Device to separate contaminants from cotton and flax

• US 6,539,585 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Representated by the Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: United States Department Of Agriculture
• Inventors: Anthony, William S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Welch, Gary L.
• Application Number:
  US09/962,568
• Time in Patent Office: 553 Days
• Field of Search: 19/5.R, 19/6, 19/24, 19/39, 19/40, 19/41, 19/42, 19/48.R, 19/54, 19/55.R, 19/57, 19/58, 19/59, 19/60, 19/61, 19/645, 191/05, 191/06.R, 192/00, 192/02, 192/03, 192/04, 192/05, 241/7, 241/13, 241/159, 241/73, 241/76, 241/77, 241/78, 241/79, 241/88.4, 209/22, 209/23, 209/30, 209/33, 209/31, 209/12.1
• US Class Current: 19/48.00R
• CPC Class Codes: D01B 1/04 Ginning
• CPC Class Codes: D01B 1/26 with beaters rotating about an axis parallel with the fibre bundle

Abstract

A process and apparatus for removing foreign matter from fibers, such as from cotton or flax with significantly reduced damage are disclosed. This cleaning is achieved without any of the condenser, compression rollers, or feed roller and feed plate which are present on conventional lint cleaners.

Claims

1. An apparatus for separating foreign matter from a fiber containing material comprising:

a) a first housing, said first housing comprising an inlet therein for delivering a fiber containing material for separation therein, and an outlet for discharging partially treated fiber therefrom;

b) a separation surface positioned within said first housing, said surface having apertures therethrough effective for allowing passage of foreign matter in said fiber containing material, wherein said outlet for discharging partially treated fiber is disposed above said separation surface;

c) a plurality of rotatable first separator cylinders positioned within said first housing above said separation surface, said first separator cylinders comprising a plurality of projections extending therefrom effective for engaging, moving, and centrifugally releasing therefrom fibers in said fiber containing material, said first separator cylinders rotating in the same angular direction such that said fiber containing material is transported through said first housing, across said separation surface, and through said outlet upon engagement by said projections and rotation of said first cylinders, while said foreign matter separated from said fiber containing material passes through said apertures;

d) a second housing, said second housing comprising an inlet in communication with said outlet of said first housing for receiving said partially treated fiber, a first outlet for treated fiber, and a second outlet for foreign matter;

e) a rotatable second separator cylinder disposed in said second housing, said second separator cylinder comprising a plurality of projections extending therefrom effective for securely engaging and transporting fibers in said fiber containing material on said second separator cylinder;

f) a first cleaning bar disposed in said second housing, wherein said first cleaning bar is disposed adjacent said second separator cylinder such that fibers pass between said second separator cylinder and said first cleaning bar, whereby said first cleaning bar removes foreign matter from said fiber containing material; and

g) a first doffing means for removing said fiber from said projections on said second separator cylinder, said first doffing means selected from the group consisting of air blast, vacuum, and a first doffing brush cylinder, wherein said first doffing brush cylinder has an outer peripheral surface operably associated with said second separator cylinder effective for mechanically removing said fiber from said projections on said second separator cylinder, said first doffing brush cylinder rotating in the opposite angular direction as said second separator cylinder.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the furthermost downstream of said rotatable first separator cylinders further comprises outwardly extending wipers effective for propelling said fiber containing material upon rotation of said first separator cylinders.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said wipers on said first separator cylinders are selected from the group consisting of elongated planar surfaces, curved surfaces, and angles, and said wipers extend partially or approximately completely across the length of said furthermost downstream of said first separator cylinders.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first housing and said second housing are unitary.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first housing and said second housing are separate.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said outlet of said first housing and said inlet of said second housing are in direct communication.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said projections on said second separator cylinder are selected from the group consisting of toothed wire, saw teeth, and hooks.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said projections on said first separator cylinder are selected from the group consisting of spikes, course approximately triangular shaped teeth, rods, angles, straight or curved tines, flanges, and rods.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said separation surfaces are selected from the group consisting of parallel, spaced bars, screens, grids, mesh, and continuous sheets of material having perforations therethrough.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said separation surfaces are concave.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first doffing means comprises said first doffing brush cylinder.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said first doffing brush cylinder comprises a solid face doffing brush cylinder.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising

h) a third separator cylinder positioned in said second housing, said third separator cylinder comprising a plurality of projections extending therefrom effective for securely engaging and transporting fibers in said fiber containing material on said third separator cylinder, wherein said third separator cylinder is positioned adjacent to said first doffing brush cylinder such that the outer peripheral surface of said doffing brush cylinder is operably associated with and rotating in the opposite angular direction as said third separator cylinder;

i) a second cleaning bar disposed in said second housing, wherein said second cleaning bar is disposed adjacent to said third separator cylinder'"'"' such that fibers pass between said third separator cylinder and said second cleaning bar, whereby said second cleaning bar removes foreign matter from said fiber containing material; and

j) a second doffing means provided downstream of said first doffing brush cylinder for removing said fiber from said projections on said third separator cylinder, said second doffing means selected from the group consisting of air blast, vacuum, and a second doffing brush cylinder, wherein said second doffing brush cylinder has an outer peripheral surface operably associated with said third separator cylinder effective for mechanically removing said fiber from said projections on said third separator cylinder, said second doffing brush cylinder rotating in the opposite angular direction as said third separator cylinder.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said second doffing means comprises said second doffing brush cylinder.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising a shroud extending between the pinch point of said second separator cylinder with said first doffing brush cylinder, parallel to the periphery of said first doffing brush cylinder, to said third separator cylinder, said shroud being effective to direct the flow of fiber removed from said second separator cylinder by said first doffing brush cylinder into engagement with said projections on said third separator cylinder.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

k) a fourth separator cylinder positioned in said second housing, said fourth separator cylinder comprising a plurality of projections extending therefrom effective for securely engaging and transporting fibers in said fiber containing material on said fourth separator cylinder, wherein said fourth separator cylinder is positioned to engage said foreign matter removed from said second separator cylinder by said first cleaning bar, and is further positioned adjacent to said first doffing brush cylinder such that the outer peripheral surface of said first doffing brush cylinder is operably associated with and rotating in the opposite angular direction as said fourth separator cylinder; and

l) a third cleaning bar disposed in said second housing, wherein said third cleaning bar is disposed adjacent to said fourth separator cylinder such that fibers pass between said fourth separator cylinder and said third cleaning bar, whereby said third cleaning bar removes foreign matter from said fiber containing material;

wherein said first doffing brush cylinder is effective for simultaneously mechanically removing said fiber from both said projections on said second separator cylinder and said projections on said fourth separator cylinder.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said outlet of said first housing and said inlet of said second housing are in direct communication.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

k) a fourth separator cylinder positioned in said second housing, said fourth separator cylinder comprising a plurality of projections extending therefrom effective for securely engaging and transporting fibers in said fiber containing material on said fourth separator cylinder, wherein said fourth separator cylinder is positioned to engage said foreign matter removed from said second separator cylinder by said first cleaning bar, and is further positioned adjacent to said first doffing brush cylinder such that the outer peripheral surface of said first doffing brush cylinder is operably associated with and rotating in the opposite angular direction as said fourth separator cylinder; and

l) a third cleaning bar disposed in said second housing, wherein said third cleaning bar is disposed adjacent to said fourth separator cylinder such that fibers pass between said fourth separator cylinder and said third cleaning bar, whereby said third cleaning bar removes foreign matter from said fiber containing material;

wherein said first doffing brush cylinder is effective for simultaneously mechanically removing said fiber from both said projections on said second separator cylinder and said projections on said fourth separator cylinder.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising a shroud extending between the pinch point of said fourth separator cylinder with said first doffing brush cylinder, parallel to the periphery of said first doffing brush cylinder, to the pinch point between said second separator cylinder with said first doffing brush cylinder, said shroud being effective to direct the flow of fiber removed from said fourth separator cylinder by said first doffing brush cylinder to said pinch point between said second separator cylinder with said first doffing brush cylinder, whereupon said fiber removed from said fourth separator cylinder is combined with said fiber removed from said second separator cylinder.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein said outlet of said first housing and said inlet of said second housing are in direct communication.

26. A process for separating foreign matter from a fiber containing material comprising:

a) providing the apparatus of claim 1;

b) rotating said first separator cylinders, second separator cylinder, and doffing brush cylinder;

c) introducing a fiber containing material into said first housing through said inlet therein and into contact with said first separation cylinders, wherein said material is agitated and transported and scrubbed across said separation surface, dislodging foreign matter within said material;

d) allowing said foreign matter to fall by gravity through said apertures in said surface;

e) propelling partially cleaned material from the furthermost downstream of said first separator cylinders through said outlet of said first housing, and directly into said second housing and into contact with said second separator cylinder;

f) transporting said partially cleaned fibers on said projections of said second separator cylinder, past said cleaning bars, thereby removing foreign matter therefrom;

g) removing cleaned fibers on said second separator cylinder with said first doffing means.

27. The process of claim 26 wherein said fiber containing material is selected from the group consisting of cotton, flax, and polyester.

21. An apparatus for separating foreign matter from a fiber containing material comprising:

a) a first housing, said first housing comprising an inlet therein for delivering a fiber containing material for separation therein, and an outlet for discharging partially treated fiber therefrom;

b) a separation surface positioned within said first housing, said surface having apertures therethrough effective for allowing passage of foreign matter in said fiber containing material;

c) a plurality of rotatable first separator cylinders positioned within said first housing above said separation surface, said first separator cylinders comprising a plurality of projections extending therefrom effective for engaging, moving, and centrifugally releasing therefrom fibers in said fiber containing material, said first separator cylinders rotating in the same angular direction such that said fiber containing material is transported through said first housing, across said separation surface, and through said outlet upon engagement by said projections and rotation of said first cylinders;

d) a second housing, said second housing comprising an inlet in communication with said outlet of said first housing for receiving said partially treated fiber, a first outlet for treated fiber, and a second outlet for foreign matter;

e) a rotatable second separator cylinder disposed in said second housing, said second separator cylinder comprising a plurality of projections extending therefrom effective for securely engaging and transporting fibers in said fiber containing material on said second separator cylinder;

f) a first cleaning bar disposed in said second housing, wherein said first cleaning bar is disposed adjacent said second separator cylinder such that fibers pass between said second separator cylinder and said first cleaning bar, whereby said first cleaning bar removes foreign matter from said fiber containing material;

g) a first doffing cylinder having an outer peripheral surface operably associated with said second separator cylinder effective for mechanically removing said fiber from said projections on said second separator cylinder, said first doffing cylinder rotating in the opposite angular direction as said second separator cylinder;

h) a third separator cylinder positioned in said second housing, said third separator cylinder comprising a plurality of projections extending therefrom effective for securely engaging and transporting fibers in said fiber containing material on said third separator cylinder, wherein said third separator cylinder is positioned adjacent to said first doffing cylinder such that the outer peripheral surface of said doffing cylinder is operably associated with and rotating in the opposite angular direction as said third separator cylinder;

i) a second cleaning bar disposed in said second housing, wherein said second cleaning bar is disposed adjacent to said third separator cylinder such that fibers pass between said third separator cylinder and said second cleaning bar, whereby said second cleaning bar removes foreign matter from said fiber containing material; and

j) a second doffing brush cylinder provided downstream of the first doffing cylinder, said second doffing brush cylinder having an outer peripheral surface operably associated with said third separator cylinder effective for mechanically removing said fiber from said projections on said third separator cylinder, said second doffing brush cylinder rotating in the opposite angular direction as said third separator cylinder.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

k) a fourth separator cylinder positioned in said second housing, said fourth separator cylinder comprising a plurality of projections extending therefrom effective for securely engaging and transporting fibers in said fiber containing material on said fourth separator cylinder, wherein said fourth separator cylinder is positioned to engage said foreign matter removed from said third separator cylinder by said second cleaning bar, and is further positioned adjacent to said second doffing brush cylinder such that the outer peripheral surface of said second doffing brush cylinder is operably associated with and rotating in the opposite angular direction as said fourth separator cylinder; and

l) a third cleaning bar disposed in said second housing, wherein said third cleaning bar is disposed adjacent to said fourth separator cylinder such that fibers pass between said fourth separator cylinder and said third cleaning bar, whereby said third cleaning bar removes foreign matter from said fiber containing material;

wherein said second doffing brush cylinder is effective for simultaneously mechanically removing said fiber from both said projections on said third separator cylinder and said projections on said fourth separator cylinder.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said first doffing cylinder comprises a further separator cylinder comprising a plurality of projections extending therefrom effective for securely engaging and transporting fibers in said fiber containing material.

24. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said outlet of said first housing and said inlet of said second housing are in direct communication.

25. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said outlet from said first housing for discharging partially treated fiber is disposed above said separation surface.