Centrifuge

Claim 1

IN A CENTRIFUGE FOR SEPARATING SOLID SUBSTANCES FROM LIQUIDS, A VERTICALLY DISPOSED DRUM ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON A VERTICAL DRIVE SHAFT, SAID DRUM HAVING AN IMPERFORATE SOLID BASE, AN IMPERFORATE CYLINDRICAL AXIAL HUB ATTACHED TO SAID DRIVE SHAFT AND EXTENDING UPWARD INTERIORLY OF SAID DRUM, AND A PERFORATE SIDE WALL ON THE INTERIORLY OF OF WHICH SOLID SUBSTANCES ACCUMULATE IN THE FORM OF A LAYER DURING CENTRIFUGAL ACTION, SAID BASE HAVING A PLURALITY OF ELEVATED SECTIONS DISPOSED INTERIORLY OF SAID DRUM; A SOLID PISTON AXIALLY AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID HUB WITHIN THE DRUM AND ROTATABLE WITH SAID DRUM, SAID PISTON HAVING AN IMPERFORATE CYLINDRICAL SLEEVE ATTACHED TO ITS UPPER FACE CONCENTRICALLY DISPOSED AROUND SAID AXIAL HUB AND SPACED APART THEREFROM TO FORM AN ANNULAR SPACE, A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS COMMUNICATING WITH THE ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN SAID SLEEVE AND SAID AXIAL HUB, AND A PLURALITY OF INDENTATIONS IN ITS LOWER HORIZONTAL SURFACE THAT MESH WITH SAID ELEVATED SECTIONS OF SAID DRUM BASE, SAID PISTON BEING MOVABLE AXIALLY UPWARD WHEN ACTIVATED TO DISPLACE SOLID SUBSTANCES UPWARDLY IN THE FORM OF A LAYER ON SAID SIDE WALL ALONG THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID SIDE WALL; AND AN INLET DISPOSED ABOVE AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN SAID SLEEVE AND SAID AXIAL HUB FOR INTRODUCING PISTON-ACTIVATING LIQUID BETWEEN SAID IMPERFORATE DRUM BASE AND SAID PISTON, SAID PISTON BEING ACTIVATED AXIALLY UPWARD SOLELY BY CENTRIFUGAL FORCE CREATED BY ROTATION OF THE CENTRIFUGE ACTING UPON SAID ACTIVATING LIQUID BETWEEN SAID IMPERFORATE DRUM BASE AND SAID PISTON; SAID DRUM SIDE WALL HAVING A FIRST PLURALITY OF OPENINGS OF PREDETERMINED CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA DISPOSED IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE IMMEDIATELY BELOW THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF THE PISTON AT THE UPPER LIMIT OF ITS UPWARD STROKE FOR RAPID ESCAPE OF PISTON-ACTIVATING LIQUID AND HAVING A SECOND PLURALITY OF OPENINGS OF A PREDETERMINED CROSSSECTIONAL AREA DISPOSED IN A HORIZONTAL PLANE WITH THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF SAID PISTON AT THE LOWER LIMIT OF ITS STROKE FOR SLOW ESCAPE OF PISTON-ACTIVATING LIQUID TO CONTROL THE RATE OF MOVEMENT OF SAID PISTON FROM THE UPPER TO THE LOWER LIMIT OF ITS STROKE.