Flexible diaphragm press

Abstract: This flexible diaphragm press, especially for squeezing fruits and the like, consists of a cylindrical container (1) which is arranged on supports (4, 4′) in such a manner that it is turnable around its cross-axis. The container (1) has a loading door (7) placed in one of its two bottoms. It contains further an airproof sack-shaped diaphragm (12). One end of this diaphragm (12) is attached to a flange (15) at the opening for the loading door (7) and the other end is fixed between two flanges (17, 18) at the opposite bottom of the container (1) where a delivery conduit (14) is placed too. A drainage conduit (10) runs along the longitudinal axis of the container (1). Both ends of this conduit (10) are connected to couplings (13, 14) in the two bottoms of the container (1) where the squeezed liquid can flow out.

Description: Flexible diaphragm presses employed for liquid producing material such as grapes, mixed fruits and the like are well known in the field, they are made up of essentially a cylindrical countainer capable of rotating on its own longitudinal axis and having on the outer plating one or more loading doors, besides having the possibility of loading through a shaft placed in correspondance to the rotation axis and containing inside it a flexible diaphragm made up of a flat sheet substantially sack shaped fitted to adhere to half of the internal wall of the container. The edge of the flexible diaphragm is fixed to the container along the periphery of a plane lying in correspondance to the rotation axis of the container, and therein the squeezing pressure is obtained blowing pressurized air which slowly increases to reach a maximum pressure of 2 bars between the walls of the container against which adheres the diaphragm. On the other half, or in the internal central area of the container, are longitudinally arranged a series of small bored conduits, deriving from a manifold placed eighther on the inside or the outside the container to collect the squeezed liquid. This type of machine has found great success during these last few years due to the enormous advantages that this kind of pressing offers respect to power presses and because it guarantees high quality must in that it works at a very low pressure, from 0,10 to 0,6 bars, obtaining most of the must, so-called flowers, of quantity up to 10% more respect to power presses, as with the latter ever during the first stage of pressing are discharged substances contaired in the stalks and skins. Because flexible diaphragm machines are essentially containers subjected to pressure, they must follow the safety regulations laid down in the various countries, and in any case according to certain safety rules to prevent explosions or implosions and because of the particular constructive characteristics involved, the realization of the container and the relative evaluation is rather complicated and difficult to achieve. The outcome is that these machines become rather expensive and therefore at the moment they can be employed only in big plants in that they are usually built in large sizes and conserently of great capacities. Patent CH 412.577 proposes a revolving cylindrical container fitted on a framework support on the median axis and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis with a flexible diaphragm on the external wall of the internal projecting part where the material that is to be pressed is positioned in the interspace between the hood and the external wall. The rotation around the median axis carries out the function of loading the material that is to be pressed, by means of the upper cover, and delivering the residual after the pressing operation has finished, by means of the lower cover. This device will not allow material to be crushed both because of the manner in which the material is arranged so that will tend to pack-up against the bag filter and because of the manual rotation. The patent UK 2.158.697 supplies a small spherical press, about as big as a football, containing a flexible bag, closed by a door on the upper part and that delivers on the opposite part by means of bored conduit, positioned in the center of the sphere. The spherical shape of the flexible bag cannot press the squeezed material to the end and can only be received in small devices, like those proposed in this patent. We have found, and it is the object of this invention, that it is possible to make flexible diaphragm presses having the same known characteristics as to function and relative results, which involue less difficulty in making the pressure container and conseguently at reduced costs so as to permit smalles sizes an therefore within the range of smaller wine producing plants. The invention consists in foreseeing a cilindrical container arranged on a support which is made to turn according to its median axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, with a sack shaped diaphragm where the material that is to be pressed is introduced and with a bored conduit to collect and convey the liquid outside the container positioned in correspondence to the longitudinal axis, characterized by the flexible diaphragm bag covering and adhering to the entire internal surface of the container - plating and bottom units - apart from the loading door area, positioned in correspondence to one of the bottom units, with a bored conduit that collects and conveys the liquid outside the container and fitted at the two delivery conduits and of the liquid from the pressing in correspondence to the center of the two cylinder bottom units; with the container positioned in order to revolve around the supports and of a framework support by means of pivots and in order to determine, by means of the alternation of the pressing operation and the rotation of the container, the crushing of the material, in order to squeeze the material well, even under very low pressure. The invention will be better understood with the help of a description of an example of realization to be taken as being merely illustrative and in no way limitative and a series of drawings in which: fig. 1: shows a partial section of a side view of the vibrating diaphragm press according to the invention; fig. 2: shows a side view of the vibrating diaphragm press in correspondance to its support; fig. 3: shows an enlargement of detail A of fig. 1 showing the connection of the small conduits to the lid; fig. 4: detail B of fig. 1 showing the connection of the vibrating diaphragm to the loading door; fig. 5: is an enlargement of detail C of fig. 1 showing the connection of the diaphragm and the small conduits to the bottom of the container. fig. 6: device to make the press rotate during the loading stage. With reference to 1/2/3/4 and 5, the diaphragm press according to the invention is made up of a cylindrical tank 1, having a reinforcement ring 2 and pivots 3 and 3', arranged on supports 4, 4', in correspondance to the median axis A-A', to allow the rotation of the tank 1 around its own median horizontal axis, the rotation of which is obtained by known means using an electric motor and its relative reducer 6. The tank 1 has one of its two ends, equipped with a door, for the loading of the material to be squashed and conduits for the discharging of residual material after squashing, and houses a coupling 8, in correspondance to the longitudinal axis B-B' - see also fig. 3 - obtained in the door 7, and symmetrically in the centre of the bottom, a second coupling wholely threaded 9 - see also fig. 5 - into which is introduced an end of a cylinder shaped drainage conduit 10 the section being of any shape circular, polygonal etc. -, and which tapers at its two bottoms with two truncated cones 11 and 11' ending with two couplings 13 and 14, coupling 14 being extreemely threaded and connecting inside the coupling 9, and coupling 13 is simply introduced into coupling 8. Coupling joints 8 and 9 in the part protruding from the tank are externally threaded to each receive a butterfly valve not illustrated, to prevent the emission of the liquid from the tank. The drainage conduit 10 has bores on its surface to allow flowing of the liquid only while retaining the solid parts for example as reguards grapes, the pips and skins. Inside the tank 1 is also arranged a sack shaped flexible diaphragm 12 which covers and adheres to the entire internal surface of the container except for the part corresponding to door 7. This diaphragm is connected to the part of the door with its tip to the lower part of a flange 15 by means of a counter flange 16 - see fig. 4, - and in correspondance to the end between the two flanges 17 and 18. This connection is air tight so as to determine two completely separate chambers between the internal face and the external face of the diaphragm itself. Flange 15 is then suited to meet with flange 19 above belonging to door 7 to close this part of the container with bolts, or with other know means such as automatic hooks or a bayonette system. Along the external wall of tank 1, and in corrispondance to the plating 2, are arranged means not illustrated in the drawings fitted to create, according to the case pressure or vacuum, connected to an air conduit 20 connected in turn to four vertical branches 21/21'/21''/21'''. Both the conduit 20 and the conduits 21/21'/21''/21''' are bored along its surface and turned towards the inside of the tank, which in turn is bored in correspondance to it. Said drainage conduits can be arranged outside the tank as shown in fig. 2, indifferently inside it according to another form of realization or even obtained as a result of the shaping of the plating of the container. The pressing process using the press according to the invention is therefore obtained by blowing compressed air slowly increasing in pressure between the internal wall of the container and the external wall of the diaphragm through appropriate conduits 20/21 which, due to their particular characteristics allow a uniform distribution alternating the operation with the production of a vacuum still between the internal wall of the container and the external one of the diaphragm, so that the diaphragm at the stage of the operation cycle adheres to the walls of the container and the material is, free to crumble as a result of a series of rotations of the container around its axis A-A', as occurs in diaphragm presses of the known type which on the contrary rotate around ther axis B-B'. Another advantage to be underlined is the fact that with the invention the tank being arranged vertically favours and notably increases the draining of the liquid even from the first stage of the loading of the material to be processed as a consequence of a higher hydrostatic pressure generated on the lower lying material, considering that the tank is in a vertical position during loading stage. Furthermore, it has been noted that the system facilitates the crushing of the material to be squeezed, grapes in particular, an operation which requires less rotations of the container respect to the number of rotations necessary in normal presses having horizontal tanks. Finally, the fact that it has only one central drainage conduit facilitates and greatly simplifies cleaning and servicing operations which can be performed blowing pressurized air from the opening normally used for the drainage of the pressed liquid. We have found that in certain cases, for example when pressing fermented grapes without stalks it can be necessary to make the press rotate at regular intervals already during the loading stage, a characteristic also offered by known presses having horizontal axis. This type of procedure is possible also with the press according to the present invention using the device illustrated in fig. 6. The device consists in connecting one of the two supports and rotation pivots 3' of the tark 1, which in this case must be hollow, to a tubing 101 corrected by means of tube bend 102 to loading door 7 of the press, adding on the outerportion of said concave pivots a rotating joint 103 to which is connected a tubing deriving from a feeding pump for the must and grape skins. It is possible therefore, during loading stage, to interrupt the loading at regular intervals and making the tark rotate for a few turns before the squeezing stage. So as to avoid the skins from clogging the drainage conduits of the liquid 10.

Claims: Flexible diaphragm press of the cylindrical container-type fitted on supports positioned on a framework support on the median axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the container with a sack shaped diaphragm where the material that is to be pressed is introduced and with a bored conduit to collect and convey the liquid outside the container positioned in correspondence to the longitudinal axis, characterized by the flexible diaphragm bag (12) covering and adhering to the entire internal surface of the container (1) - plating and bottom units - apart from the loading door (7) area, positioned in correspondence to one of the bottom units, with a bored conduit (10) that collects and conveys the liquid outside the container and fitted at the two delivery conduits (13) and (14) of the liquid from the pressing in correspondence to the center of the two cylinder bottom units; with the container (1) positioned in order to revolve around the supports (4) and (4') of a framework support (30) by means of pivots (3) and (3') in order to determine, by means of the alternation of the pressing operation and the rotation of the container (1), the crushing of the material, in order to squeeze the material well, even under very low pressure. Press according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the flexible diaphragm 12 is connected to the part of the bottom provided with an openable lid 7 and thereto locked water tight between two flanges 15 and 16' and still connected in corrispondance to the bottom,water-tight, between two flanges 17 and 18, so that a second water-tight chamber is established between the internal wall of the container and the external wall of the sack shaped diaphragm, into which eighther pressurized air can be blown to determine the squeezing process or a vacuum produced to allow the diaphragm to adhere to the walls of the container, according to which phase of the operation in required, respectively pressing or crushing. Press according to claims 1, characterized by the fact that the rotation of the container occurs around two pivots 3 and 3' arranged on a reinforcement ring assembled around the plating of the container in corrispondance to its median trasversal axis. Press according to claims 1-2-3, characterized by the fact that the air pressure, obtained by known means, reaches the internal hollow space between the container 1 and the diaphragm 12 through a circular conduit 20 arranged around the plating in correspondance to the central transversal axis of the container and to the four or more branches 21-21'-21''-21''' arranged trasversaly and connected to conduit 20, the conduits 20 and 21 being bored in correspondance to their respective face joining to container 1, being in turn bored in correspondance to the holes obtained in the air conduits. Press according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the two ends of the cilindrical drainage conduit 10 to collect the squeered liquid, connect to two truncated cones 11 and 11' ending with two cylindrical coupling 13 and 14, coupling 14 being externally threaded so as to connect to a coupling 9 internally threaded and welded to the bottom of container 1, and coupling 13 inserted in correspondance to the other bottom of the container in a second socket 5 welded to the centre of lid 7. Press according to clains 1-2 and 5, characterized by the fact that flage 15 arranged in correspondance to the circular opening obtained in one of the two bottoms of the container and under which a second flange 16 holds the opening of a sack shaped diaphragm 12, as in claim 2, is connected by know means - holts, automatic hooks, bayonette system - to a second flange 19 arranged around the periphery of the lid 7 so as to assure an air tight locking of the container during the pressing stage. Press according to claim 1 a nd 5, characterized by the fact that the liquid pressed against the drainage conduit 10 and collected inside it through bores on its walls, is directed outside by means of couplings 8 and 9 arranged in the centre of the bottom of the container or of the lid. Press according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the rotation of the container 1 to obtain, in successive pressing operations, the crushing of the material therein contained, is worked by a motor 5 with relative reducer 6 operating on one of the two pivots 3 around which the tank can rotate. Press according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that, because the loading of the press occurs when the container 1 is in vertical position, the draining of the liquid is facilitated and accelerated without the use of pressure, through the effect of the hydrostatic pressure of the material consequently to the greater heighth of the container. Press according to claims 1 to 9 , characterized by the fact that it can also be placed in rotation during loading operations, in this case one of the support and rotation pivots 3' is hollow and is thereto connected towards its innerportion by a tube 101 ending in a bended tube 102 secured to the loading door 7, and towards the outerpart by a rotating joint 103 for its connection to a tubing deriving from the loading pump.

Inventors: BERZOLLA GIOVANNI, BERZOLLA, GIOVANNI
Applicants: BERZOLLA GIOVANNI, BERZOLLA, GIOVANNI
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B30B9
IPC codes: B30B9