Releasable grid bars for a cotton cleaner

A releasable grid bar mechanism for use with a saw drum in a cotton cleaner assembly, the grid bar release mechanism comprising:

• a first side member that extends from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end of the first side member includes a first pivot point;
• a second side member that extends from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end of the second side member includes a second pivot point;
• a plurality of bars that extend between the first and second side members;
• a first stop;
• a second stop;
• a grid bar release mechanism coupled to the distal ends of the first and second side members, the grid bar release mechanism comprising:
• a first hydraulic cylinder that couples to the distal end of the first side member to the cotton cleaner assembly;
• a second hydraulic cylinder that couples to the distal end of the second side member to the cotton cleaner assembly;
• wherein extension of the first and second hydraulic cylinders pivots the first and second side members about the first and second pivot points and moves the distal ends of the first and second side members against the first and second stops, respectively, to move the plurality of bars into an operational position, and retraction of the first and second hydraulic cylinders pivots the first and second side members about the first and second pivot points and moves the distal ends of the first and second side members away from the first and second stops, respectively, to move the plurality of bars into a released position;
• wherein, in the operational position the grid bar release mechanism locks the plurality of bars in a fixed position relative to the saw drum to knock debris from cotton that rotates with the saw drum, and in the released position the grid bar release mechanism moves the plurality of bars away from the saw drum to enable blockages that interfere with rotation of the saw drum to be cleared.

A cotton cleaner assembly comprising:

• a rotatable saw drum with a plurality of teeth;
• a first side member that extends from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end of the first side member includes a first pivot point;
• a second side member that extends from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end of the second side member includes a second pivot point;
• a plurality of bars that extend between the first and second side members;
• a grid bar release mechanism coupled to the distal ends of the first and second side members, where the grid bar release mechanism comprises:
• a shaft;
• a first linkage that couples the shaft to the distal end of the first side member;
• a second linkage that couples the shaft to the distal end of the second side member, where the shaft extends between the first and second linkages;
• wherein rotation of the shaft in a first direction moves the first and second linkages to pivot the first and second side members about the first and second pivot points and move the distal ends of the first and second side members towards the saw drum to move the plurality of bars into an operational position, and rotation of the shaft in a second direction moves the first and second linkages to pivot the first and second side members about the first and second pivot points and move the distal ends of the first and second side members away from the saw drum to move the plurality of bars into a released position, where the second direction is opposite of the first direction;
• wherein, in the operational position the grid bar release mechanism locks the plurality of bars in a fixed position relative to the saw drum to clean debris from cotton caught on the plurality of teeth that rotate on the saw drum, and in the released position the grid bar release mechanism moves the plurality of bars away from the saw drum to enable blockages between the saw drum and the plurality of bars that interfere with rotation of the saw drum to be cleared.