EP1383948B1 - Method for rectilinear combing and rectilinear combing machine therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a rectilinear combing method and a combing machine therefor. Said method is characterised in that it consists essentially in combing the fibre heads with a circular comb (7), equipped with needles or teeth (8) distributed over at least 60 % of its periphery, said circular comb (7) performing a fraction number or a whole number of rotations (N) per machine cycle. The invention is more particularly applicable in the textile industry, in particular to rectilinear combing machines.

Description

The present invention relates to the field of the textile industry, in particular the rectilinear combers and relates to a combing process and a combing machine for carrying out this method.

The combing cycle of modern rectilinear combers, which are derived from models dating back to the middle of the 19 ^th century, is well known and can be broken down into two phases, the first of which is called combing of the fiber heads and the second of combing the tails of fibers. The combing phase of the fiber heads occurs when the clamp is closed, while the combing phase of the fiber tails occurs at the time of tearing, when the clamp is open.

The combing phase of the fiber heads is carried out by a segment of needles or teeth arranged on a part of the periphery of a rotary cylinder, commonly called a circular comb, whereas the combing phase of the fiber tails is carried out by a comb commonly called fixed or straight comb.

The circular comb, whose axis of rotation is fixed relative to the frame of the machine, performs a complete revolution per machine cycle. This circular comb is a cylinder, a part of the periphery of which is provided with a segment filled with needles or teeth with increasing density relative to the direction of rotation of the cylinder and which will be used to clean the fiber heads exceeding of the pliers during the combing phase of the heads. In some cases, the speed of the circular comb is successively accelerated and then slowed down during a complete cycle of the machine.

The other part of the periphery of the cylinder is not provided with needles but is smooth and recessed because the presence of needles on this part of the cylinder is not necessary at the time of pulling and the fact that space must be provided for the mechanical elements in motion during the tearing operation. Indeed, as it appears from different publications, on the one hand, the needles of the circular comb can be mounted only on a part only of the surface of the cylinder which carries them ( FR-A-2 114 192 ) and, on the other hand, there is a risk of collision between the circular comb and the lower clamp jaw, which is part of mechanical movements, during the tearing operation ( EP-A-0 936 292 ).

Moreover, according to EP-A-0 735 168 it is known that a collision between the circular comb, the pliers, the pulling cylinders and the pneumatic sensor must be avoided.

The segment is usually filled with needles of increasing density ( FR-A-1 209 191 ), so as to ensure progressive combing of the fiber heads. Thus, the first needle bars are filled with needles of large dimensions and widely spaced while the last needles are trimmed needles thinner and tight.

Currently, the circular comb needle segment is cleaned by a cylindrical brush ( FR-A-2,651,512 ) which is itself broken by a doffer cylinder, which is in turn discharged by a beating comb. For this purpose, the rotational speed of the cylindrical brush, whose direction of rotation is opposite to that of the circular comb, is greater than that of the circular comb. Thus, at each combing cycle of a modern rectilinear combing machine, the circular comb rotates one full revolution and the needle-filled segment, passing in front of the cylindrical brush, is cleaned once per cycle.

It is known that the quality of the combed tape, especially its cleanliness, depends on the effectiveness of the combing heads and fiber tails, which is not optimal if the circular comb is not properly cleaned by the cylindrical brush. However it often happens that a satisfactory cleaning of the needles or teeth of the packed segment can not be obtained.

Indeed, because of the progressivity of the density of the needles or the teeth of the segment of the circular comb, vegetable impurities and defects such as buttons and fibers too short, that the segment is responsible for removing combing ribbons, get stuck very easily between the needles or the teeth of the bars, whose needles or teeth are the finest and the closest, and the cylindrical brush can not remove them from the circular comb.

It is therefore periodically necessary to manually clean the segment of the circular comb by stopping the machine. This operation sometimes requires removing the circular comb. Otherwise, the quality of the combed tape will degrade gradually.

To remedy this drawback, it had been proposed to use brushes with very hard bristles, or even metal brushes ( DE-A-328,146 ), who did not give, however, not satisfactory because they led to rapid wear of the needles or teeth of the trimmed segment. It was also proposed by EP-A-0 735 168 at least two rounds of circular comb per machine cycle, so as to clean the packed segment at least twice per cycle.

However, because of the progressive density of the lining of the needle segments, and despite several brushings of the packed segment, the impurities preferentially accumulate between the first needles or teeth brought into contact with the textile material and then between needles or teeth the finest and the tightest. This results in a gradual degradation of the cleanliness of the combed ribbons.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these drawbacks by proposing a new rectilinear combing method and a new rectilinear combing machine implementing this method, allowing an improvement of the combing qualities, as well as the cleaning of the comb.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a rectilinearly combing method and a rectilinear combing machine as described in the independent claims.

• la figure 1 est une vue schématique en élévation latérale d'une peigneuse conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue partielle en élévation latérale et en coupe, à plus grande échelle, de la pince en position de peignage des têtes de fibres ;
• les figures 3 à 7 sont des vues en élévation latérale de différentes variantes de réalisation du peigne circulaire ;
• les figures 8 et 9 sont des vues en élévation frontale d'autres variantes de réalisation du peigne circulaire, et
• les figures 10a à 10e sont des vues schématiques représentant différents cycles de peignage en relation avec un cycle de machine.

The invention will be better understood, thanks to the following description, which refers to a preferred embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, and explained with reference to the attached schematic drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 is a schematic side elevational view of a combing machine according to the invention;
• the figure 2 is a partial view in side elevation and in section, on a larger scale, of the clamp in the combing position of the fiber heads;
• the Figures 3 to 7 are side elevational views of different embodiments of the circular comb;
• the Figures 8 and 9 are front elevation views of other embodiments of the circular comb, and
• the Figures 10a to 10e are schematic views showing different combing cycles in relation to a machine cycle.

The figure 1 appended drawings shows a rectilinear combing machine comprising a food comb 1 associated with a food grid 2, a clamp 3 formed by an upper jaw 4 cooperating with a lower jaw 5, a sheet between clamp 6, a circular comb 7, filled with needles or teeth 8, whose rotation speed is continuous and which is mounted on a support shaft 9, whose position is fixed relative to the frame 10 of the machine, a cylindrical brush 11 furnished with bristles, a doffer 12 filled with metal tips, a flapper 13, a carriage 14 supporting torn cylinders 15 and 16, a rod 17, a moving element 18, a tear-off sleeve 19, a tension cylinder 20 and a fixed comb 21 secured to a lever articulated 22.

According to the invention, this straight combing machine uses a rectilinear combing process which consists essentially of combing the fiber heads with the aid of a circular comb 7, lined with needles or teeth 8 distributed over at less than 60% of its periphery, said circular comb 7 performing a non-integer number of rotational revolutions N per machine cycle.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the active arc of the comb 7, corresponding to the length of the needle or tooth lining 8 used during the combing phase of the fiber heads, is out of phase with a machine cycle. the other.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the rectilinear combing method can also consist essentially of combing the fiber heads using a circular comb 7, lined with needles or teeth 8 distributed over at least 60% of its periphery, said circular comb 7 performing an integer number of rotational revolutions N per machine cycle.

Also, the circular comb 7 can perform at least one turn of rotation N per machine cycle.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the combing of the fiber heads by the circular comb 7 is advantageously carried out during a rotation of the latter between 0.7 and 1.5 turns.

According to an alternative embodiment of the invention, the combing of the fiber heads may preferably be performed for less than one complete turn of rotation of the circular comb 7.

It is also possible, in accordance with another variant embodiment of the invention, to comb the fiber heads for more than one complete revolution of rotation of the circular comb 7.

For this purpose, the circular comb 7 is a cylinder packed on at least 60% of its periphery with needles or teeth 8, with identical or different characteristics, a cylinder whose speed of rotation is continuous and adjustable and which is mounted on a support shaft 9, whose position is fixed relative to the frame 10 of the machine, this comb 7 performing a non-integer or whole number of turns per machine cycle.

The figure 1 The accompanying drawings show the straight-edge combler according to the invention, in tearing phase, this combing machine comprising a feeding device, a pulling device, a fiber head cleaning device and a tail cleaning device. fibers.

The feed device is constituted by the food comb 1, which is associated with a food grid 2, by a clamp 3 formed by an upper jaw 4 cooperating with a lower jaw 5 and by a sheet between clamp 6. The textile material is moved by the feed device thus formed to be brought into contact with the fiber head cleaning device, which perform the combing phase of said fiber heads.

The textile material passes between the food comb 1 and the food grid 2, which are movable in such a way that they can be separated from one another and that they can be moved together, or in the direction of movement of the the textile material, in the opposite direction of the movement of the textile material. In this case, during a machine cycle, the comb 1 deviates from the grid 2, then the comb and the grid recoil together, the comb is then close to the grid and the comb needles cross the textile material. Then, this set thus constituted advances in training with him the textile material, so as to present the fiber heads 23 ( figure 2 ) to the cleaning device of the fiber heads and to supply a new fiber fringe.

At this moment, the clamp 3 closes and the lower jaw 5, which is articulated to the frame 10 of the machine, is lowered so as to approach the cleaning device of the fiber heads. The upper jaw 4, which is also articulated to the frame of the machine, is lowered, in order to get closer to the lower jaw 5, until it comes into contact with it to pinch the fibers located between the two jaws 4 and 5 and to retain them, then the upper jaw 4 continues its movement towards the cleaning device of the fiber heads and carries with it the lower jaw 5. This movement of the lower jaw to the circular comb 7 is carried out gradually.

The combing phase of the fiber heads then begins and is carried out by the fiber head cleaning device, which is constituted by the circular comb 7, in the form of a cylinder packed on at least 60% of its periphery with needles or teeth 8 and whose rotational speed is continuous and adjustable, this comb being mounted on a support shaft 9, whose arrangement is fixed relative to the frame 10 of the machine. This cleaning device further comprises a cylindrical brush 11 furnished with bristles, a doffer 12 furnished with metal tips and a flapper comb 13.

During their rotation, the needles or the teeth 8 of the circular comb 7 penetrate into the fiber heads 23 presented by the clamp 3 and remove the short fibers and the impurities ( figure 2 ). The cylindrical brush 11, whose bristles interpenetrate in the needles or in the teeth 8 of the circular comb 7, rotates faster than said circular comb 7, but in the opposite direction, so as to remove short fibers and impurities transported by the needles or teeth 8 of the circular comb 7 and so as to keep it clean.

The doffer rotates less rapidly than the cylindrical brush 11 and in the opposite direction of said cylindrical brush 11 and its points are flush with the bristles of the latter and discharge said bristles of said cylindrical brush 11 short fibers and impurities transported by the brush.

The flapper comb 13 of the fiber head cleaning device is a blade which is oscillated near the tips of the doffer 12, this blade being responsible for clearing the tips of the doffer 12 short fibers and impurities they carry. Short fibers and the impurities constitute the blush, which is recovered by gravity and / or by suction for its evacuation.

The textile material is then moved by the feeder to be brought into contact with the stripping device and with the fiber queues cleaning device, these devices performing the stripping and cleaning phases of the fiber tails.

The pulling device comprises in particular a carriage 14, a rod 17, a moving element 18, a pair of tearing cylinders 15 and 16, a pulling sleeve 19 and a tensioning cylinder 20 (FIG. figure 1 ).

The carriage 14 is a lever, whose lower end is articulated by a bearing 24 on the frame 10 of the machine and whose upper end is articulated, via a bearing 25, to the moving assembly 18 The rod 17 is a lever, whose lower end is articulated by means of a bearing 26 to the frame 10 of the machine and whose upper end is articulated, via a bearing 27, to the moving element 18. The moving element 18 is constituted by two integral parts sliding on one another, not shown in the accompanying drawing, one of which supports the bearing 25 of the upper articulation of the carriage 14. and the other supports the high articulation 27 of the rod 17.

The carriage 14 is animated by an oscillation movement around its lower articulation 24 via a lever (not shown) connected to a reciprocating actuating device. Thus, the carriage 14 can move between two extreme angular positions separated from one another by a distance commonly called the travel of the carriage. In one of its two extreme positions, the upper end of the carriage 14 is located near the feeder and, in the other extreme position, the moving element 18 is close to a curling box 28 .

In its upper part, the carriage 14 supports the lower tearing cylinder 15, which is positively rotated according to a so-called pilgrim movement law and which is surmounted by the upper tearing cylinder 16, the pulling sleeve 19 being pinched between the pulling cylinders 15 and 16.

The moving element 18 supports, in its part close to the curling box 28 the tension cylinder 20 of the tear-off sleeve 19, which is kept under tension by spacing the two sliding parts of the mobile equipment 18. In addition, the mobile equipment supports, between the tension cylinder 20 and an outlet funnel 29, a pair of detaching rolls 30a and 30b and, above the tear-off sleeve 19, a sleeve plate 31 and an anti-beard cylinder 32.

During the fiber tearing phase, the upper end of the carriage 14 is located close to the feed device and the tearing cylinders 15 and 16 associated with the pulling sleeve 19 pinch the end of the fiber heads 23 presented. by the feeding device. For this purpose, the clamp 3 is open and the sheet between clamp 6 is advanced in the direction of movement of the fibers, so as to constrain the end of the fiber heads to be between the tearing cylinders 15 and 16. These are rotated so as to extract the fiber heads from the food comb 1 and the carriage 14 is moved to move away from the clamp 3.

The combing of the fiber tails using the fiber tails cleaning device will be carried out simultaneously with this displacement of said fibers. For this purpose, the device for cleaning the fiber tails has a fixed comb 21 integral with an articulated lever 22. The fixed comb 21 is approached from the fiber heads 23 so that the needles of the fixed comb 21, crossing the material, remove the impurities during movement of the material by the pulling device. The impurities thus retained are recovered by gravity and / or by suction by the circular comb 7 and a pneumatic sensor 33.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the circular comb 7 is integral with a support shaft, not shown, mounted, with possibility of rotation, cantilevered on the frame 10 of the machine, this frame having, on the side of the free end of the support shaft, an opening allowing lateral extraction of the circular comb. This support shaft is rotated by means of a drive means, such as a notched pinion, a toothed wheel, a smooth pulley or an electric motor, and ensures the axial locking and rotation of the circular comb via stops. This circular comb 7 may be one-piece or multi-part and is formed by a cylinder, the two ends of which are mounted on flanges secured to the support shaft.

In known manner, the support shaft can also be rotatably mounted on two bearings each placed on the frame, on either side of the circular comb.

The Figures 3a, 3b and 4 to 9 the accompanying drawings show schematically embodiments of the circular comb 7.

The circular comb 7 is lined with needles or teeth 8 distributed over at least 60% of its periphery ( figure 3a ). In this configuration, the circular comb 7 does not have smooth and recessed portions, as known in the state of the art. The needles or teeth 8 are distributed along the total circumference of the circular comb over at least 60% of said circumference, the areas not lined with needles or teeth being distributed along the entire circumference. Preferably, the circular comb 7 is lined with needles or teeth 8 over its entire circumference ( figure 3b ).

In the embodiments according to Figures 3a and 3b , the circular comb is constituted by a cylinder 34 on which are placed the needles or the teeth 8. In the embodiment according to the Figures 4 to 6 , the circular comb is constituted by several arcuate portions 34 'each provided with teeth or needles 8.

Depending on whether a generatrix or the circumference of the comb 7 is considered, the teeth or needles 8 may have identical characteristics ( Figures 3 to 6 ) or different, or are arranged in a repetitive sequence ( Figures 7 to 9 ). The tips of the needles or teeth 8 of the circular comb 7 are not necessarily all located on the same radius or the same generatrix of the circular comb 7. For this purpose, said tips of the needles or teeth 8 of the circular comb 7 are arranged on cylinders envelopes of different radii. Such an arrangement makes it possible to obtain differences in height between two teeth or needles or rows of teeth or groups of rows of successive teeth, so as to further improve cleaning.

In the embodiment according to figure 8 , the teeth or needles of the circular comb 7 are made by winding, at a winding angle of between 55 ° and 125 ° with respect to the axis of the circular comb 7, one or more serrated threads 35, with turns joined with characteristics A, B, C, D, etc ... identical or different or whose sequences are repeated periodically.

In such a case, the circular comb is preferably made by winding at least one toothed wire with contiguous turns around a cylinder, in the manner of a carding drum. When winding more than one toothed wire around a cylinder, each toothed wire may have different characteristics such as, for example, the density, that is to say the distance separating two consecutive peaks, or the thickness of the wire. , or the shape of the teeth. In such a case of toothed wire wound around a cylinder, care should be taken to avoid, during the manufacture of the comb, the formation of images, that is to say local peripheral zones of the lining where the teeth would be arranged in regular lines with respect to other areas where the teeth would be arranged randomly.

When the circular comb is made by winding one or more serrated threads around a cylinder, it will be chosen, in order to clean it thoroughly, a trim cleaning device of the type used for card drums and an example of which is known by FR-A-2,705,367 .

As shown by Figures 7 and 9 and depending on whether a generatrix or the circumference of the comb is considered, the circular comb can be made by stacking sheets cut in the form of circular rings 36, the outer periphery of which is provided with identical teeth or with different characteristics A, B , C, etc ... or arranged in a repetitive sequence and whose inner periphery is provided with holding means for centering, driving in rotation and fixing said crowns ( figure 7 ).

In the case of a lining obtained by stacking cut sheets, it is possible to choose, when the lining is mounted on more than one partially cylindrical shell, to stack on each of the shells constituting the circular comb, sections of circular rings 37 One against the other( figure 6 ).

In addition, the teeth or needles 8 of the circular comb 7 may have an identical density over the entire periphery of said circular comb 7 or different densities, for example by arrangement along contiguous lines of needles or teeth 8 of different densities.

The figure 10a appended schematic drawings represents a complete cycle of 360 degrees of rotation of a rectilinear combing machine of known type. The combing phase of the fiber heads is designated "a" and the combing angle of the heads associated with the phase "a" is designated "α". The angle "a" corresponds to the fraction of the cycle of the machine during which the combing of the fiber heads is performed. This angle of combing heads is commonly of the order of 130 degrees.

The figure 10b schematically represents the rotational movement of a circular comb during a complete cycle of rotation usual on conventional rectilinear combers. The angle "b" defined by the active arc of the circular comb lining corresponding to the length of the needle or tooth lining that will be used during the combing phase of the fiber heads and the angle "β" defines the active arc of the comb lining. On a conventional straight combing machine, this comb lining angle is of the order of 160 to 220 degrees. The circular comb performing exactly one revolution per cycle of the machine, the angular speed of rotation of the comb is increased and then decreased.

The figure 10c is a schematic representation of an exemplary embodiment according to the invention. In this example, the circular comb performs a full rotation turn during the combing phase of the fiber heads, the comb lining active arc is equal to the comb circumference and the comb lining angle is 360 degrees. . The period of rotation of the circular comb with respect to the cycle of the machine is designated by "p" and is expressed in degrees; the speed of rotation of the comb is constant.

The figure 10d represents an alternative embodiment of the invention, in which the circular comb performs more than one turn during the combing phase of the fiber heads, that is to say that "p <α". The active arc of the comb lining is greater than the circumference of the comb and the rotational angular velocity of the comb is constant.

The figure 10e represents another embodiment according to the invention, wherein the circular comb also performs more than one turn during the combing phase of the fiber heads, but where the angular velocity of the comb is increased and then decreased.

avec : « 360 » degrés machine / cycle machine ; « p » degrés machine / tour de peigne et « N » tour de peigne / cycle machine.In the case where the angular velocity of the circular comb is constant, "N" is the number of revolutions that the circular comb makes per machine cycle. So we have: $$\mathrm{NOT}\mathrm{=}\frac{\mathrm{360}}{\mathrm{p}}$$

with: "360" degree machine / cycle machine; "P" machine / comb tower and "N" comb / machine cycle.

The angular position, expressed in degrees, occupied by the circular comb at the moment when the first line of needles or teeth engages in the head of the fibers at the beginning of the combing phase of the fiber heads is defined as the origin of the active arc of comb trim.

According to one characteristic of the invention, the value "p" of the rotation period of the circular comb 7 is chosen such that the active arc of comb lining 7, which is the length of the lining of needles or teeth 8 used during the combing phase of the fiber heads, has an origin, which corresponds to the angular position expressed in degrees, occupied by the circular comb 7 at the moment when the first line of needles or teeth 8 engages in the head of the fibers at the beginning of the phase of combing the fiber heads, and which is out of phase, of a cycle of machine to the other, of a value "k1", expressed in degrees, of the circular comb 7 corresponding to the ratio: $$\mathrm{k}\mathrm{1}\mathrm{=}\frac{\mathrm{360}\mathrm{*}\mathrm{360}}{\mathrm{p}}$$

The angle "k1" increases in the direction of rotation of the comb. Thus, considering two consecutive cycles of the machine, it is never the same line or bar of needles or teeth which, by engaging in the fiber heads protruding from the clamp, will determine the origin of the active arc of comb trim, which will be used during the combing phase of the heads.

Furthermore, the method consists in choosing a relative origin of the active comb lining arc, k1 ', such that k1' = k1 - [ENT (N) * 360], and where ENT (N) represents the integer value number N.

In addition, it will preferentially choose a relative origin of the active arc comb lining such that the variable "k1" is between 10 and 350 degrees. For this purpose, values of "k1" will also be preferred rather close to 350 degrees and away from 10 degrees.

In the example shown in figure 10c the circular comb can perform a complete turn during the combing phase of the fiber heads and about 2.77 turns per machine cycle, that is, in this case p = α = 130.1 degrees machine / comb and N = 2.77 laps comb / machine cycle.

The origin of the active arc of comb lining of two consecutive cycles of the machine is out of phase with each cycle of k1 = 996.2 degrees that is to say relative to the comb itself of a value k1 '= 276.2 degrees, obtained by the following operation: (996.2 - (2 * 360) In this case, when the machine performs a cycle, the circular comb will rotate 996.2 degrees or about 2.77 turns, and the cylindrical brush will clean 996.2 degrees circular comb, which is to say that the circular comb will be cleaned about 2.77 times per cycle of the machine.

On a conventional rectilinear combing machine equipped with a circular comb with a segment filled with needles of increasing density, occupying only a part of the periphery of the cylinder, it is found that the origin of the active arc of comb lining, the length the arc of the comb lining and the period of rotation of the comb are always the same at each cycle of the machine. The impurities removed by the packed segment, that is to say, too short fibers and defects such as pimples and plant wastes that are held by the needles or teeth of the garnished segment are located systematically and preferably, on the one hand near the origin of the active arc of the comb lining, because it is the first needles which carry out most of the cleaning and, on the other hand, towards the end of the active arc of comb lining where the impurities are often found stuck between the thinnest needles and the tightest ones.

Thus, the cylindrical brush which is responsible for cleaning the packed segment must be able to remove from the needles, on the one hand, a large accumulation of impurities localized near the origin of the active arc of comb trim and, on the other hand, impurities stuck between the fine and tight needles located towards the end of the active comb lining. For this purpose, the speed of rotation of the cylindrical brush is greater than that of the circular comb and the bristles of the brush must interpenetrate sufficiently the needles of the circular comb, resulting in rapid wear of said cylindrical brush and the needles of the trimmed segment. .

Indeed, on a conventional rectilinear combing machine, the interpenetration of the bristles of the brush with the needles of the trimmed segment is high, because the trimmed segment is cleaned only once per machine cycle, since it passes only once per cycle in front of the bristles of the cylindrical brush. In addition, the needles of the garnished segment also wear quickly in contact with the textile material, because it is always the same needles that are loaded with the highest load cleaning of the fiber heads.

The present invention overcomes these disadvantages. Indeed, the origin of the active arc of comb lining can be regularly shifted at each cycle of the machine are never twice in succession the same needles or teeth of the circular comb which engage in the head of the fibers at the beginning of the combing phase of the heads. The length of the active arc of the comb lining is adjustable and proportional to the diameter of the comb and the period of rotation of the comb. Preferably, the period of rotation of the comb is chosen such that the circular comb performs at least one revolution of rotation per cycle of the machine. Thus the active arc of the comb lining will be cleaned more than once per cycle of the machine.

The cleaning work of the circular comb by the cylindrical brush is facilitated and the wear of the bristles of the brush is reduced because the interpenetration of the bristles of the brush with the needles of the circular comb may be lower. At the same time, the wear of the needles or teeth of the circular comb is also reduced. The circular comb is better cleaned and therefore remains effective longer. The result is that the combed tape is of better quality, that the mechanical elements such as the needles or teeth of the circular comb and the cylindrical brush have an increased life and that the cleaning operations of the circular comb, replacement of the brush cylindrical or needles or teeth of the circular comb are less frequent. The performance of the combing machine and the workload of the personnel are thus improved.

où le PGCD (p, 360) est le plus grand commun diviseur des valeurs « p » et « 360 » exprimés en degrés.The value "p" of the rotation period of the circular comb 7 is preferably of the order of 130 degrees. This value "p" of the rotation period of the circular comb will advantageously be chosen from among all the real numbers "k2" such that: $$\mathrm{k}\mathrm{2}\mathrm{=}\frac{\mathrm{p}}{\mathrm{GCD}\left(\mathrm{p},,\mathrm{360}\right)}\mathrm{\ge }\mathrm{4}$$

where the GCD (p, 360) is the greatest common divisor of the values "p" and "360" expressed in degrees.

Thus, for example, if the rotation period of the circular comb is 130 degrees, k2 will be equal to 13 and if it is 131 degrees, k2 will be equal to 131.

The variable "k2" represents the number of machine cycles at the end of which the same line of needles or barrette of needles of the circular comb will engage in the heads of fibers protruding from the clamp. Thus, when the rotation period of the circular comb is 130 degrees, then the same needle line will be used every 13 cycles of the machine.

Preferably, a period of rotation of the circular comb will be chosen such that the variable "k2" is as large as possible in such a way that the same needle line is used as little as possible and that the wear of the needles of the circular comb is as regular as possible. Moreover, it will be considered a rotation period of the circular comb such as the variable "N", which corresponds to the number of turns that the circular comb performs during a machine cycle is the largest possible.

Other examples of rotation of the circular comb on a fraction of a turn or much more than one turn during the combing phase of the fiber heads are given below: Period of rotation of the circular comb p in degrees Absolute origin of the combing arc k1 in degrees relative origin k1 'in degrees PGCD (p, 360) Number of cycles Number of comb spins per machine cycle N 50.0 2592.0 72.0 10.0 5 7.20 70.0 1851.4 51.4 10.0 7 5.14 80.0 1620.0 180.0 40.0 2 4.50 100.0 1296.0 216.0 20.0 5 3.60 110.0 1178.2 98.2 10.0 11 3.27 120.0 1080.0 0.0 120.0 1 3.00 128.8 1006.2 286.2 0.8 161 2.80 129.0 1004.7 284.7 3.0 43 2.79 129.1 1003.9 283.9 0.1 1291 2.79 129.6 1000.0 280.0 14.4 9 2.78 129.7 999.2 279.2 0.1 1297 2.78 129.9 997.7 277.7 0.3 433 2.77 130.0 996.9 276.9 10.0 13 2.77 130.1 996.2 276.2 0.1 1301 2.77 130.5 993.1 273.1 4.5 29 2.76 130.6 992.3 272.3 0.2 653 2.76 130.7 991.6 271.6 0.1 1307 2.75 130.8 990.8 270.8 1.2 109 2.75 130.9 990.1 270.1 0.1 1309 2.75 131.0 989.3 269.3 1.0 131 2.75 131.2 987.8 267.8 1.6 82 2.74 131.3 987.1 267.1 0.1 1313 2.74 140.0 925.7 205.7 20.0 7 2.57 150.0 864.0 144.0 30.0 5 2.40 160.0 810.0 90.0 40.0 4 2.25 170.0 762.3 42.3 10.0 17 2.12 175.0 740.6 20.6 5.0 35 2.06 180.0 720.0 0.0 180.0 1 2.00 190.0 682.1 322.1 10.0 19 1.89 200.0 648.0 288.0 40.0 5 1.80 220.0 589.1 229.1 20.0 11 1.64 235.0 551.5 191.5 5.0 47 1.53 250.0 518.4 158.4 10.0 25 1.44 270.0 480.0 120.0 90.0 3 1.33 300.0 432.0 72.0 60.0 5 1.20 305.0 424.9 64.9 5.0 61 1.18 320.0 405.0 45.0 40.0 8 1.12 340.0 381.2 21.2 20.0 17 1.06 350.0 370.3 10.3 10.0 35 1.03 360.0 360.0 0.0 360.0 1 1.00 370.0 350.3 350.3 10.0 37 0.97 400.0 324.0 324.0 40.0 10 0.90

When the value "p" is greater than "α" degrees, the circular comb performs less than one turn during the combing phase of the fiber heads and, conversely, when the value "p" is less than "α" degrees, the circular comb performs more than one turn during the combing phase of the fiber heads.

Preferably, the diameter of the circular comb is smaller than that currently employed. Its manufacturing cost is reduced and its handling is facilitated because its size and weight are reduced. In addition, its small size allows, all other things being equal, to provide more space between the pneumatic sensor and the circular comb.

In addition, because the circular comb is packed at least 60%, but preferentially over its entire periphery, as opposed to conventional combs equipped with a trimmed segment and an unfilled segment, it is perfectly balanced dynamically. It can be garnished indifferently needles or teeth, whose size and density are chosen according to the textile material to be worked and the operation of combing or repainting to achieve. Its rotational speed is preferably uniformly constant which results in a better overall balancing of the combing machine.

Preferably, the circular comb according to the invention is associated with a device for automatically feeding the cylindrical brush as described in FR-A-2,651,512 and which is intended to make up for the wear of the cylindrical brush.

The cleaning load of the circular comb by the brush being lightened, the bristles of the brush slightly interpenetrate the needles or the teeth of the circular comb so as to clean them. Periodically and for a short time, an automatic device increases the interpenetration value of the bristles of the brush with the teeth of the circular comb so that the needles or the teeth of the circular comb are cleaned thoroughly.

After this period of deep cleaning, the automatic device reduces the interpenetration value, so that the brush returns to the position it had before said deep cleaning period. Thus, the wear of the bristles of the cylindrical brush is reduced and its life is lengthened.

Preferably, according to another characteristic of the invention, and as shown by figure 2 In the accompanying drawings, the straight combing machine is not provided with a sinking brush of the fiber head 23. Such a sinking brush is generally responsible for constraining the head of the fibers 23 to penetrate between the needles or the teeth 8 of the circular comb. 7. The upper jaw 4 of the clamp 3 is then advantageously provided with a driving device 4 "provided with a diverting surface 4 ', which forces the head of the fibers 23 to be oriented almost perpendicularly to the tangent of the circular comb 7 This device 4 "has, in its lower part, a bearing surface 4"'intended to cooperate with the head of the fibers 23 and to constrain it to penetrate between the needles or the teeth 8 of the circular comb 7, said surface of 4 '' support extending from the detour surface 4 'over a distance at least equal to 3 mm.

The bearing surface 4 "'of the driving device 4" may be flat or curvilinear. In the latter case, its radius of curvature is concentric with that of the circular comb 7.

The driving device 4 "may be an integral part of the upper jaw 4 of the clamp 3 or be removable and is advantageously made of the same material as the upper jaw 4, namely a metal material, plastic, or composite.

In order to comb the fiber heads, the upper jaw 4, which is articulated, is brought closer to the lower jaw 5 to touch it and to pinch the fibers between the two jaws to hold them, then the upper jaw continues its movement approaching the circular comb 7 and carries with it the lower jaw 5 to a distance such that the bearing surface 4 "'of the embossing device 4" is flush without touching the needles or the teeth 8 of the circular comb 7.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown in the accompanying drawings. Modifications are possible, particularly from the point of view of the constitution of the various elements or by substitution of technical equivalents, without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (26)

1. Rectilinear combing process for a rectilinear combing machine, characterized in that it essentially consists in combing the fibre heads using a circular comb (7), in the form of a cylinder furnished with needles or teeth (8) distributed over at least 60% of its periphery, said circular comb (7) performing a non-integer number of rotation turns (N) per machine cycle with a continuous and adjustable rotation speed.
2. Rectilinear combing process for a rectilinear combing machine, characterized in that it essentially consists in combing the fibre heads using a circular comb (7), in the form of a cylinder furnished with needles or teeth (8) distributed over its entire periphery, said circular comb (7) performing an integer number of rotation turns (N) per machine cycle with a continuous and adjustable rotation speed.
3. Process according to Claim 2, characterized in that the circular comb (7) performs at least one rotation turn (N) per machine cycle.
4. Process according to Claim 1, characterized in that the combing of the fibre heads by the circular comb (7) is carried out during a rotation of the latter of between 0.7 and 1.5 turns.
5. Process according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the combing of the fibre heads is carried out during less than one complete rotation turn of the circular comb (7).
6. Process according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the combing of the fibre heads is carried out during more than one complete rotation turn of the circular comb (7).
7. Process according to any one of Claims 1 and 3 to 6, characterized in that it consists in choosing a value "p" of the rotation period of the circular comb (7) such that the active furnished arc of the comb (7), which is the length of the furnishing with needles or teeth (8) used during the phase of combing the fibre heads, has an origin that corresponds to the angular position, expressed in degrees, that the circular comb (7) occupies at the moment when the first line of needles or teeth (8) engages in the fibre head at the start of the phase of combing the fibre heads and which is phase-shifted from one machine cycle to another by a value "k1", expressed in degrees, of the circular comb (7) corresponding to the ratio: $$\mathrm{k}\mathrm{1}\mathrm{=}\frac{\mathrm{360}\mathrm{*}\mathrm{360}}{\mathrm{p}}$$

   
8. Process according to Claim 7, characterized in that it consists in choosing a relative origin of the active furnished arc of the comb, k1', such that k1' = k1 - [INT(N)x360], where INT(N) represents the integer value of the number N, which represents the number of turns that the circular comb performs per machine cycle and where k1' is between 10 degrees and 350 degrees.
9. Process according to Claim 8, characterized in that k1' is close to 350 degrees and far from 10 degrees.
10. Process according to Claim 7, characterized in that the value "p" of the rotation period of the circular comb (7) is chosen from all real numbers "k2" such that: $$\mathrm{k}\mathrm{2}\mathrm{=}\frac{\mathrm{p}}{\mathrm{LCD}\left(\mathrm{p},,\mathrm{360}\right)}\mathrm{\ge }\mathrm{4}$$

    

    
    in which LCD(p,360) is the largest common divisor of the values "p" and "360" expressed in degrees, the variable "k2" represents the number of machine cycles at the end of which the same line or linear array of needles (8) of the circular comb (7) will engage in the fibre heads projecting from the nipper.
11. Process according to Claim 7, characterized in that the value "p" of the rotation period of the circular comb (7) is around 130 degrees.
12. Rectilinear combing machine for implementing the process according to any one of Claims 1 and 3 to 11, comprising a feed device, a detaching device and a cleaning device for the fibre heads, comprising a circular comb and a device for cleaning the fibre tails, characterized in that the circular comb (7) is a cylinder furnished over at least 60% of its periphery with needles or teeth (8), of identical or different characteristics, the rotation speed of which cylinder is continuous and adjustable, the cylinder being mounted on a support shaft (9), the position of which is fixed relative to the frame (10) of the machine, this comb (7) performing a non-integer number of rotation turns (N) per machine cycle.
13. Rectilinear combing machine for implementing the process according to any one of Claims 2 to 11, comprising a feed device, a detaching device and a cleaning device for the fibre heads, comprising a circular comb and a device for cleaning the fibre tails, characterized in that the circular comb (7) is a cylinder furnished over its entire periphery with needles or teeth (8), of identical or different characteristics, the rotation speed of which cylinder is continuous and adjustable, said cylinder being mounted on a support shaft (9), the position of which is fixed relative to the frame (10) of the machine, this comb (7) performing an integer number of rotation turns (N) per machine cycle.
14. Combing machine according to either of Claims 12 and 13, characterized in that the circular comb (7) is fastened to a support shaft mounted, with the possibility of rotating, so as to be cantilevered on the frame (10) of the machine, this frame having, on the side facing the free end of the support shaft, an opening that allows lateral extraction of the circular comb.
15. Combing machine according to either of Claims 12 and 13, characterized in that the tips of the needles or teeth (8) of the circular comb (7) are arranged on envelope cylinders of different radii.
16. Combing machine according to any one of Claims 12 to 15, characterized in that the circular comb (7) is formed by several circularly arcuate portions (34') each provided with teeth or needles (8).
17. Combing machine according to any one of Claims 12 to 16, characterized in that the teeth or needles (8) of the circular comb (7) are produced by the winding, with a winding angle of between 55 degrees and 125 degrees relative to the axis of the circular comb (7), of one or more toothed wires (35) with touching turns (A, B, C, etc.) of identical or different characteristics, or the sequences of which are repeated periodically.
18. Combing machine according to any one of Claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the circular comb (7) is produced by the winding of toothed rings (36) or of circular ring segments (37) having identical teeth or teeth with different characteristics (A, B, C, etc.) in a repetitive sequence.
19. Combing machine according to any one of Claims 12 to 18, characterized in that the teeth or needles (8) of the circular comb (7) have the same density over the entire periphery of said circular comb (7) or different densities, for example by an arrangement along contiguous lines of needles or teeth (8) having different densities.
20. Combing machine according to either of Claims 12 or 13, characterized in that it is not provided with a dabbing brush for the fibre head (23).
21. Combing machine according to either of Claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the top jaw (4) of the nipper (3) is provided with a dabber (4") having a detour surface (4') that forces the fibre head (23) to be oriented so as to be almost perpendicular to the tangent of the circular comb (7).
22. Combing machine according to Claim 21, characterized in that the dabber (4") has, in its lower part, a bearing surface (4"') intended to cooperate with the fibre head (23) and to force it between the needles or teeth (8) of the circular comb (7), said bearing surface (4"') extending from the detour surface (4') over a distance of at least 3 mm.
23. Combing machine according to Claim 22, characterized in that the bearing surface (4"') of the dabber (4") is plane.
24. Combing machine according to Claim 22, characterized in that the bearing surface (4"') of the dabber (4") is curvilinear, its radius of curvature being concentric with that of the circular comb (7).
25. Combing device according to Claim 21, characterized in that the dabber (4") forms an integral part of the top jaw (4) of the nipper (3).
26. Combing machine according to Claim 21, characterized in that the dabber (4") is removable.

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