US2977641A - Lint cotton opener and cleaner - Google Patents

Description

April 1961 E. H. BROOKS LINT COTTON OPENER AND CLEANER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 18, 1956 INVENTOR UGEA/E Bkaoks April 4, 961

E. H. BROOKS LINT COTTON OPENER AND CLEANER Filed July 18, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 2 ii 1%. 6 m4 INVENTOR Eva-5N5 A. Bzoo ks Fwzgmzw ATTORNEY April 4, 1961 E. H. BROOKS LINT COTTON OPENER AND CLEANER 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 18, 1956 INVENTOR v Ease/vs bi Bkcoks April 4, 1961 BROOKS 2,977,641

LINT COTTON OPENER AND CLEANER Filed July 18, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR foes/v5 M Beooxs ATTORNEY United States Patent LINT COTTON OPENER AND CLEANER Eugene H. Brooks, Birmingham, Ala., assignor to Continental Gin Company, Birmingham, Ala., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 18, 1956, Ser- No. 598,712

9 Claims. (Cl. 19-93) This application is a continuation in part of application Serial No. 435,552, filed June 9, 1954, titled Lint Cotton Opener and Cleaner, now US. Patent 2,804,655.

This invention relates to apparatus for handling lint cotton and other fibrous material. More particularly the instant invention relates to a lint opener and cleaner for use in cloth and thread mills where there is an increasing need for improved equipment for opening, cleaning and mixing fibrous materials.

This need is readily apparent to even the casual observer particularly where, for example, as in the case of cotton mills the fiber is customarily delivered in the form of bales. These bales are extremely dense and the fibers are matted and intertwined. Thus to prepare or condition the fiber formanufacture into thread and cloth it is necessary that the bales be opened and the fibers placed in a form suitable for the carding and subsequent equipment.

Further, despite the fact that modern methods of fiber handling may have been used before baling, and during transit, there is still the need for further cleaning of the fibers delivered to the mills. With cotton, for example, although there are modern gins in use which will perform a reasonable cleaning operation, there may still remain trash and motes which are obviously not desirable in the finished threads and cloths. This is particularly apt to be true where machine picked cotton has been ginned. Also, of course, with the older gins which are still in operation the cleaning is usually not satisfactory for the mill purposes. In addition to trash and motes which may remain after the ginning operation, often trash is picked up in handling or storage and thisalso must be removed.

Therefore not only do the cotton mills or similar fiber handling mills find it necessary to employ lint opening machinery for opening the bales or other packages of the lint received, but in addition it is essential to employ machinery for cleaning the fiber. For example, today mills find it necessary to use a whole battery of cleaning apparatus and pass the fiber through a series of machines before it is ready to be sent to the thread forming machines such as carding and spinning machines.

As a result the fiber isfinally ready to be formed into laps from which thread may be made. However, the extensive working has resulted in a lower quality product from the standpoint of fiber length and strength. Thus it is obviously desirable to reduce the amount of working necessary to condition the fiber. Furthermore the need to reduce the amount of working has been increased in recent years as a result of the increased cost of material and the increasedtdemand for quality products. Accordingly one ofthe objects of this invention is to provide an opener and cleaner which will thoroughly open and clean fiber such as cotton and which will reduce the amount of working necessary to obtain'fiber fit forthread forming. Thus some of the=quality heretofore lost can now be retained.

Eat-elated. Apr. 4, 196.1

Excessive working which resulted in lower grade output is not the only problem which confronts the mills however; there has also long been a need for equipment which would remove motes and small trash more effectively and thus also improve the final product. Despite the impressing array of equipment often assembled for the purpose the end product has too frequently shown imperfections requiring downgrading. Downgrading of course results in lowered financial return and even complete loss. 7

Although the mills have been plagued by these problems for many years, and although as pointed out above more modern equipment is often used in preparing and shipping prior to the time the cotton reaches the mills, so far as is known to me, no machinery has been devised which will satisfactorily remove motes, particularly the smaller motes, and small trash. With this in view it is accordingly another object of my invention to provide a lint opener and cleaner which will remove motes and small or pin trash from cotton or other fibers.

The opening problem alone perplexed the cotton in dustry for many years. vised an opener such as disclosed in Asbil, Jr. et al. Patent No. 2,365,793, dated December 26, 1944. This machine was developed at the US. Government Laboratories in Mississippi, and answered a need for more satisfactory opening equipment, which in itself does assist in cleaning by subsequent machinery. However such a machine falls short of the solution to the perplexing problem of removal of trash and motes, particularly of small size foreign particles of every description, such as termed pin trash for example, without an excessive working of the fiber. The objects of this invention however include that of providing apparatus which will completely open and thoroughly clean the fiber without working the fiber anymore than heretofore required to open the fiber even by a machine such as that disclosed in the above mentioned patent.

As indicated above modern gins employ mote and trash cleaning equipment but still the final product is impure in so far as these elements are concerned. Further the increased amounts of machine picked cotton" found in todays crop has increased the amount of small trash found in the bales, thereby somewhat increasing the problem. Another object of my invention is accordingly, to provide an opener and cleaner which can effectively open and clean this machine picked cotton as Well as the hand picked product.

In arriving at concrete embodiment of the instant invention the concepts of the invention have dictated a cleaning which surpasses that heretofore thought possible and as a result embodiments have been developed and are contemplated which provide two stage cleaning of fiber together with an opening operation which involve no more working of the fiber than in heretofore known openers, such as discussed above. Thus, an object of the invention, which has been realized, is to provide such obviously desirable equipment to fulfill the long felt needs in decreased size and more efiicient operation. Accord-- ing to the invention constructions are provided which accomplish the several results contemplated without additional bulk as compared to machinery which would not accomplish such objectives. More specifically, cleaning 1 and opening functions are accomplished by single mov- Finally, however, there was de' tion.

In view of the above it will become apparent that: Yet another object of the invention is to provide a lint opener and cleaner comprising saws and dofiing means for said saws which also function as trash and mote separator means, and that a still further object of the invention is to provide combined doffing and separating means in a lint treating machine.

Another consideration borne in mind in developing the instant invention is that cotton mills as well as other mills not only employ cleaning and opening machinery but also blending machinery for blending material from different sources. Accordingly yet another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus constructed in accordance with the invention which can open and clean lint and which also can be used as a blender feeder with excellent results.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an opener embodying a two-step cleaning operation in addition to the opening operation.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a lint cotton opener and cleaning apparatus with means for removing motes, trash and other foreign matter from the machine. .Along the same direction, still another object is to provide a trash pit and means for removing the trash from said pit, said pit forming in part a chamber for moting and separating means forming part of the apparatus. I The prior art machines such as the more highly developed type as illustrated in said Asbil patent do not contemplate the opening and thorough cleaning obtained with machinery embodying the instant concepts. Perhaps this is due to the inability to solve the complex engineering problems which may have resulted from such attempts as may have been made. According to the instant invention, and in fulfilling one of the concepts thereof, a treating machine is provided which will accomplish the above objects, yet further which is practicable, which is compact, which can be manufactured and sold at a cost which can be reasonably amortized, which will not require constant repairs and attendant expense, and which is otherwise suitable from an engmeering standpoint.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an opener and cleaner constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the opener and cleaner of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional elevational view taken along line 33 of Figure 2 and with a larger scale being used. Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the opener and cleaner of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 55 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of the opener and cleaner of Fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of a portion of the opener and cleaner of Fig. 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 3.

Figure 9 is another fragmentary perspective view of another form of lint dotting means which can be employed in place of the dofiing means illustrated in Fig. l.

The same reference characters in the several views indicate the same parts.

Referring now particularly to the drawings, reference character 10 indicates a housing formed principally of sheet metal. The latter is suitably braced and supported in any convenient manner, such as by angle irons, etc. The housing can have a number of removable or pivotally connected panels providing for inspection of the interior and adjustment of the operative elements as is well known in the art of cotton machinery. For example removable panel 12 can be supported on ledges 14 formed of angle brackets extending laterally of the machine and secured to side frame supporting members. The front of the machine is also provided with a panel or inspection cover 16. Cover 16 is pivotally connected to shaft 18 which is fixedly supported on the frame of the machine. It is obvious that the number of these inspection panels or covers can be varied.

Frame elements such as 20, 22, 24, 26 and 28 support laterally extending shafts 30, 32, 34, 35, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56. Shafts 34 and 35 are main drive shafts and the other shafts are driven therefrom by belts and pulleys such as belts 58 and 60 and pulleys 62 and 64. These are illustrted in Figure 1 which is a right hand side view of the machine, with cover 16 being considered as being at the front of the machine. The shafts that are not connected to shaft 34 on this side of the machine are connected on the other side of the machine by similar belt and pulley arrangements (see Fig. 2). Obviously any suitable drive may be used for transmitting power to the shafts and the drives shown are similar to those employed on other fiber working machines. Also the shape of the framing, etc. can be modified as desired.

Housing 10 is compartmented to form a number of chambers. The latter are defined by sheet metal elements which may be stiffened and supported by angle members extending laterally of the machine and connected to the sides of the housing and to the frame members 20, etc. The interconnection of these elements is such as to provide the required strength and rigidity. The referred to chambers are as follows: In the upper right of the machine, as viewed in Figure 3, there is provided a dofiing and separation chamber 66. Downwardly and to the left of chamber 66 there is provided a trash pit chamber 68. Next there is provided a second doifing and separation chamber 70. Beneath dofiing chamber 70 there is provided a second trash pit or mote chamber 72, and immediately beneath the latter there is provided a third dofiing and separation chamber 74.

Further the sheet metal members or housing sections forming the above chambers cooperates in forming a main lint chamber 76. The latter chamber is defined in part by cover 16 and an endless belt conveyor 78. Conveyor 78 is supported on rollers 80, 82 and 84 mounted on shafts 36, 32 and 30, respectively, and it is to be noted that cover 16 supports a curved inner member 86 which serves to define the chamber 76 in cooperation with the other elements mentioned. Cotton or other lint is fed into chamber 76 through the front end of the machine which is open at 88 to facilitate the feeding operation. Belt 78 obviously has the function of conveying cotton or other fiber through opening 88 into chamber 76 where the opening occurs.

The opening intrumentalities for opening the lint within the chamber 76 comprises saw cylinders 92, 94, 96 and 98 which are mounted on shafts such as 38, 42, 46 and 48, respectively. These cylinders rotate counter clockwise as indicated by the arrows in Figure 3, and the rotation of the saw cylinders in such direction results in the cotton being picked up from the belt 78 by saw cylinder 92 and moved upwardly clockwise within the chamber 76. When sufficient cotton is introduced a roll of cotton 99 is formed within the chamber. This roll of cotton (or other fiber), which contains lumps, clumps, knots, etc., continuously rotates within the chamber due to its contact with the saw cylinders and belt 7 8. The cylindersopen these lumps and continuously remove fibers from the roll. This loss is made up by feeding more fiber into chamber 76.

The saw cylinders 92, 94 and 96 each comprise a series of cylindrical saws 97 mounted on the aforementioned shafts and spaced from each other by spacers such as 100 (see Fig. 4). Saw cylinder 98, however, is not of the same construction as cylinders 92, 94 and 96. Instead cylinder 98 comprises a cylindrical member 102 and discs such as 104 which support the cylindrical member on the shaft 48. The discs and the cylindrical member may be formed of steel and other suitable material. A further inspection of cylinder 98 will reveal that member 102 has a spiral groove 103 formed on its periphery. The pitch of the groove is preferably about six or seven grooves per inch. The groove is provided for the purpose of mounting a wire 106 which is wrapped around the cylindrical member and seated within the groove. This wire has toothlike projections 108 formed on the outer surface. The length of these teeth is preferably in the range of about .0225 to .042". The teeth project radially outward of the cylinder 98 and are of pyramidal shape resulting in spaced projections which appear to be triangular when viewed from the side as illustrated in Figure 3. This structure is obviously quite different from that of the saw teeth of cylinders 92, 94 and 96. The latter teeth are similar to the saw teeth used in cotton gins and are therefore particularly adapted to remove cotton from roll 99. Saw cylinder 98 however, due to the shape of its teeth, does not pick up much cotton from the rotating roll of cotton 99 as compared with the saw cylinders 92, 94 or 96. In fact cylinder 98 functions primarily as a knocker cylinder and its prime purpose is to cooperate with the saw cylinder 96 to remove excess cotton and particularly lumps, clumps, etc., from the latter by knocking off such lumps and loosely held cotton.

The saw cylinders are doffed by doffing brush cylinders 110, 112 and 114 which are positioned in the brush chambers 66, 70 and 74, respectively. Of these elements the brush cylinder 110 doifs saw cylinders 96 and 98 while brush cylinder 112 doffs cylinder 94, and brush cylinder 114 doffs saw cylinder 92. Prior to the doffing operation, however, the saw cylinders 92 and 94 cooperate with cleaning means to perform a cleaning function. This cleaning means comprises the mote boards 116 and 118 which cooperate with the saw cylinders 94 and 92, respectively. These boards which are relatively fixed with respect to the latter receive the motes and trashthrown off by the saw cylinders and direct such material into trash pits or chambers 68 and 72.

The motes and trash are removed from mote chamber 72 by a wiper 120 mounted on shaft 54 and a screw conveyor 121 connected to shaft 56. The material removed by conveyor 121 drops through a duct 122 into a trash pan 123. The wiper and screw conveyor are well known in the fiber handling art.

Moting chamber 68, however, embodies quite different trash and mote removal means. The latter chamber comprises housing means which form a moting board, mote and trash trough or pit and a portion of the brush chamber 78 as a substantially single unit. As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 the mote board 116 can be connected directly to or formed integrally with the upper sheet 124 forming the upper part of brush chamber 70, and the sheet 124 and mote board 116 areseen to be connected by a trough-like section 126 positioned approximately intermediate the saw cylinder 94 and the brush cylinder 112. The mote board 116, sheet 124 and trough 126 extend substantially the length of the saw and brush cylinders 94 and 112, respectively, and connect with the heads or sidewalls between which the saw and brush cylinders are mounted. A chain conveyor 128 is supported on sprockets 130 and 132 within the trough 126. The sprockets, in turn, are supported on shafts 134 and 136, with the shafts being suitably journaled and one shaft being driven so as to move the conveyor in the direction in- 6 dicated by the arrows in Figure'4. The conveyor is provided with spaced projecting fingers 138 which are adapted to extend downwardly into the trough 126. The projecting fingers 138 sweep the trough 126 and move the trash and motes outwardly of the cleaner where they drop through duct 140 into the trash pan 123. Cover 141 extends over the conveyor.

The motes and trash are thus removed from chambers 68 and 72 by mechanical means. It will be understood of course that in chamber 72 the wiper 120, which includes the wiper blade 142 mounted on spaced discs 144, rotates in the direction of the arrow 146, appearing on disc 144 in Figure 3, to move the motes and trash received in chamber 72 into the screw conveyor chamber 148. The motes received in chamber 74 however are thrown'against deflectors 200 and 202and' guided by the latter into trash pan 123 which is positioned below chamber 74.

Considering the elements thus far described: The saw cylinders 92, 94 and 96 have the purpose of opening and fluffing the cotton or other fiber whereas the brush cylinders, of course, are designed to doif fiber from the saw cylinders. Thus, some of the fiber engaged by the cylinder 92 is carried around and dotted by brush cylinder 114. However, the saw cylinders, as hereinafter more fully explained, are positioned with respect to each other so that each saw cylinder is also in a sense defied by the saw cylinder. above it (with the exception of cylinder 98). This action is more fully explained below and is not a dofiing such as is accomplished by the brush cylinders. 1

Further as cylinder 92 moves the fiber past board 118 motes and trash are discharged from the cylinder 92 over the mote board 118. These motes and trash are then removed by conveyor 121 as described above. Saw cylinder 94 in turn also picks up fiber from roll 99 as well as from cylinder 92 and a portion of this fiber is likewise carried around and dotted by brush cylinder 112. Similarly, motes and trash are discharged from cylinder 94 over mote board 116 and lumps of fiber are knocked from saw cylinder 94 by saw cylinder 96. This dofiing of saw cylinder 92 by saw cylinder 94 and the dofiing of saw cylinder 94 by saw, cylinder 96 is not the usual form of doffing such as by the brush cylinders but is more of a knocking off action wherein the large clumps and knots or lumps of lint and excess lint are prevented from passing inwardly into contact with the brush cylinders or over the mote boards. This insures that only the opened fibers are doffed by the brushes. As a result a more thorough opening action is obtained since only the opened fibers will reach the dofiing brushes and be removed from the ma chine. Further this knocking action helps prevent clogging.

Lastly saw cylinder 96 is in turn defied by cylinder 98. The latter as stated above serves primarily to knock off the excess lint and the lumps of lint from cylinder 96 and is thus a knocker cylinder. Cylinder 98 in itself will not pick up much lint due to the construction of its teeth; what little lint is picked up will be doffed by cylinder 110. Any large lumps which might tend to cling to cylinder 98 will be knocked off by the associated stripper bar 152. Thus cylinder 98 will not clog up even though it is the last cylinder when considering the direction of rotation of roll 99 and not associated with a cylinder for knocking off excess lint, knots, etc. Stripper bar 152 is adjustable by means of screws 153, and

the bar is slidably supported in slots in the housing.

It is tobe noted that all the saw cylinders are positioned, as stated above, with respect to each other so that each succeeding cylinder removes excess lint from the cylinder immediately below it, and this is accomplished by properly constructing and spacing the saw cylinders with respect to each other. As an example saw cylinders equipped with 12" diameter saws will function properly for cylinders ,92, 94 and 96 when spaced 12 /s" on centers leaving A" clearance in between the saws at their closest approach to each other and when used with a knocker cylinder 98 having 12" diameter saws spaced Ma" from the saws of cylinder 96. Of course, means can be provided for adjusting the spacing and relative positions such as slotted journal block bases, shims, etc. as is known in the art.

The fibers must of course be removed after they have been opened. Therefore, the brush doffing means are provided with suitable fiues 154, 156 and 158 which lead from the brush chambers to condensers or other equipment in the known manner. Also the brush chambers are provided with air intakes 160, 162, and cutoff boards 164 so that they may function properly. The air intakes can be fitted with adjustable fiaps 165 and the cutoff boards can comprise adjustable slotted members for adjusting air intake into the chambers and flues such as 66 and 154. Such adjustable members are commonly employed in the cotton ginning art.

The saw cylinders, wire wound cylinder 98 and the brush cylinders are all mounted on parallel axes as are the remaining rotating elements of the machine with the exception of sprockets 130 and 132. Furthermore cylinders 92, 94, 96 and 98, roughly speaking, have their axes or rotation positioned in an approximate are somewhat concentric with or at the side of the roll 99. Arc 166 illustrates this approximate positioning of the axes of rotation. All the saw cylinders rotate in the same direction and thus rotate the mass or roll of cotton 99.

As an additional feature of my invention the brush chambers and the brush cylinders which function as a dotfing means for the saw cylinders constitute means for separating motes and trash from the lint, and more particularly they are constructed so that even the finest of motes and trash particles will be separated without harsh beating action common to most fiber cleaners used in conjunction with openers. The brush cylinders and chambers in which they are mounted constitute centrifugal separators which gently separate these unwanted elements from the desired lint.

As will be well understood each of the brush cylinders 110, 112, and 114 constitute impellers and have the function of impelling the cotton through the fiues 154, 156 and 158 in addition to the dofiing function. The brush vanes on the cylinders force air, part of which. is introduced through openings 160, 162 and 168, through the flues, and the cotton, buoyed along by this fluid medium, air, is thus moved to the discharge point or next apparatus. As stated heretofore such a function and operation of these brush cylinders is well known as is the introduction of air into the chambers for the purposes stated. However, the brush cylinders and chambers within which the cylinders are mounted, in the instant invention, are constructed in a manner and with a purpose not heretofore contemplated (insofar as is known to me).

This structure and the function of such structure will now be described: Since the brush cylinders and their cooperating chambers are all similarly constructed, the description is confined to one such combination; it being understood that the description of elements and func tions applies to the three brush cylinder-chamber combinations as will be apparent from an inspection of the drawings. Therefore, referrng to brush chamber or dofiing and separation chamber 66 which is fragmcntarily illustrated on an enlarged scale in Figure 7 chamber 66 is seen to'have an opening 168 which extends longitudinally across the chamber parallel to the axis of rotation of brush cylinder or impeller 110 and is substantially coextensive in length with the brush cylinder. The width or vertical height of the opening (considering the vertical as applied to Figure 7) is chosen to give satisfactory results as hereinafter indicated. The lower edge of the opening, again as viewed in Figure 7, is formed by the bentover flange 170 on the chamber portion 172.

Whereas, the upper edge of the opening is defined by a cleaning or mating bar 174. The latter can comprise the T like member shown and be attached to chamber sheeting by rivets or any other convenient means or can be adjustably mounted as shown by means of shaft 173 and bar 175 with shaft 173 being pivotally mounted'and bar 175 being mounted in slots in the housing in a manner known in the art. Actually, bar 174 can comprise any suitable section or shape formed to present a sharp edge 176 which preferably projects slightly inwardly of a line tangent to the arc of chamber portion 172 so as to be interposed in the stream of moving trash, motes and lint which normally flows between the side walls of the chamber and the impeller during operation of the latter. From the above, it follows that the sheeting portion 172 may be considered to have a leading edge 173 adjacent saw cylinder 96 and a trailing edge formed by bending-over flange 170. Further, opening 168 is defined by the trailing edge 180 and the leading edge 176 of the next adjacent portion of the casing. As stated above the leading edge 176 is radially positioned with respect to the axle 50 so that it lies adjacent, preferably inwardly, of the plane which is tangent to the radial line intersecting the trailing edge 130-. Edge 178 of sheeting portion 172 is pivotally mounted by means known in the art such as mounting rod 171 which is in the housing. Trailing edge 1813 is provided with slotted flanges 1S1 bolted to the housing in the known manner and is thus adjustable toward cylinder 11th Brush cylinder 110 is mounted with its center of rotation, the axis of shaft 56, positioned in such a manner that the cylinder is eccentric of the cylindrical brush chamber sheeting portion 172. The eccentricity is such that the periphery of the brush cylinder, that is the periphery of the brush vanes, is closer to the trailing edge 180 than to the leading edge 17$.

Stated in another way, and referring particularly to Figure 7, the impeller 110 is of generally cylindrical shape as is the chamber 66. However, the chamber portion 172 and the impeller are so positioned with respect to each other that the leading edge 178 is farther from the periphery of the cylinder 110 than the trailing edge 186.

Furthermore, considered from another viewpoint, the portion 172 is formed in a curve complementary to the periphery of the impeller 110 and throughout this curve, or stated differently, throughout its length circumferentially of the impeller from the leading edge 178 to the trailing edge 180, it, progressively, more closely approaches the periphery of impeller 110.

No matter what the preferred language, it is evident from the drawings that the impeller cylinder and the chamber form a passageway 182 for the passage of the stream of cotton, motes, trash and air, and furthermore. that the passageway, thus, throughout the section formed in part by the sheet portion 172, converges or decreases in cross sectional area. Thus with a given speed of rotation for the impeller a stream of cotton, air, trash and motes going through the passageway 182 must accelerate and increase in velocity with accompanying drop in pressure. The static pressure drop results from an increase in velocity head under a steady flow condition; that is, a condition in which the same amount of materials and fluid leave passageway 182 as enter it. With proper designing and relative positioning of the parts and proper operating speeds, of which specific details of a preferred form are hereinafter given, the stream can be impelled so that its static pressure is somewhat below atmospheric as the stream passes between trailing edge 18% and sharp edge 176.

The above features result in a machine which will produce a separation of lint from unwanted elements not heretofore obtained or contemplated. This separation is illustrated in Figure 7, in which the movement of a stream comprising a mixture of air, cotton or other fiber, motes and trash is illustrated with the elements suspended in the stream being shown on a larger scale for clarity. It is noted that the material as it first enters the separator and dofling chamber is mixed but as the elements proceed around the wall ofthe chamber in the path or passageway between the wall and the brush cylinder the motes and trash move to the outer stratum of thestream whereas the lighter lint is displaced to the inner stratum of the path. This is of course due to centrifugal force. Separation or stratificationis further induced or impelled due to the fact that the brush sticks 184 constitute vanes and can be considered to be fixed spaced radially extending elements positioned on the periphery of the impeller cylinder. As a result it is seen that a wave-like motion is imparted to the stream of cotton, trash and motes, as indicated by the wavy line 186. This undulation of the stream in which the cotton, motes, trash and air is mixed results in a more complete separation of the motes and trash from the fiber. The fiber is oscillated in the stream and motes and trash are shaken or impelled from the fiber due to difference in masses and centrifugal forces. The stream is thus being stratified While approaching trailing edge 180.

As the stream closely approaches the trailing edge 180 the trash and motes are proceeding along immediately adjacent the inner wall of the chamber portion 172 and constitute the outer lamina of the stream. Due to inertia the motes and trash particles naturally tend to fly tangentially out of the streams curving path. Thus, when the particles reach the opening 168 the motes and trash are free to follow their natural tendency and tend to move along line 188. The sharp edge 176 of mote bar 174 is positioned so as to intercept the tangentially moving motes and trash and deflect them outwardly from the separation chamber as indicated by arrow 193. Due to the fact that the pressure at the opening 168 is below atmospheric air will move inwardly into the chamber, as indicated by arrow 190 as the trash is flying outwardly. The cotton or similar fiber being light and fluffy will be urged inwardly towards the impeller cylinder by this inward movement of the air and will not fly outwardly of the chamber. Thus any fiber that may strike the mote bar is urged to continue within the stream (in the chamber 66). The motes and trash have a considerably greater density than the lint and are not affected by the incoming air. The stream of lint moves around toward the lint flue 154 and additional air if needed for floating the lint through the flue can be obtained through opening 162. Flap 165 can be adjusted as necessary for this purpose. Rod 167 pivotally mounts flap 165.

A deflector or dividing wall 192 is positioned as indicated to deflect motes and trash as indicated by arrow 193 so they will not mix with air moving inwardly in the direction of arrow 190. The suction is greatest at the edge 180. Air inlets 198 are provided in the cleaner housing beneath wall 192.

Deflectors 200 and 202 which are provided to the left of belt 78 guide motes and trash into bin 123 and prevent cotton on belt 78 from being drawn by suction through opening 168 into chamber 74.

From the above it is seen that the individual brush vanes speed past the slower moving stream of cotton laden air importing a wave-like or undulating shaking motion or oscillation to the stream which results in a more complete separation between the motes and trash and the cotton. Although the operation has been described with cotton lint being the substance being worked, where other types of fiber may be worked the principles of operation are the same.

As stated heretofore, the brush sticks are in the nature of vanes extending outwardly from the periphery of the cylinder, and thus spaced air pockets are formed on the periphery of the cylinder. The stream of cotton, motes, trash and air is urged around the cylindrical walls of the doffing and separation chamber 66 by rotation of the vaned cylinder. Naturally there is slippage between the stream of and the brush cylinder, and the wave-like action of the air in the stream and the fibers-floated therein'results from alternate compression and rarefaction as a brush stick or vane and a space between adjacent brush sticks or vanes moves past a given portion of the stream.-

The above action is obtained from constructions embodying the instant invention, and. such constructions may be in many forms. As an example of a specific apparatus embodying the above features; a construction in whichthe radial distance between the periphery of the brush and the sharp edge 176 of mote bar 174 is 1%", the radial distance between the trailing edge and the brush sticks is 1", the radial distance between the leading edge of section 172 and the brush sticks is 1%", and the overall diameter of the impeller is 15'', has been found to produce satisfactory results where the impeller is rotated at an adequate speed for such dimensions.- The width (the height as viewed in Figure 3) of the opening 168 in such an installation is 3%", and the impeller is preferably rotated to produce a peripheral speed of 6500 feet per minute at the vane (brush) tips. Preferably in such environment the saws are of 12" diameter and are operated at 450 rpm. This gives a peripheral saw speed of approximately l414'feet per minute, or a ratio of peripheral speeds between the saws and brushes of l to 4 /2. Other speed ratios such as 1 to 2 have been used but it is preferred to keep the ratio in the range of 1 to 3 /2 to 1 to 4%.

Figure 9 illustrates another form of doffing impeller means usable in place of the brush such as 110. Impeller 204 comprises rubber, plastic or metal vanes 206 mounted between flanges 208 on drum 210 and secured to these flanges by any suitable means such as bolts and nuts. The flanges can be welded to the drum.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of my invention it will be understood that many changes in details and form are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly I claim an exclusive right to all embodiments within the scopeof the appended claims. (In the claims the word trash is used generically and includes all forms of unwanted particles or elements such as motes, etc., and the wording fluid medium includes air.)

I claim:

1. In combination a lint cotton opener and cleaner comprising a housing, saw cylinders rotatably mounted in said housing, said saw cylinders having their periph-' cries closely adjacent each other, and being rotatable all in the same direction of rotation, feed means positioned in said housing and adapted to feed cotton lint toward said saw cylinders and into contact with the latter, said cylinders being operable to work said lint within said housing, said saw cylinders being operable to open and fluff said lint, first means for disassociating trash from said lint comprising boards positioned adjacent the periphery of at least some of said cylinders, and adapted to receive trash thrown off by said cylinders, trash pits associated with said boards for receiv ing trash therefrom, doffing means for removing lint from at least one of said saw cylinders comprising a cylindrical impeller, a chamber in said housing, said cylindrical impeller being rotatably mounted in said chamber, said cylindrical impeller having a series of spaced vane-like members extending radially outwardly therefrom and operable to dofi lint from said one of said saw cylinders, said chamber having an inlet open ing through which the doffed lint is moved into the chamber by said impeller, means forming a flue connected with said chamber, said dofl'ing means being o'perable to impel lint removed from said one of said saw cylinders through said chamber and into said flue, and second means for disassociating said lint from trash contained therein comprising a trash opening in the periphery of the chamber extending longitudinally of the chamber and opening outwardly therefrom into one of said trash pits, said chamber having an inner periphery forming a lint passage with said impeller in said Chamber saidtrash opening extending through said innerll periphery, said passage lying between the periphery of said impeller and said inner periphery of said chamber and extending to said opening and beyond the latter to said flue, said impeller being operable to move said lint and the trash associated therewith to said trash opening and to move said lint past said opening into said flue, said passage progressively decreasing in cross sectional area in the direction of movement of the lint and trash impelled by said impeller within said passage from the inlet opening of said chamber to said trash opening.

2. In combination in a lint opener and cleaner a housing, a plurality of saw cylinders mounted on parallel axes, means for feeding lint to said saw cylinders to be opened, means for separating trash and other foreign material from said lint comprising mote boards associated with the saw cylinders and positioned adjacent the peripheries of said cylinders, and adapted to direct trash and other foreign material into trash pits, and second means for cleaning said lint to separate the foreign material therefrom comprising a rotatable cylindrical memer associated with at least one of said saw cylinders and rotatably mounted in said housing, a chamber, said rotatable cylindrical member being mounted within said chamber and forming with the inner periphery of said chamber a curvilinear passage for the passage of mixtures of lint and trash within said chamber, said passage having an inlet and an outlet an opening formed in said chamber in communication with said passage intermediate said inlet and said outlet, said opening leading to one of said trash pits, said rotatable cylindrical member being operable to deft lint and trash entrained in said lint from said one of said saw cylinders and to move the mixture of lint and trash in a curvilinear path through said passage from said inlet to said opening and to move the lint past said opening to said outlet, said passage progressively dec easing in cross sectional area in the direction of movement of said mixture of lint and trash through said passage toward said opening said opening being contiguous the decreasing portion of said passage.

3. In a lint cotton opener and cleaner comprising a series of saw cylinders rotatable to open and fiutf but, means for removing said lint from said saw cylinders and for separating trash from said lint comprising means forming a chamber adjacent one of said saw cylinders, said chamber having an inlet, said chamber having an inner surface, a member rotatably mounted in said chamber and forming a lint passage with said inner surface of said chamber, lint outlet means for said chamber, said member being operable to doff lint from said saw cylinder and move said lint through said inlet along said passage and through said lint outlet means, a trash outlet formed in the surface of said chamber and leading from said passage outwardly of said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet means, said passage being of curvilinear configuration between said inlet means and said trash outlet, said trash outlet being defined by a trailing edge and a leading edge portion positioned respectively along said passage in the direction of movement of the lint and trash therein, said leading edge portion being positioned radially inwardly of a plane tangent to a radial line extending from the center of rotation of said rotatable member to said trailing edge, so that trash moving through said passage will flow along said trailing edge portion and through said trash outlet upon the rotatable movement of said member.

4. In a lint cotton opener and cleaner comprising a series of saw cylinders rotatable to open and fiutf lint, means for removing said lint from said saw cylinders and for separating trash from said lint comprising means forming a chamber adjacent one of said saw cylinders, said chamber having an inlet, said chamber having an inner surface, a member rotatably mounted in said chamber and forming a lint passage with said inner surface of said chamber, lint outlet means for said chamber,

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said member being operable to dotf lint from said saw cylinder and move said lint through said inlet along said passage and through said lint outlet means, a trash outlet formed in the surface of said chamber and leading from said'passage outwardly of said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet means, said passage being of curvilinear configuration between said inlet means and said trash outlet, said trash outlet being defined by a trailing edge and a leading edge portion positioned respectively along said passage in the direction of movement of the lint and trash therein, said leading edge portion being positioned radially inwardly of a plane tangent to a radial line extending from the center of rotation of said rotatable member to said trailing edge, so that trash moving through said passage will flow along said trailing edge portion and through said trash outlet upon the rotatable movement of said member, said member comprising spaced vane-like elements radially positioned with respect to the axis of rotation of said member and projecting into said passage.

5. In a lint cotton opener and cleaner embodying a I housing having a series of saw cylinders rotatably mounted therein to open and fluff cotton, means for removing cotton from said cylinders to separate trash therefrom comprising sheeting elements positioned within said housing and defining a chamber adjacent one of said cylinders, said sheeting elements provided with spaced inlet and outIet openings communicating with said chamber with the inlet opening being contiguous to at least one of said cylinders, a trash opening provided in said sheeting elements communicating with said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings, a rotatable member mounted in said chamber in eccentric relation to a portion of said sheeting elements to define therewith a passage that progressively decreases in cross sectional area between said inlet opening and said trash opening, said passage being of curvilinear configuration to permit said rotatable member to move lint therethrough having trash entrained therewith and to cause the trash to move through said trash opening due to the centrifugal force and momentum imparted thereto as the lint and trash are moved through the progressively decreasing passage by said rotatable member.

6. In a lint cotton opener and cleaner embodying a housing having a series of saw cylinders rotatably mounted therein to open and flulf cotton, means for removing colton from said cylinders to separate trash therefrom comprising sheeting elements positioned within said housing and defining a chamber adjacent one of said cylinders, said sheeting elements provided with spaced inlet and outlet openings communicating with said chamber with the inlet opening being contiguous to at least one of said cylinders, a trash opening provided in said sheeting elements communicating with said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings, a rotatable member mounted in said chamber, a segment of said sheeting elements having one end pivotally mounted in said housing, and the other end adjustable with respect to said rotatable member to define therewith a passage that progressively decreases in cross sectional area from said inlet opening to said trash opening, said rotatable member being operable to doff lint from a saw cylinder and move said lint and trash in a fluid medium through said inlet opening along said passage toward said lint outlet means and to expel the trash through said trash opening due to the centrifugal force and momentum imparted thereto as the rotatable member moves the lint and trash through the progressively decreasing passage.

7. In a lint cotton opener and cleaner embodying a housing having a series of saw cylinders rotatably mounted therein to open and fluff cotton, means for removing cotton from said cylinders to separate trash therefrom comprising sheeting elements positioned within said housing and defining a chamber adjacent one of said cylinders,

said sheeting elements provided with spaced inlet and" 13 outlet openings communicating with said chamber with the inlet opening being contiguous to at least one of said cylinders, a trash opening provided in said sheeting elements communicating with said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings, a rotatable member mounted in said chamber in eccentric relation to a portion of said sheeting elements to define therewith a passage that progressively decreases in cross sectional area between said inlet opening and said trash opening, said;

passage being of curvilinear configuration to permit said rotatable member to move lint therethrough having trash entrained therewith and to cause the trash to move through said trash opening due to the centrifugal force and momentum imparted thereto as the lint and trash are moved through the progressively decreasing passage by said rotatable member, said sheeting elements being provided with spaced air vent openings to direct streams of air into said passage intermediate said inlet and outlet openings.

8. 'In a lint cotton opener and cleaner embodying a housing having a series of saw cylinders rotatably mounted therein to open and fluff cotton, means for removing cotton from said cylinders to separate trash therefrom comprising sheeting elements positioned within said housing and defining a chamber adjacent one of said cylinders, said sheeting elements provided with spaced inlet and outlet openings communicating with said chamber with the inlet opening being contiguous to at least one of said cylinders, a trash opening provided in said sheeting elements communicating with said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings, a rotatable member mounted in said chamber in eccentric relation to a portion of said sheeting elements to define therewith a passage that progressively decreases in cross sectional area between said inlet opening and said trash opening, said passage being of curvilinear configuration to permit said rotatable member to move lint therethrough having trash entrained therewith and to cause the trash to move through said trash opening due to the centrifugal force and momentum imparted thereto as the lint and trash are moved through the progressively decreasing passage by said rotatable member, said rotatable member comprising means for oscillating the lint and trash radially of said member within said passage.

9. in a lint cotton opener and cleaner embodying a housing. having a series of saw cylinders rotatably mounted therein to open and fluff cotton, means for removing cotton from said cylinders to separate trash therefrom comprising sheeting elements positioned within said housing and defining a chamber adjacent one of said cylinders, said sheeting elements provided with spaced inlet and outletopenings communicating with said chamber with the inlet opening being contiguous to at least one of said cylinders, a trash opening provided in said sheeting elements communicating with said chamber intermediate said inlet and outlet openings, a rotatable member mounted in said chamber in eccentric relation to a portion of said sheeting elements between said inlet opening and said trash opening to define therewith a passage that progressively decreases in cross sectional area between said inlet and trash openings, the portion of said sheeting elements defining said trash opening being provided with trailing and leading edges with the leading edge portion being positioned radially inwardly of a plane tangent to the radial line extending from the center of rotation of said rotatable member to said trailing edge whereby trash and lint moving through said passage upon the movement of said rotatable member will cause the trash to follow said trailing edge and move out through said trash opening due to the centrifugal force and momentum imparted thereto by said rotatable member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 504,023 Davis a a1. Aug. 29, 1893 1,375,986 Vardell Apr. 26, 1921 2,663,912 Wallace Dec. 29, 1953

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