Improvements in Machines for Removing the Lint or Fibre from Cotton-seed, and for like purposes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1893
Comolete Specification Left, 19:h July, 1894-Accepted, 20th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Removing the Lint or Fibre from
Cotton-seed, and for like purposes.
We, WILLIAM TANNER BOXWELL of Exchange Alley in the City of
Liverpool, General Broker and JOHN WILSON HOPE of Victoria Mills, Lime-kiln
Lane, in the same city, General Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
In the Patents of James Yates Johnson No. 283087 and of Middleton Crawford
No. 595488 owned by one of the applicants Mr. W. T. Boxwell, a machine is
described for removing the lint or fibre from cotton seed. In the carrying out of
this invention, great difficulty was experienced in lining, it being found impossible
to fasten the emery to the cone without introducing holes in the emery blocks for
the screws or bolts used to fasten them to the wooden staves. In actually working
the machine it was found that these blocks or bricks wore in ridges round the
machine in a line with these holes, the consequence being that the bricks broke off
in pieces leaving spaces in which the cotton and seed lodged in balls which as they
grew in size with each revolution of the brush, tore the wires out of the brushes
and rendered the machine practically useless. Various other defects were found in
the machine and the present invention is the result of a series of experiments made
in the endeavour to form a coating of emery which under work will remain true in
shape and surface and require no fastening other than what is hereafter described
and still do the work in a satisfactory manner.
The problem is now solved by forming the cone of steel or iron or other metal
with a dovetailed groove or flange all round, both at top and bottom, thus forming
as it were a wall to keep the emery compound which is put on in a plastic state
from moving. A similar groove or wall runs down each inner edge of each half of
the cone so that when the emery compound sets and becomes hard, it cannot move
from its proper position. These grooves in combination with the arched shape of
the cone securely lock the emery in its place. But in order to simplify repairs to
the coating which with continuous working may develop holes we have introduced
a coarse wire netting which we attach to the casing by means of flat headed bolts
and in laying on the plastic emery it is well rubbed into this netting which is
close against the casing but nevertheless gives a sufficient hold for any patches that
may be required.
In order to provide a keen cutting surface for delinting the seed we practically
cut the emery coating after it has partially set half way through into sections and
so secure a better working surface than could be got from the edges of the bricks
or sections provided by the former Patents.
The brushes provided in the Patents referred to proved too weak and inefficient
and we have substituted longer and stronger wires placed separately into the brush
staves, a wire 13 inches long being doubled and put into two holes like a fork. By
this means an even surface is secured which is of great importance as the cotton
and seed work in between the bunches of wires formerly provided and wrench them
out. This new mode of wiring the staves distributes the strain much more evenly
over the stave but to prevent the bellying of the brush thus causing uneven work,
we have introduced a centre plate between the top and middle and another between
the bottom and middle centre plates to which the staves are fastened and by means
of bolts passing through the middle of the brush stave into these new centre plates
the brush retains its rigidity and wears evenly so that it can be expanded and worn
down within three inches of the stave.

page_text: The toe of the shaft of the machine as described in the two Patents named could
not be kept cool in working and rendered it impossible to run the machine without
continual stoppages. To overcome this, we have done away with the steel pin
described and have made a shaft with a steel toe of same diameter throughout.
This toe is let into a footstep of our own invention and consists of a bridge, lever
and pin, the latter to act upon the bottom of the outer footstep which is made so
that there are four large slots which contain the necessary lubricant for the inner
footstep. The latter is of brass, or other suitable metal and contains oil holes all
round so that the shaft practically runs in oil. A cap or cover through which the
shaft is let secures the step from dirt and (or) dust.
Dated this 18th day of October 1893.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Removing the Lint or Fibre from
Cotton-seed, and for like purposes.
We, WILLIAM TANNER BOXWELL of Exchange Alley in the City of
Liverpool, General Broker, and JOHN WILSON HOPE, of Victoria Mills, Lime-kiln
Lane, in the same city, General Manager, 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 :-
In the Patents of James Yates Johnson, No. 28308, and of Middleton Crawford,
No. 59548, owned by one of the applicants, Mr. W. T. Boxwell, a machine is
described for removing the lint or fibre from cotton seed. In the carrying out of
this invention, great difficulty was experienced in lining, it being found impossible
to fasten the emery to the cone without introducing holes in the emery blocks for
the screws or bolts used to fasten them to the wooden staves. In actually working
the machine, it was found that these blocks or bricks wore in ridges round the
machine in a line with these holes, the consequence being that the bricks broke off
in pieces, leaving spaces in which the cotton and seed lodged in balls, which, as they
grew in size with each revolution of the brush, tore the wires out of the brushes
and rendered the machine practically useless. Various other defects were found in
the machine, and the present invention is the result of a series of experiments
made in the endeavour to form a coating of emery, corundum, or similar material,
which under work will remain true in shape and surface and require no fastening
other than what is hereafter described, and still do the work in a satisfactory
manner.
The invention is described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which :—
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of our improved machine:
Figure 2, similar view of top of emery cone and its adjacent parts:
Figure 3, enlarged vertical section of bottom step:
Figure 4, transverse section of same.
In these―
A, is a cone of steel, iron, or other suitable material, even wood, made in two
halves and joined together by bolts through flanges B, C, top and bottom plates
having dovetail grooves D: E, layer of emery composition laid on each half of
cone A in the plastic state and dovetailing into grooves D and also into a similar
groove down each half of the cone on each side. By this means (combined with
the arched shape of the cone) the emery compound, when it sets and becomes hard,
is firmly and rigidly held without bolts or other fastenings. In order, however, to
simplify repairs to the coating, which, with continuous working, may develop holes,
we have introduced a coarse wire netting which we attach to the casing by means
of flat headed bolts, and, in laying on the plastic emery, it is well rubbed into this

page_text: netting which is close against the casing but nevertheless gives a sufficient hold for
any patches that may be required.
In order to provide a keen cutting surface for delinting the seed, we practically
cut the emery coating after it has partially set half way through into sections, and
so secure a better working surface than could be got from the edges of the bricks or
sections provided by the former Patents.
The brushes provided in the Patents referred to proved too weak and inefficient,
and we have substituted longer and stronger wires in more numerous bunches
spread evenly over the staves, each wire being preferably about six inches clear
of the wood and about × 3 inch in section. By this means, an even surface is
secured, which is of great importance, as the cotton and seed work in between the
wires formerly provided and wrench them out. To prevent the bellying of the
brush thus causing uneven work, we have introduced a centre plate F between
the top plate C and the middle plate G, and another, H, between the bottom
plate C and middle centre plate G to which the staves are fastened, and by means
of bolts passing through the middle of the brush stave into these new centre plates,
the brush retains its rigidity and wears evenly so that it can be expanded and worn
down within three inches of the stave.
The toe of the shaft of the machine as described in the 'two Patents named
could not be kept cool in working and rendered it impossible to run the machine
without continual stoppages. To overcome this, we have done away with the
steel pin described and have designed the form of footstep shown in Figures 3
and 4.
In these-
I, is the spindle on which the brush cone is fixed: J is a bridge carrying the
socket for footstep: K, suspended lever carrying the footstep itself on pivot L and
adjustable by wheel Oon_screwed pin P: M is the socket or outer footstep
adjusted by set screws N: R, inner footstep supported on pivot L and prevented
from turning by stud or key S, sliding in a vertical groove in socket M: T, inner
brass supplied with oil through orifices U from spaces W in inner footstep R,
which are filled with oil: X, cover to keep out dust: Y, groove to prevent oil
creeping up the spindle.
The remaining parts are well described in the former Patents already
referred to.
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. The construction of the emery cone or cylinder in one, two or more pieces
laid on in the plastic state into the frame or wire work therein and held by dovetail
grooves or equivalent abutments or projections on or in the frame substantially as
described.
2. The several improvements in detail on the original machine substantially as
herein described, whereby the wire brush is made stiffer in framework and more
durable, and the footstep more convenient and more satisfactorily lubricated, also
the emery has the sharp cutting edges of separate bricks and at the same time
the rigidity and durability caused by it being in only one or two large (though
scored) shells or pieces.
101 1
2 T 1
100
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Nottingham, and London,
Patent Agents.