Patent GB-1061462-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to cleaning apparatus for cotton seed
IPC: B02B1/02
Filed: 1964-06-05
Abstract: 1,061,462. Cleaning cottonseed. MASCHINENFABRIK BUCKAU R. WOLF A.G. June 5, 1964 [June 7, 1963], No. 23518/64. Heading A2Q. Apparatus for cleaning cottonseeds, comprises a hollow drum 1, Figs. 1, 3 and 4, having a plurality of longitudinal slots 2, constituting cleaning chambers, uniformly distributed around its periphery. The drum is rotatably mounted, on rollers 6, in a jacket 5 having an upper inlet port 7, a lower outlet port 9 and a side opening 10. A jacket 12 is provided inside the drum to cover the inner openings of the slots 2 at and between the ports 7 and 9. The jacket 12 has an opening 13 opposite the opening 10. A housing 30, for receiving cleaned cottonseeds from the outlet port 9, has an upper limb 11, which joins the jacket 5 at the opening 10 and accommodates a brush roll 17, mounted on an axle 15 provided with a pulley 22. The brush roll 17 makes contact with the outer surface of the drum through the opening 10. A housing 14, secured within the jacket 12 at the opening 13, accommodates a brush roll 18, mounted on an axle 16 provided with a pulley 23. The brush roll 18 makes contact with the inner surface of the drum through the opening 13. The axes of the two brush rolls and the drum 1 are in the same plane. A belt 19, from the driving pulley 20 of an electric motor, drives the pulleys 22 and 23 and their associated brush rolls, and also drives a tensioning pulley 24 on an axle 25 having a pulley 26, which drives a pulley 27 on an axle 36 mounted, in bearings 29, on the housing 30. Pivoted eccentrically on the pulley 27 is a rod 31 provided with a tooth 32, which engages a toothed gear 33 around an inner lip of the drum 1, and thus turns the drum intermittently to bring an empty slot 2 under the opening 7, to receive cotton seeds from a delivery pipe 8, and another slot 2 charged with cotton seeds 40, Fig. 4, between the brush rolls 17 and 18. The latter are rotated at a high speed, e.g. 3,000 r.p.m. The leading face 3 of each slot 2 slopes at an angle to the corresponding radial plane of the drum. The trailing face 4 of each slot is roof-shaped, with portions 4a and 4b meeting at an angle 4c. The width of each slot increases towards the interior of the drum. During cleaning in a slot 2, the cottonseeds 40 pass to and fro between the brush rolls. When the drum is turned, to bring a slot charged with cleaned cottonseeds below the brush rolls, the cleaned cottonseeds are discharged into the housing 30, from which they may be taken to a press for extracting cottonseed oil. A fan (38) Fig. 2 (not shown) produces a winnowing current of air, in which fibres and light impurities are removed, through an opening 41, the limb 11 and an air outlet conduit (37), into a cyclone separator (not shown). The brush rolls 17 and 18 are rotated in the same direction, which is opposite to the direction in which the drum is intermittently turned. The brush rolls may each comprise aligned steel brush discs. One or more than one worm conveyer 34, driven by a belt 35 from the axle 36, may be provided to facilitate the distribution of cottonseeds into the slots.