US3768119A - Machine for forming random fiber webs - Google Patents

Machine for forming random fiber webs Download PDF

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Publication number
US3768119A
US3768119A US00103104A US3768119DA US3768119A US 3768119 A US3768119 A US 3768119A US 00103104 A US00103104 A US 00103104A US 3768119D A US3768119D A US 3768119DA US 3768119 A US3768119 A US 3768119A
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United States
Prior art keywords
duct
lickerin
saber
condenser
air
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US00103104A
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English (en)
Inventor
D Wood
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Curlator Corp
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Curlator Corp
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Publication date
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Publication of US3768119A publication Critical patent/US3768119A/en
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    • D—TEXTILES; PAPER
    • D04—BRAIDING; LACE-MAKING; KNITTING; TRIMMINGS; NON-WOVEN FABRICS
    • D04H—MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL; FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING ; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION
    • D04H1/00—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres
    • D04H1/70—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres
    • D04H1/72—Non-woven fabrics formed wholly or mainly of staple fibres or like relatively short fibres characterised by the method of forming fleeces or layers, e.g. reorientation of fibres the fibres being randomly arranged

Definitions

  • the floor 362 of the atomization chamber or duct is flat; and a cylindrical doffing bar 292 is used to aid in doffing fibers from thelickerin 155 to deliver them into the duct.
  • a primary object of this invention is to avoid the defects of the prior construction, and improve the quality of the web formed on. the condenser.
  • a further purpose of the invention is to greatly improve the air and fiber flow through the chamberthrough which the fibers are carried by the air from the lickerin to the condenser.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the'air may travel at an increased velocity through the fiber duct or chamber, without any increase in the amount of air moved between the input duct and the condenser, so that the web has a more uniform appearance and a greaterrandom displacement of the fibers.
  • FIG. 1 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the webbing portion of one type of random fiber web forming machine built to include the improvements of the present invention
  • FIG. 2 is a more or less diagrammatic view on an enlarged scale illustrating the improved duct or chamber construction, the improved doffing bar construction, and the improved position of the. saber;
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view erin past a saber tube 360, and are doffed from the lickerin by centrifugal force due to the high speed rotation of the lickerin, and by air flowing from duct 400 past the teeth of the lickerin.
  • the air is supplied by a fan 355 through the air duct 400, and passes over the saber tube 360 between the lickerin and this tube.
  • the saber tube is disposed at the juncture of one side of the air duct and the floor of the atomization chamber or duct 365 so that all the air must pass over the top of the saber
  • the saber is separated from the duct wall 403 to provide a by-pass under the saber'for the air; and, in addition, an adjustable flap-valve 405 is provided at the by-pass duct 404 to control the proportion of air passing under the saber.
  • the valve 405 comprises a flexible plate secured to a half round member 407 which is journaled at opposite ends in the sidewalls of the machine.
  • the longitudinal cross sec tionof the atomizing chamber or delivery duct 420 is altered.
  • the duct cover 424 is formed with a rounded nose portion 414 that acts as a doffing bar to doff fibers from the lickerin as the lickerin rotates past the doffing bar.
  • This nose portion is bounded by converging upper and lower walls 415, 416 that converge at the rounded end 417.
  • the floor 422 of the air duct or atomization chamber 420 has been changed from a simple inclined flat plate to an airfoil surface.
  • This surface is coupled with a duct cover 424 whose lower surface 423 has a flatter profile than conventional such surfaces, and is positioned to provide a much reduced included angle between the opposed floor and cover surfaces of not more than 15.
  • the condenser is an endless -foraminous belt 430 which is shown only fragmentarily in FIG. 1, and which travels over a plurality of guide rollers, two of which are indicated at 431 and432.
  • the fibers carried by the airthrough the duct 420 are depositedon thetravelling foraminous belt 430; and the air passes through the belt and returns to the fan 355 which delivers it again into the duct 400.
  • the atomization chamber of the machine described is of rectangular cross-section. It has parallel side walls and top and bottom walls inclined to one another at the optimum angle of approximately 11. However, with the efficiency of the flow of air and fibrous particles the angle of divergence between the top and bottom walls of the chamber will decrease to a minimum of 6 as the Reynolds number is increased.
  • the Reynolds number is a non-dimensional factor indicating the frictional resistance of the flow. This frictional resistance is due to the frictional drag on the surface; and the physical property governing this resistance is its coefficient of through the webbing portion of another type of random viscosity. To reduce this frictional drag within the atomization chamber, all surface finishes should have a maximum roughness of 'micro-inches.
  • the viscosity of the fibrous flow increases with an increase of temperature of the flow.
  • the maximum thickness t of the aerofoil duct floor 422 (FIG. 2) as measured from the chord length should not exceed 14 percent of l, and 2t/l 0.28.
  • the maximum thickness t of the aerofoil should not be more than 0.4 I from the leading edge, e.g., x 0.4 l.
  • the minimum distance ofx at t max. should not be less than 0.15 l.
  • the new construction has greatly improved the air and fiber flow through the duct or chamber 420, causing the fiber and air to have a much straighter path at an increased velocity without any increase in the amount of air used between the input end of this duct or chamber and the condenser.
  • the web laid down has a more uniform appearance and a greater random displacement of the fibers in the web.
  • the fibers and air are mixed as previously but due to the increased air flow resulting from the airfoil floor and the duct cover, the fiber maintains the velocity imparted at the saber and is not acted upon by pockets of turbulence, eddies, etc.
  • the angle of between the floor and the cover of this duct significantly reduces the shock to the flow heretofore caused by too rapid expansion of the air and fiber mixture.
  • the small angle of divergence between the floor and the cover of the duct, and the length of the passage are closely linked so that drag and friction looses are reduced, and the passage of the fibers does not reduce the kinetic energy of the flow.
  • the improved chamber since the angle of divergence is a function of the total pressure loss in the divergent sections, the improved chamber has less pressure losses.
  • air can flow across the surface of the airfoil floor under the fiber flow so as to obviate any eddies that might be caused by the boundary layer flow across this surface.
  • the improved shape of the doffing bar reduces the turbulence pocket created in a position fronting the round saber bar.
  • FIG. 3 illustrates an application of the invention to a vertical random web former.
  • the portion .608 of the feed chute is curved so that it converges with reference to the screen 603 and the fibers are compressed between it and the screen and formed into a mat.
  • a roller 610 doffs the mat from the condenser screen onto the feed plate 630.
  • a rotating feed roller 552 feeds the mat over the nose 551 of the feed plate into the rotating lickerin 555, which combs the fibers from the mat.
  • the fibers are doffed from the lickerin by centrifugal force due to the high speed rotation of the lickerin and by an air stream flowing in the duct 500 tangentially past the teeth of the lickerin.
  • the air stream in duct 500 is created by the fan 573 which is driven by a motor 612 and which supplies an air stream under pressure to the duct 500 through the duct 574.
  • a flexible flap valve 505 which is pivoted at 507 on the duct wall 614 controls the direction of flow of the air from duct 500 over the saber 560.
  • this valve When this valve is open, the air can flow around the saber to obviate any eddies that might be caused by boundary layer flow across the surface of the airfoil.
  • This airstream flows into the atomization chamber or duct 520 which, as in the previously described embodiment of the invention, has an airfoil bottom floor 522 and a flat roof 524 which is inclined to the bottom floor at the entering end of the duct or chamber at an angle of 15 or less.
  • the fibers are carried by the airstream onto the condenser 530 which is here an endless foraminous belt passing over two or more rollers 531, one of which is the driver for the belt.
  • a suction box 570 between the upper and lower reaches of the belt causes the fibers to be deposited as a random fiber web on the belt.
  • the suction box is connected through port 571 and duct 572 to the suction side of the fan 573.
  • the floor of said duct is of airfoil shape and is convexly curved to converge toward the roof of the duct from the entering end of the duct to a point intermediate the ends of the duct and then diverges from the roof of the duct to the condenser end thereof,
  • a removable saber disposed adjacent the entering end of the floor of said duct but spaced therefrom so that air supplied to said duct will flow around both the top and bottom of the saber, and means for adjustably regulating the amount of air passing under the saber.
  • the floor of said duct is of airfoil shape
  • a removable saber is disposed adjacent the entering end of the floor of said duct but is spaced therefrom so that air supplied to said duct will flow around both the top and bottom of the saber, and
  • said adjusting means is a valve mounted to pivot adjustably toward and from the saber.
  • a saber disposed adjacent the junction of said conduit and said duct and confronting the lickerin, said saber being spaced from opposite sides of the conduit and from the floor of said duct whereby the air flowing from said conduit into said duct passes over and under the saber,
  • said adjusting means comprises a valve pivoted at one end in said conduit and movable toward and away from said saber.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Textile Engineering (AREA)
  • Protection Of Plants (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
  • Spinning Methods And Devices For Manufacturing Artificial Fibers (AREA)
US00103104A 1970-12-31 1970-12-31 Machine for forming random fiber webs Expired - Lifetime US3768119A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10310470A 1970-12-31 1970-12-31

Publications (1)

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US3768119A true US3768119A (en) 1973-10-30

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Country Status (5)

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US (1) US3768119A (de)
AT (1) AT324893B (de)
CA (1) CA930518A (de)
CH (1) CH529869A (de)
GB (1) GB1345061A (de)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4100650A (en) * 1974-04-17 1978-07-18 Hergeth Kg Muschinenfabrik Und Apparatebann Adjustable feed plate
US4458506A (en) * 1980-10-11 1984-07-10 Sulzer Morat Gmbh Circular knitting or circular hosiery knitting machine for manufacture of knit wares of hosiery with combed-in fibers
US5007137A (en) * 1989-01-18 1991-04-16 Hergeth Hollingsworth Gmbh Carding apparatus
US5065479A (en) * 1989-04-06 1991-11-19 Claudio Governale Venturi-type conveyor for fiber laying in nonwoven material production
US5827430A (en) * 1995-10-24 1998-10-27 Perry Equipment Corporation Coreless and spirally wound non-woven filter element
WO2016100623A1 (en) * 2014-12-19 2016-06-23 The Procter & Gamble Company A web material test stand having a laminar airflow development device
WO2020033617A1 (en) * 2018-08-10 2020-02-13 3M Innovative Properties Company Machines systems and methods for making random fiber webs
WO2020033616A1 (en) * 2018-08-10 2020-02-13 3M Innovative Properties Company Machines systems and methods for making random fiber webs
WO2021148906A1 (en) * 2020-01-23 2021-07-29 3M Innovative Properties Company Machine systems and methods for making random fiber webs

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
NL172259C (nl) * 1971-04-20 1983-08-01 Du Pont Werkwijze en inrichting voor het vervaardigen van een vlies uit willekeurig gerichte textielstapelvezels.
AT387795B (de) * 1987-11-25 1989-03-10 Fehrer Ernst Vorrichtung zum herstellen eines faservlieses
DE3911897A1 (de) * 1989-04-12 1990-10-25 Hergeth Hubert Aushebenase
DE4239577C2 (de) * 1991-12-05 1996-06-05 Fehrer Ernst Vorrichtung zum Herstellen eines Faservlieses
AT398438B (de) * 1992-07-17 1994-12-27 Kuehnsdorfer Gmbh Verfahren zur strömungsdynamischen herstellung von verformbaren fasermatten hoher reissfestigkeit sowie vorrichtung zu deren herstellung
AT400582B (de) * 1993-06-18 1996-01-25 Fehrer Ernst Vorrichtung zum herstellen eines faservlieses

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2071438A (en) * 1933-11-25 1937-02-23 British Cotton Ind Res Assoc Method of and means for producing slivers or ends of fibrous materials
GB562308A (en) * 1942-09-22 1944-06-27 British Cotton Ind Res Assoc Means for mixing fibrous material and other substances
US2700188A (en) * 1948-05-11 1955-01-25 Curlator Corp Fiber web forming machine
US2703441A (en) * 1951-02-02 1955-03-08 Curlator Corp Machine for forming composite fiber webs
US2876500A (en) * 1954-08-26 1959-03-10 Curlator Corp Machine for fiber cleaning
US3535187A (en) * 1967-12-18 1970-10-20 Curlator Corp Apparatus for manufacturing nonwoven textile articles

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2071438A (en) * 1933-11-25 1937-02-23 British Cotton Ind Res Assoc Method of and means for producing slivers or ends of fibrous materials
GB562308A (en) * 1942-09-22 1944-06-27 British Cotton Ind Res Assoc Means for mixing fibrous material and other substances
US2700188A (en) * 1948-05-11 1955-01-25 Curlator Corp Fiber web forming machine
US2703441A (en) * 1951-02-02 1955-03-08 Curlator Corp Machine for forming composite fiber webs
US2876500A (en) * 1954-08-26 1959-03-10 Curlator Corp Machine for fiber cleaning
US3535187A (en) * 1967-12-18 1970-10-20 Curlator Corp Apparatus for manufacturing nonwoven textile articles

Cited By (17)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4100650A (en) * 1974-04-17 1978-07-18 Hergeth Kg Muschinenfabrik Und Apparatebann Adjustable feed plate
US4458506A (en) * 1980-10-11 1984-07-10 Sulzer Morat Gmbh Circular knitting or circular hosiery knitting machine for manufacture of knit wares of hosiery with combed-in fibers
US5007137A (en) * 1989-01-18 1991-04-16 Hergeth Hollingsworth Gmbh Carding apparatus
US5065479A (en) * 1989-04-06 1991-11-19 Claudio Governale Venturi-type conveyor for fiber laying in nonwoven material production
US5827430A (en) * 1995-10-24 1998-10-27 Perry Equipment Corporation Coreless and spirally wound non-woven filter element
WO2016100623A1 (en) * 2014-12-19 2016-06-23 The Procter & Gamble Company A web material test stand having a laminar airflow development device
US9631497B2 (en) 2014-12-19 2017-04-25 The Procter & Gamble Company Web material test stand having a laminar airflow development device
WO2020033616A1 (en) * 2018-08-10 2020-02-13 3M Innovative Properties Company Machines systems and methods for making random fiber webs
WO2020033617A1 (en) * 2018-08-10 2020-02-13 3M Innovative Properties Company Machines systems and methods for making random fiber webs
CN112543824A (zh) * 2018-08-10 2021-03-23 3M创新有限公司 用于制备随机纤维网的机器、***和方法
CN112567088A (zh) * 2018-08-10 2021-03-26 3M创新有限公司 用于制备随机纤维网的机器、***和方法
US20210355615A1 (en) * 2018-08-10 2021-11-18 3M Innovative Properties Company Machines systems and methods for making random fiber webs
US11814754B2 (en) * 2018-08-10 2023-11-14 3M Innovative Properties Company Machines systems and methods for making random fiber webs
US11814763B2 (en) * 2018-08-10 2023-11-14 3M Innovative Properties Company Machines systems and methods for making random fiber webs
WO2021148906A1 (en) * 2020-01-23 2021-07-29 3M Innovative Properties Company Machine systems and methods for making random fiber webs
US20230041502A1 (en) * 2020-01-23 2023-02-09 3M Innovative Properties Company Machine systems and methods for making random fiber webs
JP2023508226A (ja) * 2020-01-23 2023-03-01 スリーエム イノベイティブ プロパティズ カンパニー ランダム繊維ウェブを製造するための機械システム及び方法

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Publication number Publication date
GB1345061A (de) 1974-01-30
CA930518A (en) 1973-07-24
AT324893B (de) 1975-09-25
CH529869A (de) 1972-10-31

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