Textiles: fiber preparation – Liberating – Ginning
Patent
1998-04-23
2000-09-26
Calvert, John J.
Textiles: fiber preparation
Liberating
Ginning
19 48R, D01B 106
Patent
active
061228036
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an apparatus and a method for ginning cotton. Cotton ginning is the process of separating the cotton lint from the seed after harvesting of the cotton. Generally the ginning is carried out locally to the cotton fields in central ginneries.
Two principal methods of ginning cotton exist being a roller method and a saw method. In the former case the rolled ginned cotton has a horizontal cut which does not damage the staple giving a better product; in the latter case the material is cut vertically which tears and damages the staple but the process is faster. Apparatus presently used varies between small inefficient units using old technology requiring much maintenance and high power input, and high cost comprehensive machinery requiring a volume input to be effective.
In known roller ginning machines, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,094,043, a conveyor drops material into hoppers located on top of the gin and feeds material into the gin. The output of each gin is transported; the lint being baled and the seed crushed for oil. The process operates by bringing the cotton into contact with a leather roller to which the fibres adhere and thereafter dragging the cotton past a fixed knife pressed against the roller. A reciprocating knife above the fixed knife separates the lint (fibre) from the seed, the latter dropping through a grid and the lint being stripped away from the leather roller by a rotating bladed stripper.
One of the objects of this invention is to provide a ginning machine for cotton, although use for other products is not excluded, which produces the quality attributed to roller ginning processes but which is of simpler construction and requires less expertise and maintenance in operation. An advantage of the machine of this invention is that higher output may be achieved both in terms of throughput in relation to size and relative to power consumption.
According to this invention, and in one aspect, there is provided a cotton ginning apparatus comprising an upper fixed plate and a lower rotating plate in substantially horizontal parallel superimposed relationship and defining a gap therebetween, the upper (fixed) plate having means to introduce harvested seed cotton including lint and seed fed to the upper surface thereof to the gap between the plates, the upper plate having a number of zones each being provided with a cutting edge forming a knife on the lower surface thereof, the arrangement being such that when cotton is introduced into said gap during relative rotation of the plates and moved past the said cutting edge, lint is progressively severed from the seed, the severed lint (staple) being extracted and the seed being collectable in a separate receptacle.
In a first embodiment the seeds are retained in grooves on the upper surface of the lower plate with slots through the plate.
In a second embodiment the seeds are transported or carried on the lower rotating plate towards the blade affixed to the upper plate and the lint part of the cotton seed is drawn/combed under the affixed blade by a leather/cotton composite pad.
The present invention also provides a method of ginning harvested seed cotton comprising the steps of: upper surface of a lower rotating plate; the leading edge of a knife positioned at a defined distance above said lower rotating plate such that the cotton seed is drawn/combed under the knife edge; rearward facing edge of said knife; and
In order to explain this invention more fully and in greater detail an embodiment is described hereinafter with particular reference to the drawings showing schematically an apparatus by way of example. In the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows in side elevation and schematically a construction of a first embodiment of a ginning machine according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 shows in plan view the feeder plate;
FIG. 3 shows in plan view the rotating plate of one embodiment;
FIG. 4 shows in plan view the seed collection plate;
FIG. 5 shows in plan view the motor support plate;
FIG. 6 shows in perspective one knife block;
FI
REFERENCES:
patent: 388374 (1888-05-01), Seibert
patent: 399819 (1889-03-01), Baumgarten
patent: 3484904 (1969-12-01), Berriman et al.
patent: 4094043 (1978-06-01), Vandergriff
Calvert John J.
Kasper Horst M.
Templeton Process Developments Limited
Welch Gary L.
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