Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
I, MARCEL DE MARCHÉVILLE, of 44 and 46, Rue de Chateau-Landon, Paris,
France, Manufacturer of Chemical Products, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a centrifugal machine for effecting the automatic
and continuous separation of any kind of substance held in suspension in a liquid
and for enabling such separated material to be collected without interfering
with the action of the apparatus. This improved centrifugal machine is distin-
guished by the employment of a mechanical device operated by the machine
shaft for successively effecting the following operations with the aid of different
cams:
(1) Opening and closing a valve to permit of the introduction into the centri-
fugal of the liquid to be treated.
(2) Opening and closing a cock for the admission of the liquid used for
washing;
(3) Setting in action au extractor used for scraping out and removing the
separated material from the machine and at same time opening and closing the
hopper through which said material is discharged.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein Figure 1
represents a front elevation of the machine with the driving gear removed.
Figure 2 is a vertical axial section of the machine and Figure 3 is a plan of the
same, the upper part of the casing being removed. Figure is a detail view of
the transmission gear. Figure 5 is a transverse section of the channel by means
of which the liquid to be treated is supplied to the apparatus. Figure 6 is a
detail in face and end view of the knife or scraper forming part of the extractor.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures.
The machine comprises a drum a keyed on a shaft b and enclosed within an
outer casing constituting the framing of the apparatus which is provided with
bearings for shaft b, the upper part of said casing being made detachable. The
shaft carries at one extremity a driving pulley d and at its opposite extremity
a worm e which gears with a worm wheel f keyed on an intermediate shaft g
upon which is loosely mounted a worm h which may be caused to partake in the
motion of the shaft by means of a clutch i, said worm h being in gear with a
worm wheel j keyed on a shaft k bearing the several cams l, m, n, which respec-
tively perform the following functions, viz. the cam in its rotation acts on a
spring-pressed rod o so as to open the valve for the admission of the liquid under
treatment which enters through pipe p and is distributed in the interior of
drum a by means of the conduit which is open along one side as shewn in
Figure 5. The cam m in rotating oscillates a lever and thereby opens the
cock for the admission of washing liquid which is supplied through pipes and
discharged in the interior of drum a by a perforated pipe t disposed above the

page_text: conduit q, upon which the liquid falls and is thus projected in all directions.
The cam n acts upon a rod u to which are jointed levers and w, the lever v
being keyed on a shaft upon the extremity of which is mounted an arm
carrying a scraper for detaching the dried material from the walls of drum a
which falls into a hopper y projecting up within said drum as shewn in Figure 2.
The scraper may also be capable of longitudinal movement within the drum, in
which case the scraper would have a double movement, viz. :
(1) An angular movement for causing the scraper to penetrate the material
to be extracted;
(2) A longitudinal movement for effecting the dislodgment of the entire mass.
The mouth of the hopper y is provided with a counter-balanced shutter z which
is kept closed during the operation so as to effectually prevent the escape of any
noxious vapours or odours which may be given off by the liquid under treatment,
and is opened automatically by the oscillation of lever won its axis w¹ during
the time that the separated material is being removed by the scraper so as
to permit of the discharge of said material from the hopper.
The apparatus herein described is adapted for separating any material held. in
suspension in a liquid and for completely expelling the liquid from
such material. For example, let it be supposed that the apparatus
is to be employed for the extraction of bicarbonate of soda crystals
in suspension in an ammoniacal solution. In order to start the apparatus, the
clutch is thrown out of gear and the mechanisms by which the several opera-
tions are effected are only put into action (with the aid of clutch i) after the
drum a has attained its normal speed. The valve upon the supply pipe p is first
opened by means of cam so as to introduce a certain quantity of ammoniacal
solution into the apparatus when by the rapid rotation of drum a, the crystals
are separated from the liquid and adhere to the drum. The cock on pipe s is
then opened by means of cam m so as to admit the washing liquid (water, for
example, as in the present instance) for the purpose of carrying off the mother
liquor. On the cock being closed the whole of the liquid contained in the drum
will be completely separated from the bicarbonate of soda crystals adhering to
the drum a, owing to the speed of rotation of the latter and the slight thickness
of the layer of bicarbonate deposited at each operation. The knife or scraper.
is then brought by the action of cam n, into contact with the wall of drum a so
as to detach the crystals which fall through the hopper, the pas-
through which is at same time opened by the raising of the
2 which had closed the hopper during the operation in
order to prevent the escape of the ammoniacal vapours into the atmosphere. The
ammoniacal solution and washing water flow out through the outlet c¹ provided
on the casing e. After the crystals of bicarbonate of soda have been removed
as above described a fresh quantity of ammoniacal solution is admitted into the
apparatus and the operations previously described are repeated, and so on inde-
finitely.
sage
shutter
In order to ensure a constant equilibrium of pressure between the interior of
the drum and the space comprised between the drum and casing (in which latter
space there would otherwise exist compression) communication, may be estab-
lished by suitable means between these two spaces.
The drawings represent a machine whose drum is mounted to rotate about a
horizontal axis but it is to be understood that my improved centrifugal machine
may be arranged with the axis either horizontal or vertical, and that the form
and dimensions may be varied and the accessory details modified to suit different
applications.

page_text: Improvements in Centrifugal machines.
I, MARCEL DE MARCHÉVILLE, of 44 and 46, Rue de Chateau-Landon, Paris,
France, Manufacturer of Chemical Products, 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 a centrifugal machine for effecting the separation
from a liquid of any substance held in suspension therein and for enabling the
separated material to be removed. A special feature of this improved centri-
fugal machine is a mechanical device operated by the machine shaft and succes-
sively performing through the medium of different tappets or cams the following
operations:-
(1) Opening and closing a valve controlling the admission of the liquid to be
treated;
(2) Opening and closing a cock controlling the admission of the washing
liquid.
(3) Operating a scraper for removing the separated material, and also the
hopper door at which said material is discharged.
My invention is illustrated in the drawings accompanying my Provisional
Specification wherein Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the machine with
the driving gear removed. Figure 2 is a vertical axial section of the machine and
Figure 3 is a plan of the same, the upper part of the casing being removed.
Figure 4 is a detail view of the transmission gear. Figure 5 is a cross section
of the conduit by which the liquid to be treated is supplied to the apparatus.
Figure 6 shows in face and end view the scraper forming part of the extractor.
The same letters of reference denote like parts in all the figures
The machine comprises a basket drum a keyed on a horizontal shaft b mounted
in bearings in the sides of casing e enclosing the basket drum, the upper part
of the casing being removable. The shaft 6 has at one end a driving pulley d
and at the other a worm e in gear with a worm wheel f keyed on an inter-
mediate shaft having loosely mounted upon it a worm which may be caused
to partake in the motion of the shaft by means of a clutch i, said worm being
in gear with a worm wheel keyed on a cam shaft k. This shaft carries several
tappets or cams, m, n, which respectively operate in succession as follows,
viz-the cam acting on the rod o of a spring-pressed valve opens the latter for
the admission of the liquid to be treated which enters through pipe and is dis-
tributed within the drum a by means of the conduit q which is formed by a pipe
open along one side as shown in Figure 5. The cam m acting on a lever opens
the cock for the admission of washing liquid supplied through pipe s and dis-
charged within the drum a by a perforated pipe t disposed above the conduit g,
from which the liquid falling thereon is splashed in all directions. The cam
acts upon a rod u coupling two levers and w, the lever v being keyed on a
shaft upon the inner end of which is mounted an arm carrying a scraper
extending close to the inner periphery of the drum a so 'as to detach therefrom
the separated matter which falls into a hopper y projecting within the drum
through its open side as shewn in Figure 2. The scraper may receive longi-
tudinal to and fro movement within the drum, in which case the scraper would
have a double movement, viz.:
(1) An angular movement by which the scraper is caused to enter the mass to
be removed.

page_text: (2) A longitudinal movement for effecting the dislodgment of the entire thick-
ness of the layer.
This discharge end of the hopper y is provided with a counter-balanced shutter
which is kept closed during the operation to prevent the escape of any vapours
or odours and is opened by the movement of lever, during the removal of the
separated material by the scraper.
The apparatus herein described is suited for separating any matter held in sus-
pension in a liquid and for completely expelling the liquid therefrom. Take the
extraction of bicarbonate of soda crystals in suspension in an ammoniacal solution
as an example. At starting, the clutch i is disengaged and is not thrown into
gear until the drum a has attained its normal speed. The cam / first opens the
supply valve to admit a certain quantity of the ammoniacal solution to the drum a
whereupon the crystals become separated from the liquid and adhere to the drum.
The cam m then opens the cock on pipe s to admit the washing liquid (water in
the present instance) for the purpose of carrying off the mother liquor. On the
closure of the cock the liquid will be completely separated from the crystals
owing to the speed of rotation of the drum and the slight thickness of the
deposited layer of bicarbonate. The cam then brings the scraper .: towards
the periphery of the drum a so as to detach the crystals which are received by
the hopper y, the cam n also opening the shutter, which has been closed during
the operation, in order to prevent the escape of the ammoniacal vapours into the
atmosphere. The amoniacal solution and washing water are run off through the
outlet c of the casing c.
The crystals having been thus removed a fresh quantity of ammoniacal solu-
tion is admitted and the operation repeated, and so on.
In order to ensure a constant equilibrium of pressure between the interior of
the drum and the space comprised between the drum and casing (in which latter
space there would otherwise exist compression) communication may be established
by suitable means between these two spaces.
The drawings represent a machine whose drum is mounted on a horizontal axis
but it is to be understood that the machine may be arranged with the axis either
horizontal or vertical, and that the form and dimensions may be varied and the
accessory details modified to suit the requirements of different cases.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is;-
In a machine for the separation of material held in suspension in a liquid, com-
prising a drum mounted to rotate within a fixed cusing and provided with two
valve controlled inlets, (the one for the substance or mixture to be treated and
the other for a washing liquid) a hopper leading to a normally closed discharge
outlet, and a movable scraper for detaching the separated material from the
interior of the drum and directing the same into the hopper; the combination
with the shaft upon which the drum is mounted to rotate, of a cam shaft driven
thereby and levers or tappets actuated by the cams and in operative connection
with the valves, scraper and shutter, the form of the cams and their angular
arrangement relatively to one another being such as to bring about in proper
sequence, and in a constantly recurring cycle, the opening and closing of the
valves controlling the inlets, the bringing of the scraper into operative position,
and the opening and closing of the discharge aperture substantially as specified.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1900.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents, 53, Chancery Lane. London.