Improved Means and Apparatus for Separating Solid or Semi-solid Substances from Sludge or other Fluid or Semi-fluid Matters.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 15th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 11th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Separating Solid or Semi-solid
Substances from Sludge or other Fluid or Semi-fluid Matters.
I WILLIAM BIRCH of Milton Street Iron Works Lower Broughton Manchester
in the County of Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates principally to means and apparatus adapted for the purpose
of dealing with the sludge which is removed from the settling tanks employed.in
the purification of sewage and other fluid or semi-fluid matter for the purpose of
separating the fluid portion therefrom and reducing the more solid portion thereof
to a semi-dry or pasty state so that it can be handled or removed by spades or
similar implements, but the said invention is also equally applicable to other cases
where it is required to separate the fluid and solid portions of any kind of "sludge
in a similar manner.
"
The principal novel feature of my invention consists in the use for such purpose
of an endless travelling band of porous woven cloth passing round a revolving drum
between the surfaces of which the "sludge " is admitted or fed preferably by an
intermittent pump no external pressure being used other than the tension of the
endless cloth or fabric which forms a kind of filtering bag through which the more
fluid portion passes whilst the solid matters are retained.
The tension is given to the endless band of cloth by its passing over a roller above
the drum, the axles of which roller are supported by levers provided with an
adjustable weight or spring whereby the tension of the travelling cloth or band is
regulated to such a degree that the edges thereof shall move in contact with the
drum (or nearly so) whilst the weight of the sludge will draw down the central
part into a kind of bag, the tension of the cloth giving just so much pressure as to
squeeze the water or fluid through the same whilst retaining the more solid portion.
The endless cloth is of a thin porous nature so that it does not become clogged or
silted up with the solid matter, but the latter becomes "caked" onto the surface of
the drum.
Fitting against the upper part of this drum is a fixed scraper or "doctor" which
clears the solid matter off the surface of the drum, and at the point where it
accumulates in front of the scraper or doctor I arrange an endless band fitted with
short scrapers travelling transversely, that is in a direction parallel to the axis of
the drum, and the action of these travelling scrapers removes the solid matter and
delivers it over the end of the drum; a spring wire or weighted scraper is provided
at this end of the drum to act as a cleaner so as to remove the solid matter which
adheres to the faces of the travelling scrapers and to prevent the spaces between the
said scrapers from being clogged up.
The water or effluent liquid passing through the travelling cloth or filtering bag
is received into a trough from whence it is conveyed away back to the settling tank
or elsewhere.
Beneath the top roller I arrange a sloping board (or other equivalent means) to
catch the drip water from this roller and prevent it from falling onto the drum,
and its lower edge directs this water onto the back of the travelling band or cloth
on the return side.
To this travelling band or cloth between the top roller and the drum on the
return side I apply a swivelling angular roller guide for the purpose of keeping it
central on the drum and for smoothing out creases and keeping it flat.

page_text: The various devices above named are supported by a suitable frame work and are
driven by any convenient means.
Dated this 4th day of April 1892.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means and Apparatus for Separating Solid or Semi-solid
Substances from Sludge or other Fluid or Semi-fluid Matters.
I WILLIAM BIRCH of Milton Street Iron Works Lower Broughton Manchester
in the County of Lancaster, 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:-
This invention relates principally to means or apparatus adapted for the purpose
of dealing with the sludge which is removed from the settling tanks.employed in
the purification of sewage, and other fluid or semi-fluid matters for the purpose of
separating the fluid portion therefrom, and reducing the more solid portion thereof
to a semi-dry or pasty state, so that it can be handled or removed by spades or
similar implements but the said invention is also equally applicable to other cases
where it is required to separate the fluid and solid portions of any kind of sludge in
a similar manner.
The nature of my said invention, and the manner in which the same is to be
>performed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to
the sheet of drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation thereof.
Fig.1on the, drawing is a vertical section and Fig. 2 a front elevation of the
improved, apparatus, which I propose to employ for the purposes of my invention.
Fig. 3.shews,a detached part hereafter more particularly referred to, drawn to
a larger scale.
The principal novel feature of my invention consists in the use for such purpose
of an endless travelling band a (see Fig. 1) of porous woven cloth or fabric, passing
Found a revolving drum, b, between the adjacent surfaces of which, viz.:-the said
band a and drum b, the "sludge " is admitted or fed (preferably by an intermittent
pump) through a feed pipe c, no external pressure, being used, other than the
tension of the endless cloth or fabric a, which forms a kind of filtering bag through
which the more, fluid portion passes whilst the solid matters are retained thereby.
"The tension is given to the endless, band of cloth a by its passing over a roller d
above the drum b the, axles of which roller d are supported by levers e provided
with, a weight for a spring (preferably adjustable) whereby the tension of the
travelling cloth or band a is regulated to such a degree that the edges thereof shall
travel in contact with the drum b (or nearly so) whilst the weight of the "sludge
will draw down the central part into a kind of bag, the tension of the cloth a giving
Bo much pressure as. to squeeze the water or fluid through the same, whilst retaining
the more solid portion.
"
The endless cloth a is of a thin, porous nature so that it does not become clogged
or, silted up, with the solid matter, but the latter becomes "caked
surface of the drum b.
"
on to the
Fitting against the upper part of this drum b is a scraper or "doctor" 9 (prefer-
ably, in sections as shewn at Fig. 2) which clears the solid matter off the surface
of the drum, b, and at the point where it accumulates in front of this scraper or
doctor g arrange an endless band fitted with short scrapers travelling
transversely, that is, in a direction, parallel to the axis of the drum b, and the
action, of these travelling scrapers i removes the solid matter and delivers it over
the end of the drum, b on to.a trough or shoot b¹; a light spring wire k (see also
detached side view Fig. 3) is provided at this end of the drum to act as a cleaner

page_text: and remove the solid matter which adheres to the faces of the travelling scrapers i
and to the endless band so as to prevent the spaces between the scrapers i from
being clogged.
It will be evident that as soon as one of the scrapers i comes against the
wire (see Fig. 2) it will carry it along, and as the wire k is thus brought into
and as the
a more perpendicular position it will clear the face of the scraper
latter continues to advance the bend of the wire k will pass over the edge of the
scraper and fall against the surface of the endless travelling band h which it will
clean and so on alternately.
The water or effluent liquid passing through the travelling cloth or filtering
bag a is received into a trough beneath (not shown on the drawing) from whence
it is conveyed away back to the settling tank or elsewhere.
Beneath the top roller I arrange a scraper or "doctor" 1, and a sloping
board (or other equivalent means) to catch the sludge and drip water from this
roller and prevent it from falling direct on to the drum b, and its lower edge
carries the said sludge and drip water back and discharges it on the return side
between the travelling cloth or band a and the descending surface of the drum b.
To this travelling band or cloth a on the return side I apply a swivelling
angular roller guide m for the purpose of keeping the cloth central on the drum,
and for smoothing out creases and keeping it straight, and to assist it in assuming
the curved or bag-like form employ a roller n which I make slightly concave in
its longitudinal direction that is, smaller in diameter towards the centre and
gradually larger towards its ends.
The various devices above named are supported by a suitable framework o and
may be driven by any convenient means.
In the arrangement shown on the drawing the driving shaft p has a spur pinion q
keyed upon it driving a large spur wheel fixed on the axle of the drum b thus
giving it a slow revolving motion. On the driving shaft p is also keyed a disc or
face plates having pins t which at each revolution actuate a ratchet lever or
catch u which acts upon the teeth of a ratchet wheel v fixed on the axle of one of
the drums round which the endless scraper band h passes.
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 :-
First The improved means
:
or apparatus for separating solid or semi-solid
substances, from "sludge " or other fluid or semi-fluid matters consisting principally
of an endless porous cloth or fabric combined with a revolving drum and acting
as a filtering bag without any external pressure other than the tension of the cloth
or fabric itself.
Secondly In a sludge separating apparatus consisting mainly of a revolving.
drum combined with an endless porous cloth or fabric acting as a filtering bag, the
combination therewith of a guide roller to give the necessary tension to the endless
porous cloth.
Thirdly-In a sludge separating apparatus consisting mainly of a revolving
drum combined with an endless porous cloth or fabric acting as a filtering bag, the
combination with the revolving drum of an endless band of scrapers acting trans-
versely to remove the solid material from the surface of the drum and deliver it
over the end of the same.
Fourthly In a sludge separating apparatus consisting mainly of a revolving
drum combined with an endless porous cloth or fabric acting as a filtering bag and
a roller above to give tension to the travelling cloth or fabric, the combination
with such roller of a scraper or "doctor" and a sloping board to catch the sludge
and drip water from the same and deliver it between the drum and the endless
cloth on the return side.
Fifthly In a sludge separating apparatus consisting mainly of a revolving
drum combined with an endless porous cloth or fabric acting as a filtering bag,

page_text: the combination with such endless cloth or fabric of a swivelling angular roller
guide to keep the same central on the drum, and a roller concave towards the
centre to assist the endless cloth or fabric to assume a bag-like form, all substan-
tially as hereinbefore described and illustrated by the drawing annexed.
Dated this 12th day of November 1892.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.