Cottonseed delinters and methods
OwnerThomas C. Wedegaertner, Gregory A. Holtinventors
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for removing material, e.g., linters, from seeds, e.g., ginned cottonseeds, are provided. The systems and methods involve rotating the seeds in a rotatable drum having a plurality of longitudinal brushes. The centrifugal force created by the rotation of the drum and the plurality of longitudinal brushes urge the seeds against an interior surface of the drum that is lined with a brush insert. In this way, work is performed that removes the material from the exterior of the seeds. The material is removed using reduced pressure and the processed seeds are removed. The system may include a brush insert that is easily removed from the rotatable drum. Other systems and methods are disclosed.
Claims15
A system for removing linters from ginned cottonseeds, the system comprising:
- a drum having a first longitudinal end and a second longitudinal end, an interior of the drum defining a cavity;
- a first end plate positioned proximate the first longitudinal end of the drum;
- a second end plate positioned proximate the second longitudinal end of the drum;
- a frame rotatably supporting the drum;
- a brush insert disposed within the cavity, the brush insert comprising:
- a spring frame having a first surface and a second surface, and having a first longitudinal seam edge and a second longitudinal seam edge, and
- a brush unit having a plurality of flexible filaments, wherein the flexible filaments face an interior of the drum;
- a plurality of longitudinal brushes disposed within in the cavity proximate the brush insert;
- a rotation device for rotating the drum;
- a feed conduit coupled to the first end plate for introducing the ginned cottonseeds into to the cavity;
- and
- a seed-material off take coupled to the second end plate for removing the cottonseeds after delinting.
A system for removing linters from ginned cottonseeds, the system comprising:
- a drum having a cavity, a first longitudinal end, and a second longitudinal end;
- a first endplate disposed proximate the first longitudinal end of the drum;
- a second end plate disposed proximate the second longitudinal end of the drum;
- a means for rotating the drum;
- a brush insert disposed within the cavity, the brush insert comprising a plurality of flexible filaments for engaging the cottonseeds;
- a plurality of longitudinal brushes disposed proximate to the brush insert;
- a means for introducing cottonseeds into the cavity;
- and
- a means for removing cottonseeds from the cavity.
A method of delinting ginned cottonseeds, the method comprising:
- providing a drum with a closed cavity, the drum having an interior surface;
- lining the interior surface of the drum with a flexible abrasive member;
- positioning a plurality of longitudinal brushes proximate to the flexible abrasive member to urge the cottonseeds against the flexible abrasive member;
- introducing the ginned cottonseeds into the closed cavity;
- rotating the drum;
- and
- removing the cottonseeds from the closed cavity once linters have been removed from the cottonseeds.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.