US790417A - Pneumatic separator. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED MAY 23,1905.

D. L. ADELSPERGER. PNEUMATIC SEPARATOR.

SAPPLIOATION rum) APR. 9, 1003.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

INVENTOR.

WITNESSES A TTORNEX No. 790,417. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

1).. L. ADELSPERGER. PNEUMATIC SEPARATOR.

AIILIOA'JJION FILED APR. 9, 1903.

2 BHEETB8HEBT 2.

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INVENTO WITNESSES:

/ gym I v ATTORNEY.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Patented May 23, 1905.

DOW ,ADELSPERGER, or sPRINGF'IELn, OHIO, AssIGNo'R TO THE Foos MANUFACTURING COMPANY, oF SPRINGFIELD, oI-IIo.

PNEUMATIC SEPARATOR.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 790,417, dated May 23, 1905.

l Application filed April 9, 1903. Serial No. 151,743.

To all whom/ lt may concern:

Be it known that 1, Dow L. ADELS'PERGER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Separators,of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying draw- Ings. v

This invention relates to pneumatic separators, and has for its object to provide a simple, compact, and efficient separating device which will effectively separatepieces of iron and other heavy bodies from crushed oil-cake 'or other similar material, it being particularly designed with a View to its use in preparing material for grinding, so'as to insure the removal therefrom of metallic and other substances of such a nature as would tend to injure the grinding-mill.

To these ends my invention consists in certain novel features, which I will now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the claims.

In'the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a structure embodying my invention in one form, the same being in section on the line as m of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same, partly broken away in different planes to show the internal construction. Fig. 3 is a perspective view taken from the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 and with parts of the structure removed, so as to show the inner or fan casing. Fig. 4 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 1, illustratingamodification; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of one end portion of the structure shown in Fig. 4:. V

In the said drawings, 1 indicates the main or outer casing of the separator, which is preferably cylindrical in its general form and which is composed of a body portion 2 and end portions 3. Along one side of the body portion, which may be termed the front of the separator, extends an opening 1, which constitutes the receiving mouth or inlet of the separator, by means of which the material to be separated is fed into the same. A feeding- 8 is provided in the bottom of the casing 1,

through which the material after being freed from heavy objectionable substances maybe discharged. There is formed in thebottom of the casing 1, adjacent to the opening 8 and separated therefrom by a partition 9, a second opening 10, through which the heavy objects are discharged from the casing 1 into a receptacle or trash-box 11, removably fitting in the base 7.

Mounted in suitable bearings 12 in the ends of the casing 1 is a fan-shaft 13, driven by means of a pulley 14 on one of its projecting ends or in any other suitable -manner. This shaft carries one or more fans or blowers 15, two being shown in the present instance composed of radial arms 16, secured to the shaft 13, and blades or vanes 17, secured to the outer ends of the arms. the fan-casing, which is indicated at 18, extends, with the exception hereinafter specified, from one of the ends or heads 3 of the main casing 1 to the other end or head and is circular in cross-section for the greater portion of its circumference, its lower portion 19 being formed on a curve of increasing radius. This portion terminates at 20 above the trashoutlet 10, the space above said terminal portion 20 between it and the other end of the fancasing body forming the blast-outlet mouth 21 of the fan, which is thus located above the trash-outlet 10 in such a position as to direct the blast of the fan against the inclined portion 22 of the main casing, which inclined portion extends from the receiving-mouth or The main body of material-inlet 4; downward to the trash-outlet material.

ture. The inner heads 23 are similarly spaced apart,so as to form a central air-space 27. From a point above or adjacent to the receivingmouth 4 of the main casing there extends between the two end pieces 3 of said main casing a diaphragm or separating-plate 28, the forward end of which is united to or forms an extension of the fan-casing 18, the point of union being indicated at 29. From this point said diaphragm or separating-plate diverges outward from the body 18 of the fancasing, forming a space or conduit 30 between said diaphragm and the fan-casing and a second spaceor conduit 31 between said diaphragm and the outer casing. This latter space or conduit is preferably of graduallyincreasing height or area in cross-section from front to rear. The separating-diaphragm terminates ata point 32 at the back of the separator, preferably somewhat above the central horizontal plane of the same, and therefore above the outlet 8 of the purified The body 18 of the fan-casing is provided with openings, whereby communication is established between the conduit 30 and the air-spaces 26 and 27, which communicate with the eyes 24 of the fans, and this is preferably effected by providing the body 18 at each end and in the center with slots or openings 33, each extending from the point from the normal circular curvature of said body. The rear or free end of the separating-plate or diaphragm 28 is preferably forami- 3 nous or perforated for some little distance the following manner: The material to be separated is fed in through the receivingmouth 4:, where it meets the blast of air issuing from the discharge-mouth 21 of the fan and passes upward between the inner and outer casings. I prefer to locate the inner casing eccentrically within the outer casing, as shown, so that the space between said casings gradually contracts from the dischargemouth of the fan to the receiving-mouth of the casing and gradually increases beyond that point. As the material to be separated enters through the mouth 4 the heavier and undesirable objects*such as pieces of iron, stone, and the like-will pass downward along the surface 22 to the trash-outlet 10 and thence into the trash-box l1,their weight being sufficient to overcome the resistance of the blast. The lighter purified material will pass up past the mouth 4 into the conduit 31 between the separating-plate 28 and the top of the main casing and will be carried along by the blast to the terminal edge 32 of said separating-plate. At this point the current of air will be diverted back into the space or conduit 30 by reason of the suction of the fans and inner and outer casings at the end of the diaphragm 28, the velocity of movement of the air-current is comparatively slight at this point, and the material carried thus far by the air continues downward and forward, owing to its own inertia and the action of gravity, and thus does not return with the air-current to the fan, but passes down to the outlet 8, where it is discharged. This decrease in velocity and diversion of the air-current without diverting the material carried thereby is aided and rendered more effective by the openings in the free end of the separating-plate 28, which permit successive portions of the blast to pass from one side of the separating-plate to the other without carrying the material along with it, for it will be observed that the separating-plate constitutes the divid ing-wall of two passages in which the air-currents move in diametrically opposite directions, the reversing of their direction of movement occurring around the free end of the plate and said reversal being sharp and complete when the end of the plate is not foraminous. Under certain circumstances it is desirable that this sudden reversal in the direction of flow 29, where the diaphragm 28 diverges from the body 18, t0 the point 34, where the portion 19 of the body 18 of the fan-casing diverges of the air-currents around the free edge of the separating-plate shall not be so abrupt, and when this is the case the portion of said plate adjacent to said free edge is perforated in such a way as to gradually divert successive portions of the air from one side of the plate to the other, thus reducing the violence of the revulsion when the air turns back in the opposite direction at the free edge of the plate.

It will be observed that the blast is created by the use of the same body or volume of air over and over again, said body of air circulating entirely within the casing without issuing therefrom at any point. This dispenses with the necessity of employing a dust-collector or equivalent device, which is required where the air after being utilized as a separating medium is discharged from the casing instead of being used over and over again. The structure is, moreover, extremely compact, occupying only a small space and requiring comparatively little material in its construction. It is, moreover, eflicient in operation and serves to positively remove large or heavy bodies from the material operated upon.

' Occasionally the material operated on carries with it strings or filaments which may become elements of danger or trouble in subsequent operations and which are of such a character that they will not be separated by the air-blast from the material carried around thereby toward the outlet 8. T 0 effect a separation of these strings or filaments from the otherwise purified material, I propose to emclean them by the removal therefrom of ploy a screen or grating 35, composed of inclined parallel wires or similar filaments 36, extending from the edge 82 of the separatingplate 28 downward and rearward to the body 2 of the main casing. Thus all the material which passes from the conduit 31 to the outlet 8 will pass through this screen or grating, and any threads or filaments therein will be arrested by and gather on the wires 86, down which they will slide to a receptacle 36 in the hinged plate 39, which may be a portion of the body 2 of the outer casing having a hingejoint 40 at its lower end, so that its upper end may be moved in or out or toward or from the fan-casing. In this waythe air-passage may be contracted or extended immediately below the receiving-mouth and the air-pressure correspondingly increased or diminished. In this way the force of the air may be controlled at the point where it first arrests the downward movement of the material. As a simple mode of securing this pressure-regulating plate I provide at its upper end ahorizontal flange 41, carrying clamping-bolts 42,

which extend through slots 43 in the bottom of the wall 6 of the hopper. I may also provide for adjusting the air-pressure above the receiving-mouth by means of a hinged plate 44, which may be a portion of the body 2 of the casing provided with a hinge-joint 4.5 at its upper end, so that its free lower end may be adjusted in or outer toward or from the fan-casing in a manner similar to that just described, so as to correspondingly Vary the cross-sectional area of the air-passage, and consequently the air-pressure, thus serving to relax the air-pressure more or less at this point. Adjustment of this regulating-plate may be effected by clamping-bolts 46, passing through slots 47 in the ends of the hopper 5 and providedwith clamping-nuts 48. way the air-pressure at the point of introduction of the material to be operated upon may be regulated as desired.

It sometimes occurs that the material operated on contains particlesof iron and other magnetic material so small as to be of insufficient weight to carry them downward to the trash-outlet against the blast of the fan, but of a character such as to be a source of danger in operations subsequent to the separation. To separate these light metallic particles, I employ a magnetic separator of any suitable construction-as, for instance, a me- .to be itself magnetized. of iron will adhere to this magnetized plate,

The casing 1 is provided with an open- In this.

tallic plate 49, located in the inclined wall 6 of the hopper 5 immediately in front of the receiving-mouth t and connected witha magnet 50, or 'a plurality of such magnets, so as The light particles and thus be prevented from entering the bodyof the separator, and they may be removed from the plate from time to time in the usual manner.

' It is sometimes difficult to regulate the blast by the speed at which the fan-shaft is driven,

and in order to effect this regulation without varying. the motive power and without obstructing the passage between the receivingmouth and trash -outlet I provide the discharge-mouth 21 of the fan-casing with a valve 51, which. may be moved across said mouth so as to obstruct the same more or less, and thus regulate the blast independently ofthe speed at which the fan-shaft is driven. This location of said valve is such that it in no way obstructs the passage of large articles from" the receiving-mouth to the trash-box. Preferably the valve is pivoted at its upper edge, as shown at 52, so that it may be either swung back against the outer face of the casing 18.,

as shown in full lines, or down across the mouth to a greater or less extent, as indicated in dotted lines. The pivotal axis 52 of said valve may be extended through the casing and provided externally thereof with an operating-handle 53, by means of which said valve may be readily set in any desired position. I do not wish to be understood as limiting and separate outlets in its lower part for the separated materials, the outlet for the. heavy material being below the receivingmouth,-of a similar innerfan-casing wholly inclosed within the outer casing, thedischargemouth of said fan-casing being located above the heavy-material outlet and directed upward toward the receiving mouth, a blast fan mounted within the fan-casing, and a separating-plate located in the space between the two casings, connected with the fan-casing above the receiving-mouth, diverging from said casing to form outgoing and return passages and extending over the top of the fancasing, terminating at a point in the rear thereof and above the other outlet of the main casing, the outgoing-passage between the separatingplate and main casing being connected with the fan outlet, and the return-passage on the other side of the separating-plate being connected with the fan-inlet, substantially as described.

2. In a separator, the combination, with an outer casing in the form of asubstantiallycylindric drum having a lateral receiving-mouth and separate outlets for the separated materials, of a similar inner fan-casing wholly inclosed within the outer casing, a blast-fan mounted in the fan-casing, the discharge of said 'fan being directed upwardlytoward the receiving-mouth, and a separating-plate located in the spacebetween the two casings, connected to the fan-casing at one end and diverging therefrom to form outgoing and return passages on'its opposite sides, the former connected with the outlet of-the fan and the latter with the inlet of the fan, said passages communicating with each other at the other end of the plate, which is free, the portion of'said plate adjacent to said free end be ing foraminous, substantially as described.

3. In a separator of the character described, the combination, with ablast-t'an, of a separating-plate and an inclosing easing, the spaces or passages on opposite sides of the plate being respectively connected with the outlet and inlet of the blast-fan, said passages communicating directly with each other at one edge of the plate, which is free, and the plate being foraminous adjacent to its free edge, substarr tially as described.

4:. In a-separator, an outercasingin the form of a substantially cylindric drum having a lateral receiving-mouth and separate outlets in its lower portion for the separated materials, a similar inner' casing-wholly inclosed in andextending from end to end of'the outer casing and having a discharge-mouth located above the heavy-material outlet and directed toward the receiving-mouth, a fan-shaft extending through'said inn-er easing and having blastfans mounted thereon, a separating-plate located in the space between the two casings, extending from end to end of the main casing, connected atits front end with the inner casing, and diverging therefrom, extending over its top and terminating rearward thereof,

said plate and casings forming outgoing and' return passages communicating at the rear endof the plate, heads located within the inner casing to form fan-chambers and airchambers, and slots or openings in the fanchamber connecting said air-spaces with the space between the separating-plate and fancasing, substantially as described.

5. In a separator of the character described, the combination, with inner and outer casings, ablast-fan within the inner casing, and a separating-plate having outgoing and return airpassages on its opposite sides communicating with each other around one edge of the plate, which is free, of a screen or grating composed of parallel wires extending uninterruptedly downward from the free edge of the separating-plate to the outer casing, substantially as described.

6. In a separator of the character described, the combination, with innerand outer casings, a'blast-fan within the inner casing, and a separating-plate having outgoing and return airpassages on its opposite sides communicating around one edge of the plate, which is free, of a screen or grating composed of parallel wires extending uninterruptedly downward from the free edge of the separating-plate to the outer casing, and a receptacle located at the lower end of the screen or grating, substantially as described.

7. A separator comprising an outer casing, and an inner casing containing a blast-fan, the space between said casings at one side forming ablast passage through which the fan discharges upwardly, the outer casing having a lateral receiving-mouth opening directly into saidblast-passage, the portions of the outer casing forming the outer wall of said blast-passage immediately above and below said receiving-mouth being hinged, so that the edges thereof which define the upper and lower margins of the receiving-mouth are adjustable toward and from the inner wall of In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DOV L. ADELSPERGER.

\Vitnesses:

E. O. HAGAN, IRVINE MILLER.

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