I. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to a carding apparatus and method and, more particularly, to a new and improved carding apparatus and method for forming webs, rovings or the like of different types of fibers or materials.
II. Description of the Background Art
At the present time, conventional carding apparatus produces webs or rovings of a single material. If it is desired to produce a web comprised of fibers of different materials, it is necessary to produce a web of each material in a separate carding apparatus and method and thereafter combine webs of selected materials to produce a multi-fiber web. This process is slow, time consuming and therefore expensive. Also, webs of different materials must be produced in apparatus separate from the carding apparatus, thereby adding further to the complexity of producing carded webs or rovings of different materials.
A need has arisen, therefore, for a new and improved carding apparatus and method which provides for the production of webs or rovings of different materials in a single carding apparatus and method. The method and apparatus of the present invention meets this need.
In accordance with the new and improved carding apparatus and method of the present invention, fibers of different materials are fed from different laterally spaced shoots of a feed system to corresponding laterally spaced sections on the worker, stripper and main cylinders of a carding apparatus. The separate laterally spaced sections on the cylinders of the carding apparatus are defined by raised bands formed on the cylinders in a desired laterally spaced relation. In this manner, webs of different materials are processed in the carding apparatus in laterally spaced relation and any suitable number of desired fibers can be so processed in laterally spaced relation depending on the length of the carding cylinders and the spacing of the separating bands formed thereon.
Upon completion of the processing of the different fibers in laterally spaced relation in the carding apparatus, the fibers of different materials are then combined in any suitable manner to form multi-fiber webs or rovings which can then be fed to a suitable storage drum or the like for further processing or use.
In cases where it is necessary to combine different fibers by subjecting them to heat, the multi-fiber web or roving is further processed in accordance with the present invention by conveying it through a heated water spray, a steam chamber, a microwave chamber and a cold or heated die process.
It is apparent, therefore, that the new and improved carding apparatus and method of the present invention makes it possible to produce webs or rovings of any suitable or desired different materials in a single operation in a carding apparatus, thereby saving considerable time and expense to increase the efficiency of the carding operation. The carding apparatus and method of the present invention may be used to produce webs or rovings of different materials of any suitable or desired type which can be used to form any suitable or desired product for any type of use.
a, 1b, 1c and 1d are schematic side elevational views of a picker or feed system that can be used to feed fibers of different materials to the carding apparatus of the present invention;
a is an enlarged side elevational view of standard card wire and interlocked modified card wire in accordance with the present invention;
a-1d illustrate one embodiment of a picker or feed system that can be used to feed fiber to a carding apparatus. The picker/feed system 10 generally comprises a first conveyor for moving fiber to a spiked apron 14 that moves the fiber through a spiked comb 16 and then to a spiked roller 18 from which the fiber is deposited on a second conveyor 20 that conveys the fiber to a blower 22 and upwardly through duct work 24 to a fan 26. The fiber is then blown by the fan 26 through duct work 28 into a feed box 30 in which the fiber is deposited on a third conveyor 32 and onto a spiked apron 34 and through spiked combs 36 and 38. The fiber is conveyed from the spiked comb 38 into a carding hopper 40 having a fourth conveyor 42 and a spiked apron 44 that moves the fiber through a spiked comb 46. The fiber is then moved in web form into the carding apparatus 48.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
For high speed and safe operation, it is important that each roll or cylinder 106 of the carding apparatus have bands of equal size, weight and spacing thereon to ensure that the roll is balanced for proper rotation.
With the new and improved carding apparatus of the present invention, each fiber of a different material is moved in longitudinal alignment through all of the rolls and cylinders of the carding apparatus and then the different fibers can be combined in a suitable mariner to form a multi-fiber roving or web, as further explained hereinafter.
As illustrative examples, different embodiments of carding wires 113a-113g for the rolls and cylinders of the carding apparatus are shown in
As further shown in
Depending on the different fibers in the roving or web 112, it may be necessary to further process them by heat or the like in order to properly combine them or fuse them together. As shown in
As illustrative examples and depending on the different fibers to be combined or fused together, the infrared chamber 116 may be 70° F. to 170° F., the heated water spray chamber 118 may be 70° F. to 210° F., the steam chamber 122 may be 70° F. to 290° F., the microwave unit 124 may be 160° F. to 212° F., and the die 126 may be electrically heated from 70° F. to 400° F.
As shown in
From the foregoing description, it will be readily seen that the new and improved carding method and apparatus of the present invention can efficiently produce carded fibers of any suitable or desired different materials of any suitable type or number in a single efficient operation.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
This application claims the priority of Provisional Patent Application No. 62/030,129 filed on Jul. 29, 2014.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62030129 | Jul 2014 | US |