An Improved Automatic Feeding and Measuring Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Jan., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 16th Oct., 1894-Accepted, 17th Nov., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Automatic Feeding and Measuring Apparatus.
I, OSWALD HAMILTON of The Undershore, Northfleet, Kent, Chemical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved automatic feeding apparatus, more
particularly for the feeding of pasty or rapidly setting substances, into closed
vessels, either under pressure or in racuo.
In dealing with substances of the character above referred to, considerable
difficulty is experienced in freeing or removing the material from the feeding
apparatus of the kind commonly employed. As for example, in the process of
dissolving litharge or oxide of lead in a solution of ammonium acetate, when the
litharge is fed slowly into the vessel containing hot ammonium acetate, ammonia is
given off during the solution and this, combined with the steam, tends to set the
finely powdered litharge into a solid, cement-like mass, which completely chokes
any feeding apparatus as usually constructed.
The object of this improved feed arrangement is to feed the substance slowly
and in uniformly regulated quantities, into the apparatus, and at the same time to
ensure freedom from choking.
This is effected in the following manner :-Within a circular chamber having flat
sides or other suitable sides, and inlet and outlet orifices immediately opposite each
other; there is a cylindrical shaft or block, (hollow or otherwise) provided with a
number of large grooves or concave spaces, (4 by preference) so that when one
groove is opposite the inlet hole or passage in the upper part of the chamber,
another groove is immediately opposite the discharge opening or outlet in the
lower part of the chamber, while the other two grooves are closed and covered by
the circular and side walls of the chamber.
This enclosed grooved feed block or shaft, works steam or gas-tight within the
chamber so that there is no communication between one grooved or concave space
and the others.
Immediately beneath the discharge or outlet passage of the circular chamber, a
revolving scraper or wiper is provided to remove or wipe the material from the
grooves or concavities as, by the intermittent revolution of the grooved block, they
are brought successively opposite the discharge passage of the chamber above
referred to.
This scraper is fixed on a shaft working in bearings in a chamber immediately
beneath and attached to the circular chamber; and revolves continuously, being
driven in any suitable manner. Upon the spindle of the revolving scraper, is fixed
a small crank or lever, connected by a link, with another crank and lever upon the
spindle of the revolving cylindrical block, and to a pawl which engages with a
ratchet wheel also fixed on the spindle of the cylindrical grooved feed block by
which means said block is intermittently rotated, so that when the scraper is
cleaning or wiping out one groove or concavity, the revolving block is at rest and
is receiving a charge of the material in the opposite groove or cavity above; but
whilst the scraper is continuing the other half of its complete revolution, the
grooved feed-block is, by means of the ratchet wheel and pawl, rotated another
quarter of a complete revolution so as to bring the succeeding groove or cavity
opposite the outlet opening in the chamber, for being acted upon by the scraper
and for receiving another charge of material in the opposite groove or cavity
ahove

page_text: The material or substance to be fed into the apparatus is conveyed by means of
a conveyor trough and worm or other suitable means, to the upper or inlet hole of
the circular chamber.
This improved apparatus can also be used for measuring the quantity of material
fed into the apparatus.
Dated this 17th day of January 1894.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Automatic Feeding and Measuring Apparatus.
I, OSWALD HAMILTON, of "The Undershore " Northfleet, Kent, Chemical
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 relates to an improved automatic feeding apparatus more
particularly for the feeding of pasty or rapidly setting substances, into closed
vessels, either under pressure or in vacuo.
In dealing with substances of the character above referred to, considerable
difficulty is experienced in freeing or removing the material from the feeding
apparatus of the kind commonly employed. As for example, in the process of
dissolving litharge or oxide of lead, in a solution of ammonium acetate, when the
litharge is fed slowly into the vessel containing hot ammonium acetate ammonia is
given off during the solution, and this, combined with the steam, tends to set the
finely powdered litharge into a solid cement-like mass, which completely chokes
any feeding apparatus as usually constructed.
The object of this improved feeding arrangement is to feed the substance slowly
and in uniformly regulated quantities, into the apparatus and at the same time to
ensure freedom from.choking.
This is effected in the following manner as will be now more particularly
described, with reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein Fig. 1,
is a sectional elevation on line A. B; and Fig. 2, is a transverse sectional elevation
on line C. D, of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 being a sectional plan on line E. F of Figs. 1
and 2.
Within a cylindrical chamber a, (Figs. 1 2. & 3) having flat sides or other
suitable sides, and inlet and outlet orifices b and c, immediately opposite each other,
there is a cylindrical shaft or block d, (hollow or otherwise) keyed on to spindle e,
provided with a number of large grooves or concave spaces f, (4 by preference) so
that when one groove is opposite the inlet or passage b, in the upper part of
chamber a, another groove is immediately opposite the discharge opening or
outlet in the lower part of the chamber a, while the other two grooves are closed
and covered by the circular and side walls of the chamber a.
This enclosed grooved feed block d, on shaft e, works steam and gas tight within
the chamber a, so that there is no communication between one grooved or concave
space and the others.
Immediately beneath the discharge or outlet passage c, of the cylindrical
chamber a, a revolving scraper or whiper g, is provided to remove or wipe the
material from the grooves or concavities, as by the intermittent revolution of the
grooved block a, they are brought successively opposite the discharge passage c, of
the chamber a, above referred to.
This scraper g, is fixed on a spindle or shaft h, working in bearings in a chamber i
immediately beneath and attached to the circular chamber a, and revolves
continuously, being driven in any suitable manuer. Upon the spindle h, of the
revolving scraper y, is fixed a small crank or lever k, connected by a link / with
another bell crank or lever m, running loose upon the spindle e, of the revolving

page_text: cylindrical block d, and to a pawl n, which engages with a ratchet wheel o, fixed
on the spindle e of the cylindrical grooved feed block d, by which means said
block d is intermittently rotated so that when the scraper g, is cleaning or wiping
out one groove or concavity f. the revolving block d is at rest, and is receiving a
charge of the material in the opposite groove or concavity above. but whilst the
scraper g is continuing its revolution, the grooved feed block d is, by means of the
ratchet wheel o and pawl n, rotated another quarter of a complete revolution so as
to bring the succeeding groove or cavity opposite the outlet opening c in the
chamber d, for being acted upon by the scraper 9, and for receiving another charge
of material in the opposite groove or concavity above.
The material or substance to be fed into the apparatus is conveyed by means of
a converor trough p and worm q, or other suitable means to the upper or inlet
hole b, of the cylindrical chamber a.
This improved apparatus can also be used for measuring the quantity of material
fed into the apparatus.
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 :-
66
In
Firstly. In a feeding and measuring device for feeding pasty & rapidly
setting substances and compounds into closed vessels, either under pressure or
часио, the use of the revolving feed block d, with grooved or concave spaces f,.
mounted on shaft e, and working in the closed chamber a, with inlet passage b &
outlet c; the revolving scraper or wiper g, working in chamber i, mounted on
driving shaft h, with crank k; the connecting link ; the loose bellcrank m;
pawl n, & fixed ratchet wheel o, actuating the feed block b on the revolving
shaft e, substantially as herein described and shown.
Secondly. The combined automatic feed and measuring apparatus for feeding
and measuring pasty and rapidly setting substances into closed vessels either
under pressure or "in vacuo '; substantially as described and showing by the
drawing.
Dated this 15th day of October 1894.