Apparatus for treating cotton to reduce the byssinotic effect thereof

Claim 2

Apparatus for treating cotton to reduce the byssinotic effect thereof comprising means defining a chamber having an inlet end and a discharge end for peripherally confining cotton for progressive movement from the inlet end thereof to the discharge end thereof, means for feeding a substantially continuous supply of cotton in generally loose form adjacent the inlet end of said chamber, means for progressively compressing the supply of cotton inwardly into the inlet end of said chamber, means adjacent the discharge end of said chamber for progressively engaging the cotton compressed into and peripherally confined within said chamber and for progressively loosening and conveying away the loosened cotton, means for continuously distributing dry steam into the interior of said chamber through the compressed cotton progressively moving therethrough at a temperature and for a time sufficient for the cotton to reach at least approximately 100* C without appreciably wetting the same before moving from the discharge end of said chamber, a vacuum air source, and means for communicating said vacuum air source to the inlet and discharge ends of said chamber to thereby collect the dry steam passing through the compressed cotton progressively moving through said chamber.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said chamber is disposed generally vertically with the inlet end above the discharge end thereof.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said cotton supply feeding means comprises a separator adapted to be mounted in a pneumatic conveyor in a cotton blending line or the like, and inclined chute means extending from said separator to the inlet end of said chamber for directing cotton separated by said separator downwardly into a position adjacent the inlet end of said chamber.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said cotton compressing means comprises a compressing element mounted for movement through successive operative cycles each including a compressive stroke from a position above said inlet end to a position inwardly of said inlet end and a return stroke.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said cotton compressing means comprises a second compressing element mounted for movement through successive operative cycles in side-by-side relation to said first-mentioned compressing element.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said compressed cotton engaging and loosening means comprises a pair of spiked rollers mounted for rotational movement about spaced parallel horizontal axes below said discharge end so that the peripheral surfaces thereof are spaced apart a distance less than the corresponding dimension of said chamber to thereby engage the compressed cotton progressively moving outwardly of the discharge end of said chamber and means for rotating said rollers about their axes in a direction to control the progressive movement of the compressed cotton outwardly of said discharge end.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said compressed cotton engaging and loosening means further includes a third spiked roller mounted below and between said pair of spiked rollers in a position to engage the lower end of the compressed cotton moved outwardly of the discharge end of said chamber by said pair of spiked rollers, a fourth spiked roller mounted alongside said third roller, and means for effecting rotational movement (1) of said third spiked roller at a speed sufficient to loosen and break up the compressed cotton engaged thereby and (2) of said fourth spiked roller at a lesser speed and in an opposite direction therefrom.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said compressed cotton engaging and loosening means further includes a pneumatic conveyor disposed below said third spiked roller in a position to receive the cotton loosened thereby and to convey the same therefrom.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said dry steam distributing means comprises a dry steam manifold disposed in surrounding relation to said chamber adjacent the central portion thereof, and means defining a multiplicity of dry steam inlet openings communicating said manifold with the interior of said chamber for directing a supply of dry steam under pressure communicated with said manifold inwardly of the periphery of the compressed cotton progressively moving within said chamber.

Claim 11

Apparatus for treating cotton to reduce the byssinotic effect thereof comprising means defining a chamber having an inlet end and a discharge end for peripherally confining cotton for progressive movement from the inlet end thereof to the discharge end thereof, said chamber being disposed generally vertically with the inlet end above the discharge end thereof, means for feeding a substantially continuous supply of cotton in generally loose form adjacent the inlet end of said chamber, means for progressively compressing the supply of cotton inwardly into the inlet end of said chamber, means adjacent the discharge end of said chamber for progressively engaging the cotton compressed into and peripherally confined within said chamber and for progressively loosening and conveying away the loosened cotton, and means for continuously distributing dry steam into the interior of said chamber through the compressed cotton progressively moving therethrough at a temperature and for a time sufficient for the cotton to reach at least approximately 100* C without appreciably wetting the same before moving from the discharge end of said chamber, said cotton compressing means comprising a first compressing element mounted for movement through successive operative cycles each including a compressive stroke from a position above said inlet end to a position inwardly of said inlet end and a return stroke and a second compressing element mounted for movement through successive operative cycles in side-by-side relation to said first compressing element, each of said compressing elements being in the form of a generally rectangular pad fixedly connected to one end of a mounting arm, each mounting arm being mounted for pivotal movement about a common generally horizontally extending axis and means operatively connected with each mounting arm for effecting pivotal movements thereof in opposite directions to effect movement of the associated compressing element through said operative cycles.

Claim 12

Apparatus for treating cotton to reduce the byssinotic effect thereof comprising means defining a chamber having an inlet end and a discharge end for peripherally confining cotton for progressive movement from the inlet end thereof to the discharge end thereof, said chamber being disposed generally vertically with the inlet end above the discharge end thereof, means for feeding a substantially continuous supply of cotton in generally loose form adjacent the inlet end of said chamber, means for progressively compressing the supply of cotton inwardly into the inlet end of said chamber, means adjacent the discharge end of said chamber for progressively engaging the cotton compressed into and peripherally confined within said chamber and for progressively loosening and conveying away the loosened cotton, and means for continuously distributing dry steam into the interior of said chamber through the compressed cotton progressively moving therethrough at a temperature and for a time sufficient for the cotton to reach at least approximately 100* C without appreciably wetting the same before moving from the discharge end of said chamber, said cotton compressing means comprising a first compressing element mounted for movement through successive operative cycles each including a compressive stroke from a position above said inlet end to a position inwardly of said inlet end and a return stroke and a second compressing element mounted for movement through successive operative cycles in side-by-side relation to said first compressing element, each of said compressing elements being in the form of a generally rectangular pad fixedly connected to one end of a mounting arm, each mounting arm being mounted for pivotal movement about a common generally horizontally extending axis and means operatively connected with each mounting arm for effecting pivotal movements thereof in opposite directions to effect movement of the associated compressing element through said operative cycles.

Claim 13

Apparatus as defined in claim 10 including detent means in said chamber adjacent the inlet end thereof operable to permit downward movement of cotton thereby and to prevent upward movement of cotton thereby.

Claim 14

Apparatus for treating cotton to reduce the byssinotic effect thereof comprising an upright skeletonized frame structure, means carried by said frame structure defining a vertically extending chamber of rectangular cross-sectional configuration having an upper inlet end and a Lower discharge end for peripherally confining cotton for progressive movement downwardly therethrough, a separator adapted to be mounted in a pneumatic conveyor extending above said frame structure in a cotton blending line or the like, inclined chute means carried by said frame structure adjacent the upper end portion thereof extending from said separator to the inlet end of said chamber for directing cotton separated by said separator downwardly into a position adjacent the inlet end of said chamber, a pair of generally rectangularly shaped cotton compressing pads, a mounting arm for each pad fixedly connected therewith, means mounting said mounting arms on said frame structure for pivotal movement about a common generally horizontally extending axis, means operatively connected with each mounting arm for effecting oscillatory cycles of pivotal movement thereof, each including a compressive stroke wherein the associated pad is moved from a position above said inlet end to a position inwardly of said inlet end and a return stroke, detent means in said chamber adjacent the inlet end thereof operable to permit downward movement of cotton thereby and to prevent upward movement of cotton thereby, a housing carried by said frame below said chamber communicating at its upper end with the discharge end of said chamber, a pair of spiked rollers mounted in said housing for rotational movement about spaced parallel horizontal axes below said discharge end so that the peripheral surfaces thereof are spaced apart a distance less than the corresponding dimension of said chamber to thereby engage the compressed cotton progressively moving outwardly of the discharge end of said chamber, means for rotating said pair of spiked rollers about their axes in a direction to control the progressive movement of the compressed cotton outwardly of said discharge end, a third spiked roller mounted in said housing below and between said pair of spiked rollers in a position to engage the lower end of the compressed cotton moved outwardly of the discharge end of said chamber by said pair of spiked rollers, means for effecting rotational movement of said third spiked roller at a speed sufficient to loosen and break up the compressed cotton engaged thereby, a pneumatic conveyor communicating with the lower end portion of said housing below said third spiked roller in a position to receive the cotton loosened thereby and to convey the same therefrom, a dry steam manifold disposed in surrounding relation to said chamber adjacent the central portion thereof, means defining a multiplicity of dry steam inlet openings communicating said manifold with the interior of said chamber for directing a supply of dry steam under pressure communicated with said manifold generally uniformly inwardly of the periphery of the compressed cotton progressively moving within said chamber, a negative pressure air source, and means for communicating said negative pressure air source to the inlet and discharge ends of said chamber to thereby collect the dry steam passing through the compressed cotton progressively moving through said chamber.

Claim 15

Apparatus for treating cotton to reduce the byssinotic effect thereof comprising an upright skeletonized frame structure, means carried by said frame structure defining a vertically extending chamber of rectangular cross-sectional configuration having an upper inlet end and a Lower discharge end for peripherally confining cotton for progressive movement downwardly therethrough, a separator adapted to be mounted in a pneumatic conveyor extending above said frame structure in a cotton blending line or the like, inclined chute means carried by said frame structure adjacent the upper end portion thereof extending from said separator to the inlet end of said chamber for directing cotton separated by said separator downwardly into a position adjacent the inlet end of said chamber, a pair of generally rectangularly shaped cotton compressing pads, a mounting arm for each pad fixedly connected therewith, means mounting said mounting arms on said frame structure for pivotal movement about a common generally horizontally extending axis, means operatively connected with each mounting arm for effecting oscillatory cycles of pivotal movement thereof, each including a compressive stroke wherein the associated pad is moved from a position above said inlet end to a position inwardly of said inlet end and a return stroke, detent means in said chamber adjacent the inlet end thereof operable to permit downward movement of cotton thereby and to prevent upward movement of cotton thereby, a housing carried by said frame below said chamber communicating at its upper end with the discharge end of said chamber, a pair of spiked rollers mounted in said housing for rotational movement about spaced parallel horizontal axes below said discharge end so that the peripheral surfaces thereof are spaced apart a distance less than the corresponding dimension of said chamber to thereby engage the compressed cotton progressively moving outwardly of the discharge end of said chamber, means for rotating said pair of spiked rollers about their axes in a direction to control the progressive movement of the compressed cotton outwardly of said discharge end, a third spiked roller mounted in said housing below and between said pair of spiked rollers in a position to engage the lower end of the compressed cotton moved outwardly of the discharge end of said chamber by said pair of spiked rollers, means for effecting rotational movement of said third spiked roller at a speed sufficient to loosen and break up the compressed cotton engaged thereby, a pneumatic conveyor communicating with the lower end portion of said housing below said third spiked roller in a position to receive the cotton loosened thereby and to convey the same therefrom, a dry steam manifold disposed in surrounding relation to said chamber adjacent the central portion thereof, means defining a multiplicity of dry steam inlet openings communicating said manifold with the interior of said chamber for directing a supply of dry steam under pressure communicated with said manifold generally uniformly inwardly of the periphery of the compressed cotton progressively moving within said chamber, a negative pressure air source, and means for communicating said negative pressure air source to the inlet and discharge ends of said chamber to thereby collect the dry steam passing through the compressed cotton progressively moving through said chamber.