Patent US3701426A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3701426A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Compact sewage treatment apparatus
Assignee: JAMES R O CONNOR
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Filing: 1971-11-18
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Granted: 1972-10-31
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Expires: 1991-11-18
Abstract
Abstract A compact, compartmentalized sewage treatment apparatus housed in a single tank having a length appreciably greater than its height in which sewage discharged into the apparatus is progressively clarified by anerobic bacterial decomposition, primary sedimentation and flotation, chemical attack to reduce coliform bacteria and BOD, and secondary sedimentation, flotation and filtration to highly clarify the effluent for discharge into lakes, rivers, harbors and other water courses.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert D Wetzel
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 17:54
CPC Classifications
C; C02; C02F; C02F3/00; C02F3/28; C02F1/00; C02F1/24; C02F2201/00; C02F2201/001
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
318 words
A compact sewage treatment apparatus comprising: (a) a tank; (b) means for conveying effluent to said tank; (c) a primary effluent receiving and holding chamber in said tank, said means of clause (b) being disposed to discharge effluent into the substantially most upstream region of said primary chamber wherein heavier solids in the effluent settle out of solution and biological decomposition of the effluent by anerobic microorganisms takes place, said primary chamber having means defining an extended length tortuous path downstream of said region through which partially clarified liquid flows responsive to the filling of the said region of said chamber with additional settling of solid particulates and continued anerobic decomposition of the effluent occurring during flow downstream through said tortuous path; (d) filtering means located in said tank downstream of said means defining said tortuous path, said filtering means being adapted to inhibit the passage of larger particulate matter in the partially clarified effluent downstream thereof and thereby retain said matter in said primary holding chamber for further anerobic decomposition of same; (e) a chemical treatment chamber located in said tank downstream of said filtering means for the reception of still further clarified effluent passed through said filtering means, wherein said last mentioned effluent is chemically treated by an appropriate chemiCal composition which reacts with organic material present in the effluent to effect a reduction of coliform bacteria and biological oxygen demand of the effluent present in said chamber; (f) means for receiving still further clarified effluent discharged from and flowing downstream of said chemical treatment chamber, said means defining an extended flow path which the effluent traverses subsequent to leaving said chemical treatment chamber to provide for still further separation of solids and liquids during passage of the effluent along said extended flow path; and (g) means communicating with the downstream region of said means of clause (f) for discharging highly clarified effluent from said apparatus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
318 words
A compact sewage treatment apparatus comprising: (a) a tank; (b) means for conveying effluent to said tank; (c) a primary effluent receiving and holding chamber in said tank, said means of clause (b) being disposed to discharge effluent into the substantially most upstream region of said primary chamber wherein heavier solids in the effluent settle out of solution and biological decomposition of the effluent by anerobic microorganisms takes place, said primary chamber having means defining an extended length tortuous path downstream of said region through which partially clarified liquid flows responsive to the filling of the said region of said chamber with additional settling of solid particulates and continued anerobic decomposition of the effluent occurring during flow downstream through said tortuous path; (d) filtering means located in said tank downstream of said means defining said tortuous path, said filtering means being adapted to inhibit the passage of larger particulate matter in the partially clarified effluent downstream thereof and thereby retain said matter in said primary holding chamber for further anerobic decomposition of same; (e) a chemical treatment chamber located in said tank downstream of said filtering means for the reception of still further clarified effluent passed through said filtering means, wherein said last mentioned effluent is chemically treated by an appropriate chemiCal composition which reacts with organic material present in the effluent to effect a reduction of coliform bacteria and biological oxygen demand of the effluent present in said chamber; (f) means for receiving still further clarified effluent discharged from and flowing downstream of said chemical treatment chamber, said means defining an extended flow path which the effluent traverses subsequent to leaving said chemical treatment chamber to provide for still further separation of solids and liquids during passage of the effluent along said extended flow path; and (g) means communicating with the downstream region of said means of clause (f) for discharging highly clarified effluent from said apparatus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the length of said tank is appreciably greater than both its height and its width.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the flow of effluent through said apparatus subsequent to its initial discharge into said primary holding chamber is induced solely by gravitational force.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
34 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said means of clause (f), claim 1, comprises a plurality of substantially parallel, communicating settling and flotation chambers located substantially adjacent said chemical treatment chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said filtering means is disposed in the environment of the substantially most clarified effluent flowing downstream of said means defining said tortuous path, but upstream of said chemical treatment chamber.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 1 including means connected to said tank for periodically discharging an appropriate chemical composition into said chemical treatment chamber.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
87 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said primary effluent receiving and holding chamber is located adjacent the bottom of said tank, said means providing said tortuous path is disposed above the most substantially upstream region of said primary holding chamber, said filtering means is disposed above said means providing said tortuous path, said chemical treatment chamber is disposed above said filtering means, and said plurality of settling and flotation chambers are disposed substantially at the level of and longitudinally adjacent said chemical treatment chamber.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
80 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said means defining said tortuous path comprises a plurality of longitudinal baffles spacedly superimposed on one another and spaced above the bottom of said tank and extending substantially between the internal side walls and end walls of said tank, each of said baffles having an opening formed therein for the passage of effluent therethrough in a downstream direction, said openings being alternately located substantially at the opposite ends of adjacent baffles.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said baffles are alternately, planarly inclined in opposite longitudinal directions toward the bottom of said tank.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
69 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said filtering means, said chemical treatment chamber and said flotation and settling chambers constitute components of a separate subassembly having a base disposed above said means defining said tortuous path, said subassembly being mounted within said tank below the top of said tank and in at least partially spaced relationship with respect to the internal peripheral walls of said tank.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
84 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said filtering means is connected to the base of said subassembly by a conduit extending through an opening in said base and fixed to said base and projecting downwardly from said base a predetermined distance toward said means defining said tortuous path, said filtering means being fixed to said conduit adjacent the lower most end thereof so as to lie appreciably below the base of said subassembly but above said means defining said tortuous path.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
27 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 1 including a secondary effluent holding chamber disposed downstream of said filtering means and upstream, adjacent said chemical treatment chamber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
37 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said secondary effluent holding chamber is separated from said chemical treatment chamber by a transverse baffle having a length in excess of one-half the width of said tank.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
46 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said transverse baffle is imperforate and includes a section of reduced height providing a weir facilitating downstream flow of effluent from said secondary holding chamber into said chemical treatment chamber responsive to the filling of the former.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said filtering means of clause (d) of claim 1 comprises a plurality of primary enlarged, relatively coarse filters and said apparatus additionally includes a plurality of secondary, relatively finer filters located downstream of said chemical treatment chamber.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 15 wherein said plurality of secondary filters are disposed in a predetermined sequence relative to the path of flow of effluent downstream of said chemical treatment chamber with the most upstream of said secondary filters being the coarsest of the group and each successive filter disposed downstream thereof being progressively finer than the preceding filter.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
91 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said settling and flotation chambers are separated from said chemical treatment chamber by a transverse baffle joined to the base of said subassembly and extending across the width thereof and upwardly toward the top of said tank and said settling and flotation chambers are defined by a plurality of spaced, vertical, longitudinally extending baffles joined to the said base and extending from the downstream wall of said transverse baffle to the end of said subassembly most remote from said chemical treatment chamber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
85 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said transverse baffle has at least one opening formed therein adjacent one end thereof and adjacent the said base of said subassembly to provide for the egress of effluent from said chemical treatment chamber to the most upstream of said settling and flotation chambers, said opening having a filter overlying the upstream end thereof to inhibit the passage of larger solid matter from said chemical treatment chamber into the first of said settling and flotation chambers.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
105 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 18 wherein each of said longitudinal baffles has at least one opening formed therein and each of said openings has a filter overlying the upstream side thereof, said openings being alternately disposed adjacent the opposite longitudinal ends of succeeding baffles and alternately adjacent the upper and lower regions of succeeding baffles to provide for said extending flow path of the effluent downstream of said chemical treatment chamber and the settling and flotation of solid particulate matter out of solution in the effluent during passage of the effluent through said chamber toward said means of clause (g), claim 1.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
32 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 19 wherein each of said filters overlying said openings in said longitudinal baffles is progressively finer than the preceding filter in said series of filters.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
89 words
A sewage treatment apparatus according to claim 19 including means connected to said tank for periodically injecting an additional amount of chemical into the effluent present in one of the intermediate of said settling and flotation chambers defining the said extended flow path to provide for a concentrated chemical attack on any organic matter remaining in the already highly clarified effluent present in said chamber and thereby effecting a further substantial reductIon of the biological demand of the oxygen present in the effluent prior to discharge from said apparatus.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-31 | 1976-05-01 | 1976-10-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-31 | 1980-05-01 | 1980-10-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-31 | 1984-05-01 | 1984-10-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |