US2009928A - Air draft cotton cleaner - Google Patents

Description

July 30, 1935 N. B. HENRY 009,928

AIR DRAFT COTTON CLEANER Filed Jan. 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 gru/vento@ July 30, 1935.

N. B.- HENRY AIR DRAFT COTTON CLEANER Filed Jan. 29, 1952 2 SheetS-Sheet 2 Patented July 30, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Am DRAFT' COTTON CLEANER `Nelson B.Henry, Columbus, Ga. I .Application January 29, 1932, serial No. 589,727

12 claims. (ci. 19-72) My invention relates to improvements in seed chamber discharging to `a commonV outlet, and cotton cleaners such as are used for removing there being a valve for controlling the flow of dirt and foreign material therefrom; cotton, whereby it can be passed into the clean- Inasmuch as the invention has particular refing chamber or deflected directlyfto the outlet 5 erence to a cleaner of the .air draft "variety, of the inlet chamber while permitting the 5 wherein the cotton is drawn from a suitable air current to ,continue on into the cleaner source by an air conveyor into the cleaner where chamber along with thedirt and foreign matter. it is subjected to the action` of rolls working over The invention also aims to provide inra cotscreens, it may be well to discuss some of the distn cleaner, or the like, baille means for preadvantages of this type of cleaner, and vwhich Venting the setting up of eddy currents and :as- '1.0 disadvantages the presentv invention is desociated with deflector means, which is adapted signedto overcome. In this connection, perto separate the Aincoming/cottonV from the air haps the outstanding'difliculty with'the cleaner current, an element of the deflector means being of the prior art is vthat the .seed cotton is comarranged so as to provide a support for the baille vl pelled to pass into the cleaning .chamber and .to means when the same is in operative position. `15 be subjected to the action of the cleaner. or The invention also resides in certain novel feapicker roll instrumentalities. Where the cotton tures of construction, combination andarrangeis green and damp or of exceptionally long staple ment of parts and in modes of operatiom al1 of it is liable to be damaged by excessive cleaning. which will be readily understood and appreciated It, therefore, is frequently necessary and advisby those skilled in the art upon reference to the "20 able to dispense with the mechanical cleaning accompanying drawings in connection with the action of the rolls, and it is one of the important detailed description following.. Y a objects of my invention to provide a novel clean- It is to be understood that the drawings illuser whereby the operator can, at will, direct' the trate what isregarded as a'preferred form of the cotton into the portion of the cleaner Where it invention. Obviously, however, the invention is 25 will be subjected to the action of the cleaning susceptible of other mechanical expressions'withrolls, or merely effect a separation of the cotin the spirit and scope of the subject. matter ton from the air-current and loose dirt that claimed hereinafter. .Y would naturally be carried by the air `current In the drawingswherein the same reference upon separation of the cotton therefrom. In characters have been used to designate the same 30 this way the operator is enabled to feed the'seed parts in all views, Y l f g i cotton to the gin, or storage bin, whether the Figure 1 is a lineal sectional .view through a mechanical cleaning instrumentalities Yare emcleaner incorporating my invention; ployed or not, at his option. The present in- Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line .35 vention, therefore, enables the ginner to employ 2 2 of Figure 1, and, v

a single air conveyor or system with a single Figure 3 is a perspective View of a novel valve cleaner employed thereiny regardless of the na- .0r baille member incorporated in the invention. ture or condition of the cotton being drawn Referring specifically to the drawings, numeral thereinto. I 5 denotes the casing of thecleaner which 'may 40 More specifically, 1t-is an object ofthe inbe substantially of conventional constructionand 40 vention to provide a cotton cleaner, or the like, which, as shown, is provided with the inlet -Gfrom incorporating a valve or deflector which is opthe pneumatic conveyor which suppliesjthecoterable to separate the incoming cotton from the ton to thecasing 5. j air current so that the cotton will pass through The casing 5 isprovided with the usual Vseries the discharge outlet of the feeder while permitof transverse cleaner rollsl 'I provided withteeth `i5 ting the airand dirt, with which it is laden, tov 8, bars or other well known cleaning means, and. pass out of the cleaner either through the operating above the vscreen III. The rolls 1 are screened bottom thereof below the cleaning rolls, journalled upon shafts 9 secured in bearings I0 or otherwise. and-driven in the usual fashion. y

The invention also contemplatesa cleaner hav- The casing 5 is` provided with a substantially 50 ing what might be termed an inlet chamber conical dirt receptacle I2 forming the bottomof communicating directly with an outletthere besuch casing, the receptacle I2 having the air outing combined with the inlet chamber, the usual let pipe I3 to which maybe connected the usual cleaning chamber having mechanical kcleaning suction fan for supplying the cotton to the cleaninstrumentalities therein, the inlet and cleaning er from the bins or ,wagonsvia the conveyonpipe 55 6. This structure is more or less conventional and it will be readily apparent that the cotton is drawn into the cleaner and that the air and dirt will pass through screen I I with the heavier particles of dirt dropping down onto the dirt ejector roll I4 at the bottom of the receptacle I2, While the lighter particles of dirt will be drawn out through the pipe I3 through the fan (not shown) The dirt ejector roll I4 is provided with ilexible vanes I5 which wipe against the opposed surfaces I2a at the outlet end of the dirt receptacle I2. These vanes I5 form a seal to prevent the access of outside air to the dirt chamber I2. The dirt ejector roll I4 is mounted on the shaft I6 which may be driven by a belt or otherwise fromone of the other moving elements of the emanen-probablyone of the shafts 9 of the cleaner rolls 1.

As usual the cotton fed into the cleaner 5 `is discharged against the rear wall thereof to subsequently pass over the screen II by the action of the rolls I until the kscreened cotton is discharged into the chamber I'I (Figure 1) to be ejected therefrom by the seed cotton ejector roll I9 mounted on the shaft 2D and having flexible vanes 2I operating on the arcuate surfaces of the discharge or outlet portions I8 of lthe casing. The seed cotton ejector roll therefore, as will be apparent, prevents the entry of air into the chamber II and the main chamber of the cleaner 5. Thus, the vacuum or pull in the elevator 6 will not be diminished as a result of either the dirt outlet of the dirt chamber I2 or the seed cotton outlet I8.

As has been stated earlier herein, considerable cotton will be received'which does not require cleaning or at least any substantial amount of cleaning. The usual cleaner, as already pointed out, makes no provision for the elimination of mechanical cleaning of the cotton and therefore all cotton must be subjected to the action of the rolls 1. In order to meet this situation, I have provided my cleaner with the novel deflector 22, which is trapezoidal, or which may be trapezoidal, in shape, and which, as shown in Figure 1, is keyed to the shaft 24 by means of brackets or bearings 23, the shaft being suitably journalled in the walls of the casing 5. One end of the shaft is preferably turned laterally, as indicated in Figure l, and is provided with a weight 25 at its end so that the shaft can be rocked to dispose the valve or deflector 22 in either the full vor dotted line position (Figure 1).

In the full line position of the deflector or valve 22 it will be noted (Figure 2) that a space 28 is provided between the ends of the deflector 22 and the adjacent walls of the casing 5so that'the air current with the dirt or al substantial portion of it will pass around the deflector and into the main chamber of the cleaner 5 to pass through the screen II as usual. However, the incoming seed cotton, entering the casing 5 at high velocity `and striking the defiector 22 (full line position,

Figure 1) will drop down on to the seed cotton ejector roll I9. Baflies 21, 29 serve to prevent the setting up of eddy currents and effect an even and of Figure 1.

In this connection it will be noted that the baille 21, which is carried by the front wall of the casing 5 serves as a support for the deiiector Y 22 when in the dotted line position which, of

course, is the position the deflector assumes when the cotton is to be supplied to the main chamber of the cleaner and subjected to the action of the rolls 'I. The weight serves to maintain the deflector 22 in either the full or dotted line position, as will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 1.

When the deflector 22 is in the dotted line position its upwardly disposed convex surface tends to assure upward deflection of the cotton in its passage to the rear of the cleaning chamber,- thus obviating likelihood of cotton dropping Ythrough the openings 28. The top of the casing (see Figure 1) forms a stop for the deflector 22 when in the full line position and sustains the l pressure of the air current.

' or feeding chamber I'I,-such baffle 29 preventing passage of the airvcurrent below the deflector 22 and over the rolls 'I as indicated in Figure 1.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pneumatically fed cotton cleaner comprising a casing having a cotton inlet and outlet, and cleaning elements through which the air current is discharged; the combination of a singleimperforate deflector positionable to deflect the incoming cotton from said air current to the cotton outlet without presentation to said cleaning elements and permit of the passage of air at its opposite sides, baffle means in said casing and Vcooperating with said rstmentioned cotton deflecting means when the same is in operative position for providing an inlet chamber in direct communication with said cotton inlet and outlet, said baffle means including one barile member below the deflector'and spaced above the cleaning elements.

2. In a pneumatically fed cotton cleaner comprising a casing having a cotton inlet and outlet and cleaning elements through which the air current is discharged; the combination of imperforate deflector means positionable to defiect the incoming cotton from said air current to the cotton outlet without presentation to said cleaning elements,'and permit of the passage of 4viding an inlet chamber in direct communication with said cotton inlet and outlet.

3. A cottoncleaner or the like comprising a single casing providing a cleaning section and a f receiving section, the former having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the latter and the receiving section having an inlet and an outlet kfor the cotton, driven cleaning elements in said cleaning section, a screen subjacent to said driven cleaning elements and over which the cotton is adapted to be actuated and discharged -through said receiving section, a subjacent dirt chamber beneath said screen and providing an air exhaust outlet and dirt ejector means independent of said exhaust outlet and having means for substantially preventing the entry of air into said dirt chamber through the dirt outlet opening shiftable deflector means in the path of said cotton inlet and positionable to intercept and y extract the cotton'from an air current to cause the cotton to pass directly through the receiving chamber outlet without presentation to said cleaning chamber, said deflecting means when in intercepting position presenting a concave surface toward the incoming cotton and when in non-intercepting presenting an upwardly inclined surface to the incoming cotton whereby to deflect same away from said receiving section outlet; and toward the cleaning section inlet, said deilecting means being arranged to provide air current passages at its sides whereby the air blast may be exhausted through said screen regardless of the position of said deflecting means, and ejecting means for discharging the cotton from said receiving chamber while preventing the entry of air thereinto.

4. A pneumatically fed cotton cleaner comprising a casing having a cotton inlet and an outlet at one end and a separate outlet for the air current and dirt, cotton cleaning means in said casing and terminating short of the inlet and outlet end wall thereof, a movable deflector member in said casing adjacent said inlet and adapted in one position to substantially cut off incoming cotton from said outlet and in another position to extract the cotton from the air current and deflect it toward said outlet, and an eddy current-preventing baille between said deflector member and the cotton discharge end of said cleaning means, and forming a substantial continuation of said deilector when the latter is in operative position.

5. A pneumatically fed cotton cleaner comprising a casing having a cotton inlet and an outlet at one end and a separate outlet for the air current and dirt, cotton cleaning means in said casing and terminating short of the inlet and outlet end wall thereof, a movable deflector member in said casing adjacent said inlet and adapted in one position to substantially cut off incoming cotton from said outletV and in another position to extract the cotton from the air current and deflect it toward said outlet, and an eddy current-preventing baille on the casing wall between said cotton inlet and outlet and providing a support for one end of said deilector in its first mentioned position.

6. A pneumatically fed cotton cleaner comprising a casing having a cotton inlet and an outlet at one end and a separate outlet for the air current and dirt, cotton cleaning mea-ns in said casing and terminating short of the inlet and outlet end wall thereof, a movable deilector member in said casing adjacent said inlet and adapted in one position to substantially cut ofi incoming cotton from said outlet and in another psition to extract the cotton from the air current and deflect it toward said outlet, and a pair of eddy current-preventing bailles between said inlet and outlet, one of said bailles being spaced from said inlet wall and disposed between said deilector and the discharge end of said cleaning means and the otherbaille being carried by said wall and providing a support'for said deector in its rst-mentioned position.

7. A cotton cleaner or the like comprising a casing providing distinct feeding and cleaning sections, the feeding section having a cotton inlet and a cotton outlet and there being an inlet to said cleaning section in substantial alignment with said feeding section inlet, a deflector selectively positionable in front of said cleaning section inlet, and also in a position substantially parallel to said inlets, and said deflector member in said last named position having an inclined surface directed generally toward said cleaning section inlet and away from said feeding section outlet, and the length of said deilector member being less than the width of said feeding section whereby to provide a dirt and air outlet 8. 'I'he combination set forth in claim 'l and iny cluding a pair of eddy current preventing members, one carried adjacent and below said feeding section inlet, and the other adjacent and below said cleaning section inlet, and above said cleaning section outlet, the first mentioned eddycurrent-preventing member providing a support for said baille in its second mentioned position, and the other eddy-current-preventing member providing a continuation of said baille member when it is inthe first mentioned position whereby to guide the incoming cotton toward said feeding section outlet.

9. In an air draft cotton cleaner, cleaning means, means for delivering cotton thereto in an air stream, and means operable to bypass cotton but not air from the cleaning means, said bypass means including a baille for sharply deflecting the air stream to cause its'contained cotton to separate therefrom by its inertia, and end walls on the baille perpendicular thereto.

10.In an air draft cotton cleaner, cleaning means, means for delivering cotton thereto in an air stream, a baille for sharply deflecting the air stream to separate out its contained cotton by inertia of the cotton, said baille constituting a cotton bypass for the cleaning means, and end walls on said baille.

11. In an air draft cotton cleaner, a casing, cleaning means therein, a combined cotton and air inlet to said casing, a baille having perpendicular end walls and operable in said casing into spaced relationship from said inlet to sharply divert the air stream issuing therefrom whereby to cause the air carried cotton to separate therefrom by its inertia, and means for bypassing the separated cotton with respect to the cleaning means.

12. In an air draft cotton cleaner, a casing, means for delivering cottonV thereto in an air stream, an air and cotton impactor in the casing and movable into the air stream, said impactor having a body substantially concave to the air stream when in operative position, and end walls on said body substantially perpendicular thereto.

NELSON B. HENRY.

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