SEED DELINTER
United States Patent 3805332
An apparatus for delinting cottonseed having a casing partially lined with abrasive material, a rotor disposed within the casing to force seed along a generally spiral path in contact with the abrasive material, seed outlets, a lint outlet, a finger plate disposed between the rotor and the lint outlet for dispersing seed adjacent the lint outlet, and an air stream passing through the casing to entrain lint and carry it through the lint outlet. Means are provided also for separating trash from the seed and the lint.
US Patent References:
Seed delinter
McMath - November 1955 - 2724148
/1261728.html
Ford - April 1918 - 1261728
Almond huller
Feiling - October 1967 - 3347295
/1639568.html
Kidd - August 1927 - 1639568
Method of delinting cottonseed
Sheppard - January 1939 - 2144579
Seed delinter
McMath - November 1955 - 2724148
/1261728.html
Ford - April 1918 - 1261728
Almond huller
Feiling - October 1967 - 3347295
/1639568.html
Kidd - August 1927 - 1639568
Method of delinting cottonseed
Sheppard - January 1939 - 2144579
Inventors:
Williams, Orville L. (Abilene, TX)
Jones, Odell J. (Phoenix, AZ)
Jones, Odell J. (Phoenix, AZ)
Application Number:
05/219292
Publication Date:
04/23/1974
Filing Date:
01/20/1972
View Patent Images:
Export Citation:
Assignee:
Anderson, Clayton & Co. (Houston, TX)
Primary Class:
Other Classes:
99/469, 99/628, 99/514, 99/601
International Classes:
D01B1/06; D01B1/00; D01G9/18; A01F12/54; D01B1/06; D01G23/08
Field of Search:
19/44 99/469,514,628,601
US Patent References:
| 2644986 | Seed delinter | July 1953 | Pazandak |
Primary Examiner:
Morse Jr., Wayne A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
Fulbright & Crooker
Claims:
What is claimed is
1. An apparatus for delinting cottonseed comprising,
2. The apparatus of claim 1 including, additionally, trash outlet means spaced between the lint outlet and the abrasive material within the unlined portion of the casing wall.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the trash outlet means comprises,
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the abrasive material is about 16 to 100 grit in coarseness.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the abrasive material is about 54 to about 60 grit in coarseness.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotor comprises,
7. The apparatus of claim 1, including, additionally, means driving said rotor.
8. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the rotor is driven at a peripheral speed of about 1800 to about 3800 feet per minute.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the seed inlet is formed within the casing wall and is disposed centrally of the ends of the casing in the unlined portion thereof in substantially tangential relation to the casing.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein seed outlets are at either end of the casing enclosure and are adjustable so as to regulate the amount of seed per unit of time passing therethrough.
11. An apparatus for delinting cottonseed comprising,
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the trash outlet means comprises,
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the abrasive material is about 16 to about 100 girt in coarseness.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the rotor is driven at a peripheral speed of about 1800 to about 3800 feet per minute.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the seed outlets are adjustable so as to regulate the amount of seed per unit of time passing therethrough.
16. An apparatus for delinting cottonseed comprising,
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the abrasive material is about 16 to 100 grit in coarseness.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the abrasive material is about 54 to about 60 grit in coarseness.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the rotor is driven at a peripheral speed of about 1600 to about 3800 feet per minute.
1. An apparatus for delinting cottonseed comprising,
2. The apparatus of claim 1 including, additionally, trash outlet means spaced between the lint outlet and the abrasive material within the unlined portion of the casing wall.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the trash outlet means comprises,
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the abrasive material is about 16 to 100 grit in coarseness.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the abrasive material is about 54 to about 60 grit in coarseness.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the rotor comprises,
7. The apparatus of claim 1, including, additionally, means driving said rotor.
8. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the rotor is driven at a peripheral speed of about 1800 to about 3800 feet per minute.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the seed inlet is formed within the casing wall and is disposed centrally of the ends of the casing in the unlined portion thereof in substantially tangential relation to the casing.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein seed outlets are at either end of the casing enclosure and are adjustable so as to regulate the amount of seed per unit of time passing therethrough.
11. An apparatus for delinting cottonseed comprising,
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the trash outlet means comprises,
13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the abrasive material is about 16 to about 100 girt in coarseness.
14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the rotor is driven at a peripheral speed of about 1800 to about 3800 feet per minute.
15. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the seed outlets are adjustable so as to regulate the amount of seed per unit of time passing therethrough.
16. An apparatus for delinting cottonseed comprising,
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the abrasive material is about 16 to 100 grit in coarseness.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the abrasive material is about 54 to about 60 grit in coarseness.
19. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the rotor is driven at a peripheral speed of about 1600 to about 3800 feet per minute.
Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the processing of cotton, cotton picked from its plant is ginned so as to remove the long, staple fibers from seeds. Typically, the seeds are processed so as to remove remaining lint or linters which are used widely in the manufacture of paper and in industries requiring cellulosic materials. The delinted cottonseed is the processed whereby meats are separated from hulls, oil extracted from the meat and the meat prepared for use as livestock feed and the like. The present invention is directed to the portion of the process whereby the lint fibers (commonly known as linters) are separated from the seed.
Seed delinters most commonly used have included the saw type as well as the rotating brush type. The saw type of delinter comprises a series of cylindrical saws that effect a "clawing" action to remove lint from seed. These saw type delinters, besides being extremely noisy in operation, cause chipping and scaling of small particles of the outer pigment layer of the seed coat resulting in contamination of the lint with "hull pepper." Such contamination reduces the quality and hence the value of the lint. Another drawback of the saw type delinter is the cost of maintaining the saw devices in a sharpened condition to provide efficient operation.
Brush types of delinting devices have been developed in an attempt to overcome difficulties of the saw type delinters but with limited success. Excessive breakage of seed has resulted in lint contamination and clogging of the brush means has caused operational difficulties. In addition, breakage of brush bristles has caused unacceptable contamination of the lint. Also, high power requirements and low seed through-put capacity have limited delinting performance.
Typical of the brush-type delinters are devices described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,986 issued July 14, 1953 to Pazandak, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,148 issued Nov. 22, 1955 to McMath. The device of the present invention, while somewhat similar in appearance to the McMath device, is nevertheless, a marked improvement over such delinter in that it provides increased efficiency of lint removal with virtually no cloggage, reduces seed breakage resulting in less contamination of the lint and at the same time provides relatively quiet performance.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides an apparatus for delinting cottonseed. The apparatus includes a generally cylindrical casing partially lined with an abrasive material preferably along substantially the length of the casing. Disposed longitudinally within the casing is a rotor projecting seed passing from a seed inlet into contact with the abrasive material whereby linters are removed from the seed. Seed outlets are provided preferably at either end of the casing enclosure while the linter outlet is positioned within the unlined portion of the casing wall and preferably extends substantially the length of the casing. A finger plate is positioned between the rotor and the lint outlet in order to disperse seed and lint while a stream of air flowing through the casing passes through the dispersion into the lint outlet carrying with it lint removed from the seed.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a cottonseed delinter device of the type described which will effect a relatively complete separation of lint from seed. Provision of an abrasive surface for removal of lint from the seed eliminates the more tortuous means employed in conventional delinter devices thereby reducing seed breakage while provision of a rotor as disclosed herein practically eliminates cloggage problems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a delinting apparatus having trash outlet means between the lint outlet and the abrasive material and extending substantially the length of the casing for separation of trash from seeds. Hence quality of the lint is improved.
Still other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings forming a part of the disclosure herein, like character references designate like parts throughout the several views wherein,
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view taken along the line 1--1 of FIG. 2, and
FIG. 2 is a partial elevation view, partly in cross section, taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2 for a discussion of details of apparatus forming the present invention, the delinter device represented generally by the reference numeral 10 includes a generally cylindrical casing 12 preferably enclosed at both ends by plates 14 and 16 as best viewed in FIG. 2. The back wall portion 18 of the casing deviates from a cylindrical shape for purposes as will be explained hereafter.
The casing 12 is partially lined with abrasive material preferably in the form a monolithic lining such as a casting or a coating although bricks may be arranged to provide a suitable surface interiorly of the casing. With reference to FIG. 1, the abrasive material or bricks are designated by the reference numeral 20. In partially lining the interior of the casing, it is preferred that the abrasive material bricks extend in approximately a half circle from the point 20a around to the point 20b. With reference to FIG. 2, the bricks comprising the abrasive material preferably extend from the end plate 14 to the end plate 16. Advantageously, the casing 12 is formed in halves whereby the bricks line the half portion designated by reference numeral 12a and the unlined portion of the casing forms the other half designated by the reference numeral 12b. In this manner the abrasive half of the casing 12a may be opened outward such as by swinging movement on a hinge 22 in order to gain access to the interior of the casing. The upper portion of the casing halves 12a and 12b may be releasably secured such as by means of bolts not shown. It will be recognized, of course, that the abrasive material 20 need not occupy fully the space indicated above although capacity and/or efficiency are promoted if so.
A rotor 24 is disposed longitudinally within the casing 12 and is journalled for rotation. The rotor 24 comprises a plurality of spiders 26, only one being viewable in FIG. 1. Each of the spiders is integrally formed of or secured to a hub 28 which in turn is secured to a shaft 30. Mounted outwardly on the spiders 26 are a plurality of radially oriented vanes 32, the vanes being formed of steel, wood, aluminum or other suitable material. The vanes may be secured to the spiders 26 by any suitable means such as by welding, brackets, clamps, etc. As may be seen in FIG. 2, the shaft 30 is rotatably journalled within the casing such as by means of pillow blocks 34 and 36 secured to the end plates 14 and 16 respectively. Attached to one end of the shaft 30 is a pulley 38 with belts 40 coacting with the pulley of a motor, not shown, for purposes of driving the rotor.
With reference to FIG. 1, the rotor 24 as just described is fitted within the casing 12 whereby an annular space 42 is provided between the outer periphery of the vanes 32 of the rotor and the interior of the casing which, in effect, is the exposed portion of the abrasive material or bricks 20. The annular space 42 should be greater than the average minor dimension of the seed being processed and preferably is of a width of about 5/16 inch to about 3/4 inch so as to provide sufficient but not excessive clearance between the rotor 24 and the abrasive material 20 so that seeds are not crushed or broken as they pass through the annular space 42. If excessive clearance is provided between the rotor 24 and the abrasive material 20, the seeds will not make intimate contact with the abrasive material for purposes of separating lint from the seed.
A seed inlet 44 is provided whereby seed is introduced to the annular space 42 between the rotor 24 and the interior of the casing 12 in substantially tangential relation to the casing. Preferably the seed inlet 44 is formed within the wall of the back portion 18 of the casing 12 although it may be positioned at any other suitable point. As best shown in FIG. 2, the seed inlet 44 preferably is located midway between the ends 14 and 16 of the casing. As shown in FIG. 1, the inlet 44 is formed of a conduit 46 extending from a suitable feeder 48 located above the mouth of the inlet 44 so that seed may feed preferably by gravity into the interior of the casing in a manner such that the velocity imparted to the seed by gravity plus the acceleration caused by air being moved by the rotor 26, plus the additional acceleration imparted by the seed already moving within the casing will cause the incoming seed to move with enough velocity that the impact of the rotor on the incoming seed will be minimized to such an extent that seed breakage will not occur.
Seed outlets preferably are formed at both ends of the delinter device although seed may be withdrawn from the casing at other points. Thus, with reference to FIG. 2, outlets 50 and 52 are formed adjacent to ends 14 and 16, respectively. Covers 54 and 56 may be adjusted so as to increase or decrease the open area of the seed outlets 50 and 52, depending upon the amount of seed to be retained within delinter 10 for a given length of time. As shown in FIG. 1 with respect to seed outlet 52, both the seed outlets 50 and 52 pass the seed downwardly and out of the interior of the casing 12 to a suitable receptacle or conduit which receives the seed.
With further regard to the feeder 48, feeding of seed at a fixed rate with the covers 54 and 56 open allows seed to pass through the delinter 10 in a thin layer and in a relatively short time. At the same feed rate, if the covers 54 and 56 are partially closed, the layer of seed in the delinter 10 becomes more dense and thicker and remains in the delinter longer. Thus the covers 54 and 56 may be adjusted to hold seed in the delinter long enough to take off the desired amount of lint from the seed. However, it is desirable to permit discharge of the seed from the delinter as soon as the desired amount of lint is removed from seed since too long a residence time for seed within the delinter may result in a poorer grade of lint than would otherwise be produced.
Referring to FIG. 1, a lint outlet 58 is formed within the unlined portion of the casing wall 12 and preferably extends substantially the length of the casing, i.e. from the end plate 14 to the end plate 16. In forming the lint outlet, the casing wall tapers outwardly from bottom to top and then tapers inwardly to form the mouth of the outlet 58 as shown in FIG. 1. The outlet 58 communicates with the conduit 60 to discharge lint into a suitable receiver such as a cyclone separator. A unique result of the delinter apparatus of the present invention relative to conventional saw-type devices is that on the order of one-third as much air is processed, greatly reducing the equipment necessary for collecting the lint. This advantage is significant when considering that there is thus a much diminished source for air pollution.
Continuing with respect to the lint outlet 58 shown in FIG. 1, a finger plate 62 is disposed between the rotor 24 and the lint outlet 58 for dispersing the seed adjacent the lint outlet. As better shown in FIG. 2, the finger plate comprises a plurality of serrate projections 64 formed in the casing wall along substantially the length of the casing 12 and extending over the lint outlet. Dispersing of the seed by means of the finger plate is effected by virtue of the fact that the seed travels (as will be explained hereafter) in a circular, spiral path along the casing wall in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. As the seed passes the edges of the serrate projections 64, the seed is thrown against the back portion 18 of the casing 12 in a corrugate pattern corresponding to the serrate pattern.
Means are provided for causing a stream of air to flow into the casing 12 and leave through the lint outlet 58 whereby lint that is dislodged from the seed is entrained in the air stream and discharged through the lint outlet. The air stream is propagated by providing openings 66 and 68 in the end plates 14 and 16, respectively, as shown in FIG. 2. The openings are better understood by reference to FIG. 1 which illustrates opening 68 provided in the end plate 16. Consequently, air enters through the openings 66 and 68 and is drawn into the casing by suction effect of the rotor 24 and as may be provided by other means such as a positive suction fan. The air passes outwardly between the vanes 32 of the rotor, a portion passing through the lint outlet 58 into the conduit 60. Blower means may be provided in the conduit 60 to create a positive suction of air through the lint outlet 58. In this connection, it is important to move lint from the seed to preserve quality of the lint. If the lint remains in contact with the seed for an excessive period of time, it gains an undesirable darker color due to accumulation of adsorption of oil from the seed. In addition, long fibers, if not removed from the delinter 10 promptly after being abraded from the seed, tend to twist together and form short strings which are undesirable.
Trash outlet means are provided in the present delinter device to separate dirt, hulls, meats and the like from seed and lint thereby improving quality of the lint. As best shown in FIG. 2, the trash outlet means comprises a plurality of concave ribs 70 oriented perpendicular to the axis of the casing and supported so that the concavity thereof is substantially flush with the interior of the casing (as shown in FIG. 1). The ribs 70 are spaced one from another at a distance less than the average minor dimension of the seed being processed so that seeds are not lost with trash nor are wedged between the ribs to cause pluggages. With reference to FIG. 1, the trash outlet formed of ribs 70 preferably is situated in the lower portion of the delinter as shown. The trash drops into a hopper 72 and is conveyed away by any suitable means.
With further reference to FIG. 1, the backhalf 12b of the casing 12 is sectioned as shown in the drawing. Hence, the finger plate 62 forms one section of the casing wall and may be adjusted for spacing relative to the rotor 24 by adjustment of a turnbuckle 76. Similarly, the lint outlet 58 and tapered portions of the casing wall adjacent thereto may be adjusted for spacing relative to the rotor by means of turnbuckles 78. The turnbuckles 76 and 78 are provided for ease of final adjustment in assembly and operation to promote rapid separation of lint from seed and to prevent seed from being carried out with lint.
With respect to the abrasive material 20 shown in FIG. 1, material used may vary in grit or coarseness according to the character of the lint to be separated from the seed. For example, if the delinter device 10 of the present invention is to be used in making a first cut of lint from seed, a coarse grip type of abrasive may be used, for example, 16 grit (grit being used in the sense well known to those skilled in the art to designate passage of a particular size of particles through standard sieve screens). Coarse grit type of abrasive material may be also used if tough varieties of seed are being delinted.
If more delicate seeds are being delinted or if seeds are being subjected to second or third cuts as will be understood be those skilled in the art, finer grit type of abrasive material 20 is desirable. For example, 54 grit has been found desirable for the second delinting cut while 60 grit has been found acceptable for a third delinting cut. While the foregoing girt characteristics are preferable, abrasive material from 16 to 100 grit may be used in the present invention. Preferably, the inner face of the abrasive material 20 is circular in cross-sectional configuration as shown in FIG. 1 to provide a smooth flow path for the cottonseed passing contact therewith. It has been found that silicon carbide is well suited for use as the abrasive material herein.
With respect to speed of the rotor 24, the rotor must move or rotate at a speed great enough to provide adequate capacity and efficient delinting but not so great as to cause damage to seed passing through the apparatus. On the other hand, the rotor speed must not be so low that insufficient centrifugal force is provided to hold the seed against the abrasive material or bricks 20. It has been found that optimum speed or rotor rotational movement is 1800 to 3800 feet per minute peripheral speed to satisfy the delinting and centrifugal force requirements without damage to seed. It should be noted that the vanes 32 of the rotor 24 are mounted on the spiders 26 so that air passes outwardly and freely between each of the vanes. This free flow of air prevents the buildup of lint on the vanes which could otherwise cause pluggage or malfunctioning of the apparatus.
In operation, cottonseed is placed into the feeder or hopper 48 and passes into the conduit 46 and then by gravity flow through the seed inlet 44 as depicted by the arrow 80. The seed passes in a clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 1 in a generally circular and spiral path progressively toward both ends 14 and 16. Depending on the position of the covers 54 and 56 over the seed outlets 50 and 52, respectively, the seed will progress at given rates toward such outlets. For example, if the plates 54 and 56 are adjusted for maximum open area of the outlets 50 and 52, more seed can pass through the outlets and hence the seed will make fewer circular passes around the interior of the casing in the annular space 42.
As the cottonseed makes a plurality of revolutions around the interior of the casing 12 within the annular space 42, the seed contacts the abrasive material 20 which causes lint to separate from the seed. As the lint passes with the seed around the interior of the casing and is propelled by the movement of the rotor 24, the seed is dispersed as it passes the edges of the finger plate 62. Such dispersion provides a greater separation of seeds so that air passes freely through the seed to more effectively entrain the lint. Thus, the seed is projected from the finger plate 62 back into contact with the casing wall as represented generally by the arrow designated by reference numeral 82. It should be understood, however, that the arrow 82 is schematic in nature since the seed will be dispersed at varying points depending on which portion of the serration it passes on the finger plate 62. As the seed travels the path represented schematically by the arrow 82, air entrains the lint and moves the lint through the outlet 58 in a path represented by arrows designated by reference numerals 84 and lint is collected as previously described. The seed passes from the point represented by the arrow 82 down the casing wall interior and eventually to the outlets 50 and 52. Consequently, the seed is drawn off through the seed outlets 50 and 52 and is collected by suitable means.
As the seed makes its way around the interior of the casing and toward the ends of the casing, trash particles such as dirt, hulls, meats and the like fall between the ribs 70 to be collected in the hopper 72 and withdrawn such as by a suitable conveyor or other means.
As will now be appreciated in view of the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment, the delinter apparatus of the present invention provides a relatively noiseless means of delinting cottonseed as compared with conventional saw-type delinters. Furthermore, lint is separated from the seed efficiently and effectively by virtue of the finger plate means described. The rotor assembly moves the seed through the device with minimal hold-up time thereby enhancing quality of the lint not only from the standpoint of minimizing adsorption of oils but also by coacting with the trash outlet means whereby foreign particles are drawn off through the ribs as described. In addition, pluggage problems are overcome and seed breakage is reduced significantly.
The present invention, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is given for the purpose of disclosure, numerous changes in the details of construction, and arrangement of parts, may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.
In the processing of cotton, cotton picked from its plant is ginned so as to remove the long, staple fibers from seeds. Typically, the seeds are processed so as to remove remaining lint or linters which are used widely in the manufacture of paper and in industries requiring cellulosic materials. The delinted cottonseed is the processed whereby meats are separated from hulls, oil extracted from the meat and the meat prepared for use as livestock feed and the like. The present invention is directed to the portion of the process whereby the lint fibers (commonly known as linters) are separated from the seed.
Seed delinters most commonly used have included the saw type as well as the rotating brush type. The saw type of delinter comprises a series of cylindrical saws that effect a "clawing" action to remove lint from seed. These saw type delinters, besides being extremely noisy in operation, cause chipping and scaling of small particles of the outer pigment layer of the seed coat resulting in contamination of the lint with "hull pepper." Such contamination reduces the quality and hence the value of the lint. Another drawback of the saw type delinter is the cost of maintaining the saw devices in a sharpened condition to provide efficient operation.
Brush types of delinting devices have been developed in an attempt to overcome difficulties of the saw type delinters but with limited success. Excessive breakage of seed has resulted in lint contamination and clogging of the brush means has caused operational difficulties. In addition, breakage of brush bristles has caused unacceptable contamination of the lint. Also, high power requirements and low seed through-put capacity have limited delinting performance.
Typical of the brush-type delinters are devices described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,644,986 issued July 14, 1953 to Pazandak, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,724,148 issued Nov. 22, 1955 to McMath. The device of the present invention, while somewhat similar in appearance to the McMath device, is nevertheless, a marked improvement over such delinter in that it provides increased efficiency of lint removal with virtually no cloggage, reduces seed breakage resulting in less contamination of the lint and at the same time provides relatively quiet performance.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides an apparatus for delinting cottonseed. The apparatus includes a generally cylindrical casing partially lined with an abrasive material preferably along substantially the length of the casing. Disposed longitudinally within the casing is a rotor projecting seed passing from a seed inlet into contact with the abrasive material whereby linters are removed from the seed. Seed outlets are provided preferably at either end of the casing enclosure while the linter outlet is positioned within the unlined portion of the casing wall and preferably extends substantially the length of the casing. A finger plate is positioned between the rotor and the lint outlet in order to disperse seed and lint while a stream of air flowing through the casing passes through the dispersion into the lint outlet carrying with it lint removed from the seed.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a cottonseed delinter device of the type described which will effect a relatively complete separation of lint from seed. Provision of an abrasive surface for removal of lint from the seed eliminates the more tortuous means employed in conventional delinter devices thereby reducing seed breakage while provision of a rotor as disclosed herein practically eliminates cloggage problems.
Another object of the present invention is to provide such a delinting apparatus having trash outlet means between the lint outlet and the abrasive material and extending substantially the length of the casing for separation of trash from seeds. Hence quality of the lint is improved.
Still other and further objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings forming a part of the disclosure herein, like character references designate like parts throughout the several views wherein,
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view taken along the line 1--1 of FIG. 2, and
FIG. 2 is a partial elevation view, partly in cross section, taken along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2 for a discussion of details of apparatus forming the present invention, the delinter device represented generally by the reference numeral 10 includes a generally cylindrical casing 12 preferably enclosed at both ends by plates 14 and 16 as best viewed in FIG. 2. The back wall portion 18 of the casing deviates from a cylindrical shape for purposes as will be explained hereafter.
The casing 12 is partially lined with abrasive material preferably in the form a monolithic lining such as a casting or a coating although bricks may be arranged to provide a suitable surface interiorly of the casing. With reference to FIG. 1, the abrasive material or bricks are designated by the reference numeral 20. In partially lining the interior of the casing, it is preferred that the abrasive material bricks extend in approximately a half circle from the point 20a around to the point 20b. With reference to FIG. 2, the bricks comprising the abrasive material preferably extend from the end plate 14 to the end plate 16. Advantageously, the casing 12 is formed in halves whereby the bricks line the half portion designated by reference numeral 12a and the unlined portion of the casing forms the other half designated by the reference numeral 12b. In this manner the abrasive half of the casing 12a may be opened outward such as by swinging movement on a hinge 22 in order to gain access to the interior of the casing. The upper portion of the casing halves 12a and 12b may be releasably secured such as by means of bolts not shown. It will be recognized, of course, that the abrasive material 20 need not occupy fully the space indicated above although capacity and/or efficiency are promoted if so.
A rotor 24 is disposed longitudinally within the casing 12 and is journalled for rotation. The rotor 24 comprises a plurality of spiders 26, only one being viewable in FIG. 1. Each of the spiders is integrally formed of or secured to a hub 28 which in turn is secured to a shaft 30. Mounted outwardly on the spiders 26 are a plurality of radially oriented vanes 32, the vanes being formed of steel, wood, aluminum or other suitable material. The vanes may be secured to the spiders 26 by any suitable means such as by welding, brackets, clamps, etc. As may be seen in FIG. 2, the shaft 30 is rotatably journalled within the casing such as by means of pillow blocks 34 and 36 secured to the end plates 14 and 16 respectively. Attached to one end of the shaft 30 is a pulley 38 with belts 40 coacting with the pulley of a motor, not shown, for purposes of driving the rotor.
With reference to FIG. 1, the rotor 24 as just described is fitted within the casing 12 whereby an annular space 42 is provided between the outer periphery of the vanes 32 of the rotor and the interior of the casing which, in effect, is the exposed portion of the abrasive material or bricks 20. The annular space 42 should be greater than the average minor dimension of the seed being processed and preferably is of a width of about 5/16 inch to about 3/4 inch so as to provide sufficient but not excessive clearance between the rotor 24 and the abrasive material 20 so that seeds are not crushed or broken as they pass through the annular space 42. If excessive clearance is provided between the rotor 24 and the abrasive material 20, the seeds will not make intimate contact with the abrasive material for purposes of separating lint from the seed.
A seed inlet 44 is provided whereby seed is introduced to the annular space 42 between the rotor 24 and the interior of the casing 12 in substantially tangential relation to the casing. Preferably the seed inlet 44 is formed within the wall of the back portion 18 of the casing 12 although it may be positioned at any other suitable point. As best shown in FIG. 2, the seed inlet 44 preferably is located midway between the ends 14 and 16 of the casing. As shown in FIG. 1, the inlet 44 is formed of a conduit 46 extending from a suitable feeder 48 located above the mouth of the inlet 44 so that seed may feed preferably by gravity into the interior of the casing in a manner such that the velocity imparted to the seed by gravity plus the acceleration caused by air being moved by the rotor 26, plus the additional acceleration imparted by the seed already moving within the casing will cause the incoming seed to move with enough velocity that the impact of the rotor on the incoming seed will be minimized to such an extent that seed breakage will not occur.
Seed outlets preferably are formed at both ends of the delinter device although seed may be withdrawn from the casing at other points. Thus, with reference to FIG. 2, outlets 50 and 52 are formed adjacent to ends 14 and 16, respectively. Covers 54 and 56 may be adjusted so as to increase or decrease the open area of the seed outlets 50 and 52, depending upon the amount of seed to be retained within delinter 10 for a given length of time. As shown in FIG. 1 with respect to seed outlet 52, both the seed outlets 50 and 52 pass the seed downwardly and out of the interior of the casing 12 to a suitable receptacle or conduit which receives the seed.
With further regard to the feeder 48, feeding of seed at a fixed rate with the covers 54 and 56 open allows seed to pass through the delinter 10 in a thin layer and in a relatively short time. At the same feed rate, if the covers 54 and 56 are partially closed, the layer of seed in the delinter 10 becomes more dense and thicker and remains in the delinter longer. Thus the covers 54 and 56 may be adjusted to hold seed in the delinter long enough to take off the desired amount of lint from the seed. However, it is desirable to permit discharge of the seed from the delinter as soon as the desired amount of lint is removed from seed since too long a residence time for seed within the delinter may result in a poorer grade of lint than would otherwise be produced.
Referring to FIG. 1, a lint outlet 58 is formed within the unlined portion of the casing wall 12 and preferably extends substantially the length of the casing, i.e. from the end plate 14 to the end plate 16. In forming the lint outlet, the casing wall tapers outwardly from bottom to top and then tapers inwardly to form the mouth of the outlet 58 as shown in FIG. 1. The outlet 58 communicates with the conduit 60 to discharge lint into a suitable receiver such as a cyclone separator. A unique result of the delinter apparatus of the present invention relative to conventional saw-type devices is that on the order of one-third as much air is processed, greatly reducing the equipment necessary for collecting the lint. This advantage is significant when considering that there is thus a much diminished source for air pollution.
Continuing with respect to the lint outlet 58 shown in FIG. 1, a finger plate 62 is disposed between the rotor 24 and the lint outlet 58 for dispersing the seed adjacent the lint outlet. As better shown in FIG. 2, the finger plate comprises a plurality of serrate projections 64 formed in the casing wall along substantially the length of the casing 12 and extending over the lint outlet. Dispersing of the seed by means of the finger plate is effected by virtue of the fact that the seed travels (as will be explained hereafter) in a circular, spiral path along the casing wall in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. As the seed passes the edges of the serrate projections 64, the seed is thrown against the back portion 18 of the casing 12 in a corrugate pattern corresponding to the serrate pattern.
Means are provided for causing a stream of air to flow into the casing 12 and leave through the lint outlet 58 whereby lint that is dislodged from the seed is entrained in the air stream and discharged through the lint outlet. The air stream is propagated by providing openings 66 and 68 in the end plates 14 and 16, respectively, as shown in FIG. 2. The openings are better understood by reference to FIG. 1 which illustrates opening 68 provided in the end plate 16. Consequently, air enters through the openings 66 and 68 and is drawn into the casing by suction effect of the rotor 24 and as may be provided by other means such as a positive suction fan. The air passes outwardly between the vanes 32 of the rotor, a portion passing through the lint outlet 58 into the conduit 60. Blower means may be provided in the conduit 60 to create a positive suction of air through the lint outlet 58. In this connection, it is important to move lint from the seed to preserve quality of the lint. If the lint remains in contact with the seed for an excessive period of time, it gains an undesirable darker color due to accumulation of adsorption of oil from the seed. In addition, long fibers, if not removed from the delinter 10 promptly after being abraded from the seed, tend to twist together and form short strings which are undesirable.
Trash outlet means are provided in the present delinter device to separate dirt, hulls, meats and the like from seed and lint thereby improving quality of the lint. As best shown in FIG. 2, the trash outlet means comprises a plurality of concave ribs 70 oriented perpendicular to the axis of the casing and supported so that the concavity thereof is substantially flush with the interior of the casing (as shown in FIG. 1). The ribs 70 are spaced one from another at a distance less than the average minor dimension of the seed being processed so that seeds are not lost with trash nor are wedged between the ribs to cause pluggages. With reference to FIG. 1, the trash outlet formed of ribs 70 preferably is situated in the lower portion of the delinter as shown. The trash drops into a hopper 72 and is conveyed away by any suitable means.
With further reference to FIG. 1, the backhalf 12b of the casing 12 is sectioned as shown in the drawing. Hence, the finger plate 62 forms one section of the casing wall and may be adjusted for spacing relative to the rotor 24 by adjustment of a turnbuckle 76. Similarly, the lint outlet 58 and tapered portions of the casing wall adjacent thereto may be adjusted for spacing relative to the rotor by means of turnbuckles 78. The turnbuckles 76 and 78 are provided for ease of final adjustment in assembly and operation to promote rapid separation of lint from seed and to prevent seed from being carried out with lint.
With respect to the abrasive material 20 shown in FIG. 1, material used may vary in grit or coarseness according to the character of the lint to be separated from the seed. For example, if the delinter device 10 of the present invention is to be used in making a first cut of lint from seed, a coarse grip type of abrasive may be used, for example, 16 grit (grit being used in the sense well known to those skilled in the art to designate passage of a particular size of particles through standard sieve screens). Coarse grit type of abrasive material may be also used if tough varieties of seed are being delinted.
If more delicate seeds are being delinted or if seeds are being subjected to second or third cuts as will be understood be those skilled in the art, finer grit type of abrasive material 20 is desirable. For example, 54 grit has been found desirable for the second delinting cut while 60 grit has been found acceptable for a third delinting cut. While the foregoing girt characteristics are preferable, abrasive material from 16 to 100 grit may be used in the present invention. Preferably, the inner face of the abrasive material 20 is circular in cross-sectional configuration as shown in FIG. 1 to provide a smooth flow path for the cottonseed passing contact therewith. It has been found that silicon carbide is well suited for use as the abrasive material herein.
With respect to speed of the rotor 24, the rotor must move or rotate at a speed great enough to provide adequate capacity and efficient delinting but not so great as to cause damage to seed passing through the apparatus. On the other hand, the rotor speed must not be so low that insufficient centrifugal force is provided to hold the seed against the abrasive material or bricks 20. It has been found that optimum speed or rotor rotational movement is 1800 to 3800 feet per minute peripheral speed to satisfy the delinting and centrifugal force requirements without damage to seed. It should be noted that the vanes 32 of the rotor 24 are mounted on the spiders 26 so that air passes outwardly and freely between each of the vanes. This free flow of air prevents the buildup of lint on the vanes which could otherwise cause pluggage or malfunctioning of the apparatus.
In operation, cottonseed is placed into the feeder or hopper 48 and passes into the conduit 46 and then by gravity flow through the seed inlet 44 as depicted by the arrow 80. The seed passes in a clockwise direction as shown in FIG. 1 in a generally circular and spiral path progressively toward both ends 14 and 16. Depending on the position of the covers 54 and 56 over the seed outlets 50 and 52, respectively, the seed will progress at given rates toward such outlets. For example, if the plates 54 and 56 are adjusted for maximum open area of the outlets 50 and 52, more seed can pass through the outlets and hence the seed will make fewer circular passes around the interior of the casing in the annular space 42.
As the cottonseed makes a plurality of revolutions around the interior of the casing 12 within the annular space 42, the seed contacts the abrasive material 20 which causes lint to separate from the seed. As the lint passes with the seed around the interior of the casing and is propelled by the movement of the rotor 24, the seed is dispersed as it passes the edges of the finger plate 62. Such dispersion provides a greater separation of seeds so that air passes freely through the seed to more effectively entrain the lint. Thus, the seed is projected from the finger plate 62 back into contact with the casing wall as represented generally by the arrow designated by reference numeral 82. It should be understood, however, that the arrow 82 is schematic in nature since the seed will be dispersed at varying points depending on which portion of the serration it passes on the finger plate 62. As the seed travels the path represented schematically by the arrow 82, air entrains the lint and moves the lint through the outlet 58 in a path represented by arrows designated by reference numerals 84 and lint is collected as previously described. The seed passes from the point represented by the arrow 82 down the casing wall interior and eventually to the outlets 50 and 52. Consequently, the seed is drawn off through the seed outlets 50 and 52 and is collected by suitable means.
As the seed makes its way around the interior of the casing and toward the ends of the casing, trash particles such as dirt, hulls, meats and the like fall between the ribs 70 to be collected in the hopper 72 and withdrawn such as by a suitable conveyor or other means.
As will now be appreciated in view of the foregoing description of the preferred embodiment, the delinter apparatus of the present invention provides a relatively noiseless means of delinting cottonseed as compared with conventional saw-type delinters. Furthermore, lint is separated from the seed efficiently and effectively by virtue of the finger plate means described. The rotor assembly moves the seed through the device with minimal hold-up time thereby enhancing quality of the lint not only from the standpoint of minimizing adsorption of oils but also by coacting with the trash outlet means whereby foreign particles are drawn off through the ribs as described. In addition, pluggage problems are overcome and seed breakage is reduced significantly.
The present invention, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned as well as others inherent therein. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention is given for the purpose of disclosure, numerous changes in the details of construction, and arrangement of parts, may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are encompassed within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.