US2453367A - Self-balancing centrifuge - Google Patents

Description

M. A. GlBLlN SELF- BALANCING CENTRIFUGE 3 Sheets-sheaf 1 Filed Feb. 10, 1941 Nov. 9, 1948. M. A. GIBLIN 2,453,367

' SELF-BALANCING CENTRIFUGE Filed Feb. 10, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Maw; 19. 6/64 Nov. 9, 1948. .M. A. GIBLI N SELF-BALANCING CENTRIFUGE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 File d Feb. 10, 1941 INVENTOR WEEK 7?. 6/54 //\I v 4.11% +4 AKA A T TO k N E Y Patented Nov. 9, 1948 SELF-BALANCING CENTRIFUGE V -Mark A. Giblin, West Allis, Wis.

I Application February 10, 1941, Serial No. 378,281

Thi invention relates to improvements in self- A balancing centrifuges.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide a centrifuge of novel and simplified form in which the centrifuge drum is yieldable with 18 Claims. (Cl. 210-63) respect to its driving shaft, and its yieldable move- 7 ment radially of the drive is employed to shift a weight below the drum sufllciently to compensate for the unbalance which causes the initial displacement of the drum.

More specifically, it is one of the important objects of the invention to provide improved 'balancing means for a centrifuge drum whereby the drum is yieldable respecting its driving shaft but is so biased against displacement from its normal balanced position and is so associated with a liquid displacing counterbalance mechanism that a given unbalanced load in a drum will shift. the

drum just enough to displace to the opposite side of the centrifuge an amount of liquid substantially exactly compensatory for the unbalance which occasioned the drum displacement. v

Further objects of the invention are the provision of means for avoiding over-compensation; the provision of a compensating device which shifts a liquid for counterweight purposes but accomplishes this result below rather than beside the drum, thereby economizing in space required for the apparatus; the provision of a counterweight system in which the displacement of the liquid used for counterweight purposes is accomplished by relative movements occurring axially of the shaft about which the centrifuge system rotates; the provision of a centrifuge system which tends to restore the initial balance of the parts as an adjunct of the counterbalancing arrangement; and the provision of a centrifuge which is self-correcting as to'its counterbalancing function in accordance with changes in balance occurring during centrifuge extraction.

Other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon study of the following disclosure of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in cross section through the extraction chamber and bowl, of a centrifuge embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a view taken in section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a-v'iew similar to Fig. 1 showing a modifled and preferred embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a'detail view taken in section on the line 6-4 of Fig. 3. 1

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a modified embodiment of the apparatus.

Fig. 9 is a bottom plan view of the balancing chamber shown in Fig. 8 with a portion of its wall broken away to expose its interior construction.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

While the devices selected to exemplify the invention all happen to employ upright driving shafts, it will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to centrifuges mounted on horizontal shafts or shafts at other angles.

' Therefore in the following disclosure where ref- Fig. 5 is a view in plan of a modified balancing erence is made to the location of the balancing organization beneath .the drum, it will be understood that this description has reference to the relative arrangement of the parts irrespective of the vertical or horizontal or other disposition of the driving shaft.

The invention has particular reference to centrifuges such as are employed in washing machines, of the type in which the washing and centrifugal extraction of water from the clothes is all accomplished in a single drum. The manner in which the clothes are washed is not pertinent to the present invention and hence no arrangement for washing is disclosed. It is, however, significant to the present invention that the chamber in which the drum moves is not obstructed by the balancing mechanism hereinafter to be described, nor is it necessary to accommodate such balancing movement by an enlargement of the chamber such as would increase the amount of floor space required by the apparatus. The balancing mechanism hereinafter to be disclosed is preferably located beneath the centrifuge drum or bowl in the sense that it is beyond the bowl from the open end thereof in the axial direction of the shaft on which the bowl is mounted.

The casing shown at 8 exemplifies any desired type of supporting structure for the apparatus. A partition 9 defines a centrifuge chamber Ill having a top opening at H which may be closed by a cover I2 of any desired or convenient type. Any preferred arrangements may be made for introducing and removing water.

The drive shaft l4 extends toward the door opening it of the casing and supports the centrifuge bowl it. Some form of universal driving coupling is provided between the shaft l4 and the centrifuge bowl. This coupling is exemplified in the present case by the driven element I6 having a convex surface ll universally pivotable upon the upper end of shaft M and connected thereto by a flexible rubber hose or sleeve iii. The centrifuge drum or bowl l5 may have a cylindrical wall or a wall flaring upwardly if discharge over the upper margin of'the bowl is desired, but in order that the bowl may compactly retain the 3. clothes close to its lower margin it is preferred that the bowl'be of frusto-conical form as illustrated, and provided with apertures at l9 close to its bottom for the discharge of the water centrifugally extracted from the load of fabrics within the bowl.

. 4 ancing is not accomplished by any loss of liquid from the centrifuge system, the liquid remains constantly available and the balance is automaticaiiy readjusted in accordance with changes in the position or degree of unbalance which occur I as the water is extracted from the work in the An upwardly tapering column 2i in'the center bowl l5 and discharged therefrom into the collecting chamber I0.

From a practical standpoint the constructions disclosed in Figs. '3 to 6 inclusive, are believed to be superior to those disclosed in Fig. 1 inasmuch as metallic bellows are substituted for the diaphragm 23 which, as illustrated, would be made of rubber or rubber substitute. A metallic bellows is not only less susceptible to attack by balancing liquids which may be employed in the balancing chamber, but, in addition, it better tends to keep its shape and to avoid bulging means employed should be free to readjust itself automatically as the extraction progresses.

Inaccordance with the present invention the shaft It is provided with a rigid spider at 22, the

arms of which are'connected through a diaphragm 28 with a ring 24. Instead of being perfectly fiat in a plane normal to the axis of the driving shaft Id (a possible arrangement) the plate or ring 26 is preferably slightly dished as shown. A pan-shaped false bottom 25 of has its margin 26 riveted or otherwise fastened to the centrifuge bowl in clamping engagement upon the margin of the annular diaphragm 23. The inner periphery of the annular diaphragm is clamped to the inner periphery of the pan-shaped false bottom 25 by a clamping ring 21.

Assuming that an undue portion of the weight of the contents of the centrifuge bowl I5 is located at the left of such bowl as viewed in Fig. 1, it will be apparent that in the high speed rotation of the bowl by means of the driving shaft M, the bowl will tend to swing about its universal driving couplingabove described, toward the'dotted line position in which the bowl is illustrated in Fig.1. It. will be apparent, however, that in. moving toward this position that annular form 'whensubject to centrifugal forces developed in the liquid of the balancing chamber.

In the construction shown in Fig. 3 the centrifuge bowl I5!) is of the general type shown at portion of the false bottom iiwhich is at the left in Fig. 1 will have a vertical component of movement causing it to approach in a vertical direction the overlying portion of plate 24 while, at the-other side of the device, that portion of the false bottom 25 which lies at the right in the side of the chamber where the unbalancingload is present. and will increase at the opposite side of the chamber. Accordingly, by filling the balancing chamber with a suitable liquid such as water, oil, oralcohol," 1 cause such liquid to be moved toward the light side of the centrifuge system, thereby balancing the system. v It will likewise be apparent that since the vertical component of relative movement between the I axially opposed walls ofthe balancing chamber is relatively slight initially but increases rapidly at a rate faster than the proportionate displacement of'th'e bowl, the tendency, which might otherwise exist, for the device to over-compen- I5. By way of illustration I have indicated at 2B the vanes used in agitating the work in the bowl use when the bowl I50 is being used for washing purposes. These wings or vanes 8 also serve to brace from the bottom 20 of the bowl I50 the central column 2| by which the bowl is suspended from its universally jointed driving coupling.

In this embodiment of the invention the disk 22!] fixed to the driving shaft It comprises the bottom rather than the top of the balancing chamber. The top of the balancing chamber annular form and provided with a bearing por tion 29 whereby it is universally swiveled upon a ball 30 carried' by shaft H. The hub 38 of t he annular plate 250 is carried upwardly in the form of a sleeve having a spherically rounded shaft 14 will oscillate the plate 250' in the exactly opposite direction upon the ball 30.

' Such oscillatory or tilting movements of the plate 250 are opposed by a series of compression springs 35.at peripherally sp'aced points between the stationary plate 220 and the oscillatory plate 250 comprising the bottom and top respectively j of the balancing chamber;

The side wallsof the annular balancing chamber 36. between the plates 220 and 250 comprise inner and outer annular .bellows 31 and 38 respectively. As above indicated, these bellows are preferably. made of thin metal such as copper, and consequently oil used as the balancing liquid filling -the balancing chamber will not attackrthem. Neither will a, fleXible metal diaphragm of this type be readily subject to distortion in any direction alth ugh it will expand and contract freely to accom "odate relative axial,

' displacement in DDOSite directions between those portions of the plates 220 and 250 at opposite sides of .the shaft when the drum oscillated due to centrifugal forces developed asa result of parent that balancing is effected by theco'm from the oscillating drum through plate 250 to the liquid in the balancing chamber. The side of the balancing chamber at the light side of the centrifuge system is increased in its vertical depth while the side of the balancing chamber at the heavy side of the centrifuge system is decreased in vertical depth, thus causing displacement of the liquid in the chamber from the heavy side to the light side of the centrifuge'system.

It may be desired to retard the movement of the balancing liquid from one side of the system to the other in order to prevent over-compen sation and in order, moreover, to reduce the amount of liquid set in motion. 'The annular balancing chamber 36 is necessarily of substantial size and a considerable amount of liquid is necessarily moved in the course of its operation. While still having a balancing chamber means with communicating portions distributed around the axis of the shaft, it is possible to divide up the balancing chamber means into a plurality of distinct but communicating flexibly walled chambers so distributed.

In the device shown in Fig. the annular plate 250 of Fig. 3 has been replaced by a spider "I having three arms, each of which carries a supporting plate 252. The spider l is oscillated balancing liquid but springs may be added if desired.

It will also be understood that the orifices employed to control the movement of the liquid need not necessarily be adjustable as in the case of the needle valves 40, the adjustment being preferred, however, because it permits 01' more accurate response and permits of correction for changes in viscosity which may occur as a result mitting of a more accurate compensation and better control of the rate of liquid displacement.

There is an important and hitherto unappreclated relation between the characteristics oi the biasing springs or other biasing means employed in a centrifuge system of this character and the displacement capacity of 'the balancing on ball exactly in the same manner disclosed in Fig. 3, and it will be understood that each of the plates 252 will constitute the top of a separate flexibly walled chamber having its own individual bellows and coacting with a fixed member at the bottom which may constitute the identical fixed plate shown at 220 or may be a counterpart of the oscillatory spider 25i which is shown in Fig. 5. The several chambers thus provided are interconnected by pipes 39 and in each pipe a needle valve 40 such as that shown in detail in Fig. 7 may optionally be incorporated to retard the flow and thereby to tend to prevent any sudden displacement of liquid such as might result from overcompensation.

In Fig. 6 an identical arrangement is used except that the spider 253 disclosed in Fig. 6 has four arms carrying four plates 254 constituting the tops of a like number of balancing chambers having bellows type side walls 255 and bottom plates 256.

It is only necessary that the chambers directly opposite each other should be interconnected where an even number of chambers is employed as in Fig. 6, but I have shown the pipes ti and d2 intercommunicating in a cross fitting 43 and individually provided'with needle valves Q8.

With the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 a slightly greater quantity of liquid will be displaced in response to adjustment of the centrifuge drum than in the arrangement shown in Fig. 5. Which construction is preferred may depend upon the characteristics of the biasing springs, since it is desired that the amount of liquid displaced and the weight thereof shall in any given instance approximate the amount of unbalance responsible for the displacement. This is explained in more detail below.

It will, of course, be understood that inthe constructions shown in Fig. 5, as well as those shown in Fig. 3, springs will preferably be used and they will ordinarily (though not necessarily) be disposed within the compensating chambers for the purposes above described. In the device shown in Fig. 1 a gravity bias is primarily relied upon, the weight of the drum being supplemented by the weight of the countersystem and the amount of leverage,;i1 any, intervening between the drum and the balancing system. i,

The bias to which the drum is subject, regardless of the specific location of the springs or other biasing means, should be such as to ofl'er a progressively increasing resistance to drum displacement from its initial central or balanced position. The springs or other biasing means not only tend to restore the drum to such position from any abnormal position of displacement, but also have such characteristics that the amount of displacement of thedrum responsive to any specific condition of unbalance always bears a predetermined relation to the amount of unbalance. I do not mean to imply that there must be a' direct proportion between the amount of unbalance and the amount of displacement permitted by the same for a given condition of unbalance and must take place in such a progression as to permit of compensation. Without springs for bias it will ordinarily be difficult to provide for any equilibrium of the unbalanced drum in a position in which the displacement bears a predetermined relation to the weight causing the unbalance. It should be noted, moreover, that to be practicable the displacement should be confined within narrow limits and the compensating shift of weight in the balancing mechanism should be accomplished within those limits.

Having determined the progressively displaced positions which the centrifuge drum will assume under progressively increased conditions of unbalance, it is then necessary to so determine the characteristics of the balancing chamber means that the foot pounds of displacement of the balancing liquid will be exactly equal and opposite to the foot pounds of unbalance in the drum which. has produced the drum displacement.

Referring to Fig. 3, for example. let it be assumed that'the unbalanced load at X is one pound in excess of that weight of work at X which would leave the system in balance and located at a radius of one foot out from the axis. This one pound of excess load at X will, in the operation of the centrifuge at a predetermined speed, develop a specific centrifugal force tending to oscillatethe centrifuge drum clockwise as viewed in Fig. 3 toward some position such as that indicated (exaggeratedly) by the dotted line. -At that position, arbitrarily assumed to be that indicated by the dotted line, the resistance of the springs 35 opposing the movement of plate 250, as communicated to the springs through the lever-like hub 3|, will reach a value such as to prevent any further tilting of the centrifuge drum. Under the assumed conditions the tilting of the top plate 250 of the balancing chamber means must be just enough so that the amount of balancing liquid displaced from the left to the right hand side of the balancing chamber 36 will be exactly s'ufflcient to compensate for the unbalance in the drum, thereby balancing the centrifuge system as a whole. For example, if there is a half pound of liquid moved from an average radius of one foot at the left of the axis to an average radius of one foot at the right of the axis, the net change will equal one foot pound, thereby balancing the assumed unbalanced load at X.

The same condition must be obtained if the unbalanced load amounts to two pounds instead of one, or any other value. Whatever displacement of the drum and plate 250 may be permitted by the characteristics of the spring employed at 35 that degree of displacement of the top plate 25a of the balancing chamber ,means should, throughout the operating range, still be just sumcient so that the quantity of liquid displaced in chamber 36 to the opposite side of the shaft It will be just sufficient to compensate for the unbalance in thadrum.

Rotation at a fixed predetermined rate is assumed, since only at a predetermined rate of rotation will displacement bear a definite relation to unbalance.

It will be apparent that any change in the length or stifiness of the springs 35 will involve a change in the amount of displacement which will occur in the drum responsive to a given unbalanced condition of the work therein when the drum is'rotated at a given speed. Consequently where the characteristics of the biasing means are varied it may be'necessary to employ wholly different characteristics for the balancing chamber means with or without changes in the length of the lever represented by the hub 3! In any given installation it is a"- characteristics of the balancing chamber to the spring characteristics that it. is particularly useful to subdivide the balancingmeans into a .plurality of distinct but communicating chambers as shown in Figs 5. and 6. A single chamber such as that shown in Fig. 3 will result in arelatively large displacement of liquid in response -to a; given drum displacement; The arrangement shown in Fig. 5 will occasion a much smaller displacement of liquid in response to a given drum displacement and byvvarying the size or.

the number-of the individual chambers the relauid that in all relative positions which the drum may assume in response to diflerent conditions of unbalance, thdunbalanced load responsible The device shown in Figs. 8 and 9 embodies the foregoing principles in a manner which is probably even more practicable than any of those previously disclosed, The chamber IOI is similar to that shown at IU except that its bottom wall 9| is preferably provided with a sump 45, the drain pipes 46 and 41 opening either from the sump or from the level of the chamber above the sump subject to the control of a three way drain valve at 48, the arrangement being such that the sump may be left full of rinse water when desired. The centrifuge drum orbasket I5l is similar to that shown in Fig. land is similarly mounted on the shaft l4. Its bottom wall 20 bears on the inwardly turned flange 49 of the upper peripheral rim of a balancing chamber 25l which is in the form of a shallow cup universally fulcrummed on the ball 30! carried by shaft M. The side wall of the balancing chamber has an inner peripheral bearing surface at 50 which is spherically concentric about the axisv of ball 3M. In reasonably close peripheral bearing contact with the bearing surface 50 is-the stationary wall 2 which is rigidly fixed by means of hub 52 and pin 53 upon shaft Id. A single insert 550i rubber (the term is used to include rubber substitutes) is vulcanized both to the plate 2 and to the clamping member 56 which comprises a part of the means by which the chamber Hat is mounted on ball 3!. This rubber block at 55 is deformable to provide yielding resistance which biases the chamber 25! toward the central position in which it is illustrated in Fig. 8, while permitting such chamber to tilt upon ball 30! withv respect to the plate-2M when subjected to peripheral pressure on its rim 49 consequent upon the tilting of the centrifuge basket or drum I5l in response to unbalanced conditions therein.

When any such tiltingoccurs it will be proportioned to the degree of unbalance existing in the centrifuge drum and will set up an increasing- At the same time the rubber block 55 will provide a torsional drivin connection which will rotate the chamber 251 with the shaft. While a variety of other arrangements will suggest themselves for mounting the chamber 25! to provide for the rotation of the chamber while-accommodating its tilting movement and for tending to restore the chamber to a central position. that shown is preferred'because of its simplicity.

The chamber 25I is preferably provided internally with ribs, or flanges 51. These are used I for stiffening and to segregate portions of the liquid content of the chamber 25! in the pockets between ribs.

Near its'center the chamber is provided with similar means which may conveniently comprise the scoops 60 for supplying it with an input of water to compensate for any leakage which may occur between the stationary plate 24! and the bearing wall 50. By thus providing for an extraneous source of water to maintain the desired balancing arrangement within the chamber, I makeit unnecessary; to employ any form of diaphragm or even to make an unduly tight 1% l between the plate 241 of the bearing wall at 50. The leakage is entirely immaterial, being constantl'y made up by additional stores of water entering through the scoops 80 as the chamber rotates. v

The leakage water will accumulate above the plate 2 and upon the conclusion of the centrifuging operation will flow back to the plate and the chamber and out through the scoops and the sump, holes being provided at 6| for this purpose.

Assuming that washing is done in the centrifuge basket or drum ll, the washing water will be drained through pipe 41 and rinse water introduced into the basket to rinse the clothes before any centrifuging is undertaken. Either the cenj'auaae'r trifuge operation will be started before the rinse water has fully escaped, or'the rinse water will be drawn through pipe 46, pipe 41 being allowed to remain closed temporarily until the centrifuging operation is completed. In either event there will be clear rinse water available to be delivered by the scoops Bil into the chamber 25| where it will be displaced from side to side in counterbalancing relation to any offset load in the centrifuge basket I 5l as above described.

, Assuming the offset load to be in the lower left hand corner of thebasket as viewed in Fig. 8, the basket" will oscillate clockwise about its fulcrum in the top of shaft I4 due to the centrifugal effect of the unbalanced load. This "would tilt the chamber 25f likewise in a clockwise direction, thus increasing the clearance between the chamber and the stationary plate 2 at the rightof the structure as viewed in Fig. '8 and decreasing the clearance between the bottom of the chamber and the stationary plate 24! at the left as viewed in Fig. 8'. The consequent displacement of water in the chamber from left to right will be equal in amount to the unbalanced load occasioning the tilting and thus the system as a whole will rotate in balance.

Since this mechanism dispenses with springs, diaphragms and bellows of all descriptions, it can accomplish the desired results more cheaply and practicably than the other devices heretofore disclosed, while still operating on the same principle,

I claim:

1. In a centrifuge system, the combination with a centrifuge drum, of a shaft provided with a coupling to said drum upon which said drum is universally yieldable respecting said shaft from a predetermined central position in response to unbalance, means for rotating said shaft at a predetermined rate, spring means biasing said drum toward said position and offering progressively increasing resistance to displacement from said position, whereby the displacement of said drum in response to centrifugal force acting on an unbalanced weight thereof wil1 be substantially proportioned to the weight occasioning the unbalance and will occur in a plane including the axis of the drum 'and the location of said weight, and

balancing means in operative connection with said drum and comprising a first element fixed with respect to said shaft, a second element disposed adjacent the first element and connected with the drum to move relative to the first element to an extent proportionate to the displacement of the drum, said second element being mounted for universal movement with the drum respecting the first element, said elements extending about the shaft, whereby the movement of the second element respecting the first element including components of movement axially of the shaft and opposite in direction at opposite sides of the shaft,

weight means positioned by said elements and movable transverselyof said shaft in a net value proportioned to the approach of the second element to the first on the side of said shaftat which said drumis weighted and the recession of the second element from the first on the opposite side of the shaft whereby the net shift of weight transversely of the shaft is proportioned to the amount of weight responsible for the unbalance of the drum, said first element comprising means forguiding and confining said weight means in the course of its movement transversely of the shaft whereby to balance the system.

2. In a centrifuge, the combination with a driving shaft and a. centrifuge drum universally pivoted to said shaft for yielding movement with respect thereto when unbalanced by relative heaviness at one side and lightness at the opposite side, of balancing chamber means associated with said drum and including wall portions relatively movable axiallyof said shaft, one of said wall portions being fixed to said shaft and the other being connected with said drum for movement in opposite directions axially of said shaft at opposite sides of said shaft in response to and in the plane of pivotal movement of the drum, the connection between said drum and said wall portions being such as to cause the approach of the relatively fixed and movable wall portions at the heavy side of said drum and the separation of the relatively fixed and movable wall portions at the light side of said drum, and said balancing means comprising a weight displaced by the relative movement of said wall portions toward that side of the shaft at which said drum is light.

3. A centrifuge system comprising the combination with a driving shaft and a centrifuge drum havingan open end and a closed end, of balancing chamber means disposed about the shaft adjacent the closed end of said drum and comprising versally respecting said shaft and having an axial componentof movement respecting said fixed wall portion means which is opposite at opposite sides of said shaft in the plane in which said drum is movable responsive to unbalance, the connection between the drum and the relatively movable wall portion of said chamber means being such as to cause said movable wall portion to approach the fixed wall portion at the side of the drum at which said drum is heavy and to recede from said relatively fixed wall portion at the side of the drum openend and a closed end and a hollow column. projecting from the closed end into the drum and universally coupled to said shaft at a point remote from the closed end of the drum, balancing chamber means including communicating portions distributed about said shaft adjacent the closed end of said drum, said balancing chamber means having relatively fixed andmoyable walls -resiivectively connected with said shaft and with the closed endof the drum, and flexible walls conrlecting said movabl'e walls, said 'movable walls having an axial component of movement in opposite axial directions at opposite sides of said shaft whereby to decrease the capacity of said chambermeans at onesi'de proportional to an increase qr capacity of said chamber means at the opposite side of saidshaft, the connection between the inbvable walls of said chamber means to the closed end of the drum being such as to decrease the capacity of said chamber means at the side at which said drum is overloaded, whereby to displace a balancing liquid in said chamber means toward the side of the shaft atwhich said drum is under-loaded.

nected to the shaft and the drum to partake or.

universal relative movement therebetween and spring means connected between said elements in yieldable opposition to drum displacement, said 5. In a centrifuge. the combinationwith an extraction drum and a supporting shaft. of a housing adapted to receive water from said drum and surrounding said drum, said housing having a wall through which said shaft passes, balancing i chamber means disposed between said drum andsaid wall and including communicatin P rtions distributed about said shaft and having relatively ,flxed' and movable walls respectivelyconnected to the drum and the shaft and arranged for oppositef relative axial movement at opposite sides of f-the shaft, 's'aid dr'um being universally coupled to said shaft, and'said balancin chamberv means including. flexiblewall portions connecting the relatively fixed and movable .walls thereof.

, 1 6. In a centrifuge system, the' combination with -"a driving shaft,,of a drum having anopen end, a closed end and a hollow'column projecting from the closed endtoward the open end-of the'drum' and universally coupled'to said shaft at a point I remote from the closed drumend, balancing chamber means including communicating portions distributed about said shaft adjacent the closed end of the drum, said balancing chamber mea'nsfincluding relatively fixed and movable wall elements, the relatively flxed element being mounted on the shaft and therelatively movable wall'element being universally pivoted to the shaft and provided with a lever extension universally pivoted to said drum near its'closed, end, and

-'1 "flexible'means'connecting said elements and enclosing -;a-- balancing liquid in said balancing chamher'means' subject to displacement upon the balance' 711a a centrifuge'system, the combination with I :a'shaft', of acentrifuge drum'having an annularv wall'surronnding the shaft and a hollow column A projecting jfroin said'wa'lll-and into which saida shaft extendS said column being universally couspringmeans having 'a bias progressively increasing in drum displacement and proportioned to bring said drum to equilibrium in predetermined positions of drum displacement for each condition of unbalance to which said drum maybe subject, Y and balancing means comprising amass betweenthe annuli, said annuli comprising means, for shiftingsaid mass across the axis of theshaft in V the plane of drum displacement to an extent pro portioned in moment-to such predetermined positions of displacement.

9. In a centrifuge system,

, thereto to receive motion from the shaft while being universally tiltable'with respect to the shaft Y axis, of a liquid-receiving j'balancing chamberincluding wall elements extending in a general direction transversely. of 'the shaft --and 1 respectively connected to the drum and to thesh'a'ft for oscillation of the movable wall element respecting :saidshaft when said drum is displaced byunrelative movementupon the tilting of the drum respecting the shaft, thedispositionof suchelements and their connectionsbeing such that said.

elements will approachjeach other at the side of.

the shaft at whichis located excess weight occae sioning drum tilting respecting the shafti'and will'-- recede from each other-at the side-of the shaft opposite that at which the-drum-has excess weight occasioning tilting, together. with side wail-means substantially completing a liquid-deceiving en-f closure between saidelements,' said side -wall I means including portions, relatively movable with respect to at least one ofisaid elements-whereby to accommodate relativemovement between said' elements for confininga balancing liquid betwee said elements :for displacement fromione side o the shaft to the other in accordancegtwith the approach of said'elementsatone sideofthejshaft;

and their relative recessipn'at the other? i l v 10. In a centrifuge system, the combination 5 with a; driving shaft and a drum universally v coupled thereto, of a-bala'ncing', chamber'including wall elements respectively connected. to; the

, drum and the shaft; for relative univers ltin r movement,"a nd flexible] metallic bellows wai l pledto said shaft whereby said wall'is movable "I;

radially respecting said shaft in response to unbalan'ce-in said a wall element universally mou'nted'on said shaft adjacent the annular wall of said drum andprovide'd with a lever'extension wall," whereby displacement of said drum upon a given diameter of saidshaft will oscillate said v wall-element in the plane -'of said shaft diameter and the axis of the shaft, a relatively fixed wall element mounted on'said shaft beyond said oscillatory wall element, flexible means connecting said wall elements to provide balancing chamber means having communicating portions distributed about saidshaft, and a liquid enclosed in saidflexible means between said elements whereby to be displaced about said shaft in responseto and connected with said'drum adjacent said annular 'means connecting said elements,- said-chamber having-communicatingportions distributed about t said shaft and, the connection of the-movable wall elements to thedrumjand-the relation 'of such: elements to each other being such-thatdisplacegf' ment of said drum upon its universalcouplini with said shaft will -cause an approach "of the relatively 'ilxed; and movable "elements onthe side of the shaft toward which; the drum displacement occurs, and a separationof the relatively iixed and movable wall: elements o'n the opposite A sideofthes'haft,

11. In acen'trifuge system, the combination with 'a driving shaft and, a centrifuge drum unit versally coupled thereto, of a plurality of balancf ing chambers distributedaboutthe shaft and in? eluding corresponding relatively-fixed an'd movable wall portions respectively connected tethethe combination a driving shaft and av drum-universally coupled v 13 shaft and the drum, flexible wall means connecting the relatively fixed and movable wall portions of the respective chambers, means affording restricted communication between the respective chambers, and a liquid sealed in the respective chambers and said communication means and adapted to be displaced between the several chambers upon the occurrence of, and in opposition to, drum displacement respecting said shaft.

12. In a centrifuge system, the combination with a driving shaft and a drum universally coupled thereto for displacement when un-, balanced, of spring means operatively connected to oppose displacement of said drum respecting said shaft with a tension progressively exceeding the force occasioning such displacement, whereby said spring means tends to limit said drum means to predetermined displacement proportioned to the unbalance causing such displacement, and a liquid-containing balancing chamber system including relatively fixed and movable walls connected respectively with the shaft and said drum and having communicating portions distributed about said shaft, and flexible wall means connecting said relatively fixed and movable walls, the connection between the movable walls of said balancing chamber system and said drum being such as to displace in said balancing chamber system from one side of the shaft to the other an amount of liquid proportioned to the drum displacement and hence substantially proportioned to the unbalanced weight of said drum whereby to balance said system.

13. In a centrifuge system, the combination with a rotatable shaft and a centrifuge basket tiltably mounted thereon, of a balancing chamber extending about the shaft and having a top wall portion operatively connected to the basket to be tilted therewith in response to conditions of unbalance existing in the basket and another wall portion connected with said shaft and relatively non-tiltable and side wall portions constituting a substantial peripheral enclosure between the upper and lower wall portions, the relative movement of said portions varying the capacity of said chamber at opposite sides thereof in opposition to the weight occasioning the unbalance, together with means for supplying water to said chamber in suificient quantity and with sufficient continuity to replace water escaping between said chamber wall portions in the operation of the chamber.

14. In a centrifuge system, the combination with a driving shaft and a basket universally coupled thereto for tilting movement respecting the shaft in response to unbalanced weight in the basket, of a balancing chamber including wall elements respectively connected tothe basket and the shaft and about the shaft in a general direction transverse with respect to the shaft and in movable relation to each other, said chamber also including other wall elements loosely connecting the wall elements first mentioned means providing a water inlet to said chamber; and means for delivering water through said inlet into the chamber adjacent the center thereof in quantities sufficient to replace leakage occurring between said wall elements.

15. In a centrifuge system, the combination with a housing providing a water accumulating sump, of a driving shaft extending into such housing, a centrifuge'basket universally coupled to the driving shaft for tilting movement with respect thereto, a balancing chamber including upper and lower wall elements extending about v 14- I the shaft and respectively connected for relative tilting movement to the basket and the shaft, said well elements having outer-peripheral portions in movable relation and provided with substantial closure means for retaining water between said scooping means carried by one of said wall elements for picking up waterfrom said housing and delivering such water between said wall elements.

16. In a centrifuge system, the combination with a driving shaft and a basket universally coupled thereto, of a plate fixed to the shaft below the basket, 9. cup-shaped balancing chamber provided with a universal mounting on the shaft below the basket, said plate being disposed within the chamber and said chamber having a spherically'surfaced wall portion with respect .to which said plate is in at least partial sealing relation, the upper peripheral margin of said wall portion being operatively engaged by the basket to be tilted upon the shaft in accordance with tilting movements of the basket, and means for delivering water into said balancing chamber beneath said plate for the replenishment of water escaping between said plate and bearing surface.

17. In a centrifuge system, the combination with a shaft and a basket universally coupled thereto and depending below its point of universal coupling with the shaft, of a balancing chamber comprising one wall portion fixed to said shaft below the basket, a second wall portion universally pivoted upon the shaft below the basket and in sliding bearing connection'with the basket to receive motion therefrom, and means for maintaining water between said Wall portions to be displaced upon relative movement between said wall portions consequent upon the basket displacement respecting the shaft.

18. In a centrifuge system, the combination with a driving shaft and a centrifuge basket universally coupled thereto, of a balancing chamber below the basket including a first wall element fixed to the shaft, and a second wall element universally pivoted upon the shaft, and a deformable rubberblock interposed between said wall portions and biasing the universally pivotedwall portion against displacement from a normal position such that the internal capacity of said chamber between said wall portions is symmetrically disposed about said shaft, the universally pivotal wall portion having means operatively connecting it with said basket to receive tilting movement from said basket upon the occurrence of basket tilting movement in response to unbalanced loads in the basket, and said chamber wall portions including means for retaining liquid between said portions to be displaced in the chamber by the movement of said universally tiltable wall portion to the opposite side of the shaft from'that on which the load unbalancing the basket is disposed.

MARK A. GIBLIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this'patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS (Other references on following page) UNITED STATES PATENT? Number Number Name Date 1 329, 23 322,069 Rothe July 14, 1885 2'224'241 330,845 Nielsen et a1. Nov. 10, 1885 2'230345 1 331,450 Rothe Dec. 1, 1885 5 1,438,149 Voss Dec, 5, 1922 1,521,858 Bock Jan. 6, 1925 1,604,748 Grauer Oct. 25, 1926 gq g 1,743,441 Dunham Jan. 14, 1930 Altorfer Apr. 15, 1930 19 .15 I 5 Name v Dat ?eters May 27, 1930 Adams Mar. 1, 1932 Verdier et a1 Dec. 10, 1940 Bradbury Feb. 4, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS v Country Date Germany May 9, 1890

Images