Mechanical hopper feeder

{
  "publication_number": "US3777908A",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A",
  "title": "Mechanical hopper feeder",
  "abstract": "The invention relates to an apparatus for mechanically loading fibers into the hoppers of fiber feeders.",
  "claims": [
    "1. In combination with a fiber feeding machine having a hopper, a mechanical hopper feeder for delivering fibers to said hopper from a plurality of bales positioned within a fiber processing area, said mechanical hopper feeder comprising a first pair of spaced parallel tracks extending transversely to the path of fibers through said fiber feeding machine, means supporting the tracks in a common horizontal plane above the fiber feeding machine, one of said tracks extending transversely across the fiber feeding machine and the other of said tracks being horizontally spaced therefrom to define said fiber processing area between and beneath said tracks and adjacent said hopper, a first carriage extending between said first pair of tracks and mounted for reciprocable movement thereon, a second set of tracks carried by said first carriage and extending between said first pair of tracks, a second carriage on said second set of tracks, a fiber plucker carried by said second carriage, means for propelling said first carriage along said first tracks, means for propelling said second carriage along said second tracks, means for vertically reciprocating said fiber plucker, whereby said fiber plucker may be positioned over a bale in said processing area to pluck fibers therefrom and moved directly to said hopper in a non-circuitous path.",
    "2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said fiber plucker includes a vertically reciprocable support shaft, a pair of tongs depending from said support shaft, means for opening and closing said tongs, and a probe positioned between said tongs and engageable with a bale of fibers when said tongs are lowered in opened position above a bale, and means operatively connecting said probe to said means for opening and closing said tongs to actuate the tongs to pluck fibers from said bale when engaged by said probe.",
    "3. In combination with a group of alined fiber feeding machines, each including a hopper for the reception of fibers from a plurality of bales arranged in a processing area directly to any one of said hoppers in said group of fiber feeding machines, said means comprising a fiber plucker selectively engageable with each of said bales in said processing area, said fiber plucker including a vertically reciprocable support shaft and a pair of tongs depending from said support shaft, means for moving said fiber plucker across said processing area in a direction extending transversely to the path of fibers through said fiber feeding machine, and means for moving said fiber plucker across said processing area in a direction extending parallel to the path of fibers through said fiber feeding machine, whereby said fiber plucker may be positioned over a bale at any location in said fiber processing area and moved directly to said hopper in a non-circuitous path.",
    "4. A structure according to claim 3 wherein a conveyor extends from adjacent each of said hoppers through said processing area and there beyond, and means for activating the conveyors to move successive bales into said processing area."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "D01G 13/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "KELLER A"
  ],
  "filing_date": "1972-07-28",
  "publication_date": "1973-12-11",
  "grant_date": "1973-12-11",
  "priority_date": "1972-07-28",
  "application_number": "US-3777908D-A",
  "family_id": "23054457",
  "citations": [
    "US2412844A",
    "US3576052A",
    "US3577599A"
  ]
}