Improvements in Cotton Gins and Wool Burrers.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st May, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Cotton Gins and Wool Burrers.
I, SAMUEL LOCKE JOHNSTON, Mechanical Engineer, of 89 State Street
Boston, in the County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention, which relates to that class of gins known as "roller" gins,
primarily has for its object, to provide a machine of this kind, which is adapted for
use for ginning cotton or burring wool, in an economical and effective manner
without injury to the fibre of the material while passing through the machine.
My invention also has for its object to provide a machine, having a reciprocating
stripper mechanism supported, secured and held to operate in such a manner as to
secure a more effective rapid and uniform operation; also to provide for the ready
adjustment of the stripper knife relatively to the cutting edge of the fixed blade or
seed resisting member, whereby to shorten or lengthen the cutting stroke of such
knife, as the length of the staple may require, without changing the reciprocal
stroke of the knife carrier.
Furthermore my invention has for its object to provide a vibrating receiver and
separator mechanism, which receives the material from the hopper and delivers it
to the roller and stripper, and also serves to clear the seed and dirt therefrom as it
feeds it to such stripping devices.
My invention also comprehends other features which will hereinafter be
specifically referred to and which will serve to increase the capacity of the machine
and improve the quality of the cotton or wool treated.
My invention therefore consists in the novel combination and peculiar arrange-
ment of parts, such as will be first described in detail and then pointed out in the
appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is an end elevation of my improved machine, the main drive and band
pulley being shown in dotted lines;
Figure 2 is a detail view taken from the opposite end of the machine illustrating
the automatic feed mechanism ;
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the complete machine ;
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the same taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1,
looking in the direction indicated by the arrow ;
Figure 5 is a transverse section of the machine taken on the line 5-5 of
Figure 3;
Figure 6 is an enlarged section of the long staple roll, and adjustable seed
resistance member, the stripper knife and the vibrating feeder and separator;
Figure 7 is a transverse section of the wool burring roll and doffer knife the
esistance member and the combined vibrator and separator;
Figure 8 is a detail view of a portion of the wool doffer knife; and
Figure 9 is a cross section of a short staple operating roll.
Referring to the accompanying drawings by letter, A A indicate the end frames
which are connected and braced by the longitudinal stay bars B B, bolted thereto
as shown, and on such frames at the rear end is mounted the hopper box C, which
extends longitudinally from end to end of the machine, the peculiar construction of
the discharge mouth of which also forms an important feature of this invention.
Referring now more particularly to Figure 5, it will be noticed such hopper has

page_text: its bottom c, inclined downward from the rear to the front wall, and such bottom
terminates at a point short of the front wall c¹, from which point a short vertical
portion is provided which forms the rear wall of a longitudinal chamber c* for a
purpose presently described. The front wall c¹ also stops short of the lower end of
the hopper, whereby to form a discharge mouth of the bottom of which is formed
by the lower end d of a sheet metal plate D which projects beyond the end of the
bottom c and entirely covers such bottom as shown.
E indicates a cut off or slide or gate, which extends entirely across the hopper
at the front, and is held to slide in inwardly and downwardly inclined grooves e e
in the end C¹ of such hopper, forming as it were a front inclined bottom member
for guiding the cotton to the discharge opening or throat C². The upper end
of such slide E projects beyond the front of the hoppet and has a hand hold
or knob ex, and such slide is adapted to be held locked in any of its adjusted
positions by the clamp screws F, which pass through threaded castings in the
front wall c', as clearly shown.
G indicates the roller, which extends longitudinally across the machine in front
of and a little away from the discharge mouth of the hopper, said roller being
journaled in bearings 9 9 adjustably held on the end frames A. A (see Figure 3)
whereby the roller can be adjusted to or from the said mouth c as desired.
At one end the roller shaft G' has mounted thereon a drive pulley H and on
the opposite end such shaft has a wrist pin h, to which is connected a connecting
rod J to which is imparted an oscillating motion as such roller rotates and which
operates the feed devices, the construction of which is most clearly shown in
Figures 2 and 5.
By referring now to such figures, it will be noticed, within the hopper body
under the adjusting slide E is journaled a toothed cylinder K, the shaft. k, of
which projects at one end and carries a ratchet wheel k' with which is adapted
to engage a pawl 7 pivoted on the upper end of an oscillating lever L loosely
journaled on the said shaft k and formed with a long pendent arm slotted as
at with which is adjustably connected the outer end of the connecting rod J.
By providing feed devices arranged as described, an intermittent feed will be
given the cotton as it passes through the throat towards the mouth of the
hopper, the throw or feed length of which can be increased or decreased as the
quality of the staple may require by adjusting the outer end of the connecting
rod J nearer to or further from the fulcrum of the ratchet lever L.
The roller G, when the machine is used for treating long staple cotton, has its
peripheral face formed of brass fluted longitudinally as shown, such facing I have
found to be most effective in the desired operation and will wear much longer, than
when formed of wood or other material. When, however, short staple cotton is
being treated prefer to form such face smooth and of a composition formed of
lead and antimony, as such has been found most desirable for such kind of cotton
in the practical use of the machine.
It should be stated, that I have found in practice that a more uniform rapid
and effective result is obtainable by providing a vertically reciprocating stripper
blade, and furthermore by constructing such device in the manner shown and
presently described, I can utilize the same devices which reciprocate such blade
for operating a vibrating mechanism, the construction and arrangement of which
forms one of the essential features of my invention.
cross
By reference to Figures 1 and 4 it will be noticed guide lugs a' a' are formed
on the outer face of the side frames A. A in which are beld for vertical reciproca-
tion guide rods M M, the lower ends of which are pivotally joined to
heads NN, which have each a pair of peudent rods 0 0, connected at their lower
ends with cross bead N' N', in which are journaled the crank members p p of crank
disks P P mounted on a longitudinal shaft P' having a drive gear Q, which meshes
with a larger dive gear R on a parallelly disposed shaft R', provided at one end
with a drive pulley R2 of a small diameter which is driven by the belt T, which
passes over the large drive pulley H before referred to.

page_text: The upper ends of the rod M are projected above the bed face of the
members A A, and are threaded as at m m and on such ends are fitted the apertured
ears uu of castings U U to which is secured the stripper blade V as most clearly
shown in Figure 4, and such castings are capable of vertical adjustment on the
rods M they being held to their adjusted positions by the nuts u¹³,
the purpose of
such adjustments being hereinafter set forth.
The blade V which consists of a longitudinal member having a flat shear face,
and having a lower cutting edge is held to reciprocate over the face of the roller G
between it and the discharge mouth of the hopper and its cutting edge is adapted
to pass in front of the stationary knife or seed resistance member.
This seed resistance member consists of a longitudinal bar W, held under the
roller G, and inclined downwardly the lower end of which at its outer edges has
apertured ears or enlargements 10 w, which receive the inner ends of stud bolts w¹
having angular flanges wo³ and formed with their outer ends threaded as at wx to
receive the securing nuts w. It will be noticed by reference to Figure 6 the
bar W extends up under the front face of the roll and has a seat or socket
portion in which is secured the stationary knife blade Z, the outer edge of which
is vertical while its upper face is concaved on an arc eccentric to the roll G. It
should be stated, the object in pivotally connecting the bar W to the frame is to
allow the said bar to be adjusted up against the roller as the blade wears, and to
keep its stripping edge substantially at the same point on the said roller, I arrange
the stud bolts to travel in segmental slots a in the main frame curved on an arc
with the axis of the roller as a centre, and to facilitate the ready detaching of the
bar W when desired, I form the base of such slots with circular enlargements a'
of a diameter sufficient to permit of the withdrawal of the stud bolts from the
ears to tr.
To form a support for the upper end of the bar W and also as a means for
regulating the pressure of the stationary knife on the roller, a longitudinal rest
bar A extends under such bar W and has a series of adjusting screws B' which
engage the under face of such bar W as shown, and to provide an upper rest or
support for the Jint board or incline C, such bar W has a series of lugs or ears D
in which the upper end of such board rests, the lower end resting on the floor,
see Figure 1.
At the opposite ends of the reciprocating stripper blade V are stud bolts von
which are secured for independent vertical adjustment pendent arms E³ to the
lower ends of which is rigidly connected a longitudinal bar F* on the front face of
which are projecting fingers G which incline upward, as shown, such fingers in
practice being first formed of straight members, having their threaded ends fitted
into the bar F after which they are bent up as shown to guide the cotton towards
the knife as it is discharged thereon as will presently be described.
It will be noticed by reference to Figures 5 and 6 the fingers project into the
chamber e under the discharge mouth of the hopper, and form a combined agitator,
receiver and separating means, as well as a feeder for lifting the cotton to the
stripper.
It will be manifestly understood that as the cotton falls onto the agitator and the
same is reciprocated with the stripper, the cotton will be thoroughly agitated, and
the dirt as well as the seed separated therefrom passes through the fingers onto
the seed discharging board Hs, suitably supported on the main frame as shown.
lu ginning machines of this class, as the cotton is stripped from the secd,
some of it frequently drops back with the seed and discharges with it, causing a
great waste.
By providing an agitating or receiver frame in front of the stripper blade, such
cotton as it falls back is caught up by such receiver and again carried up to the
blade, thereby effectually preventing the loss of such cotton.
By supporting such receiver or agitating means on the stripper blade as stated,
the same can be adjusted independent of such blade, vertically to or from the
stationary stripper blade, and by adjustably supporting the same the blade V can

page_text: be adjusted to make its stroke extend over a greater or less face surface of the
stationary blade as the length of the staple may require, it being obvious that in
such adjustment, the agitator or receiver may be moved in unison with the blade V
or adjusted independently thereof.
Jo indicates a doffer roll or clearer formed of a cylinder having longitudinal
radially projected beaters formed preferably of leather, which are held to engage
the rear face of the roller G, such doffer roll being in practice geared with and
driven from the main drive shaft in any ordinary manner.
This roll may, however, be dispensed with, when the cotton is in a dry condition,
it being found useful only when the cotton is wet and inclined to adhere to the
roll G. So far as described, it will be noticed that by my invention I provide
means whereby the feed of the cotton as well as the speed at which it is fed, is
regulated and rendered uniform, such cotton thoroughly agitated to be freed from
dirt, before it reaches the stripper and automatically and continuously carried by a
reciprocating motion to the said strippers at the same time that it is freed from the
seed.
Furthermore, by constructing and arranging the stripping and separating devices
as shown and described, I am enabled to run the machine at a very high speed
without the undue jarring usually incident to machines of this class, and thereby
greatly increase the operating capacity without danger of injury to the fibre of the
staple.
It will also be observed the feed agitating and stripping devices are so connected
and arranged relatively, that they can be quickly adjusted to treat different grades
of cotton, thereby effecting a great saving in the ginuing and producing a more
uniform and better grade of cotton.
When it is desired to use the machine for burring wool the several parts remain
the same as they are when treating cotton, except the roll G is removed, and a
similar roll covered with hard rubber to form substantially a yielding bearing to
prevent injury to the fibre is used, and instead of employing a stripping knife V
with a flat shearing face, a blade V having a series of vertically disposed
grooves v³ ³, as illustrated in Figure 8 is employed, which forms a doffer or comb-
like stripper.
The feeding and agitating operation is the same as before, as also the reciprocal
motion of the blade V. In this case however, such blade has a combing action
which removes the burrs out of the wool instead of the pulling or stripping action of
the cotton blade V.
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 1
claim is,
1. In a cotton gin, the ginning roller, and the stripper blade arranged adjacent
thereto and carrying fingers for guiding the cotton to the said blade and roller, the
fingers also serving to agitate the cotton, substantially as described.
2. In a cotton gin, the hopper provided with a cotton feeding roller having
meaus for imparting an intermittent rotary motion thereto, substantially as
described.
3. In a cotton gin, the stripping blade and the cotton guiding and agitating
fingers, said fingers having movement in a bottomless chamber formed at the
bottom of the hopper, substantially as described.
4. The arrangement in connection with the ginning roll, of a reciprocating
stripper blade and a vertically movable agitating and guiding device, serving to
agitate the cotton and guide it to the ginning roll and its stripper, substantially as
described.
5. An improved roller cotton gin, comprising a feed hopper, a longitudinal
chamber cat the discharge end thereof, a roller held parallel to such chamber, a
bed knife having a vertical shear face disposed with its cutting edge at the front
face of such roller, a vertically reciprocating stripper held above the bed knife,

page_text: having a pendent arm provided with projecting fingers held at a point below the
cutting edge of the bed knife and projected into the longitudinal chamber c*, said
fingers being adapted to receive the cotton from such hopper and to lift it upward
towards the cutter or stripper blades as the stripper is moved upward, and means
for reciprocating such stripper, all arranged substantially as shown and for the
purposes described.
6. In a roller cotton gin, the combination with the main frame, the roller G, the
upper vertically reciprocating knife V and means for feeding the material to
the roller, of a bed or stationary knife having a vertical shear face, means for
adjusting the lower end in an arc concentric with the axis of the roller, and
adjustable supports held to engage the lower face of the upper end of the said bed
knife, all arranged substantially as shown and described.
7. In a roller cotton gin essentially as described, the combination with the
roller G, the fixed bed plate W held under the roller and the bed knife Z having a
vertical shear face disposed at the receiving point of the roller, of the vertically
reciprocating stripper blade V held above the bed knife and adapted to separate
the seed from the lint on a down thrust, whereby to force such seed downward, and
receiving, separating and agitating means connected to such blade, and movable
vertically with it, whereby to carry the linty seed up toward the stripping point of
the roller as such upper knife moves upward, as set forth.
8th. The hereindescribed wool burring machine and the respective combinations
of parts specified in the several foregoing claiming clauses, modified by the
substitution for the metal covered roller and flat faced stripper blade, of a rubber
covered roller and vertically grooved stripper blade, as herein described.
Dated this 21st day of May 1895.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.