FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to textile spinning preparatory machines. Particularly, this invention relates to an improved chute assembly for feeding cotton or fibre material from blow room machines to fibre processing machines for example, carding machines.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known in textile spinning preparatory machines to feed the fibre material from blow room to carding machines by way of chutes. The fibres are delivered from the blow room machines to a feeding system, which feeds to the carding machine, commonly referred to as chute feed. The fibres received by the chute feed are compressed and delivered to the carding machine in the form of a compacted fibre batt. The fibre mat is required to be cleaned and opened to the maximum possible extent to remove the trash, dust etc.
The mass uniformity of the card sliver is an essential criterion for subsequent processing for preparing quality yarn. The fibre mat to be fed to carding machine should be of high degree of uniformity to ensure consistent opening and carding. This uniformity is achieved using the chute feeding system, which aims at feeding a fibre sheet of uniform packing density and uniform linear density to the carding machine.
The chute used in the known art has feed roller and opening roller arranged one after another at certain inclination (as shown in figure 1) such that it consumes large space when viewed from sides. The opening rate of fibres in the chute area is minimal. Further the downstream carding machine is to be provided with multiple licker-in rollers for better opening of the fibres since there is minimal opening in chute area. Thus there is need to provide better apparatus with improved feed chutes where cleaning will be increased and space will be saved. Accordingly in order to improve the fibre opening rate and reduce the space consumed, the present invention provides an improved chute. Therefore present invention overcomes the above mentioned drawbacks by providing an improved chute arrangement to feed the fibres from blow room to carding

machines.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved chute arrangement for feeding fibre material from textile blow room to carding machine.
It is another object of the invention to provide a chute arrangement, which enables increased output in line with the wider carding machines.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide increased opening and cleaning rate of fibres in chute.
It is yet another object of the invention to reduce the space consumption of chute.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The chute assembly is provided with a feed roller, an opening roller and a stripper roller placed immediately after the opening roller. The said rollers are provided in vertical orientation inside the chute. The diameters of said rollers are approximately same. The stripper roller enables easy removal of fibres during stripping thereby enabling larger opening and cleaning rate of fibres in chute itself. The existing chute does not have a stripper roller. In prior art, opening roller elements does not allow direct exposure of fibres to air stream, whereas the present invention enables the removal of fibres by direct exposure to tangential air stream by providing stripper roller immediately after the opening roller. The carding machine with this type of chute can be provided with single licker-in roller. The required opening and cleaning effect of multiple licker-in rollers is achieved in chute itself by using stripper roller. Hence single licker-in roller is enough in carding machine.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Figure 1 depicts the side view of the chute arrangement according to prior art.

Figure 2 depicts the chute arrangement according to the present invention.
Figure 3 depicts the view-A of Figure 2 in enlarged condition.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The existing and known arrangement of chute is shown in Figure 1. .Normally, the chute assembly comprises a vertical duct (11) for feeding the fibres from blow room. The fibres pass through the duct (11) and reach the feed roller (12). The opening roller (13) is arranged beneath the feed roller (12) at certain inclination. The fibres pass in between the feed roller (12) and opening roller (13) and reach the delivery duct thereby conveyed to carding machine (not shown). The above mentioned rollers are cylindrical and extend to the entire width of the machine say 0.7 to 1.5 metres. The said rollers are provided with wire points or teeth over the periphery for opening and cleaning the fibres which is well known. The opening elements are in the form of hooks, plucking teeth, pins, needles, etc. The feed roller (12) is smaller in diameter when compared to opening roller (13) as shown in the figure 1. The fibres are passed to further processing in carding machine after undergoing opening process in chute area.
The invention is now defined with reference to non limiting illustrative figures. Referring to Figures 2 & 3, the chute assembly comprises an inlet duct (1) for entry of cotton or fibre material from blow room machines. The fibre material in compressed form travels downstream over the entire width of the chute, say 0.7 to 1.5 metres. The fibre material is passed through the feed roller (2). The feed roller (2) is precisely driven by inverter and motor. The control plate (5) can be adjusted towards and away from the feed roller (2) using screw arrangement for setting the distance between the feed roller (2) and the side frame. The feed roller (2) is cylindrical and extends to the entire width of the machine. The feed roller (2) is provided with wire points or teeth and rotates in clockwise direction. The fibres are fed to the opening roller (3) which rotates in anticlockwise direction thus allowing the fibres to pass in between feed roller (2) and opening roller (3). The opening roller (3) is also of approximately same diameter of that of feed roller (2). The opening roller (3) is cylindrical and extends to the entire width of

the machine. The wire points or teeth provided in opening roller (3) open the fibres. The cleaning knife (7) is provided over the periphery of opening roller (3) to remove the waste and fly from the fibres to the suction hood (9). The waste collected in suction hood (9) is cleaned by suitable means.
According to this invention, the stripper roller (4) is provided immediately after the opening roller (3) as shown in figures 2 & 3. The stripper roller (4) is cylindrical and extends to the entire width of the machine. The stripper roller (4) rotates in clockwise direction thereby allowing fibres to pass in between opening roller (3) and stripper roller (4). The feed roller (2), opening roller (3) and stripper roller (4) are aligned in substantially vertical orientation. Further, the above said rollers are of approximately same diameter. This ensures the reduction of total machine space. The above setup reduces the inventory. The stripper roller (4) is provided with wire points or teeth such that the opening and cleaning rate of fibres is maximum in chute itself. The opening and cleaning elements i.e. wire points are in the form of hooks, plucking teeth, pins, needles, etc. Air flow is provided tangentially in proximity to stripper roller (4) to aid fibre stripping through pneumatic duct (6).
The teeth profile of stripper roller (4) according to this invention is such that tangential air stripping takes place which allows easy removal of fibre in the air stream. The existing chute does not have a stripper roller. In prior art, opening roller elements does not allow direct exposure of fibres to air stream, whereas the present invention enables the removal of fibres by direct exposure to tangential air stream by providing stripper roller (4) immediately after the opening roller (3). The opening and cleaning rate is higher because of tangential air stripping. The stripper roller (4) can also be provided with knife (8) over the periphery for better stripping and guidance of fibres.
The usage of multiple licker-in rollers can be avoided in downstream carding machine. The required opening and cleaning effect of multiple licker-in rollers is achieved in chute itself by using stripper roller (4). Hence single licker-in roller is enough in carding machine. The pneumatic duct (6) is connected to the blower (not shown) which provides pressure for the fibres to travel through the delivery duct and pass through the carding machine arranged downstream which is not shown. All the above said rollers

are provided with suitable drive arrangements (not illustrated). The present invention does not employ any delivery rollers. The fibre material is directly fed from the delivery duct to the carding machine.
The feed roller (2) rotates at a lower speed. The opening roller (3) rotates at a higher speed. The stripper roller (4) rotates at still higher speed compared to opening roller (3). This enables proper opening and cleaning of fibres in chute.
In view of the present disclosure, which describes the present invention, all changes, modifications and variations within the meaning and range of equivalency are considered within the scope and spirit of the invention.

WE CLAIM:
1. An improved chute assembly for feeding fibre material to fibre processing
machine comprising:
feed roller (2) for feeding fibre material;
opening roller (3) positioned below said feed roller (2) for opening fibre material;
wherein a stripper roller (4) is provided in the chute.
2. The improved chute assembly as claimed claim 1, wherein a stripper roller (4) is provided immediately below the opening roller (3).
3. The improved chute assembly as claimed claim 1, wherein diameters of the feed roller (2), opening roller (3) and stripper roller (4) are approximately same.
4. The improved chute assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the feed roller (2), opening roller (3) and stripper roller (4) extend over the entire width of the chute.
5. The improved chute assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein feed roller (2), opening roller (3) and stripper roller (4) are aligned in substantially vertical orientation.
6. The improved chute assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cleaning knife (7) is provided in proximity to the periphery of opening roller (3) to remove the waste and fly from the fibres and sucked by the suction hood (9).

7. The improved chute assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein outer surface of stripper roller (4) is provided with hooks, needles and/or saw teeth.
8. The improved chute assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein airflow is provided tangentially in proximity to stripper roller (4) to aid fibres stripping through pneumatic duct (6).
9. The improved chute assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein a knife (8) is provided in proximity to the periphery of stripper roller (4) for better stripping and guidance of fibre.