Abstract: A skimming system for removing a floating layer from a body of liquid which includes a skimmer for semi-immersion in the liquid having an irregularly shaped hollow interior compartment supported for self-adjustable tilting movement from a recumbent position generally parallel with the reservoir surface to an inclined position admitting the floating layer to the compartment. A self-cleaning assembly operable in response to skimmer movement protects the skimmer inlet from debris entry and includes cleaning fingers cantilevered out from the skimmer over the opening protruding between a grid of upright blocking baffles.

Abstract: For the damping of high-frequency vibrations in liquids under high pressure in conduit systems there serves a diaphragm (2) loaded by a spring (3) and surrounded on all sides by the liquid of the conduit system. When the liquid is stationary the diaphragm (2) acts as barrier in a free flow cross-section of the conduit system. When the liquid is flowing the diaphragm (2) is situated in the state of suspense in which it is held by the energy of flow of the liquid against the counteracting force of the spring (3) loading the diaphragm (2). The diaphragm (2) is set in a housing (1) installed in the conduit system in such a way that the liquid on the upstream side of the diaphragm (2) flows through an annular space (6) radially around the diaphragm (2). The diaphragm (2) is especially suitable for installation in the housing (9) of a liquid filter.

Abstract: Apparatus and process settling layer filtration in which the liquid to be filtered is passed through a layer of settling layer particles settled directly upon a self-supporting support member, the support member is a plate or tube, e.g. candle filter tube, perforated by a multitudinous array of holes of circular cross-sectional shape having a diameter at their smallest point in the range of 50-250 microns, and larger than the largest dimension of the larger particles, with a density of 20-400 opening per sq. cm. of member surface area whereby the layer particles form over such circular opening dome-shaped arches exhibiting increased strength and stability during actual filtration. An effective technique for producing such members by means of laser beam drilling is disclosed.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for separating liquids and particularly separating oil from the surface of water contained in a tank. The apparatus includes a partially submerged drum mounted to rotate in the water tank and a film of oil and water is picked up on the surface of the rotating drum and removed by a doctor blade. The removed oil and water mixture flows through a trough and is discharged into the upper end portion of a vertical tube. The lower open end of the tube is located beneath the level of the water and the tube has an overflow outlet located at a higher level than the level of the water. The oil, having a lesser density than the water, will collect in the upper end in the tube and the level of oil will rise and is discharged through the overflow outlet, thereby providing a full separation of the oil from the water.

Abstract: Aquarium filtration apparatus having a generally trough-shaped filter housing, the rear wall having a bracket portion for hanging on an aquarium, an impeller assembly having a drive magnet being positioned within the bottom of the filter housing with a motor assembly coupled to the undersurface of the bottom with a power driven magnet on the motor assembly in spaced proximate relation to effect magnetic coupling with the magnet of the impeller assembly. An intake assembly is provided in fluid communication with the impeller assembly and with the aquarium water for drawing water from the aquarium into the filter housing. In a first embodiment, the intake assembly is an intake tube having a portion within the filter housing. In a second embodiment, the intake assembly includes a filter chamber within the filter housing in fluid communication with the impeller assembly with an intake tube coupled to the filter chamber for drawing water from the aquarium into the chamber.

Abstract: Functional magnetic particles are formed by dissolving a mucopolysaccharide such as chitosan in acidified aqueous solution containing a mixture of ferrous chloride and ferric chloride. As the pH of the solution is raised magnetite is formed in situ in the solution by raising the pH. The dissolved chitosan is a polyelectrolyte and forms micelles surrounding the granules at pH of 8-9. The chitosan precipitates on the granules to form microspheres containing the magnetic granules.On addition of the microspheres to waste aqueous streams containing dissolved ions, the hydroxyl and amine functionality of the chitosan forms chelates binding heavy metal cations such as lead, copper, and mercury and the chelates in turn bind anions such as nitrate, fluoride, phosphate and borate.

Abstract: A guidance technique for producing a relief sculpture in which clay material is disposed between two parallel elevating tracks and is flattened by a cylindrical member supported by the tracks to form a design blank of a predetermined thickness. A design element template is used to direct the carving of a design element from the design blank. A plurality of design elements are successively formed accordingly. The thickness of each design element is determined by varying the number of flat track members that are stacked to form the parallel elevating tracks. The design elements are mounted on a base member to form a semi-finished intermediate, which is thereafter dried and baked to yield a finished relief sculpture.

Abstract: The invention relates to a spin-on centrifugal filter or separator for purifying liquid such as oil used in an engine, and to the method of making and assembling the same. The completed separator is in the form of a spin-on cartridge having rotatably mounted therein a jet-actuated, centrifugal separator or rotor. The cartridge, which can conveniently be screw-threaded and thus of the spin-on type, comprises an outer housing or casing within which the rotor is mounted on a perforated hollow shaft depending from a spin-on cover for the cartridge which may be applied to the outer casing or housing after the rotor has been assembled on the hollow shaft. Liquid, e.g., oil, to be treated enters the cartridge from the engine casing, through a screw-threaded opening in the spin-on cover, passes to and through the hollow perforated shaft into the interior of the rotor where the liquid, under pressure, serves to impart centrifugal motion to the rotor, and passes outwardly from the rotor through jet openings therein.

Abstract: An oil filtering and purifying apparatus comprising a closed pressure tank with fluid inlet and outlet openings and a plurality of vertically stacked filter units removably arranged within the tank; the filter units have central hubs with vertical flow passages; the flow passages of adjacent hubs communicate with each other and with the outlet opening; each unit includes a lower horizontal plate carried by its hub, a felting screen supported in spaced relationship above the plate and cooperating therewith to define a fluid conducting chamber below the screen and about the hub; and fluid ports in the hub communicating with the flow passage therein and with the chamber related thereto; the apparatus next includes a deposit of particulate filtering material atop the felting screen of each unit; a section line from said inlet opening to a supply of oil to be filtered; and a motor driven fluid pump with its inlet communicating with said outlet opening and its outlet communicating with an oil delivery line.

Abstract: A filtering and washing device has a filter body mounted in a housing for rotation about a horizontal axis and comprising a first portion in the form of a truncated cone or pyramid having a base plate with an eccentrically positioned polygonal orifice and a second portion in the form of a sawtooth-shaped tube rigidly connected at one end to the orifice and at an opposite end to a cylindrical drive shaft rotatably journaled in the housing and operationally connected to a motor, the tube in turn being formed from a multiplicity of hollow prisms or truncated pyramids. The first and second portions have surfaces provided with respective filter means. A pipe fixed to the housing traverses an end plate of the first portion opposite the base plate for rotatably supporting the filter body at one end and for feeding to the first portion material to be filtered or cleaned, while the tube is provided with an opening spaced from the base plate of the first portion for dispensing treated material.

Abstract: An aquarium filtering system utilizing an immersible housing having perforations on two opposed surfaces, an external supply and take-up means for filter material. The immersible housing and the portion of the filtering system positioning the supply and take-up of filter material act jointly to form a structure for positioning the filtration system in an aquarium, and storing the filter material outside of the aquarium unless in use. A fluid conduit is provided in the immersed portion of the housing for introduction and/or removal of the aquarium medium. Guides are provided over the edges of the system in order to control motion of the filter medium, and overflow control is provided above the aquarium water level in the immersed portion of the housing.

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved injection molding filter assembly to be located between the molding machine and the mold. The assembly has an elongated inner torpedo member with a generally cylindrical outer surface which is centrally located in a passage through a hollow outer member. The passage is defined by a generally cylindrical inner wall which is interrupted by an even number of inwardly opening longitudinally extending channels. Inlet channels extending from the inlet of the assembly and dead ending adjacent the outlet alternate with outlet channels extending from the outlet of the assembly and dead ending adjacent the inlet. Filtering apertures are formed between the outer surface of the torpedo member and the lands between the inlet and outlet channels through which the melt flows from the inlet channels to the outlet channels.

Abstract: A separating device for separating materials from each other having different melting points, particularly a mixture of plasticized and non-plasticized solid material, includes a housing having a bore and a plurality of successively arranged disc within the bore. The discs are located relative to each other and are of such configuration as to define screening gaps. The plasticized material is separated by passage through the screening gaps as the mixture including substantially all of the solid material passes through the bore.

Abstract: The apparatus comprises an air diffusion or dispersion unit mounted on a weighted concrete base submerged at the bottom of a body of water. The unit has a vertical pipe upstanding from the concrete base. An air line extends from an air compressor on shore into the bottom of the vertical pipe where it collects air and releases it periodically from the top of the pipe in a series of relatively large volume, intermittent, discharges into the water. A check valve is located in the air line or diffusion unit to prevent back flow of water to below-freezing locations where the air line extends through ice at the water surface.

Abstract: A magnetic separator has a filter mass to which a magnetic field of a high gradient applies to trip magnetically susceptible substances in a fluid stream traversing the mass. The change in inductance of the mass is measured during the filtration and the measurement triggers an operator-alert signal and/or a backwashing of the filter.

Abstract: An oil skimmer in combination with a channel that directs the flow of waste water from surface drainage, or the like. There is a weir at the downstream end of the channel to maintain the level of the waste water in the channel. A pivotally supported tray goes across the channel and is mounted so that it has a normal attitude parallel to and beneath the surface of the channel water. This tray has an open end on the upstream side, and there is a means for periodically tipping it so as to wash any floating oil and debris back to the opposite end of the tray where it may be removed.

Abstract: In cleaning plate-type filter elements in a tank filter, the tank is opened and a cleaning tube is placed upwardly around one of the downwardly extending filter elements providing an annular flow space along the length of the element. A seal member is located in the upper end of the cleaning tube to close off the upper end of the annular flow space. Pressurized cleaning fluid is supplied into the lower end of the tube where it flows upwardly through the annular space and then into the filter element to dislodge any contamination. The material displaced continues its flow through the filter element in the same direction as is taken by the fluid being filtered.

Abstract: An automated plate and frame type of pressure filter comprises a plurality of vertically superimposed horizontal shells, each vertically adjacent pair of which having a horizontal filter media belt sandwiched therebetween. All shells but the bottom shell are movable vertically by a pair of lift cylinders to separate opposed pairs and allow the filter belts to be indexed horizontally for cleaning. On completion of the belt cleaning cycle, the shells are pressed together by the double-acting lift cylinders which temporarily over-compress seals on the edges of the shells, allowing a structurally reinforced mechanical locking system to engage which opposes and resists the substantial shell-separating forces generated by the subsequently applied filtration pressure.

Abstract: An aquarium for fish and other forms of marine life is constructed in the form of a globe symbolic of the planet earth and equipped with a special device for aerating and purifying the water. The unique shape of the aquarium lends itself readily to purification and elimination of sedimentary matter and the aerator-purifier is constructed to aerate the water and at the same time is equipped with filters to filter the water and to remove larger foreign matter, the filters being readily accessible and adapted for easy removal, cleaning and replacement.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for removing floating material from the surface of a body of liquid and for collecting the material has an endless belt-type materials transport mounted, as by rollers with vertically-separated horizontal rotation axes, to dispose the transport with a lower flight inclined downwardly from above the liquid surface at a frontal location to below the surface at a rearward location. A collection well is contiguously behind the rearward location. The transport is driven to advance the lower flight in the direction from the frontal location to the rearward location. This motion carries floating material from the liquid surface downward and rearward under the lower flight of the transport and releases it at the rearward location to float upward into the collection well. A method for floatage collection by steps that the foregoing apparatus performs is also disclosed.