Endless Belt Or Chain Patents (Class 210/526)
  • Patent number: 11130077
    Abstract: A settling basin of a wastewater treatment system includes a collector chain including chain links having a plurality of side bars, stepped connecting pins configured to join the plurality of side bars and including a first end including a head portion having a cross-sectional area larger than portions of the plurality of side bars through which the stepped connecting pin extends, end caps configured to receive second ends of the stepped connecting pins, and apertures defined in the end caps and second ends of the stepped connecting pins configured to receive a retaining element that holds the end caps in position on the second ends of the stepped connecting pins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Evoqua Water Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Donald W. Hindman, Krishna Kamath
  • Patent number: 11092189
    Abstract: A head shaft assembly has a center tube, an end tube, a collector sprocket and a collar. The center tube has drive and driven ends. The center tube has a center tube diameter. The end tube has a key extending longitudinally along an outer surface and inner and outer ends. The key defines a key length and the end tube has an end tube diameter. The collector sprocket is mountable to the end tube and rotationally secured to the end tube by the key. The collar is hollow between a first end and a second end. The center tube diameter is substantially the same as the end tube diameter and the drive end is proximate to the inner end. The drive end and the inner end are positioned within the collar between the first end and the second end. The collar fixes the center tube to the end tube.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: BRENTWOOD INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Jason C. Ruch, Daniel Eckman, Christopher Stephan Fredericks, Alexander Ivanovich Mitchell
  • Patent number: 10576503
    Abstract: A collection system for collecting materials, such as cuttings, drilling fluid, wellbore fluid, lost circulation material, hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof, from a vibratory separator in a collection trough and facilitating movement of the collected materials to a discharge conduit utilizing a squeegee member. The squeegee may be moved along a track between the discharge conduits to move the material in the collection trough to the discharge conduits. The squeegee may be moved pneumatically or hydraulically. The squeegee may also be moved along the track magnetically utilizing a magnetic piston train. Movement of the squeegee can be modulated based on the rate of material into the collection trough.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventor: Venkata Kasi Amaravadi
  • Patent number: 9802140
    Abstract: A remote submerged chain conveyor system separates particles from a coal ash/water slurry from remotely located boiler units. A tank forms an ash holding section, a dewatering section, and an ash settling section. The ash holding section receives the slurry with first and second opposite ends. The dewatering section dewaters the slurry. The settling zone is an elongated trough connected with the ash holding section at one end with a discharge drain trough at near an opposite end. The tank sections are in a generally linear arrangement. A drag chain moves along the ash settling conveying the particles settling from the slurry to the dewatering section opposite to a net flow of water. A flocculant supply line upstream of the ash settling section configured for adding a flocculant promoting an agglomeration of particles into flocs. The flocculant supply line is located in a mixing section with an agitator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: DIAMOND POWER INTERNATIONAL, LLC
    Inventors: Austin T. Little, Louis A. Zotti, Tony F. Habib, Alan J. Dore
  • Patent number: 9272351
    Abstract: This invention relates to for devices, systems, and methods for separating dross, carried by molten solder, into solder and residue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS INC.
    Inventor: Lambertus Petrus Christinus Willemen
  • Patent number: 8968572
    Abstract: In a device and a process for purifying water which is contaminated with sulphate ions and heavy metal ions, the water is collected in a water reservoir and a substance having basic activity in water is fed to the water reservoir in such a manner that a precipitant having heavy metal ions is precipitated from the water, wherein at least a subquantity of water is taken off from the water reservoir and is separated into pure water which is substantially freed from sulphate ions and heavy metal ions and dirty water which is enriched with sulphate ions and heavy metal ions. The dirty water is at least in part recirculated to the water reservoir, as a result of which a concentration of sulphate ions in the water reservoir is achieved such that a precipitant having sulphate ions is precipitated from the water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Michael Riebensahm
  • Patent number: 8753507
    Abstract: An artificial oil lifting unit uses an endless olephilic absorbent belt, driven by a surface equipment and tensed by a down hole equipment placed in the well production casing. The said absorbent belt (1) is looped over a central pulley (2) from a driving and collecting module (C) and driven by a double toothed belt (4) looped over six pulleys from which five are free (6,7,8,9 and 10). One is a driving pulley (5) placed over an entry shaft (36), the double toothed belt (4) being looped also over the oil absorbent belt on the central pulley and tensed with two identical systems (I) with pulleys commanded from the exterior of the case (13).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Inventor: Vasile Comsa
  • Publication number: 20140161680
    Abstract: A controllable, continuous-feed system and process for the reduction or depolymerization of organic materials using microwave energy in a reducing, substantially oxygen-reduced atmosphere. The microwave energy is generated by a plurality of magnetrons in a microwave tunnel. Gaseous products may be extracted from the microwave tunnel for recycling and/or analysis. A collector such as a liquid trap may be used to separately collect floating and sinking constituents of the solid products while preventing the escape of the reducing atmosphere from the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Steven L. Kantor, Stephen P. Simms
  • Publication number: 20130319949
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing solids separated from wastewater, or algae from algal solution, using an improved dissolved air flotation system that incorporates a slowly rotating cylindrical sieve at the end of an upward sloping beach to drain free water from the float, which has been pushed up the beach and onto the rotating sieve, and a doctor blade that removes the thickened float from the rotating sieve is disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventors: Kyle Booth, Mike Cosby, Mark Fosshage, Scott Poe, Dave Schlegel
  • Patent number: 8557127
    Abstract: A separator system for separating the solids debris from a slurry flowing over a spillway from a storage pit includes a horizontal conveyor horizontally disposed across a flowpath of the slurry below the spillway and including a channel defined by a pair of opposed side members extending upward from a bottom plate having a pattern of perforations formed therein. A plurality of spaced apart paddles oriented in a direction parallel to the channel are fixed to continuous conveyor drive running along the bottom of the trough. A conveyor has a pickup end disposed below the downstream end of the trough and is positioned to catch solid debris that has been carried along by the paddles and convey the solid debris out of the slurry stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Inventor: Rejean Houle
  • Patent number: 8357292
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to an environmentally sensitive mobile cleaning system, and more specifically relates to a closed loop water recirculation system for high or ultra-high pressure mobile cleaning apparatus. The system includes a water tank sized to contain an established volume of fluid sufficient to circulate through the system, a pump to pressure the fluid to a cleaning head, a vacuum system to return the contaminated fluid to the system, and a filter means to remove the contaminants from the fluid so that clean fluid can be reintroduced to the cleaning head. The method comprises the steps of increasing the pressure of a fixed volume of fluid in a closed-loop system, jetting or blasting the surface with the pressurized fluid, vacuuming the blasted fluid into the system, and removing the contaminants from the fluid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Inventor: James P. Crocker
  • Patent number: 8277652
    Abstract: A system for consolidating and removing contaminate such as paint sludge or oils from a fluid mixture. A contaminate tank receives a supply of the fluid mixture containing contaminate from a source such as a manufacturing line where overspray of paints or cleaning solutions containing washed away oils are collected. A free floating weir floats on the surface of the contaminate tank and mechanically separates and removes contaminate from a surface of the contaminate tank and concentrates the contaminate in a consolidation tank. In the consolidation tanks the contaminate is further separated and collected for disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Inventors: Gordon T. Urquhart, James E. Miller
  • Patent number: 8273250
    Abstract: Skimmers, barges and related methods recover heavy oil or bitumen from contaminated water environments such as tailings ponds. The skimmer has an articulated mesh-like conveyor driven around a drum by a drive sprocket. A pusher mechanism discharges bitumen or heavy oil from cavities in the conveyor. In one embodiment, the skimmer includes an automatic depth control system. In other embodiments, knife-edged shear plates remove heavy oil or bitumen adhering to the conveyor and drum. A barge may incorporate multiple parallel skimmers. The barge may include a bitumen-transfer pump having an annular fluid-injection flange that generates an annulus of lubricating fluid inside a discharge hose. A method of skimming heavy oil or bitumen involves using a skimmer that automatically adjusts its elevation or depth based on a control signal generated by a depth sensor. Another method recovers and transfers bitumen by lubricating the discharge hose using the annular fluid-injection flange.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignee: Environment Recovery Equipment
    Inventor: David Hines
  • Publication number: 20120211435
    Abstract: Skimmers, barges and related methods recover heavy oil or bitumen from contaminated water environments such as tailings ponds. The skimmer has an articulated mesh-like conveyor driven around a drum by a drive sprocket. A pusher mechanism discharges bitumen or heavy oil from cavities in the conveyor. In one embodiment, the skimmer includes an automatic depth control system. In other embodiments, knife-edged shear plates remove heavy oil or bitumen adhering to the conveyor and drum. A barge may incorporate multiple parallel skimmers. The barge may include a bitumen-transfer pump having an annular fluid-injection flange that generates an annulus of lubricating fluid inside a discharge hose. A method of skimming heavy oil or bitumen involves using a skimmer that automatically adjusts its elevation or depth based on a control signal generated by a depth sensor. Another method recovers and transfers bitumen by lubricating the discharge hose using the annular fluid-injection flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Environment Recovery Equipment (6859194 Canada Ltd.)
    Inventor: David Hines
  • Publication number: 20120125827
    Abstract: A device for separating components of a mixture, particularly industrial fluids but also gases including air, allows for targeted components of the mixture to be attached onto a separating bar and removed from the mixture. The separating bars traverse a track formed within the body of the separating device and through respective tank, cleaning, free roll, and compression regions in a controlled cleaning system. The separating bars are detached from one another and allowed to move through the separating device independently of one another. The device removes the use of chains to connect cleaning bars traversing through a cleaning system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Richard E. Fogel, Brent D. Terrell
  • Patent number: 8168073
    Abstract: A reclaimer, for the separation of heavier solids from slurry water, including an inlet means (50) to allow loading of a flow of the solid laden slurry water (90), a reclaiming tank (10) to contain the input from the inlet means (50), a plurality of lamella plates (20) to increase the effective separation surface area to improve the separation process, said lamella plates (20) provided at an angle, an agitation mechanism (40) for loosening up the slurry water from the heavier solids, an outlet means (82) to allow the separated slurry water to exit the tank (10), wherein the agitation mechanism (40) is a conveyor, with a plurality of protrusions (42).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: SP-ZI-COM Pte Ltd
    Inventors: Khee Yang Ng, Samuel Wong, Giau Leong Low, Wei Leng Ng, Giok Lak Sim
  • Patent number: 7906021
    Abstract: A contaminated fluid recovery apparatus includes a dirty tank, a conveyor, and a drum-shaped filter unit. Inlet ports of the drum-shaped filter unit open along an axis of a magnet drum. The conveyor scrapes out an object for removal settled on a bottom portion of the dirty tank toward an exit section. The conveyor includes a lower portion which moves along the bottom portion and an upper portion which passes over the lower portion. The magnet drum is located horizontally between the lower portion and the upper portion of the conveyor so that its axis is perpendicular to a direction of travel of the conveyor. The magnet drum is driven by a chain of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Bunri Incorporation
    Inventor: Minoru Tashiro
  • Patent number: 7867388
    Abstract: A contaminated fluid recovery apparatus includes a sludge removal mechanism having a dirty tank, a conveyor, and a magnetic drum which is arranged in the fluid circulating section. The contaminated fluid recovery apparatus is provided with an overflow tank. The overflow tank has a function to keep a fluid surface of the dirty tank in a position higher than the fluid circulating section and the magnetic drum. The magnetic drum is located horizontally between a lower portion and an upper portion of the conveyor. The conveyor scrapes out chips deposited on a bottom portion of the dirty tank toward an exit section. A scraping member, which is in contact with the magnetic drum, drops sludge attracted to the magnetic drum toward the lower portion of the conveyor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: BURNI Incorporation
    Inventors: Minoru Tashiro, Makoto Tashiro
  • Patent number: 7767085
    Abstract: A system for consolidating and removing contaminate such as paint sludge or oils from a fluid mixture. A contaminate tank receives a supply of the fluid mixture containing contaminate from a source such as a manufacturing line where overspray of paints or cleaning solutions containing washed away oils are collected. A free floating weir floats on the surface of the contaminate tank and mechanically separates and removes contaminate from a surface of the contaminate tank and concentrates the contaminate in a consolidation tank. In the consolidation tanks the contaminate is further separated and collected for disposal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Air and Liquid Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Gordon T. Urquhart, James E. Miller
  • Patent number: 7740757
    Abstract: An exemplary apparatus (20), for removing pollutants atop a body of coolant, includes a filter (21), a pollutant removing structure (22), and a pump (23). The filter includes a housing (210), and a filtering unit (211) positioned in the housing for removing the pollutants from the coolant. The filtering unit is separated into a first cavity (2112) and a second cavity (2113) by a partition sheet (213). The partition sheet is spaced apart from a bottom surface of the housing to define a communicating gap (2131) for the first cavity and the second cavity to communicate with each other. The pollutant removing structure is positioned on the filter. The pollutant removing structure includes a removing member (221) for removing the pollutants out of the filter. The pump is configured for pumping the coolant into the first cavity of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2010
    Assignees: Hong Fu Jin Precision Industry (ShenZhen) Co., Ltd., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ming-Lu Yang, Wei-Guo Yang, Zheng-Hong Chi, Yu-Jun Wang
  • Publication number: 20100147782
    Abstract: Apparatus for extracting a material from a body of liquid and methods therefore are disclosed. A transport member comprises at least one continuous loop configured to pass through a continuous orbit. The material sufficiently adheres to at least a portion of the at least one continuous loop. A scraping member urges against at least a portion of the continuous loop for removing at least some of any of the material adhered to the continuous loop. Such an apparatus can be a harvester that includes a frame having a first end and a second end. A first conveyor drum can be supported by the frame adjacent the first end and can have an outer surface for engaging the transport member. A second conveyor drum can be supported adjacent the second end and can have an outer surface for engaging the transport member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Howard W. Newman, John Lowell Bowers, Jordan D. Jones
  • Patent number: 7651001
    Abstract: An apparatus separates a first fluid from a mixture of fluids. The apparatus includes a housing that can have one or more entry openings and one or more exit openings. An endless flexible strip of a material having an affinity for the first fluid is arranged to be advanced through the housing. An advancing assembly advances the endless flexible strip through an entry opening in the housing and through an exit opening in the housing, thereby advancing successive portions of the endless flexible strip sequentially from a position out of contact with the first fluid to a position of contact with the first fluid and again to a position out of contact with the first fluid. More than one pathway can be located within the housing along which the endless flexible strip can be selectively advanced. A means for removing from the endless flexible strip quantities of the first fluid that adhere to the endless flexible strip can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2010
    Assignee: Zebra Skimmers Corp.
    Inventor: Steven Davidian
  • Publication number: 20090145834
    Abstract: An exemplary apparatus (20), for removing pollutants atop a body of coolant, includes a filter (21), a pollutant removing structure (22), and a pump (23). The filter includes a housing (210), and a filtering unit (211) positioned in the housing for removing the pollutants from the coolant. The filtering unit is separated into a first cavity (2112) and a second cavity (2113) by a partition sheet (213). The partition sheet is spaced apart from a bottom surface of the housing to define a communicating gap (2131) for the first cavity and the second cavity to communicate with each other. The pollutant removing structure is positioned on the filter. The pollutant removing structure includes a removing member (221) for removing the pollutants out of the filter. The pump is configured for pumping the coolant into the first cavity of the filter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicants: HONG FU JIN PRECISION INDUSTRY (ShenZhen) CO., LTD., HON HAI PRECISION INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: MING-LU YANG, WEI-GUO YANG, ZHENG-HONG CHI, YU-JUN WANG
  • Publication number: 20090107911
    Abstract: An apparatus separates a first fluid from a mixture of fluids. The apparatus includes a housing that can have one or more entry openings and one or more exit openings. An endless flexible strip of a material having an affinity for the first fluid is arranged to be advanced through the housing. An advancing assembly advances the endless flexible strip through an entry opening in the housing and through an exit opening in the housing, thereby advancing successive portions of the endless flexible strip sequentially from a position out of contact with the first fluid to a position of contact with the first fluid and again to a position out of contact with the first fluid. More than one pathway can be located within the housing along which the endless flexible strip can be selectively advanced. A means for removing from the endless flexible strip quantities of the first fluid that adhere to the endless flexible strip can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: Zebra Skimmers Corp.
    Inventor: Steven Davidian
  • Patent number: 7504028
    Abstract: A mobile water-contaminant separation system having a plurality of separate water separation units connected to one another, a conveyor component which captures contaminated water at a first end, conveys the contaminated water to a second end, and deposits the contaminated water in a first of the plurality of water separation units for processing. A pump between succeeding water separation units facilitates the transfer from a prior water separation unit to a succeeding water separation unit for further processing until the contaminated water is completely de-contaminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Inventor: Benjamin Gurfinkel
  • Patent number: 7469790
    Abstract: An oil extracting apparatus includes a rigid oil adhering ring having a horizontally disposed ring axis and an oil adhering surface surrounding the ring axis, a driving device coupled to the oil adhering ring for driving rotation of the oil adhering ring about the ring axis, an oil scraping unit, and an oil collecting unit. At least a portion of the oil adhering ring below the ring axis is adapted to be immersed in a water body. Rotation of the oil adhering ring results in separation of the oil from the water body and in adhering of the oil on the oil adhering ring to form an oil film on the oil adhering surface of the oil adhering ring. The oil scraping unit scrapes the oil film from the oil adhering surface of the oil adhering ring. The oil collecting unit collects the oil scraped by the oil scraping unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Inventor: Chin Lun Chang
  • Patent number: 7431166
    Abstract: An apparatus for separating a first fluid from a mixture of fluids in a container, the first fluid being substantially immiscible with respect to one or more other fluids in the mixture comprises an endless strip of material having an affinity for the first fluid, a pair of advancing members for advancing successive portions of the strip into and out of contact with the first fluid and a means for maintaining the successive portions of the strip in contact with the first fluid as the successive portions of the strip are sequentially advanced. The pair of advancing members have cooperating surfaces that positively engage the strip with sufficient force so that movement of the advancing members relative to one another sequentially advances successive portions of the strip. A guiding element directs the strip away from engagement with the cooperating surface of one of the advancing members at the location where the strip is released from positive engagement with the advancing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Zebra Skimmers Corp.
    Inventor: Steven Davidian
  • Patent number: 7410569
    Abstract: A filtration system for metalworking fluids has panel filter elements arranged in cells in which the filter frames and panels are approximately parallel to one another. The filter frames are disposed such that the filter surfaces are oriented at an acute angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the drag-out tank within which they are installed. The filter elements are constructed by affixing a microscreen filter to a wire mesh support structure. The wire mesh structure provides as much support as the perforated plates of the prior art, while featuring significant gains in effective filter area when compared with perforated plate constructions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Inventors: Turhan A. Tilev, John Wayne Nowicki, Kenneth Frederick Packer
  • Patent number: 7381335
    Abstract: Method and arrangement for continuous filtering of particles out of a contaminated liquid by means of a number of separate filtering units (14) in order continuously to feed purified liquid to a consumer. Each filtering unit (14) comprises a rotatable, perforated drum (16) with a particle-catching filter means (18) on the outer surface of the drum. A first predetermined degree of coating with particles is created on the filter means of the drums, and purified liquid inside all the drums of the filtering units (14) except at least one, which is kept inactive in a standby state by shutting off the associated pump (26), is then fed to a consumer. The feed of purified liquid from a drum to the consumer is interrupted when a second predetermined, higher degree of coating with particles has been reached on the filter means on an individual drum, at least one filtering unit kept in standby state being activated as replacement for the filtering unit(s) from which the feed of purified liquid has been interrupted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Inventor: Hyosong M. Lee
  • Patent number: 7296694
    Abstract: A grease skimming and removal apparatus for use with grease trap settling tank apparatus provides a vertically elongated, vertically extending tower housing on the top wall of a grease trap tank and provides a power driven, vertically elongated, vertically extending rotating skimmer belt loop arranged to skim and transport grease and oils from wastewater contained in the grease trap tank to a vertically-elevated position above the top wall of the settling tank for gravity discharged therefrom and into a collection vessel releasably secured to the tower housing above the top wall of the grease trap tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Inventor: Bret M. Weymouth
  • Patent number: 7243803
    Abstract: A recovery apparatus comprising a running member which runs between a first position where the member is immersed in the liquid stored in a reserve tank and a second position where the member projects upwards from a surface level of the liquid, and a bucket which is secured to the running member and which scoops the floating matter floating at the surface level of the liquid, while moving from the first position to the second position. The bucket comprises a bucket body which has an opening for allowing the liquid containing the floating matter to flow in, and which gradually narrows downwards from the opening, partition plates which extend downwards from the opening and face each other and which block the floating matter flowing from the opening, and discharge ports which are made in the bucket body and open at a position lower than the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: Bunri Incorporation
    Inventors: Minoru Tashiro, Makoto Tashiro
  • Patent number: 7232036
    Abstract: According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a waste collection system for separating liquid waste from solid waste which includes a conveyor having an upper conveyor roller, a lower conveyor roller and an endless conveyor belt extending around the conveyor rollers. The upper run of the conveyor belt is upwardly concave. In cross section, the upper run has a lowermost portion and lateral portions diverging laterally and upwardly from the lowermost portion. The upper run is longitudinally inclined from the upper roller to the lower roller. A waste deflector extends above and along the lowermost portion of the upper run. Separate liquid and solid waste collectors are located in the vicinity of the upper and lower rollers. A conveyor drive is connected to on of the conveyor rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignee: ATD Waste Systems Inc.
    Inventors: J. Victor Van Slyke, Martien H. J. G. Van Kempen, Theodorus A. T. G. Van Kempen
  • Patent number: 7179372
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for filtering or purifying water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Inventor: Robert L. Miller
  • Patent number: 7153419
    Abstract: A liquid treating device without any restrictions for a sludge discharge device set above a liquid tank is provided. A cyclone separator adapted to swirl liquid to subject sludge to centrifugal separation from the liquid and precipitate the sludge is connected to the circulating pump adapted to pump up liquid coolant containing the sludge discharged to a liquid tank from a machine tool. An opening/closing valve for sludge discharge is arranged at a discharge port of a sludge pot adapted to condense the sludge precipitated by the cyclone separator. A sludge discharge device to discharge only the sludge to the exterior from a sludge storage tank part adapted to store the sludge and liquid discharged from the sludge pot via the opening/closing valve temporarily is set. A supernatant liquid stored in the sludge storage tank part of the sludge discharge device in the suction side of the pump is recovered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Nikuni
    Inventor: Yuji Mizuno
  • Patent number: 7104407
    Abstract: An apparatus for separating a first fluid from a mixture of fluids in a container, the first fluid being substantially immiscible with respect to one or more other fluids in the mixture comprises an endless strip of material having an affinity for the first fluid, a pair of members for advancing successive portions of the strip into and out of contact with the first fluid and a means for maintaining the successive portions of the strip in contact with the first fluid as the successive portions of the strip are sequentially advanced. The pair of members have cooperating surfaces that positively engage the strip with sufficient force so that movement of the members relative to one another sequentially advances successive portions of the strip. The apparatus can comprise a tube skimmer that is employed to separate tramp oil from a coolant in a machining operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2006
    Assignee: Zebra Skimmers Corp.
    Inventors: Steven Davidian, Christopher Fenn
  • Patent number: 7093722
    Abstract: The invention provides devices and methods for removing and trapping large and/or dense abrasive particles from a polishing slurry. The polishing slurry is introduced into a container and allowed to stagnate, thereby causing large and/or dense particles to separate from the slurry under the influence of gravity. The container includes a cavity or plurality of cavities defined by an inner surface of the container into which the separated particles sink. To prevent the large and/or dense particles from becoming re-suspended into the slurry, the size and shape of the cavity is relatively deep and narrow with respect to the large and/or dense particles, thus providing a trapping effect. The cavities do not effectively trap the smaller particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Cabot Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventor: Steven K Grumbine
  • Patent number: 7001512
    Abstract: A process for treating waste products discharged in a waste water from an animal operation, such as a swine confinement facility includes a holding tank for receiving waste water from the flushing of the facility in which solids to accumulate at the bottom thereof; wherein as conveyor transfers solids from said bottom at a rate preventing agitation of the waste water, to a compactor for removing additional water content and to a product dryer for converting the solids into a dry product. The product dryer includes a water heating system with water lines connected in a closed loop to the holding tank. The heating system thermal treats the circulating waste water and waste solids to a temperature sufficient to reduce undesired constituents therein. The product dryer is vented to a separator for recovering ammonia contents in the waste material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Inventor: David Ralph Newsome
  • Patent number: 6962659
    Abstract: An oil skimmer for removing oil floating on surfaces of bodies of water. The oil skimmer includes a support frame, respective drive pulley and guide pulleys rotatably mounted to the support frame on respective shafts, and a drive train which rotatively drives the drive pulley and guide pulleys. A skimmer hose in the form of a loop to which oil adhere floats on the body of water and is driven by the drive pulley through the guide pulley onto and off the surface of the body of water carrying adhered oil. A skimmer hose scraper disposed between the drive and guide pulleys removes the oil from the skimmer hose into a collection receptacle. The drive and guide pulleys comprise replaceable, quick changing inner and outer pulley halves that sandwich respective central hubs therebetween to space the pulley halves to fit skimmer hoses of different cross-sectional sizes. The central hubs with attached drive and guide pulley halves are affixed to the drive shafts using a quick release nut which threads to the shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2005
    Assignee: Skimtech, Inc.
    Inventors: Blake W. Rhein, Frances L. Deley, Jr.
  • Patent number: 6960294
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatus for separation of solids from liquids and separation of liquids from liquids (such as oil from water) by dissolved gas floatation. A dissolved gas floatation clarifier is described as is a liquid-gas mixer, a liquid-liquid mixer, and solid-liquid chemical feeders. The methods and apparatus of the present invention are particularly suitable for supplying dissolved air and mixing of chemicals for use in separation of solids in dissolved air floatation clarifiers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Hydrotreat, Inc.
    Inventor: Johnny Arnaud
  • Patent number: 6887387
    Abstract: A skimmer for removing oil and paramagnetic chips from a contaminated body of machine tool coolant. The skimmer includes a frame and an endless tube partially trained within the frame that defines a travel path. The path of the tube includes a first section within the body of coolant and a second section out of the body of coolant. The skimmer further includes a magnet disposed within the tube, a drive system mounted to the frame and operatively coupled to the tube to power travel of the tube, and a wiper connected to the frame at a position along the travel path. The wiper is advantageously positioned adjacent to the tube such that the wiper removes oil and metal chips carried by the tube. A receptacle is includes that delineates a collection space positioned below the wiper to receive oil and metal chips.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Abanaki Corporation
    Inventor: Mark T. Hobson
  • Patent number: 6868974
    Abstract: For increasing the capacity of a continuously operating sedimentation filtration device, the processing liquid to be cleaned is supplied before or adjacent to the filter body on opposed sides into the sedimentation container. Underneath the filter body, a comparatively high settling chamber is formed and between the filter body and the supply lines a separating plate is provided so that the processing liquid to be cleaned is guided mandatorily into the settling chamber. The cross-sections of the supply lines provided on opposed said are comparatively large so that only minimal flow velocities of the incoming medium will occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2005
    Inventor: Klaus Hoffmann
  • Publication number: 20040211733
    Abstract: A grit removal device, as may be used in a water or wastewater treatment plant, has a vortex grit collector and a mechanical conveyor for removing the grit from the collector. The grit collector includes a tank having an influent channel and an effluent channel, and a stirrer or other mechanism for inducing vortex flow within the tank. The tank has a sump located beneath it, wherein grit settles. A mechanical conveyor, such as a rotating screw, removes and dewaters grit from the sump to an exterior location. The conveyor is preferably offset from the horizontal. The invention also includes a method of grit removal employing the device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventor: Charles M. Schloss
  • Publication number: 20040065628
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for separating solid particles from a fluid. One preferred embodiment includes a tank for settling particles out of the fluid, a conical chamber at the bottom of the tank, an outlet connected to conical chamber, and a conical auger within the conical chamber. The tank may have a tangential inlet that creates a fluid circulation that exerts a centrifugal force on the solid particles to increase the settling of particles out of the fluid. The tank may have a static spiral on the inner wall that helps small particles coalesce into larger particles that settle faster out of the fluid. The fluid content of the solids removed from the tank may be controlled by varying the rotational speed of the conical auger. The rotational speed of the conical auger may be varied depending on the torque required to rotate the conical auger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Applicant: M-I L.L.C.
    Inventors: Gary Fout, Neale Browne
  • Patent number: 6685830
    Abstract: Device and process for separation of absorbent/floating material from product mixes by means of float/sink separation with a float/sink separator which exhibits a separator tank filled with a liquid separating medium, in which context there are provided devices for generation of a surface flow in the separating medium, which propel the absorbent/floating material as a floating fraction from a pickup point of the product mix to an output point for the floating fraction, along the surface of the separating medium, at such a speed as to inhibit absorption of the separating medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Bernhard Hartleitner, Siegfried Kreibe, Thorsten Pitschke, Josef Wagner, Xaver Deisser
  • Patent number: 6676833
    Abstract: A grit-and-grease removal system includes a grit channel for degritting water by promoting settling of grit to the bottom of the channel, the grit being removed from the bottom of the channel by a traveling bridge-type grit removal device supporting a submerged grit pump. The system further includes an elongate grease channel arranged to receive degritted water from the grit channel, and having a plurality of grease skimmer pipes extending across the channel above the water level. The grease skimmer pipes are spaced apart along the length of the grease channel, and each grease skimmer pipe includes a plurality of fluid discharge orifices or nozzles spaced along the length of the pipe and oriented to blow fluid obliquely onto the water surface in the direction of a discharge end of the grease channel so as to move grease floating on the surface to the discharge end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Schreiber Corporation
    Inventor: William Earl Castleberry
  • Publication number: 20030116500
    Abstract: For increasing the capacity of a continuously operating sedimentation filtration device, the processing liquid to be cleaned is supplied before or adjacent to the filter body on opposed sides into the sedimentation container. Underneath the filter body, a comparatively high settling chamber is formed and between the filter body and the supply lines a separating plate is provided so that the processing liquid to be cleaned is guided mandatorily into the settling chamber . The cross-sections of the supply lines provided on opposed sides are comparatively large so that only minimal flow velocities of the incoming medium will occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Publication date: June 26, 2003
    Inventor: Klaus Hoffmann
  • Patent number: 6571959
    Abstract: An improved coolant cleaning method, system, and apparatus, are provided through the use of a filter disk assembly that defines and is rotatable about an axis of rotation of the disk, for removing particulate matter from a fluid flowing through the filter disk assembly in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the filter disk assembly. A coolant cleaning system includes such a filter disk assembly, connected in fluid communication with an apparatus for circulating a flow of fluid through the filter disk assembly in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the filter disk assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Inventors: Robin C. Moore, David M. Dambek
  • Patent number: 6551516
    Abstract: A grit-and-grease removal system includes a grit channel for degritting water by promoting settling of grit to the bottom of the channel, the grit being removed from the bottom of the channel by a traveling bridge-type grit removal device supporting a submerged grit pump. The system further includes an elongate grease channel arranged to receive degritted water from the grit channel, and having a plurality of grease skimmer pipes extending across the channel above the water level. The grease skimmer pipes are spaced apart along the length of the grease channel, and each grease skimmer pipe includes a plurality of fluid discharge orifices or nozzles spaced along the length of the pipe and oriented to blow fluid obliquely onto the water surface in the direction of a discharge end of the grease channel so as to move grease floating on the surface to the discharge end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Schreiber Corporation, Inc.
    Inventor: William Earl Castleberry
  • Patent number: 6511597
    Abstract: A chip discharge conveyor system includes a partition plate disposed below a discharge run of a circulating endless hinged belt in confronted relation to the discharge belt run along the length thereof. Outer cleats are attached to an outer circumferential surface of the hinged belt, and inner cleats are attached to an inner circumferential surface of the hinged belt. At a conveyor tail end where the hinged belt makes an upward turn, small chips, which have been caught on a return run of the hinged belt, are transferred to the partition plate while they are held by and between a cylindrical member and the hinged belt. The small chips are subsequently conveyed along the partition plate and finally discharged outside a used coolant treatment tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Tsubakimoto Mayfran,. Inc.
    Inventors: Ryuichi Hori, Shigenori Matsuoka, Kenichi Endo
  • Publication number: 20020166808
    Abstract: A chip discharge conveyor system includes a partition plate disposed below a discharge run of a circulating endless hinged belt in confronted relation to the discharge belt run along the length thereof. Outer cleats are attached to an outer circumferential surface of the hinged belt, and inner cleats are attached to an inner circumferential surface of the hinged belt. At a conveyor tail end where the hinged belt makes an upward turn, small chips, which have been caught on a return run of the hinged belt, are transferred to the partition plate while they are held by and between a cylindrical member and the hinged belt. The small chips are subsequently conveyed along the partition plate and finally discharged outside a used coolant treatment tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Ryuichi Hori, Shigenori Matsuoka, Kenichi Endo