Bico Hand Driven Centrifuge

Bico Hand Driven Centrifuge

Civil Engineering

Physical Description: This machine consists of an iron base and an aluminum bowl that is mounted on the base. The bowl consists of a stationary 11” diameter outer bowl and a 9.75” diameter inner bowl that rotates. The inner bowl has a circular aluminum lid that covers the bowl and a brass funnel that screws into a center column of the bowl. The aluminum lid has three different thicknesses. The thickness increases in rings and gets thicker towards the center of the lid. The brass funnel is 3” in height total and has a 1.25” threaded chute. The chute of the funnel is closed off at the end and has two 0.099” diameter holes that pass laterally through the chute. The outer bowl has a brass spout with a 0.34”diameter that extends out of the bottom of the bowl and is 3.25” in length. The outer bowl also has a 11” diameter lid that covers the entirety of the bowl. This lid has a smaller lid with a 4.125” diameter set in the center with a small knob. The outer bowl has a latch at the top that secures the lid. The iron base has four 0.26” diameter holes for mounting to a tabletop. The base also has a crank handle that is used to rotate the inner bowl and extends 12” off the base. The top of the base has a 0.38” diameter black button that pushes in. The bottom of the machine has a base plate that is an 8.5” x 4.5” piece of aluminum covering a same dimensioned piece of rubber and is secured with 6 hex bolts.

Functional Description: When used for asphalt extraction, the sample is weighed, and placed in the rotating aluminum bowl. A solvent is added, and the bowl is rotated by turning the handle to force all liquid out of the bowl. The process is repeated until all the solvent is forced out of the bowl and the remaining content of the bowl can be weighed and graded. The handle does not currently work to rotate the inner bowl due to an issue in the gearbox in the base of the machine.

Joe Iwanicki, Clare Biolchini, Virginia Cistaro, Steve Wright

Bicoinc.com. (2019) Hand Driven Rotarex – Asphalt Extractor. [Online] Available: [Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].

1930-1980

English

Physical Object

No Accession number

BICO Braun International