US3116021A

US3116021A - Diffuser swing mechanism

Info

Publication number: US3116021A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert E Born
Original assignee: American Well Works
Current assignee: American Well Works
Priority date: 1962-11-15
Filing date: 1962-11-15
Publication date: 1963-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-31
Also published as: GB988651A

Description

Dec. 31, 1963 h, BORN 3,116,021 DIFFUSER SWING MECHANISM I Filed Nov. 15, 1962 J7z0e z 0 Kaeri zrziam W 54% e fyembww 'Dec. .31, 1963 l R. E. BORN DIFFUSER swmc MECHANISM Filed i ov. 15, 1962' Deb. 31, 1963 R. E. BORN DIFFUSER swmc MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 15, 1962 Dave 77/529?" @562"? 1'7. B6770 United States Patent 3,116,021 BlFF USER SWENG ll/ZEQHANESM Robert E. Ecru, Eroatlview, ilk, assignor to The American Well Works, a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 115, 1962, Ser. No. 237,964 ill @lairns. (Ql. 2398) This invention relates :to a diffuser swing mechanism for use in a sewage tank installation in which an array of diffuser units are mounted in submerged relation and more particularly the invention is concerned with a simplified swing mechanism capable of actuating a diffuser array from lowered to raised position under the control of a straight line motion type actuator.

The invention is concerned with a swing diffuser mechanism comprising generally aligned upper and lower air pipes communicating through a liexible hose disposed within hollow housing structure bridged between adjacent ends of the pipes and defining a knee-joint providing a hinge axis for accommodating swinging movement of the lower pipe from its submerged iii-use position to its ele vated invented position. The lower pipe carries the diffuser unit array at its lower end and when in submerged in-use position, locates this array in the bottom of the sewage tank and when in its elevated position locates this array at an elevated position above a tank catwalk to facilitate cleaning and maintenance operations. The up per pipe is stationary and permanently connected to an air header junction ailixed to the catwalk and the lower pipe is longer than the upper pipe so as to proiect above the catwalk when the lower pipe is elevated.

A double armed swing linkage is pivoted to vertically spaced relatively movable locations on the hinge structure and is pivoted to a common crank rod that is shittable verti ally for imparting swinging movement to the lower pipe. Simple straight line movement of the crank rod effects the required raising and lowering of the diffuser array by swinging movement of the lower pipe. Thus, this difiuser swing mechanism facilitates operation by a simple straight line motion device, such as a bumperjack. Facilities are provided for locking the carts in either of the extreme positions to free the bumpenjac; for use at other stations.

The adjacent ends or" the air pipes terminate in come spondingly obliquely directed end stubs that angle towards the hinge axis and receive flexible hose in a fashion to dispose the same in an arcuate configuration that facilitates necessary distortion of the hose for following the swinging movement of the lower pipe without imposing fracturing and rupturing stresses upon the hose and without imposing tension forces such as might disengage the hose from the stub ends.

in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are eninloyed to designate like parts throughout the same;

FIG. 1 is a s e elevational view of a sewage tank equipped wtih a ditiuser swing mechanism in accordance with this invention and illustrating the pants in their normal submerged in-use position;

FIG. 1A is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the header and illustrates the mechanism for positively clamping the parts in the position of MG. 1;

Fl'G. 2 is a perspective view of the diffuser swing med anism and showing a bumper-jack type actuator employed therewith, with the parts being illustrated in their elevate position;

FlG. 2A is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating a clevis connection for anchoring the parts in their elevated position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the kneejoint structure, with parts thereof brolten away and sectioned to facilitate disclosure;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the knee-joint of FIG. 3; and

HG. 5 is a side elevational view of the knee-joint illustratnig the parts thereof in folded position.

Referring now to the drawings, a sewage aeration tank is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 as including a vertical wall 16 terminating in a laterally enlarged hollow upper end providing a catwalk ll. A difiuser swing mechanism, as designated generally at 12, is shown extending vertically along side the wall it and includes a box-shaped header l3 rigidly affixed to the catwalk ll adjacent one edge thereof and projecting therebeyond.

The diffuser swing mechanism 12 comprises upper and lower air pipes l4 and 15, respectively, generally vertically aligned and mechanically interconnected by hollow housing structure 16 that defines a kncejoint to accommodate swinging movement of the lower pipe 15 between its submerged in-use position of FIG. 1 and its elevated position of FIG. 2.

T he lower pipe 15 carries an array of diffuser units D at its lower end to dispose the dir'luser units D within the bottom of the sewage tank during normal operation and to enable elevation of the diffuser uni-ts D to a position above the catwalk 11 to enable cleaning and other necessary maintenance operations. Air for the array of diffuse-r units is supplied through the pipes 14- and 15 and for this purpose the upper pipe i3 is fixed within the header 13 which has an air inlet port 13 (see FIG. 1) adapted for connection to any suitable source of air (not shown). The adjacent ends of the

pipes

14 and 15 are connected by a flexible hose 17 (see FIG. 3).

In accordance with one feature of this invention, a unique knee-joint and hose connection and arrangement is employed to simplify the construction and operation of the equipment. The details of this structure are best shown in FlGS. 3, 4 and 5. The knee-joint 16 includes an upper hinge plate structure 18 rigidly ailixed to the lower end of the upper pipe 1 and a lower hinge plate structure 19 rigidly atfixed to the upper end of the lower pipe. The upper hinge plate structure 13 includes a generally horizontal mounting wall 18W carrying a pair of depending laterally spaced vertical plates and correspondingly the lower hinge plate structure 1% comprises a lower mounting wail 19W carrying a pair of upstanding laterally spaced vertical plates 1?? arranged for close fitting estable relation with the plates 118i of the upper hinge plate structure.

'lhe plates till and 1?? are assembled in partially overlapping relation and stub axles 2i) interconnect the same to define a hinge axis at corresponding plate corner portions located outboard of the line of the pipes 14 and 1.5. A cross-strap 18C spans the plates 18? at the opposite lower co-rner regions thereof and a cross-strap 19C spans the plates 19? at the opposite upper corner regions thereof. These

cross-straps

18C and 15% are arranged to abut and define the aligned position of the pipes.

The swing link mechanism 12 for effecting pivoting movement of the lower pipe 15' includes a first pair of swing links 21 hinged liO the plates ill-P of the upper hinge structure by axle stubs 22 located adjacent outboard upper corner regions of these plates lid-P, and a second pair of links 23 hinged to the plate l9? of the lower hinge structure by axle stubs 2 4' located at outboard lower corner regions of the plates 13?. Crank rod 25 for operating these hinge links is of double armed construction and at its lower end carries a pivot axle 2s hingedly connected to the free ends of each of the

hinge links

21 and 23.

To accommodate swinging movement of the knee-joint structure from the FIG. 3 position to the MG. 5 position, the flexible hose 17 is trained to a configuration that permits reverse bending of the same without imposition of excessive st ses. Accordingly, the lower end of the upper pipe 141 terminates in a stub end 14E directed at an oblique angle to the vertical line of the pipe and correspondingly the upper end of the lower pipe terminates in a stub end 1513 directed at a corresponding oblique angle. The stub ends It l-E and 15B are directed generally towards the hinge axis of the knee-joint and are effective to train the iiexible hose along an arcuate line that is displaced from the pipe line in the direction of the hinge axis.

in the normal in-use position of the mechanism, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the crank is clamped in its downward position. For this purpose, the upper end of the double armed crank carries a cross-pin 27 that is engaged by a clamp 23 secured upon the header by a permanently mounted stud 29 and cooperating nut The crank 25 thus exerts reaction through the swing links 23 to oppose any upward swinging movement of the lower pipe such as might be imparted by the buoyant eiiect of the sewage upon the submerged hollow parts. The entire assembly is stabilized in its in-use position by means of a stabilizer rod 31 that is affixed to the cross-brace 13C of the upper hinge structure. The stabilizer rod 31 is equipped with a shoe 318 that engages the side wall It? of the tank. The holding force exerted by the crank in this position of the parts, acts about a fulcrum point defined at the pivot axles 22 of the upper swing links 21.

As mentioned previously, to swing the diffuser array to an elevated position, a straight line motion actuator, such as a bumper-jack, may be employed. The jack is designated geenrally at 32 in FIG. 2 and is preferably of the hydraulic type and is mounted on a wheeled carriage 32C. The header box 13 is equipped with upstanding cars 1313 and pivot standards to facilitate rigid securement of the jack base to the header. The lifter element 32L of the jack is equipped with a yoke 32Y of inverted U-shaped form that receives the outer ends of the crosspin 27 carried at the upper end of the crank 25.

With the jack 32 poistioned upon the header 1?} and with its lifter 32L attached to the crank 25, the jack is operated in the conventional manner to pull the crank up and exert full force through the swing link mechanism. This force acts about the fulcrum defined by the axle stubs 22, at the upper corner of the upper hinge plate struc ture to cause the lower pipe 15 to swing about the hinge axis 2b of the knee-joint until it reaches a vertical position extending alongside the upper pipe 14 and projecting thereabove to dispose the difiuser array in position for convenient access.

It is contemplated that the jack may at this time be disengaged for use at another station. To secure the parts in elevated position, the lower pipe 15 is provided with a clevis 33 at an intermediate point and the clevi-s 33 is engaged upon the stud 2% provided on the header.

When it is desired to lower the diffuser array to its submerged position, the jack 32 is employed again to provide a gradual release. in the case of a hydraulic jack, the release valve rod (not shown) may conveniently be appropriately regulated durin the lowering operation.

It should be understood that the description of the preferred form of the invention is for the purpose of complying with Section 112, Title 35, or" the US. Code and that the claims should be construed as broadly as prior art will permit.

What is claimed is:

1. A diffuser swing mechanism, upper and lower rigid pipes arranged in generally vertical alignment, a kneejoint intermediate of adjacent ends of said pipes and connecting the same for relative swinging movement about a hinge axle intermediate of said pipes, a flexible hose extending between said adjacent ends of said pipes, a mechanism for swinging said lower pipe about said axis to an inverted position alongside said upper pipe and including a first swing link having one end pivoted to 4 said knee-joint at a location above said axis, a second swin link having one end pivoted to said knee-joint at a location below said axis, and a generally vertical crank pivotally connected to opposite ends of said swing links at a location outboard of the line of said pipes and movable vertically upwardly in response to an externally applied lifting force to swing said lower pipe about said axis to said inverted position.

2. In a diffuser swing mechanism, upper and lower rigid pipes arranged in generally vertical alignment, a knee-joint intermediate of adjacent ends of said pipes and connecting the same for relative swinging movement about a hinge axis vertically intermediate and laterally outboard of the line of said pipes, a flexible hose extending between said adjacent ends of said pipes, a mechanism for swinging said lower pipe about said axis to an inverted position alongside said upper pipe and including a first swing link having one end pivoted to said knee-joint at a location above said axis and laterally closer to the line of said pipes, a second swing link having one end pivoted to said knee-joint at a location below said axis and laterally closer to the line of said pipes, and a generally vertical crank having a common point pivotally connected to opposite ends of said swing links at a location substantially at the elevation of said axis and farther outboard of the line of said pipes and movable vertically upwardly in response to an externally applied lifting force to swing said lower pipe about said axis to said inverted position.

3. In a diffuser swing mechanism, upper and lower rigid pipes arranged in generally vertical alignment, a knee-joint intermediate of adjacent ends of said pipes, said knee-joint comprising upper hinge plate structure rigid with the lower end of said upper pipe and carrying a pair of depending laterally spaced vertical hinge plates, lower hinge plate structure rigid with the upper end of the lower pipe and providing a pair of upstanding laterally spaced vertical hinge plates for partial interleaving with the first-named hinge plates, axle means connecting said hinge plates for relative swinging movement about a horizontal hinge axis located intermediate of said pipes and outboard of the line of said pipes, means providing interengaging abutment between said upper and lower hinge plate structures when the pipes are in general vertical alignment to prevent lateral inward flexing of the knee-joint, a flexible hose disposed within said hinge plate structures and extending between said adjacent ends of said pipes, a mechanism for swinging said lower pipe laterally outward about said axis to an inverted position alongside said upper pipe and including a first swing link having one end pivoted to said knee-joint at a location above said axis, a second swing link having one end pivoted to said knee-joint at a location below said axis, and a generally vertical crank pivotally connected to opposite ends of said swing links at a location outboard of the line of said pipes and movable vertically upwardly in response to an externally applied lifting force to swing said lower pipe about said axis to said inverted position.

4. In a dilfuser swing mechanism, upper and lower rigid pipes arranged in generally vertical alignment, a knee-joint intermediate of adjacent ends of said pipes, said knee-joint comprising upper hinge plate structure rigid with the lower end of said upper pipe and carrying a pair of depending laterally spaced vertical hinge plates, lower hinge plate structure rigid with the upper end of the lower pipe and providing a pair of upstanding laterally spaced vertical hinge plates for partial interleaving with the first-named hinge plates, axle means connecting said hinge plates for relative swinging movement about a horizontal hinge axis located intermediate of said pipes and outboard of the line of said pipes, means providing interengaging abutment between said upper and lower hinge plate structures when the pipes are in general vertical alignment to prevent lateral inward flexing of the knee-joint, a flexible hose disposed within said hinge plate structures and extending between said adjacent ends of said pipes, a mechanism for swinging said lower pipe laterally outward about said axis to an inverted position alongside said upper pipe and including a first swing link having one end pivoted to said knee-joint at a location above said axis and laterally closer to the line of said pipes, a second swing link having one end pivoted to said knee-joint at a location below said axis and laterally closer to the line of said pipes, and a generally vertical crank having a common point pivotally connected to opposite ends of said swing links at a location substantially at the elevation of said axis and farther outboard of the line of said pipes and movable vertically upwardly in response to an externally applied lifting force to swing said lower pipe about said axis to said inverted position.

5. In a diffuser swing mechanism that includes upper and lower rigid pipes arranged in generally vertical alignment, a diffuser array carried on said lower pipe, means including a knee-joint intermediate of adjacent ends of said pipes and operating means for flexing said knee-joint to swing the lower pipe between an aligned lower in-use position and an elevated inverted position alongside the upper pipe; the improvement wherein said knee-joint comprises upper structure fixed to the lower end of said upper pipe, lower structure fixed to the upper end of said lower pipe, means pivotally interconnecting said structures for swinging movement about a hinge axis located outboard of the line of said pipes and a flexible hose extending between said adjacent ends of said pipe, and wherein said operating means comprises a first swing link having one end pivoted to said upper structure at a location above said hinge axis, a second swing link having one end pivoted to said lower structure at a location below said axis, and a generally vertical crank pivotally connected to opposite ends of said swing links at a location outboard of the line of said pipes and movable vertically upwardly in response to an externally applied lifting force to swing said lower pipe about said axis to an inverted position.

6. In a diffuser swing mechanism that includes upper and lower rigid pipes arranged in generally vertical alignment, a dili'user array carried on said lower pipe, means including a knee-joint intermediate of adjacent ends of said pipes and operating means for flexing said knee-joint to swing the lower pipe between an aligned lower in-use position and an elevated inverted position alongside the upper pipe; the improvement wherein said knee-joint comprises upper structure fixed to the lower end of said upper pipe, lower structure fixed to the upper end of said lower pipe, means pivotally interconnecting said structures for swinging movement about a hinge axis located vertically intermediate and laterally outboard of the line of said pipes and a flexible hose xtending between said adjacent ends of said pipes, and wherein said operating comprises .a first swing link having one end pivoted to said upper structure at a location above said hinge axis and laterally closer to the line of said pipes, a second swing link having one end pivoted to said lower structure at a location below said axis and laterally closer to the line of said pipes, and a generally vertical crank having a common point pivotally connected to opposite ends of said ends of said swing links at a location substantially at the elevation of said axis and fa 'ther outboard of the line of said pipes and movable vertically upwardly in response to externally applied lifting force to swing said lower pipe about said axis to an inverted position.

7. in a difiuser swing mechanism that includes upper and lower rigid pipes arranged in generally vertical alignment, a diffuser array carried on said lower pipe, means including a knee-joint intermediate of adjacent ends of said pipes and operating means for flexing said knee-joint to swing the lower pipe between an aligned lower in-use position and an elevated inverted position alongside the upper pipe; the improvement wherein said knee-joint comprises upper hinge plate structure rigid with the lower end of said upper pipe and carrying a pair of depending laterally spaced vertical hinge plates, lower hinge plate structure rigid with the upper end of said lower pipe and providing a pair or" upstanding laterally spaced vertical hinge plates for partial interleaving with the first-named hinge plates, axle means pivotally interconnecting said hinge plate structures for swinging movement about a hinge axis located vertically intermediate of the ends of said pipes and laterally outboard of the line of said pipes and a flexible hose extending between said adjacent ends of said pipes, and wherein said operating means comprises a first swing link having one end pivoted to said upper structure at a location above said hinge axis, a second swing link having one end pivoted to said lower structure at a location below said axis, and a generally vertical crank having a common point pivotally connected to opposite ends of said swing links at a location substantially at the elevation of said axis and farther outboard of the line of said pipes and movable vertically upwardly in response to an externally applied lifting force to swing said lower pipe about said axis to an inverted position.

8. In a diffuser swing mechanism that includes upper and lower rigid pipes arranged in generally vertical alignment, a diliuser array carried on said lower pipe, means including a knee-joint intermediate of adjacent ends of said pipes and. operating means for flexing said knee-joint to swing the lower pipe between an aligned lower in-use position and an elevated inverted position alongside the upper pipe; the improvement wherein said knee-joint comprises upper hinge plate structure nigid with the lower end of said upper pipe and carrying a pair of depending laterally spaced vertical hinge plates, lower hinge plate structure rigid with the upper end of said lower pipe and providing a pair of upstanding laterally spaced vertical hinge plates for partial interleaving with the first-named hinge plates, axle means pivotally interconnecting said hinge plate structures for swinging movement about a hinge axis located vertically intermediate of the ends of said pipes and laterally outboard of the line of said pipes and a flexible hose extending between said adjacent ends of said pipes and wherein said operating means comprises a first swing link having one pivoted to said upper structure at a location above said hinge axis and laterally closer to the line of said pipes, a second swing link having one end pivoted to said lower structure at a location below said axis and laterally closer to the line of said pipes, and a generally vertical crank having a common point pivotally connected to opposite ends of said swing links at a location substantially at the elevation of said axis and farther outboard of the line of said pipes and movable vertically upwardly in response to an externally applied lifting force to swing said lower pipe about said axis to an inverted position.

9. in a diffuser swing mechanism that includes upper and lower rigid pipes arranged in generally vertical alignment, a diffuser array carried on said lower pipe, means including a knee-joint intermediate of adjacent ends of said pipes, and operating means for flexing said knee-joint to swing the lower pipe between an aligned lower in-use position and an elevated inverted position alongside the upper pipe; the improvement wherein said knee-joint comprises upper structure fixed to the lower end of said upper pipe, lower structure fixed to the upper end of said lower pipe, means pivotally interconnecting said structures for swinging movement about a hinge axis located outboard of the line of said pipes, said lower end of the upper pipe terminating in a stub section directed obliquely to the line of said pipes and facing generally toward the hinge axis, said upper end of the lower pipe terminating in a stub sect-ion directed obliquely to the line of said pipes and correspondingly facing generally toward the hinge axis, and a flexible hose having opposite ends connected to said stub sections to establish communication therebetween, with said hose being disposed in an arcuate configuration intermediately of said pipes and bowed from. the line of said pipes in a direction towards said hinge axis.

10. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the lower 7 end of the upper pipe terminates in a stub section directed obliquely to the line of said pipes and facing generally toward the hinge axis, the upper end of the lower pipe terminates in a stub section directed obliquely to the line of said pipes and correspondingly facing generally toward the hinge axis, and said flexible base has opposite ends connected to said stub sections to establish communication 'therebetween, with said hose being disposed in an arcuate configuration intermediately of said pipes and bowed from said line in a direction towards said hinge axis.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Baker Mar. 12, 1895 Rosenthal Nov. 17, 1903 Lasher Dec. 8, 1903 ONeill Sept. 3, 1907 Sticklin Mar. 13, 1917 OHanlon Mar. 25, 1930 Campbell Oct. 12, 1943 McMahon Aug. 8, 1961

Claims

1. A DIFFUSER SWING MECHANISM, UPPER AND LOWER RIGID PIPES ARRANGED IN GENERALLY VERTICAL ALIGNMENT, A KNEEJOINT INTERMEDIATE OF ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID PIPES AND CONNECTING THE SAME FOR RELATIVE SWINGING MOVEMENT ABOUT A HINGE AXLE INTERMEDIATE OF SAID PIPES, A FLEXIBLE HOSE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID PIPES, A MECHANISM FOR SWINGING SAID LOWER PIPE ABOUT SAID AXIS TO AN INVERTED POSITION ALONGSIDE SAID UPPER PIPE AND INCLUDING A FIRST SWING LINK HAVING ONE END PIVOTED TO SAID KNEE-JOINT AT A LOCATION ABOVE SAID AXIS, A SECOND SWING LINK HAVING ONE END PIVOTED TO SAID KNEE-JOINT AT A LOCATION BELOW SAID AXIS, AND A GENERALLY VERTICAL CRANK PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID SWING LINKS AT A LOCATION OUTBOARD OF THE LINE OF SAID PIPES AND MOVABLE VERTICALLY UPWARDLY IN RESPONSE TO AN EXTERNALLY APPLIED LIFTING FORCE TO SWING SAID LOWER PIPE ABOUT SAID AXIS TO SAID INVERTED POSITION.