Stripper plate and stitching plate for a needling machine

Abstract

The stripper plate or stitching plate for a needling machine comprises a plurality of opening arrangements, wherein each opening arrangement comprises at least one opening for accommodating needles of a needle row of a needle board of the needling machine. At least first and second opening arrangements of the plurality of opening arrangements are arranged at a slant to a longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate, and an absolute value of the angle (β) of the second opening arrangements to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate is different from an absolute value of an angle (α) of the first opening arrangements to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate.

Claims

1. A stripper plate or stitching plate for holding down or supporting a textile fabric in a needling machine for needling the textile fabric, wherein the stripper plate or stitching plate comprises a plurality of opening arrangements; wherein each opening arrangement of the plurality of opening arrangements comprises a plurality of openings and is configured to accommodate needles of one row of needles of a needle board of the needling machine; wherein at least first and second opening arrangements of the plurality of opening arrangements are arranged at a slant to a longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate, wherein the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate corresponds to a conveying direction of the fabric to be needled in the needling machine; wherein each opening of the plurality of openings is configured to be parallel to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate, and wherein the openings of an opening arrangement are arranged in a row which extends at a slant to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate; and wherein an absolute value of an angle (β) of the second opening arrangements of the plurality of opening arrangements to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate is different from an absolute value of an angle (α) of the first opening arrangements of the plurality of opening arrangements to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate.

2. The stripper plate or stitching plate of claim 1 wherein the opening arrangements of the plurality of opening arrangements are arranged in a plurality of blocks, wherein all of the opening arrangements of a block of the plurality of blocks are parallel to each other.

3. The stripper plate or stitching plate of claim 2 wherein the plurality of blocks of opening arrangements are arranged in a herringbone pattern.

4. The stripper plate or stitching plate of claim 2 wherein the opening arrangements of at least one first block of the plurality of blocks are configured differently from the opening arrangements of at least one second block of the plurality of blocks of opening arrangements.

5. The stripper plate or stitching plate of claim 1 wherein the absolute value of the angle of the first opening arrangements to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate is between 10° and 30°.

6. The stripper plate or stitching plate of claim 1 wherein the absolute value of the angle (β) of the second opening arrangements to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate is between 25° and 65°.

7. The stripper plate or stitching plate of claim 1 wherein at least a certain section of the openings of the plurality of opening arrangements is parallel to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate over a predetermined distance value (X) and is thus configured to allow for a predetermined horizontal stroke of needles of a needle board.

8. The stripper plate or stitching plate of claim 7 wherein each opening comprises a length (A.sub.2), wherein a value of the length (A.sub.2) corresponds to the predetermined distance value (X).

9. The stripper plate or stitching plate of claim 7 wherein the predetermined distance value (X) is between 2 and 12 mm.

10. A needling machine for needling a textile fabric, comprising: a needle board, which comprises a plurality of rows of needles, wherein at least some of the rows are arranged at a slant to a longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the needle board, wherein the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the needle board corresponds to a conveying direction of the fabric to be needled in the needling machine; and a stripper plate or stitching plate for holding down or supporting the textile fabric in the needling machine, wherein the stripper plate or stitching plate comprises a plurality of opening arrangements; wherein each opening arrangement of the plurality of opening arrangements comprises a plurality of openings and is configured to accommodate needles of one row of needles of the needle board of the needling machine; wherein at least first and second opening arrangements of the plurality of opening arrangements are arranged at a slant to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate, which corresponds to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the needle board, wherein the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate corresponds to a conveying direction of the fabric to be needled in the needling machine; wherein each opening of the plurality of openings is configured to be parallel to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate, and wherein the openings of an opening arrangement are arranged in a row which extends at a slant to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate; and wherein an absolute value of an angle (β) of the second opening arrangements of the plurality of opening arrangements to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate is different from an absolute value of an angle (α) of the first opening arrangements of the plurality of opening arrangements to the longitudinal direction (L.sub.1) of the stripper plate or stitching plate.

11. The needling machine of claim 10 wherein each opening arrangement of the plurality of opening arrangements is aligned with a needle row of the plurality of needle rows of the needle board in order to make it possible for each opening of the associated opening arrangement to accommodate needles of the needle row.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of the essential components of a needling machine;

(2) FIG. 2 shows a top view of part of a stripper plate or stitching plate according to the invention; and

(3) FIG. 3 shows a view of a detail of the stripper plate or stitching plate according to FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

(4) FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the structure of a needling machine 1 from the side. A textile fabric 2 such as a web of nonwoven material is supplied to the entrance to the needling machine 1 and conveyed to a needling zone. A needle bar 4, to which a needle board 6 is attached, is arranged in the area of the needling zone; needles 8 for solidifying the fabric 2 are mounted on the needle board. In this area, the textile fabric 2 to be needled is guided between a stripper plate 10, which holds the textile fabric 2 down, and a stitching plate 12, which supports the textile fabric 2 from underneath in the needling zone. The needles 8 solidify the fabric 2, in that they are pushed at high frequency into the textile fabric 2 and pulled back out again. During this process, the needles 8 usually pass through openings in the stripper plate 10 and in the stitching plate 12. The stitching plate 12, however, can also comprise openings which do not pass all the way through the plate but which are instead only deep enough to accommodate the tips of the needles 8 passing through the fabric 2. A drive 14, which is configured as a connecting rod drive, for example, is preferably provided to move the needles 8 up and down in a stitching direction E.

(5) To prevent the fabric 2 from becoming distorted as the fabric is being moved further onward in a conveying direction F while the needles 8 are still present in the fabric 2, the needle board 6 with the needles 8, in a preferred embodiment of a needling machine 1, executes a horizontal stroke H parallel to the conveying direction F. The needle board 6 with the needles is movable in the conveying direction F along with the textile fabric 2. Especially while the needles 8 are present in the fabric 2, the needles 8 are moved along with the fabric 2 to minimize the relative movement between the needles 8 and the fabric 2. To bring about the horizontal stroke H, either a secondary drive acting on the needle board 6 can be provided, or the drive 14, in a manner familiar to the skilled person, can be configured appropriately, i.e., coupled to the needle bar 4 in a certain way.

(6) The resulting product is a solidified textile fabric 16 such as a nonwoven. The skilled person is familiar with a wide variety of types of needling machines 1, including the double needling machine, in which needling is carried out from above and from below by means of two needle bars; needling machines with a horizontal stroke; and needling machines without a horizontal stroke. It is obvious that the present invention can be applied to various types of needling machines and is not limited to the embodiment of a needling machine 1 described herein. For example, in the case of double needling machines, the stitching plate 12 serves simultaneously as the stripper plate for a needle bar arranged under the fabric 2.

(7) The needles of a needle board 6 are usually arranged in rows of between 5 and 40 needles. The rows of needles are preferably arranged at a slant to a longitudinal direction of the needle board 6, which direction is parallel to the conveying direction F of the fabric 2 in the needling machine.

(8) Especially with respect to their arrangement and possibly also with respect to their shape, the openings in the stripper plate preferably correspond to the openings in the stitching plate 12. The present invention can therefore be explained in the following on the basis of the parts of the single plate shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and will apply equally to a stripper plate 10 and to a stitching plate 12.

(9) Each of FIGS. 2 and 3 shows a part of a stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12 according to the invention, wherein the part according to FIG. 3 corresponds approximately to the area in FIG. 2 characterized by the reference symbol III.

(10) The stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12 comprises a plurality of opening arrangements 18. Each opening arrangement 18 comprises at least one opening 20 and is configured to accept one row of needles of the needle board 6 of the needling machine 1. At least first and second opening arrangements 181, 182, furthermore, of the plurality of opening arrangements 18 are arranged at a slant to a longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12, which direction corresponds to the conveying direction F of the fabric 2 to be needled in the needling machine. An absolute value of an angle β of the second opening arrangements 182 of the plurality of opening arrangements 18 to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12 is different from an absolute value of the angle α of the first opening arrangements 181 of the plurality of opening arrangements 18 to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12.

(11) In the embodiment shown here, all of the opening arrangements 18 are configured either as first or as second opening arrangements 181, 182. As explained above, however, it is also possible to provide in addition any other desired opening arrangements 18.

(12) The opening arrangements 18 comprise a length A.sub.1 and a width B.sub.1, wherein the length A.sub.1 is greater than the width B.sub.1, so that the opening arrangements 18 have an elongated shape. The opening arrangements 18, furthermore, extend with respect to their length A.sub.1 along a longitudinal axis 22, which defines a longitudinal direction L.sub.2 of the opening arrangement 18 in question. The angles α, β of the plurality of opening arrangements 18 to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12 are defined as the angles between the longitudinal axis 22 in question and a line parallel to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1.

(13) The opening arrangements 18 of the plurality of opening arrangements 18 can be configured in a wide variety of different ways. As one example, it is possible to provide, next to first opening arrangements 181 and second opening arrangements 182, which differ with respect to the angle between their associated longitudinal axis 22 and the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12, third and additional opening arrangements which are at angles to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 which are different from angles α and β. As another example, the opening arrangement 18, including the first opening arrangements 181, the second opening arrangements 182, or optional additional opening arrangements, can be configured in accordance with one of the embodiments explained below.

(14) According to a first embodiment, an opening arrangement 18 comprises a single opening 20, which is arranged at a slant to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12. This opening 20 then has an uninterrupted shape extending along the longitudinal axis 22 of the opening arrangement 18, wherein the longitudinal axis 22 is oriented at a slant to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12. In FIGS. 2 and 3, the second opening arrangements 182 are configured according to this first embodiment. The opening 20 preferably comprises a length A.sub.2 which corresponds to the length A.sub.1 of the associated opening arrangement 18 and which is designed to accommodate a row of needles 8 of the needle board 6 of the needling machine 1.

(15) FIG. 3 shows by way of example two openings 201 and 202 representing the openings 20 of an opening arrangement 18 according to a second embodiment. Such an opening arrangement 18 comprises a plurality of openings 20 or 201, 202, wherein each of the openings 20, 201, 202 is arranged at a slant to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12. In addition, the openings 20, 201, 202 of this opening arrangement 18 are arranged in a row in the longitudinal direction L.sub.2 of the opening arrangement 18, i.e., along its longitudinal axis 22.

(16) Each of the openings 201, 202 has an elongated shape and comprises a longitudinal axis. The openings 201, 202 are preferably oriented with respect to each other in such a way that their longitudinal axes are aligned with each other. The longitudinal axes of the openings 201, 202 preferably also coincide with the longitudinal axis 22 of the opening arrangement in question.

(17) The openings 20 or 201, 202 according to an opening arrangement 18 of the second embodiment preferably comprise a length which is designed to accommodate at least one needle and preferably a greater part of the needles 8 of a row of needles of the needle board 6.

(18) Each of the opening arrangements 18 according to a third embodiment comprises a plurality of openings 20, each opening 20 of which is arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12. In addition, the openings 20 of an opening arrangement 18 of the third embodiment are arranged in a row which is at a slant to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12.

(19) In FIGS. 2 and 3, the first opening arrangements 181 are configured in accordance with the third embodiment. The longitudinal axis 23 of each of these openings 20 is parallel to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12. In addition, the openings 20 in this embodiment are offset from each other both in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 and in the transverse direction Q.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12, in such a way that they form a row along the longitudinal axis 22 of the opening arrangement 18 in question.

(20) The openings 20 of an opening arrangement 18 according to the third embodiment are preferably dimensioned in such a way that each one accepts one needle 8 of a needle row of the needle board 6. The openings 20 can also be dimensioned in such a way, however, that they accommodate two or more adjacent needles 8 of a needle row or needles of several needle rows arranged one behind the other.

(21) A stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12 according to the invention can comprise opening arrangements according to only one of these embodiments, or it can comprise any desired combinations of opening arrangements 18 of different embodiments. In particular, alternative embodiments of opening arrangements 18 which are nevertheless arranged according to the invention are also conceivable.

(22) Unless otherwise described, the configurations and features described herein pertain to all of the embodiments of opening arrangements 18.

(23) The opening arrangements 18 of the plurality of opening arrangements 18 can be arranged in a plurality of blocks 24, 26. The opening arrangements 18 of a block 24, 26 are preferably arranged parallel to each other and form a row of opening arrangements 18 which extends in the transverse direction Q.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12. The blocks 24, 26 are then arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12. In the transverse direction Q.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12, the blocks 24, 26 can extend over the entire width of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12 in question or over only portions of them.

(24) According to the preferred embodiment according to FIGS. 2 and 3, the opening arrangements 18 of the blocks 24, 26 are arranged in a herringbone pattern. The angle of all the opening arrangements 18 of a block 24, 26 to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 comprises a specific sign (plus or minus), which is the opposite (minus or plus) of the angle of all the opening arrangements 18 of an adjacent block 24, 26, i.e., adjacent in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1. The opening arrangements 18 of successive blocks 26 and 26 or 24 and 24 have the same absolute value for this angle, whereas the opening arrangements 18 of successive blocks 24 and 26 have different absolute values for this angle.

(25) In the case of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a first block 24 comprises first opening arrangements 181 of the plurality of opening arrangements 18, and a second block 26 comprises second opening arrangements 182 of the plurality of opening arrangements 18. In addition, the opening arrangements 18, 181 of the first block 24 are configured in accordance with the third embodiment, whereas the opening arrangements 18, 182 of the second block 26 are configured in accordance with the first embodiment. Various combinations are conceivable here as alternatives.

(26) Regardless of how an opening 20 is configured, it has a width B.sub.2, which must be large enough to prevent reliably the at least one needle 8 to be accommodated in this opening 20 from colliding with the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12 in the area of this opening 20. The width B.sub.2 of an opening 20 is therefore greater than the diameter of a needle 8 to be accommodated. At the same time, the width B.sub.2 of an opening 20 must be small enough that the stripping-off of adhering fibers from the needles 8 by the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12 is guaranteed.

(27) To make it possible for the needle board 8 and the needles 8 to execute a horizontal stroke H, at least certain sections of the at least one opening 20 of the plurality of opening arrangements 18 preferably extend by a predetermined value X parallel to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12 and are designed to allow the needles 8 to execute the predetermined horizontal stroke H. As a result, the needles 8 are given sufficient freedom of movement in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12 and thus in the conveying direction F of the textile fabric 2 so that they can execute a horizontal stroke H.

(28) It follows from this that the value X of the distance parallel to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 should be greater than the desired or predetermined value of the horizontal stroke H of the needles 8.

(29) Depending on the configuration of the plurality of opening arrangements 18, different requirements are thus imposed on their dimensions. In particular, the openings 20 of the plurality of opening arrangements 18 must either be long enough or wide enough to allow them to extend by the predetermined distance value X parallel to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12.

(30) In the case of opening arrangements 18 according to the first and second embodiments, the openings 20 provided in each case are at a slant to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12. The value X of the distance by which an opening 20 extends in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12 therefore depends on the width B.sub.2 of the associated opening 20. The length A.sub.2 of the opening however, is less limiting with respect to the value X, but it must also be taken into account especially in the case of the second embodiment.

(31) As can be derived from the detailed view of an opening 20 of an opening arrangement contained in FIG. 3, a minimum width B.sub.2 stands in a certain relationship to the predetermined value X by way of the angles α, β between the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12 and the longitudinal axis 22 of the associated opening arrangement 18. The mathematical relationship between the angles α or β, the width B.sub.2, and the value X is found to be:
sin(α,β)=B.sub.2/X.

(32) Correspondingly, a minimum width B.sub.2 for a desired predetermined value X is obtained by multiplying the sine of the angle α, β in question by the value X. By proceeding in the opposite direction, one can use this relationship to determine a maximum angle at which a maximum allowable width can still be reached for a predetermined value X.

(33) It is obvious that, as the value of the angle α, β increases, the required width B.sub.2 of an opening 20 increases in order to reach the same predetermined value X of the distance in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12. Because, starting from a certain width B.sub.2 of an opening 20, e.g., a width of greater than 6 mm, the function of the stripper plate 10 or stitching plate 12 is not reliably fulfilled in all cases, there is a limit on the maximum value X of the distance in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the openings 20 of these opening arrangements 18 which can be achieved with the opening arrangements 18 according to the first and second embodiments.

(34) So that it is possible to obtain large values X of the distance in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 or larger angles α, β of the opening arrangements 18 to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12, the openings 20 of the opening arrangements 18 can therefore be configured in accordance with the third embodiment.

(35) The openings 20 of the opening arrangements 18 according to the third embodiment are parallel to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12. The key factor in their ability to allow a horizontal stroke H of the needles 8 in the conveying direction F is therefore substantially the length A.sub.2 of the openings 20. The length A.sub.2 of an opening 20 therefore corresponds preferably at least to the predetermined value X of the distance in the longitudinal direction L.sub.1. As a result, the openings 20 can be made narrow, i.e., their width B.sub.2 can be reduced, whereas they simultaneously can be adapted by way of their length A.sub.2 to the desired horizontal stroke H.

(36) Because the various openings 20 of an opening arrangement 18 according to the third embodiment are at the same time arranged along the longitudinal axis 22 of the opening arrangement 18, which is itself oriented at a slant to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 of the stripper plate or stitching plate 10, 12, it is simultaneously made possible for the associated row of needles of the needle board 6 also to be arranged at a slant to the longitudinal direction L.sub.1 or to the conveying direction F of the textile fabric 2 in the needling machine in order to achieve a textile fabric which has been needled with the greatest possible uniformity.