Device for the production of cellulose staple fibers

Abstract

The invention is concerned with a device for the production of cellulosic staple fibers comprising a cutting device ( 1 ) for cutting cellulosic continuous filaments into staple fibers, a liquid-transport device ( 2 ) for transporting the staple fibers. The device according to the invention is characterized in that the liquid-transport device ( 2 ) is provided with a portion ( 4 ) shaped as a syphon ( 4 ).

1 - 19 . (Cancelled)  
   
   
       20 . A device for the production of cellulosic staple fibers comprising a cutting device for cutting cellulosic continuous filaments into staple fibers, and a liquid transport device comprising a syphon for transporting the staple fibers.  
   
   
       21 . The device according to  claim 20 , further comprising a suspension means for suspending the staple fibers to form a fleece.  
   
   
       22 . The device according to  claim 20 , wherein the outlet of the cutting device is connected to the suspension means by way of the liquid transport device.  
   
   
       23 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the outlet of the cutting device is connected to the suspension means by way of the liquid transport device.  
   
   
       24 . The device according to  claim 22 , wherein the syphon is immediately adjacent to the cutting device.  
   
   
       25 . The device according to  claim 20 , wherein the syphon comprises a downward limb and an upward limb connected by a horizontal intermediate portion.  
   
   
       26 . The device according to  claim 25 , wherein the horizontal intermediate portion of the syphon has a length that is equal to or greater than the length of the downward limb of the syphon.  
   
   
       27 . The device according to  claim 26 , wherein the length of the horizontal intermediate portion of the syphon is at least ten times longer than the length of the downward limb of the syphon.  
   
   
       28 . The device according to  claim 26 , wherein the length of the horizontal intermediate portion of the syphon is at least thirty times longer than the length of the downward limb of the syphon.  
   
   
       29 . The device according to  claim 25 , wherein the downward limb and the upward limb of the syphon have lengths that are essentially equal.  
   
   
       30 . The device according to  claim 21 , wherein the liquid transport device further comprises a portion configured as a tube leading from the syphon to the suspension means.  
   
   
       31 . The device according to  claim 30 , wherein the tube portion comprises a downward partial section.  
   
   
       32 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein the downward partial section of the tube portion leads downward in an essentially vertical manner.  
   
   
       33 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein the syphon comprises a downward limb and an upward limb connected by a horizontal intermediate portion and the vertical dimension of the downward partial section of the tube portion is essentially equal to a vertical dimension of a limb of the syphon.  
   
   
       34 . The device according to  claim 31 , wherein the downward partial section changes into a further partial section leading to the suspension means.  
   
   
       35 . The device according to  claim 34 , wherein the further partial section runs essentially horizontally.  
   
   
       36 . The device according to  claim 34 , which further comprises a downward bulge provided at a transitional point between the downward partial section and the further partial section.  
   
   
       37 . A process for producing cellulosic staple fibers, comprising the steps of (i) cutting freshly spun cellulosic filaments in a cutting device to produce staple fibers, (ii) transporting the staple fibers from an outlet of the cutting machine to a suspension means by a liquid transport device comprising a syphon and (iii) suspending the transported staple fibers to form a fleece in the suspension means.  
   
   
       38 . The process according to  claim 37 , wherein the cellulosic staple fibers are retained in the liquid transport device for a period of from two to forty seconds.  
   
   
       39 . The process according to  claim 38 , wherein the cellulosic staple fibers are retained in the liquid transport device for a period of from ten to thirty seconds.  
   
   
       40 . The process according to  claim 37 , wherein the staple fibers in the syphon have a flow rate of 0.15 to 2.0 m/s.  
   
   
       41 . The process according to  claim 40 , wherein the staple fibers in the syphon have a flow rate of 0.3 to 1.5 m/s.  
   
   
       42 . The process according to  claim 37 , wherein the liquid transport device comprises a portion configured as a tube leading from the syphon to the suspension means, said tube portion comprising a downward partial section and the fibers in the downward partial section are accelerated to a speed of 1 to 5 m/s.  
   
   
       43 . The process according to  claim 42 , wherein the fibers in the downward partial section are accelerated to a speed of 2 to 3 m/s.  
   
   
       44 . The process according to  claim 37 , wherein the cellulosic staple fibers are solvent-spun.  
   
   
       45 . The process according to  claim 37 , wherein the outlet of the cutting device is connected to the suspension means by way of the liquid transport device.  
   
   
       46 . The process according to  claim 45 , wherein the syphon is immediately adjacent to the cutting device.  
   
   
       47 . The process according to  claim 37 , wherein the syphon comprises a downward limb and an upward limb connected by a horizontal intermediate portion.  
   
   
       48 . The process according to  claim 47 , wherein the horizontal intermediate portion of the syphon has a length that is equal to or greater than the length of the downward limb of the syphon.  
   
   
       49 . The process according to  claim 48 , wherein the length of the horizontal intermediate portion of the syphon is at least ten times longer than the length of the downward limb of the syphon.  
   
   
       50 . The process according to  claim 48 , wherein the length of the horizontal intermediate portion of the syphon is at least thirty times longer than the length of the downward limb of the syphon.  
   
   
       51 . The process according to  claim 47 , wherein the downward limb and the upward limb of the syphon have lengths that are essentially equal.  
   
   
       52 . The process according to  claim 37 , wherein the liquid transport device further comprises a portion configured as a tube leading from the syphon to the suspension means.  
   
   
       53 . The process according to  claim 52 , wherein the tube portion comprises a downward partial section.  
   
   
       54 . The process according to  claim 53 , wherein the downward partial section of the tube portion leads downward in an essentially vertical manner.  
   
   
       55 . The process according to  claim 53 , wherein the syphon comprises a downward limb and an upward limb connected by a horizontal intermediate portion and the vertical dimension of the downward partial section of the tube portion is essentially equal to the vertical dimension of a limb of the syphon.  
   
   
       56 . The process according to  claim 53 , wherein the downward partial section changes into a further partial section leading to the suspension means.  
   
   
       57 . The process according to  claim 56 , wherein the further partial section runs essentially horizontally.  
   
   
       58 . The process according to  claim 56 , wherein the tube portion further comprises a downward bulge provided at a transitional point between the downward partial section and the further partial section.  
   
   
       59 . The process according to  claim 53 , wherein the staple fibers in the downward partial section of the tube portion are accelerated to a speed of from 1 to 5 m/s.  
   
   
       60 . The process according to  claim 59 , wherein the staple fibers are accelerated to a speed of from 2 to 3 m/s.