US2536780A - Moting apparatus - Google Patents

Description

J- A. STREUN MOTING APPARATUS Jan. 2, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 12, 1948 m m A n m 50% V. B

J. A. STREUN MOTING APPARATUS Jan. 2, 1951 Filed April 12, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR; JoIznA.Streun BY J. A. STREUN MOTING APPARATUS Jan. 2, 1951 s Sheets-Shea. 5

Filed April 12, 1948 JNVENTOR. John A Stream 31 dtome yb Patented Jan. 2, 1951 UNITED STTE ATENT OFFICE MOTING APPARATUS John A. Streun, Sherman, Tex, assignor to Hard,-

wicke-Etter Company, Sherman, Tex., a corporation of Texas 21 Claims.

The present invention relates to cotton gins of the well-known type having gin saws and ribs, with provision for removing lint from the saws after the lint is stripped from the seed cotton by passage through the ribs. For example, the invention is shownin association with a gin of the air blast type, i. e., a type wherein a blast of air is used-to. remove: the lint from the saws, but it will beunderstood that my invention, which is described in detail below, may, be appiied to other types of ginshaving difierent' but equivalent means for removing the lint from the saws.

Myinvention is concerned with improvements in gins of the above type which provide for removingv the motes from the: lint and for prevent ingthe motes from passing outwardly from the gin with the lint throughthe lint-duct.

Theproblem' with which I' am dealingisone which has been present and appreciated for many years. Many efforts have been made to solve the problem with varying degrees ofsuccess, but none of these methods have proved to be entirely satisfactory;

Asis Well-known in the practice of cottonginning, various smaller pieces of foreign matter suclias motesand small pieces of stick and trash may pass through the'ginning ribs, and if special provision is not made for the'elimination-of such detritus at' some'point on the delivery-side of the ginning ribs, such motes and the likewill pass on outwardly through the lint duct to the condenser, and will be present in the final product, thus impairing its quality. The problem is particularly acute in the case of air blast gins, or gins having equivalent means, creating a down draft of airon the delivery side of the ginning. ribs. Such a down draft tends to entrain the motesand other smaller bits'of detritus; with theundesirable: results previously mentioned. It is well-known in the-art to provide means to receive and carry away motes and the like which are thrown bycentrifugaiiorce from the upper edges of the saws after they pass through the ginning ribs, but such meanshave not heretofore proved to be entirely successful, in that proper function-- ing is impaired by the down draft of the air blast or equivalent mechanism. As stated, the prior art. exhibits numerous attempts to solve this prob- 1em,includingthe use of special brushes or combs to dislodge the motes from the saws but without adequate provision for insuring the proper discharge of the motes. Suction has been used for these purposes, various auxiliary air jets have been employed; and mechanical rotating elements above the air blastmechanismhave been utilized.

Special troughs and conveyors have been positioned-to catch the motes, and special adjustablemote-deflectors have been provided.

One expedient which has been Widely used in connection with this problem is shown in my rior Patent 2,187,867, January 23-, 1940, comprising a rotating roller which serves to-throw or boost the motes over into a mote, chamber before the motes are subjected to the action of the air blast. to herein as disclosing the general environment of the invention, and the problem which the present invention has solved;

A principal object of the inventionv is to provide effective means for removing motes and the like from the saws bya controlledsuction action which counteracts'the down draft effect of theair, blast lint removing means or its equivalent.

Ancillary to this objective, it is the purpose of the invention to provide such means capable ofexact regulation whereby the degree'of mote-removing suction may be adjusted as required by the condition of the seed cotton.

It is a further object of the inventionto providea mote removing device comprising a rotating wheel intimately associated with the periphery of the saws, said wheel having means for receiving motes thrown or drawn from the saws and for carrying said motes over into a discharge conduit. In connection with this objective, the invention provides a vacuum wheel with pockets therein to receive the motes from thesaws. and todeliver them into asubstantially closed suction chamber. It will be observed as the description progresses, that the top wall of the suction chamber and the vacuum wheel are adjustable with respect to one another whereby to regulate the degree of the suction appliedto the motes as'they leave the saws. The vacuumwheeland the associated end of the suction conduit are adjustable from and toward the saws to regulate. the intensity of the action of the wheel with respect to the saws.

It Will be understood that the adjustments referred to above and hereinafter described are. of outstanding importance in accomplishing the results for which the equipment is designed. It. is desirable to have'all of the adjustments referred to available for use to meet seasonal conditions and variations in theseed cotton being processed. It is Well-known that the quantity of trash and motes to be removed increases as the season progresses. Consequently, to adjust the wheel with respect to the saws and to increase or reduce the suction from the mote discharge conduit by ad-:

My said prior patent is referred 3 justing the wheel with respect to the top wall of the suction conduit is of great importance. Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a battery of gin stands provided with equipment of the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevational view, partly in section, of one gin stand of the group.

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through one of the gin stands showing the arrangement of the mote removing wheel and mote discharging suction conduit with relation to the saws, it being understood that this view is a representation of the construction of each of the gin stands G1, G2, G3 and G4.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of one of the gin stands, partly in section, the section being generally along line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail end view showing the adjustable mounting of the shaft for the mote removing wheel and the drive shaft therefor, the parts being viewed from line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figures 6, '7 and 8 are perspective views of different forms which the mote removing wheel may take.

Fggure 9 is a detail view of a form of adjustable shutter which may be provided at the opposite ends of the mote discharging conduit.

Referring to Figure 2, a cotton gin of the general type of the Streun Patent No. 2,187,867 is disclosed. As is well-known in the art, such a gin includes a roll box If] and a plurality of closely spaced ginning saws I2 mounted on a shaft I4, the saws passing through spaced ginning ribs I6 carried by the frame. Referring to Figure 3, the lint is removed from the saws by a conventional air blast or jet I8 through which air is delivered under pressure tangentially of the saws. This air under pressure comes from a blower or the like which delivers air from a large chamber 20 through the passage 22. The lint is carried from the saws by suction applied through the lint duct 24. The shaft is driven in any suitable manner, such as by a motor connected by a belt or the like with one end I5 of the shaft. Shaft I4 is provided with flexible couplings between the gin stands.

It will be understood that the blast of a r through the nozzle I 8 creates a down draft which normally tends to draw motes thrown from the saws into the lint duct 24. As the saws i2 rotate at high speed, they pass through the ribs #5, and motes are discharged by centrifugal force from the saws adjacent the upper edges thereof approximately in the top moting zone indicated by the arrow leading from the numeral 26.

In order to provide for the removal of the motes as thrown or drawn from the saws, I provide a longitudinally extending trunk 28, located substantially centrally and passing through all of the gin stands. Any type of conveying means may be provided in this trunk to carry away the motes and trash delivered thereto. Figure 1 shows the arrangement of the trunk 28. At some convenient point, such as between the two middle gin stands, trunk 28 is provided with a pipe 39 connected with a suction device such as a power driven blower 32. When the blower 32 is operating, a suction is created in the trunk 28, and this suction acts through the mote discharging conduit C (Figure 3) which extends upwardly from the pipe 28 in each gin stand to entrain the motes and trash which are discharged from the gin saws I2. As illustrated in Figure 9, the opposite ends of the pipe or trunk 28 are closed by 4 adjustable shutter caps so that said ends can be entirely closed, or can be opened in regulated degrees to adjust the amount of air drawn into the trunk through these ends and thus to regulate the suction in the conduits C.

While shown only in cross section in Figure 3, it will be understood that the mote discharging conduit C extends throughout the entire length of each gin stand, between its end walls, and the trunk 28 is open as at 36 to the conduit C throughout the length of each gin stand.

The conduit C has a. lower portion formed by plates 38 connected. with the trunk 28. These plates are connected in any suitable way as by flanges and bolts 40 with adjustable upper plates 42 and 4%. The plate 32 terminates in a curved section 46 which forms the inner or bottom wall of the entrant end of the conduit C, while the plate 44 has a curved top plate or door 28 hinged thereto as at 59. The curved plate or door 48 forms the outer or top wall of the entrant end of the conduit C, and is adjustable in a manner hereinafter described.

Located in the entrant end of the conduit C and extending throughout the length of the gin is a mote removing wheel W. This wheel may be of various constructions. I have shown it as comprising an octagonal wooden shaft 52 provided at spaced points with suitably retained radially outwardly extending vanes 54. These vanes may be made of sheet metal, or of rubber or the like. It will be understood that the wheel extends throughout the length of the gin stand, and forms a blockade or valve entirely across the entrant end of the conduit C. The wheel is mounted for rotation on an individual shaft 56 which passes through each gin and this shaft is adjustable in a manner hereinafter described.

The seed cotton is placed in the roll box I 0 and is acted on by the saws I2, the latter being discs about twelve inches in diameter which revolve at high speed in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3. The periphery of each saw is covered with teeth, about 282 per saw, and the saws may be driven at approximately 700 revolutions per minute. The saws pass through ginning ribs I6, which are spaced between the saws in a grate-like manner, the ribs being of such thickness as to fill the space between the saws, the latter being about threefourths inches apart. As the saws revolve, the teeth strip the lint from the seeds, the seeds being prevented from passing through the ribs l6, and the lint which clings to the saw teeth is removed therefrom by a strong narrow blast of air from the nozzle I8. The lint passes into the lint flue 24 as previously described. As the saws move through the ribs I6, motes as well as hard ends of seed and trash cut up in the roll box are thrown from the saws by centrifugal force against the wheel W. The action of the jet I8 or induced suction in the lint duct 24 tends to draw the motes downwardly as counteracted by the suction from the mote discharging conduit C. The wheel W is power driven to rotate in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow, and the pockets in the wheel between the vanes 54 receive the motes and boost them over into the conduit C. It will be noted that the suction applied through the wheel W is at the top thereof, for the vanes 54 are of such length that they move along and in contact with the curved plate 46. In normal operation, the top Wall or door as of the conduit may be adjusted to be in spaced relation to the ends of the vanes St, to provide top suction as portrayed in Figure 3.

The end of the door 48 is provided with ad'- justable screws 60 which can be lengthened or shortened in their protrusion from the forward face of: an angular extension 62 on the door for the purpose of adjusting the position of the top.

wall of the entrant end of the conduit C with respect to the vanes of the wheel W. Ihe ends. of the screws 66 are positioned to engage the face of an angle member 64 on the frame of the machine for the above purposes.

The front plates 42 and 46- ofthe upper portion ofthe conduit C are provided at their opposite ends with respective attaching brackets 66 and 68. These brackets are provided with slots as shown, andv suitable cap screws are used to adjustably' attach the plates to the end walls of the frame of the gin stand". The brackets can be adjusted so as tomove the curved plate 46 from and toward the periphery of the-saws.

Similarly, the opposite wall 44 of the conduit has end brackets t6, similarly provided with slots T2 and associated cap screws, whereby this wall may be adjusted from and toward the sawteeth with the wall 42.

As best shown in- Figure 5, the shaft 56 on which the wheel W is mounted is journaled' in small supporting bearing plates i5, and these bearing plates have slots 12 therein whereby capscrews 1 it may be released and tightened to adjust the position of the shaft56laterally from and toward the saws. Elongated slots 1.6 are provided in the end walls of the frame to; permit limited shift,-

ing movement of the ends of the shafts 56 which.

are supported in these walls. It will be understood that the wheel W is thus adjusted from and toward the saws with, that portion of the discharge conduit C which is defined by the walls 42, 44:, 46 and 48. The adjustable top wall 48 or door, because it is hinged, may be opened to. the dotted line position shown in Figure 2 for access to the parts which have been described.

By means of the screws 60, the door 48 canbe adjusted between a position where it contacts the ends of the vanes 54 to a position where it is somewhat widely spaced from the ends of said vanes.

The shaft 56 of the wheel W in each ginstand is driven from a drive shaft 80 which extends throughout the entire battery of gins, therebeing flexible couplings 82 on this shaft, between the respective gin stands, in order to accommodateany unevenness in their settings. The shaft 86' is driven from an end pulley 84 (Figure 1) in any convenient manner. The pulley 84 may be driven by a belt from. a suitable pulley on the gin saw shaft l4. Each shaft 56 in each gin stand is driven through a belt or chain 66 as best shown in Figure 2, there being respective sprockets. on the shafts 86 and 5,6. As illustrated in Figure 5, the shafts 66 are j ournaled in sup.- porting plates 88. adjustably fixed on the end walls ofthe respective gin stands, so that, shaft 80 may be adjusted with shaft 56 from and toward the gin saws. Plates. 68 are adjustably mounted on the frame as described for. the similar plates 12.

The invention is not confinedto any particular type of vacuum wheel. In Figure 6, the wheel is shown consisting of an octagonal woodenshaft 52, andvanes 54 consisting of metal or rubber sheets bent back uponthemselvesaresecured between. the. separate longitudinalsentions which assatsd torm: the wooden sha-ftBZ. In. Figure 7, atsimir la-r arrangement. is shown except. that the vanes; areformedof a singlethickness of metal, rubber, or the like suitably attached tothe wooden shaft. In Figure 8-, the centralwooden shaft 9|).v may be a cylindricali member and the: vanes, are formed, by a continuous sheet of metal, or the like, which is bent into star-like: design (in cross section) around the shaft: and: suitably secured thereto, the points of'the. stars being formedof two plies. of the material folded intocontact as indicated at 92.

In operation, suction is applied to the mote removing conduit C by thefan 32 at the time the ginning operation commences. This. suction is applied through the conduit C to the space above the wheel W depending upon the adjust ment of the door 48: with respect tov the wheel. As the ginning continues, the saws throw motesand, trash into. the pockets of the wheel W and the rotation of this wheel at proper speed and in the direction shown delivers the motes. intothe discharge conduit C, from which they are carried through. thetrunk 28 to a point of, disposal outside of the gin house. In, the case of clean, early cotton, the top. door 46. may be adjusted so: that it is in substantial. contact with. the outer edges of the vanes. 54 of the wheel W. In this case, the suction of. the; fan 32 is only used to convey the. motes from, the, conduit C, the mechanicalaction of the. wheel being relied, on to deliver the motes into, the suction conduit.

When it is necessary to increase. the moting action, the door. 48 is adjusted outwardly from the. periphery: of the wheel W by the screws 60 shown. in Eigure 3, whereby suction is applied in the moting zone. 26 from above the wheel W;

Thus, the movement of the motes is assisted by suction applied from the. direction toward which the .motesarenormally moving as discharged by centrifugal. force from the saws, this suction counteracting the. tendency of the motes to drop under the influence of the air jet [6.

If the cotton is quite trashy, it may be found tebe. necessary toadj-ust the wheel W toward the; saws, perhaps to an extent where the ends of the vanes 54 are almost touching the periphery of: the saws." Thus, these vanes act as a whipping: board to loosenthetrashv and motes from thelint. Fluily' pads of cotton clinging to the saws. arethus freed from motes and trash and from hard premature lumps of inferior lint as well as. sticks, shale and other impurities. This regulation is accomplished by bodily adjusting the entrant end of the conduit C comprising the plates 42, 44,746 and the door 48, as well as the wheel W, with respect to the saws, in the manner previously described.

As mentioned above, the adjustments described may be made as necessary during-the ginningseason and as governed by the condition of the seed cotton. When the door 48 is adjusted to provide suction from the conduit C, this suction is applied high up in the interiorv of the gin stand and directly in the path of the motes discharged from the saws l2. The curveddoor 48v guides the motes toward the wheel W, and the. suction. is intense near the upper path of the vanes 54 of the wheel.

Depending on the position of the wheel W, it acts ina controlled manner both to beat the motes from the saws and to convey these motes to the-conduit C.

The. vaeuumwheel W in effect. constitutes an 76 adjustable. valve;. providing .a. relatively; narrow.

suction opening adjacent the outer or top wall 48, whereby the suction is applied with effective intensity, yet the continuous movement of the wheel prevents any accumulation in or clogging of the restricted opening, the vanes 54 being thoroughly cleaned as they sweep through the conduit C.

I have found that the suction action as described serves not only to greatly increase the amount of motes removed from the lint, but also to yield a cleaner sample of lint with the dark dust removed therefrom.

As illustrated in Figure 3, the curvature and length of the plate 48 and the arrangement of the vanes 54 is such that there is always one such vane in position to define the lower edge of the adjusted restrictive suction opening, yet each such edge is constantly moving and is continuously replaced by a following edge to prevent the accumulation of matter and the clogging of the opening,

I have found that the apparatus operates satisfactorily if the wheel W is driven at approximately '75 revolutions per minute, although the wheel may be driven somewhat faster or somewhat slower than this speed. An important object of the invention is to provide such a wheel which can b positioned with its vanes close to the periphery of the saws in order that such vanes, particularly when made of metal, may act as a whipping board or a revolving stripper knife to aid in beating the dust or motes out of the cotton. It has been a custom to use a stationary knife set rigidly closeto the saws so that the lint on the saws is whiped to remove motes and trash therefrom, but the action of my wheel is far superior to these prior art devices, in that the wheel and the vanes may be adjusted into close relation to the saws and driven at such speed as to cause the vanes to act as rapidly moving whipping boards for stripping the loose motes and trash from the lint on the saws, it further being noted that the vanes are positioned and rotate in such direction as to carry the motes and trash upwardly and over into the conduit provided for the disposal of this matter.

I claim:

1. A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws for removing lint therefrom and for delivering same into a lint duct leading from the gin, said means being operable to create a current of air in a direction away from said saws to facilitate the removal of the lint therefrom, a mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned adjacent the periphery of said saws to receive motes and trash discharged from said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motes therethrough, and a mote discharging wheel mounted for rotation on said frame in the entrant opening of said conduit, said wheel having vanes which pass said saws but are out of contact therewith, and pockets between said vanes to receive motes drawn from said saws and to deliver the motes to said conduit for discharge therefrom.

2. A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws 8 for removing lint therefrom and for delivering same into a lint duct leading from the gin, said means being operable to create a current of air in a direction away from said saws to facilitate the removal of the lint therefrom, a mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned adjacent the periphery of said saws to receive motes and trash discharged from said saws between said rib and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motes therethrough, said entrant opening being positioned to cause the suction applied to said conduit to counteract the effect of the air current created by said lint removing means on motes discharged from said saws, and a mote discharging wheel mounted for rotation on said frame in the entrant opening of said conduit adjacent said saws but out of contact therewith, said wheel having pockets to deliver motes drawn from said saws into said conduit.

3. A- cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws for removing lint therefrom and for delivering same into a lint duct leading from the gin, said means being operable to create a current of air in a direction away from said saws to facilitate the removal of the lint therefrom, a mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening presented toward the periphery of said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to mov the motes therethrough, said conduit having an upper wall at its entrant opening positioned in substantially horizontal alignment with the top peripheral edges of said saws as they pass through said ribs, a valve member disposed in the entrant end of said conduit, and means for adjusting said valve member and said upper wall with respect to one another to vary the extent of the opening to said conduit adjacent said upper wall, whereby to regulate the counteracting effect of the suction applied to said conduit against the air current created by said lint removing means and to thus control entry of motes thrown from the top periphery of said saws into said conduit.

4. A construction in accordance with claim 3 wherein means are provided to continuously move said valve member with respect to said upper wall to prevent the accumulation of matter in and clog ing of said opening.

5. A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning assembly mounted in said frame comprising a battery of saws mounted for high speed rotation and a plurality of associated ginning ribs, means on the discharge side of said ribs for removing lint from said saws and for delivering same to a lint duct leading from the gin, a mote discharging conduit in said frame having an entrant end presented to the periphery of said saws to receive motes and trash discharged from said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motes therethrough, a mote discharging wheel mounted for rotation on the frame substantially within said conduit, said wheel having pockets to receive motes thrown from said saws and to deliver the motes to said conduit for discharge therefrom, the mounting for said wheel including means for adjusting the same in the entrant end of said conduit from and toward the periphery of said saws.

76. A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning :9 assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery ,of said .saws for removing lint therefrom and. for delivering same into a lint. ductleading from the gin, said means being operable to create a current of air in a direction away from said saws to facilitate the removal of the lint therefrom, a :mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned adiaoent the periphery of said saws to -.receive-motes: and trash discharged from .said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motestherethrough, and a valve member in the entrant opening to .said conduit comprising .a plurality :Qf arranged to substantially close said entrant open- 7 ing and means for moving said vanes through ,said entrant opening in a, path outside of said periphery .of said saws and the direction of travel of the :motesfrom saidsaws to said conduit.

7. ,A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginnin assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws .mounted for rotation in said frame and associated r-i-bs therefor, means on .the discharge side .of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws for removing lint therefrom and for delivering same into a lint. duct leadin from gin, said means bein to create -a current of in a, direction away from said saws to facilitate the remoyal of thelint therefrom, a mote discharge eonduit having. an entrant Qpening positioned .adiacent the periphery of said saws to receive males and trash discharged from said saws between ,said and said lint removing means, meansfor applying suction to said conduit tomove the motes therethrough, said entrant opening "being in part defined by a top wall carried by the and a valve memher in said entrant opening comprising a carrier and a plurality of vanes arranged thereon to successively approach-said periphery of said saws and said top wall to substantial contact therewith, and means for moving said carrier and thereby said vanes through said entrant opening in the direction of travel of the motes from said saws to said conduit.

8. A construction in accordance with claim '7 wherein means are provided for relatively adjusting said carrier and said tcp=wa-1l from and toward one another to provide a narrow regu- "lated suction opening between said vanes and said top wall.

9. A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws for removing lint therefrom and for delivering same into a lint duct leading from the gin, said means being operable to create a current of air in a direction away from said saws to facilitate the removal of the hut therefrom. a mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned adjacent the periphery of said saws to receive motes and trash discharged from said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motes therethrough, and a valve :member in the -entrant opening to said conduitcomprising a carrier having -a plu- TGIIitYqOf vanes thereon arranged-to substantially close said opening svithout contacting said saws,

i0 and means for moving said carrier to (thereby successively move said vanes through said entrant opening in the direction of travel of the motes from said saws to said conduit.

10. A cotton gin comprising aframe, a ginning assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws for removing lint therefrom and for deliveringsame into a lint duct leading from .the gin, said means being operable to create a current of air in a direction away fromsaid saws to facilitate the removal of :the lint therefrom, a mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned adjacent-the periphery of said saws to receive motes and :trash discharged from said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means. for applying suction to said conduit to move the, motes therethroughand a valve member for controlling the entrant opening to said conduit, said lvalve member comprising a horizontal shaft and spaced radial wanes thereon arranged to substantially close said .entrant opening without contacting .saidsaws, and means for rotating said shaft torsuccessivelyimove :said vanes through :said entrant opening in :the direction of travel of the motes from said same to said conduit.

11. -A construction zinraccordance with claim i0 wherein said entrant opening is'in part defined -by a top wall and wherein means are provided for relatively adjusting said valve member and said top wall from and toward one {another $0 provide a regulated narrow suction opening between said vanes and said top wall.

7 12. A cotton gimcomprisinga frame, a ginning assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs "therefor, :means ion .the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery ofsaidsaws for removingflint therefrom and "for delivering same into :alintductleading from .the gin, said means being operableto create a current of air in a direction away from said saws to facilitate the removal {Of the lint therefrom, a mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned adjacent the @periphery of said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motes therethrough, the entrant end of said conduit being defined by an outer wall anda curved inner .wall, a moting wvheel disposed in the entrant end of said conduit comprising-a shaft mounted for rotation insaid frame and radial vanes on said shaft which substantially close said entrant opening without contacting .said saws, vsaid vanes 'being arranged to contact and seal against .said curved inner wall, and means for rotating said shaft in the same direction as said saws, said wheel having pockets therein between said vanes to receive motes discharged from said-saws and to deliver same to said conduit.

13. A constructionin accordance with claim .12 wherein said outer-wall is a l'u tablewith-respect to the peripheral edges of saidvanes to provide a narrow suction opening above saidwheel to draw the motes discharged from said saws into said conduit.

14.- A construction in accordance with claim 12 wherein said outer and innerwalls and said wheel are adjustable from and toward said saws.

15. A cotton gin comprisinga frame, a ginnin assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning rib-s therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws for removing lint therefrom and for delivering same into a lint duct leading from the gin, a mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned to receive motes and trash discharged from said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motes and trash therethrough, a mote discharging wheel mounted for rotation in said frame between the periphery of said saws and the entrant end of said conduit, means for rotating said wheel in the same direction as that of said saws, said wheel having spaced vanes thereon defining mote and trash receiving pockets therebetween and positioned to pass the edges of said saws 'in close relation thereto but out of contact therewith to beat the motes and trash from the lint on said saws and to discharge same into said conduit.

'16. A construction in accordance with claim 15 wherein means are provided for adjusting said wheel and its vanes from and toward the periphery of said saws to vary the intensity of the beating action of said vanes.

17. A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws for removing lint therefrom and for delivering the same into a lint duct leading from the gin, said means being operable to create a current of air in a direction away from said saws to facilitate the removal of the lint therefrom, a mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned adiacent the periphery of said saws to receive motes and trash discharged from said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motes therethrough, said entrant opening being positioned to cause the suction applied to said conduit to counteract the effect of the air current created by said lint removing means on motes discharged from said saws, a mote discharging wheel in the entrant opening of said conduit for delivering into said conduit the motes drawn from said saws, said wheel substantially closing said conduit opening and comprising a shaft mount-ed for rotation on said frame and a plurality of mote beating elements extending radially from said shaft, the outer ends of said elements moving in a path adjacent to but outside the periphery of said saws, and means for rotating said shaft.

18. A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws for removing lint therefrom and for delivering the same into a lint duct leading from the gin, said means being operable to create a current of air in a direction away from said saws to facilitate the removal of the lint therefrom, a

'mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned adjacent the periphery of said saws to receive motes and trash discharged from said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motes therethrough, said entrant opening being positioned to cause the suction applied to said conduit to counteract the eflfectof the air current created by said l nt 76- moving means on motes discharged from said saws, a mote discharging wheel in the entrant opening of said conduit for delivering into said conduit the motes drawn from said saws, said wheel comprising a, shaft mounted for rotation on said frame, and a plurality of mote beating elements extending radially outwardly from said shaft, said elements being spaced around said shaft to provide pockets which are open at their outer ends and which extend substantially continuously throughout the length of said shaft to receive motes drawn from said saws and to convey them to said conduit, and means for rotating said shaft.

19. A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning assembly mounted in said frame comprising a battery of saws mounted for high speed rotation and a plurality of associated ginning ribs, means on the discharge side of said ribs for removing lint from said saws and for delivering the same to a lint duct leading from the gin, mote discharging conduit in said frame having an entrant end presented to the periphery of said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motes therethrough, a mote discharging wheel mounted for rotation on the frame in the entrant opening of said conduit, said wheel comprising a shaft and a plurality of mote beating elements extending radially outwardly therefrom, said elements being spaced around said shaft to provide pockets which are open at their outer ends and which extend substantially continuously throughout the length of said shaft, the mounting of said wheel including means for adjusting the same in the entrant end of said conduit from and toward the periphery of said saws.

20. A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws for removing lint therefrom and for delivering the same into a lint duct leading from the gin, said means being operable to create a current of air in a direction away from said saws to facilitate the removal of the lint therefrom, a mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned adjacent the periphery of said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to Said conduit to move the motes therethrough, said entrant opening being positioned to cause the suction applied to said conduit to counteract the effect of the air current created by said lint removing means on motes discharged from said saws, and a mote discharging wheel mounted in the entrant opening of said conduit and having a plurality of mote beating elements attached at their inner ends to said wheel and extending radially outwardly from said wheel, said elements being spaced around said wheel to provide pockets which are open at their outer ends and which extend substantially continuously throughout the length of said wheel to deliver motes drawn from said saws into said conduit.

21. A cotton gin comprising a frame, a ginning assembly comprising a plurality of gin saws mounted for rotation in said frame and associated ginning ribs therefor, means on the discharge side of said ribs adjacent the periphery of said saws for removing lint therefrom and for delivering the same into a lint duct leading from 7 th s S id means being operable to create a 13 current of air in a direction away from said saws to facilitate the removal of the lint therefrom, a mote discharge conduit having an entrant opening positioned adjacent the periphery of said saws between said ribs and said lint removing means, means for applying suction to said conduit to move the motes therethrough, a mote discharging member having a plurality of vanes extending therefrom which define mote receiving pockets therein, said mote discharging member being mounted in the entrant end of said conduit, and means for moving said vanes through said entrant opening in a path outside of said periphery of said saws and in the direction of travel of the motes from said saws to said conduit, said member having mounting means for adjusting it into close relation out of contact with the periphery of said saws.

JOHN A. STREUN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 93,057 Clement July 27, 1869 1,087,831 Rozier Feb. 17, 1914 2,174,143 Streun Sept. 26, 1939 2,204,803 Griffin June 18, 1940 2,290,405 Carr et a1 July 21, 1942 2,328,126 Carr et al Aug. 31, 1943

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