Upflow clarifier apparatus

Claim 1

IN AN UPFLOW LIME-REACTING WATER SOFTENING APPARATUS, AN INVERTED CONICAL REACTION TANK HAVING AN OPENING AT THE APEX THEREOF AND HAVING A CHAMBER FOR INTERMIXING AND REACTING HARD WATER AND LIME THEREIN TO FORM A SUSPENDED PRECIPITATE, A CYLINDRICAL RECIRCULATION TANK HAVING A CHAMBER THEREIN AND BEING DISPOSED BELOW SAID REACTION TANK, SAID RECIRCULATION TANK BAING OF STANTIALLY LARGER DIAMETER THAN THE OPENING OF SAID REACTION TANK AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID REACTION TANK THROUGH SAID OPENING, SAID RECIRCULATION TANK BEING OF SUFFICIENT VOLUME TO ACCOMMODATE ALL OF THE PRECIPITATE DISPOSED AT ANY GIVEN TIME OF NORMAL OPERATION WITHIN SAID REACTION CHAMBER, SAID RECIRCULATION TANK BEING EQUIPPED WITH AT LEAST ONE ANGULARLY DISPOSED INFLOW CONDUIT IN AN UPPER WALL PORTION THEREOF FOR DIRECTING A STREAM OF LIQUID INWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID RECIRCULATION CHAMBER, SAID RECIRCULATION TANK ALSO BEING PROVIDED WITH A DISCHARGE OPENING AT THE LOWERMOST PORTION THEREOF FOR THE REMOVAL OF PRECIPIATE FROM SAID RECIRCULATION CHAMBER DURING INTERRUPTION IN THE OPERATION OF SAID APPARATUS, WHEREBY, WHEN A WATER SOFTENING OPERATION IS TEMPORARILY DISONTINUED ALL OF THE PRECIPIATE IN SAID REACTION TANK SETTLES INTO SAID RECIRCULATION CHAMBER FOR REMOVAL OF A PORTION OF SAID PRECIPIATE THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE OPENING, AND WHEN WATER SOFTENING OPERATION IS THEREAFTER RESUMED THE STREAM OF LIQUID THROUGH THE FLOW CONDUIT OF SAID RECIRCULATION TANK AGITATES THE PRECIPITATE REMAINING THEREIN AND CIRCULATES SAME BACK INTO SAID REACTION TANK.