FELT PRODUCTION

Abstract

A felting apparatus including a carrier for externally carrying precursor material to rotate with the carrier. A drive is for driving the carrier and the precursor material to rotate. One or more agitators agitate the rotating precursor material. Each agitator is a non-driving agitator.

Claims

1. A felting apparatus including: a carrier for externally carrying precursor material, wrapped about the carrier, to rotate with the carrier; a drive for driving the carrier and the precursor material to rotate; and one or more agitators to agitate the rotating precursor material, wherein each agitator is a non-driving agitator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each agitator is associated with a biasing mechanism by which that agitator is relatively biased towards the carrier; and against which that agitator is relatively movable.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein at least one of the agitators is mounted to follow a path inclined so that the weight of the at least one agitator biases the at least one agitator towards the carrier.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 including a mechanism by which the path is adjustable.

5. A felting apparatus including: a carrier for externally carrying precursor material to rotate with the carrier; a drive for driving the carrier and the precursor material to rotate; and one or more agitators to agitate the rotating precursor material, wherein each agitator is associated with a biasing mechanism by which that agitator is relatively biased towards the carrier; and against which that agitator is relatively-movable; at least one of the agitators is mounted to follow a path inclined so that the weight of the at least one agitator biases the at least one agitator towards the carrier; and the apparatus includes a mechanism by which the path is adjustable.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive is configured to periodically reverse the rotation of the carrier and the precursor material.

7. A felting apparatus including: a carrier for externally carrying precursor material to rotate with the carrier; a drive for driving the carrier and the precursor material to rotate; and one or more agitators to agitate the rotating precursor material, wherein the drive is configured to periodically reverse the rotation of the carrier and the precursor material.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the drive is configured to periodically reverse after not more than three revolutions of the carrier and the precursor material in each direction.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the number of revolutions after which the drive reverses is user-selectable.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the number of revolutions in each direction after which the drive reverses is separately user-selectable.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 including: a user-interface by which the drive is adjustable to vary at least one of: a number of rotations to be completed prior to automatic deactivation; a speed of rotation; and a number or rotations to be completed prior to reversing direction.

12.-16. (canceled)

17. The apparatus of claim 1 including a portion carrying the carrier and the agitator(s) and from which a module including the drive and a or the user interface is separable.

18. A felting apparatus including: a carrier for externally carrying precursor material to rotate with the carrier; a drive for driving the carrier and the precursor material to rotate; one or more agitators to agitate the rotating precursor material; and a portion carrying the carrier and the agitator(s) and from which a module including the drive and a user interface is separable.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the module is toollessly connectable to and separable from the portion carrying the carrier and the agitator(s).

20. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein each end of at least one of the agitators is carried by a respective pivotally mounted agitator-carrier.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein each of the pivotally mounted agitator-carriers has a mechanism by which an effective length of that agitator-carrier is variable.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein each of the pivotally mounted agitator-carriers includes a two or more upwardly open formations into which a respective end portion of an agitator can be selectively dropped to select an effective length of that agitator-carrier.

23. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the agitators is mounted to be toollessly swapped out whilst the apparatus is in motion.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the drive includes a motor co-axial with the carrier.

25. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the agitators are rollers.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the carrier is a roller.

27.-33. (canceled)

34. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the drive includes a motor co-axial with the carrier.

35. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the drive includes a motor co-axial with the carrier.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0127] FIG. 1 is a cross-section view of a previously disclosed felting apparatus;

[0128] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a felting apparatus;

[0129] FIG. 3 is a schematic end view of the felting apparatus of FIG. 2;

[0130] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an end of another felting apparatus;

[0131] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the drive unit of the felting apparatus of FIG. 4;

[0132] FIG. 6 is an end view of the drive apparatus of FIG. 5;

[0133] FIG. 7 illustrates a menu of a touch screen user interface;

[0134] FIG. 8 illustrates another screen of the user interface; and

[0135] FIG. 9 illustrates another screen of the user interface.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0136] The felting apparatus 1 includes a carrier 3, a drive 5 and a pair of agitators 7, 9.

[0137] In this example, the carrier 3 takes the form of an elongate roller the exterior of which is fitted with robust bubble-wrap material. Whilst in other variants the carrier 3 may have a simple cylindrical exterior, the present inventor has found that equipping the exterior of the carrier with a compliant and/or textured exterior leads to improved felting. In particular, the combination of compliance and texture offered by the robust bubble-wrap has been found advantageous.

[0138] According to a preferred use of the apparatus 1, a sandwich made up of precursor material between two layers of plastic film is wrapped about the carrier 3 and held in place with a series of elastic bands EB spaced along the length of the carrier 3.

[0139] The drive 5 in this example takes the form of an electric motor mounted coaxially with the carrier 3. A suitable coupling connects a stub axle at the end of the carrier 3 to the output shaft of the motor. The coupling and the arrangement by which the other end of the carrier 3 is mounted are preferably configured to enable the carrier 3 to be conveniently and toollessly swapped in and out. This enables the carrier 3 to be laid over the flat precursor and plastic film sandwich so that that sandwich can be conveniently rolled up, and then the wrapped carrier can be conveniently returned to the apparatus 1.

[0140] In a preferred form of the apparatus 1, each and every agitator of the apparatus is a non-driving agitator. In this example, the agitators 7, 9 take the form of idler rollers (i.e. non-driving rollers) and are mounted to bear against the carried precursor and film sandwich to agitate the precursor material as the carrier 3 and precursor therewith are rotated.

[0141] The agitators 7, 9 make take a wide variety of forms and the present invention is not limited to having the illustrated two agitators. Any convenient number of agitators could be applied. Indeed, the present inventor has achieved advantageous results by swapping the agitators 7, 9 in and out based on his own observation of the felting of the precursor material. In FIG. 2, the agitator rollers are equipped with a textured surface. By configuring the apparatus 1 to enable the agitators 7, 9 to be conveniently swapped in and out, the felting effects of the apparatus can be adjusted on the fly. An operator can select from a set of agitators based on their own observations of the felting of the precursor.

[0142] In the illustrated example, the agitator roller 7 has a long cylindrical exterior. In other examples, the agitator may be configured to present an axially shorter working portion whereby the operator can position that shorter portion to preferentially work a selected band of the rotating precursor material, e.g. a band in which felting is not advancing as fast as in other regions. In one preferred form, the agitator takes the form of a sleeved roller whereby the sleeve can be maneuvered along the roller to a suitable location.

[0143] Non-roller agitators are also contemplated. By way of example, a stiff brush or flexible blade may also be employed.

[0144] The apparatus 1 includes an end structure 11, which includes the drive 5, and another end structure 13. Four spacing members 15 run parallel to each other to connect the end structure 11 to the end structure 13. In this example, the spacing members take the form of simple extruded profiles, although more elaborate (e.g. non-unitary) spacing members are possible.

[0145] The spacing members 15 serve to position the end structure 13 relative to the end structure 11. The end structure 13 includes an upright wall 13a perpendicular to the members 15.

[0146] The wall 13a has at its centre a socket 17 for receiving the stub axle at the end of the carrier 3. Of course, other mounting arrangements are possible. An agitator-carrier in the form of an arm 21 is carried on an inner side of the wall 13a and mounted to pivot relative thereto about an axis 23 perpendicular to the wall 13a. The arm 21 has a set of five upwardly-open cut-outs 21a into each of which an end extension of the agitator 7 is selectively placeable. When the agitator 7 is engaged with a selected one of the cut-outs 21a, the agitator 7 (or more specifically the centroid of the agitator 7) is constrained to follow the path P about the axis 23. By selecting a different one of the cut-outs 21a, the path P can be adjusted.

[0147] Suspending the agitator 7 in this way causes the weight of the agitator 7 to at least partly bear against the carrier 3 (or more specifically, the plastic film-precursor sandwich carried thereby). As such, the agitator 7 is biased towards the carrier 3. By adjusting the path P, the extent to which the agitator 7 bears against the carrier 3 can be adjusted.

[0148] The arm 21 is but one example of a mechanism by which the agitator 7 might be constrained to follow an adjustable inclined path. By way of example, the stub axle extension of the roller 7 might instead be mounted to roll down a ramp.

[0149] FIG. 3 illustrates a preferred geometry of carrier 3, agitator 7 and arm 21. This geometry is characterised by the carrier having a radius R1 and the agitator having a smaller radius R2. The axis 23 is horizontally displaced from the centerline of the opening 17 by the distance R1 and vertically located so that the effective angle of the arm 21 is about 45 from horizontal and the centroid of the agitator 7 sits about 5 mm below the centre of the opening 17.

[0150] The effective angle of the arm 21 is the angle between horizontal and a notional line connecting the centroid of the agitator 7 to the axis 23. The effective length of the arm 21 is the distance between the axis 23 and the centroid of the agitator 7.

[0151] Without wishing to be bound by any particular theory, this geometry has been found to be particularly advantageous when using compliant rollers such carrier 3 equipped with bubble-wrap. When the carrier 3 is rotated in an anti-clockwise sense (as drawn in FIG. 3), the agitator 7 seems to be drawn in to the carrier 3 thereby increasing the effective pressure. When the direction of rotation is reversed, there is a corresponding release of pressure. This variance of pressure seems to produce improved felting.

[0152] Biasing the agitator towards the carrier 3 has appreciable safety advantages over existing devices in which rollers are rigidly located by screw-down mechanisms. The apparatus 1 can be safely operated without any form of guarding. If one's finger is inadvertently drawn into the nip-point between the rollers 7, 9, the arm 21 simply pivots away so that one's hand can be drawn out without injury or even any real discomfort. It will also be observed that the agitator 7 can be simply dropped into the cut-outs 21a. This combination of safety and simple toolless changeover allows for the agitator 7 to be swapped in and out whilst the apparatus 1 is in motion.

[0153] The end structure 13 further includes a guide 25 defining an upwardly-open vertical slot 25a into which an end extension of an agitator can be dropped so that the agitator bears against the carrier 3 under the agitator's own weight. This gives operators further choice and flexibility. The wall 13a is internally contoured so that the arm 21 sits within a suitable recess to be at least approximately co-planar with the guide 25, whereby the guide 25 is configured to receive the same agitators as the arm 21.

[0154] The agitator 9 is carried by an arm (not shown) similar to the arm 21 symmetrically arranged on the other side of the opening 17. The end structure 11 is likewise equipped with arms and a guide akin to the arm 21 and guide 25.

[0155] The apparatus 1 is advantageously equipped with a user interface (not shown) by which the drive 5 is controllable. A touchscreen device is a preferred form of user interface, in that it allows for convenient and intuitive operation. User-selectable icons may be presented via the touchscreen which may be particularly advantageous for older users potentially intimidated by other user interfaces. The use of a touchscreen device also enables more elaborate functions to be incorporated. By way of example, in a preferred form of the apparatus 1, the device may be programmed to follow a predetermined sequence of steps which may be user-customised. The touchscreen also provides a convenient method of providing a user with instructions.

[0156] Preferably, the device 1 is configured to periodically reverse its direction of rotation. By allowing only a limited number of turns in any given direction before reversing operation, the risk of an entanglement injury is reduced.

[0157] As described, the connections between the carrier 3 and agitator 7 on the one hand and the end structures 11, 13 on the other hand are preferably simple, releasable connections to enable these components to be conveniently removed. The connections between the members 15 on the one hand and on the other hand the structures 11, 13 are likewise preferably simple, releasable connections, e.g. screw joints, whereby the apparatus 1 may be quickly and conveniently stripped down to separate from each other the end structures 11, 13, the carrier 3, the agitators 7, 9 and the members 15. In this way, the apparatus 1 has a modular construction by which it can be conveniently extended to process large items. By replacing components 3, 7, 9 and 15 with longer items, the apparatus 1 is extendable without the expense of replacing the end structures and control arrangements, etc. With longer rollers in place, the machine can be used to produce pieces too bulky/awkward to produce by hand.

[0158] Of course, screw joints are but one example of a releasable connection that might be conveniently employed.

[0159] FIGS. 4 to 9 illustrate other aspects of another felting apparatus 101 incorporating a different modular construction. The apparatus 101 includes a roller unit 102 and a drive unit 104 releasably connectable to the roller unit 102.

[0160] The roller unit 102 includes rollers 103, 107, 109 carried between an end assembly 111 and another end assembly not shown. The end assemblies are mutually connected by spacing members 115. The end assemblies together with members 115 constitute a portion for carrying the rollers 103, 107, 109. A stub axle extension 103a projects from the end of the roller 103 through the assembly 111.

[0161] The drive unit 104 includes a housing 133 having a front wall 135 from which four threaded spigots 137 project.

[0162] The assembly 111 incorporates an array of through holes 139 complementary to the spigots 137. The plate 135 further includes a through hole 141 to receive the extension 103a when the units 102, 104 are mated so that the spigots 137 project through the assembly 111. To mutually secure the units 102, 104 wing nuts are engaged with the projecting end portions of the spigots 137. The spigots 137 and wing nuts are but one example of a toolless connection mechanism by which the units 102, 104 are mutually connectable. Other forms of toolless connection mechanism, and indeed other connection mechanisms, are possible.

[0163] This toolless connection mechanism enables the unit 104 to be conveniently removed from the roller unit 102 to be mated with a different roller unit, e.g. with a roller unit having a different length.

[0164] The drive unit 104 further includes within its housing a motor unit 143 incorporating a motor 143a and a gearbox 143b. In this embodiment of the apparatus the motor unit 143 is a windscreen wiper motor. As in the apparatus 1 the main roller is driven by a driven portion coaxial to the roller but in this embodiment the coaxial driven portion takes the form of an output portion of the gearbox 143b co-operable with the extension 103a. The motor 143a is perpendicular to the roller 103. The gearbox 143b redirects the drive from the motor 143a.

[0165] The motor 143, and in turn the roller unit 102, is controlled via the user interface 145. A control arrangement 147 connects the user interface 145 to the motor unit 143.

[0166] The user interface 145 is preferably a touch screen. In this example it is a Nextion touch screen selected for its easy programmability although lower cost options are also contemplated. The control arrangement 147 incorporates a programmable PLC board 147a, which in this example takes the form of an Arduino UNO, and a motor controller board 147b. The motor controller board 147b takes signals from the PLC 147a and turns the motor on and off and changes its direction. The board 147b has sufficient capacity to handle the current drawn by the motor 143a and is controlled by the board 147a which is not able to handle this current.

[0167] Also within the housing is a power supply 149 from which a suitable lead exits the housing 133 to be plugged into, to receive power from, a mains supply. The power supply 149 supplies DC voltage to the board 147b which in turn powers the board 147a. A cooling fan 151 is mounted to a wall of the housing 133.

[0168] There are many simple and convenient methods by which the user interface and control arrangement 147 may be programmed and configured. Arduino code, C+ code or a mobile phone app would all be suitable for programming the PLC. Details of these and other options are now readily accessible online.

[0169] FIGS. 7 to 9 illustrate a preferred configuration of the user interface 145. FIG. 7 illustrates the main menu screen including icons 153, 155, 157, 159 respectively relating to forward rotation, reverse rotation, speed and a number of cycles. Each of these icons is a button touchable to open a menu screen by which the corresponding parameter is adjustable.

[0170] FIG. 8 illustrates one example of a menu screen in which the speed of rotation is adjustable by pressing an increment icon 165 to increment the speed by 10% of a nominal speed. The speed is adjustable between 40% and 110% of the nominal speed. Once the speed has been incremented to the maximum, 110% setting, a further touch of the increment button 165 returns the speed to the lowest, 40%, setting. Menu button 167 is pressable to return to the menu of FIG. 7.

[0171] FIG. 9 illustrates another example of a menu screen, which example is accessible by touching the cycles icon 159. This screen incorporates an increment button 169 touchable to increment the number of cycles to be completed by an amount which is 100 cycles in this case. The menu further includes a decrement button 171 pressable to decrement the speed by a different amount which is 50 cycles in this case. Pressing menu button 173 returns the user to the screen of FIG. 7.

[0172] Pressing icons 153, 155 likewise leads the user to menu screens by which the number of rotations can be varied. In this example the number of rotations is variable between zero and 300% of a rotation, i.e. between zero and three rotations.

[0173] Associated with each of the icons 153, 155, 157 are display fields 153a, 155a, 157a which convey to the user the selected setting for that parameter. Display fields 159a likewise displays the number of cycles selected prior to operation, but once operation commences that field is dynamically updated to display the remaining number of cycles. At the same time display field 159b is dynamically updated to show the number of cycles completed.

[0174] The menu of FIG. 7 further includes a button 163 touchable to activate and deactivate the apparatus 101.

[0175] The button 161 is pressable to return the user to another menu from which a user can select the menu of FIG. 7 or another menu by which the rotation of the roller 103 can be more directly controlled.