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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.
ROBERT S. MUNGER, OF MEXIA, TEXAS.
IMPROVEMENT IN COTTON-GIN-SAW CLEANERS.
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,744, dated April 23, 1878; application filed
March 13, 1878.
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that I, ROBERT S. MUNGER, of
Mexia, in the county of Limestone and State
of Texas, have invented a new and Improved
Cotton-Gin-Saw Cleaner, of which the follow-
ing is a specification:
Figure 1 is a side elevation in section of my
improved gin-saw cleaner. Fig. 2 is a detail
plan view of the saw-cleaning knives.
Similar letters of reference indicate corre-
sponding parts.
The object of my invention is to provide a
device for quickly cleaning the saws of cotton-
gins when they become gummed.
It consists in a series of knives that are sup-
ported by a movable bar or franie, and may be
thrust between the saws when the saws are to
be cleaned.
Referring to the drawing, A is the shaft,
upon which are placed gin-saws B. Below
the gin-saws there are rotary cleaning-brushes
C, of the usual description.
Behind the saws B, and above the level of
the saw-shaft,is a knife-support, D,which con-
sists of a bar or frame that is placed in guides
in the gin-saw frame, and is arranged parallel
with the saw-shaft A.
To the upper surface of the knife-support D
a series of tapering knives, E, are secured by
screws a, which pass through slots b in the
knives into the support.
The knives are placed apart a suitable dis-
tance to receive between each pair two gin-
saws. A rock-shaft, F, is journaled in the
gin-saw frame parallel to the support D and
saw-shaft A. To this rock-shaft are attached
arms c, which extend downward through ap-
ertured ears d, that project from the rear edge
of the knife-support D, and the said shaft is
provided with a lever, e, at one of its ends, by
which it may be turned to move the support
D either forward or backward, as may be re-
quired.
The knives E are sharpened from the under
side, and are tapered so that they will readily
enter between the saws.
The operation of cleaning the gin-saws is as
follows: When the saws become gummed
from ginning damp cotton, the gin is stopped
and the knives E are thrown forward into con-
tact with one side of the saws by means of
the rock-shaft F. The saws are then turned
backward through one revolution. The gum-
my cotton, by contact with knives, is cut from
one side of the saws, and either drops of its
own weight or is removed by the cleaning-
brushes C.
Although a single set of knives acting on
one side of the saws is sufficient to accom-
plish the cleaning of the saws, two sets may
he employed, one set being placed above and
alternating with the other.
The knives may be readily removed from
their support and sharpened.
The advantages claimed for my improve-
ment are, that the saw may be cleaned in a
minute by one man at a single operation,
whereas by the old method it requires several
men and one and a half or two hours.
Having thus described myinvention, I claim
as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat-
ent-
1. The tapering knives E, adjustably at-
tached to the movable support D and placed
in guides in the gin-frame, substantially as
and for the purpose specified.
2. The combination of the rock-shaft F, hav-
ing arms c and the operating-lever e, with the
knife-support D, substantially as shown and
described.
R. S. MUNGER.
Witnesses:
T. A. HoxD,
S. S. WAL-ER.
