CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THE MORE FLUID PAR- TICLES FROM THE MORE SOLID OF VARIOUS BODIES
Year: 1856

page_text: (This Invention received Provisional Protection, but notice to proceed with the
application for Letters Patent was not given within the time prescribed
by the Act.)
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Donald Bethune at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 27th June 1856.
I, DONALD BETHUNE, of Cambridge Terrace, Hyde Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Esquire, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING THE MORE FLUID PAR-
TICLES FROM THE MORE SOLID OF VARIOUS BODIES," to be as follows:-
The Invention may be generally described as being the employment of
centrifugal force in a vessel or chamber, either entirely or partially closed by.
means of suitable mechanism, actuated by water, steam, animal, or other
power, and the employment of heated air in such vessel or chamber. In a
chamber or vessel made of suitable material, and sufficiently strong, I place
an inner box or receiver, capable of holding the materials I desire to sepa-
rate. This chamber is at the same time so mounted as to be capable of
revolving on a spindle or axis, passing through its centre of symmetry and
gravity, or as near as possible to those points. The outer edge or circum-
ference of this inner receiver is formed of wire gauze, perforated zinc, or other
suitable material, the holes or interstices in which are of such a size as to
retain the solid matter within the receiver, and at the same time allow the
more fluid particles to pass through. On the axis or spindle of this chamber
or receiver is placed a small pulley or rigger, which obtains a rotatory motion
from any suitable source of power, which motion it communicates to the

page_text: receiver, and produces a speed of from 300 to 1,500 revolutions per minute,
more or less; this speed must vary with the nature of the matter to be
separated, and the closeness of the porous substance on the edge of the
receiver, and the power applied. The apparatus is worked in the following
manner: The outer chamber is opened by an air-tight manhole or lid, and
the material to be acted upon is placed into the inner receiver (which revolves
on its axis) through a door or trap. The matter to be acted upon may
also be admitted into the receiver by passing it through the axis or spindle on
which it revolves (the said axis in such cases being made hollow), and without
opening the outer chamber. For the purpose of drying materials, either raw
or manufactured, the spindle may be solid, and round which at a distance of
two or more inches from the spindle may be placed a box of perforated zinc,
wire guaze, or other material, so as to admit the hot air by a pipe through
the cover of the chamber, and to permit it to penetrate the material in the
chamber or vessel. On the receiver being so charged, and on motion being
given to such receiver, all the smaller and more fluid particles are projected
with great force through the porous circumference of the inner chamber or
receiver, and are from thence rapidly covered off by the action of a pipe
placed at or near the bottom of the chamber. It is not necessary to observe
any particular form or size in the construction of the said chambers,
provided the apparatus be of such a form as to readibly admit of being filled
with the materials to be acted upon, and to freely remove the same; as
the shaft on which the inner chamber revolves must necessarily pass
through the outer chamber at one or both ends of the spindle, it is necessary
to provide an air-tight cupped leather or stuffiing box. I am aware that
centrifugal force has been employed for some purposes, but not in a close
chamber or vessel with hot air passing into such vessel or chamber for the
purpose of drying materials, wbich hot air is frequently indispensable, as in
drying cotton, wool, silk yarns; and in drying cotton, woollen, mohair, and
silk fabrics, or other materials, or in the filtration of oils, tallow, sugar, and
such like matter, motion may be given to the apparatus in various ways,
and from any of the known sources of power. The brasses and joints of the
apparatus may be pillowed up with vulcanized indian-rubber, leather, or suit-
able elastic packing to prevent the injurious shaking of the machine from the
high speed.