DESC:TECHNICAL FIELD:

The present disclosure, in general, relates to the field of textile engineering. Particularly, but not exclusively, the present disclosure relates to a cleaning lip assembly for a textile spinning machine. Further, embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a flexible member for the cleaning lip assembly to scrape and/or extract debris from a drafting roller of the textile spinning machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE:

Generally, textile spinning machines are developed to process natural or synthetic fibers. For processing the natural or synthetic fibers, the textile spinning preparatory machines [generally termed as “textile spinning machines”] are used. Such machines may include but not limiting to such as a draw frame, a card, a comber or lap former which includes a drafting unit. The drafting unit consists of plurality of upper drafting rollers and their corresponding lower drafting rollers, where the fiber sliver is fed between the upper and the lower drafting rollers so that a drafting action takes place. The main objective of the drafting rollers in the textile spinning machine is to attenuate the fiber sliver passed between the upper and the lower drafting rollers, by stretching the fiber sliver resulting in improvements in the properties such as, substantially straight and parallel fibers that reduce linear density of fiber federation.

Further, during the operation of the textile spinning machine some unwanted waste or dirty material gets accumulated and deposits on drafting rollers of the drafting unit. Such waste and dirty material deposits directly impact the quality of the sliver and further negatively affects the successive process and end product quality of the textile spinning machine. In order to overcome the negative effects caused by the waste and dirty material deposits, a cleaning lip or scrapper is provisioned for each of the upper and the lower drafting rollers which is configured to scrape off the unwanted materials that get deposited on the surface of the drafting rollers. The cleaning lips or the scrappers in the textile spinning machine are mainly used to extract the accumulated dust or waste or dirty material or any other foreign particles which gets deposited periodically or continuously on the surface of the drafting rollers.

The cleaning lips or scrappers which are used conventionally are made up of a rubber material and upon running the textile spinning machine, the cleaning lip undergoes bending stress due to heavy material contamination which is caused by unwanted material deposition on the of drafting rollers. Further, the cleaning lips or scrappers also experience thermal loading due to friction generated when the scrapping surface of the cleaning lip and an outer surface of the drafting rollers are in contact with each other. Thus, mechanical stresses acting on the cleaning lip causes severe deformation and efficiency of the cleaning lip reduces, resulting in the drafting roller becoming prone to sticking of fibers and causing lapping of fibers around the drafting roller. Also, the thermal loads acting on the cleaning lip makes the scraping edge of the cleaning lip to displace away from constant and continuous contact line with respect to the outer surface of the drafting roller after a relatively short period of usage. Thus leading to a requirement of frequent change or replacement of the cleaning lip.

One such conventional cleaning lips is disclosed in DE10207255. The cleaning lip disclosed in DE10207255 has an elastic brake section to apply a braking action on the clinging fibers at a surface of the rotating rollers and an air stream carries the clinging fibers between the brake surface and the roller. Further, the cleaning lip has an aerodynamic structure in the air stream, where the cleaning lip and the cleaning lip carrier are made of elastic plastic material. However, the cleaning lip in DE10207155 is prone to damage in forms of tearing, fissure formation and oozing out due to aforesaid mechanical and thermal stress conditions. Furthermore, contact between drafting rollers and the clearers, generate static electricity on the cleaning lips, which may lead to accumulation of fiber and dust materials and result in deterioration of cleaning efficiency of such cleaning lips. Additionally, quality of the fiber web yielded from the textile spinning machine is also affected when the accumulated materials throw off bits of lint that may fly into and stick on the drafting material, producing slubs or other undesired irregularities in the final yarn.

Thus, as the efficiency of cleaning of the drafting roller is deteriorated in short time, the cleaning lips or scrappers require frequent replacement and hence the current life span of the cleaning lip is relatively very less.

Thus, the present disclosure is directed to overcome one or more limitations stated above or any other limitation associated with the conventional arts.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE:

One or more shortcomings of the conventional cleaning lips started above are overcome by a cleaning lip assembly as claimed, and additional advantages are provided through the provision of the cleaning lip assembly as claimed in the present disclosure. Additional features and advantages are realized through the aspects and techniques of the present disclosure. Other embodiments and aspects of the disclosure are described in detail herein and are considered a part of the claimed disclosure.

In on non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, a cleaning lip for scrapping debris from a drafting roller of a textile spinning machine is disclosed. The cleaning lip consists of a flexible member, where the flexible member is made of a polymeric material and be engageable with a surface of the drafting roller. The polymeric material for the flexible member includes a composition of nitrile butadiene rubber of about 60 wt% to 80 wt%, polyvinyl chloride of about 20 wt% to about 40 wt% and a balance being carbon and other incidental elements.

In an embodiment, the flexible member includes a body defined by a scrapping edge, to engage a circumferential outer surface of the drafting roller, for scraping debris.

In another non-limiting embodiment of the present disclosure, a cleaning lip assembly for a textile spinning machine is disclosed. The cleaning lip assembly consists of a support member, that is connectable to a frame of the textile spinning machine and a cleaning lip. The cleaning lip consists of a flexible member which is fixed to the support member and engageable with a surface of the drafting roller. Further, the flexible member is made of a polymeric material having a composition of nitrile butadiene rubber of about 60 wt% to 80 wt%, polyvinyl chloride of about 20 wt% to about 40 wt% and a balance being carbon and other incidental elements.

In an embodiment, the cleaning lip comprises a scrapping edge, configured to engage a circumferential surface of the drafting roller, for scraping debris from such circumferential surface of the drafting roller.

In an embodiment, the support member is defined with a provision to receive and support at least a portion of the cleaning lip.

In an embodiment, the support member is configured to engage the scrapping edge of the cleaning lip with the surface of the drafting roller at a predetermined angle of engagement.

In an embodiment, the cleaning lip is fixed to the support member by at least one of adhesive bonding, fastening, snap locking, clamping and molding.

In an embodiment, the support member comprises of extensions for connecting the cleaning lip assembly with the textile spinning machine.

In an embodiment, term “flexible” as referred in “the flexible member” may be considered as a property of a member, by virtue of its composition of materials, direction of fiber arrangement in such composition, structural dimension, weight distribution over a specific dimension, and any other parameter in which the member may be imparted with flexibility. Additionally, flexibility may also impart “elasticity” to the flexible member, without hindering structural stability and other structural factors including, but not limited to, thermal resistivity, wear resistance, chemical resistance on engagement with fiber materials, and other structural properties of the member required to withstand working environment of the textile spinning machine.

In an embodiment, term “debris” may be referred to felt, broken chunk of fiber, dirt in the fiber and any other foreign particles that may be conveyed to a drafting unit of the textile spinning machine, along with the fiber for drafting. The debris may be accumulated on an outer surface of at least one drafting roller in the draft unit of the textile spinning machine and may be required to be either immediately removed or periodically removed, in order to monitor and/or maintain operation of the drafting rollers. Additionally, particulate dimension of the debris may also be accounted if such debris may be deposited or accumulated on the outer surface of the drafting rollers, during a drafting action of the fibers.

It is to be understood that the aspects and embodiments of the disclosure described above may be used in any combination with each other. Several of the aspects and embodiments may be combined to form a further embodiment of the disclosure.

The foregoing summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS:

The novel features and characteristics of the disclosure are set forth in the description. The disclosure itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of a textile spinning machine including a cleaning lip assembly engaged with drafting rollers, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

Figure 2 illustrates a schematic view of the cleaning lip assembly of Figure 1.

The figures depict embodiments of the disclosure for purposes of illustration only and alternative embodiments of the same can be readily recognized from the following description without departing from the principles of the disclosure described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE:

While the embodiments in the disclosure are subjected to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof has been shown by way of example in the figures and will be described below. It should be understood, however that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative falling within the scope of the disclosure.

The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof used in the disclosure, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a device, assembly, system, method that consists of a list of components does not include only those components but may include other components not expressly listed or inherent to such system, or assembly, or device. In other words, one or more elements in a system proceeded by “comprises… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

Embodiments of the present disclosure discloses, a cleaning lip and a cleaning lip assembly for scrapping debris from a drafting roller of a textile spinning machine. The cleaning lip assembly consists of a support member which is configured to be connectable to a frame of the textile spinning machine such that the cleaning lip assembly is rigidly held in place for scrapping the surface of the drafting rollers. Further, the cleaning lip assembly also includes a cleaning lip which consists of a flexible member adapted to be fixed to the support member. The flexible member is configured to engage with the surface of the drafting rollers to scrape the debris off the drafting roller. Here, the flexible member is manufactured using a polymeric material having a composition which consists of nitrile butadiene rubber, polyvinyl chloride and carbon. More specifically, the polymeric material has a composition where nitrile butadiene rubber makes up about 60wt% to 80 wt%, polyvinyl chloride makes up about 20 wt% to about 40wt% and the balance is taken up by carbon and other incidental elements. Thus, due to the specific material composition, effects of mechanical stresses and thermal stresses on the flexible member are reduced, thereby enhancing durability of the cleaning lip in the textile spinning machine.

Reference will now be made to the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same numerals has been used to refer to the same or like parts.

Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of a drafting unit (200) of a textile spinning machine for processing fibers. The drafting unit (200) consists of plurality of drafting rollers (14). The drafting rollers (14) are configured as a plurality of top rollers and a plurality of bottom roller and is configured to assemble or orient required number of fibers prior to a twisting operation in the textile spinning machine. The assembling or orientation of the fibers is done by means of drafting of the fiber strand by the drafting rollers. In an embodiment, the drafting rollers (14) may be arrayed on either sides of a conveyor system [not explicitly illustrated in figures], that may be associated with the textile spinning machine for supplying the fiber required to be draft through the plurality of drafting rollers (14). The plurality of drafting rollers (14) may be arranged either along a side of the conveyor system or above the conveyor system or a combination thereof. Further, each of the plurality of drafting rollers (14) may be positioned as conjugate pairs, in order to be arranged as top drafting roller and bottom drafting roller, or lateral drafting rollers or oblique drafting rollers, and the like, which may be dependent on factor including, but may not be limited to, orientation of the conveyor system, manner in which the fibers may be required to be drafted, quantity of fibers being drafted, and the like. Also, the drafting unit (200) may be arranged into sections consisting of upstream pair of drafting rollers, central pair of drafting rollers and downstream pair of drafting rollers, for suitably drafting the fibers being conveyed through the conveyer system. Each section of drafting rollers (14) is provisioned such that, outer surface speeds of each pair of rollers in a given section of the drafting unit (200) may progressively increase relative to the previous section in the drafting unit (200), in direction of conveyance of the fiber [denoted by referral numeral 16]. Further, as the drafting rollers (14) run at higher speeds from the back to the front drafting rollers i.e. in the fiber direction (16), the process the fiber is redistributed over a longer length of the fiber strand and the fiber strand becomes thinner, i.e. with fewer fibers in the cross-section of the final fiber strand. The draft between any pair of drafting rollers is defined as the ratio of the surface speed of succeeding rollers to that of the preceding rollers. The fiber conveyed by the conveyor is supplied into the drafting unit (200) of the textile spinning machine and is fed in the fiber travelling direction (16) through the sections of the drafting unit (200) between the top drafting rollers and the bottom drafting rollers and come out as drafted silver or fibers (18). Furthermore, each of the drafting rollers (14) of the plurality of drafting rollers (14) are individually provided with one or more cleaning lip assemblies (100) to scrape the debris that gets accumulated over time due to the quality and composition of the fibers during the operation of the textile spinning machine.

Figure 2 illustrates a schematic front view of the cleaning lip assembly (100), which may be configured to scrape and/or extract debris deposited on the surface of the drafting rollers (14). In an embodiment, the cleaning lip assembly (100) includes components such as, a cleaning lip (10) and a support member (12).

In an embodiment, the cleaning lip (10) includes a flexible member which is configured to engage with the surface of the drafting roller (14). The flexible member of the cleaning lip may extend from the support member and may be positioned to directly engage a circumferential surface of the drafting rollers forming a line contact or a point contact with such engaged surface of the drafting rollers (14). Further, the flexible member of the cleaning lip (10) may be made from material that may impart flexibility, where such material may be including, but not limited to, a polymeric material, while other material that may impart flexibility are also considerable materials. In an embodiment, the polymeric material of the flexible member has a composition including but not limited to nitrile butadiene rubber, poly vinyl chloride, carbon and other incidental elements. The composition of the polymeric material is configured to overcome the bending stresses which is caused due to the heavy material contamination over the surface of the drafting rollers (14) and the thermal loads which are caused due to the friction between the cleaning lip assembly (100) and the drafting rollers (14), thereby, the cleaning lip assembly (100) mitigates cleaning lip (10) damage in the form of tearing, fissure formation and oozing out. In the illustrative embodiment, the polymeric material of the flexible member may be made up of 60wt% to 80 wt% of nitrile butadiene rubber, 20 wt% to about 40wt% of polyvinyl chloride and the balance may be made up of carbon and other incidental elements. Further, the composition by wt% of the polymeric material of the cleaning lip (10) can be varied in order to vary properties including, but not limited to, flexibility, thermal resistivity, and the like, that may vary with the working condition of the flexible member. Also, some additives may be added to the composition of the polymeric material to improve the physical properties of the cleaning lip. Therefore, due to the composition of the cleaning lip (10), the durability is increased and the frequent replacement of the cleaning lip (10) which results in minimum roller lapping tendency with less stoppages of the textile spinning machine for maintenance activity is minimized and thereby the productivity of the textile spinning machine is increased.

In an embodiment, the flexible member of the cleaning lip (10) consists of a body made from the polymeric material, which is defined by a scrapping edge (20) at one or more edges of the flexible member. The scrapping edge (20) is configured to engage with an outer circumferential surface of the drafting roller (14) to scrape the debris of the drafting roller (14). Furthermore, due to the composition and construction of the flexible member, the cleaning lip (10) attains higher tear strength, flexibility and oil resistance to maintain the scrapping properties without any slipping or skid with enhanced durability. Additionally, the carbon materials in the composition of the flexible member provides an anti-static property to the cleaning lip (10) and thus fiber accumulation can be eliminated which in-turn improves the quality of the drafted fibers (18). Further, any other materials like metals, non-metals, alloys and the like can be added to the composition which help in increasing the anti-static properties of the cleaning lip (10).

In an embodiment, 70 wt% of nitrile butadiene rubber, 30 wt% of polyvinyl chloride and carbon fillers may be used to manufacture the polymeric material of the flexible member which aids in improving the life of the cleaning lip (10) by about twelve months and also enhances the scrapping or cleaning properties of the cleaning lip (10).

In an embodiment, materials like vinyl rubber, nitrile rubber, ethyl polyacrylate rubber, ethylene acrylate rubber, natural rubber, polypropylene, polystyrene, nylon, Teflon, thermoplastics, polyurethanes, polyethylene, polybutylene, polymethyl pentene, polyesters and polycarbonates and the like may be used as the other incidental elements during the manufacture of the polymeric material of the flexible member.

In an embodiment, the flexible polymer member of the cleaning lip (10) is configured with a protuberance or defined with a cutout to channelize the debris after scrapping.

As shown in Figure. 2. The cleaning lip assembly (100) includes a support member (12) which is connected to a frame (not shown in figure) of the textile spinning machine. A portion of the support member (12) is defined with a provision such as, but not limited to, a hole, a recess, a groove, a keyway, a ridge, and the like, where such provision may be adapted to detachably receive and support a portion of the flexible member, to rigidly fix the flexible member of the cleaning lip (10). In an embodiment, the support member (12) consists of plurality of extensions (22) which laterally extend from a surface of the support member (12) to connect the support member (12) with the frame of the textile spinning machine. Further, the support member (12) is positioned such that, the scrapping edge (20) of the cleaning lip (10) engages with the surface of the drafting roller (14) at a predetermined angle of engagement. Also, the support member (12) may be configured to tilt and may be capable of being locked at the required predetermined angle of engagement. Further, the tilting operation may be manual or automatic based on the user’s requirement. In an embodiment, automatic tilting of the support member (12) may be achieved by employing actuators or actuator assemblies suitable for orienting the support member (12) such that the scrapping edge (20) of the cleaning lip assembly (100) effectively engages the surface of the drafting rollers (14). The predetermined angle of engagement at which the scrapping edge (20) engages with the drafting roller provides optimum scrapping and thereby facilitates effective removal of debris from the surface of the drafting roller (14). Also, in an embodiment, the support member (12) is configured such that sufficient pressure is applied onto the cleaning lip (10) so that the scrapping edge (20) engages with the surface of the drafting rollers (14) and does not displace during scrapping debris off the drafting rollers (14).

In an embodiment, the support member (12) may be manufactured using at least one of metal, metallic alloys, polymers and the like. In another embodiment, the cleaning lip (10) may be fixed to the hole, recess, groove, keyway, ridge, and the like defined in the support member (12) by at least one of mechanical or thermal joining processes including but not limiting to adhesive bonding, fastening, snap locking, clamping and molding.

In an embodiment, each of the top drafting rollers and the bottom drafting roller is assigned with at least one cleaning lip assembly (100) whose scrapping edge (20) is in contact with the circumferential surface of each of the drafting rollers (14).

In an embodiment, the cleaning lip assembly (100) is configured such that any possibility of trapping waste between the drafting roller surface and scrapping edge (20) of the cleaning lip (10) is eliminated. Further, as the composition of the cleaning lip (10) consists of carbon and, the stickiness property of the cleaning lip (10) material is reduced to a minimum and the chances for adherence of fly fibers to the surface of cleaning lip (10) is reduced which makes the cleaning lip (10) more efficient in cleaning, thereby improving the quality of fibers which are processed by the textile spinning machine.

In an embodiment, the cleaning lip assembly (100) may also be employed with grinders, crushing rollers, and in any other industrial application requiring scrapping.

Equivalents:

The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments in the description. Descriptions of well-known components and processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the embodiments herein. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein. Accordingly, the examples should not be construed as limiting the scope of the embodiments herein.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of the embodiments as described herein.

Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

The use of the expression “at least” or “at least one” suggests the use of one or more elements or ingredients or quantities, as the use may be in the embodiment of the disclosure to achieve one or more of the desired objects or results.

Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles and the like that has been included in this specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the disclosure. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form a part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the disclosure as it existed anywhere before the priority date of this application.

The numerical values mentioned for the various physical parameters, dimensions or quantities are only approximations and it is envisaged that the values higher/lower than the numerical values assigned to the parameters, dimensions or quantities fall within the scope of the disclosure, unless there is a statement in the specification specific to the contrary.

While considerable emphasis has been placed herein on the particular features of this disclosure, it will be appreciated that various modifications can be made, and that many changes can be made in the preferred embodiments without departing from the principles of the disclosure. These and other modifications in the nature of the disclosure or the preferred embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the disclosure herein, whereby it is to be distinctly understood that the foregoing descriptive matter is to be interpreted merely as illustrative of the disclosure and not as a limitation.

Referral Numerals:

Reference Number Description
100 Cleaning lip assembly
200 Drafting unit
10 Cleaning lip
12 Support member
14 Drafting roller
16 Fiber travelling direction
18 Drafted fibers
20 Scrapping edge
22 Extensions

,CLAIMS:1. A cleaning lip (10) for scrapping debris from a drafting roller (14) of a textile spinning machine, the cleaning lip (10) comprising:
a flexible member, engageable with a surface of the drafting roller (14), wherein the flexible member is made of a polymeric material comprising a composition of:
nitrile butadiene rubber of about 60 wt% to 80 wt%,
polyvinyl chloride of about 20 wt% to about 40 wt%; and
a balance being carbon and other incidental elements.

2. The cleaning lip (10) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flexible member comprises a body defined by a scrapping edge (20) to engage a circumferential outer surface of the drafting roller (14), for scraping debris.

3. A cleaning lip assembly (100) for a textile spinning machine, the cleaning lip assembly (100) comprising:
a support member (12) connectable to a frame of the textile spinning machine, and
a cleaning lip (10) comprising a flexible member fixed to the support member and engageable with a surface of the drafting roller (14), wherein the flexible member is made of a polymeric material comprising a composition of:
nitrile butadiene rubber of about 60wt% to 80 wt%,
polyvinyl chloride of about 20 wt% to about 40wt%; and
a balance being carbon and other incidental elements.

4. The cleaning lip assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cleaning lip (10) comprises a scrapping edge (20), configured to engage a circumferential surface of the drafting roller (14), for scraping debris from the drafting roller (14).

5. The cleaning lip assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support member (12) is defined with a provision to receive and support at least a portion of the cleaning lip (10).

6. The cleaning lip assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support member (12) is configured to engage the scrapping edge (20) of the cleaning lip (12) with the surface of the drafting roller (14) at a predetermined angle of engagement.

7. The cleaning lip assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the cleaning lip (10) is fixed to the support member (12) by at least one of adhesive bonding, fastening, snap locking, clamping, and molding.

8. The cleaning lip assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support member (12) comprises of extensions (22) for connecting the cleaning lip assembly (100) with the textile spinning machine.

9. The cleaning lip assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the support member (12) is manufactured using at least one of metal, metallic alloys, and polymers.

10. A textile spinning machine comprising the cleaning lip assembly (100) as claimed in claim 3.