IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING COTTON SEED
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Welburn, of Grovohill, in Beverley, in the County
of York, Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
CLEANING COTTON SEED."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Welburn at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd June 1881.
GEORGE WELBURN, of Grovebill, in Beverley, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING COTTON SEED."
My Invention consists of a long oval cylinder in which rotate two long shafts
which run in opposite directions, and on which aro fixed numerous blunt boaters
or pegs (herein after called beaters). One shaft is placed above the other, and the
beaters on one shaft nearly touch the beaters on the other shaft, and the beaters
of the lower shaft almost touch the bottom of the cylinder. The beaters on the
lower shaft are placed at an angle to the shaft, whilst those on the upper shaft can
be placed either straight across the shaft or at an angle. The cotton seed to be
cleansed is admitted into the cylinder by means of a hopper or tube placed at the
upper side of one end of the cylinder. The sced falls on the rotating shafts, and
then falls to the bottom of the cylinder; it is then thrown up by the beaters on the
lower shaft into the cylinder, and is struck by the beaters on the upper shaft. The
beaters on the lower shaft are so placed that they gradually work or shift the seed
from the end of the cylinder where the seed enters to the other end of the cylinder
where the seed falls out of an opening in the bottom of the cylinder cleaned. The
cotton adhering to the seed is carried out of the cylinder by means of an exhaust
pipe fixed into the cylinder, through which the air is drawn by means of a fan.
Such exhaust pipe is fixed to the opposite end of the cylinder to the end at which
the seed enters it. Below the cylinder I attach an air tight tank, into which falls
any seed which accidentally may be carried along with the cotton. One, two,
three, or more of the apparatus before described may be used in conjunction with
one another, in which case they may be placed one above another and connected
by pipes. The seed is then admitted into the upper cylinder, and it passes on to
the other end of it, until it falls through the pipe leading into the second cylinder,
when it passes on to the opposite end of the second cylinder, and so on from one
cylinder to another until it is discharged from the last cylinder.
i

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Welburn in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 1st December
1881.
GEORGE WELBURN, of Grovehill, in Beverley, in the County of York, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CLEANING COTTON SEED."
My Invention consists of a long flat sided cylinder or cylinders in which rotate
two long shafts which revolve in opposite directions, and upon which shafts are
fixed numerous blunt beaters or pegs, herein after called "beaters." One shaft is
placed above the other, and the beaters on one shaft nearly touch the beaters on
the other shaft, and the beaters of the lower shaft almost touch the bottom of the
cylinder. The beaters on the lower shaft are placed at an angle to the shaft, while
those on the upper shaft may be placed either straight across the shaft or at an
angle. The cotton seed to be cleansed is admitted into the cylinder by means of a
hopper or tube placed at the upper side of one end of the cylinder. The seed falls
on the rotating shafts, and then falls to the bottom of the cylinder; it is then
thrown up by the beaters on the lower shaft, and is struck by the beaters on the
upper shaft. The beaters on the lower shaft are so placed that they gradually
work or shift the seed from the end of the cylinder where the seed enters to the
other end of the cylinder where the seed falls out of an opening in the bottom of
the cylinder cleaned. The cotton adhering to the seed is carried out of the
cylinder by means of an exhaust pipe fixed into the cylinder, through which the air
is drawn by means of a fan; such exhaust pipe is fixed to the opposite end of the
cylinder to the end at which the seed enters it. Below the cylinder I attach an
air tight tank into which falls any seed which accidentally may be carried along
with the cotton.
Ono, two, three, or more of the cylinders or apparatus before described may be
used in conjunction with one another, in which case they may be placed one above
another and connected by pipes. The seed is then admitted into the upper
cylinder, and it passes on to the other end of it until it falls through the pipe
leading into the second cylinder, when it passes on to the opposite end of the
second cylinder, and so on from one cylinder to another until it is discharged from
the last cylinder.
And in order that my said Invention and the mode of carrying the same into
effect may be more clearly understood, reference is made to the accompanying
Drawings, wherein similar letters indicate similar parts in the several Figures.
Fig. 1 is a side view of an apparatus constructed according to my said Invention;
Fig. 2 is an end elevation; and Fig. 3, a top view or plan of the same.
The apparatus shewn in the Drawings has three cylinders a, a, a, (although any
other number may be used). The sectional form of these cylinders will be under-
stood from the end views thereof in Fig. 2. The sides are flattened, and the top
and bottom semi-cylindrical. Each cylinder has two shafts b, b, of sufficient length
to project through the cylinder ends, where such shafts are carried by suitable
bearings, as shewn in the Drawings. Such shafts are also fitted with riggers or
driving pulleys c, c, for receiving driving belts, and also with toothed wheels d, d.
When the driving pulleys are driven in one direction by the driving belts, each
driven shaft communicates motion to its companion shaft by means of the toothed
wheels d, d, in an opposite direction to that communicated by its driving pulley.
Each cylinder has its two shafts fitted with beaters e, e, as shewn in Fig. 1, the
beaters on the lower shaft having an inclined, angular, or screw like form, in order
to drive the seed from the feed end towards the delivery end thereof; f is the
hopper where the cotton seed is caused to enter the upper one of the series of

page_text: cylinders. The seed is operated upon, as herein before described, until it arrives
at the junction or shoot g, whereby it enters the next cylinder, and thence passes
in like manner, by means of the shoot g', into the third cylinder, from whence the
cleaned cotton seed may be removed by the shoot g².
In order to remove the cotton adhering to or carried away with the seed, air
exhaust trunks h, h, are fitted to the cylinders; these air trunks communicate with
air tight tanks i, i. The air trunks h, h, are fitted to those ends of the cylinders
which are farthest from the hopper end, or in other words the end at which the seed
enters the respective cylinders. The connections of these air trunks with the main
trunks and with the air tight tanks i, i, will be clearly understood from the Drawings.
When any seed is carried away by means of the cotton adhering thereto, it falls
into one of the air tight tanks i, i. Two rotary fans in suitable cases k, k, are
shewn in the Drawings, the fans being driven by the shaft m and the driving
pulleys o. The exhaust air and loose cotton escape by the openings or delivery
ports 2, p. Suitable door ways q, q, (Figs. 1 and 2) are provided for tho entrance
of air into the shoots or junctions between the respective cylinders, and the whole
is mounted on a convenient metallic or other framing r, r.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the means I adopt in carrying
the same into effect, I would have it understood that what I claim is,―
The mode of cleaning cotton seed from adhering particles of cotton by means of
beaters fixed on two rotating shafts revolving in opposite directions in a cylinder,
substantially as herein before described and shewn on the Drawings. I do not
limit myself to the exact shape or position of the rotating shafts or of the cylinders,
nor to the number of the apparatus beforo described to be used in conjunction ono
with another.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Welburn, have hereunto set_my_hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of November, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
GEORGE WELBURN. (L.S.)