Improvements in Machines for Opening and Cleaning Cotton or other Fibres.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Nov., 1891-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Opening and Cleaning Cotton or
other Fibres.
I, THOMAS ROTHWELL, of Rose Cottage, Edge Lane, Oldham, in the County
of Lancaster, Mill Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in that class of machines for opening
and cleaning cotton or other fibres, which are known as "Crighton openers" having
a vertical conical grid, inside of which revolves a beater which expells the dirt from
the fibres through the said grid.
The object of this invention is to simplify and improve the action of the said
grid by a novel construction and arrangement of the bars constituting the same so
as to facilitate a better opening and cleaning of the fibres.
In practice it has been found that the space at the bottom of the grid was not
sufficient for the dirt to escape freely, while at the top of the grid by reason of its
conical form the bars were too far apart and permitted a great deal of the clean
and opened fibres to escape and mix with the dirt.
To remedy these defects my improvements consist in the application of twisted
bars and in means for securing the same to the rim near the top and the dish near
the bottom of the beater.
To this end, in lieu of forming the bar straight, I impart thereto a gradual twist
from one end to the other and the cutting edge broader at the top than at the
bottom, so as when being fixed in position, to give less space between the bars at
the top than at the bottom thereof and thus allow the dirt to escape more freely
and prevent the clean and opened cotton to mix therewith. Each end of the said
bars I form with a shank adapted to fit into recesses formed in segmental brackets.
The segmental brackets for the top ends of the bars are placed into the groove of
the rim near the top of the beater and retained therein in position by means of
screws, in such a manner that the outer edge of the bar is flush with the outer
periphery of the said rim. The segmental brackets for the bottom ends of the bars
I place on the dish against its flange and secure the same thereon in position by
means of a hoop fixed around the same.
.
Another great advantage arising from the use of twisted bars is that the bottom
ends thereof are at a greater angle than those at the top, which materially facilitates
the dirt leaving the grid quickly.
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1001
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Opening and Cleaning Cotton or
other Fibres.
I, THOMAS ROTHWELL, of Rose Cottage, Edge Lane, Oldham, in the County
of Lancaster, Mill Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in that class of machines for opening and
cleaning cotton or other fibres, which are known as "Crighton openers" having a
vertical conical grid, inside of which revolves a beater which expells the dirt from
the fibres through the said grid.
The object of this invention is to simplify and improve the action of the said

page_text: grid by a novel construction and arrangement of the bars constituting the same so
as to facilitate a better opening and cleaning of the fibres.
In practice it has been found that the space at the bottom of the grid was not
sufficient for the dirt to escape freely, while at the top of the grid, by reason of its
conical form, the bars were too far apart and permitted a great deal of the clean
and opened fibres to escape and mix with the dirt.
To remedy these defects, my improvements consist in the application of twisted
bars and in means for securing the same to the rim near the top and the dish near
the bottom of the beater.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused to be
appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference indicating
like parts in the various figures.
Fig. 1 is partly a side view and partly a section of an opener grid constructed
according to my invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional plan through line A
-
B and
Fig. 3 a plan respectively of the upper and lower portion of the grid.
Figs. 4 & 5 are vertical sections on an enlarged scale of the upper and lower
grid bar attachments respectively.
Fig. 6 is a front view, Fig. 7 is a side view and Fig. 8 a plan of the grid bar also
on an enlarged scale.
In carrying out my improvements, in lieu of forming the grid bars a straight, I
impart thereto a gradual twist from one end to the other, say about of an inch,
and the cutting edge a' broader at the top than at the bottom, see more particularly
Figs. 6, 7 & 8, so as when being fixed in position, to give less space between the
grid bars at the top than at the bottom, and thus allow the dirt to escape more
freely and prevent the clean and opened cotton to mix therewith. Each end of the
grid bars a form with a shank a² adapted to fit into recesses & c formed in
segmental brackets 61 & c¹ of suitable section. The segmental brackets & for the
top ends of the grid bars a are placed into the groove d of the rim e near the top
of the beater and retained therein in position by means of screws f, which wedge
the same into the groove d, in such a manner that the outer edge a¹ of the grid
bar a is brought flush with the inner periphery of the rim e. The segmental
brackets c for the bottom ends of the grid bars a, which I form like in section
are placed on the dish y and its flange in such a manner that a portion of the
shank a projects through the respective recesses c and the respective bar end
rests on the dish g whilst the segmental bracket e themselves are secured in
position by means of a hoop i fixed around the same.
Another great advantage arising from the use of the taper twisted bars a, is that
the bottom ends thereof are at a greater angle than those at the top, which
materially facilitates the dirt leaving the grid quickly.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is-
In machines for opening and cleaning cotton or other fibres of the class herein-
before referred to.
1st. The use of taper twisted grid bars a with a cutting edge a' broader at the
upper than at the lower end, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2nd. The method of fastening grid bars a consisting in the use of segmental
brackets & c¹ adapted to receive the shanks a² of the grid bar and to be secured
to the rim e and dish g respectively, by means of screws f and a hoop i, substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 21st day of November 1891.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester, Agents to Applicant.