US3693953A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method of forming a liquid curtain and thermal gradient control system
Assignee: Signet Optical Corp
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Filing: 1971-05-27
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Granted: 1972-09-26
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Expires: 1991-05-27
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus and method of forming a liquid curtain and of utilizing the same to segregate a body of fluid into distinct zones and utilize the same to provide a thermal gradient control system. Items undergoing processing can be conveyed in succession from zone to zone through the liquid curtains without interfering with the integrity of the thermal gradient. In one typical embodiment the chamber comprises a long tank of liquid portions of which are withdrawn from one edge of the curtains and returned under pressure to rows of jets along curtain edges remote from the first mentioned edge. The liquid curtains provide simple, highly effective means for isolating zones of the liquid from one another and permitting these zones to be maintained at different desired temperatures while in use to process items conveyed therethrough. The liquid may be readily maintained at different temperature gradients of both a linear and non-linear nature by appropriate use of the invention principles.
Inventors
- 👤 George H Michel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 13:19
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C35/00; B29C35/02; B29C35/04; B29C35/007; B29D; B29D11/00; B29D11/00009; B29D11/00432; B29D11/00442; B29K; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/0002; B29L; B29L2011/00; B29L2011/0016
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 46
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
That method of separating a body of confined liquid into different horizontal zones arranged in end to end relation and at distinctly different temperatures for use in heat treating an item submerged therein and passing through said zones in succession which method comprises: separating adjacent zones of said liquid from one another by a flowing curtain of said liquid extending transversely of and between the adjacent ends of said zones for a major portion of the depth thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
That method of separating a body of confined liquid into different horizontal zones arranged in end to end relation and at distinctly different temperatures for use in heat treating an item submerged therein and passing through said zones in succession which method comprises: separating adjacent zones of said liquid from one another by a flowing curtain of said liquid extending transversely of and between the adjacent ends of said zones for a major portion of the depth thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the steps of forming said liquid curtain by liquid introduced into said body of liquid for flow in a sheet-like stream of liquid flowing transversely of said body of liquid in a plane separating said adjacent zoned from one another, and simultaneously withdrawing liquid from said body thereof along an edge of said separating plane remote from the edge along which said sheet of liquid is introduced.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in forming said separating curtain of liquid of a plurality of closelyspaced vertically disposed sheet-like streams of liquid lying substantially parallel to one another.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
That method defined in claim 3 characterized in the step of passing said sheet-like streams of liquid transversely of said zones in directions generally at right angles to one another.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
That method defined in claim 4 characterized in the step of introducing said sheet-like streams of liquid into said body thereof from distribution points adjacent at least one periphery of the separating plane between said adjacent zones of liquid.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
32 words
That method defined in claim 3 characterized in that one of said sheet-like streams flows vertically between a plurality of sheet-like streams flowing generally horizontally transversely between said adjacent zones of liquid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
That method defined in claim 3 characterized in the step of dispersing some of the liquid from said horizontally flowing streams away from one another and into the adjacent one of said zones.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
That method defined in claim 7 characterized in the step of introducing jets of liquid into at least certain ones of said zones To circulate liquid in said zones.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
22 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of gently circulating the liquid in at least one of said zones.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
39 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of supplying liquid at a predetermined temperature to said liquid curtains which temperature is closely related to the temperature of the liquid in the adjacent one of said zones.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of introducing jets of liquid into said body of liquid at a plurality of points spaced different distances from said liquid curtain and in a direction tending to circulate the liquid in a given one of said zones in vertical planes lying generally parallel to said liquid curtain.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
That method defined in claim 11, characterized in the step of introducing said liquid jets from the side of a distributing manifold extending generally normal to the plane of said liquid curtain and offset from the path of items undergoing processing by passage through said zones in succession.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
65 words
That method defined in claim 1 characterized in the step of passing fluid in heat exchange with the liquid in a plurality of areas of liquid in respective ones of said zones and having a temperature so related to the desired liquid in each of said areas as to compensate for heat losses thereby to maintain the temperature in each area at desired respective temperatures.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
83 words
That method of maintaining a single unpartitioned body of confined liquid at different temperatures in different portions thereof while conveying items undergoing processing through successive zones thereof which method comprises: dividing said zones from one another by flowing liquid curtains, and passing liquid from said portions in heat exchange with heat exchange means under conditions effective to maintain liquid in contiguous vertical portions of said confined liquid at a desired temperature level and different from he temperature in other of said vertical portions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
83 words
That method of maintaining a single unpartitioned body of confined liquid at different temperatures in different portions thereof while conveying items undergoing processing through successive zones thereof which method comprises: dividing said zones from one another by flowing liquid curtains, and passing liquid from said portions in heat exchange with heat exchange means under conditions effective to maintain liquid in contiguous vertical portions of said confined liquid at a desired temperature level and different from he temperature in other of said vertical portions.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
That method defined in claim 14 characterized in that said confined body of liquid is many times longer than the width or depth thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
28 words
That method defined in claim 15 characterized in that said liquid curtain lies in a narrow vertical plane extending transversely of the length of said body of liquid.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
That method defined in claim 16 characterized in that the liquid curtain between adjacent ones of said zones includes a plurality of closely spaced sheet-like streams of liquid flowing crosswise of said confined body of liquid.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
32 words
That method defined in claim 17 characterized in the step of forming another sheet-like stream of liquid flowing vertically between said plurality of sheet-like streams flowing crosswise of said body of liquid.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
That method defined in claim 18 characterized in the step of withdrawing liquid from said liquid curtain on a periphery thereof remote from the point of liquid entrance to form said liquid curtain.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
55 words
That method defined in claim 14 characterized in the step of heating said liquid differentially in each of said zones, and utilizing said liquid curtain in cooperation with the differential heating of the zones to either side thereof to maintain a desired different temperature in the respective zones of said single confined body of liquid.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
That method defined in claim 14 characterized in the step of adding heat differentially to the liquid in said plurality of zones separated from one another by said liquid curtain thereby to maintain a desired temperature gradient from end to end of said confined body thereof.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
That method defined in claim 21 characterized in the step of adding heat to said liquid in different transverse portions thereof as necessary to maintain a substantially linear temperature gradient from one end to substantially the other end thereof.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
42 words
That method defined in claim 22 characterized in the step of advancing a polymerizable polymer from zone to zone of said confined body of liquid while maintaIning the same submerged from the time of entry into said liquid until finally withdrawn therefrom.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
48 words
That method defined in claim 22 characterized in advancing a series of lens molds charged with uncured polymer in succession through successive zones of said confined body of liquid and through successive liquid curtains between the ends of adjacent zones whereby said molds remain continuously submerged during curing.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
49 words
That method defined in claim 14 characterized in the steps of withdrawing liquid from the zone of said liquid curtain and passing the same in heat exchange with a medium at a different temperature before returning said withdrawn liquid under pressure to the inlet edge of said liquid curtain.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
57 words
That method defined in claim 14 characterized in the step of withdrawing liquid from the zone of said liquid curtain and jetting the same crosswise of at least one zone of said confined body of liquid thereby to circulate liquid in said one zone generally about a horizontal axis extending between the opposite ends of said zone.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
32 words
That method defined in claim 26 characterized in the step of using said sheet-like streams of liquid to circulate the liquid in said one zone in heat exchange with a heating medium.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus for subjecting conveyor-supported items to processing in a liquid bath under controlled temperature conditions, said apparatus comprising a relatively long narrow tank of liquid, means for jetting liquid transversely of said tank to form sheet-like liquid curtains separating the tank into a plurality of liquid zones and including means for maintaining the liquid in each of said zones at different temperatures.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus for subjecting conveyor-supported items to processing in a liquid bath under controlled temperature conditions, said apparatus comprising a relatively long narrow tank of liquid, means for jetting liquid transversely of said tank to form sheet-like liquid curtains separating the tank into a plurality of liquid zones and including means for maintaining the liquid in each of said zones at different temperatures.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 28 characterized in that a substantial depth of the mid portion of the upper layers of said liquid is free of obstructions and free for the conveyance of submerged items therethrough from end to end of said tank.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 28 characterized in that said liquid jetting means for each liquid curtain comprises at least two sets of jets arranged in closely spaced vertical planes with their outlets directed transversely of said tank.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
39 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 30 characterized in that each of said liquid curtains includes one set of jets directed generally horizontally across said tank and one set of jets directed generally vertically closely beside said horizontally directed jets.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 30 characterized in that one of said liquid curtains includes two sets of horizontally directed jets spaced closely beside the opposite faces of an intervening third set of jets directed vertically through the liquid in said tank.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 28 characterized in the provision of means for recirculating liquid from said tank through said liquid curtain jetting means.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 28 characterized in that said liquid curtains include recirculating pump means operating to withdraw liquid from that margin of said liquid curtain located remotely from said jetting means and to return withdrawn liquid to said jetting means under pressure.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
27 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 34 characterized in the provision of means for passing said withdrawn liquid in heat exchange with a fluid at a different temperature.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 35 characterized in the provision of means for distributing a portion of said recirculating liquid to a selected one of said zones at points spaced different distances from one of said liquid curtains.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
34 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 36 characterized in that said liquid distributing means includes liquid jets disposed and effective to circulate the liquid in said selected zone about a horizontal axis extending lengthwise thereof.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
43 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 28 characterized in the provision of heat exchange means located at spaced intervals crosswise of at least one of said zones for varying the temperature of different transverse vertical sub-divisIons of said zone to compensate for heat losses.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
50 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 30 characterized in the provision of suction means arranged vertically along the side of said tank remote from but opposite a respective set of said liquid jetting means and effective to assure the continuity and integrity of said liquid curtains transversely of said long tank.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 38 characterized in that said heat exchange means and said liquid curtain means cooperate in maintaining a substantially linear temperature gradient from end to end of said tank.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
62 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 40 characterized in the provision of a plurality of said liquid curtain means spaced from one another along the length of said tank and cooperating with the tank ends and with one another to divide the tank into a series of temperature zones separated only by sheet-like liquid streams provided by each of said liquid curtain means.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
78 words
Liquid curtain apparatus effective to provide a barrier crosswise of chamber means, said apparatus comprising first flow-confining means extending along one wall of said chamber means equipped with means for jetting a sheet-like layer of liquid crosswise of said chamber to separate the latter into separate sub-chambers, means to collect and remove the liquid jetted across said chamber and to return the same to said header means under pressure, and means for maintaining said sub-chambers at different temperatures.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
78 words
Liquid curtain apparatus effective to provide a barrier crosswise of chamber means, said apparatus comprising first flow-confining means extending along one wall of said chamber means equipped with means for jetting a sheet-like layer of liquid crosswise of said chamber to separate the latter into separate sub-chambers, means to collect and remove the liquid jetted across said chamber and to return the same to said header means under pressure, and means for maintaining said sub-chambers at different temperatures.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-26 | 1976-03-27 | 1976-09-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-26 | 1980-03-27 | 1980-09-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-26 | 1984-03-27 | 1984-09-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |