Materials segregating seed cotton extractor cleaner

Abstract

An extractor cleaner for harvested cotton uses a plurality of sequential rotating saw cylinders a plurality variably and re-positionable deflector panels mounted for displacement about horizontal axes spaced from said plural rotating saw cylinders to deflect cotton and debris expelled by said plural rotating saw cylinders along separate conduits wherein said plurality of variably re-positionable deflector panels may be selectively positioned to deflect debris along one of said conduits to a discharge opening and to deflect cotton mingled with debris along said one of said conduits to a reclaim rotating saw cylinder.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . An extractor cleaner for processing harvested cotton comprising plural sequential saw cylinders mounted for rotation about parallel vertically displaced horizontal axes and a plurality of doffing cylinders mounted for rotation about parallel horizontal axes such that each doffing cylinder is positioned to doff fibrous seed cotton from one or more of said plural sequential saw cylinders, a plurality variably positionable deflector panels mounted for displacement about horizontal axes spaced from said plural saw cylinders to deflect cotton and debris expelled by said plural saw cylinders along separate conduits wherein said plurality of variably positionable deflector panels may be selectively positioned to deflect debris along one of said conduits to a discharge opening and to deflect cotton mingled with debris along said one of said conduits to a reclaim ginning saw. 
     
     
         2 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 1  wherein said plurality variably positionable deflector panels are selectively positioned to facilitate the selective and permanent separation of said debris from the valued seed cotton by means of a configurable segregated conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 2  wherein said segregated debris conduit carries debris only when said plurality of variably positionable deflector panels are in a first position and carries harvested cotton as a feed conduit when said plurality of variably positionable deflector panels are positioned in a second position re-directing said seed cotton directly to a secondary saw cylinder so as to accommodate a portion of the incoming harvested seed cotton. 
     
     
         4 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a rotating diverter cylinder strategically located intermediate one of said plural saw cylinders and at least one of said plurality of variably positionable deflector panels to generate a controlled air flow to further facilitate the selective and permanent separation of said debris from the valued seed cotton. 
     
     
         5 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said plural sequential saw cylinders is a counter-rotating saw cylinder strategically located adjacent another of said plural sequential saw cylinders to recover valued seed cotton remaining with debris from the primary separation process. 
     
     
         6 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 5  further comprising a rotating diverter cylinder located adjacent to and co-rotating with at least one of said plural sequential saw cylinders to facilitate separation of debris from valued seed cotton. 
     
     
         7 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 1  wherein one of said separate conduits serves as a segregated debris conduit when said plurality of variably positionable deflector panels are in a first position and as a feed conduit when plurality of variably positionable deflector panels are positioned in a second position re-directing said seed cotton directly through said one of said separate conduits to a secondary saw cylinder so as to accommodate a portion of the incoming harvested seed cotton. 
     
     
         8 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 1  further comprising mechanical debris separation facilitating components selected from the group of grid bar assemblies, control bars and stripper bars, selectively positioned relative to one or more of said plural sequential saw cylinders to optimize the performance of the cotton extractor cleaner through the selective retraction of said debris separation facilitating components. 
     
     
         9 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 8  further comprising mechanical attachments for and to one or more of each movable deflector panel and said debris separation facilitating components to facilitate the positioning of each from external to the seed cotton extractor cleaner. 
     
     
         10 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 9  wherein said mechanical attachments are actuators providing selective linear and rotational movement of said one or more of each movable deflector panel and said debris separation facilitating components. 
     
     
         11 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 10  comprising a plurality of sensors and field devices detecting parameters affecting the processing of seed cotton through said extractor cleaner and providing inputs to a control logic circuit for use in selectively positioning said actuators. 
     
     
         12 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 1  further comprising a variable speed drive operably connected to each of said plural sequential saw cylinders to selectively vary the rotational speed of said plural sequential saw cylinders to optimize the segregation of debris and valued seed cotton. 
     
     
         13 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 12  comprising a plurality of sensors and field devices detecting parameters affecting the processing of seed cotton through said extractor cleaner and providing inputs to a control logic circuit for use in selectively controlling said variable speed drive. 
     
     
         14 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 12  further comprising mechanical debris separation facilitating components selected from the group of grid bar assemblies, control bars and stripper bars, selectively positioned relative to one or more of said plural sequential saw cylinders to optimize the performance of the cotton extractor cleaner through the selective retraction of said debris separation facilitating components, mechanical attachments for and to one or more of each movable deflector panel and said debris separation facilitating components to facilitate the positioning of each from external to the seed cotton extractor cleaner, actuators providing selective linear and rotational movement of said one or more of each movable deflector panel and said debris separation facilitating components; and,
 a plurality of sensors and field devices detecting parameters affecting the processing of seed cotton through said extractor cleaner and providing inputs to a control logic circuit for use in selectively positioning said actuators and said variable speed drive. 
 
     
     
         15 . The extractor cleaner as defined in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said plural sequential saw cylinders includes a cylinder mounted for rotation about its longitudinal axis and a plurality of axial saw channels affixed to said cylinder having a plurality of closely axially spaced teeth in each segment thereof.