Skimming apparatus

Claim 2

A skimming apparatus for removing a first liquid from a second liquid on which said first liquid is floating, said skimming apparatus comprising: a drive wheel mounted for rotation about a first substantially horizontal axis; an idler wheel mounted for rotation about a second substantially horizontal axis, said second substantially horizontal axis being parallel to said first substantially horizontal axis and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom, said idler wheel having a hub and a plurality of blade members extending radially from said hub; an endless belt having a surface preferentially wettable by said first liquid, said endless belt having a first portion extending over an upper portion of said idler wheel, a second portion extending from said upper portion of said idler wheel to an upper portion of said drive wheel, a third portion extending over said upper portion of said drive wheel, a fourth portion depending downwardly from said upper portion of said drive wheel toward said first liquid, a fifth portion disposed in said first liquid, and a sixth portion extending upwardly from said first liquid to said idler wheel; biasing means for biasing said third portion of said endless belt into driving engagement with said drive wheel; scraper means mounted at a predetermined location between said drive wheel and said idler wheel, said scraper means scraping said first liquid from said endless belt as said second portion of said endless belt is pulled past said scraper means; and collector means mounted below said scraper means extending beneath said idler wheel, said second portion of said endless belt, and said drive wheel, said collector means collecting said first liquid which flows downwardly from said first, second, and third portions of said endless belt.

Claim 3

The skimming apparatus of claim 1 wherein the width of said drive wheel and the width of said idler wheel are substantially identical.

Claim 4

The skimming apparatus of claim 1 wherein the width of said endless belt is substantially identical to the width of said drive wheel.

Claim 5

The skimming apparatus of claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises a pressure roller mounted adjacent said drive wheel and parallel thereto, said pressure roller being biased against said drive wheel such as to bias said third portion of said endless belt into engagement with said drive wheel.

Claim 6

The skimming apparatus of claim 4 wherein said pressure roller is disposed above said drive wheel and partially to the side of said drive wheel remote from said scraper means, such that said pressure roller is biased against said drive wheel, at least partially, by the weight of said pressure roller.

Claim 7

The skimming apparatus of claim 4 wherein said pressure roller is mounted above said drive wheel and exerts a sufficient force against said third portion of said endless belt such as to squeeze an additional portion of said first liquid from said third portion of said endless belt, said collector means being disposed partially below said drive wheel for collection of said additional portion of said first liquid.

Claim 8

The skimming apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second portion of said endless belt extends angularly downwardly from said upper portion of said idler wheel to said upper portion of said drive wheel.

Claim 9

The skimming apparatus of claim 1 further comprising drive means operatively interconnected with said drive wheel such as to rotate said drive wheel to advance said endless belt and such as to draw said second portion of said endless belt toward said drive wheel.

Claim 10

The skimming apparatus of claim 1 further comprising frame means, said drive wheel and said idler wheel being rotatably mounted to said frame means.

Claim 11

The skimming apparatus of claim 9 wherein said frame means further comprises: a first flat frame member; and a second flat frame member disposed parallel to said first flat frame member and spaced a predetermined distance therefrom, said drive wheel, said idler wheel, said scraper means, and said collector means being mounted between said first and second flat frame members.

Claim 12

The skimming apparatus of claim 1 wherein said drive wheel has a knurled surface.

Claim 13

The skimming apparatus of claim 1 wherein said scraper means comprises a wiper plate fixedly disposed relative to said first and second substantially horizontal axes.

Claim 14

The skimming apparatus of claim 12 wherein said wiper plate is movably disposed relative to said first and second substantially horizontal axes and is biased against said endless belt.

Claim 15

The skimming apparatus of claim 12 wherein said scraper means comprises: fixed blade means fixedly disposed relative to said first and second substantially horizontal axes; and movable blade means movably disposed relative to said first and second substantially horizontal axes and biased against said endless belt, said movable blade means being disposed remote from said fixed blade means.

Claim 16

The skimming apparatus of claim 14 wherein said fixed blade means is disposed below said second portion of said endless belt and said movable blade means is disposed above said second portion of said endless belt.

Claim 17

The skimming apparatus of claim 14 wherein said movable blade means is disposed between said idler wheel and said fixed blade means.

Claim 18

The skimming apparatus of claim 14 wherein said movable blade means is pivotally mounted such as to be biased downwardly by gravity.

Claim 19

A skimming apparatus for removing a first liquid from a second liquid on which it is floating, said skimming apparatus comprising: frame means; a drive wheel mounted to said frame means for rotation about a first substantially horizontal axis; a star wheel mounted to said frame means for rotation about a second substantially horizontal axis, said second substantially horizontal axis being parallel to said first substantially horizontal axis and spaced a predeterminded distance therefrom; an endless belt having a surface preferentially wettable by said first liquid, said endless belt having a first portion extending over an upper portion of said star wheel, a second portion extending from said upper portion of said star wheel to an upper portion of said drive wheel, a third portion extending over said upper portion of said drive wheel, a fourth portion depending downwardly from said upper portion of said drive wheel toward said first liquid, a fifth portion disposed in said first liquid, and a sixth portion extending upwardly from said first liquid toward said star wheel, said endless belt having a width substantially identical to the width of said drive wheel; drive means mounted to said frame means and operatively interconnected with said drive wheel such as to rotate said drive wheel to advance said endless belt and such as to draw said second portion of said endless belt toward said drive wheel; biasing means for biasing said third portion of said endless belt into driving engagement with said drive wheel; scraper means mounted to said frame means at a predetermined location between said drive wheel and said star wheel, said scraper means engaging said second portion of said endless belt, said scraper means scraping said first liquid from said endless belt as said second portion of said endless belt is pulled past said scraper means by said drive wheel; and collector means mounted below said scraper means and below said upper portion of said drive wheel and said star wheel, said collector means collecting said first liquid which flows downwardly from said first, second, and third portions of said endless belt.

Claim 20

A skimming apparatus for removing a first liquid from a second liquid on which it is floating, said skimming apparatus comprising: frame means; a drive wheel mounted to said frame means for rotation about a first substantially horizontal axis; a star wheel mounted to said frame means for rotation about a second substantially horizontal axis, said second substantially horizontal axis being parallel to said first substantially horizontal axis and spaced a predeterminded distance therefrom; an endless belt having a surface preferentially wettable by said first liquid, said endless belt having a first portion extending over an upper portion of said star wheel, a second portion extending from said upper portion of said star wheel to an upper portion of said drive wheel, a third portion extending over said upper portion of said drive wheel, a fourth portion depending downwardly from said upper portion of said drive wheel toward said first liquid, a fifth portion disposed in said first liquid, and a sixth portion extending upwardly from said first liquid toward said star wheel, said endless belt having a width substantially identical to the width of said drive wheel; drive means mounted to said frame means and operatively interconnected with said drive wheel such as to rotate said drive wheel to advance said endless belt and such as to draw said second portion of said endless belt toward said drive wheel; biasing means for biasing said third portion of said endless belt into driving engagement with said drive wheel; scraper means mounted to said frame means at a predetermined location between said drive wheel and said star wheel, said scraper means engaging said second portion of said endless belt, said scraper means scraping said first liquid from said endless belt as said second portion of said endless belt is pulled past said scraper means by said drive wheel; and collector means mounted below said scraper means and below said upper portion of said drive wheel and said star wheel, said collector means collecting said first liquid which flows downwardly from said first, second, and third portions of said endless belt.

Claim 21

The skimming apparatus of claim 18 wherein said biasing means comprises a pressure roller mounted adjacent said drive wheel, said pressure roller being biased against said drive wheel such as to maintain said third portion of said endless belt in engagement with said drive wheel and further, such as to exert a force on said third portion of said endless belt such as to squeeze an additional portion of said first liquid from said third portion of said endless belt.

Claim 22

The skimming apparatus of claim 18 wherein said scraper means further comprises: fixed blade means fixedly interconnected with said frame means and disposed between said star wheel and said drive wheel such as to engage said third portion of said endless belt; and movable blade means movably interconnected with said frame means, said movable blade means being disposed between said drive wheel and said star wheel and being in engagement with said second portion of said endless belt.

Claim 23

The skimming apparatus of claim 20 wherein said fixed blade means is disposed below said second portion of said endless belt and further, wherein said movable blade means is pivotally mounted to said frame means at a location above said second portion of said endless belt such as to be pivotable, by gravity, into engagement with said second portion of said endless belt, said movable blade means being disposed between said idler wheel and said fixed blade means.