Apparatus for separating particles from liquid

Claim 2

Apparatus for separating solid particles out of a flow of dirty liquid from a using system and for delivering a flow of clean liquid to the system, said apparatus having a settling tank for receiving a flow of dirty liquid from the using system, a hydroclone separator operable to receive a flow of dirty liquid from said tank and to discharge a first flow of clean liquid to the using system and a second flow of clean liquid in excess of that required by the using system, a pump having a suction line submerged within said tank and having a discharge line communicating with said separator whereby operation of said pump serves to deliver dirty liquid from said tank to said separator, said suction line having at least one inlet opening, a rotatable tubular screen telescoped over said suction line to filter out large particles from the dirty liquid sucked through the screen and into said inlet opening by said pump, mechanism for power rotating said screen, means positioned adjacent the outer side of said screen for removing large particles from the screen as an incident to rotation thereof, a first pipe communicating with said suction line downstream of said inlet opening and having an open end submerged within said tank, a second pipe for receiving said excess flow of clean liquid from said separator and having a submerged open end spaced from but in line with the open end of said first pipe whereby said excess flow of liquid is directed from said second pipe into said first pipe for delivery to said pump by way of said suction line, and a tubular screen extending between the open ends of said first and second pipes and operable to restrict particles in said tank from being sucked into said first pipe while allowing air to bleed from said second pipe.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 in which said suction line is of circular cross-section and includes a plurality of angularly spaced inlet openings in the form of slots extending axially of said Suction line, the total area of said slots being greater than the cross-sectional area of said suction line.

Claim 4

Apparatus for separating solid particles out of a flow of dirty liquid from a using system and for delivering a flow of clean liquid to the system, said apparatus having a settling tank for receiving a flow of dirty liquid from the using system, a hydroclone separator operable to receive a flow of dirty liquid from said tank and to discharge a first flow of clean liquid to the using system and a second flow of clean liquid in excess of that required by said using system, a pump having a suction line submerged within said tank and having a discharge line communicating with said separator whereby operation of said pump serves to deliver dirty liquid from said tank to said separator, said suction line having a series of angularly spaced inlet openings; a tubular screen telescoped rotatably over said suction line and surrounding said inlet openings to filter out large particles from the dirty liquid sucked through said screen and into said openings, means for power rotating said screen, a scraper positioned adjacent the outer side of said screen for removing large particles from the screen as an incident to rotation thereof, a first pipe communicating with said suction line downstream of said inlet openings and having an open end submerged within said tank, a second pipe for receiving said excess flow of clean liquid from the separator, said second pipe having a submerged open end spaced from but in line with the open end of said first pipe whereby said excess flow of liquid is directed from said second pipe into said first pipe for delivery to said pump by way of said suction line, and a tubular screen extending between the open ends of said first and second pipes and operable to restrict particles in said tank from flowing into said first pipe while allowing air to bleed from said second pipe.

Claim 5

Apparatus for separating solid particles out of a flow of dirty liquid from a using system and for delivering a flow of clean liquid to the system, said apparatus having a settling tank for receiving a flow of dirty liquid from the using system, a hydroclone separator operable to receive a flow of dirty liquid from said tank and to discharge a first flow of clean liquid to the using system and a second flow of clean liquid in excess of that required by said using system, a pump having a suction line submerged within said tank and having a discharge line communicating with said separator whereby operation of said pump serves to deliver dirty liquid from said tank to said separator, said suction line having a series of angularly spaced inlet openings; a tubular screen telescoped rotatably over said suction line and surrounding said inlet openings to filter out large particles from the dirty liquid sucked through said screen and into said openings, means for power rotating said screen, a scraper positioned adjacent the outer side of said screen for removing large particles from the screen as an incident to rotation thereof, a first pipe communicating with said suction line downstream of said inlet openings and having an open end submerged within said tank, a second pipe for receiving said excess flow of clean liquid from the separator, said second pipe having a submerged open end spaced from but in line with the open end of said first pipe whereby said excess flow of liquid is directed from said second pipe into said first pipe for delivery to said pump by way of said suction line, and a tubular screen extending between the open ends of said first and second pipes and operable to restrict particles in said tank from flowing into said first pipe while allowing air to bleed from said second pipe.