US3304855A - Extractor means for extracting liquid from a liquids containing mass - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 21, 1967 w. w. E. OEBELL 3,304,855 EXTRACTOR MEANS FOR EXTRACTIN IQUID FROM A LIQUIDS CONTAINING SS Filed May 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 21, 1967 w. w. E. OEBELL 3,304,855 EXTRACTOR MEANS FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM A LIQUIDS CONTAINING MASS Filed May 15, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

I Filed May 15, 1964 Feb. 21, 1967 w. w. E. OEBELL 3,304,855 EXTRACTOR MEANS FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM A LIQUIDS CONTAINING MASS 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,304,855 EXTRACTOR MEANS FOR EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM A LIQUIDS CONTAINING MASS Wolfgang Willi Erich Oebell, Wellington, Cape Province,

Republic of South Africa, assignor to H. G. Molenaar & Company (Proprietary) Limited, Cape Province, Re-

public of South Africa Filed May 15, 1964, Ser. No. 367,648 Claims priority, application Republic of South Africa, May 15, 1963, 63/2,116 8 Claims. (Cl. 100-116) This invention relates to extractor means for extracting liquid from a liquid containing mass. In particular, the invention relates to extractor means suitable for extracting the juice from vegetable matter, such as fruit, vegetables and the like and more specifically grapes.

According to the invention, the extractor means includes at least one receptacle having an upper charging opening and a lower closeable discharge opening, a liquids permeable part in the receptacle, a charging station and a discharge station, a collector trough below the receptacle and extending between the stations, pressing means displaceable into and out of the receptacle, and displacing means for displacing the receptacle from its charging station to its discharge station and back again; whereby the receptacle may be charged with a liquids containing mass at the charging station, and displaced to the discharge station by the displacing means, liquid being pressed out of the mass during displacement of the receptacle and being collected by the collector trough, and whereby at the discharge station the discharge opening is opened and mass remaining in the receptacle is discharged from the receptacle, and whereby the receptacle may then be returned to the charging station to start a new cycle of operations.

In a particular embodiment of the invention, a plurality of receptacles may be provided, mounted circumferentially on a spider-like supporting framework which is mounted to rotate about an upright axis, rotational displacement of the framework about its axis providing the displacement of the receptacles between the charging and discharge stations so that the receptacles will come discretely into register with the stations.

The liquids permeable part of the receptacles, such as a wall or floor, may be common to all the receptacles i.e. a single common floor may be provided for all the receptacles, the floor being liquids permeable and extending underneath the receptacles, and circumferentially around the edge of the spider-like framework. The floor may furthermore be stationary, so that the walls of the receptacles are displaced over the floor, preferably in substantially sealing relationship, during rotation of the framework. In this case, the floor may be discontinued at the discharge station to provide a discharge opening with which each receptacle is registrable when the receptacle comes into register with the discharge station.

Separate pressing means may be provided for each receptacle, and the pressing member may conveniently comprise a press head in the form of a pressing weight displaceable into and out of a receptacle, and arranged to press onto the liquids containing mass in a receptacle by virtue of its weight. Additional pressure may be applied to a press head, for example by means of hydraulic or pneumatic pressure systems.

The pressing heads are mounted above the receptacles in suspended fashion and controlled by tracks arranged above the receptacles, the press heads being guided for vertical movement into and out of the receptacles. The rollers are arranged to run on a cam track when the spider rotates, thereby causing the weights to be lowered under gravity and raised when required.

In another embodiment of the invention the rotatable framework is provided, circumferentially with a series of receptacles formed by a pair of radially spaced wall members from one of which a downwardly sloping liquids permeable bottom is provided. The receptacles are defined by radial partition walls. From the other radially spaced wall, and for each receptacle, a pivotted door is provided, preferably also of liquids permeable material. The doors of all the receptacles are associated with means normally retaining the doors in the closed position but at the discharging-station the said means incorporate a device for opening of the door for discharge of the residue mass after extraction of the liquids.

At the charging station an elevated charging device is provided adapted to intermittently charge measured quantitles of the material into a receptacle for extraction of the liquid from the material. The framework is arranged for intermittent rotational advancement interrupted by stationary periods. During the stationary periods the door of the receptacle at the discharging station is arranged to open while at the same time another receptacle is charged while the charging device is then also charged with material for the subsequent discharging action. All the receptacles are arranged to be successively charged and before reaching the charging stations are discharged of the residue at the discharging station.

Receptacles at predetermined positions are engageable by the press heads for final liquid extraction by pressure action. With this form of construction each receptacle is not provided with a separate press head.

The intermittent rotary advancement of the framework and associated parts, the reciprocating actions of the press heads, the operation of the feed or charging device and the door opening and closing mechanism are all synchronised and conveniently controlled from a single rotatably driven master member.

The invention and the manner in which it may be put into practice, will now be more fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Further features of the invention will be apparent from the following description. The scope of the invention is, however, not limited to the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical part-sectional elevation of a juice extractor according to the invention, substantially along line II of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-section of the extractor shown in FIGURE 1, substantially along line 11-11 of FIGURE FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary vertical section, also substantially along line II of FIGURE 2, showing modified feeding means;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical part-sectional elevation of a modified form of extractor, taken substantially along line IVIV of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 5 is a plan of FIGURE 4 of which various parts are not shown;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section substantially on line VI-VI of FIGURE 8;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary detailed view of the encircled portion VII of FIGURE 6-;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary cross-section substantially on line VIII-VIII of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 9 is a plan of a liquid collecting trough for the machine shown in FIGURES 4 and 5; and

FIGURE 10 is a diagrammatic outlay of an hydraulic operating system for the apparatus shown in FIGURES 4-9.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings, the apparatus provides a pedestal structure 1 of substantially circular shape and mounting near the outside four vertical columns 2 which are connected together at regular arcuate spaced intervals by two vertically spaced spider-like connecting frames 3. The frames 3 provide centrally vertical bearings 4 in which a vertical shaft 5 is rotatably located and supported. Fixed to said shafts, between the bearings 4, are spider-like horizontal frames 6 and 7 at vertically spaced positions. The lower spider-like frame 7 and the lower bearing 4 may incorporate thrust bearing means for rotatably supporting the shaft 5 and associated parts. Motion transmission means 8 are associated with the shaft 5, preferably at the top end of the shaft, for driving such shaft from an electric motor 9 through a speed reduction mechanism 10.

On the lower connecting structure 3 is an arcuate liquids permeable floor 11, which may be of grid, screen sieve or other perforated construction. Said iarcuate floor 11 extends through an angle of approximately 300. In spaced relationship below the said floor 11 a trough 12, having an outlet duct 13 is stationarily mounted. Said duct 12 preferably provides an out and downwardly sloping bottom for drainage of the liquids received therein.

Attached to the columns 2, and inwardly thereof, is an annular cam 15 which is rigidly mounted on brackets 16 extending radially inwardly from such columns 2. The upper surface 17 of the cam 15 provides a raised portion. The upper surface 17 of cam 15 is engaged by the freely rotatable rollers 18 mounted transversely on the upper ends of rods 19 which, in turn, are guided for vertical axial movement in guides 20 mounted at regular arcuate spaced intervals on the upper spider-like horizontal frame 6. On the bottom ends of each rod 15% a pressure applying weight 21 is attached. The under face 22 of each weight 21 is preferably flat.

Attached to the lower spider-like horizontal frame 7 is a radially spaced pair of annular wall forming rims 23 which, in respect of the bottom edges are in very close spaced or rubbing relationship on the perforated floor 11 and along which the said wall are arranged to move. Said wall forming rims 23 are connected together at regular radial intervals by radial partitions 24. Said partitions 24 divide the space between the wall forming rims 23 into a number of equally sized substantially truncated segment-shaped compartments 26. For each compartment 26 a press weight or head 21 is provided. Said press weights 21 are arranged for retractable downward extension into their respective compartments 26.

At position 27 a charging station is presented for successively charging the receptacles 26 with the material from which liquid is to be extracted, e.g. crushed fruit, while at 28 a discharging station is presented for discharge of the residue of the material of the fruit from which liquid has been extracted by a pressing action by pressure heads 21.

At the charging station 27, a worm conveyor 30 is provided whereby crushed fruit is fed through a stationary feed passage 31. The crushed fruit discharged onto the perforated floor 11 is conveyed along the floor 11, on rotation of the horizontal frame 7, by the partitions 24. The material, swept along the floor 11, by the partitions 24 and not passing through the floor 11, is eventually discharged over the end 32 of the floor 11. At the said end 32 of floor 11, where the discharge station 28 is presented, a chute 33 is mounted for directing the residue, e.g. husks, skins, fibrous material and solid particles into means for removal.

Rotation of the shaft 5 carries with it the horizontal frames 6 and 7. During rotation of frame 6 the weights 21 are carried at the same speed as the compartment 26 while the rollers 18 roll on the upper surface 17 of the stationary annular cam 15. At the charging station 27, the press heads 21 are held in the elevated and inoperative positions by the raised portion of cam 15. Immediately after passing the charging station 27, each roller runs down a ramp, presented by the cam 15, for the press head 21 to bear onto the crushed fruit within its respective compartment 26. Due to the weight of the press head 21, the liquids are forced from the crushed fruit and escape through the perforations of floor 11. This pressing action is applied to the crushed fruit along approximately half of each revolution of frame 6 while said press heads 21 remain in the lowermost position when passing over the end 32 of floor 11 in order to force the waste material downwardly and into the discharge chute 32. Immediately after passing the discharge station 28 the roller engages a rising ramp of the cam 15 and the press head 21 is raised. It will be obvious that the press heads are successively lowered and raised during rotation of the frame 6.

The worm conveyor 30 may be arranged to feed the compartments 26 at a constant rate while the shaft 5 and associated parts are rotated at a constant slow speed.

If desired, the rotary motion of the shaft 5 and its associated parts, and the worm conveyor 30, may be intermittent whereby similar controlled amounts of crushed fruit may be charged into each compartment 26.

The press head forming weights 21 are preferably of a transverse shape corresponding to the substantially truncated segment-shaped compartment 26. The partitions 24- may also be of perforated construction. If desired, the rims 23 may also be perforated in which case space must be left exteriorly thereof for draining of liquid or juice into the trough 12. The trough 12 extends at least from below the charging station position 27 and up to the discharge station position 28.

In a modified form of construction, see FIGURE 3, the charging of the compartments 26 of the receptacle may be by a hopper-like bin 34 having a spout-like discharge chute 35. The said columns 2 may be rigidly connected together by arcuate shaped braces 29.

The apparatus according to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, is particularly suitable to extract juices from crushed grapes which have previously been subjected to drainage in known apparatus which usually extract approximately 70% of the juice.

The apparatus shown in FIGURES 4-10, is particularly suitable for extracting juice from large quantities of fruit. The apparatus provides a pedestal 1 mounting a centre pin 40. A circular framework 41 is mounted for rotation about pin 40 and is provided with rollers 42, engaging on a circular track 43 on the periphery of the pedestal 1. On the framework 41 a superstructure 44 is mounted having at the top a plurality of radial arms or a platform 45 from which downwardly extending wall forming plates 46 extend and which are arranged parallel to one another and tangentially to concentric circles. Said pair of walls 46 present two co-axial polygonally-shaped continuous walls which are connected at the corners by radial partition walls 47. On the exterior of the outer polygonal wall 46 a vertically spaced pair of similar circular annuli 48 are rigidly fixed having a number of spaced notches 49 and form ratchet rims.

From the inner polygonal wall 46 of the rotatable superstructure 4, downand outwardly-sloping perforated bottom forming plates 50 are provided while attached to the bottom edges of each straight portion of the outer polygonal wall 46, perforated trapdoors 51 are pivotally attached of which the free edges are engageable onto the lowermost edges of the sloping bottoms 50. Each pair of spaced straight portions of the inner and outer walls 46, a pair of radial and spaced partitions 47, associated sloping perforated bottom 50, and a perforated trapdoor 51 form an open topped compartment 52 in which juice extraction is to take place.

Below the sloping bottoms 50, and in spaced relationship thereto, a substantially conically shaped chute forming surface 53 is disposed which terminates above an arcuately shaped trough 54 which is stationarily supported around the pedestal 1 and the rotatable frame structure 41. The

trough 54 receives the juice pressed from the fruit con tained in the compartments 52 and which drains through the perforations of the sloping bottoms 50 and the trapdoors 51.

On the exterior of each trapdoor 51 a link 55 is pivotally attached. On the other end of each link 55 a horizontal roller 56 is provided which runs on a guide rail 57. The guide rail 57 is fixed concentrically with, and outwardly of, the structure 41, 44 at a position below the ratchet forming annulus 48 and outwardly of the compartment forming receptacle. The rollers 56 normally engage the inside of the guide rail 57 to retain the perforated trapdoors 5.1 in their closed positions, i.e. the position shown in FIGURE 4. At the discharge station, said perforated trapdoor 51 is swung to an open position (see FIGURE 6) as will be subsequently described.

A stationary superstructure 58 is mounted over the rotatable superstructure 44 for mounting of pressure applying heads, a feed mechanism and various motion imparting devices.

The feed mechanism comprises a bin 59 which is fed with the fruit, preferably pre-crushed, by suitable means such as for instance a pump, conveyor, or the like. Said bin 59 is mounted on the top of a stationary mounted vertically disposed circular container 60. Within the container a rotatable dividing plate 61 is mounted with its centre line and axis of rotation co-axially With the axis of the container. The discharge from the bin 59 is into one longitudinal half portion of the container 60 and through an eccentrically positioned inlet opening in the top of the container 60. The container 60 is provided with a discharge opening 62 in its bottom 63 in the other half portion and substantially diagonally opposite to the position of the charging opening of the container 60. The top end of the vertical journalled shaft 64 of the dividing plate 61 extends outwardly from the top of container 60 and is provided with a pulley '65 which is driven by a motion transmission belt or chain 66 or the like from a pulley 67 which is fixed to a vertical shaft 6-8 journalled in bearings on the superstructure 58. On a lower end of the shaft 68, and substantially in line with the ratchet forming annuli 48, a star wheel 69, providing four radial lobes, is fixed.

On a horizontal extension 580 of the superstructure 58, a horizontally disposed double acting hydraulic ram 70 is pivotally mounted. On the end of the extendable part of the ram 70 freely rotatable rollers 71 are mounted. On extending the hydraulic ram 70 said rollers run on curved exterior faces of the ratchet annuli 48 with which the rollers are retained in engagement by a biasing spring. On movement of the rollers along said faces of the annuli they engage a lobe of the star wheel 69 to cause rotation of the shaft 68 through a predetermined angle. Such movement of shaft 68 causes the dividing plate 61 to rotate through an angle of 180. The charge in the one half portion of the container 60 is thereby transferred to the other half portion of such container 60 for the charge to drop through the opening 62 into a compartment 52 of the rotatable superstructure 44, in register below said opening 62. On rotational movement the dividing plate 61 from one position to the other a horizontal shutter 72 closes oil? the charging opening in the top of the bin. Said shutter 72 is so arranged that when the plate has reached the position in which it is to remain stationary, the opening from bin 59 is again open.

The volume of the container 60 is such that each half portion thereof measures off a specific quantity of crushed fruit for subsequent discharge into a compartment 52 of the rotatable structure 44.

As soon as the crushed fruit is received in a compartment 52 the juice starts percolating through the perforations of the sloping bottom 50' and the closed perforated sloping trapdoor 51 and is collected in the trough 54.

Rotation of the rotatable structure 41 and its superstructure 44 is effected by the hydraulic ram 70. Said ram 70, after extension beyond the position for partial a substantial amount of sediment.

rotation of the shaft 68, moves beyond the position of the shaft 68 and engages hook-shaped notches 49 by its rollers 71. On retraction of the ram 70 the ratchet annuli 48 is drawn with it, causing rotation of he structure 41, 44 through a predetermined angle, whereby the next compartment 52 is brought in register below the discharge opening 62 of container 60 for receiving a charge.

As soon as a chamber 52 receives the crushed fruit, the juice in the mass starts percolating through the perforated bottom 50 and trapdoor 51. This juice contains Soon, however, a filter mat is formed over the perforated bottom and door 50, 51 and after a short while, the juice percolating through such filter mat becomes clear. This happens in the first stage of the juice extraction and as the juice extracted in such first stage contains sediment, it is collected separately and is returned to the compartment 52 at or during the second stage, i.e. after the rotatable structure has been advanced one step. For this purpose, a partition 74 is provided across the trough 54 at one end to provide a compartment 75 having a drain outlet 76 which is connected to a pump 77 which pumps the juice for discharge into the top of a compartment 52 when the latter is in the first advanced position. The juice is thus received through a filter mat of fruit flesh particles in the chamber 52 and percolates through such mat of crushed fruit and discharges from such chamber in a clear state.

The operation of the hydraulic ram 70 is intermittent and after a predetermined time lag, a time lag of, say, approximately two and a half minutes after complete retraction may be provided, while the period for retraction of the ram 70 may be approximately three minutes. As the rotatable part of the apparatus advances in steps, precipitation and discharge of the juices take place.

With the apparatus pressure heads 21a are provided for forced extraction of the juices from the crushed fruit mass. In the form of the apparatus as shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5, three pressure heads 21a are provided each of which being connected to an hydraulic ram 78 which is mounted vertically in the superstructure and, preferably, adjacent one another on one side of the apparatus. The pressure heads 21a provide sloping surfaces corresponding to the angularity of the associated sloping bottoms 50 and trapdoors 51 of the compartments 52. Said hydraulic rams 78 are intermittently operated, the intermittent operation of the different rams taking place simultaneously. The pressure heads 21a are completely retracted from the compartments 52 together before each advancement movement of the rotary structure 41, 44. Said pressure heads 21a are extended downwardly and retracted during the stationary periods of said structure 41, 44 to perform their pressing action on the fruit mass within the compartments 52 into which they are to operate. Thus said rams 78 perform their reciprocating strokes during the aforesaid three minute period to press the good juice from the crushed fruit mass. By way of example only the press heads exert a pressure of approximately-25O lbs. per square foot when acting on grapes.

If desired and/or preferably, the juice extracted by the pressing action of the pressure heads 21a is collected in a separate compartment 79 formed in the one end portion of the arcuately shaped trough 54. Separate outlets 80 and 81 are provided in the largest portion of the trough and said compartment 79 respectively. If desired, the juice received in compartment 79 may be mixed with the juice of the remaining portion of the trough 54.

The rotating structure 41, 44 shown in the drawings provides twelve compartments 52 so that, by way of example, the total time for a complete revolution of the said structure 41, 44 will take place in approximately thirty minutes, of which for approximately twenty-one minutes natural draining of the juices takes place, While for approximately nine minutes pressure draining is effected. However, the periods may be altered to suit different conditions of operation and material or fruit from which juice is to be extracted.

Every time the three hydraulic rams 78 are operated for downward movement of the pressure heads 21a, the door 51 of that chamber 52, in the position just before the charge receiving position (that is at the discharging station) is opened. At this position, the circular guide rail 57 is provided with a removable portion permitting the roller and link 56, 55 to move outwardly for outward swinging of the door 51 to the open position, as is shown in FIGURE 6. For swinging the door 51 to a completely open position a mechanism is provided which may constitute a pivoted lever 82 operated by an hydraulic cylinder 83. On the free end of the lever 82 the removable track portion 57a is provided as also a lip 84 for coupling engagement on co-acting lip 85, provided on the link 55, to obtain a positive opening action for the door 51.

On opening of the door 51, the residue of the mass from which the juice has been extracted, slides off the perforated sloping bottom 50 and may be received in a chute, bin or the like.

Each door 51 of each compartment 52 is provided with its own link 55 and roller 56 which, by virtue of engagement of the rail 57, retains the door tightly closed, except at the discharge station when the lever 82 is arranged to cause the opening of the door. The operation of hydraulic cylinder 83 takes place simultaneously with the operation of the hydraulic rams 78.

The arrangement of the co-acting lips 84, 85 is such that the rotatable movement of the structures 41, 44 causes lip 85 to move in a longitudinal direction behind and away from lip 84.

The synchronised operation of the hydraulic rams and/ or cylinders is conveniently through a master rotatably driven drum 90. The master drum 90 is driven through speed reduction means 92 from an electric motor 91. The electric motor 91 also drive pumps 93 of the hydraulic system which are fed from a fluid supply tank 94-. The motor 91 also drives pump 77. On the master drum 90 earns 95 are provided for operating of the hydraulic pressure fluid control valves 96 serving the hydraulic rams 70 and valves 97 serving the hydraulic rams and cylinder 78 and 83.

The apparatus described with reference to FIGURES l, 2 and 3 is of a simpler form than the apparatus described with reference to FIGURES 410. The apparatus according to FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 is suitable to extract the last juice from grapes or the like which might still be in the mass after the crushed grapes have been drained in conventional draining apparatus. This apparatus is substantially smaller than the apparatus according to FIGURES 29 because a very large percentage of the juice is already extracted by known apparatus before the mass enters the apparatus according to FIGURES l, 2 and 3.

The apparatus according to FIGURES 2-9 may be used on, for instance, grapes, which have only been crushed in a separate crusher and then immediately pumped into the bin 59.

The liquid permeable floor or bottoms 11, t) and door 51 may be of perforated plates or any suitable pervious material.

The number of pressure heads 21a, in the apparatus according to FIGURES 49, may be increased or decreased as conditions may demand.

The intermittent drive to the rotating structure 41, 44 may be accomplished with other mechanical, electrical or hydraulic means and the hydraulic system disclosed in the specification being by way of example only.

The press heads 21 of the apparatus according to FIGURES 1 and 2 may have additional pressure applied to them by spring means or hydraulic or pneumatic pressure systems. The pressure heads 21a of the apparatus according to FIGURES 49, may be arranged to apply gravitational pressure while retraction and retention in the raised positions is effected by the hydraulic means.

The scope of the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments of the invention described and illustrated herein and in the accompanying drawings.

I claim:

1. Extractor means which includes a stationary and rigid frame structure, a rotatably driven frame work on and within the rigid frame structure and rotationally movable about a vertical axis, a substantially circular row of similar receptacles circumferentially mounted on the frame-work and defined by a radially spaced pair of wall members and radial partition wall members between said radially spaced wall members, a downwardly sloping wall of liquids permeable material for each receptacle extending from one of said radially spaced wall members, a pivoted door-like member for each receptacle and extending between the lower edge of said sloping bottom and the other of said pair of radially spaced wall members, means for retaining the door members in closed positions, means for successively opening and closing the door members at a discharge station, means for successively charging each receptacle at a charging station when the door member is in the closed position, a number of vertically displaceable press heads having an underface corresponding to the shape of the convergent sloping bottom and co-acting door member of each receptacle, each press head being arranged to intermittently extend into receptacles at positions between the charging and discharging stations, power operated advancing means for intermittent moving and stopping of the frame-work and associated parts about the vertical axis, means for effecting synchronised movement of material charging means, intermittent advancement of the frame-work and associated parts, opening of the door member of a receptacle and extension and retraction of the press heads, a trough below the receptacles commencing from and terminating at positions adjacent the discharge station; the arrangement being such that the material from which liquid is to be extracted is successively discharged in substantially measured quantities into successive receptacles when the frame-work is stationary and in which receptacles liquid drain from the material while the material within the receptacles are subjected to pressure by the press-heads for final extraction of the liquid whereas the residue is discharged from the receptacle on opening of the door member during a stationary period of the frame work and before reaching the charging station.

2. Extractor means as claimed in claim 1 in which the trough is provided with a separate compartment at the charging station, said compartment being connected to pump means providing a discharge connection arranged to discharge into the top of the receptacle advanced at least one stage from the charging station.

3. Extractor means according to claim 1 in which the means adapted for the successive charging of the receptacles comprises a charge receiving bin, an upright cylindrical container, an eccentrically positioned inlet opening in the top of the container with which the said bin communicated, a vertical divider rotatably mounted about a vertical axis within the container and adapted for dividing the container into similar parts, a discharge opening in the bottom of the container substantially diagonally opposite said inlet opening, shutter means on the divider adapted to close off the inlet opening during movement of the divider, each divided part of the container having a volume substantially equal to the volume of a charge for a receptacle, and means for intermittent rotation of said divider for controlled charge receiving and discharge to and from the container.

4. Extractor means according to claim 1 in which the mechanism for retaining the door member of each receptacle in the closed position comprises a fixed horizontally disposed annulus, a roller engaging pressingly and rollably said annulus, a link connected to the door member and mounting said roller.

5. Extractor means according to claim 4 in which the means for opening the door of a container at the discharge station position comprises a removable portion of the horizontally disposed fixed annulus engaged by the rollers mounted on the door members, a pivoted lever mounting said removable annulus portion, protruding means on the lever, coacting protruding means on the link mounting said roller for coupling engagement by the protruding means of the lever for movement with the lever, and synchronised power means connected to the lever adapted for imparting movement to the lever for displacement of the removable portion of the annulus in a direction away from the receptacle and for opening of the door member and to replace and retain the displaceable portion in the annulus on return of the lever when the door member is closed and when retraction of the protruding means of the roller mounting link from the co-acting means of the lever can take place.

6. Extractor means according to claim 1 in which the intermittent rotary advancement of the frame-work is elfected by a reciprocating device, a ratchet-like annulus on the frame-Work having spaced notches for successive engagement by said device and curved faces between said notches for guided return motion thereon of said device, said device being arranged, during a return stroke to engage and rotate a shaft through a predetermined angle, said shaft being connected to and operates controlled material charging for discharge of specific volumes of the material, said device during its operative stroke being adapted to hook onto a notch of the ratchetlike annulus when it is displaced to a position free of engagement with the radial element of said shaft.

7. Extractor means according to claim 1 wherein the means for intermittent rota-table advancement of frame work, lowering and elevation of the press heads, and the opening and closing of a door member comprises hydraulic ram devices, said devices having their operations synchronised from a rotatably driven master member.

8. Extractor means according to claim 1 wherein the trough, in respect of a portion below the press head engageable in receptacles, is partitioned off for separate collection of liquids discharging from the receptacles in which the press heads operate.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 38,599 5/1863 Peck et a1. 208X 71,935 12/1867 Winger 100-208X 229,398 6/1880 Greer 100-125 470,692 3/1892 Merrell 17-32 970,575 9/1910 Von Traubenberg 100127X 1,033,089 7/1912 Dunn 100223X 1,195,843 8/1916 Murakami 100-265X 1,855,221 4/1932 Burkholder et a1. 100-223X LOUIS O. MAASSEL, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. EXTRACTOR MEANS WHICH INCLUDES A STATIONARY AND RIGID FRAME STRUCTURE, A ROTATABLY DRIVEN FRAME WORK ON AND WITHIN THE RIGID FRAME STRUCTURE AND ROTATIONALLY MOVABLE ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, A SUBSTANTIALLY CIRCULAR ROW OF SIMILAR RECEPTACLES CIRCUMFERENTIALLY MOUNTED ON THE FRAME-WORK AND DEFINED BY A RADIALLY SPACED PAIR OF WALL MEMBERS AND RADIAL PARTITION WALL MEMBER BETWEEN SAID RADIALLY SPACE WALL MEMBERS, A DOWNWARDLY SLOPING WALL OF LIQUIDS PERMEABLE MATERIAL FOR EACH RECEPTACLE EXTENDING FROM ONE OF SAID RADIALLY SPACED WALL MEMBERS, A PIVOTED DOOR-LIKE MEMBER FOR EACH RECEPTACLE AND EXTENDING BETWEEN THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID SLOPING BOTTOM AND THE OTHER OF SAID PAIR OF RADIALLY SPACED WALL MEMBERS, MEANS FOR RETAINING THE DOOR MEMBERS IN CLOSED POSITIONS, MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY OPENING AND CLOSING THE DOOR MEMBERS AT A DISCHARGE STATION, MEANS FOR SUCCESSIVELY CHARGING EACH RECEPTACLE AT A CHARGING STATION WHEN THE DOOR MEMBER IS IN THE CLOSED POSITION, A NUMBER OF VETICALLY DISPLACEABLE PRESS HEADS HAVING AN UNDERFACE CORRESPONDING TO THE SHAPE OF THE CONVERGENT SLOPING BOTTOM AND CO-ACTING DOOR MEMBER OF EACH RECEPTACLE, EACH PRESS HEAD BEING ARRANGED TO INTEMITTENTLY EXTEND INTO RECEPTACLE AT POSITIONS BETWEEN THE CHARGING AND DISCHARGING STATIONS, POWER OPERATED ADVANCING MEANS FOR INTERMITTENT MOVING AND STOPPING OF THE FRAME-WORK AND ASSOCIATED PARTS ABOUT THE VERTICAL AXIS, MEANS FOR EFFECTING SYNCHRONISED MOVEMENT OF MATERIAL CHARGING MEANS, INTERMITTENT ADVANCEMENT OF THE FRAME-WORK AND ASSOCIATED PARTS, OPENING OF THE DOOR MEMBER OF A RECEPTACLE AND EXTENSION AND RETRACTION OF THE PRESS HEADS, A TROUGHBELOW THE RETRACTION OF THE PRESS HEADS, A TROUGH AT POSITIONS ADJACENT THE DISCHARGE STATION; THE ARRANGEMENT BEING SUCH THAT THE MATERIAL FROM WHICH LIQUID IS TO BE EXTRACTED IS SUCCESSIVELY DISCHARGED IN SUBSTANTIALLY MEASURED QUANTITIES INTO SUCCESSIVE RECEPTACLES WHEN THE FRAME-WORK IS STATIONARY AND IN WHICH RECEPTACLES LIQUID DRAIN FROM THE MATERIAL WHILE THE MATERIAL WITHIN THE RECEPTACLES ARE SUBJECTED TO PRESSURE BY THE PRESS-HEADS FOR FINAL EXTRACTION OF THE LIQUID WHEREAS THE RESIDUE IS DISCHARGED FROM THE RECEPTACLE ON OPENING OF THE DOOR MEMBER DURING A STATIONARY PERIOD OF THE FRAME WORK AND BEFORE REACHING THE CHARGING STATION.

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