An Improvement applicable to Grids used in Machines for Ginning Cotton.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 26th June, 1897
Complete Specification Left, 25th Mar., 1898-Accepted, 23rd July, 1898
An Improvement applicable to Grids used in Machines for Ginning
Cotton.
A Communication from abroad by Messieurs RALLI BROTHERS of Bombay, India,
Merchants.
I, CONSTANTINE EVANGELINO DEMETRIADI, of 37, Peter Street, Manchester, in
thic County of Lancaster, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:
This invention relates to the grids used in machines for "ginning" cotton,
the objects of the said invention being to improve the construction and action
thereof, and especially to prevent the grids from bending which they are very
liable to do as at present constructed.
The invention consists principally in the combination with the grid of a metal
strap fixed across the ends thereof in such a position as to hold the grids firmly
in place and prevent them from bending and thereby destroying or altering the
original distance between the grids.
This strap by keeping the grids in their original position prevents loss of the
fibre in "ginning," which is caused at present by live "kappas" along with the
seed escaping and passing through the larger spaces between the grids due to
the bending of the latter.
"
The strap also gives a peculiar action to the live "kappas," which facilitates
ginning," as it serves to keep small "kappas" hopping before the face of the
roller of the "gin" until it is gripped, whereas in the original grids any small
"kappas" when thrown against the roller and once missed are immediately
thrown down with the seed and lost.
D
1 ..
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page_text: tion and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to the grids used in machines for "ginning" cotton, and
is especially applicable to Platt's Macarthy double roller cotton gins. In such
gins, the fingers of the fixed or bottom grids are merely plain fingers attached to
a base plate, and the outer ends of the fingers are in no way secured from move-
ment transversely or otherwise; the consequence is, that during the operation of
ginning, small stones or other obstructions very often bend the fingers, destroying
the equal spaces between tliem. It is of much importance that the spaces between
the grid fingers be of a fixed size, otherwise some of the cottou seed, instead of
being ginned, will pass through an enlarged space and be lost. The object of my
invention is to provide a simple means to prevent the lateral spreading of the
grid fingers, thus saving considerable cotton that would otherwise be lost as above
stated.
The invention consists principally in the combination with the grid of a metal
strap fixed across the ends thereof in such a position as to hold the grids firmly
in place and prevent them from bending and thereby destroying or altering the
original distance between the grids.
The invention will be readily understood on reference to the accompanying
drawings in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the views.
Figures 1 and 1* are sectional elevations of a portion of a cotton gin, showing
my improved grid as applied thereto, Fig. 1 being more complete and drawn to
a smaller scale.
Fig. 2 is a back view, and Fig. 3; a plan of the grid.
Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the gin roller having the usual leather
strips 2, to catch and carry the cotton fibre. At one side of the roller is the usual
fixed blade 3 and reciprocating blade 4.
Rearward of the fixed blade is the fixed grid, consisting of a plate 5, horizontally
disposed fingers 6, and downwardly extending arms 7. The ends of the several
fingers G are connected together by a strap 8, which may be integral with the
fingers, or otherwise secured thereto. As shown in the drawings, the rearward
surface of the strap, or that surface facing the uppermost, is inclined downward
and rearward. This form is especially given to the strap, so that a slight differ-
ence in distance between the points of the moving grids 9 (which move through the
fixed grid 6 as seen by the dotted curve Fig. 1) and the bottom corner of the
strap 8 may be obtained when the fingers are given radial movements.up or down
in the grid frame, according to circumstances.
These radial movements or adjustments are effected by means of curved slots
(seen dotted at 10 Fig. 1) specially provided in the frames of the gin through which
a set screw passes and fastens the grid rail 11 in position after the necessary move-
ment is given, the fixed grid rail 11 (to which the aforesaid fingers are rivetted)
being supplied with a pivot at 12 to move radially in cast iron steps fitted to the
gin frames.
It will be observed that this means of correcting the end spaces by the slope
of the strap when moved or adjusted radially, is entirely new, and it is found in
practice to be of great benefit, because the size of the seed varies considerably, and'
when no means exists for readily altering the spaces at the ends of moving grids.
as in the ordinary gins, small seeds pass through and are lost, because a space
that will suit large seed is too big for the smaller seed.
.
This inclined strap at the end of a ginning season when the seeds are small is
given a slight upward set in the radial action of the grid: This contracts the
space between the corner of the new strap 8 and the ends of the grids 9, and thus
stops any tendency to pass small seeds until the roller takes the lint.
The incline of the strap also serves to keep the small seed in a hopping motion
in front of the roller, until the roller grips the lint, whereas in gins as at present

page_text: constructed, if the roller misses the lint, it is at once thrown down and lost among
the seed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a cotton gin, a grid having the outer ends of its fingers connected one
with another.
2. In a cotton gin, a grid, and a strap rigidly connected to the outer ends of
the grid fingers.
3. In a cotton gin, a grid, and a strap connecting the outer ends of the grid
fingers, the said strap having one of its surfaces transversely inclined.
Dated this 24th day of March 1898.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
Agents for the Applicant, 4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester.