US2232770A - Centrifugal machine - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 25, 1941. w U D G 2,232,770

CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE Filed July 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Feb. 25, 1941. w. BUDDEBERG CENTRIFUGAL MACHINE Filed July 23, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORN EYS Patented Feb. 25, 1941 g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,"

2.232.770 I osnrarrucsr. mscnma Walter Buddeberg, Bavensb'urg, Germany, as-

signor to Albert T. Otto & Sons, Inc., New York,

N. Y., a corporation of New York 1 Application July as, less. Serial No. 220.987 In Germany February 25, 1938 V 8 Claims.

liquid content. For substances which are not readily filtrable and the structure of which must not be damaged, such for example, as cellulose, staple fibre, or sandy material, a peeleror scraper is not suitable for removing the solids. far as I am aware, no suitable automatically operating centrifugal machine has heretofore been made available to the industry and adapted for large outputs.

The present invention involves a new type of centrifugal machine designed for large outputs and in which disadvantages resulting from the use of prior types of machines are avoided. The present invention involves a simple and inexpensive construction, particularly for treating materials, the structure of which must not be destroyed during discharge and which cannot be easily removed by a peeler or scraper member.

In carrying out my invention I employ a horizontally disposed centrifugal drum which is mounted in suitable bearings solely at one end of the drum, and provided with an axially movable back plate, piston, or end wall, the operating or pressure cylinder for which is spaced from the centrifugal drum by one of the main bearings of the machine. The main mass of the rotating parts is so disposed that the center of gravity of the machine when the drum is filled, as well as when the discharge plate is in discharge position, is disposed as nearly as possible to the main bearing of the machine. Due to the fact that the power cylinder for the backplate is disposed outside of the centrifuging space and separated from the centrifugal drum, there is little or no liability of the motive fluid such as pressure oil used in the power cylinder from coming in contact with the batch being treated. By means of my novel construction, complicated and expensive packings are avoided. Due to the disposition of the parts, one may easily gain access to all partsof the drum. By disposing the 'drum and the power cylinder uponopposite sides of the main bearing, there is obtained a more tion through an apparatus embodying my invenuniform loading. The cylinder acts to a certain extent as a counterweight to the drum whereby balanced and quiet running is attained. I

As one feature of the invention. one of the main bearings of the machine serves as the means 5 for admitting the pressure fluid to opposite sides of the piston in the power cylinder. as another feature, the power cylinder is constructed to serve as a brake drum for the machine. As a further feature, the ejector piston or back wall 10 of the drum is provided with a ring or annular end wall which serves as a cover section to partially close the opposite end of the drum during centrifugi and which is moved axially away from the drum to permit discharge of the 15 material during axial movement of the end wall or piston.

As a further feature this annular ring or end wall is conical so as to substantially increase the volume oi the material which may be held in 20 the drum without excessively increasing the length of the drum.

Other important features involve the construction and arrangement of the packing for the piston operating rod, the arrangement of perfora- 5 tions permitting discharge of material which may enter the space in the rear of the piston or discharging end wall, the arrangement of means whereby rinsing liquid may be circulated through the space in the rear of the. discharging wall, 30 the'arrangement of a labyrinth packing for separating the liquid and solid receiving chambers,

and various other features and novel parts which will be apparent from an inspection of the accompanying drawings or will be hereinafter de- 35 scribed and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a central, vertical, longitudinal section;

Figure 2 is a similar section showing certain parts of different form and certain parts in side elevation; and

Figures 3 and 4 are longitudinal sections through other types of ejector members which may be employed. v

\ In the construction illustrated in Figure 1, there is provided a drum or basket having a. peripheral wall III which is perforated, porous, or otherwise formed to permit the passage of the separated liquid therethrough. The drum has an end wall Ii for carrying theperipheral. wall .andmounted on and secured to a hollow shaft i2 mountedin the main hearing it. The end wall II is preferably somewhat conical so'55 that the peripheral wall is brought as close as conveniently possible to the main hearing it.

On the opposite side of the bearing is the hollow shaft II is connected to or made integral with a power cylinder ll coaxial with the drum and having its opposite end wall or head ll provided with a shaft extension ll mounted in a suitable bearing II.

Within the power cylinder I4 is a piston ll mounted on a piston rod II which extends through the hollow shaft i! into the drum and also extends into the hollow shaft II. The hollow shaft II has two annular chambers II and I! on opposite sides of a bearing portion II and provided with openings communicating with annular grooves 28 and 24 respectively in the bearing II. The end of the piston rod II has a central passage fl communicating with ports at the opposite side of the piston II and the chamber It opens in the end of the cylinder so that when pressure fluid is delivered through a passage II, it may flow to one side of the piston and when delivered through a separate passage 21, it may flow to the opposite side of the piston. Any suitable means may be provided for controlling the flow of pressure fluid to and from the cylinder to cause the continuous or intermittent reciprocation of the piston, and such means may be interconnected to the valve or other means controlling the inflow of material to be treated so that the supply will be shut off during dieohartinl oper tion.

The piston rod I! at the end thereof extending into the centrifuging drum is connected to an end wall 28 which serves as a piston or an ejecting means for solid material in the drum. This may be conical and substantially conform in shape to the end wall I l.

The periphery of the end wall 28 engages with and is guided by the peripheral wall I. of the drum but no rigid bearing is provided for the piston rod it between the power piston II and the ejecting piston or end wall I]. The passage through the hollow shaft i2 is somewhat larger than the exterior of the rod I! so that the rod is not guided thereby and resilient packings I! and it are provided at the ends of the annular space between the hollow shaft i2 and the piston is so as to prevent flow ofpressure fluid through the hollow shaft but they do not rigidly support the piston rod.

The drum is provided with an annular ring end plate or cover section ll spaced from the end wall 28 to a distance substantially equal to the length of the peripheral wall ill and connected to said end wall by a plurality of ribs II. The ring 3| has an outside diameter slightly larger than the drum l0 so that when the end wall 28 is moved inwardly to closed position to permit fllling of the drum, the ring or end wall 3| will flrmly contact a gasket or packing a on the end of the drum.

The drum is inclosed by a casing having one section which encircles the drum and serves to receive liquid passing through the peripheral wall of the latter. which liquid may drain from the casing through an outlet 36. The casing has a second chamber or compartment 31 beyond the end of the drum and into which the solid material is pushed by the endwise movement of the plate 28 so that the solid material may be delivered to a separate outlet 3|. The two chambers of the casing may be separated by a wall or partition which preferably has a labyrinth packing 39 between its inner edge and the pelivered throne riphery of the drum at the free end of the latter so that the drum does not actually contact the casing but movement of liq id from the chamber II into the chamber TI is eflectively prevented.

The ring ii is preferably-conical. that is, its innerfrseedgeisextendedawayfromtheend wall ll.andthepistonrod llpreferablycarries anannulardiscllspacedfromthemovableend wall II. The material to the end wall of the between the outer inner edge of the ring 0 The disc ll serves as a terial falling between the axially-movable end wall and the.disc or splash plate 4. will be preventedfrom splashing out upon impact with the rotath'l flrtl;

The drum may be driven in any suitable manner, for instance, by a source of power connected tothe end llofthe shaft II, or byabelt or gear engaging the p riphery of the power cylinder ll. Preferably the power cylinder serves as a brake drum and is provided with a brake band 43 which may be tightened to stop the rotation of the drum when desired.

The peripheral wall ll of the drum is provided with a series of openings 4| which are close to the end wall If and through which any liquid flowing into the intermediate space between the walls II and fl may escape into the chamber II. Such liquid may be that which flnds its way between the periphery of the piston wall fl and the peripheral wall I. or may be power liquid which flnds its way past the peckings II and SI.

Means are provided for rinsing out this intermediate space and washing out any solid material which may in the course of time accumulate therein, either by crystallization from the liquid or in any other manner. The end wall Ii is shown as provided with an inwardly directed flange 40 on the outer side and forming an annular inwardly facing channel 41 which communicates with the intermediate space between the walls 28 and II through a series of ports 48. Liquid may be delivered into the annular channel in any suitable manner as, for instance, through a nozzle 4!. Thus, when it is desired to wash out the intermediate space, llquid may be delivered through the nozzle ll into the channel 41 where it will be retained by centrifugal force and discharged radially through the ports ll into the intermediate space. When thermachine is at rest any liquid in said intermediate space will drain out through the port ll which happens to come at the lower side of the drum.

Athough it is desirable that the drum be supported solely at one end it may be desirable in some cases to support the piston rod I! at a point beyond the drum and independently thereof. In Figure 2 I have shown the piston rod ll extended through the chamber 31 and supported in a bearing II. In this case the disc a corresponding to the disc 40 of Figure 1 is made conical and deflected away from the end wall It so as to increase the capacity of the chamber and provide a conical funnel from the intake pipe ll. In addition to its function as a funnel or conical deflector. it serves as does the disc II to prevent outflow of any liquid delivered by the intake pipe II and before the liquid has been acted upon and separated by the action of centrifugal force. I have shown the pipe I enteringabove the disc ll in Figure l and below the disc I inFigure 2. The position of this intake pipe is relatively unimportant.

In Figures 3 and 4, two alternative forms of the axially movable parts within the'drum are shown. In Figure 3, the end wall He is shown as provided with a series of ports II spaced inwardly from the outer edge. These are desirable in the treatment of certain classes of materials where the solids form a rather dense mass through which the liquid can percolate but slowly under the action of centrifugal force. The solids will accumulate at the periphery of the body of rotating material and the liquid nearest to the axis of rotation may be comparatively free of solids. This liquid cleared from solids by the radial settling due to action of centrifugal force may in part escape or overflow through the ports Ill. Thus, the material may be delivered through the inlet pipe II at a higher rate than the liquid portion can escape through the solid material accumulating against the drum wall and excess cleared liquid may escape while the added solid material accumulates on the bed of the solid material already in the drum; In this construction, the annular ring or end wall Sin is shown as having its inner edge coming much closer to the axis of rotation and the disc shown in Figure 1 may be omitted. This end wall Ila serves as a conical distributor in the manner described and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 205,894, filed May 4, 1938. Certain of the features herein disclosed in regard to the actuating mechanism of the piston are claimed in my copending appllcation. Serial No. 209,009, filed May 20, 1938.

In the construction shown in Figure 4, the axial movable end wall I lb may be providedwith a series of perforations 5| adJacent to the outer edge and of substantially the same character as the perforations in the peripheral wall of the drum itself so that the flltering or separation may be done in part in the end wall and in part in the peripheral wall of the drum. In this construction I have shown an annular ring or end wall 3i substantially the same as in Figure 1 but have provided said wall with a conical entrance funnel or deflector 52 connected to the end wall Si by brackets or spacers 54. Thus, when the material is delivered through the pipe I close to the inner edgeof the cone 52 it will fall only a short distance onto the inner end of the funnel and then travel radially outwardly and toward the end wall I lb without such severe impact as might break solid crystals or other solid bodiescarried 'in the liquid to be treated. So far as this part is concerned the result will be substantially the same as is accomplished by making the end wall II extend inwardlv merely to the intake pipe as shown in Figure 3, but in Figure 4 the material is delivered to the rotating mass midway between the ends of the latter.

Having thus de cribed my invention, what I claim as new an desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A centrifugal machine having a main bearing, a horizontally disposed hollow shaft supported thereby and projecting in opposite directions therefrom, a power cylinder coaxial with and connected to said shaft at one end and having its body portion serving as a brake drum. a centrifugal drum connected to said shaft at the opposite'end, a rod extending axially through said shaft, a piston within said cylinder and connected to said rod, an end wall within said centrifugal drum and connected to said rod, means forvdelivering motive fluid to said cylinder at either side of said piston to move said endwall axially within said centrifugal drum and a brake drum encircling said cylinder, whereby the cylinder acts as apart of the means for rotating the drum, acts as a part of the means for controlling the speed of the drum, and acts as a part of the means for effecting axial movement of said end wall.

2. A centrifugal machine. including a. separating drum mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis having an end wall-and a perforated peripheral wall, a piston within said drum for pushing solid material axially, said end wall having an annular channel on its outer surface and facing inward radially, passages connecting said channel and the space between said piston and said end wall, and means for delivering liquid to said channel. a

3. A centrifugal machine including a drum mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis having an end wall and a perforated p r pheral wall, and a piston within said drum axially movable to discharge material from the end ofthe drum, said piston having an annular portion ad- Jacent to the periphery provided with liquid discharge perforations, exposed during centrifugingaction to an annular layer of separatedliquid disposed on the inner periphery of the separated layer of solids, and extending substantially the full effective centrifuging length of the drum, whereby said liquid will overflow through said perforations during centrifuging.

v4. A centrifugal machine including a separating drum mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis having an end wall and a perforated peripheral wall, a piston axially movable within said drum, and an annular closure for one end of said drum and rigidly connected to said piston, said piston having overflow openings therethrough to the space between the piston and said endwall and spaced from the periphery of the piston to a distance less than the radial width of said annular closure.

5. A centrifugal machine including a separating drum mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis having a perforated peripheral wall and an end wall, a piston axiallymovable within said drum, and having a central portion extending across the axis of said drum, a splash plate secured to and axially spaced from said of said drum, and means'for delivering material to the druni between the piston and the splash plate.

6. A centrifugal machine including a separating drum mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis having a perforated peripheral wall and an end wall, a piston axially movable within said drum, and having a central portion extending across the axis of said drum, a splash plate secured to and axially spaced from said piston, and extending across the axial portion of said drum, and means for delivering material to the drum' between the piston and the splash plate, said piston having an axial annular portion'flared in one direction and said splash plate being flared in the opposite direction from the axis of rotation of the drum.

7..A centrifugal machine including a separating drum mounted for' rotation about a horizontal axis having an end wall and a perforated peripheral wall,'a piston mounted for axial movement within said drum for discharging the cenpiston, and'extending across the axial portion (rem drum in: diecherglnz the centrifuged end 1mm leld drum. on ennuler end wall a end of all! drum oppoelte said first end e 0! all lpeeedtromeeldpleton. means rigto eeld ennuler end well and said 5 smaller oteeidtunnele-ndbemnendmeenleerrledhymd ennular end tween aid tunnel end laid piston. well for directing inoomin: materiel toward the 8. A eentrlmal machine including a drum periphery ot the drum and approximately midmounted for rotetlon about e horizontal axis :31 between said piston and eeid annular end WALTER BUDDEBERG.

m 23in: en end well and e perforated peripheral a piston mounted for axial movement with-

Images