Patent GB-688111-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to liquid and gas separating devices
IPC: F16N39/00
Filed: 1945-12-13
Abstract: 688,111. Centrifugal foam disintegrators. EDWARDS, M. L. Dec. 13, 1945 [May 23, 1945], No. 33761/45. Class 23 [Also in Group XXXIV] A machine or engine having a lubricating system in which oil is pumped to and scavenged from a casing e.g. the crank casing of an aeroplane engine is provided with a centrifugal gas-and-liquid-separating device for separating into its liquid and gaseous components the oil foam which may arise in such casing due to the temperature increase when the engine is operating or to the reduction in the ambient pressure at high altitudes, sealing means being provided between the liquid outlet of such device and the gas outlet thereof which latter forms a venting device for the casing (crank case). Fig. 1 shows a radial cylinder engine to the crank case of which oil is circulated from a tank 12 by a pump 13 with a scavenge pump 16 to return oil to the tank. The oil foam separator 20 returns the separated liquid component to the tank 12 by a pipe 25 whilst the separated gas or air passes away by a pipe 26 facing downstream in the slip stream of the aeroplane or vehicle. The circulating and scavenging pumps 13, 16 and a centrifugal separating rotor of the separator are driven from the engine shaft through gearing 15, 19, 21. The centrifugal separating device shown in axial section in Fig. 4 comprises a rotor 47 of frustoconical form closed on the periphery except for liquid discharge openings 52 and having at the smaller end 47a an axial inlet opening 47b through which the oil foam enters to be deflected by a reversely arranged conical baffle 56 and so pass to the outer region of radial vanes 53 whereby the liquid component being heavier is separated out to flow along the interior peripheral wall of the rotor 47 for discharge' through the outlet apertures 52 to a volute chamber 37 in the enclosing casing 34 whereby the oil is given a pressure head for delivery to the tank. The separated air or gas passes away through a sleeve 55 projecting into the rotor at the larger end through an axial outlet opening of an end plate 50 of the rotor such sleeve directing the air to an end chamber 41 of the enclosing casing 34 whence an air discharge pipe conducts the air in the down stream direction of the slip stream of the aeroplane or vehicle. The rotor vanes 53 are held in slots 56b in the conical baffle 56 and in a flanged ring 49-49a the vanes having extensions 53d located between the ring 49a and the baffle and the whole being assembled on the shaft by a shouldered sleeve 48 secured by a nut 57 having a locking washer 58 with a lug 58a bent up into an aperture in the baffle member. The sleeve 48 has a spline drive connection 46e with the shaft 46 and the latter is splined externally and internally at the respective ends 46a, 46b so as to be engaged by a driving shaft and engage a further shaft driving another meber such as an electric generator. Thus as shown in Fig. 3 the separator 20 is mounted on a collecting hood 29 fitted on the crank casing and beyond the separator 20 is a generator 31 the separator and the generator being driven by a shaft 30 extending through the collecting hood 29. The end plate of the rotor carries, externally of the peripheral closure, blades 54 extending radially and also for a short distance horizontally in close proximity to the sleeve 55; these blades direct back any liquid tending to return from the volute chamber 37. Specification 688,176 is referred to.