Improved Method of and Means for Separating Solids from Liquids.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1889-Accepted, 5th Apr., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Means for Separating Solids from
Liquids.
WILLIAM HUCKS 22 Oval Road James Street Camden Town, N.W. 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 :-
My invention consists of a rotating circular close chamber or drum, the top half
being divided from the bottom at its greatest circumference.
At this point it is capable of being opened or closed at will whilst in rotation, when
closed it forms a watertight joint.
Inside this chamber there is a hollow rotating disc, with a diameter nearly equal to
the inside diameter of chamber.
It is provided with a watertight outlet communicating with outside of chamber and
an access horizontally to its interior through perforations, wire gauze, or any other
suitable diaphragm.
This hollow disc may have several plates attached to it, also provided with
perforations, or wire gauze placed in such a manner as to intercept the access to its
interior.
The hollow disc and its attachments are capable of rotating independent of the
outside chamber.
At the bottom of outside circular chamber or drum is a circular plate nearly
equal in diameter to the bottom of chamber; this rests horizontally upon a number
of vertical blades radiating from centre to circumference forming channels for the
liquid which is to be operated upon to enter by the centre and flow towards the
circumference returning towards the centre in order to pass through the hollow disc
and make its exit by the outlet referred to.
The hollow disc will be set in rotation and the liquid allowed to enter the
chamber.
The rotation of disc will communicate a rotary motion to the liquid which in
its turn will communicate a rotary motion to the chamber which contains it.
The centrifugal force thus set up will cause all solid or heavy matter present
in the liquid to be driven towards the circumference and any solid matter which
may be arrested by the perforations, wire gauze, or diaphragm, will not remain
to choke these passages but be driven centrifugally to the circumference of chamber.
This solid matter as it accumulates on the circumference may be released from time
to time by raising top half of chamber.
It is not necessary for the chamber that contains the rotary disc to revolve.
The disc revolving alone will prove to be self cleansing owing to the centrifugal
force driving all matter from its perforated or porous surface.
I do not bind myself to any position for placing the perforation, gauze, or diaphragm
on the rotary hollow disc or chamber providing that the perforation, gauze, or
diaphragm will be cleansed by the rotary motion.
This rotary disc may be used after the manner of a rose head to a suction pipe of
a pump and may be placed in any thick liquid, the centrifugal force retarding the
entrance of solid matter and at the same time driving off the perforations any
accumulation of thick matter which may attempt to adhere.
Fig. I is a sectional drawing shewing two circular pans one inverted over the other
forming a hollow chamber or drum with a watertight joint at their circumference as
shewn at the points A. A.
BB is a hollow disc having inlets and outlet as indicated by the arrows entering
and leaving.

page_text: This disc is actuated by the shaft J and will rotate with its attachments independent
of the chamber which contains it.
The dotted lines represent wire gauze or any other suitable material for the liquid
to pass through.
C. C. represents a circular plate fitted with wire gauze in a similar manner to the
hollow disc and is attached to it in order further to arrest solid matter which may
attempt to enter the disc.
It will be seen that centrifugal force will remove any accumulation of matter which
may collect on these gauzes.
D. D. is a circular plate also attached to the disc in order that the liquid may enter
at the centre and flow towards the circumference.
E. E. is a circular plate resting horizontally on the vertical blades F F radiating
towards the circumference forming channels to conduct liquid to the circumference
of chamber.
A. A. is a watertight joint formed by the two halves of chamber joining at this
point. M is a lever to actuate the top half of chamber and to raise it from time to
time in order to discharge the accumulated thick matter collected in the circumference
of chamber.
G is a hollow spindle rotating in a suitable gland by which the liquid to be
operated upon enters the machine and passes through it, as indicated by the arrows
being discharged at the points K K.
H. H. H. H. shews the points where the accumulations of thick matter are driven
off the surface of gauze or diaphragm towards circumference of chamber.
'
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. I claim the general application of this principle as herein described.
2. 1 claim this as an improvement upon my patent No. 2528 A.D. 89 claiming in
conjunction all that the former patent embraces.
3. 1 claim the independent rotary motion to the hollow perforated disc immersed
in the liquid inside chamber.
4. I claim the application of a rotary hollow perforated disc or rose head to be
applied to the suction of a pump or any exhaust or outlet in order to separate when
mixed clear liquid from solid or other matter.
5. I claim the cleansing of any perforated surface or diaphragm by centrifugal
force.
6. I claim the use of several perforated surfaces or diaphragms superimposed
over each other rotating together or separately to retard the progress of solid or other
matter; centrifugal force clearing accumulation of solid or other matter which may
gather on their surfaces.
7. I claim the principle of a rotating hollow vessel or drum fitted on its
circumference or on any of its outside parts with perforations or suitable diaphragm
communicating with the interior for the purpose of separation or filtration.
8. I claim the application of centrifugal force for the continuous cleansing of any
filtering surface as before described.
9. I claim a part of the machine imparting motion to other p: rts by friction of
liquid it contains.
WILLIAM HUCKS.