Apparatus for emptying and refilling liquid in a reservoir

Claim 2

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir comprising liquid discharge means having a plurality of downflow tubes extending vertically and having separate intake means at the upper end and having common discharge means at the lower end, a member having a plurality of passages and extending vertically and fitting over said downflow tubes, said passages having closed upper ends above said reservoir, said downflow tubes and said passages have substantially equal cross sectional areas, buoyant, liquid impervious means for raising the level of liquid to start a siphoning action to discharge liquid from the reservoir, actuating means for forcing said buoyant means into the liquid to raise the liquid level, and discharge means stopping the discharge on the liquid level dropping below the lower open ends of said passages.

Claim 3

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir comprising liquid discharge means having a plurality of downflow tubes extending vertically and having separate intake means at the upper end and having common discharge means at the lower end, a member having a plurality of passages and extending vertically and fitting over said downflow tubes, said passages having closed upper ends above said downflow tubes and lower ends open for passage of liquid from said reservoir, and first buoyant liquid impervious means for raising the level of liquid to start a siphoning action to discharge liquid from the reservoir actuating means for forcing said buoyant means into the liquid to raise the liquid level, and second liquid impervious means at a level above and below said intake means and extending at said level to restrict in cooperation with said buoyant liquid impervious means the free liquid surface at said level for minimizing the amount of liquid required to be displaced by said buoyant means to raise the liquid level above said intake means, and said discharge means stopping the discharge on the liquid level dropping below the lower open ends of said passages.

Claim 4

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir comprising liquid discharge means having a plurality of downflow tubes extending vertically and having separate intake means at the upper end and having common discharge means at the lower end, a member having a plurality of passages and extending vertically and fitting over said downflow tubes, said passages having closed upper ends above said downflow tubes and lower ends open for passage of liquid from said reservoir, and first buoyant liquid impervious means for raising the level of liquid to start a siphoning action to discharge liquid from the reservoir actuating means for forcing said buoyant means into the liquid to raise the liquid level, and second liquid impervious means at a level above and below said intake means and extending at said level to restrict in cooperation with said buoyant liquid impervious means the free liquid surface at said level for minimizing the amount of liquid required to be displaced by said buoyant means to raise the liquid level above said intake means, and said discharge means stopping the discharge on the liquid level dropping below the lower open ends of said passages.

Claim 5

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir as set forth in claim 2 wherein there is an upflow passage for each downflow tube.

Claim 6

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir as set forth in claim 3 wherein said upflow passage member has liquid passing means interconnectiong adjacent passages.

Claim 7

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir as set forth in claim 3 wherein said member has a bottom forming lower open ends with said passages, said lower open ends and said surface have notches interconnecting adjacent passages for distribution of liquid between the passages.

Claim 8

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir comprising liquid discharge means having a vertical inner tubular member forming an iNner space and with a top edge means and having a vertical outer tubular member around said inner tubular member and forming an outer annular space therewith, radially extending partition means separating said inner space into vertical downflow passages and said outer annular space into upflow passages, a wall closing the upper end of said outer tubular member and spaced from said inner tubular member to form openings with said top edge means from said upflow passages to said respective down flow passages, buoyant liquid impervious means for raising the level of liquid on further immersion to start a siphoning action to discharge liquid from the reservoir, a second impervious means at a level above and below said top edge means and extending at said level to restrict in cooperation with said buoyant liquid impervious means the free liquid surface at said level for minimizing the amount of liquid required to be displaced by said liquid impervious means to raise the liquid level above said top edge means and said outer tubular member having inlet means at the bottom thereof passing the liquid to said upflow passages and disrupting the siphoning action on the liquid level dropping below said inlet means.

Claim 9

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir comprising liquid discharge means having a vertical inner tubular member forming an iNner space and with a top edge means and having a vertical outer tubular member around said inner tubular member and forming an outer annular space therewith, radially extending partition means separating said inner space into vertical downflow passages and said outer annular space into upflow passages, a wall closing the upper end of said outer tubular member and spaced from said inner tubular member to form openings with said top edge means from said upflow passages to said respective down flow passages, buoyant liquid impervious means for raising the level of liquid on further immersion to start a siphoning action to discharge liquid from the reservoir, a second impervious means at a level above and below said top edge means and extending at said level to restrict in cooperation with said buoyant liquid impervious means the free liquid surface at said level for minimizing the amount of liquid required to be displaced by said liquid impervious means to raise the liquid level above said top edge means and said outer tubular member having inlet means at the bottom thereof passing the liquid to said upflow passages and disrupting the siphoning action on the liquid level dropping below said inlet means.

Claim 10

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir as set forth in claim 6 wherein said partition means separates said spaces into an equal number of upflow passages and downflow tubes.

Claim 11

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir as set forth in claim 7 wherein upflow passages and downflow tubes have substantially equal cross-sections.

Claim 12

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir comprising liquid discharge means having a plurality of downflow tubes extending vertically and having separate intake means at the upper end and having common discharge means at the lower end, a member having a plurality of upflow passages and extending vertically and fitting over said downflow tubes, said passages having closed upper ends above said downflow tubes and lower ends open for passage of liquid from said reservoir, said upflow passage member having liquid passing means interconnecting adjacent passages, means for raising the level of liquid to start a siphoning action to discharge liquid from the reservoir, and discharge means stopping the discharge on the liquid level dropping below the lower open ends of said upflow passages.

Claim 13

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir comprising liquid discharge means having a plurality of downflow tubes extending vertically and having separate intake means at the upper end and having common discharge means at the lower end, a member having a plurality of upflow passages and extending vertically and fitting over said downflow tubes, said passages having closed upper ends above said downflow tubes and lower ends open for passage of liquid from said reservoir, said upflow passage member having liquid passing means interconnecting adjacent passages, means for raising the level of liquid to start a siphoning action to discharge liquid from the reservoir, and discharge means stopping the discharge on the liquid level dropping below the lower open ends of said upflow passages.

Claim 14

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir as set forth in claim 9 wherein said member has a bottom forming lower open ends with said passages, said lower open ends and said surface has notches interconnecting adjacent passages for distribution of liquid between the passages.

Claim 15

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir comprising liquid discharge means having downflow tubular means extending vertically and having an intake means at the upper end and having discharge means at the lower end, a member extending vertically and fitting over said downflow tubular means, said member being closed the upper end above said downflow tubular means and open at the lower end for passage of liquid from said reservoir into said member and to the upper end of said downflow tubular means, and buoyant liquid impervious means for raising the level of liquid to start a siphoning action to discharge liquid from the reservoir actuating means for forcing said buoyant means into the liquid to raise the liquid level, and water impervious means at a level above and below said intake means and extending at said level to restrict in cooperation with said buoyant liquid impervious means the free liquid surface at said level for minimizing the amount of liquid required to be displaced by said buoyant means to raise the liquid level above said intake means, and said discharge means stopping the discharge on the liquid level dropping below the lower open end of said member.

Claim 16

Apparatus for discharging liquid from a reservoir comprising liquid discharge means having downflow tubular means extending vertically and having an intake means at the upper end and having discharge means at the lower end, a member extending vertically and fitting over said downflow tubular means, said member being closed the upper end above said downflow tubular means and open at the lower end for passage of liquid from said reservoir into said member and to the upper end of said downflow tubular means, and buoyant liquid impervious means for raising the level of liquid to start a siphoning action to discharge liquid from the reservoir actuating means for forcing said buoyant means into the liquid to raise the liquid level, and water impervious means at a level above and below said intake means and extending at said level to restrict in cooperation with said buoyant liquid impervious means the free liquid surface at said level for minimizing the amount of liquid required to be displaced by said buoyant means to raise the liquid level above said intake means, and said discharge means stopping the discharge on the liquid level dropping below the lower open end of said member.