Abstract: The invention involves an improved design for a diaphragm pump. The inlet and outlet valves for the pump have guided stems that prevent the valves from misaligning and jamming during operation. The stems extend away from each other enabling the valve heads to be moved close to each other so that the pump bowl can be made relatively short. The pump diaphragms include rim portions that cover and protect the members securing it in the pump. The stroke of the pump is adjustable by an arrangement that can vary the size of the stroke while keeping the suction and discharge portions of the stroke equal.

Abstract: A filtering apparatus with hollow filters that are alternately placed under reduced pressure and positive pressure. The filters are reciprocally rotated through a cycle along a 180.degree. arcuate path from immersion in the unfiltered liquid to a discharge station and back again. Whle immersed and under reduced pressure, each filter passes liquid and captures cake against its surface. The filter is kept under reduced pressure and rotated to a discharge station. The reduced pressure during this portion of the cycle holds the cake against the filter and dries it. At the discharge station, the filters are placed under positive pressure to dislodge the cake and kept under positive pressure as they are rotated back toward the unfiltered liquid. The discharge station has movable scrapers that contact the filters as they are being rotated back to the unfiltered liquid to assist in dislodging the cake.

Abstract: A sampling device for taking a complete cross section of a stream of material flowing through a conduit system. The device consists of a container into which material is fed through a flexible conduit that can be moved to discharge either into a main conduit or into a sampling conduit within the container. The flexible conduit is moved by a reciprocating rod pivotally attached to a collar on the end of the flexible conduit. A timing device controls the operation of a motor which drives the rod. A sealing member is also pivotally attached to the collar and rod and is positioned over the sampling conduit between samplings to prevent entry of any contaminating material. The seal cooperates with blades on the entrance to the sampling conduit to form a tight seal. The pivoting of the seal member is limited to a predetermined arc by contact with the collar. This limiting feature serves to insure a tight seal while allowing the seal to adjust for minor wear and misalignment.

Abstract: A multi-stage sampler for providing a representative sample of a batch of flowing material such as wet or dry sand, mineral concentrates, grain, sicky material, particulate matter, and the like. The sample includes a rotating sampler disc onto which the batch is delivered. This sampler disc has holes in it near its perimeter. A stationary guide means is positioned above the rotating disc to direct the material radially outward over the holes and into a discharge chute. A sample of the batch falls through the holes and is received within a second stationary guide means located above an annular, rotating conveyor disc. The sample is conveyed across the conveyor disc along a predetermined path defined by its guide means. The guide means has a deflecting member that deflects the sample off the annular conveyor disc through its central hole. A second sampler disc substantially identical to the first one receives the sample and, in a manner substantially identical to the first sampling disc, samples the sample.