GB280167A - Improvements in centrifugal apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

280,167. Western States Machine Co., (Assignees of Roberts, E.). Nov. 5, 1926, [Convention date]. Driving; treating substances with liquids. - In a centrifugal machine for the washing and drying of sugar, a starting-device, a spray and an automatic brake are associated with a timemechanism so that the duration of each of the different operations can be varied an d set according to the particular requirements of the case. The machine which is suspended by a hanger e, Fig. 1, secured to beams f, has a shaft b supporting a basket a inside a syrup collecting casing c, and is driven by the overhead shaft h of an electric motor. A brake drum d is secured to an enlarged portion b<1> of the shaft and is engaged by interior brake shoes which are moved outwards into frictional engagement. At starting, the attendant throws the starting lever 1 to low speed position and admits the load of wet sugar into the basket; the lever is then moved to the high speed position and the subsequent operations of separation, washing, and drying are controlled by the timing mechanism. Spring-controlled toggle levers control a bolt 6 to hold the lever in its neutral and low speed positions, but it is locked in its high speed position by a latch 12 which is released at the end of the operations when the lever 1 is returned to its neutral position by a spring 9. The timing mechanism, Figs. 9 and 11, is driven from the basket shaft through a friction wheel 30, and has three independently adjustable members; one 45<d> starts the sprayer after a predetermined period of separation, the second 47d stops the sprayer and the third 46d releases the timer clutch after a predetermined period of drying, and also releases the main starting lever 1. To release the arm 1 the timing member 46<d> engages the arm 19<a>, Fig. 9, which by means of the rod 18, lever 17<a>, 17b, rod 16 and arm 15, Fig. 6, retracts the latch 12. A link 22 connects the arm 1 to a coupling on the brake spindle 24, Fig. 7, which carries a disc 25 supporting the toggle levers which operate the brake. An arm 27 on this spindle is linked to the switch 28 and movement of the arm 1 therefore operates the switch to high speed, low speed, or off position. A manual release for the arm 1 is also provided. The valve 53, Fig. 9, through which washing water is supplied to a reciprocating spray pipe 54 is opened by the engagement of the timing member 45<d> with a dog 60<b>, and the latch to then engages the stop 61. After the spray has operated for a certain time the valve is closed under spring action by the engagement of the timing member 47<d> with the finger 62 thereby disengaging the latch 60 from the stop 61.