US2665248A - Flocculation mechanism - Google Patents

Description

FLOCCULATION MECHANISM Filed Nov. 8, 1951 FIG. I.

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IN V EN TOR.

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RALPH BCARTERJR- Patented Jan. 5, 1954 UNITED STATES Ph'l'hlll Qi FlCE FLOCCULATION MECHANISM Ralph B. Carter, Jr., Maywood, N. J., assignor to Ralph B. Carter Company, Hackensack, N. (L, a corporation of New York ApplicationNovember 8, 1951-, Serial.No. 255,402

5 Claims. 1

This invention relates to flocculation mechanisms, and the primary object is to provide an improved type of construction of the equipment to perform flocculation.

In the removal of suspended and colloidal solids from turbid liquids such as water, sewage, trade wastes and the like, the process known as flocculation is used. In general, this process is the addition of a chemical or chemicals to the liquid to be treated, which addition causes the formation of particles of doc or floc nuclei. A mild agitation then allows the fioc to grow and agglomerate.

The mechanisms which are used for this mild agitation are known as floccers or flocculators.

The major disadvantage of this type of equipment previous to my invention, is the fact that most all of them require shafting and bearings that are below the liquid level. This type of corn struction results in the use of expensive underwater fittings, which require a great deal of dinicult maintenance. If there is a breakdown of the equipment it necessitates the shutdown and drainage of the tank, thereby reducing or elimihating the effectiveness of the plant.

My existing- .patent No. 2,499,816 overcomes these difiiculties, but the present invention considerably reduces the expenses of maintenance and construction.

The invention consists of paddle reel which consists of a plurality of paddles generally horizontally disposed, held together by one or more spiders having rims each with a seat for the reception of a cable, rope, or chain, said paddle reel being supported in the liquid by loop portions of said cables, suspended from mechanism disposed above the level of the liquid, including means for moving continually said cable or the like, for the purpose of rotating the paddle reel.

This invention will be further described, embodiments shown in the drawings, and it will be finally pointed out in the claims.

8 shows a section taken on line .8-8 of Fig. 5.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings, the mechanism consists of a tank ll, having an inlet lZa. and outlet 22), with a tank upper surface It.

On the tank upper surface 53, are mounted conventional types of pillow blocks M which support the shafting it. On the shaft i5, and between the pillow blocks is fixed to the side walls of the tanks, are secured sheaves it. Around these sheaves iii, are endless cables, chains .or belts ll. On the shaft i5, is secured a sprocket lea, which upon being rotated by an external source such as .a motor 22, transmits its rotative movement to shaft 15. This rotation of shaft l5, and its sheaves E15, causes the cables H to move.

Instead of sheaves, pulleys or sprockets may be used.

Within the lower loops of the cables or belts ll, a paddle assembly 18 is supported. This is formed by two spaced spiders having the appearance of the spokes of a wheel. They are preferably made of structural steel. A ring 41 forms a circumferential enclosing portion of "the spokes of the spiders til. The cross section of such a rim is v shaped or of a circular shape, or of a rectangular groove, the shape being immaterial, provided the recess forms a satisfactory seat 52 for preventing the cable I! from slipping out. As an alternative, pins may be placed on the perimeter adapted to engage the openings of the links of the chain or the like, if one is used. Instead of having the rings 4| at each end, they may be placed in any suitable position. Two or more rings may be used.

In the embodiment, paddle bars Q3 are secured to the spokes and extend from ring to ring. These may be of wood, metal or any other suitable material. In one embodiment, the shape of the paddles is that of flatboards; the shape is not material, as V-shaped paddles could be used. The paddles could be mounted at various radii inwards of the rings, or in some other fashion, as shown by 53 in Fig. '7.

The two spiders and rings with their longitudinal paddles form a reel-like structure which is engaged by the cables, ropes, or chains, into the lower loop of which they are supported.

The character of the suspension of the reels enables them to be freely movable in the liquid; that is, without any restricting holding. The rotation of the same is gentle in the liquid thus aiding flocculation.

All the driving and mechanical parts for suspending the reels are above the level of the liquid, enabling repairs to be readily made. Only portions of the chains, ropes or cables, and the paddle reels are below the level of the liquid. The foregoing mechanism is of the simplest, low in cost and easy to repair.

If the requirements of the conditions call for more than one flocculator paddle reel assembly, they may be hung in groups as shown in Fig. 1. In such an instance, the sheaves l 9a are in multiple, and may be rotated together by the use of belts, cables, or chain 20, although it is feasible to use each shafting l and its paddle l8, independently from any others.

In Fig. 6, is shown a possible combination of paddle assemblies l8, being operated in multiple from a common shaft I5. The assemblies 18 may be suspended also one from another as shown; there may be more than one pair of sheaves I6, on the shaft IE; or even the possibility of double hung and single hung assemblies 18, on one shaft 15, as shown in Fig. 6.

Although several forms of the invention are shown to enable a thorough understanding of the principle involved, I do not desire to be limited to those specific forms, as many variations are possible to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a flocculating apparatus, having a tank or basin having an influent section located at one end thereof and an eiliuent outflow section located at the opposite end portion thereof and through which tank the liquid flows along a longitudinally extending path from the influent section to the outflow section; the combination of agitating means within said tank provided by a rotatable paddle reel of spaced rings with radial spokes, said spokes carrying relatively horizontal paddles suspended in the liquid, transverse to the flow of said liquid, a flexible, movable endless supporting means of the rings of said reel, said rings being seated in said means, and supporting means for the first named supporting means, and means moving the ring supporting means, whereby on the movement of said ring supporting means, the reel is rotated on its axis, moving the paddles through the liquid.

2. In a flocculating apparatus, having a tank or basin having an influent section located at one end thereof and an effluent outflow section located at the opposite end portion thereof and thru which tank the liquid flows along a longitudinally extending path from the influent section to the outflow section; the combination of agitating means, with said tank provided with a rotatable paddle reel carrying relatively horizontal paddles suspended in the liquid, and a flexible, movable supporting means in the form of a loop, said supporting means supporting said paddle reel in its lower larger loop by said larger loop engaging lateral ends of said reel, and said supporting means being suspended from its upper smaller loop, a sheave for the smaller loop, said sheave being mounted on shafting supporting in a substantially horizontal position by bearings located above the liquid level of the tank, and means for rotating said shafting, the axis of said paddle reel being transverse to the general line of flow of liquid in the tank.

3. In a flocculating mechanism, the combination of a paddle reel including lateral rings and longitudinally disposed substantially horizontal paddles, extending from ring to ring, means supporting said paddle reel in the liquid of a tank, including an endless supporting means into the lower larger loop of which the paddle reel is supported, means outside and above said liquid for moving said supporting means, outside means including a sheave engaging the upper smaller loop of said supporting means.

4. The structure of claim 3, with means for rotating said sheave.

5. The structure of claim 3, with seats on said rings, paddle reel engaging said supporting means.

RALPH B. CARTER, J R.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

Claims (1)

1. IN A FLOCCULATING APPARATUS, HAVING A TANK OR BASIN HAVING AN INFLUENT SECTION LOCATED AT ONE END THEREOF AND AN EFFLUENT OUTFLOW SECTION LOCATED AT THE OPPOSITE END PORTION THEREOF AND THROUGH WHICH TANK THE LIQUID FLOWS ALONG A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PATH FROM THE INFLUENT SECTION TO THE OUTFLOW SECTION; THE COMBINATION OF AGITATING MEANS WITHIN SAID TANK PROVIDED BY A ROTATABLE PADDLE REEL OF SPACED RINGS WITH RADIAL SPOKES, SAID SPOKES CARRYING RELATIVELY HORIZONTAL PADDLES SUSPENDED IN THE LIQUID, TRANSVERSE TO THE FLOW OF SAID LIQUID, A FLEXIBLE, MOVABLE ENDLESS SUPPORTING MEANS OF THE RINGS OF SAID REEL, SAID RINGS BEING SEATED IN SAID MEANS, AND SUPPORTING MEANS FOR THE FIRST NAMED SUPPORTING MEANS, AND MEANS MOVING THE RING SUPPORTING MEANS, WHEREBY ON THE MOVEMENT OF SAID RING SUPPORTING MEANS, THE REEL IS ROTATED ON ITS AXIS, MOVING THE PADDLES THROUGH THE LIQUID.

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