A New and Improved Apparatus for the Clarifying of Liquids.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1891-Accepted, 10th Oct.. 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New and Improved Apparatus for the Clarifying of Liquids.
I, THOMAS THORP of Whitefield in the County of Lancaster Engineer &c. do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
--
My invention relates to the clarifying of liquids by means of centrifugal pre-
cipitation and filtration and its essential features consist (1) of an apparatus so
constructed that the liquid to be clarified is conveyed into a rapidly rotating drum
of any suitable dimensions, through or over plates
within the drum & rotating with it, upon which the heavier and greater part of the
or their equivalents, contained
solids are precipitated. The liquid is then filtered through one or more layers of
mill-furnace ashes or other suitable material, also contained within the rotating
drum, whence it flows to the outlet; (2) of a pump for raising the liquid to be
clarified, which is actuated by the shaft of the rotating drum either directly or by
means of intermediate gearing, the pump being fixed preferably below the level
of the liquid to be raised.
The plates or their equivalents upon which the heavier and greater part of the
solids are precipitated, before the liquid to be clarified (which in some cases may
have some precipitant added) passes through the filter, may be of various forms
and arranged concentrically spirally, helically or in any other convenient manner;
the object being to offer as large a surface as possible upon which the solids may
be precipitated by the centrifugal force imparted to the solids in the liquid, due to
the rapid rotation of the drum. The cleaning of these plates or their equivalents
may be accomplished by scraping or in any other convenient manner when the
apparatus is at rest.
The filtering material which may be in one or more layers of any desired
thickness and graded to any required degree of fineness according to the quantity
and quality of the liquid to be clarified and the desired effluent, may be placed
either near the periphery of the drum in which case the outlet is likewise preferably
near the periphery and the inlet near the centre, the liquid passing outwards; or
in one or more layers preferably concentrically placed so as to leave a space
between the filtering layer or layers as the case may be, in which case the liquid
to be clarified is admitted into the drum near the centre through one or more
communications to the space between the periphery and the filtering layer or layers,
whence it passes inwards leaving the heavier solids behind and escapes after
passing through the filter over a lip or other suitable device into any convenient
receptacle.
The renewal of the filtering material is made as often as it becomes choked but
as only a small proportion of the solids is required to be arrested by it, the greater
part having usually been precipitated, this renewal is more rarely required than if
ll the solids had been arrested by it.
The pump for raising the liquid to be clarified may be arranged on any of the
vell known models of centrifugal or other pumps either for delivering up the centre
f the shaft direct into the drum, or outwards, whence it can be conveyed to the
nterior of the drum.
In either case the pump may be of greater capacity than required for simply
aising the quantity to be clarified so that the surplus may be used for other
urposes.
In order to ensure a regular supply of liquid to the interior of the drum I
referably make use of a lever pivoted or otherwise secured at one end, the free
d being in the form of a curved blade, actuating a valve near the fulcrum, so.
at as the liquid approaches or recedes from the centre the free end of the lever

page_text: is deflected & the valve is closed or opened the extent required to maintain a
supply of liquid corresponding with the quantity escaping at the outlet.
Dated this 8th day of November 1890.
THOMAS THORP,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New and Improved Apparatus for the Clarifying of Liquids.
I, THOMAS THORP of Whitefield in the County of Lancaster Engineer &c.
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
My invention relates to the clarifying of liquids by means of centrifugal pre-
cipitation and filtration and its essential features consist (1) of an apparatus so
constructed that the liquid to be clarified is conveyed into a rapidly rotating drum
of any suitable dimensions, through or over plates or their equivalents contained
within the drum and rotating with it, upon which the bulk of the solids is pre-
cipitated; the liquid is then filtered through one or more layers of mill-furnace
ashes or other suitable filtering material also contained within the rotating drum
whence it flows to the outlet, (2) of a pump for raising the liquid to be clarified,
actuated by the shaft of the rotating drum either directly or by means of
intermediate gearing, the pump being fixed preferably below the level of the liquid
to be raised.
The plates or their equivalents upon which the bulk of the solids is precipitated,
before the liquid to be clarified (which in some cases may have a precipitant added)
passes through the filter, may be of various forms and arranged concentrically,
spirally, helically or in any other convenient manner, the object being to offer as
large a surface as possible upon which the solids may be precipitated by the
centrifugal force imparted to the same, due to the rapid rotation of the drum. The
cleansing of these plates or their equivalents may be accomplished by scraping or
in any other convenient manner when the apparatus is at rest, the cover plate
being removed for the purpose.
The filtering material which may be in one or more layers of any desired
thickness and graded to any desired degree of fineness, according to the quantity
and quality of the liquid to be clarified, and the desired effluent, is preferably
placed in one or more layers between concentric perforated plates leaving a con-
siderable space between the filter and the periphery of the drum, the liquid to be
clarified being admitted into the drum near its centre through one or more
communications to the space between the periphery & the filter. It then passes
inwards through the filter after leaving the heavier solids upon the plates, and
escapes over a lip or other suitable device, but preferably through a stuffing box
in the top of the drum cover and thence into a pipe leading to any convenient
receptacle.
The renewal of the filtering material is made as often as it becomes choked but
as the bulk of the solids has been usually precipitated upon the plates, this renewal
is more rarely required than is the case where filtering is done outwards, & without
plates.
The pump for raising the liquid to be clarified may be arranged on any of the
well-known models of centrifugal or other pumps either for delivery up the centre
of the shaft direct into the drum or outwards, whence it can be conveyed to the
interior of the drum.
The pump may preferably be of greater capacity than required for simply raising
the liquid to be clarified & the surplus used for other purposes if desired.
And in order that my invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect I will proceed to describe the accompanying sheet of drawings reference

page_text: being made to the figures and letters thereon marked, similar letters referring to
the same parts in the different views.
Fig. 1. is a sectional elevation through A. A. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan
through B. B. and Fig. 3 is a sectional plan through C. C. of one form of apparatus
constructed according to my invention.
A. is the drum preferably constructed of steel plates, driven by a strap a from
any convenient motor & preferably running in ball bearings b. c, c, are perforated
plates, arranged concentrically, the position of the perforations being indicated by
the arrows. These perforations are not absolutely necessary as instead of same,
the plates may be left short at the top & bottom respectively. d is the filter
which I preferably construct of mill-furnace ashes between perforated concentric
metal plates loosely fitted in the interior of the drum. e is the drum cover, secured
watertight to the body of the drum, preferably by means of cotters e¹ so as to be
easily removed when it is desired to cleanse the interior. is the stuffing box
through which the clarified liquid passes by means of the pipe g into any convenient
receptacle.
In some cases the stuffing box f and pipe g may be dispensed with and the
clarified liquid allowed to escape over the lip shown by dotted lines.
B is a safety casing surrounding the rotating drum, secured to the base plate C
which is fixed to a suitable bed D.
E is a hollow spindle round which the drum A. rotates, having perforations j
through which the liquid is forced into the space k & thence between the
plates c. c'.
I is a pipe communicating between the hollow spindle E and the centrifugal
pump which has preferably curved arms m, and is driven from the rotating
drum by the shaft n. pis a perforated shield to prevent large particles of dirt
entering the apparatus. G is any suitable reservoir containing the liquid to be
dealt with.
0. o. are curved blades for the purpose of giving the necessary rotatory motion
to the liquid in the drum and p. p are plates to prevent the washing up of the
precipitated sediment, by the incoming liquid. is a relief pipe communicating
with any suitable valve for the purpose of allowing any portion of the liquid raised
by the pump F to pass otherwise than into the drum.
When the apparatus is in action and the drum A is rapidly rotating, the liquid
in the reservoir is raised by the pump F or its equivalent, as indicated by the
arrows up the tube and hollow spindle E through the perforations into the
channel and thence between the plates c. c' which may be as numerous as desired &
upon which the bulk of the solids contained in the liquid is precipitated, through
the filter whence the clarified liquid escapes either through the stuffing box f
into the pipe g, or in some other convenient manner such as over the lip h, as
shown in dotted lines.
When the plates c. c¹ or their equivalents become thickly coated with sediment
or the filter d becomes choked, the apparatus is brought to rest. The cover-plate e
is then removed and the interior of the drum and filter cleansed in any convenient
manner; the filter being then renewed and the cover-plate fitted in position, the
apparatus is again set in motion & clarification proceeded with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is-
1stly. An apparatus for the clarifying of liquids so constructed that the liquid
to be clarified is conveyed into a rapidly rotating drum of any suitable dimensions
through or over plates or their equivalents contained within the drum, upon which
the bulk of the solids is precipitated & then filtered through one or more layers
of mill furnace ashes or other suitable filtering materials also contained within the
drum whence it flows to the outlet substantially as shown on the drawings and
herein described.

page_text: 2ndly. In combination with an apparatus as herein described, for the clarifying
of liquids, of a pump actuated from the shaft of the said apparatus for the purpose
of raising the liquid to be clarified, substantially as shown on the drawings and
herein described.
3rdly. In centrifugal liquid clarifying apparatus in which the filtering is done
inwardly, of a filter composed of one or more layers of mill furnace ashes or other
suitable filtering material, formed between concentric perforated plates substantially
as & for the purposes shown and herein described.
Dated this 8th day of September 1891.
THOMAS THORP,
Applicant.