Abstract: A filter used for separating solids from liquids, the filter having a surface on which a filter cake is formed with the solids and being adapted to treat said cake. The filter utilizes a housing; a stirring apparatus disposed within the housing, said apparatus including stirring arms and a first motor for rotating the arms; and at least one second motor for raising and lower the apparatus. The second motor includes a hydraulic cylinder having a piston which is raised and lowered by hydraulic pressure. The piston is connected to the apparatus to raise and lower the apparatus in accordance with the movement of the piston. The cylinder has a first port above the piston and a second port below the piston. The piston is raised when the pressure applied at the second port is higher than that applied at the first port, and is lowered to lower the apparatus when the pressure applied at the first port is higher than that applied at the second port.

Abstract: The filter assembly includes a filter unit disposed in a vertical tank and includes a first end plate or drain head having an opening in fluid communication with a filtrate port in the tank, a longitudinally movable second end plate or compression head spaced in generally parallel relationship to the drain head and an elongated sleeve of flexible filter material, such as a woven fabric, connected to and extending between the drain and compression heads to define a filtrate chamber. When the filter tube is in an expanded or extended condition (filtering position), a portion of the fluid, such as a wash water from a vehicle washing facility, entering the tank passes through the filter tube into the filter chamber and the thus-filtered water exits therefrom through the filtrate port. Excess wash water in the tank overflows through an overflow outlet.

Abstract: In a vessel such as a swimming pool, a turbine device is positioned on the bottom of the vessel to create an upward flow of water. The upward flow carries with it any larger debris, which are thereafter carried along the edge of the vessel and recovered by a skimmer. The turbine device is powered by the suction stream of a fluid circulation pump and filter system. Suction is thus created along the bottom of the vessel, which removes small debris. The upward flow of the turbine device is created by a plurality of spaced outlets which surrounds an impeller inlet. The outlets form high velocity streams which are spaced in a manner to exclude large debris from entering the impeller inlet.

Abstract: An oil spillage recovery arrangement characterized by a chamber or housing having a receptacle which receives a mixture of oil and water from a body of water, a siphoning conduit disposed within the receptacle for separating the oil from the water (where the latter passes outside of the receptacle and into the housing or chamber), and one or more other receptacles for receiving the recovered oil. Provision is made for the selective pumping of the accumulating water from the housing or chamber back into the body of water where the recovery arrangement is maintained, as, for example, a flowing stream. Provision is also made for directing the oil laden water into the recovery arrangement.

Abstract: A liquid filtering and backwashing apparatus comprising a filter tank having a first outlet valve and a filter cell disposed within the filter tank is disclosed. The filter cell includes a conduit and an outer member with the outer member spaced apart relative the conduit with a filtering medium positioned between the conduit and the outer member. A plurality of openings in the outer member enable fluid communication between the liquid to be filtered in the filter tank and the filtering medium. The conduit is provided with a plurality of slits to enable fluid communication between the filtering medium and interior of the conduit while retaining the filtering medium external the conduit. A backwash holding tank in fluid communication with the conduit collects the filtered liquid. The backwash holding tank includes a second outlet valve for the filtered liquid to drain.

Abstract: A separator for separating a mixture of two liquids having different specific weights has a transverse wall between upper and lower exterior casing portions having axial openings at opposite axial ends, the axial opening in the upper casing portion having a larger effective diameter than the axial opening in the lower casing portion. An interior casing is spaced inside the upper casing portion and has an upper end. There are at least two openings through the transverse wall, one opening communicating from inside the lower casing portion to the space between the upper casing portion and the interior casing and the other opening being radially inward thereof for communicating between the interior casing and the lower casing portion. An inlet into the upper end of the interior casing lets the mixture into the interior casing while rotating the transverse wall, casing portions and interior casing.

Abstract: An improved juice drainage system is incorporated into the mash line of juice processing equipment. Fruit or other mash is pumped through a relatively large-diameter, generally horizontal mash pipe. A plurality of relatively smaller-diameter tubes or juice drainage elements are inserted into and intersect the mash pipe in generally perpendicular orientation at selected points along its length. These drainage elements include screens or other openings forming a drainage surface, preferably on the "downstream" side of the elements, so that juice from the mash flowing through the mash pipe passes through the openings and into the drainage element. The size and shape of the openings can be designed to control the juice drainage rate from any particular drainage element. In addition, the drainage elements themselves can be specifically sized, placed, and/or oriented along the mash pipe to impart the desired mixing characteristics to the flowing mash.

Abstract: Dialysate preparation apparatus for mixing dialysate concentrate with water, the apparatus including a main flow line having one end for connection to a source of water and another end for providing dialysate to a dialyzer, a concentrate flow line having one end for connection to a source of dialysate concentrate and another end connected to a junction on the main flow line for adding concentrate to water in the main flow line, a volumetric pump having a fixed discharge volume per stroke on the concentrate line, a concentrate sensor on the main flow line downstream of the junction providing control signals to the pump to pump concentrate to achieve the desired concentration, and a controller including a comparator to compare the stroke rate with a limit indicating desired operating stroke rate range.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for generating centrifugal forces, including a plate rotatable about an axis, and at least one holding means mounted on the plate for rotation therewith, the holding means being adapted to receive an article to be subjected to centrifugal force and being rotatable relative to the plate member to permit the direction of centrifugal force acting on the article to be changed.

Abstract: The present invention comprises improvements in the design of a control valve for a reverse osmosis water purifier system that prevents the unstable oscillations and waste water leakage exhibited by control valves of the prior art. To eliminate the unstable oscillations caused in prior art valves by back pressure in the pure water delivery line of the purifier system, the present invention incorporates the improvement of an additional hydraulic passage from the squeeze water outlet of the control valve to the back of the control valve's pilot valve diaphragm. The back pressure maintained on the pilot diaphragm by the squeeze water acts as a dampening force preventing the closure of the pilot valve, and hence the adjacent squeeze valve, as a result of back pressure built up in the pure water delivery line during dispensing.

Abstract: A filter comprises a screen having a substantially conical inner wall disposed axially at its center. There is a collection space at the larger diameter end of this inner wall. A frustoconical outer wall surrounds the inner wall and has its smaller diameter end connected to the collection space. At least one offtake conduit is connected to the collection space.

Abstract: A filter without moving parts comprises a filter body adapted to be fitted in the flow direction into a conduit conveying a fluid to be filtered. A filter screen has a frustoconical outer filter wall with at least part of its larger diameter end inside the filter body. A collection space inside the filter body surrounds the filter screen. At least one offtake conduit is connected to this collection space. An inner filter wall of the filter screen extends at least partly into the outer filter wall from its smaller diameter end. A back wall intersects the inner filter wall and a further collection space is delimited by the inner filter wall and this back wall at the end of this inner filter wall farthest removed from the smaller diameter end of the outer filter wall. A further, separate offtake conduit is connected to the further collection space and passes substantially radially through the inner filter wall and the outer filter wall of the filter screen.

Abstract: A link chain or string is produced in an injection molding tool in such a way that a plurality of links threaded onto a string or cable are molded simultaneously, for example in the form of spheres. In order to avoid the transmission of axial forces to the links, which forces might disturb the axial spacings from link to link, the injection molding tool is provided with restrictions which reduce the cross-sectional area of molten material flow channels to a minimum. Preferably, the restricted area is located directly at the respective link. The channels all lead to a common injection molding channel to which the molten material is supplied for thus simultaneously casting or molding of a plurality of links to strings or cables. The restrictions make sure that any forces resulting from shrinkage during the cooling and solidifying cannot shift the balls or links even if the latter are not yet completely solidified internally. Thus, errors in the on-center spacing between adjacent links are avoided.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for the controlled concentration of oil well brine which is adapted to be situated at a well site where oil well brine is produced and which evaporates water from the brine to cause precipitable salt to precipitate out of solution and to be recovered and to cause the remaining liquid to become concentrated with brine constituents which also are recovered.

Abstract: An oil water separator is disclosed having a vertical, cylindrical tank with a plurality of corrugated, oleophilic plates. A corrugated diffusion baffle is located adjacent an oil-water mixture inlet to remove the larger particulate material from the mixture and to cause coalescing of the larger oil droplets. The flow of the oil-water mixture proceeds generally in a vertical direction and passes between the corrugated plates to cause further coalescing of the oil droplets. A separate oil channel directs the coalesced oil to an upper portion of the tank. The clarified water then passes downwardly to a clean water outlet. A second coalescing unit may be located upstream of the clean water outlet to further coalesce and remove the smaller oil droplets. In this case, a second oil relief channel directs these coalesced oil particles to the upper portion of the tank, from which the oil may be removed.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for adding liquid to, aspirating liquid from, a rack of reaction tubes wherein a rack and carriage-dependent probes are made to move relative each other in the horizontal and vertical planes. The method calls for performing the first half of a wash sequence on tube located at x row, y column, then completing the sequence on tube at (x-1) row, y column, and returning to the tube at x row, (y+1) column to initiate the first half of the sequence. This "backtracking" of probes permits an incubation-soak period without cumulatively extending the total rack processing time.

Abstract: Apparatus for the dispersed gas flotation and separation of insoluble, dispersed contaminants from a liquid comprised of a horizontal series of flotation cells, separated by baffles that permit the substantially horizontal flow of liquid from one cell to the next, each cell being equipped with one or more gas dispersing nozzles and screens which aid in the coalescence and flotation of the contaminant particles, and an inclined baffle above the horizontal series of cells to urge the floated impurities toward a weir positioned to remove the impurities from the surface of the liquid.

Abstract: This invention relates to an automatically controlled water bouyant pollution-skimmer-and-recovery system which collects lighter than water contaminants in a simple efficient manner such that the contaminants are concentrated for either disposal or reuse while the water is rendered significantly pollution free and safe for return to the environment.

Abstract: There is disclosed a universal slide holder for use in an analyzer, that will accept either a colorimetric slide or a potentiometric slide for dispensing a liquid onto the slide. The holder comprises a body portion, means for releasibly holding a slide, and a disposable tip guide and support turret for positioning a tip relative to the slide during metering. The holder is improved in that the guide and support turret has two passageways extending through it to a position just above the slide holding means, with a construction to position a liquid dispensing tip selectively in one or the other passageway, the passageways including a shoulder dimensioned to position and support the dispensing tips based on the dimensions of the barrel of the tip.

Abstract: For the determination of filterable pollutants in gases there is a filter sc, which is located on a horizontal, compact rotary plate, which is moved over a suction head, whose suction lips interact with corresponding holes or borings in the rotary plate. The suction head is pushed upon from underneath by action of a universal-joint spring bearing against the plane-parallel rotary plate. Preferably, the rotary plate is rotated each time in steps at determined cycle times, specifically according to a program, by a determined number of collection spaces with "phase-shifted" multiple rotations of the plate, until the filter surface is completely used up. Instead of a filter disc, absorber material can also be used for radioactivity monitoring with a forward motion cycle of 1 to 2 days.