Year: 1886

page_text: I GEORGE FREDERICK REDFERN, of the General Patent Office, N° 4 South Street,
Finsbury, in the county of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention (a communication from abroad by Carl August Johansson of
Stockholm in the Kingdom of Sweden, Engine Fitter) 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 the construction of an improved centrifugal machine
for separating mixed liquids of different specific gravities but more especially
applicable for separating cream from milk whereby the liquids are separated in a
better and more complete manner than hitherto and the machine being adapted to
be worked by hand power it is particularly suitable for use in small dairies.
In order to enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe the.
same by reference to the accompanying drawing in which figure 1, represents a
sectional elevation of a centrifugal separating machine constructed according to
this invention; figure 2 is a front view of the same; figure 3 is a section on the
line x, y, of figure 1; figure 4 represents a vertical section of the upper part of the
machine drawn to a larger scale and figure 5 is a section on line z, z¹, of figure 1.
Similar letters in all the figures represent similar parts.
A is the frame of the machine in which two horizontal shafts B and C have their
bearings, the shaft B carrying a toothed wheel D having a crank handle as shewn,
and the shaft C carrying a pinion E which gears with the said wheel D. On the
shaft C is also fixed a friction wheel F which engages frictionwise with a pinion G
secured on an inclined shaft H which at its upper end supports a revolving
vessel I. The lower end of the shaft is supported in a socket K which is sur-
rounded and secured by a ring of india rubber which allows the socket K to have
a slight movement in its seat and thus prevents breakage of the said socket. The
upper end of the shaft passes through an upper bearing L inserted in a hole made
in an arm M secured in the frame A of the machine. The arm pivotted on its
fixing bolt and this bolt is placed so as to allow the friction pinion G to run a
little along the circumference of the wheel F. The friction pinion G is secured to
[Price Rd1

page_text: a cone N which is fixed to the shaft H; the said cone can be made of some elastic
material in order to receive the shocks and to lessen the vibrations, which may
occur when working the machine, thus ensuring a uniform and steady rotatory
motion of the vessel I. The friction pinion G (with its shaft H and vessel I) is
suspended on the periphery of the friction wheel F, but as shown in figure 2 it does
not bear against the highest part of the said friction wheel but a little to one side.
If the wheel F is revolved in the direction indicated by the arrow as shewn in
figure 2, it will tend to carry the said pinion towards the highest part of the said
wheel F; but that will be prevented by the weight of the pinion and the shaft. If
therefore the position of the point of contact between the wheel F and pinion G be
such as will allow these latter to balance one another as nearly as possible, the
shaft H will exercise as small a lateral pressure as possible on its bearing L and
the friction will be thereby reduced and a uniform movement effected.
From the top of the vessel I which is open, a number of plates in sets of two are
placed round and extend to the bottom of the said vessel a space being left between
the two plates in each set. In the drawing only two such sets or pairs of plates O
and P are shown, placed diametrically opposite each other, but it will be obvious
that more sets of plates may be inserted according to the size of the vessel I. The
space between the plates in each set in the upper part at the mouth of the vessel
and for a short distance downwards is covered by a small plate Q. The lower ends
Between the
of the plates Q may be bent or curved slightly towards the centre.
plates in each of the sets O and P and somewhat below the tops of them, two
pipes R and S are inserted in the sides of the vessel. The pipe R is placed in the
set of plates O and secured there. and the pipe S is inserted in the set of plates P
and made adjustable in such a manner that it can be screwed out or in in the side
of the vessel I. The adjustment of this pipe can be advantageously effected by a
small key passed into the outer end of the pipe, which may be made angular. In
the pairs of plates notches T are made at their lower ends at points most remote
from the centre as shewn in Figure 1 and in those parts of the lower ends of the
set O, which are next to the centre, notches U are made; between the plates of the
set P a cross plate V is secured immediately below the outlet pipe S. The open
top of the vessel I has a somewhat concave surface which is struck by the jet of
liquid to be operated on entering through the funnel X, whereby when the vessel
is revolved by means of the wheels D, E, F, G, the liquid is spread in a thin layer
over the surface. The funnel is fixed in the casing Y surrounding the vessel I.
This casing can be removed from the frame and serves to support two circular
pipes a and b, placed one above the other. These pipes a, and b, which form rings
extend round the upper part of the vessel I and are provided with endless slots on
the inner side of each ring adjacent to the said vessel into which project the outlet
pipes R and S, so that the liquids forced out through these pipes will be thrown
through the endless slots into the respective collecting pipes a and b. From each
of these pipes a and b a lateral pipe a¹, and 61, respectively extends in a tangential
direction both of them passing through a hole in the casing Y.
The pipes a and b may be cast in one piece or separately, or they may be made.
out of sheet iron. They are inserted in their place in the casing Y and can be
retained there by any suitable means.
To make use of the separator the liquid required to be separated is poured in as
herein before described, through the funnel X. This should be done with as constant
a flow as possible during the whole operation.
- The liquid introduced then spreads over the concave surface in the mouth of the
revolving vessel I as hereinbefore described. The layer of liquid then moves
downwards and comes in contact with the edges of the sets of plates O and P and
is thereby caused to follow the rotary motion of the vessel.
If there is previously no liquid in the vessel, that is to say, at the beginning of
the operation, the liquid moves down along the sides of the vessel, until it arrives
at the point farthest from the centre of the vessel. The liquid accumulates at this
point and it then divides into layers of heavy and light liquid. The inner surface

page_text: of the liquid (owing to the centrifugal force) always becomes parallel with the axis
of revolution of the vessel. This surface approaches the centre more and more until.
it almost reaches the inner edges of the plates. If milk is being separated, then
the cream is innermost, forming a thin layer, while the milk is spread along the
sides of the vessel. The milk arriving subsequently in the vessel I and having
been caused by the plates O and P to partake of the rotary motion sinks down-
wards along the surface of the liquid, whereby the milk particles become separated
from the cream particles and work out towards the circumference, while the cream
particles being the lighter ones, cannot penetrate into the compact mass of the milk,
but must stop nearer the centre. When the inner surface of the separated heavier
liquid has arrived so far towards the centre that it can reach the inner mouth of
the pipe S, it is commenced to be thrown out through this pipe into the collecting
pipe b. In the meanwhile no other part of this liquid can pass out than that
enclosed in the space between the set of plates P and situated above the cross
plate V. When this outflow has commenced, the surface of the liquid cannot
therefore approach the centre of the vessel I. If the mouth of the pipe S be now
adjusted so as to be brought a little farther from the centre of the vessel I than
the plate edges the surface of the heavier liquid must get farther from the centre
than the said plate edges. The position of the surface of the liquid is therefore
determined by adjusting the inner mouth of the pipe S. On the inner surface of
the separated heavier liquid the cream is spread in a layer so thin, that it cannot'
pass the plate edges. The outlet pipe S being placed between the plates P, the
liquid thrown out through this pipe must in the first place be taken from the space
between this set of plates. The notches T allow the most completely separated
heavier liquid to pass from the interior of the remaining part of the revolving
vessel I into this space; it will therefore be obvious that the space in the set of
plates P will be filled with separated milk, which will pass off through the outlet
pipe S.
In order to prevent any milk not separated from getting into the space
between the plates and thereby passing out through any of the outlets pipes, the
herein before described covering plates Q, are employed. These plates Q receive on
their downwardly directed surfaces a layer of liquid which owing to the plates
being slightly concave and somewhat curved or bent inwards towards the centre is
caused to flow off to the sides of the vessel I. The cross plate V is used for the
purpose of preventing the more or less separated liquid under it and the cream
which forms the innermost layer from passing to the pipe S and being thrown out.
All liquid which has to pass through this pipe must first pass outside the edge of
the said plate which is farthest from the centre of the apparatus. The inner mouth
of the fixed pipe R is placed a little nearer to the centre than the mouth of the
pipe S thereby preventing any of the heavier liquid or separated milk from passing
out through the said pipe. The pipe R is for the purpose of conducting out the
lighter liquid or cream.
The notches U in the plates O are provided in order that not only the cream'
between the said plates O but also the entire innermost layer of cream may pass
towards the pipe R and as these notches are made at the bottom of the vessel the'
cream globules must first pass down to the bottom of the said vessel and then up
between the plate edges of the set O to the pipe R thereby causing the cream
globules to pass through a distance equal to about double the height of the vessel I;
the heavier milk particles remaining in the cream layer are in this manner allowed
to penetrate out towards the circumference of the vessel, so that as much cream as
possible is obtained from the milk. The globules of the said cream have not been
crushed but are still of the same size as when (previously to being separated) they
were floating about in the milk.
The separated milk must likewise pass through the same distance as described
with reference to the cream that is to say first down to the notches T situated
farthest from the centre of the apparatus and after having passed through either of
these notches back again up to the pipe S; it will therefore be obvious that the

page_text: heaviest milk particles will have ample time to separate themselves from the cream
globules, so that the separated milk will be as free as possible from fat or cream
globules. The outlet pipes a¹, b', from the collecting pipes a, and b, project from
these pipes in a tangential direction in order that the liquids thrown into the pipes
may be removed as rapidly as possible therefrom, and not be too much exposed to
be beaten by the liquid jets thrown out. This particularly refers to the cream
which if beaten too much might be converted into butter which would stick to the
inner sides of the pipes. The liquid thrown out continues to flow in the pipes and
passes out of the same with greater facility by the outlet pipes projecting in a
tangential direction than if they were projecting in a radial direction.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. In a centrifugal separating machine the arrangement of a number of plates
such as O and P provided with notches T and U, V and from between which plates
pass outlet pipes R and S through the side of the vessel a transverse plate V being
situated under one of the said pipes by which arrangement the liquids are caused
to travel about twice the distance of the length of the vessel during the operation
substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.
2. In a centrifugal separating machine the use of a pipe for discharging either of
the separated liquids and so constructed that its inner end can by means of a
screw or otherwise be moved farther from or nearer to the centre of the
separating vessel for the purpose of regulating the position of the surface of
the liquid in the vessel substantially as herein before described and represented in
the accompanying drawing.
3. In a centrifugal separating machine the employment of two superposed
circular collecting pipes surrounding the outside of the revolving vessel and serving
for collecting the liquid thrown out, the said pipes having on their inner sides a
slot extending their whole length and provided with outlet pipes projecting in a
tangential direction for the purpose of allowing rapid passage of the liquids into
the collecting pipes substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the
accompanying drawing.
4. In a centrifugal separating machine the arrangement of friction gear so that
the inclined shaft H has at its lower end only a lateral support in the bearing K
the upper end together with the revolving vessel I and the friction pinion G being
practically suspended on the upper part of the rim of the friction wheel in such a
manner, that the friction pinion rests on a part of the wheel, situated at the side
of the highest part of the vertical friction wheel and at a distance from it depending
upon the rotatory speed of the friction wheel F and the weight of the shaft H
with its parts the friction pinion being further placed in an opposite direction
away from the summit of the wheel to the direction of revolution of the wheel
substantially as hereinbefore described and represented in the accompanying
drawing.