US1832378A - Fulling machine - Google Patents

Description

5 Sheets-Sheet D. GESSNER FULLING MACHINE Filed Decv Nov. 17, 1931.

Nov. 17, 1931. D. GESSNER FULL-ING MACHINE Filed Dec." 5, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 17, 1931. n. GESSNER FULLING MACHINE Filed Dec 5. 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Nov. 17, 1931. D. GESSNER FULLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 jzde mzfrr'." JQM iea Qmar Nov. 17, 1931. D. GESSNER FULLING MACHINE Filed Dec. 5, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 'O .hdz-r Jaded Gess rzer I37 W 4. Mr M Patented Nov. 17, 1931 UNITED STATES DAVID GESSNER, or wonons'rna; mssnonvsnrrs FULLING MAonInE Application filed December 5,1930. Serial Il'o. 500,334.

This invention relates toamachine for fulling and shrinking fabrics, such as woolen or worsted cloth, and relates more particularly to improvements in the type of fulling ma- 6 chine shown and described in my prior application Serial No. 442,088, filed April 7,

The machine therein shown comprises a rotated cylinder having freely rotatable full- 1 ing rolls spaced about its periphery and having a conveyor apron underlying said cylinder and supporting the cloth beneath the cylinder at full width and in transversely fold ed condition.

It is the general object of my present invention to improve the falling machine shown in my prior application by certain changes and additions which make the machine more economical to manufacture and more effective for the purposes intended.

WVith this general object in View, one feature of the invention relates to the provision of means for elevating the fulling cylinder with respect to the conveyor apron.

Another feature of the invention relates to the provision of a construction by which yielding action between the cylinder and apron is made possible. v

Further features of the invention relate to the provision of means for definitely rotating the fulling rolls before they engage the cloth; and to the provision of means for pleating the cloth as it is fed to the conveyor apron and for varying the size and spacing of the folds.

My invention further relates to arrangements and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

6 A preferred form of the invention is shown in the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my improved fulling machine; 7

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation-of certain driving and adjusting mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a plan viewof certain parts, looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2' i Fig. '4 is a sectional side elevation of certain elevating mechanism;

Fig. 5'is a sectional plan view, taken along the line 55 in Fig. 4; r

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of one of the cylinder roll bearings and certain associated parts;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of certain parts shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a sectional side elevation, taken so alongthe line 99 in Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is aside elevation, partly in section, of portions'of the fulling cylinder and its supportingmechanism;

' Fig. 11 is a sectional plan View, taken 05 along the line 1111 in Fig. 10;

Fig. '12 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion of the fulling cylinder and conveyor apron;

Fig. 13 is a sectional end elevation of the 79 fulling cylinder and certain associated parts, taken substantially along the line 1313 in Fig. 10:;

Fig. 14 is a sectional side elevation, showing thebearings of one of the 'fulling rolls ancdltaken along the line 14-14 in Fig. 13; an

Fig. 15 is a sectional side elevation, taken along the line 15- 15 in Fig. 14.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, my im- 0 proved fulling machine comprises a frame 20 on which the several parts of the machine are assembled and supported. A conveyor apron 22 is mounted on guide rolls or sprockets 23, 24, 25 and 26. The sprockets 23 are prefers5 ably mounted in fixed bearings 21 at the delivery end of the machine. The sprockets *26 are preferably mounted in bearings 27 at the supply side of the machine, which bearings are slidable on the frame 20 and may be adjusted by a hand wheel 28. The sprockets 24 and 25 are mounted in bearings 30, slidable in guideways 31 and yieldingly supported by springs 32.

While different forms of conveyor aprons may be used in my improved machine, I preferablyuse an apron of the general construction shown in Fig. 12, comprising chains 34 supported on the rolls 23, 24, '25 and 26 and having cross bars '35, preferably of wood, se-

cured to said chains in closely adjacent relation. 011 its lower or return run, the conveyor apron 22 is drawn through a tank 86 mounted on the frame 20 and containing water or other liquid suitable for keeping the conveyor apron well cleaned.

The fulling cylinder comprises heads (Fig. 10) fixed on a cylinder shaft 41 which is supported in bearing blocks 42. The blocks 42 are provided with recesses 43 (Fig. 7) in their edge portions which fit closely over guiding portions 44 of the machine frame 20. Each bearing block 42 is connected by a pin or stud 45 (Fig. 9) to the upper end of a supporting and elevating shaft 46.

The shafts 46 at their lower ends are threaded into nuts 47 which are rotatably mounted in bearings 48 (Fig. 4) on the frame 20. A worm gear 50 is formed integral with each nut 47 and is engaged by a worm 51 on a worm shaft 52 which extends transversely of the machine and is rotatably supported in fixed bearings 53 (Fig. 11).

A sprocket 54 is fixed to the front end of the worm shaft 52 and is connected by a chain 55 (Figs. 2 and 3) to a sprocket 56 on a cross shaft 57 rotatable in fixed bearings 58 and having a handle 59 at its forward end. By turning the handle 59, the worm shaft 52 may be rotated in any desired direction, causing corresponding movement of the worm gears 50 and raising or lowering the threaded supporting shafts 46 and the bearing blocks 42. In this way the fulling cylinder may be conveniently adjusted vertically toward or away from the conveyor aprons 22.

The fulling cylinder is provided with a large sprocket 60 (Fig. 2) loosely rotatable on the shaft 41 and connected by a chain 61 to a pinion 62 on the armature shaft of a motor M. The chain 61 has suificient slack to permit the relatively small vertical adjustment of the fulling cylinder.

A friction clutch F (Fig. 8) of any usual form is slidably mounted on the cylinder shaft 41 and may be moved by a handle 63 (Fig. 2) to connect the sprocket 60 to the cylinder shaft 41 whenever it is desired to rotate the cylinder. The handle 63 is pivoted on a bracket 63 (Fig. 8) movable vertically with the bearing blocks 42.

A plurality of fulling rolls 64 are mounted on shafts 65 rotatable in bearings 66 on the cylinder heads 40. These rolls may be plain cylindrical rolls, as indicated at 64 (Fig. 12)

or they may be grooved longitudinally, as indicated at 64 (Fig. 12), or they may be grooved circumferentially, as indicated at 64 (Fig. 12). These rolls may be used in any desired combination and may be selected with reference to the particular fabric to be treated.

I have found it desirable to provide means for giving the fulling rolls a definite rotating motion about their own axes before they engage the folds of cloth to he treated, and for this purpose I provide each roll shaft (55 (Fig. 14) with a grooved pulley 70 positioned to engage a belt 71 which extends around the entire series of rolls, as indicated in Fig. 13.

One end of the belt 71 is secured to a cross rod 72 (Fig. 15) supported by brackets 72 on the bearing blocks 42, and the other end of the belt 71 is connected to a threaded end member 7 3, extending loosely through a similar cross rod 74 and adjustable therein by lock nuts 75. By turning the nuts 75, the belt 71 may be tightened or loosened as desired.

The cloth C (Fig. 1) is fed to the fulling machine by a feed roll and presser roll 81 which may be driven from the motor M by suitable speed changing connections, one form of such connections being indicated in Fig. 1.

I have also provided pleating members 85 and 86 (Fig. 1) each comprising cross arms having rods 87 at their opposite ends. The pleating members 85 and 86 may also be driven from the motor M through additional speed changing connections as shown in Fig. l and the members are geared together, as by a chain 88 and sprockets 89, so that they maintain the angular relation indicated in Fig. 1.

The cloth C as it is fed downward is alternately engaged by the cross rods 87 of the pleating members 85 and 86, such engage ment being first on one side of the cloth and then on the other, and by such engagement the cloth is deposited in definite folds on the apron 22.

By varying the speed of the feed roll 80 or the speed of the pleaters 85 and 86, or both, the number of pleats per yard of cloth as well as the height of the pleats may be accurately regulated. For instance, a yard of cloth may be deposited in nine folds each containing four inches of cloth, or in tweleve folds containing three inches each, or in any other desired number or size of folds.

A most important advantage arises from the use of the pleaters 85 and 86, namely, the deposit of uniform folds on the conveyor apron 22. It is found that variations in the folds produce variations in the fulling action and that uniformity of fulling is very largely dependent upon uniformity of the folds in which the cloth is deposited on the conveyor.

A pressor roll 90 (Fig. 13) preferably engages the cloth C as the apron passes over the rolls or sprockets 25 previously described andassists in compressing the folds before being acted upon by the fulling cylinder.

It will be noted that the pulleys 70 (Fig. 14) are of substantially the same diameter as the roll 64, and that the belt 71 (Fig. 13) extends substantially along the path of travel of the folded cloth under the fulling cylinder.

Consequently, as the pulleys roll along the belt 71, the peripheries of the rolls 64 will roll along the folded cloth in a similar manner and practically without any tendency to displace the folds.

Without the use of the belt 71, the rolls 64 would have no definite speed of rotation about their own axes as they engage the cloth C and would have a marked tendency to dis arrange the folds before they acquired the proper rolling speed. By giving the rolls a definite and predetermined speed of rotation before they engage the cloth, uniform action of the fulling machine is much facilitated.

The provision of the yielding bearings 30 (Fig. 1) for the guide roll or sprockets 24: and 25 permits the apron to yield and move away from the fulling cylinder if too much cloth is deposited on the apron or if the cloth is deposited thereon in an irregular manner by some carelessness of the operator.

The cylinder elevating mechanism is used for varying the relation of the cylinder and apron for thicker or thinner fabrics and for different arrangements of the folded fabric on the apron.

The provision of means for washing the cross bars of the conveyor apron during their lower or idle run is important, as the bars are more widely separated in their lower run and can be more effectively cleaned of coloring matter or fibres adhering thereto. particularly important where a machine is used successively for different kinds or colors of fabric, as otherwise coloring matter or fibres of one kind may be carried along and disfigure a different kind or color of fabric.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is 1. A fulling machine comprising a conveyor apron, a fulling cylinder having fulling rolls spaced about its periphery, means to rotatably support said cylinder above said conveyor apron, and manual means to raise or lower both ends of said cylinder simultaneously and equally.

2. A fulling machine comprising a conveyor apron, afulling cylinder having fulling rolls spaced about its periphery, means to rotatably support said cylinder above said conveyor apron, said supporting means including verticallythreaded shafts, nuts rotatably mounted in fixed bearings and threaded on said shafts, and means to rotate said nuts simultaneously to raise or lower said cylinder.

3. A fulling machine comprising a conveyor apron, a fulling cylinder having fulling rolls spaced about its periphery, means to rotatably support said cylinder above said conveyor apron, and means to support said conveyor apron at spaced points beneath said This is" fulling cylinder and to yieldingly ress said conveyor apron toward said cylin er. r

4. A fulling machine comprising a conveyor apron, a fulling cylinder having fulling rolls spaced. about its periphery, means to rotatably support said cylinder above said conveyor apron, a plurality of rotatable sup porting membersfor said conveyor apron, and yielding bearings for certain of said members, wherebysaid apron is adaptedto yield relative to said fulling cylinder.

5. A fulling machine comprising a con veyor apron, fulling devices engaging cloth deposited on said apron, cloth feeding devices, and means engaging the cloth between the feeding devices and the apron and causing the cloth to be deposited in uniform folds thereon.

6. The combination in a fulling machine as set forth in claim 5, in which means is provided for varying the size and spacing of the folds.

7. A fulling machine comprising a conveyor apron, fulling devices engaging cloth deposited on said apron, cloth feeding devices, and a pair of pleating members successively engaging the cloth on opposite sides thereof and causing the cloth to be deposited in uniform folds on the conveyor apron.

8. A fulling machine comprising a conveyor apron, fulling devices engaging cloth deposited on said apron, cloth feeding devices, a pair of pleating members successively engaging the cloth on opposite sides thereof and causing the cloth to be deposited in uni- 10 form folds on the conveyor apron, and variable speed driving means for said pleating members.

9. In a fulling machine, a fulling cylinder having a plurality of fulling rolls spaced about its periphery, means to rotate said cylinder, and means to rotate said rolls on said cylinder.

10. In a fulling machine, a fulling cylinder having a plurality of fulling rolls spaced about its periphery, means to rotate said cylinder, and means to rotate said rolls on said cylinder but in the opposite direction.

11. I11 a fulling machine, a fulling cylinder having a plurality of fulling rolls spaced about its periphery, means to rotate said cylinder, and. means to rotate said rolls on said cylinder but in the opposite direction and at substantially the peripheral speed of freely rolling contact with the cloth engaged by said no rolls.

12. In a fullin g machine, a fulling cylinder having a plurality of fulling rolls spaced about its periphery, means to rotate said cylinder, and a fixed element operatively en- 15 gaging portions of said rolls and causing rotation of said rolls in the opposite direction from the rotation of said cylinder.

13. In a fulling machine, a fulling cylinder having a plurality of fulling rolls spaced 1% about its periphery; means to rotate said cyl inder, pulleys on said rolls, and afixed contact element engaged by said pulleys and causing rotation of said rolls in the opposite direction from the rotation of said cylinder.

14. In a fulling machine, a fulling cylinder having a plurality of fulling rolls spaced about its periphery, means to rotate said cylinder, pulleys on said rolls, and a fixed belt encircling the entire series of pulleys and causing rotation of said rolls in the opposite direction from the rotation of said cylinder.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto af- DAVID GESSNER.

' fixed my signature.

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