Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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PATE~T
~41007-CIP
A DEVICE F~X C~LLECTING AND
DISCHARGING SOLID MATTER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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The present invention re~ers to a device ~or
collecting and discharging solid matter, ~lowing in
conduits such as, ~or example, sewers.
The aim o~ the invention is to ~rovide a
simple and e~icient device for collecting and dis-
charging waste matter with a minimum o~ disturbance in
the ~low in the conduit and having su~ici0nt capacity
~or use also with large conduits and culverts.
Previously known devices ~or collectiny and
discharging re~use have included a stationary grid ar--
ranged transversely with respect to the conduit, coop-
erating with a vertically reciprocal ~ork device, orwith continuous filter webs of different designs and
mesh widths, For operational e~iciency it is un~avor-
able to have sha~ts, pulleys and other parts o~ the
driving mechanism below the water level, as ~ibrous
waste matter easily collects upon such parts.
The ~ork devices have certain advantayes, hut
as parts of the driving mechanism pre~erably should
not project below the water level, a rather high mount-
ing structure will be required, The height thereof
will increase with the depth of the conduit, as well as
with the level o~ the discharge ~or the collected mat-
ter A
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.
The continuous ~ilter webs su~er erom cer-
tain disadvantages. The do~nwardly moviny portion o~
the web will always turn its inward ~ace towards the
direction o~ water ~low. This means that particles
having passed through the up~ardly moving portion o~
the web may be caught upon the inward ~ace o~ the web,
and will be pressed into the same when the web passes
over the lead rollers or the like.
Grid structures including reciprocal bars are
known in the art, but they have not operated satis~ac-
torily in conduits, neither with res~ect to collecting
capacity, nor with resyect to simplicity and reliabili-
ty.
~ummary o~ the Inv_nt on
In order to overcome the disadvantages men-
tioned above r the present invention, in a broad sense,
is embodied in a device ~or collectin~ and discharging
solid matter, especially solids ~rom a stream, ~lowing
in conduits, and com~rising a grid structure extending
into the condult. The device is characterized by the
grid structure arranyed obliquely with respect to the
~low o~ the liquid-solid stream, and includes alternate
stationary bars and displaceable bars. The edges oE
said bars are unieormly stepped, and turned towards the
~low direction o~ the water. The displaceable bars
are interconnected to ~orm at least one unit, and are
operated by a mechanism adapted to impart a movement
upon the displaceable bars so any point adapted to col-
lect and to discharge matter per~orms a closed circui-
tous path including a vertical component o~ movementwithin each path.
The inclination o~ the bars is advantageously
selected so the terraces o~ the steps are, in use, sub-
stantially horizontally oriented, the terraces being
about as broad as the steps are high.
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The dlsplaceable bars,~within each unit, are preferably
interconnected by a beam structure running transversely below the
bars, the operating mechanism comprising a pair of rods projecting
from the beam structure and arranged substantially perpendicularly
to the plane of the bars, as well as a further rod attached to
each displaceable bar located outmost in -the unit o~ bars, said
bars each carrying an eccentric disc, interconnected in pairs by
chains and driven by a common power source so as to impart a
circular motion to the displaceable bars when the operating
mechanism is engaged.
Thus, the invention contemplates a device including a grid
structure located in a conduit for collecting and discharging
solid matter from a waste collecting stream having a liquid-solid
mixture therein which comprises an inclined grid structure formed
by a series of stationary bars defining a stationary grid and a
series of displaceable bars defining a displaceable grid, with the
displaceable bars alternating with the stationary bars, with the
series of stationary and displaceable bars being configured -to
form steps, and further with the displaceable bars being placed at
~0 outermost positions of the series, and with the stationary and
; displaceable bars having means to retard -the downward movement of
solid matter on the inclincd grid structure, displaceable vertical
side plates are a~fixed to the outermost displaceable bars which
move in tandem with the displaceable bars and are displaceable
therewith so as to substantially prevent any solid matter from
falling along the sides of the grid structure, wherein the
sta-tionary bars and the displaceable bars are inclined at an angle
such that, in use, any solid matter collected on the bars will be
substantially preven-ted from falling back down the inclined grid
structure. A means including a beam structure connected to -the
displaceable vertical side plates and running transversely below
the displaceable bars and positioned on the inclined grid
structure so as to be above the waste collecting stream
interconnects at least two of the displaceable bars, and a driving
means having a power source and a connecting means is connected to
the displaceable vertical side plates such that, when the power
source is engaged, the driving means will impart a movement to the
displaceable vertical side plates in the at least one unit so that
at any point the edges of the displaceable bars will perform a
generally closed circuitous path of movement including at least
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one vertical component of movement within each path to cause solid
matter collected at the grld structure to move upwardly along the
displaceable bars.
In a preferred embodiment the top of the grid communicates
with a further conveyor preferably a compacting conveyor, for
removing the collected matter.
srief Descrip~ion of the Drawings
Figure 1 schematically shows an elevation of a collecting
and discharging device according to the invention mounted in a
conduit.
Figure 2 shows the device according to Figure 1, as viewed
from above.
Figure 3 shows an end vlew of the device according to line
III-III in Figure 1.
Figure 4 shows a side view of parts of two bars.
Figure 5 shows a view as seen from above of the bars in
Figure 4 as shown in line V-V.
Figures 6-11 show in-terrelated positions of the two bar
parts of Figure 4 during one operating cycle.
Figure 12 shows a side view partly in section oE a
modified device according to the invention.
Figure 13 is a section according to the line XIII-XIII in
Figure 12.
Figure 1~ shows on a larger scale a top view of
the stationary and displaceable bars in the device
~' ~" -3a-
according to a modi~ied embodiment as shown ln Section
XIV-XIV in Figure 12, appearing with Figure 12.
Figures 15 and 16 s~ow sections according to
the lines XV-XV and XVI-XVI in Figure 12.~
Figure 17 shows a side view partly in section . '
o~ a second modi~ied device according to the invention.
Descri~tion o~ a Pre~erred Embodiment
In the drawinys re~erence 10 denotes a condu-
it, in which a collecting and discharging device 15,
com~risiny a ~rame 11 and a driving motor 12 with asso-
ciated gear box 13 driving a uair o~ chains 14, 14a, is '~
positioned. J~ -
The device lS comprises a number of uarallel
bars having stepped edges turned towards the flow o~ -
water indicated by the arrow 16. Every second bar 17 ;i
is statio~ary and every second bar 18 is displaceable.
The bars will thus eorm one stationary and one dis-
placeable grid.
The bars extend the eull breadth Oe the con-
2~ duit 10, and Eorm a combined sieve and transporter.
The inclination o~ the bars is selected so the terraces
19 at the stepped bars are located substantially hori-
zontal, ~hen the device is mounted eor o~eration in the
conduit 10. The terraces 19 may possibly be given a
sliyht inclination inwards so matter resting thereon
does not show any tendency to ~all o~ the terraces.
The terraces 19 are about as broad as the heiyht o~ the
steps.
A circular movement is imparted to the dis-
placeable bars 18, provi~ing scissoring movement in re-
lation to the stationary bars 17, and as will be evi-
dent ~rom the ~ollowing description, solid matter col-
lecting at the ~Jrid structure will be gradually moved
upwards along the bars.
One displaceable bar 1~ is preferably located
adjacent to one stationary bar so as to be guided
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thereby The distance D between a displaceable bar and
a stationary bar in an adjacent pair o~ bars can be
selected with respect to the degree of sieve action
desired. (Figure 5.) This selection of~the distance
bet~1een the stationary bars 17 and the displaceable
bars 18 insures very ~ine-mesh grid structure not
obtainable with other designs having displaceable bars.
The solid matter ~rom a li~uid-solid mixture
~lowing through a waste collecting stream is o~ten ag-
glomerated into lumps 30, which are ~irst caught at the
vertical sides o~ the steps, and are pressed against
the same by the flow of water.
As the vertical sides of two adjacent steps
move in relation to each other the lumps 30 are gradu-
ally pushed upwards and ~inally slide onto the adjacent
terrace, whereupon the climb along the following verti-
cal sides will start.
That will be best illustrated in Figures
6-11.
The dis~laceable bars 18 are mounted upon a
beam structure 20 extending below the bars. In very
broad conduits there may be two or more like units with
independent driviny means. As shown in Figure 1, a
connecting bar 26 extends outwardly, about perpendicu-
lar to the place o~ the bars at each end o~ the beam
structure 20. Each rod connects at its distal end to
an eccentric disc 21.
Each o~ the two outermost displaceable bars
18 carries an upwardly directed plate 27 connected to
an eccentric disc 21a~
Each pair of eccentric discs 21, 21a, posi-
tioned on each side of the ~roup of displaceable bars
18 is interconnected by chains 14, 14a which as is men-
tioned above are driven by the power source 12, 13.
The mounting of the displaceable bars 18 is
such tilat they will ~ollow the movements o~ the eccen-
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tric discs, which means that any point at the terraces
1~ of the steps will move in a closed circuitous path
22.
Refuse matter, cauyht by the qrid formed by
the bars will, due to the specific relative movement
between adjacent terraces 19 at the bars, which proYid-
es a vertical component of movement, be successively
pushed upwards along the stationary bars 17, as the
displaceable bars per~orm their collecting and dis-
charging movements.
The pattern o~ movement is illustrated inFigures 6-11, which show portions o~ two adjacent bars
17 and 18 during various steps in a movement cycle.
The stationary bar 17 is shaded, and the dis-
placeable bar 18 is supposed to be in front o~ thestationary bar, as viewed in the drawings.
As a point o~ interest the corner between the
terrace and the vertical side in the displaceable bar
is used, and in Figure 6 a lump o~ re~use 3~ rests upon
terrace l9a o~ the stationary bar 17, The correspond-
iny terrace of the displaceable bar 18 is located below
and inside o~ the step in bar 17.
In Fiyure 7 the step in bar 18 has moved out-
wards and upwards and has li~ted the lump 30 ~rom ter-
race l9a.
This movement continues during the followingphases of the circuitous path 22 illustrated in Figures
8 and 9 during which the lump 30 is lifted still high-
er. In Figure 10 the step starts to move inwards/down-
wards.
In Figure 11 the terrace of bar 18 has slidbelow the terrace o~ bar 17, and the lump 30 ls now de-
posited upon the terrace l9b o~ bar 17
This movement will continue until the lump
reaches the top of the grid structure. It is antici-
pated that the movement provided by the power source
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12, chains 1~, 14a, and each pair o~ eccentric discs
21, 21a will enable the displaceable bars to rotate at
a speed in a range o~ approximately ~ive (5) to sixty
~60) rotations per minute, as provided by variable
speed drive 13a, and ~o ~ransport waste materials at a .-
rate in a range o~ approximately one (l) to twenty (20)
~eet per minute. Additionally, the variable speed
drive is used to alter the removal o~ waste products
depending on what material i5 sought to be ~iltered. '
When the collected matter reaches the upper
end o~ the conveyor it is trans~erred into a delivery
conduit 24, due to the action o~ a reciprocal piston
compactor 25 o~ arbitrary known kind.
In the embodiment shown in Figures 12 and 13
the ~rame 11 o~ the collecting and discharging device
according to the invention is placed in a conduit 10
into which the water to be cleaned is conveyed. The
stationary bars 17 o~ the grid are at their upper and
lower ends connected to each other by means oE connect-
ing members in the ~orm o~ ~lat bars 31 and 32 welded
2~ to the lower edge, at which the structure o~ stationary
bars in its upper part rests on and is attached to a
transverse beam 33, while the lower part rests on the
bottom o~ the conduit 10. The displaceable bars 18
also make a beam structure 20 and are ~or this purpose
provided with a downwards projecting portion 34, on the
underside Oe which transverse connecting members in the
~orm o~ ~lat bars 35 are welded. The outermost bars in
the moving bar grid are designed as side plates 36 with -'
a larger heiyht than the other bars and lack the ter-
races 19. The side plates 36 are also welded to the
connecting members 35. The structure o~ displaceable
bars 18 is supported by the side plates 36 by way o~
connectin~ bars 26 pivoted thereto and a connecting
plate 27 arranyed with each side,plate. The connecting
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bar 26 and connecting plate ~7 are ~lexibly mounted to
the eccentric discs 21, 21a. The object o~ the side
plates 36, which limit the lateral movement o~ the grid
is to prevent the discharged lump 3~ ~rom ~alling down
along the sides o~ the grid and back to the filtered
li~uid, Flow de~lectors 44, attached to anchorage
rails 45 embedded in the conduit 10, extend ~rom the
side walls o~ the conduit 10 and overlap the side
plates 36 so that the water is guided towards the col-
lecting and discharginy device 15. The constructionwith stationary ~low de~lectors 44 o~ers great advan-
tages also with respect to mounting since the entire
structure can be manu~actured and mounted in a ~ac-
tory The anchorage rail 45 is a means to locate and
accurately install the collecting and discharging de-
vice 15 in a conduit In case o~ damage to the stati-
onary or displaceable bars, they may be replaced with
relative ease.
~ aste water and the like o~ten contains large
amounts Oe hair and ~ibers, but also plastic bags and
the like, which can collect behind the support struc-
tures Oe the bars -- the connection members 31, 33, 35
-- so that the bars 17, 18 become blocked or plugged in
a relatively short time or will even obstruct or pre-
vent a relative movement between the bars. In order toovercome the problem o~ transporting the discharged
lumps 30 away ~rom the uppermost step, so that it can
be removed by a conveyor, e.g., an endless band 37, and
~urther to prevent the bars 17, 18 ~rom becoming block-
ed, the stationary bars 17 have on their undersides,remote ~rom the steps, saw teeth 38 or the like, at
least at the portions at the bars 17 located just oppo-
site the connecting members 35 o~ the displaceable bars
18. Each time the displaceable bars make a working
stroke, i.e., a closed circular path o~ movement 22,
the saw teeth 38 will tear loose eventual objects stuck
on the connecting members 35. A ~urther cleaniny
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~28~3~703
e~ect between the bars is provided by means Oe dis
tance and cleaning members 39 attached thereto and
which pre~erably are arranged in the ~low direction o~
the water and welded to the two ~lat sides o~ the sta-
tionary bars 17. Depending on the kind o~ waste waterwhich is to be cleaned the cleaning members 39 may be
attached on a level with and substantially parallel to
the "horizontal" terrace 19 o~ the bars 17, but it is
also possible to arrange these more sparsely at every
other or every third terrace~
The continuous discharge o~ the material,
a~ter it has reached the uppermost step is provided by
means Oe extended portions 40 and 41 arranged at the
upper end o~ the stationary bars 17 as well as the dis-
placeable bars 18, said portions being slightly inclin-
ed in the direction ~rom the uppermost step to provide
optimal discharge o~ captured material. In order to
prevent objects ~rom being stuck between the bars, ex-
tended portions 40, ~1 are within this area designed
with a thickness such that the space between the stati-
onary bars 17 is substantially eilled out, so that
there is only a small clearance le~t, as is shown in
Figure 16. For preventing hair and other objects ~rom
collecting in the connecting members 31 Oe the bars and
the transverse beam 33 also within this area, the lower
edges o~ the displaceable bars 18 are pre~erably pro-
vided with a second set o~ saw teeth 42, which in the
same way as the saw teeth 38, at each working stroke
will come so closa to the connecting members 31, 33
that a cleaniny is per~ormed.
For preventing opening o~ the lowermost part
o~ the grid corresponding to an enlarged slot width at
the upward stroke o~ the displaceable bars, and thus
allowing larger objects to pass through these slots,
the stationary bars 17 are at their lower end desiyned
with distance plates 43, as can be seen in Figure 15,
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7~
so that when the displaceable bars are in their lower
position the slots in the lowermost part o~ the grid
are essentially blocked. When the displaceable bars 18
are in their uppermost position, the slot~ opening will
be maintained at desired width D.
In order to provide more convenient mainten-
ance ~or the device 15, there is provided a li~ting de-
vice such as a winch 4~ mounted to ~rame 11 and having
li~tiny cables 47 attached to li~ting drive 46 and to
the side plates 36. ~hen service or inspection o~ the
device 15 is required, the winch 46 may be engaged to
elevate the submerged portion o~ the device 15 to a
level above the liquid in conduit 10.
Prior to elevating device 15, connecting bar
26 is detached ~rom eccentric disc 21. Ca~les 47 are
connected in such a manner that the device 15 pivots at
connecting points 21a and 33.
When the thickness o~ dis~laceable bars 18 is
wider than desired width D, a brush member 48 is posi-
tioned at the bottom o~ the grid in order to preventthe movement o~ large lu~s 30 erom passing between
stationary bars 17 when the lowest displaceable bars 18
are in the up position.
To monitor and control proper operatiny
speeds and to insure motion of the displaceable bar
grid 18, a motion sensing device 49 is positioned at a
tail sha~t 50 connected to the eccentric disc 21a. The
sensing device 49 detects movement Oe sha~t SU which is
the last ~oving part in the sequence Oe operation. As
long as sha~t 50 is rotating, the device 15 is operat-
ing properly.
In order to operate the device 15 at maximum
e~iciency, a di~erential level monitoring device 51
is used to enga~e and disengage the power source 12 by
sensing the level Oe ~luid in two separate locations as
shown in Figure 12. As solids accumulate on the
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grid structure, the level of fluid in the liquid-solid
stream will begin to rise. When the eluid reaches a
particular level, the power source 12 will be engaged
and the device 15 will operate as previously describ-
ed, When the ~luid in the liquid-solid strearn ~alls
below a certain level detected by the monitoring device
51, the power source 12 will be disengaged and the
process allowed to repeat itself.
Certain kinds of objects which come along
with the flowing water can be difeicult to transport on
; the device according to the invention, since these
objects can roll or slip O~e the horizontal terraces o~
the steps. Such objects may include bottles, cans, or
logs and the like. In order to discharge such objects,
as is shown in the embodiment of Figure 17, the "hori-
zontal" terraces 1~ o-E the stationary bars 17 as well
as the displaceable bars 18 in the plane of the bars
are tapered towards the center Oe the terraces. Pree-
erably the terraces are part-circular or V-shaped, but
other shapes are also possible. The shape is desi~ned
such that entrapment of lumps 3~ will not occur. Other
variations such as the anyle o~ inclination Oe device
15 are also possible.
It is evident that the operation as well as
the specieic bar proeiles may be modified within the
idea Oe the invention, and that further variations are
possible within the scope of the appended claims.
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