FIBER CONTROL MEMBER, DRAFT DEVICE, AND SPINNING MACHINE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
5 The present invention mainly relates to a fiber
control member provided to a draft device and adapted to
curve a fiber bundle to be drafted by pairs of draft rollers .
2. Description of the Related Art
10 When drafting a material having high content rate of
short fibers, a fiber control member adapted to curve a
transportation path of a sliver may be arranged between
pairs of draft rollers arranged next to each other. By
arranging the fiber control member, a drafted fiber
15 (sliver) can be prevented from falling off the pairs of
draft rollers. Furthermore, since a draft ratio (a ratio
at which the fiber is stretched) can be set to be large by
arranging the fiber control member, drafting can be
performed using a thick sliver. In a case of using a thick
20 sliver, procurement of materials is facilitated and
production efficiency can be improved.
Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No.
2006-200069 (Patent Document 1) discloses a draft device
provided with this type of fiber control member. Patent
25 Document 1 discloses an art in which the fiber control
member (a fiber travelling control member) is provided
between a pair of back rollers and a pair of third rollers,
or between the pair of back rollers and a pair of second
rollers. Patent Document 1 also describes a configuration
30 in which the fiber control member is formed into a shape
of a rod-like cylinder and is attached to a main body frame.
2/26
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide
a fiber control member having a function to effectively
5 remove the accumulated fly wastes.
This object is achieved by a fiber control
member according to claim 1.
The present invention is based on the finding that
in conventional approaches, since the sliver is rubbed with
10 the fiber control member when travelling, a certain amount
of cotton waste or short fiber falls off, and thus fly wastes
may accumulate in proximity to the fiber control member.
Patent Document 1 merely discloses a function and a position
of the fiber control member and does not describe how to
15 remove the accumulated fly wastes.
According to a first aspect of the present invention,
a fiber control member comprises a first end portion, a
fiber bundle curving section adapted to curve a
transportation path of a fiber bundle to be drafted by a
20 draft device, the fiber bundle curving section being formed
at the first end portion, a second end portion located
opposite to the fiber bundle curving section, and a cutout
formed at the second end portion, the cutout being cut out
towards the first end portion.
25 Accordingly, since fly wastes generated at the time
of drafting fall from the cutout, the fly wastes can be
prevented from accumulating around the fiber control member
and the draft rollers.
In the fiber control member, a width of the cutout
30 preferably becomes smaller in a direction towards the first
end portion.
3/26
Accordingly, the fly wastes are unlikely to hook onto
the cutout, the fly wastes can be more reliably prevented
from accumulating.
In the fiber control member, positions of the first
5 end portions at end portions in a longitudinal direction
are preferably closer to the second end portion than a
position of the first end portion at the fiber bundle
curving section.
Since both end portions of the fiber control member
10 are located on a side far from the fiber bundle, the fly
wastes can be prevented from accumulating in proximity to
end portions of each of the fiber control member and the
draft roller in the longitudinal direction.
The fiber control member is preferably formed of a
15 plate-like member having a thickness of at least 1. 6 mm and
at most 2.0 mm.
By setting the thickness of the plate-like member
within this range, a gap between the fiber control member
and the draft roller can be large. Thus, since the fly
20 wastes can be made to fall from the gap, the fly wastes can
be prevented from accumulating.
According to a second aspect of the present invention,
a draft device preferably includes the above-described
fiber control member, a draft roller adapted to draft the
25 fiber bundle, and attachment grooves adapted to receive the
fiber control member for holding the fiber control member.
Accordingly, since the fiber control member is held
by merely inserting the fiber control member into the
attachment grooves, the fiber control member can be easily
30 attached/removed. Thus, even if the fly wastes have
accumulated, the fly wastes can be promptly removed.
4/26
The draft device preferably includes a draft roller
supporting section adapted to support the draft roller.
The attachment grooves are formed in the draft roller
supporting section.
5 Accordingly, by merely attaching the fiber control
member to the attachment grooves, a positional relationship
between the fiber control member and the draft roller can
be appropriate. Furthermore, since the draft roller
supporting section has a function to support the draft
10 roller and a function to hold the fiber control member, the
number of components can be reduced.
The draft device is preferably configured as follows.
The draft roller includes a draft portion at a central
portion in an axial direction, the axial direction being
15 substantially perpendicular to a travelling direction of
the fiber bundle, and small-diameter portions located at
both sides to the draft portion in the axial direction. A
width of the fiber bundle curving section is substantially
same as a width of the draft portion of the draft roller.
20 The end portions of the fiber control member in the
longitudinal direction are arranged to be opposed to the
small-diameter portions and are closer to the second end
portion than the fiber bundle curving section.
Since the draft roller drafts the fiber bundle by
25 merely the draft portion at the central portion, positions,
which are opposed to the small-diameter portions, of the
fiber control member can be located away from the fiber
bundle, and the fly wastes can be prevented from
accumulating in proximity to the end portions of the draft
30 roller in the longitudinal direction.
The draft device is preferably configured as follows.
5/26
The draft device includes a plurality of pairs of the draft
rollers arranged in a travelling direction of the fiber
bundle between an upstream end and a downstream end of the
draft device. Each of the plurality of pairs of the draft
5 rollers includes a top roller and a bottom roller. The
fiber control member is arranged between a first bottom
roller arranged first from the upstream end of the draft
device and a second bottom roller arranged second from the
upstream end of the draft device.
10 Accordingly, a function of the fiber control member
can be effectively exerted.
According to a third aspect of the present invention,
a spinning machine includes the above-described draft
device, a pneumatic spinning device, and a winding device.
15 The pneumatic spinning device is adapted to twist the fiber
bundle drafted by the draft device by airflow to produce
a spun yarn. The winding device is adapted to wind the spun
yarn fed from the pneumatic spinning device around a
package.
20 Accordingly, the spinning machine in which the fly
wastes are unlikely to accumulate and a yarn breakage is
unlikely to occur can be realized.
In the spinning machine, an angle formed by an
installation surface and a fiber bundle transporting
25 direction of the draft device is preferably at least 45
degrees and at most 90 degrees.
In the above-described case, since the fly wastes are
unlikely to fall under influence of gravity, the fly wastes
are likely to accumulate on the fiber control member. Thus,
30 in the spinning machine with the above-described
configuration, an effect of the present application in
6/26
which the fly wastes are made to fall from the cutout can
be more effectively exerted.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
5 FIG. 1 is a front view illustrating an overall
configuration of a fine spinning machine according to an
embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a spinning unit;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating a state in
10 which a fiber control member is to be attached to a draft
device;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a portion
of the draft device;
FIG. 5 is a side cross-sectional view illustrating
15 a portion of the draft device;
FIG. 6A is a front view illustrating the fiber control
member;
FIG. 6B is a perspective view illustrating the fiber
control member;
20 FIG. 7A is a front view illustrating an example of
another shape of the fiber control member; and
FIG. 7B is a front view illustrating an example of
further another shape of the fiber control member.
25 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Next, a fine spinning machine (a spinning machine)
according to an embodiment of the present invention will
be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A fine spinning machine 1 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes
30 a large number of spinning units 2 arranged side by side,
a yarn joining vehicle 3, a motor box 4, a blower box 95,
7/26
and a machine control device 90.
The machine control device 90 is adapted to
intensively control each component provided to the fine
spinning machine 1. The machine control device 90 includes
5 a monitor 91 and an input key 92 . By an operator performing
an appropriate operation with the input key 92, for example,
a setting and/or a state of a specific spinning unit 2 or
all of the spinning units 2 can be displayed on the monitor
91.
10 As illustrated in FIG. 2, each of the spinning units
2 includes a draft device 7, a pneumatic spinning device
9, a yarn accumulating device 14, and a winding device 70
arranged in this order from upstream towards downstream.
"Upstream" and "downstream" in the present specification
15 indicate upstream and downstream in a travelling
(transporting) direction of a sliver 6 at the time of
spinning, a fiber bundle 8, and a spun yarn 10. Each
spinning unit 2 is adapted to spin the fiber bundle 8, which
is fed from the draft device 7, by the pneumatic spinning
20 device 9 to produce the spun yarn 10, and to wind the spun
yarn 10 by the winding device 70 to form a package 45.
The draft device 7 is arranged in proximity to an upper
end of a housing 5 of the fine spinning machine 1. The draft
device 7 is adapted to draft (stretch) the sliver (a fiber
25 bundle) 6 fed from a sliver case (not illustrated) via a
sliver guide 20 until a thickness of the sliver 6 becomes
a predetermined thickness. The fiber bundle 8 drafted by
the draft device 7 is fed to the pneumatic spinning device
9. The draft device 7 will be described later in detail.
30 The pneumatic spinning device 9 is adapted to apply
twists to the fiber bundle 8 fed from the draft device 7
8/26
to produce the spun yarn 10. In the present embodiment,
a pneumatic spinning device adapted to apply twists to the
fiber bundle 8 by use of whirling airflow is employed.
Although detailed description and drawings are omitted, the
5 pneumatic spinning device 9 specifically includes a fiber
guiding section, a whirling airflow generating nozzle, and
a hollow guide shaft body. The fiber guiding section is
adapted to guide the fiber bundle 8 fed from the draft device
7 to a spinning chamber formed inside the pneumatic spinning
10 device 9. The whirling airflow generating nozzle is
arranged around a path of the fiber bundle 8 and is adapted
to generate the whiling airflow in the spinning chamber.
With the whirling airflow, a fiber end of the fiber bundle
8 inside the spinning chamber is inverted and whirled. The
15 hollow guide shaft body is adapted to guide the spun yarn
10 that has been produced from the spinning chamber to
outside the pneumatic spinning device 9.
A yarn quality measuring instrument 12 and a spinning
sensor 13 are provided downstream of the pneumatic spinning
20 device 9. The spun yarn 10 spun by the pneumatic spinning
device 9 passes the yarn quality measuring instrument 12
and the spinning sensor 13.
The yarn quality measuring instrument 12 is adapted
to monitor a thickness of the travelling spun yarn 10 with
25 an optical sensor, which is not illustrated. When
detecting a yarn defect (a portion of the spun yarn 10 having
abnormality in thickness or the like) in the spun yarn 10,
the yarn quality measuring instrument 12 transmits a yarn
defect detection signal to a unit controller (not
30 illustrated) . The yarn quality measuring instrument 12 is
not limited to the optical sensor and may be a configuration
9/26
in which the thickness of the spun yarn 10 is monitored by
a capacitance sensor, for example. The yarn quality
measuring instrument 12 may detect a foreign substance in
the spun yarn 10 as a yarn defect.
5 The spinning sensor 13 is arranged immediately
downstream of the yarn quality measuring instrument 12.
The spinning sensor 13 is capable of detecting a tension
of the spun yarn 10 between the pneumatic spinning device
9 and the yarn accumulating device 14. The spinning sensor
10 13 transmits the detected tension to the unit controller.
The unit controller detects an abnormal portion such as a
weak yarn by monitoring the tension detected by the spinning
sensor 13.
The yarn accumulating device 14 is arranged
15 downstream of the yarn quality measuring instrument 12 and
the spinning sensor 13. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the yarn
accumulating device 14 includes a yarn accumulating roller
15 and a motor 16 adapted to rotationally drive the yarn
accumulating roller 15.
20 The yarn accumulating roller 15 is capable of
temporarily accumulating the spun yarn 10 by winding a
predetermined amount of the spun yarn 10 around an outer
peripheral surface thereof. By rotating the yarn
accumulating roller 15 at a predetermined rotational speed
25 in a state in which the spun yarn 10 is wound around the
outer peripheral surface thereof, the spun yarn 10 can be
drawn from the pneumatic spinning device 9 at a
predetermined speed and be transported to downstream.
Furthermore, since the spun yarn 10 can be temporarily
30 accumulated around the outer peripheral surface of the yarn
accumulating roller 15, the yarn accumulating device 14 can
10 / 26
function as a kind of buffer. Accordingly, a defect (a
slackening of the spun yarn 10, for example) in which a
spinning speed in the pneumatic spinning device 9 and a
winding speed (a speed of the spun yarn 10 wound around the
5 package 45) are not correspond to each other for some reason
can be resolved.
A yarn guide 17 and the winding device 70 are arranged
downstream of the yarn accumulating device 14 . The winding
device 70 includes a cradle arm 71 supported in a swingable
10 manner about a support shaft 73. The cradle arm 71 is
capable of supporting a bobbin 48 in a rotatable manner,
around which the spun yarn 10 is to be wound.
The winding device 70 includes a winding drum (a
contact roller) 72 and a traverse device 75. Furthermore,
15 the winding device 70 includes a winding drum driving motor,
which is not illustrated. When a driving force of the
winding drum driving motor is transmitted, the winding drum
72 is rotated while being in contact with an outer
peripheral surface of the bobbin 48 or an outer peripheral
20 surface of the package 45. The traverse device 75 includes
a traverse guide 76 capable of engaging with the spun yarn
10. The winding device 70 drives the winding drum 72 by
the winding drum driving motor while reciprocating the
traverse guide 76 by a drive means, which is not illustrated.
25 Accordingly, the winding device 70 rotates the package 45
being in contact with the winding drum 72 and winds the spun
yarn 10 around the package 45 while traversing the spun yarn
10.
As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the yarn joining
30 vehicle 3 includes a yarn joining device 43, a suction pipe
44, and a suction mouth 46. After a yarn breakage or a yarn
11 / 26
cut has occurred in a certain spinning unit 2, the yarn
joining vehicle 3 travels to such a spinning unit 2 on a
rail 41 and stops. The suction pipe 44 sucks and catches
the spun yarn 10 fed from the pneumatic spinning device 9
5 and guides the caught spun yarn 10 to the yarn joining device
43 while vertically swinging with an axis as a center. The
yarn joining device 43 joins the guided spun yarns 10
together.
Next, the draft device 7 will be described in detail
10 with reference to FIG. 2. First, a draft roller provided
to the draft device 7 will be described.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the draft device 7 includes
the tubular sliver guide 20 into which the fiber bundle 6
is introduced, and a plurality of pairs of draft rollers
15 include bottom rollers and top rollers that are
respectively facing each other. The bottom rollers are
located on a back side (a lower side) of the fine spinning
machine 1, and the top rollers are located on a front side
(an upper side) of the fine spinning machine 1. The draft
20 device 7 of the present embodiment is configured as a
so-called four-wire draft device provided with a pair of
back rollers, a pair of third rollers, a pair of middle
rollers, and a pair of front rollers in this order from
upstream. In the present embodiment, an angle formed by
25 an installation surface of the fine spinning machine 1 (a
horizontal surface) and a sliver transporting direction (a
yarn path) of the draft device 7 is at least 45 degrees and
at most 90 degrees.
A plurality of the top rollers are a back top-roller
30 21, a third top-roller 22, a middle top-roller 24 with an
apron belt 23 provided, and a front top-roller 25 in this
12 / 26
order from upstream. A plurality of the bottom rollers are
a back bottom-roller 26, a third bottom-roller 27, a middle
bottom-roller 28 with an apron belt 23 provided, and a front
bottom-roller 29 in this order from upstream.
5 Each of the top rollers 21, 22, 24, and 25 is a roller
of which outer peripheral surface is formed of an elastic
member such as rubber or the like. Each of the top rollers
21, 22, 24, and 25 is supported in a rotatable manner with
an axial line thereof as a center via bearings (not
10 illustrated) or the like. Each of the bottom rollers 26,
27, 28, and 29 is a metallic roller and is adapted to be
rotationally driven with an axial line thereof as a center.
The draft device 7 includes an urging means (not
illustrated) adapted to urge each of the top rollers 21,
15 22, 24, and 25 towards the respectively opposing bottom
rollers 26, 27, 28, and 29. Accordingly, the outer
peripheral surfaces of the top rollers 21, 22, 24, and 25
respectively make contact with outer peripheral surfaces
of the bottom rollers 26, 27, 28, and 29 in an elastic manner.
20 By rotationally driving the bottom rollers 26, 27, 28, and
29 with this configuration, the top rollers 21, 22, 24, and
25 that respectively make contact with the bottom rollers
26, 27, 28, and 29 in an opposing manner are rotated
accompanying the rotation of the bottom rollers.
25 The draft device 7 transports the fiber bundle 6
towards downstream by nipping (sandwiching) the fiber
bundle 6 between the rotating top rollers 21, 22, 24, and
25 and the rotating bottom rollers 26, 27, 28, and 29. In
the draft device 7, a configuration is made such that a pair
30 of the draft rollers located more downstream is rotated
faster. The fiber bundle 6 is thus stretched (drafted)
13 / 26
while being transported between a pair of the draft rollers
and a pair of the draft rollers, and accordingly thickness
of the fiber bundle 6 becomes thinner as goes downstream.
By appropriately setting a rotational speed of each
5 of the bottom rollers 26, 27, 28, and 29, a degree to which
the fiber bundle 6 is drafted can be changed. Thus, the
fiber bundle 8 drafted to a desired thickness can be fed
to the pneumatic spinning device 9. Accordingly, the spun
yarn 10 of a desired yarn count (thickness) can be spun in
10 the pneumatic spinning device 9.
Next, a fiber control member 50 provided to the draft
device 7 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 through
6. FIGS. 3 through 5 are each a view illustrating only a
portion around the back bottom-roller 26 and the third
15 bottom-roller 27 of the draft roller.
As illustrated in FIG. 3 and the like, the back
bottom-roller 26 is formed of a draft portion 26a and
small-diameter portions (reduced-diameter portions) 26b.
The draft portion 26a is located at a central portion of
20 the back bottom-roller 26 in an axial direction thereof.
As a whole, an outer diameter of the draft portion 26a is
constant. The sliver 6 is drafted by sandwiching the sliver
6 with the draft portion 26a of the back bottom-roller 26
and a draft portion of the back top-roller 21.
25 The small-diameter portions 26b are portions
respectively connected to both ends of the draft portion
26a in the axial direction. The small-diameter portions
26b are portions of which diameters become small and again
become large as located away from the draft portion 26a.
30 In a same manner, the third bottom-roller 27 is formed of
a draft portion 27a and small-diameter portions 27b.
14 / 26
Although not illustrated in drawings, the other bottom
rollers 28, 29 are the same.
As illustrated in FIG. 3 and the like, the draft device
7 includes a draft roller supporting section 60. The draft
5 roller supporting section 60 is formed of two wall-like
members 60a and 60b arranged in an opposing manner with a
predetermined interval therebetween. The wall-like
members 60a and 60b are respectively adapted to hold both
end portion of the bottom roller (specifically, the
10 small-diameter portions 26b, the small-diameter portions
27b). In the present embodiment, the wall-like member 60a
adapted to hold the back bottom-roller 26 and the wall-like
member 60a adapted to hold the third bottom-roller 27 are
different. In a same manner, the wall-like member 60b
15 adapted to hold the back bottom-roller 26 and the wall-like
member 60b adapted to hold the third bottom-roller 27 are
also different. The two wall-like members 60a may be
integrated. The two wall-like members 60b may be
integrated.
20 An attachment groove 61 is formed in each region in
proximity to each portion of the wall-like members 60a and
60b where the back bottom-roller 26 is held. The attachment
grooves 61 are formed to vertically cross an arrangement
direction of the bottom rollers. The attachment grooves
25 61 may be formed in a member provided separately from the
wall-like members 60a and 60b.
The fiber control member 50 is received and held by
the attachment grooves 61. The fiber control member 50 is
formed of a plate-like member of which thickness is, for
30 example, from 1.6 mm to 2.0 mm. The fiber control member
50 is plated by hard chrome or the like to exert abrasion
15 / 26
resistance.
The fiber control member 50 has a sliver curving
section (a fiber bundle curving section) 51, a cutout 52,
and lateral end portions 53 including attachment portions
5 53a. In the following description, as illustrated in FIG.
6A, a side on which the fiber control member 50 makes contact
with the sliver 6 (a side in which the sliver curving section
51 is formed) may be referred to as a sliver side, and a
side opposite thereto may be referred to an opposite-sliver
10 side. Furthermore, the sliver side may be referred to as
the first end portion, and the opposite-sliver side may be
referred to as a second end portion.
The sliver curving section 51 is formed on the sliver
side (the first end portion) of the fiber control member
15 50. The sliver curving section 51 is formed at a central
portion (a portion between the lateral end portions 53 or
where the end portions 53 are not formed) of the fiber
control member 50 in a longitudinal direction thereof (an
axial direction of the bottom rollers). A length of the
20 sliver curving section 51 in the longitudinal direction
thereof is substantially the same as the lengths of the
draft portions 26a and 27a.
The sliver curving section 51 is a portion formed by
folding the plate-like member a plurality of times so as
25 to curve towards the back bottom-roller 26 (upstream in the
transporting direction of the sliver 6) . Since outer
surfaces of the folded portions make contact with the sliver
6, the sliver curving section 51 curves a transportation
path of the sliver 6 (FIG. 5). By providing the fiber
30 control member 50, the sliver 6 can be prevented from
falling off. Furthermore, even if a draft ratio is set to
16 / 26
be large, the sliver 6 can be drafted by the draft device
7. A gap L (FIG. 5) between the sliver curving section 51
and the back bottom-roller 26 is preferably at least 1.2
mm and at most 2.0 mm.
5 As illustrated in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the cutout 52 is
formed at the second end portion (the opposite-sliver side)
by cutting out the plate-like member from the end portion
on the opposite-sliver side towards the sliver side (in
other words, to be close to the first end portion). The
10 cutout 52 is formed at the central portion of the fiber
control member 50 in the longitudinal direction (the
portion between the end portions 53 or where the end
portions 53 are not formed). A size (a width, a length)
of the cutout 52 in a longitudinal direction thereof is
15 smaller than a size of the sliver curving section 51 in the
longitudinal direction. When a width of the cutout 52 on
the opposite-sliver side is referred to as LI, and a width
of the cutout 52 on the sliver side is referred to as L2,
LI is greater than L2. In other words, the width of the
20 cutout 52 becomes smaller or decreases from the second end
portion towards the first end portion (from the
opposite-sliver side towards the sliver side). In the
present embodiment, a change rate of the width of the cutout
52 is substantially constant.
25 When the sliver transporting direction is at least
45 degrees and at most 90 degrees as in the present
embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 5, fly wastes generated
at the time of drafting are unlikely to fall under influence
of gravity and are likely to accumulate on the fiber control
30 member 50 (around an inner side of a curved portion of the
sliver curving section 51, in particular). Since the
17 / 26
cutout 52 is formed to the fiber control member 50 of the
present embodiment, the fly wastes can be made to fall and
are unlikely to be accumulated. Thus, while benefiting
from an advantage (improvement in a draft speed) brought
5 by increasing the sliver transporting speed, a disadvantage
(a tendency of the fly wastes to accumulate) can be
resolved.
The attachment portions 53a are respectively formed
at the both lateral ends of the fiber control member 50 in
10 the longitudinal direction. The sliver side portions 53b
of the attachment portions 53a are located closer to the
opposite-sliver side than the sliver curving section 51.
Accordingly, the accumulated fly wastes can be made to fall
from portions (recesses between the sliver curving section
15 51 and the attachment portions 53a, in particular) around
the attachment portions 53a.
The sliver side portions 53b of the attachment
portions 53a are located further on the sliver side than
sliver side portions 53c of portions 53d of the end portions
20 53 between the sliver curving section 51 and the attachment
portions 53a. Hemispherical protrusions 53e that slightly
protrude in a thickness direction (see the arrow T in Fig.
6B) are formed on the attachment portions 53a.
As illustrated in FIG. 3, by inserting the attachment
25 portions 53a into the attachment grooves 61, the fiber
control member 50 is attached to the draft device 7. The
widths of the attachment grooves 61 are nearly equal to
thicknesses of the attachment portions 53a. The
attachment portions 53a can be held by the draft roller
30 supporting section 60 by merely being inserted into the
attachment grooves 61. The hemispherical protrusions 53e
18 / 26
are optional and may be formed so that the thickness of the
attachment portions 53a is adjusted to the width of the
attachment grooves 61. The hemispherical protrusions 53e
may also be formed in a direction opposite to the
5 illustrated direction.
For removing the fiber control member 50, an operator
is merely required to grip and pull the fiber control member
50 upward, e.g. at the end portions 53. In this manner,
by configuring the fiber control member 50 to be removable
10 through a one-touch operation, even if the fly wastes are
accumulated on the fiber control member 50, the fly wastes
can be easily removed.
Next, a variant embodiment of the above-described
embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 7. In
15 the description of the variant embodiment, a same reference
numeral will be denoted on a same or similar member in the
drawings as/with the above-described embodiment, and
description may be omitted.
The above-described shape of the cutout 52 is an
20 example, and may be appropriately modified. For example,
as illustrated in FIG. 7A, the width of the cutout 52 may
be constant. In this case, the cutout 52 may be easily
formed.
Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, a portion
25 of the cutout 52 may be formed in an arc shape. In this
case, accumulation of the fly wastes can be more reliably
prevented by preventing the fly wastes from hooking onto
the cutout 52.
As described above, the sliver curving section 51
30 that curves the transportation path of the sliver 6 drafted
by the pairs of the draft rollers is formed at the end portion
19 / 26
of the fiber control member 50 of the present embodiment.
The portion where the sliver curving section 51 is formed
(the end portion on the side where the sliver curving
section 51 is formed) is referred to as the first end portion,
5 and the portion (the end portion) located opposite to the
sliver curving section ,51 is referred to as the second end
portion. The cutout 52 that has been cut out towards the
first end portion is formed at the second end portion of
the fiber control member 50.
10 Accordingly, since the fly wastes generated at the
time of drafting fall from the cutout 52, the fly wastes
can be prevented from accumulating around the fiber control
member 50 and the draft roller. A yarn breakage that may
occur in association with accumulation of the fly wastes
15 thus can be prevented from occurring.
The width of the cutout 52 of the fiber control member
50 of the present embodiment becomes smaller or decreases
in a direction towards the first end portion.
Accordingly, since the fly wastes are unlikely to
20 hook onto the cutout 52, the fly wastes can be more reliably
prevented from accumulating.
The attachment grooves 61 that receive the fiber
control member 50 for holding the fiber control member 50
are formed in the draft device 7 of the present embodiment.
25 Accordingly, since the fiber control member 50 is
held merely by being inserted into the attachment grooves
61, the fiber control member 50 can be easily
attached/removed. Thus, even if the fly wastes
accumulates, the fly wastes can be promptly removed.
30 A width of the sliver curving section 51 of the present
embodiment is substantially the same as the widths of the
20 / 26
draft portions 26a and 27a of the draft roller (specifically,
the back bottom-roller 26 and the third bottom-roller 27) .
Portions, which are respectively opposed to the
small-diameter portions 26b and 27b, of the end portions
5 53 of the fiber control member 50 are formed on a side further
away from the sliver 6 than portions respectively opposed
to the draft portions 26a and 27a.
The draft device 7 drafts the sliver 6 with the draft
portions 26a, 27a at the central portion of the bottom
10 rollers 26, 27. Thus, by locating positions of the end
portions, which are opposed to the small-diameter portions
26b, 27b of the bottom rollers 26, 27, of the fiber control
member 50 away from the sliver 6, the fly wastes can be
prevented from accumulating in proximity to end portions
15 of the bottom rollers 26, 27 in a longitudinal direction
thereof.
Although preferable embodiments of the present
invention are described above, the above-described
configurations may be modified as follows, for example.
20 In the above-described embodiment, the fiber control
member 50 is arranged between the back bottom-roller 26 and
the third bottom-roller 27. However, the fiber control
member 50 may be arranged between the third bottom-roller
27 and the middle bottom-roller 28.
25 The above-described arrangement of the top rollers
and the bottom rollers of the draft device 7 is an example.
A positional relationship between the top rollers and the
bottom rollers, or the number of the pairs of the draft
rollers may be appropriately modified.
30 A shape of the fiber control member 50 may be any,
and may be appropriately modified. For example, the sliver
21 / 26
curving section 51 is not limited to a shape formed by
curving a plate-like member. Furthermore, the shape of the
cutout 52 and a range in which the cutout 52 is formed are
arbitrary, and the cutout 52 may be another shape other than
5 the shapes described in the above-described embodiment and
the variant embodiment.
A method of attaching the fiber control member 50 is
not limited to a one-touch method of merely inserting, and
may be a configuration to fix by a bolt or the like.
22 / 26
WE CLAIM:
1. A fiber control member, comprising:
a first end portion;
a fiber bundle curving section adapted to curve a
transportation path of a fiber bundle to be drafted by a
draft device, the fiber bundle curving section being formed
at the first end portion;
a second end portion located opposite to the fiber
bundle curving section; and
a cutout formed at the second end portion, the cutout
being cut out towards the first end portion.
2. The fiber control member according to claim 1,
wherein a width of the cutout becomes smaller in a direction
towards the first end portion.
3. The fiber control member according to claim 1 or
claim 2, wherein positions of the first end portions at end
portions in a longitudinal direction are closer to the
second end portion than a position of the first end portion
at the fiber bundle curving section.
4 . The fiber control member according to any one of
claim 1 through claim 3, wherein the fiber control member
is formed of a plate-like member having a thickness of at
least 1.6 mm and at most 2.0 mm.
5. A draft device comprising:
the fiber control member according to any one of claim
1 through claim 4;
a draft roller adapted to draft the fiber bundle; and
23 / 26
attachment grooves adapted to receive the fiber
control member for holding the fiber control member.
6. The draft device according to claim 5, comprising
a draft roller supporting section adapted to support the
draft roller,
wherein the attachment grooves are formed in the
draft roller supporting section.
7. The draft device according to claim 5 or claim
6, wherein the draft roller includes a draft portion located
at a central portion in an axial direction, the axial
direction being substantially perpendicular to a
travelling direction of the fiber bundle, and
small-diameter portions located at both ends of the draft
portion,
a width of the fiber bundle curving section is
substantially same as a width of the draft portion, and
the end portions of the fiber control member in the
longitudinal direction are arranged to be opposed to the
small-diameter portions and are closer to the second end
portion than the fiber bundle curving section.
8. The draft device according to any one of claim
5 through claim 7, comprising a plurality of pairs of the
draft rollers arranged in a travelling direction of the
fiber bundle between an upstream end and a downstream end
of the draft device,
wherein each of the plurality of pairs of the draft
rollers includes a top roller and a bottom roller, and
the fiber control member is arranged between a first
24 / 26
bottom roller arranged first from the upstream end of the
draft device and a second bottom roller arranged second from
the upstream end of the draft device.
9. A spinning machine comprising:
the draft device according to any one of claim 5
through claim 8;
a pneumatic spinning device adapted to twist the
fiber bundle drafted by the draft device by airflow to
produce a spun yarn; and
a winding device adapted to wind the spun yarn fed
from the pneumatic spinning device around a package.
10. The spinning machine according to claim 9,
wherein an angle formed by an installation surface and a
fiber bundle transporting direction of the draft device is
at least 45 degrees and at most 90 degrees.