IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES FOR DRYING SALT AND SIMILAR SUBSTANCES AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent
Solicitors at Frankfort on the Main in the Empire of Germany, for an
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES FOR
DRYING SALT AND SIMILAR SUBSTANCES AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN
CONNECTION THEREWITH." A communication from Clemens von Bechtolsheim,
engineer, a person resident at Munich in the Empire of Gormany.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st August 1882.
FRANK WIRTH, of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort on the Main, in the Empire of Germany, "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTINUOUS
33
CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES FOR DRYING SALT AND SIMILAR SUBSTANCES, AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH [A communication from
Clemens von Bechtolsheim, engineer, a person resident at Munich in the Empire
of Germany.]
This Invention relates to centrifugal machines for drying salt and like substances
and to apparatus to be used in connection therewith.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a hollow sphere adapted
to be rotated with great rapidity round a horizontal axis upon trunnions; the said
sphere carries in its interior a cylindrical sieve which, in addition to the first
rotation, has also an independent rotation upon a second axis intersecting the first
axis obliquely, the rotation upon this second axis is much less rapid than that upon
the first.
The said cylindrical sieve is divided internally into cells by blades which support
it. The damp salt or the like is fed into the cells through a tube in the centre of
one of the said trunnions and through a rotating elbow-piece by means of the
centrifugal force imparted to it. As the said cylindrical sieve rotates also round
the second axis the salt attains gradually a greater radius of rotation with respect
to the first axis than would be the case if the said sieve were stationary on the
second axis. Thus the water will be forced away through the sievo.
The aforesaid hollow sphere is divided into parts which are so secured together
that there is a space between them, the water thus finds an outlet from the
centrifugal apparatus into a channel whence it is led away by suitable means.
CD 611
As

page_text: the rotation of the sieve continues the salt reaches the other side of the first axis,
and there, in consequence of centrifugal force, leaves the cells. A partition separates
from the hollow space of the sphere, a chamber, into which the salt goes when
emerging from the cells; it leaves the said chamber through holes that are made all
around it and is caught by a reservoir and carried away through a tube whose
outlet is tangential to the said reservoir.
In order to cause the salt to reach a place somewhat distant without further means
of transport, wings are placed round the outside of the sphere to form a ventilator
and send forth, together with the salt, a powerful current of air, and thus perform
the work required.
One of the aforesaid trunnions carries a roller or pulley by means of which the
centrifugal apparatus is driven. The said trunnion is made hollow, and there is in
it a pin whose rotation is prevented by an arm which is pressed against a disc on
the second axis by means of a spring. This disc is rigidly connected with the sieve
and the axle that carries it, and rolls upon the said fixed pin by friction, and thus
receives a slow rotary motion upon the said axle which is imparted to the sieve.
The second axle, the pulley upon one of the trunnions, the circular sieve, and
the disc which carries it, form a rigid system whose centre of gravity must be at
the point of intersection of the two axes, and which is fixed by a screw that goes
through that point.
The introduction of the wet salt through one of the aforesaid trunnions is effected
by means of a feeding scrow or conveyor similar to that employed in a peat-press,
or it may be brought through cylinders or by other suitable means.
The centrifugal apparatus as above described is in the horizontal position; it may
however be arranged in the vertical position and in this case also it consists
essentially of a sieve rotating upon two axes intersecting each other obliquely and
is constructed generally in a similar manner to that already described. The
differences which exist between the two constructions, are, that in the horizontal
arrangement, the fixed pin, through which the independent rotation of the sieve is
brought about, is pressed against the disc to which the said sieve is attached, by
means of a spring; whilst in the vertical construction the whole weight of the
centrifugal apparatus rests upon the fixed pin whose height may be regulated by a
thumb screw. The space cut off by the partition in which the salt congregates is,
in. the horizontal arrangement, placed at one side, whilst in the vertical arrange-
ment it is at the lower part of the apparatus. The feeding in of the salt takes
place, in the horizontal arrangement, in the manner hereinbefore described, whilst
in the vertical arrangement it falls over a shaking apparatus freely through the
funnel.
Elastic blocks are used in the vertical construction and form an essential feature,
as it is never possible to obtain the centre of gravity of a centrifugal apparatus
exactly on the axis of the pivots, so that a shaking motion is produced.
In the above described construction the blocks are not made fast in the frames
but are surrounded by a thick envelope of india-rubber or other elastic material, the
rotation round the centre of gravity can thus take place because the pivots can
give way a little towards all sides. Thus the centrifugal apparatus will work
rapidly and require much less force.
Should the salt be very fine, and in consequence not be sufficiently dried by the
centrifugal apparatus, it is made to pass out of the same by means of a continuous
dryer, which consists of a shallow broad groove, heated by direct firing or by steam.
Scrapers are fastened to an endless band and are thereby drawn over the groove
to spread out the salt and bring it gradually to the other end of the groove, whence
it is further transported by means of an elevator.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 20th February
1883,
FRANK WIRTH of the firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany "IMPROVEMENTS IN CONTINUOUS
CENTRIFUGAL MACHINES FOR DRYING SALT AND SIMILAR SUBSTANCES, AND IN
APPARATUS TO BE USED IN CONNECTION THEREWITH," A communication from
Clemens von Bechtolsheim, Engineer, a person resident at Munich, in the Empire of
Germany.
This invention relates to machines for drying salt and like substances and to
apparatus to be used in connection therewith
According to the said invention I provide a hollow sphere adapted to be rotated
with great rapidity around a horizontal axis, upon trunions A. B (Figure 1); the said
sphere carries in its interior a circular sieve a, which has, in addition to the first
rotation, an independent rotation upon an axle C. D, which is arranged obliquely
relatively to the axis of the sphere; the rotation upon the axle CD, which is hollow,
is much less rapid than the rotation upon the trunions A, B,
The circular sieve a is divided internally into cells by the blades or wings which
support it. The damp salt or like substance is fed into these cells through a tube in
the centre of the trunion A and a rotating elbow piece, by means of the
centrifugal force imparted to it. As the cylindrical sieve a rotates upon the
axle C. D the salt gradually attains a greater radius of rotation with respect to the
axle A, B, than would be the case if the said sieve were stationary on the axle C D.
Thus the water in the salt will fly out through the sieve.
The hollow sphere is constructed with two parts which are so secured together,
that a space is left between them through which the water thus finds an outlet
from the centrifugal apparatus into the channel b, from whence it is conveyed
away by suitable means. As the sieve upon the axle CD rotates the salt is
brought towards the trunion B, where, in consequence of centrifugal force, it leaves
the cells. A partition f separates from the hollow space of the sphere, a chamber,
which catches the salt when it emerges from the cells; the salt leaves the said
chamber through holes made around it, and is caught by the trough c and carried
away through a tube whose outlet is tangential to the said trough, by means of
wind sails or wings e which are placed round the outside of the sphere to form a
ventilator, and send forth, together with the salt, a powerful current of air, and
thus perform the work required. The trunion B, Figure 2, carries a pulley, by
means of which the centrifugal apparatus is driven. The said trunion is made
hollow, and has within it a pin, whose rotation is prevented by an arm; the said
pin is pressed against the disc g by means of a spring. This disc is rigidly connected
with the sieve and the axle that carries it, and rolls upon the said fixed pin and
thus receives a slow rotary motion upon the axle CD which motion is imparted
to the sieve.
The hollow axle C, D, the pulley upon the trunion B, the sieve a, and the disc g
which carries it, form a rigid system, whose centre of gravity must be at the point
of intersection of the two axes, and which is fixed by a screw that goes through
that point.
The introduction of the wet salt through the fixed tube in the trunion A is
effected by means of a feeding screw or conveyor similar to that employed in
a peat-press, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4, or it may be brought through cylinders,
or by any other suitable means.

page_text: The centrifugal apparatus as above described is in a horizontal position. It may
however be also arranged in a vertical position (as shown in Figure 5), and in this
case also it consists essentially of a sieve a rotating upon two axes intersecting each
other obliquely, and is constructed generally in a similar manner to that already
described. The differences which exist between the two constructions, are, that in
the horizontal arrangement the fixed pin, through which the independent rotation
of the sieve is brought about, is pressed against the disc to which the said sieve is
attached by means of a spring, whilst in the vertical construction, the whole
weight of the centrifugal apparatus rests upon the fixed pin, whose height may be
regulated by a thumb-screw. Also, the space cut off by the partition f and into
which space the salt enters, as it leaves the sieve is in the horizontal arrangement
placed at one side, whilst in the vertical arrangement it is at the lower part of the
apparatus. The feeding in of the salt takes place in the horizontal arrangement
in the manner herein before described and shown in Figures 3 and 4; whilst in the
vertical arrangement, it falls in freely over a shaking apparatus through a funnel.
Should the salt be very fine and in consequence not be sufficiently dried by
the centrifugal apparatus it is made to pass out of the same by means of the
continuous dryer, shown in Figure 6. It consists of a shallow broad groove,
heated by fire or by steam. Scrapers are fastened to an endless band and are
thereby drawn over the said groove spreading out the salt and bringing it gradually
to the other end of the said groove, whence it is further transported by means of an
elevator.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner of performing the
same I wish it understood that I Claim :-
First. The circular sieve arranged, to be rotated simultaneously upon two axes
which intersect each other obliquely, substantially as, and for the purpose, above
described.
Second. The wind-sails or wings E arranged upon the centrifugal apparatus
substantially as described for the purpose of removing the dried salt in the manner
set forth,
In witness whereof I the said Frank Wirth have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fourteenth day of February in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
BD