GB433543A - Improvements relating to water softening apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

433,543. Water-softening apparatus. THOMAS, D., 9, Victoria Street, Westminster, and THOMAS & CLEMENT, Ltd., Llanelly, Carmarthenshire. Feb. 14, 1934, No. 4959. [Class 86] Water-softening apparatus comprises means interposed between a hopper containing water-softening agent and a mixing tank, which is adapted to be moved to a charging position with respect to the hopper when the tank is filling, and to be moved to a position to discharge its contents into the tank after the latter has been emptied and has begun to refill. The said means consists of a rotary valve 6 connected to a float 11, and comprising a compartment 7 which acts as a bucket to receive the softening agent from a hopper 3 when the float is in its uppermost position, and, by inversion, to discharge the softening agent into the tank 1 when the float is at or near its lowermost position. A striker 20, Fig. 1, is pivotally connected to the end of a rod 21 projecting from a boss 22 slidably guided on a rod 23 secured to the cover plate of the tank, the boss 22 being connected to a boss 24 fixed to a rod 25 projecting from a float 26 slidably arranged in the tank. The float 11 is retained in its uppermost position by means of a catch 14, Fig. 2, engaging with an arm 18, the catch 14 being released by means of the striker 20 on the upward movement of the float 26. Means for releasing the softened water from the tank consist of an outlet valve 29, Fig. 3, which is adapted to be moved towards and from a valve seat 33 provided in the bottom of the tank by means of a system of pivoted levers which are operatively connected to the valve, and are adapted to be actuated by means of the float 26. For this purpose, the rod 25 is provided with striking pins 40, 43, which act respectively to bring about the opening and closing of the outlet valve 29 by contact with a driving arm 41, a weight 39 adapted to move quickly to both sides of its dead centre position being provided to ensure that the valve 29 moves quickly into its open and closed positions. The outlet valve 29 is held open while the mixing tank is being emptied by means of a latch co-operating with the valve-operating arm 31, the latch being adapted to be released by means of a trip provided on the rod 25. Means for ensuring that a predetermined quantity of water in the mixing tank is not exceeded consist of a smaller tank 13, Fig. 1, having an open bottom end, the pressure of air within the tank 13 being adjusted by means of a tube 13<a>.