Liquid purification or separation – With alarm – indicator – register – recorder – signal or... – Position or extent of motion
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-15
2001-09-11
Drodge, Joseph W. (Department: 1723)
Liquid purification or separation
With alarm, indicator, register, recorder, signal or...
Position or extent of motion
C210S198100, C116S283000, C422S264000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06287458
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Technology
The present invention relates to chlorinators, and more particularly to chlorinators using chlorine tablets and incorporating a means for signaling the level of chlorine tablets remaining in a chlorinator.
2. Related Art
Conventional aerobic treatment systems are used to treat, or purify, all types of wastewater ranging from commercial applications to residential applications. These systems almost always include a chlorinator. Conventional chlorinators comprise a cylinder for storing a plurality of chlorine tablets. As wastewater passes through the chlorinator via louvers, the chlorine tablets dissolve and treat the wastewater.
The principal disadvantage with using conventional chlorinators is that the chlorinators do not have any means for indicating the level of chlorine tablets remaining in the chlorinator. Typically the chlorinator is kept filled with chlorine tablets by routine inspections wherein an inspector, or operator, must physically stop, open, and check the level of chlorine tablets remaining in a chlorinator. If an operator is late, or does not stop at all, then a chlorinator may actually be operating with no chlorine tablets. This situation is very hazardous to human health because the wastewater would be flowing through the chlorinator and into the remainder of the treatment system without receiving any treatment.
Therefore, there is a need for a chlorinator that incorporates a means for signaling the level of chlorine tablets remaining in the chlorinator so that the chlorinator does not operate with too few or no chlorine tablets. There is a further need for a chlorinator that incorporates different types of signaling systems, such as, a visual and an audio signal.
In today's world, there are numerous chlorinators being used in both commercial and residential environments—too many to count. Furthermore, many of these existing chlorinators are in difficult or hard-to-reach locations, e.g., buried in the ground or incorporated into a larger wastewater treatment system. It would be very impractical to remove these chlorinators and install a new chlorinator system.
Therefore, there is a need for a chlorinator lid assembly that can be easily adapted to work with any existing and operational chlorinator, wherein the chlorinator lid assembly incorporates a means for signaling the level of chlorine tablets in the existing chlorinator. In addition, there is a need for a chlorinator lid assembly that does not require the removal of an entire existing chlorinator to be installed.
As with chlorinators, de-chlorinators have the same problems and disadvantages associated with them. De-chlorinators operate on the same principle as chlorinators except that a de-chlorinator uses tablets to de-chlorinate water whereas a chlorinator uses tablets to chlorinate water. Therefore, there is a need for a de-chlorinator system that incorporates a means for indicating to an operator the level of tablets in the de-chlorinator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention solves the problems associated with conventional chlorinators by providing a chlorinator system having a means for indicating the level of chlorine tablets contained within the chlorinator. When the level of tablets becomes dangerously low or completely empty, the chlorinator system of the present invention indicates such status, thereby allowing an operator to replenish the supply of tablets.
The chlorinator of the present invention comprises a tablet cylinder having a top end and a bottom end. A removable lid is mounted to the top end, wherein a bottom plate is rigidly attached to the bottom end of the tablet cylinder to close it off The tablet cylinder has a plurality of vents, or louvers, located around the circumference at its bottom end. Therefore, wastewater can filter through the chlorinator as the wastewater traverses through the system. The tablet cylinder has a first plunger and a second plunger contained therein, defining a top space, a middle space, and a bottom space. The two plungers are connected via a spring located in the middle space. A plurality of chlorine tablets are stored in the bottom space near the louvers, wherein the first plunger rests on the top-most chlorine tablet. Wastewater passing through the louvers on the side of the cylinder contacts the chlorine tablets and becomes treated. A means for indicating the amount of chlorine tablets remaining in the bottom space is connected to the first plunger. The spring exerts pressure on the chlorine tablets during treatment to keep them in place, to prevent clogging of the tablets, and to activate the means for indicating the level of chlorine tablets remaining.
In operation, as the chlorine tablets are used, the first plunger is lowered and the pressure exerted by the spring pushes both the first and second plungers down. Therefore, as the first plunger lowers in relation to the lid of the tablet cylinder, the level of chlorine tablets is indicated to an observer. In the preferred embodiment, there are two means for indicating the level of chlorine tablets. First, there is a visual mechanical means comprising one or more visual markings positioned in relation to a status indicator rod attached to the first plunger that passes through the lid of the tablet cylinder. Thus, as the first plunger lowers due to the use of the chlorine tablets, the attached status indicator rod descends and indicates with the markings the remaining level of chlorine tablets.
The second means for indicating the level of chlorine tablets is an electric system that works on the same principal of the first means. That is, as the first plunger lowers, an electrical contact is made, thereby completing an electrical circuit. Once the electrical connection is made, an audio sound (e.g. horn, buzzer), visual (lights) or electrical display indicates the low level of chlorine tablets.
In another embodiment, the present invention comprises a chlorinator lid assembly comprising the system described above without the tablet cylinder. Therefore, a user can easily adapt any conventional chlorinator to use the present invention by simply removing the existing conventional lid and replacing it with the chlorinator lid assembly of the present invention.
There are many advantages with a chlorinator of the present invention. First, the present invention provides a means wherein an operator of a wastewater treatment system can continually replenish the supply of chlorine tablets thereby ensuring that the chlorinator is never empty of tablets. If the chlorinator were to every be empty of chlorine tablets, the wastewater water would not be treated properly.
Second, the tension resulting from the use of a spring between the two plungers of the present invention prevents clogging of the tablets while treating the wastewater. That is, the weight of a plunger on the top of the stack of chlorine tablets maintains the order of the tablets as the wastewater flows through the chlorinator. Without maintaining such order, the flow of wastewater moves the chlorine tablets inside the chlorinator, resulting in a pile of tablets that clogs the louvers, thereby interfering with the flow of wastewater through the chlorinator.
Third, the preferred chlorinator of the present invention employs both a mechanical means for indicating the level of chlorine tablets as well as an electrical means. Therefore, there is a backup signaling system, ensuring that there is always a supply of chlorine tablets in the chlorinator.
Lastly, the present invention is adapted to work with conventional wastewater treatment systems. The chlorinator lid assembly of the present invention can be easily and rapidly installed on a conventional chlorinator within minutes.
The chlorinator system of the present invention is equally applicable to a de-chlorinator system or to any system involving the use of tablets. Therefore, the structure, operation and advantages of the present invention may be directly incorporated into a de-chlorinator system as well as any tablet system.
REFEREN
Drodge Joseph W.
Steptoe & Johnson PLLC
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