Apparatus and method for removing a fiber fraction from seed cotton

An apparatus for removing a fiber fraction from seed cotton comprising:

• a plurality of freely rotatable cage rollers arranged substantially parallel to one another, said plurality of cage rollers being rotatably driven in a continuous path, said continuous path having a first side for receiving the seed cotton and a second side opposite said first side;
• at least one rotatable nip roller having an outer peripheral surface that is positioned in abutting relation to the cage rollers on the second side of the continuous path to thereby apply a force to the cage rollers;
• and
• means for separating the seed cotton into individual locks before the seed cotton is fed onto the first side of the continuous path, said means for separating the seed cotton including two rotatably driven fluted rolls and two rotatably driven spiked tooth cylinders positioned below said fluted rolls, said spiked tooth cylinders being arranged to separate the seed cotton into individual locks, said fluted rolls and said spiked tooth cylinders being arranged with respect to the first side of the continuous path such that seed cotton is fed from the fluted rolls to the spiked tooth cylinders and directly to the first side of the continuous path without contacting any surface other than the fluted rolls and the spiked tooth cylinders and such that multipoint loading of the seed cotton onto the first side of the continuous path occurs.

An apparatus for removing a fiber fraction from seed cotton comprising:

• a plurality of rotatable cage rollers arranged substantially parallel to one another, said plurality of cage rollers being rotatably driven in a continuous path, said continuous path having a first side for receiving the seed cotton and a second side opposite said first side;
• at least one nip roller having an outer peripheral surface that is positioned in abutting relation to the cage rollers on the second side of the continuous path to thereby apply a force to the cage rollers;
• and
• means for separating the seed cotton into individual locks before the seed cotton is fed onto the first side of the continuous path, said means for separating the seed cotton including a hopper bin and at least one spiked tooth cylinder positioned below said hopper bin and adjacent a lower part of said hopper bin, said hopper bin and said at least one spiked tooth cylinder being arranged with respect to the first side of the continuous path such that individual locks of seed cotton can be pulled from the lower part of the hopper bin by the at least one spiked tooth cylinder and can be conveyed directly to the first side of the continuous path without contacting any surface other than a spiked tooth cylinder, whereby multipoint loading of the seed cotton onto the first side of the continuous path occurs.

An apparatus for removing a fiber fraction from seed cotton comprising:

• a plurality of rotatable cage rollers arranged substantially parallel to one another, said plurality of cage rollers being rotatably driven in a continuous path, said continuous path having a first side for receiving the seed cotton and a second side opposite said first side;
• at least one nip roller having an outer peripheral surface that is positioned in abutting relation to the cage rollers on the second side of the continuous path to thereby apply a force to the cage rollers, said at least one nip roller being rotatable about a centrally located shaft that has two ends;
• and
• means attached to said least one nip roller for varying the force applied by the at least one nip roller to the cage rollers, said means including at least one fluid operated cylinder attached to the at least one nip roller, a fluid source connected to the cylinder and means for regulating the pressure of the fluid supplied to said cylinder to vary the force applied by the at least one nip roller to the cage rollers.

An apparatus for removing a fiber fraction from seed cotton comprising:

• a plurality of freely rotatable cage rollers arranged substantially parallel to one another, said plurality of cage rollers being rotatably driven in a continuous path, said continuous path having a first side for receiving the seed cotton and a second side opposite said first side;
• at least one rotatable nip roller having an outer peripheral surface that is positioned in abutting relation to the cage rollers on the second side of the continuous path to thereby apply a force to the cage rollers;
• a rotatable cylinder positioned adjacent said plurality of cage rollers, said cylinder having an exterior surface that is adapted to aggressively hold seed cotton thereto;
• and
• rotatable means positioned adjacent said rotatable cylinder for brushing off and pulling seed cotton from the exterior surface of the rotatable cylinder, for feeding the seed cotton that is brushed off and pulled from the exterior surface of the rotatable cylinder directly to the first surface of the continuous path without contacting any surface other than the rotatable means and for providing multipoint loading of the seed cotton onto the first side of the continuous path.

A method for processing seed cotton comprising the steps of:

• directing an air stream into a first duct;
• feeding seed cotton into a second duct that intersects the first duct;
• increasing the velocity and decreasing the pressure of the air stream in the first duct as the air stream exits the first duct;
• directing the seed cotton into the path of the air stream of increased velocity and decreased pressure to separate the seed cotton into individual locks;
• conveying the individual locks to a cage roller apparatus for removing a fiber fraction from the seed cotton;
• and
• removing a fiber fraction from the seed cotton through operation of the cage roller apparatus.

A method for processing seed cotton comprising the steps of:

• feeding seed cotton onto a first side of an inclined feed apron that directs the seed cotton to a cage roller apparatus for removing a fiber fraction from the seed cotton;
• directing an air stream through adjustable louvers on the feed apron from a second side of the feed apron, said second side of the feed apron being opposite to said first side;
• passing the seed cotton over the adjustable louvers on the feed apron to thereby separate the seed cotton into individual locks as a result of the air stream flowing through the adjustable louvers;
• directing the separated locks of seed cotton to the cage roller apparatus;
• and
• removing a fiber fraction from the seed cotton through operation of the cage roller apparatus.

A method for processing seed cotton comprising the steps of:

• feeding seed cotton onto a first side of an inclined feed apron that directs the seed cotton to a cage roller apparatus for removing a fiber fraction from the seed cotton;
• directing an air stream through at least one slot in the feed apron from a second side of the feed apron, said second side of the feed apron being opposite to said first side and said slot in the feed apron extending over at least:
• a substantial portion of the width of the feed apron;
• passing the seed cotton over the at least one slot in the feed apron to thereby separate the seed cotton into individual locks as a result of the air stream flowing through the at least one slot;
• directing the separated locks of seed cotton to the cage roller apparatus;
• and
• removing a fiber fraction from the seed cotton through operation of the cage roller apparatus.

A method for processing seed cotton comprising the steps of:

• feeding seed cotton to two fluted rolls that rotate in opposite directions;
• directing the seed cotton directly from the fluted rolls to two spiked tooth cylinders that rotate in the same direction;
• directing the seed cotton directly from the spiked tooth cylinders to a cage roller apparatus without contacting any surface other than the spiked tooth cylinders;
• and
• removing a fiber fraction from the seed cotton through operation of the cage roller apparatus.

A method for processing seed cotton comprising the steps of:

• feeding seed cotton into a hopper bin;
• conveying the seed cotton to a lower part of the hopper bin and slightly compressing the seed cotton in the lower part of the hopper bin;
• pulling separate locks of seed cotton from the lower part of the hopper bin with a spiked tooth cylinder;
• directing the separated locks of seed cotton from the spiked tooth cylinder to a cage roller apparatus for removing a fiber fraction from the seed cotton without contacting any surface other than a spiked tooth cylinder;
• and
• removing a fiber fraction from the seed cotton through operation of the cage roller apparatus.

A method for processing seed cotton comprising the steps of:

• feeding seed cotton to a rotating cleaning saw cylinder that has an exterior surface that is adapted to aggressively hold seed cotton thereto;
• brushing off seed cotton from the exterior surface of the rotating cleaning saw cylinder through use of a rotating doffer brush;
• directing the seed cotton directly from the doffer brush to a cage roller apparatus without touching any surface other than the doffer brush;
• and
• removing a fiber fraction from the seed cotton through operation of the cage roller apparatus.

A method for processing seed cotton in a cage roller apparatus that comprises a plurality of freely rotatable cage rollers arranged substantially parallel to one another and being rotatably driven in a continuous path, said continuous path having a first side for receiving the seed cotton and a second side opposite the first side, and at least one rotatable nip roller having an outer peripheral surface that is positioned in abutting relation to the cage rollers on the second side of the continuous path whereby a force is applied by the nip roller to the cage rollers, the method comprising the steps of:

• feeding seed cotton onto the first side of the continuous path;
• removing cotton fibers from the seed cotton through operation of the cage roller apparatus;
• deciding to remove longer length cotton fibers from the seed cotton;
• increasing the force between the cage rollers and the at least one nip roller in order to permit longer length cotton fibers to be removed from the seed cotton;
• and
• removing longer length cotton fibers from the seed cotton through operation of the cage roller apparatus.