US1927723A - Pneumatic cotton picker - Google Patents

Description

SCP- 19, 1933 E. E. TALIAFERRO 1,927,723

PNEUMATI C C OTTON P I CKER Filed Oct. 28, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 19, 1933. E, E. TALIAFERRO 1,927,723

PNEUMATIC COTTON PICKER Filed Oct. 28, 1930 2 Shee'tS-Shee 2 31a/vantava Zvaz'ajferra Patented Sept. 19, 1933l UNITED STATES PATENT This invention relates to mechanical cotton pickers and more particularly to a picker head which is to be applied directly to the individual boll and which has any desired connection to a container or storage receptacle, the usual connection to a gasoline engine for supplying power for operating the picker mechanism as well as the air compressor for discharging the cotton from the picker head to theV container, being intended. l

The present inventionis an improvement over the picker head disclosed in my pending application for patent, S. N. 458,978, filed June 2, 1930 for Picker head. y In general the picker head according to vthe present invention is of the same character kas that disclosed in the application referred to above incorporating a head with an air blast to provide suction therein, rocking arms with fingers thereon for twisting the cotton boll with relation to the picker, and other features.

A particular object of the present invention is to provide improved means for discharging the cotton from the cotton removing device, consisting of a plurality of circular saws, by providing an intermittent air blast between. the saws directed into the picker head in place of the doffer arrangement for cleaning the saws as in my prior application. This intermittent blast provides pulsation of the suction on the cotton bolls being picked which is a decided advantage as well as reducing the number of parts, eliminating doifer and other parts, and simplifying the construction of the picker head.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air blast between the saws for clearing them which may be regulated for increasing or diminishing the air to the saws as may be desired.

A further object of this invention is to provide an air suction in the head` and means whereby the suction may be regulated at will to produceonly a slight `suction or to increase the suction as desired.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable lip and support thereon for properly positioning the cotton bolls while the fiber is being drawn therefrom and preventing the bolls or locks or portions thereof from being drawn into the picker head.`

Further features and objects of the invention will appear from the following specification, accompanying drawings and as pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,' e Figure 1 `is van elevation of one side of aL picker head in :accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation of the other -side of 60 said picker head. A

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through Figure 1 with rotary cotton removing saws in elevation showing, the relation of the air blast for removing the cotton .lint `on the discharge side Within the picker head.l

Figure 4 is a'horizontal sectionthrough Figure 1 with the saws and their mounting re-l moved showing the air supplytube upon which the saw assembly is rotatably mounted in ele-l 7,0 vation. o e Y Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view Vof the air supply tube and sawslmounted thereon. l

Referring more particularly to kthe drawings,

10 indicates the picker head havinga Asuitable 75, hose connection 11 to a cotton container, which for the present purpose need not` be shown. A shaft 12 is connected by a flexible shaft to any suitable source of powerV and carriesa pinion 13 adapted to mesh Withthe combined spur and bevel gear14 supported on the transverse stud shaft 15 extending from the head 10 and transmits movement to the operating mechanism for picking the cotton as later described. v

A shaft 16 extends through the head which has 85 bearings therein and keyed toj the shafty on the outside of the head is a spur gear 17 adapted to mesh with the spur teeth of gear 14 for driving this shaft. A smaller gear 20 'is also keyed to shaft 16 at its outer end andis adaptedt'o transmit motion to' gears 21 and 23 which are fastened together and pivotedfon a stud 22.. Gear 23 in turn transmits motion togears 24 and 27 which are similarly connectedvandpivoted on a stud 26 and gear 27 drives .gear 28 which is keyedto the saw shaft 29. Y f

Shaft 16 extending through. the picker Yhead has on its opposite end a driving gear 20a the same as* gear 20 just referred to.` Gear 20a drives 10G a corresponding train of gears, y21a and 23EL on a o stud 22a and v24a and Z'lapn-a stud 26a. f

A plurality of saws 30, threel being shown,V adapted to be driven by vthe saw shaft 29, are mounted on a tube 31 which hasseries of aper- 105 tures 32 on each side( off-each blade as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings.` Saw shaft 29 is integrally connected to closed vend 33rof tube 31. The opposite end 34 'of this tube is open and the tube is rotatably `mounted on'a smaller tube 35 110 which is closedat its inner end36 and extends g any shape opening may be used in the tube 35 4in place ofthe slit 37 as shown, and that severalY such openings may be used for discharging thel outwardly through casing 10 on the opposite side of the picker head from shaft 29. Within the casing 10 tube 35 is provided with a longitudinal slit 37 extending the entire length of the tube inside theY casing and so directed in the casing as to discharge air through theY openings 32 towards the dischargeend of the casing. Thus as cotton is drawn down over the sidesl of the saws air is discharged under the lint at the desired point in the head'in order to free the loops of cotton lint from the saw teeth. It is obvious that air at such points as may be desirable. For eX- ample, when the holes in the sawv support tube pass one slot or hole, thecotton maybe partially loosened from the saw tooth and it may be necessary for the holes in the support to pass another opening to .entirely disengage the cotton.

However, these openings may `bemade at any point in the tube 35 for discharging the cotton in the lower part of vthehead. It will further be understood that this arrangement will insure a clean tooth or saw coming up to re-engage the cotton boll on every revolution.

' The outer end 38 of tube 35 extends a short distance beyond the casing providing an attachment for a connection for a supply of air as will be hereinafter set forth. This end 38 also pro,- vides a bearing for rocker arm 39 whichis pro- AvidedY with a plurality of fingers 40 and saw shaft"29 also provides a bearingfor a similar rocker arm V41 with its extending fingers 42. Gears 24 and 24a areeach `provided with studs 43 which engagein slots 44 in each of the rocker arms 39 and 41. c These studsare so arranged on the gears that when the gears are rotated the rocker arms with their ylingers are rocked in opposite directions as set forth in my former application hereinbefore referred to..

, As disclosed in thefore mentioned application `an airduct 45 connected to a source of compressed air leads to the picker head` and has "an entrance 46 fory directing air through. the

head towards the outlet andV for p causing. suction on thecotton bolls while the saws are operating uponthem and forcing the cotton thereafter through the hose connection 11 to Air duct 45 may 'have a branch 47 which Y passes through a regulator valve 48 and from thereto the end38 of tube 35 for supplying the compressed air to the saws at the desired pressure. If ldesired the airr tothis tube may be supplied by a separate connection.

Casing 1() is provided with a closureV 49 extending over the inlet' and to a point adjacent to saws 30. This closure has one or more openings 50 therein which permit the passage of air into the picker head thereby reducing the suction on .the cotton boils. Theseopenings are `regulated byv avalve member or slide 51 so thatl the suction may 'be increased by'closing the openings or dminishedby having the openings more or less `open;'jthe retaining screw for slide 51 is adapted toA move' vin a' slot in the casing 10 so that when ,the screw'is loosened slide 51 may be moved Vin a directionl normal to the 'plane of the paper so as to cover or uncover the holes 50. l

, Drive shaft 12 is rotated ina direction to turn saws 30 in a direction Vaway from said closure 49. The extremerend of casing 1D is spaced from saws 30jas shown and provided With a lip 52 and support 53 which maybe permanently secured to this lip. As will be seen in Figure 3 the lip v52 held to said extreme end by screws threaded in the lip and adapted to move in slots.

when loosened thereby permitting the eective rlength of the lip to be adjusted as desired. In

whereas the edge of the bollor points of the vlocks would be supported by the projecting Vsupport 54 which extends entirely across the lip preventing the boll or lock or portions thereof fromfbeing drawn into the picker head.

The `picking.operation is accomplished in the following manner: The engine having been started, the compressor is operated to supply air through tube 45 to the picker casing head l0 and shaft l2 transmits rotary rn'otionfto the gear train on either side of fthe casing rotating sawsB and rocking the rocker arms39 and 41 with their extending fingers 40 and 42. Compressed air is also supplied to tube 35 through theV compressed vair connectioniat the project-.

ing Vouter end 33 thereof;v vAs the picker head 10 is advanced towards lan individual boli the boll first cornes in contact with the ingers l4U and 42 of the oppositely moving rocker arms f 'g and is vgiven a' twist to insure throwing all the locks in linev for proper contactwith'the saws 30 and due to the 'suction created at the mouth of the head, the draw of the iiberis suicient to remove the entire cotton-from all of the locks in the boll` at one application of the head and lwithout possible damage'to the bollv or without the possibility of allowingthe saws to cut the shale or locks'. The adjustable lip 52 and support 53 are soarranged as to carry the b oll to the proper position with respect to saws 30 and the passageway into ,the head. In drawing the cotton' from .thebolls by the saw teeth it forms a loop on either side of the sawsl and it will beseen that. under the-loops of .cotton on either side of the sawsk and at the bottom of the head the streams of air from the apertures A32 from -both sides of the various saw blades are directed,

pushing the cotton from engagementgwith the saw teeth and directing it 'intoj theV streamv of air-from entrances 46 of the air blast for clearconnection 1l to the container. sure to tube 35 may be varied Vby regulating valve 48 and the suction in the head'may be increased or diminished by Varying the adjustment of the openings 50 by vregulating valve 51 so that the `proper air pressure for suction on lint from the sawsmaybe adjusted as desired.

' What I ,claim isz r v 1. In a cotton picker, a head, arplurality of coaxial saws, pneumatic means for discharging cotton from theV head, and intermittently operating means :for transferring the cotton from the saws to within the sphere ofv influence of said pneumatic means, said transferring means operating in a direction) radial of the saws.

2. In the cotton picker, a head, a plurality of coaxial saws, pneumatic means for discharging cotton" from the head, and means-for providing intermittent air blasts for transferring the cotton from the saws to within the spher of influence of said pneumatic means.

3. In a cotton picker, includingv a head, acoting the head and discharging same through hose 1 y The air presthe head and air blast for removing the `cotton v ton removing device therein, and pneumatic means within the device for transferring cotton from said device to within the head, said means operating independently of the rate of feed of cotton into the head.

4. In ak cotton picker, including a head, a .cot-

ton removing device therein, and pulsating pneu-4' matic means for transferring cotton from said device to within the head.

5. A cotton picker head having doing mean and pulsating pneumatic means therein for operating on the cotton after the same has been removed from the boll by said do'ing means, said pneumatic means comprising air distributing means and valve means connected to be driven with said dofng means whereby operation of said dofling means intermittently opens vsaid valve means to create a pulsating stream of air against the picked cotton.

6. In a cotton picker, a head, means for drawing the cotton into said head, means for rotating the cotton boll Withrespect to the head, andl adjustable means on the head for supporting the boll while the cotton is being drawn into the head.

V'7. In a cotton picker, a head, means for drawing cotton from a cotton boll into said head, and a lip on the head adjacent to said drawing means for engagement with the cotton boll, said lip being adjustable on the head to accommodate cotton bolls of different sizes.

8. In a cotton picker, a head, means for drawing .cotton from a cotton boll into said head, a lip on the head adjacent to said drawing means for engagement with the cotton boll, said lip being adjustable on the head to accommodate cotton bolls of different sizes,.and a support on said lip to prevent parts of the boll from entering the head While cotton is being extracted therefrom.

9. In a cotton picker, a head, cotton removing means comprising a plurality of coaxial circular saws, means for rotating the saws, means for providing air blasts at the sides of the saws comprising a tube extending axially through said saws, and discharge means for air from said tube at the sides of the saws.

10. In a cotton picker, a head,vcotton remov ing means comprising a plurality of coaxial circular saws, a tubular member on which said saws are mounted, said tube having a plurality of series of apertures at the sides of the saws,

` means for rotating said tubular member and fax point.

11. In a cotton picker, a head, a cotton removing means comprising a plurality of coaxial circular saws, a tubular member on which said saws are mounted, said tube having a plurality o f series of vapertures at the sides of the saws, means for rotating said tubular member and saws, and means for providing air blasts at the` sides of the saws comprising a tubular member vupon which saidrst tubular member is rotatably mounted, saidlatter tube having a longitudinal slit therein. directed interiorlyof the head for discharging air through the apertures Vin the first said tube consecutively as said tube is turned.

12. A fiber translating means comprising a hollow shaft, a plurality" of circular saws mounted to turn upon said shaft, an opening along one side of said shaft whereby a stream lof air may be ejected therefrom, means for driving said saws, and means for directing fibers toward vand away from said saws.

13. A fiber translating means comprising a hollow shaft having an opening along one side thereof whereby a stream of air may be driven' therefrom, a lplurality of annularly arranged ber doing means mounted to turn about said shaft, and means for driving said dofling means' thru said stream. ,y

14. A ber translating device comprising a hollow shaft having an elongated aperture along one side, meansV for ejecting a stream ofair from said aperture, a series of substantially alined fiber picking teeth arranged along but spaced from said shaft, and means for turning saidteeth about said shaft whereby each' tooth passesthru said stream of air eachA time it travels around the shaft to thereby` deliver fibers into said stream.

15. A toothed roller comprised of a plurality of axially spaced toothed wheels and `pneumatic means for cleaning the teethn consisting of means for producing air blasts outward along the sides of the teeth. Y

16. In a fiber handling machine, a fiber translating roller having external peripheral teeth and means located centrally of the roller for directing intermittent air blasts radially out- Ward for removing fibers from the teeth.

17. The device of claim 16 in which said roller l comprises a tubular shaft, a series of toothed v wheelsmounted` in spaced relation in said shaft, said shaft having a series of circumferentially spaced air ports on each side of at least one of said wheels,means'for revol-'vmg said shaft and means for opening` each of said ports as it passes a predetermined point in its revolution whereby fibers may be removed from the Vteeth of said wheels as they pass in front of said EDWARD E. TALIAFERRO.

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