IM- PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR GINNING COTTON
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George William West, of Mobile, in the State
of Alabama, in the United States of America, at present residing
at Edinburgh, North Britain, Engineer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR GINNING COTTON."—A communication from
abroad by Joseph Charles Du Bois, of Mobile, aforesaid.
Sealed the 21st January 1873, and dated the 13th August 1872.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George William West
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 13th August 1872.
I, GEORGE William West, of Mobile, in the State of Alabama, in
the United States of America, at present residing at Edinburgh, North
Britain, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR GINNING COTTON," a communication
to me from abroad by Joseph Charles Du Bois, of Mobile aforesaid, to be
as follows:-
This Invention is applicable to the cotton gins known as saw gins,
and it consists principally in an improved mode of constructing the grid
through which the saws work. It has heretefore been customary to

page_text: make such grids of flat ribs of metal. Now this Invention consists in
making flanges upon the said ribs forming the grid; these flanges extend
either the whole or any portion of the length of the grid, and they
project outwards to, or nearly to the circumference of the saws; these
flanges prevent the fibres, however long, from being acted upon by more
than one saw at a time, thereby avoiding injury to the staple; and they
also prevent sticks or other foreign matter being caught by the saws.
The distance between the flange and the saw is just sufficient to allow
the cotton seed to enter, consequently the seeds are held well up to the
saws while being stripped, and the fibres are stripped off cleaner than
was heretofore possible.
Another part of this Invention consists in regulating the position of
the hopper board according to the condition of the cotton to be ginned,
by set screws below and by a weighted strap or cord connected to the
top thereof.
Another part of this Invention consists in the application of a fan
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George William West in the Great Scal Patent
Office on the 12th February 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
WILLIAM WEST, of Mobile, in the State of Alabama, in the United
States of America, at present residing at Edinburgh, North Britain,
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, in the thirty-
sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said George William West, Her special licenco
that I, the said George William West, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said George William West, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,

page_text: "
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR GINNING COTTON," being a communication
to me from abroad by Joseph Charles Du Bois, of Mobile aforesaid,
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George William
West, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing.
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly.
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George William West, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say) :-
This Invention is applicable to the cotton gins known as "saw. gins."
and it consists principally in an improved mode of constructing the grid
through which the saws work. It has heretofore been customary to
make such grids of flat ribs of metal. Now this Invention consists in
making flanges upon the said ribs, and these flanges extend either tho
whole or any portion of the length of the grid.
Another part of this Invention consists in regulating the position of
the hopper board according to the condition of the cotton to be ginned
by set screws below, and by a weighted strap or cord connected to the
top thereof.
:
Another part of this Invention consists in the application of a fan
for removing the dust and fly from the cotton after it is stripped from
the seed.
And in order that this Invention may be fully understood and readily
carried into operation, I will proceed to describe the accompanying
Drawing in which Fig. 1 represents a sectional elevation of a saw gin
to which the improvements are applied; Fig. 2 is a detached view of
the improved flanged rib drawn full size; Fig. 3 is a section of the same
and of part of the gin roller; and Fig. 4 is a plan of the upper end of
the flanged rib.
a is the gin roller and 6 the brush for stripping the saws, both of
which are constructed in the usual manner. Between-cach-pair of saw's