Improvements in Centrifugal Drying Machines or Hydro-extractors.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 1st Apr., 1891-Accepted, 2nd May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Centrifugal Drying Machines or Hydro-extractors.
I, HENRI MICHEL SAINT-DENIS of 1 Boulevard St. Denis, Paris, France,
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Various attempts have been made to construct centrifugal machines or hydro-
extractors for drying textile or other materials in such manner that the centrifugal
force employed for the expulsion of the liquids may also effect the removal of the
solid materials after their treatment. But hitherto these attempts have not led to
practical success.
The object referred to is attained by means of the improved machine which forms
the subject of this invention.
The machine is composed of a basin-shaped vessel preferably hyperbolic in the
interior, but the particular curve is not essential. The inside of the vessel is
grooved in the line of the hyperbolic curve and along the bottom of the grooves
are series of holes in the sides of the vessel, these holes being either all along the
grooves or only at and near the upper or widest part of the vessel, this part being
preferably made somewhat thicker. The vessel is fixed to the top of a vertical
shaft which is driven by any suitable power.
The vessel is fitted with a cover of truncated conical form, but this form is not
essential, neither is the particular inclination of its sides, and it may be grooved or
not. The upper part of the cover is formed in a piece with a collar having at its
upper edge an out-turned flange which rests on rollers. The collar embraces a
hollow cylinder through which the material to be treated is supplied to the vessel.
When the vessel is caused to rotate by means of the vertical driving shaft the cover
is drawn by contact into the rotation together with the flanged collar and turns
around the hollow feed cylinder which is fixed to the frame of the machine. The
rollers which form the bearings to the flanged collar of the cover are situated in a
recess or mortise in a ring which at the will of the attendant can be lifted by means
of a forked lever or other analogous device. Consequently when this ring is lifted
the cover is lifted also.
Around the vessel are two concentric frames between which is a small circular
railway. A circular platform or table is put in motion on the railway by means of
a circular rack and a pinion which latter receives its motion from the vertical
driving shaft through the intermediation of a series of toothed wheels, pulleys and
belts, or it may be otherwise driven by any suitable device dependent upon or
independent from the vertical driving shaft. At one part of the outer concentric
frame is an opening below which is an inclined board or shoot.
The machine works as follows:-The attendant stands on a platform level with
the top of the machine and feeds the material, say wool, through the top of the
hollow cylinder. The wool falls into the vessel but the centrifugal force assisted
by the inclination of the sides causes it to rise to the upper part of the vessel where
it becomes attached to the walls of the vessel and cover. The feed of wool being
continued successive and approximately perpendicular layers are formed until the
quantity supplied is considered sufficient, when the attendant stops the feed.
The mass of wool rotates with the vessel and cover and by the rapid rotary
motion thereof the liquid or moisture with which the wool is impregnated leaves it
and is thrown towards the sides of the vessel and cover the grooves of which it
follows and it escapes from the vessel by the holes therein; the liquid is collected
in a circular gutter. When the attendant considers that the wool is sufficiently
dried he moves the forked lever so that the cover is raised vertically, its rotation
still continuing on account of the speed or momentum it has acquired. The cover

page_text: when raised leaves a circular opening between itself and the vessel through which
the wool escapes owing to the centrifugal force assisted by the inclination of the
sides of the vessel and it falls in a sheet upon the circular platform.
Instead of the forked lever a suitable automatic device may be used dependent
upon the speed of the machine for lifting the cover.
Near the opening in the outer concentric frame is a diverter which causes all the
wool on the circular table to fall upon the inclined board or shoot.
The wool having escaped from the vessel the lever or other device for lifting the
cover is immediately returned to position. The vessel is therefore again closed and
can be again charged. To facilitate the feed the hollow charging cylinder may be
fitted with a funnel.
The movable circular table and the gearing for driving it are not indispensable;
if dispensed with the dried material will fall on the ground.
The chief characteristic feature of the invention is the manner of effecting the
discharge of the material after drying by the arrangement of the vessel and cover
which at the will of the attendant, or automatically, leave between them an opening
for the escape of the dried material. It is obvious that this temporary separation
of these two parts to open an outlet passage for the material without stoppage or
reduction of the speed of the machine can be effected by other arrangements than
that above described.
Dated this 11th day of July 1890.
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements
in Centrifugal Drying Machines or Hydro-extractors.
1, HENRI MICHEL SAINT-DENIS of 1 Boulevard St. Denis Paris France
Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of the said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
Various attempts have been made to construct centrifugal machines or hydro-
extractors for drying textile or other materials in such manner that the centrifugal
force employed for the expulsion of the liquids may also effect the removal of the
solid materials after their treatment. But hitherto these attempts have not led to
practical success.
The object referred to is attained by means of the improved machine which forms
the subject of this invention.
The annexed drawing is a vertical section of the machine in its preferred
construction.
It is composed of a basin-shaped vessel A preferably hyperbolic in the interior
but the particular curve is not essential. The inside of this vessel is grooved in the
line of the hyperbolic curve and along the bottom of the grooves are series of holes
in the sides of the vessel, these holes being either all along the grooves or only at
and near the upper or widest part of the vessel as shown in the figure, this part
being preferably made somewhat thicker. The vessel A is fixed to the top of a
vertical shaft I which is driven by any suitable power.
or not.
The vessel is fitted with a cover B of truncated conical form, but this form is
not essential, neither is the particular inclination of its sides, and it may be grooved
The upper part of the cover is formed in a piece with a collar C having
at its upper edge an out-turned flange X which rests on rollers G. The collar
embraces a hollow cylinder D through which the material to be treated is supplied
to the vessel A. When the vessel is caused to rotate by means of the vertical
driving shaft the cover B is drawn by contact into the rotation together with the
flanged collar and turns around the hollow feed cylinder D which is fixed to the

page_text: frame of the machine. The rollers G which form the bearings to the flanged
collar of the cover are situated in a recess or mortise in a ring E which at the will
of the attendant can be lifted by means of a forked lever Y or other analogous
device. Consequently when this ring is lifted the cover B is lifted also.
Around the vessel are two concentric frames H and J between which is a small
circular railway the rails of which rest on supports K. A circular platform or
table L is put in motion on the railway by means of a circular rack M and a
pinion P which latter receives its motion from the vertical driving shaft through
the intermediation of a series of toothed wheels, pulleys and belts as shown, or it
may be otherwise driven by any suitable device dependent upon or independent
from the vertical driving shaft. At one part of the outer concentric frame H is an
opening O below which is an inclined board or shoot V.
The machine works as follows: The attendant stands on a platform level with
the top of the machine and feeds the material, say wool, through the top of the
hollow cylinder D. The wool falls into the vessel A but the centrifugal force
assisted by the inclination of the sides causes it to rise to R, that is to say to the
upper part of the vessel where it becomes attached to the walls of the vessel and
cover. The feed of wool being continued, successive and approximately perpen-
dicular layers are formed until the quantity supplied is considered sufficient, when
the attendant stops the feed. The mass of wool rotates with the vessel and cover
and by the rapid rotary motion thereof the liquid or moisture with which the wool
is impregnated leaves it and is thrown towards the sides of the vessel and cover,
the grooves of which it follows, and it escapes from the vessel by the holes S therein
and by the small circular opening S¹; the liquid is collected in a circular gutter T.
When the attendant considers that the wool is sufficiently dried he moves the
forked lever Y so that the cover B is raised vertically, its rotation still continuing
on account of the speed or momentum it has acquired. The cover reaches the
height B and leaves a circular opening U between itself and the vessel through
which the wool escapes owing to the centrifugal force assisted by the inclination
of the sides of the vessel, and it falls in a sheet upon the circular platform L.
Instead of the forked lever Y a suitable automatic device may be used dependent
upon the speed of the machine for lifting the cover.
Near the opening O in the outer concentric frame H is a diverter (not shown)
which causes all the wool on the circular table L to fall upon the inclined board
or shoot V.
The wool having escaped from the vessel A the lever Y or other device for
lifting the cover B is immediately returned to position. The vessel is therefore
again closed and can be again changed. To facilitate the feed the hollow charging
cylinder may be fitted with a funnel.
The movable circular table and the gearing for driving it are not indispensable ;
if dispensed with the dried material will fall on the ground.
The chief characteristic feature of the invention is the manner of effecting the
discharge of the material after drying by the arrangement of the vessel A and
cover B which at the will of the attendant, or automatically, leave between them an
opening U for the escape of the dried material. It is obvious that this temporary
separation of these two parts A and B to open an outlet passage for the material
without stoppage or reduction of the speed of the machine can be effected by other
arrangements than that above described.
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 a centrifugal drying machine or hydro-extractor, the combination with a
rotating vessel having circumferential holes for the discharge of the liquid, of a
cover which normally rests on said vessel and rotates therewith, and is adapted to
be lifted clear of said vessel while still rotating, whereby an opening is left between

page_text: said vessel and cover through which the material under treatment can issue or escape
under the action of the centrifugal force, substantially as set forth.
2. In a centrifugal drying machine or hydro-extractor the combination of the
rotating vessel A, cover B having a flanged collar C X, feed cylinder D, ring E,
and a device for lifting said ring together with the cover B, substantially as
set forth.
3. In a centrifugal drying machine or hydro-extractor, the combination of the
rotating vessel A, cover B adapted to be lifted vertically from said vessel, and
rotating circular platform or table L to receive the dried material discharged from
said vessel, substantially as set forth.
4. The construction of centrifugal drying machines or hydro-extractors, sub-
stantially as hereinbefore described.
D
1
11001
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Patent Agent.