OA11255A - Cotton ginning apparatus and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and apparatus for ginning harvested seed cotton comprising the steps of: introducing harvested seed cotton including lint and seed on to the upper surface of a lower rotating plate (3); rotating said plate to thereby carry said harvested seed cotton towards the leading edge (29) of a knife positioned at a defined distance above said lower rotating plate such that the cotton seed is drawn/combed under the knife edge (27); extracting line separated from said harvested seed cotton from a rearward facing edge of said knife; and collecting said seed from the leading edge of the knife.

Description

I 01125b

COTTON GINNING APPARATUS AND METHOD

This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for ginning 5 cotton. Cotton ginning is the process of separating the cotton lint from theseed after harvesting of the cotton. Generally the ginning is carried outlocally to the cotton fields in central ginneries.

Two principal methods of ginning cotton exist being a roller method 10 and a saw method. In the former case the rolled ginned cotton has a horizontal eut which does not damage the staple giving a better product; in the latter case the material is eut vertically which tears and damages the staple but the process is faster. Apparently presently used varies between small inefficient units using old technology requiring much maintenance 15 and high power input, and high cost comprehensive machinery requiring* a volume input to be effective.

In known roller ginning machines a conveyor drops material intohoppers on top of and feeding the gin. The output of each gin is 20 transported; the lint being baled and the seed crushed for oil. The process opérâtes by bringing the cotton into contact with a leather roller to which the fibres adhéré and thereafter dragging the cotton past a fixed knife

DUPLICATA 01125b λ pressed against the roller. A reciprocating knife above the fixed knife séparâtes the lint (fibre) front the seed, the latter dropping through a grid and the lint being stripped away front the leather roller by a rotating bladed stripper. 5

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a ginning machinefor cotton, although use for other products is not excluded, whichproduces the quality attributed to roller ginning processes but which is ofsimpler construction and requires less expertise and, maintenance in 10 operation. An advantage of the machine of this invention is that higheroutput may be achieved both in ternis of throughput in relation to size andrelative to power consumption.

According to this invention, and in one aspect, there is provided a 15 cotton ginning apparatus comprising an upper fixed plate and a lowerrotating plate in substantially horizontal parallel superimposed relationshipand defining a gap therebetween, the upper (fixed) plate having means tointroduce harvested seed cotton including lint and seed fed to the uppersurface 'thereof to the gap between the plates, the upper plate having a 20 number of zones each being provided with a cutting edge forming a knife on the lower surface thereof, the arrangement being such that when cotton is introduced into said gap during relative rotation of the plates and moved 1

DUPLICATA 3 011255 past the said cutting edge, lint is progressively severed from the seed, thesevered lint (staple) being extracted and the seed being collectable in aseparate réceptacle. 5 In a First embodiment the seeds are retained in grooves on the upper surface of the lower plate with slots through the plate.

In a second embodiment the seeds are transported or carried on the lower rotating plate towards the blade affixed to the upper plate and the« 10 lint part of the cotton seed is drawn/combed under the affixed blade by aleather/cotton composite pad.

The présent invention also provides a method of ginning harvestedseed cotton comprising the steps of: 15 a) introducing harvested seed cotton including lint and seed on to the upper surface of a lower rotating plate; b) rotating said plate to thereby carry said harvested seed cottontowards the leading edge of a knife positioned at a defined distance above said lower rotating plate such that the cotton seed is20 drawn/combed under the knife edge; c) extracting lint separated from said harvested seed cottonfrom a rearward facing edge of said knife; and

DUPLICATA ’ 011255 d) collecting said seed from the leading edge of the knife.

In order to explain this invention more fully and in greater detailan embodiment is described hereinafter with particular reference to the5 drawings showing schematically an apparatus by way of example. In the drawings

Figure 1 shows in side élévation and schematically a constructionof a fïrst embodiment of a ginning machine according to the présent io invention;

Figure 2 shows in plan view the feeder plate;

Figure 3 shows in plan view the rotating plate of one embodiment;

Figure 4 shows in plan view the seed collection plate;

Figure 5 shows in plan view the motor support plate; 15 Figure 6 shows in perspective one knife block; f

Figure 7 shows a fragmentary sectional view of the knife block,feeder plate and rotating plate on A-A as shown in Figures 2 and 3;

Figure 8 shows a detail of the knife block edge;

Figure 9 shows a modified construction of a rotating plate; 20 Figure 10 shows a second embodiment of a ginning apparatus according to the présent invention;

DUPLICATA 011255

Figure 11 shows an alternative design of rotor; :

Figure 12 shows an alternative design of upper plate:

Figure 13 shows in side élévation the blade arrangement of theapparatus of Figure 10; 5 Figure 14 shows in plan view the lower blade surface; and

Figure 15 shows in side élévation an alternative lower blade structure.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings a .ginning machine10 according to this invention is shown in side view and schematically. Themachine has an electric drive motor 1 mounted on a fîxed spyder plate 5and connected to a drive shaft 10 through a flexible coupling 11. Abovethe plate 5, which is fîxed to frame 6, is positioned a fîxed seed collectionand discharge plate 4 with aperture 41 to allow the ginned seed to -pass 15 through to be collected. Plate 4 has a central aperture 42 to allow the t motor drive shaft to pass therethrough.

Located above fîxed plate 4 is a rotating plate 3 coupled with shaft10, this plate is located a defrned spaced distance below a fîxed feed plate 20 2. Feed plate 2 has a central aperture 25 supporting a bearing assembly 13 for the shaft 10.

DUPLICATA b 01125b

The shaft 10 extends upwardly and may be used to drivethe known scarifiers or masticators which are located above the unit. A feed duct assembly 21 for harvested cotton is located above the 5 plate 2 and is generally of a known construction serving to introduce thecotton to be ginned. The duct 21 divides into four branches, two onlybeing shown, 22 and 23. The feed plate 2 has four knife blocks 24 spacedalong each side with a central aperture for free passage of shaft 10 (Figure2). Each knife block is fed by a branch (22,23) of the duct 21. 10

The rotating plate 3 positioned below feed plate 2 has four zones 31 each comprising a sériés of parallel grooves 32 extending outwardlyand a central coupling 33 connected with the drive shaft 10. The grooves 32 lead down to slots 34 passing through the plate (Figure 7). In Figure 15 7 a section is shown on A-A of Figures 2 and 3 when the plates 2 and 3 f are assembled that is looking towards the centre axis of each plate.

As shown more clearly in Figure 7, the fixed feeder plate 2 hasfour apertures each of which receives a knife block 24. Each block is 20 supported by side flangcs 26 which rest on the plate surface and which may be shimmed to provide adjustment. The block 24 has slots or is otherwise machined to provide knife-likc cutting edges 27. Separate knife

DUPLICATA *7 01125b blades can be provided mounted on the block. The cotton seed to beginned S enters the knife block 24 along a side entrance aperture I and isdrawn by the rotating plate 3 into the holding channel formed by taper 29at the leading edge of the knife block 24 (Figure 8). When the leading 5 edge of the first groove 321 in plate 3 arrives the seed S is drawn in andtrapped in the groove and dragged beneath the knife block 24, the seedbeing pulled upward against the edges 27 by drag between the rotatingplates. The cotton lint is thus progressively severed and removed bysuccessive actions of the edges 27. Each succeeding edge tums the seed 10 to présent a fresh area of lint which is eut. Stripped seed passes throughthe slots 34 and a scrapper blade 28 at the outlet end O of the knife block 24 removes any lint on the seed and deflects the lint upwards through an aperture at this end of the block to be drawn away by suction. The blade 28 ensures that the seed is clearly separated and forced in a downward 15 direction and not dragged out of the grooves to the outlet. The separated* seed drops through slots 34 and collects on plate 4 and a sweeper bladeor paddle (not shown) on the underside of the plate 3 moves the seed tothe aperture 41 in plate 4 for discharge. 20 The cotton lint separated from the seed in this process and leaving through the outlet O is removed using a known vacuum suction System operating through ducts 35 and feeding a baler (not shown).

DUPLICATA δ 011255

In contrast to the known methods of separating the cotton lint ftomthe seed this invention adopts a principle of guiding the cotton betweentwo horizontal and relatively rotating plates, one having a sériés of cuttingedges, and the other having grooves. The lint is severed progressively5 from the seed which is separated. This surprisingly simple method andconstruction avoiding leather rollers and other critical parts, has givenexcellent results and is simple to set-up and adjust as well as requiring relatively little power. As may be appreciated a number of units may beused in parallel according to the volume of cotton to be processed. 10

In a practical construction the plates are about 1 m in diameter and19 mm thick with the knife blocks 24 and grooved areas 32 being some330 mm long and 280 mm wide. The knife block preferably has fivecutting edges or separate blades but this number is variable. The gap 15 between the plates 2 and 3 is set accurately by trials which can be easjlycarried out and fine adjustment can be provided by shims on the knife blades under flanges ’ln Figure 9 a modification is disclosed for the rotating plate 3 and 20 in this construction possible distortions in the plate are avoided by providing a cast iron plate 3 with webs 90 on tire underside and four cut- out apertures 91 in the plate which support grooved and slotted Steel plate

DUPLICATA 7 011255 assemblies 92. The slots 32,34 may be provided between individual barson these plates 92 which can be adjusted in spacing to provide optimumperformance. In this construction the grooved zones 32,24 on plate 3 areformed by separate sub-assemblies 92 such as sheet métal units. 5

In a modification the edge of the knife block 24 adjacent the cuttingedge 27 may be chamfered.

In an example harvested cotton which has had ail field débris 10 (stones and twigs mainly) screened out and has been broken up in ascarifier or masticator, is fed through the end of one of the four knifeblocks 24 plate 2. The material entering the gap between plates 2 and 3through the end of on of the four knife blocks 24 is fed into a groove inthe rotating plate and carried under the knife block where the knife edges 15 remove the lint from the seed. The lint then passes over the scraper knifeat the end of the knife block which guides it out of the exit at the other end of the knife block from where it first entered. At the same time as the lint passes over the scraper knife the seed with any remaining lintpasses tinder the scraper knife and the scraper knife removes any final bits 20 of lint remaining. The seed is now free to drop through the groove andany remaining lint is carried onto the next knife block and exits with thelint entering at that knife block which displaces the seed.

DUPLICATA 10 01125b

The lint which has exited from the side of the knife block in plate2 is taken away by a vacuum process which conveys the material to the baler. 5 The seed which is left behind falls into the groove 32 in the rotor 3 and passes through to plate 4. A paddle or flange on the underside ofplate 3 sweeps the seed towards an exit hole where it falls through to acollection area for bagging. * io A second embodiment is shown in Figure 10 in which similar parts

to Figure 1 are given the same reference numerals. The flexible bearingof Figure 1 is replaced by a twin bearing structure 102, 104 positionedeach side of an intermediate plate 106. This arrangement relieves stresson the motor 1. The motor 1 may be 6 to 10 horse power. The 6HP 15 motor is preferred for a rotor size of 1 métré (40 inches) and the 10HP for a rotor diameter of 1.5 métrés (60 inches). . The upper blade 2 has revised blade holder structures 108, 110.There may preferably be 2,4 or 8 such structures. 20 A feed hopper 112 is mounted above blade 2 and is provided in a preferred embodiment with a rotating strimmer 114. Feed chutes 116,118

DUPLICATA

Il 01125b feed the seed cotton down to the blade structure.

The seeds 120, once stripped of their cotton lint are collected inbags 122,124 and are ejected from the rotating plates 2,3 by a compressed 5 air jet as explained with reference to Figures 12 and 13. The compressedair and a vacuum for the apparatus may be supplied by known suitable means.

With reference now to Figure 11, a new design of rotor 3 is io diagrammatically shown. The rotor 3 preferably comprises a cast iron plate which has mounted on it a plurality of rotating blades 126-140.

Between each blade 126,128 etc is a sheet of leather or cotton composite or other suitable materials which preferably hâve no adverse effect to further processing such as dyeing 142-156 which acts to grip the cotton 15 and as the blade 3 rotâtes to drive it on to the fixed blade, as shown in*

Figure 12. The leather sheets will be substantially triangular in shape withan inner width (IW) of 3-4 inches and an outer width (OW) of 8-10inches. This is désirable because the cotton is moved by the friction onthe leather or cotton composite and the inner rotor moves at a 20 correspondingly lower speed thereby providing more friction grip which requîtes less leather. The upper plate surface will be substantially fiat with the leather and blades forming the fiat surface.' In Figure 14 an

DUPLICATA ιζ 011255 alternative design of leather mounting is shown but in Figure 11 theleather is glued or otherwise affixed rigidly to the upper plate in the gapsformed by the blades 126-140. 5 In a further embodiment the blades 126-138 may be set at a different angle as shown by the dotted lines 138'. This arrangement issuch that the rotating blades 126-138 meet with the fixed blades at anangle rather than square on and produce more or a scissor action. • 10 The upper fixed plate structure 2 shown in figure 12 comprises in a preferred embodiment a square plate 20 with rectangular apertures202,204...216 eut through the upper plate. The plate may be, forexample, ιΛ inch Steel plate and may be provided with fixing holes 220 to226 for fixing the plate to the frame 6 (Figure 1). Adjacent to each 15 aperture 202 to 216 is a blade arrangement 150 as shown in greater detailin Figures 13 and 14. Assuming a direction of rotation of the bottomplate as shown by the arrow, the blade structures 150 are positioned asshown in dotted outline 150’ by each aperture. The dimensions of theapertures for a 1.5 métré rotor are in a preferred embodiment 220 mm 20 wide by 417 mm long. Although shown equispaced, the position of the apertures may hâve to be slightly adjusted to ensure that the corner fixings 220 to 226 do not interfère with the seed éjection or vacuum extraction

DUPLICATA 01125b /3 apparatus 300 shown dotted in Figure 12.

Obviously for a pluraiity of aperture/blade arrangements a manifoldvacuum arrangement 302 will be required to feed to a lint collectionapparatus 304 and vacuum pump 306. these are shown dotted and themanifold 302 is illustrated for only two apertures but could readily bemodifted to exhaust ail eight apertures or a pluraiity of vacuumapparatuses could be used. *

In Figure 12 the air pipe 172 (see Fig. 13) is shown associated withblade unit 206 which provides the air to jet 172 to blow the seeds into theréceptacles.

This air pipe 172 may in a preferred embodiment be fed from amanifold 171 which also provides air for pipe 166. The manifold may beconnected to a ring manifold structure 1701 and fed by compressed airthrough inlet pipe 1701 which is preferably fed out via a corner 224 of theupper plate.

With reference now to Figures 13 and 14, each upper blade structure 150 comprise a support plate 152 attached to support plate 2, a blade support block 154 attached to block 152 and an upper blade 156.

DUPLICATA 011255

Upper blade 156 is adjustable using bolts 157,158 (only^one shown inFigure 12).

Lint eut from the cotton is output via outlet 160 .and is vacuum 5 sucked out by vacuum means (not shown), ' '

The inlet harvested seed cotton, including the seed and lint andpossibly other impurities such as parts of leaves, is dropped on to plate 3as indicated by arrows 162. Plate 3 rotâtes in the direction indicated by 10 arrow 164. Leather or cotton composite pads 144 etc “pick up” theharvested seed cotton and carry or transport it towards the blade 156. Thelint part of the seed cotton is then drawn/combed under the fixed bladeand the cutting action of the fixed blade and the rotating blade which areaffixed to the rotor alongside the leather pads sever the lint from the seed. 15 Cut lint passes between blade 156 and plate 3 and is vacuumed out at 160to vacuum apparatus 300-306. To assist in the cotton seed being forcedagainst blade 156 an air jet or jets is provided by a pipe 166 which hassmall holes 168 (Figure 13) to direct the jet as indicated by arrow 169.Air pipe 166 may be attached to a guide plate 170 which guides the cotton 20 seed.

DUPLICATA )5" 01125b

The seed 120, once stripped of the cotton lint are ejected by meansof a further air flow 174 provided by a pipe 172. This projects the seedinto bags 122-124 etc. 5 In an alternative arrangement for the lower plate 3 shown in Figure 15, the leather or cotton composite pads 144 etc may be arranged to bespring loaded so that as the pad wears, the wear will be taken up by theaction of springs 180. To mount the leather pad, a Steel plate 182 may beused which plate may be elongated at 184 to catch under an overhang 190 10 in each blade 128. The hinge at the other end may be provided by anysimple means such as a further extension 186 to plate 182 fixing under theadjacent blade 126 in a recess 188.

As the leather pad wears, so the spring 180 will push the leather 15 upwards, thereby ensuring good frictional contact with the cotton seed.

In this embodiment the lower blades 126 etc are freed to the plate 3 bysuitable screws 190. The gap between upper and lower knife edges is ina preferred embodiment between 2 to 6 thousandths of an inch. 20 In a further embodiment for certain types of harvested seed cotton it may not be necessary to hâve any blades on the rotating plate. The upper surface of the plate will be leather on a cotton composite which will

DUPLICATA

U 011255 by its rotary action throw the harvested seed cotton against the upper fixed blades thereby stripping the lint from the seed. The lint will pass under the fixed blade to be vacuum extracted as described above. 5 Each fixed blade has a feed chute (116, 118 etc) associated with it.

If the diameter of the rotor is increased for example to 2 métrés diameter then the number of blades and therefore feed chutes can be increased to for example twelve or more.

DUPLICATA

Claims (11)

17 claims 01 1 2 5 5

1. A cotton ginning apparatus including an upper fixed plate and alower rotating plate in substantially horizontal parallel superimposed 5 relationship and defining a gap therebetween, the upper fixed plate havingmeans to introduce harvested seed cotton including lint and seed fed to theupper surface thereof to the gap between the plates, the upper plate havinga number of zones each being provided with a cutting edge forming aknife on the lower surface thereof, the arrangement being such that whenîo cotton is introduced into said gap during relative rotation of the plates andmoved past the said cutting edge, lint is progressively severed from theseed, the severed lint (staple) being extracted and the seed being collectable in a separate réceptacle. 15

2. A cotton ginning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which the I lower rotating plate comprises a sériés of zones, each zone including acutting blade for coopération with the knives on the upper plate.

3. 'A cotton ginning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2 further 20 comprising guide plate means proximate to each upper plate knife edge forguiding the harvested cotton. DUPLICATA 18 011255

4. A cotton ginning apparatus as claimed in claim 3 further cômprisingcompressed air jet means attached to said guide plate, said jet means beingdirected towards the leading edge of the upper knife blade.

5 5. A cotton ginning apparatus as claimed in any one of daims 1 to 4 further cômprising vacuum suction means situated at the rearward edge ofsaid upper blade means for extracting the lint eut by said upper blade means. * io

6. A cotton ginning apparatus as claimed in any one of daims 2 to 5in which the lower plate comprises a plurality of blades each co-operatingwith said upper knife edges to form a plurality of scissor arrangements,the upper and lower knife edges being separated by a defined gap. 15

7. A cotton ginning apparatus as claimed in claim 6 in which the defined gap is between 2 to 6 thousandths of an inch.

8. A cotton ginning apparatus as claimed in claim 6 or 7 in which theplurality of blades in the lower plate are separated by a plurality of leather 20 or cotton composite pads ftxed between each blade, each leather or cotton composite pad serving to drive the lint part of the harvested seed cotton on to each upper knife blade to be separated from the seed. DUPLICATA Ie! 011255

9. A method of ginning harvested cotton seed comprising the steps of: a) introducing harvested seed cotton including lint and seed onto the upper surface of a lower rotating plate; b) rotating said plate to thereby carry said harvested seed cotton 5 towards the leading edge of a knife positioned at a defined distance above said lower rotating plate such that the cotton seed isdrawn/combed under the knife edge; c) extracting lint separated from said harvested seed cottonfrom a rearward facing edge of said knife; and , 10 d) collecting said seed from the leading edge of the knife.

10. A method of ginning harvested seed cotton as claimed in claim 9,comprising the step of : introducing harvested seed cotton at a plurality of locations on to15 the rotating plate for coopération with a plurality of knife edges.

11. A method of ginning harvested seed cotton as claimed in claim 9or 10 further comprising the step of extracting the lint by a vacuumprocess via a manifold System. DUPLICATA