Shrouded drum skimmer

Claim 2

Apparatus for separating from a liquid substances of differing polar characteristics comprising, in combination; a drum rotatable about an axis of rotation, said drum being partially submerged within the liquid with a portion thereof disposed above the surface level of the liquid; a fixed positioned shroud disposed adjacent to and radially from a portion of the peripheral surface of the drum and spaced therefrom to form a confined passageway between the drum and the shroud, the passageway beginning at a first end of said shroud beneath the surface level of the liquid and ending at a second end of said shroud above the surface level of the liquid, said drum being rotatable in a direction to sweep from said first end of said shroud toward the second end of said shroud, said shroud extending longitudinally relative to said drum and having a central axis disposed parallel with the axis of rotation for said drum, said shroud being symmetrical about its centerline and forming an arcuate member positioned adjacent to the peripheral surface of said drum, whereby the upward path of travel of said drum below the level of the liquid sweeps past said shroud, said shroud further including confronting semi-cylindrical end plates at the opposite ends of said arcuate member, said arcuate member defining an arcuate surface of ninety degrees; and a baffle member extending laterally from said shroud adjacent to the first end thereof, said baffle member extending substantially the full longitudinal length of said shroud, said baffle member further extending from said shroud member in a direction radially away from said drum.

Claim 3

Apparatus for skimming off a layer of material such as oil or the like floating on the surface of a heavier body of liquid such as water, said apparatus being of the type comprising a rotating drum partially immersed in the liquid with means above the surface of the liquid for scraping off floating material picked up by the drum; the improvement comprising a shroud fixed adjacent to a portion of the peripheral surface of the drum, said shroud including an arcuate member that is radially spaced from but adjacent to the periphery of the drum to form a confined passageway between the drum and the arcuate member, said arcuate member extending longitudinally of the drum with its central axis parallel to the axis of drum rotation, said arcuate member defining an arcuate surface having an extent of not substantially less than ninety degrees, said arcuate member having a lower end positioned beneath the surface of the liquid and having an upper end positioned above the surface level of the liquid, said confined passageway beginning at the lower end of said arcuate member and ending at the upper end thereof, means for rotating said drum in a direction to sweep said separated material upwardly from the lower end of said arcuate member toward the upper end thereof and through said confined passageway, said drum carrying said separated material above the surface level of the liquid, said shroud including confronting end plates at the opposite ends of said arcuate member which end plates encompass the lower portions of the ends of said drum, said shroud including a baffle member extending substantially the full length of said arcuate member and projecting from adjacent said lower end of the arcuate member in a direction radially away from the drum.

Claim 4

Apparatus for skimming off a layer of material such as oil or the like floating on the surface of a heavier body of liquid such as water, said apparatus being of the type comprising a rotating drum partially immersed in the liquid with means above the surface of the liquid for scraping off floating material picked up by the drum; the improvement comprising a shroud fixed adjacent to a portion of the peripheral surface of the drum, said shroud including an arcuate member that is radially spaced from but adjacent to the periphery of the drum to form a confined passageway between the drum and the arcuate member, said arcuate member extending longitudinally of the drum with its central axis parallel to the axis of drum rotation, said arcuate member defining an arcuate surface having an extent of not substantially less than ninety degrees, said arcuate member having a lower end positioned beneath the surface of the liquid and having an upper end positioned above the surface level of the liquid, said confined passageway beginning at the lower end of said arcuate member and ending at the upper end thereof, means for rotating said drum in a direction to sweep said separated material upwardly from the lower end of said arcuate member toward the upper end thereof and through said confined passageway, said drum carrying said separated material above the surface level of the liquid, said shroud including confronting end plates at the opposite ends of said arcuate member which end plates encompass the lower portions of the ends of said drum, said shroud including a baffle member extending substantially the full length of said arcuate member and projecting from adjacent said lower end of the arcuate member in a direction radially away from the drum.