US1719132A - Centrifugal apparatus - Google Patents

Description

GENTRIFUG'AL APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5. 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet l Pq l l l YAM/WM July 2, 1929. E. ROBERTS CENTRIFUGAL `APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5. 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet Jly 2', 1929. E. RQBERTS l 1.719.132

CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5. 1926 s sheets-sheet 5 July 2, 1929.

E. ROBERTS CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5', 1926 8 Sheets-Shet 4 E. ROBERTS 1,719,132

CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 l i 1 l l i l l l l 1 l l l l l /1 l Z JJQWMMM@ July 2, 1929.

Juy 2, M929.. E, ROBERTS 1,719,132

CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 1926 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 \W VIII/l m July 2, 1929.

E. ROBERTS CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS Filed Nov. 5, 192sl a sheets-sheet 8 mit Patented July 2, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.Y

EUGENE ROBERTS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., .ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTERN STATES MA- CHINE COMPANY, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, 4 A. CORPORATION 0F UTAH.

CENTRIFUGAL APPARATUS.

Application led November 5, 1926.

rl`his invention relates to the centrifugal refining or purification of sugar or similar material, and is intended to provide a centrifugal apparatus so constructed and organized as to eliminate large losses or Waste of material resulting from previous practice in thisl field, and at the saine time to effect a great economy of labor attendance by making it practicable for an operator to attend to a larger number of eentrifugals, each of them operating more efficiently than under the practice heretofore prevailing.

The function of the centrifugal in sugar mills or refineries is to recover the solid r grains or crystals by separating therefrom both the free syrup, with which the grains are mingled, and the adhesive coating of syrup on the grains themselves. The elimination of the free syrup is effected by throwing it off eentrifugally through a surrounding filtering wall constructed to retain the solid crystals in the centrifugal basket, While allowing the liquid syrup to pass through the walled-up sugar and the filter and out of the perforated basket Wall into a suitable collector or receptacle, all under the action of centrifugal force.

The separation of the syrup coating adhering to the crystals is effected by spraying extends inward from the peripheral Wall approximately five or six inches.

The second operation is purging the sugar which is effected by turning on the full power of the centrifugal drive, thus accelerating the speed as fast as the machine can pick up speedfrom its drivingv connect-ion, thus centrifugally extracting the free syrup.

Third, the Washing spray is then brought into action and is directed against the inside.

surfacgA of the Walled-up ring 'of sugar through which the Water is driven by cen- Serial No. 146,433,

trifugal force to wash ofi the adhesive coating of syrup on the solid sugar crystals.

The fourth operation is the drying of the sugar after the Water is Vshut ofi' by continu- 1ng-thc high speed of the rotation until the grams of sugar have reached the requisite degree of dryness.

Fifth in order comes the brakingor slowing down of the machine by the application of the brake to a low speed, permitting the discharging or unloading of the sugar.

Sixth comes the discharging or unloading effected by means of a suitable discharging plow which cuts down the Walled up purified sugar and allows it to fall through the central outlet-opening in the bottom of the basket through which the sugar is discharged or unloaded upon a carrier which conveys it directly to the granulator. l

Heretofore, in actual practice, all these operations, except the actual duration of the spraying or washing operation, have been controlled and directed by the operator with two very serious resultant disadvantages. In the first place, there was no uniformity or precision in determining the duration of the different steps in the cycle even by the same operator, and this resulted in much Waste of sugar besides producing, at times, serious trouble in the operation of the machine, often resulting in serious and sometimes fatal injury to the operator.

I have found,l by actual test, that every pound of Wash Water sprayed upon the sugar-Wall carries off, in solution, about three pounds of sugar. If the spray is started too soon, that is, before the free syrup has been extracted, the Water mingles With the syrup, thereby losing its Wash-ing efficiency and requiring the use of considerable additional water on the sugar. On the other hand, if the spray be started too late the coating of syrup on the sugar crystals becomes hardcned by thecentrifugal drying action of the basket rotating-at high speed, and thus requires the application of a larger amount of Water to soften this hardened coating and remove it from the sugar grains. Furthermore, if the drying opera-tion, after Washing, isycontinued a little too long the sugar becomes packed so hard that it may smash the discharger digging into it With disastrous consequences not only to the a )paratus but oftentimes to the attendant. n the other trifugal, the excess moisture will adversely affect the granulating process which, to produce a satisfactory product, should receive the sugar at a uniform degree of dryness.

In short, there are just two operations or steps in the centrifugal cycle-that can advantageously be controlled by the operator, namely, the charging or loading of the wet sugar, and in the use of a fiat botto'm basket the discharging or unloading of the purified sugar. As to all other steps the lack of uniformity and precision in the control exerted at will by the operator is highly wasteful and injurious, and has been la prolitic source of loss and damage. Furthern'iore, by providing a really efficient and absolute-i' ly reliable control of all steps in the cycle, except the loading and unloading, there is effected a very substantial saving in the number of attendants required for a battery of machines, it being possible, with my improved apparatus, for the operator to carei for double the number of centrifugals he has heretofore operated with far more satisfactory results in the uniform quality of the product, and in the vastly greater economy of material.

Y Even -the operation of braking or slowing down the machine to a low enough speed to permit the vuse of a discharger secures a uniform dura-tion of the braking period,

`sincelthe brake shoes are set by automatically-acting spring tension which can be adjusted to secure any desired uniform period of duration for this operation and a uniform speed.

Since the duration of the various operations constituting the cycle should be varied for different grades of sugar or other material, I have) made simple and convenientprovision for regulating or adjusting the controlling means so as to make possible such variations inthe duration of any of the operations constituting the parts of the cycle to best Suit the natuie of the material bein'g treated, and this also forms an important feature of my invention.

Heretofore the only practical and successful regulation and control exercised in centrifugal machine practice has been applied in practice only to regulate the duration of the washing period by such an automatically controlled Washing apparatus such for eX- ample, as that set forth in United States Patent 1,224,095, issued jointly to myself and Angus H. Gibson.

I am aware that it has also been proposed to operate centrifugal machines continuouslyrat o erating speed with associated mechan ism or loadingwashing and unloading the continuously rotating basket, but t-hese proposals, although suggested many years ago, have never gone into practical use nor are they capable of practical use, artly because such continuous operation ofjcentrifugal machines does not meet the requirements of the art and partly because, in order to effect the automatic loading and in the case of a fiat bottom basket, the unloading of the basket, which is not desirable anyway, such arrangement and construction of eentrifugal has been adopted as to make its operation quite impracticable for other reasons. Furthermore, none of these paper proposals or suggestions have any provision for varying the duration of such parts of the cycle of operations as theyare supposed to control. For various reasons, therefore, there has not been developed any practical system or means for properly controlling and regulating the operation of centrifugal machines automatically, and I believe that I am the first in the art to provide practicable operative means for effectively accomplishing the automatic control and regulation of the various steps in the treatment of the sugar in centrifugal purification.

In general my invention comprises in. combination with a gyratory centrifugal and its driving means, a starting lever operatively associated With a time-controlling mechanism, a sprayer and an automatic brake so as to determine successively the duration of the purging operation, the starting and stopping of the washing operation thereafter, the drying of the sugar for a predetermined period and the braking action for a predetermined period for the purpose of slowing down and automatically stopping the machine. My invention also consists in providing means by which the different periods of operation, from the time of charging to the time of unloading the machine, may be varied to suit the requirements of the particular grade of sugar being treated. My invention further consists in Such construction and arrangement of parts as are hereinafter described and defined in the claims annexed.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated a specific form of construction and arrangement of the co-acting starting and controlling means embodying the principles of this invention, in association lwith a gyratory centrifugal machine, shown more orl less diagrammatically without unnecessary illustration or description of details of construction already Well understood in the art.

In the drawings Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a.

suspended overhead driven gyratory centrifugal machine equipped with the apparatus for automatically controlling and timing its Figure 3 is a detail view in side elevation of the starting-lever removed from its supporting frame. A l

Figures 4 and 5 are detail views representing, respectively, a front elevation .and a side elevation of the releasable latch orshoe that prevents the return of the starting lever from high speed position during the purging, washing and drying operations.

Figure 6 is an enlarged plan view showing the main starting and stopping lever in association with its actuating spr-ing `and the timer-starting connection.

Figure 7 is a plan view showing this spring and a'portion of the starting and,

stopping lever and its interconnection with the automatic brake and two-speed electric switch.

Figure 8 is -a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the spraying and timing apparatus as viewed by the operator in front of the machine. i

Figure 9 is a front elevation of the 'same in a plane at right angles to Figure 8.

Figure 10 is an elevation of the spraying and timing mechanism as seen from the opposite side to that shown in lFigure 8.

Figure 11 isa central vertical section` of the timer-actuating clutch and the timer wheels as viewed Vfrom the rear or in the opposite direction tothe view of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is adetail sectional view in a plane at right angles to Figure .11 through the clutchshift.

Figure 13 is a plan view of the sprayer and timer.

Figure 14 is a plan view` showing the rock-shaft connections by which the spray is started and later cut off.

Figure 15 is a side elevation of the releas able latch shown in position to prevent the closing of the valve of the sprayer.

The improvements claimed in the present application are in the nature of an improvement on, or a modification of, the invention set forth in my copending application, Serial No. 74,111, filed Dec. 8, 1925.

Before describing the details of the spe- \cific form'of apparatus illustrating my invention shown in the drawings, I will indicate the general plan of operation in order that such details may be more readily understood. y

In the form illustrated, control is applied to a gyratory centrifugal of well known type embracing a separat-orl basket m, surrounded by a syrup-collecting curb or casing, c, the basket being secured to the lower end of a gyratory rotary shaft b, whose upper portion b is enlarged for the reception of rotary bearing elements` in accordance with practice now well known. Secured to and extending upwardly around theenlarged portion b of the rotary basket-shaft, is a brake pulley d whose inside surface is fric tionally engaged by a pair of interior brake shoes g, arranged to be expanded outward into frictional engagement withV the inside of the pulley. The centrifugal, comprising the separator basket,'and its rotary shaft are suspended. from a fixed suspension hanger e, l

secured to overhead supporting beams f, in which hanger, the rotary basket-shaft is sus pended in any suitable manner to permit gyration against yielding resistance, according to any suitable or well-known practice. As this mode of suspension is well known in the art, and is not the subject of the present improvement, illustration and descrip tion of the' details are omitted.

In the form illustrated, the centrifugal is driven through the overhead axially aligned driving shaft zl of an overhead eleetric motor, not shown herein, which is energized through a double switch to drive the centrifugal at low speed and at high speed during different stages in the cycle of opera tion.

Starting with the empty centrifugal at rest, the attendant throws the starting lever to low speed position and admits the load of wet sugar into the basket in the usual manner, this loading requiring but a few seconds. On completing the loading the lever is then shifted to high speed position, thereby start-ing both the purging operation and the action of the automatic control mechanism by which all subsequent operations are guided ,and controlled until 1the sugar is purified and ready to discharge.

The starting lever is returned to idle position by a coiled tension spring which yields when the lever is manually ladvanced to low speed and to high speed positions, respectively, provi'sion being made by an automatic latch or dog to lock the lever in high speed position to prevent its return until released by the automatic control.

There are also connections leading 'from this main lever to the centrifugal brake shoes and to the switch knife, associated /With the lowspced and high speed motor circuits, whereby the brake, which is automatically set by a tension spring, is kept released or out of contact with the brake pulley, but is set when the lever is auto- `matically released and returned to neutral or idle position.

The automatic tuner-control ,is started in operation by the throwing of the main lever to high speed position. The timer mechanism contains three separate and independently adjustable timing members, one of which starts the sprayer in action after a predetermined period of purging, the second df whichl stops the-sprayer after any desired period of washing, and the third of which releases 4the timer clutch and `also releases the main starting lever after a predetermined period of drying, and thereby effected. The action of the starting and stopping lever, hereinafter referredto as the main lever, will best be understood by reference to wFigures 1 to G'inclusive of the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, there is secured to one of the overhead supporting beams f, to project out forwardly in front of the` centrifugal, a forwardlyextending web or bracket 3. On this bracket 3, together with a companion bracket 3X, is mounted a fixed shaft 2, on the left hand end of'which is mounteda 4main lever 1, for which it affords fulcral support. The upper end of this lever l, extends above the fixed shaft 2, and carries an anchoring.

pin v8, to which is secured one end of a strong helical spring 9, coiled freely around the fixed shaft. The other end of this spring is `anchored to a pin 10, mounted in a circumferentially adjustable anchoring block 10,l which is secured to a reduced end 2" of a fixed shaft to permit rota-tive adjustment of the block 10a. A set screw 1()b is used to retain the anchoring block in its different positions of circumferential adjustment. The anchoring block is provided with Spanner holes l()c into which may be inserted the end of a rod or lever for securing the desired a ljustment: The supporting rod or shaft 2 is splined inthe bracket 3,

las shown at 2a in Figure 2 and, consel quently, by the rotative adjustment of the tension-adjusting'member or block 10, any desired degree of torsional strength may be given tothe spring 9, whose direction of torsional stress is indicated by the arrow in Figure 2, and tends to return the main lever to idle position.

-The lower part of the supporting bracket 3 1s provided with an arcuate runway formed between two arcuate ledges 3a and3", formed on the linner face of the bracket 3, the center of curvature being `the ,center of the fulcral fixed shaft 2. In the upper ledge 3a ofthis runway are bored twogstop apertures 4 and 5 which determine, respectively, the positions of the main lever 1the former for neutral position and the latter for low speed position. (lo-,operating with these stop `apertures or stop shoulders 4 and 5,' is a according to the position of the-main lever. Forwardlv of the stop recess 5 is a downwardly offset or projecting continuation of the upper ledge 3, as shown at 3". A pivoted hand grip 7 adjacent the handle of the main lever, is pivota ly connected at 6, with the reciprocating stop plunger 6, so that it` may be manually operated. It should be stated that in the position shown in Figure 2 the lever is in high speed position with the stop plunger 6, resting against the ledge 3d and locked against return by a latch or dog 12, the details of which will presently be explained. In this figure the radial line marked 1' designates the position of the main lever when the apparatus is at rest and the brake is set against the brake pulley. -The radial line n, in which the plunger 6 may be locked by the stop shoulder or recess 4, is the neutral position of the lever in which the brake is released, but the switch is not closed and no operation of any part of the apparatus occurs. The radial line-s, shows the position in which the stop plunger 6 interlocks with the recess 5, at which position thelmotor switch knife is thrown into the low speed circuit when the operator is loading the machine, or it -may be when the o erator is discharging the machine after t e spraying and drying operations have been finished and the machine has been slowed down.

Inasmuch as the main lever, in its high speed position as shownV in Figure2, is under heavy retractive tension from the helical spring 9, it must be locked in that position to'prevent its return to idle position. 'lhis locking ofthe lever' is accomplished by the `action of an automatic dog orlatch 12. of

the form shown in Figures 2, 4 and 5. This dog is secured to a" fore and aft rock-shaft 13,' extending at right angles to the fixed shaft 2 forming the fulcral support of the main lever, the latch being transversely bored at its upper end to receive said rockshaft or spindle 13, and having an offset inward portion or arcuate shoe 12b laterally offset from the plane of the fulcralportion of the latch 12, with which it is connected by the short connecting right angle arm '12% The latch spindle 13 is mounted in the fixed supporting frame 3. As the latch or dog 12 'is not intended to lock the main lever until T he latch spindle 13, as shown best in Figure 6. is provided with a spiral or torsion 'spring 14 whose torsional force is exerted in the direction of the arrow, Figure 6, to throw the latch in behind the stop or roller 3". carried by the main lever. vSecured to the latch spindle 13 is an arm 15, having a series of pin holes 15a 'at different radial distances from the center to give the desired dcgre of throw or movement to a/ connecting link 16, whose forked end 16% is attached to this arm 15 by a connecting pin. The other end of this connecting link 16 is pivotally secured to a rock-arm 17a, secured to a rock-shaft which, at its farther end, is provided with a similar angularly disposed arm 17", into which is hooked the upper end of the timer-connecting rod 1 by which the timer mechanism isstarted in action when the main lever is thrown to high speed position and by which, through the control of the timer, after predetermined periods, the main lever is released to return to idle position and the brake setting mechanism is allowed to act automatically to slow down and stop the machine, all of which will be presently explained- To prevent the automatic plunger 6 from engaging either of the stop recesses 43nd 5 on its automatic return to idle position, special controllingv dogs or latches 6, in the form of toggles pivoted on the centers 6, and having their outer ends interconnected by a contractile spring 6e, are employed. At their inner ends these toggles have elongatedslots engaging a projecting stud or pin 6g, extending laterally from the plunger 6. When these toggle latches are swung about their pivotal centers, from one side of the center to the other, they act, by means of the slotted engagement with the pin 6g, to shift the plunger` 6 in one direction or the other. In straight alignment across the plunger they are on the dead center. In the positions shown in Figures 2 and 3, these latches 'act to retain the-plunger 6 in its ,inactive or retracted position and, obviously, if swung to the other side of thedead center they will equally maintain `it in its active position to engage either the recess 4 or the recess 5, thereby locking the lever 1 in either neutral or lowfspeed position. "It will beobserved that the runway between `the ledges 3 and 3", afford a passage or channel through which the pin controllingr these latches or `dogs may travel as the lever 1-swings to and fro, and also that the right hand end portion of the lower ledge 3b, as shown at 3, is vflared or dropped away from the circular arc i3", to forma cam-like, surface which will engage the pin 6F, on the plunger as the lever swings to the left and force the to'ggles slightly beyond the dead-center position so that they are exercising an upward thrust on the plunger. This does not occur until after the plunger, on the return --movement of the lever 1, has passed the socket or recess 4 and, consequently, while the plunger can not move far beyond the dead center posivtion, it is kept under tension so that when the plunger is'y manually thrown to the right from the at-rest position 7', it will spring into the recess 4 automatically from which it may be withdrawn by the hand-grip 7 when the operator desires to shift the lever to low speedposition on the line Z.

The reason for providing a neutral position, inaddition to the low speed and high speed and inact-ive position of the lever, is to release the brake and allow the centrifugal to run freely under its own momentum in vcase the operator finds it desirable to do so for any reason, such as prolonging the unloading period. This neutral posit-ion will also be useful when the apparatus is being washed down bythe operator for cleaning purposes. 4

I will now describe the connections leading from the main lever 1, to the brake mechanism and the double circuit motor switch, these being best shown in plan view, Figure 7 On the inside face of the main lever 1 is secured a stud or post 20, carrying a pivotal block 21,.to which is pivotally connected the forked end 22EL of a'rearwardly extending connecting rod 22, having, at its rear end, a fork 22", connected to a pivot-block 23a on the end of an arm 23, secured to a vertical rock-shaft 24, depending from the fixed hanger e between the two adjacent free ends of the brake shoes g to form a fulcral support for the toggle links 26, 268,1which are pivotally connected to a disk or collar 25, fulcrumed on the vertical spindle 24.

It will be understood that when the main lever 1 nieves to its rearrnost or idle position at 7', the brake-actuating arm 23 is rotated in a clockwise direction to powerfully expand the brake toggles 26, 26a and force the brake shoes g, which are fulcrumed on a spindle at g, carried by the hanger, into frictional or braking engagement with the interior of the brake pulley d, which is secured to the enlarged upper end portion b of the basketshaft. When the brake lever is moved forward from idle position it acts to immediately release and unseat the brake to leave' the centrifugal free to rotate both in neutral and in the two-speed driving positions.

Fulcrumed onthe brake spindle 24 is arm 27 Vwhich is connected, by means ofa link 27 a,- adjustable as to length by nuts, 27", with the electric switch knife 28 which is provided with two separate terminals 28a for the low speed and 28b for the high speed circuits of the driving motor. The low speed switch pole 28a is extended out beyond thel radial line of the high speed switch 28", the parts being so arranged and proportionedv that the low speed terminal 28'a to close the low speed'circuit. On further forward swinging of the .lever 1 to high speed position, the switch'knife 28 will be moved further inward to engage also the high speed terminal 28". The terminal 28c is common to both circuits. In neutral position of the main le' ver the switch'is wide open, extending off to the right away-from both switch terminals. It will, therefore, be seen that both the centrifugal brake mechanism and the motor-controlling switch are actuated through a common. actuating member so that the brake must always be open when the switch is closed, and the brake may or may not be set according to its adjustment toidle or neutral position when the switch is open. The adjustment of the heavy lever-actuating spring 9 makes it possible to get any desired degrec of tension and, consequently, any desired degree of braking action so as to determine with precision the rate of slowing down of the machine from highs d, preparatory to discharging the puri edsugar.

I will now describe the construction and operation of ,the automatic controlling .mechanism by which the time-control and regulation. of each automatically-controlled operation in the cycle is effected.

For convenience the timer mechanism o is mounted upon the sprayer im at the right hand side of theI machine. The actuating drive for both the timer and the sprayer, as shownin Figure 1, comprises a horizontal drrvmg pulley30, carried at the end of a swinging arm 31, which is fulcrumed above the timer 0," and which is normally kept pressed against the exterior of the basketshaft b byr a contractile spring 31a ,(Fig. 13). This arm is hollow and carries an interior horizontal transmission shaft 32, having beveled gear connection at its outer end with the pulley 30, and at its innerv end with a vertical driving shaft 33, which extends down into the timer and carries a cam 51 for oscillating the sprayer-actuating arm 50 wollch is supported upon said cam by a roller s the details of constructionof the sprayer are not claimed herein as part of this invention, it will suffice, for present purposes, to state that the sprayer construction is very similar to. that shown -in Letters Patent granted me4 May 18, 1926 N o. 1,585,608, except that the sprayer contains no tlmmg mechanism as in that patent, but is under the control of thel unified timer that exerts a common control over the operations described, except' loading and unloading. It lwill be understood that the vertical shaft 33, which drives both the timer mechanism and the sprayer is constantly running so long as the centrifugal is runnin ksince it is in constant drive connection with the basketshaft; hence the cam 51, for oscillating the arm 50 of the sprayer, is always in operation when the machine is in operation, but the nozzle itself is in `the form of afvertlcaliy 75 reciprocating pipe 54, having a connecting nipple at 54, for a flexible connecting hose 541 which is in communication with the conduit 53 leading from the valve casing 53,

this flexible connection making it possible toy so give any desired reciprocation to the spraypipe 54, which is mounted in bearings 55 of anv adjustable bracket 55, secured to the sprayer casing m, by la screw and slot connection at 55C, as shown in Figure 8, by B5 which the pipe may be adjusted inwardly or outwardly inside-of the centrifugal basket.

TheN reciprocating spray pi e is provided-1 withia horizontal pin 55d, w ich rests upon the outer end of the spray-actuating arm 50, .00

to give the desired ,degree ofreciprocation to the spray pipe which is perforated on the side toward the surrounding sugar wall, as indicated in Figure l, to direct a fine spray against the adjacent inside wall of the b5 sugar, the spray openings being distributed to deliver the proper quantity of water to different levels of the su ar wall.

. Since the oscillation o the' spray-pi e or -nozzle continues so long as the centri ugalloo is running, it is necessary to provide only for the turning `,on of the spray at the proper stage in the cycle of the centrifugal o rar tion and its shutting oil'` after a pre etermined interval. This is effected through `mechanism controlled by the' timer device mounted on top of the s pra er casing m. A rock-shaft 57 (Figs. 8, 9 an 14), mounted in the sprayer casing, carries an arm 57,

'normally pulled in the clockwise direction 110 (Fig. 9) by a tension spring 57", anchored to a tension adjustmentj screw 57. This rock-shaft also" carries an arm 56", engaglng an eye or loop in the 4upper end of the valve 56 so that the tension of the spring 57b 115 presses the valve stem downward t9 keep the valve closed, while an upward movement of the arm 56 acts to open the valve by raising the valve stem. On the opposite side of the shaft-57 projects a forked arm 58, having 120 pivotal connection with a vertical latch or catch 60 whose lower end is connected by means of a contractile spring 58, carried by a stud or screw 58'L secured to the h ub of the arm 58 so that the tension of the spring tends 1521 to'draw in the lower end of the latch 60 and yieldingly move outward the upper end of the latch. The latch 60 is formed, near its u per end, with a shoulder or abutment 60,

a apted to thrust against the underside of a fixed stop lug or bar 61, carried by the frame of the timer o.

This latch, when the valve is closed by the spring 57h, 'has its stop shoulder 6()a normally spaced` some distance above the fixed.

stop 61. Near its upper end the latch carries a pivotal dog or-nger 60", adapted to be engaged by a projection 45 on a rot-at' r low the horizontal; hence the downward -movement,4 of the swell or projection 45d serves to depress or push down the latch 60 so that, when the shoulder 6()a comes below `the level of the stop 61, the contractile spring 58b swings the latch 60 into stop engagement with the fixed stopA 61, in which.

position the valve stem is raised to open the valve and allow the sprayer to function.

Further rotation of the timer-shaft acts to release the latch from its stop position and allow `it ,to return to uppermost position to letthe valve close. This is accomplished by means of a bell-crank arm 62, whose horizontal member projects vout to be engagedv4 and depressed the revolving timer, and whose vertical arm carries a projecting pin 62a, adapted to strike against the outside face of the latch 60 and'- force the latch inwardly, thereby releasing the latch shoulder 60a from engagement with the fixed stop 61.

The latch being s o released no longer prevents the spring 57" from actuating the rockshaft 57 to shut 0H the water Ifrom the sprayer and nozzle. ,y

I will' now describe thev details of the' timer'mechanism` by which the various movements are controlled. Alongside of the Ishaft 33, driven from its connection with the centrifugal machine-shaft, is a vertical Ycoun'terlshaft 34, which has driving connectionfrom the shaft 33 through speed-re ducing pinions 33a, 34 (Fig..8). The counter-shaft 34 also ycarries Va worm 341 that intermeshes with a wormv 41? that :isloosely mounted on the horizontal timer shaft 43, (Fi .'1-1). -Along one end of this timer sha t 431s mounted a Spanner head or nut 43, to which is pinned a spiral spring 43", the outer end of which spring is anchored to a fixed pin 43, on the timer casing o, which permits adjustment. of the spring tension as thelnut Iis turned one way'or the other. The other4 end of thetimer-shaft vcarries a 'circular head 44jformed with three peripheral `spaces to receive three timer rings 45,46 and 47,' each of which may be independently adjusted circumferential-ily of the timer head. The respective rings carry peripheral swells or projections 45d, 46d andl 47d. The three circumferentially adjustable 'timer rings are mounted on the space between the inner face-plate 48" and the outer face-plate 48, which are secured to opposite faces of the timerhead 44. The outer plate 48 carries three bosses 48, at diiferent dis tances from the center, in which are mounted spring plungers 45, 46c and.47c,

to engage, respectively one of an annular series of holes 45", 46b and 47, formed in the respective rings so that, when the plunger for any ring is retracted, the ring may be turned to any desired circumferential posi tion of adjustment and the plunger released v'to allow it to spring 'into locking engagement in one of the transverse holes of its ring to maintain it in its adjusted position. The peripheral face of each timer ring is provided with several radial holes or sockets 45, for the insertion of a spannerwrench or rod for facilitating ythe adjustment of the different rings.

As .it is desired that the timer-shaft shall not be acting all the time the centrifugal is running but only while the centrifugal is running at high speed, its driving wormgear 411 is loose on the shaft and is operativellyvconne'cted therewith by means of a slidable clutch 4pulley 41, which is splined to the shaft 43.' Except at high speed, this spline clutch is out of engagement with the companion' clutch 41a, on the adjacent face of the worm-gear 41". The control of this clutch is best shown in Figures 10 to 13. Above the timenshaft and atright angles thereto is mounted a clutch-shaft or spindle 40, having splined to its outer end a doubled arm or yoke-like lever 19h, carrying opposed setserews-19c i-n line with an intermediate lever or arm 19 which is loosely fulcrumed on the clutch spindle 40. One end of this arm 19 `is pivotally connected by pivot-pin 18L with the connecting link 18, which extends upwardly to the rockshaft 17, which is interconnected with the main lever 1, as above described. The other end of the lever 19 projects across the intermediate-timer-ring 46, in positionV to be engaged' by the swell or projection 46d, on its intermediate ring. This constitutes the knock-olf movement by which t-he connecting link 18 is pulled downward by the timer mechanism so as to release the dog 12 that holds the main lever 1 in high speed position, and by this downward pull and release the main lever is allowed to swing back under its torsion spring to idle position at the same time setting the brake.

It will be observed that the knock-oil' arm 19,-instead` of being connected directly to the clutch spindle 40, upon which it is loosely mounted, is connected operatively therewith through the medium of the splined arm 19", by engagement with the set. screws 19". The object of this'ar'rangement is to provide a slight lostmotion at this point to prevent y above described, is effected only when the main lever is thrown to high speed position.

This rocks the clutch spindle in a counter-` clockwise direction, according to. the showing in Figurev 10, or in a clockwise direction, accordingto the showing in. Figure 11, thus throwing the clutch 41 into intermeshing engagement with its companion clutch 41a, fastened to lthe worm gear'tlb, which is constantly` driven so long as the centrifugal is running by reason o f the speed-reducing pinions 33, 34a, and the worm-drive connection. The rotation of the timer-shaft is comparativelyr slow. Having reference to Figure 9; thev swell 45d, on the outer timerring, after a predetermined are of rotation, according to its adjustment, engages the dog G0, forcing down Lthe latch 60 into engagement with its stop member 6l, so that the sprayer-valve is opened and maintained in opened position until the swell 47, on the innermost ring 47, engages the trip' lever 62 and disengages ythe latch 60 from stop G1 to allow the valve to close under the tension of spring 57".

It 'will be understood` that the return spring 43 of the timer, is being wound up under gradually increasing teison as the timer revolves during its active period. When the clutch is released or knocked off,

the spring acts to return the/tnnerlshaft-to zero orsstartingposition'against a stop, as

best shown in Figure 10, which comprises a pivotal stop-dog mounted on the timerframe or casing o', liavingits outer end projecting outward, and carrying a buffer 65a of rubber or the like to engage a co-operating arm 66, projecting from and secured to the hub of the timer-head. 'Ihe stop' dog 65 is pivoted instead of being rigidly secured to the casing, in order to permit the free revolution of the head in adirection to i wind up the spring. lAs the rearV face of the projecting end of the stop-dog 65 is beveled,

,the dog easily yields when the stop abutment v66 strikes it from the rear to allow the stop abutment to pass by. The gravity of the longer arm of the dog 65v tends to keep it in horizontal position since its inner end abuts against a fixed stop or rib 67 on the casing.

Obviously, the circumferential spacing between the swells 45d and 47 will determine the duration of the period of spraying, and it will be equally clear that the circumferential adjustment of the member 45d determines the duration of` the sprayingperiod. The circumferential distance of the member l 45d, from thedog 60, in its elevated position yfrom the starting or initial point of the timer, determines the duration of the purging period following the setting of the main lcverto high speed position.

What I claim is: y

1. In a centrifugal apparatus, the combination with a centrifugal and its driving means, of a starting lever adapted to be shifted to normal operative position at the will of the operator, a sprayer, a controller set in operation by the movement of said lever to operative position, said controller having three adjustable elements acting respectively to start and to stop the sprayer after predetermined but variable intervals, and to shift the lever to idle position to allow the centrifugal to stop.

2. A starting and stopping mechanism for a centrifugal embracing a pivotal lever movable to starting position against spring tension, an interconnected brake actuated by spring tension to be set to brake the centrifugal when the lever returns to idle position, means for retaining the lever in different positions to impart diflerent speeds of rotation to the centrifugal without allowing the brake to set at either speed, and means for automatically releasing the lever from normal operative position after a predetermined period to stop the centrifugal.

3. Automatically releasable starting means for a centrifugal r.embracing in association with two speed driving means, a pivotal lever, lever-positioning and holding means by which the lever is retained at one or more uintermediate positions between its extreme position Qfiidleness and of full speed, and means whereby the lever, when released from its full speed position, is permitted to return to idle positions without being arrested in any intermediate position.

4. Automatically releasable starting mechanism for a centrifugal embracing in combination a pivotal starting lever movable from idle to full speed positlons'against ielding resistance tending to ret-urn it to i le osition, a detent carried by said lever an arranged to engage adjacent sto shoulders in the adjacent frame to hold it 1n some intermediate position, means for automatically engaging said detent with one of said stop shoulders as the lever is moved toward starting position, said means also acting to prevent said detcnt from engaging either stop shoulder on its return movement to idle position.

5. In an automatically controlled centrifugal apparatus, the combination of a starting element movable by hand from idle position to normal operative position against yielding resistance tending to return it to idle position, a brake and a motor switch, operatively interconnected with said starting element, to be moved to idle position and to circuit-closing position respectively by the movement of the starting element from idle to operative position, means for releasably locking the starting element. against return to idle position, and means driven by the centrifugal for releasing said locking means after a predetermined period.

6. Iii an automatically controlled centrifugal apparatus, the combination of a starting element adapted to be moved from idle to operative position against a yielding and adjustable resistance tending to return said starting element to idle position, a brake operatively connected with said lever to beset to braking position when the starting element is moved to idle position and to be released when the starting element is moved away from idle position, a motor switch arranged to close in succession low speed and high speed motor energizing circuits by the movement of the starting element and timing means arranged to release the lever from high speed position.

7. In a motor driven centrifugal apparatus, the combination of a pivotal starting lever movable manually to operative position, a detent for releasably locking it in said position, a brake, a switch for closing low speed and high speed circuits of the driving motor, a common spring acting to move said' lever to idle position and set said spring and open said switch, and timer means `connected with said detent to act after a predetermined and variable period to release said detent and allow said spring to open the switch and set the brake.

8. In an automatically controlled centrifugal apparatus, the combination with av ceiitrifugal, of means for manually starting and automatically stopping the centrifugal, a sprayer, a rotary timing controller driven by a releasable connection with the centrifugal, said timer having circumferentially adjustable members for turning on the spray aft-cr a predetermined interval following the starting of the centrifugal, for stopping the spray and for stopping the centrifugal and releasing its own driving connection with the centrifugal` respectively, and means for returning the timing controller to initial position when its operat-ive connection with the centrifugal is released.

9. In combination with a sugar purifying centrifugal and its associated driving motor and brake, a startinglever movable at will against the resistance of a return spring and having operative connections with the brake and with the starting switch of the motor, a sprayer, a timer for starting and stopping the sprayer, a timer starting element acting toretain the aforesaid starting lever in its operative position, said timer starting element beingl itself releasable by the action of the timer to stop the centrifugal at a 'predetermined interval after the sprayer has been stopped.

10. In combination with a sugar purifying centrifugal and associated driving motor and brake, a two-speed motor controlling switch combined with brake-actuating means, both movable to centrifugal operating position against resistance of a return spring, a sprayer, a timer controlling the starting and stopping of the sprayer while the centrifugal is running, timer starting means acting to prevent the return of the switch and brake to centrifugal non-operatiiig position until the timer starting means is itself released by the timer.

11. In combination with a sugar purifying centrifugal and associated two-speed driving means and brake, a starting element movable by the operator against resistance of a return spring to first and second positions in succession, said starting element having connection with the brake to unset the brake before the starting element reaches either speed driving position, a sprayer, a. timer controlling tlie starting and stopping of the sprayer at predetermined intervals after starting the centrifugal, a timer starting element arranged to prevent the return spring from acting to cause the stopping of the centrifugal and being itself released by the timer after the sprayer has stopped to allow the stopping of the centrifugal.

l2. In combination with a sugar purifying centrifugal and associated driving and braking means, a starting element having actuating connection with said driving means and with said brake and movable to brake unsetting position before reaching operative driving position, means acting to return the starting element from normal centrifugal opera-ting position to initial non-operating and brake setting position. a sprayer, a sprayer controlling timer and means for starting said timer in action when the centrifugal starting element reaches normal operating position, said timer staitiiig element acting also to prevent the return of said starting element to non-operating position until the timer starting element is itself released.

13. In combination with a sugar purifying centrifugal and associated driving motor and brake, a starting member operatively combined with the mot-or switch and with the brake and movable to centrifugal operating position, a sprayer, timing means for starting and stopping the sprayer at prede.

termined intervals during the operation of the centrifugal, means rendered operative by the timing means for returning the starting member to centrifugal stopping position, and means released by the timer for restoring 4the timer toits initial position.

14. In combination with a sugar purifying centrifugal and an associated driving motor l and starting switch, means for returning the switch to open circuit position, a sprayer, clutch driven timing Ameans for starting and stoppinl the spra er at predetermined inl 6 tervals llowingt estarting of the centrifugal, means for shifting said clutch to operative driving position when the switch is EUGENE ROBERTS

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