US2698131A - Centrifugal separator - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 28, 1954 J. E. COOK CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR Filed Dec. 26, 1951 26 INI/ENTOR.

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United States Patent O CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR James Edward Cook, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., assignor to The De Laval Separator Company, Poughkeepsie, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application December 26, 1951, Serial No. 263,426

5 Claims. (Cl. 233-24) This invention relates to centrifugal separators and has for its principal object the provision of a centrifuge of the vertical type which is sturdy but compact in construction, simplifles the assembly and disassembly steps, is readily adjustable to vary the height of the centrifugal bowl, and operates without any substantial vibration, as compared with prior centrifuges of this type.

A centrifuge made in accordance with the invention comprises a frame having a table portion for supporting a supply can, or the like, which feeds the centrifugal focal, the frame also having an adjacent annular wall forming a well for the bowl. A hollow projection on the frame extends downward from the well and contains a spindle which supports the bowl in the well. Preferably, the spindle is supported both axially and radially in upper and lower bearings held in resilient annular mounts which are positioned in the upper and lower end portions of a housing for the spindle, and this housing is slidable vertically in the hollow projection of the frame but is held in the desired vertical position by an adjustment member on the housing. In this way, both axial and radial vibrations of the bowl during operation are cushioned by the resilient mounts, and these mounts are adjustable vertically as a unit with the housing, the bearings and the spindle to vary the bowl height, by a simple manipulation of the adjustment member, which may be a bolt threaded in the frame projection and engaging part of the housing. I nd it advantageous to provide the resilient mounts with enlarged portions engaged in enlarged recesses in the ends of the spindle housing, and to provide the mounts with enlarged spaces which receive the bearings, these spaces, however, having a smaller diameter than the interior of the intermediate portion of the housing, whereby the resilient mounts are stressed both in compression and in shear by axial thrusts on the bearings.

In the preferred construction, the frame isA supported by a hollow stool in the general form of a truncated cone which is open at its enlarged upper end to receive the depending hollow projection of the frame and also a motor for driving'the spindle in the projection. The motor is secured to this hollow projection and drives the spindle through a connection which includes a pulley or other rotatable member secured to the lower end of the spindle and holding the lower bearing in position in the housing. The table portion of the frame forms a space' overlying the motor and opening downward into the hollow stool, thereby providing ample space for circulation of air around the motor.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of the new centrifugal separator, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the driving spindle, showing the bowl-height adjustment mechanism, this view being taken at an angle of about 90 to the view in Fig. l.

In Fig. l of the drawings, a frame casting for the separator is indicated generally at lil. The frame has at one side an arcuate vertical wall 11 merging at its lower portion with an annular wall 12 forming a well 12a. A separator bowl 13 is mounted for rotation on a vertical axis in the well 12a. At the bottom of the well 12a, and positioned axially of the bowl 13, is a bore 14 (Fig. 2) extending through the frame casting, the latter having a hollow projection 15 depending from the well bottom and forming a downward extension of the bore 14. At the opposite side of the frame casting 1t) is an elevated table 16 for supporting a supply can 17, which has a 2,698,131 Patented Dec.` 28, 1954 valve cock 18 for controlling the supply of milk to the centrifugal bowl 13. The table 16 is supported by and integral with the arcuate wall 11 and an arcuate wall 19 of the frame 10. The wall 19 merges with the walls 11 and 12 and forms therewith a substantially closed space 20 below the table 16.

Although the frame 10 has been described as being cast in one piece, the entire frame may be made from separate component parts secured together in any suitable manner.

The frame casting 10 is mounted on a supporting stool member indicated generally at 21, the frame casting havlng near its bottom a continuous, peripheral, external shoulder 22 resting upon the upper edge of the supporting stool member 21.

The stool 21 comprises a hollow member 23 in the general form of a truncated cone, the member being open at its upper or enlarged end and partly closed at its lower or reduced end. Thus, the member 21 has a parabolical shape. It is arranged in upright fashion, its upper edge closely surrounding the frame 10 below the shoulder 22. The member 23 is secured to the frame 10 in any suitable manner, as by bolts 24. In the bottom of the member 23 is a hole 25 for drainage, relief from condensation, etc. As shown, the stool member 23 is spun or otherwise fabricated from sheet metal. The stool member is supported at its lower portion by three or more foundation legs 26 secured to the stool by bolts 27. The bottoms of these legs rest upon the floor where, if desired, they may be permanently anchored by bolts 28.

The separator bowl 13 is mounted on the upper end of a vertical driving spindle 29, the spindle 29 having a slot 30 which receives a mating part (not shown) of the bowl so that the bowl will rotate with the spindle. At the lower end of the spindle 29 is a driven pulley 31, which is secured to the spindle by a nut 32. The spindle is mounted for rotation in a cylindrical housing 33, which extends through and is slidable vertically in the bore 14. In its upper end and lower ends, the cylindrical housing 33 has enlarged spaces 34 and 35, respectively, which receive flexible mounts 36 and 37 for spindle bearings 38 and 39, respectively. The flexible mounts 36 and 37 are of annular form and are made of a resilient, rubber-like material. The mount 36 has an internal shoulder 40 supporting the upper bearing 33, which is somewhat smaller in diameter than the main interior of housing 33 and lits closely in the upper part of mount 36. The latter also has an external shoulder 41 located below the shoulder 40 and resting upon the housing shoulder formed by the enlarged space 34. Below the shoulder 41, the upper mount 36 lits closely in the housing 33, but above this shoulder it has a clearance with the side wall of the enlarged space 34. The mount 36 also has a clearance 42 with the spindle 29 extending through this mount and its bearing 38. A split ring 43, seated in a groove in the spindle, rests upon the inner race of bearing 38 and provides the vertical support for the spindle.

The lower bearing mount 37 is similar to the mount 36 but is inverted in the lower part of housing 33. Thus, its shoulders 44 and 45 correspond to the shoulders 40 and 41, respectively, of the upper mount. However, the enlarged portion of the lower mount fits closely in the enlarged space 35 of the housing. The lower mount forms a clearance 46 with the spindle 29, which extends through this mount and its bearing 39. The latter is held against its seat 44 by the pulley 31 engaging the inner race of the bearing. In this way, both the lower bearing and its flexible mount 37 are held in position in the housing 33 at all times during the operation of the centrifuge. The spindle has shoulders 29a and 29h engaging the inner races of bearings 38 and 39, respectively, to prevent axial movement of the spindle in the bearings.

As is well known, the bowl of a centrifugal separator vibrates considerably during the centrifuging operation, even when the rotating parts are carefully balanced. Under dynamic conditions, the axial and radial vibrations of the centrifugal bowl are transmitted through the driving spindle to the supporting frame. The spindle mounting means of the present invention are highly effective to cushion and dampen these vibrations. The

radial vibrations are cushioned by the enlarged portions of the mounts 36 and 37 surrounding the bearings. By reason of the clearance space surrounding the enlarged portion of the upper mount 36, the latter can be displaced bodily to a limited extent in the radial directions, this displacement, however, being yieldingly opposed by the resistance of the intermediate portion of the mount to the resulting shearing stresses. When the upper part of mount 36 has been displaced sufficiently to engage the side wall of the space 34, further radial movement is yieldingly opposed by the resistance to compression of this part of the mount. Thus, the upper bearing mount accommodates greater radial movements of the spindle than the lower bearing mount, which is a desirable feature in view of the tendency of the upper end of the spindle to oscillate or gyrate about the lower end of the spindle as an axis. Axial displacements of the spindle are yieldingly opposed by the shear-resistance of the exible mounts. For example, when the spindle 29 undergoes an upward vertical displacement, the lower mount 37 is placed in shear, the shearing forces being exerted by the outer race of bearing 39 and the shoulder of the housing member 33 formed by the recess 35.

Driving power for the spindle 29 is provided by an electric motor 48 secured to one side of the depending hollow projection of the frame casting 10. The motor is located within the stool member 21 and underlies the frame space 20, which opens into the stool member. The motor is secured to the adjacent side of the frame projection 15 in any suitable manner, as by means of 'f' bolts 49 extending through a bed plate 50 of the motor and threaded into bosses 51 welded or otherwise secured to the projection 15. The motor is thus supported with the axis of its rotor 52 parallel to the axis of the spindle 29. A driving pulley 53 is secured to the rotor 52 by a set screw 53a. The driving pulley 53 and the driven pulley 31 on the driving spindle 29 are connected by a belt 54. The electric power supply for the motor 48 is delivered through leads 55 passing through a rubber eyelet 56 in the frame wall 19.

The centrifugal bowl 13 may be of conventional type. Above it is the usual inlet cover 57 for receiving the liquid delivered through the overlying valve cock 18 of the supply can. The cover 57 contains the usual float 57a for controlling the ow of liquid through the bottom passage 57b into the bowl. Below the cover 57, and surrounding the bowl, are receptacle covers 58 and 59 for receiving, respectively, the separated liquid components discharged from the bowl 13. The covers 57,

58 and 59 are nested together and rest upon a ledge 68 of the frame surrounding the bowl 13. The bowl well 12a is vented at 61.

The bottom of supply can 17 is provided with a recessed center ring 62 secured by welding or soldering. The recess in ring 62 is closed at the top, as shown at 62a, and has vertical side walls 63 tapered so as to give a larger diameter to the open bottom of the recess. A hollow plug 64 fits in the recess of the ring 62. The sides of the plug have a taper complementary to that of the recess walls 63, so that the plug has a sliding it in the ring 62. The reduced end of the plug engages the closed upper end 62a of the ring recess. At one side of the plug member 64 is a hole 65 which loosely receives a locating pin 66 secured to the ring wall 62a. The supply can 17 is removable from the plug 64 and may be replaced on it in one position only, since such replacement requires engagement of pin 66 in the hole 65. Thus, the proper alignment of the stop cock 18 with the inlet receptacle 57 is assured. At the center of the plug 64, a cylindrical bearing post 67 is fastened by means of a tongue 68. The plug 64 is supported for rotation within a bushing 68 mounted in the table 17. The post 67 extends through the bushing and is slidable vertically therein. The bushing 68 has diametrically opposed notches 70 in its periphery at the exposed upper end 68a thereof, the notches being adapted to receive the ends of a transverse pin 71 in the post 67. With the pin 71 thus engaged in the notches 79, rotation of plug 64 is resisted, but the supply can 17 and plug 64 can be rotated, in order to swing the stop cock 18 clear of the inlet cover 57 so as to permit removal or assembly of the covers 57, 58 and 59. By forcibly turning the supply can and the plug 64 slightly, the pin 71 in the post 67 is disengaged from notches 70 whereby the supply can is raised, due to the cam action between the pin 71 and notches 70, and may be rotated n the bushing 68. To adjust the spout of the stop cock 61 to its proper height, the bushing 68 is adjusted vertically within its aperture 72 in table 16, so that the cock 18 just clears the top edge of the inlet cover 57. A set screw 73 at one side of table 16 is then screwed tightly against the side of bushing 68. A hole is then drilled through table 16 and bushing 68 so as to admit a locating pin 74. With the pin 74 in position, the entire mounting for the supply can 17 is held permanently at the proper height adjustment.

At or near the lower end of the cylindrical housing 33, a circular groove 75 is milled (Fig. 2). In an enlarged wall thickness 76 of the frame projection 15 is a tapped hole 77. A bolt 78 having a at head 80 is screwed in the tapped hole 77, the outer portion of the head 80 engaging in the groove 75. By this arrangement, the bolt 78 supports the housing 33, and by rotating the bolt 78 the housing 33 and bowl 13 are raised or lowered relative to the covers 57-59 and the adjacent table 16, as desired. When the bowl has been adjusted to the proper height in this way, a set screw 81 in the frame projection 15 is screwed against the side wall of housing 33, the set screw 81 being in turn locked in position by a nut 82. Access to the set screw 81, the nut 82 and the bolt 78 is provided by a hole or holes (not shown) in the side walls of the hollow truncated member 23.

It will be observed that the pulley 31 is of suficient length to effect proper engagement with the belt 54 in the various vertical positions to which the bowl is adjusted by the bolt 78.

By reason of the space 20 formed by the frame above the motor and below the table, and the space formed by the stool member 23 below the motor, ample circulation of air around the motor for cooling purposes is assured. The described arrangement of the stool and frame provides a sturdy and compact centrifuge construction and allows ready access to the motor by simply removing the frame from the stool. The spindle housing 33, together with the spindle and its bearing assembly, may be removed as a unit from the upper end of the frame projection 15, after removing the bolt 78 and removing the belt from pulley 31.

I claim:

l. A centrifugal separator comprising a frame having a table portion and an adjacent annular wall forming a well, a depending hollow projection on the frame extending downward from the well, a housing having a vertical sliding fit in said projection and having a lower part extending below said projection, a spindle supported in the housing and rotatable relative thereto, the spindle extending upward into the well and having an extension projecting downward through the bottom of the housing, a centrifugal bowl rotatable in the well and mounted on the spindle, an adjustment member mounted on the depending hollow projection at one side of the housing and engaging said lower part thereof to support the housing, said member being adjustable vertically on the depending projection to vary the height of the bowl relative to said table portion, a motor secured to said hollow projection, and a driving connection between the motor and said bottom extension of the spindle.

2. A separator according to claim l, comprising also a supply can mounted on said table portion and having an outlet positioned above the bowl for supplying a liquid to the bowl.

3. A separator according to claim l, in which the frame forms a substantially closed space below said table portion and adjacent said annular wall, the motor being mounted in the lower part of said space.

4. A separator according to claim l, comprising also upper and lower bearings in the housing engaging and surrounding the spindle, and resilient bearing mounts in the upper and lower end portions of the housing for supporting the respective bearings therein, the housing having enlarged internal recesses in its end portions, the resilient mounts having enlarged portions disposed in said recesses and also having reduced portions extending into the intermediate part of the housing.

5. A centrifugal separator comprising a frame having a table portion and an adjacent annular wall forming a well, a depending hollow projection on the frame extending downward from the well, a housing having avertical sliding t in said projection, a spindle supported in the housing and rotatable relative thereto, the spindle extending upward into the well, a centrifugal bowl rotatable in the well and mounted on the spindle, a member supporting said housing and adjustable vertically on 5 the frame to vary the height of the bowl relative to said table portion, a motor secured to said hollow projection, a driving connection between the motor and the spindle, and upper and lower bearings in said housing for supporting the spindle therein, said driving connec- 10 tion including a member secured to the lower end of the spindle and holding the lower bearing in position in the housing.

References Cited in the tile of this patent Number Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Forsberg Sept. 13, 1932 Colvin Nov. 17, 1936 Potter May 5, 1942 Stout Feb. 9, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain May 19, 1909 Italy May 17, 1926

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