This invention relates to a vacuum cleaning system which is specifically intended for use in the removal of coarse fibres and lint from the bristle elements of a textile bristle bed using the bristle bed's own intrinsic vacuum system.

In the textile industry the cutting of large depth multilayers of cloth, to a particular shape or pattern, is achieved in mass production by doing the cutting on a Gerber (Trade Mark) bristle table or bed which incorporates its own vacuum system which holds the cloth in intimate contact with the top horizontal surface of the bristle heads. While such a bed forms no part of the present invention in itself an example of such a bed is shown in Figure 4 by way of illustration.

When a Gerber bed is in use the downward flow of air through the cloth to the tcp of the bed carries with it fine lint, fibres and size particles from the cutting operation and these carry on in the air stream, which is relieving the applied vacuum, and eventually block the bottom of the bed where the vacuum is applied. As

a result it is necessary periodically to carry out the task of cleaning, or de-blocking the bed which is a time consuming procedure.

There is therefore a need for a device which can carry out this operation quickly and efficiently.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a bristle bed cleaner.

Accordingly to the present invention there is provided a bristle bed cleaner comprising apparatus having means for connection to the vacuum system of a bristle bed machine to produce a reverse air flow through said system and having collection means to collect debris thereby ejected from the bristle bed.

Preferably the apparatus is portable being provided with a wheeled framework.

Preferably also the collection means comprises vacuum means on the apparatus.

More preferably, the vacuum means is mounted on an articulated arm arrangement such that the vacuum means can be selectively positioned on the bristle bed.

Preferably also handle means are provided on the arm arrangement for ease of operation.

Preferably also the apparatus includes an air reservoir to provide a balanced air flow.

The air reservoir preferably includes air filter means.

In the normal course of events, if this cleaner was not available, a reversal of flow in the bed would result in the expulsion of the dust and lint throughout the area of the factory in which the Gerber bed was housed.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-

Fig.l is a side elevation of a bristle bed cleaner in accordance with the present invention; Fig.2 is an end elevation of the bristle bed cleaner of Fig.l; Fig.3 depicts in plan the movements of the cleaning head of the invention in use on a Gerber table.

Referring to the drawings the bristle bed cleaner comprises a framework 1 which terminates at floor level in a set of castor mountings 2 and four resilient treaded castors 3. Within this framework 1 there is mounted a drum 4, which acts as the balancing reservoir for the low pressure air flow, and which contains a filter 5 whose condition can be monitored via the inspection window 6. The vacuum source to power the cleaner is derived from the Gerber table's intrinsic vacuum duct 7 and connection is made though a side connection 8 by means of the flexible ducting 9. With the vacuum source in place it is now possible to create ' a" partial vacuum throughout the bristle bed cleaning apparatus from the point 10 where it enters the balancing reservoir to its outlet 11 where it joins a moveable jointed duct which can be made to traverse every position on a Gerber table. This duct system

consists of two parts 12 and 13 which are aligned by means of swivel joints which are vacuum tight. At the filter drum end of the system the ducting 12 is connected to a base plate 14 by means of a bearing assembly 15 which in fact constitutes a 360 swivel vacuum joint, the other end of the part 12 terminates in a mid-bearing assembly 16 which acts as its joint to the part 13. This part 13 terminates in a vacuum plate 17 which is connected to the part 13 by the use of a hood 18 and a hood bearing assembly 19. In use over the Gerber table it is necessary to provide a duct support tube 20 and a smooth skid plate 21 so that the flange linked parts 12 and 13 can be easily made to traverse the table top by use of the handle 22. Figure 3 illustrates how the vacuum plate 17 can be made to track any part of the table where 23 and 24 represent the extremes of both width and length.

When the table has been cleaned it is apparent from the above description how this embodiment can easily be de- coupled from the Gerber vacuum duct and then wheeled to the next table for a repeat of the operation. During research and development the described embodiment has been used successfully on Gerber tables which were cutting polyester/cotton, segmented polyurethane stretch fabric and "pre-pregs" of carbon fibres as used in aircraft construction. Even in the latter case where the fibres are tacky the bristle bed was successfully cleaned.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.