Patent GB-377414-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to grouped or combined apparatus for cleaning, opening and conveying cotton and forming the same into laps
IPC: D01G27/00
Filed: 1931-07-14
Abstract: 377,414. Conveying cotton between groups of openers, hopper feeders, &c. PLATT BROS. & CO., Ltd., Hartford Works, and WILKINSON, H., 500, Ripponden Road, Barrowshaw, both in Oldham. July 14, 1931, No. 20162. [Class 120 (i).] In combined apparatus for cleaning, opening, conveying and forming cotton into laps comprising a preliminary group A, Figs. 1 and 2, of cleaning, opening and feeding machines and a second group B of refining, opening, cleaning and lap-forming machines, pneumatic conveying means is provided between the two groups so that when all the refining machines are fully supplied the surplus cotton is automatically returned to an intermediate or liaison apparatus or receiving structure in the group A ready for reconveyance. The drive of the liaison apparatus or of a feeding machine in the preliminary group is automatically stopped when all the refining machines are fully supplied with cotton. The apparatus shown comprises a group A consisting of a hopper bale breaker b, hopper opener c, Crighton opener d, grid dust trunk e, hopper feeder f, lattice feeder g and cage h supplying the reserve box a<1> of the liaison hopper feeder a. The latter feeds cotton to a, creeper lattice 1 from which an elevator lattice 2 supplies a horizontal distributing lattice 3. Fig. 3, made in sections, the gaps 4 therein corresponding to the cotton boxes 5 of the refining machines in group B while short lattices 6 are disposed over the gaps 4. Each set of refining machines consists of a hopper feeder B<1>, double cylinder opener B<2> and lap-forming; apparatus B<3>. Cotton not taken up by the boxes 5 passes into a funnel 7 and is returned through a pipe 8 to a condenser 9 and thence to the reserve box a<1> of the hopper-feeder a. In a modification, a shoot device S, Fig. 4, is substituted for the hopper feeder a and is formed with two condensers, the first C receiving cotton from group A and the second 9x the cotton returned along the pipe 8. The hopper feeder a is provided with a spiked lifting lattice a<4> and floor lattices a<2>, a<3>, while its beater shaft j is constantly driven by fast- and-loose pulleys j<1>. A pulley j<2> on the shaft j drives fast-and-loose pulleys j<3>, j<4>, on shaft j<5>. from which the lattices a<2>, a3 are driven through pulleys j<7> .. j<10>. A pulley j<11> on the shaft j<5> drives, through a belt and pulley j<12>, a longitudinal shaft k which operates the creeper lattice 1 and the distributing lattice 3 through bevel and toothed gear k<1>, k<2>. Automatically acting electrical or mechanical devices are provided in group B arranged so that when the several sets of refining machines are fully supplied the hopper feeder a, or the machine in group A supplying the condenser C, is stopped. Pivoted control boards in the machines in group B are arranged in circuit so that when depressed by the full supply of cotton the circuit is completed and the drive to the hopper feeder stopped. On breakage of the circuit the machine would be restarted. Alternatively a wire m<3> is fixed to a lever m<2> on each board m all the wires passing through holes in the end of a weighted bell-crank lever n. When a board is depressed by excess cotton the wire is slackened and when all are slackened the lever n is moved to shift the belt on to the loose pulley j<4> and to stop the lattices a<2>, a3, a4, 1, 3. A board in the reserve box a<1> may similarly regulate the action of any machine in the group A.