Improvements in or connected with Machinery for Cleaning Cotton Seed and other like Kernels.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Nov., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Machinery for Cleaning Cotton
Seed and other like Kernels.
1, CHARLES GRANTLEY BEECHEY, of 6, York Street, Liverpool, in the County
of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with cleaning or
removing the short lint or wool of cotton seed which remains on the same after
it has been passed through a ginning or linting machine, for the purpose of
preparing or rendering the same more fit for use for making cattle feeding cake
therefrom, and extracting the oil, or for crushing into meal for cattle food.
My improvements refer mainly to those machines by which the removal of the
cotton or lint is effected by a rotating brush, or the like.
According to my invention, I cause the lint or cotton, as it is removed, to be
carried off and away from the removing points or surface or material, by a current
of air, and this current I cause to be introduced and passed through the machine
by a fan or fans, or other means.
:-
One way of carrying out my invention, as applied to a machine in which a
rotating barrel having upon its periphery removing material, and disposed and
adapted to revolve within an outer casing having apertures therein, is as follows:
I provide in the barrel, suitable apertures, such for instance as, circumferential
apertures, at different points along its length, and outside these apertures I provide
bars, plates, or equivalent means which direct the current of air which is drawn or
forced through said apertures, onto the teeth points or other surface of the removal
material, whereby the said points, teeth, or other surface, is kept cool. The air is
introduced through the ends and from the interior of the barrel and passes radially
outwards through the apertures just mentioned, into the space between the barrel
and the outer case, and thence out of such space, by way of apertures in said outer
case, carrying with it, as above stated, all the removed cotton or lint. Having
passed through the outer case, the air and lint may be discharged into a suitable
chamber, for the recovery of the lint.
The air is introduced in the above application of the invention, through the
outer casing of the machine into the interior space of the hollow rotating barrel.
When the removing material employed is carding material, I sometimes employ as
the means of holding the staples or teeth, a backing of cloth of the usual kind and
an interior lamina of rubber, leather, or other suitable material. As a mode or
means of fixing carding material to machinery of the kind herein described, I may
wrap it round in the form of bands, securing the two ends by turning them inwards,
and fastening them by any clamping or suitable fixing device.
The invention is not confined to the particular form or construction of parts or
materials herein above specified, as it may be carried out in different forms or con-
structions of machines, and in different ways, without departing from the general
spirit or scope thereof.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Machinery for Cleaning Cotton
Seed and other like Kernels..
I, CHARLES GRANTLEY BEECHEY, of 6 York Street, Liverpool, in the
County of Lancaster, Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to improvements in or connected with cleaning or
removing the short lint or wool of cotton seed, which remains on the same after it
has been passed through a ginning or linting machine, for the purpose of
preparing or rendering the same more fit for use for making cattle feeding cake
therefrom, and extracting the oil, or for crushing into meal for cattle food.
My improvements refer mainly to those machines by which the removal of the
cotton or lint is effected by a rotating brush, or the like.
According to my invention, I cause the lint or cotton, as it is removed, to be
carried off and away from the removing points or surface or material, by a current
of air, and this current I cause to be introduced and passed through the machine
by a fan or fans, or other means.
One way of carrying out my invention, as applied to a machine in which a
rotating barrel having upon its periphery, removing material, and disposed and
adapted to revolve within an outer casing having apertures therein, is as follows:-
I provide in the barrel, suitable apertures, such for instance as circumferential
apertures, at different points along its length; and outside these apertures I provide
bars, plates, or equivalent means, which direct the current of air which is drawn or
forced through said apertures, onto the teeth points or other surface of the removal
material, whereby the said points, teeth, or other surfaces are kept free of cotton
and other solid matter, and cool. The air is introduced through the ends and from
the interior of the barrel and passes radially outwards through the apertures just
mentioned, into the space between the barrel and the outer case, and thence out of
such space by way of apertures in said outer case, carrying with it, as above stated;
all the removed cotton or lint. Having passed through the outer case, the air and
lint may be discharged into a suitable chamber, for the recovery of the lint.
The air is introduced in the above application of the invention through the
outer casing of the machine into the interior space of the hollow rotating
barrel.
When the removing material employed is carding material, I sometimes employ
as the means of holding the staples or teeth, a backing of cloth of the usual kind;
and an interior lamina of rubber or rubber compounds. As a mode or means of
fixing carding material to machinery of the kind herein described, I may wrap it
round in the form of bands, securing the two ends by turning them inwards, and
fastening them by any clamping or suitable fixing device.
In the drawings which serve to illustrate my invention I show in
Figures 1 and 2 (which are a sectional elevation and a cross section; respectively),
a machine operating and constructed according to my invention; and in Figure 3 a
detail thereof; whilst
Figure 4 is a cross section illustrating my improved mode or means of fixing the
fibre removing material to the rotating barrel of the machine.
Figure 5 is a cross section showing my improved fibre removing material.
Referring in the first instance to Figures. 1, 2, and 3, the general construction of
the machine shown is of known form, that is to say, it consists of a case a with
end frames ; a rotatory barrel c mounted by a shaft d in bearings e; an outer
fixed barrel consisting of segments fixed by studs g or other means to the frames b,
and adjustable thereon by such studs (a means of adjustment being provided in
3. In a cotton seed cleaning machine, the construction, substantially as set forth

page_text: order to arrange their inner surface at such a distance or distances from the surface
of the barrel c as may be required); and an exhaust fan h.
One or both of the end frames bare provided with a central opening at 6' for the
admission of air into the interior of the barrel c, while the barrel itself is provided
with holes c' (or equivalent apertures) to allow the air to flow out of it. In the
same vertical plane as the apertures c', and annularly outside the barrel c, and fixed
to the barrel by studs i, are rings i for distributing the air passing through the
holes c', onto the brush teeth of the fibre removing material k on the periphery of
the barrel. In the segments constituting the outer fixed barrel, are provided
gridded parts or apertures, such gridded parts alternating with solid parts con-
taining on their inner sides or surfaces, at o, points or pointed material for holding
or retarding the passage of the seeds through the machine against the propelling
action of the fibre removing material k; these pointed surfaces or material may be
of any known suitable form or inake, such for instance as card-cloth having short
teeth say, to inch long, above its backing. The gridded or open parts, and the
retarding or holding parts, of the outer barrel may be arranged as shown, or in any
other suitable way.
At a certain distance apart, ribs or bars are provided on the material of the
outer barrel to guide the passage of the seed through the machine, such ribs or
bars being arranged spirally thereon or therein, so that, the seeds take a spiral
course in passing through the machine from one end to the other. In lieu however
of these bars or ribs, any other suitable means of, or arrangement for, causing this
spiral course of the seed through the machine may be used.
The fibre removing material k may consist of "card" material, having teeth k¹,
and it is arranged in circular strips fixed to the barrel c, and having a space
between them to allow the passage of air through the holes c' of the barrel c.
The seed to be cleaned is introduced at one end of the machine into the space
between the surface of the teeth of the fibre removing material k, and the surface
of the outer barrel, by any known suitable means, and is discharged, clean, at the
other end, by a suitable spout or outlet.
The operation of the machine shown is the same as machines of a similar con-
struction as regards the action of cleaning the seeds, and their passage through it;
but the action or mode of removal of the fibre, removed from the surface of the
seed, according to my invention, is as follows:-By the exhausting action of the
fan within the machine, air enters the interior of the barrel c through
the openings, and passes by way of the apertures c' to the exterior of the barrel c,
and is there directed or distributed by the annular rings between and over the
fibre removing teeth k¹, outwards, towards the points thereof. In so passing over
them, the points are kept cool, and the fibre or cotton is blown off them; and such
cotton or fibre is then forced through the apertures in the parts of by the air
blast (the mechanical action due to the rotation of the barrel e facilitating this
action) and is carried thereby clean away from the outer barrel. The effect of this
artificial air blast is, then, that, not only are the teeth of the fibre or cotton
removing material kept cool, but such fibre or cotton is continuously and effectively
carried away from the inner and outer barrels, and the apertures by which it escapes
from the outer barrel are kept clear and open.
After the removed cotton or fibre leaves the outer barrel f, and enters the space
within the outer casing of the machine, part of it passes into the fan with the air
drawn into it, and is forced out of the machine. The air laden with dust,
and some of the removed cotton or fibre, may then be conveyed by a suitable
pipe or conduit into a chamber, wherein the cotton or fibre will deposit and
collect.
In some cases,
when deemed necessary or desirable, a second case or shield m may
be disposed around and close to the outer barrel ƒ for the purpose of facilitating
the removal of the cotton or fibre from off the outer surface of such barrel.. In
the drawing this casing m is shown carried over the upper half thereof,. only.; but
it may be carried wholly round it if desired.

page_text: .
;
A further improvement connected with the application of the improvement
consisting of the artificial air blast is, that the cotton or fibre removed is long in
staple, as it is forced out of or away from the action of the removing material
directly, or as, it is removed, and is thereby prevented from being broken or
injured; and again it never becomes injuriously heated as the removing material
and operative parts of the machine are always kept in a cool condition by the
air blast, and it consequently does not become discoloured, but remains white.
One mode of securing the material k to the barrel (an improvement under this
invention) is illustrated in Figure 4, and consists in fixing the strips by passing
their ends through slots in the barrel and fastening the ends by wedges n, or other
suitable means. A small bolt or bolts or pins, n', may be passed through these
ends to make the fixing secure. The ends of the strips passed through the said
slots in the barrel will of course first have the teeth removed. The said strips
may be in one piece and fastened at one point only, or they may be in two or more
parts and fastened, as described, at two or more parts to the barrel.
My improvement in the material for removing the adhering fibre of cotton seeds
therefrom, consists in making such material of rubber or rubber compound, and a
backing of cotton as usual, the rubber or rubber compound being disposed on the
inner side of the backing. This rubber band is designated k³, and the backing of
cotton is designated 3, the teeth passing through both bands.
The rubber band or portion 2 forins an elastic support to the teeth, preventing
them from being broken off by the severe action they are subjected to in operating
upon the cotton seed being cleaned. The teeth 1 prefer to make abnormally long,
say from about 14 inches to 1 inches, while the rubber strip or portion ² may be
about from to au inch thick, say of an inch.
This improved material may be used in or on any kind of cotton seed cleaning
machines as, or constituting part of, the fibre removing brush or part, wherever it
is suitable or desirable.
As regards the means of creating the air blast, my invention is not confined
to the particular means of artificially creating it set forth with reference to the
drawings, nor to the particular mode or construction by which the air is
conveyed to or through the parts in connection with which it operates. For
instance, in respect of the mode or means of creating the blast, the air may
be forced or caused to pass over or through the parts in connection with
which it operates by any suitable "forcing" fan, or blower, or air propeller,
provided on or in connection with any suitable part of the machine, other than
that shown.
Respecting the different improvements under this invention (which are specifically
referred to or pointed out in the different claiming clauses concluding this
Specification), they may be used either separately, or as a whole, in cotton seed
cleaning machines, which in other respects may differ radically from that which I
have shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
and
1. The herein described improvement connected with cotton seed cleaning
machines consisting in removing or carrying off the removed cotton or fibre from
the spaces or parts wherein the said cotton or fibre is removed, wherethrough
said cotton or fibre is passed, by an artificially created blast of air: for the purposes
specified.
or
2. The herein described improvement connected with cotton seed cleaning
machines consisting in maintaining the teeth or parts, which operate upon the seed
being cleaned, cool, by an artificially created blast of air caused to pass over said
.teeth or parts for the purposes specified.

page_text: with reference to the drawings, by which air is passed through the same and the
removed cotton or fibre carried away, and the teeth of the removing material kept
cool.
4. In a cotton seed cleaning machine, the mode substantially as set forth by
which the cotton or fibre removing material is secured to the revolving barrel
thereot.
5. In a cotton seed cleaning machine the improved material for acting on and
removing the adhering cotton or fibre of the seed herein set forth and shown in
Figure 5 of the drawings.
6. The revolving barrel (c) having its parts arranged and constructed
particularly as set forth with reference to and shewn in Figures 1 to 3 of the
drawings.
4th day of August 1892.
CHEESBROUGH & ROYSTON, Fels. Chart. Inst. P.A.,
15, Water Street, Liverpool, Applicant's Patent Agents.