US2301350A

US2301350A - Pneumatic conveyer

Info

Publication number: US2301350A
Application number: US421586A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph E Whitfield
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1941-12-04
Filing date: 1941-12-04
Publication date: 1942-11-10
Anticipated expiration: 1959-11-10

Description

Noi 10, 1942. J; E wHrrFlELD 2,301,350

PNEUMATIC CONVEYER 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 4. 1941 Nov. 10, 1942'.` J. wT-nTFn-:|...r.k 2,361,350

PNEUMATIC CONVEYER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo'. 4, '1941 lNvENToR ATTORNEY 4 sheets-sheet 5 lNv NT R BY f A'roRNEY Nov. 10, 1942.

Filed Dec. 4, 1941 Patented Nev. 10,1942 l UNITEDl STATES PATENT oFFlcE PNEUMATIC coNvEYER 'y Joseph E. Whitfield, Hamilton, Ohio application December 4, 1941, serial 1510.421586 (C1. 3oz- 23) 9 claims.

'I'his invention relates generally to uid current conveyers and more particularly to apparatus for by-passing the blower in a combined suction and pressure pneumatic conveyer.

This invention may be advantageously employed for conveying granular material, such as cereals, wools, articial and natural, and other materials that may be pneumatically transported. Y

The principal object of this invention is the provision of apparatus for by-passing the material being conveyed around the fan or blower represents an outer cylindrical casing oi the bypass member which is provided with the legs 2 supporting the same. The head 3 at one end of the cylindrical casing I is formed integral therewith, while the other end of the cylindrical casing is provided with the removable head 4. The

heads

3 and 4 each carry the bearing structures 5 without cracking, breaking, or otherwise disturb-4 Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. v

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a modied form of the structure comprising this invention, wherein the conveying medium follows a circuitous path through the apparatus.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view of the blower suction connection of the by-pass apparatus.

Fig. 6 is a View of the blower pressure connection of the by-pass apparatus.

Fig. 7 is an interior view of a yportion of the annular wall of the rotary by-pass member.

Fig. 8I is a sectional isometric View with parts lbroken away illustrating the annular portion of the rotary by-pass member.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation partly broken away of one of the spokes of the rotary by-pass member.

Fig. l0 is an end elevation of the spokes illustrated in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is a view in horizontal section of the spokes illustrated in Fig.9.

Fig. P12 is a top plan view showing an end plate of the rotary by-pass member.

aligned with the axial center of the cylindrical casing l.

A shaft 6 is rotatably supported between the bearing structures 5 and has secured thereto the cylindrical rotary by-pass member l which is made up in an outer cylindrical wall 8 connected with the hub 9 by means of the radial partitions or spokes I0 forming the triangular shaped pockets II.

The ends of the cylindrical member 'I are provided with the opposed radially disposed flanges 'l2 and I3, thereby partially closing the pockets.

I I in forming the triangularly shaped openings I4. An annular plate I5 has openings I'I matching the openings I4 of the end of the cylinder 'I and is provided with a central opening to receive -the shaft 6 an-d is arranged to be secured to the right end of the cylindrical member 1 to clamp the screen mesh I6 therebetween.

The

heads

3 and 4 are provided with upper andv lower aligned circular openings. The upper Y left hand opening is arranged to receive the conduit I8 which conducts the air and material being conveyed to the pockets Ii of the cylindrical member 'I as they become 'aligned therewith. The 'air travels directly through the pockets II out through the conduit I9 to the suction side of the blower as illustrated by the direction of the arrows in Fig. 1. The grain or other material being conveyed is arrested by the screen I6 and thus falls to the portion of the pocket near the l hub.

As the cylindrical member 'I is rotated the loaded pockets in turn are transferred to the lower portion of the casing I wherein they are inverted and register with the lower aligned openings in the

heads

3 and 4. The air then returns through the pipe 20 from the pressure side of the blower and travels through the screen I6,rcleaning any of the material that may be lying thereagainst and conveying the .material from the pocket outthrough the conduit 2| to the place where it is to be transported.

When'the pockets II are successively brought into registration with the openings in the upper portion of the

heads

3 and 4 they become filled or partially filled and carry the inert material Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, I 55 to the lower section of the casing' I where the rotary member 1 is rotated at a relatively high rate of speed and the pockets Il are only partially lled. However if the material. does not have the tendency of clogging, the cylindrical member 1 may be rotated at a relatively low rate of speed and each of the pockets may thereby be filled to a greater degree.

Referring to Figs. 3 to 12 inclusive, the cylindrical casing member 22 of the conveyer by-pass apparatus is arranged to stand with its axial center in a vertical plane and is closed at the bottom with the head 23 formed integral therewith. The head 24 enclosing the upper end of the cylindrical casing 22 is removably mounted thereon. An inlet opening 25 is provided in the removable head 24 for conducting the air and the material being conveyed into the interior of the by-pass apparatus. The casing 22 is provided with a rectangularly shaped manifold 26 for collecting and discharging the air through the opening 21 to the suction side of the blower. The manifold 26 is located in the side of the casing 22 adjacent the inlet 25 and does not extend to the bottom of the casing. The integral head 23 is provided with the discharge opening 28 disposed on the diagonally opposite side of the device from that of the inlet opening 25 and the casing 22 adjacent thereto is provided with the diagonally disposed manifold 28 having an exterior opening 30 arranged to be connected to the pressure side of theblower for conveying the air to the left side of the by-pass apparatus where it picks up the material being conveyed and carries it through the discharge opening 28 to the place where it is to be deposited.

The

heads

23 and 24 are provided with suitable bearings aligned with the axial center of the casing 23 for rotatably supporting the rotary shaft 3| which carries the rotary separating member 32.

The rotary separating member 32 is made up of the outer cylindrical member 33 which is connected by the radial partitions or spokes 34 with the hub 35 which may be secured to, or formed integral with the shaft 3|.

The outer cylindrical member 33 of the rotary separating member` 32 is provided with radial openings 36 disposed in perimetrally spaced rows extending longitudinally of the cylindrical mem` ber 33. The continuous and inwardly projecting annular ribs 31 form an extension of the separation between each of the radially disposed openings 36 in each row. The inner edges of these ribs extend'to a common plane and support the longitudinally disposed land sections 38, which if completed would form an inner cylindrical member but areseparated by the longitudinal gaps 39. The longitudinal axis of each land section 38 is disposed in the same radial plane as the longitudinal axis passing through 'the openings in'each row. Thus the air in traveling from within the cylindrical member 33 must provided with a series of outwardly extending triangularly shaped ribs 42 which are disposed in the same plane as the ribs 31 in the cylinder 33,

thereby segregating each radial opening 36 withV a corresponding space between the ribs 42 of each spoke 34. Oppositely disposed slots 43 are formed in the adjacent faces of the ribs as illustrated in Fig. 10 to receive a screen 44 slidable in place from the outer end of the spoke, thereby forming a seriesbf compartments 45 on either side of each spoke 34. It is preferable to employ individual screen sections 44, as previously described. However a single screen covering the whole length of a spoke may be welded or otherwise secured to the outer faces of the flanges 42.

After thev screens 44 have been inserted in place the spoke is slid longitudinally into the grooves 40 of the cylinder 33 and into the grooves 46 in the hub 35. When all of the spokes have been thus assembled the end plates 41 are secured to the opposite ends of the cylinder 33, thus holding the parts of the rotary separating member 32 in assembled position. Thus'the spoke 34, together with the outer extending ribs 42 forming the compartment 45, is segregated by the aligned ribs 31 so that the oppositely disposed compartments 45 between adjacent spokes will discharge only through the same radial opening 36.

When the air carrying the material enters the inlet 25 the material is deposited in the bottom of the registering pocket 4I and the air then travels sideways through a selected series of compartments 45, passes back around the land sections 38, and is discharged through the openings 36 into the manifold 26 of the casing 22 and out the opening 21 to the suction side of the blower.

The air from the pressure side of the blower then travels through the opening 30 of the arcuately disposed manifold 29 and enters the openings 36, on the opposite side of the separator 32, in a progressive series from the top to the bottom when the separator is being rotated in a counterclockwise direction as shown vin Fig. 3. Thus the top or end of the pocket remote to the discharge opening is rst to receive air and as the separator rotates successive divisions of the screens in each pocket are cleaned by the entry of air. The air first enters each pocket 4I as e l the vertically disposed radial openings 36 come into registration with the arcuately disposed manifold 28 and thence between the ribs 31 and through thecompartments 45 of the blades forming the pockets. The air entering into each of the compartments 45 is discharged through the screens into the pocket associated therewith and blows any material that may be clinging to the screens back into the pocket and out the discharge opening 28. As each pocket proceeds past the arcuate manifold 23 each succeeding lower compartment 45 of the pocket receives air pressure in turn, until each screen has ybeen cleaned and the pocket is completely emptied.

By thus segregating the compartments 45 along each spoke 34 in this manner, air is delivered to not more than two compartments 45 on one side of each pocket 4I at anyone time, as illustrated in Fig. 6. This restriction increases the velocity of the air sufficiently to force the material out of and away from the screen, cleaning the same. However the velocity of the air is reduced as it enters the comparatively large space of the pocket and is insufiicient to crack or destroy the mtaiterial as it-is conveyed upthrough the cond ts.

In the structure illustrated on the drawings Y 2,301,350 each pocket is slightly open to the intake porty before and after the opening 36 is connected with the intake manifold 26. This condition may be reversed lby relocating the manifold or changing the position and size of the opening36. The choice of exhausting the pocket before or after it is in registry with the intake port depends upon the character of the material being conveyed.

Again each pocket is open to the discharge port 28 before the top or leading radial opening 36 receives air from thearcuately disposed manifold 29. Since the arcuately disposed manifold 29 extends equal distances in each direction from the center thereof the pocket 4| remains open to the discharge port after the air has been shut oi therefrom. This condition is obviously preferable.

This mechanism maybe employed inmost any uid current conveyer system where it is necessary to by-pass the fluid current propelling means. In some instances itmay be desirable to permanently discharge the fluid current con# veyer mediu mand pick up the matter separated out by the by-pass apparatus with a fresh or different i'luid current conveyer medium. Again the fluid current conveyer medium may be a liquid or a gas instead of air. In the former instance a liquid pump would be employed as the current propelling means and it may be desirable tovuse two pumps where a different liquid is used for continuing the separated matter on its travel than that employed for conveying the matter to the by-pass apparatus.

I claim:

1. In apparatus for by-passing material around a blower in a pneumatic conveying .system, the combination of a cylindrical casing closed at its ends, a member tting the inner wall surfaces of and rotatably supported within the casing, radially disposed partitions dividing the v member into a series of open-ended pockets extending longitudinally of the casing, an inlet port in anV end of the casing for the introduction of air and material into the pockets as they register with said inlet port, screen means for permitting the ow of air but preventing the ow of vmate-,- rial from the pockets, an outlet port in an end of the casing spaced angularly from the inlet port for the discharge of air and material from the pockets as they.register with the outlet port. means for rotating said member to bring the pockets successively into registry with the inlet and outlet ports, and means for withdrawing air from a pocket through the screen means at the inlet position and for forcing air through the pockets at the outlet position for conveying the material from the pockets.

2. In apparatus for by-passing material around a blower in a pneumatic conveying system, the combination of a cylindrical casing having heads enclosing the ends thereof, a member tting the inner wall surfaces of and rotatably supported within the casing, radially disposed partitions dividing the member into a series of open-ended pockets extending longitudinally of the casing, an inlet port in said casing for the introduction of air and material into the pockets as they register with said inlet port, screen means carried by the rotary member for permitting the flow of air but preventing the ow of material from the pockets, an outlet port in said casing, spaced angularly from the inlet port, for the discharge of air and material from the pockets as they register with the outlet port, means for rotating said member to bring the pockets successively into registry with the inlet and outlet ports, and

means for withdrawing air from a pocket through the screen means at the inlet position and for forcing air back through the screen means at the outlet position for conveying the material from the pockets.

3. In apparatus for by-passing material around a blower in a pneumatic conveying system, a cylindrical casing closed at its ends, a separating member fitting the inner. wall surfaces of and rotatably supported within the casing, radially disposed partitions dividing the member into a series of open-ended pockets extending longitudinally of thecasing, an inlet port in one end of the casing for the introduction of air and material into the pockets as they register with the inlet port, an outlet port in the other end of the casing spaced angularly from the inlet port for the discharge of air and material from the pockets as they register with the outlet port, means for rotating said member to-bring the pockets successively into registry with the inlet and outlet ports, screen means carried by the member for permitting the flow of air but preventing the flow of material from the pockets, and arcuately spaced manifolds on the casing for withdrawing air through the screen means from the poclets at the inlet position and conducting it to the blower and for forcing air from the blower back through the screen means to the pockets at the outlet position for conveying material from the pockets.

4. In apparatus for by-.passing material around a blower in a pneumatic conveying system, a

cylindrical casing closed at its ends, a separatl ing member fitting the inner wall surfaces of and rotatably supported within the casing, radially disposed partitions dividing the member into a series of open-ended pockets extending longitudinally of the casing, an inlet port in one end of the casing'for the introduction of air and material into the pockets as'they register with the inlet port, an outlet port in the other end of the casing spaced angularly from the inlet port for the discharge of air and material from the pockets as they register with the outlet port? means for rotating the member to bring the pockets successively into registry with` the inlet andv outlet ports, screen means carriedv by the mern. ber for permitting the flow of air but preventing the flow of material from the pockets, a manifold on the casing 'for withdrawing air through the screen means for the full length of the pockets when positioned at the inlet and for conducting the air to the blower, and an arcuately disposed manifold on the'casing spaced angularly from the inlet port for conducting air from the blower back through the screen means into the pockets,

said arcuately disposed manifold introducting the air at successive points from one end of the pocket to the other whenthe pockets are located at the outlet position for conveying the material from the pockets. t

5. A separating member for use in a cylindrical casing of a blower lby-passing apparatus in a pneumatic conveying system comprising a cylinder portion and a hub portion connected by partitions forming longitudinally disposed openended pockets, a land section in each pocket spaced from the cylindrical portion and the partitions, screens extending from the hub to the marginal side edges of the land sections defining the material containing portion of the pockets, plates covering the ends of the separating member and having openings defining the ends of the 4corresponding slots on its inner surface for receiving the cuter edges of said partitions to form a series of open-ended pockets disposed longitudinally of the cylindrical member, screen members covering the partitions and spaced therefrom, an arcuate land section member in each pocket concentric to and spaced from the inner surface of the cylindrical member, the side edges of said land sections engaging the screens and defining the material containing portion of the pockets, radial openings through the wall of the cylindrical memb'er opposite said land sections for sucking and blowing air from both sides of the pockets through the screens and around in back of the land sections, and plates embracing the ends of the members and having openings defining the ends of the pockets. f

7. A separating member for use in a cylindri-v cal casing f a blower by-passing apparatus in a pneumatic conveying system comprising a rotary hub member, a cylindrical member, partitions extending between the hub member and the inner surface of the cylindrical member forming a plurality of open-ended pockets, spaced ribs on the sides of said partitions, a land section in each pocket extending between the partition ribs, spaced arcuate rib sections on the inner surface of the cylindrical member supporting the land sections and aligned with the partition ribs, screens supported on the partition ribs and extending from the hub member to the marginal sides of the land sections dening. the material containing portion of the pockets, plates covering the ends of the separating member and member fitting the inner wall surfaces of and rotatably supported within the casing, radially disposed partitions dividing the member into a series of open-ended pockets extending longitudinally of the casing, an inlet port in one end of the casing for the introduction of air and material into the pockets as they register with the' inlet port, an outlet port in the other end of the casing spaced angularly from the inlet port for the discharge of air and material from the pockets as they register with the outlet port, means for rotating the member to bring the pockets successively into registry with the inlet and outlet ports, screen means carried by the member for permitting lateral flow of air from the pockets but preventing the flow of material when the air is withdrawn, a manifold onthe casing arranged to withdraw air through the screen means for substantially the full length of the pockets when positioned at the inlet and for conducting the air to the blower, and a diagonally disposed manifold on the casing spaced angularly from the inlet port for conducting air from the blower back through the screen means into the pockets, said arcuately disposed manifold cleaning the screen means at successive points from one end of the pockets to the other.

9. In apparatus for bypassing material around a blower in a pneumatic conveying system, a cylindrical casing closed at its ends, a separating member fitting the inner wall surfaces of and rotatably supported within|the casing, radiallydisposed partitions dividing the member into a series of open-ended pockets extending longitudinally of the casing, an inlet port in one end of the casing for the introduction of air and material into the pockets as they register with the inlet port, an outlet port in the other end of the casing spaced angularly from the inlet port for having openings defining the ends of the matevpockets through the screens and independently through the connecting channels between the spaced ribs on the partitions and the cylinder.

8. In apparatus for by-pas'sing material around Y a blower in a pneumatic conveying system, a cylindrical casing closed at its ends, a separating the discharge of air and material from the pockets as they register with the outletport, means for rotating the member to bring the pockets successively into registry with the inlet and outlet ports, screen means carried by the member for permitting lateral flow of air from the pockets but preventing the ow of material when the air is withdrawn, a manifold on the casing arranged to withdraw air through the screen means for substantially the full length of the pockets when positioned at the inlet and for from the blower back through the screen means into the pockets, said arcuately disposed manifold cleaning the screen means progressively toward the outlet of the pocket.

JOSEPH E. WHITFIELD.