US1751133A - Cotton-working machine - Google Patents

Description

March 18, 1930. R. s. CURLEY Filed Nov. 10, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 18, 1930. R. s. CURLEY 1,751,133v

' COTTON WORKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1928 5 h e h t 2 Match 18, 1930. R, S, URLEY 135L133 COTTON WORKING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet s TTORNE Y Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNITED STATES .PATENT' OFFICE ROBERT S. CURLEY, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO KITSON MACHINE SHOP, OF LOWELL, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS COTTON-WORKING MACHINE Application filed November 10, 1928. Serial No. 318,436.

This invention 7 relates to machines for opening, picking or cleaning cotton and similar fibrous material herein included in the term cotton. Such machines, hereinafter referred to. as cotton. cleaning machines, in-

clude a beater and a grid against which the cotton is thrown by the beater and through which a substantial partof the foreign material associated with the cotton is projected.

In a typical cotton cleaning machine these grids are of angular cross section and they are usually supported at their opposite ends in cheek pieces carried by the frame of the machine. Usually, also, some means is associated with the cheek piecesto permit the angular adjustment of the grid bars and consequently to vary, asdesired,- the width of the spaces between adjacent bars. In some of these machines thebars are so long that their central portions are easily bent, and permanent bending and distortion of the bars is very likely to be produced by the bunching of the cotton at some point and the impact of the beater against it. The problem of sup- 2 porting the intermediate portions of the grid bars is complicatedby the fact that the presence of parts necessary to connect these portions of the bars in any way with the machine frame is highly objectionable, and by the further fact that the bars usually aremounted for angular adjustment, and any kind of a central support for bars so mounted must in: clude some provision'for permitting this adjustment.

The present invention aims to devise a thoroughly practical solution for this problem.

The nature of the invention will be readily understood from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. r V I i In the drawings,

' Figure lsian angular view. of a part of a cotton cleaningmachine including a central support for the grid bars constructed in accordance with thisinvention;

Fig. ,2:is a sideelevation of the'c'entralsup port illustrated in Fig. 1 showing the grid bars in cross-section;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but showing the grid bars in different positions of ad ustment; I V 3 Fig. 4 is a plan view of the support shown in Fig. 2

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the support shown in Fig. 2;

Fig.6 is aside view illustrating the mechanism for supporting the ends of the grid bars; and i Fig. 7 is a, view partly in planandpartly in section showing the relationship .of the center support to the end supports for the grid bars.

For purposes of illustration the invention is herein shown as applied to a cotton cleaning machine of a common commercial type. Referring to Figs. 1, 6 and 7 it will be observed that this machine includes a rotary beater having arms, one of which is shown in Fig. 1-at2. These arms revolve close-to a curved grid which comprises a series of parallel grid bars 3 of angular formin cross-see tion, these bars extending horizontally across the machine from one side thereof -to the other. The opposite ends of the bars are supand thatv the so-called working edge of each '5 in which the ends of the bars are located, 7

bar is constantly held in the upper right-hand corner of its respective socket, asshown in this figure, and against theicapping strap.:6 of the bar. The thinner edges- ;of. .the bars vrest in notches 7 formed in an adjusting member or dog 8. which is held to the cheek piece by a bolt 9. It is'backed up by lugs 10 1() integral with the cheek piece and is provided with a slot 12 to receive the bolt 9 so that it can have'a slidingadjustment of small swings the grid bars in unison about' their amplitude. "Such an adjustment rocksfor V the width of the space between adjacent bars while maintaining the position of the working edges of the bars at a constant distance from the beater. By tightening the bolt 9 the dog 8 may be locked in itsadjusted position where it clamps each of the grid bars against movement. I

Usually the bars of each grid are divided into sections, each section containing a given number, say six or eight bars, and two adjusting dogs, one at each end of the section, are provided for the bars of each section. This permits the adjustment of' the bars of one section independently of those of another, which often is very desirable. Fig. 6 shows the adjusting dog Sfor the upper section only of the bars of the grid, but Fig. 1 shows the adjusting dog 13 for the next adjacent section of bars. This supportin and adjusting means for the bars has not been provided by this'invention, but is here shownand. de-

scribed because of its bearing on the condif tions with which the present invention deals.

As above stated, it would be highly objectionable to use any kind of a support for the central portions of thebars which would occupy any considerable space outside the bars. At the same time some supportis extremely desirable when the bars are relatively long, say for example, thirty-six or forty inches, or v more. I have found that the requirements for an intermediate support can be satisfied by connecting the central por-- tions of the bars rigidly together so that they will support each other. T

At the same time the bars will carry the supporting means. For this purpose I have provided an intermediate or center support 15, Figs. l-to 5, incluslve, which comprlses a curved bar having a series of apertures 16 through which the grid bars 3 project. These 7 bodied in other. forms without departing apertures are of such shape that they permit the free angular adjustment of the bars and they are mounted in this support in. much the same manner that they are in the cheek pieces. That'is, the working edge of each bar rests constantly in the upper right-hand corner of its respective aperture 16, and it is held in this position by an adjusting member or dog similar to the adjusting dogs8 and 13. In the constructi'on shown in Figs. '2 and 3 two'of these dogs 17 and 18 are provided, each adapted to accommodate eight of the bars 3 and each having notches to receive the thin edges of the bars. These dogs slide on lugs: 19 integral with the bar and they may be clamped in their adjusted positions by tightening up the bolts 20 tively. r

In order. to prevent these parts from loadand 21, respecing up with lint, the bar 15 is provided with a web or flange 22 which lies immediately in front of the grid bars and is of such climensions as to protect the partsimmediately behind it. In other words, this part 22 forms a guard to shield the adjusting dogs and adjacent parts from lint and other material thrown through the grid by the beater. It

will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 4 and r 5 that the guard is made of greater width at that side of the bar 15 on whichtheadjusting f dogs are mounted. In adjusting the bars initially the bolts 20 and 21 are loosenedand the bars are then adjusted; at the cheek piecesexactly as they are whenthe machine is not provided with the center support. When this adjustment has been completed and the adjusting lother through the supporting bar 15 and the adjustable dogs. While the grid bars 'them-.

selves form the sole support for the bar .15, nevertheless the shape of this bar issuch that it is very strong and rigid, and whenthe grid bars are connected to it in the manner just described the entire assembly forms a very rigid structure and substantially eliminates any:

possibility of the individual grid bars being bent or deformed in themanner abovedescribed. The fact that thegrid bars and supporting bar 15 cooperate in this manner and the presence of obstructions in the space outside the beater through which the dirt and. foreign materials are discharged. If the adjustment of the grid bars is eliminated, the

construction of the center support can be corr'espondingly simplified.

be understood that the inventionmay be emfrom the spirit or scope thereof.

lVhile I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention it will 5 Having thus described my invention, what i I desire to claim as new is:

1. Ina cotton cleaning machine having a beater, a grid positioned closelyadjacent to said beater and comprising a seriesof bars, means for supporting the ends of said bars and addltlonal means for supporting said bars at points between their ends and con- 7 necting them rigidly together so that they. cooperate to supporteach other, said addi tional means being supported solely by said.

bars.

2. In a cotton cleaning machine having a beater, a grid positioned closely adjacent'toi said beater and comprising a series of bars, means for supporting the endsof said bars for angular adjustment, and a dditional'.

means for engaging'said bars between their ends and connecting them rigidly together whereby they cooperate to support each other,

said additional meansservingto support said bars in their various positions of angular adjustment but being itself supported solely by said bars. 7

3. In a cotton cleaning machine having a beater, a grid positioned closely adjacent to said beater and comprising a series of bars, means for supporting the ends of said bars, and means supported independently of said end supporting means for engaging the intermediate portions of said bars and connecting them rigidly together and thereby causing them to support each other.

4:. In a cotton cleaningmach'ine having a beater, a grid positioned closely adjacent to said beater and comprising a series of bars, means for supporting the ends of said bars for angular adjustment, additional means supported independently of said end supporting means for engaging said bars between their ends and supporting them, and adjustable means for engaging said bars and cooperating with said central supporting means to hold the bars in their adjusted positions.

5. In a cotton cleaning machine having a beater, a grid positioned closely adjacent to said beater and comprising a series of parallel bars of angular cross section, means for supporting said bars at their opposite ends, a supporting bar having apertures through which said grid bars extend and in which intermediate portions of the bars are supported, said supporting bar being itself supported solely by said parallel bars, an adjustable member slidably mounted on said supporting bar and having shoulders to engage said grid bars, and means for clamping said member in its adjusted position.

6 In a cotton cleaning machine having a beater, a grid positioned closely adjacent to said beater and comprising a series of parallel bars of angular cross section, means for supporting said bars at their opposite ends, a curved bar having apertures through which said grid bars extend and in which intermediate portions of the bars are supported and having a web portion forming a guard lying in front of said grid bars and extending at right angles to them, said supporting bar being itself supported solely by said parallel bars, a dog slidably mounted on said curved bar and cooperating with said grid bars to hold them in various positions ofangular adjustment, and means for locking said dog to said curved bar.

ROBERT S. CURLEY.

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