Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
285 words
A method of fabricating a gas transmitting body for use in apparatus for diffusing fine gas bubbles into a body of liquid which comprises: positioning a plurality of hollow capillary strands and binder across one face of a first support plate, said support plate being generally rectangular in shape and having a generally rectangular opening in the interior portion thereof to provide an elongated O-shaped member having two sides adapted to form a part of the interior wall of a gas plenum and two sides adapted to form a part of the exterior wall of said gas plenum, said hollow strands being positioned in said first step substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said support plate and to each of said two side walls, to extend across said rectangular opening and beyond the support plate on both exterior sides thereof; positioning a second support plate having a similar shape to that of said first support plate adjacent said plurality of hollow capillary strands and binder to form a sandwich of said two plates with said strands and binder therebetween; holding said sandwich until said binder is hardened to embed said hollow capillary strands in the binder as a matrix, to provide gas transmitting passages extending through said matrix; trimming back generally to said exterior side walls of said support plates the portions of said hollow strands embedded in said matrix that extend outwardly beyond said side walls, to form a gas diffusing surface with capillary openings distributed across the same; and severing the portions of said hollow strands embedded in said matrix that extend inwardly beyond said interior side walls of said support plates, to form the inlet ends of said gas transmitting passages.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
285 words
A method of fabricating a gas transmitting body for use in apparatus for diffusing fine gas bubbles into a body of liquid which comprises: positioning a plurality of hollow capillary strands and binder across one face of a first support plate, said support plate being generally rectangular in shape and having a generally rectangular opening in the interior portion thereof to provide an elongated O-shaped member having two sides adapted to form a part of the interior wall of a gas plenum and two sides adapted to form a part of the exterior wall of said gas plenum, said hollow strands being positioned in said first step substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said support plate and to each of said two side walls, to extend across said rectangular opening and beyond the support plate on both exterior sides thereof; positioning a second support plate having a similar shape to that of said first support plate adjacent said plurality of hollow capillary strands and binder to form a sandwich of said two plates with said strands and binder therebetween; holding said sandwich until said binder is hardened to embed said hollow capillary strands in the binder as a matrix, to provide gas transmitting passages extending through said matrix; trimming back generally to said exterior side walls of said support plates the portions of said hollow strands embedded in said matrix that extend outwardly beyond said side walls, to form a gas diffusing surface with capillary openings distributed across the same; and severing the portions of said hollow strands embedded in said matrix that extend inwardly beyond said interior side walls of said support plates, to form the inlet ends of said gas transmitting passages.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 1 which includes the steps of severing the end portions of said two elongated O-shaped support plates along the central longitudinal axis of said plates, after the binder between said two O-shaped plates has hardened to form a matrix in which said capillary strands are embedded, to form two generally rectangular gas transmitting bodies.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 1 which includes the step of positioning a plurality of lengths of roving, each of which lengths of roving is formed of a plurality of hollow capillary strands, across said one face of said first support plate.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 3 in which said hollow capillary strands in substantially all said lengths of roving positioned across said one face of said support plate are generally parallel to each other.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 1 which includes the steps of securing a plurality of said first support plates to a winding fixture, and winding said plurality of hollow capillary strands successively around said plurality of support plates to position a strand first across one support plate and then across the next plate.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
The method of claim 5 which includes the step of winding a plurality of lengths of roving, each of which lengths of roving is formed of a plurality of hollow capillary strands, successively around said plurality of support plates secured upon said winding fixture, to position a length of roving first across one support plate and then across the next plate.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
81 words
The method of claim 1 which includes the steps of affixing a gastight cover plate to one side of said sandwich with said hollow capillary strand ends trimmed and severed as described, and affixing a gastight cover plate with an inlet opening therein to the other side of said sandwich, to form a gas plenum into which gas can be introduced under pressure through said inlet, and out of which said gas can flow through said plurality of hollow capillary strands.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 7 which includes positioning a layer of binder between each of said support plates and its associated cover plate.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of claim 8 which includes the steps of pressing said two cover plates against the respective layer of binder and support plate associated therewith, and holding said elements compressed until said binder has hardened.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 9 in which each of said layers of binder comprises a heat curable binder, and which includes the step of applying heat, while said elements are under compression, to said layers of binder to cure the same.