US1169292A

US1169292A - Separator.

Info

Publication number: US1169292A
Application number: US87907314A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank W Smith
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1914-12-26
Filing date: 1914-12-26
Publication date: 1916-01-25
Anticipated expiration: 1933-01-25

Description

F. W. SMITH.

SEPARATOR. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1914.

Patented Jan; 25, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

' WITNEESES. Y A INVENTOB. 51M44 5;:- d/mM/L W W 0% 1 @W F. W. SMITH.

SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 26, 1914.

1,1692%, Patented Jan.25, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WITNESSES.

FRANK W. SMITH, 0F PORTLAND, MAINE.

SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 25, 1216.

Application filed December 26, 1914. Serial No. 879,073.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK W. SMITH, citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Separators, of which the following is a specification.

In the preparation of many articles for canning and packaging it is sometimes important to separate the articles into various grades or classes, and my invention relates to and may be used for separating or grading many articles which before grading are composed of units with diiferent specific gravities or which by reason of their shape or condition have a tendency when dumped in a mass into a liquid medium to sink with varying velocities.

The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus adapted to take advantage of and utilize this well known fact and to provide an apparatus which is adapted to separate such articles into various classes and grades and to deliver them thus separated. It is specially designed for grading peas, which it is well known are plcked when the peas in the pod are of difierent degrees of ripeness and hardness; but the apparatus may be used in connection with other articles which possess the properties above referred to.

In the drawing herewith accompanying and making a part of this application Figure 1 is a plan view of my apparatus; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is a left end elevation of the same, parts being omitted for clearness; Fig. 4 is a right end elevation of the same; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical section of the return trough and the pipe conduit leading from it to the separating tank; Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section taken on line a-a of Fig. 2; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the collector; Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of a portion of the same taken on line b?); Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view of" the. same taken on line cc,' Fig. 11 is an end elevation of the same, and Fig. 12 is a detail in section of the apparatus for delivering the articles which sink in the various compartments of the tank; Fig. 13 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the chutes, and Fig. 14 is a plan view of the same.

Same reference numerals indicate like parts in the several figures.

In said drawing 1 is the frame of. the apparatus. Mounted upon this frame is a separator tank 2 divided into a series of hopper like compartments 3 which converge laterally and longitudinally downwardly. Supported upon the frame in any convenient manner, as by angle irons 4, is a hopper 5 having an opening 6 in the bottom thereof and a slide door 7 over said opening. Outside said tank 2 is a return trough 8 which extends lengthwise of the apparatus and across the end under the hopper, the end under the hopper being provided with a separating screen 9. This return trough inclines downwardly toward the hopper end 10. The portion under the hopper 5 is provided with an outlet 11 in the bottom thereof, from which a pipe 12 leads into the tank 2 at the end adjacent said hopper. From a reservoir 13 adapted to contain air, steam or gas under pressure, a pipe 14 leads into the end of pipe 12 and is provided with a branch pipe 15 which leads into the tank at or near the open end of pipe 12 for purposes hereinafter described. The compartments 3 terminate in receptacles 16. Mounted in the tank and extending from a point near the bottom of receptacle 16 is a tube 17 supported upon brackets 18 and open at the bottom as seen at 19. This tube extends upwardly and has its discharge end 20 curved downwardly and laterally to discharge into a chute 21. Extending upwardly through the bottonnfof receptacle 16 and into the lower end of tube 17 is a pipe 22 provided with a nipple 23 adapted to receive the end of a pipe 24, a branch 25 of which leads to the air reservoir 13. Mounted in tube 22 and having threaded engagement therewith is a spindle 26 having on the end thereof and positioned in tube 17 near the bottom a flaring deflector 27 which diffuses the air discharged through pipe 22. At the opposite end of the apparatus from the hopper is a floating collector 28 having a flaring mouth 29 extending substantially across the top of tank 2. The open receiving ,end is curved upwardly and is supported ;by a float 30 secured to the under side thereof by an arm 31 which may be adjusted relative to said collector by means of screws 32, to adjust the end of the collector in the liquid medium. The receiving end of the collector 28 is preferably arranged so that a portion 33 will be submerged below the water line in the trough, which line is indicated by a horizontal line e-e in Figs. 8 and 9, the mouth of the collector being partly above and partly below said water line and adapted to be maintained in a constant position relative to said water line by thefloat. The collector is mounted on a pivot 34 and the delivery end 35 is directly over and adapted to discharge into a' downwardly inclined chute 36, which chute has a perforate bottom 37 and an imperforate'bottom 38, the former adapted to intercept and discharge the solids and the latter to receive and convey the liquid to the return trough. The collector is provided with a conduit 39 extending transversely thereof terminating in a hose nozzle or pipe connection 40 for a pipe 40 leading from reservoir 13 and having a series of ports 4:1 discharging into the collector. \J

The operation of my apparatus is as follows: The tank is filled'with a liquid medium preferably to a point indicated by the water line 0-0, Fig. 2, which is substantially the bottom of the trough at its highest end. The peas or other articles are placed in the feed hopper and are allowed to feed into the end of the trough extending under the hopper. The screenwhile affording no obstruction to the movement oi the liquid medium prevents the articles frompassing out of the end of the trough and they therefore fall through the opening in the bottom of the trough into the conduit leading therefrom into the tank, where they are forced forward through the conduit by a fluid under pressure entering through pipe 14 and are projectedupward by a fluid issuing from the branch pipe 15 causing them to rise to and spread out upon the surface of the liquid medium. A fluid under pressure from tank 13 is introduced into the collector through conduit 39 beyond the receiving end thereof and in the part of the collector which is entirely submerged. ThlS carries the liquid and articles floating therein, upand out of end 35, tending to create a vacuum in the submerged part 33, to prevent which the'liquid and floatingarticles near the receiving endof the collector flow into the collector-and tend to create a current 'in that direction on the surface of the li uid in the tank. The heaviest articles w' fallinto the first compartment, the lighter ones will fall into the second compartment,

andjso' on, and the lightest will be drawn into themouth of anddeliveredthrough the and properly. discharged while the liquid falls through said perforate bottom and into erable to having the liquid fall upon that in i i the trough and returns to the tank thereb maintaining acohstant level. Thls'ls pre the tank, which would tend to (listurhthe v5:5 even flow of the surface of the medium 1f In an apparatus'of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a liquid medium, a collector having an open receiving end adapted to be partly submerged in said medium and means for passing a fluid under pressure into and through said 001- lector, the entrance point of the fluid being beyond the receiving end of the collector, whereby the liquid and substances in the tank, floating thereon near the mouth of said collector, are drawn into and carried through said collector.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank adapted to-contain a liquidmedium, a pivotally mounted collector having its open receiving'end adapted to float in said medium, its open end partially submerged, means for passing a fluid under pressure into and through said collector, the entrance point of the fluid being beyond the receiving end of the collector, whereby liq-l uid and substances floating thereon are drawn into and carried through said collector. 3. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a liquid medium, a collector having its receiving end partially submerged and .a portion .of the,

passage in said collector entirely submerged and means for passing a fluid-under pressure into and through said collector, the entrance point of the fluid being. beyond the 'regeivin end of the collector, whereby liq- 111 an lector. q

4. In an apparatus of the character described, a'tank adapted to contain a hquid medium, a pivotally mounted collector having-areceivlng open end adapted to float in said medium, means for maintainin said 0 en end at-a constant .elevation relative to t e surface of said medium and means for passing a fluid under pressure into and through saidcollector, theentrance point of the fluid being beyond the receiving end of the collector, whereby the liquid and substances floating thereon are drawn into and carried through sald collector.

substances floating thereon arev drawn into and carried through said 'col 5. In an apparatus ,ogE thecharacter described, a tank adapted to contain a liquid medium, a'pivotally mounted collector having its open receiving end adapted to float partially submerged in said medium, a portion of the passage in said collector being entirely submerged and means for introdud ing a fluid under pressure into said collector beyond its open end, whereby liquid and substances floating thereon are drawn into and carried through said collector.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a liquid medium, a trough outside said tank and slightly inclined thereto. a port leading from the lower end of said trough to said tank, a collector having an open receiving end partially submerged, adapted to float in said medium and its discharge end adapted to discharge into said trough and means for passing a fluid under'pressure into and through said collector, the entrance point of the fluid being beyond the receiving end of the collector, whereby the surface of the medium and substances floating thereon are drawn into and carried through said collector and the liquid returned to the tank.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank adapted to contain'a liquid medium, a trough outside said tank and slightly inclined relative thereto, a port leading from the lower end of said trough .to said tank, a collector having a receiving open end partially submerged in said medium and a discharge end, a chute interposed between'said discharge end and. said trough, said chute containing a perforate bottom and an imperforate bottom below, means for passing a fluid under pressure into and through said collector, the entrance point of the fluid being beyond the receiving end of the collector, whereby some of the liquid medium and substances floating thereon are drawn into-and carried through said collector, the solids intercepted and the liquid returned to the tank.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a liquid medium, means for projecting articles upon the surface of the medium at one end of 4 the tank with force tending to float them to the opposite end, an open collector having its receiving end partially submerged in the medium and means for passing a fluid under pressure into and through said collector, the entrance point of the fluid being beyond the receiving end of the collector, whereby the surface, of the medium and substances floating thereon are drawn into and carried through said collector.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a liquid medium, means for projecting solids in mass at one end in said medium with force tending to impel them along the surface of the medium in the tank and means for spreadentrance point of the fluid being beyond thereceiving end of the collector, whereby the surface of the medium and solids floating thereon are drawn into and carried through said collector.

10. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a tank adapted to contain a liquid medium provided with a series of downwardly converging compartments in the bottom thereof, vertical tubes mounted insaid compartments above the bottom thereof, means for depositing articles in said liquid medium, means tending to impel the articles along the surface of said medium, whereby the said articles fall into the several compartments according to the rapidity with which they sink in the medium, means for discharging the articles from the compartments consisting of a fluid under pressure introduced into said tubes.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a tank adapted to contain a liquid medium provided with a series of downwardly converging compartments in the bottom thereof, each compartment provided -with a vertical tube positioned above the botthe contents of the compartments are discharged through said tubes.

12. In an apparatus of the character de scribed, a tank adapted to contain a liquid medium provided with a series ofdownwardly converging compartments in the bottom thereof, vertical tubes mounted in said compartments above the bottom thereof means for depositing articles in said liquid medium, means tending to impel the articles along the surface of said medium, whereby the said articles fall into the'several compartments according to the rapidity with which they sink in the medium, means for discharging the articles from the compartments consisting of a fluid under pressure introduced into said tubes, means for separating the discharge and means for returning the liquid portion of the discharge into the charging end of the tank.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK W. SMITH.

Witnesses:

ELGIN 'C. VERRILL, CHARLES L. FOSTER.