Liquid separators

Claim 1

A device for separating denser and lighter constituents of a mixture of liquids or a solid material and a liquid, comprising, in combination, i. a container, ii. a drain outlet in a lower region of the container, iii. a barrier in an upper region of the container dividing said upper region into an inner space and an outer space surrounding said inner space, iv. an inlet for the mixture into the container opening into said upper region outer space, v. an outlet from the chamber being disposed in an upper part of said inner space, vi. said inlet being directed obliquely to the barrier to impart to the entering mixture a circulatory motion around the barrier whereby centrifugal separation of the mixture is initiated as it flows to the lower limit of the barrier, the arrangement being such that the denser constituent settles in said lower region and the lighter constituent flows to said outlet by way of said inner space, vii. a float in said lower region being displaceable upwardly by buoyancy forces as the denser constituent accumulates there, viii. an electrical proximity switch disposed on or adjacent a side of the container below said upper region to be laterally offset from the float, ix. a mounting for said switch maintaining the switch in a space sealed from the container interior, x. a magnet Mounted on a lateral region of the float adjacent said switch for operation of the switch as the float rises, xi. external means being actuated by the operation of the proximity switch for indication of the rising of the float and/or for opening said drain outlet, whereby the settled denser constituent can be drained from the container through said outlet, xii. a shut-off valve disposed in the container above the float to be closed by the float when the float has risen above a position at which said external means are to be operated, xiii. said shut-off valve comprising a valve seating in said inner space in the path of the flow through said space and a valve body upwardly displaceable by said rising of the float to engage with the seating and stop the outflow of the separated lighter constituent from the container after said position is passed, xiv. an externally operable device being provided for displacement of the shut-off valve body from its seating to permit said outflow to restart when the float descends again after closure of the valve.

Claim 2

A device for separating denser and lighter constituents of a mixture of liquids or a solid material and a liquid, comprising, in combination, i. a container, ii. a drain outlet in a lower region of the container, iii. a barrier in an upper region of the container dividing said upper region into an inner space and an outer space surrounding said inner space, iv. an inlet for the mixture into the container opening into said upper region outer space, v. an outlet from the chamber being disposed in an upper part of said inner space, vi. said inlet being directed obliquely to the barrier to impart to the entering mixture a circulatory motion around the barrier whereby centrifugal separation of the mixture is initiated as it flows to the lower limit of the barrier, the arrangement being such that the denser constituent settles in said lower region and the lighter constituent flows to said outlet by way of said inner space, vii. a float in said lower region being displaceable upwardly by buoyancy forces as the denser constituent accumulates there, viii. an electrical proximity switch disposed on or adjacent a side of the container below said upper region to be laterally offset from the float, ix. a mounting for said switch maintaining the switch in a space sealed from the container interior, x. a magnet Mounted on a lateral region of the float adjacent said switch for operation of the switch as the float rises, xi. external means being actuated by the operation of the proximity switch for indication of the rising of the float and/or for opening said drain outlet, whereby the settled denser constituent can be drained from the container through said outlet, xii. a shut-off valve disposed in the container above the float to be closed by the float when the float has risen above a position at which said external means are to be operated, xiii. said shut-off valve comprising a valve seating in said inner space in the path of the flow through said space and a valve body upwardly displaceable by said rising of the float to engage with the seating and stop the outflow of the separated lighter constituent from the container after said position is passed, xiv. an externally operable device being provided for displacement of the shut-off valve body from its seating to permit said outflow to restart when the float descends again after closure of the valve.