Mechanical sludge collector and thickener

Claim 2

A sludge collector for settling tanks and the like having a lower portion defined by downwardly and inwardly inclined walls, said collector comprising: eductor pipe means for mounting within a tank, said eductor pipe means having an inlet at a lower end portion thereof for admitting sludge to be removed from the tank; wiper arm assembly means carried by said eductor pipe means, said wiper arm assembly means having wiper arm means extending radially out from said eductor pipe means during operation of said sludge collector, the outer ends of said wiper arm means having chainlike means depending therefrom to an extent such that the chainlike means lie parallel to the inclined walls and parallel thereto for scraping the same; and drive means for effecting movement of said wiper arm means through a specific arc to cause said chainlike means to scrape said interior surface of the tank.

Claim 3

In the sludge collector of claim 1: said drive means comprising means for reciprocally driving said wiper arm means through a specific arc.

Claim 4

A sludge collector as in claim 2 wherein the inclined walls of the tank are flat whereby the reciprocation of the wiper arm means drags the chainlike means into and out of the corners defined by adjacent inclineD walls.

Claim 5

A sludge collector for settling tanks and the like comprising: eductor pipe means for mounting within a tank, said eductor pipe means having an inlet at a lower end portion thereof for admitting sludge to be removed from the tank, and said eductor pipe means having airlift pump means therein for pumping sludge through said eductor pipe means to discharge means; wiper arm assembly means carried by said eductor pipe means, said wiper arm assembly means comprising a plurality of radially extending wiper arm means pivotally mounted at their radially innermost end portions to a drive sleeve carried on said eductor pipe means, said wiper arm means having chainlike means depending therefrom for scraping the interior surface of the tank, and said wiper arm assembly means comprising retaining means for normally maintaining said wiper arm means in radially extended positions whereby said wiper arm means can be pivoted from a radially extended position during the operation of said sludge collector to a position extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the eductor pipe means to facilitate removal of the wiper arm assembly means for the tank; and drive means for effecting reciprocal movement of said wiper arm through a specified arc to cause said chainlike means of said wiper arm means to scrape the interior surface of a tank.

Claim 6

A sludge collector for settling tanks and the like comprising: eductor pipe means for mounting within a tank, said eductor pipe means having an inlet at a lower end portion thereof for admitting sludge to be removed from the tank, and said eductor pipe means having airlift pump means therein for pumping sludge through said eductor pipe means to discharge means; wiper arm assembly means carried by said eductor pipe means, said wiper arm assembly means comprising a plurality of radially extending wiper arm means pivotally mounted at their radially innermost end portions to a drive sleeve carried on said eductor pipe means, said wiper arm means having chainlike means depending therefrom for scraping the interior surface of the tank, and said wiper arm assembly means comprising retaining means for normally maintaining said wiper arm means in radially extended positions whereby said wiper arm means can be pivoted from a radially extended position during the operation of said sludge collector to a position extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the eductor pipe means to facilitate removal of the wiper arm assembly means for the tank; and drive means for effecting reciprocal movement of said wiper arm through a specified arc to cause said chainlike means of said wiper arm means to scrape the interior surface of a tank.

Claim 7

In the sludge collector of claim 4: said wiper arm means comprising wiper arms having differing lengths.

Claim 8

A sludge collector for settling tanks and the like comprising: eductor pipe means for mounting within a tank, said eductor pipe means having an inlet at a lower end portion thereof for admitting sludge to be removed from the tank; wiper arm assembly means carried by said eductor pipe means, said wiper arm assembly means having wiper arm means extending radially out from said eductor pipe means during operation of said sludge collector, said wiper arm means having chainlike means depending therefrom for scraping an interior surface of the tank, said chainlike means having lower end portions thereof secured to a bracket means carried by said eductor pipe means at the lower end portion thereof; and drive means for effecting movement of said wiper arm means through a specific arc to cause said chainlike means to scrape said interior surface of the tank.

Claim 9

A sludge collector for settling tanks and the like comprising: eductor pipe means for mounting within a tank, said eductor pipe means having an inlet at a lower end portion thereof for admitting sludge to be removed from the tank; wiper arm assembly means carried by said eductor pipe means, said wiper arm assembly means having wiper arm means extending radially out from said eductor pipe means during operation of said sludge collector, said wiper arm means having chainlike means depending therefrom for scraping an interior surface of the tank, said chainlike means having lower end portions thereof secured to a bracket means carried by said eductor pipe means at the lower end portion thereof; and drive means for effecting movement of said wiper arm means through a specific arc to cause said chainlike means to scrape said interior surface of the tank.

Claim 10

A sludge collector for settling tanks and the like comprising: eductor pipe means for mounting within a tank, said eductor pipe means having an inlet at a lower end portion thereof for admitting sludge to be removed from the tank; wiper arm assembly means carried by said eductor pipe means, said wiper arm assembly means having wiper arm means extending radially out from said eductor pipe means during operation of said sludge collector, said wiper arm means having chainlike means depending therefrom for scraping an interior surface of the tank, said wiper arm assembly means comprising a plurality of radially extending wiper arm means pivotally mounted at their radially innermost end portions on a drive sleeve carried by said eductor pipe means and said wiper arm assembly means comprising retaining means for normally maintaining said wiper arm means in radially extended positions whereby said wiper arm means can be pivoted from a radially extended position during the operating of said sludge collector to a position extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the eductor pipe means to facilitate removal of said wiper arm assembly means from a tank; and drive means for effecting movement of said wiper arm means through a specific arc to cause said chainlike means to scrape said interior surface of the tank.

Claim 11

A sludge collector for settling tanks and the like comprising: eductor pipe means for mounting within a tank, said eductor pipe means having an inlet at a lower end portion thereof for admitting sludge to be removed from the tank; wiper arm assembly means carried by said eductor pipe means, said wiper arm assembly means having wiper arm means extending radially out from said eductor pipe means during operation of said sludge collector, said wiper arm means having chainlike means depending therefrom for scraping an interior surface of the tank, said wiper arm assembly means comprising a plurality of radially extending wiper arm means pivotally mounted at their radially innermost end portions on a drive sleeve carried by said eductor pipe means and said wiper arm assembly means comprising retaining means for normally maintaining said wiper arm means in radially extended positions whereby said wiper arm means can be pivoted from a radially extended position during the operating of said sludge collector to a position extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the eductor pipe means to facilitate removal of said wiper arm assembly means from a tank; and drive means for effecting movement of said wiper arm means through a specific arc to cause said chainlike means to scrape said interior surface of the tank.

Claim 12

In the sludge collector of claim 7: said retaining means comprising a collar means axially slidable relative to said drive sleeve means and extensions on said wiper arm means which are retained between said drive sleeve means and said collar means during the operation of said sludge collector.