A device for use in cotton gins reduces one source of noise by 80%.
W. Stanley Anthony, USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) engineer, replaced standard doffing brush cylinders with quiet, solid-wound brush cylinders in lint cleaners.
The solid-wound brush can be used in several types of gin machinery, including the two leading sources of noise in gins: gin stands and lint cleaners.
During a field trial, Anthony, leader of the ARS Cotton Ginning Research Unit, Stoneville, MS, measured noise levels while using both brushes. They were reduced from 94 decibels on a logarithmic scale to 78 decibels, dramatically improving worker comfort. High noise levels in cotton gins can lead to hearing loss and decreased efficiency.