US2489846A - Flocking apparatus - Google Patents

Description

1949 A. J. AMMERALL FLOCKING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 5, 1946 4! TOR 2 32x051 M /flm ATTORNEYS Nov. 29, 1949 A. J. AMMERALL FLOCKING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 5. 1946 IN ENTOR dlw MM BY MMSW dd/1M1;

' ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 29, 1949 UNI-TED STATE S PATENT OFFICE ROCKING APPARATUS Albert J. Ammerall, Amsterdam, N. Y., assignor to Mohawk Carpet Mills. lne., Amsterdam, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application October 5, 1.46, Serial No. 701.561

Claims.

This invention relates to the Production of ilocked fabrics comprising a backing sheet having a layer of flock amxed thereto by a coatin of adhesive, ordinarily with the individual fibers standing as nearly erect as possible and having one end embedded in the coating. More particularly, the invention is concerned with a novel apparatus for feeding flock to the coated sheet,

the apparatus functioning to withdraw flock from a supply, break up the lumps and separate the individual fibers, and discharge the fibers at a substantially uniform rate.

In the production of flocked fabrics for use for example, as carpeting, fibers of various kinds, such as wool, are cut to the desired length and the fiock so produced is then delivered to the machine in which the fiock is deposited upon the coated backing. In the cutting operation and in the handling of the flock on its way to and through the depositing apparatus, fibers of the flock become lumped together and it isnecessary that these lumps be broken up and the drawings, in which Fig. Us a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, through one form of the new apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1:

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the agitator employed go in the flock hopper;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, partly in vertical section, showing a modified form of the fibers separated from one another in order that the flock may be fed upon the sheet at a uniform rate. a

Heretofore, the flock has been sifted upon the traveling coated sheet, as by being fed into the interior of a rotary screen of polygonal shape, which extends across the sheet. Such a sitting operation by means of a rotary screen is not wholly satisfactory, because it does not result in complete breaking up of the fiber lumps or feed the flock with the desired uniformity. It has, accordingly, been proposed to feed the flock to a wool card mounted above the traveling sheet and including the usual cylinder covered with card clothing, pairs of stripper and worker rolls, and a fancy roll for removing-the fibers from the teeth of the cylinder. While such a card is efiective for its intended purpose, it is costly to install, maintain in good working order, and operate.

The present invention is, accordingly, directed to the provision of a novel flock feeding apparatus which is superior to the prior apparatus described above, in that it is more eifective than a rotary screen in breaking up fiber lumps and delivering the flock at a uniform rate and it is simpler and less expensive toinstall, maintain, and operate than a card.

The new apparatus includes a hopper for holding a supply of flock and containing an agitator which breaks up lumps and distributes theflock throughout the hopper. The flock is with-- from the hopper at the lower end thereof apparatus; and

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a roll used as for withdrawing the-flock from the hopper in the Fig. 4 apparatus.

The new apparatus, in the form illustrated in Figs. 1-3, inc., includes a hopper l0 containing a supply of flock. which is delivered to the hopper by any suitable conveying means. The bottom end of the hopper is provided with an outlet, which is closed by a cylinder rotated by appropriate drive means and provided on its cylindrical surface with teeth It. Such teeth may be formed by the wire used on the licker-in of a card, and licker-in teeth are illustrated, although shown in exaggerated size to make their shape clear. As the cylinder rotates counter clockwise beneath the hopper, the wire teeth carry the flock from the bottom of th supply, and, in order that the flock may move down steadily through the hopper, lumps may be broken up, and the flock may be distributed properly throughout the hopper and over the length of the cylinder, an agitator is mounted within the hopper above the cylinder. The agitator may advantageously comprise a horizontal driven shaft provided with radial paddles l5 distributed along and about the shaft. The paddles are so mounted that they have a propelling action, and they are arranged in two groups on either side of the mid-point of the shaft, so as to force the material outwardly from the middle of the hopper toward the ends of the shaft. Certain successive paddles along the shaft may be connected by strips |5a of generally helical curvature to increase the propelling action.

The flock carried away from the hopper at a substantially uniform rate by the teeth l3 on cylinder I2 is removed from between the teeth by a roll l6, which is similar to a fancy roll used on a card and includes straight wire teeth H, which are shown exaggerated in length. The fancy roll I6 is driven at a greater surface speed than cylinder l2 and the setting of the cylinder and roll is such that the wire teeth on the roll pass between the teeth on the cylinder and tend to remove the flock therefrom.

The flock removed from cylinder l2 as described is discharged upon a conveyor which may take the form of a leather or rubber belt l8 trained about rolls I9, 20, at least one of which is driven by appropriate means. The roll 20 lies close to the surface of a second cylinder 2|, which is preferably of the same diameter as cylinder l2 and rotated in the same direction and at the same surface speed by suitable driving means. Cylinder 2| is covered with card clothing 22, such as is used on a worsted card. The wires 22a of the clothing are bent, so that their points project in the direction of travel of the cylinder, and they are shown exaggerated in length. As the flock is carried along on belt I8, it is picked up by the wire teeth on cylinder 2| and, to assist in this action, a driven roll 23, which is preferably leather covered, is mounted to rest on top of the flock on the belt I8. The belt, the roll 23, and the ends of the wire teeth 22a on the cylinder 2|, accordingly, define a pocket 24 into which the flock is continuously fed by the belt and from which the flock is continuously removed by the teeth on cylinder 2|.

In order to prevent lumps of flock from being carried along by cylinder 2|, a vibrating comb 25, similar to the doffer comb used in a card, is mounted on arms 26 fast on an oscillating shaft 21 adiacent the cylinder. Neither the particular construction of the vibrating comb nor the mechanism for operating it forms any part of the present invention and it and the mechanism for operating it may be of any form, such, for example, as shown in the patent to Sheehan No. 1,554,530 dated September 22, 1925. The path of vibration of the comb is such that its teeth are tangent to the ends of the wire teeth 22 on cylinder 2|, and any fiber lumps carried by teeth 22a are knocked therefrom and broken up by the comb and fall upon the surface of roll 23. As this roll rotates, the fibrous material deposited thereon is carried around with the roll and deposited upon the surface of belt l8.

In order to remove the flock from cylinder 2|, a toothed roll 28 is mounted on the side of the cylinder opposite to the point of delivery of the flock thereto. Roll 28 has straight wire teeth illustrated in exaggerated length and is similar in construction to the fancy roll of a card. It is rotated clockwise and has a surface speed, which is two or more times that of cylinder 2|. The setting of the roll and cylinder are such that the teeth on the roll pass between the teeth on the cylinder and remove the flock therefrom. The flock, which is now devoid of fiber lumps, is discharged from between cylinder 2| and fancy roll 28 to fall upon the coated backing sheet 29. The sheet is drawn from a roll 30 and passes under a body of adhesive 3| and beneath a doctor blade 32, which determines the thickness of the adhesive coating. If desired, the usual electrostatic means may be employed for aligning the fibers in the stream of flock falling from between the fancy roll 28 and cylinder 2| on their way to the coating on sheet 29.

In the operation of the apparatus, the sheet 29 is moved along at a constant rate and the belt I 8 also operates at a constant rate. The surface speeds of cylinders l2 and 2| may be varied, although the cylinder 2| is always driven at such a surface speed with relation to that of cylinder I2 that there is no backing up of the flock at the point of delivery thereof to cylinder 2|. By varying the speeds of the cylinders, the density of the deposit of flock on the coated sheet can be varied as desired.

The modified form of apparatus shown in Fig. 4 includes a hopper 33 for holding a supply of flock delivered thereto pneumatically through a transport line 34. An agitator comprising a horizontal shaft 35 with paddles 36 and helical strips 3! connecting certain of the paddles is mounted within the lower part of the hopper to break up lumps and to distribute the flock throughout the hopper. The hopper has an outlet near its lower end,which is closed by a roll 38 provided on its cylindrical surface with ribs 39 of rectangular cross-section and extending helically about the roll. Roll 38 is driven by suitable means and, as it rotates, the ribs remove flock from the hopper at a substantially uniform rate and discharge the flock upon an inclined plate 40, by which the flock is delivered to the surface of a cylinder 4|. The cylinder is covered with wire teeth 42 illustrated in exaggerated length, the teeth being similar to the teeth of worsted card clothing and mounted with their points extending in the direction of rotation of the cylinder.

As the cylinder rotates, flock delivered to it along the plate 40 is picked up by the teeth. Any lumps of flock carried along by the teeth are removed therefrom and broken up by a vibrating comb 43, similar to the vibrating comb 25 of Fig. 1 and mounted on arms 44 fast on an oscillating shaft 45. The comb vibrates along a path tangent to the ends of the teeth and is so disposed that flock removed from the cylinder by the comb is returned to the flock traveling down plate 40 to the cylinder.

Flock carried by the teeth on the cylinder is removed therefrom by a driven fancy roll 46 having long straight teeth, which pass between the cylinder teeth. The fancy roll is driven at a higher surface speed than the cylinder and discharges the flock from the cylinder upon the traveling backing sheet 41. The sheet is drawn from a supply roll 48 and receives an adhesive coating by passing beneath a, body of adhesive 49 held against the surface of the sheet by a doctor blade 50.

In the operation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 4, the flock is removed at a substantially uniform rate from the hopper by the action of roll 38 and the ribs on the roll cooperate with the walls of the opening to break up lumps of flock. The flock slides down the surface 0f plate 40 to be picked up by cylinder 4| and any lumps that pass roll 38 are removed from cylinder by the action of the comb. The rate at which the flock is delivered depends upon the speed of operation of roll 38 and cylinder 4|, and the density of the flock applied to the backing sheet may also be controlled by the rate of travel of the sheet beneath the cylinder.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for feeding flock, which comprises a hopper for holding a supply of flock and having an outlet near its lower end, an agitator and propeller within the hopper, a toothed cylinder mounted for rotation on ahorizontal axis, means for removin flock from the hopper and transferring it to the cylinder to be taken up by the teeth thereon, said means including a rotary member closing the outlet from the hopper and having projections on its surface and conveyor means between said rotary member and the toothed cylinder, means cooperating with the cylinder beyond the point at which the flock is transferred thereto for removing lumps of flock from the teeth of the cylinder and returning the flock so removed to the conveyor means, and a fancy roll having teeth acting to remove flock from the teeth of the cylinder.

2. Apparatus for feeding flock, which comprises a hopper for holding a supply of flock and having an outlet near its lower end, an agitator and propeller within the hopper, a toothed cylinder mounted for rotation on a horizontal axis, means for removing flock from the hopper and transferring it to the cylinder to be taken up by the teeth thereon, avibrating element cooperating with the cylinder beyond the point at which the flock is transferred thereto for removing lumps of flock from the teeth of the cylinder and returning the flock so removed to the transferring means, and

a. fancy roll having teeth acting to remove flock from the teeth of the cylinder.

3. Apparatus for feeding flock, which comprises a rotary toothed cylinder, mean for supplying fiock in bulk to the cylinder, a fancy roll cooperating with the cylinder to remove the flock therefrom, a second rotary toothed cylinder, means for receiving the flock removed from the first cylinder and delivering it to the second, means cooperating with the second cylinder beyond the point of delivery of the flock thereto for removing fiber lumps carried by the cylinder and returning the flock so removed to the delivery means, and a fancy roll cooperating with the second cylinder for removing the flock therefrom.

4. Apparatus for feeding flock, which comprises a rotary toothed cylinder means for supplying fiock in bulk to the cylinder, a fancy roll co operatin with the cylinder to remove the flock therefrom, a second rotary toothed cylinder, a traveling belt upon which the flock removed from the first cylinder is deposited, the belt carrying the flock to the second cylinder to be picked up thereby, a vibrating comb cooperating with the second cylinder beyond the belt for removing fiber lumps carried by the cylinder and returning the flock so removed to the belt, and a fancy roll cooperating with the second cylinder beyond the comb for removing the flock from the cylinder.

5. Apparatus for feeding flock, which comprises a rotary toothed cylinder, means for supplying flock in bulk to the cylinder, a fancy roll cooperating with the cylinder to remove the flock therefrom, a second rotary toothed cylinder, a traveling belt upon which the fiock removed from the first cylinder is deposited, the belt carrying the flock to the second cylinder to be picked up thereby, a roll resting upon the flock on the belt adjacent the second cylinder and cooperating withthe belt to supply the flock to that cylinder, means beyond the roll for removing fiber lumps from the second cylinder and depositing the flock so removed upon said roll for return thereby to the belt, and a fancy roll cooperating with the second cylinder beyond the removing means for removing the flock from said cylinder.

6. Apparatus for feeding flock, which comprises a hopper for the flock,'a rotary toothed cylinder closing one end of the hopper and removing the flock therefrom as it rotates, a fancy roll cooperating with the cylinder to remove the flock from the cylinder, a second toothed cylinder, means for receiving the flock removed from the first cylinder and delivering it to the second, means cooperating with the second cylinder beyond the point of delivery of the flock thereto for removing fiber lumps from said cylinder and returning the flock so removed to the delivering means, and a fancy roll beyond the lump removing means for removing the flock from the second cylinder.

7. Apparatus for feeding flock, which comprises a pair of toothed cylinders rotating at related surface speeds, means for supplying flock in bulk to the first cylinder, means for removing the flock from the first cylinder, means for delivering to the second cylinder the fiock removed from the first, means beyond the point of delivery of the flock to the second cylinder for removing fiber lumps from the second cylinder and returning the flock so removed to the delivery means, and means for removing the flock from the second cylinder.

8. Apparatus for feeding flock, which comprises a hopper for holding a supply of flock, a rotary cylinder closing an opening into the hopper and provided with teeth, which remove flock from the hopper as the cylinder rotates, a roll provided with teeth, which cooperate with those on the cylinder to remove the flock therefrom, a second rotary cylinder, said cylinder having wire teeth bent in the direction of rotation of the cylinder, a conveyor receiving the flock removed from the teeth of the first cylinder and delivering it to the second cylinder to be picked up by the teeth thereon, means disposed beyond the point of delivery of the flock to the second cylinder for removing fiber lumps from the teeth of said cylinder and returning the flock so removed from the delivering means, and means beyond the lump removing means for removing flock from the second cylinder.

9. Apparatus for feeding flock, which comprises a pair of toothed cylinders rotating at related surface speeds, a hopper from which flock is delivered to the first cylinder to be carried away by the teeth thereon, a fancy roll for removing the flock from the teeth of the first cylinder, a belt on which the flock removed by the fancy roll is deposited, the belt delivering the flock to the teeth on the second cylinder, a roll cooperating with the belt adjacent the surface of the second cylinder to deliver the flock, a vibrating comb above the roll for removing fiber lumps carried by the teeth of the second cylinder, and returning the flock so removed to the belt, and a fancy roll for removing the flock from the teeth of the second cylinder.

10. Apparatus for feeding flock, which comprises a hopper for holding a supply of flock and having an outlet near its lower end, agitating means within the hopper, a roll closing the outlet and having projections on its surface for removing flock from the hopper, a rotary toothed cylinder mounted on a horizontal axis, an inclined plate along which flock removed from the hopper by the roll slides into contact with the teeth on the cylinder, means cooperating with the teeth on the cylinder for removing lumps of flock therefrom and returning the flock so removed to said plate, and a fancy roll having 7 teeth acting to remove flock mm the cylinder.

the teeth in REFERENCES CHTED The following references are of r me of this patent:

ecord in the Number 'Ford et a1 Feb. 19, 3%;

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