Apparatus for transporting fibre material between a drafting device and a loop-forming machine and a circular knitting machine equipped with said apparatus

Abstract

A device for transporting fibre material between a drawing frame and a loop-forming machine is described. The device contains at least two transport units which are disposed in succession and have respectively one inlet- and outlet opening, said transport units being formed from respectively one twisting member ( 16 a, 16 b, 16 c ) and one transport pipe ( 17 a, 17 b, 17 c ) connected thereto, there being provided between an outlet end ( 28 ) of a preceding transport unit ( 16 a, 17 a ) and the inlet end of a subsequent transport unit ( 16 b, 17 b ) a gap ( 27 a, 27 b ) which is intended for forming an air removal opening. According to the invention, a suction device ( 31 a, 31 b ) is disposed in the region of this gap ( 27 a, 27 b ) (FIG. 4 ).

1 . Device for transporting fibre material between a drawing frame ( 9 ) and a loop-forming machine ( 1 ) containing at least two transport units which are disposed in succession in a transport direction (v) and have respectively one inlet end ( 29 ,  37 ) and one outlet end ( 28 ,  38 ), said transport units being formed from respectively one twisting member ( 16   a ,  16   b ,  16   c ,  35   a ,  35   b ) and one transport pipe ( 17   a ,  17   b ,  17   c ,  36   a ,  36   b ) connected thereto, there being provided between an outlet end ( 28 ,  37 ) of a preceding transport unit and the inlet end ( 29 ,  38 ) of a subsequent transport unit an open gap ( 27   a ,  27   b ,  39 ) which is intended for forming an air removal opening, characterised in that, in the region of the gap ( 27   a ,  27   b ,  39 ), a suction device ( 31   a ,  31   b ,  40 ) which is open towards the latter is disposed. 
     
     
         2 . Device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the gap ( 27 ,  27   b ,  39 ) has a smallest length x measured in the transport direction (v) which fulfils the inequation 0<x≦2di, di being the internal diameter at the outlet end ( 28 ,  37 ) of the preceding transport unit. 
     
     
         3 . Device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the transport pipes ( 17   a ,  17   b ,  17   c ,  36   a ,  36   b ), observed in the transport direction (v), have increasingly smaller internal diameters. 
     
     
         4 . Device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the outlet end ( 28   a ) of at least one transport unit ( 16   a ,  17   a ) is provided with an outlet opening which extends diagonally relative to the axis thereof. 
     
     
         5 . Device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the transport pipes ( 17   a ,  17   b ,  17   c ,  36   a ,  36   b ) have axes which extend parallel to each other. 
     
     
         6 . Device according to  claim 5 , characterised in that the axes of two successive transport pipes ( 17   a ,  17   b ,  17   c ) are disposed with a preselected offset (A 1 , A 2 ) which extends transversely relative to the transport direction (v). 
     
     
         7 . Device according to  claim 6 , characterised in that the offset (A 1 , A 2 ) is at most equal to half the internal diameter of the respectively subsequent transport pipe. 
     
     
         8 . Device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the suction device contains a suction pipe ( 31   a ,  31   b ,  40 ). 
     
     
         9 . Device according to  claim 8 , characterised in that the suction pipe ( 31   a ) has an axis ( 32   a   1 ,  32   a   2 ) which extends diagonally relative to the transport direction (v). 
     
     
         10 . Device according to  claim 4 , characterised in that the suction pipe ( 31   a ,  31   b ) contains a bevelled outlet opening which is orientated towards the gap ( 27   a ,  27   b ). 
     
     
         11 . Device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the axes of successive transport pipes ( 17   b ,  17   c ) form an angle with each other. 
     
     
         12 . Device according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the suction device ( 40 ) has a suction chamber ( 42 ) which is connected to a suction pipe ( 41 ), having a first end wall ( 42   a ) and a second end wall ( 42   b ) which is situated opposite said first end wall, the transport pipe ( 36   a ) of the preceding transport unit protruding through a passage of the first end wall ( 42   a ) and extending up to the second end wall ( 42   b ) which, in the region of the gap ( 39 ), has an outlet opening ( 43 ) which is situated opposite the inlet end ( 38 ) of the subsequent transport unit and has an inner cross-section which is larger than the outer cross-section of the transport pipe ( 36   a ) of the preceding transport unit at this position. 
     
     
         13 . Device according to  claim 12 , characterised in that the transport pipe ( 36   a ) of the preceding transport unit is disposed sealed in the first end wall ( 42   a ). 
     
     
         14 . Device according to  claim 12 , characterised in that the second end wall ( 42   b ) is configured as a cover which is connected in a sealed and detachable manner to the suction chamber ( 42 ). 
     
     
         15 . Circular knitting machine, characterised in that it is provided with at least one device according to  claim 1 .