US1284922A - Machine for cleaning cotton and like material. - Google Patents

Description

J. OCONNELL.

MACHINE lFON CLEANING coIIoN'ANn LIKE MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2. 19H- '1N VEN TOR. Alpi/m mzzzeZZ. BY Z f- A TTORNE YS.

J. ocoNNELLI MACHINE FOR CLEANING COTTON AND LIKE MATERIAL.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27| 1911.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NVENTOR.

J. OCONNELL.

MACHINE FOR CLEANING COTTON AND LIKE MATERIAL. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27. I9I7.

" 1,284,922. PaIenIed Nov. 12,1918.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

W I TNESSES N V EN TOR,

A TTORNE YS.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

JOHN OCONNELL, OF COHOES, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 LOUIS A. AUMANN, 0F CHICOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOB, CLEANING COTTON AND LIKE MATERIAL.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

Application led March 27, 1917. Serial No. 157,603. j

fiber and the like, for example. The cotton' o eners, breakers, pickers, and finishing pickers are illustrative examples of machines -in which the invention may be embodied.

Although the inventionis capable of general application to any and all machines for cleaning cotton ber and the like, it will be described merely in one of its specific uses, namely, in connection with la cotton opener, for the purposes of illustration. My prior Patent No. 602,265, granted April 12, 1898,

-is an illustrative example of the prior art in cotton openers.

An object of the invention is to provide in a machine for cleaning cotton and the like means whereby the dust and lint removed in mixed condition from the cotton1 fibers may be separated, so that the useful lint may be reclaimed.

l Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine lfor cleaning cotton and the like means to separate the mixed dust andlint removed from the cotton fibers, together with means to carry the lint, thus separated, to and mix it with the cotton fibers, the construction being characterized by the, reclamation and utilization of the 'lint heretofore wasted.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a machine for cleaning cotton and the like generally improved means to remove the impurities from the cotton fibers.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved means of mounting the adjustable bars in the beater casing kof a machine for cleaning cotton and the like.

'A further objectof vthe invention is to provide in a cotton cleaning machine an improved means for mounting the grating and devices associated therewith to the `end that the impuritieslodging in the grating may be readily and effectively removed when desired Other objects and advantages will appear in the description to follow and will be pointed out in the annexed claims.

In the drawings- F igureA 1' is a sectional elevation of a cott0n opener embodying the invention;

Figs. 2 and -3 are sectional elevations of similar machines showing modified forms of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view illustrative of the mounting of the bars in the beater cylinder; and

Fig. 5 is a detail elevational view of Fig. 4.

lReferring to these drawings and particularly to Fig. 1, cotton in the lap as indicated by reference a is carried by a suitable conveyer 7 to a pair of feed rolls 8 which carry the lap therebetween to a beater casing 9. The beater bar 10 is rotatably mount- 'ed and coperates with adjustable bars 11 in the usual manner. A passage 12 leads from the beater casing to an exhaust cylinder 13, which is of the usual perforated drum construction and is mounted and driven in a manner well known by those skilled in thel art. A passage 14 connects the interior of cylinder 13 to a pipe 15 which in .turn is connected to a suitable power driven fan 16. The latter is arranged to exhaust cylinder 13 and to create a draft through the beater casing and passage 12 toward the exhaust cylinder in the usual manner.

Below the feed rolls 8 and adjustable bars 11 is a chamber 17, which is arranged to receive the heavier impurities in the cotton. Adjacent chamber 17 and below the beater casing 9 is a chamber 18 which is adapted to receive dust and other relatively light impurities from the cotton. At the top of chamber 18 is a screen 19 which constitutes the lower part of the beater casing. From the chamber 18, a passage 20 extends in upwardly `inclined relation toward the exhaust cylinder 13 and is connected by 'a downwardly inclined passage 21 to a chamber 22 below cylinder 13. The upper wall of passage 21 terminates closely adjacent cylinder 13 and only a relatively small passage 23 is left therebetween which extends to thedescribed passage 12. It will thus be seen that the suction from fan 16 also produces a suction through the passage 20. The air drawn in through beater bars 11, therefore, travels vin a divided path, some through passage 12 and some through screen 19 and passages 20 and 21. In order to regulate the draft created in the upper part of chamber 18, a pivoted damper 24 1s mounted 4adjacent the intersection of pas-l sage 20 with the chamber 18. Damper 24 may be held in various positions of adjustment by any suitable means, such, for example, as a Slotted arm 25, fixed on the pivot rod of the damper on the outside of the casing and removablyr held in position by a suitable bolt as indicated.

Above the exhaust cylinder 13 and movable'closely adjacent thereto is a relatively large operatlve relation with the latter is a smaller picker roll 28. Beyond rolls 27 and 28 is a passage 30 which leads to a vertically arranged pipe 31. A sector plate 32, mounted to swing independently on the axis of cylinder` 13 and movable closelyvadjacent the inner periphery of the latter, may be held invarious positions of adjustment by a slotted arm 33 and a suitable bolt connection to the frame of the machine. Plate 32 may be moved in an obvious manner to close off a certain portion of the perforations in cylinder 13 and its primary function to release the cotton from cylinder 13 at the proper time to the picker rolls 27 and 28. Thelatter are arranged to throw the cotton liber in loosened condition tol pipe 31 through which the fiber is carried to another` point or to another machine in a manner fully pointed out and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 157,602 filed March 27, 1917.

In certain instances, the cotton is to be transferred in lap form rather than automaticallyv in loosened condition as described. To accomplish this purpose, a second exhaust cylinder 35 is arranged above cylinder 13, as shown in Fig. 2, and is connected by a passage 36 to the pipe 15. The distance between adjacent portions of cylinders 13 and 35 is substantially equal to the thickness of the lap desired. The cotton opener shown in Fig. 2 ,is otherwise generally similar to that shown in Fig. 1, except that a grating or grid 37 is mounted in the lower part of passage 12. Grating 37 functions in the 4usual manner to receive between its bars any dirt or other impurities which may fall from the cotton fibers.

The grating 37 is, however, mounted in an improved manner. The grating 37 is pivoted at one end at 38 to the casing and at the other end has a suitable handle as shown, whereby the grating may bc swung upwardly. To permit access to the grating for this purpose, a hinged cover 39 is 'provided in the upper wall of passage 12. The screen 19 is also preferably hinged `as" indicated at 40. Thus, when screen 19 and grating 37 are raised, the dirt and otherimicker roll 27 and below and in co-l purities remaining belowv the grating may be conveniently brushed toward the beater casing and into the'chamber 18.

The cotton opener illustrated in Fig. 3 is substantially similar to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The variation from the opener shown in Fig. 2, consists in using a grating 41 similar in function to the described grating 27 but constructed in a different manner. The grating 41 is not movable for cleaning purposes as described but is provided with a chamber 42 therebelow into which the impurities collected in the grating may fall. At the bottom of chamber 42 is a hinged door 43 which is normally held closedv by an arm 44 fixed on a rod 45. Also secured to the latter is al weighted arm 46 which acts in an obvious manner to hold the door 43 in closed position. By lifting arm 46, door 43 is allowed to drop and discharge the contents into the passageway 20. The latter is necessarily lowered to provide for chamber 42 but otherwise functions as before. The damper 24 is also arranged in a slightly different manner but is adjustable as before to vary the suction through screen 19. Damper 24, when 'vertically positioned, is arranged to leave an open space between it and the left hand wall of chamber 18v so that the fine dirt falling from chamber 42 may pass therethrough into chamber 18. The inclination of passage 20 is made somewhat greater than that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 to facilitate the passage of the dirt along the passage 21 into chamber 18. 4

It will be noted that in Figs. 2 and 3, certain parts have been slightly changed from the positions shown in Fig. 1 without, however, altering the functions of the parts. Thus, in Figs. 2 and 3,'the passages 21 and 23 are slightly altered, but they still constitute downwardly and upwardly extending passages to connect passage 20 to the chamber 22 and passage 12 respectively. The pipe 15 in Fi s. 2 and 3 is connected to the fan 16 by a s ort horizontal pipe 47 rather than directly as in Fig. 1.

The bars 11 in the beater casing are adjustable in an improved manner, and this adjustment is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. Each grid bar 11 is pivoted at its ends at 48 to a pair of spaced plates 49, one only of which is shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Each plate 49 is connected to the inner wall of the side walls A of the casing by a pair of bolts 50. Plates 49 have slots to receive the bolts whereby the plates may be moved radially toward or away from ythe beaterbars 10. Thus'all of the bars 11 may be simultaneously operated to accomplish the radial adjustment. In additiomeach bar 11 is independently adjustable to vary its angular rclation to the beaterbar. .On each side. of each bar 11 is ay slotted `radius arm 51 which is held to plate 49 by a screw 52 passing through `the curved slot in the arm. It Willpthus be seen that each bar 11 may be independently moved to various positions of impurities therein, and these impurities fall directly through the openings between bars 11 into the chamber 17; The cotton fiber in loosened condition is carried through the beater casing and passage 12 by the suction created by fan 16. As the fibers travel over screen 19, other relatively light impurities therein may fall through the screen 'and the fibers are furthermore subjected not only to the suction through passage 12, but also to a downward suction,which latter suction aids in the removal of the relatively light impur-ities. These impurities passing through screen 19 have a straight gravity drop into the chamber 18.

Vith the impurities a certain amount of lint is carried through the screen although the meshes of the latter are sufficiently fine to prevent any large part of the cotton fiber itselffrom passing therethrough. This lint is customarily mixed with the impurities, and the mixture is of little or no value, some.- times being sold at a very low cost per pound. With the described structure, the lint being exceedingly light, `is carried b v suction into the passage 20. The suction effective to thus carry the lint is regulable by damper 24 and is not sufiicient to carrv the ydirt and other impurities with. the lint. y The impurities, being heavy relatively as compared with the lint, fall to the bottom of chamber 18. Neither is the suction sufficient to prevent the effective passage of the cotton fibers to the exhaust cylinders through passage 12, although it does act in opposition to the main suction at the screen 19. The arrangement to subject the cotton to opposite forces is useful in loosening and agitatino' the fibers so that the impurities may be efficiently extracted therefrom.'

The lint drawn through screen 19 is thus separated from the major portion of the impurities and is deflected into the passage 20. Asthe lint travels through passage 20, further opportunity is afforded for separation of impurities therefrom by a gravity action due to the upward inclination of the passage toward theexhaust cylinders. At the end of passage 20, the light lint is drawn to the periphery of exhaust cylinder 13, while the remaining impurities therein tend to fall intol the downwardly inclined passage 21 into chamber 22.

The cotton fibers travel through passage 12 in much the usual manner, and, when the gratings 37 and 41 are used as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, any impurities in the fibers passing through main passage 12 willlodge in the gratings from whence they may be removed from time to time as already set forth. The fibers are drawn to the exhaust cylinder 13 and are met by and mixed with the lint collected upon lower travel of cylinder 13 as described. The lint is carried in a fine layer on the periphery of exhaust cylinder 13 and travels freely through the upwardly directed passage 23. The lint and cotton fibers thus mixed together are carried by exhaust cylinder 13 in under a similar cylinder 35 and by the coaction of the cylinders are brought into lap form in the usual manner.

The lint may be transferred to another point without first bringing it into lap form. When this is desired, the machine shown in Fig. 1 is used, wherein the cylinder 13 carries the mixed lint and cotton fibers to coacting picker wheels 27 and 28. .The latter re- ?move the cotton from cylinder 13, break it up again, and throw it through pipe 30 into a vertical pipe 31. The shutter 32 closes olf thesuction through the perforations of the exhaust cylinder 13 at locations where such suction is unnecessary and releases the layer of cotton on the cylinder from the holding force of the suction at the proper time to be engaged by the picker wheel 28. Shutter 32, being adjustable, may be moved to vary the point on the periphery at which the cotton is released and, if moved, beyond the contacting part of wheel 28, will relieve the work on the wheel. This adjustment is of importance in varying the effectiveness of the picking off operation for different grades of' cotton as required.

The cotton thrown into pipe 31 is carried 'in vloosened condition to another point as dis- 'closed and claimed in the above identified copending application.

Thus, I have provided a machine for cleaning fibers such as cotton fiber or the like, for example, wherein the lint withdrawn from the cot-ton in mixed condition with the impurities may be separated and removed therefrom. The main invention, therefore, is characterized more particularly by providing means forv the reclamation of the lint lwhich has heretofore been lost and by the improved utilization of the lint by conveying it to and mixing it with the cotton fibers.

The invention has been described in a preferred form with detailed variations for the purposes of illustration. The scope of the invention is, however, defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing 'description- Vhat I claim is- 1. In a machine for cleaning cotton and the like, a casing to which cot-ton is supplied,

agitating means therein to loosen and separate the fibers, means to convey the loosened fibers through the casing, means to Aremove impurities from the fibers as they pass through the latter, and means providing a distinct path for separating from the removed impurities the lint therein.

2; In a machine for cleaning cotton and the like, a casing to which cotton is supplied, agitating means therein to loosen and separate the fibers, means to convey the loosened fibers through the casing, means to remove impurities from the fibers as they pass through the latter, and means providing a distinct path for separating the lint Vfrom the removed impurities whereby it is conveyed to a desired point ,in the casing.v

3. In amachine for cleaning cotton and the like, a casing to which cotton 1s supplied, agitating means therein to loosen and separate thel fibers, means to convey the loosened fibers through the casing, means to remove impurities from the fibers as they pass through the latter, and means to separate the lint from the removed impurities and convey it to and mix it with the cleaned cotton in the casing.

4. In a machine for cleaning cotton and the like, a beater casing, revoluble beater bars therein, other bars with which the beater bars coperate to loosen and agitate the fibers, a screen inV said.casing through which impurities in the fibers may fall, and

means toseparate the lint from the impurities as they fall through said screen.

v 5. In a machine for cleaning cotton and the like, a beater casing, revoluble beater bars therein, other bars with which the beater bars coperate to loosen and agitate the fibers, an exhaust cylinder, means to convey the fibers thereto, a screen in the beater casing, through which impurities may fall, means to remove lint from the impurities as they fall from said screen and to convey the lint to the exhaust cylinder, Whereby the lint may be mixed with the cotton fibers.

6. In a machine for cleaning cotton and the like, a beater casing, beater bars therein arranged to agitate and loosen the fibers of the cotton, a screen associated with said casing, an exhaust cylinder, suction means, a passage from the latter to the beater casing whereby the cotton may be drawn to the exhaust cylinder, a passage from sald means extending to and below the screen, and a dust chamber below the latter and the lastnamed passage, all constructed and arranged so that the lint and impurities passing through the screen are separated and the former is conveyed to the exhaust cylinder.

7. In a machine for cleaning cotton and the like, a beater casing, beater arms therein arranged to agitate and loosen the fibers of the cotton, a screen associated with the casing through which lint and impurities may fall in mixed condition, a chamber to receive the impurities, and means to create a draft passing below said screen and above the chamber to separate and remove the lint from the impurities.

8. In a machine for cleaning cotton and the like, a beater casing, beater arms therein arranged toagitate and loosen the fibers' IScreen associated wit-h the casing through which impurities may pass, a chamber to receive the impurities, means to create a draft4 -across the upper part of the chamber and below the screen, whereby the lint may 'be separated from the impurities, and a passage through which the lint may be conveyed bysaid last named means, and means to vary the draft created by the latter.

10. In a machine for cleaning cotton and the like a beater casing, agitating means therein to loosen the fibers of the cotton, a4

screen associated with the casing through which impurlties may pass, a chamber to recelve the impuritles, meansv to create a draft across the upper part of the chamber and'below the screen, whereby the lint may be separated from the impurities, andV a passage upwardly inclined from the cham,- ber, through which the lint may be conveyed by said last named means, and means to vary the draft created by the latter.

11. In a machine for cleaning cotton and the like, a beater casing, agitating means vtherein to loosen the fibers of the cotton, a

screen associated with the casing through which impurities may pass, a chamber to receive the impurities, an exhaust cylinder, means to convey the cotton thereto, means to create a draft across the upper part of the chamber and below the screen, whereby the lint may be separated from the impurities, and a passage extending from the chamber to the exhaust cylinder, through which the lint may be conveyed by said last-named means to the exhaust cylinder, a dust chamber below the latter, a downwardly inclined passage from the first-named passage to the last-named chamber through which impurities in the lint may fall to the latter.

12. In a machine for cleaning cotton and the like, a beater casing, revoluble beater arms therein, a screen in said casing, a dust chamber below the latter, a source of suetion at a distance from the beater casing, and divided passages from said means to the beater casing, beginning respectively above and below said screen, all constructed and arranged for `the conveyance of cotton fibers from the beater casing by one passage and for the separation of-llnt from the im- 10 purities falling into said chamber and for the shunting of the separated lint by the other passage to the stream of cotton fibers,

JOHN OCONNELL.

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