US1576163A - Vacuum seal for vacuum cloth hydroextractors - Google Patents

Description

March 9 1926.

G. w. VOELKER VACUUM SEAL FO VACUUM CLOTH HYDROEXTRACTORS Filed Dec. 5', 1924 2 lS'leets-Sheec l A @mmf ,eaw W.; .Nrw am muy /m r March 9 1926.

G. W. VOELKER VACUUM SEAL FOR VAGUUM CLOTH HYDROEXTRACTORS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 5, 1924 Patented Mer. 9, i926. i

UNITED S'EA'EES rarest 1,576,163 einer..

GEORGE W. VOELKER, 0F WOONSOCKER/RHODE ISLANDQ VACUUM SEAL FOR VACUUM CLOTH I-IYDROEXTRACTORS.

Application. filed December 65 Union St., lVoonsocket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode island` have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vacuum' Seals for Vacuum Cloth Hydroextractors, of which .the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the type 0f vacuum cloth hydroextractors in which the cloth held open to full width passes over a slotted pipe which acts as a combination vacuum chamber and support. My invention isa specific improvement on the construction shown in my former Patent #1A-71,671, issued October 2B, 1923. y

In this type of machine the cloth passes i over a longitudinal slot which extends substantially the length of the top surface of the pipe. The cloth normally does not pass over the entire slot and the main object of my invention is to effect-ually and automatically seal the end of the slot over which the cloth does not pass. i A further object of my invention is at all times automatically to seal the vacuum at the ends of the slot in the slotted member exterior of the cloth without preventiim` lateral motion of the cloth. Y

necii'ically. my invention comprises series of metallic discs mounted on wireswhich extends lonaiituidinallyv of two bottomless casings, said casings being mounted on the frame over each end of the slot in the slotted member. The rubber strips in my prior invention depended for their functioning on the atmospheric pressure alone. As in my new invention I` employ hollow metallic discs, in addition te the atmospheric'pressure, the weight of the discs assists in their functioning.` A further object of my invention, therefore,r is to specifically provide, combined gravity and atmospheric pressure actuated means for anton'iatically sealing;- the vacuum at the ends of the slot of the slotted member.

Though the construction shown .in my prior patent functions in a satisfactory manner, it has several objections. The flexible rubber pad covered so much of the surface of the clothadjacent to the selvages, that the liquid was not sufficiently extracted adjacent to the selvages. As, due to the inherent construction of the disc members, they only contact the cloth at substantially s, 1924.Y serial No. 754,167'.

one point on their periphery directly above the slot, they provide greater hydroextra'ction efficiency. Y

A further object of my invention is to provide more durable means for this purpose than provided in my priorr patent, the

netallic discs lasting much longer than the rubber pad.

These and such other objects of mv inven-` tion as mavhereinafter appear/will be best understood from a description of one embodiment thereofsuch asis shownV in the ac.;`

companyinn; dra-wings. Y

In the drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view of a vacuum cloth hydroextractor partially shown in section showing the slotted pipe with my improved vacuum seal.

Fig'. 2 is a fragmentary end view of the' machine showing the cloth passing' through.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view partially shown in elevation of a vacuum seal in functioning' position over the slotted pipe.

Fig. 4 isa sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figp.

Fig. V5 is a detail perspective view of a vacuum seal and a portion of the slotted pipe with the cloth passing thereover.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference lindicate like parts throughout, 10 indicates the frame of a vacuum cloth hydroextractor, on which are mounted the feed rollers 12 for drawing the cloth 14 spread out endwise over the slotted pipe 16.

The slotted pipe 16 is hollow and is the suction applying: member of the hydroextractor. It is mounted between the ends ofthe fra-me 10 of the hydroextractor and may be attached at one .end thereof to the suction pump 18 by means of the pipe 20. The hollow pipe 16 has on its Vupper surface over which the cloth is drawn. the slot S22 which extends substantially its entire length. The end of the hollow pipe 16 opposite from the end attached to the suction pump 18 is provided with a suitable cap 24.

As stated, the cloth'is drawn by means of the feed rollers 12 spread out in open formv is mounted centrally `longitudinally thereof in the holes 34 made 'therefor in each end 28' oiithel casin0'f26. @n sard wire mount.

. u c Y l n aseries oi annular disc members a5, each being,` provided with a hollowed out central portion 38 sov as toA have' individual relative up andy down Vmovement on said Wire Tor adgustably confine saith disc members inl tree contiguous relationship on said wire,

I provide on the inneil end28 ot said cas-ing.

an' adtjusting bloclr 40;; also slidable on` said Wire 32, and1 longitudinally adiustablet by Contact with the endA or' a thumb screw'= 42 mounted iny a suitable-hole therefor in the inner end 28 of said easing- The outermost disc 363i Willi bea f' against the outer end 28; ot said casing, andt as explained the discs ameadjustably retainedincontiguous tree relationship between said out r end: 28 and the block 40 which' as enplai ed is longitudinally adjustable by meansoi the thumb screw 42. f A suitable bol-t 44;, having a. threaded end 46 adapted" to be threaded in ai suitable hole therefor in the outer end of the casingv 26, has its opposite endi 5 0 mounted in a hole 52 thereorin* the side or the frame, and is secured tosaid trame` by the nut 54. Each side lOl of the casing 26 may be provided with the raised@ ribs 56, on whichi the casing coverk 58 isadapted to rest. The' casing; cover 58 serves Vto prevent the liquid tromf being sprayed over the machine and cloth; by the revolution of the annular Y discs: For purposes of assembly the ca*- ing 26' may be made in two/portions, eaehin.- cludingl ai side 30A and an end 2.8, secured) together' by the bolts G9. `flhough, l have shown the Wire 32 as ai preferred means of' mounting the annular` metallic; discsl 36 over ther endsA of the holes in slotted member' 16, it is obvious that any suitablemeansrmay be provided tor this purpose, as Well as any other suitable means other thanv those shown for longitudinally adjustably mountingthe d-iscs With-in the casing, and for mount-ing said casing 26 on thel frame 10;. Though I have shou'n the relatively movable metallic: members 36- as comprising discs it isl obvious that other suitable members circular or otherwise havingrelativeA up and down movement may be` employed.i

'llhe operation' of my invent-ion `is obvious from the' above description` The ,materia-l 14 spread' out endwise 1s.` drawn over the slot 22am the *hollow member 16- as explained. The vacuum seals are so located relative to tlieends oii the slot, that some: oi the annular discs: 36' will cover the selvage; ends of thecloth` and: also completely sealthe ends 01": the slot 22 inthe hollow member 16 exterior of said cloth 14.l Both atmospheric pressure induced by the partial vacuum maintained in the slotted' pipe 1G and the Weight ot the discs 36- themselves press the annular discs 36 .firmly against the cloth 14 and slotted' pipe 1:61. The cloth 14 in passing underneath the discs 36 lifts up certain of them a slight amount, said an'iount alavays being less tliana the length of the radius ot the solidV annular portions thereof and due to theatmospheric pressure induced and' the Weight ofsaid metallic discs, they prevent air from rushing in underneath the lower surfaceof the cloth. As thecloth necessarily is movedx sideWise by' the action otv the feed rollers 12, it is obvious that the individual discs 86 may befreely raisedupby the cloth selvage'Y when' the clothl sl-ides toward them and may drop' down ontheslot 22 asf. the clot-hslides away from them, thusk continually automatically maintainingr the vvacuum in thehollow pipe- 16; Fig. 4.- illustrates hoW, due to the annular shapevofthevinetallic discs 86, they abut the slot 22j5ust suiiicie'ntly to seal said slot, and abut' the clotht- 14 only on a very small surface ot their. periphery to permit maximunr amount oli' hydroextractionf from the cloth. Ass the annular metallic discs arel provided withy the hollow central portions- 38, itis obvious that 'they are permitted' suliicient up and. down relative movement on the wire. to permit them to move upa-nd down*1 as the cloth 14 s-Ways sideways. Y v The discs 36 may be longitudinal-ly y adjusted., so as to have free up and down. movement by means of rthe ad-'justing` block 4,0 and thumb screwI 42. Then the adjusting bloclr- 40( is drawnto the inner end oi` the casing 2G, it is obvious that the annular discsBS-'ma-y loe-suitably eleanedt.

It is understood that my invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown and: that` various deviations may be made therefrom Without departing'lromthe spiit and scope of the appended' claims.

Vilhat I claim asneW and desire to secure by Letters Patent' is: f

- l. In a machine for extracting liquid.. from cloth or other-material, in combinatiom. a suction pump, ahollow member connected toy saidi suction: pump' having, a. longitudinal slot on vthe upper surfacothereot, means for drawing the cloth spread out endwiseover the slot i-n said member and combined gravity and. atmospheric pressure actuated means tor automaticallysealing the vacuunrbetween the ends ot the slot inthe slottedmeme ber and'. theselvageslof the cloth', comprising a series et metallic annular ldiscs mounted contiguously to each other tot have indi*- vidual up and down' relative movement on end of the slot in the slotted member so as to have the peripheries of some of said disks rest on the cloth for a distance near the end over the selvage edge thereof only and the peripheries of other adjacent disks rest for a distance beyond over the entire adjacent ends of the slotted member unsealed by the cloth.

2. In a machine for extracting liquid from cloth or other material, in combination', a suction pump, a hollow member connected to said suction pump having a longitudinal slot on the upper surface thereof, means for drawing the cloth spread out endwise over the slot in said member and combined gravity and atmospheric pressure 'actuated means for automatically sealing the vacuum between the ends ofthe slot in the slotted member and the selvages of the cloth without preventing lateral motion of the cloth, comprising a series of metallic annular discs mounted contiguously to each other to have individual up and down relative movement on frames attached to the machine over each end of the slot in the slotted member so as to have the peripheries of some of said disks rest on the cloth for a distance near the end over the selvage edge thereof only and the peripheries of other adjacent disks rest for a distance beyond over the entire adjacent ends of the slotted memberunsealed by the cloth.

3. In a machine for extracting liquid from cloth or other material, in combination, a suction pump, a hollow member connected to said suction pump havingV a longitudinal slot on the upper surface thereof, means for drawing the material acted upon in open form over the slot in said member and com# bined gravity and atmospheric pressure actuated means for automatically sealing the vacuum between the ends of the slot in the slotted member and the ends of the material acted upon, comprising a series l of metallic annular discs mounted contiguously to each other to have individual up and down relative movement on fra-mes attached to the machine over each end of the slot in the slotted member so as to have the peripheries of some of said disks rest on the cloth for a distance near the end ove-r the selvage edge thereof only and the peripheries of other adjacent disks rest for a distance beyond over the entire adjacent ends of the slotted member unsealed by the cloth.

4. In a machine for extracting liquid from cloth or other material, in combination, a suction pump, a hollow member connected to`said suction pump having a longitudinal slot on the upper surface thereof, means for drawing the material acted upon in open form over the slot in said member and com- )ined gravity and atmospheric ressure actuated means for automatically searing the vacuum between the ends of the slot in the slotted member and the ends of the material acted upon without preventing lateral motion thereof, comprising a series of metallic annular discs mounted contiguously to each other to have individual up and down relative movement on frames attached to the machine over each end of the slot in the slotted member so as to have the peripheries of some of said disks rest on the cloth for a distance near the end over the selvagge edge thereof only and the peripheries of other adjacent disks rest for a distance beyond over the entire adjacent ends of the slotted member unsealed by the cloth. Y

5. A vacuum seal for hydroextractors, comprising a bottomless casing, a wire mounted longitudinally of said casing, a series of annular metallic discs mounted on said wire contiguously to each other having enlarged hollow central portions to permit individual up and down relative movement thereof on said wire and means to attach said casing to the frame of the machine.

6. A vacuum seal for hydroextractors, comprising a bottomless casing, and a' series of annular discs mounted therein contiguously to each other having enlarged hollow centralportions to permit individual up and down relative movement thereof.

7. A vacuum seal for hydroextractors comprising a hollow casing anda series of annular metallic discs mounted in said casing contiguously to each otherlto have individual up j and down relative movement therein.

8. A vacuum seal for hydroextractors comprising a bottomless casing and a series of metallic members mounted contiguously to each other therein so as to have individual relative up and down movement.

9. A vacuum seal for hydroextractors comprising a bottomless casing, a wire mounted longitudinally of said casing and a series of metallic members mounted on said wire contiguously to each other having enlarged central portions to permit individual up and down relative movement on said wire.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

GEORGE W. VOELKER.

Images