Improvements in Apparatus for Concentrating or Drying Liquid or Semi-liquid Substances by Evaporation.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th May, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 8th Aug., 1899-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1899
Improvements in Apparatus for Concentrating or Drying Liquid or
Semi-liquid Substances by Evaporation.
I, JAMES MECREDY, of 1, Brick Court, Temple, in the County of London, Barrister-
at-Law, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus for concentrating or drying liquid or semi-
liquid substances by partial or entire evaporation of their water or more volatile
constituents.
My invention is designed to provide apparatus that will rapidly dry or partially
dry or concentrate by evaporation any substance of this kind; the said apparatus
permitting any degree of concentration to be obtained, and causing said evapora-
tion to proceed evenly throughout the mass, so that a perfectly homogeneous
product is obtained.
According to my invention I employ a rotatable cylinder, hollow or not, upon
the inner or outer surface of which, or upon both surfaces in the case of a hollow
cylinder, the substance to be treated is caused to adhere in the form of a film
or layer. The treatment may be effected in a current of air, preferably heated;
or in vacuo. I may sometimes heat the cylinder by appropriate means.
provide means, when necessary, for regulating the thickness of the said film or
layer.
I also
In carrying out my invention I may employ a hollow cylinder supported upon
a horizontally arranged shaft or its equivalent. At the ends of the cylinder I
provide inwardly directed or curved flanges so as to partially close said ends.
A convenient quantity of the substance to be treated is placed within the cylinder
and as the latter revolves a film or layer of the substance will adhere to the
upwardly moving side and be carried round therewith, while the body of the
substance will at the same time be agitated and settling or separation of the
lighter and heavier portions or particles thereof be thereby prevented. The
means for limiting the thickness of the said film may, for instance, consist of a
scraper or roller or similar device supported within the cylinder and capable of
being adjusted so as to regulate the distance between its edge and the periphery
of the cylinder.
According to a modification of my invention the cylinder may be partially
surrounded by a trough in which the substance to be treated is placed. The
film then adheres to the outer surface of the cylinder, and the means for limiting
the thickness of the said film is placed outside the cylinder.
Suitable covers or casings are provided which serve to guide the current of
air, or to enable a vacuum to be maintained.
Dth day of Wave 1900
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Concentrating or Drying Liquid or
Semi-liquid Substances by Evaporation.
I, JAMES MECREDY, of 1, Brick Court, Temple, in the City of London, Barrister-
at-Law, 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 apparatus for concentrating or drying liquid or semi-
liquid substances by the partial or entire evaporation of their water or other
volatile constituents, and has for its object to effect such evaporation rapidly
and in a manner to permit any degree of concentration to be obtained, and
to cause said evaporation to proceed evenly throughout the mass of the substance
treated, so that a perfectly homogeneous product is obtained.
According to my invention I employ a rotatable cylinder which keeps the sub-
stance agitated during evaporation and exposes a film of the said substance to
a current of air passing over the periphery of the said cylinder. The air is
preferably warmed and I also provide means whereby the cylinder may be heated,
if required.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect, I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings in which:-
Figure 1 is a part sectional side elevation and
Figure 2 is an end view of my apparatus.
a is a hollow rotary cylinder of metal, having inwardly curved flanges b b
at its ends, and a draw off cock c. The inner periphery of this cylinder is preferably
enamelled. d is a framework of any suitable construction, upon which the
cylinder a is supported by means of roller bearings e e. f is a pulley secured
to the outside of the cylinder by means of set screws g g. h is an endless band
passing around the pulley f and also around a pulley on a rotary shaft i, which
shaft is actuated from any suitable source of power. is a pipe through which
a current of air, (preferably heated), is conducted from any suitable source into
one end of the cylinder a. The mouth of the pipe is funnel shaped and has
a cone situated within it. The base of this cone k is of somewhat less diameter
than the diameter of the openings at the ends of the cylinder, and said base
extends a short distance into one end of the cylinder. The current of air passes
between the funnel shaped mouth of the pipe j and the cone k. The cone k
serves to distribute or spread the current of air so as to cause the said air to
impinge upon the inner periphery of the cylinder a. is a gas supply pipe
situated beneath the cylinder a and fitted with burners m whereby the said
cylinder may be heated if required.
The substance to be evaporated is poured into the cylinder a through the open
end thereof which is remote from the air pipe j. The cylinder a is then caused
to rotate by means of the belt h and rotary shaft i, and a current of air is passed
through it by means of the pipe j and cone k.
As the cylinder rotates a thin film of the substance under treatment adheres
to the upwardly moving side of, and is carried round with, said cylinder. At
the same time the body of the substance is agitated and the settlement or separa-
tion of the heavier from the lighter particles thereof is prevented, without the
aid of stirrers. The inwardly curved flanges b b prevent the escape of any of
the substance from the ends of the cylinder. When the substance is concentrated

page_text: or evaporated to the required degree, the operation is stopped and the finished
product may then be drawn off by means of the cock c.
A large surface of the substance in the form of a thin film, is thus subjected
to the drying action, which latter is consequently very rapid.
Owing to its open construction the interior of the cylinder is very easily
cleaned.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
1. A rotary cylinder for the evaporation of liquid or semi-liquid substance
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
2. In evaporating apparatus, a hollow rotary cylinder having flanges at its
ends, and means for directing a current of air upon the inner periphery of said
cylinder, for the purposes specified.
3. Evaporating apparatus constructed, arranged and operating substantially
as described with reference to the accompanying drawings, for the purpose
specified.
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.