Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 12th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 18th Jan., 1896
Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
We, JOHN LAIDLAW, of the Firm of Watson Laidlaw & Co., 98 Dundas Street,
South, Glasgow, and JAMES WRIGHT MACFARLANE, also of 98 Dundas Street,
South, Glasgow aforesaid, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in centrifugal machines, and is more
particularly applicable to that class of centrifugal machine known, as the Weston
suspended centrifugal, and to that class chiefly employed in textile manufactories
and laundries, etc., known as hydro extractors. In these machines as at present
made they have to be specially constructed as regards the position of the fast and
loose pulleys in the driving shaft with respect to the direction in which the driving
belt from the main shaft may be led on to the fast and loose pulleys of the machine.
The fast and loose pulleys may require to be at the back of the machine, or at
either side. The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of
the driving gear so that any machine already made up for stock may readily and
without further structural alteration be adapted to suit the particular direction in
which the main driving belt may approach the machine.
In carrying out our invention we support the shaft of the friction driving pulley
on a framework which is mounted on a turn-table so that it can be turned round
and clamped in any required position to suit the direction of the main driving belt.
The bearings of the idler pulleys used for changing the direction of the belting are
clamped in a slot or slots to suit when the driving belt comes in at the back, and
they can be moved from these slots and clamped in other slot or slots when the
driving belt comes in at either side. These idler pulleys can be adjusted in the
line of the slots in an up-and-down direction and round a vertical axis so as to
bring them into the correct position for the belt to run over them.
When the centrifugal machine is to be driven, by a vertical engine direct, the
driving pulley and framework are taken out of the turn-table, and the engine is
put in its place. The flywheel of the engine then acts for the driving pulley.
We prefer to make the turn-table round for convenience of construction, but it
may be made of other shape, and the framework carrying the driving pulley may
be moved round and clamped in any position.
Dated this 2nd day of April 1895.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicants' Agents.
Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
We, JOHN LAIDLAW, of the Firm of Watson Laidlaw & Company, 98 Dundas
Street, South, Glasgow, Engineers, and JAMES WRIGHT MACFARLANE, Manager
of the said company, 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 improvements in centrifugal machines and is more
particularly applicable to that class of centrifugal machine known as the Weston

page_text: suspended centrifugal, and to that class chiefly employed in textile manufactories.
and laundries etc. known as.hydro extractors. In these machines as at present
made they have to be specially constructed as regards the position of the fast and
loose pulleys in the driving shaft with respect to the direction in which the
driving belt from the main shaft may be led on to the fast and loose pulleys of the
machine. The fast and loose pulleys may require to be at the back of the machine
or at either side. The object of the present invention is to improve the construction
of the driving gear so that any machine already made up for stock may readily
and without further structural alteration be adapted to suit the particular direction
in which the main driving belt may approach the machine.
In carrying out our invention we support the shaft of the friction driving pulley
on a framework which is formed with a circular base and mounted on a turn-
table so that it can be turned round and clamped in any required position to suit
the direction of the main driving belt. The supports for the idler pulleys used for
changing the direction of the belting are clamped in a slot or slots to suit when the
driving belt comes in at the back, and they can be moved from these slots and
clamped in other slot or slots when the driving belt comes in at either side. These
idler pulleys can be adjusted in the line of the slots in an up and down direction
and round a vertical axis so as to bring them into the correct position for the belt
to run over them.
When the centrifugal machine is to be driven by a vertical engine direct the
driving pulley and framework are removed, and the engine having a corresponding
circular base is put in its place. The fly wheel of the engine then acts for the
driving pulley.
We prefer to make the turntable round for convenience of construction, but it
may be made of other shape, and the framework carrying the driving pulley may
be moved round and clamped in any position.
In order that our invention may be properly understood and readily carried into
effect we have hereunto appended three explanatory sheets of drawings in the
several figures of which corresponding parts are marked with the same letters of
reference.
Figure 1 is an elevation,
Figures 2, 3 and 4 are plans showing the fast and loose pulleys at the back and
at the two sides of the machine.
Figure 5 is an elevation showing a vertical engine in position for driving the
basket.
A is the framework of the machine, and B the framework supporting the shaft
of the friction driving pulley C. The framework B is detachable from the main
framework, and is mounted on a circular base D, as shown in Figure 14, so that it
may be turned round and clamped by means of the bolts E in any required position,
so as to bring the fast and loose pulleys into position to suit main driving belt.
A groove or slot may be formed all round the circular base in which the head of
the bolts E may slide when the framework B is moved, or it may be sufficient to
have four holes in the base into which the bolts are inserted and secured when the
fast and loose pulleys are in the proper direction. The idler pulleys FF which
are used for changing the direction of the belting are mounted on brackets or
supports (not shown on the drawings) which are detachable from the main frame-
work. These brackets are clamped in slots G and H. In Figure 2 in which the
fast and loose pulleys are at the back of the machine the brackets carrying the two
idler pulleys F F are clamped in the same slot, but in Figures 3 and 4 one bracket
is clamped in one slot and the other bracket is clamped in the other slot, and their
position is adjusted to suit the position of the friction driving pulley.
This construction allows of the machine being driven either by a belt from the
main shaft as above described, or by a vertical engine, as illustrated in Figure 5.
When driven by an engine the framework with friction pulley is removed, and the
framework carrying the engine is put in its place. The fly wheel of the engine
then acts as the driving pulley.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
The improvements in the construction of that class of centrifugal machines
known as hydro extractors by which the framework carrying the friction driving
pulley is made detachable from the main framework of the machine, substantially
as described, in order to allow of the machine being driven from the back or either
side or direct by a vertical engine.
Dated this 11th day of December 1895.
BOTTOMLEY & LIDDLE,
154 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Applicants' Agents.