Cotton linter refining process and apparatus

Claim 3

has an inlet throat end and an outlet end, and

Claim 4

has an inlet throat end and an outlet end, and

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 including the steps of: conveying upwardly along said inclined conveyer means residual portions of said aggregate material stream not entrained in said air stream; directing said residual portions to a second point in said plenum chamber apart and separated from said predetermined point of termination of said air stream; and removing and collecting at said second point fibers contained in said residual portions.

Claim 6

revolves said mixture of air and linter stock through an upwardly concave arc,

Claim 7

revolves said mixture of air and linter stock through an upwardly concave arc,

Claim 8

a short-fiber discharge means that removes said short fiber as said short-Fiber mat from said surface after rotation of said lower drum to the exterior of said plenum chamber; H. a long-fiber collection means, comprising:

Claim 9

a short-fiber discharge means that removes said short fiber as said short-Fiber mat from said surface after rotation of said lower drum to the exterior of said plenum chamber; H. a long-fiber collection means, comprising:

Claim 10

a long-fiber discharge means that removes said long fibers as said long-fiber mat from said surface after rotation of said upper drum to the exterior of said plenum chamber; and I. a linter-fines collection means that collects said portion of linter fines, conveyed by said air and passed through said perforated upper and lower vacuumized drums, on a filter means as said sheeted cellulose fines.

Claim 11

a long-fiber discharge means that removes said long fibers as said long-fiber mat from said surface after rotation of said upper drum to the exterior of said plenum chamber; and I. a linter-fines collection means that collects said portion of linter fines, conveyed by said air and passed through said perforated upper and lower vacuumized drums, on a filter means as said sheeted cellulose fines.

Claim 12

a supporting means for said lower end,

Claim 13

a supporting means for said lower end,

Claim 14

a perforated bottom wall inclined downwardly and forwardly from said rear inlet portion, and

Claim 15

a perforated bottom wall inclined downwardly and forwardly from said rear inlet portion, and

Claim 16

a feeding means for feeding said cotton linter pills in a blanket form to said roll assembly comprising a moving feed apron, and

Claim 17

a feeding means for feeding said cotton linter pills in a blanket form to said roll assembly comprising a moving feed apron, and

Claim 18

removing said short fibers as said short-fiber mat from the surface of said vacuumized lower drum after rotation thereof to the exterior of said plenum chamber; and J. collecting and removing said portion of linter fines, conveyed by said air and passing through said perforated vacuumized upper and lower drums from said plenum chamber on a filter means as said sheeted cellulose fines.

Claim 19

removing said short fibers as said short-fiber mat from the surface of said vacuumized lower drum after rotation thereof to the exterior of said plenum chamber; and J. collecting and removing said portion of linter fines, conveyed by said air and passing through said perforated vacuumized upper and lower drums from said plenum chamber on a filter means as said sheeted cellulose fines.

Claim 20

collecting said long fibers on the interiorly exposed surface of a perforated vacuumized upper drum which is rotatably mounted in an exterior wall of said plenum chamber in the upper portion thereof, and

Claim 21

collecting said long fibers on the interiorly exposed surface of a perforated vacuumized upper drum which is rotatably mounted in an exterior wall of said plenum chamber in the upper portion thereof, and

Claim 22

a secondary irregular sheet of heavy trash which moves partially downwardly and outwardly below said fiber sheet toward the near side of said underlying hopper partition; C. slidingly impinging said fiber sheet onto the lower end portion of said vibratory screen along a horizontally disposed line of impingement that is on the far side of said underlying hopper partition; D. directing a sheet of air, linearly moving at about one-third the linear speed of said expelled mixture into said plenum chamber at a slightly smaller angle to the horizontal than said fiber sheet and into convergence with said fiber sheet at said line of impingement, so that said long fibers and a portion of said linter fines bounce upwardly along said line of impingement; E. forming said long-fiber mat by:

Claim 23

a secondary irregular sheet of heavy trash which moves partially downwardly and outwardly below said fiber sheet toward the near side of said underlying hopper partition; C. slidingly impinging said fiber sheet onto the lower end portion of said vibratory screen along a horizontally disposed line of impingement that is on the far side of said underlying hopper partition; D. directing a sheet of air, linearly moving at about one-third the linear speed of said expelled mixture into said plenum chamber at a slightly smaller angle to the horizontal than said fiber sheet and into convergence with said fiber sheet at said line of impingement, so that said long fibers and a portion of said linter fines bounce upwardly along said line of impingement; E. forming said long-fiber mat by:

Claim 24

removing said long fibers as said long-fiber mat from the surface of said upper drum after rotation thereof to the exterior of said plenum chamber; F. upwardly moving said short fibers, said remaining linter fines, and said light trash along said vibratory screen from said line of impingement so that said linter fines and light trash pass through said vibratory screen on the far side of said underlying hopper partition and said short fibers arrive at the top end of said vibratory screen; G. collecting and removing said heavy trash, which has gravitationally moved downwardly on said near side of said hopper partition, from said plenum chamber; H. collecting and removing said remaining linter fines mixed with light trash, which have passed through said vibratory screen on said far side of said underlying hopper partition, from said plenum chamber; I. forming said short-fiber mat by:

Claim 25

removing said long fibers as said long-fiber mat from the surface of said upper drum after rotation thereof to the exterior of said plenum chamber; F. upwardly moving said short fibers, said remaining linter fines, and said light trash along said vibratory screen from said line of impingement so that said linter fines and light trash pass through said vibratory screen on the far side of said underlying hopper partition and said short fibers arrive at the top end of said vibratory screen; G. collecting and removing said heavy trash, which has gravitationally moved downwardly on said near side of said hopper partition, from said plenum chamber; H. collecting and removing said remaining linter fines mixed with light trash, which have passed through said vibratory screen on said far side of said underlying hopper partition, from said plenum chamber; I. forming said short-fiber mat by:

Claim 26

expels said mixture into said sealed plenum chamber as: a. a fiber sheet, linearly moving at high speed and disposed at a slightly smaller angle to the horizontal than said vibratory screening means, so that said fiber sheet slidingly impinges onto the lower end portion of said perforated diaphragm along a horizontally disposed line of impingement that is on said rear side of said underlying hopper partition, said fiber sheet containing said long fibers, said short fibers, said linter fines, and said light trash, and b. a secondary irregular heavy trash sheet which moves partially downwardly and outwardly below said fiber sheet toward said front side of said underlying hopper partition; D. an air nozzle means, associated with said front intake wall and above said diffuser means, that directs a sheet of air, linearly moving at about one-third the linear speed of said fiber sheet, into said plenum chamber at a slightly smaller angle to the horizontal than said fiber sheet and into convergence with said fiber sheet at said line of impingement, so that said long fibers and a portion of said linter fines bounce upwardly along said line of impingement and are conveyed toward said ceiling by said air contained in said fiber sheet and said air sheet, while said short fibers, the remaining linter fines, and said light trash move upwardly along said perforated diaphragm from said line of impingement so that said linter fines and light trash pass through said perforated diaphragm on said rear side of said underlying hopper partition and said short fibers arrive at said upper end of said perforated diaphragm; E. a heavy-trash outlet means disposed between said front intake wall and said underlying hopper partition into which said heavy trash sheet gravitates; F. a chute collection means for said trash and linter fines that is underlyingly associated with said perforated diaphragm; G. a short-fiber collection means, comprising:

Claim 27

expels said mixture into said sealed plenum chamber as: a. a fiber sheet, linearly moving at high speed and disposed at a slightly smaller angle to the horizontal than said vibratory screening means, so that said fiber sheet slidingly impinges onto the lower end portion of said perforated diaphragm along a horizontally disposed line of impingement that is on said rear side of said underlying hopper partition, said fiber sheet containing said long fibers, said short fibers, said linter fines, and said light trash, and b. a secondary irregular heavy trash sheet which moves partially downwardly and outwardly below said fiber sheet toward said front side of said underlying hopper partition; D. an air nozzle means, associated with said front intake wall and above said diffuser means, that directs a sheet of air, linearly moving at about one-third the linear speed of said fiber sheet, into said plenum chamber at a slightly smaller angle to the horizontal than said fiber sheet and into convergence with said fiber sheet at said line of impingement, so that said long fibers and a portion of said linter fines bounce upwardly along said line of impingement and are conveyed toward said ceiling by said air contained in said fiber sheet and said air sheet, while said short fibers, the remaining linter fines, and said light trash move upwardly along said perforated diaphragm from said line of impingement so that said linter fines and light trash pass through said perforated diaphragm on said rear side of said underlying hopper partition and said short fibers arrive at said upper end of said perforated diaphragm; E. a heavy-trash outlet means disposed between said front intake wall and said underlying hopper partition into which said heavy trash sheet gravitates; F. a chute collection means for said trash and linter fines that is underlyingly associated with said perforated diaphragm; G. a short-fiber collection means, comprising:

Claim 28

a precleaner and conditioner means for depositing a pre-cleaned and formed blanket of said linter pills from usual oil mill market bales onto said feed apron, comprising: a. a main hopper having:

Claim 29

a precleaner and conditioner means for depositing a pre-cleaned and formed blanket of said linter pills from usual oil mill market bales onto said feed apron, comprising: a. a main hopper having:

Claim 30

an outlet for discharge of said pills, b. a series of picker rolls arranged in said hopper above said bottom wall and through which the unbaled stock passes in clumps, so as to be broken up, c. a vibratory means associated with said bottom wall for agitating and vibrating said clumps during passage through said picker rolls and for causing heavy dirt particles to fall through the perforations of said perforated bottom wall, d. a lift apron means for receiving said stock as opened and combed stock from said picker rolls, e. a collection means disposed at the lower end of said perforated bottom wall and below said lift apron means for collecting light trash and linter fines, f. an adjacent collection means for heavy dirt particles underlying said bottom wall, and g. a compression means disposed adjacent said outlet for compressing said pills into a blanket form that is deposited onto said feed apron; D. an air nozzle means associated with said front intake end for projecting a high speed air stream into said chamber above said diffused fiber and heavy trash sheets, creating a low pressure area above said fiber and heavy trash sheets with said fibers rising into said air stream; E. a trash outlet means disposed between said front intake end and lower end of said vibratory screening means into which said heavy trash sheet gravitates as it enters said low pressure area under said high speed air stream, said air stream carrying said fiber stream and impinging therewith on said vibratory screening means with longer fibers in the fiber stream rising with the bounce of the air stream off said vibratory screening means into the top expanse of the plenum chamber adjacent the ceiling; F. an eccentric means for vibrating and rocking said vibratory screening means having shorter fibers, light trash and linter fines on its upper surface so that the trash and linter fines are sifted through said vibratory screening means; G. a collection means for said trash and linter fines underlyingly associated with said vibratory screening means; and H. a fiber collector means which is operatively positioned adjacent the upper end of said vibratory screening means and the adjoining portion of said celing for collecting said fibers and discharging them from said chamber in the form of mats.

Claim 31

an outlet for discharge of said pills, b. a series of picker rolls arranged in said hopper above said bottom wall and through which the unbaled stock passes in clumps, so as to be broken up, c. a vibratory means associated with said bottom wall for agitating and vibrating said clumps during passage through said picker rolls and for causing heavy dirt particles to fall through the perforations of said perforated bottom wall, d. a lift apron means for receiving said stock as opened and combed stock from said picker rolls, e. a collection means disposed at the lower end of said perforated bottom wall and below said lift apron means for collecting light trash and linter fines, f. an adjacent collection means for heavy dirt particles underlying said bottom wall, and g. a compression means disposed adjacent said outlet for compressing said pills into a blanket form that is deposited onto said feed apron; D. an air nozzle means associated with said front intake end for projecting a high speed air stream into said chamber above said diffused fiber and heavy trash sheets, creating a low pressure area above said fiber and heavy trash sheets with said fibers rising into said air stream; E. a trash outlet means disposed between said front intake end and lower end of said vibratory screening means into which said heavy trash sheet gravitates as it enters said low pressure area under said high speed air stream, said air stream carrying said fiber stream and impinging therewith on said vibratory screening means with longer fibers in the fiber stream rising with the bounce of the air stream off said vibratory screening means into the top expanse of the plenum chamber adjacent the ceiling; F. an eccentric means for vibrating and rocking said vibratory screening means having shorter fibers, light trash and linter fines on its upper surface so that the trash and linter fines are sifted through said vibratory screening means; G. a collection means for said trash and linter fines underlyingly associated with said vibratory screening means; and H. a fiber collector means which is operatively positioned adjacent the upper end of said vibratory screening means and the adjoining portion of said celing for collecting said fibers and discharging them from said chamber in the form of mats.

Claim 32

a vibrating and rocking mechanism which imparts vibratory and rocking action to said perforated diaphragm, and

Claim 33

a vibrating and rocking mechanism which imparts vibratory and rocking action to said perforated diaphragm, and

Claim 34

is spaced radially outwardly from the underlying portions of the associated drum, said lower drum being additionally shielded by said arcuate forming plate means over the upper interior quadrant thereof; B. an initial compressing roller operatively disposed at said inlet throat end for compressing the fibers on the drum into a fiber mat as the fibers are carried by the rotating drum into said throat end and under said forming plate means, and C. a cooperating pair of compression rollers disposed at said outlet end of said forming plate means for receiving said fiber mat between the nip thereof and imparting a final compression thereto.

Claim 35

is spaced radially outwardly from the underlying portions of the associated drum, said lower drum being additionally shielded by said arcuate forming plate means over the upper interior quadrant thereof; B. an initial compressing roller operatively disposed at said inlet throat end for compressing the fibers on the drum into a fiber mat as the fibers are carried by the rotating drum into said throat end and under said forming plate means, and C. a cooperating pair of compression rollers disposed at said outlet end of said forming plate means for receiving said fiber mat between the nip thereof and imparting a final compression thereto.

Claim 36

The method according to claim 1 wherein said second velocity at which said air stream is injected is one-third said first velocity at which said aggregate material stream is injected.

Claim 37

The method according to claim 1 wherein said first velocity at which said aggregate material stream is injected is about 20, 000 feet per minute and wherein second velocity at which said air stream is injected is about 6,000 feet per minute.

Claim 38

an underlying hopper partition which is attached to said supporting means and separates a heavy trash collection hopper on the front side thereof from a chute means for collecting said linter fines mixed with light trash on the rear side thereof: C. a toothed diffuser means, rotatably mounted in said front wall at a lower elevation than said lower end of said diaphragm, that:

Claim 39

an underlying hopper partition which is attached to said supporting means and separates a heavy trash collection hopper on the front side thereof from a chute means for collecting said linter fines mixed with light trash on the rear side thereof: C. a toothed diffuser means, rotatably mounted in said front wall at a lower elevation than said lower end of said diaphragm, that:

Claim 42

The method of claim 5 wherein the ceiling of said plenum chamber is adjusted as to height, in relation to the position of said vibratory screen, in dependence upon the percentage of long fibers in said linter stock, said ceiling being raised so as to provide a higher and longer air space for achieving a greater carrying capacity if said percentage is greater.

Claim 43

The method of claim 5 wherein said fiber sheet is expelled at a linear speed of about 20,000 feet per minute.

Claim 44

The method of claim 7 wherein said upwardly concave arc, through which said mixture of air and linter stock is revolved, has about an 8-inch radius.

Claim 45

Apparatus for extracting cotton fibers from an aggregate material composed of said fibers intermeshed with trash comprising: a sealed plenum chamber; an upwardly inclined planar material conveyer means disposed within said chamber and having means convey material deposited thereon upwardly along said incline; means for injecting said aggregate material into said plenum chamber at a first high velocity in a stream directed to impinge said conveyer means at an angle of inclination thereto whereby portions of said material may be deposited upon said conveyer means and conveyed thereby upwardly along said incline; nozzle means for injecting a stream of air at a second high velocity, which is lower than said first velocity into said plenum chamber in a direction proximately above said aggregate material stream to impinge said conveyer means at an angle of inclination thereto; collecting means for removing a portion of said fibers from within said plenum chamber; and means for controlling and directing said air stream to effect entrainment therein from said aggregate material stream of a portion of said fibers, with said air stream and entrained fibers being rebounded off said conveyer means into a path through said plenum chamber terminating at said collecting means, said conveyor means being constructed and arranged to retain thereupon residual portions of said aggregate material not entrained in the airstream.

Claim 46

Apparatus for extracting cotton fibers from an aggregate material composed of said fibers intermeshed with trash comprising: a sealed plenum chamber; an upwardly inclined planar material conveyer means disposed within said chamber and having means convey material deposited thereon upwardly along said incline; means for injecting said aggregate material into said plenum chamber at a first high velocity in a stream directed to impinge said conveyer means at an angle of inclination thereto whereby portions of said material may be deposited upon said conveyer means and conveyed thereby upwardly along said incline; nozzle means for injecting a stream of air at a second high velocity, which is lower than said first velocity into said plenum chamber in a direction proximately above said aggregate material stream to impinge said conveyer means at an angle of inclination thereto; collecting means for removing a portion of said fibers from within said plenum chamber; and means for controlling and directing said air stream to effect entrainment therein from said aggregate material stream of a portion of said fibers, with said air stream and entrained fibers being rebounded off said conveyer means into a path through said plenum chamber terminating at said collecting means, said conveyor means being constructed and arranged to retain thereupon residual portions of said aggregate material not entrained in the airstream.

Claim 47

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said aggregate material injecting means and said nozzle means are constructed and arranged to direct said material stream and said air stream, respectively, to impinge said conveyer means along generally coincident areas of impingement.

Claim 48

Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said areas of impingement of said materiAl stream and of said air stream extend in a generally coincident linear configuration across said conveyer means.

Claim 49

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said conveyer means are constructed to convey said residual portions upon said conveyer means upwardly along said incline, and wherein said collector means comprise a first and a second fiber collection device, said first fiber collection device being located at the termination of said air stream and being operative to collect and remove from said plenum chamber said fibers entrained in said air stream, said second fiber collection device being located apart from said first device and separated therefrom and from the termination of said air stream, said second device being operative to collect and remove from said plenum chamber fibers contained in said residual portion of said aggregate material being conveyed upon said conveyer means.

Claim 50

Apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said planar conveyer means is disposed at an angle within the range of between 45* and 75* from the horizontal.

Claim 53

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said vibratory means in said precleaner means includes means mounting the bottom wall at its inner inclined end for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis, said bottom wall having a free upper outer end, rest means supporting said upper end and delimiting downward swinging movement thereof below the sides of the hopper and a mechanical vibrator operatively engaging the underside of the bottom wall adjacent its upper free end.

Claim 54

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said lift apron means is substantially vertically orientated in said main hopper at the forward end thereof and disposed substantially normal to the picker rolls at the outlet section thereof, said apron means having a rearward facing vertical operating reach facing the outlet section of the picker rolls and receiving the stock therefrom, said apron means having means causing the stock in linter form to adhere thereto, said apron means having a forward vertical operating reach, an outlet hopper means through which the forward reach travels, means operatively mounted on the outlet hopper means for removing the linter stock from the apron means and causing it to pile up in the outlet hopper means and said compression means including cooperating rollers spaced apart at the lower discharge end of the outlet hopper means.

Claim 55

The apparatus of claim 16 wherein: A. a spiked roller is operatively disposed adjacent the upper end of said rearward facing reach, is rotatably mounted in relation to the reach and rotates in an opposite direction to the upward movement of such reach for knocking off lumps protruding from the outer face of the blanket and for causing linter fines to be separated from the blanket, B. an air vacuum means is disposed rearwardly thereof above the main hopper for producing suction air currents, and C. a vertical stack is mounted above the air vacuum means at the outlet thereof for receiving the linter fines.

Claim 56

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said roll assembly includes cooperating compression and air sealing rolls engaging the outlet end of the feed apron and receiving the blanket of pills therefrom and including an intake roll rotatably mounted immediately behind such rolls, an attenuating roll rotatably mounted immediately behind the intake roll, and a diffuser roll, which constitutes the diffuser means, rotatably mounted immediately behind the attenuating roll, said intake roll, attenuating roll, and diffuser roll having toothed surfaces.

Claim 57

The apparatus of claim 18 wherein a supporting base plate is provided for the intake, attentuating and diffuser rolls, said base plate having an upper surface formed with adjoining arcuate nesting sections for receiving the lower circumferential portions of the rolls, said sections having finely machined meeting edges and said sections having inner surfaces provided with abrasive liner means for cooperation with the peripheral toothed surfaces of the rolls.

Claim 58

The apparatus of claim 19 wherein a cover means is provided for Said rolls, said cover means having arcuate inner surfaces encompassing the upper peripheral portions of the rolls and having sealing means for sealing the rolls against leakage of air from the plenum chamber through the rolls.

Claim 59

The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said means for opening the linter pills and disentangling the fibers from the trash cooperatively includes a cooperating tri-roll assembly arranged transversely in advance of the front end of the plenum chamber and composed of parallel, serially arranged intake, attentuating and diffuser rolls, horizontally disposed base means supporting said rolls for rotation with the rolls being substantially horizontally disposed and having their axes of rotation lying substantially in the same horizontal plane, drive means for rotating the rolls in the same direction of rotation, means for feeding the linter pills in a blanket form to the intake roll of the assembly, and means for communicating the innermost diffuser roll with the plenum chamber so that fibers and trash are expelled centrifugally therefrom into the plenum chamber, said attenuating roll being operatively disposed intermediate the intake and the diffuser rolls.

Claim 60

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said base is provided with an upper surface composed of serially arranged, parallel, first, second and third arcuate sections for accommodating the lower peripheral portions of the rolls, said intake roll having a peripheral surface provided with rather widely spaced apart spiraled rows of substantially prominent teeth and said intake roll being nested in the first arcuate section of the base, said first arcuate section having a leading edge that butts up to the receiving edge of the second arcuate section approximately at the 180* line of the intake roll, said attenuating roll being nested in the second arcuate section and having a peripheral surface provided with spaced spiraled rows of teeth, said rows on the attenuating roll being spiraled in the opposite direction from the rows on the intake roll and being closer together than the rows on the intake roll, said second arcuate section having a sharp granular inner surface juxtaposed to the teeth on the attenuating roll and serving to restrain the linter pills for opening action by the teeth of the attentuating roll, said second arcuate section having a leading edge that is sharp and reaches into an approaching but not meeting line between the attenuating roll and the diffuser roll, said diffuser roll having spiraled closely spaced rows of straight pointed pins with the rows being spiraled in an opposite direction from the rows of teeth on the attenuating roll whereby a cross-filing action on the pills occurs between the rolls of the assembly, said third arcuate section nestingly receiving the diffuser roll and having an abrasive inner surface in juxtaposition to the pins on the diffuser roll so as to cooperate therewith in abrading attached particles from the fibers.

Claim 61

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said rolls are provided with a covering means having air sealing means and static prevention means.

Claim 62

The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said intake roll, attenuating roll and diffuser roll are of equal lengths with the diameters of the diffuser roll and the attenuating roll being progressively larger than the diameter of the intake roll, the ratio between the attenuating roll and the intake roll being on the order of 4:1 and the ratio between the diffuser roll and the attenuating roll being on the order of 5:1.

Claim 63

The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said plenum chamber is provided at the lower portion of the front end thereof with an opening, said opening being defined by angularly related throat forming plates that are in divergent relation relative to the opening with the diffuser roll having a portion of its innermost periphery in communication with the opening, said plates including an upper and a lower plate with the lower plate having an upper scouring edge in wiping relation to The rotating diffuser roll.

Claim 66

The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said diffuser means comprises a diffuser roll which is the terminal roll of a tri-roll diffuser assembly in which an attenuating roll delivers to said diffuser roll and an intake roll delivers to said attenuating roll, all of said rolls being parallel and rotating in the same direction, said attenuating roll and said diffuser roll being separated by a finely machined sharp edge which approaches but does not reach a meeting line therebetween.

Claim 67

The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said plenum chamber is provided at the lower portion of the front end thereof with an opening in said front intake wall, said opening being defined by angularly related throat forming plates that are in divergent relation relative to the opening with the diffuser roll having a portion of its innermost periphery in communication with said opening, said plates including an upper and a lower plate with the lower plate having an upper scouring edge in wiping relation to the rotating diffuser roll.

Claim 68

The apparatus of claim 27 wherein said tri-roll assembly comprises a base having a semi-cylindrical nest sections underlying and closely fitting the peripheries of said rolls, said nest sections beneath said diffuser roll and said attenuating roll having sharp granular surfaces, whereby said tri-roll assembly functions as an abrading and attenuating roll assembly which mechanically opens cotton linter pills, resulting from the processing of cotton seed at an oil mill and consisting of intermeshed fibers, linter fines, and trash, that are fed as a blanket of linter stock to said intake roll.

Claim 69

The apparatus of claim 29 wherein said linter stock, admixed with air, is revolved by said intake roll at a rate of 1,050 feet per minute, by said attenuating roll at 4,200 feet per minute, and by said diffuser roll at 21,000 feet per minute.

Claim 70

The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said perforated diaphragm is a ground surface steel plate having a multiplicity of upwardly punched out portions therein defining and forming the perforations, said plate having an upper working surface which is finely ground so that the upper bounding edges of the perforations are very sharp so as to intercept and scrub the light trash and linter fines moving upwardly from said line of impingement.

Claim 71

The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said chute collection means includes an inclined chute which is disposed parallel with, spaced below, and sealingly underlying said perforated diaphragm to prevent any air leakage from said plenum chamber.

Claim 72

The apparatus of claim 26 wherein said short-fiber collection means and said long fiber collection means each further comprises: A. a fixed pipe centrally positioned within said drum; B. means sealingly and rotatably mounting said drum at its ends on the pipe; C. means establishing a vacuum in the pipe, said pipe having a peripheral portion, facing the interior of said plenum chamber, which is provided with an opening for exposing the interior of said drum to the vacuum conditions existing in the pipe and sucking air from said plenum chamber inwardly thRough the perforations of the drum so that fibers are caused to collect on and adhere to the outer surface of the drum; and D. baffle wings radially projecting from the pipes and extending longitudinally thereof within the length of said drum and in sealing contact with the inner surface of the drum, said baffle wings being disposed above and below said opening in the pipe to confine vacuum within said drum to the portion of the drum facing the interior of said plenum chamber.

Claim 73

The apparatus of claim 33 wherein said fixed pipe is provided with: A. opposing open ends; B. vacuum headers at said ends which are associated in common; C. a closed air circuit including an outlet conduit means in communication with said air nozzle means at said front intake wall of the plenum chamber; D. a return conduit means in communication with said vacuum headers; E. an internal center divider plate in said pipe; and F. a surrounding center divider disc circumposed on said center divider plate and sealingly engaging the center of the surrounding drum and creating separate vacuum zones in the pipe from the ends and on opposite sides of the divider disc, said pipe having openings in the wall portions thereof on opposite sides of the divider plate and the drum having vacuum zones on opposite sides of the divider disc.

Claim 74

The apparatus of claim 34 wherein each of the fiber collection means is provided with: A. an arcuate forming plate means which:

Claim 75

The apparatus of claim 35 wherein each drum of each fiber collection means is provided at one end with a driving gear, said gears being on adjoining ends of said upper and lower drum, motor means, a drive transmission means connecting the gear on one drum directly with the motor means, and an idler gear interconnecting the gears on the drums so that both drums are rotated by the motor means in the same direction, said drums rotating in a counter-clockwise direction away from the perforated diaphragm and toward said ceiling of the plenum chamber.

Claim 76

The apparatus of claim 35 wherein the baffle wings on the pipe of said long-fiber collection means extend therefrom in relation to the upper drum and to said outlet end so that the vacuum zone of said upper drum is of less angular extent than the vacuum zone of said lower drum, the vacuum zone of the upper drum being delimited at its lower extent so that, in cooperation with said arcuate forming plate means over said upper interior quadrant of the lower drum, it does not interfere with the vacuum zone of the lower drum, whereby the long-fiber collection means and short-fiber collection means functions as classifiers.