US3850184A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Parts treating apparatus
Assignee: SERVICE TECTONICS Inc
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Filing: 1973-01-19
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Granted: 1974-11-26
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Expires: 1993-01-19
Abstract
Abstract A parts treating apparatus consists of a compartmented tank in which a front compartment with an overlying hood structure and a front loading access opening is filled with a liquid which is heated by a submerged heater and agitated by reciprocating paddles. A parts handling structure lowers and raises parts into and out of the heated and agitated liquid which flows over a rear wall into a separator compartment where foreign matter in the liquid settles. A vertically removable weir structure in one end of the separator compartment permits relatively uncontaminated liquid to be removed by a submerged pump and recirculated to a manifold in the treating compartment, the manifold having perforations to direct the liquid generally toward the paddles and deflecting at the fluid surface toward the wall separating the two compartments. The treating compartment has a lid which, when the parts are raised, will open in a fashion to direct fumes and/or steam from the treating compartment away from the access opening. Plumbing for recirculating the liquid also effects selective draining of either or both of the compartments. Liquid losses are replenished automatically by a float system. The pipe from the pump to the treating compartment is arranged with an automatic back flow check loop to interrupt the siphoning of liquid out of the treating compartment.
Inventors
- 👤 C Fossati
- 👤 F Dalton
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 06:22
CPC Classifications
B; B08; B08B; B08B3/00; B08B3/04; B08B3/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 33
Claim 1
Independent Claim
141 words
A parts treating apparatus comprising a treating liquid containing tank having a treating compartment and a separator compartment, said compartments separated by a substantially vertical wall having a top edge over which liquid flows from the treating compartment to the separator compartment; means agitating said liquid in said treating compartment only, and means ensuring substantial quiescence of the liquid in said separator compartment for settlement of foreign matter to a lower portion thereof; means selectively alternatively recirculating liquid from a level above settled foreign matter in said separator compartment into said treating compartment and draining liquid from either or both of said compartments; means automatically maintaining a selected liquid volume in said tank; and handling means arranged for lowering and raising parts to be treated into and out of said treating compartment and restricting same from interference with said agitating means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
141 words
A parts treating apparatus comprising a treating liquid containing tank having a treating compartment and a separator compartment, said compartments separated by a substantially vertical wall having a top edge over which liquid flows from the treating compartment to the separator compartment; means agitating said liquid in said treating compartment only, and means ensuring substantial quiescence of the liquid in said separator compartment for settlement of foreign matter to a lower portion thereof; means selectively alternatively recirculating liquid from a level above settled foreign matter in said separator compartment into said treating compartment and draining liquid from either or both of said compartments; means automatically maintaining a selected liquid volume in said tank; and handling means arranged for lowering and raising parts to be treated into and out of said treating compartment and restricting same from interference with said agitating means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
71 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said separator compartment includes a vertical weir dividing said separator compartment into a settling chamber into which liquid flows from said treating compartment and an outlet chamber into which liquid flows over said weir from a level of said settling chamber above settled foreign matter, and wherein said recirculating and draining means includes an outlet means connected with a lowermost portion of said outlet chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
127 words
The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said separator compartment has a substantially horizontal bottom wall, a pair of spaced substantially vertical side walls one of which forms said separating wall, and substantially vertical spaced end walls spacing said side walls, and wherein said weir comprises a U-shaped member supported within said separator compartment, said member having spaced side walls disposed adjacent portions of the respective separator compartment side walls and extending from one end wall and having a substantially vertical base wall connecting ends of said weir side walls remote from said one end wall and being of less vertical height than said separating wall, and said U-shaped member being selectively vertically removable from said separator compartment to open same as a whole to said outlet means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said separating wall has a substantially horizontal top edge and said means ensuring substantial quiescence comprises an upper portion sloping toward said separator compartment to reduce agitation of liquid as it flows thereto over said top edge.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
46 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said separating wall has a substantially horizontal top edge and wherein means ensuring substantial quiescence of liquid in said separator compartment comprises a wire mesh basket therein adjacent the separating wall to receive liquid flowing thereover from said treating compartment.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
72 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said treating compartment has a bottom wall, a pair of spaced substantially vertical side walls one of which forms said separating wall, and substantially vertical spaced end walls spacing said side walls; said agitating means is located near the other of said side walls; and said holding means is constructed and arranged to lower parts into a space intermediate said agitating means and said separating wall.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The aPparatus of claim 6 wherein said agitating means includes paddle elements reciprocably rotatable on a substantially horizontal axis extending normal to said end walls.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 7 and including actuator means disposed exteriorly of said tank and mechanically connected with said paddle elements to effect reciprocation thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said paddle elements extend toward said wall dividing said compartments from a shaft rotatably supported by said end walls, said shaft having a radially extending arm, and wherein said actuator means comprises a substantially linearly reciprocable rod extending out of said tank, said rod connected at one end to said arm and at the other end to a reciprocation motor device.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said paddle elements comprise a row of substantially flat plates extending from a horizontal rotatable shaft toward said separating wall, at least some of said plates having vane elements arranged to cause liquid movement at angles to liquid movement produced otherwise by paddle reciprocation.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said agitating means includes plural sets of vertically spaced paddle elements, each set reciprocably rotatable on a substantially horizontal axis extending normal to said end walls.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11 and including actuator means disposed exteriorly of said tank and mechanically connected with said paddle elements to effect reciprocation thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
67 words
The apparatus of claim 12 wherein each of said paddle elements extends toward said separating wall from a shaft rotatably supported by said end walls, each shaft having a radially extending arm, and wherein said actuator means comprises a substantially linearly reciprocable rod extending out of said tank, said rod connected at one end to said arms and at the other end to a reciprocation motor device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus of claim 10 and including fluid heating means having a heating element extending substantially horizontally on an axis substantially parallel to and intermediate the axes of said sets of paddle elements.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means recirculating liquid includes an intake manifold extending substantially horizontally from and normal to one end wall toward the other end wall and having outlet openings arranged to introduce liquid into said treating compartment generally toward said agitating means and said separating wall.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said manifold has an open end and a plate positioned across, but spaced from, said open end to provide a relatively narrow gap for the flow of liquid therethrough.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said manifold is disposed vertically beneath said agitating means.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
The apparatus of claim 17 wherein said agitating means includes paddle elements extending toward said separating wall from a shaft rotatably supported by said end walls on an axis parallel to said manifold, said paddle elements arranged along said shaft substantially coextensive with said manifold.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
89 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said recirculating and draining means comprises a liquid pump having an intake and an outlet, first conduit means connecting said inlet with said separator compartment, second conduit means connecting said outlet with said treating compartment and having a first selectively operable shut-off valve therein, and third conduit means having a discharge end and an intake end connected with said second conduit means intermediate its valve and its connection with said pump outlet, said third conduit means having a selectively operable shut-off valve therein.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 19 including a fourth conduit means connecting said pump inlet with said second conduit means intermediate its valve and its connection with said treating compartment, and said fourth conduit means having a selectively operable shut-off valve therein.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
95 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said recirculating and draining mEans comprises a liquid pump having an intake and an outlet, first conduit means connecting said inlet with a substantially lowermost portion of said separator compartment, and second conduit means connecting said outlet with said treating compartment below its normal fluid level, a portion of said second conduit means being disposed at a higher level than its connection with said treating compartment and having means automatically inhibiting the siphoning of liquid between said compartments upon a predetermined lowering of liquid level in said treating compartment.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
41 words
The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said inhibiting means comprises a siphon interrupt conduit extending from said second conduit higher portion into said treating compartment and open to same at a point slightly below the top edge of said separating wall.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
21 words
The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said second conduit higher portion is higher than the top edge of said separating wall.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said siphon interrupt conduit is bent downwardly at its open end to a point below the top edge of said separating wall.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said liquid volume maintaining means comprises a float in said separator compartment and a liquid filling means automatically operated upon a predetermined lowering of float level to replenish liquid in said tank.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 25 wherein said filling means comprises a tap having a valve operably connected with said float and a discharge outlet disposed in said treating compartment.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
123 words
The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said treating compartment has a substantially vertical front side wall, a higher substantially vertical rear side wall spaced therefrom and having a horizontal opening therein such that the portion of said rear wall below said opening forms said separating wall, substantially vertical spaced end walls spacing said front and rear side walls, and a hood extending from the upper edges of said rear side and end walls to overlie said treating compartment and form an access opening between the upper edge of said front side wall and said hood, and wherein said handling means comprises a vertically movable structure arranged to carry parts between a space adjacent said access opening and the liquid below said horizontal opening.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 27 including a raisable lid covering the space of said treating compartment below said access opening.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus of claim 27 including means to automatically raise and lower said lid when said handling means structure respectively carries parts up out of and down into said liquid.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 29 including means operating said lid on raising to divert fumes from said liquid toward said rear wall and away from said access opening.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus of claim 1 and including fluid heating means having a heating element disposed completely within said treating compartment below the top edge of said separating wall.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said heating element extends substantially horizontally on an axis substantially parallel to and spaced from said separating wall.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-25 | 1978-05-27 | 1978-11-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-25 | 1982-05-27 | 1982-11-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-25 | 1986-05-27 | 1986-11-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |