US1721932A - Cotton-cleaning assembly - Google Patents

Description

July 23, 1929. J. A. STREUN COTTON CLEANING ASSEMBLY Filed April 11, 1927 sne ts-sheet 1 mm wag July 23, 1929.

J. STREUN COTTON CLEANING ASSEMBLY Filed April 1 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 a. saw

Patented .liuly 23, was.

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J OHN ARNOLD STREUN, 0F SHERMAN; TEXAS, ASSIGNOR T0 HARDWICKE-ETTER COM- PANY, 01E SHERMAN, TEXAS.

common-cumulus- ASSEMBLY.

Application filed April. 11, 1927. Serial No. 182,635.

My invention relates to cotton cleaners for use in eliminating dirt and trash from cotton before it is fed to the-gin for separating the lint from the seed.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, the cotton picked in the field and delivered to the gin for ginning is received by the gin in various conditions, some being comparatively clean and open, while other cotton coming to the gin is mixed with a large amount of trash and may be only partly open and difiicult to clean. It is, therefore, necessary in order to prepare the cotton for ginning that the cleaner which is employed for preparing the cotton should be so equipped as to handle all grades of cotton. This is made necessary through changes in weather or climate and through the fact that cotton comes from various localities to the gin and in different localities different grades of cotton are raised.

It is the principal object of my invent-ion to provide an apparatus for cleaning cotton which is adapted to handle all grades and conditions of cotton delivered to the gin and to prepare the cotton for ginning with the least possible amount of handling, so that the cotton lint need not be damaged by excessive treatment and cleaning Where such cleaning is not required.

It is a further object to provide the passage through which the cotton is carried on its way to the gin so equipped with valves and bypasses that the cotton may be directed through the proper channels with a minimum of manipulation on the part of the operator;

It is desired that the cleaning structure be simple and compact in arrangement and adapted to provide a maximum of cleaning action upon the cotton with the least possible amount of deterioration of the cottondue to handling.

The invention resides largely in the particular construction and arrangement of the parts and the connecting devices whereby my invention is made effective.

Referring for a more particular knowledge of the invention to the drawings accompanying the specification, Fig. 1 is a side View largely in elevation and illustrating my cleaning assembly with the sides-0f the housing removed and the operating pulleys omitted. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of them vention; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the conveyor rolls employed in the hulling attachment and illustrating the arrangement of the brushing conveyers employed therewith. Like numerals of reference are employed to designate like parts in all the views.

The subject matter of the present application is somewhat similar to the disclosure in my prior co-pending application, Serial No. 56,614, filed September 16, 1925, which has resulted inPatent N 0. 1,630,638. I

In carrying out my invention, it is first desired that the cotton be delivered to the cleaning devices in such manner as not to damage the cotton lint in any way and to remove therefrom some of the dust and dirt included with the cotton. I A

An upper housing 1, shown in Fig. 1-, is

employed above the cleaner. This housing is adapted to contain a cylindrical drum 2 with the outer wall thereof foraminated so as to allow the passage of air and dust therethrough from the outer side to the inner side. The drum is mounted upon the shaft 3 supported in the housing. The ends of the drum are connected with the suction fan or other means for creatingan inward draught through the flue or pipe 4 leading to the housing. The cotton is thus drawn in through the said flue 4and against the foraminated walls of the drum 2; so as to carry the dust and finer trash through the drum and out through the ends thereof.

Belowthe drum 2 is a rotatable shaft 5 having thereon rotatable valve or suction member 6. This valve is made up of a plurality of radial flights having at their outer ends a strip 7 of flexible material which is adapted to contact with thecylindrical walls 8 of the housing. It will be'seen that when roll. The said breaker roll has a series of teeth 13 thereon which are adapted to mesh with the teeth 14 upon a plate or concave secured to the frame of the housing 50. Thus cotton delivered upon the breaker roll will be carried in the direction of rotation between the teeth 14 of the concave and unbroken bolls and burs will be broken up so that when carried upwardly along the screen 15 the trash and dirt will be partially eliminated.

I have shown four of the picker rolls 12, arranged as previously stated, in a line inclined upwardly from the breaker roll. The screen 15 below the rolls is curved to conform to the shape of the rolls so that the cotton will be rubbed and carried beneath the I adjacent rolls and be-eventually delivered through an opening, indicated at 16, at the upper end of the housing. The picker rolls 12 are cylindrical in shape and mounted on shafts 17 and journaled for rotation of the housing and having radial teeth 18 thereon to engage with and move the cotton along the screen below it. Below the rolls 11 and 12 is an inclined lower wall 19 on the housing leading to a trash flue 20 by means of which the dirt and trash passing the screen 15 may be conducted from the housing.

As the cotton is delivered through the opening' 16, it passes into a chamber 21 which is a valve chamber. The two opposite openings 22 and 23 to this chamber are adapted to be closed by valves 24 and 25 respectively. These valves comprise plates extending the full width of the housing and of a size to close the said openings 22 and 23, said valves being pivoted on rods 26 at their lower ends, said rods being adapted to be rotated so as to vary the position of the valves. When the two valves are in erect posit-ion, as shown in Fig. 1, the cotton will pass directly downward upon a conveyer roll 27. If the valve 24 is left closed, as shown, and the valve 25 is moved into dotted line position, the cotton will pass through the opening 23 into a chute 28. If, however, the valve 25 is left closed but the valve 2 is opened into dotted line position, the cotton may be delivered through the opening 22 into a chute 29.

If the cotton is particularly dirty and the hulls thereon adherent to the cotton lint, the

- cotton after passing the cleaning rolls 12 will be delivered upon the conveyer 27. Referring to Fig. 2, it will be noted. that the conveyor 27 carries the cotton through the side of the housing to the huller. The huller com- 'the end of the said roll, leaving an opening at 35 through which the cotton hulls may be delivered to the lower roll 32. Beneath over which the cotton is carried by the convey,er roll 32. It is to be understood, of course, that the rolls 31 and 32 are rotated in a direction to carry the cotton from left to right in the upper roll in Fig. 3 and from right to left on the roll 32, as shown in Fig. 3. Beneath the conveyer rolls 31 and 32 is a trash conveyer 37 of screw form adapted to carry the finertrash laterally from the housing.

' Referring now to Fig. 1, the cotton delivered upon the upper rolls 31 will be carried along the face of a saw cylinder 38 closely adjacent thereto, the said saw cylinder having short teeth 39 thereon to engage with the lint upon the cotton and remove it from the hulls and trash carried along the trough 34 of the conveyer roll. The cotton passing from the upper conveyer roll 31 to the lower roll 32 will be carried back again across the face of the saw cylinder 38 and by thus passing twice across the face of the cylinder, all cotton lint will be removed from the hulls and trash and carried upwardly away upon the teeth of the saw cylinder.

Above the saw cylinder 38 is a baffle roll 40. This roll is adapted to rotate in the same direction as the saw cylinder. It has a series of radial flights 41 which extend to a line closely adjacent to the teeth of the saw cylinder and in rotating are adapted to contact with any hulls or bolls carried upwardly with the cotton lint and to knock the said bolls backwardly upon the conveyer roll 31. In this manner trash is prevented from being carried with the cotton lint away from the hulls and trash upon the conveyer rolls.

The cotton is removed from the saw cylinder by the brushing roll 42, of ordinary construction, and is delivered by said brushing roll upon a conveyer 43.

The conveyer screw 43 extends the full length of the huller housing, as shown best in Fig. 2. It rotates in such a direction as to carry the cotton thus cleaned back again into the main housing of the cleaner. The cotton is delivered by the conveyor screw 43 into a lower chamber 44, shown best in Fig. 1.

The chamber 44 is similar to the chamber 10 above. It has a series of picker rolls 45 therein arranged in a row inclined upwardly from the point where the cotton is received. the upper roll being adapted to deliver the cotton into. the lower end 46 of the chute 29. These picker rolls have a screen 47 below them similar in all respects to the screen 15 and the picker rolls are rotated in such direction as to carry the cotton from one roll to the next along the screen 47 so as to sift out from the cotton any dirt which may remain in the lint. The cotton will thus be submitted to a thorough cleaning before it is discharged into the chamber 46 upon a conveyer belt 48, which is understood as carrying the cotton lint to any one or more gins where it is to be separated from the seed.

Where the valves 24 and 25 are manipulated to discharge the cotton into the chute 28, it will be seen that the cotton will be carried downwardly and discharged into the chamber 44 where it will be submitted to the cleaning action of the rolls and delivered to the conveyer without having to pass through the huller attachment. Where the valves are arranged to discharge the cotton from the chamber 21 into the chute 29 directly, it will receive no cleaning other than that received in the chamber 10 under the action of the rolls 11 and 12 therein. It will thus be understood that the cotton entering through the flue 4 to the feeder cleaner within the housing 1 will be submitted to a slight cleaning action in the housing 1, due to the suction from the housing, of dust and smaller trash. It will be delivered from this housing into the chamber 10, where it will be broken upand carried over the screen, 15 through the action of the picker rolls 12. The dust and trash, which is loose within the cot ton, will be thus shaken and sifted from the cotton and carried away through the outlet 20. If the cotton is in good condition and fairly clean, it may need no further cleaning than is obtained Within this chamber, and if so, it may be discharged directly into the chute 29 to the conveyer belt 48. If, however,

the cotton needs some further cleaning, but

does not necessarily have to pass through the huller, the valves 24 and 25 may be arranged to discharge the cotton through the chute 28 and thus submit it again to a similar cleaning action to that which was received in the chamber 10, by passing into the chamber 44 and to thenpass up over the screen 47 for a further cleaning action. After which it will be delivered to the conveyer belt. If, how- 7 ever, the cotton is to be submitted to the action of the huller it will be delivered to the conveyer 27 and pass through the hulling attachment in themanner already described. In its passage through this portion of the .machine, the hulls and trash will be thoroughly removed from the cotton and the cotton may then be delivered to the picker rolls 45 and the dirt and trash further removed in its passage through this chamber.

' The advantages of the device lie in the convenient arrangement by means of which the cotton may be cleaned selectively as becomes necessary due to the state of the cotton as it enters the machine. It will be possible to sub- .mit all grades of cotton delivered to the machine to such cleaning action as may be necessary to fit it for the ginning operation. This may be done with a minimum manipulation and effort on the part of the operator.

The further advantages of the device will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a cotton cleaner, the combination of a feeder, a cleaning chamber, and a valve chamber arranged to successively receive the per and lower ends, lateral opposite chutes opening into said chamber, a valve member to close each chute opening, said'valves being so positioned as to control the opening and closing of the lower end of said valve chamber whenever either of said lateral chutes is open whereby the cotton may be directed to various passages for treatment.

3. In a cotton cleaner, a cleaning chamber, means to feed cotton thereto, means in said cleaning chamber to move the cotton alon a foraminated screen, a valve chamber at t e discharge end of said cleaning chamber, valves in the side walls of said valve chamber to control the direction of travel of the cotton, a cotton huller connected with said chamber, the opening thereto from the valve chamber being open when said valves are in closed position.

4. In a cotton cleaner, a housing, a cleaning device therein, a valve chamber adapted to receive cotton from said cleaning device, means to control the passage of cotton through said chamber, lateral chutes opening. from said valve chamber, a laterally extending conveyer at the lower end of said chamber, a saw cylinder therein, means to receive COt, ton from said conveyer and move it longitudinally of said saw cylinder, means to receive cotton from said cylinder, means to, move said cotton back to saidhousing, and means to fur- .ther clean said cotton.

5. In a cotton cleaner, a housing, a cleaning device therein,-a valve chamber adapted to receive cotton from said cleaning device, said chambcr to said conveyor belt, may be further cleaned, or may be submitted to a hulling action as desired.

7 6. In a cotton cleaner, a series of cleaning rolls and a screen beneath them, in combination with a second set of similar cleaning rolls, a huller including a saw, means to move the cotton across the face of said saw and means to deliver the cotton therefrom to said second cleaning rolls, a conveyor, and means to selectively direct the cotton from said first series of cleaning rolls to said conveyer, or by way of said huller and said second cleaning rolls to said conveyor, or by way of said second cleaner alone to said conveyor, as desired. p

7. In a cotton cleaner, a cleaning chamber, means to feed cotton thereto, an upwardlv inclined foraminated screen, a plurality of picker rolls rotatable above said screen to advance the cotton along said screen, a valve chamber adjacent the said screen, said chamber having two side outlets and a bottom outlet, valves pivoted at the lower side of each side outlet to swing across said chamber and direct the cotton from said screen to any one of the three outlets, a conveyor belt at one of said outlets, a second cleaning chamber connected with one of said side outlets, and a huller attachment connected with another of said outlets, whereby said cotton may be controlled to obtain repeated cleanings or hullings as desired.

8. In a device of the character described including a housing, a series of cleaning rolls tributer belt, cleaning devices disposed in said second chute, a chute leading from the bottom of said chamber to said second chute cleaning devices, and a huller device disposed in said bottom chute.

9. In a cotton separator and cleaner, means to clean the cotton, means to break up the hulls, and means to selectively direct the cotton thru any one of three courses of treatment.

10. A cotton cleaning and separating device, including means whereby the cotton may be subjected to three types of treatment, and means to selectively direct the cotton thru one of said first means.

11. In a device of the character described, a means to feed the cotton thereto, a cleaner thru which the cotton must pass, and means to receive the cotton from said cleaner whereby it may be selectively directed to a conveyor belt, a cleaner or a huller.

12. In a device of the character described, a means to feed cotton thereto, a cleaner thru which the cotton must pass, and means to receive the cotton from said cleaner whereby it may be selectively directed to a conveyor, a second cleaner, or a huller and said second cleaner.

13. In a cotton cleaner, a feeder, a cleaner, means to receive the cotton from said cleaner including a valve chamber, a plurality of openings therefrom, and a pair of oppositely disposed valves operable to direct the cotton thru any one of said openings.

14. In a device of the character described, a feeder device, a series of breaker and cleaner rolls, means to receive the cotton from said rolls by gravity and selectively direct it to a belt, a cleaner, or a huller.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 4th day of April, A. D. 1927.

JOHN ARNOLD STREUN.

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