Patent ID: 6264832
Filing Date: 2001-07-24
Classification: B01D,C02F,E03B,Y02A

Abstract:
An apparatus (18) for receiving rain water from a water collecting means (20), treating said rain water according to a treatment cycle and supplying treated water into a storage tank (22), characterized in that the apparatus comprises:a stop tank (24) located underneath the water collecting means (20), having an inlet (hole 26) for receiving water coming from the water collecting means (20), and a bottom outlet (hole 28) controlled by an outlet valve (30);a main tank (32) located underneath the stop tank (24), having an inlet (hole 28) for receiving water from the bottom outlet (hole 28) of the stop tank (24), an upper outlet (holes 36) located in an upper portion of the main tank (32), and a bottom outlet (hole 38) controlled by an outlet valve (40) for emptying the main tank (32) into the storage tank (22);an upper reservoir (42) having an inlet (holes 36) for receiving water from the upper outlet of the main tank (holes 36), an upper outlet (46) located in an upper portion of the upper reservoir (42), and a bottom outlet (hole 48) controlled by an outlet valve (50) for emptying the upper reservoir (42);a lower reservoir (52) located underneath the upper reservoir (42), having a first inlet (54) for receiving water from the upper outlet (46) of the upper reservoir (42), a second inlet (hole 48) for receiving water from the bottom outlet (hole 48) of the upper reservoir (42), and a bottom outlet (58) for emptying the lower reservoir (52) into a lower portion of the main tank (32);at least one solution reservoir (62) for containing a water treating solution, having an outlet valve (66) for supplying a predetermined amount of water treating solution into the main tank (32), said outlet valve (66) of the solution reservoir (62) being momentarily open during the treatment cycle to supply the predetermined amount of water treating solution into the main tank (32);a first buoyant element (68) located in the lower portion of the main tank (32) for controlling the bottom outlet (58) of the lower reservoir (52), the first buoyant element (68) being movable along a vertical course between lower and higher positions within the main tank (32) depending upon a volume of water therein, the first buoyant element (68) blocking the bottom outlet (58) of the lower reservoir (52) when said first buoyant element (68) is in its upper position; anda second buoyant element (70) located in the lower reservoir (52) and movable along a vertical course between lower and higher positions within the lower reservoir (52) depending upon a volume of water therein, the second buoyant element (70) being for controlling respectively the outlet valves (40, 50, 30, 66) of the main tank (32), the upper reservoir (42), the stop tank (24) and the solution reservoir (62); at the beginning of the treatment cycle, the first buoyant element (68) being in its lower position to set the bottom outlet (58) of the lower reservoir (52) in an open position and the second buoyant element (70) being also in its lower position to set the outlet valves (40, 50, 66) of the main tank (32), the upper reservoir (42) and the solution reservoir (62) in closed positions and set the outlet valve (30) of the stop tank (24) in open position thus allowing water to flow:first, from the stop tank (24) into the main tank (32) so that the first buoyant element (68) moves to its upper position to close the bottom outlet (58) of the lower reservoir (52),second, from the upper outlet (36) of the main tank (32) into the upper reservoir (42), andthird, from the upper outlet (46) of the upper reservoir (42) into the lower reservoir (52) so that the second buoyant element (70):first, starts an upward movement toward its higher position to open the outlet valve (40) of the main tank (32) thus allowing flow of water from the main tank (32) into the storage tank (22), to open the outlet valve (50) of the upper reservoir (42) thus allowing a complete filling of the lower reservoir (52), and to close the outlet valve (30) of the stop tank (24) thus stopping flow of water from the stop tank (24) into the main tank (32), andsecond, reaches its higher position as the lower reservoir (52) is completely filled; as water flows from the main tank (32) into the storage tank (22) and water level in the main tank (32) reaches a certain level, the first buoyant element (68) moves downwardly toward its lower position to open the bottom outlet (58) of the lower reservoir (52) thus allowing flow of water from the lower reservoir (52) into the main tank (32) so that the second buoyant element (70) starts a downward movement toward its lower position, a new treatment cycle beginning when the second buoyant element (70) reaches its lower position.