GB2502419A

GB2502419A - Card flat for a carding machine, comprising a carrying member and drive transfer element with releasable fastening means

Info

Publication number: GB2502419A
Application number: GB1305410.1A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christoph Leinders
Original assignee: Truetzschler GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Truetzschler GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2012-04-02
Filing date: 2013-03-25
Publication date: 2013-11-27
Also published as: GB201305410D0; CH706358B1; ITMI20130197A1; CN103361773A; CH706358A2; BR102013006508A2; DE102012006557A1

Abstract

A card flat for a carding machine, comprising a carrying member 14, with two end head parts which slide on a slideway 20 and co-operate with an endless flexible driving element, for example a drive belt. There is further provided a drive transfer element 23 which is in engagement with both the carrying member 14 and the driving element, an end region of the transfer element being fastened in a recess 26 of the end face of the carrying member. In order that the connection between the carrying member 14 and drive transfer element 23 can be released and the element can be re-used, and in order that there is no impairment in the geometry of the carrying member, the drive transfer element is connected to the carrying member in a shape-based connection by fastening means 25, the fastening means being reversibly releasable. Preferably, the fastening means may be an injection moulded resiliently deformable plastic clip with a latching nose 251.

Description

Card flat for a carding machine, which card flat has a carrying member, which has a clothing-holding part and a rear part The invention relates to a card flat for a carding machine.

It is known for a card flat to have a carrying member, which has a clothing-holding part and a rear part, there being associated with the carrying member two end head parts which slide on a slideway and cc-operate with an endless flexible driving element, for example a drive belt, there being provided a drive transfer element which is in engagement with the end head parts and the drive belt, wherein an end region of the drive transfer element is fastened in a recess of the end face of the carrying member.

In the case of a known card flat (EP 0 794 272 A), coupling between the flat and a toothed belt is achieved by means of a cylindrical form fit, without fixed retention means. The toothed belts are positioned at their ends by means of cavities provided in the toothed belt and by means of one pin of circular cross-section, the axis of which extends transversely to the toothed belt at each end of the flat. At each end of the flat there is fixed a horizontal pin of circular cross-section for insertion into the cylindrical cavity. The pin is of cylindrical shape and has a size coherent with the cavity, in order to enable the flat to be driven along its working path. The pins are fixed in the carrying member of the flat, for example, by means of a forced fit (force-based connection) or by a screwed connection.

At the two ends of the carrying member of the flats there are provided, in a position arranged close to the bottom face, two supporting pins made of wear-resistant material, for example alloy steel, which are horizontally positioned and intended for sliding on the slideways, in order to support the flats located opposite the cylinder.

The horizontal pin for insertion into the cylindrical cavity of the toothed belt is fastened in a position which is located relatively further away from the lower bottom face of the carrying member.

A disadvantage of the known card flat lies in the fact that connection of the components is made by pressing in the pin (press fit) . In the process, the pin and the recess can undergo plastic deformation. Because of the plastic deformation, the drive transfer pin cannot be re-used after removal. In addition, it is disadvantageous that in practice a press fit is hard to release. Finally, the geometry of the carrying member is impaired as a result of the pin.

It is an aim of the invention to provide a card flac of the kind described at the beginning that avoids or mitigates the mentioned disadvantages, wherein especially the connection between the card flat and drive transfer element can be released by simple means and the drive transfer element can be re-used, and wherein there is no impairment of the geometry of the carrying member.

The invention provides a card flat for a carding machine, the card flat having a carrying member having a clothing-holding part, first and second end head parts arranged at opposed ends of said carrying member and which in use each slide on a respective slideway and co-operate with a respective endless flexible driving element, and at least one drive transfer element which is in engagement with a first end of the carrying member and the associated driving element, wherein said drive transfer element comprises fastening means and the carrying member comprises a recess in an end face thereof in which said fastening means is fastenable by way of a shape-based connection for connecting the drive transfer element to the carrying member, the fastening means being reversibly releasable.

In accordance with the invention, fastening means are provided for a shape-based connection of the drive transfer element to the carrying member. The fastening means is reversibly releasable. A substantial advantage lies in the fact that, as a result of this kind of fastening, the drive transfer elements can be simply and rapidly fitted to, and removed from, the card flats using simple tools on site at the carding machine. It is especially advantageous in this context that the fastening means can be mounted on the card flats in reversibly releasable manner, with the result that they can be re-used following replacement. Advantageously, the drive transfer element has, at one of its ends, a clip which engages in a recess of the card flat. The recess can advantageously be produced only at the two ends of the card flat by machining.

Advantageously, the drive transfer element is in engagement with the end head parts. Advantageously, the drive transfer element is in engagement with the end head parts in a shape-based connection. Advantageously, the end head parts are in each case formed of at least two steel pins.

Advantageously, the drive transfer element is an injection-moulded part, preferably of resilient plastics material. Advantageously, the drive transfer element has, at one end, a clip. Advantageously, the clip is of elastic or resilient construction. Advantageously, the drive transfer element, including the clip, is of one-piece construction. Advantageously, the clip engages in a recess or inset portion of the card flat in a shape-based connection. Advantageously, the recess is provided only at the ends of the card flat. Advantageously, the recess is produced by machining. Advantageously, a projection on the clip, for example a nose, is in engagement with the recess in a shape-based connection. For example, the projection may be a latching nose. Advantageously, the drive transfer element is, at one end, fastened in or on the end face of the carrying member. Advantageously, the resilient projection of the clip is in engagement with the recess in the carrying member. Advantageously, the drive transfer element is clipped into the card flat. Advantageously, the connecting element has a through-hole in which a projection of the toothed belt engages. Advantageously, the connecting element is fastened to, for example firmly clamped on, the card flat heads, for example steel pins.

The invention also provides a card flat for a carding machine, which card flat has a carrying member, which has a clothing-holding part and a rear part, there being associated with the carrying member two end head parts which slide on a slideway and co-operate with an endless flexible driving element, for example a drive belt, there being provided a drive transfer element which is in engagement with the carrying member and the driving element, wherein an end region of the drive transfer element is fastened in a recess of the end face of the carrying member, wherein the drive transfer element is connected to the carrying member in a shape-based connection by fastening means, the fastening means being reversibly releasable.

Certain embodiments of the invention will be described hereinafter in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a carding machine having card flats according to the invention; Fig. 2 shows card flats of the revolving card top with card flat pins and drive transfer element, and also a portion of a slideway, of an adjustment bend (flexible bend) with a side screen, and of the cylinder and the carding nip between the clothings of the card flats and the cylinder clothing; Fig. 3 shows, broken away, a cross-section through a carrying member having card flat pins and also card flat clothing, drive transfer element and toothed belt; Fig. 3a shows the toothed belt according to Fig. 3, with projections on the outer side for engagement in the hole in the drive transfer elements and teeth on the inner side for engagement In toothed belt wheels of the card top guide rollers; Fig. 3b shows the drive transfer element with a hole for engagement of the projection on the toothed belt and clamping onto the card top pins; Fig. 4 shows, in a sectional side view, a drive transfer element according to the invention, having a clip in fastening engagement in a recess of the end face of the carrying member in the assembled state; Fig. 4a shows, to an enlarged scale, part of the clip of Fig. 4 on the drive transfer element and the recess in the carrying member in the unassembled state; Fig. 5 shows, in a perspective view, the drive transfer element according to Figs. 4 and 4a, including the clip; Fig. 6 is a perpective view of an end portion of a card flat according to another embodiment of the invention having a transfer element with a clip; and Fig. 6a is an enlarged view of a portion of the transfer element of the embodiment of Fig. 6, with the clip in fastening engagement in a recess in the carrying member.

With reference to Fig. 1, a carding machine, for example a TC carding machine made by Trutzschler GmbEi & Co. KG of Manchengladbach, Germany, has a feed roller 1, feed table 2, lickers-in 3a, 3b, 3c, cylinder 4, doffer 5, stripper roller 6, nip rollers 7, 8, web-guiding element 9, web funnel 10, delivery rollers 11, 12, revolving card top 13 having card top guide rollers 13a, 13b and card flats 14, can 15 and can coiler 16. The directions of rotation of the rollers are indicated by curved arrows.

Reference letter M denotes the centre (axis) of the cylinder 4. Reference numeral 4a denotes the clothing and reference numeral 4b denotes the direction in which the cylinder 4 rotates. Reference letter B denotes the direction in which the revolving card top 13 rotates in the carding location and reference letter C denotes the return transport direction of the card flats 14, reference numerals 31', 31'' denoting functional elements and 13a and 13b denoting card top guide rollers. Arrow A denotes the Referring to Fig. 2, an adjustment bend 17 (flexible bend) is provided on each side of the carding machine, mounted on the associated side screen 19. The adjustment bend 17 has a convex outer surface 17a and an underside 17b. On top of the adjustment bend 17 there is a slideway 20, fcr example made of low-friction plastics material, which has a convex outer surface 20a and a concave inner surface 2Gb. The concave inner surface 2Gb rests on top of the convex outer surface 17a and is capable of sliding on the latter In the direction of arrows D, B. Each card flat 14 consists of a rear part 14a and a card flat bottom 14b. Each card flat 14 has, at each of its two ends, a card flat head, each including two steel pins 14', 14' . Those parts cf the steel pins 14', 14' which project beyond the end faces of the card flat bottom 14b slide on the convex outer surface 20a of the slideway 20 in the direction of arrow B. A clothing 18 is mounted on the underside of the card flat bottcm 14b. Reference numeral 21 denotes the circle of tips of the card flat clothings 18.

The cylinder 4 has on its circumference a cylinder clothing 4a, fcr example a sawtooth clothing. The tooth height of the sawteeth is, for example, h = 2 mm. Reference numeral 22 denotes the circle of the tips of the cylinder clothing 4a. The spacing (carding nip) between the circle of tips 21 and the circle of tips 22 is denoted by reference letter a and is, for example, 3/1000". The spacing between the convex outer surface 20a and the circle of tips 22 is denoted by reference letter b. The spacing between the convex outer surface 20a and the circle of tips 21 of the cylinder clothing 18 is denoted by reference letter c. The radius of the convex outer surface 20a is denoted by reference letter r and the radius of the circle of tips 22 is denoted by reference letter r1. The radii r1 and r-intersect at the centre point N of the cylinder 4.

Reference numeral 19 denctes the side screen. The card flats 14 are hollow extruded profiled members made of aluminium, with a hollow internal space 14c. Reference numeral 23 denotes a drive transfer element, which is In engagement with the toothed belt 24 (see Fig. 3) Fig. 3 shows, broken away, a carrying member 14c having card flat pins 14', 14'', and also the card flat clothing 18, drive transfer element 23 (connecting element) and toothed belt 24. The card flat clothing 18 is part of a clothing strip which is mounted on the underside of the oard flat bottom 14b, for example by means of a magnetic strip and a metal carrier.

As shown in Fig. 3a, the resilient toothed belt 24 has, on its outer side 24a, projections 24 to 24. (only 24 shown), for example made of rubber. On the inner side 24b of the toothed belt 24 there are provided a large number of teeth 242, which engage in toothed belt wheels of the card top guide rollers 13a, 13b. The toothed belt 24 is reinforced in the longitudinal direction by means of flexible steel wires of high tensile strength located within it.

With reference to Fig. 3b, each drive transfer element 23 has a hole 23 (open at one end or a through-hole) . As Fig. 3 shows, in operation, the projections 24 to 24r: engage, from above, in the corresponding holes 23 in the drive transfer elements 23.

It will be appreciated that the configuration of the belt shown in Figs. 3, 3a and 3b is illustrative and, for example, the configuration of teeth 24 and corresponding holes 23 on drive transfer element may differ from that shown.

In a first embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the drive transfer element 23 has a clip 25 (see Fig. 4a) In Fig. 4, the clip 25 is shown in fastened engagement in a recess 26 (see Fig. 4a) of the end face of the carrying member 14c of the card flat 14 in the assembled state. As may be seen from Fig. 4a, the drive transfer element has a resilient clip 25, one of the ends of which is integrally mounted on the drive transfer element 23 and the other end of which has a latching nose 25. Like the drive transfer element 23, the clip 25 is made from resilient plastics material, for example injection-moulded material, and Is capable of pivoting (being moved in and out) elastically or resiliently in the direction of arrows F and G. The carrying member 14c has, at its end faces, in the region of the card flat bottom 14b, a recess 26 having an undercut 26 (projection) . The latching nose 25 engages in the recess 26 and abuts against the projection 26k.

Reference numeral 27 denotes a supporting plate underneath the hole 23. Reference numeral 28 (see Fig. 4) denotes a guide element which is integrally connected to the drive transfer element 23 and which engages underneath the carrying member 14c, abutting against the latter.

Fig. 5 shows, in a perspective view, the drive transfer element 23, having a clip 25, in accordance with Fig. 4.

The drive transfer element 23 has two recesses 23) and 233 open to one side and, on its outer longitudinal side, two resilient outer walls 23 and 235, respectively. In operation, the card flat pins 14', 14'' are arranged in the recesses 232 and 233 in a shape-based connection and are held and fixed by means of the resilient outer walls 234 and 23, respectively (see Fig. 3) For installation, the clip 25 having the latching nose 25 is deflected resiliently in the direction of arrow G and the latching nose 25 is introduced in an axial direction into the carrying member 14c as far as the recess 26. The clip 25 is then moved in, that is to say back, in the direction of arrow F, so that the latching -10 -nose 25-engages in the recess 26 and thus fixes the drive transfer element 23 in the carrying member 14c of the card flat 14.

Figs. 6 and 6a show another illustrative embodiment of the invention having a different arrangement of clip connection. A clip element 29 which can be squeezed together from two sides (snap-in connection) is integrally mounted on the drive transfer element 23. The clip element 29 is rounded and is in engagement, in a shape-based connection, with a correspondingly rounded recess 30 in the carrying member 14c.

As a result of the invention, the drive transfer element 23 is connected, by means of a shape-based connection, to the carrying member l4c of the card flat 14 by clips 25 or 29, the clips 25 or 29 being reversibly releasable. As a result of the clip-in or snap-in connection, advantageously, the drive transfer element 23 can, by simple means and in a short time, both be firmly connected to the carrying member 14c and also released from the carrying member 14c. A further advantage lies in the fact that the clip elements 25 or 29, after having been removed, can be fitted and used again.

Claims

-11 -Claims 1. A card flat fcr a carding machine, the card flat having a carrying member having a clothing-holding part, first and second end head parts arranged at opposed ends of said carrying member and which in use each slide on a respective slideway and co-operate with a respective endless flexible driving element, and at least one drive transfer element which is in engagement with a first end of the carrying member and the associated driving element, wherein said drive transfer element comprises fastening means and the carrying member comprises a recess in an end face thereof in which said fastening means is fastenabiLe by way of a shape-based connection for connecting the drive transfer element to the carrying member, the fastening means being reversibly releasable.
2. A card flat according to claim 1, wherein the drive transfer element is in engagement with an end head part.
3. A card flat according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the drive transfer element is in engagement with an end head part in a shape-based connection.
4. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the end head parts are in each case formed of at least two steel pins.
5. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the drive transfer element is an injection-moulded part.
6. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the drive transfer element is of resilient plastics material.
7. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fastening means of the drive transfer element comprises a clip.

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8. A card flat acccrding to claim 7, wherein the clip is resiliently deformable.
9. A card flat according to claim 7 or claim 8, wherein the drive transfer element, including the clip, is of one-piece construction.
10. A card flat according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the clip engages in a recess or inset portion of the card flat in a shape-based connection.
11. A card flat according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein a projection on the clip is engageable with the recess in a shape-based connection.
12. A card flat according to claim 11, wherein the projection is a latching nose.
13. A card flat according to claim 11 or claim 11, wherein the projection of the clip is in engagement with the recess in the carrying member.
14. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the fastening means comprises a deflectable projection.
15. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the fastening means is resiliently deformable by sgueezing.
16. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the recess is provided only at the ends of the card flat.
17. A card flat according to claim 16, wherein the recess is produced by machining.
18. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the drive transfer element is, at one end, fastened in or on the end face of the carrying member.
19. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the drive transfer element is clipped into the card flat.

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20. A card flat acccrding to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the connecting element has a through-hole in which a projection of the toothed belt engages.
21. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the connecting element is fastened to the end head part.
22. A card flat according to any one of claims 1 to 21, comprising a said drive transfer element at each end of the card flat.
23. A card flat for a carding machine, which card flat has a carrying member, which has a clothing-holding part and a rear part, there being associated with the carrying member two end head parts which slide on a slideway and co-operate with an endless flexible driving element, for example a drive belt, there being provided a drive transfer element which is in engagement with the carrying member and the driving element, wherein an end region of the drive transfer element is fastened in a recess of the end face of the carrying member, wherein the drive transfer element is connected to the carrying member in a shape-based connection by fastening means, the fastening means being reversibly releasable.
24. A card flat substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by any of Figs. 1, 2, 3, 3a, 3b, 4, 4a, 5, 6 and 6a.
25. A drive transfer element for a card flat according to any one of the preceding claims.
26. A drive transfer element for a card flat, the drive transfer element being substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by any of Figs. 4, 4a, 5, 6 and 6a.