IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR AP- PARATUS FOR PREPARING COTTON FOR MANUFACTURING PURPOSES.
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Cowell Craven, of Hudson, in the County
of Columbia, and State of New York, in the United States of
America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR AP-
PARATUS FOR PREPARING COTTON FOR MANUFACTURING PURPOSES.

page_text: "
or both; and, fourth, it is "lapped"; these last two operations being
usually performed at one and the same time.
According to the present system and with the most improved machi-
nery, and the exercise of the greatest care and attention during the
various operations above referred to, a serious loss is entailed, partly
owing to the heavy pressure to which the cotton is subjected whilst being
baled, causing the fibres to be so closely and compactly knit together
that it is difficult to separate them perfectly without breaking them.
"
Another defect in the present system is that it is very difficult, if not
practically impossible, to "feed cotton" which has been baled to the
scutching or "lapping" machine with the desired regularity by any
of the methods of weighing and spreading by hand upon the "feed
apron," and hence the "lap" produced is not uniform in weight, and in
order to regulate the "feed" automatically very delicato and sensitive
machinery is required, which is liable to be easily damaged.
"
I am aware that machines have been constructed with a view of
remedying the objections above enumerated by combining a
" cotton
gin" and a "lap" arrangement in one and the same machine, so that
the "lint" or "gin cotton" may be delivered directly to the "scutcher
or "lap" arrangement; but in these machines, as heretofore constructed,
no provision has been made for controlling automatically the "feed" of
the cotton to the "gin," nor for regulating with precision the weight of
the "bat" produced.
The object of my Invention is to supply this deficiency, and it consists
first in combining with the "gin" and its "feed apron" a revolving
picking cylinder, for the purpose of insuring a steady and uniform supply
of "seed cotton " to the gin.
"
"
"
The second part of my Invention consists in connecting the "gin" and
lap" arrangement with each other by a train of gearing in a machine
in which the fibre is delivered from the "gin" directly to the "scutcher'
oľ lap" arrangement in such a manner that the length of the "
to be produced may be so adjusted in relation to the amount of cotton
which is fed to the "gin," that a "bat" of any desired weight may be
produced.
lap"
In carrying out my Invention a series of circular saws or serrated
surfaces are mounted on an axle, and between these saws or serrated

page_text: "
"
surfaces a series of bars forming a grate or breast is arranged. A curved
guard, formed by preference of metal or wood, is attached to the end of
the "grate or "breast." A seed board is so arranged that in conjunc-
tion with the "grate" or breast" and the front wall of the case a
hopper is formed for the reception of the cotton whilst being acted upon
by the saws or serrated surfaces. A series of brushes arranged on a
cylinder operate in conjunction with the saws or serrated surfaces, as is
usual in cotton gins. An adjustable board so arranged as to be drawn
out or in as required serves to regulate the amount of material dis-
charged through the openings leading to the throat, and thus the
quantity of fibre which is delivered through the "throat" is determined,
A "condenser" or "cage," having its periphery formed reticulate, is
arranged in position so that a current of air may be drawn through its
surface by a fan or other exhaust apparatus arranged in a closed chamber.
It will of course be understood that the exhaust chamber is provided
with a door for the removal of the refuse which will collect therein. A
condensing roller is employed to compress the layer of fibre on the
"cage," and give such layer of fibre sufficient density and tenacity that
it can be transferred to the weighted roller, the calendering roller, and
the spindle or receiving roller. The receiving roller is mounted in
vertical slots in order that it may be free to rise as the "lap" is wound
thercon.
'
Pressure may be applied by springs or other suitable means to the axis
of the receiving roller to press the same upon the calendering rollers.
An endless feed belt, supported and driven by rollers, receives the
cotton from the feed box, and conducts it to the feed cylinder, which is
arranged in a feed box, and by which the cotton is delivered through a
chute into the hopper of the "gin."
In order to regulate the delivery of the cotton to the "gin" I employ
a cylinder, which is caused to revolve slowly, and has mounted within it
a series of fingers. These fingers are supported upon a shaft arranged
excentric to the axis of the shell or periphery of the cylinder in such a
manner that when the cylinder and the fingers are caused to revolve
such fingers shall protrude beyond the periphery of the lower surface of
the cylinder, but are drawn within the periphery of the cylinder at its
upper surface.
The portion of the shell or casing of the apparatus which contains or
chucent” and the seed board is hinged or

page_text: otherwise connected in such manner that it can be opened in order to
afford access to the saws or serrated surfaces and the brush cylinder, and
openings may be formed in the sides of the case to enable the operator
to have access to the various parts of the mechanism.
The condensing rollers and the cage may be caused to revolve
together by means of straps or bands or other suitable gearing.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention. In
carrying out this part of my Invention a shaft is mounted in suitable
bearings carried by the main frame of the apparatus. The upper end of
this shaft is provided with suitable gearing in connection with the feed
apparatus, and the lower end is geared in connection with the lap
motion. A spur gear is keyed to and revolves with the shaft of the
feed cylinder, and by means of an intermediate wheel is connected
with a spur gear, which communicates motion to the endless belt. By
changing the size of the spur gear revolving with the shaft of the feed
cylinder" the motion of the endless belt may be increased or diminished,
and consequently the amount of feed regulated as required. The
eccentric "finger cylinder" may be driven by means of a strap or band
or other suitable gearing in connection with one of the rollers supporting
and driving the feed belt.
The operation of my improved machine is as follows:-The seed cotton
is supplied to the feed box, from which it passes to the endless apron,
which conducts it to the "feed cylinder," and whilst the cotton is being
conducted by the endless apron it passes under the cylinder containing
the eccentric fingers, and by the action of these eccentric fingers the
layer of cotton on the endless apron is maintained at a uniform depth,
and is fed to the "gin" with great regularity. After the "roll" of
cotton in the "gin" has attained its proper working size the ginned
cotton will be delivered upon the "cage" continuously in quantity,
regulated at will by increasing or diminishing the speed of the feed
apron. It will thus be evident that by changing the speed of the "lap
motion" in relation to that of the feed of the " gin" the thickness and
consequent weight of the "lap" can be varied as required. A series of
connecting gears may be arranged in such manner that the speed of the
feed apparatus may be varied as circumstances may require.
In place of the endless apron a series of rollers may be employed for
the purpose of conducting the cotton to the "gin," in which case the

page_text: By preference I drive the "gin" independently of the "lap motion,"
in order that the speed of the "gin" may be regulated according to the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Thomas Cowell Craven in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 1st July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
COWELL CRAVEN, of Hudson, in the County of Columbia and State of
New York, in the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in tho
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Thomas Cowell Craven, Her special
license that I, the said Thomas Cowell Craven, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Thomas Cowell
Craven, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR PREPARING COTTON FOR MANUFAC-
TURING PURPOSES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Thomas Cowell Craven, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 Thomas Cowell Oraven, do hereby

page_text: is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings forming part of this Specification:-
The process of handling or manipulating cotton previous to the
operation of carding under the system of machinery ordinarily employed
for that purpose is substantially as follows:-
First, the cotton is ginned at or near the plantation where it is grown ;
second, it is baled for transportation; third, it is opened or "scutched"
or both; and, fourth, it is lapped; these last two operations being usually
performed at one and the same time. .
According to the present system and with the most improved machinery,
and the exercise of the greatest care and attention during the various
operations above referred to, a serious loss is entailed, partly owing to
the heavy pressure to which the cotton is subjected whilst being baled,
causing the fibres to be so closely and compactly knit together that it is
difficult to separate them perfectly without breaking them.
Another defect in the present system is that it is very difficult, if not
practically impossible, to "feed cotton" which has been baled to the
"scutching" or "lapping" machine with the desired regularity by any
"feed
of the methods of weighing and spreading by hand upon the
apron" or aprons,'
," and hence the "lap" produced is not uniform in
weight; and in order to regulate the feed automatically very delicate
and sensitive machinery is required, which is liable to be easily deranged.
66
I am aware that machines have been constructed with the view of
remedying the objections above enumerated, by combining a "cotton
gin" and " a lap arrangement” in one and the same machine, so that the
lint" or "ginned cotton" may be delivered directly to the "scutcher"
or' lap arrangement," but in these machines as heretofore constructed
no provision has been made for controlling automatically the "feed" of
the cotton to the "gin," nor for regulating with, precision the weight of
the "bat" produced.
"
The object of my Invention is to supply this deficiency, and it consists,
first, in combining with the "gin" and its "feed apron" a revolving

page_text: The second part of my Invention consists in connecting the gin and
lap arrangement with each other by a train of gearing in a machine in
which the fibre is delivered from the gin directly to the "scutcher" or
‘lap arrangement" in such a manner that the length of the lap to bo
produced may be so adjusted in relation to the amount of cotton which
is fed to the gin that a "bat" of any desired weight may be produced.
66
In carrying out my Invention a series of circular saws or serrated
surfaces are mounted on an axle, and between these saws or serrated
surfaces a series of bars forming a grate or breast is arranged. A curved
guard, formed by preference of metal or wood, is attached to the end of
the grate or breast. A seed board is so arranged that in conjunction with
the grate or breast and the front wall of the case a hopper is formed for
the reception of the cotton whilst being acted upon by the saws or
serrated surfaces. A sories of brushes arranged on a cylinder operato in
conjunction with the saws or serrated surfaces, as is usual in cotton gins.
An adjustable mote board, so arranged as to be drawn out or in as
required, serves to regulate the amount of material discharged through
the openings leading to the throat, and thus the quantity of fibre which
is delivered through the throat is determined. A "condenser " or
cage," having its periphery formed reticulate, is arranged in position
so that a current of air may be drawn through its surface by a fan or
other exhaust apparatus arranged in a closed chamber. It will of course
be understood that the exhaust chamber is provided with a door for the
removal of the refuse which will collect therein. A condensing roller is
employed to compress the layer of fibre on the "cage," and give such
layer of fibre sufficient density and tenacity that it can be transferred to
the weighted roller, the calendering roller, and the spindle or receiving
roller. The receiving roller is mounted in vertical slots in order that it
may be free to rise as the lap is wound thereon..
"
Pressure may be applied by springs or other suitable means to the
axis of the receiving roller to press the same upon the calendering
rollers.
An endless feed belt supported and driven by rollers receives the cotton
from the feed box, and conducts it to the feed cylinder, which is arranged
in a feed box, and by which the cotton is delivered through a "chute"
into the hopper of the gin.
In order to regulate the delivery of the cotton to the gin I employ a
cylinder, which is caused to revolve slowly, and has mounted within it a

page_text: series of fingers. These fingers are supported upon a shaft arranged
eccentric to the shell or periphery of the cylinder in such manner that
when the cylinder and the fingers are caused to revolve such fingers
shall protrude beyond the periphery of the lower surface of the cylinder,
but are drawn within the periphery of the cylinder at its upper surface.
The portion of the shell or casing of the apparatus which contains or
supports the "grate" or "breast" and the seed board is hinged or
otherwise connected in such manner that it can be opened in order to
afford access to the saws or serrated surfaces and the brush cylinder, and
openings may be formed in the sides of the case to enable tho operator
to have access to the various parts of the mechanism.
The condensing rollers and the cage may be caused to revolve together
by means of straps or bands or other suitable gearing.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention. In
carrying out this part of my Invention a shaft is mounted in suitable
bearings carried by the main frame of the apparatus; the upper end of
this shaft is provided with suitable gearing in connection with the feed
apparatus, and the lower end is geared in connection with the lap
motion. A spur gear is keyed to and revolves with the shaft of the feed
cylinder, and by means of an intermediate wheel is connected with the
spur gear, which communicates motion to the endless belt. By changing
the size of the spur gear revolving with the shaft of the feed cylinder the
motion of the endless belt may be increased or diminished, and conse-
quently the amount of feed regulated as required. The eccentric finger
cylinder may be driven by means of a strap or band or other suitablo
gearing in connection with one of the rollers supporting and driving the
feed belt.
The operation of my improved machine is as follows:-The seed
cotton is applied to the feed box, from which it passes to the endless
apron, which conducts it to the feed cylinder, and whilst the cotton is
being conducted by the endless apron it passes under the cylinder
containing the eccentric fingers, and by the action of these eccentric
fingers the layer of cotton on the endless apron is maintained at a
uniform depth, and is fed to the "gin" with great regularity. After
the roll of cotton in the "gin" has attained its proper working size the
ginned cotton will be delivered upon the cage continuously in quantity
regulated at will by increasing or diminishing the speed of the "feed.

page_text: exhaust chamber H³ has a door through which to remove the refuse
which will collect therein.
I is a condensing roller, employed to compress the layer of fibre on
cage G, and giving it (the sheet) sufficient density and tenacity so
that it can be transferred to the weighted rollers i, the calendering
rollers K. and the spindle or receiving roller L. It will of course be
understood that the receiving roller L is mounted in vertical slots, so
that it is free to rise as the lap is wound upon it. Any desired device
may be employed to press the roller L down upon the calendering
rollers.
M is an endless feeding belt driven by rollers M¹, M²; N, is a toothed
feeding cylinder arranged in a feed box O, which should be so located
relatively to the other devices that the seed cotton is delivered to the
feeding cylinder through chute P into the hopper of the gin.
In order to regulate the delivery of the cotton to the gin I employ the
following device:-Q is a cylinder caused to revolve slowly in the
direction of the arrow y. Within this cylinder are mounted a series of
fingers ; these fingers are supported upon a shaft q', arranged eccentric
to the axis of the shell or cylinder Q in such manner that when both
cylinder and fingers are made to revolve the fingers protrude through
the lower surface of the cylinder, but are. withdrawn from the upper
surface, as shown at q³. That portion of the shell or casing which
contains and supports the breast B and seed board C is hinged as at d,
so that it can be swung up to afford access to the saws A and brush E,
and suitable openings may be made in the sides of the case to enable the
operator to get at any part of the mechanism.
The condensing roller I, weighted rollers i, calendering rollers K, and
cage G may be connected with each other and driven by any suitable
gearing, as represented in Figure 2.
The gearing which I have adopted for regulating the weight of the
lap is as follows:-In Figure 1 R is a shaft mounted in suitable bearings
on the frame of the machine; the lower end of this shaft is connected
with the lap motion by means of bevel gears r, îº, its upper end being
connected with the feeding devices by bevel gears 1º¹, 7.
By an inspection of Figure 2 it will be seen that the spur gear n, which
is keyed to and moves with the shaft of the feeding cylinder N is

page_text: connected by means of an idler n' with the spur gear M³, which drives
the endless belt M. By changing the size of the pinion n the motion of
the belt may be increased or diminished and the amount of feed regulated
at will. The cylinder Q may be driven from one of the feed belt rollers
by means of a belt Q', as represented in Figure 1.
The operation of my machine is as follows:-The seed cotton is fed in
at the box O upon the endless apron M, by which it is carried to the
feed cylinder N. It will be readily seen that by the action of the
fingers q in the cylinder Q the layer of cotton on the endless apron is
always maintained at a uniform depth, and is fed to the gin with great
regularity. After the roll in the gin has attained its proper working
size the ginned cotton will be delivered upon the cage with a flow
regulated at will by increasing or diminishing the speed of the feed
apron M.
It is evident that by changing the speed of the lap motion relative to
that of the gin feed the thickness and consequent weight of the lap can
be varied at will.
In the Drawings I have shown but a single set of connecting gears,
but of course I do not wish to be limited to any particular weight of lap,
and hence may change the speed of either the feeding devices or the lap
motion as circumstances may indicate.
In place of the endless apron M I may employ a series of rollers for
the purpose of carrying the cotton to the gin, in which case I should also
wish to use my evener Q, for the purpose of determining the depth of
the cotton passing over the rollers.
By preference I drive the gin independently of the lap motion in
order that I may run the gin at such speed as the nature and condition
of the cotton may require.
Having thus described my Invention, and means by which the same
may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the exact details shown and described, as the same may
be varied without departing from the peculiar character of my Invention,
but what I do claim is,-
Firstly. The combination of the toothed feeding cylinder N, the endless
belt M, and the evener cylinder Q, provided with the retracting fingers q,
substantially as described.

page_text: "
Secondly. In a machine for making cotton laps, in which the fibre
is delivered from the gin to the lap motion, substantially as described, I
claim connecting the feeding devices with the lap motion, for the purpose
of regulating the weight of the lap, substantially as described.
Thirdly. The combination of the "gin," the overshot " condenser "or
cage" G, the condensing rollers I, K, receiving roller L, and suitable
connecting and driving gears, substantially as set forth.
-
Fourthly. The combination of the "gin," the "condenser" or "cage"
G, the condensing rollers I, K, and the fan H, substantially as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Cowell Craven, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of June in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
three.
THOMAS COWELL CRAVEN. (L.S.)