James W Roberson

49931199, Feb 19, 1991

Apr 14, 1989

7/338294

James H. Roberson - Greenville SC

D01G 700
D01G 704
D01G 706

19 975

An improved fiber opening, mixing, and flow regulating apparatus and method are disclosed. The apparatus includes a textile fiber feeder (F) which opens, mixes, and regulates the flow of fibers from a ball (B) inside the feeder. A primary opening element is provided by a stationary spiked apron feed (I), and a secondary fiber opening element provided by a movable spiked apron (S). A gap (G) is defined between the opposing pins of the primary and secondary opening elements (I,S) which regulates the flow of fibers delivered by the feeder. By moving secondary opening element (S) in either linear or rotational motions, gap (G) may be modulated and the flow of fibers regulated. A controller (E) may be provided to receive a speed signal (54) representing the operational speed of a textile process downstream of fiber feeder (F) and a fiber quantity signal (16) may also be processed by controller (E) as well as various and other signals. A drive signal (18) controls the movement of secondary opening element (S) and the position may be fed back to the controller (E) by signal (52).

42754836, Jun 30, 1981

Dec 5, 1979

6/100640

James H. Roberson - Greenville SC

D01H 532
D01H 538

19240

An open loop control system is disclosed for controlling the production of a web or sliver on a carding machine so as to have a uniform weight per unit length. A novel sensing arrangement for the card input is disclosed wherein corrections to the input are made at the same mechanical plane and point in the feeding process as where the input is sensed to provide highly accurate control of the weight of the output.

49707590, Nov 20, 1990

Apr 14, 1989

7/339058

James H. Roberson - Greenville SC

D01G 908
D01G 1540

19105

Apparatus for processing textile fibers is disclosed which includes a carding machine (14) and a batt former (A). Batt former (A) includes an air circulation loop which includes a plenum (B), fiber compacting chamber (C), air separating means (72, 74), acceleration channel (30), duct (46), and fan blower (54). Fan blower (54) has an adjustable angle of incidence "a"to direct a jet of fiber-laden air into plenum (B) against a splash plate (66) to cause fibers to be deposited in fiber compacting chamber (C) in a cross-directional profile so that fibers at side walls of the plenum may have increased residence time in the fiber compacting chamber compensating for side wall friction. A first separated air flow (5) is divided by side friction. A first separated air flow (5) is divided by side channels (92a, 92b) and combined with a second air flow (4) to form supercharged air flow regions at the sides of the air flow passing through acceleration channel (30). This accelerated air flow with supercharged side regions creates an air knife in combination with plate (26) which passes through teeth (28a) of opening roll (28) to doff fibers from the opening roll.

51505029, Sep 29, 1992

Nov 19, 1990

7/615258

James H. Roberson - Greenville SC

D01G 908
D01G 1540

19105

A textile apparatus for sorting fibers according to their length. A fiber opening device loosens and separates raw textile fibers transported by an air flow created by an air blower along an air path. A fiber extracting device extracts fibers having an average length greater than or equal to a preselected length from the air flow to produce usable long fibers and creates a separated air flow containing usable short fibers having an average fiber length less than the preselected length for subsequent processing. The long fibers may be compacted into a fiber batt. The usable short fibers may be compacted into a fibrous batt or may be passed through further fiber extracting devices. The apparatus may include a batt former which includes a plenum into which fibers are delivered by the air propeller or blower. The air blower has an adjustable angle of incidence "a" to direct a jet of fiber laden air against a splash plate to cause fibers to be deposited in a fiber compacting chamber in a prescribed cross-directional profile. The apparatus further includes a density sensor which measures the cross-directional density profile of the compacted batt.

60585676, May 9, 2000

Jun 17, 1997

8/877044

James H. Roberson - Clemson SC

D01B 304

19 66R

An arrangement for sorting a first category of fibers having a first set of properties into at least a second category of fibers having a second set of properties and a third category of fibers having a third set of properties. The arrangement comprises a sorting channel including at least one travelling teeth laden carrier surface driven in a first direction within the sorting channel. The sorting channel further includes at least a first inlet and at least first and second outlets. A first energy field flows through the sorting channel in a second direction. The first category of fibers are plied to the travelling teeth carried on the driven carrier surface and the first energy field causes at least the longer fibers from the first category to be held latched onto the travelling teeth as it washes and strips away shorter fibers and impurities producing the second category of fibers. As the first energy field exits the sorting channel through the first outlet it also acts as a first doffer for removing the stripped shorter fibers and impurities out of the sorting channel. These non-latched fibers and impurities comprise the third category of fibers.

40745465, Feb 21, 1978

Nov 24, 1976

5/744673

James H. Roberson - Greenville SC

Crompton & Knowles Corporation - New York NY

D06B 102

68205R

Fluid treatment apparatus for textile fibrous material comprising a duct, a portion of which is enlarged to form a fiber treating chamber which includes an outlet opening, an inlet opening and a central passageway which extends between the openings and which has a surface which extends from a first point on the periphery of the inlet opening to a second point on the periphery of the outlet opening and extends no further from the longitudinal axis of the central passageway than the first point so that the surface is wiped by fiber entering the central passageway to prevent the accumulation of moisture near the inlet opening.

41269136, Nov 28, 1978

May 14, 1976

5/686344

James H. Roberson - Greenville SC

Crompton & Knowles Corporation - New York NY

D01B 100

19 96

Fine opening mechanism for textile fibrous material which comprises a primary opening element such as a spiked beater roll and means for delivering a single undivided mass of textile fibers toward the primary opening element. A plurality of feed elements are located between the primary opening element and the feeding means, each of the feed elements forming a nip through which fibers are fed and presented to the primary opening element so that the mass of fibers are divided into a plurality of fibrous masses.