Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
233 words
An apparatus for the continuous hydroextraction of water containing sludge material comprising: a. a lower support frame; b. a plurality of extraction rollers on said lower support frame having a feed end and an exit end; c. a pervious extraction belt driven over said extraction rollers; d. an upper frame supported above said lower frame; e. a plurality of pressure rollers on said upper frame having a feed end and an exit end corresponding to the feed end and exit end of said extraction rollers; f. an impervious pressure belt driven over said pressure rollers, said pressure belt contacting said extraction belt to squeeze sludge material passing therebetween; g. means adjustably supporting said upper frame above said lower frame; h. selectively variable means driving said extraction rollers and selectively variable means driving said pressure belt at a speed different from the speed at which said extraction belt is driven; and i. means to apply continuously increasing pressure contact to said extraction belt and said pressure belt from where the sludge material enters between said belts to where the sludge material extis; wherein said means to apply continuously increasing pressure contact includes a predetermined, diminishing, progressive spacing of said extraction rollers and said pressure rollers, and an offset alignment of said pressure rollers between said extraction rollers, said means g., h., and i., cooperatively functioning to provide a sludge cake of substantially uniform thickness.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
233 words
An apparatus for the continuous hydroextraction of water containing sludge material comprising: a. a lower support frame; b. a plurality of extraction rollers on said lower support frame having a feed end and an exit end; c. a pervious extraction belt driven over said extraction rollers; d. an upper frame supported above said lower frame; e. a plurality of pressure rollers on said upper frame having a feed end and an exit end corresponding to the feed end and exit end of said extraction rollers; f. an impervious pressure belt driven over said pressure rollers, said pressure belt contacting said extraction belt to squeeze sludge material passing therebetween; g. means adjustably supporting said upper frame above said lower frame; h. selectively variable means driving said extraction rollers and selectively variable means driving said pressure belt at a speed different from the speed at which said extraction belt is driven; and i. means to apply continuously increasing pressure contact to said extraction belt and said pressure belt from where the sludge material enters between said belts to where the sludge material extis; wherein said means to apply continuously increasing pressure contact includes a predetermined, diminishing, progressive spacing of said extraction rollers and said pressure rollers, and an offset alignment of said pressure rollers between said extraction rollers, said means g., h., and i., cooperatively functioning to provide a sludge cake of substantially uniform thickness.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 including means for applying an increasing downward pressure to said pressure rollers to cause said pressure belt and said extraction belt to become increasingly taut as said belt travel between said pressure rollers and said extraction rollers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said pressure rollers are a non-resilient material.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein said means applying downward pressure to said pressure rollers supports said upper frame above said lower frame.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
39 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said means applying downward pressure to said pressure rollers and supporting said upper frame comprise a plurality of adjustable hydraulic spring-loaded devices positioned between said lower frame and said upper frame.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said arithmetic spacing means applying continuously increasing pressure contact to said pressure belt and said extraction belt includes different arithmetic progression spacings of said pressure rollers and said extraction rollers, without disrupting the offset alignment of said pressure rollers and said extraction rollers.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the arithmetic progressions of said extraction rollers and said pressure rollers decrease from the feed ends to the exit ends.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein said arithmetic progressions of said extraction rollers in inches is 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 20, 24, 24, and 20.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said arithmetic progression of said pressure rollers in inches is 26, 22, 18, 14 and 10.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein said pressure rollers and said extraction rollers have a diameter of about 3 to 6 inches.