IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING FLUIDS OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Gustaf de Laval, of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of
Sweden, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING
FLUIDS OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES."
Sealed the 9th May 1879, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, and
dated the 4th November 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Gustaf de Laval at the Office
IMPROVEMENTS
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th November 1878.
GUSTAF DE LAVAL, of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden.
IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING FLUIDS OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES."
This Invention has for its object the construction of apparatus for speedily and
conveniently effecting the separation of mixed fluids of different specific gravities,
and consists of a base plate to which is attached by a suitable support a cylindrical
case. Fixed to the base plate are plummer blocks for carrying a shaft, on or near
the end of which is a pulley for the reception of motive power. In or about the
middle of the shaft is keyed a friction disc. The bottom of the cylindrical case has
a central tube rising internally. This tube has within it a sleeve, which projects
through the bottom of the case sufficiently far to rest upon the friction disc. Within
the sleeve there is a shaft which is free to rotate, but is connected with the sleeve by
a small loose screw near its lower hemispherical end. Near the top of the shaft
there is a ring and stuffing box, which is furnished with an elastic packing. To the
upper part of the shaft is connected a cylindrical rotating chamber, arranged so as
to receive the mixed fluids to be separated. This rotating chamber has two covers,
both having tubular projections from their centres upwards. At the upper end the
shorter and outer tube has a small annular opening between the two tubes. There
is also a curved tube within the chamber that communicates with an annular space
left between the covers. Above the cylindrical chamber there is a vessel for the
reception of the lighter liquid which flows into it from the inner tube, and beneath

page_text: Imme-
this vessel there is another vessel to receive the liquid of greater density that runs
from the outer tube. Both these vessels are suspended in such a manner_as to
_prevent their interfering with the revolution of the chamber and covers.
diately in the centre there is a small-tube that leads downwards, and forms, by
means of the plate_to_which it is attached, radial channels for the inlet of the fluids
_to_be_separated..
The action-of the apparatus is as follows:-The chamber or inner vessel is made
to revolve by applying power to the shaft, which communicates the same through
the friction disc to the upright-shaft. The compound fluid is then poured into the
chamber through the small tube. By means of the rapid rotary motion the com-
pound fluid is caused to separate through unequal centrifugal action imparted to the
fluids of different gravities, thereby causing the heavier to tend towards the outer-
portion of the chamber, while the lighter is forced to remain near the centre. When
this condition has been produced a uniform rotary motion is maintained, and more
compound fluid than the chamber can hold is poured in through the small tube,
when the heavier portion of the compound commences to rise through the curved
tube and annular space, and overflows into the lower vessel, while the lighter fluid
rises and overflows into the upper vessel. When all the compound fluid to be
separated on one occasion has been poured into the apparatus, in order to complete
the separation of the contents remaining in the chamber the rotation is slackened,
and a sufficient quantity of the heavier portion of the separated fluid is poured in
through the small pipe in order to drive out the remaining lighter fluid.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Gustaf de Laval in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 10th May
1879.
GUSTAF DE LAVAL, of Stockholm, in the Kingdom of Sweden. "IMPROVEMENTS
3 IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING FLUIDS OF DIFFERENT SPECIFIC GRAVITIES."
This Invention has for its object the construction of apparatus for speedily and
conveniently effecting the separation of mixed fluids of different specific gravities,
and consists of a base plate, to which is attached by a suitable support a cylindrical
case. Fixed to the base plate are plummer blocks for carrying a shaft, on or near
the end of which is a pulley for the reception of motive power. In or about the
middle of the shaft is keyed a friction disc. The bottom of the cylindrical case has
a central tube rising internally. This tube has within it a sleeve, which projects
through the bottom of the case sufficiently far to rest upon the friction dise. Within
the sleeve there is a shaft which is free to rotate, but is connected with the sleeve by
a small loose screw near its lower hemispherical end. Near the top of the shaft
there is a ring and stuffing-box, which is furnished with an elastic packing. To the
upper part of the shaft is connected a cylindrical rotating chamber, arranged. so as
to receive the mixed fluids to be separated. This rotating chamber has two covers,
both having tubular projections from their centres upwards. At the upper end the
shorter and outer tube has a small annular opening between the two tubes.
is also a curved tube within the chamber that communicates with an annular space
left between the covers. Above the cylindrical chamber there is a vessel for the
reception of the lighter liquid which flows into it from the inner tube, and beneath
this vessel there is another vessel to receive the liquid of greater density that runs
from the outer tube. Both these vessels are suspended in such a manner as to
prevent their interfering with the revolution of the chamber and covers.
diately in the centre there is a small tube that leads downwards and forms, by
means of the plate to which it is attached, radial channels for the inlet of the fluids
to be separated.
There
Imine-
In order that the foregoing may be more easily understood Drawings are attached
hereto, of which the following is a description. Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation ;
Fig. 2, a plan; and Fig. 3, an alternative method of joining the two axles. In
Fig. 1A is the cylindrical case bolted or otherwise fastened to the base plate B.
C, C, are brackets or supports for the plummer blocks, of which D, D, are the caps.
E is a horizontal shaft, at one end of which there is a belt pulley F. G is a friction
disc fixed to the shaft E. H is a central tube that is fixed to the shaft I which fits
into a sleeve K, the lower part of which rests on the friction disc G. J represents
a ring fitting closely round the shaft I, which is surrounded by a stuffing box L
provided with suitable elastic packing M. N is the cylindrical rotating chamber
fixed to the shaft I, and arranged to receive the fluids to be separated. O is a
curved tube that serves as a communication from N to the annular space P left
between the covers. Q is the open tube of the lower cover. R is a vessel destined
to receive the lighter liquid from the tube Q, while S is a similar vessel to receive
the liquid from the outer tube O. The vessels R and S are so suspended as not to
interfere with the rotation of the chamber N and covers. The small tube H leading
through the tube Q serves as an inlet for the fluids, which pass under the plate T
through holes or channels U into the body of the vessel N. In Fig. 3 another
method of connecting the two axles is shown, V being a disc of cork, wood, or
rubber.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-The chamber or inner vessel N is made
to revolve by applying power to the shaft E, which communicates the same through
the friction disc G to the upright shaft I. The compound fluid is then poured into the
chamber through the small tube H. By means of the rapid rotary motion the com-
pound fluid is caused to separate through unequal centrifugal action imparted to the

page_text: fluids, of different gravities, thereby causing the heavier to tend towards the outer
portion of the chamber, while the lighter is forced to remain near the centre. When
bhis-condition-has-been-produced-a-uniform-rotary-motion-is-maintained,-and-more-
compound fluid than the chamber can hold is poured in through the small tube H,
when the heavier portion-of-the-compound commences to rise through the curved
tube O-and-annular space-P, and overflows into the lower vessel S, while the lighter
fluid rises and overflows into the upper vessel R. When all the compound fluid to be
separated on one occasion has been poured into the apparatus, in order to complete
the separation of the contents remaining in the chamber the rotation is slackened,
and a sufficient quantity of the heavier portion of the separated fluid is poured in
-through-the-small-pipe H-in order to drive-out-the-remaining lighter fluid.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of this Invention, and
the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I would
observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise details
or arrangements I have described or referred to, as variations may be made there-
from without deviating from the principles or main features of this Invention, but
what I consider to be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention
secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-Firstly. The
combination of a rotary vessel N with a movable shaft in such a manner that when
rotating it tends to a vertical position, like the common top, and as herein described,
and shown on the Drawings. Secondly. The tube H in combination with radial
channels T, T, and overflow tubes P and Q, arranged as herein described, and shown
on the Drawings, and Thirdly. The outer overflow passage O in combination with
the outer tube P and vessels R and S, arranged as herein described, and shown on
the Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Gustaf de Laval, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thou-
sand eight hundred and seventy nine.
GUSTAF DE LAVAL. (L.S.)