IMPROVE- MENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Denton Abel, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES." A communication from abroad by Eugen
Langen, of Cologne, in the German Empire.
Sealed the 10th December 1878, and dated the 11th October 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Denton Abel at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1878.
"
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex. IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES." [A com-
munication from abroad by Eugen Langen, of Cologne, in the German Empire.]
This Invention relates to that description of centrifugal machines such as are
used in the manufacture of sugar, in which the vertical shaft of the centrifugal
drum is driven from below. Such machines have heretofore been constructed with
the upper or neck bearing for the shaft connected with the intervention of elastic
buffers to the framing that carries the outer or syrup casing of the machine, so
that the shaft and its centrifugal drum could oscillate within the syrup casing.
According to the present Invention the neck bearing as also the foot bearing of the
shaft are connected rigidly to the syrup casing, while the latter is supported
laterally by elastic buffers, so that the whole system, namely, the shaft with its
drum and the syrup casing can oscillate on the central support of the foot bearing.
By this arrangement as the comparatively large space heretofore required between
the centrifugal drum and the syrup casing to allow for the oscillation of the former
is no longer necessary, the distance between the two can be limited to that
necessary for carrying off the syrup discharged by the drum. By this means the
two parts are brought so near together that strain on the syrup casing in the event
of the bursting of the drum would be greatly diminished, so that by making the
former of strong welded boiler plate it may be made to serve as a protective
casing.

page_text: According to one arrangement for carrying out the above-described improvement,
the neck bearing of the shaft is fixed or formned on the bottom plate of the syrup
casing, while the lower bearing is fixed or formed centrally on a circular plate, the
circumference of which is connected rigidly to a cylindrical piece forming a
continuation of the syrup casing, and is also connected by elastic buffers to the
foundation below. The lower ond of the foot bearing is made spherical and rests in
a correspondingly spherical cup in the foundation, so that the machine in oscillating
rocks in such cup. For large machines the foot bearing for the shaft is by
preference made as a thrust bearing, that is, with a number of collars upon it to
increase the bearing surface. Also in order to prevent the end of the shaft that
works in the foot bearing from working with unequal pressure therein, owing to
the axis of the bearing not coinciding accurately with the axis of the shaft, the said
part is made as a separate piece with a transverse groove on its upper surface in
which rests a corresponding projection on a metal block, the upper surface of which
has a groove at right angles to the first-named groove. In the last-mentioned
groove the shaft rests by means of a rounded feather on its under face. Thus the
block interposed between the shaft and the part working in the bearing operates
like a universal joint.
According to another arrangement the buffer supports instead of being connected
to the foundation below the foot bearing are interposed between the lower end of
the syrup casing and a surrounding framing which may form part of a floor into
which the centrifugal machine is partly sunk. In this case the spherical cup that
supports the lower bearing of the shaft may either be carried by the foundation
below, or be suspended by strong brackets from the before-mentioned circular upper
framing fixed to the floor. The foot bearing is in this case also suspended by
strong brackets from the bottoin of the syrup casing being conveniently formed in
one casting therewith.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Denton Abel in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
April 1879.
CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of No. 20, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in
the County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES.'
A com-
munication from abroad by Eugen Langen, Cologne, in the German Empire.
This Invention relates to that description of centrifugal machines such as are
used in the manufacture of sugar, in which the vertical shaft of the centrifugal
drum is driven from below. Such machines have heretofore been constructed with
the upper or neck bearing for the shaft connected with the intervention of elastic
buffers to the framing that carries the outer or syrup casing of the machine, so
that the shaft and its centrifugal drum could oscillate within the syrup casing.
According to the present Invention the neck bearing as also the foot bearing
of the shaft are connected rigidly to the syrup casing, while the latter is supported

page_text: laterally by elastic, buffers, so that the whole system, namely, the shaft with its
drum and the syrup casing, can oscillate on the central support of the foot bearings.
By this arrangement as the comparatively large space heretofore required between
the centrifugal drum and the syrup casing to allow for the oscillation of the former
is no longer necessary, the distance between the two can be limited to that
necessary for carrying off the syrup discharged by the drum. By this means the
two parts are brought so near together that strain on the syrup casing in the
event of the bursting of the drum would be greatly diminished, so that by making
the former of strong welded boiler plate it may be made to serve as a protective
casing.
-
According to one arrangement of carrying out the above-described improvement,
the neck bearing of the shaft is fixed or formed on the bottom plate of the syrup
casing, while the lower bearing is fixed or formed centrally on a circular plate, the
circumference of which is connected rigidly to a cylindrical piece forming a con-
tinuation of the syrup casing; and is also connected by elastic buffers. to the
foundation below. The lower end of the foot bearing is made spherical and rests
in a correspondingly spherical cup. in the foundation, so. that the machine in
oscillating rocks in such cup. For large machines the foot bearing for the shaft
is by preference made as a thrust bearing, that is, with a nuinber of collars pon
it to increase the bearing surface. Also in order to prevent the end of ine haft
that works in the foot bearing from working with unequal pressure therein, owing
to the axis of the bearing not coinciding accurately with the axis of the shaft;
the said part is made as a separate piece with à. transverse groove on its upper
surface in which rests a corresponding projection on a metal block, the upper
surface of which has a groove at right angles to the first-named groove. In the
last-mentioned groove the shaft rests by means of a rounded feather on its under
face. Thus the block interposed between the shaft and the part working in the
bearing operates like a universal joint.
According to another arrangement the buffer supports instead of being connected
to the foundation below the foot bearing are interposed between the lower end of
the syrup casing, and a surrounding framing which may furm part of a floor into
which the centrifugal machine is partly sunk. In this case the spherical.cup that
supports the lower bearing of the shaft may either be carried by the foundation
below, or be suspended by strong brackets from the before-mentioned circular
upper framing fixed to the floor. The foot bearing is in this case also suspended
by strong brackets from the bottom of the syrup casing being conveniently formed
in one casting therewith.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shews a sectional elevation, and Fig. 2 a sectional plan of a centrifugal
machine shewing one arrangement of the improved construction. The cylindrical
syrup casing M is continued downwards below the bottom R, and is bolted or
rivetted to a plate S which has fixed to it the step bearing P of the drum shaft.
The neck bearing H being made part of the same casting forming the bottom R
of the casing M, it will be seen that both the neck and the step bearing are
rigidly connected to the casing. The step bearing rests with spherical surface U
in a cup or socket L formed in a raised portion of the bed plate G, and the plate S
is connected to the latter by means of elastic buffers B, B, so that the casing M
together with the centrifugal drum, with its shaft and the bearings P and H being
all connected rigidly together can oscillate on the ball and socket U, L; they are
held in position by their elastic connection by means of the buffers B with the
base plate G. The buffers B may either be of caoutchouc as shewn, or of steel
springs.
Fig. 3 shews a vertical section of an arrangement similar to that shown at
Figs. 1 and 2 suited for working heavy charges. In this arrangement the step
bearing P of the drum shaft is formed as a thrust bearing, that is, the shaft K has a
number of collars formed on it working in corresponding grooves in the brasses of

page_text: the bearing P, thus distributing the pressure over a large surface and reducing the
wear.
Fig. 4 shews a vertical section, and Fig. 5 a sectional plan of an arrangement in
which the syrup casing M. is connected by links C to the elastic buffers B fixed in
a ring framing S which may form part of a floor into which the lower part of the
machine is sunk. In this case the step bearing P is connected rigidly to the
bottom R of the syrup casing by pendant brackets R', which may conveniently
form one and the same casting with the bottom R and neck bearing H. The
socket L for the step bearing may in this case either form part of a foundation
plate on the lower floor, or it may be supported by strong pendant brackets from
the ring frame S. In this arrangement the part K. of the shaft formed with collars
as a thrust bearing as previously described is a separate piece from the shaft, and
has a groove on its upper surface in which rests a feather on the under side of a
block Q, the upper face of which has a groove at right angles to that in the
part K. In the groove of the block Q the shaft rests with a corresponding feather,
and the block thus forms a universal joint preventing any side strains in the
bearing P, in case the axis of the latter should not coincide accurately with the
axis of the shaft.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent,
I claim,-
First. Constructing centrifugal machines with the neck bearing and step bearing
of the drum shaft connected rigidly to the syrup casing, while the latter is
connected in an elastic or yielding manner to the foundation or supporting framing,
substantially as and for the purposes herein described.
Second. Constructing centrifugal machines with the neck and step bearings of
the drum shaft connected rigidly to the syrup casing, while the step bearing rests
on a ball-and-socket joint upon which the rigidly connected parts can oscillate,
substantially as herein described.
Third. In centrifugal machines the use of elastic buffers or springs for connecting
the syrup casing to the foundation, substantially as and for the purposes herein
described.
Fourth. The construction of centrifugal machines wherein the syrup casing is
extended downwards below the bottom, and is fixed rigidly to a plate carrying the
step bearing for the drum shaft and plate being connected by elastic buffers or
springs to the foundation, substantially as and for the purpose herein described
with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the Drawing.
Fifth. The construction of centrifugal machines wherein the neck bearing and
step bearing of the drum shaft are formed in one casting with the bottom of the
syrup casing, while the sides of the latter are connected by elastic buffers or springs
to a ring frame, substantially as herein described with reference to Figs. 4 and 5 of
the Drawings.
Sixth. Constructing the step bearings of centrifugal machines as thrust bearings,
the part of the shaft which is formed with collars working therein being separate
from the shaft itself and connected thereto by a universal joint, substantially as
and for the purposes herein described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Denton Abel, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.