US3366318A - Centrifuge for continuously separating a lubricating liquid from metal shavings or the like - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 30, 1968 c. R. STEIMEL 3,366,318

CENTRIFUGE FOR CONTINUOUSLY SEPARATING A LUBRICATING LIQUID FROM METAL SHAVINGS OR THE LIKE Filed April 4, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 u o o a o o o 13 v 26 l7 I f 7 l 22 I 20' 2o 23 27 r' @li i 42 i lN VE N TOR Car! Ml .f/lnu! BY Jan. 30, 1968 c. R. STEIMEL 3,366,318

CENTRIFUGE FOR CONTINUOUSLY SEPARATING A LUBRICATING LIQUID FROM METAL SHAVINGS OR THE LIKE Filed April 4, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR [aha-44144 BY fiq iauzl he.

United States Patent Office Patented Jan. 30, 1968 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A centrifuge for continuously separating a lubricating liquid from metal shavings or the like. This centrifuge includes first and second collecting means and means for imparting vibrations to these collecting means.

The present invention relates to a centrifuge for continuously separating a lubricating liquid from metal shavings or the like.

It is one object of the present invention to provide for a centrifuge for the aforementioned purpose constructed and arranged in such a manner that the liquid separated 2! from the metal shavings as -well as the latter are discharged from the centrifuge at an elevation to permit easy transportation of the discharged materials to a place of further use.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide for a centrifuge for the aforementioned purpose which has a relatively small height so that the material may be conveniently fed thereinto and so that the space requirements of the centrifuge are relatively small.

It is an additional object of the present invention to provide for a centrifuge for the aforementioned purpose in which the materials to be separated are not only subjected to a centrifuging action but also to a vibrating action so as to prevent clogging of the centrifuge and to improve separation of the lubricating liquid from the shavings.

It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide for a centrifuge for the aforementioned purpose which is composed of relatively few and simple parts so that the centrifuge may be manufactured at reasonable cost and will stand up trouble-free under extended use.

With these objects in view, the centrifuge according to to the present invention for continuously separating a lubricating liquid from metal shavings or the like mainly comprises support means, a motor having a drive shaft, elastic mounting means mounting the motor on the support means with the drive shaft extending in substantially vertical direction and permitting the motor to vibrate transverse to its axis, a substantially bell-shaped centrifugal drum having an upwardly widening conical portion and a substantially cylindrical portion upwardly projecting therefrom and being formed at a junction of the aforementioned portions with openings for discharge of the lubricating liquid therethrough, feeding means extending from the top toward but short of the bottom of the drum for supplying shavings to the interior of the latter, first collecting means surrounding the aforementioned openings for collecting the liquid emanating from the latter and for discharging the same from the cenvtrifuge, second collecting means surrounding the upper 'edge of the cylindrical portion of the drum radially outwardly spaced therefrom for collecting the shavings discharged by centrifugal action from the drum and for disranged substantially coaxial with the drum and having an upper edge upwardly spaced from the upper edge of the cylindrical portion of the drum and a lower end adjacent to the bottom of the drum. The material is fed into the upper open end of the funnel in a more or less continuous manner for instance by a conveyor belt and in order to prevent clogging of the funnel the latter is either subjected to continuous vibrations, or the feeding means may include further a feed screw extending through the funnel.

The bell-shaped centrifugal drum has a bottom having a central substantially horizontal portion and an outer annular portion curving gradually with a relatively large radius into the conical portion of the drum. This shape of the drum will assure that the shavings fed through the funnel onto the central portion of the drum bottom will be centrifuged in radial outward direction and rise upwardly toward the largest drum diameter when the drum is rotated at high speed for instance with 1,000 to 1,400 revolutions per minute. The time during which the shavings fed into the drum will remain therein will be influenced by the height of the cylindrical portion at the upper end of the drum. Of course the time will also depend on the circumferential speed of the drum and the amount of shavings fed per time unit into the drum.

The lubricating liquid to be separated from the shavings rises also due to the centrifugal action upwardly along the inner surface of the conical drum portion and will be discharged due to centrifugal action through the openings provided at the junction between the conical and the cylindrical drum portions. The liquid thus discharged from the interior of the drum Will be collected by the first collecting means, which are preferably in the form of a casing surrounding the drum, and be discharged from the casing through an outlet opening at the lower end thereof. The aforementioned openings through which the liquid is discharged from the drum are preferably formed by an annular gap formed between radially outwardly extending flanges at the upper end of the conical portion and the lower end of the cylindrical portion of the drum which are held spaced from each other by appropriate spacer means which may be in the form of small annular discs located between the flanges circumferentially spaced from each other and through which screw bolts may extend connecting the flanges to each other. In order to prevent discharge of shavings through this annular gap the latter is covered by fine mesh screen means, for instance by a strip of perforated sheet metal, the inner surface of which is arranged flush with the inner surface of the drum.

The shavings rising beyond the upper edge of the cylindrical drum portion are flunk outwardly by centrifugal action and collected by the second collecting means which preferably include an annular baffle plate surrounding the upper edge of the cylindrical drum portion radially outwardly spaced therefrom and chute means extending downwardly from the annular bafile plate. The chute means are preferably fixedly connected to the casing in which the oil is collected and this casing is preferably fixed to the elastically mounted motor so that all vibrations imparted to the motor by an unbalance of the material fed into the drum will also be transmitted to the chute means. This will prevent any clogging of the chute means without requiring separate means for vibrating the latter.

The centrifuge according to the present invention has a relatively small height, since the centrifugal drum is mounted directly on the upper end of the vertical shaft of the motor spaced from the latter by the smallest possible distance, and since the funnel is arranged at least with a major portion thereof in the interior of the centrifugal drum. Since the shavings are discharged from the drum at a relatively high elevation, the lower end of the chute can be arranged well above the floor on which the centrifuge is mounted so that a conveyor belt may be arranged below the outlet end of the chute for conveniently transporting the shavings separated from the oil to a place of further use.

Likewise the lubricating liquid is discharged at a relatively high elevation so that the same can be conveniently discharged in a container arranged on the side of the centrifuge.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method for operating, together with additional object and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an axial cross section through one embodiment of a centrifuge according to the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is an axial cross section through asecond embodiment.

Referring now to the drawing, and more specifically to FIG. 1 of the same, it will be seen that the centrifuge according to the present invention comprises a motor 2 having a substantially vertical drive shaft 1 to the upper end of which a substantially bell-shaped centrifugal drum 3 is connected for rotation with the drive shaft. Elastic mounting means are provided'for mounting the motor with the drive shaft extending in substantially vertical direction and permitting the motor to vibrate transverse to its axis. The elastic mounting means may include a flange 4 fixed to the lower end of the motor 2, a second flange 5 abutting against theflange 4 coaxially arranged with respect thereto and fixed thereto in any convenient manner and carrying fixedly connected thereto a downwardly projecting central stud shaft 6 surrounded by a plurality of rubber rings 7 which are housed in a socket mounted in the base-8 of the centrifuge. The rubber rings 7 can be compressed by means of a clamping flange 9 screwed into the upper end of the socket in which the rubber rings are housed.

The end of the drive shaft 1 projecting upwardly beyond the motor 2 preferably tapers slightly in upward direction and the free end thereof is provided with an outer screw thread. An internally threaded cup 10 located in a central cavity of the bottom wall 3 of the drum 3 is screwed onto the threaded end of the shaft 1 so as to press a tubular extension extending downwardly from the bottom wall of the drum onto the tapering shaft portion and to hold the drum 3 on the shaft 1 for rotation therewith. The cup 10 has an upper horizontal surface which forms the central portion of the bottom 3' of the drum. The drum bottom 3' curves outwardly and upwardly along a radius of relatively large curvature to blend into the lower end of the conical portion 3" of the drum. The conical portion 3" has a cone angle between and 40 degrees. A substantially cylindrical drum portion 11 projects upwardly from the upper edge of the conical portion 3" and a plurality of openings 12 are arranged at the junction of the two portions to permit discharge of the lubricating liquid to be separated from metal shavings in the drum from the interior of the latter. An annular flange 14 projects radially outwardly from the upper edge of the conical portion 3" of the drum and a corresponding annular flange 13 is provided on the lower edge of the cylindrical portion 11 and a plurality of annular spacer discs 15 of small diameter are placed angularly spaced from each other between the flanges 13 and 14, and screw bolts extending through the spacer discs 15 connect the flanges 13 and 14 fixedly to each other so that the aforementioned openings are constituted by the gap formed between the flanges 13 and 14 held separated from each other by the spacer discs 15. An annular sheet metal strip 16 formed with a great number of small openings therethrough is arranged in a corresponding groove formed in the inner surface of the drum so that the inner surface of the strip 16 is substantially flush with the inner drum surface covers the 7 gap 12 to prevent escape of shavings by centrifugal action through this gap. 7

The cylindrical drum portion 11 is provided along its upper edge likewise with an outwardly projecting annular flange 17 over which the shavings separated from the oil will be discharged by centrifugal action.

The liquid discharged through the openings or the gap 12 will be collected by first collecting means or casing 20, preferably constituted by a casing wall 22 surrounding the drum outwardly spaced therefrom and provided with a bottom 23 which is slightly inclined toward a discharge conduit 21 communicating with the interior of the casing 20. The casing wall 22 is connected through the bottom 23 and through a plurality of angularly displaced straps 24 to a cylindrical member 25 surrounding the motor 2 and connected thereto for vibrationtherewith by members 20. A radially inwardly extending flange 19 is fixed to the upper end of the casing wall 22 and the inner edge of the flange 13 is preferably located slightly inwardly of the outer edge of the flange 17 to prevent any shaving passing over the flange 17 to drop into the casing 20.

Second collecting means surround the upper edge of the cylindrical portion 11 of the drum 3 radially outwardly spaced therefrom for collecting the shavings discharged by centrifugal action over the flange 17. The second collecting means preferably include an annular baffle plate 26 extending upwardly beyond the flange 17 and beyond the upper edge of the casing 20 radially outwardly spaced from the latter and steeply inclined chute means 27 extending downwardly from the baffle plate 26 toward a laterally arranged discharge opening 28. The annular baffle plate 26 is connected over the chute and through studs 29 to the wall 22 of the casing 20 so as to be likewise carried by the elastic mounting of the motor. The baflle plate 26 is preferably reinforced in the region of the elevation of the flange 17 by an exchangeable annular insert 30.

A cover 31 is fixed in any convenient manner to the upper edge of the ba-flle plate 26. The cover 31 is formed with a central opening through which feeding means in the form of a funnel 32 extend for feeding material into the interior of the drum 3. The funnel 32 is preferably arranged coaxially with the drum and has an upper edge upwardly spaced from the upper edge of the cylindrical each other so that vibrations imparted to the cover 31 will be transmitted in amplified manner to the funnel 32. A grating 34 extends transversely through the funnel 32 in the upper region of the latter to prevent entrance of large parts into the funnel. A central insert 35 having preferably a conical upper end is arranged in the lower part of the funnel 32 connected by a plurality of angularly displaced straps theretoto limit passage of shavings through the funnel and to provide a substantially uniform distribution of the shavings at the lower funnel end. The amount of shavings which may pass through 'thefunnel 32 may be further limited by placing correspondingly shaped caps on the insert 35. The centrifugal drum 3 may be adapted to the kind of shavings processed therein and to the desired degree of separating the lubricating liquid from the shavings by exchanging the cylindrical portion 11 of the drum by cylindrical portions of different height. The parts of the centrifuge which are carried by the elastic mounting means 6, 7 and 9 are surrounded by an outer casing wall36 which extends upwardly from the base not quite up to the cover 31 and the upper end portion 37 of the casing wall 36 is surrounded by a downwardly extending annular flange 38 connected to the 1 peripheral edge of the cover 31. An insert 40 of elastic material, for instance foam rubber, is located between the baflle plate 26 and the wall 36 of the outer casing which has preferably a square cross section. The elastic insert 40 will dampen the vibrations of the baflle plate 26 and the elements connected thereto and at the same time prevent rotation of the baflle plate 26 and the elements fixed thereto.

To assure sufficient vibration of the battle plate 26 and the chute means 27 connected thereto as well as the funnel 32, an unbalancing weight 41 may be connected to the flange 14 of the drum 3. The unbalancing weight 41 is preferably exchangeably connected to the flange, for instance by being screwed thereto, and by exchanging the unbalancing weight 41 against weights having a greater or smaller mass it is possible to obtain a vibration which will assure optimum discharge of the shavings. On the other hand, to prevent excessive vibrations of the drum 3 and the elements connected thereto, a lever 42 is fixed to the flange 5 radially projecting therefrom and the lever 42 carries at its" outer end an adjustable contact member adapted to cooperate with the switch 43 mounted on the base 8 and connected in the circuit of the motor 2 to switch off the latter when the switch 43 is actuated by the contact member on the arm 42.

A conveyor belt is arranged above the upper end of the funnel 32 for continuously feeding shavings impregnated with lubricating liquid into the latter and another conveyor belt may be located beneath the outlet opening 28 of the chute means to transport the shavings separated from lubricating fluid away from the centrifuge.

The embodiment illustrated in FIG. 2 differs from the above described embodiment in that the cover 31' is not carried by the vibrating baflle plate 26, but in this embodiment the cover 31' is fixedly connected to the upper edge of the outer casing wall 36. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the funnel 32' extends through the central opening of the cover 31 fixedly connected thereto for instance by being welded thereto along the upper edge thereof. Furthermore, a feed screw 50 extends through the funnel 32 up to the lower end 51 of the latter. The diameter of the lower funnel 51 is substantially equal to the diameter of the feed screw 50. The drive motor 52 for the feed screw 50 is preferably carried by a bracket 53 fixed to and projecting upwardly from the cover 31'. The feed screw 50 may be inclined to the axis of the funnel 32' in the manner as shown in FIG. 2. Otherwise, the construction of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 is substantially the same as the embodiment described above in connection with FIG. 1.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of centrifuges differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a centrifuge for continuously separating a lubricating liquid from metal shavings or the like, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A centrifuge for continuously separating a lubricating liquid from metal shavings or the like, comprising, in combination, support means; a motor having a drive shaft; elastic mounting means mounting said motor on said support means with the drive shaft extending in substantially vertical direction and permitting said motor to vibrate transverse to its axis; a substantially bell-shaped centrifugal drum having an upwardly widening conical portion and a substantially cylindrical portion upwardly projecting" therefrom, said drum being formed at the junction of said portions with openings for the discharge of the liquid; feeding means extending into the drum for supplying shavings impregnated with a lubricating liquid to the interior of the latter; first collecting means surrounding said openings for collecting the liquid emanating from the latter and for discharging the liquid from the centrifuge; second collecting means surrounding the upper edge of said cylindrical portion of said drum radially outwardly spaced therefrom for collecting the shavings discharged by centrifugal action from the drum and for the discharging the shavings from the centrifuge; and means connected to at least one of said collecting means for imparting vibrations to said first and second collecting means.

2. A centrifuge as set forth in claim 1, wherein said conical portion of the drum has an upwardly extending flange at the upper end thereof and said cylindrical portion has at least at the lower end thereof an outwardly extending flange facing that of said conical portion, and including spacer means connected to said flanges for holding the same axially spaced from each other to form a gap between said flanges constituting said openings for the discharge of liquid from the interior of said drum, and including fine mesh screen means covering said gap.

3. A centrifuge as set forth in claim 1 and including an unbalancing weight eccentrically fixed to said drum to increase vibrations of the motor and the drum carried thereby, and safety switch means cooperating with said motor to switch oif the latter when said vibrations exceed a predetermined maximum.

4. A centrifuge as set forth in claim 1, wherein said feeding means include a funnel arranged substantially coaxially with said drum and having an upper edge upwardly spaced from the upper edge of said cylindrical portion of said drum and a lower end adjacent to the bottom of said drum upwardly spaced therefrom.

5. A centrifuge as set forth in claim 4, wherein said feeding means include further a feed screw extending through said funnel.

6. A centrifuge as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first collecting means comprises a casing surrounding said drum and being formed with a discharge opening at the lower portion thereof, and wherein said second collecting means comprises an annular baflie plate extending upwardly beyond said upper edge of said cylindrical portion of said drum and beyond the top of said casing radially outwardly spaced therefrom, and chute means fixed to and extending downwardly from said baffle plate and carried by said casing.

7. A centrifuge as set forth in claim 6, wherein said means for imparting vibrations to said first and said second collecting means include rigid connecting means connecting said casing to said motor so that vibrations of said motor due to unbalance of said drum and the material therein will be transmitted to said casing, said baflle plate and said chute means.

8. A centrifuge as set forth in claim 6, and including an outer casing fixed to said support means and surrounding said baflle plate and said chute means outwardly spaced therefrom to define an annular gap with said baffle plate, and an annular insert of elastic material located in and filling said gap.

9. A centrifuge as set forth in claim 8, and including a cover fixed to and extending over said baffie plate abutting against the upper edge of the latter, said cover being formed with a central opening therethrough, wherein said feeding means include a funnel arranged substantially coaxially with said drum and extending with clearance through the opening in said cover into said drum and having a lower end adjacent to the bottom of said drum upwardly spaced therefrom, and including resilient means mounting said funnel on said cover so that said, funnel may vibrate relative to said cover.

10. A centrifuge as set forth in claim 8', and including a cover extending transversely overthe upper edge of said outercasing fixed thereto, said coverbeingformed with a central opening, wherein said feeding means include a funnel arranged substantially coaxially with said drum and having an upper edge fixed tov said cover about said opening and a lower end adjacent to the bottom of said drum upwardly spaced therefrom, and a feed screw carried by said cover and extending longitudinally through said funnel.

11. A centrifuge as set forth in claim 6, and including a cover fixed to and extending over said baflle plate abutting against the upper edge of the latter, said cover being formed with a central opening, and wherein said feeding means include a funnel arranged substantially coaxially with the drum and having an upper edge substantially at the elevation of saidcover and a lower end ad-t jacent to the bottom of said drum upwardly spaced there-r References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,438,768 12/1922 Lapham 233-1 1,946,725 2/ 1934 Andrews et al 210l44 2,161,476 6/ 1939 Leja 233-3v 2,624,464 1/1953 Morrison 21014.4 2,895,023 7/ 1959 Blurn.

HENRY T. KLINKSIEK, Primary Examiner.

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