US2280617A

US2280617A - Moisture determining apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2280617A
Application number: US309802A
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard T Bell
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1939-12-18
Filing date: 1939-12-18
Publication date: 1942-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 1959-04-21

Description

R. T. BELL 2,280,617 MOISTURE DETERMINING APPARQTUE Fil ed Dec. 18. 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l x INVENTORI RIF-BELL FIGJ Q BY a%m V5 ATTORNE S Patented Apr. 21, 194-2 TES FFECE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for determining the bulk specific gravities of saturated surface dry material and the moisture content of any known quantity of moist material such as sand, gravel, coal, pulp, ore concentrates, grain, etc.

According to one feature of this invention, the moisture content of a sample of moist material is determined by a method which consists in placing in a test Vessel a quantity of moist material of a known weight, adding a given volume or known weight of water to the moist material so that the combined volume of the two will cause the water to reach a certain level in the gauge glass in the neck of the test vessel.

Another feature of my invention is to provide an adjustable apparatus for determining the moisture content of any known quantity of moist material.

Other features of this invention will be more readily understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig 1 is a front sectional view of the apparatus embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, this view show- 7 Fig. 6 is a plan view of the apparatus disclosed in Fig. 1.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, 5 designates a receptacle having lug portions 5 on either side at the top. Clamping bolts 1, provided with thumb screws 8, are hingedly mounted in lugs 6 for securing lid 9 to the top of the receptacle 5. A circular groove I0 is provided in the top of the receptacle 5 and a washer II is mounted therein which seals against the face of the lid 9 adjacent the receptacle 5. The lid 9 is provided with a circular neck portion I2 which is cut away at the front and rear as indicated at I3 and I4. The neck portion l2, therefore, forms two side walls which support a gauge glass I5. The gauge glass 55 rests on a ledge I5 within an opening IT in the lid 9 and is preferably cemented to the ledge IS.

The right side of the neck I2 is provided with a calibrated plate I8 which carries specific gravity index markings. The plate I8 may be fastened at any portion throughout the length of the front face of the neck I2 when the vessel is calibrated. Over the neck 12 is placed a slide or cursor I9 which is adjustably positioned on the neck I2 by set screw 26. The cursor I9 is provided with circular bands at top and bottom, the side walls defining front and rear vision openings corresponding with the openings I3 and Id of neck l2, and slides over the plate l8. A moisture percentage indexed plate 2I is secured to the left hand front face of the cursor 99 between the top and bottom circular bands.

As shown in Fig. 4, the moisture percentage indexed plate 2| may be provided with an extension plate 25 which is folded as indicated at 25, the extension plate 26 being curved to fit around the left hand side wall of the cursor I9. The plate 2G is provided with specific gravity readings and a transparent spring clip marker 26 or other suitable means is slidably mounted on the cursor The method of operation is as follows: First, for bulk specific gravity (saturated surface-dry basis), the flask or test vessel is used as an ordinary specific gravity flask, i. e., a quantityof known weight of saturated surface dry material is placed in the lower portion of the test vessel 5;,

the cover or lid 9 and neck I2 which are in one piece is then placed in position and the thumb screws 8 tightened to prevent leakage. A known weight or volume of water is then poured into' Bulk specific gravity saturated surface dry basis The bulk specific gravity, on the weight of saturated surface dry aggregate, shall be calculated from the following formula, I

Bulk specific gravity= E where B=weight in grams of surface dry saturated sam ple in air Y C=weight in grams of surface dry saturated sample in water. 7

Cubic inches X C where A=weight of water B=specific gravity l=l cubic foot of water weighing 62.415 lbs, at 3 centigrade C=1728 cubic inches in 1 cubic foot.

Substituting values for a four pound weight of water,

i X1728=110.742 cubic inches, the volume of 4 lbs. of water.

For computing the volume for materials of various specific gravities the following formula is used,

Cubic inches== where D=110.'742 E=specific gravity.

Substituting values for specific gravity 2.0

=55.371 cubic inches the volume of a 4 lb. sample of material with a specific gravity of 2.0.

weight containing various percentages of moisture, the following formula is used:

Aggregate X D cubic inches Water g-X D cubic inches where A:the amount of dry aggregate in sample B=the amount of water in sample C=62.415 lbs. the weight of 1 cubic ft. of water D=1728 cubic inches E=the specific gravity of the material under test.

Substituting figures Cubic Inches 3. 6364 Material X 1728 50. 337

0.3636 Water 1728 10. 067

Total 60. 404 Add two lbs. water 55. 371

Total in test vessel ll5. 775

In the present instance the specific gravity index plate I8 is shown graduated in terms of The range of specific gravities required are com- Cu. ins. 4 lb. sample of material specific gravity 2.0 55.371 2 lb. water added 55.371

In test vessel 110.742

To ascertain the amount of water present in moist sand or other material of known bulk specific gravity, a sample of definite weight is placed in the lower portion of the test vessel, and a known weight or volume of water is added thereto. The cursor I9 is then adjusted until the zero mark on plate 2| coincides with the graduation mark on plate l8 representing the specific gravity of such material when free of moisture. The height to which the water rises in tube I5 is then read off on plate 2| and represents that difierence between the bulk of the dry material and the moist material which is due to the amount of moisture present in the moist material, the plate 2| being graduated in terms of the percentage of moisture in the material.

Having established the total volumes for the various bulk specific gravities incidental to the gravel, sand and other concrete aggregates, i. e. from 2.5 to 2.9 to arrive at the total volume of dry aggregate and water in a sample of a known specific gravities ranging between 2.5 and 2.9 since, in actual practice, few, if any, concrete aggregates have specific gravities below or above these figures. The moisture percentage index plate 2| is graduated in terms of moisture percentages ranging from 1 to 12 percent.

If greater exactitude is required use is made of the auxiliary specific gravity index scale carried by the extension plate 24. The gauge glass I5 is correct for specific gravity reading of 2.64 which is the average specific gravity for commercial purposes. However, if the specific gravity of the substance should be, for example, 3.0 and the moisture content was indicated as 10% by readcontent would be 9.4% at S. G. 3.

ing along the marker 26 to the line indicated at a specific gravity of 3, the exact moisture percentage could be determined. For instance, instead of being 10% at S. G. 2.64 the moisture It will readily be seen therefore that exact moisture percentages can be determined for any of the specific gravities between 2.6 and 3.0. It is obvious that, the plate 24 may be provided with a much wider range of specific gravity readings.

Another modification would be to provide separate gauge plates I8 for each and every specific gravity.

Instead of the openings provided in the side walls of the cursor [9, these side walls may be made transparent.

' Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. Apparatus for determining the bulk specific gravities of saturated surface dry materials and the moisture content of moist materials of known specific gravity comprising a receptacle provided with a cover having a tubular member extending upwardly therefrom, said tubular member J surrounding an opening formed in said cover and being provided with a sight opening, a transparent gauge tube arranged in said tubular member and communicating with the interior of said receptacle, an index plate secured to said tubular member at one side of said sight opening, said index plate being graduated in terms of specific gravity, a cursor slidably mounted on said tubular member for movement longitudinally thereof, and a second gauge or index plate carried by said cursor, said second gauge plate being graduated in terms of moisture content.

2. Apparatus for determining the bulk specific gravities of saturated surface dry materials and the moisture content of moist materials of known specific gravity comprising a receptacle provided with a cover, a transparent gauge tube rising from and rigidly secured to said cover, said tube being in communication with the interior of said receptacle, a calibrated index plate secured in a fixed position and extending along a portion of the gauge tube, said index plate being graduated in terms of specific gravity so that, when a quantity of known weight of saturated surface dry material is placed in the receptacle along with a known weight or volume of water, the bulk specific gravity of said material may be read directly from said index plate as the function of the height to which the water rises in the vessel, a cursor slidably adjustable along the length of the gauge tube and a second index plate fixed to travel with said cursor, said second index plate being graduated in terms of moisture content and being calibrated so that when a measured quantity of moist material, whose specific gravity is known or has been ascertained by the use of the first mentioned index plate, is placed in the vessel along with a known Weight or quantity of water, the moisture content of said moist material may be determined by adjusting the cursor until the zero mark on the second mentioned index plate coincides with that graduation mark on the first mentioned plate which represents the specific gravity of such material when free of moisture, the moisture content of said material being then readable on the second index plate at the level to which the water rises in said vessel. 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 including an auxiliary specific gravity index plate attached to said cursor and an auxiliary cursor slidably mounted on said first mentioned cursor to facilitate the reading of said auxiliary gravity index plate, said auxiliary index plate and said auxiliary cursor being used when the approximate specific gravity readings of the first mentioned specific gravity index plate are not sufliciently accurate.

RICHARD T. BELL.