Improvements in Machinery for the Separation of Solid Matters from Liquids, and for Washing Out and Exhausting the Solid Matters so Separated.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Feb.. 1889
Complete Specification Left, 20th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 1st Feb., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for the Separation of Solid Matters
from Liquids, and for Washing Out and Exhausting the Solid
Matters so Separated.
I, WILLIAM STEVENS SQUIRE, of Clarendon House, St. Johns Wood Park,
London N.W., Chemical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:
This invention consists in the separation of solid matter from a mixture of solid and
liquid matter by means of a machine of peculiar construction.
This machine consists of a series of cylinders, usually four in number, constructed
of perforated metal, or of wire gauze, or of cloth stretched upon suitable frames.
These cylinders revolve horizontally, but slightly inclined, over troughs placed under-
neath them to receive the liquid which passes through, while the solid matter is
discharged at the lower end of the cylinders into vessels placed so as to receive it.
Each of these vessels is provided with an agitator to mix up the solid matter with any
liquid that may be added to it, and is also provided with a pump in order to pump
away the mixture so made.
The course of the operation is as follows;-The mixture of solid and liquid matter
to be treated is admitted in a stream into the upper end of cylinder No. 1. The liquid
passes through into the trough below, while the solid matter is expelled at the lower
end of the cylinder into the vessel placed to receive it. It is here mixed with dilute
liquor flowing from the trough placed under cylinder No. 3, and the mixture is
pumped into cylinder No. 2. The liquid which passes through is either added to that
coming from cylinder No. 1, or it is used to dilute the original,mixture before it is
admitted to cylinder No. 1. The solid matter expelled from the lower end of
cylinder No. 2 is in like manner mixed with the liquid coming from the trough under
No. 4, and is then pumped into cylinder No. 3. The solid matter expelled from this
cylinder is mixed with water, or other menstruum, and pumped into cylinder No. 4,
from which it is finally expelled completely washed out and exhausted.
It will be seen that the solid matter travels successively from cylinder No. 1 to
cylinder No. 4, while the water or other menstruum, used to wash out and exhaust it,
travels in the opposite direction from cylinder No. 4 to cylinder No. 1.
If the exhaustion is not complete, a larger number of cylinders may be used.
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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for the Separation of Solid Matters
from Liquids, and for Washing Out and Exhausting the Solid
Matters so Separated.
I WILLIAM STEVENS SQUIRE of Clarendon House St. Johns Wood Park
London N.W., Chemical 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 consists in the separation of solid matter from a mixture of solid and
liquid matter, and the exhaustion of soluble matters by means of a machine of peculiar
construction.
This machine consists of a series of cylinders, usually four in number, constructed
of perforated metal, or of wire gauze or of cloth stretched on suitable frames. These
cylinders revolve horizontally, but slightly inclined over troughs placed underneath

page_text: them to receive the liquid which passes through, while the solid matter is discharged
at the lower end of the cylinders into vessels placed so as to receive it. Each of these
vessels is provided with an agitator to mix up the solid matter with any liquid that
may be added to it and is also provided with a pump in order to pump away the
mixture so made.
-
The course of the operation is as follows;-The mixture of solid and liquid matter
to be treated is admitted in a stream into the upper end of cylinder No. 1. The liquid
passes through into the trough below, while the solid matter is expelled at the lower
end of the cylinder into the vessel placed to receive it. It is here mixed with the
liquor flowing from the trough placed under cylinder No. 3 and the mixture is
pumped into cylinder No. 2. The liquid which passes through into the trough below
is either added to that coming from cylinder No. 1 or it is used to dilute the original
mixture before it is admitted to cylinder No. 1, or it may be used for treating fresh
solid matter the soluble constituents of which it is desired to extract. The solid
matter expelled from the lower end of cylinder No. 2 is in like manner mixed with
the liquid coming from the trough under cylinder No. 4, and is then pumped into
cylinder No. 3. The solid matter expelled from this cylinder is mixed with water or
other menstruum and pumped into cylinder No. 4 from which it is finally expelled
washed out and exhausted. In this way the solid matter travels successively from
cylinder to cylinder encountering on its course liquid always more and more dilute
whilst the liquid travels in the opposite direction encountering on its course matter
more & more charged with soluble matter. If the exhaustion is not complete a larger
number of cylinders may be used.
In the two accompanying sheets of drawings the letters refer to the same or like
parts wherever they occur. Fig. 1 Sheet 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus
according to my invention. Fig. 2 Sheet 1 is a plan in which two of the four cylinders
are shewn in view and two in section. Fig. 3 Sheet 2 is an elevation of the upper
ends of the four cylinders, and Fig. 4 Sheet 2 is an elevation of the lower ends of the
four cylinders where the solid matter is discharged. A B C D are the four perforated
cylinders E F G H are the four troughs into which the liquid falls through the per-
forations of the cylinders. (In this case there are only two troughs but each is divided
into two by a division in the centre so as practically to form 4 troughs.) I J K are
the vessels into which the solid matter is discharged from the mouths of the revolving
cylinders and L M N are the pumps by means of which the mixture of solid and liquid
matters are pumped into the successive cylinders.
The perforated cylinders may be made in one piece, but I prefer to build them up
of short perforated drums bolted to flat spoked wheels a a (Fig. 2) keyed on to the
driving shafts bb. The upper ends of the cylinders are closed by means of a plate
with an orifice in the centre furnished with a short drum (c) not perforated, which
serves for the introduction of the mixture of solid and liquid matters by means of
pipes entering these drums by the side of the driving shafts. The other end of the
cylinders consists of a drum of metal d of the same diameter as the cylinder, but not
perforated, furnished with spokes and keyed on to the driving shaft. Through these
drums the solid matters are discharged. These drums run on small wheels e e
Figs. 1 & 4 which support the lower end of the cylinder.
The vessels I J K into which the solid matter is discharged are furnished with
agitators which stir up and mix the discharged solid matter with any liquid which
may run into these vessels. The pumps L M N are lift and force pumps connected
by the pipes gg with the receiving vessels, and are intended to pump the mixture of
solid and liquid matters into the cylinders. Both pumps and agitators are driven by
means of an overhead shaft h furnished with excentrics and bevil wheels for that
purpose. The cylinders are driven by means of a main shaft i by means of mitre
wheels keyed on to the main shaft and the driving shafts of the cylinders.
The course of the operation is as follows;-The mixture of solid and liquid matters
is introduced into the cylinder A through the small drum c. As the cylinder revolves
the liquid runs through the perforations of the cylinder into the trough E placed
below it, and is drawn off by the pipe x. The solid matter in consequence of the

page_text: inclined position of the cylinder gradually makes its way to the lower end where it is
discharged. As the solid matter has been thoroughly rolled over and puddled in its
course from the upper to the lower end of the cylinder it is deprived of most of the
liquid matter. It is discharged into the vessel I where it meets the liquid matter
flowing from the trough G placed below the cylinder C through the pipe ; and the
mixture so formed is pumped by the pump L through the pipe & into the Cylinder B.
The liquid which runs through into the trough F may be mixed with the liquid which
falls into the first trough E or it may be used for treating a fresh quantity of solid
matter before it is introduced into the cylinder A. The solid matter which is
discharged into the vessel J is mixed with the liquid from the trough H under the
cylinder D through the pipe and the resulting mixture is then pumped by means of
the pump M through the pipe m into the cylinder C. The liquid which passes
through this cylinder falls into the trough G and flows through the pipe ; to the
vessel I. The solid matter is discharged into the vessel K where it is mixed with
water or other menstruum used to exhaust and wash out the solid matter. This
mixture is then pumped by the pump N through the pipe n into the cylinder D.
The liquid which runs through the cylinder D falls into the trough H and flows
through the pipe to the vessel J. The solid matter is discharged from this last
cylinder D washed out and exhausted of its soluble matter.
It will be noticed that the solid matter travels progressively from A to B, from B
to and from C to D while the liquid travels in the opposite direction, from D to C,
from to B, and if used as the solvent of the soluble matters of any fresh solid
matters from B to A. The process is therefore thoroughly methodical and continuous,
and while on the one hand a very concentrated solution of the soluble matters is
obtained on the other hand the solid matter is obtained thoroughly exhausted of its
soluble constituents.
Although I prefer to use cylinders for the purpose indicated the inclined revolving
perforated chambers may be of hexagonal octagonal or polygonal section.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The methodical exhausting of solid matters, and the separation of the solution of
the soluble constituents by causing the solid matter to travel through a series of
inclined revolving perforated cylinders or chambers in one direction, and the liquid
menstruum employed for exhausting the solid matters to travel in the opposite
direction substantially in the manner described.
2. The improved apparatus for the exhausting of the solid matters, and the separa-
tion of the liquid matters, constructed, arranged, and operating substantially as
described and illustrated.
Dated this Twentieth day of December 1889.