Multiple-drum interceptor

Claim 2

The sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said intercepting and separating means includes a housing having an inlet port in communication with said conduit outlet port and a discharge port in said housing spaced from said inlet port for discharging the separated liquid fractions from said housing.

Claim 3

The sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 3, which further includes a solids discharge conduit for receiving and separately disposing of the solid waste matter from the separating means.

Claim 4

The sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said intercepting and receiving devices include a plurality of movable intermeshed interceptors positioned in solid-liquid sewage waste receiving relationship with said conduit, each of said interceptors being disposed in substantially linear and intermeshed relationship with respect to the next adjacent interceptor, means for moving said interceptors to move the solids deposited thereon sequentially from the first interceptor located to secure said sewage mixture from said conduit to each next adjacent interceptor and finally to a terminal interceptor in order to permit the phased separation of the solid waste fraction from the liquid waste fraction thereby to reduce substantially the moisture content of the solid waste fraction.

Claim 5

The sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 5, wherein each of said interceptors comprises a drum rotatably disposed within said receiving means, said drum having a shaft and a plurality of axially aligned spaced-apart discs disposed along the length of said shaft, said shaft extending between and centrally positioned on said discs and having the respective ends thereof extending outwardly beyond the outer surfaces of the terminal discs for rotatably mounting said drum.

Claim 6

The sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 6, wherein a first drum is disposed in intercepting and separating relationship with respect to said conduit, and wherein a terminal drum is disposed for depositing the solid waste matter separately from the liquid waste matter through a discharge means located adjacent said terminal drum.

Claim 7

A sewage-separating system for phased separating of the solid-liquid fractions of a solid-liquid sewage mixture to substantially reduce the moisture content of the solid fractions thereof between the point of origin of the sewage mixture and the point of final treatment of the sewage mixture comprising, a solid-liquid sewage mixture carrying conduit, receiving means connected to said conduit for intercepting and receiving the solid-liquid sewage mixture from said conduit at a point spaced from the point of origin of the sewage mixture and from the point of final treatment of the sewage mixture, said receiving means including deposition means for receiving solid waste matter discharged separately from the liquid waste matter and means for carrying the liquid waste matter away from said receiving means separately from the solid waste matter, a plurality of intermeshed drums rotatably disposed within said receiving means and having at least a first drum positioned in solid-liquid sewage waste receiving relationship with said conduit and a terminal drum positioned in depositing relationship with said deposition means, each of the drums being disposed in substantially linear intermeshed relationship with respect to the next adjacent drum, each of said drums including a shaft and a plurality of axially aligned spaced-apart discs mounted on said shaft along the length thereof, and means for rotatably moving said drums, whereby the solid-liquid sewage mixture enters said receiving means through said conduit and is intercepted by said first drum, the solid waste matter being retained upon said first drum while the liquid waste matter gravitates from said drum to the bottom of said receiving means, and the partially filtered solid matter then being transferred to the next adjacent drum by the rotational movement of said first drum whereupon additional portions of the liquid waste matter are permitted to gravitate from said drum, and the further-filtered solid waste matter ultimately being transferred to said terminal drum whereupon additional portions of the liquid waste matter are permitted to gravitate from said drum, and finally the substantially filtered solid waste matter being deposited in the deposition means by the rotational movement of said terminal drum.

Claim 8

The sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 8, wherein the discs of each of the respective drums are disposed in meshed relationship with the discs of the next adjacent drum thereby to provide a wiping action between the respective discs in adjacent drums.

Claim 9

The sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 9, wherein the receiving means further includes an inlet baffle angularly disposed adjacent to said conduit and extending across the breadth of said receiving means whereby the solid-liquid sewage mixture is directed into impacting relationship with said first drum.

Claim 10

The sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said receiving means further includes a flexible splash flap spaced from said inlet baffle and disposed adjacent to the top end of said receiving means and extending downwardly over and in slight contact with the periphery of the respective drum thereby substantially to confine the solid-liquid waste mixture initially between said inlet baffle and said splash flap.

Claim 11

A sewage-separating system for phased separating of the solid-liquid fractions of a solid-liquid sewage mixture to substantially reduce the moisture content of the solid fraction thereof between the point of origin of the sewage mixture and the point of final treatment of the sewage mixture comprising, a solid-liquid sewage mixture carrying conduit having a conduit inlet port in commUnication with the point of deposition of the waste matter for receiving the solid-liquid sewage mixture therein and a conduit outlet port spaced from said inlet port for discharging the solid-liquid sewage matter therefrom, a housing having an inlet port in communication with said conduit outlet port for receiving the solid-liquid sewage mixture therein and a discharge port spaced from said inlet port for discharging the filtered liquid therefrom, the housing further including a solids discharge conduit for receiving the solid waste matter therein, a plurality of intermeshed drums rotatably disposed within said housing and having at least a first drum positioned in solid-liquid sewage waste receiving relationship with said receiving port of said housing and a terminal drum in solid waste matter depositing relationship with respect to said solids discharge conduit, each of said drums being disposed in substantially linear intermeshed relationship with respect to the next adjacent drum to permit sequential transfer of said solid fractions from one drum to the next drum to said solids discharge conduit, each of said drums including a shaft and a plurality of axially aligned spaced-apart discs, disposed along the length of said shaft, and means for rotatably moving said drums, whereby a solid-liquid sewage mixture enters said housing through said inlet port and impacts against and in intercepted by the first drum disposed therebeneath, the solid fractions remaining on the drum which the liquid fractions gravitate from the drum between the respective discs thereof to the bottom of the housing, the partially filtered solid fractions then being transferred to a second drum by the rotational movement of said first drum whereupon additional portions of the liquid fractions are permitted to gravitate from said drum between the respective discs thereof to the bottom of the housing, and the further-filtered solid fractions finally being transferred to a terminal drum whereupon additional portions of the liquid fractions are permitted to gravitate from said drum between the respective discs thereof to the bottom of said housing, and finally the substantially filtered solid fractions being deposited in said solids discharge conduit by the rotational movement of said terminal drum thereby to permit the liquid fractions to be discharged from the housing through the discharge port and the solid fractions to be discharged from the housing separately in said solids discharge conduit.

Claim 12

A sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said second drum includes drive means for rotating said drum at a predetermined speed, said second drum being rotatably connected to the remaining drums in order to drive said drums in response to the rotating movement of said second drum.

Claim 13

A sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 13, wherein all of said drums rotate at the same predetermined speed, and in the same rotational direction.

Claim 14

A sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said drive means for said second drum includes a chain and sprocket assembly, which is, in turn, driven by a motor and the remaining drums are connected to said second drum by a series of additional chain and sprocket assemblies which are responsive to the rotational movement of said second drum.

Claim 15

A sewage-separating system for the phases separating of the solid-liquid fractions of a solid-liquid sewage mixture to substantially reduce the moisture content of the solid fraction thereof between the point of origin of the sewage mixture comprising, a solid-liquid sewage mixture carrying conduit having a conduit inlet port in communication with the point of deposition of the waste matter for receiving the solid-liquid sewage mixture therein and a conduit outlet port spaced from said conduit inlet port for discharging the solid-liquid sewage matter therefrom, a housing having an inlet port in communication with said conduit outlet port for receiving the solid-liquid sewage mixture therein And a discharge port spaced from said receiving port for discharging the filtered liquid therefrom, said housing including a solids discharge conduit for receiving the solid waste matter therein, the housing further including an inlet baffle angularly disposed adjacent to said inlet port and extending across the breadth of said housing, and a flexible splash flap spaced from said inlet baffle and disposed adjacent to the top end of said housing and extending downwardly to a point in approximate horizontal alignment with the lower end of said inlet baffle thereby substantially to confine the solid-liquid sewage mixture initially between said inlet baffle and said flexible splash flap, a plurality of intermeshed drums rotatably disposed within said housing and having at least a first drum positioned in solid-liquid sewage waste receiving relationship with said receiving port of said housing and a terminal drum in solid waster matter depositing relationship with respect to said solids discharge conduit, each of said drums being disposed in substantially linear intermeshed relationship with respect to the next adjacent drum to permit transfer of said solid fractions from each of said drums to the terminal drum and from the terminal drum to said solids discharge conduit, each of said drums including a shaft and a plurality of axially aligned space-apart discs disposed along the length of said shaft and means for rotatably moving said drums, whereby a solid-liquid sewage mixture enters said housing through the receiving port thereof and is directed by said inlet baffle into impacting relation with said first drum disposed adjacent to said receiving port the solid fractions remaining on said drum while the liquid fractions gravitate from the drum between the respective discs thereof to the bottom of said housing and the further-filtered solid fractions finally being transferred to a terminal drum whereupon additional portions of the liquid fractions are permitted to gravitate from said drum between the respective discs thereof to the bottom of the housing, and finally, the substantially filtered solid fractions being deposited in the solids discharge conduit by the rotational movement of said terminal drum thereby to permit the liquid fractions to be discharged from the housing through the discharge port and the solid fractions to be discharged through said solids discharge conduit.

Claim 16

A sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said discharge port is disposed adjacent the bottom of said housing.

Claim 17

A sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 17, wherein the bottom wall of said housing is sloped downwardly toward said discharge port.

Claim 18

A sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said housing includes a first drum rotatably disposed therein, a central drum in linear relationship with said first drum and having the discs thereof in meshed relationship with the discs of said first drum, and a terminal drum in linear relation with said central drum having the discs thereof in meshed relationship with the discs of said central drum.

Claim 19

A sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 19, wherein a first flexible splash flap is mounted on said housing disposed adjacent to the top end thereof and extending downwardly over and in slight contact with the periphery of said central drum, and a second flexible splash flap is mounted on said housing spaced from said first flexible splash flap and disposed adjacent to the top end thereof and extending downwardly over and in slight contact with the periphery of said terminal drum, said first and second flexible splash flaps being provided to reduce the carryover of the liquid fraction due to splashing as the solid fraction is moved across the respective drums by the rotational movement thereof.

Claim 20

The sewage-separating system as set forth in claim 16 which further includes a pair of enclosure walls mounted within said housing, one enclosure wall being disposed adjacent each side edge of Respective drums and extending horizontally from said inlet baffle across to the opposing wall of said housing and vertically from a point adjacent the top wall of said housing downwardly to a point just above the upper periphery of said drums, each of said enclosure walls being sculptured to accommodate the circular periphery of each of said drums.

Claim 21

A process for phased separating of the solid and liquid fractions of a solid-liquid sewage mixture comprising, transporting a solid-liquid sewage mixture from a point of origin thereof to a point of interception thereof, disposing a plurality of movable intermeshed interceptor members in the path of the solid-liquid sewage mixture at a point spaced from the point of origin thereof insufficient to permit appreciable dissolution, suspension and disintegration of the solid fractions in the liquid fractions during transit thereof, intercepting the solid-liquid sewage waste mixture with said plurality of interceptor members, moving the first interceptor member to initiate separation of the solid fractions from the liquid fractions of the mixture whereby the solid fractions are retained on the first interceptor member while the liquid fractions gravitate away from the interceptor member to partially filter the solid fractions, transferring the solid fractions to subsequent interceptor members by the movement of the interceptor members whereby the partially filtered solid fractions are retained on the subsequent interceptor members while additional portions of the liquid fractions gravitate away from the subsequent interceptor members to substantially filter the solid fractions, discharging the substantially filtered solid fractions from the terminal interceptor member into solids-receiving means, discharging the liquid fractions separately from the area of the interceptor members, whereby the substantially filtered solid fractions are essentially free of moisture and may be treated separately from the liquid fractions thereby to facilitate sewage waste treatment.

Claim 22

A process for phased separating of a solid-liquid sewage waste mixture as set forth in claim 22, wherein each of the interceptor members comprises a drum having a shaft and a plurality of axially aligned spaced-apart discs disposed along the length of said shaft, said shaft extending between and centrally positioned on said discs and having the respective ends thereof extending outwardly beyond the outer surfaces of said discs for rotatably mounting said discs in the path of the solid-liquid sewage mixture.

Claim 23

A process for phased separating of a solid-liquid sewage mixture as set forth in claim 23, wherein a first drum is provided in the path of the solid-liquid sewage mixture whereby the solid-liquid sewage waste mixture impacts thereagainst and the solid portions thereof are retained on the respective discs of the first drum while the liquid portions of the mixture gravitate away from said first drum to initially separate the solid fractions from the liquid fractions, a central drum is provided in linear relationship with the first drum and having the discs thereof in meshed relationship with the respective discs of the first drum, the first drum being movably responsive to the movement of said central drum whereby the solid fractions are transferred from the first drum to the central drum by respective movements thereof while additional portions of the liquid fractions gravitate away from the central drum to further filter the solid fractions, and a terminal drum is provided in linear relationship with said central drum and said first drum and having the discs thereof in meshed relationship with the discs of the central drum, the terminal drum being movably responsive to the movement of said central drum, whereby the solid fractions are transferred from the central drum to the terminal drum by the respective movements thereof while additional portions of the liquid fractions gravitate away from the terminal drum to substantially filter the solid fractions, and collection means provided in receiving relationship with said terminal drum to receive the substantially filtered solid fractions therein from said terminal drum.

Claim 24

A process for phased separating of a solid-liquid sewage mixture as set forth in claim 24, wherein a first splash flap is provided disposed immediately above said central drum to minimize the liquid fractions carryover as the solid fractions are transferred from said first drum to said central drum, and a second splash flap is provided disposed immediately above said terminal drum to further minimize the liquid fractions carryover as the solid fractions are transferred from said central drum to said terminal drum.