Method and Apparatus for Controlling and Regulating Machines of a Textile Fiber Processing Line

This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for controlling and regulating machines of a textile fiber processing line which prepares textile fiber for spinning. The control and regulation affects, for example, the fiber quantity to be supplied to an opener and/or a textile fiber cleaner. For example, a measuring value representing the fiber quantity is taken from a feed chute connected to and downstream of a fiber processing machine, as viewed in the direction of material advance; then the measuring value is converted to an electric signal applied to a setting member which varies the fiber quantity to be supplied to the downstream-connected machine as a function of the signal.

In practice, an opener and cleaner arranged in line have heretofore been controlled such that the material feeding roller is rotated in a "stop-and-go" operation dependent upon the demand of the fiber processing machine. The downstream-located machines are, as a rule, storage devices (feed chutes) or contain such devices. The height level of the material in the feed chute is conventionally detected by sensors with a "yes-no" function such as photocells or electronic pressure responsive switches to sense the counterpressure which is a measure for the height level of the material. The sensors, corresponding to a yes-or-no determination, cause an energization or de-energization of the material feed drive.

The above-outlined conventional method has the disadvantage that during the pause periods no opening or cleaning work takes place while during the operative periods an increased amount of work has to be performed relative to the average flow rate of material. Since the cleaning and opening quality improves as the material flow rate decreases, the quality deteriorates as the idle periods increase. In case of an idle-to-operation period ratio of, for example, 50:50, during the work phase twice the average quantity has to be processed.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved method and apparatus of the above-outlined type from which the noted disadvantages are eliminated and with which improved textile cleaning and opening results may be achieved.

These objects and others to become apparent as the specification progresses, are accomplished by the invention, according to which, briefly stated, an electric analog signal is generated from the measuring magnitude representing the fiber quantities and is applied to a regulatable setting member for the continuous operation of at least one feed roller of the fiber processing machine such as an opener and/or a cleaner.

It is an important aspect of the invention to maintain the material feed drive in operation during work periods of the opener and the cleaner. For this purpose, the level (quantity) of the material in the downstream-located apparatus is sensed in an analog manner and, dependent from the signal generated as a function of the sensed magnitude, the material advancing mechanism is driven slower or faster. Such an operation may be effected automatically by a regulator. The actual value is formed by the height level of the fiber tuft column in the downstream-located feed chute or the pressure in the downstream-located system. The setting member constitutes an rpm setter for the material feeding device serving the opener or the cleaner. This regulation may be exclusively analog and stepless or may operate in steps. The short-period, batch-like (intermittent) rate of, for example, 500 kg/hour of fiber material experienced in the conventional process (stop-and-go drive) is, when the method according to the invention is practiced, reduced to a continuous rate of 250 kg/hour in case of a 50:50 ratio. In this manner, the cleaning effect is significantly improved. In order to achieve a uniform opening quality--as viewed over time--the fiber tuft weight per opening tooth or opening pin in the opening roller should remain constant. For this purpose, according to a further feature of the invention, the regulating signal varies the rpm's of the drives for the feed roller and for at least one opening roller in proportion to one another. Thus, the faster the material feed drive delivers, the faster should the opening roller rotate. This result can be economically achieved by means of a common drive. The rpm-controllable drive motor drives the opening roller by means of a reduction gear. By means of a gearing, the motor rpm, or opener rpm or an intermediate rpm is lowered to a very low feed roller rpm.

In the apparatus according to the invention, signals from the measuring member for the fiber quantity are applied to a regulator which, in turn, is connected with the regulatable drive (motor regulation, drive motor) of at least one material feed roller. According to a particularly advantageous feature of the invention, the regulator is connected with the regulatable drive of at least one opening roller.

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevational view, with block diagram, of a fiber cleaning and fiber opening line incorporating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 are schematic side elevational views of three different preferred embodiments of one part of the invention.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating the electric interconnection of a control and regulator system of a fiber processing line preparing material for spinning.

FIG. 6 is a schematic side elevational view, with block diagram, illustrating the electric interconnection of an opening and cleaning line associated with a carding machine.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating the electric interconnection of a fiber processing line with a guiding computer.

Turning now to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a known cleaning and opening line formed, for example, of a cleaner 1, a condenser 2, a fine opener 3, a fiber transport fan 4, a pneumatic fiber tuft feed chute 5 and a carding machine 6. The cleaner 1 is supplied with fiber material by a feed chute 7 from which the material is drawn by two delivery rollers 8 and 9 and is advanced to a feeding device which is formed of a conveyor belt 10 and two feed rollers 11 and 12. The latter advance the fiber material to an opening roller 13 from which the material is further advanced in a duct 14 to the screen drum of the condenser 2 and therefrom to the feed chute 15 of a fine opener 3. With the feed chute 15 there is associated a measuring device 16 which comprises several photocells 16a and which senses the height of the fiber tuft column in the feed chute 15. The measuring device 16 is connected with a regulator 17 including a desired value setter 18. The regulator 17 is connected with a motor regulator 19a of a drive motor 19 which rotates at least one of the feed rollers 11 and 12. An analog electric signal is generated from the measuring value of the fiber quantity in the downstream-located feed chute 15 and applied to the motor regulator 19a for continuously operating the drive motor 19 of at least one of the feed rollers 11 or 12 of the cleaner 1.

From the feed chute 15 the fiber material is advanced by two delivery rollers 20 and 21 and a guide element 22 to two feed rollers 23 and 24 which, in turn, forward the fiber material to the opening roller 25 of the fine opener 3. From the fine opener 3 the fiber material is driven by means of the transport fan 4 through a pneumatic conveying duct 26 into an upper reserve chute 27 of a tuft feeding apparatus 5. From the upper reserve chute 27 the fiber material is advanced by a feed roller 27a to an opening roller 27b and therefrom the material is received in a lower feed chute 28 of a fiber tuft feeding apparatus 5. On one wall of the feed chute 28 there is mounted an electronic pressure responsive switch 29 which transmits analog signals to a regulator 30, having a desired value setter 31. The regulator 30, in turn, is connected to a motor regulator 32a of a drive motor 32 which rotates at least one of the feed rollers 23 or 24.

Turning now to FIG. 2, there is shown a fiber feeding device including a feed roller 33 and a feed table 34 for advancing the fiber material to the opening roller 13 (beater). From the regulator 17 an analog electric signal is applied to a tandem potentiometer 35 which, in turn, is connected to two motor regulators 36 and 37 such as Model SIMOREG regulators manufactured by Siemens AG, Munich, Federal Republic of Germany. The motor regulators 36 and 37 are connected to respective drive motors 38 and 39 which rotate the feed roller 33 and the opening roller 13, respectively.

Turning now to FIG. 3, the motor regulator 36 is connected to a drive motor 38 which is directly rotating the opening roller 13 and is also rotating the feed roller 33 with the intermediary of a reduction gear 40.

Turning now to FIG. 4, in the embodiment shown therein, the motor 38 is connected to a reduction gear 41 which, with different gear ratios, is connected to the opening roller 13 and to the feed roller 33.

The control affects not only the fiber storing devices, openers and cleaners but every machine or machine group forming part of the fiber processing line which prepares the fiber for a subsequent spinning operation.

Turning now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a cleaning line formed of a plurality of serially connected machines or machine groups such as a bale opener 46, a group formed of a condenser 45, a supply chute 7 and a cleaner 1, a group formed of a condenser 2, a feed chute 15 and a fine opener 3, joined by a feed chute 5 and a carding machine 6, supplied by the feed chute 5. The electric interconnection between the machines or machine groups is shown schematically. For example, in the machine group formed of components 2, 15 and 3, with the feed chute 15 there is associated a measuring device 16 and with the fine opener 3 there is associated a setting member (drive motor) 32. Further, as indicated in FIG. 6, the regulating devices are associated with separate desired value setters.

Turning once again to FIG. 6, the carding machine 6 has, at its web delivery drive (card output), a generator 50 whose voltage represents the web delivery rpm, that is, the production rate of the card. The voltage appearing at the output of the generator 50 is applied to a regulator 51 including a desired value setter 52. The regulator 51 is connected with a motor regulator 53a which, in turn, is connected with the drive motor 53 of the feed roller 27a of the fiber tuft feed chute 5. In this manner, it is feasible to influence the operation of the feed rollers 27a (basic setting) as a function of the production rate predetermined for the carding machine 6. Further, the production rate of the carding machine 6 may be used as a measure for the material quantities to be taken by the bale opener 46. For this purpose, the signal from the generator 50, representing the production rate of the carding machine 6, is applied to a control 47 of the bale opener 46 and is evaluated there. Further, with the aid of the measuring device 16 it is feasible to correct the basic setting (obtained from the carding machine 6), for the material removal by the bale opener 46, as a function of the column height in the feed chute 15. It is further feasible to correct the desired value for the production rate at the carding machine 6, obtained from the control 47 of the bale opener 46. Such an arrangement is considered in particular when in the control 47 it is determined that the opener component 46a working on the fiber bales 48 is continuously overloaded because of excessive requirements. The control device 47 is electrically connected with the drive motor 46b (travel drive) of the bale opener 46. Further, the control device 47 is electrically connected with a drive motor (not shown) for the height adjustment of the opener component 46a.

It is further feasible to provide the regulating devices 17, 30 and 51 with desired values predetermined by a guide computer.

If the measuring device 16 determines that in the feed chute 15, despite requirements placed on the upstream-located machines such as, for example, the cleaner 1 or the bale opener 46, consistently insufficient quantity of material is available, this state is reported to the carding machine 6 and accordingly, a decreased output rate therefor can be set.

Turning now to FIG. 7, blocks 60 through 65 symbolize the individual machines or machine groups which together form a fiber processing (opening, cleaning and carding) line preparing the fiber for a spinning operation. Block 60 represents a bale opener with control, such as earlier-described components 46 and 47, block 61 represents a cleaner, block 62 represents a fiber mixer and a transport fan, block 63 symbolizes a condenser, a feed chute and a cleaner, block 64 represents a condenser, a feeding unit, a step cleaner and a cleaner and box 65 represents a card feed chute and a carding machine. FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the mutual interaction between individual machine controls and machine group controls. These may cooperate to achieve a continuous material flow without central control or, on the contrary, may be influenced by a master computer (guide computer) 49. When such a master control is used, the entire line may be programmed at a service panel for the particular intended purpose. If, for example, one machine line operates alternatingly with different fiber lots (for example, cotton or synthetic wool), the guide computer 49 can determine how the material should be routed, that is, certain cleaning stations or the like may be bypassed or automatically added dependent upon the lot specific data, particularly on fiber characteristics relating to the machine processing. Such data are determined once, then stored and recalled at will. Further, the number of carding machines can be preselected to thus control the production rate. It is also feasible to have the guide computer 49 make suggestions to the operating personnel concerning optimal processing conditions, based on predetermined data. The guide computer 49 may be, for example, a model 8032 computer manufactured by the firm Commodore, 6078 Neu-Isenburg, Federal Republic of Germany.

The various textile machines noted in the foregoing description as forming part of the fiber processing line may be, for example, the following models marketed by Trutzschler GmbH & Co. KG, Monchengladbach, Federal Republic of Germany:

It will be understood that the above description of the present invention is susceptible to various modifications, changes and adaptations, and the same are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalents of the appended claims.