US2105094A - Apparatus for and the method of treating fibrous waste for journal box use - Google Patents

Description

1938- E. s. PEARCE 2,105,094.

h APPARATUS FORAND THE METHOD OF TREATING FIBROUS WASTE FOR JOURNAL BOX USE Filed Jan. 22, 1934 2 Sheqts-Sheet l FIGr-l INVENTOR EDWIN s. PEARCE ATTORNEYS Jan. 11, 1938. E. s. PEARCE APPARATUS FOR AND THE METHOD OF TREATING FI BROUS WASTE FOR JOURNAL BOX USE Filed Jan. 22, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FlG.-2

INVENTOR EDWIN S. PEARCE ATTORNEYS produced, said fragments being known as lint.

Patented Jan. 11, 1938 APPARATUS FOR. AND THE METHOD or TREATING muons WASTE non. 10m

' NAL Box, USE

Edwin's. Pearce, Indianapolis, Ind.,' assignor to Railway Service & Supply Corporation, Indianapolis, Ind., a corporation of Indiana Application January 22, 1934, Serial No. 707,698

16 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for and the method of treating fibrous waste for journal box use,the invention relating to the treatment of both new waste and old waste.

,In the manufacture of waste and in'the use of waste, very small fragments of the wool or cotton fibres of which the waste is made are The presence of this lint in waste materially reduces its effectiveness as a carrier of lubricating oil, andits removal is therefore highly desirable if not actually essential. Likewise, in both new and used waste, particularly in the latter, there is usually more or less moisture,

" the presence of which in waste is highly objec-' tionable because of its emulsion-forming properties. Furthermore, old waste contains more or less dirt, cinders, bits of ,metal, etc., as the result of its use in journal boxes, and more or less,

dirty journal oil in a more or less viscous state. It is therefore quite essentiahin the proper treatment of new waste, to remove therefromthe lint and moisture thereof, and in the proper treatment of used waste, to remove therefrom its lint, moisture, dirt, bits of metal, etc., and

as much of its dirty oil as possible.

The present invention therefore has for its general object the provision of an improved apparatus for and an improved method of treating such fibrous waste, both new and old, to

effectively and efliciently remove therefrom substantially all of its objectionable content, including lint, moisture, dirt, bits ofmetal, etc and dirty oil.

A more specific object ofv the present invention is the provision of improved waste treating apparatusin the form of a single simple and inexpensive machine, with which are performed all of the steps of the present improved method, said method requiring for its performance a minimum handling of the waste and minimum amounts of time and labor.

Further objects of the present invention are in part obvious and in part will appear more in detail hereinafter. The invention will be readily understood from the following description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical sectional view of the machine constituting the present improved waste treating apparatus, the waste-receiving container of said machine being shown in its lowered, rotatable position; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said machine, with a part of the casing thereof broken away to show said wastereceiving container in its raised, non-rotatable position; and Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view of the operator-controlled mechanism for .efiecting raising and lowering of said wastereceiving container, the plane of said view being at right angles to the plane of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of the invention here illustrated, l represents the generally cylindrical casing of the machine, said casing being mounted upon suitable legs H to providespace therebeneath for a part'of the hereinafter described spindle rotating means. with the exception of a bottom liquid-discharge opening i2,.with-which communicates a valve-controlled discharge pipe l3, said casing is of imperforate character and therefore capable of receiving and holding av treating liquid, such as lubricating oil. To heat the treating liquid supplied thereto and/or to maintain said liquid in a heated condition, said casing is preferably provided with suitable heating means, the means here shown comprising steam coils l6 suitably arranged around the inner surface of said container.

' Centrally mounted in the base of said casing is a suitable bearing assembly 20, in which is rotatably mounted a vertically disposed .spindle 22. On the lower end portion of said spindle, which end projects below the bearing assembly 20 and the base of said casing, is suitably secureda pulley adapted to be driven, through the instrumentality of one or more belts (not shown), by an electric motor or other suitable power means (also not shown).

just above the bearing assembly 20, is secured a suitable screw propeller 21, said propeller belng secured to said spindle for rotation therewith at all times. Suitably mounted on the upper end portion of said spindle, which end portion lies within the casing i0, is a' generally cylindrical waste-receiving basket or container, said container being so mounted on said spindle that it rotates therewith only when actually connected thereto. For effecting such connection of said container to said spindle, suitably operator-controlled meansis provided, the construction. of which will be later described. I

The waste-receiving container here shown in cludes a perforated bottomwali {I and a perfo-' rated side or peripheral wall 3|, the perforations of said walls being in the form of relatively small, closely spaced apertures through which .may freely pass the oil or other treating liquid,

and all objectionable content of the waste transferred thereto, such as lint, dirt, bits of metal, etc. Suitably mounted in a centrally disposed opening 32, with which the container bottom wall 30 is provided, is a vertically disposed hub portion 34, the elongated chamber of which constitutes a suitable socket for the reception of the upper end portion of the spindle 22, as shown.

The cover of this waste-receiving container is in two parts, there being a marginal portion 36, of annular form and of imperforate character, welded or otherwise suitably secured to the upper edge portion of the container side wall 3|, and a central portion 31, of circular form and of perforate character, bolted or otherwise suitably secured at 40 in spaced relation to an lmperforate cover 42 with which the casing I0 is provided, said casing cover being hingedly mounted so that it may be readily swung upwardly to one side during loading and unloading of the container with waste and during the step of supplying the casing ill with a treating liquid.

, The means for detachably connecting the waste-receiving'container to the spindle 22, for r rotation therewith, may be of any suitable form. As hereshown, said means includes a vertically disposed eccentricdisc 45 carried by and rotatable between a pair of apertured ears 45 with which the upper end of the hub portion 34 of said container is provided, such mounting of said disc being effected by means of a cross pin 41 extending through and suitably secured to said disc, such as by a set screw 48, and having its projecting end portions extending through the apertures of said ears.

By connecting said disc to the spindle 22, a connection here-effected by the use of a locking screw 50, as shown in Fig. 1, the waste-receiving container is caused to rotate with said spindle, as will be readily understood. To disconnect said disc from said spindle, and thereby permit said container to remain stationary during rotation of said spindle, it is merely necessary to withdraw said locking screw from its threaded connection with said spindle, as likewise will be readily understood. I Suitably mounted on the upper end of said spindle 2'2, such as in a marginally disposed annular groove, is a suitable thrust bearing 54, on which said eccentric disc 45 rests when disconnected from said spindle, as shown in Fig. 2. During such periods of disconnection, the lookng screw 50 of said disc lies within a diametrically disposed passageway with which said disc is provided, said locking screw being prevented from escaping from said passageway by a suitable washer-like abutment 56 secured at the outer end of the enlarged portion of said passage-.

way, as shown.

The function of the propeller 21, as will later appear, is to eflfect a forcible passage of two treating mediums up through the perforated bottom wall 30 of the waste-receiving container and thence upwardly through the waste therein. In practicing the present method, hereinafter more fully described, hot lubricating oil is first forcibly passed upwardly through said waste, with gon-' sequent agitation thereof. and transfer to said oil-of an appreciable portion of the objectionable content of said waste. After removal of said oil and the objectionable content of the waste transferred thereto, currents of heated air are passed upwardly through said waste, the elect of which is to'open up the waste fibres, etc., and to vaporize any moisture remaining in the waste.

To assist the propeller 21 in effecting such passage of lubricating oil and air upwardly through the perforated bottom wall 30 of said container and thence through the waste therein, a suitable bailie plate 60 is provided for cooperation with said propeller. As here shown, said baiiie plate is of generally inverted, frusto-conical shape, being arranged in surrounding relation relative to said propeller and having its upper enlarged end portion suitably secured to two or more circumferentially disposed brackets 62 with which the casing III is provided. The opening at the lower and smaller end of said baflie plate has a diameter slightly less than that of the propeller 21, and the opening at the upper and larger end of said baflle plate has a diameter slightly greater than that of the waste-receiving container, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

To prevent the passage of oil and air. as the result of rotation of the propeller 21, upwardly through the annular space 64 between the lower end of the container sidewall 3| and the upper end of the baille plate 60, said lower end of said container side wall and said upper end of said baflle plate are provided with cooperating annular sealing strips 55, inter-engagement of which is efiected by upward movement of said container. To efl'ect such upward container movement, it is merely necessary to turn the eccentric disc 45 ninety degrees, from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 2, and this may be conveniently accomplished by imparting the desired rotary movement to either one of the two projecting ends of the cross pin 41, which pin is secured to said eccentric disc by the set screw 48.

As here shown, each of the two projecting ends of said cross pin 41 is provided with a suitable socket 61 to removably receive a hex wrench or the like, by the use of which the desired rotary movement can be readily imparted to said pin. In a similar manner, the head of the locking screw 50 is provided, with a suitable wrenchreceiving socket 68, to enable said screw to be readily moved inwardly or outwardly, depending upon whether it is to be connected to the spindle 22 or disconnected therefrom.

When the waste-receiving container is in its,

raised position, as shown in Fig. 2, it is free of operative connection with the spindle 22 and therefore does not rotate therewith. This is the position of said container during the steps of and the upper end of .the baflle plate 60 is securely closed by the inter-engaging sealing strips 65, so that the oil and the air forced upwardly by rotation of the propeller 21 are compelled to pass through the perforated bottom wall 20 of the waste-receiving container and thence upwardly through the waste therein.

Inasmuch as the propeller 21 recirculates the oil through said waste, the extent of such recirculation depending upon the condition of cleanlines of the waste being treated, it is quite advisable to remove from the circulating oil as rapidly as possible and as much as possible of the objectionable content of the waste transferred thereto. Although the lint transferred to the oil cannot be removed therefrom by filtering means, as

. nular perforatedfilter plate is horizontally arranged at the upper end of the waste-receiving container, in bridging or spanning relation relative to the annular space 12' between the side wall of the waste-receiving container and the side wall of the surrounding casing Ill. As here shown, said plate is mouhtedupon suitable circumferentially disposed brackets 14 with'which said casing is provided, and bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the inner edge portion of said plate is an annular sealing strip 16 for yieldingly engaging the container cover portion 36 when said container is in raised positiomas shown in Fig. 2. v

In practicing the improved method of the present application, the casing I0 is supplied with, proper quantity of lubricating oil, either new 0 or reclaimedoil, and preferaly in a heated condition, the oil being supplied to said casing by the use of any suitable means, such as a supply hose or the-like. The casing is preferably filled with oil to a point just below the brackets 14 on Y which is mounted the filter screen 10, and if the oil delivered to the casing is in an unheated condition, suflicient time should be given the steam coils l6 to effect proper heating of said oil before treatment of the waste therewith begins. Usually, the oil delivered to the casing III is in a heated condition and the steam pipes l6 there: fore function merely as a means for maintaining the oil in, such condition.

.After supplying the casing with lubricating oil, and with said 011- in a heated condition, the

waste to be treated is placed in the container provided therefor, said container being in its raised position, as shown in Fig. 2, and hence being free of operative connection with the spindle 22.

The next step in the present improved method is to-eilect rotation of the propeller 21, and this is accomplished by rotating the spindle 22 on which said propeller is rigidly mounted. Such rotation of said propeller effects a forcible passage of said hot lubricating oil upwardly through the perforated bottom wall 30 of said container and thence upwardly through the waste therein, said waste being violently agitated in said oil, with consequent transfer to said oil of an appreciable portion of the objectionable content of said waste. Due to the use of the sealing strips 5 and the baiiie plate 60, all of the oil forced upwardly by rotation of the propeller 21, is compelled to pass through said container and hence through the waste therein, as will be readily understood. After passing upwardly through said container and said waste, the oil flows out-- wardly onto the filter screen 10, which screen collects an appreciable portion of the dirt, cinders, bits of metal, etc., transferred-to said oil from the waste. The filtered oil passes down through said screen into the annular space 58 between the container and easing side walls and thence back into the bottom of the casing and such circulation of said oil, effected by rotation of the propeller 21, is continued as long as desired, the condition of cleanliness of the waste largely determining the duration of this oil flushing operation.

, The next step in the present improved method, after stopping the rotation of thespindle 22 and hence that of the propeller 21, is to effect the l3 to a storage reservoir, an oil reclamation plant or to any other device or apparatus, as desired.

After removal of such oil from the casing ill, the operator lowers the waste-receiving container and by the use of the screw 50 operatively connects it to the spindle 22 for rotation therewith. Rotation of said spindle is then effected, with consequent rotation of the waste container and the discharge from said waste of a very appreciable portion of thetreating oil therein, the oil removed from said waste flowing out of the casing in through the outlet opening l2 and the discharge pipe l3.

After such removal from said waste of as much as possible of said treating liquid, the waste is subjected to the drying and resiliency-restoring effects of heated air currents. the method, the waste container is freed of its operative connection with said'spindle 22 and is raised by means of the eccentric disc 45 to the position shown in Fig. 2. Rotation of the spincontainer, said waste may be pulled down therefrom so that the passage of the air therethrough can be moreeffective. v

It is to be understood, of course, that the oil and air treating steps may be. repeated, if desired, the'advisability of so doing depending upon the condition of the waste being treated. Like: wise, the waste may be treated, before being removed from the present apparatus, with other mediums than the two here mentioned.

a If desired, the waste may be supplied with a proper quantity of lubricating oil, for journal box use, before being removedfrom the present apparatus, said oil being added to' they waste, either while said container is stationary or while it is rotating.

Further features and advantages of the present improved apparatus and the present improved method will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which it relates.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste for journal box use, comprising a casing for receiving and holding a treating liquid, means within said casing for heating theliquid therein, a perforated rotatable container mounted in said casing for receiving and-holding the waste to be treated, means in said casing and outside of said container for effecting a forcible passage of said treating liquid through said container and hence through'said waste, with consequent transfer. to said liquid of at least some of the objectionable content of said waste, means for effecting the removal from said casing of the major portion of said treating liquid, and means for rotating said container to remove from saidwaste an appreciable portion of the treating liquid therein.

2. Apparatus for treating fibrous wastefor journal box use, comprising at ca for receiv- For this part of said casing of the major portion of said treating liquid, and means for rotating said container to remove from said waste an appreciable portion of the treating liquid therein.

3. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste for journal box use, comprising a casing for receiving and holding a treating liquid, a rotatable container mounted in said casing'for receiving and holding the waste to be treated having a bottom wall perforated throughout substantially its entire area, means arranged below said container bottom wall for effecting a forcible passage of said treating liquid upwardly through substantially the entire perforated area thereof and thence through said waste, with consequent transfer to said liquid of at least some of the objectionable content of said waste, means for effecting the removal from said casing of the major portion of said treating liquid, and means for rotating said container to remove from said waste an appreciable portion of the treating liquid therein.

4. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste for journal box use, comprising a normally imperforate casing, a waste-receiving container arranged within. said casing and having a, perforated bottom wall, propeller means arrangedwithin said casingbeneath said container for effecting a forcible passage of a treating fluid through said perforated container wall and thence through the waste in said container, and a generally annular baiile plate carried by said casing and cooperating with said propeller means in effecting such forcible fluid passage through said container and said waste, the opening of said baifle plate at the upper end thereof being of greater cross dimensional f size than said container.

5. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste, for journal box use, comprising a casing for receiving and holding a treating liquid, a waste-receiving container rotatably mounted in said casing and having a perforated bottom wall, means arranged within said casing, beneath said container, for effecting a circulation of said treating liquid through said perforated container wall and thence through the waste in said container, and means within said casing for subjecting said liquid to a cleansing effect during such circulation.

6. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste for journal box use, comprising a casing for receiving and holding a treating liquid, a waste-receivingcontainer rotatably mounted in said casing and having aperforated bottom wall, means ariii ranged within said casing, beneath said container, for effecting a circulation of said treating liquid through said perforated container'wall and thence through the waste in said container, and filter means arranged between said container and said casing for' subjecting said liquid to a cleansing effect during such-circulation.

'7. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste. for journal box use, comprising a liquid receiving casing, a waste-receiving container arranged within said casing and having a perforated bot.-'

' therein.

tom wall, propeller means arranged in said casing beneath said container for effecting a forcible passage of said liquid through said perforated container wall and'thence through said waste, operator-controlled means for lowering and raising said container to respectively connect and disconnect said container to a rotating means, and means engaged by said container when the latter is in its raised position and said propeller means is in operation for subjecting said liquid to a cleansing effect and for exerting a controlling effect upon the direction of flow of said liquid.

8. The method of treating fibrous waste for journal box use, comprising the step of placing the waste to be treated in a perforated container arranged in a liquid-containing casing; the step of thereafter effecting, while said container is stationary in said casing, a forcible passage of said treating liquid upwardly throughout substantially the entire area of the bottom wall of said container and hence through said waste therein;

the step of thereafter removing from said casing,

while said container is stationary therein, at least the major portion of said treating liquids; and the step of thereafter rotating said container in said casing to effect the removal from said waste of an appreciable portion of the treating liquid 9. The method of treating fibrous waste for journal box use, comprising the step of placing the waste to be treated in a perforated container mounted in a liquid-containing casing; the step of thereafter effecting, while said container is stationary in said casing, a forcible passage of said treating liquid upwardly throughout substantially the entire area of the bottom wall of said container and hence through said waste; the step of thereafter removing from said casing, while' said container is stationary therein, at least the major portion of said treating liquid; the step of thereafter rotating said container in said casing to effect the removal from said waste of an appreciable portion of the treating liquid therein; andthe step of thereafter effecting, while said container is in said casing and while said waste is not subjected to an appreciable packing or compressing eifect, the forcible passage of air upwardly through said container and hence through said waste.

10. Apparatus for treating the fibrous waste for journal box use, comprising a casing for receiving and holding a treating liquid, a perforated container mounted in said casing for receiving and holding the waste to be treated, means for moving said container in said casing between an upper stationary position and a lower rotatable position, a perforated cover for said container engaged thereby when said container .is in its .upper stationary position, means for effecting, ,when said container is in its upper stationary position, a forcible passage of the treating liquid in said casing through said container and thence through saidwaste, with consequent transfer to said liquid of at least some of the objectionable content of said waste,means for enabling the major portion of said treating liquid to be removed from said casing, and means for eflecting rotation of said container, when it is in its lower rotatable position, to remove from said waste an appreciable portion of the treating liquid therein.

11. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste for journal box use, comprising a casing for receiving and holding a treating liquid, an .imperforate cover for said casing. a perforated container mounted in said casing for receiving and holding the waste to be treated, means for moving said container in said casing between an upper stationary position and a lower rotatable position, a perforated cover for said container carried by said casing cover and engaged by said container when said container is in its upper stationary position, means for efiecting, when said container is in its upper stationary position, a forcible passage of the treating liquid in said casing through said container and thence through said waste, with consequent transfer to said liquid of at least some of the objectionable content of said waste, means for enablingthe major portion of said treating liquid to be removed from said casing, and means for effecting rotation of said container, when it is in its lower rotatable position, to remove from said waste an appreciable portion of the treating liquid therein.

12. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste for' journal box use, comprising a casing for receiving and holding a treating liquid, a vertically disposed spindle structure rotatably mounted in said casing, a perforated waste receiving container loosely mounted on said spindle structure in said casing, and means for releasably connecting said container to said spindle structure for rotation therewith, said means including a vertically disposed rotatable disc eccentrically mounted on said container and adapted to be releasably connected to said spindle structure, the eccentric mounting of said disc enabling said container to be raised and lowered relative to said spindle by rotary movement of said disc.

13. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste f r journal box use, comprising a generally cylindrical casing for receiving and holding a treat ing liquid, a generally cylindrical perforated container mounted in said casing for receiving and holdingthe waste to be treated, said container being of such size that a generally annularspace is provided between the side wall thereof and the side wall of said casing, means for vertically moving said container in said casing between an upper position and a lower position, means for rotating said container when it is in its lower position, means for effecting a flow of liquid in I said casing when said container is in its upper position; and liquid bafilemeans in said annular space for en agement by said container when said container is in its upper position, with consequent restriction of the flow of treating liquid through said annular space when said container is in its upper position. v

14. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste for journalbox use, comprising a generally cylindrical casing for receiving and holding a treating liquid, a generally cylindrical perforated container mounted in said casing for receiving and holding the waste to be treated, said container being of such size that a generally annular space is provided between the side wall thereof and-the side wall of said casing, means for vertically moving said container in said casing between an upper position and a lower position, means for rotating said container when it is in its lower position, means for effecting a flow of liquid in said casingwhen said container is in its upper position, and upper and lower liquid baille means in said annular space for engagement respectively with the upper and lower ends 'of said container when said container is in its upper position, with consequent restriction of the how of liquid through said annular space when said container is in itsupper position.

15. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste for journal box use, comprising a casing for receiving and holding a treating liquid, a container mounted in said casing for receiving and hold ing the waste to be treated, said container hav-' ing a perforated bottom wallland being of such size that a generally annular space is provided between the side wall thereof and the side wall for effecting when said container is in its upper position, a forcible passage of said liquid upwardly through the perforated bottom wall of said container and through the waste therein, a generally annular deflector surrounding said last named means and cooperating therewith in effecting the forcible passage of said liquid through the perforated bottom wall of said container, said deflector being of such size at its upper end that a generally annular space is provided between said end and said container, and liquid baffle means carried by said deflector upper end for bafliing the space between said end and said container when said container is in its upper position.

16. Apparatus for treating fibrous waste for journal box use, comprising a casing for receiving and holding a treating oil, a perforated con- 'side wall of said container being spaced from the side wall of said casing with the consequent provision of an annular space therebetween, means arranged within said casing below said container for efiecting a flow of such oil through and around said container and through the waste therein, and heating coils for said treating oil arranged in vertical series in the annular space between the side walls of said casing and said container, with consequent restriction of the flow of oil through such space and the eflective heating of such oil, thereby insuring suflicient mobility of such oil to enable it to properly flow through the waste in such container. EDWIN S. PEARCE.

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