Centrifuge and valve therefor

A centrifuge for separating first and second liquids from a mixture thereof, the specific gravity of the first liquid being greater than that of the second liquid, comprising:

• a container supported for rotation about an axis;
• drive means for effecting rotation of said container about said axis;
• supply means for introducing into said container during rotation thereof the mixture of the first and second liquids, rotation of said container causing the first liquid to move to a radially outermost portion of said container;
• valve means supported on said container and in fluid communication with said portion of said container and with a region external to said container, said valve means being responsive to fluid pressure in said portion of said container for discharging quantities of the first liquid from said portion of said container to said region external to said container during rotation of said container;
• and means for removing from said container during rotation thereof quantities of the second liquid which have been separated from the first liquid;
• wherein said container includes a cylindrical wall substantially concentric with said axis, said portion of said container being adjacent said wall and said wall having plural angularly spaced openings therethrough;
• wherein said valve means includes plural valves which are each supported on said cylindrical wall in the region of a respective said opening therein and which each control fluid flow through the associated opening;
• wherein said axis is approximately vertical;
• wherein said container has a generally horizontal bottom wall extending between lower edges of said cylindrical wall;
• wherein said container has a plurality of annular, vertically spaced first baffles therein which are each provided on and extend radially inwardly from said cylindrical wall, said first baffles dividing the radially outer portion of said container into a plurality of annular, vertically spaced compartments;
• wherein said cylindrical wall has means defining a plurality of said angularly spaced openings in the region of each said compartment and said valve means includes a said valve supported on said container in the region of each said opening for controlling fluid flow therethrough;
• and wherein said supply means introduces the mixture of said first and second liquids into the lowermost one of said compartments.

A valve, comprising a valve housing having a bore therein which opens at one end through a first outer surface portion of said valve housing and opens at its other end into a chamber provided within said valve housing;

• a flexible diaphragm extending across said chamber approximately perpendicular to said bore and having its peripheral edges sealingly supported by said valve housing;
• an elongate tube slidably supported in said bore and extending through a central opening in said diaphragm;
• means for sealingly coupling said diaphragm and said tube so that movement of said diaphragm effects the axial movement of said tube;
• resilient means for yieldably urging axial movement of said tube in a direction toward said chamber;
• means defining a passageway in said valve housing which provides fluid communication between said first outer surface portion of said valve housing and a second outer surface portion thereof which is spaced from said first surface portion;
• means defining a valve seat at the end of said passageway which opens through said first surface portion of said valve housing;
• and a valve member which is fixedly supported on said tube and movable in response to axial movement of said tube between open and closed positions in which it is respectively spaced from and engaging said valve seat on said valve housing and respectively permits and obstructs fluid flow through said passageway in said valve housing.