MXPA95002899A - Barratransporting support lane assembly of lo - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to in combination with a sludge collecting mechanism having a sludge conveyor, which extends over the longitudinal side walls of a settling tank to scrape sedimented sludge from the bottom of the settling tank and skim the floating debris of the surface of the water contained in the sedimentation tank, the improvement characterized by: a support rail assembly for maintaining one end of the conveyor bar at a level generally level with the surface of the water, the support rail assembly comprising a longitudinal path on which the outer side of the conveyor bar slides to be supported and at least one mounting clamp for fixing the relative path to the side wall of the settling tank, wherein the track comprises a cross section having a portion of substantially horizontal rail, a transverse stem that extends down from the bottom side of the rail portion, and two opposite fingers, one extends upwardly from the bottom of the stem and another extends downwardly from the underside of the rail portion, wherein the mounting bracket comprises a plate of mounting through which the mounting bracket can be screwed to the side wall and a mounting head having two opposing slits in which the two opposing fingers slide to be received, in order to connect the track to the bracket Assembly, where the track and mounting bracket are constructed of non-metal materials

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to sludge collectors for removing sludge from rectangular sedimentation tanks and, more particularly, to a set of support rail for the collector conveyor bar. of sludge. Sludge collectors are commonly used in wastewater treatment plants to scrape sedimented sludge from the bottom of the sedimentation tank and also to skim the floating debris from the surface of the wastewater. These sludge collectors typically include a number of sludge conveyor, which are usually elongated members that extend the width of the tank. The ends of the conveyor bars are connected to transmission chains, which carry the conveyor bars in a circuit along the bottom of the tank and back to the surface in the water, to perform the functions of scraping and skimming. In addition, the ends of the conveyor bars are supported on the surface of the water by sets of carrier rails, or tracks, which are attached to the longitudinal side walls of the settling tank. The prior art support rail assemblies are typically field assembled, of iron sections with steel angle or U-shaped iron, which are joined with steel plate tie bars, and mounted on the sidewalls of the tank. with steel mounting clamps, using a variety of assembly tools. Usually, the support rail assemblies are provided with replaceable overlapping surmountable surfaces, such as steel or plastic wear bars. These steel support rail assemblies are heavy, which makes their handling and assembly in the field difficult. In addition, steel is subject to corrosion caused by exposure to wastewater, requiring then cleaning with sandblasting and painting, or the use of expensive stainless steel. To solve the problems inherent in steel support rail assemblies, some manufacturers have resolved to use commercially available molded or extruded, non-metallic components, such as angles, wear bars and mounting brackets. However, when using a combination of metallic and non-metallic components, such as steel-angle iron with non-metallic wear bars, separation and buckling between adjacent parts can occur due to differences in linear expansion coefficients. This can cause the t anspor adoras bars to get stuck, and consequently, the chains are broken. In addition, due to obvious structural limitations, the non-metallic support rail assemblies of the prior art are limited to their use with conveyors and non-metallic chains. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a high strength, non-metallic support rail assembly that is relatively easy to assemble in the field and is capable of supporting, within acceptable deflection criteria, conveyor rods and chains. plastic or metal. In accordance with the present invention, these and other objects and advantages are achieved by providing a support rail assembly having a track, a clamp for mounting the track to the side of the settling tank and a wear strip connected to the top of the strip. The track, the mounting bracket and the wear strip, are made of lightweight materials, not metal and therefore are easy to handle and to rma r. The track comprises a "3" shaped cross section, including a horizontal rail, a transverse rod extending from the bottom of the rail and ending in an upwardly curved hook, a lower finger formed at the end of the hook, and a top finger extending transversely from the bottom of the rail in the general direction of the lower finger. The shape and composition of the track is such that the track is strong enough to support metal chains and conveyors., without deflecting beyond acceptable criteria. The mounting bracket comprises a mounting plate through which the clamp is connected to the wall of the settling tank, a mounting head having two opposing grooves in which the fingers of the track slide to connect the track to the clamp, and an oblique arm, which extends between the mounting head and the mounting plate to separate the mounting head from the mounting plate. The wear bar comprises a "C" shaped cross section in which the horizontal rail of the track slides. During the assembly of the support rail assembly of the present invention, the mounting brackets are screwed to the wall of the sedimentation tank, track sections are assembled in the clamps when sliding the track in the mounting heads, and sections of strips of wear are assembled with the track when sliding the wear bar on the horizontal rail. Alternatively, the track can be assembled into the clamps before the clamps are screwed to the wall. Each wear strip is fastened to the track with a simple fastener, which makes the replacement of the wear bar quick and easy, and adjacent sections of track are connected with a simple non-metallic bond bar, using only four bolts its tappers. Finally, the track is placed firmly and permanently by means of a single rail stopper at each end of the track, which slides from the end of the adjacent track of the mounting bracket and is then screwed to be fixed. In this way, the support rail assembly of the present invention is totally resistant to corrosion, requires a minimum number of components and fasteners, is versatile and light in weight, and as a result, is easy to assemble in the field. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the support rail assembly of the present invention.; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the support rail assembly taken along line A-A in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the support rail assembly taken along line B-B in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the mounting bracket in accordance with the present invention; The figure. 5, is a front elevation view of the mounting bracket, shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of the track, in accordance with the present invention; Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the wear bar, in accordance with the present invention; Figure 8 is a front elevation view of the tie bar, in accordance with the present invention; Figure 9 is a front elevation view of the rail stop, in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 10 is a transverse representation of the tie bar shown in Figure 8 and the rail stop, shown in Figure 9, taken along line C-C of those Figures. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to Figures 1 and 2, the support rail assembly of the present invention, generally indicated by reference numeral 10, is shown comprising a number of mounting brackets 12, a track 14 and a wear bar 16. Mounting clamps 12, connect the track 14 to a longitudinal side wall W of the settling tank, and track 14, in turn, provides lateral support for the corresponding ends of the conveyor bars (not shown). In a typical sedimentation tank, two such support rail assemblies 10 are preferably employed, one in each longitudinal side wall of the sedimentation tank, such that both ends of each conveyor are supported. The wear bar 16 provides a sacrificial surface on which the ends of the conveyor bars can slide. The track sections 14, and the wear bar 16 depend on the length of the sedimentation tank in which the support rail assembly 10 is installed. The sections of up to 91 meters are not uncommon. Accordingly, track 14 is provided in standard-sized stretches, eg, 6.10 meters, which are connected together, as will be described below. Likewise, the wear bar 16 is provided in standard size sections, for example 3.05. With reference to Figures 4 and 5, the mounting bracket 12 comprises a mounting plate 18, a mounting head 20 and an oblique arm 22, which serves to separate the mounting head 20, from the mounting plate 18.

Preferably, the mounting bracket 12 is molded as a single unit, of polypropylene or a similar non-metallic material. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, polypropylene has the following characteristics: a tensile strength of 35.16 kg / cm2, an elongation of -20%, a tension module of 11249 kg / cm2, a hardness of Rockwell of 80-110, a flexural modulus of 11951-17575 kg / cm2, a specific gravity of 0.905, a specific volume of 228.63 / 225.66 cm3 / kg, and a water absorption of 0.01-0.03% in 24 hours based on a material of 3.17 mm. of thickness. The mounting plate 18 includes two holes 24, through which similar bolts or fasteners can be extended to attach the mounting bracket 12 to the wall of the settling tank. The upper and lower surfaces of the mounting head 20 have formed opposing grooves 26, the purpose of which will be explained below. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, where the track 14 is provided in sections of 6.04 meters, two mounting brackets 12 are used, to mount each track section 14. With reference to figure 6, the track 14 comprises a section Cross section in the form of "3" which, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, has the dimensions and properties indicated in that Figure. The cross section of the track -14, includes a horizontal rail 28, a transverse rod 30, which extends from the bottom of the rail 28, and terminates in an upwardly curved hook 32, a lower finger 34, formed at the end of the rail. hook 32, and an upper finger 36, which extends transversely from the bottom of the rail 28, in the general direction of the lower finger 34. As shown in Figure 32, the upper and lower fingers 34, 36, are slid to be received within opposite slit 26, of the mounting head 20, so as to connect the track 14, to the mounting bracket 12. Also as shown in Figure 2, the width of the fingers 34 , 36 is only slightly smaller than the width of the slits 26, and the width of that portion of the mounting head 20, between the fingers 34, 36 and the rod 30, is only slightly smaller than the distance between the fingers 34, 36 and the rod 30, so as to minimize the lateral movement of the track 14, relative to the mounting bracket 12. Preferably, the track 14 is a stretch extrusion, made of isophthalic polyester reinforced with 55% glass fiber by weight , that has the following characteristics: a resistance to the tension of 3339.25 kg / cm2, a resistance to the transversal tension of 492.1 kg / cm2, and a modulus of elasticity of 0.33744xl05 kg / cm2. As indicated in Figure 6, the track 14 is designed to preferably have a cross-sectional area of 26.62 cm2, and a moment of inertia in the longitudinal direction (l? _x) of 4.99533. In such a way that the track 14 is sufficiently hard in the longitudinal direction to support the weight of metal conveyor chains and bars without deflecting beyond acceptable criteria. Referring now to Figure 7, the wear bar 16 shown comprises a generally "C" shaped cross section having an upper wear surface 38, and lips 40, extending inwardly from opposite sides of the bar. of wear 16, so as to form a channel 42. As shown in Figure 2, the rail 28 slides to be received within the channel 42, in order to connect the wear bar 16 to the track 14. Each section of bar of wear 16 is fixed to track 14 with a single fastener 44. Accordingly, each section of wear bar 16 can be replaced easily and quickly when necessary, by simply removing the fastener 44. The wear bar 16, it is preferably UHMW extruded polyethylene which, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, is virgin material certified in accordance with ASTM specification D-4220-81, with a molecular weight of 4.0 million or more, a relative abrasion resistance of 12, an intrinsic viscosity of 24 or greater and a water absorption of 0. With reference to Figures 1, 3, 8 and 10, individual tracks of track 14 are joined using a tie bar 46. As shown in Figures 3 and 10, the connecting rod 46, comprises a cross section that generally corresponds to the groove formed by the rod 30 and the upper and lower fingers 34, 36 of the track 14. In addition, the connecting rod 46, preferably comprises a plurality of holes in the track 14, where the adjacent ends of two track sections 14, are assembled with the connecting rail 46. Alternatively, the corresponding holes in the track 14, can be drilled in the field during the assembly of the assembly of track 10. The track 14 is fixed to the tie bar 46, with appropriate fasteners 50, which extend through the holes 48, and the corresponding holes in the track 14. The tie bar 46, is preferably molded polypropylene log. Referring now to Figures 1, 9 and 10, the track 14 is fixed to prevent longitudinal movement relative to the mounting brackets 12, by means of a rail stop 52, attached to each end of the track 14. Each stop of lane 52, is connected to track 14 adjacent to the outer edge of mounting bracket 12, closest to that end of track 14. Rail stops 52, comprise a cross section similar to tie bar 46, as shown in Figure 10, and are fixed to track 14, by any appropriate fasteners extending through corresponding holes in track stop 52 and track 14. Preferably, these holes are made in the field, although one or both can be previously perforated. The rail stops 52, they are preferably molded of polypropylene. During the assembly of the support rail assembly 10, the mounting brackets 12 are connected to the wall W at the appropriate locations, the track 14 is slid on the mounting heads 20, the individual track sections 14 are connected with connecting rods 46, track 14 is fixed to mounting brackets 12 with rail stops 52, and wear strips 16 are slid to track 14. Alternatively, one or more components of support rail assembly 10 can be assembled. , before the mounting brackets are connected to the wall W. Accordingly, it has been seen that the support rail assembly 10, comprises only a few components that are easily assembled, has a relatively light weight because the components they are not metallic, it is relatively strong due to the construction of track 14, and therefore it is easy to assemble in the field as well as being suitable for use with all current combinations of chains and trans-bars carriers, including chains and metal conveyor bars. It should be recognized that, although the present invention has been described in connection with preferred embodiments thereof, those skilled in the art can develop a wide variety of details without departing from the principles of the invention. Accordingly, the appended claims should be construed to abridge all equivalents that are within the scope and spirit of the invention.

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS 1. In combination with a sludge collector mechanism that has a sludge conveyor, which extends between the longitudinal side walls of a sedimentation tank to scrape settled sediment from the bottom of the sedimentation tank and skim the floating waste from the surface of the water contained in the sedimentation tank, the improvement characterized by: a support rail assembly for maintaining one end of the conveyor bar at a level generally level with the water surface, the support rail assembly comprising a longitudinal path over wherein the end of the conveyor bar slides to be supported and at least one mounting bracket for fixing the relative path to the side wall of the settling tank; wherein the track comprises a cross section having a substantially horizontal rail portion, a transverse rod extending downwardly from the underside of the rail portion, and two opposite fingers, one extending upwardly from the bottom of the rail. rod and another extends down from the underside of the rail portion; wherein the mounting bracket comprises a mounting plate through which the mounting bracket can be screwed to the side wall and a mounting head having two opposing grooves in which the two opposing fingers slide to be received, in order to connect the track to the mounting bracket; where the track and mounting bracket are constructed of non-metallic materials.
2. 2. The sludge collector mechanism of the claim 1, further characterized by a wear strip which generally has a "C" shaped cross section, which forms a channel in which the portion of the rail slides to be received, in order to connect the wear strip to the track .
3. 3. The sludge collector mechanism of the claim 2, characterized in that the wear strip is comprised of wear strip sections having a predetermined length and wherein the sludge collecting mechanism comprises a single fastener for securing each section of wear strip to the track.
4. 4. The sludge collecting mechanism of claim 1, characterized in that the track is comprised of track sections having a predetermined length and wherein the support rail assembly additionally comprises a connecting strip for connecting the adjacent ends of sections. successive tracks.
5. 5. The sludge collector mechanism of the claim, characterized in that the tie bar is constructed of non-metallic material.