Imperforate bowl: centrifugal separators – Rotatable bowl – Including structure located within vertically-oriented bowl...
Patent
1993-12-13
1997-06-03
Scherbel, David
Imperforate bowl: centrifugal separators
Rotatable bowl
Including structure located within vertically-oriented bowl...
494 10, 494 27, 494 37, 494 64, B04B 104, B04B 108, B04B 712, B04B 714
Patent
active
056348762
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to centrifuges and centrifuging methods, particularly but not exclusively for scale modelling, especially in the geotechnical field, and to associated apparatus and methods.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a centrifuge comprising a substantially horizontal rotary wall having an annular outer periphery and rotatable about its own axis, bearing means mounting said wall for rotation about said axis, which is substantially vertical, a work support located centrally of said wall, rotary receiving means supported by said wall, located in the region of said outer periphery and accessible from said work support, and stationary means relative to which said wall and said receiving means are rotatable.
The support can be used to support experimental testpieces, tools, or an operator. It may be fixed, or be rotatable with the rotary wall, or be rotatable relative to the rotary wall. The support may take the form of a vertical shaft (i.e. a column) or a platform, for example a turntable.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a centrifuge, comprising a rotary wall having an annular outer periphery and rotatable about its own axis, bearing means mounting said wall for rotation about said axis, a work support so mounted centrally of said wall as to be retractable axially of said wall and as to be able to remain stationary while said wall rotates, rotary receiving means supported by said wall, located in the region of said outer periphery and accessible from said work support, and stationary means relative to which said wall and said receiving means are rotatable.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a centrifuging method comprising providing a centrifuge including a rotary wall having an annular outer periphery and rotatable about its own axis and rotary receiving means supported by said wall and located in the region of said outer periphery, rotating said wall and said receiving means about said axis and, while said wall and said receiving means rotate, axially retracting relative to said wall and said receiving means a work support mounted centrally of said wall.
This arrangement has the advantage of allowing the work support to be retracted into a relatively accessible position even during centrifuging.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a centrifuge comprising a rotary wall having an annular outer periphery and rotatable about its own axis, and rotary receiving means releasably attached to a face of said wall in the region of said periphery for containing a scale modelling sample.
An advantage of having the receiving means detachable from the rotary wall is that the scale modelling sample can be prepared in its receiving means in a convenient manner at a suitable remote location, for example in a consolidometer, and then the sample and its receiving means attached to the rotary wall. In this way, the centrifuge can be used much more efficiently than if the sample were prepared in the centrifuge itself.
The receiving means may be an annular trough facing inwards, in which case the rotary wall and the trough form a drum, or the receiving means may be a plurality of containers distributed around the outer peripheral region of the wall, in which case the containers may be radially outwardly encircled by an annular shroud, again giving the appearance of a drum, to reduce wind drag.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a centrifuge comprising a member rotatable about an axis, scale model means carried by said member at a spacing from said axis, and tilting means arranged to tilt said member so as to tilt said axis between a substantially vertical first condition and a second condition at a substantial angle to the vertical.
According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a centrifuging method comprising rotating a centrifuge member and seize model means c
REFERENCES:
patent: 2239492 (1941-04-01), Marquis
patent: 2394016 (1946-02-01), Schutte
patent: 3385443 (1968-05-01), Cuza
patent: 4671102 (1987-06-01), Vinegar et al.
patent: 4817423 (1989-04-01), Christiansen
patent: 5463894 (1995-11-01), Fleury et al.
"Drum Centrifuge" by Professor Kusakabe and others, 1988.
"Automatic Data Acquisition and Processing of Centrifugal Model Tests" by L. Liu and others. 1988.
"Levee Failures Modelled in Drum Centrifuge" by Professor Kusakabe and others. 1988.
"Centrifuges in Soil Mechanics" by Professors James and Schofield, published in 1988 by A.A. Balkema of Rottendam, Holland. Front page and p. 50.
"Centrifuge 88" published by A.A. Balkema of Rottendam, Holland in 1988; pp. 77-82, 93-96 and 147-152.
International Conference on Recent Advances in Geotechnical Earthquake Engineering and Soil Dynamics dated Apr. 26 to May 3, 1981, published by the University of Missouri-Rolla, Rolla, Missouri. An article by A.N. Schofield, pp. 1081 to 1100.
Hall William D.
Scherbel David
Till Terrence
LandOfFree
Centrifuges and associated apparatus and methods does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Centrifuges and associated apparatus and methods, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Centrifuges and associated apparatus and methods will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-387472