Location determining device for a travelling bale opener
First Claim
1. A bale opener for removing fiber tufts from top surfaces of fiber bales assembled in a series, comprising(a) a carriage for travelling back-and-forth along a generally horizontal, first path of travel along the fiber bale series;
- (b) a tower mounted on the carriage for travel therewith;
said tower and said carriage forming a travelling assembly;
(c) a first motor means for propelling said travelling assembly along said first path of travel;
(d) a detaching device extending from the tower;
the detaching device having a detaching element for penetrating into the bale surfaces to remove fiber tufts therefrom during travel of the tower;
(e) holding means for vertically displaceably mounting said detaching device in said tower;
(f) second motor means for moving said detaching device relative to the tower along a generally vertical, second path of travel;
(g) first and second incremental rotary displacement signalling devices, each including(1) a shaft;
(2) a toothed rotary element mounted on the shaft;
said toothed rotary element being a first element;
(3) a counter element having a series of spaced gaps engageable by teeth of the toothed element, whereby said toothed element is in a meshing relationship with said counter element;
said rotary element and said counter element being movable relative to one another as said rotary element rolls on said counter element;
said counter element being a second element; and
(4) signal generating means coupled to the toothed element for generating signals as a function of rotary displacements of the toothed element;
one of said first and second elements of the first displacement signalling device being mounted on a component of said travelling assembly and another of said first and second elements of the first displacement signalling device being mounted along said first path of travel for generating said signals by said signal generating means of the first displacement signalling device as a function of displacement of said travelling assembly along said first path of travel;
one of said first and second elements of the second displacement signalling device being mounted on a component of said detaching device and another of said first and second elements of the second displacement signalling device being mounted along said second path of travel for generating said signals by said signal generating means of the second displacement signalling device as a function of displacement and said detaching device along said second path of travel; and
(h) a control device having(1) a first input connected to said first displacement signalling device to receive said signals from said first displacement signalling device;
(2) a second input connected to said second displacement signalling device to receive signals from said second displacement signalling device;
(3) a first output connected to said first motor means for controlling said first motor means; and
(4) a second output connected to said second motor means for controlling said second motor means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A bale opener for removing fiber tufts from top surfaces of fiber bales assembled in a series includes a carriage for travelling back-and-forth along a generally horizontal, first path of travel along the fiber bale series; a tower mounted on the carriage for travel therewith; a fiber tuft detaching device extending from the tower and movable relative to the tower along a generally vertical, second path of travel; and an incremental rotary displacement signalling device including a shaft; a toothed rotary element mounted on the shaft; a counter element meshing with the rotary element which is movable relative to the counter element; and a signal generator coupled to the toothed element for generating signals as a function of rotary displacements of the toothed element. One of the elements is mounted on the detaching device (or other cotravelling component) and the other element is mounted along one of the first and second paths of travel for generating signals as a function of displacement of the detaching device along at least one of the first and second paths of travel.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A bale opener for removing fiber tufts from top surfaces of fiber bales assembled in a series, comprising
(a) a carriage for travelling back-and-forth along a generally horizontal, first path of travel along the fiber bale series; -
(b) a tower mounted on the carriage for travel therewith;
said tower and said carriage forming a travelling assembly;(c) a first motor means for propelling said travelling assembly along said first path of travel; (d) a detaching device extending from the tower;
the detaching device having a detaching element for penetrating into the bale surfaces to remove fiber tufts therefrom during travel of the tower;(e) holding means for vertically displaceably mounting said detaching device in said tower; (f) second motor means for moving said detaching device relative to the tower along a generally vertical, second path of travel; (g) first and second incremental rotary displacement signalling devices, each including (1) a shaft; (2) a toothed rotary element mounted on the shaft;
said toothed rotary element being a first element;(3) a counter element having a series of spaced gaps engageable by teeth of the toothed element, whereby said toothed element is in a meshing relationship with said counter element;
said rotary element and said counter element being movable relative to one another as said rotary element rolls on said counter element;
said counter element being a second element; and(4) signal generating means coupled to the toothed element for generating signals as a function of rotary displacements of the toothed element; one of said first and second elements of the first displacement signalling device being mounted on a component of said travelling assembly and another of said first and second elements of the first displacement signalling device being mounted along said first path of travel for generating said signals by said signal generating means of the first displacement signalling device as a function of displacement of said travelling assembly along said first path of travel; one of said first and second elements of the second displacement signalling device being mounted on a component of said detaching device and another of said first and second elements of the second displacement signalling device being mounted along said second path of travel for generating said signals by said signal generating means of the second displacement signalling device as a function of displacement and said detaching device along said second path of travel; and (h) a control device having (1) a first input connected to said first displacement signalling device to receive said signals from said first displacement signalling device; (2) a second input connected to said second displacement signalling device to receive signals from said second displacement signalling device; (3) a first output connected to said first motor means for controlling said first motor means; and (4) a second output connected to said second motor means for controlling said second motor means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification