Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
176 words
An aeration pump for controlling foam level and thus foam thickness when aerating liquids having a foam-forming tendency, wherein said pump is placed in said liquid, said liquid having a surface, said surface including foam thereon having a thickness, said pump comprising: pump means for mixing air and said liquid; liquid inlet means for transporting liquid from the vicinity of said surface to said pump means; and air inlet means, located in the vicinity of a desired foam thickness level and coaxially within said liquid inlet means forming an intermediate space of annular cross section which serves as the liquid inlet means, for conducting air to said pump means when said foam thickness is less than desired and for conducting foam to said pump means when said foam thickness is greater than desired, said liquid inlet means and said air inlet means have inflow edges that are arranged parallel to said liquid level, wherein said liquid inlet means and said air inlet means are funnel-shaped, and taper inwardly from said inflow edges towards said pump means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
176 words
An aeration pump for controlling foam level and thus foam thickness when aerating liquids having a foam-forming tendency, wherein said pump is placed in said liquid, said liquid having a surface, said surface including foam thereon having a thickness, said pump comprising: pump means for mixing air and said liquid; liquid inlet means for transporting liquid from the vicinity of said surface to said pump means; and air inlet means, located in the vicinity of a desired foam thickness level and coaxially within said liquid inlet means forming an intermediate space of annular cross section which serves as the liquid inlet means, for conducting air to said pump means when said foam thickness is less than desired and for conducting foam to said pump means when said foam thickness is greater than desired, said liquid inlet means and said air inlet means have inflow edges that are arranged parallel to said liquid level, wherein said liquid inlet means and said air inlet means are funnel-shaped, and taper inwardly from said inflow edges towards said pump means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The aeration pump of claim 1, wherein one of said liquid inlet means and said air inlet means are flexibly arranged and adjustable with respect to each other.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The aeration pump of claim 2, wherein said air inlet means and said pump means form a rigid structural unit and said liquid inlet means is flexibly mounted thereon.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The aeration pump of claim 3, wherein said liquid inlet means is adjustably and flexibly suspended on a bracket rigidly attached to said rigid structural unit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
The aeration pump of claim 3, wherein said liquid inlet means is adjustably attached to said rigid structural unit by means of a threaded spindle.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
The aeration pump of claim 2, wherein said liquid inlet means includes a mounting means, said pump means includes a paddle wheel pump, a motor means for driving said paddle wheel pump and securing means for mounting said motor, and said liquid inlet means mounting means and said securing means form a rigid structural unit with said air inlet means flexibly arranged therein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The aeration pump of claim 6, wherein said air inlet means is suspended from said liquid inlet means mounting means by tension springs.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The aeration pump of claim 6, wherein said air inlet means is suspended from said liquid inlet means mounting means by chains.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The aeration pump of claim 6, wherein said paddle wheel pump includes an inlet and outlet side and a cutting device is provided on said outlet side.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The aeration pump of claim 9, wherein said paddle wheel pump includes paddles having cutting edges.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The aeration pump of claim 9, wherein said paddle wheel pump includes a guide member attached to said outlet side.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
The aeration pump of claim 11, wherein said guide member comprises a turbulence pipe tangentially oriented with respect to said paddle wheel pump.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The aeration pump of claim 12, wherein said pump means further includes a guide plate oriented radially with respect to said paddle wheel pump and located on an inner face of said liquid inlet means adjacent said inlet to said paddle wheel pump.