System and Method for Unwrapping Round Modules
Patent Number: US 8714902 Grant Date: 2014-05-06 Filing Date: 2010-07-29
Overview
This patent describes a robust, production-ready system and method for unwrapping round modules (exemplified by cotton modules) designed to deliver uniform, contaminant-free feed for subsequent processing. Filed July 29, 2010 and granted May 6, 2014, the claims define a coordinated arrangement of a tilting module feeder, primary feeder, cutter, tensioning lines and hook assemblies, and pivoting paddles that together automate wrapper removal while protecting packed fibrous material. The specification emphasizes multiple feeder alignments, interchangeable conveyor floor types, and tensioning mechanisms (pulley/counterweight or tension clutches) to reliably strip tarpaulin covers without allowing wrapper fragments to contaminate the product. Inventors based in Amarillo, TX and Nazareth, TX assigned the rights to the inventor Practical Innovations, LLC (Hereford, TX). The drafting highlights practical deployment details—catwalks, wind boards and reset operations—reflecting careful attention to operability and gin-floor constraints. The claims are structured to cover single and dual tilting feeders, hook-and-line tension systems, and predictable module transfer to the primary feeder, demonstrating breadth and enforceability in the mechanical/material‑handling arts.
Key Features
- Integrated tilting module feeder with inclined/uninclined operation
- Horizontal cutter and hook/line tension system to peel top flaps cleanly
- Pivoting paddles and wind boards for secure transfer and minimal product loss
- Configurable conveyor floor types for diverse facility layouts
By enabling uniform, high-throughput unwrapping with reduced contamination risk, this system advances cotton‑gin efficiency and is readily adaptable to other packed fibrous materials and industrial material‑handling applications.
Invention Details
Abstract: A system and method for unwrapping round modules is disclosed. Specifically, a method for unwrapping a round module is disclosed. The method comprises supporting a round module wrapped in a module wrapper on a tilting module feeder having a tilting module feeder first side and a tilting module feeder second side, cutting the module wrapper substantially horizontally from a round module first side to a round module second side, and applying tension to a module wrapper top flap.
Background: (1) BACKGROUND (2) This disclosure relates to a system and method for unwrapping round modules. For purposes of this disclosure, cotton modules are discussed, and are an example of a fibrous material. However, such discussion of cotton modules is solely exemplary, and not limiting. (3) Methods for handling harvested cotton by cotton harvesters, such as cotton strippers or cotton pickers, have evolved over the years. At one time, cotton would be dumped into trailers that were then delivered to the cotton gin. This system required frequent trips to the cotton gin, expending significant amounts of time and energy. Eventually, cotton strippers were developed capable of forming the cotton into rectangular cotton modules. Rectangular cotton modules eliminated the need for frequent trips to the cotton gin because modules were capable of accumulation without trailers. However, rectangular cotton modules were susceptible to damage due to environmental hazards such as moisture and wind erosion. To protect rectangular cotton modules awaiting delivery to a cotton gin, a plastic tarpaulin cover was frequently employed. Such methods of handling harvested cotton in covered rectangular cotton modules have been further improved by the introduction of cotton harvesters capable of making round modules of harvested cotton. (4) Round modules can be cylindrical packed cotton modules wrapped in tarpaulin covers along the side walls of the cylinder shape. They can be created of harvested cotton inside modern cotton harvesters. More comprehensively wrapped than their predecessors, round modules overcome many of the shortcomings of covered rectangular cotton modules. The round module can provide substantial savings by preventing lost or damaged cotton due to environmental deterioration. For example, round modules are less likely to absorb ground water which could foreseeably collect around the base of a cotton module. (5) Round modules represent a technological advancement in the handling of harvested cotton but cause new difficulty for cotton gins. Gin operators must completely separate cotton from the round module wrapper such that no contaminants from the wrapper remain during ginning. (6) Various methods exist for separating cotton from the round module wrapper. In one embodiment, a pair of curved arms lifts the round module and rotates the module along its cylindrical axis. A slitter for cutting the cover removes the cover during rotation. However, such system is incapable of accommodating multiple round modules simultaneously and fails to provide a uniform feed of unwrapped cotton exiting the system. In another embodiment, arm structures grasp, lift and reorient the round module into a vertical orientation, thereby allowing the weight of the cotton itself to pull the cotton out of the open bottom of the module. As the cotton drops from the module wrapper, the wrapper is retained by spikes in the grasping arm structures. Likewise, such system is also incapable of accommodating multiple round modules simultaneously and fails to produce a uniform feed of unwrapped cotton exiting the system. Further, this embodiment is likely to leave cotton bound within the uncut module wrapper. (7) As such it would be useful to have an improved
Patent Document
Related: Agriculture | Mechanical Engineering | Robotics & Automation | Cotton Ginning | Packaging And Logistics | Robotics | Amarillo, Texas | Hereford, Texas | Nazareth, Texas | Shannon Warren, Patent Attorney