US2525184A - Spindle moistener mechanism - Google Patents

Description

Oct. l0, 1950 J. D. RusT SPINDLE MoIsTENER MECHANISM l 2 Sheets-l-Shaet '1 Filed March 27, 1947 .H nlld Il lill i DI l MU W mi, 36 u R. E. n m

Oct. 10, 1950 J. D. RUST SPINDLE MoIsTENER MEcHAN-Ism 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Kirch 27, 1947 WATER HESEHVOI R John Rm,

Patented Oct. 10, 1950 12 Claims.

My invention which relates to the art of cotton picking machines in general and 'those of the Rust l type in particular has `for its objects:

l.. To provide a spindle moistener which will cure certain deciencies'present in those meisteners heretofore used.

2. To provide a floating moistener composed of superposed'wheels having inherent provisions for preventing misalignment oi the wheels.

3. To provide a moisi-.ener which will' not become clogged by cotton.

4. To provide an improved means for applying water to the periphery of the Wheel rings.

5,. To eliminate any rotating. shaft or roller journalled at the bottom ofthe series of Wheels where the cotton waste is discharged.

6. To provide an improved liquid dispensing device for delivering liquidy to the wheel-meistenng Sponse-V Other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter.

To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and ends, invention resides further in the novel details of construction,` combinations and arrangements of parts all o f which will rst be described in detail and then be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being hadoto the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the moistener wheel assembly, the stabilizing roller and the liquid applicator shown in their relation to the picking spindles.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same looking in the direction of the arrow x.

Fig. 3 is a detail verticalsection on the line 3 3' of Fig. `l.

Fig. 4 is a magnified view in section of a portion of one wheel.

Fig. 5. is a similar View taken 180 from that of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a schematic View of the complete device, parts being broken away and other parts being shown in section.

Fig. 7 is a detail elevation showing how the two sections of a wheel may be spread apart slightly to take upwear on the spindle engaging edges of the wheels.

In the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts in all the figures, l; represents the chain of spindles which in practice are carried in a direction from left `to right in Fig. 1 and dragged through the moistener between the wheels thereof.

The spindle moistener proper comprises a plurality ofI wheelscomposedxof wheel elements each having, an, inner rim 2. and a rim flange 3 and a i ATENT QFFICE single spoke 4. Over the rim 2 of each wheel element is molded Ia wiping vface 5 of rubber or other'suitable material (see Figs. 3, 4 and 5). The spokes Ai of the wheel elements 2 lie at one side of the same and in planes normal to the axes of the wheel elements 2.

Except for the top and bottom parts, each wiper wheel is composed oi two identical wheel elements 2, 3, 4, 5 with the spokesin face to face contact and. spot Welded or otherwise secured together as a unit as at 6, Figs. l and 3. The rims of the wheel sections are inclined at about 45 to the planes of the spokes i and iange 3 so that when a pair oi wheel elements are assembled together the inclined rims will present a V-shaped peripheral groove in which the rubber of the wiping face Ei in part lies as best shown in Figs. 3, 4, and 5. The spokes Li are drilled to fit the bolt 7 on which the wheels are securely held by spacers 8, nuts 9 and a washer l. When nut El is drawn tight there will be spaces 33 for the spindles l to be drawn through in frictional engagement with the wheel. Y

An angle iron post l l carries brackets l2 having holes I3 which receive shaft I which is journaled in stabilizing roller l5. Ilia is a strap iron Wing Welded to shaft l which prevents same fromY dropping through the holes 3 and from rotating. The vbrackets i2 are'located short of the top and bottom levels of the wheel so that the correspondingly shortened roller I5 will not become entangled with cotton on the oor of the machine, or be in a'position where cotton would wind up around the bottom of the roller which eventually. would ball up and force the rings out of alignment. The angle iron post I I is suitably secured to the frame i6 of the machine.

il is a U-shaped elongated body which is welded or otherwise secured to a rod. or pin I8 which projects through` :openings (top and bottom) inthe frame I. To the body il is hinged a flat plate I9 between which and a ap 22 of ducking, a column of sponge 2| is. held by clip lla. The springZll is secured to frame IS, the free end of the springrlying against plate I 9 under slight tension to press the ducking against the peripheries 5 of the moistening wheels (see Figs. 1 and'l2). Y

By referring now more particularly to Fig. 6 it will be seen that liquid is conducted from a reservoir 3.! (carried by the cotton picking machine not shown) through a pipe 32 to a regulating valve. The regulating valve comprises a cup 2 hav-,inge threaded cap for the stem St which carries a plunger 29. A natural sponge 28 is 3 located in the inlet end of the cup and may be more or less compressed by the screw plunger 29, 30 as will be more clearly explained presently. The cap 34 has an outlet 35 through which liquid -gravitates over a lip 36 and drops onto a sponge strainer 25, 26 in a (preferably) transparent container 24 which is positioned to act as a windshield for the small stream of liquid owing from outlet 35.

Liquid passes from container 24 through a pipe line 23 from which it drips onto the sponge 2l.

The regulator valve 21, etc. is preferably located on the machine at a place convenient for observation and adjustment by the operator. The flow of liquid is regulated by the screw 30 acting on the piston or disc 29 which compresses the sponge 28 to the degree necessary to permit only the desired flow of liquid to pass through. The advantage of this arrangement is that the desired rate of fow can be maintained indefinitely once the valve has been adjusted, because the accumulation of small particles of foreign matter on the sponge does not perceptibly affect the flow. By making the cup 24 of glass or other suitable transparent material the operator may at all times be able to observe the flow of liquid.

Attention is called to the fact that the moistener of my present invention differs from that of my application Serial No. 691,781 led August 20, 1946, now Patent No. 2,483,557 in that it has one spoke per Wheel unit, which provides for a center mounting. With the arrangement of centerless rings, as shown in the above application, it was found that on occasion one or more of the rings would get out of alignment and cause Vdamage to the machinery. The principal cause for the dislocation of those rings was found to be the winding up of cotton around the bottom of the guide rollers which, as before intimated, would eventually ball up and force the rings out of line. In order to overcome this diiculty and still avoid the difculties encountered with the older type of two-spoke wheels which were journalled in bearings, I have utilized the desirable features of both and eliminated their objectional features in devising the present arrangement.

It is to be observed (see Figs. 2 and 3) the entire wheel assembly has no center bearing but iloats freely in its working position as shown in Fig. 1. The wheels are collectively rotated by the spindles passing between them as indicated by the arrow e in Fig. 1 and the forward motion of the assembly of wheels is prevented by the vertical roller l5. The entire wheel assembly is supported against vertical movement by the spindles I only and is held against horizontal movement by its contact with the roller I5, the moistener (Il to 22 inclusive), and the spindles, making what may be called roughly a three-point contact.

As before pointed out, the wheels are made, preferably, in halves, both metal and rubber, which halves can be clamped back to back to form one complete wheel. The sheet metal spokes 4 may simply be clamped together face to face by the long bolt l or they may be spot welded, as at 6, if desired.

The reason for the divided wheels is to provide a simple and easy means of compensating for the wear on the rubber by the a-ction of the spindles. When the rubber becomes worn too much to make proper contact with the spindles, the wheel halves may be pried apart with a screw driver or the like (see arrow Fig. 7) to compensate for the wear.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it is thought the construction, operation and advantages of my invention will be clear to those skilled in the art.

What I claim is:

1. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn through spaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which comlc prises a rotary moisture applying device that includes a series of superposed sheet metal wheels each wheel comprising two wheel elements each having a rim and a spoke, the spoke lying in the plane of an edge of the rim, said wheel elements l being situated with their spokes in face to face contact thereby disposing the same wheel elements in pairs, and means securing all said spokes rigidly together along the axis of the wheels with spindle passages between adjacent pairs of wheels, the whole constituting a single unit.

2. `"In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein'.

spindles are drawn through spaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which comprises a rotary moisture applying device that in- 2.3 cludes a series of superposed sheet metal wheels: each wheel comprising two wheel elements eachv having a rim and a spoke, the spoke lying in the plane of an edge of the rim, said wheel elements; being situated with their spokes in face to face:

:lo Contact thereby disposing the same wheel ele-- ments in pairs, means securing all said spokesy rigidly together along the axis of the wheels with` spindle passages between adjacent pairs of wheels the whole constituting a single unit, and a rub ber covering over the rim of each wheel.

3. In a spindle moistening apparatus whereinspindles are drawn through spaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which.

comprises a rotary moisture applying device that spindle passages between adjacent pairs of wheels',

the whole constituting a single unit, and an in tegrally formed rubber covering over the rim of' each wheel.

4. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherei'n spindles are drawn through spaces between ro tary moistening rings, the improvement whichl includes a series of superposed sheet metal" wheels-v each wheel comprising two wheel elements each having a rim and a spoke, the spoke lying in the plane of an edge of the rim, said wheel elements'| being situated with their spokes in face to face contact thereby disposing the same wheel elements in pairs, means securing all said spokes rigidly together along the axis of the wheels with spindle passages between adjacent pairs of wheels, the whole constituting a single unit,'said securing means comprising a bolt and nut passing through said spokes, and spacers on said bolt between adjacent wheels.

5. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn through spaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which includes an unmounted spindle moistening rotary element, means for supporting 'said' rotary element from following the spindles to which it is applied, and a combined moisture applying and comprises a rotary moisture applying devicel that:

rotary element supporting device contacting the periphery of said rotary element at the aft side of the same.

6. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn through spaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which Aincludes a free floating spindle moistening rotary element, means for restraining said rotary ele ment from following the spindles to which it is applied, and a moisture applyingT device contacting the periphery of said rotary element at the ait side of the same, said moisture applying device being pivotally mounted at top and bottom and in-cluding vertical 'hinged elements between which brous material is clamped, and means yieldingly pressing said brous material of said pivoted device against the moistening rings.

7. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn through spaces between rotary moistening rin|gs the improvement which comprises a spindle'supported rotary moisture applying device that includes a series of superposed wheels, each having a rim and a spoke, means securing said spokes rigidly together along the axes of the wheels with spindle passages between adjacent wheels and flexible covering over the rim of each wheel, the whole constituting an unmounted unit, and means for restraining said moisture applying device from following along with said spindles.

8. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn through spaces between ro-` tary moistening rings, the improvement which comprises a spindle supported rotary moisture applying device that includes a series of superposed wheels, each having a rim and a spoke, means securing said spokes rigidly together along the axes of the wheels with spindle passages between adjacent wheelsY and flexible covering over the rim of each wheel, the whole constituting an unmounted unit, and means'for restraining said moisture applying device from following along with said spindles and means for supporting said rotary moistening device from following the spindles to which it is applied, said means including a'stabilizing roller for contacting the periphery of said rotary moistening device at the fore side of the same, said moisture applying device being substantially longer axially than said roller.

9. In combination, a free floating rotary spindle moistener including a series of superposed rings spaced apart for the passage of spindles between adjacent rings and in contact with ther same, a stabilizing roller held against the peripheries of said rings at the foreside of the same, and a roller moistening and rotary moistener positioning device contacting said rings at the aftside tact, and means spacing the several wheels apart of the same, said stabilizing roller, said combined in axial alignment and securing the set of wheels together as a unit, to provide spindlev passages between the several wheels.

11. In a spindle moistening apparatus wherein spindles are drawn through spaces between rotary moistening rings, the improvement which comprises a moistener composed of end wheels and a set of intermediate wheels having a common axis, each intermediate wheel vcomprising two identical wheel elements, each wheel element having a rim and an internal flange located at one edge of said rim and lying in a plane normal to saidaxis, said two wheel elements being secured together with their flanges in face to face contactand means spacing the several wheels apart in axial alignment and securing the set of wheels together as a unit, to provide spindle passages between the several wheels.

. 12. In a spindle moistening apparatus, a rotary moistener composed of a set of superposed wheels secured together as a unit and spaced apart to permit the spindles to be drawn through between said wheels, and means comprising the sole support for said unit, said means comprising a roller engaging the peripheries of said Wheels at the fore side of the moistener and an element contacting the peripheries of saidwheels at the back side of the moistener and said spindles, making a three-pointrcontact with the moistener.

` JOHN D. RUST.

REFERENCES CTED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS -Rust Sept. 20, 1949

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