Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~ 173025
The present inventiorl relates to a fluid agitator
assembly for ayitating liquid to float deposits in the liquid
in a reservoir storing water containing not-get-hardened
concrete slurry or lime etc., or water such as filthy water
containing much foul matters.
The conventional fluid agitator has a disadvantage
that it is difficult to attain sufficient flotation of deposits
since an agitating force produced does not diffuse sufficient-
ly and uniformly from the periphery of an agitator body along
the overall bottom surface of a liquid reservoir, with the
result that the force is converted into an upward flow.
The present invention has been perfected with a view
to providing a solution for the above mentioned problem, and
has for its object to provide an improved fluid agitator
assembly which has an agitating effect sufficient to attain
rapid and vigorous flotation of deposits.
Accordingly, the invention is broadly claimed herein
as a fluid agitator for agitating a liquid in a reservoir to
effect flotation of deposits in the reservoir, comprising an
underwater motor having an output shaft, said output shaft
having its axis generally vertically disposed during operation
of the fluid agitator, said shaft having a lower longitudinal
end portion, an impeller fixedly mounted on said lower
longitudinal end portion of said output shaft, a pump casing
mounted on the lower end of said motor, said impeller being
rotatably disposed in said casing, a frame extending from the
bottom of said casing and adapted to be disposed on the bottom
of said reservoir to support the agitator, said casing having
an inlet port at the lower end thereof, said casing having a
peripheral wall, and at least three discharge ports equidis-
tantly disposed in said peripheral wall, said each discharge
port opening in the reservoir in a direction tangential to
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said peripheral wall of said c~sing, whereby liquid in the
reservoir along with the deposits in such liquid are drawn in
through said inlet port and discharged through said discharge
ports into the reservoir to thereby subject the liquid and its
deposits in the reservoir to vigorous agitation.
Other aspects, advantages and features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the
present invention;
Fig. 2 is a front view showing another embodiment
o the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a vertical section view showing essential
parts of the embodiment of the present invention shown in
Fig. 2;
Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 are bottom view of the embodi-
ments o the present invention each having a different pump
casing; and
Fig. 8 is a front view o an embodiment of the pre-
sent invention wherein no perforate strainer is used.
Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings, which shows
the apparatus of the first embodiment, an underwater motor 2
of the completely waterproof type having an output shaft 3 on
which an impeller 1 is mounted ixedly is placed in the water
with the output shaft 3 being extended downwardly. A pump
casing 6 is mounted on the underside of the motor 2 such that
it concentrically surrounds the output shaft 3 and the impeller
1. The pump casing 6 is provided on the center of its under-
side with an inlet port 4 and on its circumferential wall with
one or more discharge ports 5, as best shown in Figs. 4 to 7.
At the underside of the casing 6, there is provided with a
perforated stra1ner 7 having a plurality of apertures of a
B
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t 17302S
desired diameter and being fixed on the lower end of the pump
casing. The strainer 7 is then suppor-ted on the bottom wall
11 of a water reservoir by a frame 10.
In the second embodiment of the present invention
shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the lower end portion of the output
shaft 3 of the underwater motor 2 is extending downwardly
through the inlet port 4 of the pump casing 6 and a central
throughhole 8 formed in the strainer 7, and a stirring blade
9 is mounted on the end portion of the output shaft 3 fixedly.
An injection nozzle 12 indicated by phantom lines
is coupled to each of the discharge port 5 in the pump casing
6 by a flange coupling as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The injection
nozzle 12 is designed to freely shift its injection direction
by changing the angular position thereof relative to the
circumference of the flange surface of the discharge port 5.
A flexible hose 13 of a desired length may be mounted at the
extending end of the nozzle 12. Alternatively, the flexible
hose 13 may be substituted for the nozzle 12. Since, in
elther case, the flexible hose 13 moves wriggly upon receipt
of the counterforce of water, thus further enhanciny the
random movement of the injection direction of the nozæle 12.
Explanation of the operation of the fluid agitator
assembly according to the present inven~ion will now be made.
In the case of the first embodiment of the present
invention wherein no stirring blade is used, the ayitator
assembly issunk into the water containiny much deposits stored
in a water reservoir, and is placed in position on the bottom
wall of the reservoir. Then the underwater motor 2 is
actuated. Actuation of the motor 2 causes rotation of the
impeller 1 fixedly mounted on the output shaft 3 thereof, so
that the water around the perforated strainer 7 together with
deposits accumulated thereunder is forcinyly suc~led into the
! 1 7 3 0 2 5
pump casing 6 through the apertures of the strainer 7 and the
inlet port 4 of the casing G. Thc water and the deposits
sucked in the casing 6 are then discharged through the discharge
port 5 and the injection nozzle 12 and/or the flexible hose 13
as a jet flow into the reservoir in a predetermined direction
(for example, a direction normal or parallel to the bottom
surface of the reservoir, or an upward direction), whereby
the water and deposits within the reservoir are subjected to
the vigorous agitating action of the water jet.
In the case of a second embodiment of the present
invention wherein the stirring blade 9 is used, an agitator
assembly is operated substantially in the same manner as in
the first embodiment. However, different from the first
embodiment, the stirring of the output shaft 3 of the motor 2
is also provided with the stirring blade 9 on the end portion
thereof in such a manner that it is rotated together with the
impeller 1. Due to such construction, the rotation of the
output shaft 3 can provide a far greater agitating force than
the output shaft of the first embodiment. Namely, when the
stirring blade 9 is rotated simultaniously with the impeller 1,
the water under the perforated strainer 7 is caused to move
toward the blade 9, and is forcingly fed in the direction
parallel to the bottom surface of the reservoir by the blade
9. The energy contained in that moving water gives sufficient
agitation of deposits built up on the bottom of the reservoir,
thereby to create a turbulent flow causing the deposits
suspended in the water. Such a turbulent flow is guided in
the upward and radial direction by the counter-force of the
bottom wall, and moves toward the perforate strainer 7. The
turbulent flow is then vigorously sucked into the pump casing
6 through the apertures of the perforated strainer 7 and the
inlet port 8 by the rotation of the rotating impeller 1, and
1 1 7 3 0 2 5
is discharged as a jet flow into the reservoir through the
- discharge port 5 and the injection nozzle 12 and/or the
flexible hose 13, thereby the water in the reservoir is vigor-
ously agitated.
In the above mentioned first and second embodiments,
the direction and the number of the injection nozzles 12 can
be adjusted at will by changing the angular position thereof
relative to the circumference of the flange of the discharge
port 5. This renders it possible either to effect uniform
agitation over the entire bottom of the reservoir, or to effect
local agitation only with respect to the area of the bottom of
the reservoir on which considerable amounts of deposits are
accumulated. In addition, provision of the flexible hose 13
allows for random variation of the injecting direction of
the discharged water in the reservoir. This ensures rapid,
vigorous and uniform floation of deposits that are built up
not only on the area of the bottom of the reservoir positioning
under the agitator assembly, but also on the overall bottom
thereof, and prevents re-settling of the suspended matters in
the water.
While the present invention has been described with
re~erence to spccific embodiments, the present invention is
not limited thereto. It will therefore be understood that
various changes or modifications may be carried out without
departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
