US2056889A

US2056889A - Centrifugal separating machine

Info

Publication number: US2056889A
Application number: US722090A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph S Pecker
Original assignee: AMERICAN CENTRIFUGAL CORP
Current assignee: AMERICAN CENTRIFUGAL Corp
Priority date: 1934-04-23
Filing date: 1934-04-23
Publication date: 1936-10-06
Anticipated expiration: 1953-10-06

Description

0d. 6, 1936. is. PECKER 2,056,889

CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l 1 NVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Oct. 6, 1936. J. 5. PECKER 2,055,889

CENTR IFUGAL SEPARATING MACHINE Filed April 25, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 4g INVENTOR Joseph 5.1eckcr,

BY amzam ATTORNEY Oct. 6, 1936.

J. 5. PECKER CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 25, 1934 m in )H I23 5 I3 I29 I I us I INVENTOR. "5 Joseph 5 fee/Yer,

5. HI; I

A TTORNE Y.

Oct; 6, 1936. J. s. PECKER CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATING MACHINE Filed April 23, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 R}, 2 NC We In W m.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 6, 1936' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATING MACHINE Application April 23, 1934, Serial No. 722,090

36 Claims.

The invention relates to a. centrifugal machine for separating liquids from solids by centrifugal action by means of a centrifugal basket rotating on a vertical axis and having normally closed side Walls and provided with means for permitting seepage of liquids from the basket.

It Will be obvious that the quantity of material that can be separated in any one machine is dependent entirely on the speed at which the water can. be drained from the sludge. Naturally the apertures through which the water is ejected must be extremely small in order to obtain a clear effluent. The quantity of the eflluent separated by a machine therefore becomes a simple matter of calculation depending on the area of the seepage holes and the pressures developed. In order to increase the capacity of a machine while retaining the same dimensions of the machine and speeds it will be obvious that the other factor which must be affected is that of area of seepage. With the seepage holes and passages located in the top plate of the rotary centrifugal basket as shown and described in a co-pending application filed by me February 21, 1934, Serial No. 712,390, the seepage area is restricted to the max imum number of holes, slots or other form of openings, which can be provided at the top plate of the centrifugal basket.

One object of the present invention resides in the provision of a centrifugal separating machine embodying a separate compartment type of Another object of the invention is to provide a I centrifugal machine embodying a rotary centrifugal basket in which is confined a seepage means having communication with the interior of the basket and from which seepage means the liquids separated from solids may be readily and effect ively discharged from the basket, in one embodiment of the invention, through the bottom wall thereof and in another embodiment of the invention through the bottom wall of the basket and through the upper portion of the basket, and the solids subsequently discharged from the basket under the influence of centrifugal actionl A further object of the invention is to increase, in the said type of centrifugal separating machines, the seepage area and the quantity of efiiuent discharged, without necessitating any increase of any of the dimensions of the machine or the speed of the rotary centrifugal basket.

Another object of the invention is to prevent, in the rotary centrifugal basket, coasting or spinning of the material subjected to the centrifugal 5 separating effect so that the material and the basket will rotate at the same speed and the seepage pressure resulting from the centrifugal action will be maintained at a maximum, and a maximum performance of the machine obtained 10 with the result that the sludge is dewatered in less time and at much less expense than is possible with rotary centrifugal machines in which there is permitted a spinning or coasting of the material in the centrifugal rotary basket.

Sewage sludge consists of materials of various specific gravities. In the process of centrifugal separation, each quantity of a different specific gravity from the others assumes a ring, a predetermined distance from the center of rotation and if a cross section of the complete cake of sludge were made, it would be apparent that the sludge assumes concentric rings. When a centrifugal basket having smooth side walls is rotated, there occurs the phenomenon of the basket rotating at a different speed from the mass contained within the basket and subjected to centrifugal action. The difference between the speed of the basket and the speed of the mass, is dependent on the coarseness of the material being separated and the frictional engagement of the material with the Walls of the basket.

Furthermore, due to misalignment of the machine, unavoidable vibration, deflection of the shaft, etc., it is possible that the concentric rings of the-material may be caused to assume a position off a perfectly true vertical. If at the same time they are permitted to spin around indiscriminately a turbulence may be set up which will lessen if not void the, separating effect of the centrifugal force on the sludge. These defects in, and objections to, the operation of centrifugal machines of this character are entirely eliminated in the present invention, by the provision of radial bafiles within the rotary centrifugal basket, extending the full length and at least as deep as the final cake of dewatered sludge, so that the material operated on by the centrifugal separating machine will be of necessity caused to revolve with the basket and obviously at the same speed.

It is also an object of the invention to incorporate in the radial baflles the feature of increasing the seepage area as well as the means for eliminating the coasting or spinning of the mate- 'rial within the centrifugal basket, so that a com provision of a centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket in which is mounted a member to divide the basket into separate compartments and which is constructed to constitute a combined seepage means and baffle confined within the basket for an effective seepage of liquids from the basket through the seepage means and also provide an effective means to prevent coasting or spinning of the materials in the basket during rotation of the latter while the materials are being separated and the effluent discharged from the basket through the seepage means.

A still further object of the invention goes to the provision of a centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket and which has its various parts associated together in a manner to provide for an effective disassociation of the various parts for servicing purposes and in which the basket is divided into separate compartments by a combined seepage means, partitioning member and bafiles to prevent slipping or coasting of the wall of solids on the side walls of the basket incident to centrifugal action and by virtue of which organization of parts there is provided an effective separation of the liquids from the solids and both separately and readily discharged from the basket incident to centrifugal action.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificingany of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:-

Figure 1 is a sectional vie through the center of a centrifugal separating machine constructed in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view taken at right angles to Fig. 1, illustrating the method of disassembly of the parts of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the hollow bafile, one of the wings being broken away to illustrate the interiorly arranged .pipe for expelling efiiuent from the hollow baffle.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a hollow bafiie illustrating another form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a portion of a centrifugal separating machine.

In the accompanying drawings in which are illustrated the preferred embodiments of the invention, the centrifugal separating machine is provided with an approximately cylindrical casing having a reduced upper portion and comprising a main section I, an intermediate section 2 and a top section 3, the intermediate section 2 constituting a supporting member and the top section 3 being tapered and forming a cap for the casing and covering the mechanism hereinafter described, carried'by the intermediate supporting section 2. The main or bottom section of the casing 18 provided with a base 4 and it has con- I a vertical annular sludge passage 1 connected at spaced points by horizontal webs or braces 8 preferably presenting sloping or rounded upper surfaces for facilitating the ready discharge of dewatered sludge. The main section I which constitutes the body of the casing has its interior divided by a horizontal partition 9 into an upper basket receiving compartment l0, and a lower open space H. Mounted in this suace II is a gearing for connecting a high speed motor l2 with a rotary centrifugal basket l3. The section I of the casing is provided at the space H with a lateral opening l4 into which the shaft l5 of the high speed motor l2 extends. The high speed motor which is mounted on a suitable pedestal I5 is connected by a suitable coupling I6 with one end of a horizontal shaft I'I mounted in suitable bearings I8 at opposite sides of a gear case l9 depending from the horizontal partition 9 of the casing.

The horizontal partition 9 is provided with a central opening 2| for the reception of lower bearings of a central vertical shaft 22 upon which the rotary centrifugal basket is mounted. The lower bearings may be of any desired construction preferably as shown and described in the aforesaid application. The horizontal partition is provided at the central opening with a depending annular flange 23 having an inwardly extending ledge 24 upon which the lower bearings 20 are seated. The gear case and the bearing supporting means are constructed substantially the same as the corresponding means shown and. described in the aforesaid application with the exception that the gear case in the present application is provided only at opposite sides with" openings for the reception of the bearings l8 of the horizontal shaft H. The lower end of the central vertical shaft is provided with a horizontal bevel gear 25 located within the gear case and meshing with a vertical bevel gear 26 of the horizontal shaft I! when the parts are assembled.

The inner and outer concentric walls 5. and 6 of the body portion of the casing are arranged sludge expelled from the rotary centrifugal basket.

The curved portion 2| of the outer wall constitutes a reduction of thecasing and it is extended upwardly forming a reduced cylindrical portion 29 which is provided at the upper edge with an outwardly extending horizontal supporting flange 30 upon which the intermediate section 2 of the .casing is supported. The cap 3 is provided at the bottom with an outwardly extending annular flange 3| which is arranged upon the marginal portion of the circular intermediate member 2.

The sections of the casing are designed to be bolted together similar to the sections of the aforesaid application, the bolts being omitted in zhe present case for the convenience of illustraion. 4

The circular intermediate section 2 which is preferably hollow, as clearly illustrated in Fig 1 of the drawings, is provided with a central opening 32 from which depends an annulai fiange'33. The annular flange 33 is provided at'the top with a horizontal flange 34 forming an abutment for the upper bearings of the central vertical shaft. The upper bearings 35 which may be of any preferred construction but which are designed to be of the form illustrated in the aforesaid application are arranged within the depending annular flange of the intermediate section 2 which caps the upper end of the central vertical shaft.

The rotary centrifugal basket 13 consists of a laterally tapered circular body portion and upper and lower

circular plates

36 and 31 provided at their peripheries with

marginal flanges

38 and 39 within which fit the upper and lower edges of the body portion of the centrifugal basket. The body portion of the centrifugal basket is provided with an annular series of normally closed sludge ports 40 which after the sludge has been dewatered are adapted to be uncovered for permitting the dewatered sludge to be expelled from the centrifugal basket through centrifugal force while the basket is rotating at high speed. The centrally arranged annular series of sludge ports 40 are located opposite the annular inlet mouth of the sludge receiving mouth 1 of the body portion of the casing, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and the laterally tapered body of the basket forms upper and lower inclined portions 4! and 42 which converge towards the sludge discharge ports 40 and which are adapted to direct the sludge to the said ports 40 for insuring a complete cleaning of the centrifugal basket under the influence of centrifugal force exerted through the rotation 'of the basket at high speed.

The sludge discharge ports are normally closed by a valve 43 to provide in effect imperforate side walls for the rotary basket. The valve consists of a smooth vertically arranged cylinder surrounding the rotary basket and normally extending in a vertical direction'across the annular series of sludge discharge ports 40 and across the annular inlet of the sludge passage 7 of the lower section of the casing.

The centrifugal basket is provided at the top and bottom of the series of sludge discharge ports with exteriorly arranged horizontal annular flanges 44 constituting projecting lips which closely contact and rotate within the cylindrical valve. These flanges cooperate with the cylindrical valve in forming a tight closure at the sludge discharge ports to prevent leakage of-sludge and effluent.

The sludgedischarge valve is provided at its upper edge with an inwardly extending horizontal flange 45 which is received between spaced projecting lugs 46 of heads 41 of a plurality of piston rods 48 carried by and depending from the supporting section 2 of thecasing of the machine. The supporting section 2 is provided at a plurality of points with guide openings 49 for the reception of the piston rods 48. The supporting sec tion 2 is provided at the guide openings with depending annular bosses 50 surrounding the guide openings and constituting extensions of the guid ing means. The upper ends of the p ston rods extend into vertical cylinders 5L formed integral with the supporting section 2 of the casing and receiving pistons 52 suitably connected to the upper ends of the piston rods. The supporting section 2 of the casing is provided at the upper ends of the cylinders 5| with-cylinder heads 53 which cap the upper ends of the' cylinders and which form supports for an upper pipe line 54. A lower pipe line 55 is connected with a port 56 which communicates with the lower end of each cylinder.

The pipe lines which communicate with the lower and upper ends of each cylinder are adapted to permit fluid pressure of any desired character to be introduced into and exhausted from the cylinders for actuating the pistons to raise and lower the'cylindrical valve 43. The cylindrical valve 43 may be either carried by the basket in the rotation thereof or be separate from the centrifugal basket which may rotate with respect to the cylindrical valve. The connection between the lower ends of the pistons and the cylindrical valve will admit of either arrangement and operation of the cylindrical valve. Any number of the cylinders and pistons may, of course, be provided and any suitable means may be employed for simultaneously admitting fluid pressure to the cylinders at one end thereof and for exhausting fluid pressure from the cylinders at the other end for opening and closing the cylindrical valve.

The top plate 36 of the basket is annular and is provided with a. central opening 57 and the bottom plate which has a central opening 58 for the reception of the central vertical shaft is provided with an upwardly extending tapering hub 59 surrounding and arranged on a lower cylindrical portion 60 of the central vertical shaft 22 and keyed or otherwise fixed to the same. The bottom plate 31 with the exception of the central opening 58 and drain holes hereinafter described, is imperforate and the vertical shaft is provided at the lower end of the cylindrical portion 60 with an annular collar- 6| constituting a seat for the centrifugal basket.

The central vertical shaft 62 is reduced at its upper portion to provide a cylindrical portion upon which is mounted a hub 63 of a combined hollow radial bafile and partition member 64 composed of the said hub 63 and a plurality of hollow radial wings 65 arranged diametrically opposite each other. Any desired number of wings may be employed and the hollow radial bafile member constitutes a partition'and divides the basket into a plurality of compartments.

' The partition or bafiie member 64 extends from the top to the bottom of the centrifugal basket and is provided at each Wing with an outer end wall composed of a central vertical portion 66, upper and lower

inclined portions

61 and 68 which fit the inner face of the side walls of the centrifugal basket, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The central vertical portion 66 is located at the central portion of the side walls of the basket in alignment with the annular series of sludge discharge ports 40. Each wing is also provided with parallel side walls 69 and horizontal top and bottom walls 70 and H which respectively fit against the top and bottom plates of the rotary centrifugal basket.

The walls of each wing form an interior effluent receiving chamber l2 and the vertical side walls 69 are provided with groups of seepage holes 53 which by being distributed over the surfaces of both of the side walls provide relatively large seepage areas for the passage of the effluent from the centrifugal basket through the seepage holes 73 into the hollow wings 65.

The seepage surfaces are in contact with the material being dewatered for the full height of the basket as well as the full depth of the materials subjected to centrifugal separation. holes of each group are located at definite dis tances from one another in order to prevent fibers contained in the sludge from straddling or stapling any two holes and thereby clogging and The the seepage holes. The bottom wall II is provided with an effluent discharge opening 14 which communicates with a passage 15 formed by an opening through the bottom plate 31 of the centrifugal basket and emptying into an annular efliuent trough 16 located below the outer portion of the centrifugal basket, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The effluent trough is formed by the horizontal partition 9, the upper portion of ,the inner wall 5 of the main casing section I andthe ring 11 of cylindrical form arranged vertically and provided at the lower edge with an outwardly extending attaching flange l8 and having at lts upper edge an outwardly extending slightly inclined annular flange 19 which forms a guard or shield to prevent any effluent from flowing over the inner trough wall formed by the ring TI. The ring 11 may be secured to the horizontal partition in any suitable manner and the upper inclined flange which extends upwardly and outwardly from the inner wall of the trough is adapted to prevent any of the effluent flowing over the inner wall and affecting the lower bearing of the central vertical shaft many other of the adjacent parts.

The bottom effiuent outlet formed by the opening 14 and the passage 15 of the bottom plate of the centrifugal basket permits the effluent to flow from the compartment of each wing of the radial baifie member 64 directly into the effluent trough 16.

Each wing of the radial baffle member 64 is also provided with an effluent drain pipe 80 extending through registering openings 8| and 82 in the bottom wall II of the wing and the bottom plate 31 of the centrifugal basket and having its upper portion inclined and secured to the lower inclined portion of the outer end wall of the wing by upper and lower clips 83 or other suitable fastening means. The lower portion 84 of the eflluent discharge pipe 80 extends downwardly and outwardly in a radial direction below the centrifugal a detachable section *;located. at the outer of liquid through the pipe. The upper and lower ends of the efilue'nt drain pipe are open to permit the effluent to flow freely through the said pipe and the lower end of the discharge. pipe 88 extends into the effluent trough-{I6 and discharges into the same adjacent the outer wall thereof, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The effluent in the annular trough I6 maybe treated chemically or otherwise, as desired, ,and it may be removed from the trough by vacuum or any other suitable means.

Each wing 65 of the combined baflie member and portion 64 is provided at one side wall with portion of the wing 65 and adapted when removed to afford access to the interior of the wing 65 and particularly to the drain pipe 80 and to the means ing is an eiiiuent drain pipe 86 designed to extend to any suitable point for the disposal of the effiuent. The upper end of the drain pipe 88 is suitably secured to the lower face of the horizontal partition 9 of the casing and it is arranged within the space enclosed by the substantially annular sludge discharge passage 1 but the drain pipe 86 may be arranged in any other suitable position, as will be readily understood.

The hub 63 of the radial baffle member and partition 64 is keyed or otherwise fixed to the central vertical shaft at the upper reduced cylindrical portion 62 thereof and it is seated upon the shoulder 81 formed by the reduction of the vertical shaft. The radial wings depend from the hub 63 which connects theupper portions of the wings and-the lower portions of the wings are provided below the hub of the baille with inclined faces 88 which fit against the sloping sides of the hub 59 of the bottom plate 31 of the centrifugal basket. The radial baffle and partition member 64 is provided at the inner portion of its wings with vertically arranged sludge feeding passages 89 circular in cross section and provided with flattened lateral enlarged lower outlets 90 which are arranged to deliver the material to be dewatered to the basket at substantially diametrically opposite points on opposite sides of the combined baflle and partition member 64.

When the radial baflle is composed of a pair of wings, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the outlets 90 will be located at one of the side faces of one of the wings and at the opposite side face of the other wing and the outer wall 9| of each outlet 90 is curved both vertically and horizontally so that the material fed to the basket will'be thrown radially into the compartments 92 formed by the combined radial bafile and partition While the radial ballle and partition member. member 64 illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, forms two compartments 92, it will be obvious that the number of wings 65 may be varied and the number of compartments 92 will be correspondingly varied. The upper ends of the said vertical sludge feed passages 89 extend to and communicate with an annular revolving sludge feed trough 93 located at the top of the hub 63 and arranged concentric with the shaft receiving opening 94 thereof and consisting of a horizontal bottom wall and inner and outer concentric walls 95 and The annular sludge feeding trough 93 is formed integral with and connects the upper ends of the radial wings and it is preferably arranged in spaced relation with the body portion of the hub, there being an opening between .the upper portion of the wings at the said space between the hub 63 and the annular sludge feeding trough 93.

The intermediate supporting member 2 of the casing is provided at opposite sides of the central opening 32 with integral vertically disposed feed pipe sections 91 having lower ends 98 projecting from the lower face of the supporting member 2 of the casing and extending into the annular sludge feeding trough 93, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, whereby sludge to be dewatered may be fed to the centrifugal basket while the same is rotating at high speed. The sludge fed to the trough flows through the vertical sludge I feeding passages 89 and into the centrifugal basket without interfering with the rotation of the basket at high speed. The sewage or other material to be dewatered is fed to the centrifugal machine through a main stationary feed pipe 99 and the flow of the material into the machine is controlled by a standard valve I located at the top of the cap section 3 which is provided in its top with a central opening -IOI through which the feed pipe extends. The valve I00 is preferably of the rotary type and in practice it will be autoiatically operated by means similar to that shown and described in the aforesaid application. As any means maybe employed for operating the valve, illustration and description of specific means is deemed unnecessary in the present application.

The feed pipe 99 is provided below the valve I00 with a Y-branch I02 which divides the feed pipe into twin feed portions extending to opposite sides of the machine and. provided with lower vertical portions I03 which are flanged at their lower ends and bolted or otherwise secured to the upper face of the intermediate supporting member 2 of the casing at the integral feed pipe sections 91 thereof. The side branches of the feed pipe are provided at the top with clean out openings I04 which are threaded for the reception of fittings I05 disposed vertically in alignment with the passages of the twin branches of the feed pipe and openings I06 in the top section 3 of the casing of the machine and provided at their upper ends with removable caps I01. The fittings I05 have laterally extending branch pipes I00 adapted to be connected as explained in the aforesaid application with suitable means for ejecting steam, air under pressure, or chemicals into the branches of the feed pipe for mechanical agitation or chemical treatment of the material operated on by the machine. The lateral branch pipes I00 of the clean out fittings I05 extend through the openings I06 in the top section 3 'of the casing of the machine and may be connected with any suitable means for supplying steam, compressed air or chemicals for the treatment of the material.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings is illustrated a modification of the combined hollow radial baffle and partition member and is constructed substantially the same as that heretofore described with the exception that at one of the wings the radial baffle is provided with a short vertical feed passage I09 having a flattened laterally enlarged outlet IIO located at the top of the hub which is provided with an approximately semi-circular horizontally disposed flange I I I which is arranged to distribute the sludge fed by the short feed passage I09 to the upper portion of the centrifugal basket. The feed basket 89 at the other wing of the member 64 is constructedthe same as the feed passages 89 heretofore described and is arranged to feed the sludge to be dewatered to the centrifugal basket at the bottom thereof. The hollow radial baflle and partition member shown in Fig. 5 is adapted to feed material to be dewatered to the basket at different elevations and the hollow bafile portions may have feed passages of any desired length for feeding the sludge to the basket at the desired elevations.

In Fig. 6 of the drawings is illustrated another modification of the centrifugal separating machine in which are upper and lower annular effluent troughs I I2 and H3 to receive eflluent from the rotary centrifugal basket H4 from the top and bottom thereof.

The lower annular eflluent trough is constructed substantially as the efliuent trough I6 heretofore described and is formed by the inner wall I I5 of the sludge discharge passage I l 6 and the cylindrical ring I I! which is of substantially the same construction as that heretofore described. The

- casing of the machine is provided with a lower and outer walls and a connecting bottom portion and the outer wall is provided at the top with an outwardly extending annular flange disposed horizontally and clamped between the lower intermediate section H8 and the upper intermediate section I20 of the casing. The lower intermediate section II8 of the casing and the upper supporting section I20 are bolted together as explained in the aforesaid application, the bolts being omitted in Fig. 6 for convenience of illustration. This provides a detachable construction which permits the separation of the sections of the casing and the removal of the parts as separate units, as illustrated in Fig.2 of the drawings and as fully explained in the aforesaid application.

The rotary centrifugal basket II I consists of a substantially cylindrical body portion having a slight upward taper and imperforate with the exception of an annular series of sludge discharge ports I2I which are normally closed by a cylindrical valve l22 similar to the valved sludge discharge ports heretofore described. The rotary centrifugal basket is provided with an annular top plate I23 provided with seepage means I24 constructed as shown and described in the aforesaid application and comprising radial seepage passages or channels, a seepage plate having seepage holes and a screen which is a seepage means constructed the same as shown and described in the said application. As the particular construction of the seepage means is not specifically claimed in the present application, detail illustration and description thereof are deemed unnecessary. As explained in the said application the seepage is discharged radially and downwardly, as indicated by the diverging lines in Fig. 6 of the drawings, and the liquid discharged at the top of the centrifugal basket is received within the upper efiiuent trough II2 which is provided-with an efiluent drain pipe I25. The effluent drain pipe I25 is arranged horizontally at the upper portion of the intermediate section II8 of the casing of the machine and it communicates with the interior of the efl'luent trough H2 in any suitable manner and is removable from the trough I I2 to permit the removal of the feeding means and the centrifugal basket for servicing purposes in a manner of servicing suggested by Fig. 2.

The sludge discharge ports I2I which are located adjacent the bottom of the centrifugal basket remain closed while the material to be dewatered is fed into the basket and during the purging operation while the sludge is being dewatered. After the purging operation has been completed the cylindrical valve I22 is raised and the sludge is discharged by the "action of centrifugal force through the sludge discharge ports while the centrifugal basket is rotating at high speed. The cylindrical valve I22 which is constructed similar to that heretofore described is raised and lowered by fluid pressure mechanism consisting of a piston I26 operating in a cylinder 127 formed integral with the supporting section I20 of the casing. The piston I26 is provided with a piston rod I28 having a head I29 at its lower end provided with spaced lugs I 30 receiving between them the outwardly extending flange I 3I of the cylindrical valve. Any number of cylinders and pistons for raising and lowering the valve I22 may be provided and the fluid pressure is admitted to and exhausted from the cylinder I2'I by means of pipes I38 and I39.

The pipe I38 is connected with the upper end of the cylinder I21 in a. manner heretofore explained andthe pipe I39 which is located at the upper face of the supporting section I20 of the casing communicates with a passage I30 leading to the lower end of the cylinder and adapted to enable fluid pressure to be introduced into and removed from the cylinder at the lower end thereof. The pipe connections with the ends of the cylinder may, of course, be arranged in any other desired manner, and any suitable means may be provided for controlling the admission or exhaust of fluid pressure from the cylinder to open and close the valve I22.

The inclined side walls of the rotary centrifugal basket are adapted during the cleaning Operation to direct the dewatered sludge toward the annular series of sludge discharge ports so that the rotary basket may be thoroughly cleaned while rotating at high speed. The centrifugal basket in the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6 of the drawings is divided into a plurality of compartments by a combined hollow radialbaflie and partition member .I3I constructed substantially the same as the radial baflles heretofore described with the exception that the outer end wall I32 conforms to the configuration of the side walls of the basket, being composed of a lower, vertical portion and an upper inclined portion, the lower vertical portion being located in alignment with the annular series of horizontal sludge discharge ports I2I.

The lower end wall I33 of the hollow radial wing is provided with an outlet I34 coinciding with a drain opening I35 in the bottom plate of the centrifugal basket. The openings I34 and I35 form a drain passage which communicates with the lower annular eflluent trough H3 and permits free discharge of liquid from the hollow wing of the radial baffle. The effluent discharge pipe of the first form described is preferably omitted in this form of the invention as the seepage means afforded by the top plate of the basket and the drain opening at the bottom of the wings of the radial partition will be found ample for the discharge of the liquid separated from the material by the centrifugal action of the rotary basket.

In the operation of the machine the sludge to be dewatered is fed to the rotary centrifugal basket while the latter is traveling at high speed and after a predetermined quantity of material is delivered to the centrifugal basket the valve may be closed. The sludge is then dewatered through the centrifugal action of the rotary basket while the latter is traveling at high speed and after the material has been purged of liquid to the desired degree and the liquid drained or discharged from the rotary basket the valve controlling the sludge discharge ports is opened and the centrifugal basket is automatically cleaned while rotating at high speed through the centrifugal action of the machine on the dewatered sludge contained within the basket. After the basket is cleaned the sludge discharge ports are closed by the valve and the cycle of operation is readily cleaned by compressed air, steam or the like, and if desired the sludge or other material to be dewatered may be treated chemically or with air or steam as it is fed into the machine and the effluent and the sludge discharged from the rotary basket may be readily treated and dis- ,posed of as required or desired.

The hollow radial bafiles which may beof any desired number, and which divide or separate the centrifugal rotary basket into a plurality of. separate compartments, afford means for increasing the seepage area over that obtainable by providing seepage means in the top plate of the basket and the radial baffle members may be used with or without the top seepage plate. The radial baflle members-which are fixed with relation to the rotary basket and which may, if desired, constitute an integral part thereof, are removable with the basket, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The baille members not only divide the basket into separate compartments but effectually prevent coasting or spinning of the material subjected to the centrifugal action of the machine and efiectuallyprevent the centrifugal basket and the material within the basket from rotating at different speeds. Also the radial baffle member wings prevent the turbulen ce which would result from indiscriminately spinning of concentric rings of material of different densities and by maintaining the speed of the material within the basket at the same speed as the basket misalignment of the machine, unavoidable vibration and deflection of the shaft, etc., will not affect the separating effect of the centrifugal force operating on the material through the rotation of the basket.

While the radial baffle wings may be varied in size and form it is preferable that they extend the full length of the basket from the top to the bottom thereof and be of a width at least as deep as the final cake resulting from the dewatering of the material.

What is claimed is:

l. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a combined trough and seepage means confined within the basket and rotatable therewith, and a fixed feed pipe to feed material to the trough, the trough having communication with the interior of the basket and the seepage means having an outlet extending through a wall of the basket.

2. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket for the separation of liquids from solids and a combined trough and seepage means confined within the basket and rotatable therewith and the seepage. means having communication with the interior of the basket to receive effluent from the latter, the trough having communication with the interior of the basket to deliver the material to be separated thereto, the seepage means having an outlet extending from the interior of the basket exteriorly thereof.

3. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a hollow seepage means located within the basket and connected with said shaft to rotate with the basket and extending substantially centrally of the basket from side to side of the latter, dividing the basket into separate compartments, the seepage means having communication with said compartments and having outlets extending exteriorly of the basket.

4. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on 75 ing communication with said compartments and having outlets extending exteriorly of the basket, and also having vertical passages extending therethrough from top to bottom to deliver material to the basket, and means communicating with said passages to deliver the material for separation to the basket.

5. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a hollow seepage means confined within the basket and connected to said shaft for rotation with the basket to drain liquids from the basket into the hollow seepage means during rotation of the basket, the seepage means having communication with the interior of the basket and also having an outlet extending exteriorly of the basket, and separate means communicating with and leading from the interior of the seepage means and extending exteriorly beyond the basket for inducing a steady flow of liquids by centrifugal action from the basket through the seepage means.

6. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a combined hollow seepage means and baille located within the basket and communicating therewith and connected to said shaft for rotation with the basket to drain liquids from the basket into the combined hollow seepage means and baifie during rotation of the basket, the seepage means having an outlet extending from and through the bottom of the basket, and a tubular outlet extending from the interior of the seepage means and bafiie at a point above the bottom thereof and adjacent the side wall of the basket to and through the bottom of the basket and beyond the latter to induce a steady flow of liquids by centrifugal action from the seepage means.

7. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a hollow seepage means confined within the basket and communicating with the interior thereof and connected to said shaft for rotation with the basket to drain liquids from the basket into the hollow seepage means during rotation of the basket, and an effluent open ended unobstructed tubular member having its inlet end located within the hollow seepage means above the bottom of the latter and its outer outlet end arranged exteriorly of the basket and beyond the latter to effect a discharge of the efliuent from the seepage means, said tubular efiluent discharge member having its outlet located at a greater distance from the center of rotation of the basket than the inlet end thereof to effect a steady discharge of the effluent from the seepage means.

8. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a hollow seepage means confined within the basket and communicating with the interior thereof and connected to said shaft for rotation with the basket to drain liquids from the basket into the hollow seepage means during rotation of the basket, and an effluent open ended unobstructed tubular member having its inlet end located within the hollow seepage means above the bottom of the latter and its outer outlet end arranged exteriorly of the basket and beyond the latter to effect a discharge of the efiiuent from the seepage means, said tubular eflluent discharge member having its outlet located at a greater distance from the center of rotation of the basket than the inlet end thereof to effect a steady discharge of the effiuent from the seepage means, the seepage means also having an efiluent discharge opening adjacent said tubular member and discharging efiluent independently of the latter.

9. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a hollow seepage means located within the basket and connected with said shaft to rotate with the basket and extending substantially centrally of the basket from side to side of the latter, dividing the basket into separate compartments, the seepage means having communication with said compartments and having outlets extending exteriorly of the basket, and also having vertical passages extending therethrough from top to bottom to deliver material to the basket, said passages having their lower ends opening on opposite sides of the hollow seepage means into the respective compartments, and means communicating with said passages to deliver the material for separation to the basket.

10. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a hollow seepage means located within the basket and connected with said shaft to rotate with the basket and excompartments, one passage opening at a higher 0 elevation than the other passage.

11. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a hollow seepage means located within the basket and connected with said shaft to rotate with the basket and extending substantially centrally of the basket from side to side of the latter, dividing the basket into separate compartments, the seepage means having communication with said compartments and having outlets extending exteriorly of the basket, and also having vertical passages extending therethrough from top to bottom to deliver material to the basket, said passages having their lower ends extending beyond opposite sides of the hollow seepage means and flared and, opening in the direction of the side walls of the basket to deliver the materials to the separate compartments, and means communicating with said passages to deliver the material for separation to the basket.

12. In a centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, including a shaft on which the basket is mounted, of a combined seepage and baille member including a hub for connection with said shaft for rotation with the basket and having oppositely disposed hollow wings extending from said hub to the side walls of the basket and provided with seepage for connection with said shaft for rotation with y the basket and having oppositely disposed hollow wings extending from said hub to the side walls of the basket and provided with seepage holes to receive liquids from the basket, said combined member having open-ended material feeding passages extending through the same between the hub and the hollow seepage wings and at the discharge ends opening on opposite sides of said combined member, each hollow wing having a drain outlet.

14. The combination in a centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket mounted on a vertical shaft and operable to separate liquids from solids incident to centrifugal action, of a member including a hub secured to the vertical shaft of the basket and oppositely disposed hollow wings extending from the hub and of a vertical length substantially the same as the vertical dimension of the basket, a trough carried by the hub between said wings and having communication with the interior of the basket, the side walls of each of the wings having spaced groups of seepage holes therein establishing communication between the interior of the basket and the hollow wings for passage of separated liquids from the basket into said wings during rotation of the basket, a fixed material feeding means for the supply of the material to be separated to said trough, and means for rotating the basket, the hollow wings having drainage outlets leading through a wall of the basket to convey liquids from the interior of the wings during rotation of the basket.

15. A rotary centrifugal machine including a rotary centrifugal basket having imperforate top and side walls, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, and a seepage means confined within the basket including a hub secured to said shaft and hollow wings connected to the hub at 165A centrifugal separating machine includ ing a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a seepage means confined within the basket and secured to said shaft and including a casing extending from the shaft radially with its outer end terminating adjacent the side wall of the basket and provided with an interior chamber, the casing having holes therein to establish communication between the interior of the basket and said chamber for the seepage of liquids from the basket into said cham- I her as the liquids are separated from the solids during rotation of the basket, means for rotating the basket, and means for feeding material to the basket for the separation of liquids from the solids leading from said chamber through a wall of the basket.

17,. A centrifugal separating machine for dewatering sludges including a rotary centrifugal basket wherein centrifugal separation will cause materials of varying specific gravity to assume concentric circles, a stationary feed pipe for feeding the material into the machine, a baflle arranged within and rotating with the basket and comprising a hub portion having a circular trough arranged to receive the material from the stationary feed pipe and radial wings dividing the basket into compartments and contacting with the material subjected to centrifugal separation for causing the material to rotate at the same speed as the centrifugal basket, said bafile being provided with feed passages extending from the circular trough and arranged to discharge the material into the basket at a'plurality of points, and seepage means for permitting seepage of liquid from the basket.

18. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket wherein centrifugal separation will cause materials of varying specific gravity to assume concentric circles, a central vertical shaft upon which the basket is mounted, a

stationary feed pipe for feeding the material into i the machine, and a baille arranged within and rotating with the basket and comprising a hub mounted on the said shaft and provided with a circular trough into which the stationary feed pipe extends for discharging the material into the trough and hollow radial wings dividing the basket into a plurality of compartments and contacting with the material subjected to centrifugal separation for causing the material to rotate at the same speed as the basket, said wings being provided with seepage holes for permitting seepage of liquid from the basket, and the said baffle being provided at the inner portions of the said wings with feed passages extending downwardly from the trough and having their lower ends arranged to discharge the material into the basket at different points.

19. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket wherein centrifugal separation will cause materials of varying specific gravity to assume concentric'circles, a central vertical shaft upon which the basket is mounted, a stationary feed pipe for feeding the material into the machine, and a battle arranged within and rotating with the basket and comprising a hub mounted on the said shaft and provided with a circular trough into which the stationary feed pipe extends for discharging the material into the trough and hollow radial "wings dividing the basket into a plurality of compartments and contacting with the material subjected to centrifugal separation for causing the material to rotate at the same speed as the basket, said wings being provided with seepage holes for permitting seepage of liquid from the basket, and the said baffle being provided at the inner portions of the said Wings with feed passages extending downwardly from the trough and having outlets at their lower ends provided with curved deflecting walls arranged to cause the material to be thrown into the basket.

20. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft upon which the basket is mounted, a stationary feed pipe for feeding material into the machine, and a baflle mounted on the shaft and rotating with the basket and arranged within the latter, said battle comprising a central hub provided with a circular trough arranged to receive the material from the stationary feed pipe and a plurality of radial wings dividing the basket into a plurality of compartments and contacting with the material subjected to centrifugal separation for causing the material to rotate at the same speed as the basket, said bafiie being provided at the inner portion of the wings with passages extending downwardly from the trough and arranged to discharge the material into the basket, one of the passages being arranged to deliver material to the bottom of the basket and the other passage having an outlet located at the upper portion of the basket, and an approximately horizontal flange arranged concentric with the shaft and located beneath the outlet at the upper portion of the basket for directing the material into the basket.

21. A centrifugal separating machine including a casing, a rotary centrifugal basket mounted in the casing and provided at its top with seepage means arranged to discharge liquid radially of the basket, a trough arranged within the easing adjacent the upper portion of the basket to receive liquids discharged from the seepage means at the top of the basket, a member arranged within and rotatable with the basket and provided with a hollow portion from which lead seepage holes to establish communication between the hollow portion of said member and the interior of the basket .for permitting seepage of liquids from the basket into the hollow portion of said member, said hollow portion being provided at the bottom with a drain, and a lower trough arranged interiorly of the casing under the basket to receive eiliuent from the bottom. drain of said hollow portion of said member.

22. A centrifugal separating machine including a casing composed of separable sections, a rotary centrifugal basket rotatably mounted in one of the sections of the casing, a seepage means located in the basket, the basket having a plurality of sludge openings in its side walls, and a valve member supported from one of the sections to normally close said openings and the valve.

member being removable with the supporting sec-, tion therefor as a unit for servicing purposes, the basket and the seepage means confined*therein being removable from its enclosing casing section as a unit for servicing purposes.

23. A centrifugal separating machine including a casing composed of separable sections, including a base section and an intermediate section, a rotary centrifugal basket removably mounted in the base section and having sludge discharge openings therein, a combined trough and seepage means confined within the basket and rotatable therewith, the seepage means having an outlet extending through a wall of the basket and the trough having communication with the interior of the basket, and a valve member supported from the intermediate casing section for normally closing said sludge discharge openings and operable to uncover the latter to permit of discharge of sludge through said openings incident to centrifugal action, the said intermediate section and valve member being removable as a unit from cooperative relation with the basket, the basket and the combined seepage means and trough confined therein being removable as a unit from the base section.

24. A centrifugal separating machine including a sectional demountable casing, a rotary centrifugal basket mounted within the casing and provided with an annular series of normally closed vertically disposed sludge discharge openings in the side walls thereof, a cylindrical valve located within the casing for controlling the sludge discharge openings, a plurality of cylinders located in one of the casing sections above the valve, pistons operating in the cylinders and provided with depending piston rods operable in the respective cylinders between the upper portion of the basket and the casing for raising and lowering the cylindrical valve vertically so as to open and close the sludge discharge openings, and means for introducing fluid pressure into and exhausting the same from the said cylinders for actuating the pistons.

25. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a combined trough and hollow seepage means constituting a unit and confined within the basket and rotatable therewith, means for feeding material to said trough, the latter having communication with the interior of the basket to deliver material to be separated to the latter, the seepage means having communication with the interior of the hasket to receive efiluent from the latter, means for rotating the basket to separate the liquids from the solids, the basket having openings in its side walls for the discharge of separated solids, a valve normally closing the solids discharge openings during the separation and discharge of liquids from the basket through said hollow seepage means, and means for operating said valve to permit of the discharge of solids through said solids discharge openings by centrifugal action after separation of the liquids from the solids.

26. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket operable to separate liquids from solids incident to centrifugal action, a combined seepage means and bafile confined within the basket and rotatable therewith and communicating with the interior of the basket and having a liquid discharge outlet at the bottom of the basket, the basket having sludge discharge openings in the side walls thereof above said liquid discharge outlet for discharge of sludge by centrifugal action above the discharge of the liquids, means normally closing the sludge outlets during separation of the liquids from the solids incident to rotation of the basket, and means for operating said closing' means to shift same from operative and inoperative positions with relation to the sludge discharge openlugs.

27. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket operable to separate liquids from solids incident to centrifugal action, seepage means at the top of the basket leading from the interior thereof to the exterior of the basket for the discharge of liquids at the top of the basket, a combined seepage means and balile confined within the basket and communicating with the interior of the latter and having a liquid discharge outlet at the bottom of the basket, the basket having sludge discharge openings in the side walls thereof between the first mentioned seepage means and the liquid discharge outlet of the combined seepage means and bafile for the discharge of sludge under the influence of rotation of the basket, means normally closing said sludge outlets during separation of liquids from solids incident to rotation of the basket, and means for operating the last mentioned means to open and close the sludge outlets.

28. A centrifugal separating machine including a sectional casing composed of a base section, an intermediate section having vertical passages therein, and a top section, all sections being detachably connected together, a rotary centrifugal basket mounted in the base section, a vertical shaft in the casing on which the basket is mounted, a combined trough and seepage means confined within the basket, the trough having communication with the passages in said intermediate section and the trough having communication with the interior of the basket and the seepage means having communication with the interior of the basket and having a discharge outlet leading from the basket, 2. gear on the lower end of said shaft placeable in position and removable from operative position together with the shaft, basket and combined trough and seepage means to and from operative position as a unit for servicing purposes, the basket having sludge discharge openings, a valve, for normally closing the sludge discharge openings, means carried by said intermediate casing section for supporting said valve, means mounted on said intermediate section for operating said valve to open and close said sludge discharge openings, means mounted on said intermediate section and communicating with said passages of the intermediate section for the feed of material through said trough to the basket, said intermediate section and the top section and the valve and the feeding means carried by the intermediate section being placeable and removable from operative position as a unit for servicing purposes.

29. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a shaft on which the basket is secured, a member located within the basket and extending entirely across the interior thereof including a hub secured to said shaft and hollow end portions on opposite sides of said hub having holes therein establishing communication between the interior of the basket and said hollow portions, said hub and hollow end portions constituting a partition and baffles, means for supplying material to the basket on opposite sides of said member, said hollow portions having outlets leading from the interior of the basket for discharge of liquids from the basket through the hollow portions and their outlets, said basket also having a plurality of sludge discharge openings, means for normally closing said sludge discharge openings, and means for moving said closure means from over said openings whereby upon rotation of the basket the sludge therein is ejected'therefrom by centrifugal action through the sludge discharge openings.

30. A centrifugal separating machine including a casing, a rotary centrifugal basket mounted within the casing, a stationary feed pipe adapted to feed material into the machine and provided with means for subjecting the material to the action of chemicals, steam and air under pressure and for also introducing steam and air for cleaning the machine, a rotary centrifugal basket mounted within the casing and a baiile arranged within and revolving with the basket and provided with a circular trough into which the stationary feed pipe extends, said baiile being provided with ahollow wing arranged radially of the basket and having seepage holes, the baflle being also provided with a feed passage communicating with and extending from the circular trough and arranged to discharge the integral therewith, and a plurality of radial wings 7 formed integral with the hub and the circular trough and provided with eccentrically arranged feed passages communicating with the circular trough, said wings being hollow and provided with seepage holes and having outlets leading from the interior of the hollow wings.

32. A centrifugal separating machine including an approximately cylindrical casing comprising a main section constituting the body of the casing and provided with a base and having inner and outer concentric walls forming a substantialy annular sludge discharge passage and having an annular inlet opening at the top thereof, said main section being provided with a horizontal partition dividing the interior of the casing into an upper basket receiving compartment and a lower open space and having a central bearing receiving opening, and an upper supporting section located above the main section, a rotary centrifugal basket arranged within the said compartment, a shaft carrying the basket and extending through the same and supported at its lower end in the bearing receiving opening of the partition and at its upper end held against lateral movement'by the supporting section of the casing, a motor mounted on the base adjacent the bottom of the basket and means located in the said lower space of the casing for operatively connecting the motor with the lower end of the basket carrying shaft.

33. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a combined partition and chambered seepage means secured to said basket and extending entirely across the basket to definitely divide the latter into separate compartments, the combined partition and chambered seepage means being of a height substantially the same as the vertical dimension of the basket and having the bottom thereof located directly on the bottom of the basket to prevent dewatered solids on the inner face of the side walls of each of the compartments from intermingling with the dewatered solids on the walls of the other compartment, said chambered seepage means having communication with the separate compartments, means for supplying material to be dewatered to said compartments, one independently of the other and at the bottom of the basket, the bottom wall of the chambered seepage means and the bottom wall of the basket being provided with registering openings to provide a drain outlet at the bottoms of the seepage means and basket so as to drain liquids from the basket for the full height of the basket. v

34. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, a vertical shaft on which the basket is mounted, a combined partition and chambered seepage means secured to said basket and extending entirely across the basket to definitely divide the latter into separate compartments, the combined partition and chambered seepage means being of a height substantially the same as the vertical dimension of the basket and having the bottom thereof located directly on the bottom of the basket to prevent dewatered solids on the inner face of the side walls of each of the compartments from intermingling with the dewatered solids on the walls of the other compartment, said chambered seepage means having communication with the separate compartments, means for supplying material to be dewatered to said compartments, one independently of the other and at the bottom of other tecptge means at the top of the basket leading from the interior of said compartments to remove liquids from within the wall of solids lying circumferentially of the side walls of the basket on opposite sides of said combined partition and seepage means.

35 A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, means for mounting the basket for rotation, a hollow seepage means confined within the basket for rotation with the basket to drain liquids from the basket into the hollow seepage means during rotation of the basket, the seepage means having communication with the interior of the basket and also having an outlet extending exteriorly of the basket, and separate means communicating with and leading from the interior of the seepage means from above said outlet and extending exteriorly beyond the basket for inducing a steady flow of liquids by centrifugal action from the basket through the seepage means.

36. A centrifugal separating machine including a rotary centrifugal basket, means for rotatably mounting the basket, a hollow seepage means located within the basket having communication with the interior of the basket and having an outlet extending exteriorly of the basket andalso having a passage extending therethrough to deliver material to the basket,'and means communicating with said passage to deliver the material for separation to the basket.

JOSEPH S. PECKER.