IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRAINING OR FOR MIXING AND STRAINING LIQUID AND SOLID SUBSTANCES
Year: 1863

page_text: Sealed the 21st December 1863, and dated the 24th June 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Theophilus Redwood at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 24th
June 1863.
I, THEOPHILUS REDWOOD, of Summerfield Works, Lower Homerton, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRAINING OR FOR MIXING AND STRAINING LIQUID AND
SOLID SUBSTANCES," to be as follows:-
This apparatus is intended to be used for separating solid from liquid sub-
stances, or for separating the coarser from the finer particles of solids which
are diffused or suspended in liquids, or for mixing solid matter with a liquid
so as to make it equally diffused through it, and at the same time to reject any
other particles or substances than those capable of passing through the
strainer.
There are two forms of apparatus, one intended for straining and the other
for mixing and straining. The former of these is represented by Figures 1 and
2. It consists of a long box or trough, of which Figure 1 is a transverse section,
and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section made vertically. The straining material, which
may be wire gauze or other suitable substance stretched over a frame, is fixed as
Price 8d1
i

page_text: shown at A, Fig. 1; and the material to be strained, which, entering the trough
at x, runs along the channel B, is thrown or splashed over the strainer by a
rotating paddle wheel C while it progresses towards the other end of the trough
or box. The strained portion passes into the compartment D, and is carried off
by the pipe E, while the portion that is rejected by the strainer, after passing
to the end Z of the trough, is carried off by the pipe G. There may be a
pipe, perforated with small holes, over the strainer, to supply jets of water, by
which the straining material, may be kept free from any accumulation of solid
matter that would interfere with its action. The paddle wheel may be formed
by bolting plates of metal to a metallic bar, as shewn at C, and this works on
bearings at H, H, H, and may be turned by a winch handle or band at I.
The second form of apparatus is represented by Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
It consists of a tub or vat K, of any suitable size, the bottom of which is con-
tracted as shown at I, and in this contracted part a sieve or other strainer.
(M) is fixed. Immediately above this there is a conical ring (N) in which a
perforated disc (O) fits, and to the bottom of the disc a brush (P), like a
carriage spoke brush, is fixed. The disc and brush, are attached to a spindle
on which there is also a pair of blades (Q), like those of a screw propeller; and
these are made to rotate by means of a winch handle and pair of bevel wheels.
In using this mixing and straining apparatus, the plug (R) being fixed in its
place, water or other liquid employed is put into the vat, and the solid sub-
stance to be mixed with it is added. On turning the handle the screw and
perforated disc are rotated, and the contents of the tub thoroughly mixed
together. The plug R is then removed, and the handle turned while the mix-
ture runs through the sieve or strainer M, any aggregated masses in the solid
substance being broken, partly by passing through., the perforated disc and
partly by passing between the conical ring and the circumference of the disc.
The brush (P) playing over the surface of the sieve (M) secures rapid and
efficient straining. Figure 4 represents the lower sieve, Figure 5 the upper
sieve and cone rings, and Figure 6 the stays for supporting the spindle.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THEOPHILUS
REDWOOD, of Summerfield Works, Homerton, in the County of Middlesex, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victória, by Her 'Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of June, in the year' of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, för Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Theophilus Redwood, Her special licence that I, the said Theophilus
Redwood, my executors, 'administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said 'Theophilus Redwood, my executors, administrators; and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all tiines there-
after during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make,
use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for " IMPROVED
APPARATUS FOR STRAINING OR FOR MIXING AND STRAINING LIQUID AND SOLID
SJBSTANCE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Theophilus
Redwood, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar inonths next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Theophilus Redwood, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement:-
The apparatus, of which the following is a description, is intended to be
used for separating solid from liquid substances, or for separating the coarser
from the finer particles. of solids which are diffused or suspended in liquids, -or
for- mixing. solid matter with, a liquid so as to make it equally diffused through
it, and at the same time to reject any. other particles than those capable of
passing through the. strainer which forms part of the, apparatus. There are
two forms of apparatus,. one for straining and the other for mixing and
straining. The former of these is represented by Figures 1 and 2. It con-
sists of a long box or trough, of which Figure 1 is a transverse section, and
Figure 2 a longitudinal section made vertically: The straining material,
which may be wire or silk gauze or other suitable substance stretched over a
frame, is fixed as shewn at A, Figure 1 and the material to be strained, en-
tering the trough at x, runs along the channel B, and is thrown or splashed
over the strainer by a rotating paddle wheel or splasher C while it progresses
towards the other end of the trough or box. The strained portion passes into
the compartment D, and is carried off by the pipe E, while the portion that i

page_text: rejected by the strainer, after passing to the end Z of the trough, is carried
off by the pipe G. The form of this strainer may be varied by making the
box or trough wider, and having the straining material on each side of the
splasher, as shewn by the dotted lines in Figure 1. There may be a pipe or
pipes perforated with small holes fixed to the upper part of the box or trough
to supply jets of water, by which the straining material may be kept free from
any accumulation of solid or other matter that would obstruct the straining
process. The paddle wheel or splasher may be formed by fixing plates of
metal to a metallic bar, as shown at C, and this works on bearings at H, H,
and may be turned by a winch handle or band at I.
The second form of apparatus is represented by Figures 3, 4, and 5. It
consists of a tub or vat (K) of any suitable size, the lower part of the inner
surface of which is contracted, as shown at L, and in this contracted part a
sieve or other strainer (M) is fixed. Immediately above this sieve, and
forming the top of the contracted part of the tub, there is a conical metallic
ring N, within which a second strainer or perforated metallic disc (0) fits,
which is stronger and coarser than the sieve M, and to the bottom of this
coarse strainer a brush, like a carriage spoke brush, is fixed. The coarse
strainer and brush are attached to a spindle (S), on which also there is a pair
of blades (Q), like those of a screw propeller, and these are made to rotate by
means of a winch handle and pair of bevel wheels. In using this strainer, the
plug (R) being fixed in its place, water or other liquid employed is put into
the tub, and the solid substance to be mixed with it is added. On turning
the handle the screw and perforated disc or coarse strainer on which the solid
substance rests are rotated, and the contents of the tub are thoroughly mixed
together. The plug (R) is then removed, and the handle turned while the
mixture runs through the sieve or strainer M, any aggregated masses, of the
solid substance being broken and disintegrated, partly by passing through and
over the perforated disc, and partly by passing between the circumference of
the disc and the conical ring within which it rotates. The brush P. playing
over the surface of the strainer M secures rapid and efficient straining. There
may be a plug hole in the side of the tub immediately above the surface of the
coarse or the fine strainer, through which when opened any solid matter that
will not pass through the strainers may be removed. On removing the thumb-
screws (T, T,) the spindle (S), with the bevel wheel (W), the blades (Q), the
coarse strainer O, the brush (P), and the frame by which these several parts
are attached and supported, can be lifted out of the tub so as to expose the
sieve or fine strainer (M) underneath, and this fine strainer can now be taken
out to clean or to repair it. The sieve M has an elastic band round it to

page_text: make it fit tightly into the contracted part of the tub, and the lower part of
the hoop of the sieve is notched, as shown in the Drawing, to allow the strained
liquor to pass off to the plug hole (R). There is a set screw (V) at the top
of the spindle by which the position of the perforated disc and the brush can
be adjusted.
In witness whereof, 1, the said Theophilus Redwood, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, in the year of
T. REDWOOD. (L.S.)