Improvements in Apparatus for Wholly or Partially Separating Liquids from Solids.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 27th Sept., 1892-Accepted, 31st Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Wholly or Partially Separating
Liquids from Solids.
STANLEY KEMP WELSH, Gentleman 9 Glazbury Road West Kensington
London JOHN HENRY GODMAN Civil Engineer West View Road, St. Albans,
Herts. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
Of a means and apparatus for the purpose of the separation of solids from the
liquids in which they are held in suspension, such separation being effected in such
manner as to effect the whole at once, or by stages giving different degrees of liquid
or solid. And also for the extraction of liquid from the semi-solid after removal from
the liquid containing the solids in suspension, and the means of removing the solids
from their support.
Also for the treatment by absorbents for drying such solids.
The operation may be continuous and on one apparatus, or divided among several
operating in unison, and the products may be returned for further treatment.
The apparatus would consist substantially of a cylindrical vessel, having
partitions covered by perforations upon its circumference communicating with the
axis upon which it revolves, such axis being hollow and containing ports in
connection with a valve or valves which are in connection with outlets to
pumps or other means of removing their contents. The separation being effected
as follows, the cylindrical vessel being supported in a tank, a porous material in
the form of an endless band is led to and around it, the liquid to be operated upon
is let into the tank till it wholly or partially submerges it, the said cylindrical
vessel is caused to rotate and in doing so takes on clean porous material and
delivers the porous material coated with such solids that have been strained off, the
straining action being assisted by pumps or other means of exhausting to various
degrees successive portions of the straining material in its passage through the
liquid, and, after leaving the liquid "if the cylindrical vessel is not wholly
submerged," to still further remove moisture. Different degrees of separation
being effected by the number of divisions and degrees of exhaustion, and speed of
travel of straining material, the liquid may be intercepted at any part of the
separation and returned or otherwise disposed of. The straining material after
leaving the separating portion of the apparatus with its coating upon it may press
against scrapers to remove the coating from it, or may pass between rolls for
pressing and to one of which the strained off material may adhere and leave the
porous supporting material to be cleaned for further use by a suitable apparatus.
The material adhering to the aforesaid roll may have absorbents in the nature of
rolls, bands, or other means brought in contact with it to absorb any remaining
moisture, and may be finally removed from the said roll by scrapers or suitable
means.
Dated this 26th day of January 1892.
JOHN HENRY GODMAN.
STANLEY KEMP WELCH.

page_text: COMPLETE
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Wholly or Partially Separating
Liquids from Solids.
STANLEY KEMP WELCH, Gentleman, 9 Glazbury Road, West Kensington,
London JOHN HENRY GODMAN C.E. West View Road, St. Albans, Herts.,
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 :-
1. A means and apparatus for the separation continuously of solids from the
liquids in which they are held in suspension, the separation being effected in such a
manner as to either extract the whole of the solids in one operation or by stages
giving progressive proportions of liquid and solid; and for the further extraction of
liquid or moisture from the semi-solid first obtained, and finally for the subjection
of the aforementioned solids to dessication by absorbents to complete the operation.
II. The performance of the aforementioned series of operation preferably in one
apparatus but otherwise divided among several acting in unison, and the products
at any stage intercepted & returned for further treatment.
III. Of a means for the removal of the deposited matter from the separating
medium.
IV. Either the liquid or the solid or both may be of value and treated
accordingly.
V. The principles by which the above is effected are substantially as follows.
First. The liquor to be operated upon is caused to pass through a suitable cloth,
in the first stage by gravity or if necessary assisted by a slight vacuum causing a
deposit on the cloth of the coarser particles of the solids contained in the liquid, the
fine particles passing through; this light porous coating acting as the actual strainer
for the next stage.
In the second stage a stronger vacuum is applied which causes a condensation of
the aforesaid coating enabling it to retain the finer particles of solid matter
remaining in the liquid.
This principle may be continued until the deposit on the cloth becomes
impervious.
Second. The cloth carrying the solid matter removed, now passes out of the
liquid into the air, a high vacuum being maintained, whereby the remaining free
liquid is extracted.
VI. The cloth with the deposited matter next passes between a pair of smooth
press rolls when the deposit adheres to the roll with which it comes in contact, the
cloth passing away in another direction.
VII. As the final stage we adopt the principle of dilatancy, and utilize the
natural action of the capillary moisture rising to the surface, which we remove by
an absorbent material pressing lightly on the surface of the deposit, and thus leave
the same in a practically dry condition; when it is removed from the rolls by
scrapers or other suitable means.
VIII. Description of apparatus. Sheet I. The apparatus consists substantially
of a vessel (A) to contain the liquor to be operated upon, and in which is partially
submerged a cylindrical arrangement (B) having chambers (G) upon its circum-
ference covered with perforated material (D) the said chambers having suitable
communications (V) with ports in the face of the hub (E). The said cylinder
freely revolves upon a fixed axis (W) upon which is a circular valve (F) against
which the hub (E) works. The said valve having certain ports (G, H, I, J)
communicating with chambers which have outlets to pipes (G, H, 12) which lead to
pumps or other suitable means of exhaustion and from which the liquor may be
returned to (A) if required. The port J with opening to atmosphere X is for the

page_text: cloth to leave the cylinder B.
Conducting & press roll (M).
Supply valve (O). Absorbent
purpose of releasing the vacuum to allow the
Guide rolls (K). Leading off & press roll (L).
Scrapers for removing deposited material (N).
material (P). Rolls for drawing the cloth off the cylinder Q.
IX. Working. A suitable cloth or strainer which may be in the form of an
endless band continually cleansed, having been placed around the cylinder (B) as
shewn, and caused to travel at a suitable speed by the rolls (Q) in the direction shewn
by arrows; also a band of absorbent material, which may also be endless, having
been placed as shown at (S) and carried by roll (M) with provision for its
continuous drying, as by a drying cylinder at (T) or other suitable means;-
vessel (A.) being now allowed to fill to about the level (U) as shewn, the pumps or
- the
other apparatus provided are started, and the operations performed as follows.
The cloth or straining material adheres to (B) by the liquid and atmospheric
pressure and causes (B) to revolve with it, clean material going on at (Y), and off
"with its coating of deposit" at (Z). The straining material in its passage through
the liquid in (A) gaining increasing density of deposit as it goes on, "hence
giving successive degrees of separation as explained in paragraph (V), the liquid
portions of which are intercepted by the ports (G1) and (1) respectively, and
carried off by the pipes (G 2) and (H2). On passing out of the liquid the deposit
comes under the influence of the strong vacuum in port (1 1), the pressure of the
air causing a pressing out of the contained liquid, which is drawn off by the
pipe (I 2), the straining material with deposit now in a firm semi-dry state passes
between the rolls (I and M) and sticks to (M) and is carried round with it. An
absorbent band is now lightly pressed upon the deposit and going partly round the
roll (M) and in so doing absorbs the capillary moisture, the absorbent material
then leaves (M), and the now practically dry deposit is finally removed from (M)
by the scraper (N).
If not required (M) may be raised "or removed" and the deposit allowed to pass
on and he removed as shewn at (Q) by a scraper (N).
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,
1. An improved method and apparatus for the separation wholly or partially,
from liquids, of solids in suspension therein.
II. The division of the operation into several stages.
III. Returning for further treatment such portion as may not be completely
separated.
IV. The partial drying of the separated solid matter by a continuous
operation.
V. The method of removal of the solid from its support, as described in
paragraph VI.
VI. The further treatment by continuous absorbents for removing the last traces
of free moisture as described in paragraph VII.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of September 1892.
J. H. GODMAN, C.E.