US2037840A - Continuous centrifugal washing and dewatering machine - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1936. -r WESTON 2,037,840

CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL WASHING AND DEWATERING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet l April 21, 1936. WESTON 2,037,840

CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL WASHING AND DEWATERING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1934 4 Sheets-$heet 2 April 21, 1936. WESTON 2,037,840

CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL WASHING AND DEWATERING MACHINE Filed Feb. 16, 1934 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 21, 1936. WESTON 2,037,840

CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL WASHING AND DEWATERING MACHINE Fi led Feb. 16, 1954 4 SheetsSheet 4 I I III/II II IIII/II/I'L/fl t'h Patented Apr. 21, 1936 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE CONTINUOUS CENTRIFUGAL WASHING AND DEWATERING MACHINE My invention relates to improvements in continuous centrifugal washing and de-watering machines and has for its principal object to provide a machine of this character which shall be simple in construction, economical in operation and which shall have a relatively great capacity with comparatively small power requirements. A further object is to combine in one machine the several operations now performed separately.

In its preferred embodiment, as illustrated in the principal views on the accompanying drawings, my invention is particularly well adapted to the washing and de-watering of fibrous'materials such as wood pulp and the like, especially when it is desired to first recover, without dilution, the liquor in which the pulp is cooked" before the actual washing process begins.

Another object of my invention is tcr deliver the washed and de-watered pulp centrifugally and convey it, preferably by blowing, to storage or to the next point in the manufacturing process. Other objects, such as the washing and conveying of granular and similar materials, will appear and will be pointed out in the following specifications and are shown in the accompanying drawings in which similar reference numerals refer to like parts in all of the views.

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of my com.-

plete machine showing practically all of the parts and the method of operation. The section is taken on the transverse line lfi of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view showing the conveyor head pulleys and the blower-like construction for delivering the washed and dewatered material. The section is taken on a line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of one of the driven conveyor head pulleys and shows how the adjacent head pulleys are driven by it. This partial detail view is taken from Fig. 2 and shows further details of the construction and mounting of the head pulleys.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on a line 441 of Fig. 1. This is a typical sectional view in which practically all of the parts are shown. The drum spray is shown partially broken away to disclose the disc sprays below.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of the disc sprays showing the vertically movable drum on which the disc sprays are mounted. The view is taken on a line 5-5 of Fig. 1 and stops at the encircling ring of pervious conveyor belts.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view showing the target and the feeding bowl with their relation to the encircling ring of pervious conveyor line H2-l2 of that figure.

belts. Fig; 1.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view showing the method of driving the lower driven conveyor tail pulleys. The mechanism for varying the speed 5 of these driven tail pulleys is also shown. The view is taken on a line 1-l of Fig. 1.

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional elevation on a line 8-8 of Fig. 7 and shows a method of supporting the gears and shafts used in driving the lower driven tail pulleys.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged horizontal detail view of one set of carrying and return idlers with their relation to the pervious conveyor belts. This detail view is taken from Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a side view of a supporting bracket for the conveyor idlers shown in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged partial sectional elevation of a modification in the method of conveying the material to be Washed. This View corresponds 2 to the lower right hand side of the revolving member in Fig. 1.

Fig. 12 is a horizontal sectional view of the modification shown in Fig. 11 and is taken on a The relation to the drum spray is shown in this view.

In the drawings, Figs. 1 to 10 inclusive illustrate the preferred form of my invention. In order to more readily explain the application and operation of my device, I have shown it applied to the handling of wood pulp as it comes from the digesters.

In the present system it is customary to blow a digester into a cyclone" or separator tank wherein expansion and the separation of steam takes place. The pulp and liquor then flows through a pipe from the separator tank to a large drainer tank with a perforated false bottom through which the liquor, inwhich the pulp is cooked, is allowed to drain off by gravity. Obvious'ly as the head of the liquor decreases the drainage operation becomes still slower since a considerable amount of the liquor will be held in the pulp mass by capillary attraction. In order to hasten the operation, the washing process is begun before all of the liquor is drained off. This washing is usually done by directing streams of water from fire hose on the mass of pulp in the drainage tank. As this water passes down through the mass, also by gravity, it increases the head of the liquor thus hastening its passage through the drainer bottom. It will be clear that a considerable amount of dilution of the liquor will take place in this system. When this dilution reaches a predetermined percentage the re- The section is taken on a line 66 of verted to the sewer or is collected for some other process. Any dilution of the strong liquor is undesirable since the extra water must be driven off at the evaporators. It will also be evident that washing by this process is very slow and unreliable and extremely wasteful of water. When pulp is not thoroughly and evenly washed the bleaching process is affected and the quality of the pulp and paper is correspondingly lowered.

In applicants device, centrifugal force is taken full advantage of, not only in the initial separa tion of the liquor from the pulp but for feeding the pulp and liquor to the device, delivering wash water from sprays under relatively high pressure and for de-watering, delivering and blowing the washed pulp to storage or to the next point in the manufacturing process. All of this is accomplished in my device in an exceedingly short space of time.

Briefly, applicant's device comprises a. plurality of conveyors with pervious carrying surfaces, preferably of the belt type, arranged in circular order with their edges abutting each other and mounted on a, continuously revolving support. These conveyors form a complete cylindrical pervious carrying surface which moves upwardly as a unit until it reaches the top where it separates into its component parts and returns outside of the cylindrical support to the bottom where it again re-forms progressively into the upwardly moving cylindrical carrier. The cylindrical support with conveyors, feeder and sprays mounted thereon, revolves at a speed which gives the desired centrifugal effort. The material is fed centrifugally to the bottom of the pervious belt conveyors. The free liquids will instantly pass through the pervious surface of the conveyors while the fibers will remain on the surface. As the conveyors move upward the fibers are presented successively to suitable sprays, the water from which agitates and thoroughly washes them as it passes through them. This wash water continues through the pervious surfaces of the conveyors and is finally collected in troughson the inner wall of a fixed cylindrical shell. The different liquids collected in these troughs are drawn off and re-used or disposed of as desired. After passing the final sprays, the fibers on the conveyor surfaces are automatically de-watered by the action of centrifugal force to the desired percentage of moisture and are then thrown off radially in all directions as they reach the top. The fibers are caught in a fixed blower-like casing and are swept around by vanes or blades which are a part of the revolving cylindrical support and are discharged through a suitable duct. A full detailed description follows.

Fig. 1 shows the preferred form of my invention in which I employ a revolvable cylindrical support comprising preferably a cylindrical shell I in the lower end of which is secured a disc head 2 and in the upper end a disc head 3. Disc head 2 has a downwardly extending hollow trunnion hub 4, mounted in a combined radial and thrust bearing 5 which is designed to take the weight of the entire revolving member. Upper disc head 3 has an upwardly extending hollow trunnion hub 6 mounted in a radial bearing I. The lower bearing 5 is carried by a suitable casting 8 properly supported on structural steel members 9 or in any other desirable manner. Similarly, the upper bearing 1 is carried by a casting III suitably supported by structural members II.

2,0893840 maining diluted liquor and wash water is di- The cylindrical support just described is rotatably driven by means of a bevel gear I2, secured on the upper trunnion hub 6 above the bearing I, which meshes with a bevel pinion I3 on the end of the horizontal shaft I4 revolvably mounted in suitable bearings I5 carried by the structural steel members II. The outer end, of the shaft II carries a pulley I6 which may be driven from any available source of power.

On the under side of the upper disc head'3 are a plurality of special ribs H which are designed to carry a pluralitybf head pulleys I8 in the following manner. On each side of each rib II toward the outer ends are bosses I9 shown open on the inner sides in order that the head pulley shafts 20 may easily be put in place. These shafts 20 do not rotate and since centrifugal force acts to hold them in place in the bosses I8 I show them retained simply by the pins 2 I The head pulleys I8 are revolvably supported on the non-rotating shafts 20 by the heads 22 revolving on anti-friction bearings 23 supported by the shafts 20. Each head 22 carries a bevel gear 24, shown integral on the drawings, and designed to mesh with the mating bevel gear 24 on the adjacent head pulley I8. By reference particularly to Figs. 2 and 3 it will be seen that in this construction all of the head pulleys I8 are positively geared together so that they all must revolve at identical speeds. I

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the ribs I1 on the underside of upper disc head 3 are shown extending radially outward some distance beyond the head pulleys I8. These rib extensions I'Ia are intended to per form the same function as vanes or flights in a blower and sweep around in the fixed blower casing I'Ib which is supported on the top of the fixed outer shell 1|. Casing I1!) is shown in halves bolted together in order that it may readily be put in place. An annular space is left between the lower edge of the casing Ill: and the top edge of the revolving shell I to allow the passage of the belts, to be referred to later. The lower edges of the ribs I1 at their peripheries rest upon the shell I and have lugs 25 which may be welded or otherwise secured to the shell I thus firmly attaching the upper disc head 3 to the shell I.

On the interior surface of the shell I is mounted a plurality of relatively small carrying idler pulleys 28 which revolve on anti-friction bearings carried by the non-rotating shaft 21 held securely in brackets 28 attached to the shell I. These idlers are spaced relatively close together in staggered relation to each other and cover sub- .stantially the entire inner surface of the shell I of belts 48 travels in a manner to be further described hereinafter. On the outside of shell I, in line with the several head pulleys I8 are mounted a series of return idlers 29. The arrangement of the carrying idlers 26 and return idlers 29 is clearly shown in the detail views in Figs. 9 and 10.

Directly below the head pulleys I8 are corresponding tail pulleys some of which are shown located below the lower disc head 2 and others above it. In Fig. 1 the driven tail pulleys 30 are below the disc head 2 and the idling tail pulleys 3| are above it. The reason for lowering the driven tail pulleys 30 with respect to the idling tail pulleys 3| is to obtain sufficient room to install suitable driving mechanism which is clearly shown, particularly in Figs. '7 and 8. Idling tail pulleys 8| are revolvably supported on the nonrotating shafts 32 in a manner similar to the corresponding head pulleys l8 except'that they are not geared together. The driven tail pulleys are keyed to shafts 33 mounted in suitable bearing brackets 34 attached to the underside of the lower head 2. I On one end of each shaft 33 is a bevel gear 35 meshing with a bevel pinion 36on drive shaft-31 which .s revolvably mounted in bearing brackets 38 attached to the underside of lower head 2. A worm wheel 39 is shown on the inner ends of drive shafts 31, meshing with a specially constructed worm 40 which is designed with a bore idle the worm 43 will lock worm wheel 42 and 7 thus prevent the rotation ofthe special worm 40. The worm wheels 39, being carried around special worm 40 by the rotation of the cylindrical support will revolve at a rate which is in direct proportion to the speed of the cylindrical support. When it is desired to change or vary this normal speed relation in order to change or vary the speed of the several conveyors, the motor 45 is started causing the specialworm 40 to revolve and thus change the normal speed relation of the conveyors with respect to the revolving cylindrical support. If the motor revolves the special worm 46 in the same direction as the rotation of the cylindrical support the worm wheels 39 will make fewer revolutions and the speed of the conveyors will be relatively slower thus giving more time for spraying and de-watering the fibers. Revolving the worm 46 in the opposite direction will obviously have just the opposite eifect.

Webs or belts 46 made of suitable material, hereinafter referred to simply as belts 36, are passed over the head pulleys i8 and down through the interior of the shell i and around the tail pulleys 36 and 3| and up on the outside of shell i between the shell and return pulleys 23 and their ends joined to make them endless. Centrifugal force causes the belts 46 to bear against the idlers 26 and to assume the transverse cylindrical shape shown in the several views. The transformation of the belts from the straight face of the head and tail pulleys to the circular form at the idlers 26 is shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 9 I show the belts 46 with reinforced edges 46a raised above the surface to prevent loss of liquid between the abutting edges.

As there is a wide variety of uses for a centrifugal washer of this type there will be correspondingly diversified types of belts 46 required to meet these various uses. I therefore hold that it is within the spirit and scope of my invention to use the type of belt best suited to any particular requirement, both in type of construction and in kind of material from which it is made. Accordingly these belts may be made of woven wire of flexible construction or of woven fabric or of perforated or otherwise pervious material. If material is to be conveyed only, then rubber belts of standard or special construction may be used.

The material to be separated or washed enters through a pipe 41 which is shown terminating in a foot elbow 48. The lower end of the revolving hollow trunnion 4 enters the upper bell end of the foot elbow 48 which is provided with a stuffing box 49 to prevent loss of liquid. The material in solution passes up through the hollow trunnion hub 4 and enters the feeding bowl 50. If it is under considerable pressure and velocity, the material will strike the target 5| and will be deflected outwardly due to the shape of the target 5| and to the action of centrifugal force. The material coming through pipe 41 and rising in the hollow trunnion hub 4 is not rotating axially with respect to the bore of the trunnion hub. On the other hand the hollow trunnion hub 4 and the bowl 56 with its target 5| are all rotating as a unit. In order to bring the entering liquid from a non-rotating to a rotating condition I provide the bowl 50 with a number of ribs or vanes 52 which support the target 5| above and which are shown extending downward into the hollow trunnion hub 3 and terminating in a point. The liquid is thus gradually brought to a rotating state by the pointed I vanes-52 before it enters the bowl 56. Centrifugal force then acts upon the mass radially and as a consequence the material is forced outwardly and upwardly over the rim of the bowl 56 and is delivered to the belts 46 in the same direction in which they are travelling. Since the belts 46 and bowl 50 as well as the material are all rotating at identical speeds as a unit, the material will be delivered to the belts 46 with the least possible disturbance and wear.

Resting on top of the target 5| and concentric therewith is a wash water supply pipe 53 which extends upward and projects through the hollow trunnion 6 of the upper disc head 3. 'Surrounding the water supply pipe 53 above the target 5| and slidable vertically thereon is a drum 54 on the periphery of which are fixed a series of disc sprays 55 each composed of a pair of opposing dished discs Whose edges are spaced close together in order to deliver a continuous circular spray radially, the necessary pressure being furnished by centrifugal force acting on the water held back by the restricted area of egress between the two discs. This type of spray is advantageous in washing fibrous material especially when the wash water is re-used and may contain fibers which would quickly clog small perforations. Water enters the drum 56 from the supply pipe 53 through a series of slots 56 and passes into the spaces between the pairs of discs 55 through a small number of relatively large holes 51! in the periphery of the drum 56. Water is furnished to the lowerend of supply pipe 53 through a smaller concentric supply pipe M which terminates in a disc 62 located in supply pipe 53 above the slots 56. This disc 62 separates the lower part of the supply pipe 53 from the upper part so that the wash waters for the different sprays may be kept separate, when desirable, and thus permit their re-use as shown in Fig. 1.

Above the disc sprays 55 I show a drum type spray which comprises a hollow annular ring 58 with its outer periphery 59 perforated with relatively fine holes. This annular ring 58 is supported by the spoke-like pipes 60 radiating from the supply pipe 53. The clean wash water passes through these pipes 60 to the annular ring 53. Centrifugal force creates the necessary pressure to project the sprays radially with considerable force. This type of spray is satisfactory when clean wash water is used. The upper ends of both supply pipes 53 and BI terminate in the fixed casting 63 which has two separate chambers 64 and 65. The supply pipe 53 enters the lower chamber 64 and receives its supply of water from a clear water pipe 68. The supply pipe 8| enters the upper chamber 85 and receives its supply of water through a pipe line 61 inwhich a pump 68 is located.

from the bowl so to the pervious belts 4a in the direction in which they are travelling. As soon as the material strikes these belts 48 the liquid will instantly pass through and impinge against the inner wall of the shell I while the fibrous or granular material will remain on the surface of the belts. An annular trough 69 is secured to the inner wall of the shell I and catches the liquid which passes thru the pervious belts l6. Spouts III are attached to the outside of theshell I and communicate with the trough 69. I show these spouts I projecting outwardly from the shell I between the outer return runs of v the belts 48. The liquid which passes through the pervious belts 46 by the action of centrifugal force passes from the trough 69 through the spouts 1n and impinges on the inner wall of the stationary outer shell 'II'. This outer shell surrounds the revolving mechanism and acts as a guard or shield as well as a means of collecting the various wash waters and is shown as resting upon a bottom plate Ila. supported by the structural members 9. A waste pipe 94 is provided for cleaning purposes. The liquid thrown outwardly from the spouts III collects in the lower stationary annular trough 12 secured to the inner surface of the fixed shell II at a level just below the spouts I0. An outlet pipe I3 communicates with the annular fixed trough I2 and allows the liquid caught by it to pass out to storage or to process. If a simple washing operation is all that isnecessary then one annular trough 69, one set of spouts I0 and'one annular fixed trough I2 will be all that is required. However, in certain lines of manufacture, such as the soda process in the making of wood pulp, it is necessary first to recover the process liquor and then to proceed with the washing operations. As before mentioned, the process liquor is the first to be separated out of the mass and will obviously be caught in troughs 89 and pass off through spouts Ill and will collect in troughs I2 without dilution. In this case the first washing operation begins above trough 68 where the fibers on the surface of the belts 46, as they travel continuously upward, are exposed to the agitating and washing action of the disc sprays 55. The water from these sprays is caught in inter mediate trough I4 and passes ofi through spouts I and is collected in fixed trough I6 from which point it may be stored as weak liquor or sent to waste.

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 1, I show a second and in this case, a final washing operation where the fibers on the surfaces of the belts 46 are finally exposed to the jets of water from the drum spray 58. Clean water is preferably used in these sprays and is caught in the same manner as before in a third trough 11 from which it passes out through a third set of spouts I8 and is collected in a third fixed trough III. This water being reasonably clean but perhaps containng some fibers is shown as passing through pump 68 and back to the disc sprays 55 through pipe line 81 and supply pipe BI, to be re-used. However the pump 88 can be connected up to furnish clean water or any other type of washing compound. Disc sprays are used here because the fibers in the re-used wash It has been seen that the material is delivered aoaasw water will not foul this type whereas the peri'orations in the drum type would soon become clogged and'useless. In Fig. l I show perforations Ia in the wall of shell I opposite the drum spray 58. Theseperforations are also opposite the outer return runs of the belts 48 and allow a small amount of the spray water to pass through and strike the belts 88 on the reverse side and thus drive of! particles clinging to the carrying surface of these belts and which were not thrown off by centrifugal force. The belts then present progressively clean carrying surfaces for a new charge of material from the bowl 50.

The disc s'prays 55 are shown adjustable as a group on supply pipe 53. This is accomplished by providing a cross bar 80 extending through slots 58 in supply pipe 53 and which is anchored in the walls of the disc drum 54. Disc drum 54 is movable on supply pipe 58 by means of a rod 8| attached to the cross bar 80 and extending upward through the center of supply pipe BI and through the top of the casting G3. The top of the rod BI is threaded for a hand wheel 82 by which it may be raised or lowered as desired. This construction permits considerable latitude in the use of the disc sprays 55. For example, if we lower them so that the lower spray discharges below the annular trough 14 the water from this one spray will be caught with the strong liquor in trough 69 and. find its way to the lower trough 12. This results in some dilution of the strong liquor but it also recovers some of the residual strong liquor adhering to the fibers, which would otherwise be washed out above trough I4 and which would then find its way to the weak liquor tank or to waste. The disc sprays 55 can also be adjusted to partially discharge above the upper trough TI if so desired. Obviously the drum type of spray- 58 may be made similarly adjustable.

Fundamentally my invention is based upon the use of a plurality of pervious conveyors arranged in a circular group about a common axis and movable parallel to this common axis to subject material carried by them to the washing action of a series of sprays while simultaneously these pervious conveyors are being revolved as a group about the same common axis to subject the same material carried by them to the action of centrifugal force to effect separation of the liquids from. the solids. In the preferred form I show conveyors of the belt type but I hold that I may substitute conveyors of the scraper" type and keep within the scope of my invention. In Figs. 11 and 12 I show how this may be accomplished. Each conveyor is composed of two side roller chains 83 with attachments 84 to which are secured the scraper bars 85. The roller chains 83 pass over head and tail sprockets 86 and are driven thereby exactly in the same manner as the belts 48. The roller chains 83 run on tracks 81 secured to the inside of the revolving shell I and are shown accommodating two adjacent chains. The roller chains 83 return outside the shell I on angle tracks 88 supported on the shell I by brackets 88. Perforated plates 88 are shaped to be positioned between the tracks 81 leaving a space between them and the shell I. At intervals the diaphragm plates 8| are located to separate the different wash waters coming from the sprays and this water passes oif through the openings 92 in the shell I in the same relative positions with respect to the sprays as the spouts "Ill, I5 and I8.

The liquids are thrown against the inner walls 7 of the fixed shell II and are collected in the correspon ling troughs I2, 16 and 19, as described for the belt type of conveyors. Guard plates 95 are shown positioned in front of the several runs of chains 83 in order to deflect the material away from them. The essential difference between the two methods is simply that in the preferred form the material is carried past the various sprays while in the latter calse the material is scraped past them. All other phases of operation are identical in both types.

The detailed operation of my invention has been clearly described herein and only a brief summary follows.

The material to be separated, washed and dewatered enters through the pipe 41 and turns upwardly through the hollow trunnion 4 andenters the bowl 50. The vanes 52 causethe'en" tering material to revolve with the bowl 50 and centrifugal force acts to throw the material radially outward and over the rim of the bowl 50 and onto the pervious belts 46. The free liquid instantly passes through the pervious belts 46 leaving the fibers on'the surface. Centrifugal force continues to act to de-water the fibers on the surface of the belts 46 as they travel vertically and all liquid which is thrown off below the central trough 14 will collect in the lower trough 69 and will then be thrown off by the lower series of spouts I and will collect in the lower fixed trough 12 and will pass out through outlet pipe 13 to storage or to process. This. is the undiluted liquor. 7

As the belts 46 continue to travel upward the fibers are carried above the central trough I4 and are subjected to the action of the bank of disc sprays 55. All of the water thrown off between troughs 14 and 11 will be caught in trough 14 and will pass out through spouts 15 and will collect in trough 16. The amount of water used in this washing zone may be regulated by adjusting the position of the disc sprays 55 with respect to troughs l4 and 11.

The further upward travel of the belts 46 subjects the fibers thereon to the agitating and washing effect of the jets from the drum spray 58. Water from these sprays, after passing through the fibers and the pervious belts, is caught in upper trough l1 and passes off through spouts l8 and is collected in upper fixed trough 19. In Fig. 1 this water passes to pump 68 and is returned for re-use in the disc sprays 55 through pipe line 61 and supply pipe 6|.

The vertical distance between the various troughs is determined by the length of time required for the washing and de-watering operation and by the speed of the belts 46, which combine to determine the output capacity of the apparatus.

After passing the upper sprays the de-watering of the fibers by centrifugal force continues until they reach the top where they are thrown off radially by centrifugal force between the vanes Ila and are caught by fixed blower casing "b and are swept around and discharged through a suitable duct I 1a which conveys the fibers to storage or to the next point in the manufacturing process. On account of the relatively wide carrying surface presented by the pervious belts as a group, the fibers are evenly distributed in a relatively thin layer which permits the spray water, projected by centrifugal force, to agitate and to come into intimate contact-with all of the fibers and then to instantly pass through them and the pervious surfaces of the belts. My invention, therefore,

gives almost instantaneous washing and dewatering of the material fed to the pervious conveyors. It is also extremely economical in the use of water not only for washing purposes but because it is economically possible to handle pulp stock by blowing instead of pumping from one point to another.

Any class of material that can be slushed through feeder pipe 41 and upward into the feeder bowl 50 can be handled by my apparatus substantially as described. It is evident that other arrangements of sprays and troughs may be made to suit the various requirements, all of which will be within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as broadly new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a continuous centrifugal washing and dewatering machine the combination with a revolvable cylindrical support, of a plurality of belt conveyors operably mounted on and extending longitudinally of said cylindrical support the car- 'rying runs thereof being interior to said cylindrical support and the edges of said carrying runs abutting each other to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface every point on which is equidistant from the axis of said cylindrical support, anti-friction means mounted on said cylindrical support intermediate of the end pulleys of said belt conveyors to positively support the carrying runs thereof in continuous cylindrical order and against which the said carrying runs are operably held by centrifugal force, and means for driving said belt conveyors.

2. In a continuous centrifugal washing and de-watering machine the combination with a cylindrical support mounted to revolve continuously about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of endless pervious belts having their carrying runs operably mounted within said cylindrical support and adapted to move parallel to the axis thereof the edges of said carrying runs abutting each other to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface spaced inwardly from the periphery of said cylindrical support, anti-frictionmeans carried by said cylindrical support for positively maintaining the carrying surfaces of said belts in continuous cylindrical order, and means for driving said endless pervious belts.

3. In a continuous centrifugal washing and dewatering machine the combination with a revolvable cylindrical support, of a plurality of endless pervious belts operably mounted to move parallel to the axis of said cylindrical support the carrying runs of said pervious belts being located within said cylindrical support with their edges abutting each other to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface each point on which is equidise tant from the axis of said cylindrical support, meanscarried by the said abutting edges of the pervious belts to seal the line of contact between them, anti-friction means carried by said cylindrical support for positively supporting the carrying surfaces of said pervious belts in continuous cylindrical order against the action of centrifugal force, and means for driving said endless pervious belts.

4. In a continuous centrifugal washing and dewatering machine the combination with a cylindrical support operably mounted to revolve about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of endless pervious carriers operably mounted longitudinally of said cylindrical support with their carrying runs interior to said support and with their edges adjacent to each other, means carried by said pervious carriers for closing the space between the adjacent edges of the carrying runs thereof to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface interior 'to and co-axial with said cylindrical support, anti-friction means carried by said cylindrical support for positively supporting the carrying runs of said pervious carriers against the pressure created by centifugai force, and means for driving said pervious carriers.

5. In a continuous centrifugal washing and dewatering machine the combination with a cylindrical support operably mounted to revolve about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of endless pervious carriers operably disposed in circular order on said cylindrical support parallel to the axis thereof and with their carrying runs positively supported in' abutting relation within said cylindrical support and the edges of said carrying runs being provided with means for closing and sealing the abutting line of contact between them to form a progressive continuous cylindrical carrying surface co-axial with said cylindrical support, and means for driving said pervious carriers.

6. In a continuous centrifugal washing and dewatering machine the combination with a cylindrical support operably mounted to revolve about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of endless pervious carriers operably mounted longitudinally of said cylindrical support with their carrying runs interior to said support said carrying runs being positively supported with their edges in abutting relationsto form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface co-axial with said cylindrical support, means carried by the said pervious carriers for closing the line of contact between the abutting edges of said carrying runs, means mounted on said cylindrical support for feeding material in a continuous peripheral stream to the continuous cylindrical carrying surfaces of said pervious carriers in the directionin which they are moving, and means for driving said perviouscarrlers.

7. In a continuous centrifugal washing and dewatering machine the combination with a cylindrical support operably mounted to revolve about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of pervious carriers operably disposed in circular order on said cylindrical support parallel to the axis'thereof with their carrying runs positively supported in abutting relation interior to said cylindrical support to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface co-axial therewith, feeding means on said cylindrical support concentric with the axis thereof for supplying material to the continuous cylindrical carrying surfaces of said pervious carriers in a. continuous peripheral stream in the direction of travel of said pervious carriers said feeding means comprising a circular bowl with a central orifice for the incoming material anda continuous annular rim substantially parallel to the carrying surfaces of said pervious carriers, and means for driving said pervious carriers.

8. In a continuous centrifugal washing and dewatering machine the combination with a cylindrical support operably mounted to revolve about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of pervious carriers operably. disposed in circular order on said cylindrical support parallel to the axis thereof and with their carrying runs positively supported in abutting relation within said cylindrical support to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface co-axial therewith, a supply pipe entering said cylindrical support co-axially and revolving therewith said supply pipe being adapted to cooperate with centrifugal spraying means adjustable longitudinally thereon for supplying a washing fluid to the cylindrical carrying surfaces aos'mso of said pervious carriers, means for adjusting said spraying means longitudinally on said supply pipe, and means for driving said-pervious carriers in co-operation with said spraying means.

9. In a continuous cylindrical washing and dewatering machine the combination with a cylindrical support operably mounted to revolve about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of endless pervious carriers operably disposed in circular order on saldcylindrical support parallel to the axis thereof and with their carrying runs positively supported in abutting relation within said cylindrical support to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface co-axial therewith, a central supply pipe entering said cylindrical support axially and revolving therewith said supply pipe co-operating with centrifugal spraying means carried by it to supply washing fluid to the continuous cylindrical carrying surfaces of said pervious carriers, means on said cylindrical support for feeding material to thecontinuous cylindrical carrying surfaces of said pervious belts in a continuous peripheral stream in the direction of travel of said pervious carriers, and means for driving said pervious carriers;

10. In a continuous centrifugal washing and de-watering machine the combination with a cylindrical support revolvable about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of pervious carriers operably disposed in circular order on said cylindrical support parallel to the axis thereof and with their carrying runs positively supported in abutting relation within said support to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface co-axial therewith, a primary co-axial supply pipe entering the said cylindrical support and revolving therewith, a secondary supply pipe co-axial with said primary supply pipe and revolving therewith said secondary supply pipe terminating in a diaphragm which divides the said primary supply pipe into two chambers, centrifugal spraying means mo mted concentrically on said primary supply pipe and adapted to receive a washing fluid from one of the chambers thereof, other centrifugal spraying means mounted co-axially on said primary supply pipe and adapted to receive a washing fluid from the other chamber thereof, means for supplying different washing fluids to said primary and secondary supply pipes, and means for driving said pervious carriers in co-operation with said spraying means.

11. In a continuous centrifugal washing and de-watering machine the combination with a cylindrical support revolvable about its longitudinal axis and a plurality of pervious carriers operably disposed in circular order on said cylindrical support parallel to the axis thereof and with their carrying runs positively supported in abutting relation within said support to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface, of a central supply pipe entering said cylindrical support axially and revolving therewith, spraying means adjustably mounted on said supply pipe and co-axial with the continuous cylindrical carrying surfaces of said pervious carriers said adjustable spraying means comprising a drum slidable axially on said supply pipe and adapted to receive washing fluid therefrom and oppositely tapered discs mounted concentrically on said driun and adapted to receive washing fluid therefrom, and means for moving said drum axially on said supp y P p 12, In a continuous centrifugal washing and de-watering machine the combination with a cylindrical support revolvable about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of pervious carriers operably disposed in circular order on said cylindrical support parallel to the axis thereof and with their carrying runspositively supported in abutting relation interior to said support to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface co-axial with said support and with their return runs operably mounted exterior to said cylindrical support, spraying means on said cylindrical support adapted to deliver a washing fluid against the reverse side of the said return runs of the pervious carriers the said washing fluid passing thru thesaid pervious carriers in the reverse direction under pressure created by centrifugal force to cleanse the pores thereof and thus present progressively clean pervious surfaces to receiv the incoming material, and means for driving said pervious carriers.

13. In a continuous centrifugal washing and ole-watering machine the combination with a cylindrical support revolvable about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of pervious carriers altermating in a long and in a short series said pervious carriers being operably disposed in circular order on said cylindrical support parallel to the axis thereof and with their carrying runs positively supported in abutting relation interior to said cylindrical support to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface within said cylindrical support and co-axial therewith, means for driving said long series of pervious carriers, and separate means for driving said short series of pervious carriers from said long series.

14. In a continuous centrifugal washing and de-watering machine the combination with a cylindrical support revolvable about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of pervious carriers alternating in a long andin a short series said pervious carriers being operably disposed in circular order on said cylindrical support parallel to the axis thereof and with their carrying runs positively supported in abutting relation interior to said cylindrical support to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface within said support and co-axial therewith, means carried by the edges of said pervious carriers for sealing the abutting surfaces, means for driving the said long series of pervious carriers, and separate means for driving the said short series of pervious carriers from the said long series.

15. In a continuous centrifugal washing and de-watering machine the combination with a cylindrical support revolvable about its longitudinal axis, of a plurality of pervious carriers alter.. nating in a long and in a short series said pervious carriers being operably disposed in circular order on said cylindrical support parallel to the axis thereof and with their carrying runs interior to said cylindrical support and with the edges of said carrying runs positively supported in abutting relation to form a continuous cylindrical carrying surface within said cylindrical support and co-axial therewith, means carried by the said pervious carriers for closing and sealing the abutting edges of said carrying runs, variable geared means including a motor for driving said long series of pervious carriers, and separate geared means operably connecting all of said pervious carriers to maintain them in identical speed relation.

MILTON T. WESTON.

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