Improvements in Apparatus for Separating and Collecting Dust.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th June, 1896--Accepted, 18th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Separating and Collecting Dust.
A communication by the Firm of HOFER AND KÜNTZEL, of 11 Alemannen
Gasse, Basle, in the Republic of Switzerland, Engineers.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to dust collectors and has for its object the absolute
removal of dust from dust laden air by purely mechanical means, such as expansion
and friction without the use of cloth filters or the like.
The improved dust collector is shown as an example in the accompanying
drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the apparatus and Figures 2 and 3 sections on
the lines - and y-y respectively.
Figure 4 shows a device for clearing the friction passages.
As seen from the drawings, the improved apparatus consists of an expansion
chamber E of truncated pyramidal form provided with a sack tube. A chamber R
(friction chamber) is arranged over the expansion chamber and divided into
suitable separate passages F by means of inserted angularly bent plates P (bent
preferably at right angles). The plates P rest in bars s, the dead space C being
closed air-tight and dust-tight by means of the outermost plate. A suction
chamber B is connected with the friction chamber R. The expansion chamber E
is connected by means of a pipe L with the dust producing machine, and the
suction chamber B by means of a pipe L' with a fan or exhaust D.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
The current of dust laden air passes into the chamber E, entering between a
sheet metal plate g and the front wall of the chamber. Owing to the increase in
section of the chamber the speed of flow of the air current is considerably reduced.
The heavier dust particles are deposited and the lighter dust particles are carried
up to the friction chamber R. In this chamber R the air current with an
essentially unchanged expansion and at its reduced velocity is forced to pass with
great friction through the series of passages F.
If for instance the friction chamber be made with a side length of 1 metre,
i.e. with 1 cubic metre capacity and with a distance of 2 centimetres between the plates,
a frictional surface of 100 square metres is offered to the air current passing
through, and a half surface (the upper or collecting surfaces of the plates) of
50 square metres to the dust particles. The air current having its power reduced
in consequence of this frictional action is not in a position to raise or lift to the
suction chamber B the dust particles which come in contact with the plates P.
The dust therefore remains adhering to the under surfaces of the friction plates.
An absolute dust free air passes into the suction chamber B and leaves the same
by a pipe L' and fan D.
An inclination of the inserted plates to 50° should be sufficient to retain even the
finest kinds of dust in the friction passages.

page_text: The material of the insertion plates may consist of glass, vulcanite, sheet metal
or the like according to the chemical activity or inactivity.
Any stopping up of the friction passages is prevented as on the one hand when the
layer of dust on the plates reaches a considerable size it slips off by reason of its
own weight, and on the other hand all condensation and the consequent sticking of
the dust to the friction plates is reduced to a minimum. Owing to the exchange of
heat, condensation of moisture is in the worst case only possible on the walls of the
friction chamber. The centrally placed partitions are actually insulated by those
placed at the sides, see for instance the plates P made of sheet metal.
The following simple device serves for entirely clearing the apparatus.
The edges of the friction plates which face the suction chamber B are rolled on
wires as shown in Figure 4. These rolled up plate ends rest in a notched bar t
formed preferably of flat iron, which bar has one end t¹ projecting out of the
friction chamber R. A slight push on the end t' will set all the plates in vibration
and the dust resting thereon will fall into the expansion chamber. E and together
with the dust directly deposited in the said chamber will be discharged through a
sack tube T.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In dust separating and collecting apparatus, the method of separating and
collecting the dust by expansion and friction, which consists in causing the dust-
laden air to flow through a chamber of gradually increasing cross section, and
then through a chamber subdivided into a number of angular or zig-zag passages
opposing a large frictional surface to the current, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2. In dust separating and collecting apparatus, a chamber subdivided into a
number of angular or zigzag passages by means of angularly bent plates or
partitions so arranged therein as to oppose a large frictional surface to the current
of dust laden air passed therethrough, substantially as described.
3. A dust separating and collecting apparatus comprising an expansion
chamber (E) serving as a preliminary separating chamber and suitably connected
with the dust producing machine; a friction chamber (R) divided into suitable
obliquely rising friction compartments or passages by means of inclined angularly
bent plates or partitions (P) adapted to be set in vibration by means of a notched
bar (t); and a suction chamber (B) connected with a fan (D) or similar means of
exhaust substantially as described and illustrated.
Dated this 11th dow of Tome 100
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.