GB404686A - Method of and means for opening, cleaning, and transporting cotton and such like fibrous materials - Google Patents

Abstract

404,686. Separating solid materials ; opening or cleaning cotton &c. BRITISH COTTON INDUSTRY RESEARCH ASSOCIATION, WILLIAMS, T. C., and SHORTER, S. A., Shirley Institute, Didsbury, Manchester. July 12, 1932, No. 19636. [Class 120 (i).] The component materials in a mixture are separated by finely dividing the mixture, producing a streamline flow, delivering the mixture into the streamline flow in such manner as not to disturb its streamline character, and conveying the mixture in such finely divided condition by the streamline flow it being otherwise unsupported, regulating the flow so that the less buoyant components fall or are flung out before the components having a greater buoyancy and maintaining the streamline character of the flow throughout the region where separation takes place. As applied to the cleaning and opening of cotton, raw cotton fed by a roller b, Fig. 1, over a feed plate a is opened by a saw-toothed roller c and then conveyed in a finely divided condition by a streamline air flow 1, the lint being carried up to the opening e while the trash separates in different grades in the tray i forming the base of the separating chamber h. A streamer plate d may be provided to divert the stream 1 into a curved path to assist the separation. Auxiliary air streams enter at 2, 3 while the lint is collected on a high speed dust-cage m, e.g., the cage described in Specification 317,592, [Class 120 (i), Spinning, Preparation &c. for]. A stripper o having an edge o<1> near the periphery of the roller c is provided to divert the material to the cage m while the cleaned cotton is delivered over a plate r into a collecting box s. Air drawn upwardly at 4 serves to lift the cotton on to the plate r. The opening roller c, fan shaft n<2> and dust-cage m are driven from a motor A, Fig. 2, by belts A<1>, A<2>, B, the feed roller b being driven through the shaft C<2> by gearing from the shaft B<1>. A spring pressed clutch is provided to start and stop this roller as required.