IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred George Brookes of N° 59 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex Patent Agent for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN
CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES Communicated to him from abroad by David
McColley Weston of Boston County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts in
the United States of America,
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alfred George Brookes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th April 1883.
ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of N° 59. Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex
Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES." Communicated to
me from abroad by David M Colley Weston of Boston County of Suffolk and State
of Massachusetts in the United States of America
In centrifugal machines as heretofore constructed, the basket has been provided
with a valve to close the outlet in the bottom thereof while the basket is being
filled and rotated to throw its contents against the inner wall thereof; and when
the basket is to be discharged the valve has had to be raised by hand and be
fastened, and after discharging the basket the valve has had to be loosened by
hand and lowered carefully into place to again close the bottom of the basket.
These valves referred to being quite heavy, are liable to be dropped and broken
when they are being lowered, and it sometimes happens by the accidental dropping
of the said valve that a workman, engaged in discharging the basket, is seriously
injured.
One part of my invention consists in combining with the said usual basket a
counterbalanced valve which is adapted to descend or be lowered to close the
openings at the bottom of the basket either by the weight upon it of the sugar or
material being introduced into the basket and resting on the said valve or by
slight downward pressure by the workman on the sleeve of the valve, the latter
again rising to uncover the openings at the bottom of the basket as soon as the

page_text: sugar, or the material resting on the valve, is thrown therefrom in the rotation of
the basket as will be described.
My invention also consists in a spindle having two screw threaded portions and
two nuts and a seat or bushing, combined with two sets or series of intermediate
dises or washers, as will be hereinafter described.
Also in a spindle, and hollow shaft, of a centrifugal machine combined with a
stendying rod and its series of springs held and adapted to operate with relation
to the said spindle and shaft substantially as hereinafter described.
In this my invention the tendency of the valve to descend by its own gravity is
a little more than overcome by what I denominate a counterbalance, which may be
a spring or any equivalent device, the normal position of the valve under the
influence of the counter balance being away from or above and so as to uncover or
open the bottom of the basket.
The weight of the valve in excess of the power of the counterbalance is such that
the sirupy mass of sugar flowing down from the usual gate above the basket and
striking the top of the valve is generally sufficient to cause it to move down gently
upon its seat at and close the bottom of the basket.
As soon as the machine starts and the contents of the basket are thrown against
the inner wall thereof by centrifugal action the absence of the sirupy mass of sugar
from above the valve permits it to rise under the action of the counterbalance and
resume its normal position leaving the bottom of the basket wide open ready to
permit the purged material or product to be delivered from the bottom of the
machine.
In this way I am enabled to save lifting and lowering the heavy valve by hand,
and also the time of manipulating it, which is very considerable, and all possibility
of accidents by the dropping of the valve is avoided.
Figure 1 shows in vertical section a sufficient portion of a centrifugal machine to
illustrate a practical embodyment of my invention, parts of the same being broken
out to save space in the drawing.
The basket A having its entire outer wall vided with holes as at a' and
having the perforated sheet metal lining a² partially shown in the drawing, and the
hub A, adapted to be secured to and rotated by the hollow shaft A³, is and may
be all as usual.
The spindle A, as herein shown is, suspended from a bearing B suitably bolted
or attached to the ceiling or otherwise
This bearing contains a zone-shaped metal packing 6 on which rests a collar b¹
of the spindle, while the part 62 of the spindle above the said collar, is extended
through a washer 2, and an india rubber or yielding bolster 63 and thence
through a larger sustaining washer or plate b, and into a nut b³, the support for
the spindle being such as to permit it and the basket to centre itself with its load
as is well understood.
The pulley B receives the belt which drives the hollow shaft A³ and in practice
it will have a brake B³ applied within it to be operated by the lever B*
At its lower end, the spindle is reduced as at c and has two independent screw
threaded portions c¹ and c with a plain part between them-About the portion c
is placed a series of washers d that support a bushing d' interposed between the
spindle and hollow shaft A³, and the said washers, held in place on the spindle A*
by the nut d', are supported by the nut d².
Below the nut d³ is placed a loose seat d³ under which is placed a second set of
washers d', the latter and the said collar being held up in place on the spindle and
with the end of the said seat d³ against the end of the hollow shaft A³, by the
nut d, and check nut de
The hollow shaft is further sustained by the bushing d' referred to, held up by
the washers d and nut d
The washers d and №ª arranged in two sets and supported and held as described
with relation to the spindle and hollow shaft, distribute the weight of the machine-

page_text: and its contents between the two sets of washers, thus avoiding the heating or
cutting of the washers by reason of excessive weight
The hollow shaft A³, at its lower end, is provided with a screw thread 3,
upon which is screwed the cap nut D, which serves as an oil cup, and which
is also provided with a foot e to enter a tapering hole in a ball bearing e¹
embraced between the two socket pieces e³, e screwed thereon, the foot being
held in the bearing 6¹ by the screw f
The socket piece e has an oil receptacle ƒ³.
The hub A of the basket, is forced upward upon the tapering lower end of the
hollow shaft as usual by the nut D.
The socket piece elias a projection g which as shown in the drawing has a
screw thread to receive the end of a steadying rod gl extended through a lug g
made adjustable on a bracket g³ bolted to the underside g of the usual stationary
tub or case H in which the basket rotates, and into which the sirup is thrown from
the walls of the basket, the said tub having a gutter i with discharge spout *
as at the right of the drawing
The steadying rod g¹ has two adjustable collars h³ and between the said collars
and the lug g at each side the latter, are two sets of springs, shown as india rubber
springs, they being so arranged that those of one or the other set will be compressed
as the rod is moved in one or the other direction by the deviation of the spindle
fron true vertical position.
This spring controlled steadying rod acts to prevent the machine from taking a
gyratory motion after it is up to speed.
The valve E preferably of sheet metal and conical is connected with the tube m
attached at its upper end to the valve supporting collar m' adapted to slide loosely
on the hollow shaft A³.
The tube and parts within it are broken out in the drawing to economise space.
The collar m' is hollow and rests on a spiral spring n the lower end of which is
supported by the collar E.
The spring n is preferably just strong enough to serve as a counterbalance for
the weight of the valve and normally keep it in the dotted line position, the valve
descending to its full line position to close the usual openings in the bottom of the
basket by the exertion of but a slight pressure thereon, or on the collar, it being
held in its full line position by the weight or pressure of the material to be treated
as the latter is being let into the basket from the usual mixer, but as soon as the
basket is rotated at sufficient speed to throw the said material, by centrifugal
action, from the top of the valve against the inner wall of the basket, the valve is
automatically lifted by the counterbalance, as I denominate the spring n and
the valve remains so lifted when the machine is stopped, to thus enable the
workmen to remove or discharge the sugar wall or material through the bottom
of the basket, as usual.
Instead of the counterbalance being a spring, I might employ a cord or chain
connected with the tube m or sleeve of the valve F pass the said cord or chain
over a suitable pulley and down into the spindle, which under such modification
will be made hollow to receive the said cord and a weight attached to it to
serve as the counterbalance-The tube m is guided by the heavy collar p and
preferably the spring n will be enclosed in a sleeve p²-The flanged upper end
of the quill has an oil cup 7. The part of the basket not shown at the left of
the drawing will be as at the right.
Having thus described the nature of the invention and means employed in
carrying the same into effect I would have it understood that what I claim is
1 In a centrifugal machine, a basket open centrally at its bottom, combined
with a sliding or moveable counterbalanced valve to operate substantially
ns described.
2nd The spindle A, having the screw threaded portions c' and c³, and the two
nuts d d³, and the seat d³ combined with the two sets or series of inter-
mediate washers d d to operate substantially as shown and described

page_text: 3. The spindle and hollow shaft of the centrifugal machine combined with
the steadying rod g' and its springs adapted to operate with relation to
the said spindle and shaft substantially as described.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred George Brookes have hereunto set my
hand and seal this seventeenth day of April in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.