Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1992-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1892

page_text: and predetermined area and is therefore kept within the limits of the tank which
receives the atomized liquid.
It will be seen that liquid forced through the supply pipe a and passing through
the casing d and into the distributer will pass outwardly through the outlets,
and in so doing will steadily and continuously rotate the distributer, the result
being that the liquid is broken up into a series of streams by the outlets, said
streams being subdivided into fine drops both by their passage through the outlets
of the distributer and by the rotary movement of the distributer.
Within the distributer is a deflector which is at the bottom of the passage e,
and is formed and arranged to deflect the liquid passing downwardly through said
passage radially outward and prevent such excessive distribution of the liquid as
would be caused by the rebounding of the liquid from a flat surface at the bottom
of the passage, the flaring form of the deflector deflecting the liquid without causing
it to rebound to any appreciable extent.
I prefer to provide means for regulating the velocity of the flow of the liquid
through the casing and into the distributer, for the purpose of varying the size of
the drops or particles into which the liquid is subdivided by the described action
of the distributer, an increase in the velocity of the liquid causing a corresponding
increase in the velocity of rotation of the distributer and a more minute subdivision
of the liquid, while a decrease in the velocity of the liquid and in the rotation of
the distributer causes an increase in the size of the drops or subdivisions of the
liquid. To this end I provide an adjustable valve which is here shown as com-
prising a tube e, the interior of which constitutes the outlet passage e, said tube
being fitted to slide in a socket or passage way provided for it in a fitting d
attached to the lower end of the casing d. The upper end of the tube el projects
above the fitting d and into the interior of the casing d, and is provided with
orifices or ports e² e arranged to receive the liquid entering the casing. The
deflector is affixed to the lower end of the tube el, said tube having outlet orifices
or ports above said deflector, through which ports the liquid deflected by the
deffector j flows outwardly into the distributer. The tube e' is vertically movable,
so that the outlet ports in its lower portion may be caused to project more or
less below a sleeve formed on and projecting downwardly from the fitting d',
said ports being thus opened or closed to any desired extent, the ports being closed
by the elevation of the tube and opened by the depression of the same.
The tube e is adjusted by means of a rotary shaft which is journalled in a
bearing formed in a fitting 2 affixed to the upper end of the casing d, the lower
end of the said shaft being screw-threaded and engaged with an internally threaded
socket in a head & affixed to the upper end of the tube e¹. The rotation of the
shaft causes the tube e¹ to rise or fall as the case may be, thus increasing or
decreasing the operative area of the outlet ports e³.
It will be seen that by changing the operative area of the outlet ports I am
enabled to instantly vary the velocity of the liquid delivered to the distributer,
the quantity of liquid supplied being kept practically constant by the action of the
pump b, and thus regulate the size of the drops or particles into which the liquid is
subdivided, the regulation produced by varying the area of the ontlet ports being
more effective than any regulation that could be produced by means of a valve
located at a distance from the point of delivery of the liquid to the regulator-for
example, in the pipe a. The outlet ports and the valve or gate that varies the
area of the same are in close proximity to the distributer, so that the liquid, after
passing through the outlet ports, cannot pass through any conduit which would
retard its velocity before it reaches the slots in the distributer, hence the close
contiguity of the valve or gate to the distributer is important.
The regulation of the size of the drops is a matter of much importance in cooling
hot worts by aeration, the liquid requiring to be more finely subdivided in hot than
in cold weather. It is very desirable to regulate the rapidity of evaporation in
cooling atomized worts, as under some conditions too rapid evaporation has been
experimentally found to be somewhat detrimental. It will be seen that I effect

page_text: this regulation of the rapidity of evaporation by the regulation of the size of the
drops into which the liquid is subdivided.
I do not limit myself to the devices here shown for varying the velocity of the
liquid, and may use any other suitable valve whereby the operative area of outlet
ports located within, or in suitable proximity to, the rotary distributer may be
varied.
The tube e¹ is prevented from rotating with the screw-threaded shaft & by means
of a stud or screw inserted in the fitting d', and engaged at its inner end with a
vertical groove e in the periphery of the tube e', as shown in Figure 2.
To enable the shaft to be rotated by a person at a distance from the distributer
and outside of the area through which the liquid is distributed and in which the hot
vapor arises, I provide the following devices:
m represents a shaft journalled in a bearing in an arm o which is mounted upon a
boss or neck formed on the fitting d². Said shaft has a bevelled pinion » meshing
with a corresponding pinion g affixed to the shaft h. The shaft m may be extended
continuously outward to a point within convenient reach of the operator, so that it
may be rotated and, by its connection with the shaft k, impart rotary motion to the
latter.
I prefer, however, instead of extending the shaft m continuously, as last
described, to make said shaft comparatively short and connect with it, by a gimbal
joint m', a supplemental shaft which may extend outwardly to a point within
reach of the operator, the object of said supplemental shaft being to enable the
operating handle, which the operator grasps to effect the rotation of the shafts m
and and the adjustment of the tube ¹, to be located at any desired height and to
be adapted to the construction of the building in which the apparatus is located.
Said gimbal joint connection may be of the ordinary construction and permit the
shaft to stand at any desired angle with the shaft m and impart rotary motion to
the latter while standing at any angle to which it may be adjusted, the two shafts
or sections and the gimbal joint constituting a flexible shaft. The outer portion of
the supplemental shaft is journalled in a bearing which is supported by a
hanger which is preferably bifurcated, its arms or bifurcations being pivotally
connected at with the bearing 3. The hangers may be detachably connected
with a fixed support by any suitable means. I have here shown the hanger as
provided with a stud above its bifurcated portion, and said stud passes through a
socket formed to receive it in an adjustable head which is supported by a socket or
holder affixed to a beam or other fixed support u. The head is preferably
circular and provided with a screw-thread on its periphery, said thread being
engaged with an internal thread formed in the holder t¹, the latter being tubular
and provided with a flange 2 by which it is attached to the support u.
The screw-
thread connection between the head t and the holder t' enables the head to be readily
applied to and removed from its holder, said head being preferably provided with a
polygonal shoulder 3 on its lower side to receive a wrench whereby the head may
be rotated. The stud on the hanger is screw-threaded at its upper portion, and is
provided with a nut bearing on the upper side of the head t.
It will be seen that the holder, head t, and hanger s' constitute a simple and
convenient means for supporting the outer portion of the shaft r at any desired
point, the holder being adapted to be readily attached to a bean or other fixed
support, while the head is adapted to be readily inserted in and removed from the
holder.
The arm which supports the shaft m is provided with a circular socket which
receives the boss d³ on the fitting d² and is adapted to turn on said boss, so that the
shafts m and may extend in any direction from the atomizing apparatus. The
arm o is secured to said boss by means of a screw o'. When said screw is
loosened the arm o may be turned horizontally upon the boss d³ to any desired
extent. The boss d³ has a peripheral groove which receives the inner end of the
screw o', as shown in Figure 2.
The cage i before mentioned is preferably composed of a circular bottom
plate 5, vertical bars 6 secured to cars or lugs 7 projecting outwardly from said

page_text: bottom plate, and an internally screw-threaded ring 8 formed on or affixed to the
upper ends of the bars 6, the internal screw-thread of said ring engaging with an
external thread formed on the fitting d. This construction permits the cage and
the step-holder attached to the bottom plate thereof, to be readily applied to, and
removed from, the fitting d', it being necessary only to rotate the cage and thus
screw the ring 8 on to or off from said fitting in order to apply or remove the cage.
To protect the spindle and to prevent the access of liquid. which is likely to
contain adhesive substances in solution to the interior of the step-holder, I provide
the bottom plate 5 of the cage with one or more upwardly projecting concentric
flanges 99, and the bottom plate of the distributer with a corresponding concentric
groove or grooves 10 which receive the upper portions of the said flanges, the sides
of said grooves and the portions of the flanges that stand betweem them constituting
baffle plates which prevent the inward movement of the liquid from the exterior of
the distributer to the spindle f and its step g.
The annular flanges 9 are preferably made of increasing height from the exterior
toward the centre of the plate 5, the innermost flange being preferably higher than
the others as a further safeguard against the admission of liquid to the holder.
An outlet 12 may be provided in the bottom of the annular groove or space between
the inner flange 9 and the adjoining flange for the escape of any liquid that may
find its way between said flanges; or, if desired, there may be similar outlets for
all the spaces between the flanges 9.
I do not limit myself to the employment of the cage i attached to the casing of
the apparatus, as the means for supporting the step on which the spindle of the
distributer has its bearing, as said step may be supported by any other suitable
means. I prefer the cage, however, because it is the most compact and reliable
means for supporting said step of which I am at present aware.. prefer to make
the vertical bars 6 of the cage, knife-edges at their inner edges, as shown in
Figure 4, to prevent said bars from obstructing the outward movement of the liquid.
I have shown the step-holder / made in a separate piece from the bottom plate 5
of the supporting cage, and screwed into an internally threaded socket in the latter,
the inner flange 9 being formed on the upper end of the step-holder.
The spindle is shown as screw-threaded at its upper end and screwed into an
internally threaded socket in the bottom of the distributer. Said spindle is provided
just above the portion of its periphery which is in contact with the bearing 23 in
the spindle support h with a series of peripheral flanges or ridges, each of which is
acute-angled in cross section, the upper side of each flange being inclined down-
wardly from the body of the spindle, while the under side is substantially at right
angles with the axis of the spindle. The object of said flanges is to prevent the
lubricant placed in the holder from creeping upwardly upon the spindle and out-
wardly on the surfaces of the cage and distributer, the acute edges of said flanges
causing the oil to drop back into the holder.
My invention is not limited to the details of construction herein before describedl
and shown in the drawings, as the same may be modified in various particulars
without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the casing d may
be of any other suitable form and construction that will adapt it to serve as a conduit
to deliver liquid to the rotary distributer.
It is important that stops be provided to limit the movements of the tube el, and
particularly its upward movement which checks the velocity of the liquid. If said
tube were capable of moving upwardly far enough to entirely close the ports ³, the
increase of pressure resulting therefrom would be likely to damage or burst parts
of the apparatus.
I have therefore provided two stops, and, the former arranged to limit the
upward, and the latter the downward movement of the tube e'. The stop z is here
shown as a sleeve affixed to the fitting and surrounding a portion of the shaft /,
the length of said sleeve being such that the head will abut against it before the
ports e are fully closed by the upward movement of the tube. The stop ¹ is shown
as a protuberance on the periphery of the tube, said protuberance being arranged

page_text: to abut against the fitting d when the tube is being depressed. The stop is
important because it prevents the depression of the tube to such an extent as to
bring its lower end into contact with the bottom of the rotating distribúter.
I have found that the construction of the distributer shown in the drawings is a
very satisfactory one, the body of the distributer being a hollow cylinder which is
slotted lengthwise, by means of a saw or other rotary cutting tool adapted to cut
parallel sided slots through the shell of the cylinder, said slots being substantially
tangential, as shown in Figure 4.
The portions of the body of the cylinder between the slots are wedge-shaped in
cross section, each being substantially knife-edged at the inner surface of the
cylinder and caused by its forın and arrangement to "slice off" the liquid as it
passes outwardly through the slots or ports.
In case the distributer were rotated by power applied by a belt running on a
pulley on the shaft of the distributer, as I have sometimes rotated it, this slicing-off
action would materially diminish the resistance offered to the rotation of the
distributer by the liquid, as will be readily seen.
It is important that the distributer be capable of rotating with but little resist-
ance. The construction shown, including the step g and the spindle bearing 23
supporting the spindle affixed to the distributer, accomplishes this result in a superior
manner.
It will be noticed that all the passages for the liquid, including the ports e² e³
and the slots or ports in the distributer, are of such size and capacity that they
permit the free escape of hop leaves and other sediment and suspended matter,
such as sugar, that might otherwise be accumulated or precipitated within the
apparatus to an injurious extent.
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:
1st. A liquid atomizing apparatus comprising in its construction a casing or
conduit, a rotary distributer arranged to receive liquid from said conduit and
adapted to be steadily and continuously rotated by said liquid, a spindle affixed to
said distributer, and a step and spindle bearing both closely fitting the spindle and
supporting the same so that the distribution of the liquid caused by the rotation of
the distributer is confined to a predetermined circular area, as set forth.
2nd. A liquid atomizing apparatus, comprising in its construction a liquid conduit,
a rotary distributer arranged to receive liquid from said conduit and adapted to be
rotated by said liquid, a movable valve or gate contiguous to said distributer,
adapted to control the velocity of liquid delivered to the distributer, and means for
adjusting and holding said valve or gate at any point within its range of movement,
whereby the rapidity of rotation of the distributer, and the size of the drops or
subdivisions of the liquid formed by the action of the distributer may be varied, as
set forth.
3rd. A liquid atomizing apparatus, comprising in its construction a liquid conduit,
a rotary distributer arranged to receive liquid from the conduit and adapted to be
steadily and continuously rotated by said liquid, and a, valve or gate contiguous to
the distributer, whereby the velocity of the liquid delivered to the distributer may
be varied, combined with a pump connected with the conduit and adapted to supply
a uniform quantity of liquid to the distributer under all adjustments of said valve
or gate, as set forth.
4th. In a liquid atomizing apparatus a liquid conduit or casing, a rotary
distributer at one end of the casing adapted to be rotated by the liquid passing
through it, a cage detachably secured to the casing and provided with a step-holder
and with a step supporting a spindle on said distributer.
5th. In a liquid atomizing apparatus, a liquid receiving casing, a distributer
arranged to receive liquid from said casing and adapted to be rotated by said liquid,

page_text: and a deflector within said distributer whereby the excessive distribution of the
liquid is prevented, as set forth.
6th. In a liquid atomizing apparatus, a liquid receiving casing, a distributer
arranged to receive liquid from said casing and adapted to be rotated by said liquid,
a movable valve within the distributer whereby the velocity of liquid delivered to
the distributer may be varied, and a flexible shaft engaged with said valve and
extending outwardly from the apparatus, the flexibility of said shaft enabling it to
conform to the construction of the building in which the apparatus is located.
7th. The combination of a liquid receiving casing, a distributer arranged to
receive liquid from said casing and adapted to be rotated by said liquid, a movable
valve within the distributer whereby the velocity of the liquid delivered to the
distributer may be varied, a valve operating shaft journalled in a bearing on the.
casing and having a screw-thread engaged with said valve, a second shaft geared to
said operating shaft, a bearing supporting one end of said second shaft, and an arm
supporting said bearing and mounted to revolve about said casing, whereby the
said second shaft may be caused to extend in any desired direction, as set forth.
8th. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of a liquid receiving
casing or conduit, a distributer located at the delivering end of said conduit and
adapted to be rotated by the liquid passing through it, a valve comprising a Lube
fitted to slide relatively to a bearing or fitting forming a part of the casing and
projecting at its ends outside of said bearing, one end having liquid receiving ports
while the other end has a bottom or deflector and delivering ports which are located
within the distributer, and means for moving said valve lengthwise to vary the
operative area of its delivering ports, and the velocity of the liquid delivered by
said ports to the distributer.
9th. The combination of the casing or conduit, the cage secured thereto and
having the bottom plate provided with concentric upwardly projecting flanges, the
step-holder secured to the central portion of said plate and surrounded by said
flanges, and the rotary distributer having a spindle supported by a step in said
holder, said distributer having a bottom plate provided with concentric grooves
engaging with said concentric flanges, as set forth.
10th. The combination of the casing or conduit, a rotary distributer arranged to
receive and be rotated by the liquid passing through the conduit, a valve movable
within the conduit and contiguous to said distributer and adapted to vary the velocity
of the liquid, means for adjusting the valve and for positively holding it at any
position to which it may be adjusted, and stops to limit the movements of the
valve.
11th. The improved rotary distributer composed of a substantially cylindrical shell
having parallel-sided, substantially tangential slots cut in its periphery and
extending lengthwise thereof, a bottom plate, and a spindle affixed to said plate,
combined with a step and spindle bearing supporting said spindle.
Dated this 23rd day of January 1892.
CHARLES HENRY FISHER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.