Floating decanter

Claim 2

Floating decanter apparatus for decanting supernatant from a vessel or basin without drawing floating solids or scum, said apparatus comprising: weir means for decanting supernatant from a basin; a plurality of spaced apart floats for buoyantly supporting said weir means in said basin; actuator means connected to said weir means for moving said weir means, relative to said float means, from a first position at which a discharge opening of said weir means is above the surface level of the supernatant in said basin, to a second position at which the discharge opening is below the surface level enabling supernatant to enter said weir means, from below said surface level; flow diverting means for preventing floating debris from entering said discharge opening when said discharge opening is at said second position, and for causing subsurface decanting of the supernatant comprising a baffle attached to and surrounding said discharge opening and having a generally vertically disposed member extending above and below the discharge opening, the bottom of said baffle extending below the surface level of the liquid when the weir means is at the second position, said baffle including a plurality of generally horizontal members interconnecting said generally vertical member, said activator means, and said plurality of spaced apart floats; means for removing supernatant entering said weir means to a location outside said basin; and guide means for holding said floating decanter apparatus in said vessel or basin without significantly affecting the buoyancy thereof.

Claim 3

The floating decanter apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said floats include means, defining an exterior shape thereof for minimizing 90 degree impingement of surface solids moving in a direction toward said weir as supernatant is removed from said weir to a location outside said basin.

Claim 4

The floating decanter apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said float means comprises three floats each having an ovate shape.

Claim 5

Floating decanter apparatus comprising: weir means for decanting supernatant from a wastewater basin; a plurality of spaced apart floats for buoyantly supporting said weir means in said waste water basin in a continuous manner from an initial period when suspended solids are present throughout a liquid disposed in said waste water basin, including at and near a surface level of said liquid, to a final period when most of the solids have settled to the bottom of the basin leaving a supernatant with a small amount of solids floating thereon; actuator means connected to said weir means for moving said weir means, relative to said float means, from a first position at which a discharge opening of said weir means is above said surface level of said liquid to a second position at which the discharge opening is below the surface level, enabling supernatant to enter said weir means from below said surface level; flow diverting means for preventing suspended solids at and near said surface level from impinging or entering said discharge opening when said discharge opening is at both said first and second positions and for causing subsurface decanting of supernatant comprising a baffle attached to and surrounding said discharge opening and having a generally vertically disposed member extending above and below the discharge opening, the bottom of said baffle extending below the surface level of the liquid when the weir means is at the second position, said baffle including a plurality of generally horizontal members interconnecting said generally vertical member, said activator means, and said plurality of spaced apart floats; means for removing supernatant entering said weir means to a location outside said waste water basin; and guide means for holding said floating decanter apparatus in said vessel or basin without significantly affecting the buoyancy thereof.

Claim 6

Floating decanter apparatus comprising: weir means for decanting supernatant from a wastewater basin; a plurality of spaced apart floats for buoyantly supporting said weir means in said waste water basin in a continuous manner from an initial period when suspended solids are present throughout a liquid disposed in said waste water basin, including at and near a surface level of said liquid, to a final period when most of the solids have settled to the bottom of the basin leaving a supernatant with a small amount of solids floating thereon; actuator means connected to said weir means for moving said weir means, relative to said float means, from a first position at which a discharge opening of said weir means is above said surface level of said liquid to a second position at which the discharge opening is below the surface level, enabling supernatant to enter said weir means from below said surface level; flow diverting means for preventing suspended solids at and near said surface level from impinging or entering said discharge opening when said discharge opening is at both said first and second positions and for causing subsurface decanting of supernatant comprising a baffle attached to and surrounding said discharge opening and having a generally vertically disposed member extending above and below the discharge opening, the bottom of said baffle extending below the surface level of the liquid when the weir means is at the second position, said baffle including a plurality of generally horizontal members interconnecting said generally vertical member, said activator means, and said plurality of spaced apart floats; means for removing supernatant entering said weir means to a location outside said waste water basin; and guide means for holding said floating decanter apparatus in said vessel or basin without significantly affecting the buoyancy thereof.

Claim 7

The floating decanter apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said floats include means defining an exterior shape thereof for minimizing 90 degree impingement of supernatant moving in a direction toward said weir as supernatant is removed from said weir to a location outside the waste water basin.

Claim 8

The floating decanter apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said float means comprises three floats each having an ovate shape.