Improved Means for Separating and Recovering Sand and other Solid Particles from Blasts or Currents of Air Charged with such Particles.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1889
Complete Specification Left. 7th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 11th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Separating and Recovering Sand and other
Solid Particles from Blasts or Currents of Air Charged with
such Particles.
I JEREMIAH EUGENE MATHEWSON of Bellefield Works Sheffield in the County of
York, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In carrying out the operation of cutting and grinding metallic and other surfaces
by means of a steam sand blast as described in my patent No. 15980 of 1884 it was
found essential to remove the priming and condensation water therefrom, as the
presence of water greatly detracted from the efficiency of the sand blast.
To secure this result, I contrived an arrangement of apparatus for which I obtained
Letters Patent dated February 17th 1887 No. 2456.
This apparatus was so constructed as to impart a whirling motion to the steam
admitted thereto. The steam, on entering the apparatus, passed through helical
passages which delivered it into a pierced cylinder such cylinder being surrounded
by a concentric casing. The water thrown out tangentially from the steam, escaped
through the pierced cylinder, and collecting in the casing, was run off from the
apparatus.
Meanwhile, the steam, in a dry state, passed on to the sand blast apparatus, to
impart the required initial velocity to the sand.
now propose to apply apparatus of similar construction to the removal of the sand
from an air blast after the operation of cutting or grinding has been effected.
Hitherto it has been necessary to connect with the sand blast apparatus, an air
trunk of considerable length and capacity for leading off the blast, and giving time
for the fine sand which passes off with the air, to deposit before the air is allowed
to escape into the atmosphere. The sand thus recovered is fit for subsequent use.
In adapting the above mentioned apparatus to this new purpose, I guide the sand
laden air, by a conical, or other suitable conductor, to the helix, which, as the air
rushes through it will impart thereto a whirling motion, causing the sand to fly
through the perforations in the cylinder, and fall into the outer casing, from whence
it may be led to any suitable receptacle. By the application of my invention, I not
only recover a larger percentage of the sand, but I make the apparatus far more
compact than heretofore.
It will be obvious that this invention is equally applicable to the treatment of
currents of air charged with solid particles of whatever kind, for the recovery of the
same, prior to the discharge of the air from the apparatus, suitable means being
provided for conducting the charged air into the helical passages which serve to:
impart the desired whirling motion thereto.
Dated this 7th day of March 1889.
NEWTON & SUN,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Separating and Recovering Sand and other
Solid Particles from Blasts or Currents of Air Charged with
such Particles.
I JEREMIAH EUGENE MATHEWSON of Bellefield Works, Sheffield, in the County of
York, 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 :—
Im carrying out the operation of cutting and grinding metallic and other surfacos

page_text: by means of a steam sand blast as described in my patent No. 15980 of 1884, it
was found essential to remove the priming and condensation water therefrom,
as the presence of water greatly detracted from the efficiency of the sand blast.
To secure this result, I contrived an arrangement of apparatus for which I obtained
Letters Patent dated February 17th 1887, No. 2456.
This apparatus was so constructed as to impart a whirling motion to the steam
admitted thereto.-The steam, on entering the apparatus, passed through helical
passages, which delivered it into a pierced cylinder, such cylinder being surrounded
by a concentric casing. The water thrown out tangentially from the steam, escaped
through the pierced cylinder, and collecting in the casing, was run off from the
apparatus.
Meanwhile, the steam, in a dry state, passed on to the sand blast apparatus, to
impart the required initial velocity to the sand.
I now propose to apply apparatus of similar construction to the removal of the
sand from an air blast after the operation of cutting or grinding has been effected.
Hitherto it has been necessary to connect with the sand blast apparatus, an air
trunk of considerable length and capacity for leading off the blast, and giving time
for the fine sand which passes off with the air, to deposit before the air is allowed to
escape into the atmosphere.-The sand thus recovered is fit for subsequent use.
In the accompanying drawing,
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an apparatus as arranged to carry out my
invention, and
Fig. 2 is a section on the line of Fig. 1.
A is a cylindrical casing provided internally with radial plates A¹, and having a
door A2 at its lower part. The plates A' act as bafflers to prevent a centrifugal
motion of the sand being set up in the casing, and they also serve to direct the sand
downwards below the influence of the air, to the bottom of the casing, where it can
settle.
Centrally of the casing A, is a cylinder B in connection with an inlet pipe B'.-In
the lower part of this cylinder is a helix or helices C, and in the walls of the
cylinder, above the helix, are formed a series of slots. Outside the cylinder B is a
second slotted cylinder D, which is capable of being rotated by the rod D', and
serves to regulate the size of the slot openings, according to requirements.
The casing A has a cover A³ with a central opening, which may be connected with
an exhauster of any suitable construction. Instead of the exhauster, I may employ
a fan, which may be connected with the inlet pipe B'.-I prefer, however, the former
arrangement, as the air will have been separated from most of the extraneous matters
before it comes into contact with the forwarding apparatus.
In adapting this apparatus to the new purpose, the pipe B1 is connected to the sand
blast or other machine, and the exhauster is set going-The sand laden air will be
thus drawn in with considerable velocity to the helix, which, as the air rushes through
it, will impart thereto a whirling motion. When the whirling current of sand-laden
air passes into the slotted portion of the cylinder B, the sand will be thrown
tangentially through the slots, and fall into the outer casing A, where it will settle,
and from which it can be removed by the door A2 when desired.
By the use of the improved separator, I not only recover a larger percentage of
sand, but I can make the sand blast apparatus far more compact than heretofore.
It will be obvious that this invention is equally applicable to the treatment of
currents of air charged with solid particles of whatever kind, for the recovery of the
same, prior to the discharge of the air from the apparatus, suitable means being
provided for conducting the charged air into the helical passages, which serve to
impart the desired whirling motion thereto.
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 :-
:-
1st. Drawing or forcing air laden with solid particles through a helix into a slotted
:

page_text: or perforated cylinder, whereby a whirling motion is communicated to the air, and
the solid particles are discharged tangentially through the slots in the cylinder, as
set forth.
2nd. The means as herein shown and described for separating or recovering
sand and other solid particles from blasts or currents of air charged with such
particles.
3rd. In apparatus for separating solid particles from currents of air, the combina-
tion with a helix and perforated cylinder, of an outer concentric casing provided
with radial baffle plates, and with or without an exhauster or fan, as set forth."
Dated this 7th day of December 1889.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.