SPRING ELEMENT FOR UPPER NIPPER OF A COMBING MACHINE

Abstract

A spring element for an upper nipper of a combing machine has a first element with a through opening arranged transversely to a longitudinal axis. A second element has an internal thread for fastening a shaft adapter, and a guide opening with an opening width as well as a passage opening arranged in the longitudinal axis on a side of the guide opening facing away from the internal thread. A compression spring is arranged between the first and second elements. A connecting element is held in the bore of the first element and projects through the passage opening of the second element into the guide opening, the connecting element having a larger diameter than the passage opening on a side thereof opposite the first element. The first element has a tubular lug overlapping the compression spring, and the second element has a sleeve overlapping the compression spring and the lug.

Claims

1-14: (canceled)

15. A spring element for an upper nipper of a combing machine, comprising: a longitudinal axis; a first element comprising a through opening arranged transversely to the longitudinal axis for fastening to an axle, the first element further comprising a bore running in the longitudinal axis; a second element comprising an internal thread arranged in the longitudinal axis for fastening a shaft adapter, the second element further comprising a guide opening arranged in the longitudinal axis with an opening width and a passage opening arranged in the longitudinal axis on a side of the guide opening facing away from the internal thread; a compression spring arranged in the longitudinal axis between the first element and the second element; a connecting element held stationary in the longitudinal axis in the bore of the first element and projecting through the passage opening of the second element into the guide opening of the second element, the connecting element having a larger diameter than the passage opening on a side of the second element opposite the first element; the first element comprising a tubular lug arranged in the longitudinal direction and partially overlapping the compression spring; and the second element comprising a sleeve overlapping the compression spring and the lug of the first element.

16. The spring element according to claim 15, further comprising a seal between the sleeve and the lug.

17. The spring element according to claim 16, wherein the seal is held in a groove defined in the sleeve or the lug.

18. The spring element according to claim 16, wherein the seal is glued to the sleeve or to the lug.

19. The spring element according to claim 16, wherein the seal is made of felt or rubber.

20. The spring element according to claim 15, wherein the opening width of the guide opening is at least 1.4 times a diameter of the passage opening.

21. The spring element according to claim 15, wherein the bore in the first element has an internal thread, and the connecting element is screwed into the internal thread for a threaded connection therewith, and wherein one of a pin, lock nut, or adhesive secures the threaded connection.

22. The spring element according to claim 15, further comprising a guide sleeve inserted in the guide opening to guide the connecting element.

23. The spring element according to claim 15, wherein the connecting element comprises a connecting pin and a guide bush on the connecting pin at an end of the connecting pin facing the second element, the connecting pin having an outer threading at an end facing the first element for connection to the first element.

24. The spring element according to claim 23, wherein the connecting pin and the guide bush are formed in one piece.

25. The spring element according to claim 23, wherein the connecting element is guided by the connecting pin in the guide opening of the first element and by the guide bush in the guide sleeve of the second element.

26. The spring element according to claim 23, wherein a height of the compression spring is matched to a length of the connecting element such that a pre-tensioning of the compression spring is achieved by the fastening of the connecting pin in the first element and in the second element.

27. The spring element according to claim 23, wherein the opening width of the guide opening is greater in a region of the guide bush than in a region of the passage opening of the second element.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] The invention is described below on the basis of an exemplary embodiment and explained in more detail with the drawings, in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a first embodiment in a longitudinal section;

[0022] FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a second embodiment in a longitudinal section and

[0023] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a third embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] 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.

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a spring element 1 in a longitudinal section in a first embodiment. The spring element 1 has a longitudinal axis 2 and has a first element 3 and a second element 8 with a compression spring 15 held between the two elements 3 and 8. The two elements 3 and 8 are connected to one another in the longitudinal axis 2 by a connecting element 17. The connecting element 17 consists of a connecting pin 18 and a guide bush 19, the connecting pin 18 and the guide bush 19 being designed as a one-piece connecting element 17. The first element 3 has a through opening 4 which is arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis 2 and serves to accommodate an axle. A lubricating nipple 7 is provided that is directed toward this through opening 4. The connection of the first element 3 to the axle can thus be lubricated. In the longitudinal axis 2, a bore 5 is provided in the first element 3 which has an internal thread in the embodiment shown. Correspondingly, the connecting pin 18 is provided with an external thread which is screwed into the internal thread of the first element 3. A tubular lug 6 is also formed on the first element 3 and partially overlaps the compression spring 15.

[0026] The second element 8 is provided with an internal thread 9 on a side facing away from the first element 3 in the longitudinal axis 2. This serves for screwing in a shaft adapter (not shown). Starting from the internal thread 9 in the direction of the first element 3, a guide opening 10 having an opening width 11 and a passage opening 12 having a diameter 13 follow in the longitudinal axis 2. The opening width 11 is greater than the diameter 13 of the passage opening 12. A guide sleeve 21 is installed in the guide opening 10.

[0027] The connecting element 17 engages in the longitudinal axis 2 of the guide sleeve 21 via the passage opening 12 of the second element 8 into the internal thread of the first element 3. Due to the fact that in the region of the guide bush 19 the diameter 20 of the connecting element 17 is greater than the diameter 13 of the passage opening 12, when the connecting element 17 is inserted the second element 8 is pulled against the spring force of the compression spring 15 toward the first element 3 and accordingly the compression spring 15 is pretensioned to a height 16. The connecting element 17 is held stationary in the bore 5 of the first element 3 by the screw connection, whereas the second element 8 can slide back and forth on the connecting element 17 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 2 when the compression spring 15 is compressed or relaxed. The connecting element 17 is linearly guided on the connecting pin 18 in the region of the passage opening 12 and on the guide bushing 19 in the region of the guide sleeve 21.

[0028] The second element 8 also has a sleeve 14 formed in the direction of the first element 3. The sleeve 14 is integrally formed onto the second element 8 and on the one hand encompasses the compression spring 15 and at least partially the lug 6 of the first element 3. Only a small annular gap remains between the lug 6 and the sleeve 14, so that the compression spring 15 and the connecting element 17 are protected from soiling. An arrangement of lug 6 and sleeve 14 is chosen so that even if the height 16 changes when the compression spring 15 moves, there is a sufficiently long overlap of the sleeve 14 over the lug 6 to protect the components.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a schematic view of a spring element 1 in a longitudinal section in a second embodiment. The spring element 1 has a longitudinal axis 2 and has a first element 3 and a second element 8 with a compression spring 15 held between the two elements 3 and 8. The two elements 3 and 8 are connected to one another in the longitudinal axis 2 via an axle pin 22. The axle pin 22 has a first threaded section 23 on an end facing the first element 3 with which section the axle pin 22 is inserted into a bore 5 having an internal thread. The screw connection between the axle pin 22 and the first element 3 is secured with a lock nut 24. Furthermore, the axle pin 22 has a second threaded section 25 on an end facing the second element 8 with which section the axle pin 22 is connected to a guide element 26. The function of the guide element 26 in conjunction with the axle pin 22 is equivalent to that of the connecting element 17 according to FIG. 1.

[0030] The first element 3 has a through opening 4 which is arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis 2 and serves to accommodate an axle. In the first element 3, there is a tubular lug 6 which partially overlaps the compression spring 15.

[0031] The second element 8 is provided with an internal thread 9 on a side facing away from the first element 3 in the longitudinal axis 2. This serves for screwing in a shaft adapter (not shown). Starting from the internal thread 9, a guide opening 10 with an opening width 11 and a passage opening 12 having a diameter 13 follow in the longitudinal axis 3 in the direction of the first element 2. The opening width 11 is greater than the diameter 13 of the passage opening 12. The axle pin 22 reaches through the passage opening 12, and the guide element 26 is arranged in the guide opening 10. An outer diameter 27 of the guide element 26 is smaller than the diameter 11 of the guide opening 10 so that a guide sleeve 21 is accommodated between the guide element 26 and the second element 8 in the guide opening 10.

[0032] The axle pin 22 engages in the longitudinal axis 2 of the guide element 26 via the passage opening 12 of the second element 8 into the internal thread of the first element 3. Due to the fact that in the region of the guide opening 10 the diameter of the guide element 26 is greater than the diameter 13 of the passage opening 12, the second element 8 is pulled against the spring force of the compression spring 15 toward the first element 3 when the axle pin 22 is screwed together with the guide element 26, and accordingly the compression spring 15 is pretensioned to a height 16. The axle pin 22 is held stationary in the bore 5 of the first element 3 by the screw connection, whereas the second element 8 can slide back and forth on the guide element 26 in the direction of the longitudinal axis 2 when the compression spring 15 is compressed or relaxed. The second element 8 is linearly guided on the axle pin 22 in the region of the passage opening 12 and on the guide bushing 19 in the region of the guide element 26.

[0033] The second element 8 also has a sleeve 14 formed in the direction of the first element 3. The sleeve 14 is integrally formed onto the second element 8 and on the one hand encompasses the compression spring 15 and at least partially the lug 6 of the first element 3. Only a small annular gap remains between the lug 6 and the sleeve 14, so that the compression spring 15 and the axle pin 22 are protected from soiling. An arrangement of lug 6 and sleeve 14 is chosen so that even if the height 16 changes when the compression spring 15 moves, there is a sufficiently long overlap of the sleeve 14 over the lug 6 to protect the components.

[0034] FIG. 3 shows a schematic representation of a spring element 1 in a third embodiment. The spring element 1 has a longitudinal axis 2 and has a first element 3 and a second element 8 with a compression spring 15 held between the two elements 3 and 8. Reference is made to FIGS. 1 and 3 for the connection of the two elements 3 and 8. The first element 3 has a lug 6 which is formed in the direction of the second element 8 and which partially encloses the spring 15. The second element 8 also has a sleeve 14 formed in the direction of the first element 3. The sleeve 14 is integrally formed onto the second element 8 and on the one hand encompasses the compression spring 15 and at least partially the lug 6 of the first element 3. Only a small annular gap remains between the lug 6 and the sleeve 14. A seal 29 is provided in this annular gap 30. In an exemplary representation, the seal is held in a groove 28, the groove 28 being formed in the lug 6 of the first element 3 oriented toward the annular gap 30. The seal 29 is held in position by the groove 28, so that an interior space containing the spring 15 is protected from dust and dirt even when the lug 6 and the sleeve 14 move relative to one another.

[0035] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described. Modifications within the scope of the claims are possible, as is a combination of the features, even if these are shown and described in different embodiments.

Legend

[0036] 1 Spring element [0037] 2 Longitudinal axis [0038] 3 First element [0039] 4 Through opening [0040] 5 Bore [0041] 6 Lug [0042] 7 Lubricating nipple [0043] 8 Second element [0044] 9 Internal thread [0045] 10 Guide opening [0046] 11 Opening width [0047] 12 Passage opening [0048] 13 Passage opening diameter [0049] 14 Sleeve [0050] 15 Compression spring [0051] 16 Height of the compression spring [0052] 17 Connecting element [0053] 18 Connecting pin [0054] 19 Guide bush [0055] 20 Connecting element diameter [0056] 21 Guide sleeve [0057] 22 Axle pin [0058] 23 First threaded section [0059] 24 Locking nut [0060] 25 Second threaded section [0061] 26 Guide element [0062] 27 Guide element diameter [0063] 28 Groove [0064] 29 Seal