US1727774A - Mechanical cotton picker - Google Patents

Description

Sept. l0, 1929. a. c; HoUGH'roN '1,727,774

MECHANICAL ooTToN PICKER Filed July 14, 1927 4 sheets-sheet .1

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MECHANICAL CTTON PICKER l SePt- 10, 1929- B. c. HouGHroN 1,727,774

MECHANICAL cfoTToN Proxim A v 'Filed Ju1y'14, 1927 4 sheets-sheet 4 TTOKNLY Patented Sept. 10, 1929. f [i unirse Acrricisz'.

BB C. HOUCHTON, or AUsTIN, TEXAS.

MECHANICAL COTTON PICKER.

I Application fue@ muy 14, 1927. serial No. eoaevs.

In the cotton growing districts it is cus- Fig. 4 is a detail view of the means for tomary to pick the cotton bells by hand. transferring motion to the picking mem- This procedure, especially where large bers, amounts of cotton are grown, requires a Fig. 5 is a detail view, partly in section,

5 large number of hands, and always the work of the picking means with associated air in- 55 involved in the picking of the cotton is eX- lets for suction, y tremely heavy and laborious. Because of F ig.y Gis an enlarged view of the picking this fact, and because o t the scarcity and mechanism, f increasingr cost of labor, it has been found Fig. 7 is an end view thereof,

l0 to be desirable to substitute mechanical Fig. 8 is a modification of the picking 6o means 'for manual labor. Tocill this demechanism shown in Figs. 6 and 7 f i mand, many types of cotton pickers have Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of been devised, but all of them are open to the variable speed contro] mechgmjgm, various objections, among which may be Referring mOre particularly to the draw- 5 )mentioned awkwmdnegs of Operation, 11I1- ings, it Will l0@ Seen tllatlle yIllLClliIle S 65 certainty of performance, costliness of manmade up of a main frame l, constituting' the ufacturing with resulting high market price, Carrying frame fOI' the VaTOUS parts of the excessive weight and considerable degree of maehlne. The device is mounted on three diiliculty in handling. wheels, as is evident from the drawings, the

The pregent invention Seeks t0 provide a large wheel 2 servingas the traction unit of 70 mechanical picker which will be easily opthe` device, the Smell WheelS 16 Carrying the (grated, relatively inexpensive t() manufac- Welgllt 0f the IetrpOliODS Oi: the CleViCG, y ture, and which will be positive in its operaand functioning further as will be hereintion, leaving a field of cotton cleanly picked. after' described. It will be geen that the The invention embodies a means for pick- Wheels are arranged similarly to a veloci- 75 ing the cotton which comprises a rotary ele- Pede- The Wheel 2 serves as the traction ment adapted to engage the Cotton 13011, comunit and carries a vertical shaft and the bined with suction for conveying the picked DHHOH 2 and 2b, the pinions providingeY @Otten to L Collecting Sack et. the rem 0f the means for varying the speed o'f travel ot the machine, which sack is supported on a machine. 80 weighing device which 1s adjusted to auto- The m3611111@ 1S dlWen by 111951115 0f M1 matically trip when a predetermined weight internal combustion engine 3 of conventional of cotton is collected in the sack. It is WD@ and 0f Sllffeent power t0 drive themathought that the rotary ytype of picker emd lllelilt the ClGSTGd Taf@ 0f SDCl The GTI.- ployed in the device ot this application, 1116, O1 IHOOT, 3 receives its fuel supply H5 which type of picker does not involve any IOJQH the iflllk OI from any other conenneghing 01' enteng'ling procese? is new in VEHIQH SOUI'CQ. T110 mOOl 3 1.150 (lIlVGS the itself, this resulting` in the removal of the SNCOH ffln le 0f Standard COSUCOH the fiber of the bou from the Stalk Without function of which is to draw the picked cot- /10 mutilation oi the fibers. Suction is not used t0n through the hollow member, or conduit,

except to convey the picked vcotton to the 17, and to blow this cotton through the mem- (felleejnp Seek, Perfectly Clean Cotton is bel l. HJCO th@ llg 10a, WliCll iS lifted. J[O til@ thus assured. weighing device 7.

The invention will be more readily under- Power transmitted from the motor 3 bv i5 Stood by reference t0 the accompanyingmeans ot' the sprocket chain 3fL which passes 5 drawings, in which `over the gear. 13, which drives the wheel 12. Fig'. l is a side elevation ot the machine, The gear is mounted on the shai't l2, Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, f carrying at one extremity the wheel. 30e, m Fig 8 is a detail view of the steering dewhile ihe other extremity is niunted a vice, sil' .ilar in every respect to the wheel 'U Cil y no

CID

12, this second wheel beingy designated 12b.

It will be seen that the shaft 12a serves as an axle common to the wheels 12 and 12b and the gear 23. It will be further seen that the operation of this gear 23 will cause the wheels 1,2 and 12b to move in unison, the wheel 12 operating the suction device 4, while the wheel 12b drives the picking mechanism, power to these mechanisms being transmitted by the chains 3O'Uvand 3() which respectivelyengage they teeth of the wheels 12 and 12b.

There is also mounted upon the shaft 12EL the gear 23, this opera-ting a worm 23EL secured to the shaft'24. At the end ofthe shaft 211 there is secured the gear 25, which meshing with the gear 26h, rotates the shaft 28a which'carries means, such as a pinion, not shown, which imparts rotary motion to a shaft which carries the gears 28 and 29 meshing respectively with the gears 2EL and 2l] carried by the wheel `l, the pinions 28 and 29 are made to selectively engage the gears 2L and 2b respectively through the operation of the clutch members or levers 27 and 29a, the operation of which by the lever 26 will throw the pinions 28 and 29 into and out of contactwith thev gea-rs as desired, the engagement depending upon the direction in which'the lever 26 is moved.

'As will be seen from Figures 1 and 9, the change in motive speed of the machine is eected by the operation of the handle 26, the operation of the handle causing the registration of pinions ywith the gears 2n and 2b, as will be hereinafter described T he handle 26 is in fact the operating memt ber for a clutch 2,7,Lthis being a bell crank,

there being a pivot connection between the handle 26 and the crank 27, indicated as 27a. The crank arms of the bell crank 27 are conveniently at rightangles'to each other, normally in substantially horizontal and vertical positions, the horizontal arm terminating in a housing and being secured there* in in any convenient manner which will permit sutlicient freedom of motion to permit its being brought into effective action for the manipulation of the pinions through the construction to be described.

Connected to the crank 27 is a second clutch, or bell crank, 293, the connection being made at the point 27h. The construction of the crank 29SL is similar to that of the crank 27. The horizontal arm of the crank 29"L is secured in the housingV 37, similar to the housing 35, the connection again being in such a manner as will permit free motion of the arm within the housing. The housings 35 and 37 are loosely mounted on a shaft 38 so that the shaft 38 may freely rotate therein, the lower end of said shaft 38 being preferably enlarged as shown at 31 to Aassure vretention in its bearing member, the shaft 38 being carried by the bearing respectively, and are so spaced member 39 rigidly secured to the standard 8. lt will be understood that the shaft 38 is in effect a continuation of shaft 28a, rotary motion from the shaft 28a being imparted to the shaft 38 through the gear 26a.

Carried by the shaft 38 are thefpinions 28 and 29, abutting the housings 35 and 37, respectively. These pinions 28 and 29 are adapted to mesh with the gears 2LL and 2b, that they will engage their gears successively as they are lifted into position by operation of the handle 26, the action of this handle being communicated to the gears through the clutches, or cranks, 27l and 27". For example, to propel the entire machine the handle 26 will be pulled up by the operator, bringing the pinion 29 into engagement with its gear 2h; and by pulling the handle 26 still further upwardly, pinion 28 will mesh with its gear 2fL to eifect change of speed. The pinions are held in their desired positions by any suitable means, as, for example, supports, such as are indicated attO, these supports being of any convenient form, readily suggesting itself to the manufacturer of the device. A convenient form, for example, is for member l0 to be in the form of a bar, and notched suitably to serve to hold in place the clutch mechanism.

rilhe numeral 33 represents the axle of the wheel 2, and a bearing 34 may be provider for the shaft 28a. rlhe housing for the shaft 28 is designated as 36, this member being largely optional except in so far as it conters protection and serves as a head for the frame 1.

1t will thus be seen that motion is imparted to the wheel 2 by the motor 3, the wheel 2 serving as the traction unit. lie machine is steeredby means of the members 15 as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, vthe members 15 being pivoted at 15 to the frame 1, there being a portion 15b integral with the members 15, the member 15b being bent upwardly at its end to forma tongue adapted to fit into` a slot in the member 15d. This member 15d is secured to the end of the portion of the frame' carrying the wheel 2. As further shown in Fig. 3 when one of the arms 15 engages an obstruction such' as a cotton plant, the members 15 will be deflected and the motion is transmitted to the member 15d and lll thus to the wheel 2, so that the wheel 2 will 1 be always kept in a substantially predetermined path between the rows of plants between which the wheel 2 is traveling, the wheels 16 being spaced properly between the rows between which the wheel 2 is moving. A

As before mentioned, the chain 30 drives a gear or worm 11, which meshes with a differential driving mechanism comprising the gear 21 operating the members 21a and 21b as clearly shown in Fig. 4. Each of these members 21"L and 21b rotates a shaft 22 which in turn operates the picking mechanism. This picking mechanism comprises the rollers 2O and 20a. As shown on' Fig. 7, one ot' these rollers is rotative, by virtue of the motion :trom the shaft 22, while the second roller 2O is adapted to rotate in the opposite direction through kitrictional en gagement with cottonr iber engaged 'with the roller 20a. The rollers are mounted within an open protective housing 19, and the roller 20 is so mounted that it may be laterally displaced in the said housing by the provision of the projection 2Oc at each nd of the roller loosely fitting into the slot 2Od in the housing 19. An eccentric 19b is provided with a slot registering with the slot 2Od et' the housing, the position of the eccentric being adjustable, the eccentric being held in position by the spring 20e. It will thus be seen that the frictionalengagement oi' the rollers 2O and 20CL causes the rollers to rotate in opposite directions, and the engagement between the rollers is yielding to adapt the relative position of the rollers to the cotton bolls passing between the rollers, the amount ol displacement or' the roller 2O being determined by the position 01"' the eccentric ,201. Thus a iirm grip on any boll is always assured.

modification of this arrangement may be had as illustrated in F ig. 8, wherein both rollers may be operated by means of shafts 22 and 22b exactly as has been just described. ln such an instance the relative position of the rollers may be determined by the tension ot a spring 2Oc positioned at each end ot the housing as shown Fig. 8. lt will thus be seen that a boll of cotton will be grasped by the rollers, pulled from the stalk and passed back into the housing because of the relation of the rollers. l/Vhen the cotton passes back into the housing it is transferred to the weighing bag as will now be described.

Adjacent the roller, the housing 19 is provided. with a. plurality of apertures 19, the purpose of ywhich will be hereinafter broughtout. The housing 19 opens into the hollow shalt 17 which is provided with flexible joints, or elbows, as shown at 18 and 18a (Figs. 1 and 2), so that the angular position olf the shaft 17 may be adjusted to bring the rollers to varying heights during their operation. The shape of the beveled gears 211L and 21b permits the adjustment ot the rotary shafts 22 to take position cor responding to the desired elevation oit the member 17, the desired adjustment being made without breaking the Contact between the gears 21"L and 21b with the gear 21. The n'ieinber 17 serves as a conduit for the picked cotton and leads into the suction end of a blower L1 ol' standard construction, the exit of the conduit 17 being the portion-4%L oli' ythe blower adapted to discharge the cotton into a sack placed upon the weighing device. It will be seen that there is provided an unbroken conduit 17 leading from 'the pickers and discharging into the collecting and weighing sack. rlheblower l is actuated by the belt 30 which lits over the teeth of the wheel 12, the belt 30a. also engaging with the teeth of the sprocket lll secured to the driving shait't of the blower l. Power is thereby transmitted to the blo* l from the motor 3, as will be apparent 'from ll 1 and 2, so that the cottonengaged by the rollers 2O will be 'drawn with speed and facility through the conduit 17 and discharged into the bag 10u, the blower limparting a strong suction through the conduit 17, the suction beingintensilied by 'the provision el the apertures 191L in the housing 19, these apertures providing for the access of an abundant supply oit air to the housing and conduit. y

This bag 10 is held in receiving position on the weighing device 7, as shown in il 1, the trame in which the bag rests being supported upon the knife `edge 7a, so that as the cotton lille lthe bag the frame Z will tilt until it eng A n ber 6C is pivotally supported` upon ya knife edge 31 secured tothe frame 1 and is joined to a member (la pivoted tothe frame 1, the

joining member being the portion 6b. The member 6b is pivotally connected at with the member 6C, and at Gil with the member t lt will thus be seen that the members G, G" and 6F constitute a ycompound lever, the arm 6a of which carries a weight ol any desired value, this value being determined by the kamount ot cotton desired to be weighed in the bag. @r the weight 6 may be i'uovable along the arm t2, which must then be graduated into succcssiver values to 4give any desired weight of the bag and contents, aswill be apparent and as is well. known. When the desired 'amount ol cotton .is received in the bag, the eliect ofk the we y it t5 will be counteracted and the arm 6C u ll be depressed until it rest-sagainst- 'the iframe 1 as will be apparent from F 1. lt will thus be seen that'a constant amount of ycotton may be weighed into each bag and the weighing ot each bag proceeds autrnnatically, the removal o1 alilled sack and the insertion of an empty sack being speedily accon'iplished as soon as the arm t3@ is Lhrown, so that the picking operation need not be interrupted during a material time interval. A supply oit' sacks may be liept in readiness on the platform 10 as shown in Fig. 1. y f

llihile the steering of the machine as it passes between the rows of plants has been described before, it ymay, here be reviewed and pointed out anew that the trac-tion wheel 2 is maintained in a substantially straight ges the member Se. rlhis inem ico course along the rows of plants by means oi the guiding arms 15. Further steering of the machine may be veffected by providing means such as standard 9, as shown in Fig. 1, the standard being connected Withthe shaft connecting the Wheels 16. To Jiacilitate the steering, means such as a rope or cable 9a, may be attached to the standard 9, the position of Which may be changed by applying a pull to the rope or cable 9a. rlhere are also standards 9", as shown in Figs. l and 2, the rope 9" being guided against these standards by the members 9 through which the rope 9 passes. There may be provided such a rope and standard on each side ot the machine, and the standards may be connected With a yoke as shown in Fig. 2. rihe ropes then pass to the steering means of the Wheels 16, the said ropes being connected to the arms 1Gb which are pivoted to the shaft 16a connecting the Wheels 16, and to the shaft 16C, there resulting a movable connection between these members. A pull on either rope will be transmitted to the respective Wheel 16, the position ot' which Will be changed through the turning ot shaft 16a. rlihe section shaft 22 may be conveniently held in position by the straps or cleats 22a.

lt Will be understood tnat it is desired to comprehend Within the scope ci the invention` such modifications and changes as may be necessary to adapt it to varying conditions and uses.

lWhat is claimed is:

l. A mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a trame, of picking means, a conduit associated with the picking means adapted to convey picked cotton to a collecting point, means permitting the flexing ot the said conduit in any desired predetermined position, and power means adapted to propel the picker in a plurality of desir d predetermined motive speeds.

2. A mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a trame, of driving units mounted upon the trame, a picking head, co-acting` picking rollers Within the head adapted to be actuated through the said driving units, means actuated by the driving units for operating the saidy rollers, and a clutch actuated multi-speed propelling means adapted to propel the picker ina selected predetermined motive speed.`

3. A mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with'a trame, ot a source ot' power, driving units actuated by the source of power mounted upon the frame, a picking'head, aicking rollers Within the head, rotary means actuated by the driving units tor actuating the said rollers, and traction means actuated by the driving units and adapted to propel the pickerin a selected one ot a plurality of predetermined speeds.

4k A mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a Jframe, of a yconduit carried by the Jframe, a picking head, relatively smooth picking rollers Within the head, the said head communicating with the conduit, a source of power, driving units actuated by the source of power, rotary means driven by the driving units for actuating the said rollers, a Jfan in the conduit, means operated yby the said driving units ioroperating the said fan, and clutch controlled traction means actuated by the said driving units adapted to propel the picker at a selected one of a plurality oi predetermined speeds.

5. A. mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination With a trame, oi a conduit carried by the trame, a picking head communicating with the conduit, cooperating smooth surfaced picking rollers in the picking head, means for actuating the said rollers, a fan in the said conduit, means for actuating the tan, a source of power carried by the trame, traction means adapted to propel the picker in a selected one of a plurality oi predetermined speeds, and a common driving means actuated by the source of power for the picker, roller actuating means, fan actuating means and traction means.

6. A mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination With a frame, of a conduit carried by the trame, a picking head conimunicating with the conduit, means tor actuating the said rollers, a fan in the said conduit, means for actuating the fan, a motor carried by the frame, and common driving means actuated by the motor for operating the picker, roller actuating means, and Jfan actuating means.

7. A mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a frame, of a motor carried byy the frame, an exhaust conduit mounted upon the frame, suction means Within the conduit, a picking head communicating with the said conduit, picking means Within the said head, means for actuating the picking means, means for actuating the suction means, multi-speed traction means adapted to propel the picker at any selected one of a plurality of predetermined speeds, and Vcommon driving means actuated by the motor for the driving of the traction means and all of thek aforesaid actuating means.

8. A mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a trame, of a motor carried by the frame, propelling means for the picker driven by the said motor, a flexible conduit carried by the ira-me, a picking head communicating with the conduit, picking means Within the head, means for actuating the ysaid picking means, a suction tan Within the conduit to produce a suction therethrough, common means actuated by the motor for driving the picking actuating means, the fan, and the propellingmeans for thepicker, and clutch controlled means perlll) mitting the operation of the picker propelling means at a selected one of a plurality of predetermined speeds.

9. i mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a trame, ot a motor mounted on the trame, traction means for propeling the picker carried by the trame, a liexible conduit carried by the trame, a head communicating with the conuit` picking; rollers in the picking head, the said picking head being; provided with apertures adjacent the rollers, an exhaust tan in the conduit, common driving` means actuated by the motor tor actuating' the said rollers, tan and traction means, and means iounted on the traction means for propelling; the picker at a selected one of a plurality of predetermined speeds.

1t). il. meel anical cotton picker comprisin@ the cou'il'iination with a supporting' trame, oft a `source opower connected therewithv` a traction wheel operated by the source oi.t power, the said wheel being` provided with means for effecting variation in the motive speed ot the machine,

11. A mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a supporting iframe, of a source of power connected therewith, a traction wheel operated by the source of power, a standard carrying the said wheel, power transmitting` means passing through the standard to the wheel, a plurality ot' pinions carried on the wheel, and clutch mechanism adapted to vary the speed ot' the i picker.

12. [i mechanical cotton picker comprisinc the oi'ubination with a supporting` trame, of source of power connected therewith, a traction wheel operated by the source of power and clutch and pinion means associated with the wheel for varying the motive speed of the machine.

13. A mechanical cotton picker comprising; the combination with a supportingframe ot a source ot motive power for the picker carried by the frame, picking` means operative from the said source ot power, a tici;- ible exhaust conduit communicating with the picking means, a fan in the said conduit operative from the said source ot' power' and adapted to convey picked cotton from the picking means to an exhaust therefor, and means upon the frame tor carrying a supply of receptacles to receive the cotton as it issues from the exhaust.y

1&1. A mechanical cotton. picker comprising; the combination with a supporting trame, ot a source ot motive power for the picker carried by the trame, picking means operative from the said source of power, a flexible exhaust conduit communieatingwith the picking means, a fan in the said conduit operative from the said source of power and adapted to convey picked cotton trom the picking` means to an exhaust there- "duit, and means operated by ythe saidv source* and a supporting ytraine, ot' a source et power connected therewith, a ltraction wheel actuated by the said source ol power and adapted to propel 4the picker, and guider ymeans carried by the wheel, the said guide means being adapted to maintain the said wheel in a predetermined' path between ad- Jacent rows ol' plants through Contact with ythe said plants of the said adjacent rows.

16. A ymechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a su pporting` traine and rpickiine; elements carried thereby, ot source of power carried by the trame, a

`traction kwheel. actuated by', the source yot )ower and ada )ted to 3ro )el the )icker guide means carried by the wheel and' `f adapted to maintain the wheel in a predetermined path, and supporting y ried'by the frame4 and adapted to readily follow the course set by thetraction wheel.

17. A mechanical cotton picker compris# ing' the con'ibination with a supportingn il ame and picking elements carried thereby, of a vsource et power carried by the trai-naa traction wheel actuated bythe source oit power and adapted to propel the picker, the said traction wheel being mountedfadjacent one end of the trame, guidemeaus mounted on the wheel and adapted tofm'aintain' the wheel in a predetermined path, and supporting wheelsfpivotally mounted adjacent the f other end of the trame and adapted to be readily adjusted to" the course set by the traction wheel. f 18. A mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a trame, ot a motor carried by the trame.v an exhaust conduit mounted upon ,the frame, suction means within the conduit, a picking head communieating with the said conduit, 'picking means within the said head, means for actuating.;` the picking means, means iter actuating; the suction means, a multi-speed traction wheel mounted adjacent oneyend ot the trame and adapted to propel the picker at any selected one of a plurality oit' 'predetermined speeds, common driving means actuated by the motor for the driving of the traction means and all of the atoresaid'actuating means, guides carried by the traction wheel and adapted to maintain the wheel in a predetermined' path, and support wheels mounted adjacent the other end of the frame and adapted to be readily adjusted to the course set by the traction wheel.

wheels carlOO 19. A'mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a supporting frame, of a motor carried by the frame, a tract-ion wheel actuated by the source of power and adapted to propel the picker, means for selectively Varying the speedkof the traction wheel, guide means carried by the wheel and adapted lto maintain the wheel in apredetermined path, and support-- ing wheels carried by the frame and adapted to `loe readily adjusted tothe course set by vthe traction wheels. Y

20. A mechanical cotton picker comprising the combination with a. frame, of a source of power carried by the frame, a propelling wheel for the picker operated through the said source of power, picking means and conveying means also operated through the said source of power, and

f means for operatinf the propellingwheel at a. selectedr one of a plurality of predetermined speeds, the said means comprising a plurality of gears carried by the said wheel, a moyable shaft adjacent the wheel, a plurality of pinions mounted upon the shaft and adapted to selectively engage the said gears, means comprising` a plurality of levers for positioning the said pinions and shaft, and means forl imparting rotary motion to the shaft.

Q1. A mechanical cotton picker comprising ythe combination with a frame, of a source of power carried by the frame, Vpropelling' means for the picker operated through the said source of power,v picking means and conveying means also operated through the said source of power, and means for operating the propelling means at a selected one of a plurality of predetermined speeds, the

.said means comprising a plurality of gears,

a rotatable shaft, a plurality of pinions associated with the gears and carried by the shaft, a plurality of levers to operate the shaft and to select-ively'engage the pinions with the gears, andmeans for imparting rotary motion to the shaft and pinions to drive the propelling means.

ln testimonywhereof, I have aixed my signature this 5th day of July, 1927.

BOB C. HOUGHTON.

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