Cotton lint cleaner

A cotton lint cleaner having a number of new and unique features. The lint cleaner uses a common air stream laden with cotton to be cleaned through a moving screen and then through feed rollers to a cylindrical saw, where a centrifugal air flow doffing impeller doffs the cleaned cotton from said saw, for discharge from the device. Special spring biased feed bars are also a part of this invention. Additional features include special grid bars, special settling and collection chambers, guide vane structure, a rotating paddle wheel vacuum lock, an adjustable vacuum valve control, and filtering and discharging of the exhaust air flow through a cover over the operating drives for the overall machine in order to exclude contamination from the outside air of said drive components. Special tension mountings for the grid bars are also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to a cotton lint cleaner for use with cotton gins in 
order to improve the quality of the cotton being processed thereby. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
A common problem with known cotton cleaning apparatus is that the commonly 
used cylindrical condensers tend to retain collected cotton thereon which 
is intended to be removed by a wiping action of associated rollers, but 
often times the cotton will remain on the cylinder and return to the 
initial starting point. 
Another problem with known cotton cleaners is that the doffing apparatus 
associated with the saws and grid bar structure will tend to jam up and 
create a fire hazard. 
Another common problem is that with doffing mechanisms utilizing brushes 
and the like, often times the brushes themselves will burn once a fire has 
been started in the device, with a consequent complete rendering of the 
doffing mechanism useless. 
Another known problem is that when cotton slips by the conventional-type 
condensers and doffers, contaminated and unwanted particles will be 
discharged out the exhaust of the apparatus. 
Known prior art patents which may be pertinent to this invention are as 
follows: 
G. c. morgan; 2,269,085 Jan. 6, 1942 
E. e. moss; 2,704,862 Mar. 29, 1955 
D. d. day; 2,948,022 Aug. 9, 1960 
W. l. calhoun, Jr.; 3,388,434 June 18, 1968 
W. e. rood, Jr. et al; 3,425,097 Feb. 4, 1969 
None of these known prior art devices offers the new and unique features of 
the invention disclosed herein. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a cotton lint cleaner 
having a number of new and unique features incorporated therein. One of 
the objects is to use the same air stream throughout the entire apparatus 
to induce cotton into the lint cleaner for processing of said cotton, and 
to remove refuse therefrom, to collect cotton flowing in said air stream 
by a belt-type condenser, to feed the cotton being processed through feed 
rollers to saws for doffing by a centrifugal impeller doffer, to discharge 
the clean cotton and to bathe the machine drives in a protective air 
current. 
Another object of the present invention is to use pressure or vacuum 
through a moving screen or porous belt to condense or accumulate fibers 
being processed on said belt and then to convey said collected fibers into 
another pressure area. 
Another object is to use sudden pressure differential or the blocking of 
air flow in order to allow material fiber being carried by said air flow 
to flow away from a condenser screen belt. 
A still further object of this invention is a centrifugal impeller with a 
plurality of shallow blades or vanes for the purpose of doffing cotton or 
fibrous material from a saw cylinder. This centrifugal impeller creates an 
air flow from the center thereof and outwardly through the vanes directly 
upon the saw cylinder thereby increasing the desired doffing. 
A still further object of this invention is a cotton lint cleaner feed 
mechanism having two splined feed rollers together with a pivotally 
mounted feed bar associated with a saw cylinder in order to permit moving 
away of said feed bar in the event of an extremely large bat of cotton or 
fiber, lump, or foreign object passing through the aforementioned 
structure. This is for the overall purpose of preventing choking of the 
saw. 
An additional further object is to provide various means for creating 
pressure on the pivotable arm supporting said previously mentioned feed 
bar. 
A still further additional object of this invention is to provide specially 
shaped grid bars for use with the saw of the cotton cleaning unit. These 
provide two cleaning edges per bar and requires the fiber to make two 
small bends instead of one severe bend. This lessens fiber damage due to 
kinking and cutting caused by the sharp bending of fiber around the single 
edge of a conventional type grid bar. 
An additional further object is in the settling chambers employed with the 
cotton lint cleaner of this invention. The purpose being to allow the 
contamination particles to settle out in said chambers and allow the clean 
cotton to pass on through the apparatus. 
An additional still further object of this invention is in the use of 
special guide vanes to control air flow through various portions of the 
cotton cleaner apparatus. Control of air flow through the machine is 
extremely important, and the use of these special vanes enables said air 
flow to be properly directed and controlled. 
Another object of this invention is in the use of a rotating paddle wheel 
control air flow from one stage of said machine to another to form a 
vacuum lock and also to agitate refuse accumulating in one of the refuse 
chambers. 
Another further object is in the removing of cotton lint fibers from the 
refuse chamber by an adjustable vacuum valve to control the amount of lint 
being reunited with lint from the doffer mechanism. 
An additional still further object is to filter the air being exhausted 
from said device and after said filtering to divert a portion of said air 
through a loose fitting cover around the outer perimeter of the machine so 
as to protect the drive elements of the machine. 
Another additional object is in the use of tension mounting or stretching 
of the grid bars adjacent the saw surface in order to reduce vibration of 
said grid bars and to allow a more adequate adjustment of said grid bars 
in relation to said saw. 
Another object of this invention is in the ducting of pepper trash from the 
condenser screen to a refuse fan for collection and removal from the 
apparatus. 
These together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts throughout.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
According to FIG. 1 of the drawings, reference numeral 10 indicates the 
apparatus for cleaning cotton as described herein. Reference numeral 12 
indicates the input duct for this apparatus. 
In order for an easier understanding of the overall operation of the 
apparatus of this invention, the entire operation will be described in 
general with reference to the figures of the drawings before the 
individual and special components thereof are described in detail. Looking 
primarily at FIGS. 1, 4a and 4b, cotton to be cleaned is vacuumed or blown 
into the duct 12 along flow path A with 72-100% (depending on the valve 
setting) of the air flowing into the lint cleaner. This air flow moves the 
dirty cotton to duct B which is smaller in cross-section than duct A, 
thereby accelerating same. This flow causes the heavier particles of seed, 
stick, leaf particles, and dirt to accumulate in the lower portions of 
said duct indicated by reference B-1, and continues in a straight line 
flow into the "still air region" (relatively little air movement) in the 
lower part of chamber 0 and hopper C. This "still air region" is present 
due to the drastic enlargement of cross-sectional area from duct B to 
chamber 0. While the heavy particles of undesirable contaminants drop and 
flow out C and N, the light tufts of lint cotton are vacuumed into 
chambers D-1 and D-2. 
Just above the ducts D-1 and D-2 is the moving porous screen belt condenser 
23. As the air flows through this moving screen 23, cotton accumulates on 
the belt. The belt is moving in a clockwise direction with an increasing 
quantity of cotton accumulating thereon as the screen moves toward splined 
feed roller 26, as best seen in FIGS. 4a. 
Although the cotton tufts are filtered out of the air stream by the screen 
belt 23, some short lint fibers and small particles follow the air flow 
through the screen belt 23 into the top chamber S and through the guide 
vanes 4 and 20. Air flow is directed outside the condenser chamber 
openings E-1 and E-2 to openings F-1, F-2, and F-3 simultaneously, see 
FIGS. 1 and 3 and the flow lines thereon. 
Most of the air flow through the apparatus is ducted to the opening F-1 
into a long centrifugal impeller 112. Both ends of the impeller are 
covered by a cone-shaped filter 116 which rotates as a part of the 
impeller. The air is filtered as it passes through the cone filter 116, 
leaving on the filter the small particles that pass through the screen 
belt 23. This cone filter 116 slings off trash buildup into the lower 
pressure area duct U, see FIG. 3. In this way, cone filter 116 is 
constantly self-cleaning. The filtered air passing into the center of the 
doffing impeller 112 is slung radially outward by the shallow radial 
blades 212 provided around the long rotating impeller shaft 122. This 
radiating air doffs or blows the clean lint cotton from the saw cylinder 9 
at point V into a diffusing section G and out duct H. 
Meanwhile, some air from condenser slots E-1 and E-2 is ducted through F-2 
into pipe T. As air flows through pipe T, it accumulates refuse particles 
from the refuse chamber M dropped by rotational air lock 113. The trash 
laden air flows from duct T into duct I into pipe J and through refuse 
blower 114 and out opening L (see FIG. 1). 
Air ducted from E-1 and E-2 into slot F-3 flows through the trash chamber M 
and past the rotating paddle wheel 113. Cylinder 131 is a partial air 
lock, intended to agitate trash buildups in chamber M and also to regulate 
air flow through M by adjusting the clearance of scroll W, see FIG. 4b. 
The rotational air lock cylinder 131 together with the rotating paddle 
wheel 113 may be removed for certain applications. In such a case, the 
opening F-2 would be sealed and all air flow to blower 114 routed through 
chamber M, from opening F-3, and from openings E-1 and E-2. 
While the air moving through the screen belt 23 is being routed to the 
suction impellers 112 and 114, the cotton is being conveyed between 
rollers 25 and 26 as fed by screen belt 23. The bat or blanket 28 of 
cotton moving between rollers 25 and 26 seals air leakage that would 
otherwise reduce vacuum in chambers D-1 and D-2. This bat of cotton is 
pulled downward between plate 30 and roller 26 where it is compressed and 
then drawn downward between spring loaded feed bar 8 and splined roller 7 
where it is compressed again. The bat of compressed cotton is now pulled 
under the feed bar 8 by the fine-tooth saw cylinder 9 which is rotating at 
high speed. The cotton fiber is combed (untangled) as it is pulled under 
the low clearance feed bar 8. The thin cotton bat that is stretched over 
the rim of the rotating saw 9 is pulled between the saw and grid bars 10 
and 11. These grid bars tend to knock away the loosened heavy trash 
radiating outwardly due to the centrifugal force of the spinning cylinder 
or saw 9. This trash is slung into chamber M (see FIG. 4b) and passes 
through the revolving rotor 113 into vacuum pipe T, through ducts I and J, 
into blower 114 and out duct L. 
A portion of the air discharged from blower 114 and out duct L is filtered 
and ducted into a loose fitting cover 210 that encases the drive chains, 
belts and other drive components of the overall apparatus, see FIG. 11. 
This current of air flow pressurizes the cover to prevent foreign 
particles from settling on the drive components. 
After the cotton on saw 9 passes through the cleaning chamber M, it is 
blown from saw 9 into chamber G and out duct H by impeller 112. The clean 
cotton is then further ducted out extension H' for the next operation. 
This completes the general operation of the overall apparatus and now the 
specific components and features thereof will be described individually 
and in detail. 
Looking at FIGS. 1, 4a and 4b, the input ducting A and B includes 
appropriate sheet metal duct work of conventional pipe construction 150 
having appropriate flanges 152 provided for fastening to the rest of the 
apparatus by appropriate fastening means such as nuts and bolts shown. The 
chamber 0 may have provided therein a splatter board 155 for disrupting 
the flow path and assuring that the heavy particles of trash will enter 
the lower hopper portion C while the cotton tufts and balance of air flow 
will continue upwardly through the chamber 0 to the chambers D-1 and D-2. 
As best seen in FIG. 4a, a dividing vane 160 is normally provided for 
dividing the chamber D into D-1 and D-2. This vane 160 for the chamber D 
may be provided in some installations and omitted in others, such as shown 
in FIG. 4a with it provided, and FIG. 8 being omitted. Appropriate sheet 
metal work is provided to form said chambers. 
The next important component of this apparatus is the condenser belt screen 
construction. As best seen in FIG. 4a and FIG. 8, the condenser has two 
support rollers 25 and 27, which are appropriately driven by drives, not 
shown, with a belt 23 rotatably supported on and driven by said rollers. 
The belt 23 has apertures 265 therein for permitting passage of air flow 
through said screen belt. Air lock members of flexible material 260 are 
provided where appropriate to prevent loss of air flow other than as 
desired through the belt. The input chamber D on one side of the belt 
supplies the air flow with tufts of cotton therein while the exhaust of 
said air flow exits out ports E-1 and E-2. Chamber S provides the air from 
which the exhausts exit and again is formed from sheet metal. The belt 23 
itself may be formed of any flexible resilient material which will stand 
up under such use without substantial wear or failure. While the screen 
belt condenser finds particular application with the overall apparatus of 
this invention, it also may be used with other cotton apparatus in and of 
itself. As seen in FIG. 4a, vanes 4 and 20 may be provided to control the 
air flow through and after leaving the screen belt condenser. Said vanes 
may be made of any desired material and are mounted to be adjustable so 
that the amount of air flowing out the exhaust E-1 and E-2 can be changed 
or diverted through various portions of the chamber. 
Part of the air exhausting from exhaust areas E-1 and E-2 reenters the next 
portion of the apparatus through duct F-3, best seen in FIG. 1. This air 
will then enter the chamber M for further separation of trash therein. 
Also, as best seen in FIG. 4b, the feed roller 7 has a feed bar 8 arranged 
for close association therewith which is appropriately supported from a 
member 270 between the frame of the overall apparatus. The feed bar 8 may 
be of a fixed type or may be of the type shown in FIG. 9 and 10, that is, 
pivotably mounted, or a spring biased type as shown in FIG. 14. The type 
pivotably mounted as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 will be described next. A 
pivot lever member 320 is pivotally mounted about a pin 321 appropriately 
supported by the side of the apparatus. While only one pivot arm 320 is 
shown on the left side of the machine, a duplicate or mirror image of same 
will also be provided on the right side of said apparatus. The two levers 
support arcuate plates 322, within recesses 323, with plates 322 
supporting the feed bar at each end and therebetween. 
As shown in FIG. 9, the tension applying means for the feed bar through the 
pivotable levers 320 is by means of the arm 326 having a tubular member 
328 mounted thereon. The tubular member 328 has a pin 329 which is spring 
biased by means of spring 330, and with the pressure being adjustable by 
bolt 332, and lock nut 334 thereon. By screwing the bolt inwardly into the 
tubular member 328, the amount of spring pressure will obviously be 
increased to provide increased pressure through the pivot lever to the 
feed bar per se. Several modifications and embodiments of this tension 
adjusting means are shown in FIG. 10. The pivot arm 320', pivot pin 321', 
and arcuate segment 322' in recess 323' all correspond to the structure 
described above. Again, a mirror image of the disclosed structure is 
provided on the opposite side of the apparatus with the feed bar being 
appropriately mounted therebetween. The tension producing structure in 
FIG. 10 consists of the extension arm 340 fastened to the pivot arm 320' 
and having an adjustable weight 342 mounted thereon. Thus, by gravity 
action, the amount of pressure and biasing of the feed bar against the 
feed rollers is provided. If desired, an extra adjusting spring 344 may 
also be used with this embodiment. In the upper portion of FIG. 10 and as 
indicated by dotted lines, another further embodiment of the pressure 
producing structure is shown. This consists of a hook member 346 
appropriately fastened to the upper end of the pivot arm 320' and 
connected by a cable 348 over pulley 350 to a weight 352. Again, by 
gravity action appropriate biasing pressure will be applied through the 
pivotal lever to the feed bar. 
FIG. 14 shows another embodiment wherein the feed bar 8' is spring biased 
internally thereof instead of being mounted on the pivotal levers as seen 
in FIGS. 9 and 10. In the embodiment of FIG. 14, the main support member 
272 is provided, and a threaded aperture 273 in the feed bar 8' receives a 
bolt 274 having a small centering spring 276 thereabout. A primary spring 
278 is provided between the support member 272 and the feed bar 8' for 
urging and spring pressuring the feed bar 8' towards and close to the feed 
roller 7. 
Looking at FIG. 4b, the saw cylinder 9 with the grid bars 10 and 11 may 
best be seen. The saw cylinder 9 will collect cotton being fed by feed 
roller 7 in a well known manner for combing and fluffing thereof by the 
grid bars 10 and 11. Thus, as envisioned by this invention, the grid bars 
10 and 11 may be modified from conventional type grid bars. Looking at 
FIG. 5, the grid bar 10 is provided with a metal strip 40 appropriately 
fastened by recessed screws 42 to the main body of the grid bar. The grid 
bar has a sloped face 44 which together with the plate 40 will provide a 
double edge as indicated by reference numeral 45 in FIG. 5. By forming the 
grid bar as seen in FIG. 5, two fiber engaging edges are provided instead 
of a single edge. The function thereof is to provide two cleaning edges 
per each grid bar in order to have the fiber make two small bends instead 
of one severe bend. The result of this is that the overall damage to the 
fibers is greatly lessened due to the kinking and cutting caused by the 
sharp bending of the fibers around a single grid edge. This is amother 
important feature of this invention and while quite simple in detail does 
result in tremendous benefits. FIG. 6 shows another manner of forming a 
double edge grid bar wherein the grid bar structure 11 has a recess 47 cut 
or machined in the leading edge thereof to produce two pointed edges for 
the same purpose as described above. 
The support of the grid bars shown between the sides of the apparatus is 
also quite important. In conventional cotton machines having saw cylinders 
and grid bars, the grid bars normally are supported in the apparatus by 
pressure on the ends thereof. It has been discovered by the applicant, 
that if the grid bars are supported under tension rather than pressure, a 
very desirable result is obtained. FIGS. 12 and 13 show this embodiment. 
These Figures show the grid bars, either 10 or 11, being connected between 
plates 310 and appropriately fastened to said plates by welding or other 
means. Adjusting screws 312 at the corners of the plates 310 provide quick 
and easy mechanical structure for increasing or decreasing the tension on 
said grid bars. Appropriate apertures are provided in the side walls of 
the main support frame for passage of the ends of the grid bars 
therethrough prior to connection with said plates. 
Looking at FIG. 4b an adjustable vane plate 400 mounted upon pins 410 is 
shown. This adjustable plate permits a portion of the flow of air and 
suspended cotton to bypass the saw cylinder and supporting guides 
therefor. With the adjustable guide 400 being entirely closed, all of the 
cotton will be conveyed by means of the saw cylinder 9 through the grid 
bars to point V of the doffing structure. 
The doffing structure, as best seen in FIGS. 4b and 7, is another important 
component of this apparatus. The centrifugal force doffing cylinder has a 
main rotatable support shaft 122 with a plurality of arms 126 fastened 
thereto for supporting rims 128. Upon the cylindrical rims 128 are mounted 
a plurality of curved vanes 212 for completing the doffing impeller. 
Obviously, under high speed rotation, air will be inducted through the 
center ends of this doffer and expelled through the curved vanes outwardly 
as directed by the curved sheet metal guiding structure to produce an 
outward flow concentrated at point V in FIG. 4b. This will result in 
doffing the cotton from the saw cylinder 9 in an upward circular path, as 
indicated by the flow lines on FIG. 4b, and into the duct G. Flow then 
will continue from G through duct H and H' with the clean cotton being 
exhausted to a common collection or usage point. The curved blades or 
vanes 212 are shown as being fastened to the rims 128, but obviously this 
invention envisions making said vanes of an adjustable nature. Also, the 
vanes may be of straight configuration rather than curved for other 
applications of the device. 
Looking again at FIG. 4b, an adjustable shutoff valve 420 is appropriately 
provided in the main support structure which may be locked in a fixed 
position by means of fastening device 422. This will also give additional 
flexibility as to adjustment of the flow paths through the overall 
apparatus. Another similar adjusting valve 420' and locking means 422' are 
shown in the duct work N which feeds to the blower/impeller J, 114. 
The blower and impeller 114 of conventional construction is used to 
discharge the trash which accumulates in the chamber C and the duct work 
N. Also, this blower/impeller 114 will suck trash through duct I, chamber 
T, F-2 and the vacuum lock 113, 131. The vacuum lock 113, 131 as best seen 
in FIG. 4b consists of the cylindrically formed sheet metal portions 131, 
133 having at the upper and lower ends thereof flanges 135 which flanges 
are appropriately fastened by bolts or other means to the rest of the 
associated duct work and sheet metal work of the overall apparatus. As 
indicated by the double arrow at the upper portion of the member 131 in 
FIG. 4b, this side or if desired both sides of the cylindrical container 
may be adjusted sidewise to increase the engagement of the inner portion 
of said cylinder with the tips of the rotating lock 113. These tips 140 
are mounted upon support arms 142 radiating from the center drive rod 144. 
When the drive rod 144 is appropriately driven by means not shown, it will 
tend to pass trash from the bottom portion of the hopper M on through to 
duct F-2 and T for eventual passage through duct I and discharge through 
J, blower 114 and the discharge path. As mentioned above, the vacuum lock 
structure 113, 131 may be eliminated in some modifications of the overall 
apparatus. 
FIG. 2 shows the various flow paths of the air and cotton tufts throughout 
the overall machine as viewed from one end thereof. 
Another important feature of this lint cleaning apparatus is in the 
arrangement for the drive components of said apparatus. The output blower 
114 and exhaust duct L, as best seen in FIG. 11, is suitably tapped by 
ducting 200 having a suitable filter contained therein for preventing any 
of the trash from being fed into said cover. The cover 210 is shown as 
having open portions at the bottom and top thereof, but may have openings 
anywhere along the circumference just as long as the inside of said cover 
which is over the drive components, as shown in broken perspective in FIG. 
11, has pressure flow therein in order to maintain said drive components 
under a degree of pressure. This pressure will prevent any contamination 
from settling upon the drive components per se. This is very important 
from the standpoint of overall life and less maintenance of the overall 
components. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily 
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the 
invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and 
accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to 
falling within the scope of the invention.