Abstract: An oil skimmer of the endless belt type which is transportable as a unit is disclosed. The unit has an adjustment for adjusting the location of the axis of head pulley rotation and a floating tail pulley to assure accurate tracking of the belts on the pulleys and consistent and appropriate tension on the belt. The tail pulley features L-shaped spokes having legs that provide limited pulley-to-belt contact, minimizing oil transfer from the belt to the tail pulley, and also providing a mechanism for forcing oil against a descending belt reach to provide enhanced oil pick-up.

Abstract: A tracking system for a flexible moving belt wherein an adjustable protuberance arrangement on the belt support structure having a preselected removable and replacable frictional surface which serves to engage against an adjacent face of the belt to align and center such flexible moving belt.

Abstract: An oil skimmer of the endless belt type is disclosed. The unit has an adjustment for adjusting the location of the axis of head pulley rotation and a floating tail pulley to assure accurate tracking of the belts on the pulleys. The tail pulley features L-shaped spokes having legs that provide limited pulley-to-belt contact, minimizing oil transfer from the belt to the tail pulley, and also providing a mechanism for forcing oil against a descending belt reach to provide enhanced oil pick-up. The tail pulley is provided with a catch frame and an anchored tether for catching the belt and the tail pulley in the event that the belt breaks.

Abstract: A compact filter assembly adapted for filter media retrieval comprises an in-line arrangement of a filter stack module, a filter media supply module for introducing filter media to the filter stack module, an extractor and separator module and a rewind module for receiving and collecting the filter media from the extractor and separator module in a condition suitable for storage, reuse or disposal, the in-line modules forming a straight-line path for the filter media and the extractor and separator module including first and second roller means arranged sequentially, each reversing the direction of travel for the filter media, and a lateral conveyor means for receiving and transferring filter solids tending to be separated from the filter media by the first roller means.

Abstract: A belt filter press comprising two co-operating, endless belts, particularly for manure, which according to the invention takes steps to enable liquid and solid substance to be better separated from each other. The pressure between the endless belts is increased, the longitudinal edges are sufficiently sealed and substance that is still too moist is subjected repeatedly to compression since it remains stuck to the upper endless belt and is carried to the intake of the belts.

Abstract: A sludge processor is provided which enables rapid disassembly and reassembly for changing between a sludge thickener configuration and a press configuration, and for enabling rapid disassembly for cleaning in the press configuration. The processor includes a frame with opposite sides and roller-holding bearing devices at the opposite sides for holding rollers about which a belt extends past a sludge dewatering region. The bearing devices can be arranged in a first configuration (FIG. 2) wherein the belt (12A) extends in an even path, and a second configuration (FIG. 1) wherein the belt extends in a tightly convoluted path so it and material thereon is squeezed between adjacent rollers. The bearing devices (50, FIG. 4) are releasably mounted to the frame sides to enable rapid conversion, and to enable rapid removal of the rollers for cleaning the processor when used in the second configuration.

Abstract: A guide means for individually adjusting each of the carrier belts of a multi-belt horizontal belt filter is disclosed. The guide means includes a plurality of support rollers, each having a rotatable roller segment which is held in rolling contact with a respective carrier belt. The remaining structure of the support roller is held out of contact with the remaining carrier belts. Each support roller is made adjustable as to orientation and location whereby a selectively directioned force may be applied to a given carrier belt to adjust its direction of travel.

Abstract: A mechanical sludge dewatering system including a plurality of first rollers, one or more second rollers and a liquid-permeable, endless belt passing between the first and second rollers from an inlet to an outlet end. At least some of the rollers of the first set are tapered from their ends to a smaller diameter at the center, the amount of taper decreasing from the roller at the inlet end to that at the outlet end, the opposing one or more second rollers being of constant diameter. The sludge carried on the belt passes through the cavities defined by the tapered first rollers and the cylindrical second roller(s), which decrease in cross section from the inlet to the outlet end, thereby squeezing water from the sludge. The first rollers each have grooves around their periphery adjacent each end, and the belt carries a protruding strip along each side, the belt being laterally constrained by the strips riding in the grooves.

Abstract: A dewatering device with two filtering belts comprising two endless bands guided over drums and a gap limited by the bands for a heap of debris as pressure product guided through this pressure zone, with a supporting means being allocated to one of the bands on that side looking away from the heap of debris is to be improved concerning its dewatering activity. For this purpose, the supporting means is provided in the form of a supporting plate (20) curved in the driving direction (x), which supports a sieve-like belt or band (13) in the pressure zone and shows break-throughs. The band (13) rests on a gliding plane of the curved and perforated supporting plate (20), the radius of curvature (r) of which decreases towards the driving direction (x). The supporting plate (20) is composed of a flexible material so that its radius of curvature (r) can be adjusted.

Abstract: To ensure that a web (11) of filter material is properly passed between filter plates (25) of a filter stack (23), without skewing, which might cause leakage along the edges of the filter plates, the web is guided to the filter plates by guide rollers and, after being received from the stack of plates, passed over an inclined deflection edge (13) on a deflection element or rod, located at an angle of 45.degree. with respect to the edge of the essentially rectangular plates, so that the run-on and run-off surfaces of the web will form a web deflection angle (.alpha.) of about 90.degree., and a web plane diversion angle (.beta.) of 0.degree.. A plurality of deflection rod groups may be used, guiding webs alternately, for example, for example, to the right or left after having passed through a stack, or permitting passage of the webs through an additional stack (FIG. 13) since, upon passage about the deflection rods, the orientation of the surfaces of the filter web is reversed.

Abstract: A rotary drum vacuum filter suitable for processing pulp slurries is provided with a vacuum expression belt. The invention provides a method and apparatus for tracking and controlling the belt during operation. The belt is positioned by a moveable frame for expressing filtrate from the pulp web and in operation a control unit monitors lateral movement of the belt with respect to the drum. When drifting occurs the belt is adjusted horizontally during operation to counter drift. The adjustment can be repeated as necessary. If continued drift cannot be corrected then the belt is moved vertically to an inoperative position.

Abstract: A filter apparatus for removing suspended matter from a suspension including a tank for receiving the contaminated liquid and a filtrate chamber. A perforate wall of the filtrate supports an endless and reusable filter media. The filter media is in the form of a closed loop having a run of the loop located outside and below the tank for the convenience of removing suspended solid collected on the media. The media is displaced along the length of the perforate wall to provide a solids free filter area by a movable conveyor. The conveyor serves to displace the media and hold the marginal edges in sealing engagement with edges of the perforate plate to prevent the contaminated liquid from bypassing the filter area.

Abstract: A squeeze roll arrangement and method is disclosed for high expression squeeze roll liquor expression of non-woven fiber batts. An auxiliary conveyor belt is provided to squeeze the batt before passing through the nip of the squeeze rolls with the batt. In this way, a portion of the liquor carried by the batt is expressed prior to passage of the batt through the nip. Since the batt is carried by the auxiliary conveyor belt, disruption of the batt is minimized. Preferably, chains are provided on either side of the batt to maintain a preferred orientation of the batt. Various sprockets and pulleys are provided as desired to guide the chains with various turn rollers provided to carry the conveyor belt. The chains are flexibly attached to the edges of the belt to continuously guide the belt. In this way, alignment of the belt on the turn and squeeze rolls is maintained.

Abstract: An horizontal endless belt vacuum filter comprises an endless conveyor belt having a grooved bottom pierced with orifices for the liquid to flow and a table for supporting the upper side of this conveyor belt. This belt comprises, in its central part, a longitudinal vacuum box of which the upper inlet orifice is located beneath the orifices pierced in the belt and is defined between two substantially horizontal lateral flanges. On either side of the vacuum box are provided horizontal longitudinal elements. Plastic guide strips are mounted on the upper flanges of the vacuum box and of the longitudinal elements of the support table.The guide strips are simply fitted on the upper flanges of the vacuum box and of the longitudinal elements, and maintained by simple friction and abutment, without any additional fixing means.The guide strips on which the conveyor belt slides are advantageously snapped on the edges of the flange.

Abstract: The dewatering drum 3 for devices for dewatering aqueous suspensions of solid material, particularly for sieve belt presses, has a closed shell 8. Profiles 9 are fixed to this closed shell 8 for forming shells 13 obliquely extending relative to the generatrix of the drum shell 8. The channels 13 deviate from the direction of the generatrix and extend either obliquely relative to the generatrix or are arranged in an arrow-like or arcuate manner, noting that the arrow tip or the culminating point 14 of the arc is showing in direction 11 of rotation (FIG. 3).

Abstract: A belt filter press has a lower and an upper endless filter belt and a lower and an upper endless support belt which support the upper and lower belts in engagement against a lower and upper row of rollers along a press path, respectively, which rows of rollers define therebetween a press slot which is laterally sealed. To effect lateral sealing of the press slot, two additional rows of rollers are disposed on the two opposite sides of either the upper or lower rows of rollers at such an angle that they bend and press the edge of the corresponding upper or lower belts against the other belts.

Abstract: A liquid filter using a sheet of filter medium on a moveable conveyor where a contaminated liquid forms a pool above the conveyor and filter medium and is filtered therethrough into a filter compartment, contaminated liquid and filter being sealed from one another by a partial vacuum within the filter compartment pulling the filter medium against the conveyor in a sealed relationship with no other structures forming part of the seal.

Abstract: Apparatus for dewatering sludge comprising a primary dewatering section in which the sludge is supported on a filter means sloped downwardly towards the center, and a secondary dewatering section which follows the primary dewatering section and through which the sludge is carried on a non-filtering support which is sloped downwardly towards the side, and means for applying pressure onto the top side of the sludge layer during passage through the primary and secondary dewatering sections.

Abstract: An apparatus for continuous liquid-solid separation has suction boxes which respectively have a suction hole on a rear surface and a perforated surface at a front surface and said suction boxes being connected in series to form a conveyor and said suction holes being connected to a suction trough so as to give the sucking condition of the suction boxes in the zone of the suction trough wherein a filter cloth is contacted with the perforated surfaces of the suction boxes and is held by side plates which can be closed and opened at both sides of the suction boxes and the filter cloth and the suction boxes are moved at the synchronized velocity under suction.

Abstract: A hub assembly for use in the filtration of fluids comprising a hub with a tapered bore extending therethrough, and a filter membrane in the bore. The filter membrane has a first portion extending across the bore and a second portion extending from the first portion in substantial contact with the hub around the bore. Means within the bore presses the second portion into tight contact with the hub around the bore to secure the filter membrane therein.A method of fabricating a filter membrane and inserting the same into a hub having a bore extending therethrough, the bore being substantially circular in cross section and tapered to define a large opening at its proximal end and a small opening at its distal end, includes forming a substantially flat, circular filter membrane from a filter medium, the membrane having a diameter larger than the large opening of the bore.

Abstract: Apparatus for dewatering sludge comprising a primary dewatering section in which the sludge is supported on a filter means sloped downwardly towards the center, and a secondary dewatering section which follows the primary dewatering section and through which the sludge is carried on a non-filtering support which is sloped downwardly towards the side, and means for applying pressure onto the top side of the sludge layer during passage through the primary and secondary dewatering sections.

Abstract: In combination with a filtration machine of the type employing an endless belt of filter medium without beads on either of its edges, a pair of devices for aligning and dewrinkling the belt. Each of the aligning and dewrinkling devices includes a rigidly-mounted arm and a first cylindrical roller extending from the arm beneath the adjacent edge of the belt of filter medium. Also, each of the aligning and dewrinkling devices includes a second arm pivotably connected to the first arm and a second cylindrical roller extending from the second arm above the adjacent edge of the belt of filter medium so that a long nip line is defined between the rollers. A spring is connected between the ends of the two arms to urge the pivoted arm to rock to pinch the rollers together along the nip line to grip the filter belt. Also, a selectively-actuatable ram assembly is connected between the arms for selectively increasing the grip of the rollers on the belt.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for continuous removal of liquids from sludges. The apparatus includes an endless driven lower pervious belt and an endless driven upper impervious belt. The impervious belt is supported by an upper frame positioned above a fixed lower frame member by spring-loaded, adjustable hydraulic cylinders. The two belts are driven at different speeds to provide continuous shear on sludge pressed between the belts. Each belt is supported on a plurality of horizontally spaced rollers with the rollers for the upper belt and the rollers for the lower belt being longitudinally offset from each other. The horizontal roller spacing from the point of contact of the upper belt to the sludge as it is fed in between the belts is of a diminishing progression which may be arithmetic, geometric, or a combination thereof from the point of contact of the upper belt on the sludge to the discharge end.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a band filter press for separating liquid and solid matter comprising a continuous filter band adapted to receive a mixture of liquid and solid matter and convey it through successive loading, pressing and unloading zones. The filter band is in the form of a hose having a bottom center strip and two cover strips fixedly connected to the edges of the bottom strip and partially covering the same. The cover strips, which may be either integrally formed with the center strip or provided in the form of separate strips which are connected to the center strip at its lateral edges, enclose acute angles with the center strip. The lateral extremities of the connection points between the cover strips and the center strip define finite longitudinally-extending edges by means of which lateral movement of the filter band may be determined and controlled.

Abstract: A tracking device for a travelling band filter. The band or belt tends to drift laterally as it travels along its path. This is corrected by fitting one of a number of rollers carrying the belt with opposite-handed helical formations to pull the belt in opposite directions. The helices work on tension bands in the edges of the belt there being a pair of helices, with a dead band between, for each tension band.

Abstract: Endless filter belt for rotary vacuum drum filters, featuring a novel improved belt connection whereby the transverse terminal end portions of a length of filter belt are separably joined together by the use of a novel combination of press type closure pile fabrics or materials, capable of absorbing any longitudinal tension stresses in the filter belt, while readily deformable from the initial transverse linear extent.