Abstract: Apparatus for collecting and discharging waste material comprises peripheral rows of teeth arranged on rotatable cylindrical shafts. The teeth on each shaft intercalate so that an entrapment zone for waste material is formed thereat during contra-wise rotation of the shafts. The teeth in each row pass through respective slits formed between the blade edges of rectilinear scaper blades placed between the rows and resting on the shaft. The scraper blades remove waste material from and between the teeth for discharge from the machine.

Abstract: A purified water dispensing and reject water control device is provided for operative association with a pressurized feed water supplied reverse osmosis cartridge that has purified water and reject water outlets and a tank that is subdivided by a movable barrier into first and second compartments of variable volume that receive purified and reject water and may have same discharged therefrom. The control device includes a single elongate tube that actuates first and second valve members that tend to remain in first positions. Purified water from the purified water outlet flows to the first compartment and reject water from reject water outlet flows through a first flow restrictor and then through a second flow restrictor defined by the tube to the drain when the valve members are in first positions.

Abstract: A filtering device for filtering a thermoplastic material by passing a continuous filter across a passage through which the material is caused to flow at an elevated temperature and pressure. The filter is passed through entry and exit ports flanking the passage. Seals on the filter cooperate in sealing engagement with the walls of the entry port to prevent the flowable thermoplastic material from escaping therethrough. The exit port is larger than the entry port, and is sealed off by a solidified plug of the thermoplastic material bonded to the filter. The pressure of the thermoplastic material in the filter passage forces the plug out of the exit port into contact with an external stop, with that portion of the plug in contact with the stop being selectively heated to accommodate controlled emergence of the plug and the filter bonded thereto.

Abstract: A solid-liquid separation apparatus wherein a solid-liquid mixture is introduced into a rotary filtration drum having filter cloth mounted thereon and is allowed to pass through the filter cloth to thereby separate the solids contained therein. The filter cloth has one surface facing the interior of the drum and covered with a napped filter layer which is formed by a multiplicity of fibers having a diameter of 0.1 to 10 .mu.m. The filter cloth preferably has an elongation percentage of not smaller than 1.0%. A base material of the filter cloth includes a weft extending along the rotational axis of the drum and a warp extending in the circumferential direction of the drum. The fibers of the napped filter layer are formed by napping chiefly the weft in the direction of the warp.

Abstract: A multiple-disk type filter including a stack of filter disks disposed in a housing and an extensible support for external placement relative to the stack of filter disks, the extensible support including first and second base elements located externally of the stack and a multiplicity of externally located rod members joining the first and second base elements in sliding relationship, a first plurality of the rod members being fixedly attached to the first base element and being arranged for slidable supporting engagement with the second base element and a second plurality of the rod members being fixedly attached to the second base element and being arranged for slidable supporting engagement with the first base element, the rod members being disposed externally relative to the stack of filter disks.

Abstract: A filtering device for fluids which includes a barrel with an open end and a flow discharge end. A plunger is slidably disposed in the barrel through the open end toward the discharge end and an exhaust nipple projects from the discharge end. The nipple is in communication with the interior of the barrel. A filter is disposed adjacent the barrel inwardly of and adjacent to the discharge nipple, and an annular, integral support stand is disposed at the discharge end of the barrel and surrounds the nipple. The nipple terminates at a point spaced from a planar surface defined by the support stand, which surface is normal to the axis of the barrel and the direction of movement of the plunger whereby the device will stand on a surface with the exhaust nipple spaced from the surface.

Abstract: A device for measuring the quantity of ultrafiltrate eliminated during a dialysis treatment. The device comprises two vessels of a known capacity wherein the ultrafiltrate coming from a pump is alternately received and then discharged by means of valves. The device further comprises two level measuring sensors which each emit a signal each time the ultrafiltrate attains a predetermined level in the corresponding vessel. Such sensors are connected to a processing and count control mechanism for analyzing the above-mentioned signals and for establishing the quantity of ultrafiltrate eliminated by the pump.

Abstract: A device for removing material screened or filtered out of a liquid flowing in a channel. It consists of an unpowered cylindrical grating that merges into a screw-type conveyor. The grating slants down, partly immersed in the liquid, to the bottom of the channel. The bars of the grating extend over its total length leaving longitudinal interstices between them. The upward-sloping conveyor comprises a housing, a shaft, and a worm and conveys the screened-out material to a depositing point. The worm picks up the screened-out material as it scrapes the bars of the grating and conveys the material upward, constantly keeping the grating clean. The grating bars (8) are more or less triangular or trapezoidal in cross-section, with rounded-off edges, and positioned in such a way that one side (25) of the triangular or trapezoidal cross-section is oriented tangential to the circumference of the conveyor worm (16).

Abstract: A double valve arrangement is installed in intermittently operating vacuum filter apparatus in a pipeline connecting the filter means to a vacuum source to vent the line to atmosphere whenever the vacuum is shut off. This valve arrangement comprises a pipe section provided with a lateral opening, connected to the filter means, and with internal mutually facing annular shoulders disposed at respective sides of the lateral opening, and a piston-mounted sealing disc which is of smaller diameter than the pipe section and is reciprocable inside same to abut sealingly the one or the other of the shoulders and thereby bring the lateral opening into communication with the respective opposing end of the pipe section, which is connected, respectively, either to the vacuum source or to atmosphere. An annular gap is always present between the peripherly of the disc and the internal surface of the pipe section so that movement of the disc, e.g. at a frequency of 5 to 20 cycles per minute, is not impeded by rubbing.

Abstract: A fluid chamber having main body provided with a fluid inlet port, a fluid outlet port and a tubular filter element interposed between the fluid inlet port and the fluid outlet port. A securing recess is defined about the periphery of the fluid inlet port interiorly of the main body of the fluid chamber. The securing recess is sized so as to securely receive the tubular filter element. the securing recess limits the outward deformation of the filter under the influence of the high pressure fluid flow through the inlet port while ensuring that the inwardly flowing fluid can be sufficiently filtered.

Abstract: An improved purified water supply system is provided of the type including a reverse osmosis unit for producing relatively pure water from ordinary tap water or the like. The reverse osmosis unit receives incoming tap water and produces separate outflows of purified water and relatively impure reject water. The purified water is supplied from the reverse osmosis unit to a purified water chamber within a compact storage vessel, wherein the purified water chamber is separated within the vessel by a movable barrier from a reject water chamber. When use of the purified water is desired, one or more faucet valves are opened to open a discharge path permitting purified water to flow from the storage vessel through a discharge spout or the like for use. An improved control valve assembly operates in conjunction with the faucet valve or valves to apply reject water under sufficient pressure to the reject water chamber to force purified water from the storage vessel through the open discharge path.

Abstract: A bar screen cleaning apparatus in which a rake for cleaning the bar screen is raised and lowered by a transport system which includes an elongated flexible motor-driven train which transports the rake, a train track which extends substantially parallel to the bar screen at its lower end and curves at its upper end over the platform and a curved guide to maintain the train in engagement with the track and to guide the flexible train along the path of the curved track.

Abstract: An improved continuous polymer filter of the screen belt type employs a valve arrangement to selectively apportion the extruder output flow through at least two filter paths. In the neutral valve position both filter paths receive polymer at equal flow rates creating a pressure across the screen belts that is too high to permit the screen belts to be advanced when a clogged belt section requires replacement with a clean section. To effect screen belt advancement, the valve is actuated to reduce the flow rate in the filter path requiring the replacement while increasing the flow rate to the same degree in the other filter path so that the net flow rate remains substantially constant. The screen belt receiving the reduced flow experiences a sufficiently reduced pressure drop thereacross to permit it to be advanced in a conventional manner, after which the valve is returned to its neutral state.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sieve for a paper pulp scrubber or similar equipment, and to a method for fabricating such a sieve. The sieve is produced by mechanical interfit of bars with support members, the bars carrying notches, the lips of which engage at least one V-shaped lateral groove formed in each support member, while the support members present, on their face receiving the bars, a first set of notches for positioning the bars. The cross-section of the support members at the level of the first notches has the same configuration and dimensions as the cross-section of the second notches and the cross-section of bars at the level of notches has the same configuration as the cross-section of notches formed in the support members. Assembling is made by bending a bar by an angle of about 20-25.degree. for widening a second notch and inserting a support member therein. The bar is then straightened back, so that the support member will be firmly clamped in the notch.

Abstract: Mixer-settler apparatus of the reverse liquid flow type having at least one assembly which includes one or more mixers in series, each being fitted with stirrers and pumps, at least one settling tank in which liquids separate, and at least one submerged chute extending into the settling tank from a pump to convey the mixture of liquids from the pumps to the settling tank. The chute is constructed of enlarged dimensions which extend over a major portion of the width of the tank to facilitate a pre-settling action within the chute, and the chute extends a substantial distance into the settling tank to allow extended pre-settling time.

Abstract: A spiral tube aerator for waste aeration which includes a shaft rotatably driven by a motor, the shaft carrying a mixing chamber, an air channel extending along the shaft and opening through at least one outlet of the mixing member, a blower for delivering air through the air channel, the mixing chamber being submerged in waste water at least to a depth of 50 cm below the waste water upper surface, and the blower providing a pressure in the range 0-35 mbar lower than the pressure exerted by the waste water at the outlet.

Abstract: A bottom aquarium filter for an aquarium tank including a substantially cylindrical container having an inwardly directed concave forward wall. A grill wall is removably coupled onto the concave forward wall and defines therewith an inlet chamber. A removable L-shaped insert member includes a substantially circular perforated platform wall and an upstanding convex partition wall. The platform wall spacedly sits on the bottom of the container and defines with the container a filtration chamber above the platform and a clear water chamber beneath the platform. The partition wall mates in opposition against a rear peripheral section of the circular wall of the container and defines therewith an air lift chamber. A removable cover mounts onto the container and includes a mouth aligned with the air lift chamber. The cover serves to retain all of the members in unitary assembly.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning viscous materials, more particularly melted down scrap synthetic materials in a recycling process. The apparatus of the invention comprises a cleaning screen in the form of a strip which can be moved at right angles to the direction of flow of the material to be cleaned, so that the soiled area of the screen may be replaced by a clean area. In order to prevent the synthetic material from escaping when the cleaning screen is advanced, the volume before the screen is enlarged. This reduces or eliminates the pressure upon the screen so that the strip can easily be displaced, with no escape of the viscous material from the gaps in which the cleaning screen is located.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for cleaning cooling tower basins. The apparatus includes a cleaning tool carrying a nozzle for picking up sludge within the basin, and a siphon for providing continuous suction on the cleaning tool. The pipe making up the siphon is formed into a trap to prevent entry of air into the system on temporary cessation of siphon action. The down side of the siphon may empty into a receiving tank; and, a pump can remove material from the receiving tank and lower the pressure to enhance operation of the siphon. With such enhancement, the siphon can lift material from a basin and discharge the material on a level above the level of the water in the basin. The nozzle has openings in all faces to suck in adjacent water and pick up contaminants suspended in the water adjacent to the nozzle.

Abstract: A vibrating filter apparatus comprises a housing, a filter unit in the housing and a support unit for supporting the filter unit in the housing. The support unit includes elongate elements in the housing connecting the filter unit in spaced relation to the wall of the housing, and a vibrator unit fixed to the support unit between the housing wall and filter unit and actuable for laterally vibrating the support unit and thereby the filter unit.