Improvements in Centrifugal Liquid Precipitating or Separating Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Mar., 1898-Accepted, 23rd Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Centrifugal Liquid Precipitating or Separating
Apparatus.
I, FRANZ HUGERSHOFF, of Albertstrasse 28, Leipzig, in the Empire of Germany,
Manufacturer, 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 to a manually operated centrifugal machine for the examina-
tion of liquids, namely, for ascertaining the proportion of lacteal fat in milk, for
precipitating urine, blood, sputum, and such like, and for similarly treating other
liquids.
In precipitating apparatus hitherto proposed, a inetal drum or box has been mounted
on the top of a rotary shaft and provided with a lid, into which tubes containing
precipitation glasses were laid.
According to the present invention such drum or box is replaced by a collapsible
mantle of leather, cloth, linen, or some other suitable material, attached to the top
of the rotary shaft and provided with pockets for receiving precipitation glasses. As
such a mantle may be readily collapsed and folded up, the apparatus rendered
much more portable, is reduced in weight, and is of a more simple and cheaper
construction.
Besides resting in the pockets of the mantle, the precipitation glasses are attached
by suitable swivel clips to the disc from which the mantle hangs. Consequently,
when such disc is rotated, the glasses assume a horizontal or nearly horizontal posi
tion owing to centrifugal force-and raise the mantle into a similar position. The
mantle thus assumes the form of a flat disc and cuts the air without much
resistance, so that the apparatus may be rotated at a high speed with little
power.
In the annexed drawing Figure 1 is a vertical elevation of my improved
apparatus when at rest. Figure 2 is a plan of the disc to which the precipitation
tubes are hinged. Figure 3 illustrates the mode of hingeing the tubes. Figure 4
is a perspective view illustrating the position of the mantle and precipitation tubes
when in rotation.
The mantle a of leather, cloth, linen, or some other suitable material is hung from
the top of the vertical rotating shaft b, and is clamped between the two discs c and d,
the latter of which carries brackets e provided with inclined slots e' which receive the
pins ff of the tubes f when the latter are inserted in the pockets a¹ of the
inantle a. The tubes are thus hinged to the disc d.
In the position of rest, shewn in Figure 1, the mantle a hangs in the form of a
truncated cone, its surface being in folds. When, however, the shaft b is rotated,
the tubes ff-owing to centrifugal force-assume a horizontal or nearly horizontal
position, which is likewise assumed by the mantle a, its folds being smoothed out.
The mantle thus resembles a flat round disc and cuts the air with little resistance
(Figure 4).
After being subjected to sufficient rotation, the mantle a and tubes ƒ ƒ

page_text: automatically return to the position of rest (Figure 1) and the tubes may
easily be unhooked from the brackets e and removed from the pockets a¹ of the
mantle.
The slots e¹ of the brackets e are inclined in order to better retain the tubes ff
when the latter are swinging horizontally, and the said brackets are, as shewn in
Figure 2, arranged upon the disc d. The pins f¹ f¹ are, as shewn in Figure 3,
attached to the protruding piece g¹ on a ring g which clasps the open end of the
tube f.
When the tubes ff have been removed from the mantle the latter may be collapsed
and lie close against the apparatus, so that it occupies little space and renders the
apparatus more portable.
In the example illustrated four tubes f are employed, but the number will vary
with requirements.
The other features of the apparatus illustrated-which is clamped to a table or
other surface by the thumbscrew h-do not present anything new. The shaft b is
driven by the coned pulley i loosely mounted thereon. On the under surface of the
pulley is a tooth which engages with the pin 6' on the shaft when the coned
pulley is pressed downward and rotated by a driving belt or band. A spiral
spring tends to return the pulley to its higher position, and disconnects it from
the shaft b.
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 :-
1. The employment in a centrifugal precipitating apparatus or separator, of a
mantle a connected with the rotating shaft b and provided with pockets which
receive the precipitation tubes f, which mantle, when at rest, may fold close against
the apparatus, and when in rotation assumes a disc-like formation and affords little
resistance to the air, substantially as described.
2: The method of hingeing the tubes f to the upper end of the shaft b, whereby
they assume a horizontal or nearly horizontal position when rotated, substantially
as described.
Dated this 22nd day of March 1898