Classifying – separating – and assorting solids – Fluid suspension – Gaseous
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-01
2001-07-03
Nguyen, Tuan N. (Department: 3653)
Classifying, separating, and assorting solids
Fluid suspension
Gaseous
C209S142000, C019S303000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06253923
ABSTRACT:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT RE FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
REFERENCE TO A “MICROFICHE APPENDIX”
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to an apparatus for separating trash and lint cotton in a cotton/trash mix discharged from a cotton gin or the like.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
A preliminary patentability search conducted in class
209
, subclass
137
, and class
19
, subclasses
39
,
303
,
203
,
204
and
205
, produced the following patents which appear to be relevant to the present invention:
Van Doorn, U.S. Pat. No. 2,681,476, issued Jun. 22, 1954, and Van Doom, U.S. Pat. No. 2,681,477, issued Jun. 22, 1954, disclose apparatuses for placement between a gin stand or the like and a common lint flue to separate lint cotton and trash from an air-borne stream passing from a gin stand. Each apparatus has ductwork including, in general, a inlet duct for receiving the air-borne stream of lint cotton and trash from the gin stand, a lint outlet duct angularly disposed with respect to and communicating with the inlet duct for conveying lint from the air-borne stream to the common lint flue, and a trash outlet opening at the junction between the inlet duct and the lint outlet duct, the trash outlet opening having a sharp edge on the upstream side thereof for stripping trash from the air-borne stream and serving as a divider so that the trash will pass out of the ductwork through the trash outlet opening.
The typical air cleaner used to clean lint cotton as the lint cotton is discharged from a cotton gin is designed to remove trash or separate trash from lint using centrifugal force. Cotton is lighter that some trash. Some of the previous cleaners made around the 1950's, such as those disclosed in the above-identified Van Doorn patents, are still the standard with larger units means up to 9 feet (2.74 meters) wide and up to 6 feet (1.83 meters) deep.
Nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests the present invention. More specifically, nothing in the known prior art discloses or suggests an apparatus including an inlet duct having an inlet port for receiving a cotton/trash mix discharged by a cotton gin, including a lint cotton outlet duct having a lint cotton outlet port for allowing lint cotton to exit therethrough, and having a trash outlet port intermediate the inlet port of the inlet duct and the lint cotton outlet port of the lint cotton outlet duct for allowing trash to exit therethrough; a knife positioned at the trash outlet port; and control means for causing movement of at least a portion of the inlet duct to vary the cross sectional area of the contour of at least a portion of the interior passageway thereof and/or the size of the trash outlet port, and for causing movement of at least a portion of the lint cotton outlet duct to vary the cross sectional area of the contour of at least a portion of the interior passageway thereof and for causing movement of the knife to vary the size of the trash outlet port.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an apparatus for cleaning lint cotton as the lint cotton is discharged from a cotton gin. A basic concept of the present invention is to provide such a cleaning apparatus that has multiple adjustments to vary the flow of the cotton—trash mix therethrough.
The apparatus of the present invention comprises, in general, ductwork including an inlet duct having an inlet port for receiving the cotton/trash mix discharged by the cotton gin, including a lint cotton outlet duct having a lint cotton outlet port for allowing lint cotton to exit therethrough, and having a trash outlet port intermediate the inlet port of the inlet duct and the lint cotton outlet port of the lint cotton outlet duct for allowing trash to exit therethrough; the inlet duct having an interior passageway, at least a portion of the interior passageway of the inlet duct having a contour with a variable cross-sectional area; the lint cotton outlet duct having an interior passageway, at least a portion of the interior passageway of the lint cotton outlet duct having a contour with a variable cross-sectional area; a knife positioned at the trash outlet port; and control means for causing movement of at least a portion of the inlet duct to vary the cross sectional area of the contour of at least a portion of the interior passageway thereof and/or the size of the trash outlet port, and for causing movement of at least a portion of the lint cotton outlet duct to vary the cross sectional area of the contour of at least a portion of the interior passageway thereof and for causing movement of the knife to vary the size of the trash outlet port.
One object of the present invention is to provide a small, light and compact cleaner that can be placed in the ductwork of an existing gin with little modification.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner with the ability to adjust the entire elbow in and out.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner with a knife blade positioned in the air-stream about center distance of the elbow between the inlet duct and lint cotton outlet duct.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustment of the ductwork directly in front of the elbow to allow the air stream to be placed in line with the knife blade or narrow the air stream if desired.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner with adjustment to move into the knife blade and close off the elbow system.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner with three arms for manual adjustment located at each end of the cleaner.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2366705 (1945-01-01), Berry
patent: 2681476 (1954-06-01), Van Doorn
patent: 2681477 (1954-06-01), Van Doorn
patent: 5437373 (1995-08-01), Desmadryl
patent: 6089378 (2000-07-01), Mascheretti et al.
Nguyen Tuan N.
Walker, McKenzie & Walker P.C.
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