FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an improved combing apparatus of a textile spinning preparatory process. Particularly the invention related to a combing apparatus used in each combing head of a textile combing machine. More particularly the present invention is concerned to a textile fibre cleaning apparatus which is more flexible in construction and performance.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In general, a textile combing machine comprises a plurality of combing heads in which the elements like combing cylinder, a nipper apparatus, a top comb and a pair of detaching rollers are being mounted. During combing operation, the fibre web is being combed by the rotating combing cylinder in order to remove the short fibres from it. After the combing operation, the combed web is being detached from feeding web sheet and then joined with the previously combed web for making a continuous and clean fibre web sheet. In such type of combing machines, the combing cylinder used for combing the fibres comprises a combing needle segment which is fitted to 1/3"1 or 1/2 of the periphery of the combing cylinder. Such types of combing cylinders are disclosed in IN174072 and US5517725 respectively. But in this type of apparatus, it is possible to go for machines speed only 450 to 500 nips/minute.

In aforesaid cases, increasing the nipping rate of combing machine demands minimum nipper movement. While decreasing the nipper movement the existing comb and its body are hindering with bottom nipper plate. So the nipper moving path, comb diameter, combing segment angle, comb's angular positions and detaching roller movement are strongly inter linked. So, any attempt to increase the speed demands precise management of all these parameters.

And another type of combing device including an endless conveyor extending around a closed path is disclosed in GB2043129, includes a part between the clamping means and separating means. The combing members are being carried by the conveyor and having teeth protruding on both the inner and outer sides of the conveyor at an acute angle. The combing members being spaced apart around the conveyor to define gaps there between through which the web may pass to the separating means. Since the tail end of fibre tuft is clamped between nippers, it is not possible for the combing members to comb that area. In this said prior art the rear end of the fibres (previously which were held in side the nipper) are combed after piecing (fibre transfer from nipper to detaching rollers) operation. During this piecing operation considerable part of the short fibre and neps can enter the detaching rollers with out undergoing combing (by top comb) operation. Hence the effective removal of short fibres and neps are impossible with this apparatus. Furthermore the bent fibre from the nippers are moved by an additional conveyor which lifts the fibre for piecing creates complications in the sensitive detaching and piecing zone and results difficult in fibre piecing.

And also in aforesaid system, the combing surface is vertically moved down ward between nipper and detaching roller. These kinds of constructional arrangement will create great difficulties to the machine operator while attending the problems in nipper and detaching roller area. Furthermore the frequently occurred faults like lapping can not be attended easily, and the lap changing and piecing can not be done from front side of the comber which results in increased machine down time. In order to overcome the above disadvantages, it is proposed to an improved combing apparatus which would be described hereunder.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved combing apparatus which would give more cleaning efficiency by effective removal of short fibres and neps.
One more object of the present invention is to provide a combing apparatus with simplified constructions and arriving the system which can possibly go for higher machine speed.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a user-friendly combing apparatus which enables perfect fibre piecing and enhance the facile attending of machine operator during mending.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention related to an improved combing apparatus comprises a flexible combing means, a nipper apparatus, a top comb, a pair of detaching rollers and a plurality of cleaning members. The flexible combing means comprises of a serially mounted combing segments over the surface of a flexible driving element. During combing cycle, the fibre tuft to be combed is being clamped by the nipper apparatus and carried forward towards the running flexible comb means. This makes the undamped front portion of the fibre tuft to meet the combing needles of said flexible combing means. Due to this the combing is carried out on the front portion of said fibre tuft and on further movement of nipper apparatus, the combed fibre tuft is being picked up by detaching roller arrangement. Meanwhile the engagement of top comb combed out the tail end of said fibre tuft. Thus the removal of short fibres and neps present in the fibre tuft can be effectively carried out. Moreover the nipper movement can be minimized because of the absence of comb body. The in-between gaps of combing surface nipper can be moved conveniently with out hindrance. This reduction in movement of nipper helps to increase the nipping speed on the machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

Fig-1 is the schematic illustration of improved combing apparatus according to the present invention.

Fig-2 represents the isometric view of the flexible combing means according to the present invention.

Fig-3 illustrates the combing cycle during forward rotation of the detaching roller according to the invention.

Fig-4 illustrates the combing cycle during backward rotation of the detaching roller according to the invention.

Fig-5 illustrates the combing cycle during attachment of newly combed fibre tuft to the previously combed web according to the invention.

Fig-6 schematically represents the alternate embodiment of the flexible combing means according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The improved combing apparatus according to the present invention is illustrated in Fig-1 of the drawings, wherein the combing apparatus (1) comprises a flexible combing means (2), a nipper apparatus (3), a top comb (4), pair of detaching rollers (5) and a plurality of cleaning members (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d). Said flexible combing means (2) is provided with at least one or plurality of combing segments (7, 8, 9) wherein each segment comprises a serially mounted plurality of combing bars (10). Multiple number of metallic wire points (not numbered) are being mounted on the entire surface of the said combing bar (10). These wire points can also be mounted directly on the outer surface of the flexible combing means (2) as an embodiment. It is also desirable that within the combing segments (7, 8, 9), the first combing bar of plurality of combing bars (10) will be having lesser wire point density than its proceeding bars. And the said first combing bar of combing segments (7, 8, 9) is preferably having wire points with lesser breast angle when compared to its proceeding combing bars. Hence the first combing bar's combing effect on fibres is lesser than its proceeding bars. Because of lesser combing effect, it may be better to keep the length of the first combing bar as lesser than its proceeding bars. Within the segments (7, 8, 9), a gradual increase in wire point's density, breast angle and bar length can be preferably maintained for getting improved results as an another embodiment of the invention which is not shown.

A pair of rotating members (11, 12) is being provided for driving the flexible combing means (2). Since it is possible to drive the both rotating members (11, 12), any one of the rotating member (11 or 12) can be coupled to the driving means such as motor (not shown) while keeping the other one as driven. Moreover these rotating members (11, 12) are coupled to each other through gear or belt transmission means at the headstock of the machine (not shown). It is also possible to drivingly couple the both rotating members (11, 12) through the flexible combing means (2) itself. Furthermore rotating members (11, 12) are spaced apart from each other and can be coaxially adjusted with respect to one another according to the requirement.

According to the invention, the flexible combing means (2) runs around the said rotating members (11, 12). The front rotating member (11) is being provided beneath the nipper apparatus (3) in order to execute the combing action on the fibre tuft whereas the rear rotating member (12) is spaced apart from the former. The nipper apparatus (3) comprises a top nipper (13) and a bottom nipper (14) which are pivotally connected to each other for performing opening and closing function. Said nipper apparatus (13) is being driven by nipper driving arrangement which is not shown.

Atop comb (4) is operatively positioned wherein the said top comb (4) can be engaged in the said position in order to comb the tail end of fibre tuft. A pair of detaching rollers arrangement (5) is provided immediately after the combing zone for detaching the combed fibre tuft from nipper apparatus (3) and joins the said fibre tuft to the previously combed fibre web (19). The driving mechanism for top comb (4) and detaching roller arrangement (5) is same as of in present state of the art circular combing machine which is not shown. And at least a cleaning member (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) is provided to clean the surface of flexible combing means (2) and the combing segments (7, 8, 9). Generally the cleaning members (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) are circular brush rollers comprising plurality of flexible bristles and are driven by driving means (not shown). Said cleaning members (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) are mounted in such a way that the bristles are compressively touches the surface of combing means (2) and the combing segments (7, 8, 9).

Fig-2 of the drawings represents the isometric view of the flexible combing means (2) mounted on pair of rotating members (11, 12). Wherein the combing segments (7, 8, 9) comprises plurality of serially mounted combing bars (10) in which multiple number of wire points are being fixed. Each combing segments (7, 8, 9) can be provided with plurality of combing bars (10) according to the requirement. In order to avoid the presence of combing segments (7, 8, 9) in the unnecessary area of flexible combing means (2), a space (16) is being maintained between successive combing segments (7, 8, 9). Hence in a combing cycle, the combing segment (7 or 8 or 9) meets the fibre tuft only during combing operation, whereas the empty space (16) is running beneath the bottom nipper (14) during detaching and consecutive feeding operations. For proper guiding of flexible combing means (2) around the pair of rotating members (11, 12), the flexible combing means (2) is provided with series of internal protuberances (17). And both of the rotating members (11, 12) are provided with circumferential flutes (18) so as to accommodate internal protuberances (17) of flexible combing means (2) in it. Hence during running, the flexible combing means (2) can firmly held and rotated by rotating members (11, 12). As an embodiment, the flexible combing means (2) can also be provided with flat internal surface with the application of plain surfaced rotating members (11, 12). In the present embodiment, the combing bars (10) are fitted to the flexible combing means (2) by means of a connecting means (15).

The whole combing cycle according to the present invention is described hereunder as sequence of operation with respect to detaching rollers (5) movements;

1. Detaching roller forward rotation: According to Fig-3, during combing cycle, the fibre tuft (20) is being held between top nipper (13) and bottom nipper (14) and carried forward towards the combing segment (7). Since the rotating combing segment (7) meets the said fibre tuft (20), the short fibres and neps present in the fibre tuft (20) is being combed out by combing segment (7).

2. Detaching roller backward rotation: Now as shown in Fig-4, the combed fibre tuft (20) is then carried towards the detaching rollers (5) by the nipper apparatus (3). And due to backward rotation of the detaching rollers (5), the tail portion of previously combed fibre web comes reversely to facilitate the newly combed tuft (20) to overlap on it. (19) Meanwhile the combing segment (7) crosses the combing area and the empty space (16) runs into position beneath the nipper apparatus (3).

3. Detaching roller fast forward rotation: In Fig-5 the nipper apparatus (3) gets opened and allow the newly combed fibre tuft (20) to overlap and attached to the tail portion of previously combed web (19). Meanwhile the top comb (4) engages and penetrates into the tail portion of newly combed fibre tuft (20). Since the fast forward rotation of detaching rollers (5) pulls the web (19), the tail portion of newly combed fibre tuft (20) is being combed by the top comb (4). Now the combing action is completed on the fibre tuft (20) and is joined with the previously combed web (19) so as to form continuous web sheet. In the meantime the next combing segment (8) comes near to combing zone for further cycle of operation. Consecutively the combing segment (7) reaches the rotating cleaning members (6a, 6b, 6c, 6d) and the cleaning action has been made. Then the operations are repeated also for combing segment (9) for successive combing cycle as a continuous process.

According to the Fig-6 of the drawings, an alternate embodiment of the present invention is shown, wherein the combing chain (21) comprises a plurality of combing bar (10) is connectively provided as combing segments (7, 8, 9). Whereas in the empty space (16), only the empty chains (22) are being provided without any combing bar (10). The said combing chain (21) is driven by a pair of sprocket drums (23, 24) by suitable driving means which is not shown.

In the present invention, the flexible comb is rotated at least once for a nipping cycle and thereby two kind of advantages can be realized based on faster or slower movement of the combing surface.

a) If the flexible comb cyclic speed lesser than the nipping cycle, A x nipping cycle / one comb cycle.

Where, 'A' is the no. of combing segment present on the combing surface. The relative velocity (between nipper and comb) of combing operation is reduced. So better quality can be achieved at higher speed.

b) If the flexible comb surface speed is higher than the exiting circular comb,
the combing surface can be increased for achieving better quality. Due to this, the back combing can be easily avoided. In the meantime the sudden deceleration of detaching rollers can be avoided which also avoids the higher reaction forces.

Since the present invention employs top combing action by top comb (4), an efficient removal short fibres and neps can be achieved. The simplified construction ensures higher machine speed of above 500 nips/minute and allows the machine operator to mending the problems easily from the front side of the machine. Moreover the usage of flexible combing means (2), nipper apparatus (3), top comb (4) and detaching rollers (5) in combination, a perfect piecing of fibres can be obtained.

The embodiments shown herein are only exemplary. Further embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention.

We Claim:

1. A combing apparatus for a textile fibre lap comber, the apparatus comprising:

a combing means configured for combing the textile fibre tuft;

a nipper apparatus coupled to the combing means for carrying the textile fibre tuft;

a top comb mounted on the nipper apparatus for combing out the tail end of the fibre tuft;

a pair of detaching rollers mounted in an opposing position to the nipper apparatus for detaching the combed fibre tuft; and

a plurality of cleaning members meshing with the combing means for removing fibre attached to the combing means wherein the combing means includes at least one combing segment provided over a conveyor apparatus.

2. The combing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combing segment comprises at least one combing bar.

3. The combing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combing segments have needle like projections with varying density for combing the fibre tuft.

4. The combing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the combing effect of first combing bar is lesser than the proceeding combing bars.

5. The combing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the length of first combing bar of the combing segment is less than the proceeding bars.

6. The combing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first combing bar of the combing segment is having lesser wire point density and/or breast angle than the proceeding combing bars.

7. The combing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the combing bar is provided with increasing wire point density and/or breast angle within the combing bar

8. The combing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the detaching rollers are configured for a bidirectional rotation.

9. The combing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning members are plurality of circular brush rollers meshing with the combing means and configured for compressively cleaning the fibre stuck to the combing means.

10. The combing apparatus as described in the specification and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.