US1746686A

US1746686A - Air separator

Info

Publication number: US1746686A
Application number: US287762A
Authority: US
Inventors: Thomas J Sturtevant
Original assignee: Sturtevant Mill Co
Current assignee: Sturtevant Mill Co
Priority date: 1928-06-23
Filing date: 1928-06-23
Publication date: 1930-02-11
Anticipated expiration: 1947-02-11

Description

Feb. 11, 1930. T. J. STURTEVANT AIR SEPARATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 23, 1928 //Vl/ENT'O/'?.'

A TTOR/VEV Feb. 11, 1930.

T.' J. SVTURTEVANT AIR SEPARATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed June 23. 1928 A TT'ORNE') Patented Feb. 11, 1930 umrsn STATES PATENT OFFICE THOMAS J. STUIRTEVANT, OF WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO STURTEVAN'I MILL COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASEACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS AIR snrnnn'roa Application filed June 23,

The invention to be hereinafter described relates to air separators for grading mate rials. y

These air separators are of the type wherein the separation is accomplished by an air current moving upward in a separating chamher and downward in a settling chamber. The air current is induced by a tan and caused tocirculate through the chambers, and the materials to be graded are fed into the separating chamber andare received by a rotary distributor which under the influence of centrifugal force throws the materials out across the rising air current in the separating chamber. The lighter particles are carried upward by the air current over into the settim chamber wherethey gravitate down-' war d and are delivered through a spout,

while the heavier particles gravitate through the air current in the separating chamber and are delivered from another spout.

In grading certain classes of materials it is desirable to accomplish the separation in two stages. In the first stage a percentage of the fines is separated and in the second stage a further percentage of the fines is separated. As a result, three products may A purpose of the present inbe obtained.

vention is to provide in one apparatus a 39 plurality of separators which are arranged in tandem, the construction being such that the tailings leaving one separator enter another separator. These separators are in one casing and the fans and rotary distributors of the two separators are mounted on the same shaft and a single driving means serves both separators. The construction is such that desirable, efiicient grading of the mate rials is accomplished, and there is a material savin in cost of construction, operation and b I space occupied.

The character of the invention may be best understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment thereof shown 5 in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. leis a vertical section through theseparator;

Fig. 2 on an enlarged scale is a sectional detail showing the side thrust bearing for 59 the shaft;

192B. Serial No. 287,762.

Fig. 3 on an enlarged scale is a horizontal section taken on line 38 of Fig. 1;

Fig. ,4 is a detail of one of the spacer washers; and

Fig. 5 shows a series of vanes which are employed between the separating and settling chambers.

Referring to the drawings, the air separator shown therein as one good form of the invention comprises an outer casing 1 including a drum 3 having a head 5 at the top thereof and a cone 7 at the lower end of the drum terminating in a discharge spout 9. Secured to the drum are brackets 11 which may be mounted upon a suitable support.

Within the outer casing is an intermediate casing 13 comprising a drum 15, an upper cone 17 and a lower cone 19 terminating in a discharge spout 21.

Within the intermediate casing is an inner casing 23 comprising a drum 25, a cone 27 and a cone 29 terminating in a discharge spout 31. The cone 29 is mounted on webs 33 secured to

angle irons

35 and 37 secured to the

cones

19 and 29 respectively. At the top of the cone 29 is a channel ring 39. The cones 27and 29 have an inlet space between them occupied by a series of vanes 41 (Fig. 5) which may be adjusted to vary their angularity and the spaces between them.

Mounted on the top ofthe cone 17 of the intermediate casing is a channel ring 43, and depending therefrom is a conical hopper 45. Above this hopper is a casing 47 comprising a drum 19 and a cone 51 which is spaced from the hopper 4:5. Occupying this space are a series of spaced vanes 53 similar to the the plates 55, but also to support the intermediate casing 13 on the outer casing.

At the top of the drum 49 is an. outlet provided with a valve comprising plates 65 on .arms 57 which extend through brackets 69 secured to the outer casing. The plates and are radially adjustableto vary the size of their central openings.

A vertical shaft 71 comprises parts detachably connected by a two-part coupling 73, said shaft being journalled in an end thrust ball bearing 75 in a housing 77 mounted on the head 5 0f the outer casing. This shaft also is journalled in a side thrust bearing 79 (Fig. 2), self-aligning and mounted on legs 81 secured to the cone 29 of the lower inner casing. Fast on the upper end of shaft 71 is a bevel gear 83 meshing with a bevel gear 85 on a horizontal shaft 87 having a pulley 89 thereon which may be driven from a suitable source of power.

A rotary distributor 91 is mounted on the shaft 71 and located in the upper inner casing 47 above the distributor and carried by the shaft 71 is a baflle plate 93. Projecting up from the baflle plate is a hub 95 supporting afan mounted in a chamber 97 and comprising arms 99 carrying blades 101.

Mounted on the shaft 71 is a rotary distributor 103 in the lower inner casing 23. Above this distributor and carried by the shaft is a baflie plate 105. Projecting up from this baffle plate is a hub 107 carrying a fan comprising arms 10 9 and blades 111 in a space 113.

The materials to be graded are introduced into the separator through a mouth 115 of a hopper 117 which projects down through the head 5 of the outer casing, said mouth being provided with a flap valve 119 urged to closed position by an arm carrying a weight 121.

The casing 47 contains a separating chamber 123. Between the casing 47 and the outer casing is a settling chamber which communicates with a passage 127 between the outer and intermediate cones 7 and 19, said passage leading to the spout 9. Within the casing 23 is a separating chamber 129, and between the casing 23 and the casing 13 is a settling chamber 131 communicating with a passage 133 leading to the spout 21.

To enable access to the interior of the separator, there may be provided a manhole 135 in the cone 29, a somewhat larger manhole 137 in the cone 19, and a still larger manhole 139 in the cone 7. The cone 17 may be detachably connected by bolts 141 to the drum 15, thereby facilitating assembly of the parts.

In operation, the vertical shaft 71 is rotated, thereby rotating the upper fan which develops a whirling air current moving in a circuit up in the separating chamber 123 and down in the settling chamber 125, passing through the spaces between the vanes 53 and the outlet at the top of the separating chamber. The shaft also rotates the fan in the chamber 113, thereby developing a whirling air current moving in a circuit upward in the separating chamber 129 and down in the set tling chamber 131, passing through the inlet spaces between the vanes 41 and the outlet at the top of the separating chamber. The air circuits of the two separators are independent. The materials to be graded are fed through the mouth 115 into the hopper 117 of the upper separator and deposited on the rotary distributor 91 which whirls the mate rials outward in the separating chamber 123 across the path of the air current moving upward therein. The fines are carried by the rising air current up out of the separating chamber 123 over into the settling chamber 125 and pass thence through the passage 127 to the spout 9. The tailings gravitate downward in the separating chamber 123 through the hopper 15 to the lower separator, are deposited on the rotary distributor 103, and are thrown outward thereby under the influence of centrifugal force into the path of the air current moving upward in the separating chamber 129. The fines are carried by the rising air current up into the chamber 113 and over into the settling chamber 131, and gravitate downward through the passage 133 to the spout 21. The tailings gravitate downward through the air current rising in the separating chamber 129 and are discharged through the spout 31. Thus, by this separator three products may be obtained. The fines taken out by the upper separator may be of the same degree of fineness as the fines taken out by the lower separator, or they may have different degrees of fineness, depending upon adjustments of the valves at the heads of the separating chambers. The upper separator may be overloaded so that there will be a substantial percentage of fines present in the tailings delivered by the upper separator, and these may be removed by the lower separator.

By providing the two separators in one casing, and overloading the upper separator, fines may be separated with a capacity of a separator which would need to be much larger in order to accomplish the same results.

There are important advantages in tandem separators constructed and arranged as above described. The separators may share the same outer casing, the rotary distributors. baffle plates and fans are on one shaft and the single driving means at the upper end of the shaft serves to rotate all of them, and the separator may be constructed and iu stalled at less expense and occupies less space than two independent separators.

It will be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment shown. and that various deviations may be made therefrom Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

hat is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for grading materials, comprising, in combination, an outer casing, a separator therein for grading material into fines and tailings comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, and a fan for causing air to circulate in a circuit through said chambers; and a second separator in the outer casing comprisingc-om municating separating and settling chambers, and a fan for causing air to circulate in a circuit through said chambers; the second separator being arranged to receive and grade the tailings from the first separator into fines and tailings; the air circuits of the two separators being independent.

2. Apparatus for grading materials comprising, in combination, an outer casing, a separator therein for grading material into fines and tailings comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers, and a valve for regulating the air current; and a second separator in the outer casing comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, a for causing an air current to circulate in circuit through said chambers, and a valve torregulating the air current; the second separator being arranged to receive and grade the tailings from the first separator into fines and tailings, and said valves being adjustable independently to regulate the air currents oi" the two separators.

3. Apparatus for grading materials comprising, in combination, an outer casing, a separator therein for grading material into fines and tailings comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers, and a valve at the top of the separating chamber for regulating the air current; a second separator in the outer casing comprising communicatii separating and settling chambers, a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers, and a valve at the top of the separating chamber; the second separator being arranged to receive and grade the tailings from the first separator into fines and tailings.

4. Apparatus for grading materials comprising, in combination, an'outercasing, a separator therein for grading material. into fines and tailings comprising separating and settling chambers, the separating chamber having an inlet and an outlet communicating with the settling chamber, a series of spaced vanes at the inlet, and a fan for causing an air current to circulate ina circuit through said chambers and inlet and outlet; and a second separator in the outer casing for receiving and grading said tailings into fines and tailings and comprising separating and settling chambers, the separating chamber having an inlet and an outlet communicat ing with the settling chamber, a series of spaced vanes at the inlet, and a fan for causan air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers and inlet and outlet; the air circuits of the two separators being independent and separately developed.

5. Apparatus for grading materials comprising, in combination, an outer casing, an air separator therein for grading material into fines and tailings comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, and a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers and grade material into fines and tailings; and a second separator in the outer casing for receiving A and grading said tailings into fines and tailings and comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through saidchambers; and a shaft carrying and rotating both of said fans.

6. Apparatus for grading materials comprising, in combination, an outer casing, an air separator therein for grading material into fines and tailings comprising communicat ng separating and settling chambers, and a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers; and a second separator in the outer casing for receiving and grading said tailings into fines and tailings and comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers; a shaft carrying and rotating both of said tans, an end thrust bearing for said shaft in the first separator, and a side thrust bearing for said shaft in the second separator.

7. Apparatus for grading materials comprising, in combination, an outer casing, a separator therein for grading material into fines and tailings comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, and a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers; and a second separator in the outer casing comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, and a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers; the second separator being arranged to receive and grade the tailings from the first separator into fines and tailings, and a passage between the outer casing and the second separator for the fines leaving the settling chamber of the first separator.

8. Apparatus for grading materials comprising, in combination, an outer casing, an upper separator therein for grading material into fines and tailings comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, and a fan for causing an air current to circulate in acircuit through said chambers, and a lower separator in the outer casing for receiving and grading said tailings into fines and tailings and comprisingcommunicating separating and settling chambers, and a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers; and passages, one for delivering the fines from the upper separator, another for delivering the fines from the lower separator, and another for delivering the tailings from the lower separator.

9. Apparatus for grading materials comprising, in combination, an outer casing, a separator therein for grading material into fines and tailings comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, a rotary distributor in the separating chamber, and a fan for causing an air current to circulate in. a circuit through said chambers; and a second separator in the outer casing for receiving and grading said tailings into fines and tailings and comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, a rotary distributor in the separating chamber for receiving'tailings from the separating chamber of the first separator, a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers; and a shaft carrying and rotating said fans and distributors.

3o 10. Apparatus for grading materials comprising, in combination, an outer casing, a separator therein for grading material into fines and tailings comprising communicating separating and settling chambers, a rotary distributor and battle plate in the separating chamber, and a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers; and a second separator in the outer casing for receiving and grading said tailings 40 into fines and tailings comprising communieating separating and settling chambers, a

. rotary istributor and baffle plate in the separating chamber, said distributor receiving tailings from the separating chamber of the- 5 first separator, a fan for causing an air current to circulate in a circuit through said chambers; and a shaft carrying and rotating said distributors. battle plates and fans.

THOMAS J. STURTEVANT.