US3400432A - Textile picker machine drive - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 10, 1968 J. R. LONG TEXTILE PICKER MACHINE DRIVE 'f Sheets-Sheet l Filed April l, 1966 MMA huub@ Sept. 10, 1968 J. R. LONG 3,400,432

TEXTILE PICKER MACHINE DRIVE INVENTOR:

U JOHN LONQ ATTORNEYS Sept. 10, 1968 J. RILONG TEXTILE PICKER MACHINE DRIVE '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April l, 41966 39u? 100k@ n zOFUwN www1...

Sept. 10, 1968 1. R. LONG 3,400,432

TEXTILE PICKER MACHINE DRIVE Filed April l, 1966 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. l0, 1968 J. R. LONG 3,400,432

TEXTILE PICKERMACHINE DRIVE med April 1, 196e 7 sheds-sheet 5 r 1/'Zr I 84 274-16 i 1 L .1 5272 7 mf/h4." 1f 7 E3 H al 28o "-275 H L272' INVENTOR. 7l JOHN LQNG 27@ 27o a v WM ATTORNEYS Slept'. l0, 1968. J. R. LONG 3,400,432

TEXTILE PICKER MACHINE DRIVE Filed April `1, 1966 Sheets-sheet e INVENTOR: Jer-m E. LONG A WOR/VE V5 Sept. 10, 1968 J. R. LONG 3,400,432

TEXTILE PICKER MACHINE DRIVE Filed April l, 1966 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 United States Patent O 3,400,432 TEXTILE PICKER MACHINE DRIVE John R. Long, Hickory, N.C., assigner to Shuford Mills,

Inc., Hickory, N.C., a corporation of North Carolina Filed Apr. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 539,575 18 Claims. (Cl. 19-240) ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A single process picker machine having rear and front beater sections whose beaters, along with front rotary condenser screens, are driven at constant speed by a primary driving means, and wherein a novel drive arrangement is provided including a pair of secondary driving means which drive the input portions of respective first and second speed variators whose output portions are connected to respective first and second fiber feeding means for feeding fibers to the respective rear and front beaters. The position of interconnected speed regulating members provided on the two variators is varied in accordance with, and under control of, variations in the thickness of the web formed of the fibers by the rear screens.

This invention relates to picker machines for forming a compacted lap of textile fibers, and it is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved drive arrangement for picker machines which is of simple construction, includes relatively few parts, is easily maintained and operated, is very efiicient in its operation, and which eliminates the complicated, cumbersome, inefficient and troublesome tapered-cone-pulley types of evener-motion-controlled speed variators on l such machines currently in use.

A single process picker machine, for example, usually includes a feeder section or feed hopper, one or more back or breaker sections, a front or finisher section and a calender section through which fibers are successively processed. As is known, the feed hopper usually has a bottom feed conveyor, a lift conveyor, a doffer roll and a combing roll which feed loose fibers or stock tothe breaker section or sections. The breaker section ymay include a back conveyor with a.press roll thereover, a pair of backbeater feed rolls, a back beater, a pair of back rotary screens and an associated fan therebeneath, and a pair of back-screen stripping rolls, all successively arranged. The back stripping rolls strip the stock from the back screens and advance the stock in the form of a fibrous web or light lap to the finisher section which may include a front conveyor, an evener motion having an evener feed roll therebeneath, a pair of front-beater feedrolls, a front beater, a pair of front rotary screens with an associated fan therebeneath, and a pair of front-screen stripping rolls, lall of which also are successively arranged. The front stripping rolls feed the fibrous web from the front screens to the calender rolls and, thus, to the lap take-up rolls of the calender section.

Conventionally, the front and rear beaters and fans, the front screens and their stripping rolls, the rolls of the calender section, and the dofiing and combing rolls of the feed hopper are driven at constant speeds. The remaining rotary fiber-feeding elements, including the four conveyors 3,400,432 Patented Sept. 10, 1968 mentioned above, the press roll, the front and back beater feed rolls, the rear screens, the back stripping rolls and the evener feed roll, are driven by a pair of elongate tapered-cone-pulley types of speed variators known as an evener variator and a synchronizer. The variators have been driven heretofore vby clutch means interconnecting the calender section with the variators.

The tapered-cone-pulley types of speed variators heretofore described, and the associated means for controlling the same from the evener motion, have included a great many parts which has created a great maintenance problern. Most of such parts have required frequent lubrication, they have collected lint which was diicult to remove therefrom and they have made it Very difficult to pinpoint the particular parts which may be causing malfunction of the picker machine. Occasionally, it is necessary to completely remove and overhaul. these variators. In such instances, many of the parts thereof are cumbersome to handle and considerable labor and costly replacement parts are involved. Also, the taper of the elongate cones of the prior types of speed variators might be accurate only for a given set of processing conditions and are engaged by fiat belts which, by their very nature, cannot effect sensitively accurate changes in speed with the shifting thereof during operation of the machine. As heretofore stated, the present invention eliminates the taperedcone-pulley types of speed variators currently in use.

It is another object of this invention to provide means for driving the variable-speed fiber-feeding elements of a picker machine, which driving means comprises at least one speed variator which is controlled by the evener motion and is driven independently of the main power means which drives the constant speed elements, thus obviating the necessity of providing clutch means, such as has been necessary heretofore, between the main power means and the old type of speed variator in order to permit the finisher beater and fan to continue rotating during the dofiing of the completed lap.

It is still another object of this invention to provide apparatus for driving the variable-speed fiber-feeding elements of a picker machine, including first and second independently driven speed variators, the first of which drives the fiber-feeding elements for the front or finisher section and the second of which drives the fiber-feeding elements for the back or breaker section. The variators have operatively interconnected speed-regulating members thereon so the output speeds of both variators are simultaneously regulated upon movement being imparted to either of the speed-regulating members, with means responsive to variations in the thickness or density of the moving webs of fibers for compensatively varying the position of one of the members and thereby serving to vary the position of the other of said members.

Certain feed rolls and stripping rolls of a picker machine are normally enclosed and hidden from view of the attendant operator during operation of the picker machine, and there are occasions in which excessive amounts of fibers form a choke in attempting to pass between such rolls. Accordingly, such chokes normally would not be discovered by the operator until they may have caused severe and costly damage to the rolls and their bearings and/or bearing supports therefor. In some instances, chokes have ruptured the cast iron side frame members of the machine adjacent the corresponding rolls, thus requiring costly and time-consuming repairs to the machine.

It is, therefore, another object of this invention to provide means for detecting the transmission of abnormally high torque to the aforementioned independently driven speed variator or variators, such as may occur in the event of a choke attempting to pass between the feed rolls or stripping rolls of the breaker section or the feed rolls-of the finisher section, for example, with means responsive to the detection of such abnormally high torque for stopping the corresponding speed variator or variators and thereby preventing likelihood of considerable damage to the machine.

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 left-hand side elevation of a picker machine, with respect to the direction of flow of the stock therethrough, showing the improved drive mechanism in association therewith;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the picker machine showing only those parts which are essential to a clear understanding of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged view of the upper portion of the finisher section of the picker machine similar to the upper left-hand portion of FIGURE 1 and showing the driving connections between the front speed variator of the present invention and the front conveyor, the evener feed roll and the front beater feed rolls;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevation looking at the opposite side of the picker machine from that shown in FIGURES 1 and 3 and showing the driving connection between the gears and sprocket wheels shown in the lower right-hand portion of FIGURE 3 and the stripping rolls associated with the back screens;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the evener motion taken substantially along line 5-5 in FIGURE 3 showing the mechanical connections between the speed regulator of the front speed variator and the evener motion, and also showing the main motive means for driving the continuously rotating constantspeed elements of the finisher section of the machine;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged detail of the gearing at the left-hand side of the Calender section and being similar to the left-hand lower portion of FIGURE 1 with the various gear covers and housings omitted for purposes of clarity;

FIGURE 8 is a diagram of an electrical circuit for controlling the independent motors which drive the front and rear speed variators;

FIGURE 9 is a view looking in the same direction as that from which FIGURE 7 is viewed, but showing the gearing for the calender section at the opposite side of the machine from that shown in FIGURE 7, and also showing the connections therefrom to the front main driving means as well as the associated gearing for the front rotary screens;

FIGURE l0 is a schematic perspective view showing the operative connections between the rear main drive motor and the constant speed rotating elements of the breaker section and the feed hopper section of the machine;

FIGURE 11 is a schematic perspective view showing the operative connections between the front speed variator and the fiber-feeding or web-feeding elements for the finisher section; and

FIGURE 12 is a schematic perspective view showing the operative connections between the rear speed variator and the fiber-feeding or web-feeding elements for the breaker section of the machine.

The present invention is particularly concerned with improved means for driving the various constant-speed rotating elements and variable-speed elements of a picker machine shown in the form of a single process picker in FIGURES 1 and 2. Therefore, since details of construction of a picker machine are well known in the art, only a general description of the machine will be given without regard to the particular manner in which the various elements are supported, with the exception of certain details which will assist in setting forth the advantages of the present picker machine drive.

As indicated in FIGURE 1, the single process picker machine includes a feeder section or feed hopper A, a breaker` section B, a finisher section C and a calender section D which are serially arranged and through which the textile fibrous stock is moved progressively during operation of the picker machine. To assist in following this description, the elements involved in feeding the fibrous stock to the breaker section are bracketed and collectively identified in FIGURE 2 as an Breaker Feed Section B. The elements involved in feeding stock to the beater of the finisher section are bracketed and are collectively identified as a Finisher Feed Section C, and the elements involved in feeding stock to the calender section D and forming the finished lap roll L are collectively bracketed and identified as a Calender Feed Section D in FIGURE 2.

The feeder section A is shown in the form of a feed hopper 20 having a bottom apron feeder conveyor 21 positioned in the lower portion thereof onto which previously opened loose fibers are deposited. Bottom apron conveyor 21 is mounted on front and rear rolls 22, 23 journaled in the side frame members A2, A3 of hopper 20. Bottom apron conveyor 21 directs the fibrous stock to a pin lifting apron conveyor 24 which extends upwardly and forwardly at an angle and is mounted on upper and lower rolls 25, 26 journaled in the side frame members of hopper 20.

As the stock is raised by and reaches the upper portion of lifting apron conveyor 24, some of the stock moves past a combing roll 30 which functions in a well-known manner which need not be described here. The stock then passes over the upper end of lifting apron conveyor 24 and passes between a doffing roll 31 and a plurality of grid bars 32a, from whence the stock falls onto a back feed apron conveyor 32 of the breaker section B. The combing and dofiing rolls 30, 31 are also journaled in the side frame members of feed hopper 20.

The breaker feed -conveyor 32 is mounted on conveyor rolls a, a', and feeds the stocks to a pair of upper and lower back beater feed rolls b, b while feeding the stock beneath a rotating press roll c which forms the stock into a web or soft lap. The feed rolls b, b feed the stock to a back beater 33 which reopens the fibrous stock and permits trash therein to fall through successive grids 34, 35.

A rotating fan 36 produces suction within a pair of upper and lower rotary screens 40, 41, in a well known manner, so the stock passes from the beater 33 and collects on the peripheries of the screens 40, 41. The stock is then stripped from the screens 40, 41 by a pair of upper and lower back stripping rolls d, d which Iform the fibers into a web which advances along a chute 42 to a finisher feed apron conveyor 43 which is a part of the finisher section C. The elements a, a', b, b', c, d, d', 33, 36, 40, 41 are suitably journaled in a well known manner, in bearings carried by the side frame members B2, B3 of breaker section B.

The front or finisher feed conveyor 43 is mounted on a pair of rolls e, e journaled in `bearings in the side frame members C2, C3r of the finisher section C. Conveyor 43 feeds the stock, in web form, beneath a compression apron 45 which compresses the stock against the conveyor 43 so that the fibers forming the web or lap become compacted as they are directed by conveyor 43 over an evener roll 46 and beneath a row of evener plates 47 of an evener motion broadly designated at 50 (FIGURE 5). The compression conveyor 45 is driven only by engagement with the stock being advanced by iinisher feed conveyor 43 and, therefore, its supporting means will not be described.

The evener motion 50 may be of conventional construction and includes a housing 51 mounted upon the usual side frame members C2, C3 of the nisher section C. Each of the evener plates 47 has a rod 52 (FIG- URE extending upwardly therefrom. The upper ends of the rods 52 are engaged by a plurality of saddles, each of which is designated at 53, and the centermost of which is engaged by the lower end of an upright stem 54.

Stem 54 extends through the upper Wall of housing 51 and engages a medial portion of an evener lever 55 adjacent a fulcrum 56 carried by and being suitably secured to the upper wall of housing 51. The parts of the evener motion 50 heretofore described are conventional. The lever 55, or its equivalent, moves upwardly and downwardly in accordance with variations in the average density or thickness of the stock passing between evener roll 46 'and evener plates 47, as is well known.

Conventionally, the end of evener lever 55 remote from fulcrum 56 is operatively connected to a belt-shifting mechanism for shifting a liat belt longitudinally of two or more elongate tapered cones or pulleys generally known as evener cones, and the flat belt is driven by a constant speed drum driven, in turn, by connections with the gearing of the calender section D. In the present instance, however, the prior type of cumbersome and inaccurate speed variator, including the aforementioned evener cones, the constant speed drum and the flat belt,

is eliminated and, instead, the evener lever 55 (FIGURES 5 and 6) is connected to the movable speed regulating element or control arm 60 (FIGURES 1, 3 and 6) of a compact, self-contained, and independently driven speed variator 61, by means to be later described.

The driven evener roll 46 advances the web lfrom evener motion 50 to and between a pair of upper and lower front beater feed rolls h, h' which, in turn, direct the stock to a front rotary beater 63 which again opens the stock in the usual manner as trash therefrom falls through successive grids 64, 65. A front fan 66 then causes the loose fiberous stock to pass from beater 63 to a pair of front upper and lower rotary screens 70, 71 from which the stock is stripped by a pair of front upper and lower stripping rolls i, z to thereby form the stock into a web or lap. The elements e, e', 46, h, h', 63, 70, 71, i, i are journaled in a well-known manner in bearings carried by the side -frame members C2, C3 of finisher section C.

The lap is advanced from stripping rolls i, i' to the usual calender rolls m, n, o, p journaled in opposed side frame members D2, D3 of the calender section D. The calender rolls m-p function in the well-known manner to compress and compact the lap which then passes from between the two lower calender rolls o, p onto a pair of lap take-up rolls 72, 73 which form a lap roll L about an arbor 74 in a manner well known in the art.

All of the side frame members A2, A3, B2, B3, C2, C3, D2, D3 (FIGURES 1 and 2) are conventionally made from cast iron and, therefore, the frame members A2, A3, B2, B3, C2, C3 may be ruptured in some instances in which excessive opposing radial forces are applied between the corresponding rolls b, b'; d, d; h, h or between lifting conveyor 24 and rolls 30, 31 -for example, as will be later explained.

Primary drive for constant speed elements of the machine A single motive means may be employed for driving 'all of the constant speed elements of the machine. However, it is preferred to employ a motive means or electric motor 140 for driving the constant speed elements associated with the breaker section B and feeder section A and a separate constant speed motive means or electric motor lfor driving the constant speed elements associated with the Afinisher section C and calender section D. The calender rolls m-p, the lap take-up rolls 72, 73, the front rotary screens 70, 71 the front stripping rolls i', the front beater 63 and -fan 66 of the machine sections C, D are driven at a constant speed, during operation of the picker machine by the primary motive means or electric motor 80 (FIGURES 2, 5, 6 and 9).

The front motor 80 may be connected to a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown, and has a constant speed drive shaft 81 on -which is mounted a pulley 82 (FIGURES 5, 6 and 9). Electric motor 80 is suitably supported on the right-hand end portions of a pair of transverse frame members spaced above the usual top wall closure means 84 (FIGURES 3, 4 and 6) for the front beater 63. Opposed end portions of frame members 85 are supported on upright inverted substantially U- shaped frames 86, 87 whose leg portions are welded or otherwise suitably secured at their lower ends to the usual cast iron side frame members C2, C3 of finisher section C. t

Pulley 82 of electric motor 80 is connected to a relatively large pulley 90 on the right-hand end of the shaft 63 of beater 63, by an endless belt 91. The other or left-hand end of shaft 63 has a pulley 92 fixed thereon which is engaged by an endless belt 93. Endless belt 93 extends downwardly and forwardly in FIGURE 1 and is mounted on a pulley 94 fixed on the shaft 66' of the front fan 66.

The right-hand end of lfront beater shaft 63 also has a pulley 95 fixed thereon which, as shown in FIGURE 9, is engaged `by an endless belt 96. Belt 96 extends downwardly and forwardly and engages a pulley 100 fixed on one end of a calender drive shaft 101 journaled in the side frame members D2, D3 of calender section D. Shaft 101 has a pinion 102 fixed thereon which meshes with a large gear 103 fixed on a calender knock-olf shaft 104.

Shaft 104 has a small gear 105 fixed thereon which meshes with -a larger gear 106 -fixed on an idler shaft 107. A pinion 110, fixed on shaft 107 adjacent gear 106, meshes with a pair of horizontally spaced lap take-up gears 111, 112 fixed on `corresponding reduced ends or shafts 72', 73' (FIGURE 9) of the lap take-up rolls 72, 73 (FIGURE 2). It is thus seen that, whenever electric motor 80 is energized, continuous constant-speed rotation is transmitted therefrom to the front beater 63, front fan 66 and lap take-up rolls 72, 73 (FIGURE 2).

While the lap roll L is being formed, continuous constant-speed rotation is also imparted to calender rolls mp, front screens 70, 71, and front stripping rolls i, i'. To this end, it will be observed in FIGURE 7 that the lefthand end of calender knock-off shaft 104; i.e., the end of shaft 104 remote from lgears 103, 105, is journaled in a medial portion of a conventional knock-off lever or operating lever 115 pivotally mounted, as at 116, on the corresponding side frame member D2 of calender section D. The latter end of knock-off shaft 104 has a pinion 117 fixed thereon which meshes with a relatively large gear fixed on one reduced end of the lower intermediate calender roll o and on which a relatively small gear 121 is also fixedly mounted. Gear 121 engages a pair of gears 122, 123 fixed on corresponding reduced ends of the calender rolls p, n, and gear 123 meshes with a gear 124 fixed on the corresponding reduced end of the top calender roll n (FIGURES 2 and 7).

It will be observed in FIGURE 7 that corresponding reduced ends of the front stripping rolls i, are provided with intermeshing gears 125, 126 thereon, and rotation is transmitted from the bottom intermediate calender roll gear 121 to one of the stripping rolls by a train of gears 130-133 at the opposite side of the machine (FIGURE 9). Gears 131, 132 may be considered as idler gears or change gears, and gears 130, 133 are fixed on corresponding reduced ends of the lower intermediate calender roll o 7 and the front lower stripping roll i. A gear 134, which rotates in fixed relation with gear 132 (FIGURE 9), meshes with a lower screen gear 135 which in turn, meshes with an upper screen gear 136. Gears 135, 136 are fixed on corresponding reduced ends or shafts 71, 70' of front rotary screens 71, 70 (FIGURE 2).

As is well known, knock-off lever 115 may be raised from an inoperative position to an operative position, in which pinion 117 engages gear 120 as shown in FIGURE 7, to cause rotation to be transmitted from the continuously driven constant speed knock-off shaft 104 through the gearing heretofore described to the calender rolls m-p, the screens 70, 71 and the front stripping rolls i, i. Conventionally, upon the lap roll L being completed (FIGURE 2) a stop motion means, not shown but being well known in the art, releases knock-off lever 115 and permits the front end thereof to drop downwardly, thus stopping rotation of calender rolls m-p, screens 70-71 and stripping rolls i, i.

The front end of knock-off lever 115 may also be manually lowered to inoperative position to move gear 117 out of engagement with gear 120, when desired. Whenever the knock-off lever 115 is moved to the inoperative position, the rear end thereof in FIGURE 7 engages and opens a normally closed knock-off switch 118 to stop operation of the variable-speed stock-feeding elements of the machine, as will be later described.

It is thus seen that the front primary electric motor 80 transmits continuous constant speed rotation to the front beater 63, front fan 66, front screens 70, 71, front stripping rolls i, i and rolls m-p, 72 and 73 of the calender section D during normal operation of the machine. When the lap roll is completely formed for doffing, the front beater 63 and fan 66 continue to rotate, although the screens 70, 71, stripping rolls i, i and calender rolls m-p no longer rotate.

The constant speed elements associated with the feeder section A and the breaker section B may also be driven by the front primary electric motor 80. As is preferred, however, a separate rear constant speed motive means is employed in the form of electric motor 140 connected to a suitable source of electric energy, not shown. Motor 140 also is mounted on a pair of transverse frame members 141 spaced above the covers or enclosure means 139 (FIGURE 1) for the back beater 43. Transverse frame members 141 are fixed on a pair of upstanding frames 142, 143 (FIGURES 1 and 2) welded or otherwise suitably secured to the opposed side frame members B2, B3 of breaker section B.

The back or rear primary electric motor 140 is also positioned adjacent the same side of the machine as the front primary electric motor 80 and has a constant speed shaft 146 extending therefrom on which a pulley 147 is fixedly mounted (FIGURES 4 and 10). Pulley 147 is engaged by an endless belt 150 which extends downwardly l and engages a relatively large pulley 151 fixed on the corresponding reduced end or shaft 33 of back beater 33. The shafts 33', 36 of back beater 33 and back fan 36 are represented by dash-and-dot lines in FIGURE 10. The left-hand end of the back beater shaft 33 (FIGURE l0) has a pulley 152 fixed thereon which is engaged by an endless belt 153. Belt 153 extends downwardly and forwardly and engages a pulley 154 fixed on one reduced end or the shaft 36 of the back fan 36.

A pulley S is fixed on beater shaft 33 adjacent pulley 151 and is connected to the doffing roll 31 of hopper by means of an endless belt 156 and a pulley 157. Pulley 157 is fixed to one reduced end of doliing roll 31 (FIGURE l0) and also has a sprocket wheel 160 mounted in fixed coaxial relation thereto. Sprocket wheel 160' is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 161 which also engages a sprocket wheel 162 fixed on one reduced end of the combing roll 30.

It is thus seen that electric motor 140, when energized, transmits continuous constant speed rotation to the combing and doffing rolls 30, 31, the back beater 33 and the back fan 36. With the exception of speed variator 61 and its control arm 60, the parts heretofore described areusual parts of a single process picker machine, and it is with such or similar parts that the present invention is adapted to be associated. The driving means of the present invention, for imparting variable speed rotation to the fiberfeeding or stock-feeding elements of the picker machine, will now be described.

Drive for finis/1er feed section C' In FIGURE 2, the fiber-feeding elements embraced by the bracket identified as the finisher feed section C are driven by the front speed variator 61 and effect the transfer of stock from the beater 33 of the breaker section to the beater 63 of the finisher section C. The speed of these elements of finisher feed section C must be regulated in accordance with the average density or thickness of the web as it approaches the front beater 63. Various types of compact, self-contained variable-speed units or speed variators may be used for the speed variator 61. A speed variator which serves the desired purpose quite well is of a type known as a Zero-Max manufactured by the Zero-Max Company, 2845 Harriet Ave., S., Minneapolis, Minn., details of which are disclosed in their Catalog No. ZM-562. A speed variator of this type is desirable because the output thereof may slow down or stop while the input continues rotating at a constant speed independent of the intended output speed when the output is subjected to an overload of abnormally high torque. Since various types of compact, self-contained, speed variators may serve the desired purpose of speed variator 61, a detailed illustration and description of the construction of speed variator 61 is deemed unnecessary.

Speed variator 61 includes in input portion or input shaft which is normally continuously driven at constant speed during operation of the picker machine by an electric motor 171 (FIGURES 5, 6 and 1l). Motor 171 may be termed as an independent motive means for the input portion 170 of speed variator 61.

Speed variator 61 has a variable-speed output portion or shaft 172, the speed of which is controlled relative to the speed of input shaft 170 by the movable speedregulating arm 60 fixed on a control shaft 174 journaled in one side wall of the housing 175 of speed variator 61. The housing 175 is suitably mounted upon the transverse frame members 85 adjacent the left-hand side of the machine with respect to the direction of movement of the stock therethrough. The front end of a composite connecting rod 176 is adjustably connected to the speed regulating arm 60. To this end, the front end of connecting rod 176 has a threaded stem 177 integral therewith which loosely penetrates a clevis 180 and is secured in adjusted position therein by a pair of nuts 181. Clevis 180 is loosely penetrated by a screw 182 which may be in the form of a shoulder screw and may be threaded into any one of a plurality of longitudinally spaced threaded holes 183 in speed control arm 60 so clevis 180 is adjustable along arm 60.

Connecting rod 176 and control arm 60 are moved forwardly and rearwardly during operation of the picker machine in accordance with variations in thickness or density of the stock passing beneath the evener plates 47 (FIGURE 5) of evener motion 50. Accordingly, the juncture of two portions of, or a medial portion of, connecting rod 176 adjacent and rearwardly of control arm 60 is connected to a crank 185 (FIGURE 3) by means of a bolt 186 which extends through a slot 187 in crank so that connecting rod 176 may be adjusted relative to crank 185. Crank 185 extends upwardly and is fixed on a rocker shaft 190 journaled in a pair of bearing blocks 191 fixed on corresponding brackets 192 which extend downwardly and are suitably secured to the rear surface of the rear transverse frame member 85 FIG- URES 3 and 5).

Rocker shaft 190 also has a crank 194 fixed thereto and projecting upwardly therefrom. The front end of a link 195 is pivotally and adjustably connected to crank 194 as by means of a bolt 196 which extends through an adjustment slot 197 in the crank 194. Link 195 extends rearwardly and is pivotally and adjustably connected to one arm of a bell crank 200, as by means of a bolt 201 penetrating a longitudinally extending adjustment slot 202 in the corresponding arm of bell crank 200. Bell crank 200 is pivotally mounted, as at 203, on the rear end portion of a bracket 204 which extends forwardly and is suitably secured to the rear transverse frame member 85. Bracket 204 may also be suitably secured to the upper end of a post 206 which extends downwardly and is suitably secured to the side frame member C2 of finisher section C.

The lower, relatively short, arm of bell crank 200 has the upper end of the connecting rod 207 pivotally connected thereto, whose lower threaded portion loosely penetrates the portion of the end of evener lever S5 remote from fulcrum 56 and which is held in adjusted position in lever 55 by means of a pair of nuts 210. In order that predetermined downward pressure is applied to lever 55 and transmitted to the evener plates 47 (FIG- URE 5) and to also yieldably urge the control arm 60 of speed variator 61 toward the low speed position or from right to left in FIGURE 3, a medial portion of rocker shaft 190 has the front end of a weight arm 211 fixed thereto on the rear end of which a suitable weight member 212 is suitably adjustably secured.

It is thus seen that any upward and downward movement imparted to evener plates 47 of evener motion 50, due to variations in the average thickness or density of the stock throughout its width passing in engagement with the evener plates 47, a proportional amount of angular movement in the corresponding direction is imparted to control arm 60 of speed variator 61 so as to compensatively change the speed of the output portion or shaft 172 thereof. Thus, upon a relatively thin or light place in the web passing through the evener motion '50, control arm 60 moves forwardly and correspondingly decreases the speed at which the web is being fed through connections to be presently described. Conversely, the speed of the web is decreased whenever a relatively thick or dense place in the web passes through the evener motion 50 and imparts rearward or clockwise movement to control arm 60 in FIGURE 3.

The driving connections between the output shaft 172 and the various stock feeding elements of the finisher feed section C (FIGURE 2) will now be described.

As best shown in FIGURES 3 and 11, the output shaft 172 of speed variator 61 has a sprocket wheel 220 fixed thereon which is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 221. Sprocket chain 221 extends downwardly and rearwardly and engages a relatively larger sprocket wheel 222 fixed on one reduced end of the front roll e of finisher feed apron conveyor 43, the rear roll e being an idler roll in this instance. The latter reduced end of conveyor roll e also has a gear 223 fixed thereon which meshes with an idler gear 224 (FIGURES 3, 5, 6 and ll) which, in turn, meshes with a gear r fixed on the corresponding reduced end of evener roll 46.

A gear s fixed on the corresponding reduced end of front beater upper feed roll h meshes with gear r. The opposite or right-hand end of front beater bottom feed roll h has a sprocket wheel 226 fixed thereon (FIG- URES 4, 6 and 11) which is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 227 which also engages a sprocket wheel 230 fixed on the reduced outer end of conveyor roll e remote from that end on which sprocket wheel 222 and gear 223 are mounted.

A sprocket wheel 231 is fixed on the reduced end of the front roll e of conveyor y43 adjacent sprocket wheel 230. Sprocket wheel 231 is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 232 which extends rearwardly and downwardly with respect to the path of flow of the stock through the machine and whose upper and lower runs pass beneath respective upper and lower idler sprocket wheels 234, 235 (FIGURES 4 and 11) suitably journaled on the corresponding side frame member B2 of breaker section B. Sprocket chain 232 then extends upwardly and over a sprocket wheel 236 fixed on the corresponding reduced end of the lower back stripping roll d. The other end of stripping roll d transmits rotation to the corresponding upper stripping roll d by means of a pair of intermeshing gears 237, 238 fixed on corresponding reduced ends of the respective back stripping rolls d', d.

A gear 241, fixed on coaxial relation with sprocket wheel 234 (FIGURES 4 and ll), meshes with a relatively large gear 242 fixed on the corresponding end of a reduced portion or shaft 41' of the lower back screen 41. Screens 40, 41 are shown in FIGURE 2, but are omitted from FIGURE 11 for purposes of clarity. Gear 242 engages a gear 243 thereabove fixed on the corresponding reduced end or shaft of the upper rear screen 40, thus completing the description of the variable speed fiberfeeding elements of lthe finisher feed section C which are driven by the front speed variator 61.

It is apparent that the output shaft 172 drives the finisher `feed apron conveyor 43 through the elements 220, 221, 222 (FIGURE l1). The front roll e of conveyor 43, in turn, drives the upper feed roll hfor the front beater 63 through the intermeshing gears 23, 224, r, s (FIGURES 3. 5, 6 and 1l) while transmitting rotation to the lower or bottom feed roll h for the front beater 63, by means of sprocket wheels 230, 226 and sprocket chain 227. It is also apparent that front roll e of conveyor 43 drives the back stripping rolls d, d and back screens 40, 41 through the elements 231, 232, 236, c, 237 and 238 while driving the back rotary screens 40, 41 through the elements 231, 232, 234, 241, 242 and 243.

Drive for breaker feed section B The hopper feed conveyors 21, 24, the breaker feed conveyor 32, the back beater feed rolls b, b', and the press roll c are driven by the output shaft 172 of a compact, self-contained rear or back speed variator 61 which may be of the same type as the front speed variator 61. Accordingly, the various parts of the back speed variator 61 shall bear the same reference characters as corresponding parts associated with the front speed variator 61, with the prime notation added, to avoid repetitive description.

It will be observed in the upper left-hand portion of FIGURE 12 that the rear end of connecting rod 176 is connected to the speed control or regulating arm 60 of speed variator 61 in the same manner in which the front end of connecting rod 176 is connected to the arm 60 of front speed variator 61. Accordingly, whenever the evener motion transmits -movement to the speed control arm of the front speed variator 61 through the intervening mechanical connections (FIGURES 3 6), a predetermined amount of movement is also imparted to control arm 60 of rear speed variator 61 (FIGURE l2). It is apparent that the amount of :angular movement which is imparted to the control arm 60 may vary relative to the amount of movement which it transmits to control ar-m 60', depending upon the positions of the clevises 180, 180 relative to the axes of the corresponding control arms 6e, 61.

As best shown in FIGURE 12, the output shaft 172 of rear speed variator 61 has a sprocket wheel u fixed thereon which is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 251. Sprocket chain 251 extends downwardly and rearwardly and is mounted on a relatively larger sprocket wheel 252 fixed on the corresponding left-hand reduced end of front roll a of breaker feed apronconveyor 32. The latter reduced end of conveyor roll a also has a sprocket wheel 253 and a gear v fixed thereon. Gear v engages a gear 254 fixed on the corresponding reduced end of press roll c.

The reduced end of front conveyor roll a of conveyor 32, opposite from the end on which sprocket wheels 252, 253 and gear v are mounted, has a sprocket wheel 255 fixed thereon which is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 256. Sprocket chain 256 also engages a sprocket wheel 257 xed on one reduced end of the back beater bottom `feed roll b'. The latter end of feed roll b' has a gear w thereon which meshes with a gear x fixed on the corresponding reduced end of upper feed roll b for back beater 43.

Sprocket wheel 253, on the left-hand end of roll a of conveyor 32, is engaged by an endless sprocket chain 260 which extends upwardly and rearwardly and engages a sprocket wheel 261. Sprocket wheel 261 is fixed on a reduced end of the upper roll of lifting conveyor 24 within feed hopper 20.

The lower roll 26 of conveyor 24 has a sprocket wheel 263 fixed on one reduced end thereof. Sprocket wheel 263 is engaged by sprocket chain 264 which also engages a sprocket wheel 265 fixed on the corresponding reduced end of the front roll 22 of the bottom apron conveyor 21, thus completing the description of the drive for the variable-speed rotating elements of the breaker feed section B'.

It is apparent that output shaft 172' of back speed variator 61 transmits rotation to the front roll a of breaker feed conveyor 32 through the elements u, 251, 252, and that the latter conveyor roll a transmits rotation to the press roll c through the gears v, 254 while transmitting rotation to the feed rolls b, b for the back beater 33 through the elements 255, 256, 257, w and x. It is also apparent that the front roll a of conveyor 32 transmits `movement to the conveyors 21, 24 through the intervening elements 253, 254, 261, 25, 26, 263, 264, 265, and 22.

It is thus seen that I have provided an improved drive mechanism for the variable-speed fiber-feeding elements of the finisher Ifeed section C' `and the breaker feed section B', including compact self-contained speed variators 61, 61' whose movable control members or arms 60, 60' are operatively interconnected and are controlled by variations inthe thickness or density of the web formed of the fibrous stock as it passes through a given portion of the picker machine, and wherein the speed variators 61, 61 are driven independently of the means for driving the constant speed rotating elements of the machine.

Overload-torque-controlled stop motion for fiber-feeding elements Referring to FIGURE 8, the electrical diagram shown therein embodies a stop motion for stopping rotation of the ber feeding elements in the breaker feed section B and the finisher feed section C of FIGURE 2 by stopping the ow of current to the electric motors 171, 171' which drive the input shafts 170, 170' of the speed variators 61, 61' whenever an excessive or abnormally large amount of fibers form a choke in attempting to pass between any one or more of the sets of rolls b, b; d, d' or h, h', or in attempting to pass between the evener roll 46 and the evener plates 47 (FIGURES 2 and 5), or between breaker feed conveyor 32 and press roll c, or between either of the rolls 30, 31 and the lifting conveyor 24 (FIGURE 2).

The rolls b, b', d, d', h, lz' and 46 are necessarily normally enclosed and hidden from view of the attendant operator during the operation of the picker machine. Heretofore, there are instances in which the occurrence of chokes at these rolls has resulted in severe and costly damage to the rolls and the bearings and/ or bearing supports therefor and have even ruptured the cast iron side frame members of the machine adjacent the corresponding rolls, before the chokes were detected by the operator. In practice, it has been found that the portions of the side frame members of the breaker section B (FIGURE l) adjacent the stripping rolls d, d have been particularly vulnerable to rupture whenever a choke attempted to pass between the stripping rolls d, d (FIGURE 2).

It is apparent that, whenever a choke" attempts to pass between any of the feeding or stripping rolls heretofore described, or between the evener roll 46 and evener plates 47 (FIGURE 5), or between the conveyors 24, 32 and adjacent rolls this applies an abnormally high torque or overload to the corresponding rolls which is transmitted through the intervening driving connections to the corresponding variator or variators 61, 61', thus substantially increasing the amplitude of the current flowing through the corresponding motor or motors 171, 171 (FIGURES 11 and 12). Such abnormally high amplitude of current owing through the motors 171, 171' of the speed yariators 61, 61' is employed in the present invention for stopping the liow of current to the electric motors 171, 171 to thereby stop the input and output shafts of the speed variators 61, 61 and the fiber-feeding elements of the breaker feed section B', and the finisher feed section C.

Referring now to FIGURE 8, three lead conductors 270, 271, 272, having a master switch 273 interposed therein, extend from a suitable source of electrical energy, not shown, to corresponding sides of normally open switches E, F, G of an electromagnetic relay 274. The other sides of switches E, F, G have respective conductors H, I, I leading therefrom to electric motor 171. The conductors H, J have respective thermal elements or heating elements M, N interposed therein which are parts of respective thermal overload relays 275, 276.

Relays 275, 276 also include respective normally closed thermal responsive switches R, S of a well-known type which will open upon being heated above a predetermined minimum temperature by an excessive amount of current owing through and heating the elements M, N. Since thermal and/or overcurrent electrical relays are well known in the electrical art, a further description of relays 275, 276 is deemed unnecessary. The switches R, S, are arranged in series and serve as a holding circuit for the coil 277 of relay 274. Accordingly, a conductor 280 connects one side of switch S to neutral lead conductor 271, and the other side of switch S is connected to one side of switch R by a conductor 281. The other side of switch R is connected to one side of the knock-of switch 118 (FIGURES 7 and 8) by a conductor 282. The other side of knock-off switch 118 is connected to one end of the coil 277 of relay 274 by a yconductor 283. The other end of coil 277 is connected to lead conductor 272 by a conductor 284, thus completing the electrical circuit for the electric motor 171 of front speed variator 61.

Conductors 270', 271', 272 are connected to the respective lead conductors 270, 271, 272 at points between switch 273 and relay 274. The conductors 270', 271', 272' are connected to a circuit for the electric motor 171 of the rear sped variator 61 which is substantially the same as the circuit associated with electric motor 171 of speed variator 61. Accordingly, those parts of the circuit which control the flow of current to electric motor 171' and correspond to similar parts of the circuit which control the ow of current to electric motor 171 will bear the same reference characters with the prime notation added, where applicable, in order to avoid repetitive description.

It should be noted, however, that the circuit for electric motor 171 differs from that for electric motor 171 in that conductor 282 extends directly from switch R to one end of the coil 277 of relay 274 and, instead of conductor 280' being connected to lead conductor 271', it extends from switch S' to a medial portion of conductor 283. Thus, the single knock-olf switch 118, when opened by the operating lever (FIGURE 7) being moved to inoperative position, will interrupt the flow of current to the coils 277, 277' of both relays 274, 274.

In operation, assuming that master switch 273 is closed and a suitable electrical circuit, not shown, has been cornpleted to the main drive electric motors 80, when the operating lever 115 is moved upwardly to the operative position shown in FIGURE 7, switch 118 is permitted to 13 close as gear 117 is moved into engagement with gear 120 and transmits rotation to the calender rolls m-p, the front screens 70, 71 and the front stripping rolls i, i', so that all the constant-speed rotating elements of the machine are then rotating.

When switch 118 is permitted to close by movement of operating lever 115 to operative position, current ows from lead conductor 271 through conductor 280, switch S, conductor 281 switch R, conductor 282, switch 118, conductor 283, coil 277 of relay 274, and conductor 284 to lead conductor 272, thus completing the circuit to coil 277 and thereby closing the normally open relay switches E, F, G and completing the circuit to electric motor 171. At the same time, current fiows from conductor 283, through conductor 280', switch S', conductor 281', switch R conductor 282', coil 277' of relay 274 and conductors 284', 272' to conductor 272 to energize coil 277. Thus, normally open switches E', F', G are moved to closed position to complete the circuit to electric motor 171 of speed variator 61'.

The stock is then fed from feed hopper 20 to the back beater 33 (FIGURE 2) by the rotating feeding elements of the breaker feed section B', and stock is fed from the back screens 40, 41 to the front beater 63 by the rotating feeding elements of the finisher feed section C'. When the lap roll L (FIGURE 2) has been wound to the desired diameter, the conventional knock-off mechanism, not shown, causes or permits operating lever 115 to move in a counterclockwise direction in FIGURES 1 and 7 to the inoperative position, in the course of which gear or pinion 117 moves out of engagement with gear 120 and switch 118 is opened.

FIhis breaks the circuit to the electric motors 171, 171 of speed variators 61, 61', as calendar rolls mhp, stripping rolls i, i' and front screens 70, 71 cease to rotate, so that all the fiber-feeding or advancing elements of the machine are then at a standstill while the beaters 33, 63 and fans 36, 66 continue to be driven by the main drive electric motors 80, 140.

Now, in the event of a choke or other obstruction attempting to pass between and placing an abnormally heavy load on the feed rolls b, b', for example, this imposes an abnormally large amount of torque on the feed rolls b, b' and increases the amplitude of current flowing through electric motor 171', of speed variator 61. When this current is increased to a predetermined maximum extent, it is apparent that the heaters M and/or N' overheat and open the respective adjacent switches R', S and thereby break the circuit to electric motor 171' to stop rotation of the feeding elements of the breaker feed -section B', even though knock-off switch 118 remains closed.

Also, upon a choke or other obstruction attempting to pass between rolls d, d', or rolls h, h', or between evener roll 46 and plates 47 (FIGURE 5), the torque imposed on the corresponding rolls of the nisher feed section C is then transmitted to electric motor 171 to increase the current flowing therethrough and thus open either or both of the switches R, S, in the same manner in which the switches R', S' were opened, to thus break the circuit to the coil '277 and stop the flow of current to electric motor 171, although the knock-off switch 118 may then continue to occupy closed position.

Whenever a choke occurs, this is usually the result of an over-lapping of the web or an excessive amount of fibers attempting to pass between the corresponding rolls or through the evener motion y50. Under such conditions, it is desirable to run stock then in advance of the choke through the machine and onto the lap roll L. If the lap roll L is not then of the desired diameter or weight, it is doifed from the calender section and reprocessed. Accordingly, it will be noted that the circuit of FIGURE 8 is so arranged that electric motor 171 may continue operating upon the other electric motor 171' being stopped due to the opening of the switches R' and/ or S.

In other words, the circuit of FIGURE 8 is so arranged that, whenever an abnormally heavy load on electric motor 171' of the rear speed variator 61 causes either or both switches R', S' to open and stop the feeding elements of the breaker feed section B' (FIGURE 2), the circuit to the electric motor 171 of the front speed variator 61 remains uninterrupted so that the stock then being opened by the back beater 33 is subsequently advanced through the machine to the lap roll L. Conversely, when the electric motor 171 of the front speed variator 61 becomes overloaded and the electric motor 171' of the rear speed variator `61' is not overloaded, the consequent opening of either or both of the switches R, S will interrupt the ow of current to both of the relay coils 277, 277' and thus stop both motors 171, 171 and the fiber-feeding elements of both feed sections B', C. In this instance, the front screens 70, 71, the front stripper rolls i, i and all the rolls of the calender section D continue to rotate to advance the stock from the front beater 63 through the calender section D to be taken-up by the lap roll L.

summarizing, it is thus seen that, upon occurrence of a choke in the breaker feed section B' (FIGURE 2) the fiber-feeding elements thereof are stopped while all the constant-speed elements of all sections A-D (FIG- URE l) and the fiber-feeding elements of finisher feed section C continue operating until operating lever (FIGURE 7) is lowered to inoperative position. Upon -occurrence of a, choke in the finisher feed section C' (FIGURE 2) all the variable-speed fiber-feeding elements in feed sections B', C' are stopped while all the constant-speed elements continue operating. Finally, upon the lap roll L being wound to the desired size, or upon operating lever 115 being otherwise lowered to inoperative position, all the fiber-feeding elements in feed sections B', C', the front screens 70, 71, front stripping rolls z', i' and calendar rolls m-p are stopped While al1 the constant speed elements of the feeder and breaker sections A, B, the front beater 63 and front fan 66 continue to rotate. Although the present drawings do not show means for stopping the lap takeup rolls 72, 73, such means is conventional and is unnecessary to the present invention and, therefore, a description or illustration thereof will not be given.

In the -drawings and specification there has been set for 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 picker machine having means, including a rotary fiber-opening means and rotary screens, for forming a fibrous web from fibers opened by said fiber-opening means, a calender section for forming said web into a compacted lap, liber-feeding means, including at least one pair of feed rolls, for feeding textile fibers to said fiber-opening means and wherein said fibers pass between said feed rolls in web form, and primary means for driving said fiber-opening means and said calender section; the combination therewith of (a) a speed variator having a rotary input portion and a variable-speed rotary output portion,

(b) secondary means for driving said input portion independently of said pirmary driving means,

(c) means operatively connecting the output portion of said variator to said fiber-feeding means for driving the same,

(d) means responsive to variations in the thickness of the web in its course to said feed rolls for compensatively varying the speed of said output portion,

(e) means for detecting a predetermined maximum overload torque in said output portion, s-uch as may occur in the event of the fibers forming a choke between said feed rolls, and

(f) means responsive to said detecting means detecting said predetermined overload torque for interrupting operation of said secondary driving means, thereby stopping rotation of the output portion of said speed variator.

2. In a picker machine having means, including7 a rotary fiber-opening means and rotary screens, for forming a fibrous web from fibers opened by said fiber-opening means, a calender section for forming said web into a compacted lap, fiber-feeding means, including at least one pair of feed rolls, for feeding textile fibers to said tiberopening means and wherein said fibers pass between said feed rolls in web form, and primary means for driving said fiber-opening means and said calender section; the combination therewith of (a) a speed variator having a rotary input portion and a variable-speed rotary output portion,

(b) secondary means including an electrical motor for driving said input portion independently of said primary driving means,

(c) means operatively connecting the output portion of said variator to said fiber-feeding means for driving the same,

(d) means responsive to variations in the thickness of the web in its course to said feed rolls for compensatively varying the speed of said output portion, and

(e) means interposed in an electrical circuit to said motor and responsive to a predetermined maximum overload torque being transmitted from said feed rolls to said speed variator, such as may occur in the event of an excessive amount of fibers forming a choke between said feed rolls, for breaking the electrical circuit to said motor.

3. In a picker machine having means, including a rotary fiber-opening means and front rotary screens, for forming a fibrous web, a calender section for forming said web into a compacted lap, fiber-feeding means, including at least one pair of feed rolls, for feeding textile fibers to said fiber-opening means and wherein said fibers pass between said feed rolls in web form, an evener motion rearwardly of said feed rolls and including a lever movable in opposite directions in response to variations in the thickness of the web passing through the evener motion, and primary means for driving said fiberopening means and said calender section; the combination therewith of (a) a speed variator having an input portion and a variable-speed output portion,

(b) secondary means for driving said input portion I arm for varying the speed of said output portion,

(e) means operatively connecting the lever of said evener motion to said movable control arm to compensatively vary the speed of said fiber-feeding means according to variations in the position of said lever,

(f) means for detecting a predetermined maximum overload torque in said output portion, such as would occur in the event of the fibers forming a choke between said feed rolls, and

(g) means responsive to said detecting means detecting said predetermined overload torque for stopping said secondary driving means.

4. A structure according to claim 3, in which said means (e) includes means for adjustably varying the extent of movement of said movable control arm proportional to the extent of movement of said lever.

5. In a picker machine having a rear beater section including a rear rotary beater and rear rotary screens, a front beater section including a front rotary beater and front rotary screens, first fiber-feeding means, for feeding textile fibers to said rear beater so said rear screens form 16 a loose fibrous web from said fibers, second fiber-feeding means for feeding the web from said rear screens to said front beater, and primary driving means for imparting constant speed rotation to both beaters and the front screens; the combination therewith of (a) a first speed variator and second speed variator each having a rotary input portion and a rotary variable-speed output portion,

(b) means operatively connecting the output portion of said first variator to the first fiber-feeding means for driving the same,

(c) means operatively connecting the output portion of said second variator to the second fiber-feeding means and the rear screens for driving the same,

(d) a pair of secondary driving means for driving the respective input portions of said first and second speed variators independently of each other and independently of said primary driving means,

(e) a movable member on each variator for regulating the speed of the output portion thereof,

(f) means operatively interconnecting said movable members for imparting movement from one of the members to the other, and

(g) means responsive to variations in the thickness of the web being fed for compensatively varying the position of said one of said movable members, said interconnecting means (f) thereby serving to vary the position of the other of said movable members.

6. A structure according to claim 5, including means for detecting a predetermined overload torque being transmitted from at least one of said fiber-feeding means to its corresponding speed variator, such as may occur upon an excessive amount of fibers forming a choke tending to overload said one of said fiber-feeding means, and means, responsive to detection of said overload torque for interrupting operation of said secondary driving means, thereby stopping the corresponding fiber-feeding means.

7. A structure according to claim 5, including first and second means for detecting predetermined overload torque being transmitted from the respective first and second fiber-feeding means to the respective first and second speed variators, such as may occur upon an excessive amount of fibers forming a choke tending to overload the respective fiber-feeding means, and means responsive to detection of said overload torque by each the first and the second detecting means independently of each other for stopping the respective first and second fiber-feeding means.

8. A structure according to claim 5, including rst and second means for detecting predetermined overload torque being transmitted from the respective first and second fiber-feeding means to the respective first and second speed variators, such as may occur upon an excessive amount of fibers forming a choke tending to overload the respective fiber-feeding means, means responsive to detection of said overload torque by said first detecting means only for stopping the first fiber-feeding means independently of the second fiber-feeding means, and means responsive to detection of said overload torque by said second detecting means only for interrupting operation of said secondary driving means, thereby stopping both the first and the second fiber-feeding means.

9. A structure according to claim 5, in which said secondary means (d) includes first and second electric motors connected to the input portions of the respective first and second speed variators, and means interposed in an electrical circuit to said electric motors and responsive to a predetermined maximum overload torque being transmitted from each fiber-feeding means to its respective speed variator, such as may occur in the event of an excessive amount of bers forming a choke tending to overload each fiber-feeding means, for breaking the electrical circuit to the respective motor.

10. A structure according to claim 5, in which said secondary means (d) includes first and second electric motors connected to the input portions of the respective first and second speed variators, first and second overload-current-responsive means connected in an electrical circuit to the respective first and second motors and beinoresponsive to a predetermined maximum overload torque being transmitted from the respective first and second fiber-feeding means, such as may occur upon excessive fibers forming a choke tending to overload the respective first and second fiber-feeding means, for breaking the circuit to and thereby stopping the respective first and second electric motors.

11. A structure according to claim 10, including means responsive to breaking of the circuit to said second motor by said second overload-current-responsive means for breaking the circuit to said first motor.

12. In a picker machine having a feed hopper including feed conveyor means, a rear beater section including rear rotary fiber-opening means and rear rotary screens, a front beater section including front rotary fiber-opening means and front rotary screens, first fiberfeeding means, including a first pair of top and bottom feed rolls, for feeding textile fibers from said conveyor means to said rear fiber-opening means so said rear screens form a loose fibrous web from said fibers, second fiber-feeding means, including at least one second pair of top and bottom rolls, for feeding fibers in web form from said rear screens to said front fiber-opening means, calender rolls for receiving the web from said front screens, and primary driving means for imparting constant speed rotation to both fiber-opening means, the front screens and the calender rolls; the combination therewith of (a) a first speed variator and a second speed variator each having a rotary input portion and a variablespeed rotary output portion,

(b) means operatively connecting the output portions of said first and second variators to the respective first and second fiber-feeding means for driving the same,

(c) a pair of secondary driving means for driving the respective input portions of said rst and second speed variators independently of said primary driving means,

(d) a movable member on each variator for regulating the speed of the output portion thereof,

(e) means operatively interconnecting said movable members for imparting movement from one of said members to the other, and

(f) means responsive to variations in the thickness of the Web being fed for compensatively varying the position of said one of said movable members, said interconnecting means thereby serving to vary the position of the other of said movable members.

13. A structure according to claim 12, in which said second fiber-feeding means also includes an evener motion having movable means movable in response to variations in thickness of the web in its course to the second pair of rolls; said responsive means (f) including means operatively connecting said movable means to said one of said movable members.

14. In a picker machine having a feed hopper including feed conveyor means, a rear beater section including rear rotary fiber-opening means and rear rotary screens, a front beater section including front rotary fiber-opening means and front rotary screens, first fiberfeeding means for feeding textile fibers from said conveyor means to said rear fiber-opening means so said rear screens form a loose fibrous web from said fibers, second fiber-feeding means, including at least one pair of top and bottom rolls, for feeding fibers in web form from said rear screens to said front fiber-opening means, an evener motion through which the web passes in its course from said rear screens to said pair of rolls and including a lever movable in accordance with variations in the thickness of the web, calender rolls for receiving the web from said front screens, and primary driving means for imparting constant speed rotation to both fiberopening means, the front screens and the calender rolls; the combination therewith of (a) a first speed variator and a second speed variator each having a rotary input portion and a variablespeed rotary output portion,

(b) means supporting said speed variators above the level of said rotary fiber-opening means,

(c) means operatively connecting the output portions of said first and second variators to the respective first and second fiber-feeding means for driving the same,

(d) a pair of secondary driving means for driving the respective input portions of said first and second speed variators independently of said primary driving means,

(e) a movable member on each variator for regulating the speed of the output portion thereof,

(f) means operatively interconnecting said movable -members for imparting movement from one of said members to the other, and

(g) means operatively connecting the lever 0f said evener motion to said one of said movable members for compensatively varying the position thereof and the speed of the corresponding fiber-feeding means according to variations in the position of said lever, said interconnecting means thereby serving to vary the position of said other movable member.

15. A structure according to claim 14, in which said means (f) interconnecting said movable members includes means for adjustably varying the extent of movement imparted to said other movable members from said one of said'members for correspondingly adjusting the speed of said first fiber-feeding means relative to the speed of said second fiber-feeding means.

16. A structure according to claim 15, in which said means (g) includes means for adjustably varying the amount of movement imparted to said one of said movable members relative to the amount of movement of said lever effected in response to variations in the thickness of the web.

17. In a picker machine having a rear beater section including a rear rotary beater and rear rotary screens, a front beater section including a front rotary beater and front rotary screens, first fiber-feeding means for feeding textile fibers to said rear beater so said rearscreens form a loose fibrous web from said fibers, second fiberfeeding means for feeding the web from said rear screens to said front beater, and primary driving means for imparting constant speed rotation to both beaters; the combination therewith of a first speed variator and a second speed variator each having a rotary input portion and a rotary variablespeed output portion,

means operatively connecting the output portion of said first variator to the first fiber-feeding means for driving the same,

means operatively connecting the output portion of second variator to the second fiber-feeding means for driving the same,

a pair of secondary driving means for driving the respective input portions of said first and second speed variators independently of said primary driving means,

a movable member pivotally supported on each variator for regulating the speed of the output portion thereof,

' a connecting rod operatively interconnecting said movable members for imparting movement from one of the members to the other, and

means responsive to variations in the thickness of the web being fed for compensatively varying the posi- 19 v 20 Y tion of said one of said movable members, said con- References Cited necting rod thereby serving to vary the position of UNITED STATES PATENTS the other of said movable members.

18. A structure according to claim 17, in which Said 1,908,294 5/1933 HQW@ 19-97-5 connecting rod operatively interconnects said movable 5 1,965,150 7/1934 M1115 19 97-5 members by means connecting opposite ends of said con- 2952'047 9/1960 Lytton et al' 19-97-54 XR necting rod to the respective movable members, and at FOREIGN PATENTS least one of said connecting means being adjustable t0- ward and away from the pivot point of the respective movable member so as to vary the amount of movement I transmitted from one movable member to the other by 10 MERVIN STEIN Pnma'y Examme" said connecting rod. DORSEY NEWTON, Assistant Examiner.

1,011,329 6/1957 Germany.

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