1

Study on Combing Action

and Comber Waste in a Cotton Comber

By Takeo Yamagishi, Eikichi Koyama and Hideo Kuroe, Members, TMSJ

Kurashiki Spinning Co., Ltd.

Abstract

In this article the authors seek to compute the percentage of comber

waste, to make some modifications or improvements in the constitutent
parts of the combers now in use, and to find a guide to further study on
the subject. As regards combing action in a cotton comber, we have made
some theoretical approaches from the geometrical arrangement of fibers
in sliver. Assuming that the staple diagram of fed ribbon lap, the timing
of combing parts and the distance between any two of them, are given,
we have computed the percentage of comber waste and drawn a comber
noil staple diagram and a comber sliver staple diagram.

Introduction 1. Theoretical Approaches

Among the factors which determine the A brief description of the combing action
percentage of comber waste, the following of "Nasmith" may help to understand the
may be regarded as the most important : problem clearly.
1) The staple diagram of fed ribbon lap, In Figures 1 (A), (B), and (C) the follow
the arrangement of fibers in a parallel relation ing symbols are used:
and the power of fibers to hold together.
2) The density of the cylinder comb and
the top comb.
3) Timing.
4) The distance between any two of the
following : the detaching roller, the cylinder
comb and the top comb.
There have been few published works
which treat of theoretical approaches to the
correlation among the above factors. [1, 2, 3]
Indeed, in computing comber noil in the
mill, we usually determine, at the outset, the
value of detachment setting E as a basis of
computation. We then compute comber the waste
percentage on the assumption that any fiber
shorter than E may become comber noil.
Finally, we make a trial-and-error adjustment Fig. 1 (A)
of the difference between such computations
and the actual results by the timing of the
ton comb.
It is common knowledge, however, that
fibers longer than E are always contained in
comber noil and that fibers shorter than E are
always contained in comber sliver. Space pre
vents a theoretical discussion of the reasons for
this fact.
The present article assumes that the staple
diagram of fed ribbon lap is given and discusses
theoretically how such factors as the timing
of the top comb, detachment setting, and the
lap feed length of the feed roller influence the
determination of comber noil, of the ember roil
staple diagram and of the comber sliver staple
diagram. Fig. 1 (B)
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the feed roller has fed lap.

B•\B : The position in which the detaching
roller holds fibers when the top comb

plate comes nearest the former.

B•Œ•\B•Œ: The position in which the detaching
roller holds fibers when the top comb
descends and begins combing.
E: The distance between the nipper plate
and the detaching roller when the
nipper plate comes nearest the
detaching roller.

S•Œ: The fleece-carrying length of the

detaching roller in a condition under
which the top comb descends and
begins combing,
S : Lap feed length of the feed roller.
Fig. 1 (C)

A : combing cyclinder
B : feed roller
C: bottom detaching roller
D : nipper plate
E: nipper knife
F : top comb
G : top detaching roller
Figure 1 (A) shows combing action as
cylinder combing nears the completion of the Fig. 2
action. Fibers held by the nipper plate and
In the diagram, it is assumed that fibers
the nipper knife, and carried to the left-hand
of staple length ƒÔ are symmetrically arranged
side, are combed by a cylinder comb, and the . Th
en, the following formula represents the
other fibers not held by the nipper plate or
the nipper knife fall off and make a cluster of quantity of fibers held by the detaching roller
when the top comb begins combing :
noil.
Figure 1 (B) shows combing action at the
time cylinder combing is completed . Here the
nipper knife does not touch the nipper plate
,
which latter begins to move forward toward Also, the following formula represents the
the detaching roller. The top detaching rollers quantity of fibers held by the nipper plate and
begin to revolve clockwise and to feed fleece the nipper knife when they touch each other
after the feed roller has fed lap .
back to the place between the bottom detaching
roller and the fluted segment .
Figure 1 (C) shows a state of top combing . Th
e detaching roller holds fibers carried by the
nipper plate and revolves counter-clockwise . Th As has already been said, fibers which are
e feed roller begins to feed lap . The nipper held by neither the nipper knife nor the nipper
starts to move backward, and then returns to
plate nor the detaching roller when top combing
theposition shown in Figure 1 (A) to complete begins are thrown off by cylinder combing and
combing action. In this case top combing, and become noil
, the top comb . If, therefore, 2(ƒÔ)
goes down, combs the fibers held by the detach represents the percentage of comber
ing roller and allows them to pass through it . Th waste and dy•Œ the quantity of comber noil for
e top comb carries the fibers which are held fiber dy of staple length ƒÔ
, the following
i equation
by neither the nipper plate plate nor the detach s obtained:
ing roller when the niper knife touches the
nipper plate and when the top comb goes down
into fibers. The top comb throws such fibers
off in the next cylinder combing
, when they b
ecome noil.
In Figure 2, the following symbols are
used:
A•\ A : The position in which the nipper
Where ƒÔ = (E-S•Œ) + S in equati
plate and the nipper knife hold fibers on (1), the
equation ƒÉ(ƒÔ)
-0 is satisfi
during of cylinder combing. ed. In other words
, any fiber of a staple length longer th
A•Œ•\A•Œ: The position in which the nipper plate an +S
(E+S•Œ)
becomes
comb
er sliver and is th
and the nipper knife hold fibers after erefore, not contained in comber n
oil.
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Also, where ƒÔ=E+S•Œ in Equation (1),

the equation (ƒÔ)=1 is satisfied. In other
words, any fiber of a staple length shorter
than (E-S•Œ) becomes comber noil and is,
therefore, not contained in comber sliver. From xf'(x)dx〕/Y',
Equation (1), we get the following equations :
where (E-S')<x<(E-S')+S
λ(x)=0,where(E-S')十S<x<L
Similarly, if the staple diagram of comber
sliver is represented by the equation, y2=f2 (ƒÔ),
as in Figure 3 (C), the following equations
where(E-S')>x>(E-S')+S can readily be derived:
λ(x)=1,  where  0<x<(E-S').

Next it is assumed that the staple diagram

of ribbon lap fed in the manner shown in
Figure 3 (A) is represented by the equation
xf'(x)dx〕'(1-Y'),
y =? (ƒÔ). Here it is also assumed, for the
sake of simplicity, that the total quantity of
fibers is 1. From equation (1), we get the where (E-S')<x<(E-S')+S
following equations : y2=f2(x)
dy'=λ(x)dy=λ(x)f'(x)dx………………(2)

If therefore, Y•Œ represents the comber

waste percentage, we get the following equa
tions from equations (1) and (2) :

+∫f'(x)dx〕/(1-Y'),

(E-S')+S

where (E-S')+S<x<L

xf'(x)dx. .................................(3) To sum up, we may say that if the staple

diagram of fed ribbon lap, detachment setting,
If the staple diagram of comber noil is and the fleece-carrying length of the detach
represented by the equation y1= ?1 (ƒÔ), as ing roller in a condition under which the
in Figure 3 (B), then the following equations top comb comes down and begins to comb are
can readily be derived: given, then the percentage of comber waste,
comber noil staple diagram, and comber sliver
y1=fi(x)一{∫xf'(x)dx}/Y', staple diagram are represented by equations
(3), (4) and (5), respectively.
where 0<x<(E-S')
2. Some Examples of Computing Values
In the preceding chapter, we have shown
how to derive equations (3), (4), and (5)
which represent the percentage of comber
waste, comber noil staple diagram, and comber
sliver staple diagram, respectively. Here we
proceed to compute values from the following
two examples, which can be represented by a
Fig. 3 (A) Ribbon lap staple diagram simple straight line and a simple curve :

Example 1
It is assumed that the staple diagram of
fed ribbon lap is represented by the equation:

y=f(x)=x/L .................................(6
Fig. 3 (B) Comber noil staple diagram
Then, we can get the percentage of comber
waste, Y•Œ, from equation (3), as follows:

Fig. 3 (C) Comber sliver staple diagram

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Figure 4 shows the variations in the per

centage of comber waste. Its ordinate repre

sents the percentage of comber waste ; its
We can also get comber noil staple diagram
abscissa represents (E-S•Œ). S represents para
from equation (4). If 0<ƒÔ< (E-S•Œ) we can
meter.
get the following equation:

Figure 5 shows comber noil staple diagram

and comber sliver staple diagram where E-S•Œ
= 0.2 L, (E-S•Œ) + S=0.4 L, S = 0.2 L. From

Figure 5 we see that the percentage of comber

If (E-S•Œ) <ƒÔ< (E-S•Œ) + S, we can get the
waste is 0.3; that the longest staple length
following equation:
among the fibers contained in comber noil is
0.4 L ; and that the shortest staple length among

the fibers contained in comber sliver is 0.2 L.

From the above equations, and by simplify

ing them, we can get the following equations :

Next, we can get the staple diagram of

comber sliver from equation (5).

If (E-S•Œ) <ƒÔ< (E-S•Œ) +S, we can get the

following equation :

Fig. 4

If (E-S•Œ) + S < ƒÔ < L, we can get the

following equation :

From the above equations and by simplify

ing them, we can get the following equations :

Fig. 5
 5

Example 2.

It is assumed that the staple diagram of

fed ribbon lap is represented by the equation :

Then, we can get the comber waste per

centage Y•Œ from equation (3) as follows:

From the above equations and by simplify

ing them, we can get the following equations :

We can also get comber noil staple dia

gram from equation (4). If O<ƒÔ<(E-S•Œ) we
can get the following equation :

From the above equations and by simplify

ing them, we can get the following equations:

We can get the staple diagram of comber

sliver from equation (5). If (E-S•Œ)<ƒÔ<
(E-S•Œ) + S, we get the following equation:

If (E+S•Œ) + S•Œ<ƒÔ <L, we can get the

following equations : Fig. 7
 6

with the carrying and feeding of fibers

among the feed roller, the nipper, the detach
ing roller, the top comb and the cylinder comb
on the assumption of simple fiber arrange
ments. The article has revealed how such
factors as the staple diagram of feed ribbon
lap, the distance between any two of the comb
ing parts and the timing of top comb influence
the waste comber percentage.
Figure 6 shows the variations in the per As a matter of fact, however, the waste
centage of comber waste. Its ordinate repre comber percentage is intricately affected by
sents comber waste percentage; its abscissa many other factors, including the arrangement
represents (E-S•Œ). The word S represents of fibers in a parallel relation, the power of
uerametr. fibers to hold together, and the effective rate of
Figure 7 shows comber noil staple diagram the cylinder comb and top comb. We intend to
and comber sliver staple diagram where (E-S•Œ)
0.2 L, (E-S•Œ) + S-0.4 L, S=0.2 L. From
write further on these subjects in the near
future. In the meantime, we shall welcome
Figure 5 we see that the comber waste per
criticisms and suggestions from our readers.
centage is 0.093; that the longest staple among
the fibers contained in comber noil is 0.4 L; and
that the shortest staple among the fibers con
tained in comber sliver is 0.2 L. Literature cited

[1] G. Ohsumi; General of Principle of Spinning,

p. 213
Conclusions
[2] I. Ohno; General Principles of Wool Spinning,
p. 162
This article has discussed combing ac
[3] O. D Johannsen; Die Arbeitweise U. Der Bau
tion in a comber and dealt theoretically er Kiimmaschine Alit Schwingender Zange