Hollingsworth (u.k.) Ltd.

Alfred Wood

John Whiteley

Stephen William Yates

Walter Haworth

Leslie Powdrill

John Rothwell

Robert Lane

This invention relates to a coiler using tongue and groove rollers preferably for measuring sliver thickness and guiding sliver emerging from between these rollers, using guide means such as a pair of calender rollers driven for rotation in the same conveying direction. Optionally the sliver between the conveying nip at the tongue and groove rollers and the guide means (when embodied as calender rollers) is severed by intermittent operation of the conveying and guiding nips.

Coiler and autoleveller

A modular cylinder comprises a plurality of, in this case 24, modules each having a tongue to engage a groove of its neighbour and each either having a camming ramp to engage a camming ramp of its neighbour, or a filler rod inserted between adjacent modules at each interface. Where the camming means are provided, (n - 1) of the modules defining an almost complete cylinder and can then be strained in a radially outward direction to provide space for the final module which is placed in position by sliding longitudinally of the gap. Where the filler rods are used, all of the n modules may be loosely assembled in a first operation and the filler rods can be inserted in a second operation to pre-stress the cylinder. First filler rods of undersized type may be installed to hold the array of a module in loosely assembled configuration, and these may then be sequentially replaced by correctly sized larger filler rods.

Method of forming a lightweight cylinder

A modular cylinder comprises a plurality of, in this case 24, modules each having a tongue to engage a groove of its neighbor and each either having a camming ramp to engage a camming ramp of its neighbor, or a filler rod inserted between adjacent modules at each interface. Where the camming means are provided, (n-1) of the modules can be placed into engagement to define an almost complete cylinder and can then be strained in a radially outward direction to provide space for the final module which is placed in position by sliding longitudinally of the gap. Where the filler rods are used, all of the n modules may be loosely assembled in a first operation and the filler rods can be inserted in a second operation to pre-stress the cylinder. The radially outer panel of each module has a biconvex cross-section whereby the outer surface thereof defines a sector of the cylindrical surface of the finished modular cylinder but the neutral axis of bending of the panel is straight and parallel to the tangent of the outer surface at the center of the cross-section of that outer panel. If desired, at least one reinforcing hoop may be placed inside the modular cylinder to increase its rigidity.

Lightweight cylinder construction

A drafting system and autoleveller are arranged such that the 'tongue' roller and the 'grooved' roller of the sliver sensor ahead of the first drafting rollers serve to measure the thickness of the sliver therebetween, and their output signal is used, subject to a time delay, to vary the draft ratio in the subsequent drafting means. The autoleveller throughput speed is adjustable and the time delay in the draft ratio variation is automatically adjusted in response to the speed selected.

Drafting apparatus with autolevelling

A friction spinning unit employs two rotatable bodies to define the spinning gap, at least one of the bodies being in the form of a cone whose surface moves towards the friction spinning gap from the same side as that from which separated fibres are fed by a fibre feed means. This configuration of the bodies generates a self-conveying action which propels the bundle of fibres axially along the friction spinning gap so that the bundle itself enters twist-blocking means which facilitates the piecing action and dispenses with the need for a seed yarn to be returned to the friction spinning gap to piece up after a yarn break or after shutdown.

Friction spinning apparatus

The invention provides for the spinning units of a multi-position rotor spinning machine to be driven by a common AC drive motor powered by a static inverter enabling the power supply frequency to the AC motor to be controlled for controlling the rate of acceleration and the operating speed and the rate of deceleration of the AC drive motor. This facilitates a method of mass stopping.

Method of shutting down a rotor spinning machine

The invention provides for the spinning units of a multi-position open-end spinning machine to be driven by a common AC drive motor powered by a static inverter enabling the power supply frequency to the AC motor to be controlled for controlling the rate of acceleration and the operating speed and the rate of deceleration of the AC drive motor. This facilitates a method of mass start-up and mass stopping of a friction spinning machine are disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

Royton, United Kingdom

Alfred Wood