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US3882016A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Flotation machine and impeller therefor
Assignee: GALIGHER COMPANY
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Filing: 1974-06-17
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Granted: 1975-05-06
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Expires: 1994-06-17
Abstract
Abstract An impeller for a flotation machine having an upper circular plate with a central hole for supplying air through a hollow shaft to the underside, and a lower circular plate having a larger central hole and sloping toward the first plate to the outside, together with a series of radial, upright vanes between the plates which are thicker at their outer edges than at their inner edges, both of which are rounded. A series of radial fingers shorter than the vanes extend upwardly from the periphery of the upper plate. These fingers are also thinner at their inner rounded edges and thicker at their outer rounded edges. The impeller may be utilized with an open top stabilizer including radially outwardly extending vanes which are thicker at their inner rounded edges and thinner at their outer edges. The stabilizer vanes may be formed of center plates welded to a support bar structure extending around either the outside of the vanes or disposed angularly of the lower outer corner thereof. The stabilizer vanes and support bars may be covered with rubber, which may be molded to provide the desired rounded inside edge and variations in thickness. In the preferred stabililzer, a rubberized top cover which covers the space above the vanes, or a cover formed as a quadrant at each corner or as a series of annular rings, may be used. The cover merely rests on the vanes but hold down rods may extend from the cover or parts thereof to the inside of the tank walls. Both stabilizer vanes and the impeller are spaced above the bottom of the tank of the flotation machine, so that a recirculation of pulp around and above the impeller between the stabilizer vanes is obtained, as well as an outward discharge of pulp by the fingers into the spaces between the stabilizer vanes. Not only is the efficiency increased, but also the problem of ''''sanding up'''' in the bottom of the tank is overcome, particularly when the cover for the outward vanes is utilized.
Inventors
- 👤 Charles A Green
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 17:09
CPC Classifications
B; B03; B03D; B03D1/00; B03D1/14; B03D1/1493; B03D1/1487; B03D1/16; B03D1/18; B03D1/02; B03D1/028
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
147 words
A rotatable impeller for a flotation machine having a tank, comprising: a circular lower plate; a circular upper plate concentric with and spaced from said lower plate, said plates each having a circular central opening therein; a series of vanes extending generally radially and disposed between said plates, said vanes being constructed and arranged to pump pulp and the like from said central opening of said first plate and discharge the same from the periphery of the space between said plates; a series of radial fingers spaced around the periphery of said upper plate and extending upwardly therefrom, said fingers having free upper ends and a radial extent less than that of said vanes; and means connected to said lower plate at said central opening for supplying fluid under pressure to the underside of said impeller and for supporting said impeller above the bottom of said tank.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
147 words
A rotatable impeller for a flotation machine having a tank, comprising: a circular lower plate; a circular upper plate concentric with and spaced from said lower plate, said plates each having a circular central opening therein; a series of vanes extending generally radially and disposed between said plates, said vanes being constructed and arranged to pump pulp and the like from said central opening of said first plate and discharge the same from the periphery of the space between said plates; a series of radial fingers spaced around the periphery of said upper plate and extending upwardly therefrom, said fingers having free upper ends and a radial extent less than that of said vanes; and means connected to said lower plate at said central opening for supplying fluid under pressure to the underside of said impeller and for supporting said impeller above the bottom of said tank.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
An impeller as defined in claim 1, wherein both the inner upright edge and the outer upright edge of said vanes is rounded and convex.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
An impeller as defined in claim 1, wherein: said fingers are equally spaced about the periphery of said plate and have a lateral thickness adjacent the outer edge greater than adjacent the inner edge thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
150 words
An impeller as defined in claim 1, wherein: the vertical distance between said upper and lower plates is greater adjacent said central opening than adjacent the periphery of said plates; the lateral thickness of said vanes is greater adjacent the periphery of said plates than adjacent said central opening; said vanes are equally spaced, and each vane has substantially the same lateral thickness at different points along the radial length thereof as the other vanes; both the inner upright edge and the outer upright edge of said vanes is rounded and convex; said upstanding fingers are equally spaced about the periphery of said plate, have a radial length less than the radial length of said vanes and have a lateral thickness greater adjacent the outer edge than adjacent the inner edge thereof; and both the inner upright edge and the outer upright edge of said fingers is rounded and convex.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
146 words
In a flotation machine having a tank, the combination with an impeller having: a pair of vertically spaced, concentric circular plates, each of said plates having a central circular opening, with one opening being smaller than the other; a series of vanes extending generally radially and disposed between said plates; a series of fingers extending vertically from the upper of said plates and spaced around the periphery thereof; of a series of generally radial, upright vanes disposed outwardly from and surrounding said impeller adjacent the bottom of said tank; means for supporting said outward vanes with the lower edges thereof spaced from the bottom of said tank; and a hollow shaft for rotating said impeller about a vertical axis with the lower edge of said impeller spaced from the bottom of said tank, said hollow shaft supplying an aeration fluid to the underside of said impeller.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
146 words
In a flotation machine having a tank, the combination with an impeller having: a pair of vertically spaced, concentric circular plates, each of said plates having a central circular opening, with one opening being smaller than the other; a series of vanes extending generally radially and disposed between said plates; a series of fingers extending vertically from the upper of said plates and spaced around the periphery thereof; of a series of generally radial, upright vanes disposed outwardly from and surrounding said impeller adjacent the bottom of said tank; means for supporting said outward vanes with the lower edges thereof spaced from the bottom of said tank; and a hollow shaft for rotating said impeller about a vertical axis with the lower edge of said impeller spaced from the bottom of said tank, said hollow shaft supplying an aeration fluid to the underside of said impeller.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
In a flotation machine as defined in claim 5, wherein: said outward vanes have a lateral thickness adjacent the inner edge greater than the lateral thickness adjacent the outer edge thereof; and the inner edges of said outward vanes are rounded and convex.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
139 words
In a flotation machine having a tank: an impeller disposed adjacent the bottom of said tank, having upper agitation and pumping means for receiving pulp and the like centrally and discharging the same outwardly, and lower agitation and pumping means for receiving pulp centrally and agitating and moving outwardly pulp and the like at the underside of said impeller; means for rotating said impeller; means for supplying an aeration fluid to said loWer agitating and pumping means; means surrounding said impeller, for receiving a pulp mixture from both said upper agitation and pumping means and said lower agitating and pumping means, for interrupting the circular flow of said pulp mixtures and for producing an intermixing of said pulp mixtures with said aeration fluid; and cover means overlying and engaging at least a portion of said pulp mixture receiving means.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
139 words
In a flotation machine having a tank: an impeller disposed adjacent the bottom of said tank, having upper agitation and pumping means for receiving pulp and the like centrally and discharging the same outwardly, and lower agitation and pumping means for receiving pulp centrally and agitating and moving outwardly pulp and the like at the underside of said impeller; means for rotating said impeller; means for supplying an aeration fluid to said loWer agitating and pumping means; means surrounding said impeller, for receiving a pulp mixture from both said upper agitation and pumping means and said lower agitating and pumping means, for interrupting the circular flow of said pulp mixtures and for producing an intermixing of said pulp mixtures with said aeration fluid; and cover means overlying and engaging at least a portion of said pulp mixture receiving means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
In a flotation machine as defined in claim 7, wherein: said means surrounding said impeller comprises a series of generally radial, upright vanes disposed outwardly from and surrounding said impeller.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
46 words
In a flotation machine as defined in claim 8, wherein: said outwardly disposed vanes comprise plates provided with a covering of a corrosion and abrasion resistant elastomer; and said cover means comprises at least one plate having a covering of a corrosion and abrasion resistant elastomer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
In a flotation machine as defined in claim 9, wherein: said elastomer of said cover plate is provided with depending ridges formed in spaced pairs with slots therebetween, for engaging the upper edge of a correspondingly disposed outward vane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
22 words
In a flotation machine as defined in claim 8, wherein: said cover means corresponds to substantially the entire area above said vanes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
96 words
In a flotation machine as defined in claim 8, wherein: said outward vanes extend radially from a position adjacent said impeller to a position spaced from said tank wall, the outer edges of said outward vanes being disposed in a generally rectangular configuration; said cover means comprises a series of quadrant shaped plates covered with said elastomer and overlying at least two of said outward vanes between said impeller and a corner of said rectangular configuration; and means extending to the inside of said tank for holding said quadrant shaped covers downwardly against said outward vanes.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
78 words
In a flotation machine as defined in claim 8, wherein: said cover means comprises a series of annular rings of increasing diameter and spaced apart radially, each said ring having an elastomer covering and a series of depending ridges on the underside provided in spaced pairs with slots therebetween for engaging the upper edge of a corresponding positioned outward vane; and means extending to the inner wall of said tank for holding said rings against said outward vanes.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
In a flotation machine as defined in claim 5, including: cover means overlying said outward vanes and corresponding to substantially the entire area above said vanes.
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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) | 1978-05-05 | 1978-11-04 | 1979-05-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-05 | 1982-11-04 | 1983-05-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-05 | 1986-11-04 | 1987-05-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |