US3443283A - Fiber condenser with combined stop motion and waste disposal for textile drafting units - Google Patents

Description

DISPOSAL y 3, 1969 J. R. WHITEHURST FIBER CONDENSER WITH COMBINED STOP MOTION AND WASTE FOR TEXTILE DRAFTING UNITS Filed Dec. 27, 1966 i INVENTORZ JOEE.WHlTE-HUE.5T

BYM66I4JIILMW ATTORNEYS May 13, 1969 3,443,283 COMBINED STOP MOTION AND WASTE DISPOSAL S T m an 6 um HT nu E W L I Rm m J HR To F w R E S N E D N O C R E B I F Sheet 2 012 Filed Dec. 27, 1966 I/VI/E/VTOR: Joa RWmTEHURsT ATTORNEYS United States Patent US. Cl. 19-.25 13 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A collecting plate is located beneath and receives waste particles, commonly known as pepper trash, from a traveling web in its course from delivery rolls of a drafting unit to a condensing plate. The web passes through and is condensed into a sliver by the condensing plate, while pepper trash is drawn from the collecting plate into a suction nozzle adjacent the collecting plate and the bottom delivery roll. The collecting plate is arranged to move downwardly and cause the drafting unit to stop upon interruption of the web and a resultant accumulation of the web on the collecting plate.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 548,691, filed May 9, 1966 and entitled Apparatus and Method for Controlling Sliver Between Drafting Rolls and a Coiler Head.

This invention relates to drafting mechanisms, and more especially, to an improved apparatus for controlling the passage of textile fibers from the delivery rolls of a drafting unit to a pulling means or coiler head, and including improved waste disposal and stop motion means operable in conjunction with the fiber controlling apparatus.

The sliver controlling apparatus of said copending application includes a condensing plate located closely adjacent and in front of the delivery rolls of a drafting unit. The condensing plate has a passage in a medial portion thereof to which the rear end of a sliver guide tube is communicatively connected, and the front end of the sliver guide tube is positioned closely adjacent a coiler head spaced forwardly from the drafting unit. Thus, the fibrous web issuing from the delivery rolls impinges against the condensing plate, is condensed into a sliver as it passes through the passage in the condensing plate, and is guided to the coiler head through the sliver guide tube, which tube serves to maintain the cohesion and integrity of the fibers in the sliver thus formed.

It has been found that the impact of the web against the condensing plate, and the consequent abrupt change in the direction of movement of the fibers during the condensing of the web into a sliver, agitates the web and thereby causes at least some of any fine particles of foreign matter present in the web to precipitate from the web between the delivery rolls and the condensing plate, thus further improving the quality of the sliver being formed. However, due to the air currents caused by the traveling fibers and by operation of the drafting unit, some of such foreign matter is blown about to such extent that it becomes entrained in the fibers being drafted rearwardly of the condensing plate and thereby nullifies, to some extent, the improved quality of the sliver effected by removal of foreign matter from the web passing between the delivery rolls and the condensing plate. Also, whenever the sliver breaks it is important that the drafting unit is stopped as quickly as possible so as to avoid "Ice waste of stock and possible damage to machine parts, as by occurrence of lap-ups about the delivery rolls.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide, in combination with a condensing plate of the type described, a collecting means located closely adjacent the delivery rolls and beneath the path of travel of the web in its course to the condensing plate for collecting foreign matter precipitating from the web and conveying the foreign matter thus collected to an area remote therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for sensing accumulation of an interrupted web between the delivery rolls and the condensing plate, such as may occur upon the parting of the sliver forwardly of the condensing plate, with means for stopping the drafting unit upon such an accumulation being sensed.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, a collecting plate is positioned closely adjacent the bottom delivery roll of the drafting unit and beneath the path of travel of the web in its course to the condensing plate, and a suction head is positioned beneath the bottom delivery roll for producing a stream of air adjacent the collecting plate to convey foreign matter thereon to an area remote from the collecting plate. The collecting plate also serves as a sensing means closely adjacent the delivery rolls and beneath the path of travel of the web in its course to the condensing plate, by being movable downwardly upon occurrence of an accumulation of an interrupted web between the delivery rolls and the condensing plate. Also, a switch means is provided which is actuated by downward movement of the collecting plate for stopping the machine or, at least, for stopping the drafting unit.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a portion of a drawing frame showing the improved waste disposal system and stop motion below the path of travel of the web from the drafting rolls to the sliver condensing apparatus;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the sliver controlling apparatus and the associated waste disposal systern of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view through the apparatus of the present invention taken substantially along line 3--3 in FIGURE 2, showing the parts in a normal operating position;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3 showing how the collecting plate is moved downwardly to stop the machine upon an accumulation of fibers between the delivery drafting rolls and the condensing plate;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary elevation, on a reduced scale and with portions broken away, looking at the righthand side of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the suction head associated with the bottom delivery roll of the drafting unit in FIGURES 1-5.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, and to FIGURE 1 in particular, a sliver controlling device C with which the fiber waste disposal system and stop motion of the present invention are associated is shown located between a drafting unit 10 and a coiler head 11. The drafting unit includes a series of sets of top and bottom drafting rolls including front or delivery rolls 12, 13 rearwardly of which additional sets of upper and lower drafting rolls 14, 15 are provided for drafting fibrous textile material T therethrough. The textile material T emerges from delivery rolls 12, 13 in the form of a broad, thin, flat web which is condensed into a sliver S in its course from delivery rolls 12, 13, through a coiler trumpet 17 and through sliver pulling means in the form of a pair of driven calender rolls 20. Calender rolls 20 feed the sliver into coiler head 11 which, in this instance, includes a rotary sliver coiling member or tube gear 21 having a downwardly and outwardly inclined passage 23 therein which is open at its upper end for receiving sliver from calender rolls 20, and which is also open at its lower end for laying the sliver in coils in a suitable can, not shown, as is well known.

The sliver controlling device C may be mounted and constructed in substantially the manner described in my said copending application Ser. No. 548,691, and comprises an elongate sliver guide tube which is open at both ends and whose rear or ingress end is positioned in closely spaced relation from and forwardly of delivery rolls 12, 13. The diameter or cross-sectional area of tube 30 is substantially less than the open upper end of trumpet 17, and the egress end portion of tube 30 extends downwardly within and is encircled by the internally tapered upper portion of trumpet 17.

Tube 30 extends upwardly and curves rearwardly from adjacent and within trumpet 17, and its rear end is connected to a web condensing plate 32 spaced forwardly from, but positioned closely adjacent, the delivery rolls 12, 13. Plate 32 is preferably of elongate form having a flat, substantially straight rear surface against which the web emerging from delivery rolls 12, 13 is propelled. As shown in FIGURE 3, the central portion of condensing plate 32 is provided with a tapered or trumpet-shaped opening or passage 34 therethrough which communicates with the ingress end of sliver guide tube 30.

Thus, as the fibrous web emerges from between delivery rolls 12, 13, it impinges against the rear surface of condensing plate 32 and then is gathered and condensed inwardly as it is pulled through the passage 34, sliver guide 30, and trumpet 17 by calender rolls 20. Preferably, and as set forth in my said copending application, the cross-sectional area of sliver guide tube 30 closely corresponds with the cross-sectional area. of the sliver being drawn therethrough so as to closely confine the sliver and maintain the cohesion and integrity of the fibers relative to each other by limiting cross-sectional spreading and expansion of the sliver, without restricting movement of the sliver through the tube.

To facilitate threading the textile material T into the trumpet-shaped passage 34 in condensing plate 32 and through the sliver guide tube 30, the condensing plate 32 is provided with a threading slot 35 therethrough which is open at the upper edge of plate 32 and is coextensive with a threading slot 36 provided along the length of sliver guide tube 30.

Means are provided for supporting condensing plate 32 and sliver guide tube 30, which supporting means is so constructed as to permit raising the forward portion of sliver guide tube 30 to remove its egress end from within coiler trumpet 17 to facilitate threading of sliver from sliver guide tube 30 into and through trumpet 17. Also, by manually raising the forward portion of sliver guide tube 30, the interior of coiler trumpet 17 then becomes readily accessible for cleaning or for removing any fibers which may have choked up the passage through trumpet 17. To this end, the supporting means for the sliver controlling device C comprises a bracket 37 suitably secured to a bar 38 mounted on the machine frame or girt F below the level of drafting rolls 12, 13, 14, 15.

Bracket 37 is provided with a pair of laterally spaced, rigid, upstanding support arms 41 thereon which project upwardly in front of condensing plate 32. Each support arm 41 has a curved slot 42 extending laterally therethrough which is open at its upper end for receiving a corresponding pivot shaft or pin 43 normally resting against the bottom of slot 42. Each pivot pin 43 is suitably secured to and projects from one wall of an angle bracket 44 suitably secured to and extending forwardly from condensing plate 32. Each angle bracket 44 and the corresponding upstanding support arm 41 are so constructed that the upper flange of each bracket 44 overlies the upper end of the corresponding upstanding support arm 41 of bracket 37 while the depending downturned portion of each bracket 44 engages the front edge of the corresponding upstanding support arm 41 by virtue of the weight of sliver guide tube 30 tending to move condensing plate 32 in a clockwise direction in FIGURES 3 and 4 about the axis of the corresponding pivot pin 43.

For reasons to be later described, and assuming the drafting unit 10 is arranged horizontally, as shown, angle brackets 44 are so arranged relative to upstanding support arms 41 that the upper rear portion of sliver guide tube 30 extends substantially horizontal so as to correspond substantially with the normal horizontal path of travel of the textile material T emerging from delivery rolls 12, 13. However, while the tube 30 occupies the latter position, the rear surface, at least, of the condensing plate 32 extends downwardly and forwardly at a slight angle with respect to the vertical so as to tend to direct or guide the textile material T downwardly as it impinges against the rear surface of condensing plate 32, for purposes to be later described.

The upper portion of each support arm 41 is curved at its rear and forward edge portions adjacent condensing plate 32 and the respective angle bracket 44 so the condensing plate 32 and sliver guide tube 30 may be easily rotated in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURES 1-4 sufficiently to lift the pivot pins 43 out of the slots 42 without being encumbered by the condensing plate 32 and angle brackets 44 engaging the upper portions of the support arms 41. This facilitates manually raising the forward portion of sliver guide tube 30 to permit access to the internally tapered upper portion of coiler trumpet 17 and also facilitates the removal and installation of the condensing plate 32 and sliver guide tube 30 with respect to bracket 37.

In the processing of cotton and/or other fibers which may have foreign matter therein, such as dirt, seed particles and the like, a very desirable but unexpected result is achieved by the impact of the fibrous web emerging from delivery rolls 12, 13 with the rear face of condensing plate 32 and aided by the sudden change in the direction of movement of the fibers, particularly those fibers adjacent the outer portions of the web. The unexpected result resides in the fact that substantial amounts of such foreign matter, generally known as pepper trash, precipitate from the web in its course from the delivery rolls 12, 13 to the condensing plate 32.

In order to entrap and dispose of such fine particles of foreign matter precipitating from the web between delivery rolls 12, 13 and condensing plate 32, I have provided a collecting means in the form of a substantially horizontal and preferably slightly rearwardly and downwardly inclined collecting plate or plate member 50 which is positioned closely adjacent the bottom delivery roll 13 and beneath the path of travel of the web of textile fibers between delivery rolls 12, 13 and condensing plate 32 so as to substantially bridge the space therebetween. The delivery rolls 12, 13 and plates 32, 50 form, collectively, a pocket P.

In this instance, the forward portion of collecting plate 50 extends beneath and forwardly of the vertical plane of condensing plate 32. The rear edge of collecting plate 50 terminates in closely spaced relation to the periphery of bottom delivery roll 13, although such rear edge may be spaced forwardly sufficiently from the periphery of bottom delivery roll 13 to accommodate a pneumatic means for producing a stream of air adjacent collecting plate 50 to convey any foreign matter thereon to an area remote therefrom. The pneumatic means is shown in the form of a suction nozzle or head 51 which may be a part of a suction cleaning system of the type disclosed in my United States Patent No. 2,934,797, dated May 3, 1960, for example. In fact, it will be observed in FIGURE 1 that other suction heads similar to suction head 51 are shown in phantom lines and are indicated at 52, there being one of the suction heads 52 adjacent each drafting roll 12, 14, 15.

As shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, spaced opposed side walls of suction head 51 define a suction mouth located beneath and closely adjacent bottom delivery roll 13 and which extends substantially throughout the length of roll 13. In order to produce an air flow substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of bottom delivery roll 13, as is desirable when utilizing a fluted bottom delivery roll as shown, the opposed ends of suction head 51 extend beyond reduced portions 13a (FIGURE 2) adjacent opposite ends of bottom delivery roll 13 and have arcuate end portions 53 (FIGURE 6) which engage collars or bearing members 13]) supporting bottom delivery roll 13.

Thus, air may flow into opposite end portions of suction head 51 through the spaces defined by the reduced portions 13a. The central lower portion of suction head 51 may be connected, by a flexible tube 54, to a suction tube or duct 56 extending toward the rear portion of the drafting unit 10 and which may be considered as a source of suction and a fiber Waste collection chamber remote from delivery rolls 12, 13. As disclosed in my said Patent No. 2,934,797, the upper edges of opposed side walls of suction head 51 are disposed in close proximity to the periphery of bottom delivery roll 13 so as to minimize leakage of air between delivery roll 13 and the side walls of suction head 51.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the suction head produces a stream of air which flows adjacent and substantially parallel to the rear edge of collecting plate-50. However, in order to insure that such stream of air is effective to convey foreign matter on collecting plate 50 to an area remote therefrom, as represented by duct 56, collecting plate 50 is preferably inclined rearwardly and downwardly at a slight angle with respect to the horizontal and the upper edge of the front wall of suction head 51 is cut away to provide a gap a (FIGURES 3 and 4) between the periphery of bottom delivery roll 13 and the upper edge portion of the front wall of suction head 51 for at least that much of the length thereof corresponding substantially to the width of the web emerging from delivery rolls 12, 13. The consequent recessed upper edge portion of the front wall of suction head 51 is indicated at a in FIGURE 6.

Since gap a is formed closely adjacent the rear edge of collecting plate 50, it follows that foreign matter, such as small particles of pepper trash, which may precipitate from the traveling web between delivery rolls 12, 13 and condensing plate 32, will collect or be caught upon and deflected rearwardly by collecting plate 50. Since collecting plate 50 is disposed at an angle, some foreign matter will gravitate from plate 50 toward gap at. Also, the continuously flowing air stream within suction head 51 Will produce some suction above collecting plate 50 and es pecially at gap a, thereby drawing such foreign matter into suction head 51 where it is conveyed to duct 56 remote from collecting plate 50. Thus, such foreign matter will not be blown about by random air currents adjacent the drafting unit and therefore will not be directed back into the textile material T being drafted.

Since condensing plate 32 is positioned in relatively close proximity to delivery rolls 12, 13 of drafting unit 10, it is apparent that, upon parting or breakage of the sliver at a point forwardly of delivery rolls 12, 13; e.g. at a point between the ingress end of sliver guide tube 30 and delivery rolls 20, substantial amounts of fibers would accumulate quite quickly between drafting rolls 12, 13 and condensing plate 32, especially at the very high speed at which drafting units are currently being operated. It follows, therefore, that it is important that the drafting unit or the entire drawing frame be stopped as soon as possible following the occurrence of an interrupted web or sliver between delivery rolls 12, 13 and calender rolls 20 of coiler head 11.

Therefore, condensing plate 32 is preferably inclined or tilted downwardly and forwardly at a relatively slight angle of about 5 to 15 degrees with respect to the vertical so as to guide the interrupted web emerging from delivery rolls 12, 13 downwardly toward collecting plate 50 and into pocket P and so as to prevent such web from flowing over the upper edge of condensing plate 32 upon parting of the sliver forwardly thereof. This facilitates utilization of the collecting plate 50 as a sensing means for sensing an accumulation of the textile web between delivery rolls 12, 13 and condensing plate 32.

The tilted attitude of condensing plate 32 with respect to the normal direction of travel of the textile material emerging from delivery rolls 12, 13 is desirable because of the fact that the proximity of plates 32, 50 and delivery roll 13 hinders exhaustion of air from pocket P as air is forced into pocket P by the rotation of delivery rolls 12, 13 and the traveling web. Thus, upon occurrence of a parted web or sliver forwardly of delivery rolls 12, 13, the air pressure in pocket P tends to divert the interrupted Web upwardly over the upper edge of condensing plate 32. However, since condensing plate 32 is titled, it has a camming effect upon the Web and causes the same to overcome the air pressure in pocket P to thus more quickly bear against and apply downward pressure to collecting plate 50 than would be the case if condensing plate 32 extended perpendicular or at a forward angle with respect to the normal path of travel of the web. This increases the sensitivity of collecting plate 50 in sensing the accumulation of an interrupted web in pocket P.

In order that the collecting plate 50 may serve as a sensing means to sense an accumulation of an interrupted web between delivery rolls 12, 13 and condensing plate 32, collecting plate 50 is yieldably supported and is movable downwardly upon such an accumulation of web thereon. In so doing, collecting pate 50 engages and actuates a stop motion switch 60 which, when actuated, will stop the drafting unit and/ or the entire machine. Since the manner in which actuation of the switch will stop the operation of a drafting unit is Well known, a detailed description of such circuit is deemed unnecessary.

A schematic illustration of such a circuit is shown in FIGURE 3, wherein 61 designates an electric device, such as a motor or clutch means which, when energized, drives the drawing frame or, at least, the drafting rolls 12-15, calender rolls 20 and tube gear 21. Electric motor 61 may be normally energized through a relay 62 whose armature is in series circuit with motor 61. Switch 60 is in parallel circuit relative to motor 61 and the armature of relay 62, but is in series circuit with the coil of relay 62. Thus, switch 60 may be considered as being normally open when inactive. It follows that, upon actuation of switch 60, relay 62 is energized and breaks the circuit to motor 61 to stop the drafting unit 10 and/ or the entire machine. It is apparent that a suitable holding circuit may be employed to maintain energization of relay 62 during piecing-up of the interrupted web, if desired, before restarting the machine.

Conveniently, collecting plate 50 may be yieldably supported on the bar 38 heretofore described. Bar 38 is a usual part of the suction cleaning system and supports corresponding ends of ducts 56. Bar 38 includes an upper substantially horizontal transverse portion 38a spaced above the usual girt of frame F of the drawing frame and located forwardly of the lower portion of suction head 51. Accordingly, collecting plate 50 has a pair of spaced guide posts 65 connected thereto and depending therefrom whose lower portions are mounted for vertical sliding movement in respective guideways or tubular portions 66 (FIGURES 3, 4 and 5) of bar portion 38a (FIGURES 3-5 A reduced lower portion 67 of each guide post 65 is surrounded by a compression spring 70 and loosely penetrates the restricted lower end of the respective tubular guide portion 66. In order to insure that the upper surface of collecting plate 50 normally occupies the desired optimum position with respect to delivery rolls 12,13 and condensing plate 32, the reduced lower end 67 of each guide post 65 has a suitable adjustable abutment means thereon shown in the form of a pair of lock nuts 71.

It is thus seen that, upon an accumulation of an interrupted web in the pocket P between delivery rolls 12, 13 and condensing plate 32, collecting plate 50 will be moved downwardly by the force of such fibers thereagainst, with the rapidity of the action of collecting plate 50 being aided by the forward and downward rotation of the foremost portion of bottom delivery roll 13 and the tilted attitude of condensing plate 32, thus causing collecting plate 50 to actuate switch 60 and stop the drafting unit 10 and/or the entire drawing frame. In those instances in which bottom delivery roll 13 is fluted, as shown, the flutes serve in the manner of packing lugs to aid further in forcing the interrupted web against plate 50 thereby further contributing to the rapidity of action of collecting plate 50. The switch 60 may be adjustably supported by any suitable means and is shown mounted on a bracket 73 which extends downwardly in FIGURES 2-5 and has an elongate vertically extending slot b therethrough which is penetrated by a screw c for securing the switch bracket 73 to the front surface of bracket 37.

It is thus seen that I have provided means operable in conjunction with the sliver controlling device C for effectively disposing of pepper trash and other foreign matter which may precipitate from the web in its course from the delivery rolls 12, 13 of drafting unit 10 to condensing plate 32 disposed immediately forward of the same and, further I have provided means for automatically sensing the presence of an accumulation of fibers between the delivery rolls and the condensing plate and stopping the drafting unit and/or the entire machine as a result of such sensing.

It should be noted that the collecting plate will serve its function as a means for sensing an accumulation of an interrupted web even though the drafting unit may occupy other than the horizontal position occupied thereby in the drawings. This is true because, even though the normal path of travel of the web emerging from de livery rolls 12, 13 may be vertically downward, an interrupted web would be cammed toward collecting plate 50 by the condensing plate 32 being inclined relative to the normal path of travel of the web.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only, and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for processing textile fibers, said machine having a pair of driven rotary delivery rolls from which fibers emerge in web form, pulling means spaced forwardly of the delivery rolls for pulling such fibers forwardly from the delivery rolls, and a frame including a girt spaced beneath and supporting the delivery rolls for rotation thereon; condenser means positioned between the delivery rolls and the pulling means for condensing the web into sliver form as the thus formed sliver is pulled forward by said pulling means, said condenser means comprising a condensing plate occupying a position extending in front of and closely adjacent the delivery rolls and against which the web is propelled by the delivery rolls whereby at least some of any foreign matter present in the web precipitates therefrom, said condensing plate having a relatively small fiber-condensing passage through its medial portion into which the web is gathered and formed into the sliver, collecting means positioned immediately adjacent the delivery rolls and extending forwardly of the delivery rolls and substantially bridging the space between the delivery rolls and said condensing plate beneath the path of travel of the web in its course to said con densing plate for quickly collecting above the girt any foreign matter which may precipiate from the web, and pneumatic means operatively associated with said collecting means for producing a stream of air adjacent the collecting means to convey such foreign matter thus collected to an area remote therefrom.

2. A structure according to claim 1, wherein said col lecting means comprises a collecting plate onto which foreign matter may precipitate from the web, and said pneumatic means comprises a suction head connected to a source of suction and disposed closely adjacent, the bottom one of said delivery rolls and located closely adjacent the rear edge of said collecting plate such that the stream of air produced in said suction head by the source of suction induces the passage of foreign matter from said collecting plate into said suction head.

3. A structure according to claim 2, in which said suction head includes side walls defining a suction mouth and located closely adjacent said bottom one of said delivery rolls, and one of said side walls also being positioned closely adjacent said bottom delivery roll and the rear edge of said collecting plate and defining a gap between said one side wall and said bottom roll whereby the passage of foreign matter from said collecting plate into said suction head is via said gap.

4. A structure according to claim 1, wherein said delivery rolls include a top roll and a bottom roll, said collecting means comprises a collecting plate having front and rear edges, and said pneumatic means comprises a suction head connected to a source of suction and having front and rear side walls disposed in close proximity to the lower portion of said bottom delivery roll and defining a suction mouth therebetween, the upper edge of the front side wall of said suction head being spaced, at least in part, from the periphery of the bottom delivery roll and defining a gap between the same and the bottom delivery roll, the rear edge of said collecting plate being disposed in close proximity to said upper edge of said front Wall of said suction head, and said collecting plate extending rearwardly and downwardly at an angle from adjacent said condensing plate to adjacent said suction head whereby foreign matter on said collecting plate may gravitate toward its rear edge and the suction air stream produced within said suction head will draw such foreign matter away from said collecting plate.

5. A structure according to claim 1, wherein said collecting means includes a collecting plate, supporting means supporting said collecting plate for movement relative to said delivery rolls, said supporting means being arranged to permit movement of said collecting plate upon interruption of the textile web and accumulation thereof on said collecting plate, and means responsive to such movement of said collecting plate for stopping the ma.- chine.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said supporting means comprises means yieldably maintaining said collecting plate in a predetermined raised position closely adjacent the delivery rolls.

7. A structure according to claim 6, in which said responsive means comprises a normally inactive switch adjacent said collecting plate, and said collecting plate being operable to actuate said switch upon a predetermined downward movement of said collecting plate.

8. In a machine for processing textile fibers, said machine having driven rotary delivery rolls from which fibers emerge in web form and also having pulling means spaced forwardly of the delivery rolls for pulling fibers from the delivery rolls; condenser means located between the delivery rolls and the pulling means for condensing the web into sliver form as the thus formed sliver is pulled forward by said pulling means, said condenser. means comprising a condensing plate occupying a position extending in front of and closely adjacent the delivery rolls and against which the web is propelled by the delivery rolls, said condensing plate having a relatively small fiber-condcnsing passage through its medial portion into which the web is gathered and formed into the sliver, sensing means located closely adjacent the delivery rolls and beneath the path of travel of the web in its course to said condensing plate and being operable to sense an accumulation of the web, such as may result upon parting of the sliver between said plate and said pulling means, and means operatively associated with said sensing means and responsive to such accumulation being sensed for stopping said machine.

9. A structure according to claim 8, wherein said sensing means includes a collecting plate disposed closely adjacent said condensing plate, said collecting plate cooperating with said condensing plate and said rolls to define a pocket for receiving an accumulation of an interrupted web therein, and supporting means supporting said collecting plate for movement relative to said delivery rolls and being arranged to permit movement of said collecting plate upon accumulation of an interrupted web thereon.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said sup porting means comprises means yieldably maintaining said collecting plate in a predetermined raised position closely adjacent the delivery rolls.

11. A structure according to claim 10, in which said responsive means comp-rises a normally inactive switch beneath said collecting plate, and said collecting plate being operable to actuate said switch upon a predetermined downward movement of said collecting plate.

12. A structure according to claim 8, wherein said sensing means comprises a collecting plate onto which foreign matter may precipitate from the web, and pneumatic means operatively associated with said collecting plate for producing a stream of air adjacent said collecting plate to convey such foreign matter thereon to an area remote therefrom.

13. In a machine for processing textile fibers, said machine having driven rotary delivery rolls from which fibers emerge in web form and also having pulling means spaced forwardly of the delivery rolls for pulling fibers from the delivery rolls; condenser means located between the delivery rolls and the pulling means for condensing the Web into sliver form as the thus formed sliver is pulled forward by said pulling means, said condenser means comprising a condensing plate occupying a position extending in front of and closely adjacent the delivery rolls and against which the web is propelled by the delivery rolls, said condensing plate having a relatively small fibercondensing passage through its medial portion into which the web is gathered and formed into the sliver, sensing means including a collecting plate located closely adjacent and extending substantially parallel to the delivery rolls and said condensing plate and spaced to one side of the normal path of travel of the web in its course to said condensing plate, said collecting and condensing plates cooperating with the delivery rolls to define a pocket for receiving an interrupted web therein, means yieldably supporting said collecting plate for movement relative to said delivery rolls, said condensing plate having a rear surface extending at an angle with respect to said path of travel and serving, upon interruption of the web, to cam the interrupted web into said pocket and against said collecting plate to move the same upon an accumulation of the interrupted web thereagainst, and means responsive to such movement of said collecting plate for stopping the machine.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,309,790 7/1919 Walsh 57--56 2,719,335 10/1955 Buchanan et a1. 19-263 XR 3,287,768 11/1966 Rakhorst 19-263 XR 3,304,584 2/1967 West et a1 19.23 XR FOREIGN PATENTS 1,432,282. 2/ 1966 France.

471,945 9/ 1937 Great Britain.

641,022 6/ 1962 Italy.

DORSEY NEWTON, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 19263

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