Deaerating apparatus

Claim 1

LIQUID DEGASIFYING APPARATUS COMPRISING: A DEGASIFICATION TANK FOR CONTAINING A BATCH OF LIQUID WHICH IS TO BE DESASIFIED; VENT VALVE MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE TOP OF SAID TANK FOR SEALING SAID TANK AGAINST INGRESS OF FLUID WHEN CLSED AND FOR PASSING GASES OUT OF SAID TANK WHEN OPEN; A LIQUID RECEIVING CONDUIT FOR RECEIVING LIQUID FROM SAID TANK; AND MEANS FOR PRODUCING A VACUUM IN SAID TANK THEREBY TO DEGASIFY LIQUID IN SAID TANK AND FOR CONDUCTING SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY DEGASIFIED LIQUID FROM SAID TANK TO SAID LIQUID RECEIVING CONDUIT, SAID MEANS INCLUDING A PUMP FOR WITHDRAWING LIQUID FROM SAID TANK WHEREBY WHEN SAID VENT VALVE MEANS IS CLOSED A DEGASIFYING VACUUM MAY BE PRODUCED IN SAID TANK, SAID PUMP HAVING AN INLET DISPOSED BELOW THE LIQUID LEVEL IN SAID TANK AND AN OUTLET, SAID OUTLET BEING CONNECTED TO SAID LIQUID RECEIVING CONDUIT, A HOLDUP TANK OF LESSER VOLUME THAN SAID DEGASFICATION TANK AND HAVING AN UPPER AND A LOWER PORTION, SAID LOWER PORTION CONTAINING A LIQUID AND BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID LIQUID RECEIVING CONDUIT, SAID UPPER PORTION CONTAINING A GAS CUSHION COMPRESSIBLE BY LIQUID IN SAID LOWER PORTION AND SEALED FROM THE ATMOSPHERE; AND A LIQUID CONTROL VALVE IN SAID LIQUID RECEIVING CONDUIT AND LOCATED MORE REMOTELY FROM SAID PUMP THEN THE POINT OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID CONDUIT AND SAID HOLDUP TANK; WHEREBY WHEN SAID VENT VALVE AND CONTROL VALVE ARE CLOSED AND SAID PUMP IS OPERATED, THE FIRST-PUMPED PORTION OF LIQUID WHICH IS WITHDRAWN LIQUID FROM SAID DEGASIFICATION TANK IS FORCED INTO SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID HOLDUP TANK AGAINST SAID GAS CUSHION AND WHEREBY WHEN SAID LIQUID CONTROL VALVE IS SUBSEQUENTLY OPENED, SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETELY DEGASIFIED LIQUID IS PASSED FROM SAID DEGASIFICATION TANK THROUGH SAID LIQUID CONTROL VALVE.