Improvements in and relating to Machines for Removing the Fibre and otherwise Cleaning Cotton Seed and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Nov., 1895
Complete Specification Left. 1st Aug., 1896-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Removing the Fibre
and otherwise Cleaning Cotton Seed and the like.
We JAMES STIRRAT COCHRAN and GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON both of
29 Newstead Road Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
Our invention relates to certain improvements in machines for (A) separating from
cotton seed and the like, dissimilar or foreign substances such as stone, metal and so
forth; (B) removing the adhering fibre from such seed, and (C) for separating from
the cleaned or de-linted seed the detached lint or fibre, broken husk, dirt etc. for the
purpose of thoroughly cleaning the said seed and by separating therefrom all
undesirable matters, render such seed more valuable as a commercial article and
better fitted for crushing and pressing for oil extraction or manufacturing into food
for animals in any of the usual ways.
Our said improvements relate to (1) the construction of a separating and feeding
device for arresting all matters heavier than the seed treated and calculated to damage
the scouring part of the machine and also for providing & insuring a regular and
constant feed to the said scouring part. (2) A cleaning or scouring portion, and
(3) an aspirating device for separating the fibre, dust, husk and other light matters
from the scoured and de-linted seed.
The said feeding device consists of a shaking inclined feed box having a deep recess
or "well" formed within it into which the seed and other matters are fed and by the
motion of same the seed as it accumulates is caused to pass beneath a baffle and then
to rise and flow over a sill, this formation, together with the quick vibratory motion
given to the said feed box has the effect of causing all matters heavier than the seed
to settle to the bottom of the said well and the seed and light matters only to flow
over the said sill.
The scouring portion consists of a horizontal conical revolving casing formed
of wood or other suitable material, lined with stout close-woven wire gauze, having a
somewhat rough surface, upon which is formed a spiral ridge or screw thread by
means of a strip or strips of metal or other suitable material. Within this casing
revolves a wire-brush-covered cone constructed in the manner described in Specifica-
tion No. 23871 of 1894. The seed to be scoured and delinted is fed into the said
casing at the smaller end by means of a screw formed upon the brush shaft (or other
means may be adopted) and is caused to travel forward between the said brush and
casing by the spiral groove or grooves formed upon the inner surface of the casing
and in the surface of the said brush, and the revolving of the casing also effects an
even distribution of the seed around the said brush cone. Openings are provided in
the said casing leading into channels formed beneath the said wire gauze lining for
the admission of air which is caused to enter and pass through the said gauze into the
annular space between casing and brush, by the action of a fan arranged to draw air
from the said annular space at the larger end of the said casing, the current or
currents thus set up withdraw the detached fibre as the seed passes through the
scouring operation and thus enables the brush to operate with better effect upon the
remaining uncleaned or partly cleaned seed than if the said loosened or detached fibre
were still associated with the same.
The seed together with a certain proportion of detached fibre as it issues from

page_text: the scourer is conducted by a shoot into an aspirating trunk, in descending which it is
met by a rising current of air which separates from the said seed the fibre, dust,
husk etc. and the seed is thus not only de-linted but freed from all foreign or
extraneous matters.
Dated this 31st day of October 1805
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Removing the Fibre
and otherwise Cleaning Cotton Seed and the like.
We JAMES STIRRAT COCHRAN and GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON both of
29 Newstead Road Liverpool in the County of Lancaster, Engineers, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Our invention relates to certain improvements in machines or apparatus for
de-linting and otherwise cleaning cotton seed and the like and the objects of our said
invention are the provision of improved means for (A) separating from the said seed
dissimilar or foreign substances such as stone, metal, sand and so forth; (B) removing
the adhering fibre from the seed, and for (C) separating from the de-linted seed.
the detached fibre or lint, broken husk and other light matters for the purpose of
thoroughly cleaning the said seed so as to render the same more valuable as a
commercial article and better fitted for crushing for oil extraction and for
manufacturing into cake or other form as a food for animals.
ог
The features of our said invention comprise (1) an improved combined separating
and feeding device for arresting all matters heavier and smaller than the seed treated
and for maintaining a constant and regular feed to the machine. (2) An improved
scouring or de-linting portion or apparatus, and (3) an improved form of aspirator
for separating the loose fibre, husk, dust and other light matters from the seed as it
issues from the scouring portion.
Figures 1 and 2 upon the sheet of drawings hereunto appended are longitudinal
and transverse sections respectively of a machine constructed in accordance with our
said invention, in which A is the said improved combined separator and feeder
consisting of an inclined stepped platform 1, a "well" 2, a baffle 3, and sill 4,
all contained within and attached to the side pieces 5, 5, the whole being supported
by flexible suspenders 6 and springs 7. Reciprocating motion is given to the feeder
by means of the crank shaft 8 and connecting rod 9. The seed to be cleaned is
conducted to the hopper B and settles down upon the platform 1, and being drawn
out by the reciprocating motion of same falls into the well 2 and as it accumulates
therein it passes beneath the baffle 3, rises and flows over the sill 4 into the feed box C.
The bottom of the well 2 is formed of woven wire or perforated sheet metal through
which all sand, dirt and other small matters pass and are caught and conducted to one
side by the shoot 10. Stones, metal and other heavy matters settle to the bottom of
the mass of seed in the well 2 from which they are removed from time to time.
The feed box C conducts the seed into the scouring part which consists of a
horizontal quickly-revolving conical brush D and a conical slowly-revolving casing E
of metal lined with wood upon which is laid strong woven wire gauze G to form an
opposing surface to the brush D: a screw thread or spiral ridge is formed upon the
surface of the said woven wire by means of a strip or strips of metal secured by
soldering, nails, screws or other suitable means. The conical brush D is constructed
in the manner set forth in Specification of Letters Patent No. 23871 of 1894 granted
to James Stirrat Cochran.

page_text: The seed as it falls into the feed box C is conducted into the scourer by the screw H
and is at once taken up and carried forward between the said brush and casing, the-
spiral groove in the surface of the brush and ridge upon the opposing surface of the
casing together with the revolving of the said casing as well as the brush insuring a
perfectly even distribution of the seed all around and throughout the length of the
said brush and casing. Openings I are provided in the said casing leading into
channels beneath the woven wire lining for the admission and circulation of air which
is drawn in by the action of the fan J for the purpose of withdrawing some of the
detached fibre as the seed passes through the scouring operation.
The said fan also induces a rising current of air in the aspirator K which meets the
falling seed as it issues through the opening L and separates therefrom all remaining
loose lint, husk and other light matters. M is a valve for varying the intensity of the
current of air in the aspirator K.
We do not confine ourselves absolutely to the detail of construction as herein set
forth; we may employ inner conical wire brushes constructed in the ordinary manner
and we may line our revolving casing with a species of short wire brush material or
"carding
in the manner set forth in Specification of Letters Patent No. 9388
of 1890 granted to J. S. Cochran.
Also when two or more machines are employed together, we may use only one
separator and feeder made separate from the said machines and arrange the same to
feed two or more machines.
We are aware that feeders for various purposes have been constructed with pockets
for arresting heavy substances but to the best of our knowledge and belief the form
and construction herein shewn i.e. the formation and arrangement of the well 2,
baffle 3 and sill 4 is new and we wish it understood that we only claim the construction
substantially as herein shewn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is:
1. In machines for removing the fibre from and otherwise cleaning cotton seed and
the like, the combination of a horizontal quickly revolving conical brush with a
slowly revolving conical casing, substantially as herein shewn and described.
"
2. In machines of the class described the formation upon the inner surface of the
casing of one or more spiral grooves or screw threads; the formation beneath
the "lining
of channels or air passages and of openings into the said passages
through the outer walls of the casing, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
and for the purpose stated.
3. In machines of the class described the combination with the scouring portion of
a separator and feeder consisting of a stepped platform 1, a well 2, baffle 3 and sill 4
together with other necessary parts substantially as herein shewn and described.
4. In machines of the class described the formation of and combination with the
Scouring or de-linting portion of the aspirator K and the combination therewith of a
fan or other air-impelling apparatus arranged to induce a rising current of air in the
aspirator K, and also to draw air through openings in the scourer casing into and
through the annular space between brush and casing, substantially as herein shown
and described and for the purpose stated.
Dated this 30th day of July 1896.
GEORGE FREDERICK THOMPSON..