Systems for collecting and handling lint

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR REMOVING LINT FROM TEXTILE MACHINES AND THE LIKE AND FOR COLLECTING THE LINT, SAID APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: (A) A TRACKWAY; (B) CARRIAGE MEANS MOUNTED FOR TRAVEL ON SAID TRACKWAY OVER SAID MACHINES; (C) MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID CARRIAGE MEANS INCLUDING A HIGH PRESSURE TUBE HAVING AN OUTLET FOR DIRECTING A STREAM OF AIR TOWARD SAID MACHINES TO BLOW AIR THEREFROM AND A LOW PRESSURE TUBE HAVING AN INLET; (D) FAN MEANS SUPPORTED ON SAID CARRIAGE MEANS; (E) SAID FAN MEANS HAVING A HIGH PRESSURE SIDE AND A LOW PRESSURE SUCTION SIDE; (F) STRUCTURE WHICH ESTABLISHES A FIRST FLOW PATH PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID HIGH PRESSURE SIDE AND SAID HIGH PRESSURE TUBE AND WHICH ESTABLISHES A SECOND FLOW PATH PROVIDING COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID LOW PRESSURE SUCTION SIDE AND SAID LOW PRESSURE TUBE SO THAT OPERATION OF SAID FAN MEANS IS EFFECTIVE TO BLOW AIR FROM SAID HIGH PRESSURE TUBE OUTLET AND TO CAUSE A LOW PRESSURE LINTCARRYING AIR STREAM TO FLOW INTO AND THROUGH SAID LOW PRESSURE TUBE; (G) FIRST SCREENING MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID FIRST FLOW PATH UPSTREAM FROM SAID HIGH PRESSURE TUBE FOR REMOVING LINT FROM THE AIR FLOWING TO SAID HIGH PRESSURE TUBE; (H) SECOND SCREENING MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID SECOND FLOW PART IN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAID LOW PRESSURE LINT-CARRYING AIR STREAM; (I) SAID SCREENING MEANS BEING ARRANGED IN SAID FLOW PATHS IN ASSOCIATION WITH SAID STRUCTURE SO THAT OPERATION OF SAID FAN MEANS CAUSES AIR STREAMS TO FLOW THROUGH BOTH OF SAID SCREENING MEANS IN THE SAME RELATIVE DIRECTION; (J) AND SAID FIRST AND SECOND SCREENING MEANS HAVING SURFACES ON WHICH LINT IS DEPOSITED, DURING SAID OPERATION OF SAID FAN MEANS, SAID SURFACES BEING LOCATED ADJACENT TO EACH OTHER AND DISPOSED IN SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME PLANE SO THAT LINT CAN BE REMOVED FROM BOTH SURFACES AT A SINGLE LOCATION ADJACENT THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAID CARRIAGE MEANS; (K) AND A PNEUMATIC LINT COLLECTING SYSTEM INCLUDING A SOURCE OF AIR AND A MEMBER MOUNTED ALONG SAID TRACKWAY IN POSITION TO BE ADJACENT SAID SURFACES OF SAID SCREENING MEANS WHEN SAID CARRIAGE MEANS IS MOVED PAST SAID MEMBER, SAID SOURCE OF AIR BEING OPERABLE TO CREATE A FLOW OF AIR THROUGH BOTH OF SAID SCREENING MEANS IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE TO SAID RELATIVE DIRECTION IN ORDER TO REMOVE LINT DEPOSITED ON SAID SURFACES.