Rubber Separating Apparatus.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Dec., 1896-Accepted, 20th Feb., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Rubber Separating Apparatus.
I, WILLIAM FURLONG ASKAM, of Shelton, Fairfield County, Connecticut, United
States of America, Superintendent of U.S. Rubber Reclaiming Works, 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 new and useful improvements in means for separating
rubber from sand, dirt, and other objectionable matter, such as is present in stock
ground up from old scrap, such as rubber boots, shoes, hose, etc.,
It is the object of my invention to produce an apparatus which is more effective
and more desirable than those for the purpose now upon the market, and further, to
so construct said separator that it may be operated at a considerable less expense than
similar machines now in use. It is a further object to construct and arrange my
separator in such a manner that the same water for cleansing and separating
purposes, can be used repeatedly, thus obviating the necessity of requiring a continual
flow of water, which is expensive and also objectionable, from the fact that more or
less of the finest of the rubber is unavoidably carried off by the discharged water.
With the above objects in view I have devised the simple and novel construction
shown upon the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and
upon which the same numerals of reference denote like or corresponding parts,
and of which,
Figure 1 illustrates a side elevation of my apparatus complete, a portion of two of
the troughs being broken away to show their internal arrangements.
Figure 2 is a detached perspective view of one of the troughs shown in Figure 1 and
indicated by 3.
Figure 3 is a similar perspective view of the tank 11 shown in Figure 1.
Figure 4 is also a perspective view of one of the separating sieves 14 shown in
Figure 1.
Referring to the numerals of reference marked upon the accompanying drawings,
1 indicates suitable frame work upon which the several sections of my apparatus are
mounted. Said frame work may be varied at will to suit the situation and convenience
of the several sections of the apparatus. 2 indicates a feed screw, of which there
may be one or more, to feed the rubber and its impurities in their ground state
into the trough 3 from any suitable hopper or other receptacle. Said trough is
provided with a water supply pipe 4, whereby an abundant supply of water is
discharged upon, and adjacent to the constantly incoming supply of rubber, thus
washing the same down the inclined surface of said trough until the bulk thereof
is discharged through the connection 5 at the lower end, into the intermediate trough 6,
which is of a similar construction to that of the trough 3. From this trough 6 the
water and rubber are discharged through the connection 7 into the bottom trough 8,
immediately below. Within each of these troughs 3, 6 antl 8 above named, I arrange
a series of diaphragms 9, at substantially an equal distance apart, and which extend
from the top of said troughs to about midway of their depth, thus leaving a water
opening, therethrough. Between said diaphragms 9, and to the bottom of the
troughs, I also arrange a series of upwardly extending partitions or dams 10, which
are provided with an angular extension, deflected against the flow of water in, such

page_text: a manner as to somewhat retard the flow thereof, and thus form small eddies at each
of these successive dams, which insures the settlement of the heaviest of the stock,
such as sand, mud, etc., allowing the rubber to flow over said dams and be finally
discharged from the lower trough into the tank 11.
In order to properly regulate the flow of waier, rubber and other matter through
the several troughs, I provide means for adjusting the height of the diaphragms,
which consists in forming mortises 23 upon the inside of said troughs, and by
means of friction retaining said diaphragms therein at any desired height. The above,
in practice, I find affords ample and desirable means for regulating the position of
said diaphragms, which obviously control the movement of the water.
I also provide similar means for detaching the dams in said troughs, which
detachment is desired for cleansing the trough of sand and other settlements, when
not in use.
The tank 11 serves as a final settlement tank and is provided with a series of
diaphragms 12 deflecting from the open top, as fully appears in Figures 1 and 3 of
the drawing. Said diaphragms serve to separate and detain the lightest of the
matter, such as chips, cork, etc., which is mingled with the rubber. Said matter
being light, will collect at the top and be detained between said diaphragms in such
a manner as to permit of it being removed through the open top of the tank by an
attendant, as often as he may deem necessary and proper.
.
From the tank 11 above named, the rubber, which has been thoroughly cleansed
by means of its passage through the several sections of the apparatus, is discharged
from said tank by the flow of water therefrom, through the pipe 13, and is deposited
upon the sieve 14 which is provided with an endless chain 15, mounted upon suitable
rolls 16 and which may be driven by any suitable connection. Said chain is provided
with a series of flights 17 adapted to brush and convey the rubber from the
inner to the outer end of said sieve during which operation the water drains there-
from together with a portion of the finest of the rubber, while the coarse rubber is
wiped from said sieve and discharged from the free end thereof into any suitable
receptacle for the purpose (not shown). Immediately below the sieve 14, is a second
and finer sieve 18, which is in like manner provided with an endless chain 19,
mounted and driven in substantially the same manner as the chain situated above 14,
and previously described. From this sieve, a finer grade of rubber is discharged
than from the sieve 14, and through the meshes of the latter sieve 18, the water is
drained into the reverse tank 20, situated immediately below.
As stated before, I use the same water continuously, and in consequence employ a
pump 21 which may be of any ordinary or preferred construction to convey the
water from the said tank 20, through the pipes 22 and 4 to the first receiving trough
previously mentioned. From this construction and arrangement, it will be seen that
my apparatus for separating rubber can be operated continuously with comparatively
little attention and expense, utilizing but a small amount of water and wasting
substantially none of the rubber, even though it may be ground very fine, as some
of it necessarily would be.
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. In a rubber separating apparatus, the combination of a trough through which
rubber is conveyed, dams arranged crosswise of said troughs, diaphragms arranged
between said dams, and crosswise of said trough in a manner to form a passage
under said diaphragms and over the dams, substantially as described.
2. In a rubber separating apparatus, the combination of a trough, means for feeding
ground rubber therein, means for conveying water into said trough, dams arranged
crosswise of said trough and provided with angular extensions, diaphragms arranged
between said dams and crosswise of said trough and having an opening thereunder,
means for varying the sizes of said opening, substantially as described.
3. In a rubber separating apparatus, the combination of a trough through which

page_text: rubber is conveyed, means for delivering rubber and water into said trough, dams
arranged crosswise of said trough and provided with angular extensions, diaphragms
arranged between said dams to detain the flow of water, a tank 11 adjacent to and
connected with said trough, diaphragms in said tank extending below the water line
thereof, substantially as described.
4. In a rubber separating apparatus, the combination of one or more troughs
suitably arranged, means for delivering rubber and water into said troughs, dams
and diaphragms alternately arranged in said troughs, a receiving tank connected with
said troughs and provided with diaphragms depending from the top and having
passages thereunder, means to receive and separate the water and rubber, substantially
as described.
1900
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agents, 62 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Agents for the Applicant.