US3651877A

US3651877A - Volumetric feeder blending line

Info

Publication number: US3651877A
Application number: US71633A
Authority: US
Inventors: Dan S Wise; James L Sosebee
Original assignee: Fiber Controls Corp
Current assignee: Fiber Controls Corp
Priority date: 1970-08-27
Filing date: 1970-08-27
Publication date: 1972-03-28
Anticipated expiration: 1989-03-28

Abstract

A feeder for a blending line of the type having a weigh pan, an inclined spiked apron conveyor for delivering fiber material to a location above the pan so that the material falls by gravity into the pan, a doffer and Sargent comb for opening the fibers as they move on the apron conveyor and fall off the conveyor respectively and a single electric motor for operating the doffer, comb and apron conveyor and control circuitry for operating a plurality of such feeders in a blending line. To minimize wear on the motor, the control circuitry operates a clutch mechanism for clutching the apron conveyor on and off, while the motor and the doffer and comb operated by it run continuously. The control circuitry is capable of being operated in a weigh mode and in a second volumetric mode in which the pans are kept continuously open and the feeders continually deliver fibers to a blending conveyor moving beneath the pan. When the conveyor is stopped by the opening of a switch operated by the equipment which receives the fibers on the conveyor beneath the weigh pans, the clutch mechanism which clutch on and off the apron conveyors are deactivated so that no further fibers are delivered but the feed motors continue to run. A manually operated switch is shifted when the circuitry is to operate in the volumetric mode so that the conveyor runs continuously and so that a continuous current path is created through the dump valve relays to keep the pans open, thus eliminating the necessity to manually cut off air to the dump valves.

Description

United States tet Wise et al.

[451 Mar. 28, 1972 [54] VOLUMETRIC FEEDER BLENDING LINE [72] Inventors: Dan S. Wise; James L. Sosebee, both of Gastonia, NC.

[73] Assignee: Fiber Controls Corporation, Gastonia,

[22] Filed: Aug. 27, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 71,633

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 61,780, Aug. 6, 1970,

Primary Examiner-Richard B. Wilkinson Assistant Examiner-George H. Miller, Jr. Attorney-Cushman, Darby & Cushman [5 7] ABSTRACT A feeder for a blending line of the type having a weigh pan, an inclined spiked apron conveyor for delivering fiber material to a location above the pan so that the material falls by gravity into the pan, a doffer and Sargent comb for opening the fibers as they move on the apron conveyor and fall off the conveyor respectively and a single electric motor for operating the doffer, comb and apron conveyor and control circuitry for operating a plurality of such feeders in a blending line. To minimize wear on the motor, the control circuitry operates a clutch mechanism for clutching the apron conveyor on and off, while the motor and the doffer and comb operated by it run continuously. The control circuitry is capable of being operated in a weigh mode and in a second volumetric mode in which the pans are kept continuously open and the feeders continually deliver fibers to a blending conveyor moving beneath the pan. When the conveyor is stopped by the opening of a switch operated by the equipment which receives the fibers on the conveyor beneath the weigh pans, the clutch mechanism which clutch on and off the apron conveyors are deactivated so that no further fibers are delivered but the feed motors continue to run. A manually operated switch is shifted when the circuitry is to operate in the volumetric mode so that the conveyor runs continuously and so that a continuous current path is created through the dump valve relays to keep the pans open, thus eliminating the necessity to manually cut off air to the dump valves.

9 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures VOLUMETRIC FEEDER BLENDING LINE This is a continuation-in-part of an application of the same title, Ser. No. 61,780 (now abandoned) filed on Aug. 6, 1970.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to an improvement in fiber blending equipment of the type having a motor operating an inclined apron for carrying fibers to be blended to a weigh pan located above a conveyor.

The textile industry is quite familiar with automatic blending line equipment of the type which forms a continuous chain of fiber sandwiches on a moving conveyor such as disclosed and claimed in the Lytton et al. U.S. Pat. No. Re. 25,609, and the Wise et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,325,848. Such equipment has been used for many years to sandwich blend various types of textile fibers, both synthetic and natural. Many times, if not most of the time, different bales of fibers, whether they are natural or synthetic, need to be mixed by such blending equipment in order to give them uniformity. Most synthetic fiber manufacturers and dealers of natural fibers recommend mixing different bales of the same type of fibers, since greater uniformity in the product can thereby be obtained. Generally speaking, sandwich blending is preferred to prevent streaks in the yarn or fabric manufactured from the sandwiches.

The method and apparatus disclosed in the above mentioned Lytton and Wise patents for effecting such automatic blending employs a number of feeders along and above a single conveyor belt or line. Each type of material to be blended is fed into one of the weigh pans where it is weighed and the flow cut off when the desired amount has been received therein. When all the weigh pans have received the necessary material for any given blend and weigh the correct amount, the pans are simultaneously dumped onto the conveyor belt which then moves forward a short distance and halts until the next dump so as to build up the proper sandwiches on the conveyor. At the same time, the pans are refilled and then once again dumped when all have received the proper amount of material. Appropriate electrical circuitry, such as disclosed in the above-mentioned Lytton and Wise patents, normally controls the feeding and cutting off of the fiber material into the weigh pans, dumping the material onto the conveyor at the proper time and stopping and starting the conveyor after dumping.

Also, as set forth in detail in Lytton U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,348, the disclosure of which is explicitly incorporated herein by reference, each of the feeders preferably includes a spiked and inclined apron conveyor which receives fibers from another flat conveyor within the feeder and carries the fibers to a loca tion above the weigh panwhere they fall by gravity into the weigh pan, preferably being doffed at the same time by a con ventional rotating dofier. A reciprocating Sargent or other comb located adjacent the apron assists in opening the fibers as they move upward on the apron conveyor.

In the feeder described in the above-mentioned Lytton U.S. Pat. No. 3,142,348, the apron, Sargent comb, doffer, and horizontal conveyor are all driven by a single electric motor through various pulleys and gears. The electrical circuitry controls cutting off the flow of fiber material into each weigh pan by simply interrupting the current path to the associated motor so that the doffer, comb, and both conveyors all stop. This arrangement, while satisfactory in that the control circuitry is much simpler than would be the case if separate motors were to be used and obviously cheaper than using a number of motors, results in such wear and tear on the single motor, because of its continual starting and stopping, that its life is much reduced from what might otherwise be expected.

In the embodiment of the invention discussed in detail below, this problem is, at least in part, alleviated by providing a clutch mechanism for the apron conveyor which is operated by the control circuitry so that the single motor can be operated continuously and only the apron conveyor clutched on and 01f to cut off and resume the flow of fibers into the weigh pan. The motor can then run continuously while the feeder is in operation, thus prolonging its life and reducing maintenance. The control circuitry, as discussed in detail below, then operates the clutch mechanism rather than interrupting and closing the current path to the electric motor to alternately stop and start it.

The fiber blending equipment discussed in the above mentioned Wise and Lytton patents is capable of operating in at least two modes. In the first mode, a plurality of feeders are mounted together, so that their weigh pans empty onto a conveyor and are operated by a single control circuitry so that each of the pans is fed with fiber material until a given weight of material, which may be different for each pan, is detected in that pan. When all of the pans have detected their associated weight of material and no more material is accordingly being fed into any of the pans, they are dumped onto a conveyor which thereafter advances for a short distance and stops until the next dump so that sandwiches of different materials are in this fashion built up on the conveyor.

In the second mode the weigh pans are kept continuously open and material fed to each weigh pan falls onto the moving conveyor, thus creating a blend which is not controlled by weight but rather by the volume of the various materials deposited on the conveyor. Cessation of feeding is desired only when the equipment which receives the blend indicates that no more blend is required. In the control circuitry described in the above mentioned Wise patent, a switch, which is opened to deactivate the relay controlling the conveyor and thus stop the conveyor, is provided for accomplishing this purpose. In the control circuitry of this invention, as described below, a switch which is under the control of the conveyor relay is provided to prevent feeding of fiber material into any of the feeders of the system whenever the conveyor is stopped. A manually operated switch is further connected in parallel with the conveyor relay switch for shorting the switch whenever the system is to operate in the weigh mode rather than the volumetric mode.

Another drawback with previous control circuitry such as set forth in the above mentioned Wise patent is that to shift the apparatus from the weigh mode to the volumetric mode,

the air supply to the dump valves of each feeder had to be manually cut ofi to cause the weigh pans to remain open. In the control circuitry of this invention as discussed in detail below, one of the manually operated switches, which must be shifted from a first to a second position to shift from the weigh to volumetric mode, is employed to complete a circuit in the volumetric mode so that the weigh pans are kept open automatically during volumetric operation without the need for manual operation of the valves connecting the air supply to the dump valves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 shows a cutaway view of a feeder in which a single electric motor operates a doffer, a Sargent comb, an inclined apron conveyor and a horizontal conveyor.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic of a control circuit wherein relays are provided for clutching the apron conveyor on and off while the feed motor runs continuously.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Reference is now made to FIG. 1 which shows a cutaway view of the feeder 10 of this invention. A weigh pan 11 receives fiber material and holds it until the control circuitry shown in FIG. 2 causes trap door air valve TV to open doors l2 and 13 of pan 11 so that the material in pan 11 falls onto a conveyor beneath the weigh pan (not shown). As mentioned above feeder 10 is normally associated with a number of other feeders, each disposed with their weigh pan above the same conveyor to produce a blend of fibers on the conveyor.

Housing 14 contains the components of the apparatus which feed the fiber material into pan 11 and at the same time suitable device and in any suitable way so as to fall onto horizontal conveyor 15, which in this embodiment is a belt of a suitable width, to be conveyed to inclined spike apron conveyor 16. Apron conveyor 16 lifts the fibers vertically and at the same time keeps the rate of fiber. feeding within a desired range.

A Sargent or other comb 17 is disposed adjacent apron conveyor l6 and reciprocates transverse to the direction of movement of the fibers to at least partially open them. After the fibers reach the top of conveyor 16, they fall by gravity into pan 11, assisted by rotating doffer 18 which also helps to open the falling fibers.

As mentioned above, a single electrical motor 19, which in this embodiment is mounted atop housing 14, drives doffer l8, apron conveyor 16, comb l7 and conveyor 15. Motor 19 is mechanically linked, for example, by a belt, to doffer shaft 20 of doffer 18 so that doffer 18 rotates when motor 19 is operating. Sargent comb 17 is preferably driven by a crank arm on an eccentric arrangement (not shown) mounted directly on the doffer shaft 20. The spiked apron conveyor 16 and the bottom conveyor 15, which is driven by a belt 21 from the shaft of the lower apron roller 22, are preferably driven by a variable speed drive between the other end of doffer shaft 20 and an end of the upper roller 23 of spiked apron conveyor 16. Any variable speed drive can be employed and one which is particularly suitable is described in the above mentioned Lytton US. Pat. No. 3,l42,348.

Mounted in association with upper roller 23 is a gear and clutch housing 24 which contains a clutch mechanism which, when activated, causes upper roller 23 to be mechanically linked to roller 25 which is driven by doffer shaft 20 through belt 26. When the clutch mechanism within housing 24 is deactivated apron conveyor and bottom conveyor 15 do not operate even though doffer l8 and comb 17 continue to be driven by motor 19.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 which shows control circuitry suitable for controlling the feeding, weighing and dumping of fiber material in a fiber blending system of the type described briefly above and in detail in the above mentioned Lytton and Wise patents. The circuitry is also very similar to the control circuitry illustrated in Wise US Pat. No. 3,439,838, and the disclosure of all these patents is explicitly incorporated herein by reference. The operation of the control circuitry shown in FIG. 2 should be apparent from the disclosure of these patents and particularly from the Wise US. Pat. No. 3,439,838.

As mentioned briefly above, the circuit shown in FIG. 2 controls the feeding of fiber material into the plurality of associated weigh pans of which three W,, W, and W are disgrammatically illustrated in FIG. 2. Selector switches SW, SW, and SW, are also provided to permit operation with less of all of the weigh pans by shifting the selector switch associated with each unused weigh pan away from its illustrated position, and these selector switches are further discussed in the above mentioned Wise US Pat. No. 3,439,838. Feeding of material into each weigh pan is normally accomplished by means of suitable electric motors and three such feed motors FM,, FM, and FM,, are also diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 2. Assuming that the switch LS, which is labelled PS in the Lytton et al. US. Pat. No. Re. 25,609, is closed indicating a demand for fiber sandwiches as discussed in greater detail below, the operation of the circuitry of FIG. 2 will now be briefly described.

After the three weigh pans W,, W and W have simultaneously dumpted material onto the conveyor, which is not shown in FIG. 2 but which is fully disclosed and discussed in the above mentioned Lytton et al. and Wise patents, an electrical current path is completed through the conveyor relay CV which then operates a switch (not shown) causing the conveyor to move forward by supplying power to a suitable conveyor motor. This path runs from the alternating current source 28 through an on-off switch 29, down lines 30 and 68, through switch SD, (which is in the illustrated position), down line 70, through the picker or limit control switch labelled LS, down line 72 to contact C, through switch ID, (which is normally in the position shown), through the start switch, relay CV and lines 124, 31 and 32 to the other side of the alternating current source 28. The conveyor then moves forward until the cam dump switch 60 engages a cam member or other structure mounted on or with the conveyor belt for movement therewith, forcing the switch 60 to close in a manner, for example, described fully in the above mentioned Lytton et al. and Wise patents. The closing of switch 60 completes a current path through relay SD via line 58, switch 60, line 62, diode 64 and

lines

66, 67, 31 and 32. Relay SD then responds immediately to the current flowing through it by shifting controlled switch SD, into connection with line 71, thus interrupting the current path through relay CV so that the conveyor controlled by relay CV stops. I

The activation of relay SD also closes switches SD, and SD, in preparation for the dump which occurs after all weigh pans are full. A latching circuit for relay SD is also completed by the closing of switch SD, so that relay SD remains activated after switch 60 opens. This latching path runs from line 68 through switch SD,, lines 71 and 73, normally open but now closed switch DIL,, line 74, diode 64 and

lines

66, 67, 31 and 32.

While the conveyor controlled by relay CV is moving forward, fibers are fed into the weighing pans W,, W and W: by feed motors FM,, FM, and FM, which are connected to a three-phase source as shown by ganged, normally closed switches 40, 42 and 44 which are not kept closed by activated relays M,, M, and M respectively, as in the previous embodiment but are manually operated to start and shut off the respective feed motors. Relays M,, M, and M also control normally open switches 46, 48 and 50, respectively. Relays M,, M,, and M are activated as shown by a current path which runs through a closed switch 33, which is a safety switch, line 34, weigh switches WS,, WS, and WS,, (which each remain connected to the empty contact E until the weigh pan with which is is associated has weighed the correct amount), line 35, switch TD and

lines

31 and 3 As each of the weigh pans weighs the correct amount and shifts its WS switch to the F or full contact, the M relay associated with that weigh pan is deactivated and the switches that the M relay controls are returned to their normal positions. Relays TV,, TV, and TV, are connected in parallel with relays M,, M and M and operate trapdoors which prevent the feeding of material into the weigh pans during dumping as discussed in detail in the above mentioned Lytton and Wise patents. Further, clutches C C and C which each cause a clutch mechanism such as the mechanism in housing 24 of FIG. 1 to clutch an apron and bottom conveyor on and off, while the associated feed motor runs continuously, are connected in parallel with relays M,, M M,,, so that the motor with which each is associated is clutched on, whenever its associated relay M,, M and M is activated. For example, when the weigh pan W, has weighed the correct amount of fibers, switch WS shifts into connection with contact F and line 80, and relays M, and TV, and clutch C, are deactivated, thus opening the switch 46 which relay M, controls, thus cutting off the feeding of fibers into weigh pan W When all the relays M,, M, and M have been deactivated, switches 46, 48 and 50 will all be open and normally activated relay DIL will then be deactivated, allowing normally closed switch DIL to close and thus complete a current path through the time delay relay TD via line 75, now closed switch SD line 76, normally closed switch DIL diode 77, line 78 and lines 31 and 32. The activation of time relay TD shifts the switch TD, into connection with contact D and line 71 but does not recomplete a current path through the conveyor relay CV because switch SD, remains in connection with line 92. However, the shifting of switch TD, does complete a current path via switch SD, through all the dump valve relays DV,, DV and DV,,, which respond by dumping the contents of each of the weigh pans W,, W and W onto the conveyor belt. Normally closed switch TD is opened and normally open switch TD is closed by the activation of relay TD with switch TD completing a latching circuit around the switches DIL and SD which continues as long as any of the weigh pan switches WS,, WS or WS remain connected to an F contact indicating the dump has not been completed. The opening of switch TD prevents relay DIL from being reactivated until relay TD is deactivated.

The deactivation of relay DIL opens normally open switch DIL thus cutting off the current fiow through relay SD which, however, delays a short time before changing the positions of the switches it controls. After that short period has elapsed, switch SD shifts, thus deactivating relays DV DV; and DV and causing the weigh pans to resume their normal state in preparation for receiving a fresh load of material. Likewise, as the now empty weigh pans move back into connection with the E contacts, the relays M M and M TV TV and TV;, and DIL are prepared to be reactivated as soon as switch TD is reclosed by the deactivation of relay TD.

After all the weigh switches W W and W have shifted into connection with an F contact, the flow of current through relay TD is terminated. However, like relay SD, the relay TD delays a short time, after current through it ceases, before permitting the switches controlled by it to return to their normal positions. One purpose of this delay is to ensure that bouncing of the weigh pans has completely ceased before proceeding to refill the pans. Thus, a short time after the relay SD is deactivated, opening switch SD;,, and all the weigh pan switches W8 W8 and WS;, return to their illustrated positions, the relay TD permits all of the switches controlled by it to resume their illustrated positions, thus reactivating relay DIL, relays M M and M and relays TV,, TV and TV;,, and clutches C C and C causing the apron conveyors associated with continuously running feed motors FM,, FM and FM;, to once more be clutched on to feed fiber material into the associated weigh pans. The movement of switch TD back into connection with contact D and line 72 also allows the current to resume flowing through the relay CV so that the conveyor moves forward again until cam dump switch 60 is again reclosed to activate relay SD and repeat the cycle.

The fiber blending equipment shown in FIG. 2 is frequently capable of operating at a greater rate of speed than other equipment down the line receiving the fiber sandwiches formed on the conveyor. Accordingly, provision is made in the circuitry of FIG. 2 to stop the fiber blending equipment automatically if at any time the blending equipment down the line indicates an inability to handle further material. This indication is conveyed to the control circuitry of FIG. 2 by switch LS which is disclosed in detail in the above mentioned Lytton and Wise patents and which is opened by the other equipment when it is desired to stop the blending equipment from dumping further material on the conveyor and to stop the conveyor from moving further.

As mentioned above, the control circuitry shown in FIG. 2 is also capable of operating the feeders controlled by it in a second mode in which the weigh pans are held continuously open and the fiber material dropped continuously by gravity from each inclined apron conveyor falls through the open pans onto the continuously moving conveyor beneath it. In this mode, feeding ceases only when switch LS opens, indicating that the equipment which is employing the blend of fibers wants no more at this time.

The circuitry shown in FIG. 2 can be shifted into this second, volumetric mode by manually opening 100%8 switch 130 and manually shifting 100%A switch 132 into the position illustrated. Shifting switch 132 interrupts the current path through cam dump switch 60 so that the periodic closing of switch 60 as the associated conveyor continues moving does not activate relay SD and accordingly does not deactivate relay CV.

Shifting switch 132 into the illustrated position also connects relays DV,, DV, and DV,, to source 29 via switch 132, line 134 switches CA, CA and C A associated with the magnetics of clutches C C and C, respectively, lines 106, 112 and 118, lines 108, 114 and and lines 31 and 32. Thus as long as switch 132 remains in the illustrated position, relays DV DV and DV;, are activated and accordingly the doors of the associated weigh pan remain open without the necessity of cutting off the air to each of the dump valves as in the previous control circuitry such as that shown in the aforementioned Wise patent.

As long as the conveyor relay CV remains activated, relays M M and M and well as relays TV,, TV: and TV;, and clutches C C and C likewise remain activated since weigh switches W8 WS, and WS remain in the empty E position because the open doors of each pan prevent fiber accumulation in each pan. Clutches C C and C, are thus activated and the apron conveyors in each feeder kept clutched on so that fiber is continuously dropped from the top of each conveyor apron onto the moving conveyor beneath it.

When switch is open and switch 132 is shifted to the illustrated position, the circuit shown in FIG. 2 responds automatically only to the opening of switch LS, which is controlled by exterior equipment. The opening of switch LS interrupts the current path through relay CV, which is thus deactivated so that the conveyor controlled by relay CV stops. Further, the deactivation of relay CV causes normally open switch CV which it controls, to open, thus interrupting the current paths through relays M M M TV,, TV, and TV and clutches C C and C, which are thus deactivated. The deactivation of clutches C C and C causes the apron and bottom conveyors of each feeder to cease delivering fibers although feed motors FM FM, and FM continue to run. Switch 130 shorts switch CV, when the circuitry is operating in the normal weigh mode.

Many changes and modification in the above embodiment of the invention can, of course, be made without departing from its spirit. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A feeder for receiving fiber material and delivering it to a fiber conveyor comprising:

weigh pan means having an open position for dumping said I fiber material onto said fiber conveyor and a closed position for accumulating said fiber material in said pan means,

electrical motor means,

inclined apron conveyor means for conveying said fiber material to a location above said pan means so that said material falls into said pan means,

doffer means for opening said material as it falls into said comb means for opening said material as it moves on said inclined apron means,

means for mechanically connecting said comb means and dofier means to said motor means for operating said comb means and doffer means,

clutch means connecting said apron conveying means to said motor means for clutching said apron conveying means on and off to start and stop delivery of said material to said pan means respectively so that delivery of said material can be stopped without stopping said doffer means, said comb means and said motor means,

electrical control circuitry for controlling said clutch means including switch means electrically connected to said weigh pan means and having a first position for causing said weigh pan means to remain in said open position, and prevent accumulation of material therein and a second position permitting accumulation therein and means for connecting said clutch means and said switch means so that when said switch means is in said first position said clutch means continually clutches said motor means on.

2. Control circuitry for controlling a plurality of feeders each having a weigh pan with an open position for dumping, fiber material and a closed position for accumulating said material, electrical motor means, inclined apron conveyor means for conveying said fiber material to a location above said pan so that said material falls into said pan and clutch means for mechanically connecting said conveyor means to said motor means to deliver said material and mechanically disconnecting said clutch means to stop delivery of said material comprising:

means for weighing the material in each said pan,

clutch relay means associated with each said pan for causing the clutch means associated with that pan to disconnect that clutch means from the associated motor means when said weighing means weighs a predetermined accumulation of material in that pan, and

means for causing the pans to shift to an open position so as to dump the contents of said plurality of feeders when all of the pans have their predetermined accumulation of material therein,

switch means electrically connected to said weighing means and having a first position for causing said causing means to cause said pans to remain in said open position and a second position permitting accumulation of material in said pans, and

means for connecting said clutch relay means, said causing means and said switch means so that when said switch means is in its first position said clutch relay continually causes the clutch means associated with each pan to keep the associated motor means connected.

3. A feeder for receiving fiber material and delivering it to a fiber conveyor comprising:

weigh pan means having an open position for dumping said fiber material onto said fiber conveyor and a closed position for accumulating said fiber material in said pan means,

electrical motor means,

doffer means for opening said material as it falls into said pan,

comb means for opening said material as it moves on said inclined apron means,

means for mechanically connecting said comb means and doffer means to said motor means for operating said comb means and doffer means,

clutch means connecting said apron conveying means to said motor means for clutching said apron conveying means on and off to start and stop delivery of said material to said pan means respectively so that delivery of said material can be stopped without stopping said doffer means, said comb means and said motor means.

4. A feeder as in claim 3 further included a further conveyor mechanically connected to said apron conveyor for operation with said apron conveyor for delivering said material to said apron conveyor.

5. Control circuitry for controlling a plurality of feeders each having a weigh pan with an open position for dumping, fiber material and a closed position for accumulating said material, electrical motor means, inclined apron conveyor means for conveying said fiber material to a location above said pan so that said material falls into said pan and clutch means for mechanically connecting said conveyor means to said motor means to deliver said material and mechanically disconnecting said clutch, means to stop delivery of said 8 material comprising:

means for weighing the material in each said pan,

means for dumping the pans of said plurality of feeders when all of the pans have their predetermined accumulation of material therein. 6. Control circuitry for controlling a plurality of feeders each having a weigh pan with an open position for dumping, fiber material and a closed position for accumulating said material, electrical motor means, inclined apron conveyor means for conveying said fiber material to a location above said pan so that said material falls into said pan and clutch means for mechanically connecting said conveyor means to said motor means to deliver said material and mechanically disconnecting said clutch means to stop delivery of said material comprising:

means for weighing the material in each said pan,

clutch relay means associated with each said pan for causing the clutch means associated with that pan to disconnect that clutch means from the associated motor means when said weighing means weighs a predetermined accumulation of material in that pan,

means for dumping the pans of said plurality of feeders when all of the pans have their predetermined accumulation of material therein,

fiber conveyor relay means for causing, when activated, a

fiber conveyor to move beneath said pans so that said material is dumped onto said fiber conveyor, switch means associated with said fiber conveyor so as to be closed after a given travel of said fiber conveyor and circuit means associated with said conveyor relay means and said switch means for deactivating said conveyor relay means when said switch means is closed until said pans have been dumped and for reactivating said conveyor relay after said pans have been dumped.

7. Circuitry as in claim 6 further including manually operable switch means having a first position for preventing said circuit means from deactivating said conveyor relay means when said fiber conveyor switch means closes, and a second position not preventing said conveyor relay means from deactivating said conveyor switch means.

8. Circuitry as in claim 7 wherein said dumping means includes dump relay means associated with said pan for causing, when activated, said pan to assume said open position and further including means connecting said manually operable switch means to said dump relay means so that when said manually operable switch means is in said first position said dump relay means are kept continually activated so that said material falls continually through each pan.

9. Circuitry as in claim 8 wherein said conveyor relay means includes a controlled switch connected to said clutch relay means for causing said clutch relay means to disconnect said clutch means from the associated motor means whenever said conveyor relay means is deactivated and further including second manually operated switch means connected in parallel with said controlled switch of said clutch relay means for shorting said controlled switch in a first position and not shorting said controlled switch in a second position.

Claims

1. A feeder for receiving fiber material and delivering it to a fiber conveyor comprising: weigh pan means having an open position for dumping said fiber material onto said fiber conveyor and a closed position for accumulating said fiber material in said pan means, electrical motor means, inclined apron conveyor means for conveying said fiber material to a location above said pan means so that said material falls into said pan means, doffer means for opening said material as it falls into said pan, comb means for opening said material as it moves on said inclined apron means, means for mechanically connecting said comb means and doffer means to said motor means for operating said comb means and doffer means, clutch means connecting said apron conveying means to said motor means for clutching said apron conveying means on and off to start and stop delivery of said material to said pan means respectively so that delivery of said material can be stopped without stopping said doffer means, said comb means and said motor means, electrical control circuitry for controlling said clutch means including switch means electrically connected to said weigh pan means and having a first position for causing said weigh pan means to remain in said open position, and prevent accumulation of material therein and a second position permitting accumulation therein and means for connecting said clutch means and said switch means so that when said switch means is in said first position said clutch means continually clutches said motor means on.

2. Control circuitry for controlling a plurality of feeders each having a weigh pan with an open position for dumping, fiber material and a closed position for accumulating said material, electrical motor means, inclined apron conveyor means for conveying said fiber material to a location above said pan so that said material falls into said pan and clutch means for mechanically connecting said conveyor means to said motor means to deliver said material and mechanically disconnecting said clutch means to stop delivery of said material comprising: means for weighing the material in each said pan, clutch relay means associated with each said pan for causing the clutch means associated with that pan to disconnect that clutch means from the associated motor means when said weighing means weighs a predetermined accumulation of material in that pan, and means for causing the pans to shift to an open position so as to dump the contents of said plurality of feeders when all of the pans have their predetermined accumulation of material therein, switch means electrically connected to said weighing means and having a first position for causing said causing means to cause said pans to remain in said open position and a second position permitting accumulation of material in said pans, and means for connecting said clutch relay means, said causing means and said switch means so that when said switch means is in its first position said clutch relay continually causes the clutch means associated with each pan to keep the associated motor means connected.

3. A feeder for receiving fiber material and delivering it to a fiber conveyor comprising: weigh pan means having an open position for dumping said fiber material onto said fiber conveyor and a closed position for accumulating said fiber material in said pan means, electrical motor means, inclined apron conveyor means for conveying said fiber material to a location above said pan means so that said material falls into said pan means, doffer means for opening said material as it falls into said pan, comb means for opening said material as it moves on said inclined apron means, means for mechanically connecting said comb means and doffer means to said motor means for operating said comb means and doffer means, clutch means connecting said apron conveying means to said motor means for clutching said apron conveying means on and off to start and stop delivery of said material to said pan means respectively so that delivery of said material can be stopped without stopping said doffer means, said comb means and said motor means.

5. Control circuitry for controlling a plurality of feeders each having a weigh pan with an open position for dumping, fiber material and a closed position for accumulating said material, electrical motor means, inclined apron conveyor means for conveying said fiber material to a location above said pan so that said material falls into said pan and clutch means for mechanically connecting said conveyor means to said motor means to deliver said material and mechanically disconnecting said clutch means to stop delivery of said material comprising: means for weighing the material in each said pan, clutch relay means associated with each said pan for causing the clutch means associated with that pan to disconnect that clutch means from the associated motor means when said weighing means weighs a predetermined accumulation of material in that pan, and means for dumping the pans of said plurality of feeders when all of the pans have their predetermined accumulation of material therein.

6. ContrOl circuitry for controlling a plurality of feeders each having a weigh pan with an open position for dumping, fiber material and a closed position for accumulating said material, electrical motor means, inclined apron conveyor means for conveying said fiber material to a location above said pan so that said material falls into said pan and clutch means for mechanically connecting said conveyor means to said motor means to deliver said material and mechanically disconnecting said clutch means to stop delivery of said material comprising: means for weighing the material in each said pan, clutch relay means associated with each said pan for causing the clutch means associated with that pan to disconnect that clutch means from the associated motor means when said weighing means weighs a predetermined accumulation of material in that pan, means for dumping the pans of said plurality of feeders when all of the pans have their predetermined accumulation of material therein, fiber conveyor relay means for causing, when activated, a fiber conveyor to move beneath said pans so that said material is dumped onto said fiber conveyor, switch means associated with said fiber conveyor so as to be closed after a given travel of said fiber conveyor and circuit means associated with said conveyor relay means and said switch means for deactivating said conveyor relay means when said switch means is closed until said pans have been dumped and for reactivating said conveyor relay after said pans have been dumped.