Apparatus for environmental leaching testing

Claim 1

Apparatus for separating solids from an effluent, said apparatus comprising in combination: an upper receiver having a substantially flat base to provide for free-standing and having an open top, a generally upright cylindrical receiver sidewall, a perforated plate secured at its perimeter to a bottom portion of the receiver sidewall, and a standpipe secured at one end to the perforated plate and projecting generally upwardly therefrom; a bottom receptacle having a closed bottom, an open top, a generally upright cylindrical receptacle sidewall, and a passage means for connection to a vacuum means, and creating a communicating passage between the vacuum means and the interior of the bottom receptacle; an intermediate coupler, first means for removably securing the intermediate coupler to the bottom portion of the upper receiver, and second means for securing the intermediate member to a top portion of the bottom receptacle so that the intermediate member forms a communicating passage between the upper receiver and the bottom receptacle; said intermediate coupler including a filter supporting base, said first means supporting said filter supporting base and said perforated plate in generally parallel and spaced apart relation when the intermediate coupler is secured to said upper receiver whereby said filter supporting base, coupler and perforated plate define a chamber, with said standpipe open to said chamber; and a first filter, removably supported on said filter supporting base, for substantially preventing the flow of a rinsing liquid by gravity from said chamber to said bottom receptacle, but readily permitting the passage of a liquid responsive to the application of a vacuum through said passage means to at least partially evacuate said bottom receptacle.