The present invention relates to apparatus for processing textile fibres having a sliver deposition apparatus provided with suction means for removing dust and fly from a region thereof.

In conventional textile carding apparatus for example, the carding machine comprisas a main frameuiork supporting a material feeding arrange- ment, a taker-in cylinder, a main cylinder uiith adjacent revolving or stationary flats, a doffing system and a sliver deposition apparatus in the form of a sliver coiling mechanism. The function of the cαilar is to receive the condensed u»eb from the doffing arrangement and deposit it in sliver form into a sliver can or similar receptacle. During this coiling operation material fed to the coiler releases dust and fly into the atmosphere, particularly in the region luhere the material is made to change direction on its path to the coiler as for example, around a sliver guide roller and as it enters the aperture in the rotating coiler plate. This release or liberation of dust and fly can be a hazard to the health of any carding operative in the vicinity of the carding machine or even an operative working uiithin the room containing the carding machine. It is therefore of the greatest importance that the egress of dust and other injurious elements be prevented from polluting the air surrounding the carding machine. Additionally and importantly by removing dust and fly from the sliver a cleaner material results and in this respect a material more suitable for feeding to the rotor of an open-end spinning machine is provided. In "the opβn-sπd spinning process dust and trash are undesirable elements in spinning. Collection of dust ωithin the spinning rotor can cause repeated and breaks and also contamination of the resultant yarn.

An apparatus for removing dust and fly by suction from the regions

adjacent to a textile carding machine is disclosed in British Patent No. 1,138,220. A duct branch is extended from a main duct so that its open end overlies the sliver coiling mechanism to suck dust-laden air from this region. Houiever it is believed that this proposal mould not remove dust and fly from this region to a required degree of efficiency.

According to the present invention the problem is solved by the provision of a hood, through uihich the sliver passes, extending over a region of the sliver deposition apparatus, with suction means connected to the interior of the said hood to extract dust and fly therefrom.

Preferably the hood <βnclαses- at least one rotatable sliver guide roller above the sliver deposition . apparatus and around uihich the slive is caused to divert in its passage to the sliver deposition apparatus.

The hood may be localised in the region of the rotatable coiler pla of the sliver deposition apparatus. •

The hood localised in the region of the rotatable coiler plate can be enclosed uiithin an outer hood and a suction means connected to the interior of the inner hood communicates with the suction means connected to the interior of the outer hood.

The following is a more, detailed description of one embodiment αf the invention by way bf example, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic view of the doffing and coiling apparatus of a carding machine which also illustrates the sliver path from doffβr to coiler;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional plan view of the coiler dust hood along the line II-II of Figure 3 showing its positioning over the coiler, and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional side elevation of the coiler dust hood along the line.III-III of Figure 2.

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Ulith reference to the drawings a carding machine doffing and coiling arrangement receives a web of fibres carded on a main cylinder 1. This carded web 2 is taken from the main cylinder 1 by the doffer 3. A roller doffing arrangement is then used to strip the carded web from the doffer 3. This roller doffing arrangement comprises a doffing roll 4 with a blade 5. followed by a redirecting roller 6 and a pair of crush rolls 7 and 8. The carded web is then removed by a belt doffing device 9 which compresses the carded web into a sliver 11 which is then further compressed by passing it through the trumpet guide 10. This trumpet guide 10 leads the sliver 11 into the drawbox 12 which is indicated by dotted line in Figure 1.

The sliver 11 then passes through tongue and groove rollers 13 and 14 around the guide 15 and upwardly to a first grooved sliver guide roller 16 on to a second grooved sliver guide roller 17 and downwardly into a coiler 18. The sliver is then coiled in conventional fashion and deposited into a sliver can 19 which is held stationary by retaining arms 20. The sliver can illustrated is supported on castors 21.

Over the coiler 18 an outer dust hood 22 is provided to inhibit dispersion of the dust and fly liberated from the sliver as it changes direction over the grooved rollers 16 and 17.

The outer dust hood 22 comprises a hallow casing of sheet material, which may, for example, be polycarbonate. This material is suitable since its anti-static properties deter the adherence of dust and fly to the surfaces of the hood and also because its transparency permits observance of conditions existing within the hood during operation. . Alternatively the hood may be formed from sheet metal. A rim 23 of strip metal extends around the base of the hood 22 so as to give rigidity to the hood. The hood 22 is attached to a casing 24 of the coiler 18 by

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a hinge 25 which permits the hood to be raised from the closed position as shown in the drawings to an open position so as to allow threading u of the sliver to the coiler. A counterbalance device may be used to allow the hood 22 to be placed in an open, intermediate or closed posit In the closed position the rim 23 engages a raised stop 26 on an upper surface of the collar casing 24 so as to provide an air inlet clearance 27 between the hood 22 and the casing 24 for a purpose hereinafter described.

The grooved roller 16 is mounted for free rotation on a bracket 28 and the grooved roller 17 is similarly mounted for free rotation on a bracket 29. The brackets 28 and 29 are interconnected by a metal stri 30 and supported from the casing of the coiler 18.

In operation the inside of the hood is subjected to suction. Thi suction is applied through an outlet hole 31 formed in the coiler casin 24 which communicates with a duct 32 provided ,in a black 33 attached to the underside of the coiler casing 24. The duct 32 is connected to a suction pipe 34 through the side of the coiler casing 24 which leads to a source of suction 35 shown schematically in Figure 1.-

Ulhen the carding machine is in operation, dust and fly are liberat from the sliver particularly as it passes around the grooved rollers 16 and 17. The suction source 35 draws air through the clearance 27 betw the hood 22 and the collar casing 24 and from the interior of the hood through the hole 31 and then through the duct 32 and the pipe 34 to a waste collection point. The dust and fly liberated from the sliver 11 within the hood 22 is entrained by the airstream passing through the ho 22 and is conveyed thereby to the waste collection point.

Additionally, it has been found that dust and fly tend to be liber from the sliver 11 as it enters an aperture 36 provided in a rotating coiler plate 37 which is offset from the axis of rotation of the coiler

. is enclosed by a localised inner hood 38 the interior of which communi¬ cates with the suction source 35. The inner hood 38 comprises an upright side wall -39 which encircles the coiler plate 37 and is concentric therewith. The side wall 39 is secured to the coiler casing 24 by a plurality of brackets 40 and is provided around its top edge with a seal 41 which may consist of felt or similar material. A circular cover 42 extends over the coiler plate 37 and has a sliver inlet hole 43 at a position-above the.aperture 36 in: the coiler plate-37-. _. The . cover 42 is located with respect to the coiler plate 37 by a locating pin 44 fixed to the coiler plate 37 and projecting through a locating hole 45 in the cover 42. Driving of the cover 42 in synchronism with the coiler plate 37 is effected by a setscreω 46 which passes through the cover 42 and screws into a stud 47 located in the coiler plate 37. Between the head of the setscrew 46 and the cover 42 is a spring 48 luhich lightly presses the cover 42 into contact with the seal 41.

The interior of the inner hood 38 is connected to the suction source 35 by an outlet pipe 49 which is formed so as to communicate through the coiler casing 24 with the duct 32.

In operation, a portion of the air drawn into the interior of the hood 22 enters the interior of the inner hood 38 along with the sliver 11 as it passes through the sliver inlet hole 43.in the cover 42. The fibres of the sliver 11 are disturbed as they enter the aperture 36 resulting in the liberation of dust and fly from the sliver 11 in this region. The liberated dust and fly is entrained in the airstream exiting from the inner hood 38 through the outlet pipe 49 to join in the duct 32 with the dust and fly removed from within the hood 22 so as to be conveyed to a suitable waste collection point.

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If desired, an additional air inlet 50 may be provided in the hood 22 at a position on a side of the grooved roller 17 and the coiler plate- 37 remote with respect to the outlet position of the,hole 31.- Thus, in operation, airflow is created which flows from the air inlet 50 across the case of the cover 42 and out through the outlet hole 31 carrying with it dust and fly liberated from the sliver as it passes around the grooved rollers 16 and 17.

If desired the raised stop 26 may be omitted so that the rim 23 rests on the coiler casing 24 whereby air is admitted to the hood 22 mainly through ,the air inlet 50.

In certain processing conditions the inner hood 38 may be used with¬ out the use of the outer hood 22, or, alternatively, the outer hood 22 may be used without an inner hood 38. However, particularly when processing heavily contaminated material, it is preferable to emp-tay both the inner and outer hoods to achieve maximum cleaning efficiency.

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