US1358897A - tolman - Google Patents

Description

C. P. TOLMAN.

GENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR.

, APPLICATION FILED APR-2,1917. 1,358,897.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES NT OFFICE.

CHARLES P. TOLMAN, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, AQSIGNOR, TO NATIONAL LEAD COMPANY, OF NEW' YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEVI JERSEY.

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Application filed April 2, 1917.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES P. ToLMAN, a United States citizen, residing New Rochelle, New York, have invented the following described Improvements in Centrifugal Separators.

The invention consists in the structure and mode of operation of apparatus operating 1 through the effect of centrifugal action to separate the heavier and lighter components of fluid mixtures, such for example as the white lead and the water in the material commercially known as lead pulp and also for separating slimes and other similar mixtures of materials of different specific gravities. The object of the invention is to produce apparatus of the character indlcated capable of separating a continuous supply of the material stated, automatically and with substantial uniformity as respects the thoroughness of the separation, and under control while in action, and which is specially'adapted for operation on material which is sticky when moist as in the case of lead pulp. The invention however also includes details and incidental features which are capable of use in improvement upon previously known centrifugal separators and these are herein independently claimed in such broader relation,

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 a horizontal section on line ill-11; and

Fig. 3 a section on line III- 111.

The machine comprises a separating cham ber formed of relatively separable chamber sections shown in the present case as a lower section 1 and an upper or cover section 2,

providing within and between them an interior separating space into which the material to be separated is introduced and in which the heavier or solid materials, by flowing toward the region of widest diameter under the centrifugal effect crowds the sections apart and thereby forces an escape through the annular peripheral outlet thus opened, while the lighter material not subject to the same degree of centrifugal pressure flows out through one or more exits disposed inward of the peripheral outlet. A. yielding force or spring tends to close the outlet between the sections to produce an initial centrifugal accumulation of the Specification 01' Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 16, 1920. Serial No. 159,085.

tion of the solid, without passing any considerable part of the lightermaterial along with the heavier.

The rotary motion is imparted to the ma terial through the lower section 1 which is bowl shaped with sloping side walls, the slope of which is more or less steep according to the material treated. The said section is carried by an upright rotary shaft 3, journaled in a substantial framework i and driven by a belt gearing 3 from a drive shaft 5 at one side of the framework.

The material is supplied to the bowl chamber through the shaft 3 which is hollow for that purpose, and enters the shaft preferably at its upper end and through a stationary inlet connection head 6 with which the upper part of the shaft makes a leak-tight connection as indicated in the drawing. The conduit through the shaft opens in one or more holes 7 which are 10- cat-ed at the narrow or bottom part of the chamber section 1, so that the constituent materials may have an opportunity to sep arate, undisturbed from the incoming liquid, while rising in the bowl chamber toward the outlets, both of which are near the top of the chamber.

The upper chamber section 2 is constituted, in the present case, of an essentially flat or disk form cover member adapted to fit tightly on the flanged margin 8 of the lower section and provided with a sleeved bearing 9 on which it may slide on the vertical shaft 3 to open the peripheral outlet. This cover member is urged in the direction to close such outlet by its gravity in the present case, and also by the pressure of a thrust sleeve 10 contained within its upstanding tubular boss and thrusting thereon through a hearing which permisthe rotation of the chamber section. A ball thrust bearing is used for this purpose and is contained within the cover section 2 where it is least likely to accumulate dirt. The thrust sleeve extends above the boss where it carries, on its flanged head, a ring 11 the trunnions 12 of the sections,

which are engaged by a lever structure 13 fulcrumed on the frame at 14: and extending to one side of the frame where it is connected to one end of the spring 15, the other end of which is connected to the frame by the spring adjustment devices 16. The spring 15, which may beassumed to represent any suitable and controllable force, exerts its pressure through the lever and thrust sleeve upon the cover member 1 tending to close it against the centrifugal pressure of the chamber contents acting on the under side of it and by virtue of the rotary bearing the said closing pressure so exerted, can be varied while the cover section is in rotation.

The cover section 2 is rotated in the present case, independently of the bowl section, and-by means of a belt and belt pulley 17 which latter constitutes the upper part of or a continuation of the tubular boss of the cover member. The belt drive for the cover section allows it to slide upon the shaft 3 quite the same as if the cover section were splined to it, but the independent drive affords the advantage of a differential rotary motion between the chamber sections which is desirable in the case of the materials heretofore indicated and which serves to preserve uniform conditions of outflow at all points around the peripheral outlet between The pulley diameters in the drawings will be seen to give a higher rotation to the cover than the bowl section but of .course the differential rotation of one section with respect to the other or to the contents of the chamber may be obtained in other ways and with the same effect. The outflow from between the chamber sections is retarded, relatively speaking by the eX- tent of the frictional surface constituting the escape orifice of theoutlet and it is desirable to extend such surfaces radially in order to increase the frictional resistance to outflow; by forming the flange 8 on the rim of the lower section. The upper surface of thisflanged rim and the corresponding surface on the movable cover may be of greater radial dimension, than indicated in the drawings and as wide as found best for the particular material in treatment. p

The centrifugally discharged heavier material, escaping through the annular outlet between chamber sections is caught in an annular receptacle 18 surrounding the flange 8 and opening inward or toward the axis of the chamber and this receptacle is mounted on rollers 19 or otherwise supported so that it may be rotated around the ,separatingchamberbymeans of its gear teeth 20 and a slow pinion 21, the latter being understood to be appropriately driven from the power shaft 5 by a gearing not necessary to be shown. The frame bracket 22 carries a fixed scraper 23 engaging the traveling collector trough 18 at a fixed point and evacuating its contents into a dc livery chute or other suitable conveyor 24:.

The outlet for the separated lighter components of the treated mixture is at the top of the separating chamber near the hub part 9 and represented by a series of open holes 25 in the cover. The lighter material flows upwardly through these holes into and across the basin 26 formed in the upper surface of the cover section and oil the lip 27 of said basin into the annular collecting chamber 28 which is or may be stationary and surrounds the cover section immediately above the receptacle 18 for the heavy material. This receptacle is provided with an off-take 29. In the case of the illustrated machine it is assumed that the upper chamber section is to be rotated at a sullicient velocity to discharge the lighter liquid across the gap between the lip 24' and the trough or collecting receptacle 28, and the margin of the said section is curved or shaped in a suitable way to minimize leakage at this point and under all positions of separation of the chamber sections.

The operation of the apparatus will be understood to be subject to variation according to the material treated and to be supplemented by such additional appurtenances as may be necessary to im iart a proper rotary velocity to the said material irrespective of whether one or both chamber sections rotate with it or at the same velocity, it being preferable that the rotary velocity of the material at the peripheral outlet be constant so that the regulation of discharge of the heavier material may be elfectcd solely through the adjustment of the closing pressure. It will be apparent that the only force tending to open the peripheral outlet is the interior centrifugal pressure of the chamber contents and that, within the capacity of the apparatus, such opening can be resisted to various extents by the adjustment of the spring so as thereby to controlthe degree of separation of the l ightcr from the heavier components, and that such adjustment when properly coordinated with the control of inflow through the inlet head 6 will permit continuous separation of a continuous supply. The invention is not limited to the differential rotation of the chamber sections because equal velocities may be used effectively on some materials,

nor is it confined to any particular shape of the separating chamber although the relatively deep chamber giving an opportunity for a well established upward flow therein during separation is most satisfactory and most effective. The depth of the chamber allows a time interval for scpu ation which may be increased by increasing the depth of the chamber relatively to its diameter while maintaining the general flow from one end llli essee";

'mulation of the heavier material and the relative rotation in the structure shown due to the differential drive of the two parts of the chamber, is of material importance to prevent clogging of the orifice.

It should be stated in conclusion that the drawings hereto are mainly illustrative of the best mode in which 1 have contemplated applying the principles of my invention at the present time, and that the invention 1s not limited in respect tothe size, proportion, structure or relative arrangement of the parts and various reversals, modification, additions to and subtractions from the said structure may be made within the scope of the following claims.

1 claim:

1.. A centrifugal separator comprising a separating chamber formed of sections adapted to separate under centrifugal action against a force tending to close them together and by their separation to open a peripheral annular outlet between them for the escape of heavier material, and further provided with an outlet for lighter material inward of said peripheral outlet, in combination with means for continuously supplying the material to be separated to the chamber, and means whereby the rela- -tively separable chamber sections are rotated at different speeds.

2. A centrifugal separator comprising a separating chamber formed of a bowl section and a cover sectiomthe cover section being automatically movable away from the bowl section to open a peripheral annular outlet at the top of the separating chamber and having another outlet toward the center, and means whereby the bowl and cover sections are rotated at different speeds.

3. A centrifugal separator comprising a separating chamber formed of a bowl section and a dish-like cover section between which the heavier material escapes through a peripheral annular outlet, said cover section having one or more openings in its in ner portion for escape of lighter material, and means for rotating said sections at different speeds.

4. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of chamber sections, an axial sup port whereon said sections aremounted and are relatively separable under centrifugal action to open a continuous unobstructed peripheral outlet between them for the escape of heavier material, the upper section having an outlet for lighter material inward of said peripheral outlet, coaxial means for pressing the chamber sections together, and means for rotating the sections at different speeds.

5. In a centrifugal separator, the combination of a central shaft, rotatable bowl and cover sections thereon, the cover section being vertically movable on the shaft to open a peripheral outlet for heavier material and having an outlet toward the center for lighter material, and means including a thrust sleeve encircling the shaft and bearing upon the cover section for imparting a yielding pressure thereto.

6. A centrifugal separator comprising a bowl section and a cover section between which the heavier material escapes through a peripheral annular outlet, said cover section having a central upstanding tubular boss and one or more escape openings for lighter material between said boss and the peripheral outlet, and means for applying yielding pressure to said tubular boss.

7. A centrifugal separator comprising a separating chamber formed of chamber sections relatively separable against a force tending to close them together and adapted by their separation to open a peripheral annular outlet between them for escape of heavier material and provided with an outlet for lighter material inward of said peripheral outlet, in combination with a conduit supplying the material to be separated to said chamber means for imparting adequate rotary motion to said material to cause it to open said peripheral outlet, a rotary collecting receptacle for said outlet and a stationary scraper cooperating with said receptacle to deliver the accumulation thereon.

8. A centrifugal separator comprising a rotary separating chamber having a peripheral outlet for heavy material and an outlet inward thereof for light material, in combination with a rotary receptacle concentrically surrounding said chamber to collect the heavy material and means for evacuating said receptacle.

9. A centrifugal separator comprising a separating chamber of relatively separable chamber sections between which the heavier material escapes through a peripheral annular outlet, one of said sections having one or more openings for escape of lighter material, and means for rotating one of said sections relatively to the other.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification.

GHARLES 1. TOLMAN.

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