Combing device for combing a fiber material

Abstract

A combing machine includes a machine frame, drive unit, gearing mechanism, operating device, and nipper unit pivotably mounted in the machine frame and having a lower nipper plate with a nipper lip and an upper nipper plate. The combing machine also includes a pair of detaching rollers forming a clamping line, wherein a drive arm of the nipper unit is connected to an intermittently-driven nipper shaft in a rotationally-fixed manner. The nipper shaft is driven by means of a coupling element, which is connected to a driven gearing element. An adjusting device connected to the nipper shaft is provided for adjusting a distance between the nipper lip and the clamping line. The gearing mechanism also includes a fixation in a basic position with a mechanical blocking, and a sensor for measuring the distance or a variable proportional to the distance, and a display of the distance on the operating device.

Claims

1. A combing machine, comprising: a machine frame; a plurality of combing heads arranged in the machine frame; a drive unit, the combing heads connected to the drive unit; a gearing mechanism arranged in the drive unit; an operating device to use in inputting and displaying values; a pair of detaching rollers forming a clamping line therebetween at each of the combing heads; a nipper unit pivotably mounted in the machine frame at each of the combing heads, the nipper unit comprising: a lower nipper plate with a nipper lip and an upper nipper plate, wherein an adjustable distance (d) is defined between the nipper lip of the lower nipper plate and the clamping line; a drive arm connected to an intermittently-driven nipper shaft in a rotationally-fixed manner; the nipper shaft driven by a nipper auxiliary shaft connected to a coupling element that is connected to a driven gearing element; a mechanical blocking configured to fix the gearing mechanism in a basic position during adjustment of the distance (d); an eccentric rotationally fixed on the nipper shaft; a sensor disposed to measure a gap between the sensor and the eccentric; and the operating device configured to correlate measurement of the gap to the distance (d) and to display the distance (d).

2. The combing machine according to claim 1, wherein the basic position corresponds to a position of the gearing mechanism in which the distance (d) is smallest.

3. The combing machine according to claim 1, wherein the coupling element is configured as a cam disk attached in a rotationally-fixed manner to the nipper auxiliary shaft; a cam roller resting against the cam disk; and a cam roller lever held in a rotationally-fixed manner on the nipper shaft and in which the cam roller is rotatably mounted, wherein the mechanical blocking is disposed to engage and block the cam disk.

4. The combing machine according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical blocking comprises a latching lever.

5. The combing machine according to claim 1, wherein a size of the display of the distance (d) on the operating device is adjustable.

6. The combing machine according to claim 1, wherein the operating device comprises an additional display at a region of an adjusting device, wherein the adjusting device is connected to the nipper shaft and is configured to change the distance (d) between the nipper lip of the lower nipper plate and the clamping line.

7. The combing machine according to claim 6, wherein one or both of the operating device and the additional display are rotatable or displaceable relative to the combing machine.

8. A method for adjusting the combing machine of claim 1, comprising: transferring the gearing mechanism of the combing machine into the basic position; fixing the gearing mechanism in the basic position with the mechanical blocking; switching the operating device to display the distance (d) between the nipper lip of the lower nipper plate and the clamping line defined by the pair of detaching rollers at each of the plurality of combing heads of the combing machine; releasing a connection between the coupling element and the nipper shaft, the nipper shaft driven by the nipper auxiliary shaft connected to the coupling element and the coupling element connected to the driven gearing element; adjusting the distance (d) with an adjusting device; securing the connection between the coupling element and the nipper shaft; and releasing the mechanical blocking of the gearing mechanism; and wherein the adjusting device is behind a protective door or cover and a display of the operating device automatically switches to a measurement value display of the distance (d) when the protective door or cover is opened and the connection between the coupling element and the nipper shaft is released.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein when the protective door or cover is closed, the display of the operating device automatically switches back to a state before the adjustment.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention is shown and explained in more detail with reference to an exemplary embodiment below. In the drawings:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a combing machine according to the prior art;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a nipper unit with drive shaft;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a partial view of the nipper shaft in the region outside the machine frame;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a portion of the gearing mechanism;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of the mechanical blocking of the gearing mechanism; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional view at the point X-X 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) FIG. 1 shows a schematic view of a combing machine according to the prior art. The combing machine comprises a machine frame 1 as well as a drive unit 2 and a conveyor belt 3. The machine frame 1 is arranged between the drive unit 2 and the conveyor belt 3 and, according to the example shown, carries eight combing heads 4. The combing heads 4 are connected to the drive unit 2 via drive shafts 5. The individual components of the combing heads 4 are driven by a gearing mechanism 6 arranged in the drive unit 2. By means of the combing heads 4, a batting unwound from a batting roll 7 is combed and fed to a conveyor table 9. The combed fibers of the individual combing heads are combined via the conveyor table 9 and fed as a fiber strip 8 to a stretching unit 19. After the stretching unit, the fiber strip 8 is filled by means of calender rollers 11 and a turntable 12 in a loop-like manner into a canister 13. An operating device 14 with a display 15 is fastened to the drive unit 2 by way of example.

(10) FIG. 2 shows a nipper unit 16 with a lower nipper plate 17 and an upper nipper plate 19 mounted pivotably on the lower nipper plate 17. The lower nipper plate 17 has a nipper lip 28. In the nipper unit 16, a feed cylinder 20 is rotatably mounted, which carries out a discontinuous movement during a combing cycle in order to introduce the batting web 27 unrolled from a roll (not shown) to a circular comb 21 for combing, which circular comb is rotatably arranged below the nipper unit 16. During this combing process, the nipper unit 16 is in a rear position (not shown), wherein the nipper unit 16 is closed. The end 18 (fiber tuft) projecting out of the nipper unit 16 is then combed by the circular comb segment 23. Afterwards, the nipper unit 16 is transferred into the front position shown in FIG. 2, in which it is open. In this position, a top comb 26 penetrates into the batting end projecting beyond the nipper unit 16. During the forward movement of the nipper unit 16, the batting end reaches a clamping line 25 of a subsequent pair of detaching rollers 24 and is soldered there to a nonwoven 29.

(11) In order to carry out the reciprocating pivoting movement of the nipper unit 16, the latter is supported in its front region on both sides on pivot arms 30, which are rotatably mounted on the lower nipper plate 17 and on a stationary circular comb axis 22. In the rear region of the nipper unit 16, the latter is supported via drive arms 32 which are arranged in parallel to one another and are mounted rotatably on the axis 31 of the nipper unit 16. On their opposite end, the drive arms 32 are connected in a rotationally-fixed manner to a stationarily-mounted nipper shaft 33. This rotationally-fixed connection takes place via the clamping force of the schematically indicated screws 35, which clamp the schematically indicated half-shells 34 of the working arm 32 against the nipper shaft 33. The nipper movement is driven via a discontinuous movement of the nipper shaft 32, which is described in more detail below.

(12) The nipper unit 16 in the position shown in FIG. 2 is in a foremost position (front dead center), from which the backward movement of the nipper unit 16 subsequently takes place. In this front position, the nipper lip 28 of the lower nipper plate 17 has a distance d from the clamping line 25 of the pair of detaching rollers 24, which is generally referred to as an ecartement. In order to determine the proportion of the short fiber content (noils) to be combed, this distance d must be adjusted accordingly. This adjustment takes place by changing the position of the rotational angle, which is generated by the nipper shaft 33 during a combing cycle. This means that, depending upon the desired increase or reduction of the ecartement d, the rotational angle generated by the nipper shaft 33 must be displaced in the circumferential direction of the nipper shaft 33 in one or the other direction. This takes place with an adjusting device 44 (not shown here).

(13) FIG. 3 shows a partial view of the nipper shaft 33 in a region outside the gearing mechanism 6 or the drive unit 2. An eccentric 37 is attached to the nipper shaft 33 with its nipper shaft axis 34. A distance sensor 38 is directed towards the eccentric 37 and measures the distance between itself and an outer surface of the eccentric 37. Furthermore, by way of example, an additional display 54 is shown, which is fastened to the drive unit 2. The additional display 54 is rotatably held on the drive unit 2 and shows the current value of the ecartement d. If the nipper shaft 33 is now rotated about the nipper shaft axis 23 in its radial position by the adjusting device, the distance of the outer surface of the eccentric 37 from the distance sensor 38 changes. This measured distance is proportional to the ecartement d. By means of a prior calibration of this proportionality, the ecartement d is displayed directly on the additional display 54 during the adjustment process.

(14) During normal operation of the combing machine, the nipper shaft 33 performs a reciprocating movement (arrow 56). This reciprocating movement takes place in a specific range of the ecartement d known to the control unit. By the measurement of the distance sensor 38, the control unit can monitor whether the movement 54 of the nipper shaft 33 moves in this predetermined range or deviates therefrom. In the case of a deviation, there is a risk of collision, and the combing machine can be switched off by the control unit or a warning can be output to the operator.

(15) FIG. 4 shows a schematic view of a portion of the gearing mechanism 6, which contains the drive of the nipper unit. By means of a driven gearing element 42, shown by way of example as a toothed wheel, a nipper auxiliary shaft 39 is put via a drive wheel 41 into a continuous rotational movement 55 about the nipper auxiliary shaft axis 40. With the aid of a coupling element 46, consisting of a cam disk 47 which is attached in a rotationally-fixed manner to the nipper auxiliary shaft 39, a cam roller 48 resting against the cam disk 47, and a cam roller lever 49 which is held in a rotationally-fixed manner on the nipper shaft 33 and in which the cam roller 48 is rotatably mounted, a discontinuous drive of the nipper shaft 33 is created from the continuous rotational movement 54 of the nipper auxiliary shaft 39. This results in a reciprocating movement 56 of the nipper shaft 33 about its nipper shaft axis 34. The various components are held appropriately in a rotationally-fixed or rotatable manner in the drive unit 2.

(16) In the region of the cam disk, a blocking 43 for the gearing mechanism is provided by way of example. With the blocking, the cam disk 47 and thus also the nipper auxiliary shaft 39, as well as the drive wheel 41 and the gearing element 42, as well as further gear parts connected to the gearing element 42, are blocked in a predetermined position. An adjusting device 44 is shown schematically in simplified form on the nipper shaft axis 34. The adjusting device 44 is connected to the coupling element 46 and extends up to an outer side of the drive unit 2. The adjusting device 44 is used to adjust the ecartement when the nipper auxiliary shaft 39 is blocked. In this case, the radial position of the nipper shaft 33 relative to the coupling element 46 is changed.

(17) Attached on the outer side of the drive unit 2 is a protective device 45 which protects the blocking 43 and the adjusting device 44 from external influences and also undesired access. The protective device 45 may correspond to the gearing mechanism cover or be designed as a separate, detachable or pivotably-attached cover.

(18) FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of the mechanical blocking 43 of the gearing mechanism, and FIG. 6 shows a schematic sectional illustration at the point X-X according to FIG. 5. The blocking 43 acts on the cam disk 47 of the coupling element 46 of the nipper auxiliary shaft 39. In the embodiment shown by way of example, the blocking 43 consists of a latching lever 50 which is attached to a flange 52, wherein the flange 52 is held on the drive unit 2. The latching lever 50 in turn comprises a pin which engages through a bore in the flange 52 into a depression in the cam disk 47 of the coupling element 46 when a blocking position is reached. The blocking position of the latching lever 50 is shown by dashed lines in FIG. 6. In the latching lever 50, a transverse pin 51 is additionally arranged, which projects at right angles from the latching lever 50. The bore in the flange 52 is designed as a slit 53. In order to transfer the latching lever 50 into the blocking position, the latching lever 50 is rotated by 90 degrees about its axis until the orientation of the transverse pin 51 coincides with the slit 53. Subsequently, the latching lever 50 can be pushed in the direction of the nipper auxiliary shaft axis 40 through the slit 53 until it engages into a recess provided accordingly in the cam disk 47. Above, a position of the cam disk 47, and thus of the nipper auxiliary shaft 39, has been brought into an operating position intended for the adjustment of the ecartement.

(19) The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described. Modifications and a combination of the features within the scope of the claims are likewise possible, even if they are shown and described in different exemplary embodiments.

LEGEND

(20) 1 Machine frame 2 Drive unit 3 Conveyor belt 4 Combing head 5 Drive shaft 6 Gearing mechanism 7 Batting roll 8 Fiber strip 9 Conveyor table 10 Stretching unit 11 Calender rollers 12 Turntable 13 Canister 14 Operating device 15 Display 16 Nipper unit 17 Lower nipper plate 18 Nipper lip 19 Upper nipper plate 20 Feed cylinder 21 Circular comb 22 Circular comb axis 23 Circular comb segment 24 Pair of detaching rollers 25 Clamping line 26 Top comb 27 Batting 28 Fiber tuft 29 Nonwoven 30 Front pivot arm 31 Nipper axis 32 Drive arm 33 Nipper shaft 34 Nipper shaft axis 35 Half-shell 36 Screw 37 Eccentric 38 Distance sensor 39 Nipper auxiliary shaft 40 Nipper auxiliary shaft axis 41 Drive wheel of nipper auxiliary shaft 42 Gearing element 43 Blocking 44 Adjusting device 45 Protection device 46 Coupling element 47 Cam disk 48 Cam roller 49 Cam roller lever 50 Latching lever 51 Transverse pin 52 Flange 53 Slit 54 Additional display 55 Movement of the nipper auxiliary shaft 56 Movement of the nipper shaft d Ecartement