Collection device for gaseous emissions

Claim 5

The method of claim 2 in which said step of directing said air flow comprises positioning an angled deflector member in the path of the air flow between adjacent inlet openings so that the air is smoothly guided into the inlet openings.

Claim 6

The method of claim 2 in which said step of passing a flow of air across an opening in the container comprises passing a flow of air across an opening in the container along a flow path which converges inwardly from an area located at least at the peripheral edge of the opening in the container, to the inlet openings formed in the collection device.

Claim 7

The method of claim 4 in which said step of passing a flow of air across an opening in the container comprises creating a negative pressure within the interior of the collection device so that air from outside the peripheral edge of the opening in the container, where the opening has its largest transverse dimension, is drawn inwardly across the opening and into the inlet openings of the collection device to prevent the escape of gaseous emissions along substantially the entire surface area of the opening in the container.

Claim 10

The method of claim 6 in which said step of directing the gaseous emissions which initially fail to enter the inlet openings comprises positioning a deflector member in the path of such gaseous emissions so that they are deflected into said substantially laminar flow of air-entrained gaseous emissions and directed toward the inlet openings in the collection device.

Claim 13

Apparatus for collecting gaseous material emitted from an opening in a container, comprising: a collector body for mounting in the proximity of the opening in the container, said collector body being formed with an inner wall, an outer wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and opposed end walls which collectively define a hollow interior, said inner wall being formed with inlet openings which are spaced from one another in a direction from one of said end walls to the other, said collector body having an outlet for connection to a source of vacuum which creates a negative pressure within said hollow interior to draw an air flow across the opening in the container toward said inlet openings in said collector body when said collector body is mounted in the proximity of the container; first deflector means carried by said inner wall of said collector body for directing said air flow into said inlet openings so that gaseous material emitted from the container is entrained within said air flow and smoothly drawn in a substantially laminar flow through said inlet openings and into said collector body; second deflector means carried by said collector body in the path of gaseous material flowing in a direction away from said inlet openings toward said top wall for directing such gaseous material into said laminar air flow entering said inlet openings.

Claim 14

Apparatus for collecting gaseous material emitted from an opening in a container, comprising: a collector body for mounting in the proximity of the opening in the container, said collector body being formed with an inner wall, an outer wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and opposed end walls which collectively define a hollow interior, said inner wall being formed with inlet openings which are spaced from one another in a direction from one of said end walls to the other, said collector body having an outlet for connection to a source of vacuum which creates a negative pressure within said hollow interior to draw an air flow across the opening in the container toward said inlet openings in said collector body when said collector body is mounted in the proximity of the container; first deflector means carried by said inner wall of said collector body for directing said air flow into said inlet openings so that gaseous material emitted from the container is entrained within said air flow and smoothly drawn in a substantially laminar flow through said inlet openings and into said collector body; second deflector means carried by said collector body in the path of gaseous material flowing in a direction away from said inlet openings toward said top wall for directing such gaseous material into said laminar air flow entering said inlet openings.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 9 in which said first deflector means comprises a strake mounted to said inner wall of said collector body at each of said spaces between adjacent inlet openings, each of said strakes including a leading edge spaced outwardly from said inner wall and a pair of tapered side walls each extending from said leading edge to said inner wall of said collector body.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 9 in which said second deflector means comprises a plate mounted to said collector body near said top wall thereof which extends outwardly from and substantially perpendicular to said inner wall.

Claim 17

The apparatus of claim 9 in which the container is cylindrical in shape with an open top having a circular peripheral edge, said means for developing a flow of air across the opening in the container including an arc-shaped inner wall of said collector body, which, with said collector body mounted proximate the container, conforms to less than about 180° of the circular peripheral edge of the open top of the container, said inlet openings in said arc-shaped inner wall of said collector body being located between a pair of parallel lines which are tangent to said circular peripheral edge of the container.

Claim 18

Apparatus for collecting gaseous material emitted from an opening in a container, comprising: a collector body for mounting in the proximity of the opening in the container, said collector body being formed with an inner wall, an outer wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and opposed end walls which collectively define a hollow interior, said inner wall being formed with inlet openings which are spaced from one another in a direction from one of said end walls to the other, said collector body having an outlet for connection to a source of vacuum which creates a negative pressure within said hollow interior to draw an air flow across the opening in the container toward said inlet openings in said collector body when said collector body is mounted in the proximity of the container; first deflector means carried by said inner wall of said collector body for directing said air flow into said inlet openings so that gaseous material emitted from the container is entrained within said air flow and smoothly drawn in a substantially laminar flow through said inlet openings and into said collector body; second deflector means carried by said collector body in the path of gaseous material flowing in a direction away from said inlet openings toward said top wall for directing such gaseous material into said laminar air flow entering said inlet openings; third deflector means carried by said deflector body for substantially blocking the flow of air from outside of the container in a direction from said bottom wall of said deflector body toward said inlet openings.

Claim 19

Apparatus for collecting gaseous material emitted from an opening in a container, comprising: a collector body for mounting in the proximity of the opening in the container, said collector body being formed with an inner wall, an outer wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and opposed end walls which collectively define a hollow interior, said inner wall being formed with inlet openings which are spaced from one another in a direction from one of said end walls to the other, said collector body having an outlet for connection to a source of vacuum which creates a negative pressure within said hollow interior to draw an air flow across the opening in the container toward said inlet openings in said collector body when said collector body is mounted in the proximity of the container; first deflector means carried by said inner wall of said collector body for directing said air flow into said inlet openings so that gaseous material emitted from the container is entrained within said air flow and smoothly drawn in a substantially laminar flow through said inlet openings and into said collector body; second deflector means carried by said collector body in the path of gaseous material flowing in a direction away from said inlet openings toward said top wall for directing such gaseous material into said laminar air flow entering said inlet openings; third deflector means carried by said deflector body for substantially blocking the flow of air from outside of the container in a direction from said bottom wall of said deflector body toward said inlet openings.

Claim 20

The apparatus of claim 13 in which said third deflector means comprises a plate mounted to said bottom wall of said collector body and extending outwardly relative to said inner wall thereof.

Claim 21

Apparatus for collecting gaseous material emitted from an opening in a container, comprising: a collector body for mounting in the proximity of the opening in the container, said collector body being formed with an inner wall, an outer wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and opposed end walls which collectively define a hollow interior, said inner wall being formed with inlet openings which are spaced from one another in a direction from one of said end walls to the other, said collector body having an outlet for connection to a source of vacuum which creates a negative pressure within said hollow interior to draw an air flow across the opening in the container toward said inlet openings in said collector body when said collector body is mounted in the proximity of the container; a strake mounted to said inner wall of said collector body at said spaces between adjacent inlet openings, each of said strakes including a leading edge spaced outwardly from said inner wall and a pair of tapered side walls each extending from said leading edge to said inner wall of said collector body, said strakes being effective to direct said air flow into said inlet openings so that gaseous material emitted from the container is entrained within said air flow and smoothly drawn in a substantially laminar flow through said inlet openings and into said collector body.

Claim 22

Apparatus for collecting gaseous material emitted from an opening in a container, comprising: a collector body for mounting in the proximity of the opening in the container, said collector body being formed with an inner wall, an outer wall, a top wall, a bottom wall and opposed end walls which collectively define a hollow interior, said inner wall being formed with inlet openings which are spaced from one another in a direction from one of said end walls to the other, said collector body having an outlet for connection to a source of vacuum which creates a negative pressure within said hollow interior to draw an air flow across the opening in the container toward said inlet openings in said collector body when said collector body is mounted in the proximity of the container; a strake mounted to said inner wall of said collector body at said spaces between adjacent inlet openings, each of said strakes including a leading edge spaced outwardly from said inner wall and a pair of tapered side walls each extending from said leading edge to said inner wall of said collector body, said strakes being effective to direct said air flow into said inlet openings so that gaseous material emitted from the container is entrained within said air flow and smoothly drawn in a substantially laminar flow through said inlet openings and into said collector body.

Claim 23

The apparatus of claim 15 in which the opening in the container has a periphery, said inlet openings being formed in said collector body so that they are located between a pair of parallel lines which are tangent to the periphery of the container opening at its largest transverse dimension when said collector body is mounted in the proximity of the opening in the container.

Claim 24

The apparatus of claim 15 in which the container is cylindrical in shape with an open top having a circular peripheral edge and a diameter, said collector body having an arc-shaped inner wall which conforms to less than about 180° of the circular peripheral edge of the open top of the container with said collector body mounted in proximity thereto, said inlet openings being located in said collector body between a pair of parallel lines which are tangent to said circular peripheral edge of the container.

Claim 25

The apparatus of claim 15 in which said leading edge of each of said strakes tapers inwardly relative to said inner wall of said collector body in a direction from said top wall of said collector body toward said bottom wall thereof.

Claim 26

The apparatus of claim 15 in which each of said strakes is formed with a wider, base portion located near said top wall of said collector body and a narrower, apex portion located near said bottom wall of said collector body.

Claim 27

The apparatus of claim 19 in which each of said spaces on said inner wall between adjacent strakes is triangular in shape having a wider base portion located near said bottom wall of said collector body and a narrower, apex portion located near said top wall thereof, said inlet openings being formed in pairs along said inner wall within said triangular-shaped spaces between adjacent strakes wherein one inlet opening of each pair is located vertically above the other.