Cotton from Cotton Waste.
Year: 1888

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM HENRY GOLDSMITH, of Fall River, Bristol,
Massachusetts, United States of America, Cotton Spinner, and JOHANN AUGUST
STANISLAUS BIERNATZKI, of Hamburg, Germany, Merchant.]
Cotton from Cotton Waste.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co. Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 apparatus for extracting or picking the short fibre cotton,
from cotton-waste or the ordinary spinning machine refuse.
The object of the invention is to provide an efficient and compact cotton-wasto
picker in which the undesirable pieces of extracted cotton threads may be caught
and retained at certain definite points, within the machine, from where they may be
readily removed.
A further object of the invention is to form the cleaned and picked short fibro
into a lap as it is delivered from the machine.
For this purpose the invention consists in the peculiar and novel arrange-
ment and construction of the several parts of the device as hereinafter fully
described.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 represents a side view of a section of the combined form of apparatus,
taken on line 1-1 in Figure 2.
Figure 2 represents a top plan-view of the novel form of combined picker and
lapper for cotton-waste, with the top casing removed.
Figure 3 is a side view of the improved picker mounted upon a frame or worktable
and provided with a driving-belt shown in portion.

page_text: Figure 4 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 3 with the tops or hoods
of the respective heater-drum, casing and suction cylinder removed.
Figure 5 is a sectional view of the picker taken on line 5-5 in Figure 4.
In the said drawings like numbers of reference designate corresponding parts
throughout.
Referring to the drawings, the more desirable form of picker, or that shown in
figures 1 and 2, will first be described. The machine-framing 5 consists of an
ordinary box-like structure provided with cross-beams for bracing the same together
and is constructed with an extension upon the right hand upper end for the travelling
endless feed-apron 6 to work on, in a well known manner. At the inner end of feed
apron 6 are mounted horizontally a pair of feed-rolls 7, which feed directly into the
first of the beater-cylinders 8, by means of a lateral opening formed longitudinally
therein.
The heater-cylinder 8 is placed in the framing 5 with its axis horizontal and is
provided with a revolving shaft 9, lying in the axial line thereof and provided with
the diametrically opposite cuts or stripping-grooves 10 running the langth of the
axis, and is armed with the straight radial beater-arms 11 fixed thereon, in a plano
containing the axis of said shaft. At corresponding points on the interior of the
cylinder 8, a little below the axis theroof, are set the fixed pins 12. The sifting-grate 13
is formed in the lower side or bottom of cylinder 8, longitudinally thereof and composes
about two thirds of the area of said under lull,
The second beater-cylinder 14 is mounted in framing 5, parallel with cylinder 8
and lies in latoral communication therewith throughout its length. This cylinder is
constructed precisely like the first beater-cylinder 8, with the exception of having one
row less of fixed pins 12 therein and being formed of a little smaller diameter than
said cylinder 8.
The third or last beater-cylinder 15 is set across the framing 5 parallel with
cylinder 14 and the two are opened into each other for the whole length, as shown.
This cylinder is made similar to the adjacent beater cylin.lor 14. with the exception of
having no grating 15 and being of a less diameter than the same.
Tho catch-box 16 is of a cylindrical form and is placed beside the beater-cylinder 15
and communicates therewith. Within the catch-box are disposed the revolving thread-
catching bars 17, formed with the longitudinal stripping grooves 18, and placod
parallel within a triangular area as shown.
The casing 19 is constructed in a suitable form to contain and cover the pair of
revolving wire gauzo lapper-drums 20, placed horizontally within the same. The
casing 19 is in communication with the adjacent side of the catch-box 16 and at the
exit thereof are mounted the pair of revolving delivery press-rolls 21. Below the
lapper-drum casing 19 is a rotary exhaust-fan 22 provided with an arrangement of
suction-pipes 23 comprising a horizontal section and the upright end sections
connected therawith and opening into the respective ends of the gauze-lapper-drums 20,
in a manner well known, to cause a suction draft therein for the purpose hereinafter
described.
The sifting grates 18 of the beater-cylinders 8 and 14 rospectively are shown as in
communication from below with the open air. If preferred there may be formed a
dead-air chamber 24, by making a closed box, represented in broken lines, beneath
said gratos, and in communication therewith.
The upright power shaft 25 is provided with a worm which meshes with the gear 26,
fixed on the rotary shaft 27 suitably mounted on the side of the machine-framing 5,
as indicated. The shaft 27 turns in the direction of the adjacent arrow and by means
of the fixed pinions 35 and 36 on the respective ends thereof, and suitable intermedinte
gearing, consisting in the bevel gear 37 of the shaft 38 of the lappor drum 20, the
Bevel 39, shaft 40 and the cogs 41 and 42, it is made to revolve the feed-apron,
feed-rolls and the lapper-drums, respectively, as per the accompanying arrows. The
power-belt 28, shown in portion at the bottom of tho machine-framing 5, in Figure 1,
operates the fan 22, the shaft of which is bolted to the shaft 9, of cylinder 15, by
means of belt 29, and thereby revolves the same. By means of the inter-belting of

page_text: the bands 30, 31, 32 and 33, the thread-catching bars 17 are revolved, likewise the
respective shafts 9, of the beater-cylinders 14 and 8 all in the directions of the
indicating arrows.
Considering the above description of the apparatus the operation of the apparatus
will be readily understood. The machine being started to run, the cotton waste is
fed, by the feed-apron and rolls 6 and 7, respectively, into the first of the series of
beater cylinders 8 and is therein whipped about and thence passed through the second
cylinder 14 and likewise the third cylinder 15. In its course through these beater-
cylinders, the dirt is knocked out of the cotton-waste and falls through the sifting-
grates 13, and the waste is pulled and beat open, so that the portions of contained
threads are extracted and become wound about the shafts 9. The fixed pins 12
arranged to form a sort of a comb with the passing beater-arms 11 and the light
fleecy short fibre cotton is carried through the cylinders, partly by means of the
suction draft created by the exhaust fan 22, and is passed over the bars 17, of the
catch box, which serve to catch and retain the remaining loose threads contained in
the fleocy picked cotton. The lapper drums 20 act as in lapping-machines and catch
the extracted cotton fibre and form it into a body or lap, which is passed therethrough
and thence between the delivery press rolls 21, which form it into quite a compact-
lap as it is there delivered from the machine. The bits of throads extracted from the
cotton-waste, during its passage through the machine, are caught and lodged about
the shafts 9 and the catch bars 17 from where the entangled threads may be easily
removed by passing a knife blade along the stripping-grooves 10 and 18, of the shafts
and bars, respectively. If preferred the construction of the third beater cylinder 25
may be changed to that of the others, by adding a sifting-grato 13 thereto, and the
arrangement of the thread-catching bars 17 in the catch-box, may be varied from the
manner shown.
By virtue of the combined form of the picker and lapper apparatus herein shown
and described the cotton waste is very readily worked and the short fibre cotton is
obtained therofron in a clean and well picked condition and is moreover formed into
a compact lap in good commercial shape.
The form of picker shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 is in principle the same as that
shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the following description will fully explain the various
parts and the operation of the same. Number 8 designates the beater-drum, which is
frustro-conical shaped and is mounted horizontally upon the frame or table 5. The
upper
half of the drum 8 opens on the hinges 43, and 44 is the feed-opening through
which the waste is introduced into the drum.
The rotary beater-shaft 9 is formed with the longitudinal thread stripping grooves 10,
and is provided with the radially disposed beater arms 11, which are arranged in
opposite lines along the shaft and the ends of the arms form break-joints with the
short inwardly projecting pins 12, which are set in rows upon the interior of the
drum 8 as shown. The beater shaft 9 is mounted in the bearings 57 and is provided
with the band pulley 58 and upon the end of the shaft remote from the feed end of
the drum are fastened the pair of radially arranged fans 45 for the purpose of creating
a draft from the feed opening to the other end of the drum.
The casing 63 is flat and broad and the top thereof is hinged at 46. Upon the
interior of the casing are fixed a great number of the short pins 47 and this casing is
in communication with the end of the beator drum, remote from the feed-opening
thereof, by means of the narrow passage 48, which is within the sweep of the fans 45,
which serve to blow the beaten cotton-waste directly through the passage into the
casing.
The set of rotary thread-catching bars 17 are each formed with the longitudinal
stripping grooves 18, and provided with the very short spines 49 projecting from
the bars. These bars are placed in a horizontal plane and extend through the
sides of the casing 16 and are journaled in the external bearings 39 and each one is
provided with a band-pulley 60 for driving the bar.
The suction cylinder 50 is mounted horizontally in the frame 5 at one end of

page_text: the casing 63, and is provided with the discharge opening 51 and is formed with
the passage 52 which opens into the easing 68, at the end thereof remote from the
passage 48.
In the cylinder 50) is a rotary shaft 58 which turns in the external bearings 61 and
is provided with the band-pulley 62. The shaft 58 is formed with the longitudinal
stripping grooves 51, and is provided with the suction fans 55, near one end thereof.
Theso fans 55 sweep across the discharge opening 51, but are placed to one side of the
passage 52.
The beater-shaft thread-catching bars and the suction-fans are driven by means of
the driving-belt 56 shown in part and which is handed about the several band-pulleys
as shown. The operation of the picker is as follows :—The picker being closed, and
the heator, the thread entching bars and the suction fan being started the cotton waste
is fed into the feed opening 44. The fans 45 draw the waste along the drum while it
is being acted on by the heater and pins 12, and then force it through the passage 18
into the casing 68 through which it is quickly sucked, by the action of the suction
fans 55, into the suction cylinder 50 and thence it is blown by the same fans 55, out
of the discharge opening 51. In passing through the picker the waste has been
opened and separated from the threads, which become lodged about the heater-shaft,
the thread-catching bars and the shaft of the suction fans, and from the short unspun
fibre, which is delivered from the discharge-opening 51 in a picked nud cleaned
condition. The threads which become entangled about the beater shafts, the bars and
the fan shaft are to be removed by running a knife along the stripping-grooves of the
respective parts.
In the operation of the picker, I find that the casing 63 and its set of short pins 47,
together with the thread-catching bars 17 and their short spines 19 prove very efficient
features in the combined device.
There may be various modifications made in the several features of the herein-
described and shown invention, without, however, making a substantial departuro
from the spirit of the same, as described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
First. The combination with one or more beater-cylinders having lateral openings
theroin and each provided with revolving heaters of a catch-box communienting with
said cylinder or cylinders and provided with one or more revolving thread-catching
hars, all constructed substantially as described, whereby the cotton-waste may be
passed through the beater cylinder or cylinders thence through the catch-box and be
picked, as described.
Second. The combination with one or more heater cylinders having lateral
openings therein and each provided with internal fixed pins and a revolving beater,
of a catch-box placed in communication with said cylinders or one of said cylinders
and provided with one or more revolving thread-catching-bars, all substantially as
described, whereby the cotton-waste may he passed in succession through the beaters
and the catch-box and the short fibre and threads he separated therefrom, as described.
Third. The combination with a series of beater-cylinders placed in lateral communica
tion and provided each with a revolving heater, of a catch-box communicating with
said cylinders and provided with a set of revolving thread-enteling bars, a set of fleece
or cotton-catching lapper-drums in free communication with tho said catch-box, sub-
stantially as described, whereby the cotton-waste may be passed in succossion through
tho beater-cylinders and catch-box and the short-fibre therein extracted and subsequently
caught and lapped by the lapper-drums, as describod.
Fourth. The combination with a series of heater-cylinders arranged in lateral
communication and each provided with a revolving beater and internal fixed pins and
one or more of the cylinders formed with a sifting-grate in the bottom or bottoms
thereof of a catch-box opening laterally into the adjacent beater-cylinder and provided

page_text: with a set of revolving thread-catching-bars, a set of revolving cotton-catching gauze
lapper-drums, all constructed and operated substantially as and for the purpose herein
described.
Fifth. The combination with a series of intercommunicating beater-cylinders placed
laterally together and each provided with internal fixed pins and with a revolving
shaft having heater-arms and longitudinally disposed stripping grooves formed thereon,
of a catch-box opening latterally into the adjacent or terminal beater-cylinder and
provided with a set of revolving thread-catching-bars each formed with longitudinally
disposed stripping-grooves, a set of cotton-catching lapper-drums adjacent to and
communicating with said catch-hox, exhaust-fans for said hipper-drums, all constructed
and arranged substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Sixth. The combination with a series of horizontal intercommunicating boater-
cylinders placed laterally together and each provided with a revolving shaft having
stripping-grooves thereon and radial beater-arms and each cylinder provided with a
set of fixed pins having their ends cleared by the passing heater-arms, of a catch-box
adjacent to and opening into the terminal beater-cylinder and provi fed with a set of
horizontal revolving thread-catching bars each provided with one or more longitudinal
stripping grooves, a set of horizontal revolving gauze lappor-drums provided with
exhaust-fans and delivery press-rolls, all arranged and constructed substantially as
described, whereby the cotton-wasto may have the short-fibre cotton picked therefrom
and formed into a lap, as described.
Seventh. The combination with a series of three horizontal boater-cylinders of
decreasing sizes having lateral openings therein and placed together in communication
and each provided with a revolving shaft having stripping-grooves and fixed beater-
arnis and a set of fixed pins, the first and second of said cylinders formed with a
sifting-grate in the bottoms thereof of a catch box provided with a set of horizon'al
revolving thread catching-bars formed with longitudinal stripping grooves, said catch-
box in lateral communication with the third beater cylinder, a set of cotton-catching
lapper-drums and exhaust fans and press-rolls for said drums, the said lapper-drums
formed of gauze and placed horizontally and in communication with said catch-box, a
set of feeding devices for the first beater-cylinder, all constructed and arranged
substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Eighth. The catch-box consisting of a suitable casing and of a set of revolving
thread-catching bars provided with one or more stripping grooves, constructed
substantially as described for catching the threads from cotton-waste or the like as
described.
Ninth. The combination, as hereinbefore set forth, with a beater-drum having a
feed-opening and provided with a rotary beater shaft having radially disposed beater-
arms and a fan mounted thereon, of a casing communicating with the beater-drum at
the end remote from the feed of said drum a set of rotary thread-catching bars placed
within the casing and formed with stripping-grooves and provided with short radial-
spines, a cylinder provided with a suction-fan and having a discharge-opening and
having a communication with the said casing at the end thereof remote from the
communication of the beater-drum, substantially as and for the purpose horcin
described.
Tenth. The combination, as hereinbefore set forth with a beater-drum provided with
a feed-opening and having a set of short inwardly projecting pins upon the interior
walls thereof a rotary beater-shaft within the drum and provided with radial beater-
arms and having fans mounted at one end thereof, of a casing communicating with
the end of the beater drum remote from the feed-opening, a set of short inwardly
projecting pins disposed upon the interior of the casing, and a set of rotary thread-
catching bars within the casing, the bars provided with longitudinal thread-stripping
grooves and having short radial spines disposed thereon, a suction-cylinder provided
with a suction-fan and having a discharge-opening, the cylinder in communication
with the said casing at the end thereof remote from the communication with beater-drum,
substantially as herein described.

page_text: Eleventh. The combination with a series of communicating beater cylinders
provided with shafts 9 having the beater-arms 11 thereon, of the connected catch-box 16
provided with thread-catching bars 17, and of the set of gauze lapper-drums 20 provided
with a suction-fan, all substantially as and for the purpose described.
Twelfth. The combination with the communicating series of beater-cylinders 8, 14
and 15, provided with the shafts 9 having stripping-grooves 10 and beater arms 11,
and formed with the sifting-grates 13, of the communicating catch-box 16 provided
with the thread catching-bars 17 formed with stripping grooves 18, the casing 19
provided with the gauze lapper-drums 20 and press-rolls 21, the exhaust fan 22, all
constructed and operated substantially as described.
Thirteenth. The catch-hox 16 provided with the revolving thread-catching bars 17,
formed with the stripping grooves 18, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Fourteenth. The combination, as hereinbefore set forth, with the beater drum 8
having the feed-opening 44 and provided with the inwardly projecting pins 12, the
rotary heater shaft 9 provided with the beater-arms 11 and the fans 43, of the casing 63
in communication with the beater-drum 8, by means of the passage 43, and provided
with the set of rotary thread-catching tmirs 17 each formed with the longitudinal
stripping grooves 18 and each provided with the set of short spines 49, the suction
cylinder 50 having the discharge opening 51 and communicating with the casing 63,
by means of the passage 52, and provided with the rotary suction fans 55, substantially
as and for the purpose herein described.
Fifteenth. The combination, as herein before set forth, with the beater-drum & having
the feed-opening 44 and provided with the inwardly projecting pins 12, the rotary
beater haft 9 provided with the radial beater-arms 11 and the fans 15, of the casing 63,
and the passage 48 intermediate the drum and the casing, the said casing having the
fixes! pins 7 disposed upon the interior thereof and provided with the set of thread-
catching bars 17 each formed with the stripping-grooves 18 and each provided with
the short spines 19, the suction-cylinder 50 having the discharge-opening 51 and the
passage 52 communicating with the casing and provided with the rotary shaft 53
formed with the thread stripping grooves 51 and provided with the suction-funs 56,
substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
TL 1300