USRE2424E - District - Google Patents

Description

,BEST AVAILABLE COPY Inval/ l @uitrit tutte getraut @ffice IMPROVEMENT MACHINE POB PIGKING COTTON.

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T0 ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: .l

Be it known that I, WItLIAM E. Pnsnn, formerly of Knox ville, in the county of Knox, and State of Tennessee, hutnow residing in Washington, in the District of Columbia, hav'nvented a new and useful Machine for Harvesting or Gathering Cotton from the plant; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation thereof, taken in connection with the accompanying draw ings, making a part of this specification, in which- 'Figure 1 is a side elevation'of the machine.

Figure 2 is a plan. t Figurel is a longitudinal sectional elevation, on line :u of iig. 2.

Figure 4 is a section through the centrol of one of the wheels that carry the picking cylinders. Figure 5 is an'elcvation of the inner face of the same; and f Figures 6 and 'flare details of one of the picking cylinders. l v The subject-matter of my invention is a machine for picking or gathering cotton from the plant, hy being drawn along over the rows in which it is grown in thc field. l

The principal partawhich 'compose this machine are- First. Two series of devices called picking cylinders, which are carried upward through and among tho branches of the' plant, at either side of' the row, by whic-lrtha cotton thatprotrudce from the bolls in seized and drawn therefrom, and carried out of the plant to a convenient position to be discharged.

Second. A mechanism by which each series of picking devices is applied to the plant and operated.

Third. A mechanism for taking the cotton from the picking devices and discharging it into a proper receptacle.

Fourth. A receptacle for the picked cotton.

Fifth. A means of arranging the operativemechanism upon an elevated frame, which will pass over the tops of the plants without materially bending them, combined withl carrying-wheels, which support the machine and impart motion to its'operative parts; and

Sixth. A means of attaching draught animals thereto to operate the machine. These general parts of mechanism, when conibinedandarranged in a manner to be described, constitute o. new machine and embody anew mode of operation, by which the cotton is automatically and continuously ga'tlb ered from the plant in a condition ready for the subsequent operations, i

As regards the subordinate parts of which this machine is composed, my invention relates, in the first place, to the device by which the cotton is gathered from the plant, and consists in the employment of a small revolving cylinder, which I call a picking cylinder, which is inserted among the branches of the plant, ond-whose,V

t surface is covered with smallteeth or points,`or some other covering similar in its actibn, that will seize the exposed libres of thc cotton with which it comes in contact, and wind the same upon its surface, and draw the cotton from the bells, and retain the cotton while said device is carried through thc plant among its branches. My invention relates, in the second place, to the manner of applying said device to the picking or gathering of cotton, and consists in the employment of two series of picking cylinders, onen upon either side of I plant, and relieve them from it after they the row of cotton plants, each series being composed of an endlessl succession of said cylinders placed near each other and supported by their outer ends, with their inner ends left free to enter amongthe branches of the plant and: gather the cotton, and each series also having a movement that will carry the cylinders upward throughv thc plant, and-a progressive movement in the direction of tho ron' of plants, so that the path o'f each cylinder through the plant shall be a little in advance of the precedingono; and also in combining with each series a suitable mechanism that will give to said cylinders a rotative motion while passing through the have passed through and are in the proper position to havcthe cotton removed therefrom.

-My invention rclates,lin the third place, to the'mochanism for removing the cotton from the picking cylin-A ders after it has been carried up out of the plant, and consists in the cmploymcnhin combination with each series of cylinders, as before described, of a series of stationary toothed plates, called toothed arcs, the breadth of the series being nearly equal'tothe length of the operative parts of the cylindersand the teeth of which project in s direction opposite to the motion 'of the series of cylinders.v These platee are sor placed that the pripheriesv of the cylinders come close tcitheir toothed edges as they pass by, and they serve to seize thecotton 11n-pontile.

was wound upon them, and thus unwind and deposit the cotton uponl the arcs. Y

My invention relates, in the fourth place, tothe mechanism by which the cotton is removed from the' toothed arcs, before mentioned, as fast as it is deposited thereon by' the cylinders, and consists in combining with the series of toothed arcs a clearing-wheel, so called, provided with radial arxnsjor spokes, which pase between said arcs to their toothed edges, or a little beyond,l and the extremities of which revolve in e direction opposito'to cylinders and retain it, causing the cylinders to revolve in an opposite direction tu that -hy'which the cotton.A

that in which the series of cylinders move, so that the cotton will bevcontinnonsly wiped or raked therefrom and A allowed to fall into the receptacle provided to receive it. i

My invention relates, in the fifth place, to the manner of constructing the mechaniiim hy which the series of picking cylinders are applied to and carried through the plant in succession, a'nd also to the mechanism .by which the several movements of the picking yapparatus are produced, and consists in arrangingv each series of cylinders upon the face of n. largo wheel near its periphery, said cylinders being supported by oneend only, with their free ends projecting inward toward-the other wha el; also in arranging said wheels diagonally to each other in s horizonteldirection, so that at their forward sides the cylinders upon said ,wheels passing downward will 'be asnfiioient distance apart to receive the plant between them, and at the rear sides the cylinders will approach near those of the opposite series while ypassing up through the plant and gtheringthc cotton; also in combining with each wheel and its series of. cylinders7 a stationary hand, `working on pulleys on said cylinders, or some other equivalent means, by which the cylinders will be rotated while in the plantand relieved from rotation before the cotton is 'to be removed therefroimand also in so combining and arranging the said wheels and thccarrying-whcels of the'machinc, as that they will receive from said carrying-wheels e proper rotary motion asAthe machine is drawn along, as will hereafter he more particularly described.

' invention relates, in the sixth place, to the manner of' constructing and arranging the receptacle for the picked cotton, in relation to the wheels which carry the picking cylinders, and to the mechanism that removes the cotton therefrom, and consists in arranging said receptacle between said wheels in a fixed position above the axis of the same, and within the orbit of movement of thc picking cylinders, and hclowthe mechanismby whichthe cotton is removed therefrom, so as to receive thc picked cotton as it is delivered `and carry it along with the machine. f

My invention relatos` in the seventh place, to the manner of combining and arranging the several parts heforc mentioned to enable the machine to pass over the plantswithout bending them down so as to interfere materially with the gathering of the cotton, and consists in placing the cross-connections of the framing of the machine at about the height of the centreof the wheels which carry thepicliing cylinders, and extending the freming downwards upon either sido of the machine to receive the carrying-wheels, and arranging the other parts in connection therewith, so as to leave a central open space through which the plants can pass without bending them materially from ltheir erect-position.

And lastly, my invention consists in combining with the framingvof the machine, .constructed substantially as before described, a tongue or polo, by means of which horses or other animals may lle-harnessed thereto to draw the machine along and maintain it in an erect position.

In the drawings, A. A represent two upright` standards, which are firmly secured at` the top to the crosscon'ncction 'or axle, B, at either end thereof, which together compose the framework upon which the operative parts of the machine are arranged. The lower end of, `each standard is provided with a fixed axle, upon which the carryingwhcels, C C, 'wei-lc, which support the machine and give motion' to its operative parts. D D, Svc., are the devices for gathering the cotton, which I call the picking cylinders. They are arranged upon the inner faces oi the wheels, E E, around the circumference, as shown, and revolve upon spindles or studs, E,iixed in the wheels E. Upon the end ol each cylinder D, next the wheel E, is formed a grooved pulley, by which the cylinder is rotated, as will be described. The remaining portion ofthe cylinder projects throuil'h the guard plate, l", which is secured to the wheel E as shown, and serves to protect the pulley andl belt, d, from being entangled by the 4winding on of the loose cotton'. That part of the cylinder D that projects beyond the guard plate FI is covered with short teeth or points made of metal, or it may he made lilen round brush with very short-l risntlcs, or it may be rnade with any other similar covoringthat will seize the fibres of the cotton that is brought in contact with it, and wind the cotton-upon its surface as itrevolves, and deliver the cotton freely when it is unwound. The construction of thc cylinders-and parts adjacent thereto is showny on a largcrscale in figs. 6 and 7. A rotary motion is given to the cylinders duringV spor-tion of the revolution vol" the wheel E, by means of thc stationary belt cl, which issn-etched from the top ofthe arm, a, which is'fastcned to the tqp` of the standard A, to the arm I, which is fixed upon theinner end of the axle of the carrying-wheel. This bolt works in the grooved pulleys of the cylinders, in the space between tho whoclE and its guard plate F, as is seen more clearly infg. 3. The wheels E are' set diagonally to eachother upon the cross-connection B, by means of the obliquo hearings, c, which are fixedV upon the same, as seen in hg. 4, so that at the forward edges of the wheels they are at considerable distance apart, to enable the cylinders upon the two wheels to p'ass down outside of the plants and approach each other as they rise through the plants, its is seenin iig.l 2. The point of nearest approaclieithe cylinders may bovadjusted by adjusting the positions of the hearings e around the axle B; :The wheels E receive their revolution from the hearing-wheels C, by moans of the pulley, aos the same, anditho belt. e', and pulicygf, on the wheel E, in an( obvious manner. The relative sizes of the pulleys c and'f are made such :is to cause each cylinder, l) to move nearly in a cycloid, hut this may be modified if desired. di is the recept tlc or trou-gli. for the cotton. It is made of the form shown in figs. 2 andvl, boing fixed upon the crosss' I connection B, and lying within the series of. picking cylinders. The'sides'of the trougli'are made to come close to the inner faces of. the wheels AIE, and upon` the same arefaetenod the brackets, H, whicheextend nearly up to the picking cylinders, and upon which the series oi' toothed plates, I I, itc., are arranged, and also the hangers, J. J, whichsupport the clearing-wheels, k 1c. The plates I I, I call the toothed arcs." '.lhey are nlliyde` with their outer edges curved, to conform to the circle described by the inner surfaces of the picking cylinders, and'- plaoed near the same, as shown, and arranged side by'side, with a space between each two, and in numhia'r sncient to makev a breadth about equal te the length of that part of the cylinder that projects beyond "the guard plata. Their outer edges are provided with hooked teeth, `which point .in a direction opposite totbat'in1 which the wheel E moves. The clearing-wheels k I: are made with a central hub, l, with long pins or teerthliet:v radially therein, of auch sise and at such Adistance apartes to pass freely between the severalvfteethed)nos te"- their outer surface or a little beyond. They are made torotatein a direction oppositeto the wheels;E byfmeanll`v of pinions on thevouter ends of their shafts working into the gears, E, which are secured to the wheels E, as` in seen in ig. 8. L is the tongue or pole by which the machine is drawn and managed and inpart supported, and is intended to be used with horses or other animals harnessed thereto a suicient distance apart td permit vthem to walk each side of the row of cotton -plauts while the pole passes over them.'

The operation cf this machine is as follows: The machine, drawn by a span of horses harnessed ss described,

commences at one end of a row of cotton plants, and being drawn along astride of it, the plants enter freely at the front, between the wheels E and their cylinders, and their branches are somewhat compressed together. they pass out at the rear. The rotation of the carrying-wheels-,C, by means of the pulley and belt described,

imparts motion to the wheels E, and by that meanscauses the picking cylinders D to rst pass down below the 4 branches of the plant and gradually lclose together, so that the cylinders are inserted -amongthe branches and then raised up amongthem. While the cylindersare rising andare among the branches they are made to rotate by passing under the stationary belt d, which causes them to seize the cotton that protrudes from the bolls with which they come in contact, and by winding it on to their surfaces' draw it from the bell, and also retain y it there, by theirrotation, against the liability of its being removed by passing among the branches, until it is carried up out of the plant. The cylinders thus loaded, more or less, with cotton, after leaving the 'xed belt,4 pass over the toothed arcs ,1, the teeth of which seine the cotton and retain it, causing the cylinders to revolve in amcpposite direction and unwind the locks of cotton from their surfaces, leaving it upon the toothed arcs, from which it is continuously removed by the arms or pins of the clearing-wheel 'and Adeposited inthe trough G.. From this thecdtton is removed and put in small bags, by anlattedant riding on the frontof the machine, in

which it is cari-idd to the gin housel y It is obvious that the form'and construction of the mechanismV by which thismode of operation is embodied may be considerably varied without departing from the principle thereof; as, for instance, the series'of pickinf' cylinders may be attached to an endless chain, so arranged that they will pass down clear of the plant und upward through it, with a rotative motion of the cylinders to gather and transfer the cotton, as before described. And again, the machine may be made single, with one series only of cylinders, and work on one sidefonly of the rovr of cotton plants at a time, being drawn along by the side of 'the row; -and other mediticationaof va like nature may be made.; but the machine here 'shown is the form which I deemed best, and `I have therefore l shown it as an 'embodiment of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and des-ire to secure by Letters'Patentlis as` follows:

1. I claim a machine for harvesting cotton, constructed and operating substantially as described. 2. In a machine for harvesting cotton, I claimthe revolving picking cylinder as a device forgathering the cotton among the branches of the plant, constructed and operating substantially as described.' p l 8. I claim, in a cotton-harvesting machine, the employment of one or mo're continuous serios of said picking cylinders, so arranged as to be made to pass `in close succession through the plant to gather the cotton; al described, and also to move progressively along the row of plants, so as to operate on-sll parts thereof, substantially as described. l l r. 1

4. I claim 'tho combination and arrangement of a continuous series of picking cylinders projecting from the face of a wheel set at an angle to the line of progression of the machine, o its equivalent, so that in their downward movement the pickingcylinders shall pass outside of the plant, then beneath its branches, end up through and among the same, substantially as described.

5. I claim the combination, with a series ,of revolving picking cylinders arranged upon a wheel or ita'equvalent, as described, of a stationary band, or other equivalent mechanidm, that will rotate said cylinders, substantially as described. l

6. I claim the combination of the wheel E'and its series of picking cylinders, or the series arranged in a` manner equivalent thereto, with the carrying-wheel Gofgthe machine, so that the picking cylinders shall'au'to: matically and simultaneously receive therefrom a rotative movement, as described, and an upward movement through the cotton plant, yand a progressive movement along the row oT plants, substantially as described.

7. I claim, in combination with .the series of picking cylinders, arranged as oscribed, the series of toothed arcs and the clearing-wheel, or their equivalent, for removing the cotton from the cylinders, substantially as described.

8. I claim the employment, in combination, of two systems of mechanism for gathering and disiharging the v cotton, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as described, and set diagonally face to face, `s`o-as foI operate simultaneously upon opposite sides of the plant, substantially in the manner described.

9. I claim the trough or receptacle for the cotton, placed above the croci-connection of the machine and i within lthe series of picking' cylinders, so es to receive th'ccotton es it is removed from the cylinders, substantally as deeleribed.v

10. I claim the manner of eemhinng and arranging the wheels E with their adjnnets, the framing of the machine, the carrying-wheels, and the tongue perch, so ns to leave an open space lengthwise through the .machine along und mnintnin it in an erect position.

mhchine below the leresxs-connections', which enatles the machine to pass over the'plants without bending them down so as to interfere materially with the gathering of the cotton, substantially as described. v

11. I claim combiningv with the framing and operative parts of the machine, constructed and arranged ns tlescriled, a, tongue or perch, to which animals may he harnessed in the manner before desfribed, to draw the Executed at Bostou'thig 31st day ef October, 1866.

. W. E. PRALL. Witnesses WM. C. HIBBABD,

N. f. Leinen

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