Improvements in Centrifugal Machines or Milk Separators.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd June, 1891-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Centrifugal Machines or Milk Separators.
I, ADOLF CHRISTIAN LARSEN of Copenhagen, in the Kingdom of Denmark,
Mechanical 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 :-
The following improvements in centrifugal machines (or milk separators) are
designed to give an even and noiseless rotation to the container, which at the same
time is constructed in such a way, as to regulate the flowing of the milk in such a
manner, that the cream can be separated almost perfectly from the milk.
Comparing the separator with the well known toy called a top, the common
separator represents a top with a very long shaft.
The distance between the containers centre of gravity and the supporting point.
of the shaft or spindle may be theoretically called the length of the spindle; and
may be styled positive downward from the centre of gravity and negative upward.
The velocity which is sufficient to retain the axis of the container in a perpen-
dicular position, is greater in separators with long spindles and less in those with
short ones.
If the length of the spindle becomes zero, this velocity will become
zero also, that is to say the container is in stable equilibrium, whilst the equilibrium
in the separator with positive length of the spindle is unstable.
In the separator described the length of the spindle is zero or negative and it
represents therefore quite a new specimen of this kind of machine.
The drawing shows in Fig. 1 the 'separator in a longitudinal section, in Fig. 2 a
horizontal section of the container, Fig. 3 a second arrangement of the bearing, as
well as the adjustable pin, in Figs. 4 & 5 two partitions which separate the cells of
the container.
The machine is standing upon a suitable base a,, which carries the standard a', in
which is placed the elastic step, the brass of which ', is surrounded by elastic
material (one or several rings e of india-rubber or the like,) and at the same time,
and in connection with these is put into an opening in the standard a₁.
Either the pin c can be fastened on the piece of the container
in such a
way, that the length of the spindle becomes zero or negative, or, as Fig. 3 shows, it
may be movable and adjustable in the direction of its axis in such a manner, that
the coupling box c', of the friction-coupling is connected to the pin c¹₁, and fits
exactly in the centre of the containers co, where it can be fixed with set-screws or
the like.
Co
Of course the elastic bearing b₁ can also be in connection with the container c
while the pin is fastened on the standard a', likewise the milk can be led away from
above instead of below, but in this case the container must be closed from the
bottom c to the edge i and the round opening placed in the top of the container.
The rotation is produced by the friction of a coupling, which somewhat resembles
the elastic bearing. Round the shaft d are laid one or several elastic rings d³,
which
can be pressed tight between the screw nuts d3, and 4, so that the pressure can be
transferred, either directly (see Fig. 3) upon the inner surface of the coupling-
box c', or the hole of the container's centre c₂, or indirectly by means of a metal
ring u, (Fig. 1) said ring being divided or separated into several pieces.
The friction hereby produced will suffice to put the vessel into rotation.
2>
The pulley can be fixed either between two bearings and, or beneath the
lower of them on the spindle m. This spindle is coupled to the spindle d by a ball
and socket joint p (the part of which lying between the ball and axis is square see
Fig. 1). The pulley can also, as seen at Fig. 3, be fastened on the spindle d,.
itself, especially if the belt and the centre of the ball p are lying in the same plane,

page_text: (see Fig. 3), as the separator by rotating has sufficient stability to counterbalance
any trifling horizontal inclination which might appear.
The milk which flows into the bowls escapes through one or several holes h
into the container co. This container c is divided into a number of cells I, II,
III, IV,. ..see Fig. 2 by several vertical partitions 1. 2. 3. 4. . reaching from
the periphery a little inside the inner surface of the cream-ring.
Of these cells, each pair, or if preferred three or more form a system of cir-
culation, between themselves, entirely apart from the others.
The path of the milk through the machine is as follows: The hole h is bored
near the partition 1. The partition 2 (see Fig. 1 & 2) has a hole in its lower part
near its inner side; the partition 3 a hole & in its upper part near the periphery,
the partitions 1 and 4 have no holes at all. The milk must therefore pass the
cells I, II, III, and is compelled to make a long zigzag-like way. Under the
rotation it forms a vertical wall, which is thin, when there is little milk in
the container, and thick, when there is much. If the wall becomes thicker than
the distance between the incision q and the periphery, some milk (or cream) will
flow down to the annular chamber t, so that afterwards the thickness of the milk-
wall will again be like the distance of the incision from the periphery. If then no
more milk flows into the container, no milk can flow out, but the quantity of the
fluid escaping from the container will always be the same as that, which enters into
it through the hole h If much milk is admitted, the cream will most likely not be
separated entirely, therefore it is advisable that one should admit just enough milk,
so that almost all the cream should be separated in the first cells of the system, and
that only skim-milk (with a trifle of cream) is found in the last cell. Thus the
cream is led away from the first cells of the system, the skim-milk from the last
cells (III & VI) which prevents any connection between the skim-milk and the
cream cells.
The skim milk then escapes over the edge, which by its height regulates its
flow at a fixed rate to t₁, whence it passes away through an opening to another
vessel, whilst the cream comes in a similar way to the upper chamber t and thence
to a similarly formed annular chamber around the neck of the prepared receptacle
and is led through a fixed tube to a vessel prepared for it.
It is preferable to place the communicating openings generally close to the
periphery below and above by turns (Fig. 4 & 5) or else a little nearer to the
centre (Fig. 2, 2 and 6 and Fig. 4 (dotted)). In the drawing Fig. 2 are shewn-
two circulating systems consisting of the cells I, II, III and VI, V, IV.
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
(1) In centrifugal milk separating machines, providing the container with a
fixed pin placed at or near the container's centre of gravity, and rotating rapidly
in an elastic step, whilst a friction coupling transfers the impulsive movement from
the shaft to the container, substantially as, and for the purpose set forth.
(2) In centrifugal milk separating machines the combination of a container
having vertical partitions reaching from the periphery to a little inside the cream-
rings inner surface, by which the container is divided into a number of cells, of
which two and two or several, always form a system of circulation which is entirely
separated from the other cells, whilst the cells of each system communicate with each
other by communicating holes (always one in each intermediate wall), and in which
the first contain the inlet and the last the outlet for the milk, causing the milk to
make a longer or shorter, more or less zigzag-like way according to the situation
of the inlet, the communication holes, and the outlet, substantially as, and for the
purpose set forth.
(3) In centrifugal milk separating machines, providing the friction coupling
with a driving shaft with screw-end surrounded with an elastic ring or rings, and
screw nuts on the said screw end, which press the elastic ring or rings tight together

page_text: and against the driven part, either directly against the inside of the containers
central cavity or indirectly by means of a metal ring split or separated into pieces,
substantially as set forth.
(4) In centrifugal milk separating machines providing the pin with a hollow
cylindrical head (the inside of which at the same time can act as friction surface
for the friction coupling named in the Claim 3) and fitting into the hole of the
containers centre, in which it can be fastened in whatever height by set-screws or
the like, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of June 1891.
S. S. BROMHEAD,
97, Newgate Street, London, E.C., Agent for Applicant.