Improvements in Willowing Apparatus for Opening and Cleaning Cotton, Cotton Waste, Tow, and the like.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1892-Accepted, 30th July, 1892
Improvements in Willowing Apparatus for Opening and Cleaning
Cotton, Cotton Waste, Tow, and the like.
We WILLIAM HARGREAVES of 20 New Line, Bacup and JAMES HARGREAVES,
of Huttock Top, Bacup, both in the County of Lancaster, Cotton Waste Dealers,
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 :-
The improvements relate to apparatus for opening and cleaning cotton, cotton
waste, tow and the like, and have for object the provision of a continuous overhead
delivery combined with continuous feed rollers and extended grid area, by which
means such opening and cleaning may be accomplished more readily and effectively
than at present.
To accomplish this, and to effect our improvements, we employ fluted or otherwise
formed rollers for conveying the cotton, cotton waste, or other material into the
willowing apparatus, and, in addition, for this purpose, we may employ a travelling
web or lattice in front of such rollers.
Within the casing of the apparatus, at the usual or any convenient distance from
the surface of the drum or cylinder, and parallel thereto, we arrange the grid, which
corresponds in width, by preference, to the internal width of the drum casing, or
thereabouts. At one extremity the grid is supported close beneath the level of the
feed rollers, and the grid itself extends, in a circular direction, round the drum, to
within a short distance of the delivery creeper and shoot, which latter are placed
over-head, and are arranged, in position, so that the waste leaves the grid nearly
above the centre of the drum or cylinder.
Thus, by employing continuous feed rollers, in combination with a continuous
delivery nearer to the feed, we are enabled to utilize a maximum of grid surface,
extending over a great portion of the circle, and, by so doing, subject the waste
under operation to a sufficient cleansing and opening during one passage along the
grid. Repeated treatment of each batch of waste, and consequently an intermittent
feed and delivery are thus obviated, the action of the apparatus, according to our
improvements, being continuous, and the necessary opening and cleaning of the
material under operation are accomplished in less time than by apparatus arranged
in the ordinary manner.
But that the improvements may be better understood, we will, by the aid of the
accompanying drawings proceed more fully to describe means employed by us.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
The figure shews a side elevation, with part of the outer casing removed,-of
apparatus arranged in accordance with our improvements.
a. a is the casing of the apparatus, b. b the drum or cylinder as ordinarily mounted
therein, and provided with teeth or projections b', which beat up or disintegrate the
cotton, cotton waste, or other material, as the drum revolves.
c. c. is the grid, extending, in accordance with our improvements, from close under-
neath the fluted or other feed rollers d. d, in a circular direction round the drum, to
a point nearly above the vertical centre of the drum.
This grid forms, with the drum or cylinder, a cage e. e. along which the material
under operation passes, a blast of air caused by the fan h. removing therefrom all
dust and impurities, which latter are allowed to fall through the grating into the
space k. k.
1. l. is a travelling web or lattice which may be employed to assist the feed by
corrving forward the waste or other material to the feed rollers d. d.

page_text: The material under operation, after having been carried round in the cage the
entire length of the grid, enters the delivery shoot m. m. provided with a travelling
creeper n. n, and so is carried forward and finally deposited clear of the
apparatus.
Variations in detail may be made, such as in the material of which the various
parts are composed as well as in their design, and the travelling creepers may be
either bands, webs or lattices, and the driving of the apparatus may be
accomplished in various ways, without departing from the peculiar character of the
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what.we
claim is :-
In willowing apparatus for opening and cleaning cotton, cotton waste, tow, and
the like, the combination of continuous feed rollers with a continuous over-head
delivery, and extended grid or cleaning area, all arranged for the purpose and in
manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
Dated this 20th day of June 1892.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64, Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.