Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
We, FAWCETT PRESTON & COMPANY LIMITED, of 17, York Street, Liverpool,
Engineers and CHARLES ALPHONSO MATTHEY, of Russell Rise, Reading, Berks,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:
This invention consists of improvements in centrifugal machines and has
reference more particularly to machines of the suspended self-balancing type.
The chief features of the invention are (1) the use of a solid spindle hung on
a bearing in the form of a spherical segment, this bearing being drowned in a
basin of oil which is provided with a central pipe surrounding the spindle for
retaining the oil; and (2) the retardation of the precession by a loose weight
dragged round during precession by either the bottom or the top end of the
spindle in a centrifugal machine which is suspended by any kind of universal
joint.
The manner in which the invention can be carried into effect is as follows:-
The drum or basket is mounted on a solid spindle to which is attached a bear-
ing in the form of a segment of a sphere, from which the machine hangs. This
bearing has a central cylindrical portion removed on its underside; and runs in
a female or hollow segment of a sphere in a basin of oil; the oil is retained by a
vertical central pipe (preferably cast with the basin) which stands up in the
cylindrical hollow of the bearing to the level of the outer edge of the basin.
The rubbing surfaces can thus be completely drowned in oil. Oilways are pro-
vided under the female segment for replacing at the centre the oil pumped
outwards by the rotary action of the rubbing surfaces. In some cases the lower
or female spherical segment is allowed to rotate with the upper one, and the
friction of rotation then takes place between the flat underside of the lower
segment and the bottom of the basin, the spherical surfaces merely providing
for the oscillation; or balls are interposed to roll on the bottom of the basin and
diminish the friction.
The spindle passes down through the aforesaid central pipe, and sufficient
space is left between the spindle and pipe and between the pipe and the male
spherical segment to allow of some oscillation of the spindle.
When the machine is driven by a belt, the belt pulley surrounds the oil basin
without touching it, and is at the same level as the spherical support, so that
the pull of the belt shall not tilt the spindle.
The precessional motion is controlled by placing on a flat surface under the
basket a loose weight, bored to receive the lower end of the spindle. The fric-
tion of this weight on its support opposes the precession. and brings the spindle
upright. For bottom discharging baskets the weight should be in the form of
a spider so that the material under treatment can be discharged through the
spaces between the legs.

page_text: In some cases the spindle is extended upwards and the upper end is made
to drag a weight during precession.
1000
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents,
Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
We, FAWCETT PRESTON & COMPANY, LIMITED, of 17, York Street, Liverpool,
Engineers and CHARLES ALPHONSO MATTHEY, of Russell Rise, Reading, Berks,
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:-
This invention consists of improvements in centrifugal machines and has
reference more particularly to machines of the suspended self-balancing type.
The chief features of the invention are first a bearing in the form of a spherical
segment on which the spindle is hung, the bearing being drowned in a basin of
oil which is provided with a central pipe surrounding the spindle and retaining
the oil and secondly a weight dragged round during precession by either the
bottom or the top end of the spindle of a centrifugal machine suspended by a
universal joint, the said weight having the effect of retarding the precession.
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is an elevation with the drum or basket and its casing in central
vertical section of a centrifugal machine with the present improvements applied
thereto, the drag weight being at the bottom end of the spindle.
Figure 2 is a central vertical section (on a larger scale) of the bearing, oil
basin, driving pulley and adjacent parts.
Figure 3 is a similar view to Figure 2 and illustrates a modification.
Figure 4 is also a similar view to Figure 2 and illustrates another modifica-
tion, it also shows the drag weight applied at the upper end of the spindle.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2. a is the drum or basket of the centrifugal
machine. b is a solid spindle on which said basket is mounted. c is a bearing
in the form of a spherical segment attached to the spindle band from which
the machine hangs, the upper end of said spindle being fitted with a nut d
which bears upon the part which is integral with said bearing. e is a central
cylindrical hollow in said bearing. f is a female or hollow spherical segment
resting at the bottom of a basing for containing oil. This basin is supported
by the beams g¹ g¹. h is a vertical central pipe (which is preferably cast with
the basing as shown) projecting up from the bottom of said basin into the
cylindrical hollow of the bearing up to the level of the upper edge of the
basin g.
The rubbing surfaces of the bearing and spherical segment fare
thus drowned in oil. ii are oilways formed in the under face of the spherical
segment f so as to allow of passage of oil to replace at the centre any oil that
may be pumped outwards by the rotary action of the rubbing surfaces. These
oilways are however not essential and may be dispensed with. The spherical
segment may either be a fixture to the basin 9 or be free to rotate with the
upper spherical segment in which latter case the friction of rotation takes
place between the flat underside of the segment f and the bottom of the basing,
the spherical surfaces merely providing for the oscillation; in both cases the rub-

page_text: bing surfaces are bathed in oil. ; ¹ is a belt pulley preferably integral with.
the bearing c. The lower part j receives the driving belt and surrounds the
oil basin g without touching it and is at substantially the same level as the
spherical support so that the pull of the belt will not tend to tilt the spindle b.
The upper part of the pulley is intended to be acted upon by the brake. The
spindle passes through the central pipe and sufficient space is left between
them and also between said pipe and the spherical segment c to allow of some
oscillation of the spindle. The lower end of said spindle is prolonged below
the bottom of the basket a and its end enters a central hole or oil well m
(Figure 1) in a loose drag weight n. It is to be noted that although a bottom
is shown to the well m in the drag-weight, it is merely to keep the oil in the
well. The lower end of the spindle does not touch the bottom of the oil well.
Consequently the drag-weight is not in any way a support for the spindle. This
drag weight is in the form of a spider and is shown as resting upon the upturned
edge of the bottom of the casing of the machine or it may rest upon any
other suitable support such as the floor. The machine shown in Figure 1 is a
bottom-discharging machine, q being the discharging valve and the spider
in the bottom of the basket a through which the sugar or other material is
discharged. In machines which do not discharge their contents through the
bottom, the drag weight n may be a plain block instead of a spider. When
precession commences the friction caused by the drag weight on its support
opposes the precession and in virtue of the known property of the gyroscope (of
which the suspended centrifugal machine is an example) that the retardation of
the precessior lowers the centre of gravity, the spindle 6 returns to the vertical
position.
Referring now to the modification shown in Figure 3 the segment f is free
to revolve and is formed with a sleeves fitting round the central pipe h to
take the wear caused by the pull of the belt. is a washer either fixed or free
to revolve (or there may be more than one such washer) between the bottom of
the basin and the underside of the segment f. ii are oilways in the upper
and lower faces of the washer t. If desired antifriction balls rolling in a circular
path or paths in the manner well understood may be employed between the
washer and the underside of the segment f.
In the modification illustrated in Figure 4 the upper spherical segment c
is the female segment of the bearing and the lower segment f is the male seg-
ment. The basing is shown as hung from the underside of the beams g¹gl
instead of resting upon them as in Figures 1, 2 and 3. The bearing c is not
integral with the pulley as in Figures 1, 2 and 3 but is necessarily a separate
piece. The drag weight n is at the upper end of the spindle and rests on the
beams gg Its central hole m receives the upper end of the spindle.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that
what we claim is:-
1. In a centrifugal machine having a suspended drum or basket, the combina-
tion with the drum spindle of a bearing on which said spindle is hung and an
oil basin surrounding said bearing whereby it is drowned in oil, substantially as
set forth.
2. In a centrifugal machine having a suspended drum or basket, the com-
bination with the drum spindle of the spherical bearing c having a central cylin-
drical hollow e, the spherical support f and the oil basin g having a central
vertical pipe h, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a centrifugal machine having a suspended drum or basket the com-
bination with the drum spindle of a drag weight and a support for said weight,
said weight having an aperture to receive the end of said spindle whereby pre-
cessional motion of the machine is retarded or controlled, substantially as set
forth.

page_text: 4. In a centrifugal machine having a suspended drum or basket, the com-
bination with the drum spindle of a drag weight below said drum and a support
for said weight, said weight having an aperture to receive the lower end of said
spindle, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
J. C. MEWBURN & ELLIS,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Chartered Patent Agents.