US 9,891,145 B1 · Cotton sampling system

Abstract

Apparatus for a cotton sampling system. The system includes a first station that provides a stream of samples to a main conveyor. The main conveyor routes the samples to a testing station that includes a sub-sampler, an automated cotton containment mechanism, an indexer, and an HVI. The conveyors include a shroud that moves samples over and under the conveyor. In this way samples that need to be retested pass to the testing station after failing the first test. The sub-sampler includes a walking beam mechanism to advance the samples into a fiber extraction mechanism. The automated cotton containment mechanism includes a gate valve and a diverter valve. The gate valve has a normal position configured to allow passage of cotton fibers, but blocking clumps. Upon detection of a clump, the diverter valve operates and the gate valve opens so that the clump is diverted to a waste receptacle.

Claims13

Dependent claims

An apparatus for acquiring, conditioning, and testing cotton sub-samples, said apparatus comprising:

a first conveyor with a plurality of pairs of slots configured to move along a length of said first conveyor, each one of said pair of slots configured to receive a pair of sample halves, said first conveyor having a stationary bed;
a loading station positioned adjacent said first conveyor, said loading station configured to position each one of said pair of sample halves in a corresponding one of said pairs of slots on said first conveyor, said loading station including a reader responsive to an identification of said pair of sample halves;
an imaging station positioned proximate said conveyor downstream of said loading station, said imaging station including a first camera positioned above said stationary bed of said first conveyor, said imaging station including a second camera positioned under a window in said stationary bed of said first conveyor;
and
a transfer station on said first conveyor, said transfer station configured to transfer said pair of sample halves from said first conveyor to a sub-sampler.

2 more elements

An apparatus for automating handling and image acquisition of cotton samples, said apparatus comprising:

a first conveyor having a transport mechanism and a stationary bed, said first conveyor including a plurality of slots connected to said transport mechanism;
a loading station positioned adjacent said first conveyor, each one of said plurality of slots configured to receive a sample of cotton at said loading station;
an imaging station positioned proximate said conveyor downstream of said loading station, said imaging station capturing a first image of a first side of said sample when said sample is positioned at said imaging station by said first conveyor, said imaging station capturing a second image of a second side of said sample;
and
a transfer station on said first conveyor, said transfer station configured to transfer said sample from said first conveyor off said first conveyor;
whereby said first conveyor receives said sample at said loading station, said first conveyor transports said sample from said loading station to said imaging station, and said transfer station offloads said sample from said conveyor after said imaging station obtains said first and second images.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Cotton sampling system

Life of this patent

Cotton sampling system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13