US1514044A - Cotton-cleaning machine - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 4 s 1924' V. D. HARLAN COTTON CLEANING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1923 7 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNE YS NOV; 4 a

V. D. HARLAN COTTON CLEANING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22 19% 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR A TTORNE YS NgvQ} V. D. HARLAN COTTON CLEANING MACHINE TSheet-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 22, 1923 IN VEN TOR IQZHarZaw A TTORNE YS Nov. 4 1924.

V. D. HARLAN COTTON CLEANING MACHINE Filed Aug 22,

1923 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 IN VEN TOR A TTOR'NE YS Nov. 4 1924- V. D. HARLAN COTTON CLEANING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22 1923 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR I/LFIHQI'ZQFV ATTORNEYS Nov. 4 1924- V. D. HARLAN COTTON CLEAN 1 MG MACHINE] INVEN'I'OR A TTOR NE YS Patented Nov. 4, 1924.

UNITE Sl'TES VAN DGN l-IARLAN, OF HUMPHREY, ARKANSAS.

COTTON-CLEANING 'MACHINE.

Application filed August 22, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VAN DON HARLAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Humphrey, in the county of Jefierson and State of Arkansas,.have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gotton-Cleaning Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to acotton cleaning machine.

The object of the invention is to provide a machine or apparatus whereby suction may be employed for cleaning cotton in an exceedingly efilcient manner.

It is also an object of the invention that the machine or apparatus be adapted to operate in a continuous manner and serve to clean the cotton at relatively high rate with respect to quantity or bulk of cotton cleaned.

A further object of the invention is that means be provided whereby cotton bolls passing through the machine without releasing the cotton therein will be collected and broken or cracked and again submitted to a cleaning operation for retrieving the cotton.

It is also within the scope of the objects of the invention that the machine operate in an economical manner, that is, without injury to the cotton being cleaned and without loss of cotton.

Other objects, and objects relating to details of construction, combination and arangement of parts will hereinafter appear in the detailed description to follow.

The invention is illustrated byway of example in the accompanying drawings, in

which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the machine or apparatus,

Figure 2 is a view in rear elevation of the same,

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine, I

Figures 4i and 5 are transverse sectional views oi the machine taken substantially on the lines 4- and 5-5, respectively, of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 5,

Serial No. 658,809.

Figure is a detail View of a saw section employed, the teeth of which serve for gathering cotton,

Figure 8 is a View in elevation of the forward end of the machine,

Figure 9 is a reduced horizontal sectional view taken through the device and taken substantially on the line 9+9 of Figure 5,

Figure 10 is a detail view illustrating the construction of the boll cracker employed,

Figure 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of the return conveyor for cracked bolls and cotton,

Figure 12 is a sectional view taken substantially on the lines 12-12 of Figure 11, and

Figure 13 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of introducing the cracked bolls and cotton into the suction drum from the elevator or conveyor.

Like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings more particularly, the machine may comprise a housing, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10, said housing being supported by the uprights 11 and said uprights preferably being connected at their lower ends by a. suitable base frame 12. The uprights 11 are arranged to support the housing 10 in an in clined position as illustrated best in Figure 1.

Other reinforcing members (not shown), may be employedvtor supporting the housing 10, and the construction of the housing 10 should be with a view of providing an air-tight enclosure. For thepurpose of reference, the housing 10 comprises the forward end wall 18, the rear end wall 14, and the two side walls 15, the top wall 13, and a bottom comprising two slanting walls 1a which have disposed between the lower end thereof a trough, generally indicated by the reference numeral 15.

Within the housing 10 there is positioned a drum, generally indicated by the reference numeral 16. Adjacent each end of the drum and upon the exterior thereof, there is secured a track member 17. The housing 10 carries aplurality of rollers 18 for each of the track members 17. The rollers for each track member are preferably three in number, and arranged as best shown in Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings. These rollers are suitably supported within bearings carried by the housing 10 and adapted to permit rotative movement of the drum 16. Also each roller projects through the housing 10, and in order to maintain the housing an air-tight enclosure, there is provided for each roller a cap or cover 20.

Adjacent the rear end of the drum there is mounted a ring gear 21, said ring gear being in constant mesh with a drive gear 22 carried by the drive shaft 23. The drive gear 22 extends through a side wall of the housing 10, and a suitable cap or cover 241 is provided for the drive gear in order to maintain the housing 10\ air-tight. The shaft 23 has connected therewith a shaft 25 through a universal joint 26 and the shaft 25 is suitably supported and carries at its forward end a pair of band wheels 27 and 28. The band wheel 28 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 25, while the band wheel 27 is rigidly secured to said shaft. A power belt upon the band wheel 27 may be utilized for driving the shaft 25, and when desired, this power belt may be shifted to the band wheel 28 and permitted to idle. One or more bolts 30, Figure 9, may be extended transversely through the housing 10 and arranged to engage the flanges of the tracks 17 and thereby hold the drum against longitudinal movement.

'Upon the interior of the drum there is secured a plurality of rings 32, each ring comprising a plurality of sections 33, and each section being in the form of a channel member, as illustrated to advantage in Figures 6 and 7 and having the free edge of each side flange thereof serrated to provide teeth 34. The different sections of each of the rings 32 are secured to the drum by rivets or the like 35, and these rings may be referred to as cotton-gathering elements, and they are arranged in spaced relation longitudinally of the interior of the drum. The forward end portion of the drum is provided with perforations 36 and the rear end portion of the drum is provided with enlarged openings 37 as shown to advantage in Figure 3 of the drawings. The rings 32 are also provided with perforations and openings, as shown in Figure 7, and. the perforations in the rings: agree and register with the perforations and openings in the wall of the drum. As. shown in Figure 9, the space existing between the drum and the interior of the housing 10 is divided by the longitudinally extending wall 38 and transverse Walls 39 into the two chambers 40 and 41. divided by the two longitudinally extending partition members 43 and 44, whereby The chamber 41 is in turn to provide a vacuum chamber 45 and a collecting chamber 46. (Figure .5.)

Preferably the forward end wall of the housing 10 is provided with a door 47 (Figure 8), and this front wall also supports a suction pipe 48 which is adapted to direct material drawn therethrough into the in terior of the drum and at an angle to the longitudinal axis of thedrum, as best illus trated in Figure 5. The pipe or inlet member 48 is provided with an angularly ex tending outlet portion 50 at its inner. end for directing the cotton or material drawn therethrough in the direction heretofore referred to. The forward end of the inlet or suction pipe 48, is extended. from the front wall of the housing 10 and adapted to be connected to a suitable nozzle which may be utilized for drawing picked cotton; that is, cotton when brought from the fields and in an unclean state.

The ends of the drum 16 are open and arranged longitudinally of the drum in a suction pipe, generally indicated by the reference character 51. This suction pipe has its forward end closed, as at 52, and its rear end adapted to be connected with source of suction. The pipe has a longitudinally extending opening 53 and from the longitudinal edges of this opening there are extended the plates or flanges 54 and 55, each of which terminates at its free end in close relation to the cotton gathering rings 32. The member 54 carries at its free end a plate member 56, said plate membe-r being pivotally attached to the member 54, as shown at 57, and the plate member 56 is pressed outwardly by a suitable spring 58, whereby to cause the same to frictionally engage the inner peripheral surface of'the drum 16. The member 56 may be recessed inorder to accommodate the different cotton gathering rings 32. Adjacent the outer side of the plate flange 55 there is positioned longitudinally of the drum a roller 59, said rollerbeing suitably supported by a shaft 60 for rotative movement. The roller carries a multiplicity of flaps 61 which are adapted to engage upon the inner periphery of the drum 16. The roller 59 together with the flaps 61 carried thereby may be manufactured as a doffer roll. This 'doifer roll should rotate in the same'direction as the drum, and at the same speed in order to prevent the teeth of the rings 32 cutting the flaps 61.

Also longitudinally of the drum 16 there extends a roller 62, said roller being provided with a plurality of ribs 62 extending longitudinally thereof and suitably supported for rotative movement by a shaft 63. Each rib 62 is provided with a plurality of radially extending recesses 64 whereby to accommodate the cotton gathering rings 32,

as illustrated in Figure 6 of the drawing. I

shown.

' housing 10.

The roller 62 should'rotate in a direction opposite to the rotation of the drum 16, for a purpose which will later be described. Also it should be mentioned that the flanges Fi l and constitute a nozzle for the pipe 51.

Longituoinally of the trough 15 there is disposed a worm 65, said worm being carried by a shaft 66, and the rear end of said shaft carrying a sprocket wheel 67 which is driven through a chain 68, said chain being trained over a :uitable sprocket wheel 69 carried by the drive shaft 23. Above the shaft 23 there is rotatably supported shaft 70 which is driven from the shaft 23 through suitable pulleys and a belt, as illustrated in Figure l, and this shaft in turn is connected through the means of a pulley 70, belt '71, and pulley T2 for drivin the shaft 63 which carries the ribbed roller The trough 1.5 at its rear end communiwith a d charge chute 73, and this charge chiw in turn is adapted to com- ,icate with a suitable housing "4 in l l which there may be operated suitable discha; e rotative element (not shown) which may be driven through a shaft 75. The shaft in turn is driven throng suitable belts and pulleys from the shaft 25, as The .rotative element within the housing 74 should be capable of discharging foreig i matter from the chute 78 without admitting air into said chute, and in this way prohibit air from gaining access to the In the rear end of the drum here is disposed the forward or upper end of a trough, generally indicated by the reference numeral 76 (Figure 4) the lower ei'id of said trough communicating with a hopper '77, said hopper having positioned therein the boll cracking mechanism which comprises a roller 78 having teeth 79 arranged thereon and preferably of the shape shown, adapted to cooperate with the teeth 80 carried by a movable member 81 for breaking the boll when the roller 78 is rotated. The roller 79 should be rotated in the direction of the arrow 82, and the member 81 is adapted to be adjusted with respect to the teeth 79 of the roller 78 by the means of the stem 83 and hand wheel 84: threaded upon said stem. The hand wheel 84 should be held stationary, that is, with respect to the longitudinal movement of the stem 83, and in this way the teeth 80 may be adjusted with respect to the teeth 79. A screen 85 placed beneath the roller 78 and beneath this screen there is placed a funnel 86 adapted to receive any dirt, trash, or small foreign particles which may drop through the screen 85. The funnel 86 in turn communicates at its lower end with the chute T3. The hopper 77 is also provided with an outlet pipe 87, and this pipe is located adjacent the rear end of the hopper and will receive the cracked cotton bolls which may be discharged through the passage 88 at the rear of the roller 78. A cover 89 may be provided for the hopper 7'7, and adapted to form a closure over the chute 76, and in this way maintain the housing 10 air-tight.

The outlet box 87 may communicate with a conveyor casing generally designated by reference character 90. The casing- 90 is arranged upon one side of the machine as shown in Figure 1, and adjacent each end of the casing there is rotatably supported a shaft 91 carrying a roller 92. The casing is inclined as shown, and its upper end communicates through a chute with the forward end of the drum 16. A pulley 94- is carried by the uppeunost shaft 91 over which a power belt may be passed. About the rollers 92 there passes a belt 95 which carries spikes 96. Any suitable source of power such as an electric motor or the. like, may be used to operate the belt 95 and this belt should be moved in a direction to deliver broken bolls and cotton to the chute 93.

The roller 78 is carried by the shaft 9'4 which carries at its one end a band wheel A. suitable power belt may be passed over the band wheel 95, and this belt utilized to operate the boll cracker; that is, rotate the roller 78 in the proper direction and the proper speed. The other end of the sha t 942 may carry a pulley 96 which may be connected through a belt 97 and pulley 98 for driving a shaft 99, said shaft 99 carrying at its one end a beveled pinion 106 which meshes with bevel gear 101 carried by the shaft 60 for driving the doffer roll. At the rear end of the drum, there is positioned a plurality of blades 10% (Figure 3), to elevate unbroken cotton bolls.

In the use of the present apparatus the rear end of the pipe 51 should first be connected with a suitable source of suction, and then the shaft 25 properly connected to a source of power supply through the pulley 27 in the manner heretofore described. Also the power means for operating the boll cracker may be brought into operation and likewise the means for operating the conveyor or elevator belt should be brought into operation. A pipe or nozzle may be connected to the forward end of the inlet pipe a8, and this nozzle is arranged so that the same may operate upon a quantity of gathered cotton. The nozzle referred to may be positioned in wagon in which the gathered cotton has been placed, or in a store bin where the gathered cotton has been deposited,'and due to the source of suction existing in the pipe 51 the cotton will be drawn through the inlet pipe 1-8 and discharged against the inner wall of the drum 16 at a point adjacent its forward end, as illustrated to advantage in Figure 5 of the drawings. The direction of current of air for drawing in the forward end of the drum 16 will be gathered by the teeth 34 of the rings 32 and as the drum progresses in its rotative movement, this cotton clinging to the teeth 34 will pass the drum 62 and also the doifer drum 59, and upon reaching the inlet passage of the vacuum tube or pipe 51, the same will be drawn into said tube or pipe and from thence will be carried through the rear end of the pipe by the suction and can then be deposited in a separator or cleaning machine. The member 56 together with the doffer roll and partitions 43 and 441: maintain the air currents for gathering the cotton as illustrated in Figure 5. The ribbed roller 62 prevents bolls or other foreign par ticles from passing to a point where the same would be drawn into the vacuum pipe or tube 51. These bolls and hulls as the drum rotates, fall to the bottom of the drum, and eventually upon reaching the large perforations 37 toward the rear end of said drum, the hulls fall out and the bolls are taken up by the blades or fans 10% and deposited into the troughs 7 6 from whence the same are discharged to the boll cracker. The boll cracker as heretofore described, operates to crack the bolls and separate the hulls from the cotton to a certain extent. The cracked bolls and cotton are again returned to the drum in a manner heretofore described and ubmitted to, the same cleaning operation The dirt, trash and other small foreign particles drop through the perforations 36 in the forward end of the drum, while hulls and larger foreign particles drop through the openings 37 formed in the rear end portion of the drum and gravitate into the trough 15 from whence they are vmoved rearwardly by the worm 65 and deposited through the chute 57 into the casing 74 and, as heretofore described, suitable means are provided in-the casing 74. whereby these foreign particles and hulls may be discharged without destroying the air-tightness of the chamber formed by the housing 10.

It has been found with a machine of this construction that cotton may be cleaned efficiently, and at a relatively high rate with respect to bulk or quantity. It has also been found that cotton taken directly from the fields may be operated upon in an eflicient manner, that is, this cotton may be efficiently separated from its hulls, etc, making it more adapted for better ginning.

\Vhile. I have shown and described the preferred form of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I am aware of the fact that the construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be changed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention, as indicated by the appended claims.

T claim 1. In an apparatus of the character described, an airtight enclosure, a suction pipe extending substantially the length of the enclosure, an elongated inlet in the side of the suction pipe, and means whereby with cotton being introduced into the enclosure the same will be subjected to a cleaning operation previous to entering said inlet of the suction pipe.

2. In an appantus of the character described, an air tight enclosure, a suction pipe extending substantially the length thereof, an elongated nozzle extending laterally from the suction pipe, and means whereby with cotton ceing introduced into said enclosure the sam will be subjected to a cleaning operation previous to entering the suction pipe.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, an enclosure, a perforate and rotatable drum within the enclosure, a suction pipe within the drum having an elongated nozzle extending toward the inner periphery of the drum, and a. pipe extending from the enclosure adapted to be employed for drawing cotton into the drum.

f "in an apparatusof the character described, a perforate rotatable drum, a suction pipe within the drum having an elongated nozzle extending laterally therefrom and terminating in close proximity to the inner periphery of the drum, and means whereby the suction of said pipe may be utilized for drawing uncleaned cotton into the interior of the drum.

In an apparatus of the character de scribed, 21 perforate rotatable drum, a suction pipe within the drum. having an elongated nozxle extending laterally therefrom and terminating in close proximity to the inner periphery of the drmn. means whereby the suction of said pipe may be utilized for drawing uncleaned cot-ton into the interior of the drum, and sealing means whereby air entering the nozzle must pass through perforations of the drum under which the nozzle is disposed.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a perforate rotatable drum, a suction pipe within the drum extending longitudinally thereof, a curved nozzle extending laterally from the suction pipe and terminating in close relation to the inner periphery of the drum, and means whereby cotton may be introduced into the drum to strike the inner periphery thereof upon one side of the nozzle.

7. A machine of the character described,

comprising an enclosure having aninlet, a. perforated drum within the enclosure, suction pipe within the drum adapted draw unclean cotton through the inlet of the enclosure and also cause a circulation of air through the perforations of said drum, means u hereby cotton may be gathered upon the inner periphery of the perforated d m in a'clean condition, and means whereby said gathered cotton may be delivered to said suction pipe and thereby drawn from said enclosure.-

8. In a machine of the character described, an enclosure having an inlet, a perforated inclined drum rotatably supporter within the enclosure, means for rotating said drum, a suction pipe Within the drum adapt ed to draw uncleaned cotton through the inlet of said enclosure and within the drum, means whereby the cotton in its unclean state will be directed against the peripheral surface of the drum, means whereby cross currents may be created within. the drum from said suction pipe and thereby to clean said cotton upon the inner periphery of the drum, and means whereby said cleaned cotton will be permitted to pass from the drum through said suction pipe at a certain period in the rotation of said drun'i.

9. in an apparatus of the character described, a perforate rotatable drum, a suction pipe within the drum extending lon tudinally thereof, an elongated nozzle tending laterally from the suction pipe and teri'ninz in close proximity to the er periphery of the drum, teeth projecting from the inner periphery of the drum, and means whereby upon cotton being injected into the drum only that adhering to the teeth will be permitted to enter said nozzle 10. In an apparatus of the character described, a rotatable drum circular owe of teeth upon the inner periphery of the drum, a rotatable shaft arranged adjacent the inner periphery of the drum, and means carried by ihe shaft adapted to move between said rows of teeth for cleaning said teeth.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a rotatable drum, circular rows l f teeth upon the inner periphery of the di uni, a rotatable shaft arranged adjacent the inner periphery of the d .n, and teeth e:.:- tending radially from the shaft acapted to nrove between the rows of teeth. for cleaning said teeth.

12-. In a machine of the character described, a rotatable and perforated drum, said drum being inclined longitudinally, means for causing a circuitous circulation of air transversely of the drum and thereby to cause the loose cotton within the drum to be drawn against the inner peripheral surface of said drum while the uncleaned bolls and hulls together with other forsign particles may gravitate downwardly rough the drum, and means for continur the cotton drawn against a the mner per pheral surface of the drum.

13. in machine of the character described, a rotataole and perforated drum,

serforated drum within the encloure, means for rotating said drum, a sucpipe within the drum having av nozzle oosed in close relation to the inner periphery of the drum, said suction pipe being adapted to draw uncleaned cotton through the inlet of the enclosure and within the drum and also to cause air currents through the perforated drum transversely to the longj 'tudinal axis thereof and in a direction to arise the free cotton introduced into the drum to adhere to the inner side of the drum and means whereby cotton adhereing to the inner side of the drum may be permitted to be drawn into the suction pipe during the rotation of said drum.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, an enclosure having an inlet, a rotatable pertorated drum within the enclo- 6 means for rotating said drum, a suction pipe longitudinally and within the drum, said suction pipe having a nozzle extent longitudinally thereof and disposed in close relation at its outer end to the inner periphery of the drum, partitions within the enclosure whereby air currents will be caused by said suction pipe, said c'irrents being circuitous and adapt ed to draw uucleaned cotton through the inlet of said closure and the free cotton upon the inner peripheral surface of said drum, projections upon the inner peripheral surface of the drum whereby to collect said. free cotton and to release the same when said cotton. is brought into register with the nozzle of said suction pipe.

16, In an apparatus of the character described, a rotatable drum, cotton gathering elements within the drum each comprising a ring with teeth upon the inner periphery thereof, a rotatable shaft arranged adjacent the inner periphery of the drum, and means carried by the shaft and cooperating With the rows of teeth for cleaning the same.

17. In a cotton cleaning machine, a rotatable inclined drum adapted to permit uncleaned cotton to be deposited in the upper end thereof, a shaft arranged adjacent the inner periphery of the drum longitudinally of said drum, teeth carried by the shaft movable in close relation to the inner periphery of the drum, and means for revolving the drum and shaft in opposite directions whereby linters carried upon the inner v VAN DON HARLAN.

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