US3068783A - Tramper for cotton presses - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 18, 1962 w. E. BROWN 4 3,068,783

' TRAMPER FOR COTTON PRESSES Filed March 5, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 590 w/v 'TNVENTQB ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofitice 3,068,783 Patented Dec. .18, 1962 3,fi68,783 TRAMPER FOR CQ'ITQN PRESEES William Ernest Brown, Fatricia, Tex. Filed Mar. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 93,178 2 Claims. (Cl. 199-76) This invention relates broadly to a t-ramper for cotton presses, including an arrangement for conveying the cotton from the condenser of a cotton gin to the press boxes and a means for depositing the cotton in the press boxes in compact form.

In the automatic tra-mpers of the prior art, the cotton is only packed on the down stroke of the ram, while the gate to the press boxes is closed and the kickers are stopped. When the ram starts on its upward stroke, it engages the gate and the kickers start at hi h speed. This operation is the same for every double stroke of the ram. All moving components of the press must operate in the proper time sequence. When the bale has been formed, the control lever must be operated just at the right time, as the ram leaves the press box. By actual count the number of strokes to form a bale may run close to eighty.

The object of the present invention is to provide in a cotton gin continuously running rolls in the conveyor from the condenser to the press for depositing the cotton in the press in compact form.

Another object of the present invention is to provide continuously runnin rolls in the conveyor from the condenser to the press for compacting the cotton and depositing same in the press, which rolls operate without synchronization with the moving parts of the press.

- A further object of the present invention is to provide continuously running rolls in the conveyor from the condenser to the press, which rolls are coordinated with the delivery rolls from the condenser so that there is a continuous flow of the cotton from the condenser to the press.

Still other objects, advantages and improvements will become apparent from the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view showing the dual press boxes andpart of the condenser of a cotton gin with the conveyor including the packing rolls according to the present invention between same.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view, taken on the section line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 is a partial top plan view of the packing rolls and their mountings, as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken on the section line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the rotatable mounting of one of the packing rolls.

FIG. 6 is a detail sectional view, taken on the section line 6-6 of FIG. 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the interior of one of the hydraulic cylinders for lifting the packing rolls to permit rotation of the press boxes through 180.

FIG. 7 is a partial vertical sectional view, taken on the section line 7-7 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the pivotal mounting of the chute, and

FIG. 8 is a transverse sectional view, taken on the section line 8-8 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, showing the details of the packing rolls.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and to FIG. 2 in particular, the condenser or cotton gin is here shown as a vertically positioned structure of right angle parallelrolls 4S pipe shape having four (4) side walls 10 comprised by abutting boards and a bottom 12. The structure is mounted on a frame work comprised by vertically positioned members 14 and connecting cross members 15. One side wall'ltl of the condenser has an exit opening 11 adjacent the bottom. In this opening 11 there are mounted the doifing rolls 16-16. These rolls have shafts 17-17 which are rotatably mounted in pillow block bearings 18-13, the latter being secured to the wall 10 on the opposite sides of the opening 11. The rolls 16-16 are driven in any suitable manner (not shown), to run in opposite directions, as shown by the arrows in FIG. 2. A chute 19 is secured in any suitable manner to the side wall 10 of the condenser intermediate the dofiing rolls 16-16. This chute is also partially supported by braces 20, which are secured by bolts 21 to the chute and to the vertically positioned frame members 14. Adjacent its lower end the chute 19 has a pivoted section 23, which is secured to the chute by pivots 22-22. This lower end of the chute is supported by struts 25, which are pivoted to the lower end at 24, and to the supporting bars 55-55, for the packing rolls 48-48, to be later described, at 26.

A duplex or double press includes two baling or press boxes 27 and 28. All standard baling boxes are-of the same size. These boxes are principally comprised by verti cally positioned boards. At least one perimetrical reinforcing rod 29 is positioned around each box; The bottom 39 of each box is movable upwardly within the box to compress the cotton in same. When the box is being filled with cotton, the bottom 39 rests on an internal shoulder 31. At its center each bottom 30 has secured thereto a platen 32. The arrangement is such that, either box, for instance the box 27, may be under the packing 43, in a manner to be later described, for compressing the cotton therein into a bale. In the latter position the box 23 overlies a hydraulic cylinder 35. This cylinder has a plunger 34, which is reciprocable therein, and the latter has a head 33 at its top, which head is adapted to abut the platen 32 on the bottom 30 and cornpress the cotton in the box to form the bale. The cylinder 35 has a conduit 36 connected thereto at its top for the admission of fluid under pressure to force the plunger 34 downwardly; it will be understood that there is a similar conduit (not shown) connected to the cylinder at its bottom for the admission of fluid under pressure to same for forcing the plunger 34 upwardly. On the downward stroke of the plunger 34 this latter conduit functions as the exit conduit for the fluid below the plunger; conversely, on the upward stroke of the plunger 34 the conduit 36 functions as the exit conduit for the fluid above the plunger 34. Both conduits extend to a control valve (not shown) and to a source of fluid under pressure (also not shown).

The two baling boxes 27 and 28 of the duplex or double press box are rotatably supported on a king shaft 44'by double arms 39-39,- which are secured to the boxes by bolts 38. At their centers the double arms 39-39 are formed as semi-circular bearing sections (not'shown) and complementary bearing caps 40 are secured over these bearing sections by bolts 41. The king shaft 44 is received between the bearing sections on the double arms 39-39 and the bearing caps 40-40. For supporting the double arms 39-39 on the king shaft 44 collars 42 are provided, which are received on the king shaft and held in place by radially positioned set screws 43.

At its top the king shaft 44 is received in a capital bearing 45 and at its bottomin a similar bearing (not shown).

' shaft 43 is mounted on the uprights 47-47 and the latter j the bottoms of the cylinders.

are secured to the base (not shown) of the cotton gin.

The packing rolls 48-48 are shown in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 8. These rolls are mounted on and for rotation with axially positioned shafts 49. The shaft 49 for the left packing rolls 48 (FIGS. 3, 4 and 8) carries pulleys 50-50 at its opposite ends. One of these pulleys will be driven by a suitable motor '(not shown) and the other will be connected by a belt (not shown) to a similar pulley (also not shown) on the shaft 49 for the left packing roll 48. The packing rolls 48-48 are driven for rotation in opposite directions, as shown by the arrows, in FIGS. 2, 3 and 8. It is preferable that they be driven at such a rate of rotation as to have the same peripheral velocities as the doffing rolls 16-16. One expedient that could well be employed would be to make the packing rolls 4.8-48 of the same diameter as the dofling rolls 16-16 and to drive both sets of rolls at the same rate of rotation. As shown, however, the packing rolls 48-48 are of considerably larger diameter than the dofling rolls 16-16 and they will accordingly be driven at a lesser rate of rotation than the dofling rolls, so as to have the same peripheral velocities.

The shaft 49 for the right packing roll 48 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 8) is journalled in pillow block bearings 52-52. The latter are secured to the supporting bars 55-55 by bolts 51. These supporting bars are adapted to rest alternately on the tops of the baling boxes 27 and 28 of the press; similarly the shaft 49 for the left packing roll 48 is journalled in pillow block bearing 53-53, which are also secured to the supporting bars 55-55 by bolts 51.

7 As so arranged, when the supporting bars 55-55 are resting on the top of the baling box 27 or 28, the lower halves of the packing rolls are within the baling box and the upper halves are outside of same. The pillow block bearings 53-53 for the left packing roll 48 differ from the pillow block bearings 52-52 for the right packing roll in having wider bottom flanges and elongated slots 54 in these flanges, these slots being positioned transversely with respect to the bore through the bearing for the shaft 49. The bolts 51 for the bearings are received in these slots 54 to slidably mount the pillow block bearings 53-53 on the supporting bars 55-55. Adjacent their left ends (FIGS. 3 and 4), the supporting bars 55-55 have elongated slots 57 therein. Coiled compression springs 58 are mounted in the slots 57 lengthwise of the latter. At their inner ends thesprings 58 are received in cups 56, which are secured to the bottom flanges of the pillow block bearings 53-53, as by welding; likewise, at their outer ends the springs 58 are received in similar cups 56, which are secured in the outer ends ofv the slots 57, also by welding.

A pair of hydraulic cylinders 60-60 is provided for raising the supporting bars 55-55 and the packing rolls 48-48carried' thereby, so that the baling boxes 27 and 28 may be interchanged in position. These hydraulic cylinders are mounted by having their upper cylinder heads secured to the overhead horizontal beam 46 in any suitable manner, as shown in FIG. 6, the particular form of mounting means for the cylinder heads on the beams not being illustrated. Pistons 62 are slidably mounted within the cylinders 60-60 and have piston rods 63-63 secured thereto, the latter passing through suitable holes in These piston rods 63-63 are secured at their lower ends to the supporting bars 55-55 for the packing rolls 48-48. Bars 65-65 have their upper ends 65a-65a turned at an obtuse angle to their main body sections and are secured to the lower ends of the pistonrods 63-63 by bolts 64; likewise, the lower ends 65b-65bare turned at an obtuse angle to their main body'sections and by bolts 66.

The pistons 62 are raised in the cylinders 60-60 by secured to the supporting bars 55-55 fluid under pressure; they may also be lowered by fluid under pressure, or thefluid below the pistons may be releasedand the pistons allowed to fall due to the weight of the supporting bars 55-55 and the packing rolls 48-48.

A;- The fluid under pressure for raising the pistons 62 in the cylinders 60 is admitted to the right cylinder (FIG. 1) through a branch conduit 68; the main conduit 67 extends transversely to the bottom of the left cylinder 60. Similarly, the fluid under pressure for lowering the pistons 62 in the cylinders 60 is admitted to the right cylinder 60 through a branch conduit 70; the main conduit 69 extends transversely to the top of the left cylinder. It will be obvious that, when the pistons 62 are being raised in the cylinders 60 by fiuid under pressure admitted through the conduits 67 and 68, the conduits 69 and 70 will function as exit conduits; conversely, when the pistons 62 are being lowered in the cylinders 60 by fluid under pressure admitted through the conduits 69 and 70, or by the action of gravity, as previously described, the conduits 67 and 68 will function as exit conduits. The conduits 67 and 68 extend downwardly to a control valve 71, which has an operating handle 72. This control valve maybein any convenient location. As shown, it is mounted on the king shaft 44 by a hasp 73 and bolts 74. It will be understood that this control valve 71 is connected by a conduit (not shown) to a source of fluid under pressure, preferably the same source to which the fluid pressure cylinder is connected.

Arcuate guards 75-75 are positioned below the pack- 4 ing rolls 48-48. The guard 75 for the right packing cylinder 48 (FIG. 2) extends for approximately 90 in the clockwise direction around the cylinder from the vertical center line upwardly to the horizontal center line with close clearance with respect to the cylinder; similarly, the guard 75 for the left packing cylinder extends for approximately 90" in the counter-clockwise direction around the cylinder from the vertical center line upwardly to the horizontal center line with progressively increasing clearance with respect to the cylinder. The increased clearance allows for rearwardly sliding movement of the pillow block bearings 53-53 on the supporting bars '55-55, when the left packing roll 48 yields with respect to the right packing roll. At their lower ends the guards '75-'75 are supported by being secured in any suitable manner to rods 77, which are in turn securedto the supporting bars 55-55 by bolts 78. At their upper ends the guards 75-75 have outturned. flanges 75a, which are adapted to rest on the tops of the press boxes 27 or 28.

Pairs of dogs are provided for holding the bale in the baling box while it is being formed and while the baling boxes 27 and 28 are being interchanged in position, and the packing rolls 48-48 are withdrawn from same. The dogs for holding the bale in the baling box while it is being formed are comprised by arms 80, which are pivotally mounted on the lower ends of the guards 75-75 by bolts 79. These arms normally rest on ridges 76, which are integrally formed on the guards 75-7'5.

The standard baling boxes 27 or 28, are provided with some form of dog for holding the bale in-place, while it is being formed. As shown, these dogs are comprised by short rods 81-81, which are slidably mounted in'h'oles 30-30 in the side walls of the press boxes and in horizontal alignment with the arms 80-80 formingthe. first set of dogs, respectively. Where the dogs 81-81 'on the press box do not so horizontally align respectively with the dogs 80-80 on the guards 75-75 according to the present invention, it is contemplated that the dogs 81-81 will be moved upward or downward along the sidewalls of the press boxes 27 and 28, as may be necessary, in order that they may be aligned respectively with the dogs 80- 80, when the supporting bars 55-55 and the packing rolls 48-48 are in position on the top of the baling box 27 or 28. The rods 81-81 are pivotally connected at 82 to one arm of L shaped brackets 83-83. The otherarms of these brackets are integral with base plates 84-84,

drawn from the baling box 27 or 28, and the baling boxes are interchanged.

In operation, the supporting bars 55-55 are positioned on the top of the baling box 27 or 28, with the packing rolls positioned within the baling box below their horizontal diameters. The lint cotton is removed from the condenser by the doffing rolls 16-16 and passes down the chute 19. The latter discharges the cotton between the packing rolls 43-48, which compact same and force it into the baling box 27, or 28. When a large wad of cotton passes between the packing rolls 48-48, the left roll (FIG. 3) moves away from the right roll, the pillow block bearings 53-53 sliding on the supporting bars 55-55. As stated, with the supporting bars 55-55 and the pressing rolls 48-48 in the described position, the dogs 80-80 on the guards 75-75 are in respective horizontal alignment with the dogs 81-81, which extend through the side walls of the baling box 27 or 28. Thus the dog 80 on the guard 75 and the dog 81 extending through the side wall of the baling box 27 or 28, forms a substantially continuous obstruction to the passage of the cotton upwardly and to the rear of the respective pressing roll 48.

The bale of cotton is formed by the fluid pressure cylinder 35 forcing the platen 32 and the slidable bottom 30 upwardly within the press box. While the bale is being formed both the dogs 80-80 on the guards 75-75 and the dogs 31-81 extending through the holes 30-30 in the side walls of the baling box are in horizontal alignment, as shown in FIG. 2, and serve both to keep the cotton from travelling upwardly to the rear of the packing rolls 48-48, as described and to hold the bale in place. When the bale has been completed, the control valve 71 is operated .to energize the two hydraulic cylinders 60-60 and lift the packing rolls 48-48 upwardly, until they clear the top of the baling box. The pivoted end 23 of the chute 19 is swung upwardly by the strut and temporarily stops the flow of the cotton down the chute. When the supporting bars 55-55 and the packing rolls 43-48 are raised, the dogs 80-80 are also raised with the guards 75-75 but the dogs 81-81 remain in position in the bailing box With the packing rolls 48-48 raised clear of the baling boxes 27 and 28, the latter may be interchanged in position. While the packing rolls 48-48 are withdrawn from the baling box, the dogs 81-81 function to hold the bale in place, as in the cotton presses at present known. After the baling boxes 27 and 23 have been interchanged in position, the control valve 71 is then operated again to lower the packing rolls 48-48 into the baling box beneath same.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A tramper for cotton positioned between a cotton gin including a condenser and a press including interchangeable balingboxes, comprising a chute leading from the condenser to the baling boxes, a pivoted lower end on said chute, a pair of parallel and closely spaced packing rolls adapted to run in opposite directions positioned below the pivoted lower end of said chute, a support removably mounting said packing rolls and adapted to be positioned on the tops of the baling boxes, struts interconnecting said support and the pivoted lower end of said chute, and means for lifting the support and packing rolls clear of the baling boxes to allow the latter to be interchanged and raising the pivoted lower end of the chute to stop the flow of cotton through same.

2. A tramper for cotton gins including a condenser, interchangeable baling boxes and a chute from the condenser to the baling boxes, adapted to be positioned over the baling boxes, comprising an extension pivotally mounted on the end of said chute, a pair of parallel bars adapted to be positioned on top of either of the baling boxes, struts secured to the parallel bars and pivotally connected to the extension of said chute, bearings mounted on said parallel bars, closely spaced packing rolls rotatably mounted in said bearings between said parallel bars, arcuate guards positioned in close concentric relationship with respect to said packing rolls extending from the outer ends of said parallel bars to the vertical center planes of the axes of the packing rolls, and means for swinging the pivoted extension of the chute upwardly and raising the parallel bars, packing rolls, and guards clear of the baling boxes to allow the latter to be interchanged.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,050,110 Davis Ian. 14, 1913 1,074,061 Murray Sept. 23, 1913 1,456,265 Brooks May 22, 1923 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,213,072 France Oct. 26, 1959

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