US989827A - Automatic cistern-cleaning apparatus. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Apr. 18, 1911.

1 L THIEM.

AUTOMATIC GISTERN CLEANING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1910.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that LLoursTHmm, a citi" zen of the United States, residing at Toledo, in thecounty. of Lucas and State of Ohio, have-invented a new and useful Improve.- meat in Automatic Oistern-Cleaning Apparatus, o f: which the following is a specificainvention relates to an automatic cisterncleaner.

In Patent No. 969,997 I have shown and:

described an automatic cistern. cleaner, whereby the excess flow of fresh rain water into a cistern is utilized to discharge through the avaste pipe, impure water and sediment from the'bottom of a cistern.

In the application of my patented cleaner to cisterns of large capacity or having fiat bottoms I have found that a single central receiver for the discharge pipe, unless the volume of the discharge'is large, is insufiicient to carry off the sediment deposited on the outer portion of the bottom.

' My present invention has for its object to provide an improved cleaner for cisterns of large capacity, and those having fiat bottoms, whereby the sediment will be removed from the "outer portions of the bottom simultaneously with its removal from the center portion. I accomplish these. objects by the construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and illustrated in the drawings, in which- Fignre 1 is a view, showing my improved cleaner applied to a cistern having a concave bottom. Fig. 2 is a similar view show ing its application to a cistern having a flat bottom. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of a receiver having a ball and socket oint "and adapted to be connected to the lower end of the main pipe or the elbow of a branch pipe. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of'a modified form of flexiblejoint connecting a receiver to the elbow of a branch pipe, and

Fig.. 5 is a top view of an enlarged broken away portion of an extensible branch discharge pipe with the sleeve broken through. I In the drawings 1 designates the main Cl1S- charge pipe, having radiating from its lower end 'portion thebranch connections 2 and having its lower end portion'provided with Specification of Letters Patent. Application files; September 17, 1910.

discha- Z P!" 518, 1911'. Serial HQ 532 43 A L a reducer connection 2-, and also having its upper end portion provided with the discharge connection 3 and its open upper end provided with a closure cap 4:. 'To ach branch connection 2 is" connected a branch ge pipe 5 comprising a coupling sleeve 6 adapted lib-telescopically receive at ,one end a branch connection 2, and having a pipe section 7 telescoped in the opposite end,

and an elbow 8 mounted on the outer .endofthe section 7. The discharge connection 3 is connected by the section 3 9 of the cistern, cistern wall and downward into the catch basin 10, which is connected by the pipe 11 to a sewer (not shown).

to the waste pipe The main pipe 1 and its discharge connec tion 3 is of capacity equal to the combined capacity of the branches? and its lower end reducer connection 2.

Each branch 2 and the reducer 2 of the main pipe 1 is preferably provided with a receiver 12, which (as is more clearly sh own in Fig. 3), comprises the cone 13 having its open base rim provided at regular intervals with projecting feet 14;; and having its upper end provided with a hemispherical cup enlargement 15 having the. annular rim flange 16; the section 17, having the end which extends through the portion18 of a diameter to telescopically? connect with the free end portion of an elbow 8 or the reducer 2 of the main pipe,

and the hemispherically enlarged portion 19; and the hemispherical segment 20 provided with an'annular rim flange 16-adapted to couple the section 1.7 to the cup 15 and form therewith a ball and socket joint.

Thus constructed, the, main pipe 1 with a receiver 12' connected to its lower end is cistern, after which the branches 5 with receivers 12 attached thereto, are then mounted on the connections 2 and adjusted thereon by the sleeves 6 to extend the receivers the desired radial distance from the main pipe, and with the receivers extended downward from the elbows 8.. If the cistern bottom be flat and level the receiver atthe lower-end of the main pipe is inserted into the-lower end ofthemain pipe.the.,full. length of the end portion'18of the section first inserted into'the top portion of the.

into the section.

17. If it be concave the end portion is inserted a less distance according as the concave surface requires. Thus adjusted and equipped the main pipe is lowered in the cistern until the receivers rest on their feet 14: on the bottom. The receivers 12 being provided with a ball and socket joint, it is manifest that when any one or less than the whole number of feet 14 of a receiver engages the bottom, the weight of the main pipe and its branches will automatically adjust'each and all of the receivers to rest on all their feet, whether the bottom be concave or flat, and so resting, they form uniform spaces between the rims of the receivers and the bottom, adapted to admit water radially to the receivers from along the bottom. The instalment of the cleaner in the cistern is completed by connecting the section 8 to the connection 3 and the waste pipe 9.

To prevent siphonic action of the cleaner, the section 3' is preferably provided with an air inlet pipe 21 which extends a sufiicient distance above the section to prevent water and sediment from'being discharged therefrom. By so placing the air vent and providing the upper end of the main pipe wit-11 a closure cap 4:. the necessity of extending the pipe upward into the neck or opening to the cistern, where it would obstruct entrance into the cistern, is avoided, while by removing the cap l and'attaching to the top an extension, (not shown), access to the main pipe for the introduction of a sucker rod having a bucket valve attached thereto is provided, whereby, if desired in times of insufficient rain fall, the sediment can be mechanically discharged.

While the receivers are preferably provided with a ball and socket joint, it is manifest that they may be provided with flexible joints other than a ball and socket, without departure from the principle of my construction, and that for flat bottom cisterns the receivers may be made rigid; and in Fig. 4 is shown a modified form of receiver 12 (that may be used instead of receiver 12), having a flexible joint coupling .22 comprising a flexible hose section coupled to acone 13 having a grooved retaining band 23 secured thereto at a suitable distance from its base to which one end portion of the hose section is secured by an'outer clamp band 24 which is secured around the base and the inner band 23 in a manner to compress the hose into the groove of the inner band. The receiver is coupled to the elbow of a branch by a clamp band Z-l around the upper end portion of the hose section after the free end of the elbow has been inserted A joint thus constructed is adapted to permit the automatic ad justment of the receiver cone 13 to rest on its feet 14 on the bottom of the cistern, in like manner as described for the ball and socket oint. I therefore do not hnnt myself in the construction of my cleaner to the use ofrem-:ivers having a ball and socket joint.

hat I claim to be new is 1. In an auton'iatic cistern cleaner of the character described, the combination with the waste pipe of a cistern, of a main discharge pipe connected to the waste pipe and extending from the waste pipe to near the bottom of the cistern, a plurality of extensible branch pipes radially connected to the lower portion of the main pipe, and a plurality of receivers, one for each branch pipe and the main pipe, said receivers having enlarged rim bases provided with a plurality of feet adapted to support-the main pipe and its branches above the bottom of the cistern and form openings to admit water and sediment radially to the receivers alongthe bottom.

2. In an automatic cistern cleaner of the character described, the combination with the waste pipe of a cistern, of a main discharge pipe extending the waste pipe to near the bottom of the cistern and having a plurality of extensible branch pipes radiating from the lower end portion, a plurality of supporting receivers, one for each branch pipe and for'thelower end of the main pipe, each receiver comprising a conical lower section, having its base rim pro vided with a plurality of projecting feet and an upper section pivotally coupled to the lower section and adapted to couple the receiver to a branch or the main pipe, substantially as set forth.

3. In an automatic cistern cleaner of the character described, the combination with the waste pipe of a cistern, connected to and extendin from the waste pipe to near the bottom of the cistern, and

comprising a main pipe, a plurality of extensible branch pipes radiating from the main pipe, and a plurality of universally jointed receivers one coupled to each branc l and the main pipe, each receiver having an open flared base rim provided with a plurality of supporting feet, and said receivers together forming a supporting base for the discharge adapted to individual automatic adjustment to the bottoms of .a cistern, substantially as set forth.

, 4:. In an automatic cistern cleaner of the kind described, the combination with the waste pipe of a cistern, of a main discharge pipe extending centrally downward to near the bottom of the cistern from near the top opening of the cistern, said discharge pipe having abranch pipe connection to the waste pipe at its upper end portion, and a plurality of extensible. receiving branch pipes tlClliltlIlg from its lower end portion, the main pipe and each receiving branch of a dischargepipe being provided with an enlarged supwith an open air vent pipe, substantially as porting and receiving section together set forth. 10

adapted to support the main pipe and its In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my" receiving branches on and slightly above the hand this 14th day of September, 1910. bottom of the cistern, the top end ofsaid LOUIS THIEM. main pipe being open and provided with a In presence of detachableclosure cap, and said branchcon- WM. J. FRrrsoHE, nection to the waste pipe being provided M; S. SMrrH.

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