The present invention relates to a lightweight cylinder construction which has structural rigidity but without being made from the solid. Conventionally cylinders, particularly those used in heavy machinery such as textile cards, are produced from the solid, either by being cast in the form of a solid cylindrical metal block and possibly having been machined away to leave a hollow construction, or by having been cast in hollow form and subsequently machined internally and externally for finishing.

Previous efforts towards reducing the weight of such cylinders has involved the choice of lightweight metals for the casting, but there is a limit as to the weight reduction possible because of the eventual lack of structural rigidity wh.v_;h is necessary for precision equipment (for example cards where the clearance between the fine points on the card clothing wire on the cylinder and those of any cooperating concave carding plate and/or flats is critical to optimum uniformity of the carding action obtained) .

In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hollow cylinder comprising end plates and a hollow cylindrical member formed of a plurality of interengaging modules each extending parallel to the axis of said cylinder and assembled in side-by-side relationship in a circular array, each said module having spaced wall portions which, in the assembled configuration of the cylinder, define at least part of the radially inner faces of the modular cylinder and the radially outer faces thereof.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a module defining a segment of a modular cylinder for assembly with a plurality of identical modules in a circular array to define said modular cylinder, said module being of hollow form manufactured by extrusion and including at one side at

least one tongue and at the other side at least one socket, positioned so that the or each tongue of one said module can engage a respective socket of an adjacent said module, and the various modules being provided with radially outer abutment surfaces which ensure that in the assembled condition of a set of said modules in an array occupying a full circle the radially outer panels of the modules are in compression and the radially inner panels of the modules are in tension. Preferably the modules may be extruded with open- ended geometry, and more preferably end plates may be provided for butting up against the ends of the cylindrical array of assembled modules for the purposes of defining end walls of the cylinder. Conveniently each of the modules may include all the means necessary for joining it to the adjacent module in the array. More conveniently each module may be identical to its neighbours, in which case one possibility is for the module to have a projecting tongue at one side which conforms with a socket on the other side whereby the tongue of each module may engage the socket of its neighbour(s) .

Where such tongue and socket engagement is provided, each module may include cam means for cooperating with cam means on its neighbouring module(s) for driving the tongue firmly into engagement with the socket.

Advantageously each said module may have along each of two opposite edges close to said radially outer panel a longitudinal recess such that the recess of one said edge will register with the recess of the other edge of an adjacent module, said recesses extending right up to an end of said module.

Preferably the modules are all shaped such that in the assembled configuration of the modular cylinder, the cylindrical external surface of the cylinder is at a region where the modules are all in compression, and at the radially inwardly facing surface of the modular cylinder the

relevant portion of the module is in tension measured in the peripheral direction. This latter arrangement of the compression and tension of the assembled modular cylinder is particularly advantageous in the case of a textile carding cylinder which is subsequently clad with card clothing wire tending to bind around the external cylindrical surface of the cylinder and hence to impose additional compressive stress on the external surface of the cylinder.

Advantageously the part of each module which defines the cylindrical outer surface of the assembled modular cylinder may have a biconvex cross-section, resulting in the neutral axis of bending of that wall of the module being straight as opposed to being convex to follow the cylindrical contour of the modular cylinder. A third aspect of the present invention provides a method of assembling a modular cylinder consisting of n identical modules in engagement in a cylindrical array, comprising assembling together (n - 1) of said modules and leaving a gap for the final module, straining said array of (n - 1) modules to increase the width of the gap remaining for the final module sufficiently to allow engagement of the final module with its immediate neighbours to either side of the gap, sliding the final module longitudinally into the gap until it is in register with the (n - 1) modules of the array, and then relaxing the strain.

A fourth aspect of the invention provides a method of assembling a modular cylinder consisting of n identical modules in engagement in a cylindrical array, comprising assembling together the n-modules in a loose-fitting cylindrical configuration, and stressing said assembly by inserting filler means between the adjacent surfaces of the modules at each interface between the adjacent modules, said filler means fitting between the sidewalls of the modules near the radially outer panels defining the exterior of the cylinder, whereby insertion of the final said filler means stresses the cylinder in the required manner.

In order that the present invention may more readily be understood the following description is given, merely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a transverse sectional view of a cylinder module in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view, on a reduced scale as compared with Figure 1, showing three of the modules assembled in a part-cylindrical configuration; Figure 3 is a still further reduced scale drawing showing the finished cylinder;

Figure 4 shows a view corresponding to Figure 2, but illustrating a modified form of the modules forming the cylinder; Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the method of assembling the cylinder comprising the modules of Figures 1 and 2; and

Figure 6 is a view corresponding to Figure 5, but showing the assembling of a cylinder comprising the modules of Figure 4.

Figure 1 shows a hollow extruded module 1 which is one of twenty four identical such modules to be used to assemble a hollow cylinder 18 shown in Figure 3, in this case for use as the main carding cylinder of a textile fibre card.

The module is generally in the form of a box- section beam having an outer wall 2 which will define the exterior of the cylinder, and an inner wall 3 which will be facing radially inwardly of the assembled modular cylinder, these inner and outer walls being joined by generally radially extending sidewalls 4 and 5.

In the preferred embodiment the "beam" is closed except at its ends, but in practice any alternative construction providing an external surface of a desired configuration, and providing the necessary strength for the cylinder may be used.

In order to assemble the modules together, each has a tongue 6 at one end of the inner wall panel 3 and a suitably arranged recess 7 at the opposite end of that same wall panel 3, for the purposes of allowing the tongue 6 of one module lb to engage in the recess or socket 7 of its immediate neighbour la, and so on, as shown in Figure 2.

In order to ensure that the tongue 6 engages firmly in the socket or recess 7, the end of the sidewall 4 remote from the tongue 6 includes a camming ramp 8 which engages with a suitably positioned camming ramp 9 on the end of the other sidewall 5 remote from the socket 7. This has the result that when two adjacent modules la and lb are pressed together by a force acting in the direction of the arrow F of Figure 1 the camming engagement of the ramps 8 and 9 causes the tongue 6 to press firmly into the socket 7.

In order to ensure that there is no loose fit of the modules one against another, the profile of the tongue 6 is carefully chosen to conform to the profile of the socket 7 to avoid lateral slapping even in the unstressed condition of the modules.

In order to impose a circumferential compression on the assembled modular cylinder, the end of the sidewall 5 remote from the socket 7 has a projection 10 which bears against a shoulder 11 at the end of the other sidewall 4 remote from the tongue 6, as each two adjacent modules la and lb are pressed against one another in the circumferential direction.

By suitable dimensioning of the distance measured in the circumferential direction between the rightwardly facing end of the projection 10 and the cooperating part of the shoulder 11, on the one hand, and the distance between centres of the tongue 6 and of the recess or socket 7, on the other hand, it is possible to ensure that in the assembled condition the wall 2 is maintained in compression while the wall 3 is maintained in tension. This is particularly advantageous when the assembled modular

cylinder is to be wound around with a binding medium such as card clothing wire in the case of a carding cylinder.

In order to provide the necessary strength and buckling resistance to the radially outer wall panel 2 of each module, the panel 2 is preferably shaped as shown in Figure 1 in that it has a generally inwardly convex inner surface 12 which complements the outwardly convex surface 13 defining the external surface of the assembled modular cylinder, in such a way that, despite the cylindrical exterior of its surface 13 the neutral axis of bending 31 (in Figure 4) of that panel 2 is substantially straight and is in this case parallel to the tangent 32 to the external surface 13 of that module at the mid-point of the wall 2.

Each module optionally includes a pair of bent ribs 14 defining between them a generally circular recess 15 for a purpose to be described therebelow.

The operation of assembling the modules 1 to form a hollow cylinder with the ability to withstand structural loading is as follows:- Initially the various modules, such as la, lb and lc in Figure 2, are placed in a suitable configuration (for example by standing them upright on the floor surface with one end of each module engaging the floor, or by mounting them on a suitable former ring or within a former socket) and the tongue 6 of one module lb is engaged with the socket 7 of its neighbour la, and so on.

After twenty three of the twenty four modules have been assembled in this way, normally simply by positioning each one of them so that it engages with its tongue in the groove of its neighbour, the almost complete cylindrical structure is then deformed by applying an outward strain at the ends of the array which will receive the sidewalls 4 and 5 of the missing module. Ideally some means, such as spreader 23 in Figure 5, are provided for ensuring that the bending moment applied to the almost assembled modular cylinder is _ distributed uniformly over the entire cylinder.

For this purpose there may be load spreading pads 24 or other similar means to apply a relatively uniform deflection around the peripheral direction of the modular cylinder. While the almost complete cylinder is thus strained, the final module is placed in position by sliding it axially into the gap remaining, whereby its tongue 6 slides along the socket or recess 7 of one of its neighbours and its socket or recess 7 slides along the tongue 6 of the other neighbouring module until the final module is correctly aligned side-by-side with the other twenty three. At this stage, release of the "opening" bending moment on the other twenty three modules will allow the twenty fourth module to take its share of the load which will be evenly distributed around the modular cylinder and hence the resulting engagement of the ramps 8 and 9 of the final module with its immediate neighbours will help to ensure a tight-fit of the tongues 6 and sockets 7 around the modular cylinder.

If desired, one or other or both of the tongue 6 and the socket 7 may have a slightly tapering profile in order to provide some form of wedging action as the tongue 6 is driven into a cooperating socket 7 as a result of the camming engagement of the ramps 8 and 9.

As an alternative to the preferred tongue and socket interconnection of the modules 1 illustrated, the modules may instead be provided with cooperating dovetailed formations.

Figure 5 shows a suitable tool 23 for spreading the almost complete modular cylinder as, for example, comprising a Y-shaped spreader having the stem 24 of the Y engaging the interior of the almost complete modular cylinder (for example adjacent modules numbers 11 and 12 (where module number 1 is at one side of the gap and module number 23 is at the other side of the gap to receive module number 24)), and then the branches 25 and 26 of the Y may engage the radially inward surface of the modular cylinder adjacent

modules numbers 1 and 23 to apply a radial expansion force F__ thereagainst. A suitable hydraulic or screw jack 27 on the stem of the Y can be operated to spread the branches of the Y (preferably by having the branches pivotally connected to the stem of the Y at 28) . Load spreading pads 24 are provided on the stem and branches. Preferably a transverse radial compression is applied (for example at modules 6 and 18 in this 24 module example) to exert a diametral compressive force F2 to cause the faces of modules 1 and 23 to be presented at the best orientation to receive module 24 readily.

Once the modular cylinder has been assembled in this way, end plates may be attached. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 1, the end plate may have twenty four clearance holes drilled near its periphery, each one receiving a suitable bolt or screw which penetrates the clearance hole and bites into the socket 15 between the bent ribs 14 on the inward side of the outer panel 2 of the module 1 (Figure 1) . For this purpose the sockets 15 are preferably tapped, by use of a suitable guiding fixture, before assembly of the modules to form the cylinder.

The centre of each end plate may provide means for mounting a bearing or stub axle on the cylinder, for the purposes of mounting the finished modular cylinder for rotation.

Although the above description refers to a modular cylinder comprising twenty four identical modules, any smaller or larger number of modules may be chosen, but of course the shape of each module will differ with such differing numbers of modules, even if the same general operating principle of the modules is followed.

Figure 1 shows that there is a radially inwardly facing part-cylindrical surface 16 of each module which can engage an inner former ring, and that the main curved radially inwardly facing panel 3 of each module diverges from the cylindrical configuration of the finished modular

cylinder as one moves away from the socket 7 and towards the tongue 6 of the module 1. The panels 3 are deliberately curved in order to allow the effect of straightening them, when the almost complete modular cylinder is strained by application of a bending moment to open the gap for the last module to be inserted, to impart extra flexibility for the straining to be facilitated in the appropriate direction of bending of the cylinder. The curvature of the panel 3 is generally spiral on the cross-section shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The general cylindrical notional cylinder of which the surface 16 forms part is illustrated in chain-dotted lines at 17. This will coincide with the exterior of the former ring 17, where fitted. Figure 2 shows the assembly of three of the modules

1 of Figure 1 in engagement with one another during the early stages of assembling a said cylinder 18. This clearly shows the irregular radially inner profile, resulting from the staggering of the tongues 6 and recesses 7, and the generally regular radially outer profile defined by the surfaces 13 of the three modules illustrated.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the cylinder module which is generally similar to that of Figures 1 to 3 but which has additional he i-cylindrical recesses 20 and 21 along the side edges adjacent the radially outer panel 13 of the module. As shown in the central module in Figure 4, the left-hand hemi-cylindrical recess is referenced 20 and the right-hand is referenced 21 such that, when the modules are assembled, the recess 21 to the right of the central module is in register with the other (left-hand) recess 20 of the next adjacent module on the right, and the left-hand recess 20 is in register with the other (right-hand) recess 21 of the next adjacent module on the left. Although the recesses are shown as being hemi- cylindrical, they could be of any suitable form which can

receive a filler which in the present embodiment is in the form of a cylindrical rod 22. With a cylindrical rod it is possible for the recesses 21 and 22 to be non- cylindrical but, for example, V-shaped. With other cross- sections of filler instead of the cylindrical rods 22 a different profile of recess 20 and 21 altogether may be used.

In order to assist insertion of the filler rods 22, they have one end tapered to assist in threading them into the registered recesses 20 and 21.

Another difference between the modules of Figure 4 and those of Figures 1 to 3 is that there is no evidence of the bent ribs 14 to assist in clamping end plates to the modular cylinder. However, some other form of securing of the end plates may be incorporated. For example, the filler rods 22 could be used to mount end plates by having suitable turned-down ends to engage in holes drilled in the end plates.

The method of assembling the modular cylinder with the modules of Figure 4 is somewhat different from that of Figures 1 to 3, and is as follows:-

The entire assembly of modules is laid out in a cylindrical configuration with the modules standing up on end and the various tongues 6 and grooves 7 inter- engaged. With the radially outermost panels 13 of the modules arranged so that their edges almost touch at the interface between one module and the next the fit is relatively loose but the cylindrical configuration can be achieved v/ithout difficulty, even when the last module of the set is inserted into the available space. It will be recalled that with the embodiment of Figures 1 to 3 the insertion of the last module required the entire assembly of the previous (n-1) modules to be strained to make space for it. Once the various modules have all been loosely assembled as described above, the various filler rods 22

are driven into the gaps defined by the registered recesses (in this case the cylindrical openings defined by the two hemi-cylindrical recesses 20 and 21 at each interface between modules) . In order to facilitate insertion of the rods, the loosely assembled cylinder may be distorted into an elliptical configuration either by expanding a diameter from within the cylinder (in order to cause that diameter to tend to become the major axis of an ellipse, or by contracting a diameter from outside to cause that contracted diameter to become the minor axis of an ellipse. When such an elliptical configuration has been achieved, rods are inserted around the ends of the major diameter, where the radius of curvature of the ellipse is smallest and the gaps between the surfaces 20 and 21 are widest. If a single "elliptical" deformation is not enough to facilitate insertion of all the rods, then this process may be repeated several times with different diameters chosen for contraction or expansion, in order to shift the regions of smallest radius of curvature of the assembly of segments around the array so as to generate the tightest curvature at a region where the rods have not yet been inserted.

By way of example, Figure 6 shows an outward deformation force F ₃ applied at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions of the cylinder, so as to generate tightest curvature around those points of application of the internal force to facilitate insertion of the rods locally. Alternatively, a radially inward force may be applied, for example at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, in order to contract that diameter and to generate the tightest curvature at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions to facilitate insertion of the rods there.

Driving in the last rod will be difficult, but

will be helped by virtue of the optional tapering of the leading end of the filler rod this can be achieved without difficulty.

Once the various filler rods 22 have been inserted, the radially outer panels 13 will all have been placed in compressive stress and it has been found that this is the configuration in which the cylinder preserves its structural integrity most reliably.

In the case of a carding cylinder manufactured by the method of the present invention, the outer panel 2 of each module will be thick enough to provide for the possibility of machining of the radially outwardly facing surface of the assembled modular cylinder 18 for the purposes of allowing precise dimensioning of the finished cylinder and for dressing the cylinder to receive the necessary card clothing wire.

As indicated above, the material used for each extruded module 1 is preferably aluminium or an aluminium alloy, and the hollow box-beam type construction allows a very lightweight module to be formed such that the engagement of the designed number of such modules to form a cylinder, with a radially outer compressive stressing and a radially inner tensile stressing of the finished modules, allows a particularly impressive structural integrity of the finished modular cylinder to be obtained despite the extreme light weight of the cylinder as compared with the conventional carding cylinder using a hollow cylindrical casting which has a radial distance substantially equal to the length of a sidewall 4 or 5 of the module 1.

If desired, such a modular cylinder may be reinforced by at least one radially inwardly arranged reinforcement hoop (not shown) which has its cylindrical exterior conforming to the notional cylindrical interior 17 of the modular cylinder, and in this way the modules can be braced against radial deformation in that the

tension in the inwardly facing module panels 3 of the cylinder 18 can be responsible for applying compression to the exterior of the reinforcement hoop, provided appropriate measures are taken during assembly to ensure that there is a tight fit upon relaxation of the modular cylinder 18 and the reinforcement hoop.

If absolutely necessary, more than one such reinforcement may be employed.

If desired, each module extrusion may include at least one section such as is shown at 33 in Figure 1 to enable the radially inner panels of the modules to be drawn tightly radially inwardly against the reinforcement hoop by means of T-headed bolts and nuts and drilled bores extending radially through the hoop An alternative or additional reinforcement mechanism relies on the injection of a rigid polyurethane foam into the cavities bounded by each module 1.

In order to hold the loosely-assembled hollow modules in the correct axial registration, it may be advantageous to provide notches extending down the side walls of the modules along what would be radii of the finished cylinder, and to insert dowels into the space defined by the registered notches when the correct axial alignment has been obtained. This may either be carried out by previously notching the modules, or by assembling the modules in a particular configuration and then drilling along a radial direction at each interface so as to provide a bore having the appropriate calibre to receive the dowels. When the assembly operation is complete, the space around each dowel may be filled with a resin or any other filling medium, prior to the step of grinding the external surface of the hollow cylindrical body, so that the grinding operation results in a smooth cylindrical surface, even at the location of a radially extending dowel.

The grinding operation may be carried out using a belt grinder, i.e. a grinder having a recirculating abrasive belt which is arranged to have one flat run bearing on the rotating assembled cylinder during driving of the belt to circulate around its endless path.