Improvements in Oil Purifiers.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 18th Mar.,
1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Oil Purifiers.
We, DAVID HARRISON MCCLELLAND, of 1105, New Hampshire Avenue, Wash-
ington, D.C., Gentleman, and SAMUEL JOHNSON BUTTERFIELD, of 1440, Q Street,
Washington, D.C., Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of our invention for
improvements in oil purifiers, and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our present improvements relate to that class of purifiers for oil (especially
lubricating oil) in which the foul oil is held in a bell submerged beneath a body
of water for the gradual subsidence and separation of dirt and sediment.
It is the object of our present invention to give the dirty oil a thorough washing
before it enters the bell, by which the greater part of the sediment is separated
at once and thrown to the bottom of the machine, thereby greatly promoting the
rapidity and efficiency of the purification. By this improvement the bell is caused
to receive and hold an already partly purified oil, the expanding effect of the heat
(applied as hereafter described) upon which to cause the separation of impurities
is more direct, unimpeded and thorough than where it is attempted to apply such
heat in the first instance to the dirty oil.
To this end the foul air is caused, before rising into the bell, to pass in the first
instance into the body of water, and along the under surface of a washing plate in
immediate contact with the water, this plate being by preference finely corrugated
to delay the passage of the oil and bring all the particles of the latter into direct
contact with the water.
We further give the oil a final washing as it leaves the bell, by causing it to
pass under a washing plate at the lower edge of the bell.
We further provide for the exit of air from the bell as the latter is put into
the machine, or as the machine is charged with water after cleaning, by a means
which prevents the oil from passing in a reverse direction into the bell and compels
it to first enter the water at the bottom of the apparatus, as above described.
In order to make our invention more clearly understood we have shown in the
accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into practical effect, without
limiting our improvements, in their useful applications, to the particular con-
struction in all its details, which, for the purpose of illustration, we have
delineated.
In said drawings:
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an oil purifier embodying our invention.
Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the bell and washing plates, on a larger scale.
Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, of the air valve.
It
Referring to the drawings, 1 is a tank which may conveniently be of sheet
metal, and mounted on legs or other support to facilitate cleaning. 2 is the bell
supported within the tank above the bottom thereof in any suitable manner.
is shown as carried by the oil pipe 3, which in turn is united with the foul oil
receptacle 4 resting removably in the top of the tank. 5 is a removable cover.
The parts 2, 3, 4 may thus be readily removed from the tank. 6 is a fine strainér

page_text: in the receptacle 4 through which the foul oil passes to the pipe 3. The lower
end of the latter extends below the bell into a body of water 7 with which the
lower portion of the tank is normally charged, and the height of which may be
regulated by observing the water gauge 8. The quantity may be increased by
pouring water into the top of the tank, and diminished by drawing off at the
cock 9 or at the main waste valve 10.
11 is a washing plate corrugated as shown, or more finely, attached to the lower
end of the oil pipe and situated without the bell in the body of water. Along this
plate the oil is washed and passes from its edge up into the bell as indicated, the
sediment collecting at 16 in the conical bottom of the tank over the waste pipe 18.
The bell normally is entirely filled with a body, 12, of partly purified oil. Through
this body passes a steam pipe 13, which is controlled by valves 14, 15. By the
passage of exhaust steam through this pipe the oil is gently warmed to promote
its movement and the separation of its particles from any remaining impurities,
which latter collect at 16.
19 is a washing plate attached to the lower edge of the bell, under and along
which the oil is finally washed as it leaves the bell. It thence rises, às indicated,
into the body 20 of purified oil which floats upon the top of the water. The
described movement of the oil is a gradual one, caused by gravity, and the addi-
tion from time to time of foul oil to the récéptacle 4.
21 is a draw-off cock for the pure oil, which must be removed as it nears the
top of the tank. 22 is an oil gauge showing the height of the purified oil.
The washing devices above described greatly increase the capacity of the
machine, on account of the rapidity and thoroughness of the purification, for the
foul oil may be charged into the receptacle 4 in considerable quantity and fre-
quently without causing anything but purified oil to reach the body 20.
We permit the displacement of the air which first fills the bell, and the entrance
of the water, and subsequently the oil into the bell, by providing a communication
between the bell and the pipe 3. Such communication, if uncontrolled, would
however allow the foul air to pass directly from the pipe 3 into the bell, and the
oil would take this course rather than overcome the water pressure at the lower
end of the pipe. We therefore provide means for preventing such passage of the
oil, preferably constructed as below described: 23 is an aperture in the top of
the bell covered by a water-tight casing 24 (Fig. 3). 25 is an aperture in the
pipe 3 giving communication from the latter to the interior of said casing, and
thence to the bell. 26 is a check valve within the casing 24 controlling the aper-
ture 23 as to downward passage through the same but allowing free upward
passage.
When therefore, the bell is immersed in the water or, after cleaning, the tank
is recharged with water, the air within the bell will lift the valve 26 and escape,
admitting water to the bell. This water is afterwards displaced by the oil as the
latter again accumulates in the machine. The downward pressure of the column
of oil in the pipe 3 will, however, seat the valve 26 and the oil will be compelled
to pass into the water below the plate 11, as above described. Instead of employ-
ing the pipe 3 for the air escape an independent pipe 29 may be provided, the
top of which will be closed by a plug 30 after the air has escaped, to prevent the
entrance of oil.
27 is a circular jet pipe in the lower part of the tank and having a steam or
water connection, to aid in washing out the tank and in' cleaning the plates 11,
19 against which its nozzles 28 are directed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
1. In an oil purifier, the combination with the tank, of a bell adapted to hold
a body of oil under water, and an oil pipe extending below the lower edge of the
hell and having a washing plato

page_text: 2. In an oil purifier, the combination with the tank, of a bell adapted to hold a
body of oil under water, an oil pipe extending below the lower edge of the bell
and having a washing plate, and means within the bell for heating the washed oil.
3. In an oil purifier, the combination with the tank, of a bell adapted to hold a
body of oil under water, an oil pipe extending below the lower edge of the bell
and having a washing plate below the bell, and a washing plate at the lower edge
of the bell.
4. A bell adapted for holding a body of oil under water, having the pipe 3 with
the plate 11 below the bell, and the plate 19 at the lower edge of the bell.
5. In an oil purifier, the combination with a bell for holding a body of oil
under water, of an automatic valve permitting the escape of air from the bell and
preventing the entrance of foul oil."
6. The construction, arrangement and combination of the several and respec-
tive parts together forming our invention of improvements in oil purifiers, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described, and illustrated by the drawings.
1
1000
or the Applicants,
J. G. LORRAIN, M.I.E.E., M.I.Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent.