IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CARDING OR SEPARATING FIBROUS MATERIALS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR TREATING COTTON-WASTE
Year: 1885

page_text: I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR CARDING OR SEPARATING
FIBROUS MATERIALS, CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR TREATING COTTON-WASTE" 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 machines for carding cotton-waste, wool, hair, and other
fibrous materials but is more especially designed for the treatment of cotton-waste.
Heretofore this material has for the greater part been discarded and thrown away,
as it was found impracticable to thoroughly clean it and render it fit for use, but,
by the employment of my improved machine, I am enabled to produce a good
quality of cotton therefrom, the dust and dirt being entirely removed, and the
fibre, as has been found by actual test, being in no wise torn or injured, thereby
rendering the cotton capable of use for many of the purposes for which the higher
grades of cotton are employed.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a machine embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of the picker-roller and the
toothed boards located beneath the same.
Figure 3 is a detached plan view of the platform or grate adapted to convey
the stock from the picker to the cylinders.
Figure 4 is a modification of the teeth secured to the boards located below the
picker.
Figure 5 is a detached sectional view of the boards located below the picker,
showing the arrangement of the pins or teeth secured thereto.
A represents the outer casing or frame of the separator, in the sides of which
are journalled the ends of two rollers or drums B, one of which is connected to a
band wheel and receives its motion therefrom. Around these rollers travels an
endless apron or carrier C, constructed of any suitable material, preferably of wire
gauze, and adapted to deliver the cotton, hair or other stock, in its crude form, to
Din 17
=

page_text: the machine. By constructing this apron of the material mentioned, it allows
the sand or other foreign substances contained in the stock to fall or sift through it
prior to the entrance of the latter into the machine. On either side of this apron
the frame extends downwardly, forming the sides a which prevent the stock from
accidentally falling or dropping from the apron C during transmission to the
picker.
Immediately in the rear of the inner roller B is journalled a roller D, adapted
to assist in transferring the stock to the picker and to prevent the same from
falling or dropping in its passage from the apron C to the horizontal ledge G
formed on the forward end of the trough F extending across the separator and
upwardly between the feed-roller E and picker H. The said feed-roller E is
journalled in the frame, is provided with teeth, and, moving in the direction
indicated by the arrow, tends to draw the stock from the ledge G down between
the roller E and trough F. The axle of the picker H is journalled in suitable
bearings secured to the frame A, and is revolved in the direction of the arrows, at
a very rapid speed, the roller being provided with pins or teeth to which the cotton
or stock clings. By extending the trough F up between this picker and the
roller E, the stock when received by the picker will strike the edge of said trough,
and the dirt or other foreign substances contained in the stock will be thereby
loosened and allowed to fall in the lower forward corner of the machine. Below
this picker are situated horizontal boards or strips I, placed in close proximity to
the picker H and slightly curved in cross section. Instead of employing two or
more boards, as shown, I might use a single board, but, by constructing it in
sections, narrow openings are left between them, through which the dirt contained
in the stock may fall during the passage of said stock over them. These boards I
are each provided with picker teeth or pins a arranged in rows, the teeth in one
row being opposite the spaces between the teeth in the adjacent rows, as shown in
Figure 5. The teeth are preferably constructed with their upper ends pointed,
and are set at an incline leaning in the direction in which the stock travels,
whereby the latter in its passage over the teeth, is prevented from catching and
becoming torn and the fibre thereby injured; the incline of the pins allowing
the stock to easily pass over them, and at the same time to be loosened to permit
of the escape of the dirt and other foreign substances mixed therewith. Instead
of securing pins a' to the boards I the teeth a might be employed, which latter
are formed substantially like the teeth of a saw, being bevelled, as shown, and
secured in position by means of rods passing through the holes a³ formed therein.
To the rear end of the picker are located two cylinders L, the shafts of which
are journalled in bearings in the sides of the frame. These cylinders are made of
wire gauze, or equivalent material, secured to rings, which latter are connected to
the shaft by the arms d. To the lower of these cylinders L leads an inclined
platform or grate R, preferably constructed of the strips or bars e, spaces f being
left between said bars to permit the sand and dirt to fall through during the passage
of the stock over the platform.
Outside of the frame A, and against either side thereof, are located the hollow
posts K, connected with a suction blower by means of a pipe e¹, and provided with
openings f¹ registering with openings formed on the frame. The ends of the
cylinders are preferably set in recesses formed in the frame, the said openings in
the latter being formed at those points and thereby registering with the open ends
of the cylinders. By setting the ends of the cylinders within recesses and inserting
a leather or other gasket, but little air, if any, will pass through the frame into
the posts, excepting that which is drawn through the cylinders. By means of
this construction the stock is drawn onto the cylinders, and the fine dust remaining
in said stock is drawn therein through the posts K, and out of the machine
through the pipe i connected with the suction blower.
After passing through the cylinders the stock passes between the rollers g and
into a second section of the machine numbered 2 in the drawings and constructed
substantially the same as that above described, with the exception that the apron C

page_text: or carrier is not used in the sections following the first, and that the picker is
made slightly smaller than that shown in section 1, and travels at a correspondingly
greater rate of speed to prevent the machine from choking. The machine may
consist of as many sections as desired, the number employed depending somewhat
upon the character of the stock to be treated.
R R¹ represent two small rollers or drums, the ends of which are journalled in
the frame and which are adapted to carry the endless apron S onto which the
stock falls after passing between the cylinders. At the rear end of the apron is
journalled the lap roller T, the upper surface of which is in the same horizontal
plane with the apron S, and onto which roller the apron delivers the cotton.
Above the end of the apron is journalled the smaller roller o under which the stock
passes, and by means of which it is flattened and spread out to be lapped on the
roller T. The cotton as it comes from the separator is wound on said roller until
a lap of suitable size is formed whereupon the roller T is removed, and another
substituted.
Over the picker and cylinders L fits a hood or cover N, preferably constructed
of sheet iron and extending across the separator to the sides of the frame. The
forward portion of each section of this hood is pivoted, as shown at k allowing
it to be raised and the picker exposed. The rear portions of the hood are buttoned
or otherwise detachably secured to the upper portion, thereby allowing it to be
removed and the upper cylinder exposed. If desired, this hood may be provided
with glass slides for the purpose of inspecting the stock after it has left the picker.
Instead of employing two cylinders L as above described but one cylinder may be
employed, the hood in such case fitting down close to it, Again if desired the
outer sides of the posts K may be provided with doors or slides, for the purpose of
inspecting the interior thereof.
I do not limit my invention to the treatment of cottonwaste, since other fibrous
material may be successfully manipulated according to the method and by means
of the apparatus hereinbefore described; nor do I limit myself to the exact
construction or arrangement of parts as shown and described, as many slight
changes might be made therein without involving a departure from the nature of
my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is
First A machine for separating cotton-waste and other fibrous material,
composed of one or more sections, each section consisting of a picker, toothed boards
located below the same, cylinders located in the rear of said picker, an open-work
platform or grate for conveying the material from the picker to the cylinders, and
mechanism for feeding the material to the picker, substantially as set forth.
Second-A machine for separating fibre, consisting of two or more sections,
each section consisting of a picker-roller, toothed boards located below the same,
cylinders located in the rear of the picker, and a platform for conveying the
material from the picker to the cylinders, each picker being somewhat smaller than
that located in the section immediately in front of it, substantially as set forth.
Third-The combination with a picker, of boards located below the saine and
provided with teeth slanting in the direction in which the material travels,
cylinders located in the rear of the picker, an open-work platform or grate for
conveying the material from the picker to the cylinders and mechanism for feeding
the material to the picker, substantially as set forth
Fourth In a machine for separating fibre, the combination with an outer
casing or frame, of an endless apron, a feed-roller, a small roller located between
the apron and said feed-roller, and a picker substantially as set forth.
Fifth The combination with an outer frame or casing, of an endless apron, a
feed-roller a small roller located between the latter and said apron, a picker, and
toothed boards located below said picker, substantially as set forth.

page_text: Sixth The combination with a frame, of an endless apron, a feed-roller, a
smaller roller situated between the latter and said apron, and a trough secured to
the frame in, close proximity to the feed-roller and provided with a forwardly
extending ledge, substantially as set forth.
Seventh-The combination with a frame, of an endless apron, feed and picker
rollers, cylinders formed of wire gauze or its equivalent, a suction blower for
drawing air through the latter, and an open platform or grate for conveying the
stock from the picker to the cylinder, substantially as set forth.
Eighth The combination with a frame, of an endless apron, feed and picker
rollers, toothed boards located below said picker, openwork cylinders, a suction
blower for drawing air and dust through the latter, and a lapper, substantially as
set forth.