US2359831A - Apparatus for testing moisture content in granular material - Google Patents

Description

Oct.

w. J. DELMHQRST 2,359,831

APPARATUS FORTESTING MOISTURE CONTENT IN GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Jan. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR44 WFLUAM J. DELMHORST Oct. 10, 1944. w J DELMHQRST I 2,359,831

APPARATUS FOR TESTING MOISTURE CONTENT IN GRANULAR MATERIALS Filed Jan. 20, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM J DELMHORST ATTORNEY the mixture in the sample Patented Oct. 10, 1944 ENT ar s;

AfiPARATUS FOR, TESTING MOISTURE con- TENT IN GRANULAR MATERIAL William J. Delmhorst, Jersey City, N. J., assignor to Measurements Corporation, Boonton, N. .12, an

corporation of New Jersey Application January 20, 1940, Serial No. 314,764

14 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for and methods of testing moisture content in granular material.

An object of this invention is to provide apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle in which the granular material to be tested is placed, and a compartment in the receptacle for calcium carbide adapted to react with the moisture in the granular material when the receptacle is shaken, to produce acetylene gas which escapes through openings in the cover, the resulting loss in weight permitting computation of moisture content in said material.

A further object of this invention is to provide in apparatus of the character described, a receptacle for the sample material'to be tested, having a cover adapted to be clamped thereto, the

- compartment for the calcium carbide being fixed to said cover and projecting into the receptacle and being constructed to permit the carbide to be shaken into the receptacle to react with mois ture in the sample, and also to permit acetylene gas to pass into the compartment, and the cover being formed with openings communicating with the compartment, to permit the acetylene gas to escape from the receptacle, through said comp rtment.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a highly-improved, economical and simplified method of testing the moisture content of granular material, consisting in causing a sample of said material ofkno'wn weight to mix with willcient calcium carbide in a vessel to react with all the moisture in the sample and permitting the resulting acetylene gas to escape, whereby the 88 in W ht due to escape of the acetylene cax be measured, to permit easy computation of th moisture content-in the sample.

A 'yet further object of this invention, is to provide apparatus of the character described having means t stir the sample and also the calcium carbide to insure a good mixture, so that all of will come intm contact with the calcium carbide.

Another object of this invention is to provide a strong, durable and compact apparatus of the L character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to manipulate and yet practical and efilcient to a high degree in use. Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

Theinvention' accordingly cpnsists in the combination of steps, features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplifi ed in the method and con- (cits-253) struction hereinafter described, and of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is shown various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention, r f

Figure 1 is an elevational, cross-sectional view of apparatus for testing moisture content in granular material, embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrat- The receptacle II is provided with an annular cover M for the top open end'of the receptacle. Said cover It is formed with a downwardly extending annular flange l6 of somewhat greater inner diameter than the diameter of the upper rim l8 of the receptacle l I. An annular rubber gasket 02'' ring I1 is attached to 'the underside of the cover, and is adapted tocontact the upper rim ill of the receptacle.

, Attached to the underside of the cover I4, is an inverted cup-shaped container. 20 of metal, ,or-

other suitable material, having an annular top 5 wall 2| formed with a downwardly extending cythe cover by a plurality of screws or other fastening members 24, passing through the cover and half the length of the receptacle l I, and the lower" end thereof is open. Said lower end maybe closed by a cover 30, having an annular flange 3|, and a bottom wall 32 ofwire screening material. The cover 30 is frictionally applied to the open end of the container and ma be removed by pulling it off the lower end of 21 container.

' The cover I' l may he clamped o the receptacle ill by means of a spring metal clamp 35. The clamp 35 is made of a piece of spring metal, and

has a bottom bowed portion -36, contacting the lindrical wall 22. The container! is attached to 2 I underside of thereceptacle, and upwardly 'extending arms 31, formed-with inwardly extend- Another method of testing the tent of granular material, with the improved aping fingers 38, adapted to engage the top of the cover I4 and press the same down against the rim l8 of the receptacle.

one method of using the apparatus ID to test moisture content in granular material, will now be described:

Place approximately 4 grams of calcium carbide in the container 20, and then close the container with the cover 30. After the cover 30 is placed on the container 20, weigh cover ll together with the empty shaker or receptacle ll. Then'place a sample of the granular material to be tested within the receptacle II, and then weigh the cover I4 and the receptacle II, with the sample therein.

The difierence in the two weights gives the weight of the sample used. Then place the cover ll on the shaker ll, being careful that none of 'the calcium carbide is lost, and app y the clamp 35 to firmly clamp the cover l4 onto the shaker, and shake the shaker for about a minute. The

moisturefrom the sample will react with the 1 calcium carbide to produce acetylene gas and calcium hydroxide.

The formula is as follows:

CaC: plus 2H20=C2Hz plus Ca(OH) 2 As .the shaker is shaken, the calcium carbide will drop through the screen wall 32 and mix with the sample to react with the moisture. The

acetylene gas produced will escape through the apertures 25, 21, and the cloth screen 28 will preparatus I0, is to place approximately 25 grams of calcium carbide in the container 20, and cover the container with the screen'cover 30; Then place the cover and empty shaker or receptacle on one side of a balance instrument, and bring to a balance. Then'place a counterweight of 69.3 grams on the right side of the balance, and place enough sample material in the shaker to bring the scale again into balance. Then place the cover on the shaker, being careful so that none of the calcium carbide is lost, apply the clamp and shake the shaker until thereaction is completed. This operation should take about one minute. Then remove the clamp and place the shaker with the cover on the scale, and bring the scale again to a balance. Every gram lost in weight will represent a moisture content of 2%. It will now be understood that no computa- 'tion' is necessary. 4

Approximately 25 grams of calcium carbide is used with 69.3 grams of sample, where the moisture con nt of the sample is 10% or less. For higher moisture content, the sample should be reduced to one-half for 20% and to one-quarter for The loss in weight will then represent a moisture content of 4% per gram for one-half sample, and 8% per gram of one-quarter sample.

In Figs. 3 and 4 there is shown apparatus Illa illustrating a modified form of the invention. The device Illa comprises a'container Ila open at the top and closed .by a cover Ila. Attached to the underside of the cover Ila is a container 20a, the top wall whereof is formed with openings 26a registering with openings 21a in the top cover. Container 20 is attached to the cover by v the.screws 24a. The" cover and top wall of the container are formed with registering .bearing weighed. The diflerence between the weight of the receptacle and cover before and after shaking, gives the loss of weight due to the escape of the acetylene gas.

I The percentage of moisture may be readily calculated since the loss of weight of acetylene gas, times %8, divided by the weight of the sample material, times 100 gives percentage of moisture,

- The molecular weight of 2H2O is 36. The mdiecular weight of 01H: is 26. For this reason, the loss of weight is multiplied by to obtain the weight of the moisture in the sample. The above computation gives percentage ofgross weight of sample, and the percentage of dry weight may be readily computed.

4 grams of calcium carbide are used when using'a sample weighing approximately 10 grams, with moisture content of 10% or less. When the moisture content of the sample is. between 10% and 25%, 7 grams of calcium'carbide is used. when the moisture content is between 25% and 50% of the sample, 12 grams of calcium carbide .is used. when the moisture content is greater openings 40 and ll for the purpose hereinafter appearing. Betweenithe top wall. of 'the container 20a and the cover Ha, is a. piece of cloth 29a.

The lower end of the container 20 is closed hp 9. cover 30a formed with a central bearing .opening 44. Extending through the bearing. openings 40, 4| and 44 is a vertical rod 50, to the upper end of which is attached a crank handle 5! by which the rod may be rotated. Fixed to the lower endof the rod 50 is an agitating blade 52 I preferably comprising a twisted flat strip of metal. Attached to the rod 50 and located within the container 20a. is a stirring pin 55.

It will now be understood that upon rotating the crank. handle, the sample in the bottom of the container Ila, as well as the calcium carbide in the container 20a, are stirred and agitated to insure contact of all the mixture in the sample with the calcium carbide. The stirring blade 52 and pin 55 are preferably located at the lower ends of the containers Ila and 20a, respectively, so that all of the sample and carbide will be thoroughly stirred.

The cover Ila. may be held onto the container Ha by the spring clamp 35a, similar to clamp 35 of Fi l.

. It will thus be seen that there is provided a .device and method in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and-which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be;

matter herein set forth or shown in the accommoisture con-.

parrving drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

and said receptacle having one or more open- Having thus described .my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. Apparatus for testing the moisture content in granular material, comprising a receptacle, open at one end, a cover for closing the open end of the receptacle, a container mounted at one end on the underside of the cover and having its other end open and adapted to project into said receptacle when the cover is in place, a screened cover to close the open end of said container, said first cover having openings communicating with said container, and meanstor clamping said first cover to said receptacle.

2. Apparatus for testing the moisture content in granular material, comprising a receptacle, open at one end, a cover for closing the open end of the-receptacle, a container mounted at one end on-the underside of the coverf and having its other end open and adapted to project municating with said container, and means for clamping said first cover to said receptacle, the openings in said first cover being covered by a piece of cloth.

3. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle, a cover for said receptacle, a'container attached to, said cover and adapted to project into said receptacle when the cover is in place, on the receptacle, said container having an open end, communicating with the interior of the receptacle, a screenat said open end to permit powdered material within said container to be shaken through said screen into said receptacle and said container and cover having registering openings, a piece of cloth covering said registering openings to permit gas generated in said receptacle to escape freely therefrom, while preventing any loss of powdered material from said container through said openings.

4. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle, open at the top, a cover for the top of the receptacle engaging the upper rim edge of said receptacle, an inverted cupshaped container fixed to the underside of the cover and being open at the bottom, a cover of wire screening material closing the lower end of the container, said first cover being formed with perforations communicating with the interior of said container, and means for attaching the first cover to said receptacle.

5. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle, open at the top, a cover for the top of the receptacle engaging the upper rim edge of said receptacle, an inverted cupshaped container fixed to the underside of the cover and being open at the bottom, a cover of wire screening material closing thelower end of the container, said first cover being formed with perforations communicating with the interior of said container, means for attaching the first cover to said receptacle, and a cloth screen covering the perforations in said first cover.

6. Apparatus for testing the moisture content in granular material, comprising a receptacle in which. a sample of the granular material may be placed, a container attached to a portion of said receptacle and disposed within said re-,

ceptacle, in v which calcium carbide may be placed, said container having an opening covered by a wire screen to permit the calcium carbide therein to be shaken-into the receptacle to mix with the sample of granular material,

ings, communicating with said container through which acetylene gas'formed by the reaction of the calcium carbide with the moisture in the sample, may freely escape from the receptacle by passing through said container.

7. Apparatus for testing the moisture content in granular material, comprising a receptacle in which a sample of the granular material may be placed, a container attached to a wall of the receptacle and .disposed within said receptacle in which calcium carbide may-be placed, said container having perforations communicating with the interior of the receptacle to permit the calcium carbide therein to be shaken into the receptacle to mix with the sample of granular material, and said wall of said receptacle having one or more openings through which acetylene gas formed by the reaction of the calcium carbide with the moisture in the sample, may, escape from the receptacle, said opening or openings in the receptacle communicating with said container, whereby the acetylene gas must pass through said container before escape from said receptacle. I

8. Apparatus for testing the moisture content in granular material, comprising a receptacle in which a sample of the' granular material may be placed, a container attached to said receptacle and disposed .withinsaid receptacle in which calcium carbide may be placed, said container having an opening covered by a wire screen to permit the calcium carbide therein to be shaken into the receptacle to mix with the sample of granular material, and said receptacle having one Or more openings through which acetylene gas formed by the reaction oi the calcium carbide [with themoisture in the sample, may escape from the receptacle, the

opening or openings in the receptacle communieating with said container, whereby the acetylene gas must pass through said container before escape from said receptacle, and a cloth screen covering the opening or openings in said receptacle, to prevent any particles from falling out of the receptacle or container, when the receptacle is shaken.

- 9. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle, a cover for said receptacle,

prising 'a receptacle, a cover for said receptacle,

a container attached to said cover, said container having perforations communicating with the interior of said receptacle to permit a powdered material within the container to beshaken into the receptacle, said cover having openings surrounded by said container to permit a gas within the receptacle ,to freely escape therefrom by passing through said container, and means mounted on said cover and extending into'said receptacle and container to stir the contentsof the receptacle, and also to stirthe. contents ofsaid container.

v 11. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a receptacle, 8. cover for said receptacle,

a container attached to said cover and projecting container to permit a gas within the receptacle to freely escape therefrom by passing through said container, and means on the cover and extending into said container t9 stir the powdered material within said cont ner.

12. Apparatus of the character described, com-' prising a receptacle, open at the top, a cover for the top of the receptacle engaging the upper rim edge of said receptacle, an inverted cup-shaped container fixed to the underside of the cover and being open at the bottom, a cover of wire screening material closing the lower end of the con.- tainer, said first cover being formed with perforations communicating with the interior of said container, means for clamping the first cover to said receptacle, a, rod rotatably mounted on said cover and passing through said container into sa d receptacle, a handle on the rod, and means on said rod to stir the contents of said receptacle.

13. Apparatus for testing the moisturecontent in granular material, comprising a receptacle in which a sample of the granular material may be placed, a container within said receptacle in which calcium carbide may be placed, said container'being attached to'said receptacle,.and having perforations to permit the calcium carbide therein to be shaken into the receptacle to mix with the sample oi granular material, said recep- .tacle having one or more openings surrounded by said container through which acetylene gas formed by the reaction of the calcium carbide with the moisture in the sample, may escape from the receptacle, by passing through said co 7 tainer and means carried by the receptacle raga extending thereinto to stir the sample within 5 id receptacle.

I 14. Apparatus for testingthe moisture content in granular material, comprising a receptacle in which a sample of the granul r material may be placed, a container within which calcium carbide may be placed, said container being attached to said receptacle, and having perforations to permit the calcium carbide therein to be shaken into the receptacle to mix with the sample of granular material, said receptacle having one or more openings surrounded by I .said container ,through which acetylene gas formed by the reaction of the calcium carbide with the moisture in the sample, may escape from the receptacle, by passing through said container,

means carried by said receptacle and extending thereinto to stir the sample within said receptacle,

' and means on the first means and disposed within aid receptacle in"

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