Liquid purification or separation – Gravitational separator – Mechanical constituent mover
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-30
2001-07-17
Upton, Christopher (Department: 1724)
Liquid purification or separation
Gravitational separator
Mechanical constituent mover
C210S526000, C210S540000, C210S541000, C198S729000, C198S732000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06260716
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to the removing operation of scum, sludge or other matters floating at the surface of water, waste water, sewage or the like in a clarifying tank, and more particularly to a scum sweeper used for performing such an operation, and a system using such a scum sweeper to sweep surface floating matters into a collector channel or pipe in a clarifying tank.
BACKGROUND
Systems for collecting surface floating matters in a clarifying tank generally operate in a scrapper-like fashion to bring floating matters close to collector channels and to bring heavy waste matters laying at the bottom of the tank into a collector drain. The mechanisms used for this purpose usually have an important drawback in that they stop on the surface at around 1.5 m (5 feet) from the collector channels, thereby leaving a dead zone where the floating matters aggregate to form a crust. The systems proposed to cure the aforesaid mechanisms of this problem are generally complex, with many partially or totally immerged mechanical components due to the limited space in which these systems are installed.
Known in the art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,831,767 (Lefur et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,017 (Bishop); U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,520 (McGivern); U.S. Pat. No. 4,470,905 (Pangburn et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 4,514,303 (Moore); U.S. Pat. No. 4,880,533 (Hondulas); U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,393 (Russell et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,681 (Hertel et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,047,151 (Brandkvist); U.S. Pat. No. 5,057,219 (Fujiwara); U.S. Pat. No. 5,165,522 (Uttke et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,600 (Meylor et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,178 (Casper et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,268,099 (Krofta et al.); U.S. Pat. No. 5,269,928 (Leikam); U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,417 (Hannum); U.S. Pat. No. 5,454,942 (Ljungberg); U.S. Pat. No. 5,538,631 (Yeh); U.S. Pat. No. 5,545,324 (Workman); U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,099 (Fauret et al.); Re. U.S. Pat. No. 35,668 (Albertson); U.S. Pat. No. 5,728,304 (Yeh); U.S. Pat. No. 5,788,837 (Hannum); U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,277 (Frankenberger); U.S. Pat. No. 5,968,353 (Herbert et al.); and U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,180 (Wilham); which show various sewage treatment devices and systems illustrating the state of the art.
SUMMARY
An object of the invention is to provide a scum sweeper for sweeping surface floating matters in a clarifying tank and forcing them to discharge into a collector channel.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a scum sweeper, which is simple in construction thus highly cost-competitive, yet is highly reliable and efficient.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a scum sweeper, which is compact, and may be hanged over the water level inside the clarifying tank.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a scum sweeper, in which only the sweeping blade touches the surface of the water in the tank.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a scum sweeper, which is easily adjustable and adaptable to variable dimensions of old clarifying tanks.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a scum sweeper, in which the motor is integrated to the supporting structure so that the sweeping blade may have the desired length.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a scum sweeper, which has a low power consumption and requires only a low maintenance.
Another object of the invention is to provide such a scum sweeper, which can be installed to operate on the dead zone of an existing sweeper system.
Another object of the invention is to provide a system which is equipped with such a scum sweeper.
According to the present invention, there is provided a scum sweeper for sweeping surface floating matters in a clarifying tank to a collector channel, having a supporting frame provided with mounting brackets for installation of the supporting frame in the clarifying tank at an above position with respect to the collector channel. A pair of endless chains are attached to the supporting frame in parallel with and spaced from each other. The chains extend substantially crosswise to the collector channel and define lower and upper running courses between opposite turning end courses when the supporting frame is installed in the clarifying tank. A motor unit is attached to the supporting frame and operatively coupled to the chains in a driving engagement therewith. A pair of arms are used to hang an elongated sweeping blade under the chains with the blade extending substantially crosswise to the chains. The arms have lower ends attached to the blade, and upper ends pivotally attached respectively to the chains at substantially similar positions therealong. The arms have a length exceeding a space between the lower and upper running courses. A guiding device locks the arms in a downward direction with respect to the chains when the arms travel along the lower running course thereof, whereby the blade always remains under the chains as a result of a free pivoting of the arms at the opposite turning end courses.
Preferably, an additional guiding device is provided to lock the arms in the downward direction when the arms also travel along the upper running course of the chains.
According to the invention, there is also provided a scum sweeping system having a clarifying tank, a collector channel extending in the clarifying tank at a predetermined level therein and having an elongated longitudinal upper opening, and a scum sweeper as described above, installed in the tank with one of the turning end courses of the chains extending above the collector channel so that the sweeping blade reaches the collector channel during its displacement.
REFERENCES:
patent: Re. 35668 (1997-11-01), Albertson
patent: 2067277 (1937-01-01), Miick
patent: 2096409 (1937-10-01), Sayers
patent: 3015396 (1962-01-01), Qunst
patent: 3015621 (1962-01-01), Qunst
patent: 3063938 (1962-11-01), Katz
patent: 3204773 (1965-09-01), Lind
patent: 3831767 (1974-08-01), Lefur et al.
patent: 3872017 (1975-03-01), Bishop
patent: 4054520 (1977-10-01), McGivern
patent: 4470905 (1984-09-01), Pangburn et al.
patent: 4514303 (1985-04-01), Moore
patent: 4880533 (1989-11-01), Hondulas
patent: 5015393 (1991-05-01), Russell et al.
patent: 5035681 (1991-07-01), Hertel et al.
patent: 5047151 (1991-09-01), Brandkvist
patent: 5057219 (1991-10-01), Fujiwara
patent: 5165522 (1992-11-01), Uttke et al.
patent: 5242600 (1993-09-01), Meylor et al.
patent: 5250178 (1993-10-01), Casper et al.
patent: 5268099 (1993-12-01), Krofta et al.
patent: 5269928 (1993-12-01), Leikam
patent: 5336417 (1994-08-01), Hannum
patent: 5454942 (1995-10-01), Ljungberg
patent: 5501318 (1996-03-01), Disrud
patent: 5538631 (1996-07-01), Yeh
patent: 5545324 (1996-08-01), Workman
patent: 5565099 (1996-10-01), Fauret et al.
patent: 5728304 (1998-03-01), Yeh
patent: 5788837 (1998-08-01), Hannum
patent: 5948277 (1999-09-01), Frankenberger
patent: 5968353 (1999-10-01), Herbert et al.
patent: 6017180 (2000-01-01), Wilham
Breton Erick
Fontaine Henri
Altera Law Group LLC
Ltee H. Fontaine
Upton Christopher
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