This type of distributor was first erected at the Hanley Sewage Works in 1902, in order to comply with Messrs. Willcox and Raikes’ specification fora power-driven distributor suitable for a large circular filter, on which a Scott-Moncrieff distributor was previously employed.
Fig. 99a.—View of Hartley Causton and Richmond’s
Power-driven Revolving Distributor in Operation.
A somewhat similar type of distributor is the “Adams-Cutler” [Fig. 100], manufactured by Messrs. Adams Hydraulics, Ltd. In this case the distribution is from spray holes in the pipe arms in the same way as the ordinary Barker’s Mill type of distributor, but instead of relying upon the motive power due to the head of sewage, the distributor is operated by a rope drive; and where there are a number of distributors in one installation, each of them is operated by a cross-drive taken from a main drive rope, so that any one or more can be cut out of the circuit or controlled, or the speed varied as may be required. It is claimed that a very small amount of power is required to operate a revolving distributor, and the ease with which it is carried upon a central column, are arguments in favour of the revolving over the rectangular types where absolute control is essential and a natural working head is not available.
Fig. 100.—“Adams-Cutler” Power-driven Revolving Distributor.
Messrs. Mather and Platt, Ltd., also manufacture an electrically-driven revolving distributor of the Open Trough type, as shown in [Fig. 101]. This machine is of special design, and particularly suited for large diameter beds. The troughs are similar to those of the ordinary type of distributor previously mentioned, but are supported on the Warren Girder principle. There are four pipe arms, the end of each being fitted with a special carriage running on rails fixed outside the bed at the floor level. On one of the carriages an electric motor is fixed and connected to the rail wheels by means of chain drives. The current is transferred to the motor from the main at the top of the central, pole of the distributor by means of slip rings.
