Patent GB-417782-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in automatically timed centrifugal apparatus
IPC: B04B13/00
Filed: 1934-06-25
Abstract: 417,782. Centrifugal machines. HADDAN, R., 31, Bedford Street, Strand, London.- (Western States Machine Co. ; Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A.) June 25, 1934, No. 18739. [Class 23.] A centrifugal machine for purging, washing, and drying sugar or other material, has a selfsetting brake so combined with a manually operated shipper mechanism that the brake is moved to its ' off ' position and locked there by the movement of the shipper mechanism to start the cycle of operations ; the connections are such that the machine may be temporarily operated under manual control to effect the unloading or washing of the basket. The shaft 2 carrying the basket 1 is suspended by a universal joint from a hanger, and the basket is allowed to gyrate against a yielding resistance. A pulley 4 on the upper portion of the shaft is driven by a belt from the clutch driven pulley 47 loosely mounted on the shaft 48 at the rear of the row of machines. The brake pulley 5 on the shaft has bands 6 which can be drawn into engagement with it by links 7 connected to a disc 8 on the brake spindle 9 connected by a crank arm 9<a> and link 10 to the brake actuating arm 12. The casing 13 has a trough divided by an annular flange 15 into inner and outer troughs for the reception of wash liquor and syrup respectively. The outer trough can be closed by a ring 16 which can be dropped on to the ledge 17, and which then deflects the syrup to the inner trough ; the ring is raised by fingers 20 operated by a weight 26a connected by a link 26 and linkage 27, 28, 29, 30 to the rocker arm 31 loosely mounted on the stub shaft 32. The shipper shaft 40 carries the hand wheel 41 at its forward end, and at its rear end a pinion 42 to operate a fork 44 engaging a grooved sleeve 45 on the shaft 48. The axial movement of this sleeve causes the engagement or disengagement of the centrifugal clutch shoes with a rim on the pulley ; the clutch is similar to that described in Specification 392,819, [Group XXIV]. The shaft 40 is mounted in a sleeve 50 pivoted in a bearing collar 51 supported by the bracket 52, and a helical spring 53 is arranged between the collar 51 and a pin on the adjusting disc 54. A pin 56 on a disc 55 on the sleeve 50 extends in front of the shoulder of a cam 57 on the shipper shaft 40. Rotation of the wheel 41 causes the cam shoulder to rotate the brake sleeve 50 and to move the brake actuating arm 12 through links 59, 58. The timing or control mechanism is carried by the shaft 79 driven from the line shaft 77 through a toothed clutch 65, 66 thrown in by an arm 60 on the shipper shaft 40 acting through links 61, 62. A number of timing discs 67 are adjustably secured to the shaft 79 and are provided with projections or arms 68 to actuate parts of the mechanism at predetermined but variable intervals. The cycle of operations is started by the movement of the shipper shaft 40 to the starting position to remove the brake and throw in the clutch 65, 66. The hand lever 75 is then operated to open the valve 72 to supply wash water to the bowl and the valve is closed almost immediately by moving the handle 76 to release the latch 69. The bowl is then loaded, and purging proceeds with the ring 16 in its lowered position. The timer then opens the valve 83 to supply steam through the pipes 80, 81, 82 to hasten the flow of the centrifuged syrup to the inner trough. The next step causes the lifting of the ring 16 and the supply of wash water to the bowl, and after a short period for centrifugal drying the clutches are automatically thrown out and the brake is applied. The wheel 41 is then rotated to free the brake which is held off by the locking dog 35<a>, while the bowl is rotated slowly so that the sugar can be discharged by means of a plough. Specification 280,167, [Class 23], also is referred to.