Pneumatic liquid disposal system

Claim 2

The combination with a pneumatic liquid disposal system which is adapted to be maintained at a partial vacuum, of a. a vessel adapted to receive liquid, said vessel having an outlet at a first level, b. a discharge conduit for connecting the outlet of said vessel to the system, c. valve means in said discharge conduit which is normally closed, d. control mechanism including first means responsive to the partial vacuum in the system for opening said valve means and second means for rendering said first means operable when the liquid level in said vessel is at a second level which is above the first level, and e. structure which is independent of said control mechanism and operable to prevent air in said vessel from flowing through the outlet thereof when said control mechanism malfunctions and the outlet is in communication with the system and the liquid in said vessel falls to a level at the vicinity of the first level.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said structure independent of said control mechanism and operable to prevent air in said vessel from flowing through the outlet thereof comprises a valve member.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 in which said valve member is inoperable during normal operation of said control mechanism and becomes operable to prevent air in said vessel from flowing through the outlet thereof responsive only to fall of liquid in said vessel to the level at the vicinity of the first level.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which said structure independent of said control mechanism comprises a body capable of floating in the body of liquid.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 in which said body capable of floating functions as a valve member.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 in which the outlet of said vessel is defined by means which provides a seat for said valve member when the liquid in the vessel falls to the level at the vicinity of the first level.

Claim 8

The combination with a pneumatic liquid disposal system which is adapted to be maintained at a partial vacuum, of a. a plurality of operating units operatively associated with the system for collecting waste liquid and for discharging such liquid therefrom into the system, b. each of said operating units comprising a vessel which has an inlet tO receive waste liquid and an outlet at a first level, c. each of said outlets being connected by a discharge conduit to the system, d. valve means in each of said discharge conduits which is normally closed, e. mechanism for controlling each of said valve means, each control mechanism including first means responsive to the partial vacuum in the system for opening said valve means associated therewith and second means for rendering said first means operable when the liquid level in said vessel associated therewith is at a second level which is above the first level, and f. a plurality of said operating units each having structure which is independent of its control mechanism and operable to prevent air in said vessel in each such unit from flowing through the outlet thereof when said control mechanism malfunctions and the outlet is in communication with the system and the liquid level in such vessel falls to a level at the vicinity of the first level, so that flow of air from such vessel into the system will be prevented and ineffective to adversely impair the operation of said other units.

Claim 9

The combination with a pneumatic liquid disposal system which is adapted to be maintained at a partial vacuum, of a. a plurality of operating units operatively associated with the system for collecting waste liquid and for discharging such liquid therefrom into the system, b. each of said operating units comprising a vessel which has an inlet tO receive waste liquid and an outlet at a first level, c. each of said outlets being connected by a discharge conduit to the system, d. valve means in each of said discharge conduits which is normally closed, e. mechanism for controlling each of said valve means, each control mechanism including first means responsive to the partial vacuum in the system for opening said valve means associated therewith and second means for rendering said first means operable when the liquid level in said vessel associated therewith is at a second level which is above the first level, and f. a plurality of said operating units each having structure which is independent of its control mechanism and operable to prevent air in said vessel in each such unit from flowing through the outlet thereof when said control mechanism malfunctions and the outlet is in communication with the system and the liquid level in such vessel falls to a level at the vicinity of the first level, so that flow of air from such vessel into the system will be prevented and ineffective to adversely impair the operation of said other units.

Claim 10

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which each of said independent structures operable to prevent air in one of said vessels from flowing through its outlet comprises a valve member.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 in which each of said valve members is inoperable during normal operation of one of said control mechanisms and becomes operable to prevent air in said vessel from flowing through its outlet responsive only to fall of liquid in said vessel to the level at the vicinity of the first level.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 in which each of said independent structures comprises a body capable of floating in the body of liquid in one of said vessels.

Claim 13

Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 in which each of said floating bodies functions as a valve member.

Claim 14

The combination with a pneumatic liquid disposal system which is adapted to be maintained at a partial vacuum, of a. a vessel adapted to receive liquid, said vessel having an outlet at a first level, b. a discharge conduit for connecting the outlet of said vessel to the system, c. valve means in said discharge conduit which is normally closed, d. control mechanism including first means responsive to the partial vacuum in the system for opening said valve means and second means for rendering said first means operable when the liquid level in said vessel is at a level which is in a normal range above the first level, and e. structure which is independent of said control mechanism and operable to prevent air in said vessel from flowing through the outlet thereof when said control mechanism malfunctions and the outlet is in communication with the system and the liquid in said vessel falls from the normal range to a level at the vicinity of the first level.

Claim 15

The combination with a pneumatic liquid disposal system which is adapted to be maintained at a partial vacuum, of a. a vessel adapted to receive liquid, said vessel having an outlet at a first level, b. a discharge conduit for connecting the outlet of said vessel to the system, c. valve means in said discharge conduit which is normally closed, d. control mechanism including first means responsive to the partial vacuum in the system for opening said valve means and second means for rendering said first means operable when the liquid level in said vessel is at a level which is in a normal range above the first level, and e. structure which is independent of said control mechanism and operable to prevent air in said vessel from flowing through the outlet thereof when said control mechanism malfunctions and the outlet is in communication with the system and the liquid in said vessel falls from the normal range to a level at the vicinity of the first level.

Claim 16

Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which said second means of said control mechanism renders said first means thereof operable to open said valve means when the liquid level in said vessel is at the upper end of said normal range and renders said first means inoperable to open said valve means when the liquid level in said vessel is at the lower end of said normal range.

Claim 17

Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 in which said structure independent of said control mechanism comprises a body capable of floating in the body of liquid.

Claim 18

The combination with a pneumatic liquid disposal system which is adapted to be maintained at a partial vacuum, of a. a plurality of operating units operatively associated with the system for collecting waste liquid and for discharging such liquid therefrom into the system, b. each of said operating units comprising a vessel which has an inlet to receive waste liquid and an outlet, c. each of said outlets being connected by a discharge conduit to the system, d. valve means in each of said discharge conduits for controlling discharge of waste liQuid from said vessels to the system, e. mechanism for controlling each of said valve means, f. each of said mechanisms for controlling a different one of said valve means being operable responsive to change in the liquid surface level of the body of liquid in one of said vessels, g. a plurality of said vessels each having a body which is capable of floating in the body of liquid therein, and h. said floating bodies being so constructed and formed that, when the liquid surface level of the body of liquid in which any one of said bodies is floating falls sufficiently, said floating body will be drawn by suction toward the outlet of said vessel in which said floating body is disposed and move into airtight sealing relation therewith, so that flow of air from such vessel into the system will be prevented and the operation of said other units will not be impaired.

Claim 19

The combination with a pneumatic liquid disposal system which is adapted to be maintained at a partial vacuum, of a. a plurality of operating units operatively associated with the system for collecting waste liquid and for discharging such liquid therefrom into the system, b. each of said operating units comprising a vessel which has an inlet to receive waste liquid and an outlet, c. each of said outlets being connected by a discharge conduit to the system, d. valve means in each of said discharge conduits for controlling discharge of waste liQuid from said vessels to the system, e. mechanism for controlling each of said valve means, f. each of said mechanisms for controlling a different one of said valve means being operable responsive to change in the liquid surface level of the body of liquid in one of said vessels, g. a plurality of said vessels each having a body which is capable of floating in the body of liquid therein, and h. said floating bodies being so constructed and formed that, when the liquid surface level of the body of liquid in which any one of said bodies is floating falls sufficiently, said floating body will be drawn by suction toward the outlet of said vessel in which said floating body is disposed and move into airtight sealing relation therewith, so that flow of air from such vessel into the system will be prevented and the operation of said other units will not be impaired.

Claim 20

Apparatus as set forth in claim 15 in which said valve means are normally closed and each of said mechanisms includes first means responsive to the partial vacuum in the system for opening a different one of said valve means and second means for rendering said first means operable when the liquid surface level of the body of liquid in any one of said vessels is at a given level above its outlet.

Claim 21

The combination with a pneumatic liquid disposal system which is adapted to be maintained at a partial vacuum, of a. a plurality of operating units operatively associated with the system for collecting waste liquid and for discharging such liquid therefrom into the system, b. each of said operating units comprising a vessel which has an inlet to receive waste liquid and an outlet, c. each of said outlets being connected by a discharge conduit to the system, d. valve means in each of said discharge conduits for controlling discharge of waste liquid from said vessels to the system, e. mechanism for controlling each of said valve means, f. each of the mechanisms for a different one of said valve means being operable responsive to the partial vacuum in the system, g. a plurality of said vessels each having a body which is capable of floating in the body of liquid therein, and h. said floating bodies being so constructed and formed that, when the liquid surface level of the body of liquid in which any one of said bodies is floating falls sufficiently, said floating body will be drawn by suction toward the outlet of said vessel in which said floating body is disposed and move into airtight sealing relation therewith, so that flow of air from such vessel into the system will be prevented and the operation of said other units will not be impaired.

Claim 22

The combination with a pneumatic liquid disposal system which is adapted to be maintained at a partial vacuum, of a. a plurality of operating units operatively associated with the system for collecting waste liquid and for discharging such liquid therefrom into the system, b. each of said operating units comprising a vessel which has an inlet to receive waste liquid and an outlet, c. each of said outlets being connected by a discharge conduit to the system, d. valve means in each of said discharge conduits for controlling discharge of waste liquid from said vessels to the system, e. mechanism for controlling each of said valve means, f. each of the mechanisms for a different one of said valve means being operable responsive to the partial vacuum in the system, g. a plurality of said vessels each having a body which is capable of floating in the body of liquid therein, and h. said floating bodies being so constructed and formed that, when the liquid surface level of the body of liquid in which any one of said bodies is floating falls sufficiently, said floating body will be drawn by suction toward the outlet of said vessel in which said floating body is disposed and move into airtight sealing relation therewith, so that flow of air from such vessel into the system will be prevented and the operation of said other units will not be impaired.