The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-05-14
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Cotton Picker.

II weighs 1000 pounds, is mounted on
two wheels, easily drawn by two mules,
and is driven directly over the row to be
picked. The plants if tall are met by a
surface Of wood in front of the machine,
sloping inward and downward towards
the picking spindles, which bends them
SO as to allow the machine to pass over.
The whole apparatus can be raised or
lowered by the driver in his seat.
The cotton is gathered by spindles,
which, in series of nine, project from six
teen small cylinders, which revolve around
a common centre. At each revolution of
this system of cylinders, the spindles.
which are furnished with brush-like sur
faces, properly guarded, and are revolv-
ing on their own axis with great rapidity.
are thrust between the branches of the
plant, permeating every part, engaging
the fbrous cotton, and leaving the un-
opened bolls, blooms, and leaves unin-
jured. After the spindles emerge from
the plant, they are presented to rapidly
revolving brushes, which clean them Of
the cotton.
The cotton is thrown by centrifugal
force into a receptacle at the rear of the
machine, having a capacity of about 1so
pounds, and made of heavy wire netting
fastened around wooden frame, which
allows all the dust and dirt to escape, but
retains the fibre. When full, the machine
is stopped, and from door in the rear
the cotton is removed to wagon on the
field for that purpose. These stoppages
occur about twenty times during the day,
and are just long enough to give the
mules rest. It is seen, then, that as rso
pounds of cotton is the amount the aver
age picker daily gathers, this machine
just picks twenty times as much.
Each cylinder has an independent mo.
ton, equal to about one-haf revolution
on its own axis, which motion causes the
spindles to remain relatively stationary to
the plant while picking, and to enter and
emerge from the branches with the least
possible disturbance, no combing or rak-
ing motion being produced. 60
A valuable feature is a series of ribs.
through which the spindles pass immedi-
ately on leaving the plant, while vet
loaded with cotton. These ribs serve the
purpose of preventing any branches or
hulls from being carried through to the
brushes, but allow the fibre to pass, and
are made Of heavy steel wire, twisted
with bristles, so as to form what might be
termed a large round brush.
Another feature of great value is the
trailers. They are attached to the ma
chine on each side at the lowest point
and extend inward until they nearly
meet thus forming carpet under the
machine ready to catch any chance drop
pings of cotton, which are at once seized
by the spindles and carried upward to the
cleaners, which throw it into the cage,
thus obviating all loss.
The machine is the invention Of Angus
Campbell, who was born in Hamilton.
Ontario, resided in Chicago for some
years, but is now of Waco, Texas, where
the machine has been developed, and has
been picking cotton for the past three
years.
The experiments were carried on for
the first two years in a small machine
shop built for that purpose, where from
sig to ten mechanics were employed.
The last year the work has been done in
a large factory, owned by the company,
equipped with the latest improved ma
chinery at cost of $4,000, which money
was furnished by the citizens of Waco,
who had seen the machine at work in the
fields.
The present cost of picking cotton is
$Ia.so per bale; the machine is capable
Of doing it for about $3.50, and the ma
CHIMES are expected to average over 700
bales each in a season.