Centrifuge with clutch mechanism for synchronous blade and bowl rotation

摘要

An improved centrifuge apparatus comprising a spindle with an affixed bowl and a drive shaft passing through the spindle with a plurality of scraper blades affixed which rotate within the bowl. The spindle is driven by a pulley with a belt attached to a motor. The centrifuge has a clutch mechanism which provides a positive lock to insure synchronous blade and bowl rotation during processing. The clutch mechanism comprises a shifting coupling attached to the drive shaft with a bottom set of teeth and a top set of teeth. The bottom set of teeth interlockingly engage a matching set of teeth located on either the pulley or the top of the spindle. The top set of teeth interlockingly engage a matching set of teeth that are either immovably attached to a plate or attached to a sprocket which is rotatably attached to the plate. The scraper blades have recesses in their front face to allow a variable cutting edge geometry and the mixing and matching of cutting edge geometry while permitting the use of the same base blade. The centrifuge has a tangential outlet and an annular housing to minimize spray and misting in the exiting centrifuged liquid.