US3349582A - Rotatable drum and drain valve therefor - Google Patents

Description

R. E. QUINN ETAL 3,349,582 ROTATABLE DRUM AND DRAIN V ALVE THEREFOR Oct.'3l, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 23, 1955 FIG! coo cc C! CC: C) Q O O 0 0 C: Q 00 o OQQYO o 0 0 a INVENTORS ATTORNEY Oct 31, 1967 R. E. QUINN ETAL ROTATABLE DRUM AND DRAIN VALVE THEREFOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 23, 1965 THT! TITTT F FIG.5

FIG?

INVENTO RS BY 51/44 H.

ATTORNEY United States Patent.

3,349,582 ROTATABLE DRUNI AND DRAIN VALVE THEREFOR Richard E. Quinn, Middleton, Mass. (19 Howley St., Pea- ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE therewith when the element is inflated, the screen box functioning as a scoop and the valve element with a valve housing discharging in a trailing direction.

The present invention relates to rotatable drums of the type having a drain valve in its periphery and to control means enabling the valve to be operated while the drum is rotating.

The invention is discussed herein in connection with the dyeing of hides. In that operation, a number of hides is placed in a drum which is then charged with a predetermined volume of a dye. The drum is drained after being rotated for a predetermined interval and is then recharged with rinsing water. After again rotating the drum for a desired length of time, the rinse water is drained from the drum and the dyed hides removed therefrom for further processing. 7

Draining is best effected while the drum is rotating and thepresent invention has, as its general objective, the provision of a drain valve and means for operating it while the drum is rotating to alford the advantage, not only of saving the time that is wasted in stopping the rotation of the drum whenever the valve is to be opened or closed, but also of permitting the drain valve of each drum to be operated from a remote station where the controls for the flow of liquids, as well as those for the drive for the drum,

are located thereby affording increased convenience to the operators and also permitting all the controls to be accu' rately operated on an automatic or semi-automatic basis.

In accordance with the invention this objective is attained by providing a rotatable drum with a drain port in its periphery having an outwardly opening seat, the drum being of the type having axial shaft portions outwardly disposed for rotatably supporting the drum. A screen box, overlying the drain port, is attached to the interior of the drum while a housing, attached to the exterior thereof overlies the seat and includes a backing portion spaced outwardly therefrom. A port-closing, elasto meric valve member within the housing is marginally sealed to the backing portion and is normally spaced from the seat. An air delivery system is in communication with the 'space between the valve member and the backing portion of the housing, the system including a source of air under pressure and a control valve therefor located remotely from the drum and a rotatable connection carried by one of the shaft portions axially of the drum. With that arrangement, the ,control valve may be opened relative to the source, while the drum is rotating to deliver air under pressure to yieldably seat the valve member thus to close the port, the control valve, when in accordance with the invention,

3,349,582 Patented Oct. 31, 1967 tion as the normal position of the valve element.

Another objective of the invention is to provide a screen box that functions as a scoop during rotation of the drum to shorten the drainage time.

Yet another objective of the invention is to provide a rotatable connection in the air supply system that utilizes a hollow shaft portion as its support while maintaining that shaft portion as a vent in communication with the interior of the drum to prevent any build-up of pressure therein.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown an embodiment of the invention illustrative of these and other of its novel features and advantages.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a partly sectioned front view of a drum FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary section through the drum in a position in which the valve is near the bottom,

. 7 FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the screen box,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section on a substantially increased scale, of the valve in its closed position,

FIGURE 5 is a like view showing the valve in its open position,

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the valve housing, and FIGURE 7 is a perspective view thereof. The drum 10, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated by the drawings, has outwardly disposed shaft por- 'tions 11 and 12 by which it may be rotatably supported by bearings mounted on suitable standards as is conventional. The shaft portions 11 and 12 are tubular and open into the interior of the drum. The shaft portion 11 is utilized to support the rotatable part 13 of the liquid delivery system thereby to permit the drum to be charged with a liquid while it is rotating and is also provided with a drum rotating pulley. As the liquid delivery means and the drum rotating means are conventional, they are not shown but it is to be noted'that the drum 10 rotates in the direction lof the arrows, see FIGURES -1 and 2.

It will be appreciated that such drums are of large size 'since they must be capable of receiving a number of hides and a suitable volume of a treating liquid. Typically, such drums are made of wood and are eight feet in diameter and range from four to eight feet in width.

.The drum 10 is shown as having a generally indicated door 14 adapted to be opened to permit access to its interior in loading hides into the drum or in removing them.

'While doors of any type may be used, that shown in our co-pending application filed of even date herewith is preferred for the reasons set forth therein.

As it is necessary to drain and recharge the drum 10 with liquids in the treatment of a batch of hides, the drum 10 is provided with a drain valve generally indicated at 15 in control of the port 16 located, in accordance with the invention, in the periphery of the drum.

A screen box 17, secured to the inner surface of the drum 10, overliesthe port 16 while the valve 15 includes a seat 18 at the outer end of the port 16 and a housing 19 overlying the seat 18 with both secured to the outer surface of the drum as by bolts 20. The housing 19 includes a backing portion in the form of an imperforate outer wall 19A detachably held in place as by screws 21 and has a port 22 opening in a rearward, trailing position. Within the housing 19 there is a valve element, generally indicated at 23, and shown as consisting of a first cylindrical section 24 having a marginal flange 25 clamped against the inner surface of the wall 19A by a clamping ring 26 anchored to the wall 19A as by screws 27. The valve element 23 also includes a second cylindrical portion 28 having a closed end wall 29 and the two sections are connected by a molded fold line 20 yieldably and resiliently maintaining the second section 28 nested within the first section 24 as the normal position of the valve element and, as will be apparent from FIGURE 5, the closed end wall 29 thereof is normally spaced from the seat 18 to permit drum drainage.

The wall 19A has a conduit 31 opening into the space between it and the valve element 23 and the conduit 31 has one end of an air line 32 connected thereto. The other end of the air line 32 is connected to a conduit portion 33 within the tubular shaft portion 12. The conduit portion 33 connected to an air supply conduit 34 by means of a connection 35 including a rotatable portion 35A carried by a plate 36 attached to the end of the shaft portion 12 by bolts 37 extending through spacers 38 thereby to provide venting ports 39 ensuring against any pressure buildup in the drum 10. The air supply conduit 34 is in communication with any suitable source of air under pressure, not shown, and includes a control valve 40 shown, for convenience, as manually operated.

The control valve 40, when closing the air line 32 relative to the source, opens the air line 32 to the atmosphere. When the control valve 40 is open relative to the air source, air is delivered to the valve and it is operative to force the valve element 23 into engagement with its seat 18, the air pressure being such that the escape of water from the rotating drum is effectively prevented.

In practice, the valve 15 is opened while the drum is rotating so that liquid is discharged on each rotation with the screen box preventing the hides from interfering with the draining. It will be noted that the screen box 17 extends substantially from side-to-side of the interior of the drum and has its front wall 41 perforated and forwardly and outwardly inclined to abut the inner surface of the drum. The other walls of the screen box are imperforate and surrounded by a flange 42 secured to the inner surface of the drum. As only the leading face of the screen box is open, it acts as a scoop as the draining drum rotates and is operative to shorten the drainage period.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that drums in accordance with the present invention are well adapted to meet hide dyeing requirements.

We claim:

1. In apparatus for use in treating hides with liquids, a rotatable drum to be rotated in a predetermined direction and including axial shaft portions outwardly disposed for rotatably supporting said drum, said drum having a drain port in its periphery and between its ends and including an outwardly opening seat, a screen box attached to the interior of the drum and overlying the drain port and opening in a leading direction, a housing overlying said seat and opening in a trailing direction, said housing including a backing portion spaced outwardly therefrom, a port closing, elastomeric valve member within said housing and marginally sealed to said backing portion and normally spaced from said seat, and an air delivery system in communication with the space between said valve member and said backing portion, said system including a source of air under pressure and a control valve therefor, both remote from said drum, and a rotatable connection carried by one of said shaft portions, said system, when said valve is open relative to said source, delivering air under pressure to said space to seat said valve member yieldably against said seat, said control valve venting said system relative to said space when closing said system relative to said source.

2. In apparatus for use in treating hides with liquids, a rotatable drum including axial shaft portions outwardly disposed for rotatably supporting said drum, said drum having a drain port in its periphery and including an outwardly opening seat, a screen box attached to the interior of the drum and overlying the drain port, a housing overlying said seat and including a backing portion spaced outwardly therefrom, a port closing, elastomeric valve member within said housing and including a first cylindrical portion with its outer end marginally sealed to said backing portion, a second cylindrical portion within said first portion, said second cylindrical portion including a closed end and joined at its other end to the inner end of said first cylindrical portion by a molded fold line resiliently but yieldably maintaining said second cylindrical portion within said first cylindrical portion, the cross sectional area of said closed end being greater than that of said port, and an air delivery system in communication with the space between said closed end and said backing portion, said system including a source of air under pressure and a control valve therefor, both remote from said drum, and a rotatable connection carried by one of said shaft portions, said system, when said valve is open relative to said source, delivering air under pressure to said space to render said closed end convex with respect to said seat and to unfold said second cylindrical portion, said end portion then yieldably closing said port and returning to its folded position when said valve is closed with reference to said source, said system then being open relative to said space.

3. In apparatus for use in treating hides with liquids, a rotatable drum including axial shaft portions outwardly disposed for rotatably supporting said drum, at least one of said shaft portions being tubular and in communication with the interior of said drum, said drum having a drain port in its periphery and including an outwardly opening seat, a screen box attached to the interior of the drum and overlying the drain port, a housing overlying said seat and including a backing portion spaced outwardly therefrom, a port closing, elastomeric valve member within said housing and marginally sealed to said backing portion and normally spaced from said seat, and an air delivery system in communication with the space between said valve member and said backing portion, said system including a source of air under pressure, and a control valve therefor, both remote from said drum, a conduit extending axially of said shaft portion and a rotatable connection at the outer end of said hollow shaft portion, and attached in spaced relation thereto to provide a vent in communication with the interior of said drum, said system, when said valve is open relative to said source delivering air under pressure to said space to seat said valve member yieldably against said seat, said control valve venting said system relative to said space when closing said system relative to said source.

. 4. In apparatus for use in treating hides with liquids, a rotatable drum to be rotated in a predetermined direction and including axial shaft portions outwardly disposed for rotatably supporting said drum, said drum having a drain port in its periphery and including an outwardly opening seat, a screen box secured to the interior of the drum and overlying the drain port, said screen box including a perforated, outwardly and forwardly inclined leading wall enabling said screen box to function as a liquid collecting scoop, a housing overlying said seat, a port closing, elastomeric valve member within said housing and normally spaced from said seat, and an air delivery system operable to inflate said valve member to close said port when in communication with said valve member, said system including a source of air under pressure and a control valve therefor, both remote from said drum, and a rotatable connection carried by one of said shaft portions.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the screen box References Cited friteernigj tcrfar zlslgleflsrelllyl 1 substantially for the full width of the UNITED STATES PATENTS 6. The apparatus of claim 4 in which the screen box 871939 Goodwin 69 30" X extends transversely substantially for the full width of the 5 3,125,872 3/1964 Lumen 68 144 interior of the drum and has its leading Wall abutting the interior surface of the drum and the other walls include JORDAN FRANKLIN Pr'mary Exammer' flanges secured to said interior surface. A. GUEST, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. IN APPARATUS FOR USE IN TREATING HIDES WITH LIQUIDS, A ROTATABLE DRUM TO BE ROTATED IN A PREDETERMINED DIRECTION AND INCLUDING AXIAL SHAFT PORTIONS OUTWARDLY DISPOSED FOR ROTATABLY SUPPORTING SAID DRUM, SAID DRUM HAVING A DRAIN PORT IN ITS PERIPHERY AND BETWEEN ITS ENDS AND INCLUDING AN OUTWARDLY OPENING SEAT, A SCREEN BOX ATTACHED TO THE INTERIOR OF THE DRUM AND OVERLYING THE DRAIN PORT AND OPENING IN A LEADING DIRECTION, A HOUSING OVERLYING SAID SEAT AND OPENING IN A TRAILING DIRECTION, SAID HOUSING INCLUDING A BACKING PORTION SPACED OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, A PORT CLOSING, ELASTOMERIC VALVE MEMBER WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND MARGINALLY SEALED TO SAID BACKING PORTION AND NORMALLY SPACED FROM SAID SEAT, AND AN AIR DELIVERY SYSTEM IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID VALVE MEMBER AND SAID BACKING PORTION, SAID SYSTEM INCLUDING A SOURCE OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE AND A CONTROL VALVE THEREFOR, BOTH REMOTE FROM SAID DRUM, AND A ROTATABLE CONNECTION CARRIED BY ONE OF SAID SHAFT PORTIONS, SAID SYSTEM, WHEN SAID VALVE IS OPEN RELATIVE TO SAID SOURCE, DELIVERING AIR UNDER PRESSURE TO SAID SPACE TO SEAT SAID VALVE MEMBER YIELDABLY AGAINST SAID SEAT, SAID CONTROL VALVE VENTING SAID SYSTEM RELATIVE TO SAID SPACE WHEN CLOSING SAID SYSTEM RELATIVE TO SAID SOURCE.

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