Vacuum producing means and method

Claim 2

In a device for aerating open water that periodically flows in opposite directions, for example tidewater, the combination of: a casing submerged in the open water in longitudinal alignment with the opposite directions of flow, said casing having a longitudinal passage therethrough for opposite directions of flow therethrough in response to the opposite directions of flow if the open water, said passage being of relatively large cross section at its opposite ends and narrowing in cross section from its opposite ends to an intermediate zone for acceleration of flow through the intermediate zone with consequent reduction of the static pressure of the water in the intermediate zone to substantially below atmospheric pressure; and means placing said intermediate zone in communication with the atmosphere for air flow from the atmosphere into entrainment in the water in the intermediate zone.

Claim 3

In a device for aerating open water that periodically flows in opposite directions, for example tidewater, the combination of: a casing submerged in the open water in longitudinal alignment with the opposite directions of flow, said casing having a longitudinal passage therethrough for opposite directions of flow therethrough in response to the opposite directions of flow of the open water, said passage being of relatively large cross section at its opposite ends and narrowing in cross section from its opposite ends to an intermediate zone for acceleration of flow through the intermediate zone with consequent reduction of the static pressure of the water in the intermediate zone to substantially below atmospheric pressure; means placing said intermediate zone in communication with the atmosPhere for air flow from the atmosphere into entrainment in the water in the intermediate zone; said passage having a first inwardly convergent section at one end and a second inwardly convergent section at the other end, a first neck section adjacent the first convergent section and a second neck section adjacent the second convergent section, a central intermediate section of reduced cross section between the two neck sections, and a first annular section between the first neck section and the central section and a second annular section between the second neck section and the central section with said two annular sections being in communication with the atmosphere; a first tubular shuttle slidingly mounted in the first neck section for longitudinal movement between a first position retracted from the central section and a second position extending across the first annular section in communication with the central section; a second tubular shuttle slidingly mounted in the second neck section for longitudinal movement between a first position retracted from the central section and a second position extending across the second annular section in communication with the central section, and said two shuttles being responsive to the opposite directions of flow through the casing to cause the first shuttle to move from its first position to its second position and to cause the second shuttle to move from its second position to its first position in response to flow through the passage from the first convergent section to the second convergent section and to cause the first shuttle section to move from its second position to its first position and to cause the second shuttle to move from its first position to its second position in response to flow through the passage from the second convergent section to the first convergent section.

Claim 4

In a device for aerating open water that periodically flows in opposite directions, for example tidewater, the combination of: a casing submerged in the open water in longitudinal alignment with the opposite directions of flow, said casing having a longitudinal passage therethrough for opposite directions of flow therethrough in response to the opposite directions of flow of the open water, said passage being of relatively large cross section at its opposite ends and narrowing in cross section from its opposite ends to an intermediate zone for acceleration of flow through the intermediate zone with consequent reduction of the static pressure of the water in the intermediate zone to substantially below atmospheric pressure; means placing said intermediate zone in communication with the atmosPhere for air flow from the atmosphere into entrainment in the water in the intermediate zone; said passage having a first inwardly convergent section at one end and a second inwardly convergent section at the other end, a first neck section adjacent the first convergent section and a second neck section adjacent the second convergent section, a central intermediate section of reduced cross section between the two neck sections, and a first annular section between the first neck section and the central section and a second annular section between the second neck section and the central section with said two annular sections being in communication with the atmosphere; a first tubular shuttle slidingly mounted in the first neck section for longitudinal movement between a first position retracted from the central section and a second position extending across the first annular section in communication with the central section; a second tubular shuttle slidingly mounted in the second neck section for longitudinal movement between a first position retracted from the central section and a second position extending across the second annular section in communication with the central section, and said two shuttles being responsive to the opposite directions of flow through the casing to cause the first shuttle to move from its first position to its second position and to cause the second shuttle to move from its second position to its first position in response to flow through the passage from the first convergent section to the second convergent section and to cause the first shuttle section to move from its second position to its first position and to cause the second shuttle to move from its first position to its second position in response to flow through the passage from the second convergent section to the first convergent section.

Claim 9

An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which a portion of said passage adjoining the downstream end of the expansion chamber is of substantially uniform cross section.

Claim 10

An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which a portion of the passage adjoining the upstream end of the expansion chamber is sUbstantially uniform in cross section.

Claim 11

An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which a portion of the passage adjoining the downstream end of the expansion chamber and a second portion of the passage adjoining the upstream end of the expansion chamber are of uniform cross section.

Claim 14

An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the passage alternately decreases and increases in cross section between its inlet end and said zone.

Claim 15

An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 which includes a vacuum chamber in communication both with said zone and the atmosphere, said vacuum chamber being of annular configuration and surrounding the passage, said vacuum chamber extending upstream from said zone.

Claim 16

An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which the casing terminates in a discharge nozzle and said zone is at the upstream end of the discharge nozzle.

Claim 17

An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 in which the length of the discharge nozzle is not substantially more than approximately 20 percent of the total length of the casing.

Claim 18

Vacuum producing means to be submerged and secured below the surface of a body of flowing water and comprising: a casing with an axial passage from end-to-end forming a waterway and provided with first and second tunnel sections, the latter being of lesser diameter than the first; an exit tunnel section forming a nozzle end adjoining but being spaced from and being slightly larger than said second tunnel section and leaving an annular opening therebetween, the casing having an annular vacuum producing chamber lying between the waterway and the outer surface thereof; an inlet to said chamber comprising a conduit leading therefrom to the area above the surface of the water, and an outlet from the chamber leading to said annular opening; a tapered section at the inlet end of the casing with its smaller diameter downstream leading to said first tunnel section; and a larger section between the first and second tunnel sections forming an expansion chamber, whereby the velocity of the water passing downstream through the sections of decreasing diameter will increase and draw a substantial volume of air from the area above said surface into the waterway.

Claim 19

Vacuum producing means to be submerged and secured below the surface of a body of flowing water and comprising: a casing with an axial passage from end-to-end forming a waterway and provided with first and second tunnel sections, the latter being of lesser diameter than the first; an exit tunnel section forming a nozzle end adjoining but being spaced from and being slightly larger than said second tunnel section and leaving an annular opening therebetween, the casing having an annular vacuum producing chamber lying between the waterway and the outer surface thereof; an inlet to said chamber comprising a conduit leading therefrom to the area above the surface of the water, and an outlet from the chamber leading to said annular opening; a tapered section at the inlet end of the casing with its smaller diameter downstream leading to said first tunnel section; and a larger section between the first and second tunnel sections forming an expansion chamber, whereby the velocity of the water passing downstream through the sections of decreasing diameter will increase and draw a substantial volume of air from the area above said surface into the waterway.

Claim 20

The structure recited in claim 13 wherein the expansion chamber has concavely curved walls.

Claim 21

The structure recited in claim 13 wherein the expansion chamber is generally spherical in shape.

Claim 22

The structure recited in claim 13 wherein an additional tunnel section and expansion chamber is positioned between the first expansion chamber and the second tunnel section.

Claim 23

The structure recited in claim 13 wherein another expansion chamber and tunnel section are interposed between the first tunnel section and said first mentioned expansion chamber.

Claim 24

The structure recited in claim 13 wherein the tunnel sections are of substantially uniform diameter.

Claim 25

The structure recited in claim 13 wherein the tunnel sections have a venturi shape.

Claim 26

The structure recited in claim 13 wherein the casing has means supported by the water bed for securing the casing immovable in submerged condition within the flowing body of water.