fibre transfer points, and in which the working gap is resettable to a pre-determined value which changes in dimensions caused by thermal expansion and/or contraction of atleast a part of the support member, characterized in that the temperature of the framework walls (232; 23", 23", 23"") of the support member carrying the cylinder (4) can be so matched to the working gap (a, b; a" ,b") by means of heating elements (2% 292; 29a, 29b) for supplying or discharging heat that in the event of a change in the dimensions of the rollers (4,32, 5), the working gap (a, b ; a", b") between the cylinder (4) and at least one adjacent device (32, 5) can be set or reset. 2. Device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the framework wall is provided with the means for heating at least one element of the framework wall. 3. Device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the framework wall has a heating element. 4. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the heating element is integrated into the framework wall. 5. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the framework wall has at least two support struts on each side. 6. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the support struts have a crossmember. 7. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the framework walls are expandable. 8. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the support struts are expandable or contractable in the vertical direction, 9. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the cylinder and at least one adjacent device are arranged on their own framework walls gr struts. 10. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the framework of the cylinder is higher than the framework of at least one adjacent device. 11. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the heating element is arranged in the region of the cylinder framework that; projects above the framework of an adjacent device, 12. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein frameworks are connected to one another, for example by welding. 13. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the temperature to be set is determined in accordance with a relationship of: D a = R x DT, and wherein A a is a change in working gap, R is a constant, is an angle subtended by at the axis of the cylinder by a first plane containing the axes of the cylinder and the doffer and a second plane containing the axes of the iicker in and the cylinder, and DT is a difference between an actual framework temperature and a target temperature. 14. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the spacings of the rollers are settable by an electronic control and regulating device (30). 15. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein electronic control and regulating device (30) has a memory (31) for the predetermined values for the working gaps (a,b). 16. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the predetermined working gaps are constant. 17.Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the cylinder is associated with at least one temperature-measuring element (29a to 29d). 18. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the associated device (5) is assigned with atleast one temperature-measuring element (29a, to 29d). 19. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein at least one licker-in (3) is associated with at least one temperature-measuring element (29a to 29d). 20. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the temperature- measuring elements (29a to 29d) are associated with the surfaces of the rollers. 21. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the temperature- measuring elements are connected to the electronic control and regulating device (30). 22. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the temperature- measuring elements (29a to 29d) is in the form of a temperature sensor for measurement of the temperature of the roller surface. 23. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 22, comprising a gap- measuring element for the gap between two adjacent devices. 24. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the gap- measuring element (32,33) is connected to the electronic control and regulating device (30). 25. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 24, wherein the gap- measuring element (32, 33) is an inductive sensor. 26. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the gap- measuring element (32, 33) is an optical sensor, for example a laser sensor. 27.Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26, wherein the gap- measuring element (32, 33) is able to measure the working gap (a,b) between two adjacent devices, 28. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 27, wherein the heating element (29a to 29d) is connected to the electronic control and regulating device (36). 29. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 28, wherein atleast one heating element is provided on each side of the carding machine, 30. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein the temperature of the heating elements is adjustable. 31. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 30, wherein the temperature adjustment is effected stepwise. 32. Device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 31, wherein the temperature adjustment is effected steplessly. This invention relates to a device on a carding machine having a carding cylinder supported by a support member for setting an working gap between the cylinder and at least one adjacent device, which cooperates with one another with a working gap between their cylindrical surfaces at the fibre transfer points, and in which the working gap is resettable to a pre-determined value which changes in dimensions caused by thermal expansion and/or contraction of atleast a part of the support member. The temperature of the framework walls (232; 23", 23", 23"") of the support member carrying the cylinder (4) can be so matched to the working gap (a, b; a" ,b") by means of heating elements (291, 292; 29a, 29b) for supplying or discharging heat that in the event of a change in the dimensions of the rollers (4,32, 5), the working gap (a, b; a", b") between the cylinder (4) and at least one adjacent device (32, 5) can be set or reset.

Documents:

27-KOL-2004-FORM 27.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-abstract.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-claims.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-correspondence.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-description (complete).pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-drawings.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-form 1.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-form 18.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-form 2.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-form 3.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-form 5.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-gpa.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-letter patent.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-priority document.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-reply to examination report.pdf

27-kol-2004-granted-specification.pdf