US2100112A - Method of collecting lint - Google Patents

Description

.D. TAYLOR 2,100,112

METHOD OF COLLECTING LINT Nov. 23, 1937.

Original Filed June 5, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 x .z 2 5 1.9 x v z, 0 41,3 5 A 1 W5 Nov. 23, 1937, D. TA-YLOR 2,100,112

METHOD OF COLLECTING LINT Original Filed June 5, 1-936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aim/ 97%? I'Zylor it Z k l t ig; E 1? Patented Nov. 23, 1937 Iiick' Taylor, Paris, Ten, assignor to Southland Cotton Oil Company, Paris, Tex., a corporation of Texas Original application June 5, 1936, Serial No. 83,650. Divided and this application February 24, 1987, Serial No. 127,462

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of collecting lint from cotton ginning delinting-or similar apparatus, being a division of United States application Serial No. 83,650, filed by Dick Taylor I on June 5, 1936.

While the herein described method is not necessarily dependent upon the specific apparatus herein disclosedfor its effective performance the inventionv is conveniently elucidated by reference to apparatus suitable for carrying it into effect.

Thus in the accompanying drawings wherein one desirable embodiment of means useful in the practice of the invention is shown by way of example, Y

. Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view, with certain parts broken away,showing how the invention may be applied to a battery of linter gins:

Fig. -2 isa side elevation, partly in vertical section, diagrammatically illustrating a linter gin with my improved dust separator associated therewith; and Fig. 3 is a vertical section, to larger scale, show- 1 ing the dust separatorin detail.

Referring tothe drawings, and in particular to Fig. 1, two series-"of linter gins are illustrated as arranged in a battery delivering fiber to a common condenser. The gins of one series are indicatedat i, jia, etc. and those of the other series at 2, 2 2", etc. Each gin of each series is provided witli'a dust-separator 3, such as hereinaiter more-fully described, the lint from the separators associated with thegins I, I, 1", etc., being delivered to a lint-conveying'trunk l, while the lint fromthe separators associated with the I gins 2, 2 2, etc., is dgnvered to a lint-conveying trunk 5. These' I and 5 in turn deliver to a trunk 6 leading to a 'fan driven bya suitable motor '8.Q'-I-'he lint-laden air is delivered bythe, fan to a-con'denser a of any suitable'type 'whichseparates' the useful lint from the air and delivers the lint, either in the form of a-lap roll, or onto a conveyoizili, as"desired.- The air from the condenser preferably 'isdeliver'ed to a cyclone dust separator ll of anypappropriatetype inf which the heavier particlea'including some very for example hull-pepper, are separated from. the short fiber and the; latter is then conveyed by the conductor pipe. 14 back intothe link-conducting trunk 8 and thence to the fan a'ndcondenser.

short lint, drop to the bottom, while the dustladen air escapes fromthe topand is discharged outside of the ginningroon' The heavier-par" ticles, including the very'short lint, may be carried by the conveyor duct ii, if desired, to a-dust" separator 13 where the very fine particles of dust,

The several gins of the battery may, for example, be supported upon the floor l5 of the ginning room, such room having a'roofor ceiling I6 and preferably being high enough to accommodate the dust separators 3, although it is contemplated 5 that these separators may be placed above the ceiling or roof i8 if desired. Each gin i, i, etc. comprises a casing enclosing a saw cylinder I! which cooperates with a grate-fall i8,-the casing also defining the roll box l9 and enclosing the doffer brush 20. This doiier brush is driven at high speed and is adapted to strip oif the. fiber from the teeth of the saw cylinder, delivering the fiber into the moting space 2! in the lower part of the .gin casing. In this space heavy particles, including leaf and trash, are separated" out by gravitation, while the useful fiber remains in suspension in the air current generated by the dofier brush. In accordance with the present invention the casing is provided with a 20 pair of deflector plates 22 and 23, respectively, which partially encircle the doil'er brush and which define the entrance 24 to a lint flue '25 extending from the gin to the corresponding dust .separator 3.

Referring to Fig. 3, the improved dust separator of the present invention comprises a casing, preferably including a substantially cylindrical upper part 28, an intermediate, downwardly convergent, trunc ated conical portion 21, and .a vertically elongate lower portion 28,- which is preferably of substantially cylindrical section and which includes a telescopically adjustable I lower portion 29 having a bottom 30 which is per-, 'forated orformed as a grid so ast'o permit the escapeof smallsolid particles which maysettle tothe lower end of the part29. By adjustment of the part 29 relatively to the fixed part 28, the' length of the chamber 3| in the lower part of the casingmay be varied, this chamber tuting a secondary moting, space. I

- The top of the dust separator casinglis closed by a'member having a central opening, from --the..edge of which depends a cylindrical baiiie member 33 open attop and bottom. 'This bailie memb'erextends down to the point 3 4, substantially in; the horizontal plane of the lower end- :of the cylindrical portion of the .casing. This cylindrical baflie member 33 isicontinued upwardly above the top plate 32 ofthe casing as a relatively short annular flange 35. A cylindrical thiznble or gate-member .36 is arranged to -telescope within the upstanding flange member 35, such .thimble or gate-member being furnishedwith an outwardly flaring marginal portion -31 at consti- 40 V its upper end. This gate-member 38 is housed within a hood 38 mounted upon the top 32 of the casing and comprising a lower substantially cylindrical portion 38 (concentric with but of greater diameter than the upstanding flange 38) and an upper upwardly convergent truncated conical portion-40 whose upper end is joined'to the lower end of a dust flue 4|. This dust flue 4| extends up through the ceiling or roof l8 of the ginning room. If desired, each individual dust flue 4| may extend directly to the open air or, if preferred, the several dustflues 4| may be connected to a common trunk flue 42- (Fig. 1) extending along the series of gins and'eventually leading to the outer atmosphereso that the dust which passes out through the lines 4| will be carried away from the ginning room.

Within the conical portion 40 of the hood there is arranged a deflector or valve-member 43 preferably comprising two conical members 44 and 45 joined at their bases, the lower conical member 45 being disposed with its point downward within the upper part of the gate-member 38. This lower conical member 45 is secured to the upper end of a supporting and adjusting rod 45 which passes downwardly from top to bottom of the separator casing and out through the member 38,-being furnished at'its lower end with an actuating element, for example a crossbar 41 (Fig. 2) by means of which the rod 48 and the deflector-valve 43 may be vertically adjusted.

The rod 48 slides, with sumcient friction to hold it in adjusted position, within a sleeve 48, the upper end of which is furnished with arms whose outer ends are secured to the gate-member 38 and which, with the sleeve 48, furnish a support for the gate 36. This sleeve 48, like the rod 48, extends down through the casing and through the bottom member 30 and is furnished at its lower end with an actuating member, for example a disk 50 (Fig. 2), by means of which the sleeve 'may be moved vertically for adjusting the gate 36.

The sleeve 48 in turn is arranged to slide, with sufllcient friction to hold it in adjusted position,

within an outer sleeve 5|, having bearings 52 and 53 in spiders carried by the top member 32 and by the cylindrical member 28, respectively, of the casing. This outer sleeve 5| forms a support for a guard or regulator 5| preferably of truncated conical form, convergent upwardly and which is disposed within the conical portion 21 of the easing and suitably spaced from the lower end 34 of the baflie 33. The sleeve 5| also extends down through the bottom 30 of the casing and is furnished with a suitable actuating element such, for example, as a disk 54 or thelike, the sleeve 5| moving with sufficient friction in the bearings 52 and 53 to maintain it in adjusted position.

The annular space 55 between the gate-member 38 and the cylindrical part 38 of the hood constitutes a collecting chamber for short particles S of lint which have been carried upwardly through the cylindrical baffle 33 with the outgoing current of air. From the annular lint-collecting chamber 55 a trunk 58 extends downwardly along the outside of the casing to the point 51 where it enters the lint conductor conveyor tube 58, the latter leading from the chamber 3| at a point substantially above the bottom of the latter. In one desirable arrangement, the delivery end of the lint trunk 58 is provided with a controlling valve 58 mounted, for example, on a shaft 88 projecting outside of, the lint-conveying duct and having a lever 8| by means of which the shaft may be turned and the valve adjusted. Any appropriate meansmay be provided for holding the valve in adjusted position. Alternatively, in place of the valve 58 or in addition thereto, as desired, there is provided a conical nozzle 82, at the entrance to the lint conduit 58 where the latter emerges from thechamber 3|. The lint conduits 58 from the several separators of the two series extend to the trunks 4 and 5, respectively, which, as above noted, carry the lint to the fan I and thence to the condenser device 8.

In the operation of the device, the lint-laden current of air created by the dofler brush 28 of a given gin passes up through the flue 25 and enters the upper part 28 of the corresponding dust collector in a tangential direction. The air is thus caused to take up a cyclonic motion within the casing of the dust collector, such motion tending to cause the lint and other solid particles sustained in the air current to move toward the axis of the dust collector casing, the heavier particles tending to settle toward the bottom. Thus, as indicated in Fig. 3, as the air current circulates, entering near the top of the casing, and flrst sweeping downwardly as it circles and then rising toward the center to escape upwardly through the baflle 33, the longer and heavier particles L of lint gradually move toward the axis of the casing and sink toward the bottom of the casing while the air, partially freed from such solid particles, escapes up around the edge of the regulator 5| and thence up into the lower end of the cylindrical baflie 33. By adjustment of the height of the regulator 5 I, it is possible to assure an almost complete separation of the longer lint from the air before the latter enters the lower end of the bailie 33. The longer and heavier lint L settles down into the cylindrical lower portion 28 of the casing, and as a portion of the air also passes down through this part of the casing, this longer and heavier lint is swept out throughthe nozzle 82 into the conduit 58. However, just at the entrance to the nozzle 82, the air, laden with lint, is caused to make a sharp change in direction, thus causing it to eddy, thereby facilitating the separation of such heavier particles as leaf trash, which sink down into the chamber 3| and then either drop out through the grid 38 or may be removed from time to time by separating the part 28 from the part 28 of the casing.

The air which moves upwardly about the lower edge of the regulator 5| carries with it much flne dust and also some short and light particles S of lint. The volume of the air which passes up through the baiiie 33 ordinarily is much greater than that which passes downwardly and out through the nozzle 82. This upwardly-moving current of air strikes the lower surface of-the deflector valve 43 and is diverted outwardly and over the edge of the outwardly flaring margin 31 of the gate 38. The sudden change in direction at this point causes eddies in the moving air, thus causing the separation of the particles S of lint from the relatively flner and lighter dust particles D. The separation at this point is dependent upon the relative positioning of the parts 43 and 36 with respect to each other and with respect to the upwardly convergent portion 48 of the hood, the necessary adjustments being accomplished by means of the actuating members 58 and 54, respectively. When these parts have once been adjusted to the proper position, it is not necessary to change their adjustment to any extent during the operation of the apparatus, except by reason of some substantial change in the character of the fiber being operated upon or a change in the operating speed ofthe gin. or the like. 1

"I'hemainbodyoftheupwardlymoving air current passes up through the dust flue H with its 5 entrained dust particles D and is discharged, preferably outside of the building, at leasti-not within the ginning room. However; some .-of-;the air passes'down into the settling I! .and thence out through the lint trunk, sweepingwith it. the lint S which collects in'the chamber 55 and carrying it down to the point II where it is delivered into the lint, duct 50. By proper setting of valve 59, the relative proportion of air which shall pass up through the lint flue H and be determined, and such regulation in turn determines the completeness with which the short fiber 8 is separated fromthe dust-laden air current.

Instead of using a regulator such as thevalve nozzle determining the amount of air which'can escape directly from the lower part of the main casing into the lint duct II and thus indirectlydetermining the amount of air which will be drawn down by induction through the lint trunk 53 fromthe chamber II. For regulating the amount in this way, it is proposed to provide nomles 62 of diflerent capacities which may be interchanged one for the other in accordance with varying conditions. However, while either the valve '59 or the nozzle]! may beemployed the large but relatively short lines I which need 5 not take up any. substantial part of the working space within the ginning room, while the useful fiber is conveyed to the condenser l throughthe small diameter ducts l and I, by relatively small air currents just sufllcient to maintain the lint u in suspension.

'In this way the air of the ginning room is freed 'from dust; the power consumed in the operation of separating the lint from the air is reduced; the gin structure is simplified bythe elimination of individual power-driven condenser-- devices and thus the floor space occupied'by each individual gin is'decreased; the useful fiber is all conveyed to one point of dischargeso that it is not necessary to dof! a lap roll from each indivviduai gin at frequent intervals. as is ordinarily which shall pass down through the trunk I may" 59, the conical nozzle 82: may be employed, such merged streams.

necessary: the resultant lap from the common condenser is of'moreuniiorm character than can 'be expected when individual laps are formed at'each gin; and by the arrangement herein described and claimed, a more complete separation of the lint from the air is eilected than by usual means. I

I claim: i w

i. That method of collectingfuseful lint from a battery of gin mechanisms. each so devised as to deliver a lint carrying air current, said method comprising as steps keeping the lint and accompanying dust in air suspension and, while they are in air suspension, separating the useful but from dust in accordance with the relative masses of the lint and dust particles, dividing the air current into two streams, in one of which the major part of the lint is suspended and in the other of which the major part of the dust is suspended, conducting each dust-laden airstream to a point of discharge remote fromthe gin mechanism, conducting the several lint-laden air streams away from the respective gin mechanisms, merging said lint carrying air streams, and separating the useful lint from the air after merger of said streams.

2. The herein-described method of collecting V lint from aplurality of gins which consists in delivering the hut from each gin, together with entrained dust, in suspension in the air current producedby the gin and, while keeping them "in' air suspension, separating the useful lint from dust by centrifugal action, dividing saidf air current from each gin into two streams of relatively large and small volume, respectively, delivering the useful lint, while still 'suspended,-into the 1 smaller '01 said streams, causing the dust to be carried away with the larger air stream, merging the lint carrying air streams from. the several gins, and separating the useful lint from the merged streams of air.

w 3. The herein described method of collecting lint from a plurality of linter ginswhich consists in delivering the nut from each gin, together with entrained dust, in suspension in a largelvolume of air flowing away from each gin,and,'while keeping ,them in air suspension, separating the useful lint from dust in accordance with the relative masses of the lint and dust particles, dividing said flowing air into two streams of relatively large and small volume, respectively, causing substantially all of the useful lint, while stillv suspended, to enter the smaller stream and to be carried along 1 in suspension therein, causing substantially all of the dust to enter the larger air stream, merging the lint carrying streams from the several gins, and separating the useful lint from the moi: TAYLOR.

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