Abstract
A take-off arm is provided for a bale opener for taking off fiber flocks from fiber bales. The take-off arm includes a housing, and a take-off unit having an axial length within the housing. A pressing element is connected to the housing via only load cells such that a contact force (F) of the take-off arm on the fiber bales is continuously measured by an evaluation of the load cells situated between the pressing element and the housing.
Claims
1. A take-off arm for a bale opener for taking off fiber flocks from fiber bales, the take-off arm configured to be controllably raised and lowered on the bale opener, comprising: a housing; a take-off unit having an axial length, the take-off unit comprising a detaching roller having take-off teeth; a pressing element connected to the housing via only load cells such that a contact force of the pressing element on the fiber bales is directly and continuously measured by the load cells, the pressing element comprising a grid configured with hold-down plates; wherein the grid is situated below the detaching roller, and the take-off teeth of the detaching roller engage with the fiber flocks through the grid; and wherein a height of the take-off arm on the bale opener is controlled based on the measured contact force.
2. The take-off arm according to claim 1, wherein the grid has a length that corresponds at least to an axial length of the detaching roller.
3. The take-off arm according to claim 2, wherein the hold-down plates are provided on both sides of the grid over the entire length of the grid.
4. The take-off arm according to claim 1, further comprising magnets for separating metallic impurities from the fiber bales mounted on the pressing element.
5. A bale opener, comprising a take-off arm according to claim 1.
6. The take-off arm according to claim 1, further comprising magnets for separating metallic impurities from the fiber bales mounted on the hold-down plates.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The invention is explained in greater detail below based on exemplary embodiments and with reference to the drawings, which show the following:
(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a bale opener in a frontal view;
(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a bale opener in a top view;
(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of a take-off arm according to the invention in a partial view;
(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional illustration at location X-X according to FIG. 3;
(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of a take-off arm according to the invention in a partial view; and
(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional illustration at location Y-Y according to FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(8) Reference will now be made to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are shown in the drawings. Each embodiment is provided by way of explanation of the invention, and not as a limitation of the invention. For example features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be combined with another embodiment to yield still another embodiment. It is intended that the present invention include these and other modifications and variations to the embodiments described herein.
(9) FIGS. 1 and 2 show a schematic illustration of a bale opener 1 according to the prior art for taking off fiber flocks 10 from fiber bales 2. FIG. 1 shows the bale opener 1 in a frontal view, and FIG. 2, in a top view. The bale opener 1 is made up essentially of a take-off tower 3 and a take-off arm 6. The take-off arm 6 is fastened to one side of the take-off tower 3, and projects freely across the fiber bales 2. The take-off tower 3 is equipped with a chassis 4. The take-off tower 3 is moved along the fiber bales 2 on rails 5 by means of the chassis 4. As a result of this movement 12, the take-off arm 6 mounted on the take-off tower 3 is guided across the surface of the fiber bales 2. A take-off unit 7 is situated in the take-off arm 6. The take-off unit 7 removes fiber flocks 10 from the fiber bales 2. The fiber flocks 10 are brought by the take-off arm 6 and the take-off tower 3 to a conveying channel 8. The conveying channel 8, and thus also the transport path from the take-off unit 7 to the conveying channel 8, are under a certain negative pressure that is used to pneumatically convey the fiber flocks 10 from the take-off unit 7 through the conveying channel into a pneumatic fiber flock transport system 14. The conveying channel 8 is closed between the take-off tower 3 and the fiber flock transport system 14 by a channel cover 9. During a travel motion 12 of the take-off tower 3, the channel cover 9 is rolled on and off, so that the conveying channel 8 in its active length, which continuously changes due to the travel motion 12 of the take-off tower 3, is closed by the channel cover 9.
(10) The fastening of the take-off arm 6 to the take-off tower 3 has a height-adjustable design, so that the fiber bales 2 may be continuously stripped. The movement 13 of the take-off arm 3 serves to ensure uniform take-off of the fiber flocks 10 from the surface of the fiber bales 2. When the take-off tower 3 with its travel motion 12 has traveled across all fiber bales 2, the direction of the travel motion 12 of the take-off tower 3 may be reversed. When fiber bales 2 are provided for take-off on both sides of the conveying channel 8, as the result of a rotary motion 11 the take-off tower may swivel the take-off arm 6 to the other side of the conveying channel 9.
(11) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a first embodiment of a take-off arm 6 according to the invention in a partial view, and FIG. 4 shows a schematic sectional illustration at location X-X according to FIG. 3. The take-off arm 6 has a housing 15, and a take-off unit 7 situated within the housing 15. The take-off unit 7 has a detaching roller 22 having an axial length 16 and take-off teeth 23 situated on its surface over the axial length 16. The take-off teeth 23 may be designed as individual teeth, or in the form of toothed disks. A pressing element 17 made up of a mounting 18, a hold-down plate 19, and a grid 20 is situated below the housing 15. The length of the pressing element 17 exceeds the axial length 16 of the detaching roller 22 in order for the fiber bales 2 to properly travel across in their entire extent. Based on the illustrated design of the bale opener 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2, a hold-down plate 19 is illustrated in each case, corresponding to the possible travel motions 12 on both sides of the grid 20. The hold-down plates 19 are connected to the grid 20, and together with the grid 20 are mounted on the mountings 18. The mountings 18 in turn are fastened to load cells 21, the load cells 21 being secured to the housing 15 of the take-off arm 6. The pressing element 17 is thus coupled to the housing 15 of the take-off arm 6 only via the load cells 21, without further connection.
(12) FIG. 4 also illustrates the fiber bale 2 to be stripped, to which the take-off arm 6 applies the contact force F via the pressing element 17. Due to the irregular height of the fiber bale 2, the contact force F is not necessarily uniformly distributed over the entire surface area of the pressing element 17. However, the nonuniform distribution of the contact force F is compensated for by the arrangement of four load cells 21. The greater the contact force F, the more strongly the upper portion of the fiber bale 2 to be stripped is compressed, and higher take-off performance is achieved by the engagement of the take-off teeth 23 of the detaching roller 22 with the fiber bale 2. The actual penetration depth of the take-off teeth 23 into the fiber bale 2 is determined by the grid 20 that rests on the surface of the fiber bale. It is necessary to adjust the distance between the grid 20 and the detaching roller 22 in order to adjust the engagement depth of the take-off teeth 23 into the fiber bale 2.
(13) FIG. 4 also shows magnets 26 on the hold-down plates 19 for separation of metal particles. The metal particles situated on the surface of the fiber bale 2 are retained by the magnets, and thus do not enter the area of the take-off teeth 23.
(14) FIG. 5 shows a schematic illustration of a second embodiment of a take-off arm according to the invention in a partial view, and FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional illustration at location Y-Y according to FIG. 5. The take-off arm 6 has a housing 15 and a take-off unit 7 situated within the housing 15. The take-off unit 7 has a detaching roller 22 having an axial length 16, and take-off teeth 23 situated on its surface. The take-off teeth 23 may be designed as individual teeth, or in the form of toothed disks. A pressing element 17 made up of a pressing roller 24 that is mounted in bearing shields 25, and a grid 20 is situated below the housing 15. The length of the pressing element 17 exceeds the axial length 16 of the detaching roller 22 in order for the fiber bales 2 to properly travel across in their entire extent. Based on the illustrated design of the bale opener 1 in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pressing roller 24 is illustrated in each case, corresponding to the possible travel motions 12 on both sides of the grid 20. The grid 20 is likewise mounted on the bearing shields 25. The bearing shields 25 in turn are fastened to load cells 21, the load cells 21 being secured to the housing 15 of the take-off arm 6. The pressing element 17 is thus coupled to the housing 15 of the take-off arm 6 only via the load cells 21, without further connection.
(15) FIG. 6 also illustrates the fiber bale 2 to be stripped, to which the take-off arm 6 applies the contact force F via the pressing element 17 and the pressing rollers 24. Due to the irregular height of the fiber bale 2, the contact force F is not necessarily uniformly distributed over the two pressing rollers 24 or their axial length. However, the nonuniform distribution of the contact force F is compensated for by the arrangement of four load cells 21. The greater the contact force F, the more strongly the upper portion of the fiber bale 2 to be stripped is compressed by the pressing rollers 24, and higher take-off performance is achieved by the engagement of the take-off teeth 23 of the detaching roller 22 with the fiber bale 2. The actual penetration depth of the take-off teeth 23 into the fiber bale 2 is determined by the grid 20 that rests on the surface of the fiber bale 2. It is necessary to adjust the distance between the grid 20 and the detaching roller 22 in order to adjust the engagement depth of the take-off teeth 23 into the fiber bale 2.
(16) Modifications and variations can be made to the embodiments illustrated or described herein without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
(17) 1 bale opener
(18) 2 fiber bales
(19) 3 take-off tower
(20) 4 chassis
(21) 5 rails
(22) 6 take-off arm
(23) 7 take-off unit
(24) 8 conveying channel
(25) 9 channel cover
(26) 10 fiber flocks
(27) 11 rotary motion of the take-off tower
(28) 12 travel motion of the take-off tower
(29) 13 movement of the take-off arm
(30) 14 fiber flock transport system
(31) 15 housing
(32) 16 axial length of the take-off unit
(33) 17 pressing element
(34) 18 mounting
(35) 19 hold-down plate
(36) 20 grid
(37) 21 load cell
(38) 22 detaching roller
(39) 23 take-off teeth
(40) 24 pressing roller
(41) 25 bearing shield
(42) 26 magnet
(43) F contact force
