Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 7th Mar., 1891-Accepted, 11th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
I, JESSE SELLARS, 30, Dairy House Road, Litchurch, Derby, Patternmaker,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
-
The object of this invention is the improvement of centrifugal machines or hydro-
extractors and it relates to that class of machines in which the sugar or other
material to be treated is introduced and discharged continuously and simultaneously
and which are generally known as continuous centrifugals.
My machine is preferably composed of a drum or basket, a casing, and charging
and discharging chutes, which revolve .upon the same axes although independently
of one another.
The periphery of the drum is composed of a number of vertical revolving vanes
or blades, these vanes or blades are constructed of perforated metal or gauze or any
suitable material for retaining the solids of the materials treated while permitting
the liquids to pass through the interstices into the casing. The vanes are so
arranged that in rotation they turn or swivell at certain intervals on their own
axis and by so doing permit of the dried sugar or other solids, passing through
into an outer monitor casing which is stationary.
The inner and revolving casing being provided with one or more chutes which
revolve with it and which conducts the sugar thus released to the outer casing, the
liquid passing through the vanes, being caught by the inner and revolving casing,
thence discharged into a gutter or spout, to accelerate the discharge of the liquid
from the casing I provide ribs passing diagonally from the top to the bottom of the
inside of the casing.
The sugar is introduced by means of a chute having one or more spouts, this
chute revolves with the inner casing and by its means the vanes are kept supplied
with fresh material to be treated as fast as the dried materials are discharged. The
vanes are caused to revolve or swivell in rotation and at certain periods to be
afterwards determined upon as suitable for the various materials required to be
treated, and I propose to give the necessary motion to the vanes by means of an
arrangement of clutches and pins &c. running in grooves or by any other arrange-
ment that may be found to be suitable for the purpose, and I propose to give the
necessary motion to the charging chute or chutes, the drum or basket and inner
casing, by means of differential pulleys so arranged as to give the required
proportionate speeds to the same.
ALFA dan of T..1., 1900
JESSE SELLARS,
Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Centrifugal Machines.
I, JESSE SELLARS, of 30, Dairy House Road, Litchurch, Derby, in the County
of Derby, Pattern-maker, 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 relates to continuous centrifugal machines for the purpose of
drying sugar or other granular substances and of separating solid from liquid
substances.
In carrying out my invention I fix to a revolving solid spindle A. a casing B, B¹

page_text: the top of which may be a casting of suitable material carried by the sleeve A' of
the spindle A the centre being dished or curved downwards as at B¹ and leading
to two shoots or spouts C, the sides of the casing B may be made of sheet iron or
steel with two or more openings as at D for the purpose of discharging the solid
portion of the substance dried or separated into the monitor casing, the latter is not
shewn on the drawings.
Referring to the accompanying drawings and to the figures and letters of reference
marked thereon,
Figure 1 is a plan shewing various parts of my machine.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same.
Figures 3 and 4, 5 and 6, 7 and 8, are plans and sections respectively shewing
different arrangements of blades or vanes to an enlarged scale.
Inside the casing B and fixed to the revolving spindle A is a frame which may
be called a basket or drum and which is composed of a bottom plate E supporting
a steel ring F into which are fixed a number of pillars G of suitable material
supporting at their upper ends another steel ring H these steel rings F and H being
the supports for a number of vertical plates or vanes I which partially revolve
or swivel in the said rings these vanes or blades are constructed of perforated
metal or gauze I¹ or any other suitable material for retaining the solids while
permitting the liquids to pass through the interstices I into the casing. The
casing and the frame supporting the blades revolve in such a manner that they pass
the openings D in the casing at a suitable speed and during the period of time of
passing the opening the blades or vanes partially revolve and allow the dried
substance to pass out by the centrifugal force; as soon as the blades have
passed the openings they are again closed before coming opposite to the spouts or
shoots C through which the combined substances are admitted to the inside of the
basket or drum.
The outer casing B, B¹ revolves upon the sleeve A¹ at a somewhat slower speed
than the basket or drum which is fixed to and revolves with the spindle A the
object of which is to give the necessary time for the drying of the solids, I propose
to give the differential motion to the spindle A. and sleeve A¹ by means of
differential pulleys or suitable gearing not shewn on the accompanying drawings.
The method by which the vanes or blades I are caused to revolve or swivel is
as follows. The bottom end of the vane or blade projects through the bottom
ring F of the frame which supports them and on this end is fixed a clutch or cam J
of such a shape that when it comes into contact with a roller or stud K fixed on the
arm of the frame which supports the casing it causes the blade to partially revolve
or swivel as before described and the edge of the vane to point towards the centre
of the basket and discharge the solids through the opening D by centrifugal force
into the outer monitor casing, upon coming into contact with another stud or
roller K¹ the vane or blade is closed ready to receive another charge of combined
material upon coming opposite the next shoot C. A hopper L is fixed in the
opening round the spindle and concentrically therewith for the purpose of feeding
the apparatus.
In working the apparatus the substance to be dried or separated is passed into
the hopper L from whence it is delivered to the spouts or shoots C which discharge
it on to the vanes immediately after they have passed the openings D and it is
carried round by them until it comes to the next opening when it is allowed to
escape by the vane partially revolving as before described, the liquid passes into
the annular space N between the vanes or blades I and sides of the outer casing,
in the latter I fix ribs V running diagonally from top to bottom to accelerate the
discharge of the liquid into a receiving gutter.
In Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 the same letters of reference hereinbefore mentioned
indicate the same parts.
In Figures 3 and 4 the blades or vanes only partly open as at O by means of a
similar clutch or cam arrangement as already described and close again upon
the said clutches or cams engaging with another stud or roller K.
A different

page_text: form of spout. C is also shewn on these drawings, and instead of the pillars or
columns G being placed inside the drum or basket I have shewn them placed
outside the vanes or blades to prevent the latter flying open.
In Figures 5 and 6 the drum or basket is formed of a number of vertical
pockets P, the blades or vanes I forming the periphery of the said drum or basket
and being hinged at I to the solid portion of the pocket P which has its other
side P' hinged at Q. When the pocket is brought opposite the opening D the
cam shaft R is caused to revolve or swivel as before described and draws the
hinged side P' backwards as shewn on Figure 5 loosening the vane or blade I and
discharging the solids through the opening D, passing forward the blade or vane I
comes in contact with the roller S which causes it to close, then the cam bears
against an opposite roller K which again forces the hinged side P'inwards securing
the blade or vane I.
In Figures 7 and 8 the vanes or blades are constructed with a channel T running
vertically down the whole length of the blade into which I insert a tongue U of
wrought iron or other suitable material to make a secure joint between one vane or
blade and the next, the centrifugal force tending to cause the tongue U to bear
against the edge of the next vane or blade, the cam arrangement for swivelling or
revolving the said vanes or blades is the same as that already described and
illustrated on Figures 3 and 4, the pillars G are also shewn on the outside.
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. In continuous centrifugal machines for drying or filtering sugar or other
materials the employment of a hollow basket or drum the outer periphery of which
consists of a number of perforated, filtering blades or vanes I substantially as
described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The use of pockets P in combination with the said blades or vanes I and
substantially as shewn on Figures 5 and 6.
3. Operating the said blades or vanes I by means of clutches or cams J on their
lower ends engaging studs or rollers K.
4. The use in continuous centrifugal machines of an outer casing B B¹ in com-
bination with and revolving at a slower speed than the drum or basket, before
mentioned by means of a spindle A. and sleeve A' operated by differential pulleys.
5. The employment of outlets D in the outer casing through which the solids are
discharged from the vanes or blades I into the stationary outer monitor casing.
6. The employment of diagonal ribs in the outer casing for the purpose of
accelerating the discharge of the liquids.
7. The general arrangement of a basket or drum with or without pockets P
operated by a spindle A, the outer periphery of the said basket or drum consisting
of a number of blades or vanes I which are caused to swivel or revolve at certain
intervals and discharge the solids through the openings D in the outer casing B into
the stationary monitor casing the said outer casing revolving at a less speed than
the drum or basket by means of a sleeve A on the spindle A operated by
differential pulleys and being further provided with diagonal ribs for the purpose
of accelerating the discharge of the liquids, the whole substantially as described
herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings and for the purposes
described.