Claims
- 1. An apparatus for manufacturing chopped thermoplastic fibers, comprising:an anvil wheel and a blade-holder wheel having external peripheral surfaces in rotatable contact with each other; a machining element positionable to machine at least part of the external peripheral surface of the anvil wheel, while maintaining the anvil wheel in contact with the blade-holder wheel; and means for determining the presence of a condition requiring the machining of the anvil wheel.
- 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a guide element positioned to guide the fibers such that they bear on part of the peripheral surface of the anvil wheel.
- 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the anvil wheel comprises a roll covered over at least part of its circumference with a covering made of a polyurethane elastomer.
- 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the machining element comprises at least one abrasive wheel.
- 5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said abrasive wheel comprises a cylinder having a peripheral surface covered with a multitude of grit particles.
- 6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the abrasive wheel is mounted for selective movement towards and away from the peripheral surface of the anvil wheel.
- 7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said means for determining comprises a sensor positioned for checking a characteristic of the chopped fibers, and further comprising a controller which moves the abrasive wheel based on the sensed characteristic.
- 8. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a device positioned to collect particles resulting from the use of the machining element.
- 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the collecting device comprises at least one suction nozzle located immediately downstream of the machining element.
- 10. An apparatus for manufacturing chopped thermoplastic fibers, comprising:an anvil wheel and a blade-holder wheel having external peripheral surfaces in rotatable contact with each other; means for machining at least part of the external peripheral surface of the anvil wheel while maintaining the anvil wheel in contact with the blade-holder wheel; and means for determining the presence of a condition requiring the machining of the anvil wheel.
- 11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the machining means comprise a grinding wheel further comprising means for selectively moving the grinding wheel towards and away from the peripheral surface of the anvil wheel.
- 12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said means for determining comprises means for checking a characteristic of the chopped fibers, and further comprising controller means for moving the abrasive wheel based on the sensed characteristic.
- 13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said means for determining comprises means for checking a characteristic of the anvil wheel, and further comprising controller means for moving the abrasive wheel based on the sensed characteristic.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
98 09895 |
Aug 1998 |
FR |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a of division of Ser. No. 09/365,720 filed Aug. 3, 1999.
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4045196 |
Schaefer |
Aug 1977 |
A |
4467970 |
Sagemuller |
Aug 1984 |
A |
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