An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Conveying, Feeding, and Cleaning Cotton in Spinning Mills.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Feb., 1899-Accepted, 29th Apr., 1899
An Improved Method of and Apparatus for Conveying, Feeding,
and Cleaning Cotton in Spinning Mills.
I, ARTHUR ISSENMANN, of Steinen in the Grand Duchy of Baden, in the German
Empire, Company Director, 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:-
The subject of the present invention is an improved method of and apparatus
for conveying cotton from one room or machine to another, and for feeding and
cleaning same.
The conveyance of the raw cotton from one room of the mill to another, or
from the scutcher to the mixing room, as well as for feeding the beater, has
hitherto generally been effected by hand. Only recently, since, the introduction of
the bale-breaker, have feeders composed of leather straps been employed.
According to my invention, the cotton is carried by an air current which conducts
it through a pipe-conduit from one place to the other.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the means or plant and one mode of
arranging it, by which this invention is carried out.
Figure 1 represents in longitudinal section a mixing room and plant for convey-
ing the cotton from the bale-breaker to the mixing room.
Figure 2 shows cross-sections of the pipe-conduit.
Figure 3 is a plan of the air propeller and feeding hopper.
Figures 4 and 5 represent in longitudinal and cross section the pipe conduit
at a delivery point of same; the lid being shown open in Figure 4 and closed
in Figure 5.
Figure 6 illustrates an arrangement for feeding a Crighton opener.
A feeding hopper a is arranged near the bale-breaker B into which hopper the
cotton in a more or less raw state, is thrown. A pipe-conduit is in connection
with the feeding hopper a. The delivery tube of the fan b terminates in the
pipe-conduit at an acute angle. Instead of the simple air propeller billustrated
in the drawings, any other suitable ventilator fan or air propeller may be
employed. The air current produced by the fan draws by induction the cotton
from the feeding hopper a and conveys it into the ascending tube c, a cross
section of which is shown on a larger scale in Figure 2 on the left-hand side; this
ascending tube c is advantageously made of sheet-zinc. The ascending tube c,
which, if circumstances permit it, is arranged somewhat inclined, terminates in
the horizontal extension or pipe c¹ situated near to the ceiling of the mixing room,
a cross section of which pipe c is shown in Figure 2, on the right-hand side thereof.
In each of the chambers I., II., III., of the mixing room the pipe conduit c¹
possesses a delivery opening d, e, f, closed by a suitable door or lid. The arrange-
ment of the delivery opening is shown in Figures 4 and 5 on an enlarged scale.
The delivery opening è in the case illustrated, is situated in the lower portion of
the pipe c, a door h turning on hinges i serving for closing it. The door h is
fitted with an extension k, projecting into, and fitting across the pipe conduit c¹

page_text: being of corresponding shape with the latter. This projection or plate is
perforated. On opening the door its projection moves with it thus blocking
the passage of the pipe-conduit c', but allowing the dust conveyed with the cotton
to be forced on through the perforations in the plate and finally caught in a dust
collector . The passage of the loose cotton will however be stopped by the
plate so that it is compelled to fall through the respective opening or door out
into the mixing room. On closing the door h the plate k again assumes the
position illustrated in Figure 5, thus permitting a free passage to the cotton
conveyed through the pipe-conduit c. The door h is provided with a weight m
to ensure its vertical position when opened. A spring hook 7 serves for keeping
it in the closed position.
In long pipe-conduits a second fan may be provided; its delivery tube likewise
terminating in the pipe-conduit at an acute angle. The joints or elbows connecting
the horizontal portions of the pipe-conduit to the vertical or inclined ones, are advan-
tageously of a larger diameter or cross-section' to prevent clogging by the material
being conveyed.
Figure 6 illustrates the application of the air-current pipe-conduit for feeding
a Crighton opener. The fan in connection with the feeding hopper a, draws
towards itself the material which is then conducted by the air current through the
pipe-conduite to the opener, scutcher or beater o. In such pipe-conduits it is
advisable to bend the pipe in front of the opener or heater at æ in order to reduce
the air pressure sufficiently to prevent the action of the opener or beater being
disturbed. In long pipe-conduits the pipe could, as indicated in dotted lines at y,
terminate straight.
The pipe-conduit may also be in connection with the feeding hopper of any of the
other machines, and a common pipe-conduit for two machines branched so as to
lead to the hopper of each machine, may be-emploved, so that by arranging a
suitable switching device, one pipe-conduit will suffice for both machines.
The advantages possessed by the above described arrangement of plant for
conveying the material, are that it opens and cleanses the cotton during its transit,
that it is simple in action and inexpensive in construction and operation.
Further it provides for automatically separating the sand or dust from the
material and for collecting the dust.
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. The method of and means for conveying cotton from one place to another, and
for feeding and cleaning same, consisting of the combination of an air propeller,
a pipe-conduit, having one or more doors therein, a perforated shutter within
said conduit and connected with the door, and a dust collector box, all arranged and
operating substantially as described and set forth.
2. In a pipe-conduit for conveying cotton by means of a current of air from one
place to another, a hinged door situated at the delivery parts of the conduit, and a
perforated shutter within the conduit integral and moving together with said door,
substantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
3. The method and means for conveying feeding and cleaning cotton sub-
stantially as and for the purpose described and set forth.
.· 2011
י
PHILLIPS & LEIGH,
22, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.