Abstract: The present invention relates to a fluid handling system including a collection trough and pump assembly. A centrifugal pump is mounted in the path of cutting fluid that needs to be pumped from a collection system and discharged. A wide and narrow inlet mouth lies very low on the factory floor enabling the centrifugal pump to be mounted right on the floor and not within the floor. An optional vacuum system provides suction within the centrifugal pump that aids in priming the pump at start up and in removing air from a pump chamber within the pump, thus allowing more efficient pumping to take place. An impeller rotates within the pump creating a vortex within the pump chamber which facilitates movement of dirty cutting fluid including metal particles to be pumped through to a discharge outlet.

Abstract: A differential pressure filtering system for removing debris from a fluid includes a generally cylindrical drum having a top shell and a bottom shell. An inlet port receives pressurized fluid into the drum. A filter medium is sandwiched between the top and bottom shells for filtering the fluid. A screen is disposed across the bottom shell for supporting the filter medium. An outlet port discharges filtered fluid from the drum. The top and bottom shells have generally rounded end portions which align to form a pair of domed drum ends for providing structural rigidity to withstand pressure created in the drum by the pressurized fluid. In a preferred embodiment, the pressure filtering system provides a filter cleaning operation utilizing cylinders and quick clamp mechanisms externally mounted on opposing sides of the drum to open and close the top and bottom shells. An O-ring seals the top and bottom shells in the closed position.

Abstract: A floor mounted sump pump assembly for pumping particulate laden dirty coolant discharged by a floor mounted machine tool station includes a sump tank having a cylindrical wall spaced around a central axis and an inclined bottom with a central lower region. A pump is positioned within the sump tank offset from the central axis. The pump has an inlet oriented above and adjacent to the central lower region. A conduit has an outlet coupled to the sump tank for discharging dirty coolant from the machine tool station into the sump tank. The discharged dirty coolant swirls down around the inclined bottom to the central lower region for the pump inlet to pump the dirty coolant out of the sump tank. An overflow tank is adjacent to the sump tank to collect overflow coolant from the sump tank. A return pump is operable with the overflow tank to discharge the overflow coolant back into the sump tank.

Abstract: A pump for pumping fluids in a filtration system is disclosed. The pump has a thrust balancing means to reduce axial loads on motor bearings of the pump during operation of the pump. A drive system of the pump includes an elongate flexible shaft interconnecting a drive shaft and an impeller shaft. The elongate flexible shaft bends and twists to accommodate misalignment during assembly of the drive system. A seal assembly is provided for sealing about a drive shaft. The seal assembly is evacuated to prevent pumped fluid from contaminating fluids in the motor. A concentric coupling and method for making the same are taught which include a cylindrical block which is concentrically bored and cut into an annular L-shaped segment having an L-shaped notch and a semi-cylindrical mating segment which is received into the notch. The coupling concentrically joins a pair of shafts together.

Abstract: A flume system for use with a floor mounted filtration apparatus and a floor mounted in-line machine section is provided. The machine section receives a flow of clean coolant from the filtration apparatus and has a series of machine outlets for outputting dirty coolant carrying particulate generated by the machine section. The system includes an elongated floor mounted flume disposed adjacent the series of machine outlets to receive the machine outputted dirty coolant. The flume has a slope of less than 2% and is coupled at an outlet end to the filtration apparatus. A discharge pipe is mounted adjacent a distal end of the flume for introducing a stream of coolant into the flume in a direction generally toward the outlet end. The stream of coolant introduced into the flume causes the flume to have an efficient hydraulic radius such that a minimal amount of coolant flows within the flume at a sufficient velocity to wash away the particulate from the flume into the filtration apparatus.

Abstract: A drive system for a filtration apparatus includes a housing, a motor, an input gear driven by the motor, a ring gear, an eccentric gear assembly, an internal gear assembly, and an output gear. The ring gear is driven by the input gear about a central axis. The eccentric gear assembly includes an eccentric plate rotatable about the central axis, concentric rollers, and eccentric rollers. The eccentric plate is fastened to the ring gear to rotate therewith. The concentric rollers are interposed between the eccentric plate and the housing to enable rotation therebetween. The eccentric plate is eccentrically movable about the central axis within a bore of the housing. The internal gear assembly has an eccentric plate rotatable about the central axis and circular bores extending through the eccentric plate.

Abstract: The present invention includes a compact drive system comprising a housing, a motor, a worm screw, a first gear, an internal gear, a second gear and an output gear. The motor is supported relative to the housing and the worm screw is driven by the motor. The first gear rotates about a central axis and is driven by the worm screw to provide a first gear reduction. The first gear has a hub offset from the central axis. The internal gear mounts relative to the housing and has a predetermined number of internal teeth. The second gear has an aperture which is driven by the eccentric hub as the eccentric hub rotates. The internal teeth cooperate with the external teeth so that the second gear orbits within the internal gear when driven by the eccentric hub to provide a second gear reduction. An output gear rotates about the central axis and is supported relative to the housing.

Abstract: An improved filter apparatus includes an upper tank for holding dirty liquid and has a perforated plate. A lower compartment is beneath the plate for receiving liquid from the upper tank. A permanent filter belt for filtering particulate from the dirty liquid is arranged in a first circulating path across the plate. A first pair of drive loops are attached on respective sides of the belt. A drag conveyor having flights is arranged in a second circulating path across the plate. The belt is positioned between the plate and the flights of the conveyor across the plate. A second pair of drive loops are attached on respective sides of the flights. A driving mechanism is operable with the drive loops for indexing the belt and the conveyor along the circulating paths such that a fresh segment of the belt is periodically indexed over the plate while a dirty segment of the belt is being cleaned and the flights of the conveyor carry away accumulated particulate filtered by the belt.

Abstract: Methods and systems for displaying a level of a liquid contained in a tank are disclosed, wherein the level of the liquid is measured using a sensing device. An embodiment of a system includes a user interface, a processor, and a display. The user interface allows a plurality of parameters, including a lower display level and an upper display level, to be modified. The processor communicates with the sensing device and the user interface to scale the level in dependence upon the lower display level and the upper display level. The display communicates with the processor to graphically display the level of the liquid scaled in dependence upon the lower display level and the upper display level.

Abstract: A machine tool coolant collection flume system (10) for communicating machine tool coolant from machine tools to a filtration system includes a main trough (12) and a tributary trough (14) intersecting the main trough wherein each trough (12,14) slopes downwardly in the direction of machine tool coolant flow and the main trough (12) has a greater cross-sectional area at the downstream side of its intersection with the tributary trough (14) to smoothly accommodate the additional flow of machine tool coolant from the tributary trough (14) without affecting upstream flow. A single large diameter flush nozzle (20) provides a low velocity high volume forced coolant flow in the main trough (12) upstream of the intersection by the tributary trough (14) to minimize the creation of mist and turbulence downstream.

Abstract: Filter apparatus for filtering contaminants from a fluid, such as machine tool coolant, are disclosed. One filter apparatus includes a filter drum unit having a generally cylindrical open perforated support sheet with a cylindrical screen element mounted thereabout. Circumference varying mechanisms, such as turnbuckles, are connected relative to the support plate to vary the circumference of the support plate and the tautness of the screen element. A disc filter assembly having a mandrel and fluidly attached annular disc filter elements is also described. Each annular disc filter element has an inner structure with concentric ribs forming concentric grooves therebetween which are connected to radially extending grooves. A screen element is supported by the ribs so that the microscreen will not tear while allowing filtering of fluid into the grooves which are in fluid communication with the mandrel.

Abstract: A machine tool coolant filtering system (10) is disclosed as including a plurality of coolant filter tanks (12). Also a method is disclosed which includes identifying particular contaminants in tool coolant and selectively directing the tool coolant to a particular filter tank (12) designated to filter out that contaminant from the tool coolant. A fluid control communication system (22) controls the communication of coolant from the machine tools to the coolant filter tanks (12). A liquid level sensor (40) senses coolant level within a respective tank (12). A modulating valve (46) in communication with the liquid level (40) senses the liquid level in the respective tank (12). If the coolant level in its respective tank (12) falls below a threshold range, the respective modulating valve (46) is closed to restrict coolant from being removed from its respective tank (12) to maintain the coolant level in the respective tank.

Abstract: A pump for pumping fluids in a filtration system is disclosed. The pump has a thrust balancing means to reduce axial loads on motor bearings of the pump during operation of the pump. A drive system of the pump includes an elongate flexible shaft interconnecting a drive shaft and an impeller shaft. The elongate flexible shaft bends and twists to accommodate misalignment during assembly of the drive system. A seal assembly is provided for sealing about a drive shaft. The seal assembly is evacuated to prevent pumped fluid from contaminating fluids in the motor. A concentric coupling and method for making the same are taught which include a cylindrical block which is concentrically bored and cut into an annular L-shaped segment having an L-shaped notch and a semi-cylindrical mating segment which is received into the notch. The coupling concentrically joins a pair of shafts together.

Abstract: A machine tool coolant filtering system (10) is disclosed as including a plurality of coolant filter tanks (12). Each filter tank (12) is designated for receiving coolant carrying a different material contaminant. A fluid control communication system (22) controls the communication of coolant from the machine tools to the coolant filter tanks (12). A liquid level sensor (40) senses coolant level within a respective tank (12). A modulating valve (46) in communication with the liquid level sensing means (40) senses the liquid level in the respective tank (12). If the coolant level in its respective tank (12) falls below a threshold range, the respective modulating valve (46) is closed to restrict coolant from being removed from its respective tank (12) to maintain the coolant level in the respective tank.

Abstract: A filter apparatus for filtering machine tool coolant is disclosed as including a drum filter or a disc filter assembly including a hollow rotatable mandrel mounting a drum filter assembly or plurality of removable hollow disc filter elements each element having a foraminous non-reticulated metal screen having minute openings and a smooth planar surface for providing improved scrape cleanability and preventing movement of machining chips, particulate and also elongate contaminants from one side of the filter to the other side thereof.

Abstract: An improved media filtration apparatus includes an upper tank and lower filtrate compartment, filter media interposed between the upper tank and filtrate compartment for filtering dirty liquid as it is communicated from the upper tank into the filtrate compartment, a conveyor for indexing the filter media in the upper tank and a take-up mechanism including a rotatable idler roller assembly including an idler roller for guiding the filter media and being vertically movable in a range of motion actuates a control to start the take-up mechanism when the idler roller reaches a lower limit of its vertical range of motion and stops the take-up mechanism when the idler roller reaches an upper limit of its vertical range of motion.

Abstract: An improved media filtration apparatus includes an upper tank for holding dirty liquid and a lower filtrate compartment for receiving liquid from the upper tank through a filter media. A guide roller mounted above the tank guides the filter media downwardly into the tank. A filter media feed mechanism mounting a roll of filter media is mounted adjacent the guide roller. The filter media feed mechanism includes a brake mechanism for stopping and releasing the feed mechanism. A rotatable tension roller movably mounted for generally vertical movement in a range of motion between the feed mechanism and the guide roller is cooperably connected to the brake mechanism for actuating the stopping and subsequent releasing of the feed mechanism and filter media.

Abstract: An improved media filtration apparatus includes an upper tank having an end wall and lower filtrate compartment, filter media interposed between the upper tank and filtrate compartment for filtering dirty liquid as it is communicated from the upper tank into the filtrate compartment, a conveyor for indexing the filter media in the upper tank, and a hold down mechanism including a frame having a plurality of lower rotatable spools for carrying and guiding the conveyor along the tank end wall and a skid plate extending generally vertically between the spools for urging the filter media between the hold down mechanism and tank end wall to prevent contaminant migration between the end wall and filter media.

Abstract: A non-invasive method for measuring the velocity of a fluid surface flowing in a predetermined direction in a channel or flume 10 includes the steps of generating a microwave frequency electrical signal adapted to reflect from the fluid surface; spacing the generation of the electrical signal from the fluid surface; directing the signal along a line toward the fluid surface and opposite the predetermined direction and at an angle of between 30.degree. and 40.degree. to the fluid surface; detecting the signal reflected from the fluid surface; and determining from the directed and reflected signal the Doppler frequency shift therebetween as a measure of the velocity of the fluid surface.

Abstract: A machine tool coolant collection flume system (10) for communicating machine tool coolant from machine tools to a filtration system includes a main trough (12) and a tributary trough (14) intersecting the main trough wherein each trough (12,14) slopes downwardly in the direction of machine tool coolant flow and the main trough (12) has a greater cross-sectional area at the downstream side of its intersection with the tributary trough (14) to smoothly accommodate the additional flow of machine tool coolant from the tributary through (14) without affecting upstream flow. A single large diameter flush nozzle (20) provides a low velocity high volume forced coolant flow in the main trough (12) upstream of the intersection by the tributary trough (14) to minimize the creation of mist and turbulence downstream.