Cotton, Inc.

Other

Cotton Resources, LLC

Lee Arlington Warner

Fred A Fewin, Jr

Michael H Willcutt

Cotton waste is transferred to a heated reactor and mixed with a pigment in the presence of steam. Cotton waste is converted to mulch by a plurality of rotating mixing elements disposed in the reactor and which mix, cut and/or chop the cotton waste therein. In particular, the reactor includes a cylindrical wall section and a longitudinal drive shaft extending through the reactor. A series of radial arms extend from the drive shaft. Mounted on the terminal ends of the radial arms is a first set of mixing elements. As the drive shaft is driven, these mixing elements move adjacent the inner surface of the cylindrical wall section. Further, there is provided a second set of mixing elements disposed adjacent the inner face of the cylindrical wall section. These rotary mixing elements are secured to a shaft that extends through the cylindrical wall section at an angle to the longitudinal drive shaft. The second set of mixing elements cooperate with the first set of mixing elements to cut or chop and transform the cotton waste into mulch.

Method of converting cotton waste to mulch

In an embodiment, a device for increasing railcar capacity is disclosed. The device includes one or more augers that transfer and pack bulk materials into a railcar. In an embodiment, the one or more augers are compression augers. In another embodiment, the device includes two augers where one auger is a left-hand auger and the other auger is a right-hand auger. The left-hand auger and right-hand auger are mounted on a common shaft. The forces on the device arising from packing the railcar and compression of bulk materials by the one or more augers are offset by the common shaft. In an embodiment, one or more feeds supply bulk materials to the one or more augers. In another embodiment, the one or more feeds are feed augers. In another embodiment, the one or more feeds are feed belts. In another embodiment, the one or more feeds are feed drags. In another embodiment of the device provided, the one or more feeds transfer and pack bulk materials into a railcar.

Increasing railcar capacity with auger

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for dumping the contents of a container. A container dumping apparatus according to the present invention includes a frame and a carrier positioned on the frame for movement relative to the frame. The carrier includes an arrangement for supporting the container to be dumped. An actuating device for moving the carrier between rest and final dumping positions includes a first tilting arrangement having a first portion and a second portion extensible/retractable relative to the first portion. At least one cable is anchored at an outer end to the carrier and at an inner end to the first portion of the first tilting arrangement. The extensible/retractable second portion of the first tilting arrangement is arranged to act upon the cable intermediate the anchored ends thereof to shorten the span of the cable extending between the carrier and the extensible/retractable second portion. The shortening of the span of the cable causes at least a portion of the carrier to raise and thereby tilt the container to an intermediate position between the rest and final dumping positions. A second tilting arrangement is connected to the first portion of the first tilting arrangement to displace the first portion for further tilting of the container to the final dumping position.

Method and apparatus for dumping containers

A container dumping mechanism includes first and second sides. A carrier is positioned on the frame for movement relative thereto. The carrier includes a mechanism for supporting a container to be dumped. A dumping assembly is operably connected to the carrier and includes an actuating mechanism which is selectively actuable in first and second modes. In the first mode, the actuating mechanism is actuable to raise and generally invert the carrier at the first side of the frame to dump the contents of the container over the first side. In the second mode, the actuating mechanism is actuable to raise and generally invert the carrier at the second side of the frame to dump the contents of the container over the second side. The actuating mechanism is further actuable in a third mode for rotating the carrier essentially in place about a longitudinal axis to dump the contents of the container directly therebeneath. The actuating mechanism comprises an extensible/retractible boom comprising telescoped inner and outer portions. A cable take-up mechanism is connected to the cable for shortening the effective length thereof to extend the outer boom portion and cause the carrier to rotate.

Growing community of inventors

Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Lee Arlington Warner