US585121A

US585121A - Settling-tank

Info

Publication number: US585121A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-06-22
Anticipated expiration: 1914-06-22

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

T. M. RIGHTER. SETTLING TANK@ No. 585,121. Patented June 22,1897.

4 (No Model.) M-

2 Sheets-8heet 2.

SETTLING TANK.

v Patented June 2 2, 189.7.

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THOMAS M. RIGI-ITER, OF MOUNT CARMEL, PENNSYLVANIA.

SETTLING-TAN K.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 585,121, dated June 22, 1897. Application met March 24,1897. serial No. 629,002. (No maar To @ZZ whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, THoMAs M. RIGHTER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mount Carmel, in the county of Northumberland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Settling-Tanks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact de-v substances mixed therewith.

The object of my invention is to take care of and dispose of the great mass of dirt which contaminates the Washings of the coal and would otherwise pollute and fill up the streams and drainage courses of the region and eventually flood over valuable surface areas to the great damage of property.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved settling-tank. Fig. 2 is a front elevation and vertical lateral section taken through the elel vator-well on a line 0c, Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken through the elevator on a line y y, Fig. l. Fig. 4t shows a detail view of one of the sections of the sectional floor.

A is the settling compartment or tank proper, having a funnel shaped bottom formed by sloping inclines, as shown at m n, converging from three sides toward the opening h, formed in the partition B of the front side. This partition separates the settlingchamber from the Well C, in which is located an endless elevator or chain of buckets D. These buckets are formed of thin sheet metal perforated on their ends and front faces to allow the Water to escape from the mass during the ascent. l

Eis a chute so located as to receive the refuse from the inverted buckets as they pass over and discharge it into cars, carts, or other receptacles for removal.

F is a boot into which the bottom of the elevator-chain dips in reversing, and has an opening f in the bottom through which the tank may be emptied and drained.

d d are the elevator-buckets. Motion is communicated to the chain of buckets from any convenient source of power through appropriate gears G g II h H' h and shafting I I 1l t.

A manhole is provided, as shown at a, through which the tank may be entered for cleansing when desired.

The operation is as follows: After everything has been screened out from the mass as mined and separat-ion of the coal from the slate and refuse matter has been effected the uid refuse, dirt and water, is introduced into the settlingtank at any convenient point, as c. Here separation commences to take place by gravity, the heavier suspended matter subsiding to the bottom and the Water being run off 4at any convenient point, as e. The bottom of the tank being convergent, the settlings naturally flow toward the opening a in the partition B, which is of about the same height and width as an elevator bucket. This partition separates the iiuid mass in the tank from the Water in the elevator-Well and prevents agitation in the latter from the infiowing current, while the elevators, operating in a separate compartment, do not raise or stir up the subsiding matter in the main tank -durin g the operation of settling. The buckets being set in motion rapidly pick up the mass of settlings flowing toward and through the opening as they pass the same and carry it up through the Water in the well to a suitable distance above the surface thereof, which stands at the same level with that of the liquid mass in the settling-tank. During the ascent above the surface the bulk of the water drains out of the buckets through' the perforations of the front and sides back into the Well, While the remaining refuse is discharged as the buckets become reversed in turning over the sprocket into the chute E for removal. The speed at which the buckets are driven will be regulated in proportion to the height to which it may be thought advisable to lift the mass before dumping to effect the requisite drainage, being slower if the distance be short than Where the distance is longer. There being no current in the elevator-well the fine material IOO is not washed out of the buckets, and this is essential to good results.

To aid the eliiciency of the settling means above described, I use the auxiliary means shown at R, Figs. 2 and 3. R is a sectional floor perforated throughout and located a suitable distance below the overiiow or outlet e. The inlet is a tight conduit or flume o and opens below this floor at the opposite side from the outlet. The said floor is made in sections r about twelve inches wide, more or less, each section being sustained on pivotal bearings q q at cach end, turning in sockets formed iu or attached to the walls of the tank on the front and rear sides. These sections may be made of any suitable material, either wood or metal, so that the perforations can be kept clear and in operative condition. The object of the floor is to afford a resting-place for liltering material to be placed on the upper surface thereof, the said floor being continuous when all the sections are in place and horizontally adjusted. The filtering material may be sand, gravel, powdered coke, cinders, or any of the materials in use suitable for the purpose. The function of the filtering material is to strain out the finer impurities in the liquid contained in the tank as the liquid rises toward the overflow, holding back the impurities and letting the water Iiow off comparatively clear. The object of making the iioor in pivoted sections is to enable the filtering material to be readily dumped into the tank, when it becomes clogged and inefficient,by means of the handles p p, provided for the purpose, one to each section, and extend ing a sufficient distance above the hi gli-water level of the tank to be operated.

In Fig. 2 I have shown two of thc sections at the right hand in oblique position, as they would appear in the act of dumping.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. In a settling-tank for coal-\vashings, the combination of a settling-compartment with a converging bottom, an inlet flume or conduit, an outlet-chute, a discharge-chute for refuse-settlings, a sectional perforated floor R, for sustaining filtering material, having pivoted sections r, a well-compartment, an endless chain of perforated buckets located in the Well, and means for giving motion to the said chain of buckets, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a settling-tank for collieries, the combination of a settling-coinpartment A, having converging bottom, inlet-conduit, overflowpassage, perforated sectional iioor, with pivoted sections, partition B with opening Z), well C, elevator-chain in said well with perforated buckets, discharge-chute E and boot F, substantially as and for the purpose speeied.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

THOMAS N. RIGHTICR.

Witnesses:

W. B. FAUsr, JonN l. GIBsoN.