The present invention is directed to an improved fiber opening and blending device.
In order to speed production of opening blending and cleaning fibers, a trend has developed in which the cording machine is eliminated from the process in lieu of the faster fiber batt forming machines. It has been found with the fiber batt process and especially in the case where fibers of different textures, sizes or colors are blended that complete and even blending does not always occur. Techniques such as lapping can correct this shortcoming yet here again, this method is expensive and time consuming.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide opening and blending apparatus and system in which both high production and complete and thorough opening and blending is achieved.
Another object of the invention is a mixing machine which provides for fiber treatment during opening and mixing with liquid or solid material.
Another object of the invention is an opening and mixing apparatus which utilizes a zig zag fiber motion through the opening area.
Another object of the invention is the provision of teeth for use with opening rolls which create air currents which flow in a zig zag pattern through the openings and blending machine.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an opening and blending arrangement which includes a heavy duty blending section and a fine blending section.
Another object of the invention is the provision of an array of opening and blending rolls with interacting teeth which both physically engage the fibers to move along an sinusoidal path and also create an air flow which assists the fibers along this path.
The instant invention is directed to a fiber opening and blending arrangement for use in thoroughly mixing fibers for formation of fiber batts. The arrangement includes a plurality of fiber handling stations including a feed station, a blending and opening station and a fine blending and opening station.
The feed station may comprise a silo into which opened fibers are fed. The silo includes feed rolls which act to open, blend and feed the fibers onto an array of opening and blending rolls.
The feed station may comprise a plurality delivery belts arranged in association with compression rolls, mixing rolls and feed rolls which act to deliver fibers into the cabinet and onto top surfaces of the array of opening and blending rolls.
The array of opening and blending rolls are preferably arranged within a cabinet and along an incline. Each of the rolls rotates in the same direction. Each roll contains a plurality of parallel rows of teeth which act to both engage, open, blend and move the fibers through the cabinet but also to create an air flow within the cabinet.
The teeth are arranged in opposing positions between the rows. The positions along with the shape of the teeth cause the fibers and the air flow to move along a sinusoid path over the array of rolls.
The cabinet includes a chamber arranged over the array of rolls. The cabinet may also include feeds for the delivery of water, dye, and/or chemicals into the chamber for mixing with the fibers during the blending and opening operations.
The opening process within the cabinet carries the fibers first over and down the inclined array of opening and blending rolls. The fibers are fluffed or caused to tumble when passing through the chamber. As the fibers reach the end of the array of rolls, they are passed about the end opening and blending roll and then moved over the lower surface of each roll of the array of rolls again moving along a sinusoid path. Upon reaching the exit, the fibers are discharged into a fine fiber mixing machine.
A first fine mixing arrangement may include a receiving belt arranged perpendicular of the opening and blending rolls of the array of rolls. A second receiving belt is arranged above the first receiving belt. The fiber exit includes a compression roll which discharges the fibers for further processing. A mixing roll engages the fibers in progress to the compression area.
A second fine mixing arrangement includes a pair of opening rolls, a main roll and an inner chamber as described in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/244,185 filed on Sep. 16, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herewith.
a is a top view of the opening rolls shown in
b is a side view of the opening rolls shown in
The fibers are moved through the lower end of the silo and into an inclined opening and blending unit 18 by feed rolls 16, 161.
Unit 18 comprises a cabinet 20 which houses an inclined array of four opening and blending rolls 22, 23, 24, 25. Rolls 22–24 are arranged adjacent and parallel each other and are driven in the same direction as indicated by the arrows. A chamber 26 is formed above rolls 22–25 while an under casing 28 is arranged adjacent lower surfaces of rolls 22–25.
Casing 28 encircles about ¼ the periphery of rolls 23, 24 slightly more of the periphery of roll 25 and slightly less of the periphery of roll 22. Casing 28 terminates at exit 30 which connects with a fine blending and opening apparatus.
Teeth 32 are arranged in parallel and spaced rows about the periphery of each of rolls 22–25 as shown in
Each tooth 32, as best shown in
Teeth 32 are secured along bars 34 with one planar section 38a, 38b being perpendicular the axis of the bar and the other planar section 38a, 38b being at about 60° to the opposite planar section. The teeth are arranged in like manner along each row 34 and in alternating manner between rows 34.
Positioned beneath exit 30 is a fine mixing arrangement 42 which is best shown in
Turning again to
In operation, fibers are delivered into silo 12 which in turn feeds them through feed 17 onto upper roll 22 of the array of opening and blending rolls 22–25. Teeth 32 engage the fibers opening, blending and moving them over to roll 23, which performs the same action moving the fibers onto roll 24. Simultaneous with this action fibers are fluffed or tumbled through chamber 26 further opening and blending them.
Due to the configuration of teeth 32 and their arrangement on rolls 22–25 air currents which move in a sinuoid or zig zag path are created as illustrated in
If desired and simultaneously with the operation water, dye and/or chemicals are emitted into chamber 26 to be blended with the fibers during this opening and blending operation.
Upon reaching roll 25, the fibers are carried around the roll to its lower surface where they are continued to be acted upon by the teeth and air currents as they are moved between the lower periphery of rolls 22–25 and casing 28 to exit 30.
The fibers pass through exit 30 into belt 44 of fine opener 42. Here they are again mixed by roll 52 as they pass through the compression exit 50 and into air transport 56.
The opening and blending arrangement is shown in a slightly different context in
A feed indicated at x may be provided to deliver water, dye and/or chemicals into chamber 26 as earlier described.
Again, the fibers are acted upon by rolls 22–25 in the manner earlier described. Upon reaching exit 30 the fibers are deposited into inner chamber 78 of fine opening device 80. Fine opening device 80 includes an opening and blending doffer 82 constructed similarly to rolls 22–25, a doffing roll 83, a pair of opening rolls 84, 85, a main roll 86, mote knives 89, waste removal chamber 88, and doffing and removal duct 90.
The fibers delivered from roll 22 are thrown through exit 30 as shown by the arrow engaged by roll 82 or its resulting air currents and tumbled into inner chamber 78. Here they are continued in a tumbling motion and picked up by opening rolls 84, 85 or doffer 83 and moved through the various channels with continued opening, blending and cleaning to be finally removed through removal duct 90 for further processing. This arrangement is more fully described, both structurally and operationally, in more detail in co-pending application Ser. No. 10/224,185 filed on Sep. 16, 2002, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein.
The fibers processed by way of the above arrangements are more thoroughly blended throughout and produce more evenly distributed fibers within fiber batts subsequently formed.
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Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040226144 A1 | Nov 2004 | US |