Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
234 words
In an apparatus for the continuous separation of solids from a liquid suspension thereof and in which said solids have a tendency to float upwardly in the liquid; an upright tank comprising a lower cylindrical section, an upwardly-reducing imperforate frusto-conical intermediate section coextensive with said lower section, and an upper smaller-diameter cylindrical section coextensive with said frusto-conical intermediate section, said tank being essentially cylindrical in transverse section, and further having a bottom end wall; liquid suspension inlet means communicating with said tank at a level intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof; a first outlet aperture in said tank proximate the lower end thereof located in a plane below said inlet means; a second outlet aperture in said tank proximate the upper end thereof located in a plane above said liquid suspension inlet means; vertically extending baffles in said tank disposed intermediate said inlet means and said second outlet aperture for inhibiting swirling movement of said liquid suspension, said vertically extending baffles comprising a plurality of plate members spaced about the inner circumferential wall of said tank and projecting radially inwardly towards the vertical longitudinal axis of said tank; and means for agitating said liquid suspension being disposed in said tank in the region intermediate said second outlet aperture and said inlet means for impelling solids in the liquid suspension in said region upwardly towards said second outlet aperture for withdrawal from said tank.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
234 words
In an apparatus for the continuous separation of solids from a liquid suspension thereof and in which said solids have a tendency to float upwardly in the liquid; an upright tank comprising a lower cylindrical section, an upwardly-reducing imperforate frusto-conical intermediate section coextensive with said lower section, and an upper smaller-diameter cylindrical section coextensive with said frusto-conical intermediate section, said tank being essentially cylindrical in transverse section, and further having a bottom end wall; liquid suspension inlet means communicating with said tank at a level intermediate the upper and lower ends thereof; a first outlet aperture in said tank proximate the lower end thereof located in a plane below said inlet means; a second outlet aperture in said tank proximate the upper end thereof located in a plane above said liquid suspension inlet means; vertically extending baffles in said tank disposed intermediate said inlet means and said second outlet aperture for inhibiting swirling movement of said liquid suspension, said vertically extending baffles comprising a plurality of plate members spaced about the inner circumferential wall of said tank and projecting radially inwardly towards the vertical longitudinal axis of said tank; and means for agitating said liquid suspension being disposed in said tank in the region intermediate said second outlet aperture and said inlet means for impelling solids in the liquid suspension in said region upwardly towards said second outlet aperture for withdrawal from said tank.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
79 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising a generally horizontal baffle member extending across the interior of said tank at an elevation intermediate said liquid suspension inlet means and said first outlet aperture, said baffle member forming a liquid-pervious barrier allowing for the downward passage therethrough of relatively pure liquid from said liquid suspension adapted to be withdrawn from said tank through said first outlet aperture while solids contained in said suspension will float upwardly within said tank.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said liquid-pervious baffle member comprising a perforated metallic grid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 2, said liquid-pervious baffle member being constituted of a screen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
71 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said agitating means comprising a rotatable impeller; said impeller including means restraining downward movement of solids in said liquid suspension above said impeller; and means for imparting a predetermined speed of rotation to said impeller to maintain said solids dispersed in said liquid suspension while concurrently preventing downward movement thereof in said tank and to conduct said solids upwardly towards said second outlet aperture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 5, said impeller comprising a shrouded impeller.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said agitating means comprising a shrouded turbine rotor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said liquid suspension inlet means and said first outlet aperture communicating with the lower cylindrical section of said tank, and said second outlet aperture communicating with the upper cylindrical section of said tank.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
80 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said vertically extending baffles comprising a first set of baffles formed of a plurality of circumferentially spaced plate members fastened to the inner conical surface of the frusto-conical section of said tank; and a second set of baffles formed of a plurality of circumferentially spaced plate members fastened to the inner cylindrical wall of said upper cylindrical section of said tank, said plate members extending towards the vertical longitudinal axis of said tank.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, said first and second sets of vertically extending baffles having the plate members thereof extending radially towards the axis of said tank and being equi-distantly spaced about the inner circumference of said tank.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, said first set of baffles extending across substantially the entire radial dimension of said frusto-conical section towards the vertical center line of said tank.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
31 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, said second outlet aperture communicating with said upper cylindrical section of said tank intermediate two adjacent plate members of said second set of baffles.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, said plate members of said second set of baffles being essentially narrow in width and extending only a portion of the radial dimension of said upper cylindrical tank section towards the vertical center line of said tank.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 9, said agitating means being disposed in the upper cylindrical section of said tank at an elevation below said second outlet aperture and above the lower ends of the plate members of said second set of baffles.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
52 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, comprising drive means mounted on the upper end of said tank; and a vertically depending rotatable drive shaft connected to and extending from said drive means into said tank, said agitating means being fastened to the lower end of said shaft means and rotatable therewith.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said liquid suspension inlet means comprising a tubular member extending generally horizontally into said tank, said tubular member having an upwardly oriented discharge orifice for ejecting said liquid suspension upwardly into said tank and centrally thereof.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said solids in said liquid suspension comprising finely particulate high-density polyethylene.