Cages, separate the cotton from the air current which is helping to carry it and then collect and deposit the cotton on cage surface after it has passed from the beater chamber of scutcher, then uniformly distribute the cotton to the Calender Roller section in Uniform sheet form across the width of the scutcher.
It is a Cylindrical cage, open at the ends, the surface of which is made of mesh wire. It consists of cast iron wheel around which is built a casing with mesh wire screening or perforated tinned sheets.
The air flow by which cotton is conveyed from the beater to cage is induced by the fan situated beneath the cage and connected to them by air flues from the end of the each cage.
Under ideal condition the air flow to the cage is uniform and constant across the full width of scutcher. The air in oassing through the perforation of the cages deposits, is uniform fleece of cotton on to their surface.
Faulty air current and irregular airflow on cages due to incorrect settings of damper and dust accumulation in air passage, are some causes for high variation in lap weight. Owing to lack of air control and some time dampers choked with dust and dirt in one side. Due to this, faults occur such as the formation of conical lap caused by depositing of more cotton on one side than another.
Another source of trouble is split lap( the sheet of cotton splits) This is due to equal amount of cotton is deposited on each cage, making virtually two separate sheets and they refuse to combine even after being calendered under considerable pressure. To correct this, it is necessary to direct most of the fibres on to the top cage and only a relatively thin sheet of fibres on bottom cage. The flues connecting the cages to the fan housing are equipped with suitable dampers or valves to adjust the air flow to correct above faults. To avoid split lap, single cage is used in modern scutcher.
Barrel shaped laps are due to excessive fan speed.
Strength of the air current from the ends of both cage can be regulated with damper, which may cover the opening as desired, to get the proper current of air to make a uniform distribution of cotton on the cage.
Gage, being connected to the fan, permit the dust ladden air to pass through.the perforations and retain the cleaned lint on their surface which is stripped by the cage delivery roller and it then distribute in sheet form to the calender roller across the width of the scutcher.
Dust laden air exhausted by the fan is blown into a dust settling chamber. Light impurities, fine dust, short fibres are thus extracted by the cage, so it is one of the minor cleaning point
