The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1891-12-01
A. NEW COTTON PICKER.
II Looks Like n Success--A Description

the
lfthe Wallis Lispenard cotton picker,
to which the Piedmont ExGGs;tjDp at
Atlanta awarded a gold medal, is capa
bic of doing WHAT Is claimed for 1t The
problerh N mechanical cotton picking
IS nearly solved. The machine is moi
yet perfected, and several improve
ments, already designed, are to be added
to 1t, but those who have investigated
its construction and merits assert that
1t Is built on corr ect mechanical prin.
ciples, and a practical test in the cot.
ton field proved its utility. The ma
chine gathers more rapidly than can be
done by'hand; more trash is, of course
mixed with the cotton in this way, but
not enough that gins will not clear it
1t also leaves the leaves and green bolls
unframed, so the greater part OF the
problem has been solved.
|. Persons competent to Judge its
merits, including the superintendent OF
the Georgia experimental State farm
and a former commissioner Of agricul.
turs of that State, as well as prominent
planter. pronounce 1t a success and
believe that a considerable portion of
next years crop will be picked by it.
The following account of its con
struction and operation will be Of In
terest:
1t consists of a series of small brass
cylinders about three inches in diane
ter, set parallel In q frame, one above
the other, and which operate by turn
ing with great rapidity on both sides OF
the cotton stalk, the motion to the cyl
inders being given by the wheels of the
machine which run in the middle OF
the cotton rows, causing the machine
to straddle the row of cotton which is
to be operated On. AS one side of the
brass cylinders Is presented to the cot
ton a great number Of sharppointed
needlelike spikes present themselves
through holes perforated in the cylin-
der, which gather the cotton, and az
the cylinders turn yer To the opposite
side the needles are drawn in, which
turns the cotton loose and causes IL to
drop in boxes on both sides of the ma
chine. This In and out motion Of the
needles. which seizes the cotton from
the stalk when presented to it and then
drops 1t Ia the boxes when reversed, is
secured by a simple but ingenious con.
triyance inside the cylinder which gives
the proper motion to the needles. The
number OF cylinders depends upon the
| quantity of cotton open on tho stalk:
for the cylinders can be inserted in the
frame at pleasure as needed from two
to two dozen according to the height
of the machine or the size of cotton, all
of them having the same motion. If
the bottom crop is to be gathered, of
course only a few cylinders are inserted
to reach the cotton open. If 1t is open
all over the stalk enough cylinders are
used to cover all of the stalk. The
machine Is q simple one, having only
three important motions, the small re-
yolving brass cylinder on both sides of
the cotton stalk, the motion to which is
given by the wheels running in the
middles on both sides of the cotton,
next the running out of the needles
from the cylinders which grasp the cot.
TOT as they come in contact with it,
and then the withdrawal OF the needles
which turns the cotton loose and de-
posts 1t In the boxes as that side of the
cylinders approach them.-Columbia
Register. ~