Improvements in and relating to Centrifugal Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 15th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 15th Mar., 1897-Accepted, 12th June, 1897
[Communicated from abroad by HEINRICH LANZ, Maschinenfabrik, Mannheim,
in the Empire of Germany, Engineer.]
Improvements in and relating to Centrifugal Machines.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
6. Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County
of Lancaster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The present invention relates to centrifugal machines which are supported above
their centre of gravity and whose axes in consequence of being hung up on a ball
joint, a Cardan joint, or a cruciform joint or similar mechanism are capable of
freely revolving in a conical envelope.
The invention consists in the special construction of the support in such a manner
that the ball joint is combined immediately with a suitable bearing for the support
of the axle of the drum, and that exactly in its centre a universal coupling drives
the drum axle so that when the latter oscillates the driving proceeds equally
steadily in consequence of the concentricity and the attack immediately on the
supporting place.
A second object consists in combining intimately the euvelope which carries the
collecting vessels for cream and skimmed milk in such a manner with the supporting
of the drum that it can participate in the oscillations whereby the certainty of the
entrance of both fluids into the receptacles destined for the same is effected whilst
the danger is avoided which might result from the moving drum striking the fixed
envelope.
The above objects are realised by the combination of an outer ball joint which
bears the drum axle itself again in an ordinary neck bearing, or ball bearing or the
like, and of an inner concentric ball joint provided with a similar axis which effects
the driving of the drum axle. A hollow ball envelope which serves as the bearing
of the drum and its cover is secured by means of a hollow bolt in the machine
frame. The other portion of the joint surrounds the aforesaid hollow ball envelope
from below and is firmly attached to the envelope by means of a connecting har and
bears the drum in another ball bearing. The motion of both of these half balls
against one another is further limited by certain pegs carried loosely in grooves of
the inner ball bearing. The driving, as well as the supply of the milk is effected
in the interior of the hollow bolt through the hollow shaft and a special tube, but
could also be arranged in the usual mauner with the use of solid shafts. The lower
end of the shaft is constructed with a bored-out ball head which fits into the
corresponding hollow ball formed of the upper front surface of the drum shaft
and of the ball bearing head, thereby the proper working of the ball bearing can
be secured. In the head aforesaid are two slots in which fit corresponding bolts of
the ball so that the revolution is communicated thereby. As the said bolts fit in
the horizontal axle height of the ball joint and are round, they admit of driving
equally also when the shaft oscillates. The drum is connected to the shaft by

page_text: means of a bayonet catch or other similar detachable coupling. The operation of
the apparatus follows from its construction :-
The drum has the capacity of oscillating around the centre of the ball joint on
all sides without the driving gear being thereby influenced in consequence of this
and the cover being connected by neck bearing or equivalent ball bearing the
latter is obliged to share oscillations whilst it remains unacted on by the
revolutions.
A further more simple method of arrangement of the invention in which the
bearing of the revolving drum is arranged in the opposite manner will now be
described:-
In this method of arrangement the hemisphere serving as the bearing for the
drum is advantageously shaped into a hollow cone opening upwards in which the
supporting part fits from above which part is preferably in the shape of a hollow
hemisphere so that the contact between both surfaces only takes place on a circular
line. In the hollow hemisphere aforesaid there is fitted concentrically with the
same by means of a ball bearing the head of the drum shaft which is provided
with a bearing envelope, also concentric, for the reception of the spherical lower
end of the secondary shaft. The shaft which bears the bearing for the drum is
moreover again supported by means of a ball joint in a fixed bearing of the
machine frame.
The above described method of supporting has in addition to great constructive
simplicity the further advantage that by means of the second upper ball bearing
the irregularities in the running of the machine which in consequence of the great
speed of the revolution of the drum frequently happen are completely avoided.
If necessary an indiarubber ring may be inserted between the fixed bearings and
the secondary shaft.
.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
322, High Holborn, London, W.C., Patent Agents for the Applicant.
in and relating
entrifugal
es.
A communication by HEINRICH LANZ, of Mannheim, in the Empire of Germany,
Engineer.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both in the County
of Lancaster, and Lower Temple Street, Birmingham in the County of Warwick,
Civil Engineer, 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 :-
The present invention relates to centrifugal machines which are supported above
their centre of gravity and whose axes in consequence of being hung up on a ball joint,
a Cardan joint, or a cruciform or gimbal joint or similar mechanism are capable of
freely revolving in a conical envelope.
The invention consists in the special construction of the support in such a manner
that the ball joint is combined immediately with a suitable bearing for the support
of the axle of the drum, and that exactly in its centre a universal coupling drives
the drum axle so that when the latter oscillates the driving proceeds equally
steadily in consequence of the concentricity and of the point of engagement of the
driving being immediately at the supporting place.

page_text: collecting vessels for cream and skinimed milk in such a manner with the bearing
of the drum that said casing can participate in the oscillations whereby the-
certainty of the entrance of both fluids into their respective receptacles is effected
whilst any danger which might result from the moving drum striking the fixet
casing is avoided.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of the improved suspension ;
Figure 2 is a section on the line 6-6 of Figure 1';
Figure 3 shows a modified form of construction in which the mounting of the-
drum is reversed;
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are vertical sections of other modifications.
The above objects are realised by an outer ball joint which also bears the drum
axle itself in an ordinary neck bearing, ball bearing or the like, being combined
with an inner concentric ball joint provided with a similar axis which effects the
driving of the drum axle. A hollow half ball N, Figure 1, which serves as.
support for the drum T and its casing U is secured by means of a hollow bolt B in.
the machine frame W. The other portion M of the joint surrounds the aforesaid.
hollow half ball N from below and is firmly attached to the casing U by means of
the cover U¹ and supports the drum T by a ball bearing K Q. The motion of the
two half balls M N on one another is further limited by studs m working freely in
grooves n in the inner half ball N. The driving, as well as the supply of the milk
is effected through the interior of the hollow bolt B by means of the hollow shaft C.
and a special tube X. The lower end of the shaft C is constructed with a bored-.
out ball head L which fits into a corresponding ball socket formed in the part K.
of the ball bearing KQ at the upper end of the drum shaft A, whereby the
proper working of the ball bearing K Q can be secured. In the part K of the
bearing KQ aforesaid are two slots q in which fit corresponding studs p fixed on
the ball I so that the revolution is communicated thereby from the shaft C to the
shaft A. As the said studs p fit in the horizontal diameter of the ball and are
round, they admit of driving equally well when the shaft A also oscillates. The
drum T is connected to the shaft A by means of a bayonet catch J or other similar
detachable coupling.
The working of the apparatus is as follows:-
The drum T is free to swing or oscillate about the centre of the ball joint ou all.
sides without the driving gear being thereby influenced and consequently as the
casing U through its cover U is connected to the part Q of the ball bearing K Q
or an equivalent bearing, said casing is obliged to share in the oscillations whilst it.
remains unacted on by the revolutions.
A further more simple method of arrangement of the invention in which the
bearing of the revolving drum is arranged in an opposite manner will now be
described with reference to Figure 3.
In this arrangement the hollow half ball serving as the bearing for the drum T
is advantageously shaped into a hollow cone 6 opening upwards in which the upper
part M is inserted from above, which part M is preferably in the shape of a hollow
half ball so that the contact between both surfaces only takes place on a circular-
line. In the hollow half ball M aforesaid there is fitted concentrically thereto by
means of a ball bearing k the head K of the drum shaft A which is provided with
a socket also concentric, for the reception of the spherical lower end L of the
shaft C. The shaft B which carries the bearing b for the drum is moreover again
supported by means of a ball joint P in a fixed bearing N of the machine frame W..
The driving is effected by means of a pulley R mounted on a shaft D which is
supported in the frame V in such a way as to be freely revoluble without
oscillating. The shaft C is connected to the shaft D by a flexible or universal
joint so as to be flexible or free to swing while being rotated.
The above described method of supporting has in addition to great constructive
simplicity the further advantage that by means of the second upper ball joint the.

page_text: irregularities in the running of the machine which, in eonsequence of the great
speed of revolution of the drum, frequently happen are completely avoided. If
necessary an indiarubber ring Z may be inserted between the fixed bearing N and
the shaft B but may also equally be omitted. Otherwise the form of construction
shown in Figure 3 resembles that shown in Figure 1 and its mode of working is
similar.
In the mcdification shown in Figure 4, the drum T is suspended above the
driving shaft and to economise space is dished or upwardly recessed at the bottom
to allow room for the bearing support B, and is directly connected to the head K.
The running surface of the head K is spherical and in the cup or hollow half ball M
a race for balls k is provided. The cup M is simply seated in a conical socket in
the upper end of the support B which latter bears with its lower rounded end P
in a spherical socket in the frame N. The head K is provided with grooves in
which engage studs p on the ball L to transfer the rotation imparted to the shaft C
by means of the pulley R mounted on the shaft extension D having a bearing in a
footstep V of the machine frame. An indiarubber ring Z is again arranged to
limit the movement of the bearing support B and limit its rotation.
Figure 5 shows a modification in which the race for the balls & is formed
directly in the end of the bearing support B, and the rotation of the shaft C is
transferred to the head K directly by means of a squared end L' on said shaft
engaging in a correspondingly squared hole in the said head.
Figure 6 shows a modification in which a ball and socket joint is employed
without the balls for diminishing friction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, 1 declare that what I claim is :-
1. Centrifugal machines having a means of suspension characterised by a bearing
which allows of both rotation and oscillation which is arranged over the centre of
gravity of the drum, and further characterised by a special driving mechanism for
the drum, substantially as herein before described.
2. In the herein described means of suspension for centrifugal machines, the
arrangement of the supporting part of the described bearing on a bearing support
which is itself adapted to oscillate but is secured against rotation substantially as
described.
3. In the herein described means of suspension for centrifugal machines, the
arrangement of universal joint carrying the movable part of the drum by means of
a ball bearing substantially as described.
4. In the herein described means of suspension for centrifugal machines, the
arrangement of flexible shaft coupled with the drum in the interior of the bearing
substantially as described.
5. In the herein described means of suspension for centrifugal machines, a
coupling formed as a universal joint lying concentrically to the universal joint
carrying the drum substantially as described.
Dated this 13th day of March 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.