GB737072A - Improvements in automatic balancing device for the rotating cylinders of centrifugal liquid extractors - Google Patents

Abstract

737,072. Centrifugal hydro - extractors. UNITED STATES HOFFMAN MACHINERY CORPORATION. Dec. 8, 1953 [Dec. 13, 1952], No. 34100/53. Class 23. In a hydro-extractor in which the cylinder rotates about a horizontal axis when balanced but also oscillates about a second higher axis if unbalanced, eccentric means in the cylinder bearing system are linked to means diverting a jet of balancing fluid into one or more of a plurality of tanks evenly distributed about the cylinder periphery to compensate unbalance during cylinder rotation. The end wall 25 of the cylinder 10 is fixed to a supporting and drive shaft 12 which is supported in a bearing carried by the extractor housing end wall 15. As shown in Fig. 3, the bearing comprises self-aligning bearings 36, 54 permitting rotation of the cylinder about the axis A, and a roller bearing 40 supporting the bearing 54 by means of an eccentric spacer 50 and permitting oscillation of the cylinder about the axis C. A diverter assembly 75 comprising arms 76, 77, 87 is fixed to the spacer, the arms 76, 77 carry vanes 80, 81 for diverting the balancing fluid from nozzles 67 mounted on the housing, and the end of the arm 87 being attached to the housing by horizontally opposed springs 83 which tend to restore the cylinder to rotation about the axis A only. With the cylinder rotating and balanced the vanes are in the position shown by full lines in Fig. 2 and the nozzles discharge the fluid directly to return conduits 71 (Fig. 5) mounted on the housing. With the cylinder rotating and unbalanced the oscillation of the cylinder moves the spacer and causes greatly multiplied movement of the vanes which move to positions such as those shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 5 the vane 80 is displaced as a result of cylinder oscillation to divert fluid from a nozzle 67 into one or more of a series of troughs 55 attached to the end wall of the cylinder and discharging into balancing tanks 62 formed in the tumbling ribs of the cylinder. Relief valves 90 are provided for each tank to prevent over compensation of balance and for drainage of fluid. In the event of excessive cylinder oscillation causing great movement of the arms, a cam at the outer end of the arm 87 operates a switch 108 to stop the cylinder drive motor 112 so that the cylinder load may be redistributed. In a modification the vanes are arranged to deflect the jet from the tanks when the cylinder is balanced and move away from the jet when the cylinder is unbalanced. In a further modification (Fig. 8, not shown) a cylinder supported at both ends is provided with balancing fluid control means at either end, the tanks being partitioned at the mid length of the cylinder and each compartment so formed being provided with a relief valve. Specification 715,459 is referred to.