US2834060A - Blower screen - Google Patents

Description

y 13, 1958 E. M. BURNS I 2,834,060

BLOWER SCREEN Filed March '12, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l Edward M. Burns 64 INVENTOR.

May 13, 1958 Filed March 12, 1956 O o 1' O 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NE Ec Edward M. Burns INVEN TOR.

United States Patent 2,834,060 BLOWER SCREEN Edward M. Burns, Porterville, Calif. Application March 12, 1956, Serial No. 570,740 4 Claims. (Cl.'19--72) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in blowers of the cotton cleaning type, and more specifically to an improved screen for cotton cleaning blowers.

In order that cotton may be transferred from mechanical cotton pickers to cotton carriers there is normally provided a blower for blowing the cotton from the cotton picker to the cotton carrier. It has been proposed in my copending application Serial No. 478,126, filed December 28, 1954, to utilize the screen so that the same blower may be used in cleaning the cotton. While several types of screen have been disclosed in my copending application, and said screens have proved satisfactory, it is the object of this invention to provide an improved screen which is very effective in the retention of cotton and at the same time permits the complete passing of trash so that the cotton may be effectively cleaned by the cotton cleaning blower.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved screen for cotton cleaning blowers, the screen being of an extremely simple construction and formed of readily obtainable material so as to be relatively inexpensive.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved blower screen for cotton cleaning blowers, the screen including inner and outer concentric drums, there being disposed between the drums a spiral wound strip which forms the screen element of the screen, the strip presenting narrow slots through which air and trash may pass and at the same time said slots are of a size to prevent the passage of cotton whereby the cotton may be effectively cleaned.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved cotton cleaning blower which includes fans of the paddle wheel type, individual blades of the fans being channel shaped in cross-section so as to effectively guide the air in its tangential path from the fans at an increased acceleration.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a fragmentary end view of the cotton cleaning blower which is the subject of this invention and shows the general details of the drive means thereof;

Figure"2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially'upon the'pl-ane indicated by the section line 2-2 of Figure l and shows the specific details of the cotton cleaning blower including the construction of the screen thereof, the arrangement of the various air and cotton passages thereof and the arrangement of fans with respect to the passages;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon thefplane indicated bythe line 33 of Figure .2 and shows the specific. details of construction of the, blower screen;

Figure..4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional-view .--t aken substantially upon the plane indicated by thesection line 44 of Figure 2 and shows the specific details of the construction of one of thefans;

I Figure Sis-an, enlarged fragmentary perspective view of a divider which forms a part of the blower screen; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the blades of the fans.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated the cotton cleaning blower which is the subject of this invention, the blower being referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The blower 1t) includes a circular cross-sectional housing which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 12. The housing 12 functions as a screen housing and includes a cylindrical body member 14 having secured to opposite edges thereof end plates 16 and 18.

Mounted within the housing 12 is a blower screen which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 20. The blower screen 20 includes an inner drum 22 and an outer drum 24 which are disposed in concentric relation. Mounted within the inner drum 22 is a concentric sleeve 26 which forms a bearing sleeve. The opposite ends of the inner drum 22 are provided with seals 28 sealing the ends of the inner drum with respect to the end plates 16 and 18 of the housing 12.

The sleeve 26 is connected to the inner drum 22 by means of at least one annular plate 30. Mounted in opposite ends of the sleeve 26 are suitable bearings 32 which are mounted on a shaft 34. The shaft 34 has one end thereof welded as at 38 to a plate 40 secured to the inner face of the end wall 16. The opposite end of the shaft 34 passes through the end wall 18 and is retained in place by means of a nut 42.

The blower screen 20 also includes a screen element which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 44. The screen element 44 extends between the inner drum 22 and the outer drum 24 and is formed by a spiral woundstrip 46, as is best illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. The strip 46 is relatively inexpensive and may be easily shaped to provide the desired screen element 44.

Secured to opposite faces of the strip 46 are dividers 48 and 50, the divider 48 being disposed adjacent the plate 16. The dividers 48 and 50 extend between the inner drum 22 and the outer drum 24 and have their opposite ends secured thereto.

The dividers 48 and 50 are radially disposed, as is best illustrated in Figure 3, and reinforce both the drums 22 and 24 and the screen element 14, opposed edges of the dividers 48 and 50 being secured to edges of the strip 46.

In order that a proper seal may be provided between the screen element 46 so that the screen element may be divided into individual sections by the dividers 48 and 50, there is secured to the edges of the dividers 48 and 50 remote from the screen element 44 several sealing strips 52 and 54, respectively, which engage the plates 16 and 18, respectively, thus providing a suitable seal between the blower screen 20 and the housing 12. The arrangement of the seal 54 with respect to the divider 50 is best illustrated in Figure 5.

Formed in the lower part of the plate 16 is a cotton inlet opening 56. Aligned with the cotton inlet opening 56, but formed in the plate 18 is a trash outlet opening 58. Formed in the upper part of the plate 18 remote from the trash outlet opening 58 is a hot air inlet opening 60. A cotton outlet opening 62 is formed in the plate 16 in alignment with the hot air inlet opening 60.

Secured to the lower part of the plate 16 in alignment with the cotton inlet opening 56 and extending upwardly therefrom is a duct 64. The upper part of the duct 64 is in the form of a fan housing 66. Extending centrally through the fan-housing 66 is a shaft 68. The fan housing 66 includes spaced walls 70 and 72 through which the shaft 68 passes, the wall 72 being provided with a suit- Patented May 13, 1958 able bearing 74 for the shaft 68. Secured to the wall a fan housing 80, the fan housing 30 being directly communicated with the interior of the housing 12 through the cotton outlet opening 62. The fan housing 80 has a discharge opening 82 and has a wall 84 thereof disposed gremote from the common wall 72.

The shaft 68 has mounted thereon for rotation therewith fans 86 and 88, the fan 86 being disposed in the fan housing 66 and the fan 88 being disposed in the fan housing 80. In order that the fans 86 and 88 may be rotated, there is mounted on the shaft 68 adjacent the bearing 78 a double pulley 90. The pulley 90 has connected thereto a drive belt 92 whose opposite end (not shown) is suitably connected to a tractor on which the cotton cleaning blower is mounted.

In order that the screen 20 may be rotated, there is carried by the fan housing 66 adjacent the wall 70 thereof on the top surface of the fan housing 66 a bearing 94.

'A similar bearing 96 is carried by the wall 84 in alignment with the bearing 94. Extending through the bearings 94 and 95 and journaled therein for rotation is a shaft 98 having mounted on one end thereof a pulley 10d aligned with a part of the pulley 9t Entrained over the pulleys 90 and 100 is a drive belt 102. Carried by the opposite end of the shaft 98 is a drive sprocket 104 which passes into the housing 12 through an opening 106 formed in the cylindrical portion 14. Secured to the outer surface of the drum 24 is a chain 103 which is meshed with the drive sprocket 104.

The fans 86 and 88 are identical. Accordingly, only the fan 86 will be described in detail. As is best illustrated in Figure 4, the fan 86 includes a central hub 110 which has radiating therefrom a plurality of spokes 112. Secured to each of the spokes 112 is a paddle which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 114.

As is best illustrated in Figure 6, each paddle 114 includes a blade portion 116 which is suitably secured to its respective spoke 112. In order that the paddle 114 may be most elfective in operation, it is made channel shaped in cross-section. Accordingly, there is secured to one face of each of the blades 116 along opposite edges thereof angle members 118. As the fans 86 and 88 rotate, the blade portions 116 will direct centrally received air outwardly and the angle members 118 will control the flow of such air so as to increase the radial velocity thereof. Thus the elficiency of the fans 86 and 88 is increased.

In the normal operation of the present invention newly picked cotton, which is slightly moist, will be received portions of the strip 46 and will pass out througha duct 120 connected to the plate 18 in alignment with the trash outlet opening 58. The trash will then be expelled upon the ground in any desired manner. Inasmuch as the screen element 44 is being rotated, the cotton impinged upon the screen element 44 will rotate therewith until it is in alignment with the hot air intake opening 60.

Secured to the plate 18 in alignment with the hot air intake opening 60 is a conduit 122.. The conduit 122 I will receive air which has been heated from the exhaust manifold or other portions of the tractor (not shown) on V which the cotton cleaning blower 10 is mounted. This hot air will pass through the screen element 44 from the side thereof opposite to which the cotton is impinged on.

The hot air which is drawn in by the fan 88 willthen remove the cleaned cotton from the screen element 44 and the fan 88 will then force it out through the duct 82. The hot air will dry the cotton to the desired moisture content and there will be connected to the duct 82 a suitable cotton carrier (not shown) in order that the cotton may be transported from the field in which it is being picked.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a cotton cleaning blower, a housing, a screc rotatably mounted in said housing, a cotton inlet in one side of said housing, a trash outlet in an opposite side of said housing in alignment with said cotton inlet, a hot air inlet in said opposite side remote from said trash outlet, a cotton outlet in said one side in alignment with said hot air inlet, said screen including concentric inner and outer drums, a spiral wound strip extending be tween said inner and outer drums intermediate ends thereof, dividers extending radially between said inner and outer drums and dividing said strip into sections, said dividers being secured to said strip and reinforcing said strip.

2. In a cotton cleaning blower, a housing, a screen rotatably mounted in said housing, a cotton inlet in one side of said housing, a trash outlet in an opposite side of said housing in alignment with said cotton inlet, a hot air inlet in said opposite side remote from said trash outlet, a cotton outlet in said one side in alignment with said hot air inlet, said screen including concentric inner and outer drums, a spiral wound strip extending between said inner and outer drums intermediate ends thereof, dividers extending radially betwen said inner and outer drums and dividing said strip into sections, said dividers being secured to said strip and reinforcing said strip, sealing means carried by said dividers and engaging said housing to seal said screen to said housing.

3. A cotton cleaning screen for a cotton cleaning blower, said cotton cleaning screen comprising concentric inner and outer drums, a spiral wound strip extending between said inner and outer drums intermediate ends thereof, dividers extending radially between said inner and outer drums and dividing said strip into sections, said dividers being secured to said strip and reinforcing said strip.

4. A cotton cleaning screen for a cotton cleaning blower, said cotton cleaning screen comprising concentric inner and outer drums, a spiral wound strip extending between said inner and outer drums intermediate ends thereof, dividers extending radially between said inner and outer drums and dividing said strip into sections, said dividers being secured to said strip and reinforcing said strip, a bearing carried by said inner drum, drive means for rotating said screen connected to said outer drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 418,087 Thomas Dec. 24, 1889 521,159 Garraux June 12, 1894 1,011,259 Smith et a1. Dec. 12, 1911 1,026,432 Dey May 14, 1912 1,224,598 Burch May 1, 1917 2,339,295 Rust Jan. 18, 1944 2,466,210 Creager Apr. 5, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 975.557 France Oct. 17, 1950

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