Improvements in Cotton Openers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 26th Jan., 1895
Improvements in Cotton Openers.
I HENRY SURVILON HOUGHTON, of Northbridge, County of Worcester and
State of Massachusetts, U.S.A. Manufacturer of Cotton Cloths &c. 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in that class of grids for cotton openers,
which comprise toothed grid-bars, and it has for its object to provide such a grid
comprising bars and teeth upon the bars; the said teeth being provided with long
faces or sides and with a blunt, beveled, or curved forward end so as to enable
them to separate and straighten the fibres of cotton without cutting or otherwise
injuring the same.
With the foregoing end in view, 'the invention will be fully understood from
the following description and claims when taken in connection with the annexed
drawings, in which:
Fig. 1, is a vertical section illustrating my improved grid.
Fig. 2, is an elevation of the same, and:
Fig. 3, is an enlarged, detail, perspective view, illustrating one of the toothed
bars of the grid.
Referring by letter to the said drawings:-A, indicates a rotary beater; B, indicates
feed rolls, and C, indicates a feeding apron, all of which may be of the ordinary
or any suitable construction; and D, indicates my improved grid which preferably
comprises suitable curvilinear side bars E, and transverse bars F; the latter being
arranged a slight distance apart as shown, so as to permit of the dirt, seed, etc., in
the cotton falling or being drawn between them. The said bars F, are preferably
of the form in cross-section and are inclined as illustrated and they are provided
upon their upper, inner sides with teeth G; the bars adjacent to the feed rolls
being preferably provided with a greater number of teeth than those remote from
the same as shown. The said teeth G, may be and preferably are formed integral
with the bars F, and they extend lengthwise at right angles to the length of the
bars and in the direction in which the cotton moves and are provided with long
faces or sides and with a blunt, beveled or curved forward end a, whereby it will
be seen that when the cotton is moved against them by the beater, they will
separate and straighten the fibres of the same without catching and tearing, cutting
or otherwise injuring the same. It will also be seen that the teeth G, while
permitting the dirt, seed, etc., to readily pass between the grid bars, will effectually
prevent any material amount of cotton from taking the same course, and will
consequently effect a material saving of the same, which is a desideratum.
In conjunction with the toothed bars F, I prefer to employ the primary and
secondary combs H, 1. These combs which are preferably formed from carding
cloth, may, and preferably do have their teeth inclined in the direction in which
the cotton moves or perpendicular as desired, and they are arranged upon opposite
sides of the series of grid bars and are preferably connected to the carvilinear
bars E, so as to enable the primary comb H, to engage the cotton and straighten
or partially straighten the fibres thereof before it reaches the bars F, and the
secondary comb I, to engage it after it has passed over the bars.
The combs H, I, in conjunction with the bars having the peculiar teeth G, form
a highly efficient grid and one in which the fibres of the cotton will be thoroughly

page_text: separated and straightened without injuring the same, and in which the dirt, and
other foreign substance will be allowed a free egress between the bars, while but
an immaterial amount of cotton will be wasted. The cotton thus treated is
delivered in a good and clean condition to the carding machines, and consequently
requires but little carding to render it fit for use which is a desideratum.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
A grid for cotton openers, comprising a series of transverse bars F, and the
teeth G, arranged upon the said bars and extending lengthwise at right angles to
the length of the bars and in the direction in which the cotton moves and having
the long faces or sides and with the blunt and beveled or curved forward ends a,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 4th day of December 1894.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.