Doffer for a cotton cleaner

A cotton doffer structure for doffing cotton snagged on a surface having debris, the cotton doffer structure comprising:

• a plurality of single-piece extrusions cooperating to provide a rim, the rim having a longitudinal axis and a periphery with a plurality of radial protrusions integrally extending outward from the periphery forming a plurality of dovetail-shaped recesses;
• a shaft coupled to the rim for rotation therewith about the longitudinal axis in a forward direction, the rim surrounding the shaft;
• a plurality of brushes, each brush having a dovetail-shaped base end supporting upstanding bristles and respectively received by one of the dovetail-shaped recesses, an opposing distal end, a leading side generally facing the forward direction, and an opposing trailing side;
• and
• a plurality of brush support members, each of the brush support members having a leading end and a trailing end with an upright flange located adjacent the leading side.

A method for assembling a cotton doffer structure that doffs cotton snagged on a surface having debris, the method comprising:

• coupling a plurality of single-piece extrusions to provide a rim, each of the single-piece extrusions comprising a portion of the rim and a plurality of radial protrusions integrally extending outward from the portion of the rim;
• coupling a shaft to the rim for rotation;
• providing a plurality of brushes, each brush comprising a base end supporting upstanding bristles;
• and
• securing the base ends of the plurality of brushes with a plurality of brush support members, each of the brush support members comprising a leading end and a trailing end with an upright flange, each of the plurality of brush support members securing a respective one of the base ends of the plurality of brushes against a respective one of the plurality of radial protrusions with the upright flange located adjacent the respective one of the base ends of the plurality of brushes.

A cotton doffer structure for doffing cotton snagged on a surface having debris, the cotton doffer structure comprising:

• a plurality of single-piece segments cooperating to provide a rim, the rim having a longitudinal axis and a periphery with a plurality of radial protrusions integrally extending outward from the periphery;
• a shaft coupled to the rim for rotation therewith about the longitudinal axis in a forward direction, the rim surrounding the shaft;
• a plurality of brushes, each brush having a base end supporting upstanding bristles and contacting the periphery of the rim, an opposing distal end, a leading side generally facing the forward direction, and an opposing trailing side;
• and
• a plurality of brush support members, each of the brush support members having a leading end and a trailing end with an upright flange, each of the plurality of brush support members securing a respective one of the base ends of the plurality of brushes against a respective one of the plurality of radial protrusions with the upright flange located adjacent the leading side.