US3093149A

US3093149A - Disc washing machine

Info

Publication number: US3093149A
Application number: US107188A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jaffe Benjamin; Textor Andrew
Original assignee: Deltown Foods Inc
Current assignee: Deltown Foods Inc
Priority date: 1961-05-02
Filing date: 1961-05-02
Publication date: 1963-06-11
Anticipated expiration: 1980-06-11
Also published as: GB952287A

Description

June 11, 1963 B. JAFFE ETAL DISC WASHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2, 1961 IN VEN TORS Balm/mu JAM-15 BY Arm/025a flYTa/e WFM ATTORNEYS June 11, 1963 B. J'AFFE ETAL msc WASHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1961 IN VEN TOR. BFA/JAMIA/ JAFF BY Auomsw 72 00 Q MLM Arm/Mfrs Junell, 1963 B. JAFFE ETAL 3,093,149

DISC WASHING MACHINE Filed May 2, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 8 INVENTOR.

BIA/anxm/ t/AFFE Alva/emu Error BY h w A June 1963 B. JAFFE ETAL DISC WASHING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed May 2, 1961 m wt @M,%M KM United States Patent 3,093,149 DISC WASHING MACHINE Ben amin Jaife, Delhi, N.Y., and Andrew Textor, Sussex, N.J., assignors to Deltown Foods, Incorporated, Yonkers, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 2, 1961, Ser. No. 107,188 9 Claims. (Cl. 134-149) This invention relates to the art of washing machines, more particularly of the type to wash the discs used in centrifugal type milk separators.

As conducive to an understanding of the invention, it is noted that centrifugal separators, such as the type used in the milk industry and put out by the DeLaval Separator Company under their Model No. 425, for example, utilize a large number of frusto-conical members, generally called discs in the trade. These discs, which number over 125 in the Model 425 separator, above mentioned, are mounted in nested position on a disc carrier which comprises a frusto-conical base having an axial spindle extending upwardly therefrom and which extends through an axial opening in the smaller diameter end of each of the discs.

The discs are clamped together with but a slight clearance therebetween and in conventional operation of the separator, the milk is forced through aligned openings in the base of the carrier and the wall of the discs, the latter being rapidly rotated to hurl any foreign bodies or solid matters outwardly toward the wall of the chamber in which the discs are rotating. Because of the close tolerances between the juxtaposed nested discs, material that is too heavy or too large to be thrown out laterally, sticks between the discs and eventually will clog the latter. As a result, the equipment must periodically be stopped and the discs removed for cleaning.

Where the discs are removed one by one from the disc carrier and then are scrubbed by hand to remove impurities, in view of the relatively large number of discs, such operation is time-consuming and requires the constant efforts of a workman which therefore is a relatively expensive operation.

It is accordingly among the objects of the invention to provide an equipment for washing the multiplicity of discs of a centrifugal separator without need for removing the discs from their carrier and without need for manual scrubbing of the individual discs, which washing equipment is dependable in operation and will thoroughly clean the discs and is not likely to cause damage to the individual discs resulting from their removal from the carrier on which they are normally mounted.

According to the invention these objects are accom plished by the arrangement and combination of elements hereinafter described and more particularly recited in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one of, various possible embodiments of the several features of the invention:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the disc carrier and the extension units,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the washing tank,

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 of FIG. 2 showing the equipment in operating position,

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of the extension units on a greatly enlarged scale,

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary detail view similar to FIG. 6 showing the locking mechanism of the extension unit,

FIG. '8 is a sectional view taken along line 88 of FIG. 7,

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 7,

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line 101il of FIG. 2, and

FIG. 11 is a view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 5.

Referring now to the drawings, the washing equipment which is the subject of the present invention is designed to wash conventional discs 11 of the type shown in FIG. 1, for example.

Thus, the discs are of sheet metal such as stainless steel and are substantially frusto-conical as shown, having a peripheral flange 12 at the wider diameter end thereof. The smaller diameter end of the disc 11 has an inwardly extending flange 13 with a plurality of notches 14 therein, one of said notches, illustratively the notch 14a, being of greater width than the other notches, to serve as a keying conformation to insure that all of the discs will be properly aligned as hereinafter described.

The disc carrier 16 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 comprises a substantially frusto-conical base 17 which has an axial stem or spindle 18 rising from the smaller diameter end 19 of the base. As shown in FIG. 1, the stem 18 is sub-.

stantially square in cross section having-beveled corners 21 designed to coact with the recesses 14 in flange 13, one of said beveled corners 21a being of greater width than the others and designed to coaot with the larger recess 14a in flange 13. Thus, when the discs are positioned on the stem, all of the openings 22 in the discs will be in proper alignment and the plurality of flat rivet heads 23 extending outwardly from the surface of each disc, serve to space the nested juxtaposed discs from each other by a relatively small clearance to permit discharge of milk therebetween. I

The upper end 24 of the stem 18 desirably has slots 25 extending therethrough at right angles to each other and the discs are designed to be positioned on the disc carrier substantially up to the level of the lower end 26 of said slots.

The base 17 of the disc carrier has an axial recess 27 therein and a relatively large wall thickness, said wall having a plurality of bores 28 extending therethrough. As is clearly shown in FIG. 3, the bores extend at an acute angle toward the end 24 of the stem 18, with respect to the axis of the disc carrier, and four equidistantly spaced :bores are illustratively provided, said bores 28 being aligned with the openings 22 in the discs when the latter are positioned on the stem 18 of the disc carrier.

The discs are washed in a tank 31 shown in FIGS. 2 4, and 5, which preferably is of stainless steel. The tank has parallel side and

end walls

32, 33 and 34, 3'5 and a floor 36. The tank is suitably supported on up right legs 37 and the floor of the tank desirably inclines downwardly slightly from end wall 34 to end wall 35 so that liquidin the tank may be discharged through a port 38 in the floor adjacent end wall 35.

Secured to each of the side walls 32, '33 of the tank, substantially midway between the top and bottom thereof and closer to end wall 34 than the end wall 35 are

hearing blocks

39 and 41, each of which mounts a substanitally U-shaped or arcuate bracket 42 which serves as a bearing, said brackets being transversely aligned and in the same horizontal plane.

The brackets v42 serve as the pivotal mount for a transfer unit 43 which, as shown in FIG. 4, comprises a central hub 44, illustratively a sleeve which has extending outwardly therefrom, at right angles to the axis of the hub and secured to the latter as by welding, two longitudinally aligned

shafts

45 and 46. To reinforce the unit a pair of rigid plates 47 are welded as at 48 to the hub 44 and to the

shafts

45, 46 respectively. The hub has affixed therein a bushing 51 and an inwardly extending annular flange 52, the inner periphery of which has a diameter less than the diameter of the bushing 51.

The ends of the

shafts

45, 46 are designed to rest in the U-shaped brackets 42 and the end of shaft 45 has a diametric bore 53 therethrough (-FIG. adaptedto be aligned with a vertical bore 54 in the associated bracket 42 so that when a pin 55 is inserted through said aligned bores, the hub 44 will be retained in vertical position for the purpose hereinafter to be described.

Affixed to the end wall 35 of the tank centrally located thereon and positioned substantially midway between the top and bottom thereof is a block 56 which mounts a U-shaped bearing bracket 57. The bracket 57 is arcuate and has its axis longitudinally aligned with the axis of the hub 44 of the transfer unit when such hub is pivoted through an angle of 90 so that its longitudinal axis is in horizontal position.

The end wall 34 of the tank has secured thereto substantially midway between the bottom and top thereof and centrally located thereon, a hub 61 through which extends a shaft 62, the latter being longitudinally aligned with the longitudinal axis of hub 44 when the latter is in horizontal position.

Secured to the inner end of the shaft 62 is a coupling sleeve 63 which has diametrically opposed notches 64 in the free end thereof, the purpose of which will be hereinatfer described.

The end of shaft 62 extending through the wall 34 of the tank, mounts a sprocket wheel 65 connects by a sprocket chain 66 to a sprocket wheel 67 driven by motor M. The shaft 62 also extends through the wall 68 of a housing 69 and mounts a knob 71 at its outer end. The shafts 62 is keyed to sprocket wheel 65 so that it may slide through the hub 72 thereof, said wheel being restrained from axial movement by the

walls

34 and 68. Thus, the shaft 62 may be moved inwardly and outwardly for the purpose hereinafter set forth.

Mounted on the floor of the tank is a spray system 75 which includes two pipes, 76, 77, extending parallel to the

side walls

32 and 33 and inwardly spaced therefrom and terminating in a feed pipe 78 which extends through the end wall 35 of the tank below the bearing 57 and is connected to the outlet of a pump P, the inlet of which is connected by line 79 to drain port 38.

Desirably, a discharge line 81 having a valve 82 therein is connected to line 79 so that the tank can be emptied after the cleaning operation is completed.

Rising vertically from each of the parallel pipes 76 and 77 and spaced therealong are vertical pipes 84, the upper ends of each of which mounts a spray nozzle 85. As is clearly shown, the spray nozzles on the respective parallel pipes 76, 77 are directed inwardly at an angle and the vertical pipes 84 on each of the parallel pipes 76 and 77 are staggered with respect to each other for maximum uniform distribution of water from the spray nozzles.

Adapted to be operatively connected to the disc carrier 16 to permit mounting thereof with the discs thereon in the tank, are extension units 91 and 92.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 4, the extension unit 91 comprises a hub 93 having a threaded bore 94 adapted to receive the correspondingly threaded portion of a shaft 95. Secured to one end of the hub as by welding, is a disc 96, illustratively of greater diameter than that of the hub and having an axial opening through which the shaft extends. Secured to the surface of the disc on the side thereof remote from the hub are diametrically aligned hinge brackets 97, each of which pivotally mounts one end of a locking arm 98, the free ends of the latter being movable toward and away from the shift 95 and each mounting on its outer surface a locking pin 99.

The end 101 of the shaft 95 between the arms 98 has secured thereto a disc 102 which, when the shaft 95 is rotated to move the disc 102 away from disc 96, will react against the inner sides of the arms 98 tending to urge them apart on their pivotal mounts. The other end of the shaft has a pin 103 extending diametrically therethrough and designed to be accommodated in the diametric slots 64 in sleeve 63 of shaft 62. In addition, the end of shaft 95 adjacent the pin 103 has flats 104 thereon to permit rotation of the shaft 95 by a suitable tool for the purpose hereinafter to be described.

The extension unit 92 (FIG. 6) comprises a shaft 105 which is substantially rectangular in cross section, having beveled corners 106, one of said beveled corners 106a being greater in width than the others. More particularly, the cross sectional configuration of the extension shaft 105 is substantially identical to that of the stem 18 of the disc carrier 16. The shaft 105 has an axial bore 107 extending longitudinally therethrough. One end of the bore 107 mounts a fixed bushing 108 in which is rotatably mounted a sleeve 109 having an internally threaded portion .11 at its inner end. The outer end of the sleeve 109 extends beyond the bore 107 and mounts a disc 112 inwardly spaced from such outer end as shown. The portion of the sleeve 109 between the disc 11 2 and the outer end of the sleeve has secured thereto a collar 1 13 of suitable rigid plastic.

The threaded end of the sleeve 109 is designed to accommodate the correspondingly threaded, reduced diameter end 115 of a rod 116 which extends through the bore 107. The rod 116 is so mounted that it is restrained from rotation, yet it is free to move longitudinally depending upon the direction of rotation of the sleeve 109. This may be accomplished by means of a pin 117 extending through the wall of the shaft 105 into a longitudinal slot 118 in the rod 116.

The inward movement of rod 116 is limited by a collar 118 affixed in the bore 107 of shaft 105 and against which abuts the shoulder 119 defined by the reduced diameter portion 115.

As shown FIG. 6, the outer end of rod 116 is bifurcated as at 121 and a pin 122 extends through the outer extremity of the bifurcated portion.

Pivotally mounted as at 123 to the end 124 of the shaft 105 on axes extending parallel to the axis of the pin 122 and straddling the latter, are locking fingers 125 which are identical as shown and which are positioned in slots 126 in the end 124 of shaft 105. The locking fingers have substantially straight surfaces 127 along their inner edges and then are beveled away from each other as at 128. The outer edge of each of the fingers has an elongated notch 129 defining a curved locking edge 31 at the end thereof remote from the pivot 123, the function of which will be hereinafter described. As is clearly shown in FIG. 6, when the rod 116 is in its retracted position, the locking fingers 125 will be free to pivot inwardly so that the maximum width of the extensions thereof is less than the diameter of the axial bore 132 in the upper end of the stem 18 into which slots 25 extend, so that such fingers are free to enter such bore as shown.

In order that the discs may be washed, after the separator is opened, the disc carrier 16 may be removed by attaching the hook end 133 of a cable 134 or the like through the slots 25 in the upper end of the stem 18 and vertically lifting the disc carrier 16 with the discs thereon. Thereupon, the extension unit 91 is connected to the base 17 of the disc carrier 16. This is accomplished as shown in FIG. 4 by positioning the arms 98 of the extension unit 91 in the axial recess 27 in the base 17 of the disc carrier so that the pins 99 are substantially aligned with a pair of bores 28 as is shown. Thereupon, the shaft 95 is roated in direction to move the cam disc 102 against the pivoted arms 98 to urge the latter outwardly and such rotation is continued until the pins 99 enter the bores 28 and the arms 98 are securely retained against the wall surface of recess 27 so that the shaft 95 will be rigidly connected to the disc carrier 16.

Thereupon, by means of the cable 134 which is still connected to the upper end of the stem 18 of the disc carrier 16, the disc carrier 16 with the disc 11 thereon and with the extension unit 91 affixed thereto as previously described, is positioned directly over the hub 44 of the transfer unit 43 in the tank 31 which at this time is emptied of any liquid. The disc carrier and associated extension unit 91 is then lowered so that the shaft 95 enters the hub passing through the bushing 51 and the bore of flange 52 until the hub 93 rests on such flange. While this operation is carried on the pin 55 extends through the end of thelshaft 45 and the aligned opening in bearing 42 so that the hub of the transfer unit will be retained in vertical position.

Thereupon, the hook 133 of the cable 134 is removed from the upper end of the stem 18 of the disccarrier 16, the latter still remaining in vertical position by reason of the vertical position of'the hub 44 of the transfer unit.

The extension unit 92 is then connected to the upper end ofthe stem. This is accomplished by first rotating the sleeve 109 so that the rod 116 is retracted to move the pin 122 thereof outwardly so that the fingers '125 will be free to move toward each other as shown in FIG. 6. Thereupon, the shaft 105 is positioned over the upper end of stem 18 with the keying pin 136 in notch 137 so that the larger width beveled edge 106a is in alignment with the corresponding beveled edge of the stem 18. With the free ends of the locking fingers 125 pushed together they will be of narrow enough width so that they may freely enter the bore 132 at the upper end of the stem 18. Thereupon, the sleeve 109 isrotated to move rod 116 inwardly to the position shown in FIG. 7 thereby first causing the pin 122 to engage the beveled surfaces 128 of the locking fingers 125 to cam the latter outwardly so that they enter the slots 25 in the upper end of the stem 18 of the disc carrier 16, i.e., they enter opposed slots. The length of the locking fingers 125 and the length of the slots 25 are so arranged that when the locking fingers are moved outwardly, the curved locking edge 131 thereof will engage the upper ends 138 of the slots securely to retain the extension unit 92 and the stem 18 of the disc'carrier 16 together in properly aligned position.

With 'the drive shaft 62 in retracted position, the pin 55 is removed and the transfer member 43 is then pivoted so that the disc carrier with its afixed extension units 91, 92 are in horizontal position with the collar .113 resting in bearing 57 and with the free end; of shaft 95 in axial alignment with the drive shaft 62. As the disc carrier and associated discs are relatively heavy, in order to rotate the latter in a'clockwise direction on

shafts

45 and 46 from the position shown in FIG. 2, a plate 150 is provided which, as shown in FIG. 11, has a central aperture 151 corresponding substantially in configuration to the cross section of the shaft 105 so that the latter may pass through such central aperture, said plate 150 being positioned on shaft 105 before it is affixed to the stem 18 as previously described. The plate 150 has an opening 152 at one end adapted to receive the hook 133 which is positioned in the opening 152 when the disc carrier is in vertical position. Thereupon, by releasing tension on the cable 134 after the pin 55 holding the hub 44 in vertical position is removed and pushing on the disc carrier, the latter may be rotated slowly to its horizontal position.

At this time the shaft 62 is moved inwardly so that the ends of pin 103 will enter the diametrically opposed slots 64 in sleeve 63.

Thereupon, the hook 133 is removed and the plate 150 is moved to the right hand end of the shaft 105 abutting against disc 112. The discs 11 are then distributed so that they extend the entire length of the stem 18 as well as the shaft 105 thereby materially increasing the spacing between such discs 11 so that the surfaces thereof are accessible to the water sprayed by the nozzles 85 in the manner hereinafter to be described.

At this time the drive motor M driving the sprocket wheel 65 is energized to cause rotation of the disc carrier, the discs thereon and the associated extension units. Such rotation desirably is at a relatively low speed, illustratively, one-third of a revolution every five minutes.

The cleaning tank '31 is filled with water of sufficient depth so that the discs are completely submerged and a suitable cleaning solution is added. The pump P controlling flow of water through the pipe system and the spray nozzles is then started. Since the suction end of the pump is connected to the bottom of the tank, a circulating action will be provided and the force of the spray emitted from the spray nozzles will force the liquid between and around the discs '11 so as to effect a thorough cleaning thereof. This washing action is continued for approximately 45 minutes to one hour without need for any supervision whatsoever.

At this time the pump P is stopped and tank 31 is emptied by opening valve 82 and refilled with clear warm water and the operation is repeated for say 15 minutes, i.e., the pump P will again circulate the water from the tank and force such water through the spray nozzles.

Thereupon, the pump P is stopped and the tank is again emptied by opening the valve 82. The shaft 62 is again retracted to reiease shaft 95. The hook 133 is again connected to the opening 152 in plate 150 and the disc carrier 16 is pivoted to vertical position and retained in such position by means of pin 55 which is positioned through aligned openings 53- and 54. The vertical positioning of the disc carrier 16 will cause the discs 11 automatically to restack themselves on the stem 18 of the disc carrier 16 in their normal operating position without any manual operation whatsoever to accomplish such stacking, except for the pivoting of the entire assembly as above described.

-At this time the extension unit 92 is removed from the stem of the disc carrier by rotating the sleeve 109 in direction to move the rod 116 outwardly so that pin 122 will be between the beveled surface 128 of locking fingers and no longer reacts against the fingers. Hence, by merely pulling on the extension unit 92 the curved surfaces 131 of the fingers 125 will move by the ends 138 of the slots 25 in the stem 18 for complete disengagement of the extension unit and the stem.

The hook 133 is then positioned in the slots 25 and the disc carrier 16 with the discs thereon is lifted vertically out of the hub 44 of the transfer member 43. Thereupon, the extension unit 91 is removed by applying a tool to the hats 104 on shaft'9'5 thereof and rotating such shaft in direction to move the cam disc 102 inwardly and away a from the pivoted arms 98 so'th'at the latter will be free to, move inwardly so thalt'the pins 99 thereof will come out of the bores 28 in the base 17 of the disc carrier '16. Thereupon, the disc carrier 16 and associated discs may be replaced in the centrifugal separator and the latter then can be operated in conventional manner.

With the relatively simple equipment above described, it is apparent that a set of discs may be washed with a minimum amount of working time that an attendant must devote to such operation. Thus, the attendant would only have to spend relatively few minutes, say about ten minutes, of actual working time with respect to the cleaning of each set of discs and consequently can wash a number of units in the time it normally took such attendant to wash the discs of one unit, thereby effecting great economy and reducing the cost of the finished prodnot.

As many changes could be made in the above equipment and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Equipment for washing the frusto-conioal discs of a centrifugal separator of the type in which the discs are mounted in nested relationship on the stem of a disc carrier, said equipment comprising a first rigid extension unit, means releasably to connect said extension unit to the free end of the stem to extend longitudinally thereof, whereby the discs on said stem may be spread over substantially the length of said extension unit to separate said discs, a tank, means to support said disc carrier and connected extension unit in said tank in substantially horizontal position, means to rotate said disc carrier and connected extension unit and means -to force liquid between said spaced discs to clean the latter.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which means are provided to restrain rotary movement of said discs on said first extension unit yet permit longitudinal movement of said discs therealong.

3. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which the cross sectional configuration of said extension unit is substantially identical to that of the stern, said discs, said stem and said first extension unit having complementary configurations to restrain rotation of he discs with respect to the stem and said extension unit yet permit longiudinal movement of said discs therealong.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said extension unit comprises a shaft having a longitudinal bore therethrough, a rod in said bore, said rod being threaded at one end, a sleeve in said bore having an internally threaded bore accommodating the threaded end of said rod, said sleeve extending beyond said shaft, means to restrain rotation of said rod yet permit longitudinal movement thereof when the sleeve is rotated, a pair of locking fingers each pivotally mounted at one end to the shaft at the end thereof remote from the sleeve, means carried by the rod to cam said fingers away from each other when said sleeve is rotated in direction to move said rod inwardly, the free end of the stem having a look ing conformation adapted to be engaged by said fingers rele-asably to connect the extension unit to said stem.

5. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which a second rigid extension unit is provided, means releasably to connect one end of said second extension unit to the disc carrier to extend longitudinally thereof in direction opposed to the first extension unit and the means to support said disc carrier comprises a transfer unit adjacent one end of said tank and having a hub, means rnunting said transfer unit for pivotal movement of the hub thereof between vertical and horizontal position, said hub having an axial bore through which said second extension unit extends, and a bracket mounted in said tank adjacent the other end thereof and longitudinally aligned with the bore of said hub when the latter is in horizontal position and adapted to receive the free end of the first extension unit.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the bore in said hub and the bracket define rotary bearings for the second extension unit and the free end of the first extension unit respectively, and means to rotate said disc carrier.

7. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the bore in said hub and the bracket define rotary bearings for the second extension unit and the free end of the first extension unit, means to rotate said disc carrier, the means to clean said disc comprises a plurality of spray nozzles in said tank arranged in rows on each side thereof and adapted to straddle the discs when the disc carrier is in horizontal position, and means to force liquid through said nozzles toward said discs.

8. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the bore in said hub and the bracket define rotary bearings for the second extension unit and the free end of the first extension unit respectively, a shaft is slidably mounted in the end of the tank adjacent the transfer unit and is axially aligned with the bore of said hub when the latter is in horizontal position, complementary means on the inner end of the shaft and the free end of the second extension unit for releasable connection thereof and means to rotate said shaft.

9. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which the disc carrier is of the type having a frusto-conical base from which the stem extends, said base having an axial recess defining a wall having a plurality of bores therethrough, said second extension unit comprises a hub having a bore having a threaded portion, a shaft extending through said bore and having a threaded portion coacting with the threaded portion of the bore of said hub, a pair of opposed locking arms each pivotally mounted at one end on an axis extending at right angles to the longintudal axis of said shaft, the free ends of said arms being movable toward and away from said shaft, a cam dis mounted on said shaft between said arms and a locking pin extending outwardly from each of said arms and adapted to enter to a pair of bores in said disc carrier base when the arms are moved outwardly.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 526,448 Karschner Sept. 25, 1894 1,827,188 Burgess Oct. 13, 1931 2,225,501 Lapham Dec. 17, 1940

Claims

1. EQUIPMENT FOR WASHING THE FRUSTO-CONICAL DISCS OF A CENTRIFUGAL SEPARATOR OF THE TYPE IN WHICH THE DISCS ARE MOUNTED IN NESTED RELATIONSHIP ON THE STEM OF A DISC CARRIER, SAID EQUIPMENT COMPRISING A FIRST RIGID EXTENSION UNIT, MEANS RELEASABLY TO CONNECT SAID EXTENSION UNIT TO THE FREE END OF THE STEM TO EXTEND LONGITUDINALLY THEREOF, WHEREBY THE DISCS ON SAID STEM MAY BE SPREAD OVER SUBSTANTIALLY THE LENGTH OF SAID EXTENSION UNIT TO SEPARATE SAID DISCS, A TANK, MEANS TO SUPPORT SAID DISC