FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a sliver-can arrangement on combing machine. More particularly the invention relates to a improved method for arranging the empty sliver-cans on the filled sliver-can on the delivery side of a combing machine.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The sliver filling station of sliver-processing textile machines such as comber, draw frame and carding or the like comprises a coiler can handling apparatus, includes a turntable rotatable about a substantially vertical platform axis for rotating a coiler can standing thereon; a plurality of coiler can changing arms for moving a empty can onto and moving a sliver filled can off the platform; and a centering device for centering a coiler can on the platform relative to the platform axis. Sliver can handling and transport has already been automated to such an extent that human intervention is no longer necessary.

Can changing apparatus are capable of exchanging empty cans for filled cans at the work stations of said sliver-processing machine. The empty cans are propelled into a sliver storage unit and then the filled can is automatically shifted to delivery position at a sliver-producing textile machine. The replacement or removal of the full cans is therefore completed by automatic work of the can changing mechanism of said sliver-processing machine. The operation of the can changer arms is designed in such a manner, that the fiber sliver is deposited into the full can exists in the filling station, until this can leaves the zone of the turntable. The sliver is then deposited into the empty can which has been brought into the filling station, as soon as this empty can reaches the zone of the turntable. This has been carried out of by the action of pushing arms of the can changer unit.

For enhancing the performance and for avoiding the time delay, the said automation is provided with reserve can lay-out arrangement near the sliver filling unit. Upon the substitution of the filled can by an empty, the empty cans are being held in a ready-state position near the said sliver filling unit.
At present almost all the combers are equipped with 24" dia sliver-can or lesser can dia. Therefore keeping the reserve can within the machine's width (A) is possible if the reserve can was placed behind the running can as in Figure-1. Moreover the machine to machine pitch gap (B) is decided only by the lap feeding trolley movement space.

When the production rate of the machine is increased, it is imperative to go for higher content can size (for eg. 40") to avoid production losses occurred due to frequent change of cans. Also the use of higher can size effectively increases mean time between assist. For achieving further increase in mean time between assist, a reserve can to be placed.

If the 40" reserve can, filled can placement & movement is used as in the prior art arrangement (which is meant for lesser can dia (D) 24"), where reserve can and its moving mechanism placed behind the filling can, the machine space will be increased considerably because of the sum of the reserve and filling can diameters(2xD) is more than the machine's width(A). Since the reserve can and its can changing arm is projecting outside of the machine's width, which hinders movement of persons and lap trolley
Therefore the machine to machine pitch gap to be increased for facilitating the movement of operators and lap feeding trolley which results in over all combing plant's space increase.

Figure-1 of the drawings shows the schematic view of the mill layout of existing art wherein the machines (1' &1") are provided with sliver-can changing arrangement. The empty sliver-cans (2' & 2") are being feed traversely with respect to the machine length. In this arrangement, if 40" can is used, the space occupied by the machine is increased considerably because of the sum of the reserve and filling can diameters(2xD) is more than the machine's width(A). The reserve can and the can changing arm is projecting outside the machine's width, which hinders movement of persons and lap trolley movement space (E). Hence the said space (E) cannot be utilized.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved sliver-can arrangement that allows sufficient space for man, material movement without any interference.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved sliver-can arrangement that provides effective space saving machine layout in a spinning mill.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide an improved sliver-can arrangement that allows hindrance free loading, unloading and movement of larger sized sliver-cans.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, the improved sliver-can arrangement for textile spinning preparatory machines is provided with a improved layout for sliver-cans in order to accommodate sufficient space for man, material movement without any interference. For example in a combing machine, plurality of slivers are collected from each combing head and consolidated as sliver web, and gets the travel path along the machine table towards the drafting unit and coiling unit. Said slivers are then coiled and stored into the sliver-can for predetermined quantity which then transferred to the subsequent processes after gets filled.

As per the present invention, the sliver-can arrangement of the textile spinning preparatory machine comprises a sliver filling unit for filling the consolidated sliver in a empty sliver-can; a coiler device for coiling the said sliver; a table for accommodating the filling sliver-can; and a can-changing unit for replacing the filled can by an empty sliver-can; the sum of the reserve and filling can diameters(2xD) is more than the machine's width(A) wherein the said empty sliver-can feeding is carried out in a substantially opposite to the sliver travelling direction and the filled can is being ejected out in a substantially perpendicular to the sliver traveling direction. Said empty sliver-can feeding is carried out in a substantially opposite to the sliver travelling direction without any intermediate staying position, whereas the filled can is being ejected out in a substantially perpendicular to the sliver traveling direction without any intermediate staying position.

In other words the first reserve can is placed immediately after the filling/working can along the sliver travelling direction or path, where the line joining the centre of the immediate reserve can and centre of the filling/working can is parallel to the sliver travelling direction or path.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Figure -1 schematically illustrates the prior art machine provided with traverse or perpendicular can feeding and parallel delivery with respect with reserve can feeding or moving path to sliver travelling path.

Figure - 2 & 3 illustrates the schematic view of the machine with feeding and delivery of reserve and filled sliver-can with respect to sliver travelling path according to the present invention.

Figure-4 schematically illustrates the mill layout of the sliver-can arrangement according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Figure-1 of the drawing represents the exemplary view of the spinning preparatory machine according to the existing art which was already explained with its limitations in the back ground of the invention. To overcome those limitations, the present invention provides an improved sliver-can arrangement as shown in Figures-2 & 3.

According to Figures-2 & 3 the processing sliver-can size denoted by (D) which is of larger in diameter (for eg.40") than the conventional smaller cans (such as 18720724" etc.). Here the combing machine (1) comprises a sliver filling unit (2) for filling the consolidated slivers (3) in a empty sliver-can. Said consolidated slivers (3) are the delivery material from each combing head of the machine (1). This consolidated slivers (3) are then travelled along the machine table to reach the drafting unit (10) where these sliver web is well drafted before condensing and coiling. The sliver travelling path towards the said drafting unit (10) is shown by the dotted arrow along the machine length. The said drafting unit may be placed near sliver table or above the cans nearer to the coiling unit.

Then the condensed sliver gets into coil form in the coiler device (4) for the convenience of storing in the sliver-cans (6). Sliver-can according to this invention referred by three numerals (6, 7 &9) depending upon their positions at "filling", "reserve" and "filled" respectively. A table (5) which generally being called as rotary table accommodates the filling sliver-can (6).

During the sliver filling process, said filling can (6) rotates along with table (5) in order facilitate a smooth sliver storing process. For interchanging or replacing the filling can (6) by a empty can (7), a can-changing arm (8) is provided. This replacing operation is said to be "doffing" process where ejection of filling sliver-can (6) and feeding a fresh reserve can (7) onto the table (5) at filling position take place
According to the present invention reserve can(7) is placed immediately after the filling/working can(6) along the sliver travelling direction or path, where the line joining the centre of the immediate reserve can(7) and centre of the filling/working can(6) is parallel to the sliver travelling direction or path and the said empty reserve sliver-can (7) feeding to the working station is carried out in a direction opposite to the sliver travelling path without intermediate staying position. And the filling can (6) is being ejected out in a direction which is not parallel to the said sliver travelling path without intermediate staying position. Then the subsequently placed reserve can (7) is being moved to the filling position in a axial direction opposite to the sliver travelling path and the a new reserve can (7) is placed again for next feeding. According to one of the embodiment as in Figure-2, the empty can (7) is fed from sideways parallel to the sliver traveling path and the filled can (9) is ejected in the rear side of the machine. Another embodiment as in Figure-3, the empty can (7) is fed from sideways parallel to the sliver traveling path and the filled can (9) is ejected in the front side of the machine. Since there is no intermediate staying position for reserve can or filled can during the movement, the filling/working & reserve sliver-cans are being accommodated within the machine width (A).

Therefore the mill layout as shown in Figure-4, deserves an effective space saving arrangement. Here the plurality of machines (1) arranged successively with maintaining a space (E) between one another. In usage of larger size cans (40"), the time taken for each filling cycle is also more when compared to the smaller size cans (18720724"). Here the reserve can is placed immediately adjacent(length wise) to the running can and the filled can is ejected between the two machines (which is momentary)and the filled Can can be moved at any time to next processing place. So without increasing the machine to machine pitch gap the operator's and lap trolley convenient movement is achieved. Thus space saving can be achieved for the overall combing plant.

Therefore this layout provides a considerable space utilization advantages while going for larger size sliver-cans. Moreover the same feature can be implemented for machine layout with smaller sliver-can also. Though the present invention shown herein are only exemplary, further embodiments are also possible within the scope of the invention.

We Claim
1. an improved sliver-can arrangement for textile spinning preparatory machine comprises a sliver filling unit for filling the consolidated sliver in a empty sliver-can; a coiler device for coiling the said sliver; a table for accommodating the filling sliver-can; and a can-changing unit for replacing the filled can by an empty sliver-can, wherein said empty sliver-can feeding is carried out in a substantially opposite to the sliver travelling direction and the filled can is being ejected out in a substantially perpendicular to the sliver traveling direction

2. An improved sliver-can arrangement for textile spinning preparatory machines as claimed in claim -1, wherein empty sliver-can feeding is carried out in a substantially opposite to the sliver travelling direction without any intermediate staying position

3. An improved sliver-can arrangement for textile spinning preparatory machines as claimed in claim -1, wherein the filled can is being ejected out in a substantially perpendicular to the sliver traveling direction without any intermediate staying position

4. An improved sliver-can arrangement for textile spinning preparatory machines as claimed in claim -1, wherein the empty sliver-can is placed immediately after the filling/working can.

5. An improved sliver-can arrangement for textile spinning preparatory machines as claimed in claim -1, wherein the line joining the centre of the empty sliver-can and the centre of the filling/working can is parallel to the sliver traveling direction or path.

6. An improved sliver-can arrangement for textile spinning preparatory machines as claimed in claim -1, wherein the empty can is fed from sideways parallel to the sliver traveling path and the filled can is ejected in the rear side (figure2).

7. An improved sliver-can arrangement for textile spinning preparatory machines as claimed in claim -1, wherein the empty can is fed from sideways parallel to the sliver traveling path and the filled can is ejected in the front side (figure3).

8. An improved sliver-can arrangement for textile spinning preparatory machines as claimed in claim -1, wherein the working and empty sliver-cans are accommodated within the machine width (A).