Cotton harvesters require precise adjustments and operation for maximum efficiency and quality. Improper settings can result in significant losses that reduce yield and lint quality.
Short fiber content is primarily a genetic trait but can also be affected by growing conditions, harvesting, ginning, and processing methods. This characteristic is significantly different between cultivars.
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The Spindle
Spindles are a key component of cotton harvesters that gently remove the fiber from bolls. Unlike the rough, harsh method of hand picking, picker harvesters preserve the integrity of the cotton fibers and produce a higher-quality end product. The rotating spindles are the heart of the John Deere cotton harvester, and the precision with which they’re designed and manufactured is critical to its performance.
A spindle is a straight spike made of wood used for spinning and twisting fibers such as wool, flax, hemp, and cotton into yarn. A spindle is usually weighted at the bottom, middle, or top by a whorl – a circular or spherical object that helps hold the yarn while it’s being spun. This device dates back to Neolithic times and has been found in archaeological digs worldwide. It’s also part of traditional weaving and knitting devices such as the Indian charkha, the great wheel, and the spinning jenny.
The term spindle can also be applied to any rotating device or machinery part. It can be belt-driven, gear-driven, or have an integral motor design depending on the application’s speed, power, and stiffness requirements. Angular contact ball bearings are generally used in high-speed units, while roller and deep groove ball bearings are typically chosen for applications requiring greater load capacity or stiffness.
During the late 1800s, Angus Campbell of Chicago, Illinois, proposed using rotating spindles to harvest cotton. He sent a caravan of tractor-trailers southward each fall for twenty years to test his new picker designs. By the early 1930s, his team had developed the Price-Campbell cotton picker. This machine performed better than its predecessors but was still far from perfect.
Today, there are two basic types of cotton harvesters based on the type of spindle they use: pickers and strippers. Picker harvesters utilize rotating spindles to delicately remove the cotton, whereas strippers use a more aggressive process by cutting off the entire stem of the plant. Regardless of the harvester type, the spindle’s quality and consistency are critical to the overall operation. This is because the spindle determines how much of a boll the harvester will actually take from each plant, which can impact the final yield of the crop.
The Drum
The drum is the body of a musical instrument that produces sound. It consists of a hollow cylindrical shell, usually made from wood, and one or more drum heads (often called skins). The head is stretched across the shell and held in place by an aluminum hoop known as a lug. A long, thin metal rod known as a tension rod is screwed into the lug to adjust the amount of pressure against the head. This affects the amplitude of the drum sound and can be tuned to produce different sounds.
In addition to the drumhead, the other biggest factor influencing a drum’s sound is the counter hoop, which is a small, circular hoop that sits on top of the drumhead and is tightened down with a drum key. The counter hoop creates a resonance chamber that helps produce the drum’s tone and can also be adjusted to vary the sound. Drums are made in many sizes, from very large to very small, and come in many different finishes. Many drummers like to customize their drums with cymbal stands and other hardware to create their own unique sound.
A drum can be played in ways other than hitting it, with rattles inside the shell or knotted cords around the head. Drums that are rubbed instead of struck are called friction drums or membranophones. The earliest membranophones are thought to have been invented by the Egyptians. Artifacts from the late 3rd millennium BCE show frame drums with skins attached by thongs.
Some cultures hold drums to a high level of respect, treating them as religious objects in their own right. They may be “clothed” with blankets, regularly purified with smoldering cedar or sage, and thanked with offerings of tobacco. Drum keepers are entrusted with a drum’s well-being and are responsible for maintaining its integrity.
Determining the right time to start mechanical pickers is crucial for a producer’s bottom line. Moisture levels rise above critical conditions at different times of day depending on a variety of factors, including dew point, relative humidity, rainfall, green leaf, cloud cover, and wind velocity. Close supervision of picker condition and performance can easily mean 5 percent more cotton in the trailer.
The Doffer or Stripper
The doffer, also known as a doffing roller, is a component used in carding machinery to remove fibers from the main cylinder of the card. The doffer is equipped with pins that comb the fiber, removing neps and forming a smooth, elongated sliver for feeding into the next stage of production.
The sliver from the doffer then passes between the bare roll and lower crush rolls. The lower crush rolls are often equipped with a detaching device to break up trash particles and seed cotton debris. Once the sliver is free of debris, it then passes into a stripper or picker drum.
Once the stripper strips the sliver, it is deposited into a module builder that packs eight to twelve bale modules. The modules are then pulled away from the field to a truck.
A variety of factors can cause cloudy sliver, including improper settings on the licker-in, damaged teeth in the doffing cylinder, incorrect nip gauge setting, damaged wire points on a doffer or cylinder, and direct air current hitting the web. Other common causes include lap licking, lack of feed in chutes, and the wrong grinding frequency for a doffer or cylinder.
In addition to the doffer, a stripper can help reduce the trash content from the cotton collected by the harvester. The stripper can also help improve the cotton quality by reducing the number of seeds and plant debris in the harvested product.
A stripper can be a much more effective harvester than a picker when the plant is properly cared for. However, it can be a bit more expensive than a picker and requires much more maintenance since it has more moving parts.
The doffer is a key component in the process of carding and must be properly set in order to achieve optimal yield. If the doffer is not correctly positioned, it will be difficult to get good carding and can cause serious problems for the mill. The doffer is also used to remove full bobbins or pirns holding spun fiber from the card clothing and replace them with empty ones.
The Row
In the world of designer luxury, The Row is a cult brand. The label was founded in 2006 by former child actresses Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Its minimalist designs have earned the sisters a reputation for quality and simplicity. Their clothes feature impeccable tailoring that fits and slides through the nooks and curves of the body. Their shoes are equally sleek and stylish, with a timeless perspective on beauty.
Despite their popularity, the company has recently faced some hardships. According to reports, The Row is cutting more than half of its workforce, with the most notable casualties being womenswear co-design directors James Robinson and Anna Sophia Hovener and founding head men’s wear designer Paul Helbers. A source claims that The Row made the cuts because of financial challenges and internal turmoil over racial inequity.
The Row’s name is a reference to Saville Row, a street in London known for its tailored shops. It’s a place where people come to get tailored suits, and it’s the kind of place where you can find high-quality clothing for a reasonable price. The Row is also known for its leather goods. Their bags are designed to complement the brand’s minimalist apparel, and they’re crafted with luxurious materials. They’re not cheap, but they are durable and long-lasting.
A cotton harvester needs to be properly calibrated for a proper yield. It should be set to the proper row spacing for the field’s conditions. The correct row spacing will prevent excessive plant competition and maximize yield. Row spacing is important for weed control, disease management, and harvesting efficiency. A wider row spacing may cause excessive competition between plants, leading to a lower crop yield.
When the plant population is too low, it can’t reach its full potential. This can result in shorter limbs, smaller bolls, and less fruit. A higher planting density can promote a more uniform stand and increase the amount of fruit per acre.
The Row’s designs have attracted a loyal following, including celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Katie Holmes. The brand’s pieces are a symbol of quiet luxury, and they’re perfect for people who want to show off their wealth without shouting about it. People who can’t afford The Row’s prices can look for the label’s clothes on resale sites or brave the annual sample sale in New York.
