FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of textile industry. Particularly, the present invention relates to a combing machinery of a textile spinning machine, and more particularly it is related to an apparatus for guiding the fibre web, i.e., the fiber web guide assembly which are provided in between the pair of detaching rollers of the textile combing machine, such that to provide easy adjustable guides to accommodate widthwise variation in the fiber web.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In a conventional textile combing machine, the fibre webs (For example cotton fibre web) are fed in the form of laps. These lap packages contains the roll of fibre sheets. During combing operation, the sheet of fibre lap is fed via the feed rollers in to the combing section through nippers. After combing has been done, the noil-free cotton is collected in the form of fibre web by the pair of detaching roller arrangement. The fibre web delivered from the detaching roller arrangement is converted as sliver by the trumpet and moved to the further drafting process.

It is very well known that a fibre web guide surface made up of die cast material is mounted in between the pair of bottom detaching rollers. In order to provide proper guidance of the fibre web, the aforesaid guide surface is made to the entire width of the fibre web or little bit more than the width of the fibre web. For avoiding the sticking of individual fibres at the guide edges, the transition edges between the guidance surface and the sides are rounded off and/or are provided with a radius. Also, for the improvement of the sliding qualities (low friction value) and to the prevention of adhering of fibers over the die cast surface is polished after casting and then it is plated.

Generally, the feed weight of the material fed to the combing machine, i.e., weight per unit length can be varied based on the requirement. Depending on the feed weight of the input material, the width of the fibre web delivered by the nipper to the detaching rollers varies slightly.

In the known art, the rounded off sides of guiding surface fixed at the transition end cannot be adjusted based on the requirement. These fixed guide portions of the web guide would not guide the web edges if the width of the web is lesser and on the other hand the guide portions would disturb the web edges if the width of web is higher. Hence, it affects the appearance as well as the quality of the web. The edge disturbance of web is technically called as poor "selvedges". Also, the poor surface finish of guide made of die cast requires polishing with associated plating, which involves additional costs and manual operations. Moreover, improperly guided fibre web edges with thin or disturbed selvedges tends to spread against the rubber covering of the detaching rollers edges, hence there is a chance for adherence of fiber web over the detaching rollers which stops the machine frequently.

In the event if the feed weight of the input material is varied, it will be advantageous if the distance between the side guides are adjustable to accommodate the fibre web delivered by the nipper to detaching rollers in order to guide the edges of fibre web properly.
Therefore, the need arises to ensure easy movement of the output fibre web in accordance to the variation in the thickness of the fibre web without causing the undesired effects of thinning of the web at the edges as well as adherence of the web material to the detaching rollers, thereby enhancing the quality of the fibre web.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for guiding the fibre web in a textile combing machine, which provides easy adjustable guides to accommodate widthwise variation in the fiber web. Thereby, overcoming the drawbacks of conventional textile combing machine and enhancing the quality of the fiber web are achieved.

Accordingly the present invention relates to an apparatus for guiding the fibre web in a textile combing machine, to facilitate guiding of the fibre web, a fibre web guide assembly provided in between the pair of detaching rollers, said fibre web guide assembly comprising a fixed guide member and at least one adjustable web guide.

In one aspect, a fibre web guide includes a fixed guide member; a pair of adjustable guides arranged at the end portion of the fixed guide member and in between the pair of detaching rollers, wherein the adjustable guides are formed with a guiding portion and a clamping portion; a profiled upper guide portion and a vertical fixing portion being provided with the fixed guide member, wherein the profiled upper guide portion is provided to guide the fibre web and the vertical fixing portion is fitted to a bracket; the guiding portion of the adjustable guides comprises a handle portion and a web support portion; and the clamping portions further comprises support portion and clamping lugs disposed to hold the sides of the vertical fixing portion of the guide member with the help of which the adjustable guides can be held over the fixed guide member.

In another aspect, the adjustable guides are manufactured by using either synthetic polymer materials or metal alloys. The elastic nature of the adjustable guides helps to hold the fixed guide member rigidly and prevent the free movement of the adjustable guides during the machine is in operation. The fixed guide member also can be made up of any kind of metal alloys.

In yet another aspect, the adjustable guides can be moved over the fixed guide member in lateral direction to adjust the width of the fibre web according to the requirement. The adjustment can be done by manual operation and this arrangement does not require any additional mechanical or electrical components for changing the position of the guides.

Advantageously, the movable web guides can be adjusted during the machine is in operation and hence the machine need not be stopped for carrying such adjustments. This arrangement helps to avoid the unnecessary stoppages of machines which overcomes the disadvantages of prior art.

Accordingly the present invention relates to the apparatus which provides enhanced fibre web output enabled by achieving appropriate adjustments to the web guides in accordance to the variation in widths of fibre web, thereby avoiding thinning of the edges of the fibre web and adherence of the fibre web over the detaching rollers of the textile combing machine.

It is advantageous that the present invention provides an improved fibre web assembly with reduced manufacturing cost and simplified manual operation and also achieving minimize occurrence of adherence of fiber web over the detaching rollers.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the ensuing detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Example embodiments are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying figures, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of a fibre web guide assembly of the textile combing machine, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of a fiber web guide, in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 3 illustrates a schematic cross sectional view of Figure 1, in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of the adjustable fiber web guide, in accordance with the present invention.

Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be explained with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood however that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. The following description and figures are not to be construed as limiting the invention and numerous specific details are described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention, as the basis for the claims and as a basis for teaching one skilled in the art how to make and/or use the invention. However in certain instances, well-known or conventional details

are not described in order not to unnecessarily obscure the present invention in detail.

The present invention describes an apparatus for guiding the fibre web in a textile combing machine. The described fiber web guide in the textile combing machine facilitate easy movement of the fibre web in accordance to the variation in the thickness of the fiber web and also not causing any undesired effects of thinning of the fiber web at the edges as well as adherence of the fiber web material to the detaching rollers, thereby enhancing the quality of the fibre web. The brief description of the apparatus for guiding the fiber web is described below.

Figure 1 illustrates a schematic view of a fibre web guide assembly of the textile combing machine, in accordance with the present invention. The fibre web guide assembly (1) includes a fixed guide member (2), and a pair of adjustable guides (3, 3') arranged at the end portion of the fixed guide member (2) and in between a pair of detaching rollers (4, 5) of a textile combing machine. The first set of detaching roller (4) consists of top and bottom detaching rollers (4a, 4b) and the second set of detaching roller (5) consists of top and bottom detaching rollers (5a, 5b). In operation, the fibre web (6) delivered by the nipper arrangement been transferred from the back detaching roller pair (4) to front detaching roller pair (5) through the fibre web guide assembly (1) as shown in Figure 1. The fibre web guide assembly (1) is illustrated briefly in Figure 2.

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of a fiber web guides, in accordance with the present invention. The fiber web guide assembly (1) includes a fixed guide member (2) and a pair of adjustable guides (3, 3') arranged at the left hand and right hand end portion of the fixed guide member (2). The fixed guide member (2) is being provided with a profiled upper guide portion (2a), vertical fixing portion (2b) and a profiled portion (2c). The fixed guide member (2) can be made up of any kind of metal alloys. The adjustable guides (3, 3') are formed with a guiding portion and a clamping portion which can slide over the fixed guide member (2).

The guiding portion of the adjustable guides (3, 3') includes fibre web support portion (3b, 3b') as shown in Figure 2. Further, the adjustable guides (3, 3') are mounted on the fixed guide member (2) in such a way that they can slide or move in lateral direction as shown by an arrow in Figure 2 to facilitate adopting the width of the fibre web (6) as per the requirement.

Figure 3 illustrates a schematic cross sectional view of Figure 1, in accordance with the present invention. The pair of adjustable guides (3, 3') is arranged at the left hand and right hand end portion of the fixed guide member (2). The profiled upper guide portion (2a) is provided to guide the fibre web (6) in the region between the detaching rollers (4, 5) and the vertical fixing portion (2b) is fitted to a bracket (7) as shown in Figure 3 in order to provide fixing of the fibre web guide assembly (1).

Figure 4 illustrates a perspective view of the adjustable fiber web guide, in accordance with the present invention. The guiding portion of the adjustable guides (3, 3') includes a handle portion (3a, 3a') to adjust the position of the guides at the required level. The design of the handle portion (3a, 3a') facilitates simplified manual adjustment to adopt the width of the fibre web (6). The clamping portion includes a web support portion (3b, 3b') and a support portion (3c, 3c') wherein the shape and size corresponds to the shape and size of the profiled upper guide portion (2a) of the fixed guide member (2). The clamping portion further includes clamping lugs (3d, 3d') disposed to hold the sides of the vertical fixing portion (2b) of the fixed guide member (2). With the help of clamping lugs (3d, 3d'), the adjustable guides (3, 3') can be held over the fixed guide member (2) at the required position.

In addition, the adjustable guides (3, 3') can be made up of the materials which have elastic property and tensile strength, for example synthetic polymer materials such as polyamide. The elastic nature of the adjustable guides (3, 3') especially the clamping lugs (3d, 3d') helps to hold the fixed guide member(2)
rigidly and prevent the free movement of the adjustable guides (3, 3') during the machine is in operation.

It is advantageous that the fibre web guide assembly (1) is designed and manufactured such that the adjustable guides (3, 3') grip the fixed guide member (2) by virtue of its elasticity. Further, at the same time the adjustable guides (3, 3') can be pulled or pushed to the desired position by manual operation. The adjustment can be done only by manual operation and this arrangement does not require any additional mechanical or electrical components for changing the position of the guides. Also, the movable web guides can be adjusted during the machine is in operation and hence the machine need not be stopped for carrying such adjustments. The guide positions are not disturbed while machine is in operation due to the gripping force. In addition, due to the presence of the adjustable guides (3, 3'), the fibre web (6) travels in a controlled manner to the optimum width and thinning of the edges and disturbances are avoided. This helps reduction in adherence of the web over the detaching rollers (4, 5). Therefore, providing an improved fibre web guide assembly with reduced manufacturing cost and simplified manual operation and also achieving minimize occurrence of adherence of fiber web over the detaching rollers.

Claim

1. An apparatus for guiding the fibre web in a textile combing machine, to facilitate guiding of the fibre web (6) comprising a fibre web guide assembly (1) provided in between the pair of detaching rollers (4, 5), wherein the fibre web guide assembly (1) comprising a fixed guide member (2) and at least one adjustable web guide (3, 3').

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed guide member (2) comprising a profiled upper guide portion (2a), vertical fixing portion (2b) and a profiled portion (2c).

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed guide member (2) can be made up of metal alloys.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixed guide member (2) is fitted in between the pair of detaching rollers (4,5) using the bracket (7).

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustable web guides (3, 3') are mounted over the fixed guide member (2) in a sliding contact manner.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustable guides (3, 3') includes a handle portion (3a, 3a'), a web support portion (3b, 3b'), a support portion (3c, 3c') and clamping lugs (3d, 3d').

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustable guides (3, 3') are manufactured using synthetic polymer materials.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustable guides (3, 3') grip the fixed guide member (2) by virtue of its elasticity.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustable guides (3, 3') can slide or move over the fixed guide member (2) in lateral direction to facilitate adopting the width of the fibre web (6) according to the requirement.

10. An apparatus for guiding the fibre web in a textile combing machine substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.