Abstract: A process and apparatus is disclosed for cleaning and opening loose fiber material which is fed through a feeder to a cleaning operation to be carried away for further processing. The degree of contamination of the fiber material is concurrently scanned. Control of the cleaning procedure is performed in response to the scanned measuring results. A measuring path is provided between a fiber feeder (2) and an opening and cleaning unit (3). At the measuring path (24), there is arranged a device (300) for scanning the degree of contamination of the fiber material. A controller (41) controls cleaning unit (3) and/or take-off rolls (8, 9) of feeder (2). The control of the cleaning procedure is relatively instantaneous in accordance wit the result of a proceeding measurement of the degree of contamination of the fiber material.

Abstract: This invention relates to a device for removing short fibers from a mass of ibers. A pair of perforated cylindrical bodies are opposed to each other with a predetermined spacing defined therebetween, and static electricity is applied across the perforated cylindrical bodies. A suction-wise removing device is installed in at least one of the perforated cylindrical bodies. The initial end of a transfer conveyor is located on the surface of one perforated cylindrical body adjacent the opposed region. Short fibers contained in the mass of fibers fed to the opposed region by a feeding device are drawn into the suction-wise removing devices through the through holes in the cylindrical bodies by the action of electrostatic force and suction air currents. The mass of fibers having the short fibers removed therefrom are oriented by electrostatic force and transferred by the conveyor while being maintained in this oriented state.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding fiber material to a fiber processing machine includes a vertically-oriented fill chute having an open top, a bottom and a generally rectangular cross section of opposite narrow sides and opposite wide sides; a duct having an open end communicating with the fill chute adjacent the top thereof at one of the wide sides for introducing a fiber material-carrying airsteam into the fill chute; air outlet openings provided in the fill chute for allowing passage of air from the fill chute; and a discharging arrangement for withdrawing fiber material from the bottom of the fill chute. The duct has a terminal length portion ending in the outlet opening and the terminal length portion has an at least approximately quadrate cross section. There is further provided a space of impact between the outlet opening and the open top of the fill chute; the outlet opening is at least approximately centered with respect to a horizontal middle of the space of impact.

Abstract: An apparatus for separating waste from textile fiber tufts includes a substantially closed casing, a separating wall arranged in the casing for dividing the casing into a dust and waste collecting chamber and a fiber collecting chamber. The separating wall has a separating surface and is provided with apertures. There is further provided an air stream guide for directing a fiber and waste-laden air stream through the apertures of the separating wall from the fiber collecting chamber to the waste collecting chamber. The apertures are sized to allow passage of dust and waste and to prevent passage of fibers. The air stream guide and the separating wall are relatively movable with respect to one another. The air stream guide is immovably supported and the separating wall is rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the separating surface of the separating wall.

Abstract: A condenser (1) for separating fibers from a fiber laden air flow is disclosed which includes a cell wheel housing (3) and a cell wheel (4). The cell wheel includes a plurality of radial vanes (6) and a perforated screen (12) extending between adjacent vanes. The perforated screen separates the space between the adjacent vanes into fiber entraining cells (14) and air exit spaces (13). Flexible sealing element (7) are carried at the ends of vanes which seal against an interior of the wheel housing. Air from the fiber laden air flow exits through screens (12) by way of a discharge opening (18). Fibers are discharged at (9) through an opening provided in the bottom of cell wheel housing (3).

Abstract: An apparatus for separating fiber waste from an air stream includes a duct guiding a waste-laden air stream; and a stationary collecting vessel communicating with the duct for receiving the waste-laden air stream from the duct. The collecting vessel has a separating surface arranged for allowing passage of the air stream and retaining at least one part of the fiber waste within the collecting vessel. The fiber waste is removed downwardly from the collecting vessel. The collecting vessel is formed of a cylinder wall having a longitudinal axis oriented substantially horizontally; at least one portion of the cylinder wall constitutes the separating surface. The duct merges tangentially into the collecting vessel.

Abstract: A drum separator includes a cylindrical screen drum which is mounted for rotation within a sealed housing such that a small portion of the perimeter of the screen drum is exposed. Air, fibers, and fines are introduced onto a first part of the exposed portion of the screen drum and fines and air pass through the screen drum into the interior of the housing and then to a fines collector. Fibers which are too large to pass through the screen drum are carried by the rotation of the screen drum to a pick-up head which applies a low pressure to the exterior of the screen drum to remove the fibers. The pick-up head is pivotably mounted to the housing, and air cylinders lift the pick-up head away from the screen drum in the event of an impact. The pick-up head includes a pick-up bar and a plurality of fins which are shaped to optimize removal of fibers from the exterior of the screen drum.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for controlled application of aeromechanical and electrodynamic release and separation forces to foreign particulate matter in fiber materials are disclosed. A number of elements are employed in various combinations. One important element is a perforated, pinned cylinder which facilitates foreign particulate matter removal and microdust classification and use of conditioned and controlled airflow for optimum fiber processing and foreign matter removal. Another important element is a counterflow slot. Other important aspects are air blast cleaning of a tenuous mat held onto a preforated cylinder; unidirectional and pulsating airflows to cause repeated engagement of fibers with static cleaning pins and to release additional dust; application of electrostatic release forces to particles bound onto the fiber; and the processing of fiber in properly conditioned inlet air to the machine, as opposed to ambient air.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning cotton is disclosed wherein an air stream bearing cotton is introduced into an inlet chamber having side-by-side outlet ducts covered with a screen that collects cotton yet lets trash pass therethrough. The air stream is alternately diverted from one outlet duct to the other so that while cotton is accumulating on the screen in front of one duct, it is being removed from the other. The cotton, as it is removed from the screen, falls onto an inclined shaker screen which vibrates additional dirt from the cotton before it is discharged from the apparatus.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for controlled application of aeromechanical and electrodynamic release and separation forces to foreign particulate matter in fiber materials are disclosed. A number of elements are employed in various combinations. One important element is a perforated, pinned cylinder which facilitates foreign particulate matter removal and microdust classification and use of conditioned and controlled airflow for optimum fiber processing and foreign matter removal. Another important element is a counterflow slot. Other important aspects are air blast cleaning of a tenuous mat held onto a perforated cylinder; unidirectional and pulsating airflows to cause repeated engagement of fibers with static cleaning pins and to release additional dust; application of electrostatic release forces to particles bound onto the fiber; and the processing of fiber in properly conditioned inlet air to the machine, as opposed to ambient air.

Abstract: An apparatus for opening and cleaning fiber material has a casing, a beater cylinder supported in the casing in a horizontal orientation; a grid situated underneath the cylinder; a fiber inlet opening and fiber outlet opening oriented for guiding a fiber carrying air stream parallel to the cylinder axis into, through and out of the apparatus; and a deflector plate situated within the casing above the cylinder. The casing defines above the cylinder a free space which has a height dimension being approximately at least twice the diameter of the cylinder. There is further provided an air outlet opening in an upper part of the casing above the cylinder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for straightening fibres in a sliver comprises subjecting the sliver to sliding frictional contact with a foraminous surface through which an airflow passes, the sliding contact having the effect of both straightening the fibres in the sliver to orientate them, and straightening the hooked ends of any fibres in the sliver, and the influence of the airflow serving to remove dust and/or trash from the sliver.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for supplementary cleaning of cotton fibers employing a housing having an interior dividing screen separating the housing into two chambers and a fan adapted to entrain the fibers in a moving airstream and direct them into the housing against the screen for passage of the airstream and debris through the screen into one chamber and retention of the fiber in the other chamber. Reciprocably pivoting vanes divert the airstream back and forth across the screen to prevent accumulation of the fiber on the wall under the force of the airstream and to permit the fiber to fall from the wall after impact thereagainst. Alternatively, the conveying conduit may be movably mounted for side-to-side emission of the airstream into the housing. Ion emitters may be located at strategic locations to eliminate electrical attractive forces between the fibers and the debris.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for controlled application of aeromechanical and electrodynamic release and separation forces to foreign particulate matter in fiber materials are disclosed. A number of elements are employed in various combinations. One important element is a perforated, pinned cylinder which facilitates foreign particulate matter removal and microdust classification and use of conditioned and controlled airflow for optimum fiber processing and foreign matter removal. Another important element is a counterflow slot. Other important aspects are air blast cleaning of a tenuous mat held onto a perforated cylinder; unidirectional and pulsating airflows to cause repeated engagement of fibers with static cleaning pins and to release additional dust; application of electrostatic release forces to particles bound onto the fiber; and the processing of fiber in properly conditioned inlet air to the machine, as opposed to ambient air.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, entrained, dense particulate materials are removed from an elongated body of less dense fibrous materials being transported by a moving fluid stream by reducing the velocity of said fluid stream by an amount and for a time sufficient to release a substantial portion of said dense particulate materials, but insufficient to stop the transport of the elongated body of less dense fibrous material by the moving fluid stream.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to an apparatus for conveying material as it is removed from rows of bales for subsequent utilization during a spinning operation, the apparatus including a generally elongated channel having an elongated longitudinally disposed slot, a frame movable along rails on opposite sides of the channel, the frame carrying a carriage pivoted thereto along with a telescopic tube for delivering material removed from bales to the channel, a flexible belt, a first end of the flexible belt being secured to an end of the channel, a second end of the flexible belt being entrained about a drum such that the flexible belt can be placed in overlying relationship to the slot upon movement of the frame along the rails whereby material delivered into the channel is covered by the belt and a drive mechanism for appropriately rotating the drum to wind and unwind the belt during movement of the frame along the rails.

Abstract: An apparatus to extract cotton dust from the high velocity discharge of a cotton cleaning device is disclosed. Means for reduction and removal of fine trash and dust from cotton fiber is provided. At the high velocity discharge exit is placed a perforated cylinder rotating about an open-end stationary tube with an opening across its width. Fine trash and dust pass through perforations into a low pressure area inside the stationary tube and are discharged through a blower or suction source. Means to remove the cotton fiber to an intake duct from the cleaning device is provided as well as internal and adjustable external baffles.

Abstract: Apparatus for opening and cleaning fiber tufts, composed of a rotatably mounted cylinder with a card clothing mounted on its circumference for gripping tufts and conveying them, a system for pneumatically feeding a mixture of tufts and air toward the cylinder circumference to strike the cylinder while traveling in a direction having a component opposite to the direction of movement of the portion of the cylinder which is struck by the mixture, cleaning elements operatively associated with the cylinder, a wall defining with the cylinder an air gap extending in the direction of flow of such mixture, and a system for discharging cleaned tufts.

Abstract: In apparatus for cleaning and removing dust from textile fiber tufts, which apparatus includes a channel for the passage of fiber tufts and including a member for introducing air into the channel, components defining an air separation zone having apertures and associated with the channel for separating air from the tufts in the channel, and a device for extracting air from the air separation zone, the components defining the air separation zone include at least one comb disposed a short distance downstream of the air introducing member at a location to enable tufts being carried through the channel to abut on the comb. An abutment member can additionally be disposed in the channel in the vicinity of the upstream end of the comb to aid in releasing dirt from the tufts.

Abstract: A mechanism for eliminating impurities from fibrous material, in particular cotton, having at least two card-clothed rolls (22, 23) arranged after a feed mechanism and a screening drum (3) to which said fibrous material is fed by means of an airstream. A housing closely encloses the two card-clothed rolls. Interposed in the housing are separating openings including separating edges. One of said two card-clothing rolls (23) cooperating with the other of the two card-clothed rolls has a take-off and loosener roll for the fibrous material and the centrifugal forces at the circumference of the second card-clothed roll (23) being greater than at the first card-clothed roll (22). A third card-clothed roll is positioned in carding relation with the first card-clothed roll. Another take-off and loosener roll (52) is positioned for removing fibers from the third card-clothed roll (5).

Abstract: A cotton lint cleaner having a number of new and unique features. The lint cleaner uses a common air stream laden with cotton to be cleaned through a moving screen and then through feed rollers to a cylindrical saw, where a centrifugal air flow doffing impeller doffs the cleaned cotton from said saw, for discharge from the device. Special spring biased feed bars are also a part of this invention. Additional features include special grid bars, special settling and collection chambers, guide vane structure, a rotating paddle wheel vacuum lock, an adjustable vacuum valve control, and filtering and discharging of the exhaust air flow through a cover over the operating drives for the overall machine in order to exclude contamination from the outside air of said drive components. Special tension mountings for the grid bars are also disclosed.

Abstract: A perforated tube is housed in a chamber in which vacuum is drawn. An air jet is directed into one end of the tube and fiber bundles are fed into the jet which separates and dispenses individual fibers from the bundle, fluffs them, cleanses them of any particulate material, and carries them into the tube. The tube retains the fibers while fiber fragments, undesirably short fibers and particulate matter are drawn by the vacuum and resultant air flow out of the tube through its perforations to a suitable discharge.