US3782553A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Light liquid skimmer
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-05-03
•
Granted: 1974-01-01
•
Expires: 1992-05-03
Abstract
Abstract A light liquid skimmer employs an air seal piston having skim slots on the upper end thereof and a flow through vessel, said piston being moveable with respect to said vessel, to skim a light liquid from a heavy liquid. The position of the skim slots moves upwardly or downwardly as the proportion of light liquid decreases or increases, respectively. The adjustment is accomplished by the movement of the air seal piston with respect to the flow through vessel due to the adjustment in buoyancy of the air seal piston as the weight of the liquid in the flow through vessel varies and thereby changes the configuration of the air seal between the air seal piston and flow through vessel. Skimmed liquid flows downwardly through intake conduits within the air seal piston and flow through vessel and is introduced to the mixture of liquid within the flow through vessel in the lower region thereof. The light liquid rises within said flow through vessel and is recovered through light liquid recovery slots configured in a light liquid recovery tube positioned within the vessel. The heavy liquid continues to flow downwardly and is discharged through a heavy liquid discharge orifice at the bottom of the flow through vessel.
Inventors
- 👤 C Brekke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 14:59
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B15/00; E02B15/04; E02B15/10; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S210/00; Y10S210/918; Y10S210/922; Y10S210/923
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
387 words
A skimming device for separating a minor amount of a first light liquid from a major amount of a second heavy liquid, comprising: a flow through vessel having a heavy liquid discharge orifice at the bottom thereof and having an opening for a light liquid recovery tube at the bottom thereof, the side of said vessel forming an open rim at the upper end thereof; an air seal piston disposed to fit over the open rim of said flow through vessel and disposed to move vertically with respect thereto, said air seal piston having skim slots at the upper end thereof to receive a liquid cut and introduce said liquid cut to said flow through vessel, said air seal piston being divided below the position of said skim slots to form an inner and outer wall disposed in spaced apart relationship so that when said air seal piston is placed over said flow through vessel said outer wall is positioned exteriorly of said flow through vessel and said inner wall is positioned interiorly of said flow through vessel, the space between said flow through vessel and said outer wall containing an air column with an external liquid column underneath, said external liquid column being in communication with an external volume of liquid, the space between said flow through vessel and said inner wall containing an air column with an internal liquid column underneath, said internal liquid column being in communication with said liquid in said flow through vessel, said air colUmns above said external and internal liquid columns being in communication to form a single variable position air column to permit equilibrium adjustments in the heights of said external and internal liquid columns as said air seal piston moves with respect to said flow through vessel in response to varying proportions of said light and heavy liquids; and a light liquid recovery tube positioned within said flow through vessel and spanning at least substantially the length of said flow through vessel and extending through said opening for a light liquid recovery tube at the bottom of said vessel, said tube having a light liquid recovery opening at or near the upper end thereof to receive the light liquid which floats upwardly by gravity flow against the downward flow of said heavy liquid within said flow through vessel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
387 words
A skimming device for separating a minor amount of a first light liquid from a major amount of a second heavy liquid, comprising: a flow through vessel having a heavy liquid discharge orifice at the bottom thereof and having an opening for a light liquid recovery tube at the bottom thereof, the side of said vessel forming an open rim at the upper end thereof; an air seal piston disposed to fit over the open rim of said flow through vessel and disposed to move vertically with respect thereto, said air seal piston having skim slots at the upper end thereof to receive a liquid cut and introduce said liquid cut to said flow through vessel, said air seal piston being divided below the position of said skim slots to form an inner and outer wall disposed in spaced apart relationship so that when said air seal piston is placed over said flow through vessel said outer wall is positioned exteriorly of said flow through vessel and said inner wall is positioned interiorly of said flow through vessel, the space between said flow through vessel and said outer wall containing an air column with an external liquid column underneath, said external liquid column being in communication with an external volume of liquid, the space between said flow through vessel and said inner wall containing an air column with an internal liquid column underneath, said internal liquid column being in communication with said liquid in said flow through vessel, said air colUmns above said external and internal liquid columns being in communication to form a single variable position air column to permit equilibrium adjustments in the heights of said external and internal liquid columns as said air seal piston moves with respect to said flow through vessel in response to varying proportions of said light and heavy liquids; and a light liquid recovery tube positioned within said flow through vessel and spanning at least substantially the length of said flow through vessel and extending through said opening for a light liquid recovery tube at the bottom of said vessel, said tube having a light liquid recovery opening at or near the upper end thereof to receive the light liquid which floats upwardly by gravity flow against the downward flow of said heavy liquid within said flow through vessel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The light liquid skimming device of claim 1 wherein said light liquid recovery opening comprises a plurality of light liquid recovery slots.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
73 words
The light liquid skimming device of claim 1 wherein skimmed liquid intake conduits are positioned interiorally of said inner wall of said air seal piston adjacent each of said skim slots to direct the flow of skimmed liquid downwardly so that said skimmed liquid is introduced to the liquid mixture within said air seal piston and flow through vessel below the interface between the volumes of light and heavy liquids to prevent emulsification.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The light liquid skimming device of claim 3 wherein the bottom ends of said conduits are configured in a jagged saw tooth shape to break up surface films of said light liquid formed on individual droplets of said heavy liquid.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The light liquid skimming device of claim 4 wherein a heavy liquid discharge tube is attached externally of said heavy liquid discharge orifice, said heavy liquid discharge tube having a throttle valve affixed along its length to permit control over the skimmed liquid intake rate, the height of the terminal end of said heavy liquid discharge tube being lower than the level of said skim slots.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
The light liquid skimming device of claim 3 wherein said flow through vessel, said air seal piston including said inner and outer walls, and said light liquid recovery tube are cylindrically shaped and are positioned in coaxial alignment, said air seal piston being held in spaced apart relationship from said flow through vessel by a flat centering guide attached to said inner wall and adapted to ride freely along said light liquid recovery tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
38 words
The light liquid skimming device of claim 6 wherein the range of buoyancy of said air seal piston is chosen to permit oil having a specific gravity of about 0.65 to about 0.95 to be skimmed from water.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3303932A
Cited
US3635342A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-12-31 | 1977-07-02 | 1978-01-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-12-31 | 1981-07-02 | 1982-01-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-12-31 | 1985-07-02 | 1986-01-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |