Abstract:
The present invention relates to a bracket for securing collector flight support tracks that are used in sludge collectors. The mounting bracket is suitable for use with various types of support track configurations. The mounting bracket is part of an assembly that is adjustable and includes a pair of unitary molded hubs and a connecting member that extends between the pair of hubs. The hubs are preferably constructed so as to facilitate being mounted in one of a number of alternative positions on a wall of a collector tank or to be secured to a variety of commonly used collector flight support tracks.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a sludge collector for treating wastewater, and more particularly to a bracket assembly for use in securing a collector flight supporting track within a sludge collector. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Sludge collectors are commonly used in wastewater treatment plants to scrape settled sludge from the bottom of a settling tank and to skim floating waste off the surface of the wastewater. The sludge collector tanks are typically made of concrete and include a number of flights which are usually elongated members that extend across the width of the tank. The flights are typically made from pultruded fiberglass that is formed in various channel-shaped profiles. The flights are connected at opposing ends to conveyor chains which carry the flights in a circuit along the bottom of the tank to perform the scraping operation and over the surface of the wastewater to perform the skimming operation. 
     As the flights move along the bottom of the tank, the flights are supported by tracks extending along the tank bottom. As the flights move along the surface of the tank, the opposing ends of the flights are supported by tracks mounted on the side walls of the tank. The portions of the flights which engage the track at the bottom and side walls of the tank are subject to wear such that low friction wear shoes are attached to the flights at each point where the flights contact the support tracks. 
     The support tracks are secured to the walls of the treatment tanks by brackets that are typically useable with only a single-track configuration. Since there are several different types of support tracks that are commonly used to support collector flights within treatment tanks, manufacturers are required to produce numerous different brackets resulting in increased production costs. Although the assortment of prior art brackets adequately support the many different types of track, it would be desirable to have a single bracket that works with numerous different track configurations. 
     The lateral position of prior art supporting bracket assemblies is fixed relative to the walls of the treatment tank once the brackets are secured to the walls. The fixed lateral position makes it difficult for prior art brackets to support collector flights of varying length. Therefore, it would be desirable if the bracket assemblies which support the collector flights were adjustable so the bracket assemblies could be modified depending on the application. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a bracket for securing collector flight support tracks that are used in sludge collectors. The mounting bracket is suitable for use with a variety of support track configurations. 
     The mounting bracket is part of an assembly that includes a pair of molded hubs and a connecting member that extends between the pair of hubs. The hubs are preferably constructed so as to facilitate mounting one of the hubs in a number of alternative positions on a wall of a collector tank while the other hub is configured to be secured to a variety of different types of commonly used collector flight supporting tracks. The hubs are preferably identical to one another, and the connecting member is adjustable in order to permit the bracket assembly to be used with collector flights having their return wear shoes mounted at different distances from the tank walls. 
     Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description, claims, and drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a side view illustrating a mounting bracket of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is an end view of the mounting bracket illustrated in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of a bracket assembly of the present invention supporting a first type of collector flight supporting track. 
     FIG. 4 is an end view of the bracket assembly illustrated in FIG.  3 . 
     FIG. 5 is a side view of a bracket assembly of the present invention supporting a second type of collector flight supporting track. 
     FIG. 6 is an end view of the bracket assembly illustrated in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is a side view of a bracket assembly of the present invention supporting a third type of collector flight supporting track. 
     FIG. 8 is an end view of the bracket assembly illustrated in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 9 is an end view of an insert that is used with the bracket assembly illustrated in FIG.  7 . 
     FIG. 10 is a front view of the insert shown in FIG.  9 . 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of the bracket assembly of the present invention where the bracket assembly is connected to a lower interior wall of a wastewater treatment tank. 
    
    
     Before one embodiment of the invention is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     There is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a mounting bracket  10  of the present invention. The mounting bracket  10  includes a hub  12  and a flange  14  that is connected to one end  16  of the hub  12 . The hub  12  includes a longitudinal axis  30  and the flange  14  includes a plurality of openings  20 ,  21 ,  22 ,  23 ,  24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27  that surround an outer surface  13  on the hub  12 . The openings  20 L  27  extend through the flange  14  such that the longitudinal axis on each of the openings  20 - 27  is parallel to the longitudinal axis  30  of the hub  12 . The flange  14  further includes a circular opening  28  that has a longitudinal axis which is aligned with the longitudinal axis  30  of the hub  12 . The openings  20 - 28  are intended to house fasteners for securing the mounting bracket  10  to either a collector flight support track or a wall within a wastewater treatment tank. 
     The size, shape and location of the openings  20 - 28  are shown most clearly in FIG.  2 . There are two circular openings  20 ,  24  positioned on opposite sides of the flange  14  along a line  29  that extends through the longitudinal axis  30  of the hub  12 . The openings  20 ,  24  are spaced at equal distances from the longitudinal axis  30 . 
     There are also two parallel slots  22 ,  26  positioned on opposites of the flange  14 . The slots  22 ,  26  are located at equal distances from the longitudinal axis  30  of the hub  12  and each of the slots  22 ,  26  includes a major axis  31  that is perpendicular to a line  33  which extends through the longitudinal axis  30  of the hub  12 . The line  33  is perpendicular to the line  29  and bisects the major axis  31  of each slot  22 ,  26  such that the ends  50 ,  51  of the parallel slots  22 ,  26  are equally distant from the longitudinal axis  30  of the hub  12 . 
     There are two additional parallel slots  21 ,  25  positioned on opposite sides of the flange  14 , however, these slots  21 ,  25  are different from the aforementioned slots  22 ,  26  in that the ends  52 ,  53  of the slots  21 ,  25  are different distances from the longitudinal axis  30  of the hub  12 . One end  53  of each of the slots  21 ,  25  is positioned near a line  35  that (i) extends through the longitudinal axis  30  of the hub  12 ; and (ii) is positioned halfway between the line  29  and the line  33 . 
     There are two more parallel slots  23 ,  27  which are similar to the aforementioned parallel slots  21 ,  25  in that the ends  54 ,  55  of the slots  23 ,  27  are different distances from the longitudinal axis  30  of the hub  12 . One end  55  of each of the slots  23 ,  27  is positioned near a line  37  that (i) extends through the longitudinal axis  30  of the hub  12 ; (ii) is positioned approximately halfway between the line  29  and the line  33 ; and (iii) is substantially perpendicular to the line  35 . 
     The mounting bracket  10  further includes ribs or triangular gussets  32  that extend from one end  16  of the hub  12  to the other end  34 . The ribs  32  extend longitudinally from an edge  36  on the end  34  of the hub  12  to a position near an edge  38  on an outside surface  40  of the flange  14 . 
     The outside surface  40  of the flange  14  is octagonal and four ribs or gussets  32  support the hub  12 . In addition, the hub  12 , flange  14  and ribs  32  are all integral with one another and made as a unitary molded component from glass reinforced polypropylene. 
     The flange  14  also includes a planar contact surface  42  (FIG. 1) that is adapted to engage either the wall of a treatment tank or a collector flight support track. The planar contact surface  42  includes several recesses  44  that extend inwardly from the planar contact surface  42  to facilitate molding the mounting bracket  10 . 
     The hub  12  also includes a pair of openings  46 . Each of the openings  46  is positioned on opposing sides of the hub  12 . The openings  46  are adapted to receive set screws (not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2) or the like which are used to secure an article inside the hub  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a bracket assembly  56  secures a collector flight supporting track  60  within a wastewater treatment tank. The bracket assembly  56  includes a first hub  57  and a second hub  58  that are preferably identical to the hubs  12  shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     The first hub  57  is connected to a surface  62  on a wall  64  of a treatment tank. The first hub  57  is secured to the wall  64  using a fastener  66  that extends through the center opening  28 . It should be understood that the first hub  57  can be secured to the wall  64  using any of the openings  20 - 28  without departing from the scope of the present invention (see, e.g., the fasteners  93 ,  94  in FIG.  7 ). 
     The second hub  58  is secured to a collector flight supporting track  60  that provides support to collector flights  78  that are circulating within the treatment tank. During operation of the treatment tank the collector flight supporting tracks  60  engage wear shoes  70  that are mounted on lower edges  74  and upper edges  76  of the collector flights  78 . 
     The tracks  60  are secured to the second hub  58  using fasteners  67 ,  68  that extend through the slots  21 ,  27  in the flange  14  of the second hub  54 . The configuration of the slots  21 ,  27  permits the track  60  to be adjusted as the track  60  is connected to the bracket assembly  56 . 
     The first hub  57  is connected to the second hub  58  by a tube  59 . The tube  59  is easily cut to an appropriate length so that the collector flight supporting track  60  is readily aligned with the wear shoes  70  on the collector flight  78 . The ability to adjust the length that the bracket assembly  56  extends into the tank permits the bracket assembly  56  to be readily used to support collector flights  78  of different lengths. Once the tube  59  is inserted into the first hub  57  and the second hub  58 , the tube  59  is secured in place using set screws  71 ,  72  that extend through the openings  46  on opposing sides of the first hub  57  and the second hub  58 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the bracket assembly  56  is shown securing an L-shaped collector flight support track  63  to the sidewall  64  of the wastewater treatment tank. Fasteners  73 ,  75  extend through the slots  21 ,  27  in the second hub in order to secure the L-shaped support track  63  to the second hub  58 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the bracket assembly  56  is shown securing a J-type collector flight support track  65  that is commonly used in a wastewater treatment industry to the sidewall  64  of the wastewater treatment tank. The J-type track  65  includes a projection  79  that is secured between an insert  80  and the second hub  58  of the bracket assembly  56 . The insert  80 , projection  79  and second hub  58  are secured together using fasteners  83 ,  84  that extend through the slots  21 ,  27  in the second hub  58 . 
     The insert  80  is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 9 and 10. The insert  80  includes stepped openings  87 ,  88  that are adapted to receive a head of a fastener therein. The insert  80  further includes stepped edges  89  that are inserted into the J-type track  65  between the projection  79  and an end  77  of J-section (see FIG.  7 ). The recessed stepped edges  89  extend along opposing sides of the insert  80  such that the insert  80  may be mounted within the J-type track  65  in alternate orientations. 
     The J-type track  65  further includes a low friction wear pad  90  that is mounted on an upper arm  91  of the J-type track  65 . The wear pad  90  is adapted to engage corresponding wear shoes  70  on the collector flight  78 . 
     Referring to FIG. 11, a pair of bracket assemblies  56  are attached to opposing angled surfaces  95  on a lower interior wall  96  of the collector tank. The tube  59  includes an angled section  61  that permits the upper surface of the L-shaped collector flight support tracks  63  to be oriented horizontally once the bracket assembly  56  is installed. It is important that the upper surface of the L-shaped collector flight support track  63  is horizontal because the upper surface engages corresponding horizontal surfaces on the wear shoes  70  which are attached to the collector flights  78 .