FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the textile lap forming machine. More particularly, the present invention relates to a driving arrangement provided at the driving zone of a lap forming machine to tear the lap during the doffing cycle.

BACKGROUND ART

The lap forming machine or lap winder serves for producing laps from slivers or the like. This lap winder comprises two rotatable lap rollers for supporting a lap during winding and a drive motor for driving the lap rollers through a train of gearing or transmission means. Such types of lap winding machines are known in the art. They are employed for the production of laps which are then fed to a combing machine. In lap forming machine, slivers withdrawn from sliver cans are fed to the drafting arrangement by means of different transport or conveying rollers and converted as a lap sheet. A plurality of calender rollers are provided for calendering the lap sheet. The calendered lap sheet is wound on a empty lap spool by means of lap rollers. A common driving element such as motor drives the conveying rollers, drafting arrangement, calender rollers and lap rollers by means of individual parts or elements of the transmission or gearing.

When the predetermined length of lap sheet is reached on the lap spool, the machine is stopped and the full lap is replaced by an empty spool or tube. For this purpose, in the known machines, the common driving motor which drives the conveying rollers, drafting arrangement, calender rollers and lap rollers is stopped. Subsequently, a clutch which is arranged between the driving motor and the lap rollers is disengaged and a separate auxiliary motor is energized to drive only the lap rollers to tear/separate the lap sheet before the full lap is ejected from the machine. Attempts are made for the elimination of the auxiliary motor which is used exclusively to drive the lap rollers to rupture the lap sheet. Indian patent 194280 suggests one such apparatus wherein a clutch is used in between the calender rollers and the driving motor. During the doffing process, whilst the driving motor continues to turn the lap rollers, in order to tear/separate the lap sheet between the calender rollers and the lap rollers, the clutch is disengaged thereby the drive to the calender rollers is interrupted for cutting the lap sheet. This arrangement also uses another clutch which is provided for engaging and/or disengaging the drive to the drafting arrangement and the feeding zone (i.e. the transport rollers, creel). Though the above arrangement works satisfactorily, there is an increase in the machine cost due to the presence of two clutches and calls for higher maintenance requirements, which are disadvantageous.

Therefore there exists a need for a driving arrangement which can overcome the above mentioned problems in the lap forming machine. The present invention is directed towards this.

The present invention eliminates the usage of multiple clutches for doing various operations and the objective is achieved by using a single clutch with simplified driving arrangement which enables reduction in overall machine cost and the maintenance cost.

OBJECT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved driving arrangement to cut/tear the lap sheet in the lap forming machine.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for cutting/ tearing the lap sheet by a simplified driving arrangement with reduced components in the lap forming machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig 1 of the drawings schematically illustrates the lap head and one of the drafting arrangements of a lap forming machine.

Fig 2 of the drawings illustrates the drive arrangement of a lap forming machine according to the invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, the textile machine is provided with an apparatus for tearing the lap, comprising lap feeding zone for feeding the lap, drafting arrangement (DA) for drafting the lap, calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) for passing the lap sheet (2) to the lap rollers (1, 1a), lap rollers (1, 1a) for carrying the lap sheet (L) wound over lap spool (LS), motor (4) for driving said components characterized in that, at least one clutch (23) is equipped for engaging and/or disengaging the drive to the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and drafting arrangement (DA).

Another aspect of this invention includes a textile lap forming machine. A motor is provided for driving the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d), lap rollers (1, la), drafting arrangement (DA) and feeding zone characterized in that, at least one clutch (23) is equipped for engaging and/or disengaging the drive to the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and drafting arrangement (DA).

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to figure 1 of the drawings, the lap rollers (1, 1a) shown rotates in the direction of the arrow. The lap sheet (2) is compacted by its passage through the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and the compacted lap sheet is wound on the empty lap spool (LS) mounted between the lap rollers (1, 1a). The feeding zone comprises a plurality of sliver cans arranged in the creel member and conveying or transporting rollers for feeding the slivers (not shown). A plurality of slivers from the sliver cans arranged in the creel member of the lap forming machine is conveyed to the drafting arrangement (DA). The slivers are subsequently drafted in the drafting arrangement (DA) of the lap forming machine and lap sheets are produced. The lap sheets from the different drafting stations are combined and the lap sheet (2) is formed.

Referring to figure 2 of the drawings, driving motor (4) transmits the rotary motion to the lap rollers (1, la) and calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) through the various driving elements such as shafts, chain wheels, toothed wheels, gears, toothed belts and pulleys. In order to drive the lap rollers (1, la), a driving element (5) such as belt pulley is mounted on the shaft of the driving motor (4). Another belt pulley (5a) is mounted on the main shaft (7) which is rotatably mounted on the machine frame and the belt pulley (5a) is coupled with the belt pulley (5) through a drive means for example belt (6). A chain wheel or gear (8) is connected at one end of the shaft (7). Calender roller (3a) comprises shaft portions (28, 28a) arranged on its both ends. A double chain wheel or gear arrangement (10), which is idler comprising chain wheels or gears (11, 12) mounted on bearings (12a) and fitted to one end of the shaft portion (28) such that it can freely revolve on the shaft portion (28). The chain wheel (8) is coupled to the chain wheel (11) through a drive means (9) like chain or toothed belt. A shaft (14) is connected with the lap roller (1a) and a chain wheel or gear (15) is rigidly mounted on it. The chain wheel (15) is coupled with the chain wheel (12) through a drive means (13), which may be a chain or toothed belt. Another chain wheel or gear (16) is mounted at the end of the shaft (14). Like wise, another chain wheel or gear (22) is mounted at the end of the shaft attached to the lap roller (1). An intermittent transmission means comprising chain wheels or gears (18, 20) is rigidly fitted to the intermediate shaft (19) and mounted in between the lap rollers (1, la). Drive from the lap roller (la) is transmitted to lap roller (1) through the chain wheels (16, 18, 20, 22) through the transmission means (17,21).

A main shaft (7a) is disposed to transmit the drive from the driving motor (4) to the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and rotatably mounted on the machine frame. A clutch (23) is equipped in between the shafts (7, 7a) to drivingly connect them i.e. main shaft (7) and main shaft (7a). A drive wheel (25), which may be for example a chain wheel or any toothed wheel, is rigidly fitted to the end of the main shaft (7a). Drive wheel (26), which may be for example a chain wheel or any toothed wheel, is rigidly fitted to one end of the drive shaft (28a) as shown in figure 2. The drive from the drive shaft (7a) is transmitted to the drive shaft (28a) by the drive wheels (25, 26) through a drive means (27), which may be for example a chain or toothed belt. Subsequently the drive from the calender roller (3a) is transmitted to the calender rollers (3b, 3c, 3d) which are rotatably mounted on the machine frame through the chain wheels or gears (29. 30, 31, 32) respectively which are rigidly mounted on the axis of the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) respectively. Adjacent to the drive wheel (25), a drive pulley (24) is rigidly fitted to the main shaft (7a). Drive from the drive pulley (24) is transmitted to the drive parts of the lap forming machine, namely drafting arrangement (DA) shown in figure 1 and the material feeding zone through suitable drive arrangement comprising belt pulleys and drive belts.

A sensing device (34) is employed to measure the length of the lap sheet (L) wound on the lap spool (LS). The sensing device (34) provides signal to a control device (35) corresponding to the length of the lap wound on the lap spool (LS). The control device (35) in turn is connected to the clutch (23) to facilitate engagement and/or disengagement for providing and/or interrupting the drive to the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and also to the drafting arrangement (DA) which is drivingly connected to the drive pulley (24). The lap feeding zone is also driven by the drafting arrangement (DA) drive which is not shown. The sensing device (34) is a proximity switch, which can be arranged on the axis of the lap roller (1). The control device (35) is further connected to a frequency controller (36) which is provided to control the rotational speed of the driving motor (4) or any other driving means, thereby controlling the speed of the drive elements connected to the driving motor (4).

When the predetermined length of the lap sheet is reached on the lap spool, the sensing device (34) provides signal to the control unit (35), which in turn stops the machine. The control unit (35) disengages the clutch (23) so that the drive to the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d), drafting arrangements and the feeding zone is temporarily disconnected. The driving motor (4) rotates at lower speed by means of frequency controller (36), thereby rotating only the lap rollers (1, 1a) slowly. This creates a stretch on the lap sheet thereby tearing the lap sheet between the calender rollers (3) and the lap rollers (1, 1a) to separate the lap package from the running lap. After that, the separated end of the lap is wound on to the lap by further rotating the lap rollers (1, 1a) and then the control device (35) shuts off the driving motor (4) completely to replace the full lap with an empty lap spool (LS). This process of taking off the full lap and replacing an empty spool is called as doffing sequence. After the completion of the doffing sequence, the control device (35) engages the clutch (23) and starts the driving motor (4) and the formation of fresh lap takes place.

This invention provides means for the separating/tearing of the lap (L) at the end of the lap built-up with a single clutch (23) which facilitates the disengagement of the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and the drive elements of the drafting arrangement (DA) and material feed section attached to the drive pulley (24).

The foregoing description of the invention has been set for merely to Illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiment incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to person skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

We Claim:

1. An apparatus for tearing the lap in a textile machine comprising lap feeding zone for feeding the lap, drafting arrangement (DA) for drafting the lap, calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) for passing the lap sheet (2) to the lap rollers (1, 1a), lap rollers (1, 1a) for carrying the lap sheet (L) wound over lap spool (LS), motor (4) for driving said components characterized in that, at least one clutch (23) is equipped for engaging and/or disengaging the drive to the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and drafting arrangement (DA).

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a control device (35) is connected to the clutch (23) for engaging and/or disengaging the drive to the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and drafting arrangement (DA).

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sensing device (34) is provided on the axis of the lap roller (1) to measure the length of the lap sheet (L) wound on the lap spool (LS).

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the sensing device (34) is a Proximity Switch.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claims 1 & 2, wherein the control device (35) is
connected to a frequency controller (36) for controlling the rotational speed of the driving motor (4).

6. The apparatus as claimed in claims 1 & 5, wherein the lap rollers (1, la) rotates slowly during tearing of the lap.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein feeding zone is driven by drafting arrangement (DA) drive.

8. A lap forming machine comprising lap feeding zone for feeding the lap, drafting arrangement (DA) for drafting the lap, calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) for passing the lap sheet (2) to the lap rollers (1, 1a), lap rollers (1, 1a) for carrying the lap sheet (L) wound over lap spool (LS), motor (4) for driving said components characterized in that, at least one clutch (23) is equipped for engaging and/or disengaging the drive to the calender rollers (3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) and drafting arrangement (DA).

9. An apparatus for tearing the lap in a textile machine substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.