Improvements in Sand-blast Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by JOHN ELMER PARKER, of Chicago, Illinois,
United States of America, Machinist.]
Improvements in Sand-blast Apparatus.
I, DAVID YOUNG, Patent Agent, of the Firm of D. Young & Co., 11 and
12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in sand-blast apparatus.
The chief object of the said invention, generally stated, is to provide a simple
and efficient sand-blast apparatus for cleaning molds. In molding rubber goods, it
becomes necessary to clean the molds after each operation, and to do this by hand,
involves much time and labor. These molds can, however, be rapidly, effectively
and economically cleaned by a blast of finely ground and bolted sand, it being
observed that the sand must be thus ground and bolted, so as to avoid cutting the
molds. The sand after being thus ground and bolted, resembles meal or flour, and
hence, while an ordinary sand-blast apparatus may successfully discharge a blast of
coarse sand for the purpose of cutting glass and the like, such an apparatus as
commonly found in use, is not fitted for bandling finely ground and bolted
sand, owing to the liability of the same to cake and clog. An apparatus
embodying this invention is particularly designed for the use of such finely ground
and bolted sand, and as a further object, the air-blast is largely freed from
moisture, before the air-blast enters the same. Means are also provided whereby
the volume of sand in the blast can be varied at will.
In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention:
Figure 1 represents in vertical, central section, an apparatus embodying said
invention, the pipes being, however, shown in elevation.
Figure 2 is a section taken horizontally through the stem h of the deflector H,
at a point just above the neck e¹ which surrounds the opening in the bottom of
the chamber a'. In this figure a portion of the bottom C of said chamber is shown
broken away.
Figure 3 shows in vertical, central section, a somewhat different arrangement,
involving, however, a modified arrangement of by-pass.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan on line x-x in Fig. 3.
Figure 5 is a bottom plan of the annular air-blast distributor of said modifi-
cation.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of said drawings, A indicates an upright drum or
casing which is divided by partitions B and C into the three compartments or
chambers a, a', and a². The chamber A forms a receptacle or hopper for a supply
of sand, and to such end the partition B is desirably made conical so as to afford a
suitable bottom for the hopper. This hopper is valved, so that from time to time
a proper quantity of sand can be supplied to the chamber a¹.
As a
simple
arrangement, the lower portion of the partition or hopper bottom B is provided
with a centrally arranged discharge opening and flared outwardly around the same,
as at b, so as to provide a seat for the downwardly opening valve D. The stem d
of this valve works through a bearing E on a cross-bar e, and a spring F which
acts to normally close the valve is arranged between the cross-bar e and a
shoulder d' on the upper end of the valve-stem. The discharge-pipe G extends

page_text: laterally from the upper portion of the chamber a¹ and has an enlarged inlet end
which opens within said chamber.
9
The partition C which forms the bottom of chamber a¹, is desirably conical, and
is provided with a centrally arranged opening c for the admission of the air-blast
from chamber a into chamber a'. The area of the passage between these two
chambers can be varied by an adjustable valve or regulator, and as a matter of
further improvement deflector H is provided which is also arranged to serve as
such valve or regulator. This deflector overhangs the opening c in partition C
and has a stem which extends down through said opening. The stem of the
deflector has a threaded socket in which an adjusting screw I
engages. The
partition C is turned up around the opening c therein, as at c', and said turned-up
portion or neck is provided with vertical grooves 2 (Fig. 2), for ribs 2 on the
stem of the deflector, in which way, when the adjusting screw is turned, the
deflector, will be held against rotation but will be permitted to move up or down,
according to the direction in which the adjusting screw is turned. The area of
the air-passage between the upper end of the neck c and the overhanging deflector
can be varied by raising or lowering the latter, and the upwardly ascending
air-blast will impinge against the deflector and thereby be spread laterally so as to
be properly diffused in the body of sand in chamber a'. The chamber a' is supplied
from the hopper with a suitable quantity of sand, and the air-blast is first let into
chamber a from the valved supply-pipe K. The air-blast of course fills chamber a²,
and from the latter, the blast passes up into chamber a', causing the fine sand in
the latter to rise in the form of a cloud. This cloud is carried by the blast into
the discharge-pipe G, from which latter the sand-blast can be directed against the
molds that are to be cleaned, by any suitable pipe-connection and discharge-nozzle.
In order to regulate the sand-blast, a by-pass is provided which consists of a pipe L
connecting the air-supply pipe K with the discharge or sand-blast pipe G. The
pipe L is provided with a valve 1, and the pipe K is provided with a valve k which
latter is arranged between the chamber a2 and the point at which the pipes K
and L are connected.
The air-blast which is directed into the apparatus through the pipe K can be
varied by adjusting the cock or valve k, and, by adjusting the cock or valve l, a
portion of the air-blast can be directly admitted into the sand-blast pipe G so
as to vary the quantity of sand in such blast.
The chamber a also forms a drip-chamber, to collect the moisture which
accumulates upon the underside of the conical partition C. The chamber a is
therefore provided with a drip-cock M which can be opened when it becomes
necessary to drain off any water which has accumulated in said chamber.
Figure 3 represents a sand-blast apparatus involving certain details which differ
in construction and arrangement from the construction and arrangement shown in
Figs. 1 and 2, and also a modified form of by-pass. In said Fig. 3, the discharge
or sand-blast pipe N extends upwardly and centrally through the bottom of the
drum or casing A' and has a T-shaped receiving end portion arranged within the
upper portion of the chamber within said casing.
In both constructions, however, that is to say-in the constructions illustrated by
both Figures 1 and 3, the sand is placed within a closed chamber having at its
bottom an air-blast inlet which is covered by the sand so as to direct the air-blast
into the body of sand, and an outlet sand-blast pipe which leads from the upper
portion of the chamber. It will also be observed that the blast inlet in Fig. 1 is
an annular passage, and that to a certain extent the perforations arranged in
annular series in Fig. 3 form an annular inlet, the result in each case being the
diffusion of the air-blast in the body of sand.
The air-blast supply pipe P is provided with cocks or valves p, p', and terminates
in an annular pipe-portion which is arranged within the lower portion of the
chamber in the casing. The annular pipe-portion p is arranged around the pipe N,
and is perforated so as to discharge the air in jets within the body of sand. The
by-pass in this construction comprises a pipe which is provided with a cock or

page_text: valve 9 and arranged to connect the lower portion of the sand-blast-pipe N, with.
the air-blast supply pipe P at a point between the cocks or valves p and pl.
From the foregoing it will be seen, that in the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, the
main chamber a' in which the sand is contained, has an air-blast inlet at its bottom,.
and an outlet for the sand-blast near its upper portion, and that otherwise, said
chamber is closed, excepting when the valve D is opened to admit a further supply
of sand. The drip-chamber a2 is filled with compressed air, during operation, and
hence moisture in such air will condense upon the walls of such chamber, in place
of being conducted into the sand.
With further reference to a matter of construction and arrangement common to-
both Figures 1 and 3, it will be seen that the main chamber into which the air-blast
is introduced, provides a chamber in which a body of sand forming a supply which
is gradually utilized is primarily allowed to settle at the bottom thereof, and that
the air-blast introduced at the bottom of such chamber diffuses itself in the body
of sand and causes the latter to gradually rise in cloud form. Also, that the outlet
is arranged within the upper portion of such chamber and has a relatively small
area, thereby ensuring the outflow of a blast of air and sand in cloud form, it being
observed that the sand employed is ground and bolted sand, resembling meal, and
that it is desirable to thoroughly mix the same with the air so as to avoid its exit
in lumps or compact quantities.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A sand-blast apparatus comprising a chamber in which a body of sand
constituting a supply which is gradually utilized is contained within the bottom.
portion of said chamber, means for admitting an air-blast at the bottom of the
chamber and for diffusing such blast in the body of sand so as to cause the latter
to gradually rise in cloud form, and an eduction sand-blast pipe arranged to take
its supply from the sand cloud which thus rises within the chamber at the upper-
portion of the latter, substantially as set forth.
2. A sand blast apparatus comprising the main chamber in which the sand is
contained, a sand-blast pipe leading from said chamber, a drip-chamber communi-
cating with the main chamber, and an air-blast supply pipe opening into the drip-
chamber, substantially as set forth.
3. A sand-blast apparatus comprising a chamber a¹ for the purpose set forth
having an opening in its bottom, a sand-blast pipe leading from said chamber, an
adjustable deflector arranged over the opening in the bottom of the chamber, and
means for directing an air-blast to said opening, substantially as set forth.
4. A sand-blast apparatus comprising a chamber in which the sand is contained,.
a sand-blast pipe leading from said chamber, means for introducing an air-blast
into the lower portion of said chamber, and a valved by-pass connecting the sand-
blast pipe with the air-blast supply, substantially as set forth.
5. A sand-blast apparatus comprising a chamber a¹ in which the sand is con-
tained, a sand-blast pipe leading from said chamber, an upper hopper-chamber
provided with a discharge-valve, a lower drip-chamber communicating with the
chamber a' through an opening in the bottom of the latter, and an air-blast supply-
pipe arranged to discharge into the drip-chamber, substantially as set forth.
6. In a sand-blast apparatus, the chamber a¹ provided with a conical bottom
having an opening e therein, a sand-blast pipe communicating with said chamber,
the adjustable deflector H arranged over opening c and having a non-rotary but
sliding stem portion engaged by an adjusting screw, and means for supplying blast
air to the said opening, substantially as set forth.
7. A sand-blast apparatus comprising the chambers a', and a² for the purpose
set forth, a sand-blast pipe leading from the chamber a', a valved air-supply pipe
arranged to discharge into the chamber a2, and a valved pipe connecting the air-
supply pipe with the sand-blast pipe, said chambers being connected by a passage

page_text: so as to permit the air-blast entering chamber a³ to pass into chamber a', sub-
stantially as set forth.
8. A sand-blast apparatus comprising a closed chamber in which the sand is
contained, the sand-blast pipe having its receiving end arranged within the upper
portion of the chamber, and the air-blast supply pipe connected with means for
supplying the blast and terminating in a perforated blast-distributor arranged
within the lower portion of the chamber and constructed and positioned to direct
the blast air in jets into the body of sand so as to cause the same to rise in the
form of a cloud of dust, substantially as set forth.
9. A sand-blast apparatus comprising a closed chamber in which the sand is
contained, the sand-blast pipe N, extending up through the bottom of the chamber
and having its receiving end arranged within the upper portion of the same, and
the air-blast supply pipe P, terminating in an annular perforated distributor
which is arranged within the lower portion of the chamber, substantially as set
forth.
10. A sand-blast apparatus comprising the drum A¹, the sand-blast pipe N,
leading from a point within the upper portion of the drum, the valved air-blast
supply pipe P connected with a suitable source of supply and terminating in a
perforated distributor which is arranged within the lower portion of the drum, and a
valved by-pass Q, connecting the pipe P, with the pipe N, substantially as set
forth.
Dated this 11th day of February 1896.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.