US2701236A - Apparatus for regenerating water softening material - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 1, 1955 G. A. SCHERNEKAU APPARATUS FOR REGENERATING WATER SOFTENING MATERIAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 20, 1952 Feb. 1, 1955 G. A. SCHERNEKAU 1,

APPARATUS FOR REGENERATING WATER SOFTENING MATERIAL Filed Feb. 20, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,g wwm United States Patent APPARATUS FOR REGENERATING WATER SOFTENING MATERIAL Gustav Adolph Schernekan, Indianapolis, Ind., assignor 0f one-sixth to Paul G. Schernekau, one-sixth to Emil R. Schernekau, one-sixth to Robert Eugene Schernekau, one-sixth to Jack Hall Schernekau, and one-sixth to Kenneth Allen Schernekau Application February 20, 1952, Serial No. 272,673

5 Claims. (Cl. 210-24) This invention relates to a system and apparatus for simultaneously exhausting spent water softening material from a plurality of containers, and immediately thereafter simultaneously replenishing said containers with regenerated material.

As is well known, a great majority of the water softening units in use today are portable and are owned and serviced by a private company. The service company contracts with home owners to furnish and then periodically service the cylinders containing the water softening substance. It is customary after the service company representative has substituted a regenerated cylinder for one that is substantially exhausted or spent, to take the latter to the service plant. There it has heretofore been necessary for the substantially spent and exhausted cylinders to be individually and manually processed. This involves first removing the spent material fro-m each cylinder and thereafter replenishing it with regenerated material. These operations not only are time consuming but require considerable personnel and are, therefore, relatively expensive. In addition, a certain amount of the material is inevitably lost or wasted during either the exhausting or the replenishing operation, or both.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a system and apparatus which may be used with conventional base exchange water softening cylinders to simultaneously process a plurality of the-m, i. e. first exhaust and then immediately replenish their Water softening materials in a ready, effective and economical manner.

This is accomplished through the use of apparatus which supports a plurality of cylinders each of which is connected in series to the others, to a water supply system and to a regenerating tank in such manner that they may be processed simultaneously. Not only does the apparatus and system reduce materially the time required and the personnel needed to perform the operations but as well reduces if not entirely eliminates the loss and waste of the base exchange material. Tests have proven that the cylinders need be handled during the entire processing but once for every six times they are handled during the conventional processing methods heretofore employed.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and system of such character that it will become visually apparent to the operator just when the first operation of removing the material from the cylinders is completed, as well as just when the second operation of replenishing the cylinders with rejuvenated material is accomplished. It is thus unnecessary to estimate or guess as to when each operation is completed, nor to use any timing devices or transparent cylinders.

Heretofore, several methods and means have been devised to regenerate the exhausted or spent material within the cylinders themselves. While these methods have served a useful purpose there have been many disadvantages connected with them. For example there is no way of making certain that the material in the respective cylinders will be uniformly rejuvenated. In order to assure complete, effective and uniform rejuvenation of the material for each and all cylinders there is no substitute for a regeneration tank having substantial capacity. Only through its use can there be assurance that the degree of rejuvenation of the material will be the same for all cylinders. It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to connect the plurality of cylinders with a regenerating tank so that the exhausted or partially exhaust- "ice ed material may be rejuvenated in quantity therein rather than in the cylinders themselves.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of one of the containers shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the material supply tank.

In the drawings a rack or frame formed in part of pipelines through which the liquid and/or water softening material flows is shown generally at 10. This frame supports the plurality of water softening cylinders as more fully described hereinafter. Extending along and forming what is normally the upper side of the frame is the pipe line 11. Extending along and defining what is normally the lower part thereof is the pipe line 12. One end of the frame is formed by the pipe lines 13 and 14 which are respectively coupled to the pipe line 11 by the elbow 15 and to the pipe line 12 by the elbow 16. Both pipe lines 13 and 14 are coupled to a three way T valve 17 which in turn is connected through the stem element of the T, to the pipe line 18 by the elbow 19 and pipe line 20.

The opposite end of the frame is defined by the dead tubing or rod 21 which forms no part of the system. Intermediate the ends of the frame is a plurality of transversely disposed pipe lines 22 which are in communication with both upper and lower pipe lines or headers 11 and 12. The transversely disposed pipe line nearest that end of the frame formed by pipe lines 13 and 14 is identified by the numeral 23. This pipe line as well as the dead tubing or rod 21 has an outwardly projecting trunnion 24 which is seatable within and movable relatively to the bearing member 25.

Since the frame is designed to support a substantial number of cylinders I have found it preferable to provide additional trunnions and bearings intermediate opposite ends of the frame. To that end I provide, for example, the dead tubing or rod 21a after every fifth cylinder. Each rod 2111 also has an outwardly extending trunnion 24a which is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the adjacent transverse pipe line 22a. These trunnions, of which only one is shown in Fig. 1 (since parts of that figure are broken away) are mounted in the bearings 25a.

The bearing members 25 and 25a which support the frame are mounted upon stanchions or uprights 26 havmg circular bases 27 to permit their being secured in any suitable manner to the floor 28. As is apparent, the entire frame is swingable upon the bearings from the upright position shown in Fig. 1 to a position in which the pipe line or header 12 becomes the uppermost member of the frame. In short, the frame is readily swingable, and with it the cylinders, from an upright to an inverted position for a purpose more fully described hereinafter.

The cylinders or water softener units are shown in Fig. 2 and are of conventional type. They include the cylinder body 29, the mouth 30, the inlet nipple 31 and the outlet or opening 32 which has communication with the bottom of the cylinder through the pipe or tubing 33. As is well known, a filter is employed adjacent the inlet opening as Well as adjacent the bottom portion of the pipe 33, namely the portion 34. These filters prevent the water softening material from being removed from the cylinders while they are in use in the home, and also retain the material in the cylinders during the replenishing operation.

When the cylinder or water softening unit is removed from the home of the user after being replaced by a cylinder with rejuvenated material, it is carried to the service companys plant where the rejuvenation opera tion is performed through the use of the present invention. To that end a plurality of the cylinders or units containing the spent or partially exhausted water softening material are placed within the frame, they being supported between the series of horizontally spaced transversely disposed pipe lines 22. Support or guide members 35 are employed to retain each cylinder in position between adjacent transversely disposed pipe lines. These guides may be in the form of chains or may be metallic members of arcuate conformation complementary to the contour of the cylinders. They are suitably connected to adjacent transversely disposed pipe lines 22 such as by Welding and the like.

When each cylinder is placed in position between the transversely disposed pipe lines 22 so that it bears upon and is supported against lateral movement by the guide members, its base 36 is seated upon the support member 37 connected by the piston rod 38 to a piston (not shown) in the air cylinders 39. An air cylinder is provided, as shown, between each of the adjacent pairs of transversely disposed members 22. Each air cylinder is connected by a tubing 40 to an air line 41 which is in turn connected to an air pump (not shown). It is necessary that the mouth of each cylinder be brought upwardly into abutting relation with the depending mouth portion 42 of the normally upper headers or pipe lines 11. A gasket 43 such as rubber or the like is interposed between the mouth of the cylinder and the mouth of the depending portion in order to effect a sealed communication therebetween. To that end each cylinder is automatically and simultaneously raised by the air lifts upon the air pump being actuated. Any other lifting means, such for example as hydraulic, may or" course be employed.

Each cylinder is thus lifted into clamped or wedged position between the arcuate supporting member 37 of the air lift and the mouth 42 depending from the pipe line 11. The guide members make certain that when each cylinder is lifted, its mouth will be in communication with the depending mouth portion of the header pipe line 11.

In order to connect the opening 32 of the cylinder outlet tube 33 of each cylinder to the system there is provided the flexible tubing 44 which is connected at 45 to the transversely disposed pipe lines 22, and is detachably coupled at 46 to the opening of the outlet tube 33. During the entire rejuvenation operation the inlet mouth 31 of each cylinder is closed through the insertion therein of a plug of conventional design. In short, the inlet mouth which is connected to the water supply system when the cylinder is in use in the home, serves no function and is plugged when the cylinders are being processed in the service company plant.

In order to provide communication between the pipe lines of the frame and the regeneration tank 47 there is used the flexible tubing 48, one end of which is coupled at 49 to the free end of pipe line or header 11. The other end thereof is coupled to the tubing 50 which terminates in a J-shaped bend 51. The mouth of the bend is preferably disposed at the top of the regeneration tank so that water, or the water and softening material may flow therefrom into the tank.

Returning now to a description of the pipe line 18 adjacent the opposite end of the frame, it will be observed that it is connected by the three-way T 52 to the main water supply branch 53. It is also connected to the pipe line 54- which leads to the regeneration tank as shown. Valve 55 is interposed upstream of T 52 so that flow of liquid therethrough can be stopped when desired as hereinafter described.

The operation of the apparatus and system while removing the spent or partially exhausted material from the softener cylinders is as follows: The cylinders are each placed within the supporting frame where they rest upon the arcuate air cylinder supports 37 and bear against the guide chains 35. The air pump is then actuated to cause the air lifts to lift each cylinder upwardly so that their mouths 3% are in sealed communication with the depending mouth portions 4-2 of the normally upper pipe line or header 11. Then the flexible tubings 44 are coupled to the outlets or openings 32 of the respective cylinder 29. The inlets 31 are plugged. Next the frame is tilted or swung about its pivots in the form of trunnions 24 and 24a, until it is inverted. It is retained by any suitable means in that position.

Now the cylinders are ready to have their material removed therefrom. To accomplish this the valve 53:: is adjusted to permit water from the branch 53 to course into pipe line 18. Since the valve 55 will be closed during this phase of the operation the water must course downwardly through pipe 18, elbow 19 and pipe line 20. The T valve 17 will have already been adjusted so that water must flow from pipe line into pipe line 14 instead of pipe line 13. From thence the water courses through header 12 (which will now be in the upper position) and downwardly through the transverse pipe lines 22. From the respective transverse pipe lines the Water passes through the flexible tubings 44, through the cylinder pipes or tubings 33 and into the cylinders themselves which, of course, are now inverted. The water then carries the material out of the respective cylinder mouths and through the depending mouth portions of header 11. From thence it courses through that header, into the flexible hose 48 through the tubing and into the regeneration tank.

This entire operation empties the cylinders of their material simultaneously. It is easy to determine when all of the cylinders are emptied by checking the mouth of tubing 50 that communicates with the tank. While there is still material coursing with the water through the apparatus, the color of the water emptying into the tank will have the reddish brown color that characterizes the material. But once the cylinders are removed of their material, the color of the water will also reveal that fact. Consequently, by visual observation it can immediately be determined just when the material removing operation is completed. At that time the valve 53a is adjusted to cut off the flow of water from the main branch 53. The frame is swung to its normal upright position and the flexible tubings 44 are detached or uncoupled from the cylinder openings. In addition the valve 56 putting the flexible hose 48 in communication with the tubing 50 is turned to an off position.

Now the apparatus is ready for the cylinder filling operation. If but one regeneration tank is used it will, of course, be necessary to first rejuvenate the material therein. But it is possible to use two tanks, one of which will be ready to fill the cylinders with rejuvenated material after the other tank has received the exhausted material from the cylinders clamped in the frame. Suitable pipe lines and valves can be used to make possible the switching of communication from one tank to the other. For the purposes of illustration, however, but one tank is shown in the drawings.

A second main water supply branch 57 controlled by valve 58 is then put in communication with flexible hose 48. Before the water reaches that hose it courses through an ejector 59 which creates a partial vacuum and draws water and rejuvenated material suspensed in it, out of the tank through the pipe line 64 Thence the water and material flow into header 11, and downwardly through the respective depending mouth portions 42 and into the cylinders. Baffles 61 may be used in header 11 to direct the material into the depending mouth portions.

Since each cylinder is provided with the conventional filter 34 adjacent the tubing 33 it is impossible for the material to flow therethrough. The water, of course, is unimpeded and courses through the filter and tubing, and out the now opened mouth thereof 32 spilling upon the floor. To prevent the spilled water from spreading over the floor, a trough or the like (not shown) may be formed to catch the water and channel it to a drain (not shown).

It is clear from the foregoing description that water and rejuvenated material flowing into the frame will pass through each of the depending mouth portions 42 into the plurality of cylinders thus filling each with the material. Some water will, of course, bypass the series of depending mouth portions and will course downwardly through pipe line 13, through T valve 17, through pipe 20, elbow 19 and upwardly through pipe line 18. From thence it will course through T 52 through valve which in the meantime has been opened, and then through pipe line 54- to the tank.

Once each cylinder is filled with the rejuvenated material, and each depending mouth portion is similarly filled, there will be such a restriction to the passage of water therethrough that the water will bypass the cylinders. At that time there will be no more spilling of water out through the respective openings 32. It is then readily apparent that the cylinders are refilled, and the operator will at that time shut oif the valve that controls the main water supply branch 57. A rubber hammer or the like may then be used to tap the sides of the cylinders to cause the material therein to settle sufflciently to remove the material that has accumulated in the depending mouth portions. The air pump is then actuated to lower each cylinder from sealed communication with the depending mouth portions. A cap is put on the cylinder mouth, and the cylinders are then ready for transportation to the home.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims are also desired to be protected. I

The invention claimed is:

1. Apparatus for first removing spent water softening material substantially simultaneously from multiple containers therefor and then subsequently filling said containers substantially simultaneously with regenerated material, comprising a water supply line, valve means therefor, a substantially rectangular frame including normally upper and normally lower pipe lines, said lower pipe line being substantially parallel to said upper pipe line and in communication with said water supply line, said upper pipe line having a plurality of openings formed therein, means for inverting said frame, a plurality of similar containers having adjacent inlet and outlet passages, said passages communicating respectively with the bottom and top of said containers, means supporting said containers between said upper and lower pipe lines so that the outlet passages of said containers communicate with the respective openings in said upper pipe line, a plurality of spaced conduits disposed substantially transversely of said upper and lower pipe lines and each being in communication with said lower pipe line, detachable tubular means connecting said conduits with said respective container inlet passages, a regeneration tank having an outlet disposed adjacent the lower extremity thereof, valve means for said outlet, a flexible tube connected at one end to one end of said upper pipe line and communicating with said tank outlet, a pipe line connected to said flexible tube and communicating with said tank at the upper extremity thereof, valve means in said last mentioned pipe line, a second water supply line in communication with said flexible tube and with said tank outlet, valve means in said second supply line selectively directing water into said upper pipe line through said flexible tube upon the closing of the valve means for said first supply line and said pipe line connected to the flexible tube, ejector means in said second supply line for removing water containing regenerated softening material from said tank outlet into said upper pipe line through said flexible tube, and tubular means connected to the other end of said upper pipe line and communicating with said tank adjacent the upper extremity thereof.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said normally upper and normally lower pipe lines are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of said containers, and wherein the means supporting said containers are adjustable and comprise a plurality of hydraulic means each being connected to said normally lower pipe line and including a member engageable with the bottom of said respective containers.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein adjacent pairs of the spaced conduits disposed substantially transversely of said upper and lower pipe lines have means bridging the space therebetween engageable by said cylinders for lateral support thereof.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein said upper pipe line has a plurality of baflles mounted therein adjacent said pipe line openings.

5. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 wherein the means for inverting said frame comprise a plurality of opposed trunnions mounted upon selected transverse conduits intermediate the ends thereof, and upright standards having bearings formed at the upper end thereof, said trunnions being journalled in said bearings.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,698,743 Sweeney Ian. 15, 1929 2,252,065 Culligan Aug. 12, 1941 2,370,190 Ralston Feb. 27, 1945 2,572,082 Welsh Oct. 23, 1951 2,589,136 Ranston Mar. 11, 1952 2,628,192 Ziegelman Feb. 10, 1953

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR FIRST REMOVING SPENT WATER SOFTENING MATERIAL SUBSTANTIALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY FROM MULTIPLE CON TAINERS THEREFOR AND THEN SUBSEQUENTLY FITTING SAID CONTAINERS SUBSTANTIALLY SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH REGENERATED MATERIAL, COMPRISING A WATER SUPPLY LINE. VALVE MEANS THEREFOR, A SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR FRAME INCLUDING NORMALLY UPPER AND NORMALLY LOWER PIPE LINES, SAID LOWER PIPE LINE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO SAID UPPER PIPE LINE AND IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID WATER SUPPLY LINE, SAID UPPER PIPE LINE HAVING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS FORMED THEREIN, MEANS FOR INVENTING SAID FRAME, A PLURALITY FO SIMILAR CONTAINERS HAVING ADJACENT INLET AND OUTLET PASSAGES, SAID PASSAGES COMMUNICATING RESPECTIVELY WITH THE BOTTOM AND TOP OF SAID CONTAINERS, MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CONTAINERS BETWEEN SAID UPPER AND LOWER PIPE LINES, SO THAT THE OUTLET PASSAGES OF SAID CONTAINERS COMMUNICATE WITH THE RESPECTIVE OPENINGS IN SAID UPPER PIPE LINE, A PLURALITY FO SPACED CONDUITS DISPOSED SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSELY OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER PIPE LINES AND EACH BEING IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID LOWER PIPE LINE, DETACHABLE TUBULAR MEANS CONNECTING SAID CONDUITS WITH SAID RESPECTIVE CONTAINER INLET PASSAGES, A REGEN-

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