Abstract:
An air vacuum filter assembly is disclosed for use in filtering particulates from smoke and air during scrap metal cutting processes. The air vacuum filter assembly includes an enclosed container forming an air chamber therethrough between an air inlet and an exhaust outlet. A pair of fans creates a vacuum pressure in the container to suction air through the air chamber. A deflector within the enclosed container deflects and directs the air along a predetermined path through the air chamber between the air inlet and exhaust outlet. A series of filters are provided in the air flow path to filter and clean particulates from the smoke and air prior to the air exiting the container through the exhaust outlet and into the atmosphere.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority to and all the benefits of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/620,181, filed on Apr. 4, 2012 and entitled “Industrial Air Vacuum Filter Assembly”. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an industrial air vacuum filter assembly. More particularly, this invention relates to an air vacuum filter assembly for capturing and filtering air, smoke, dust and particulates during cutting operations of scrap metal. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     During the recycling of scrap metal, large pieces of steel, iron, or other metals must be cut down to smaller more manageable and usable pieces. Scrap metal yards utilize oxygen gas cutting torches to cut large pieces of metal from automobiles, buildings, appliances, bridges, heavy machinery and the like, into smaller pieces for recycling, transport and use by smelters in the steel production process. The scrap metal yards are open-air yards wherein torch cutters use the oxygen gas cutting torches to cut the metal into the smaller pieces. 
     However, the oxygen gas cutting torches used to cut the metal generate air-borne particulates in the smoke. The smoke from the cutting process is potentially harmful to the environment, atmosphere and torch cutters. In some instances, government agencies require containment of the smoke and air-borne particulates. 
     It is desirable therefore to provide an air vacuum filter assembly for capturing and filtering the smoke during the torch cutting operation to reduce the air-borne particulates to acceptable opacity. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the invention, a vacuum filter assembly is provided for filtering particulates from air during a scrap metal cutting process The vacuum filter assembly comprises a container defining an enclosed air chamber between an air inlet and an exhaust outlet. At least one deflector is positioned within the container for deflecting and directing the flow of air along a predetermined path within the air chamber from the air inlet to the exhaust outlet. At least one fan is operatively coupled to the container and in fluid communication with the air chamber for creating a vacuum suctioning air through the air chamber between the air inlet and the exhaust outlet. A series of filters are positioned within the air chamber along the predetermined air flow path for filtering particulates from the air prior to the air exiting the exhaust outlet to the atmosphere. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an industrial air vacuum filter assembly according to one embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the industrial air vacuum filter assembly according to  FIG. 1  with the access doors opened 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the industrial air vacuum filter assembly with the canopy extended and access doors opened; 
         FIG. 4  is a partially-sectioned perspective view of the air vacuum filter assembly with the access doors opened and rear filter doors open providing access to the filters; 
         FIG. 5  is a partially-sectioned side view of the air vacuum filter assembly and air flow path; 
         FIG. 6  is a rear planar view of the air vacuum filter assembly with the rear filter doors opened showing the matrix of air filters; and 
         FIG. 7  is a partially-sectioned side view of an industrial air vacuum filter assembly and air flow path according to an alternative embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to the Figures, an industrial air vacuum filter assembly according to one embodiment of the invention is illustrated generally at  10  in  FIG. 1 . The assembly  10  includes an enclosure or container  12  having a front inlet side  14 , a rear side  16 , opposing support sides  18 ,  20 , a top wall  22 , and a bottom wall or floor  24 . A plurality of support tubes or skids  26  extending transversely across and, are secured to the bottom wall  24  to support the container  12  and provide portability of the assembly  10  about a scrap yard or job site through engagement by a fork lift. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the air vacuum filter assembly  10  may be housed within a canopy enclosure  11 . The canopy  11  includes a top cover  13  for covering the container  12 , a pair of side walls  15 ,  17  parallel with the support sides  18 ,  20 , a rear opening  19  for receiving the container  12 , a front opening  21  for providing access to the front inlet side  14  of the container  12 , and a pair of doors  23 ,  25  pivotally coupled to the respective side walls  15 ,  17  by hinges along opposing sides of the front opening  21  for closing the front opening  21 . A plurality of wheels  28  are rotatably coupled to the opposing side walls  15 ,  17  of the canopy  11  to allow the canopy  11  of move relative to the assembly  10  between a stowed position with the assembly  10  enclosed within the canopy  11 , as shown in  FIG. 2 , and an extended use position with the assembly  10  positioned within the rear opening  19 , as shown in  FIG. 3 , as will be described further hereinbelow. It should be appreciated that the wheels  28  may be rotatably mounted directly to the container  12  of the assembly  10  and the doors  23 ,  25  may be pivotally hinged to the support sides  18 ,  20  of the container  12  for closing the front inlet side  14  thereof without varying from the scope of the invention. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , the front inlet side  14  is defined by the distal ends of the top wall  22 , bottom wall  24 , and support sides  18 ,  20  forming an air inlet  33  into the container  12 . The pair of doors  23 ,  25  selectively cover the front inlet side  14  and close the air inlet  33  during transport of the assembly  10  about the scrap yard or job site. The rear side  16  includes a rear upper wall  38 , an upper shelf  40  generally parallel with and spaced from the bottom wall  24 , and a lower rear opening  42  extending from the upper shelf  40  to the bottom wall  24  and laterally between the opposing sides  18 ,  20 . A pair of rear doors  44 ,  46  are pivotally coupled to the respective sides  18 ,  20  of the container  12  by hinges for selectively closing the lower rear opening  42  or providing access thereto. The container  12  forms an air chamber  50  defined by the top wall  22 , rear upper wall  38 , bottom wall  24 , upper shelf  40 , and rear doors  44 ,  46 . 
     A pair of fans  52  are mounted to the upper shelf  40  and in fluid communication with the air chamber  50 . The fans  52  may be gas, diesel, or electric motor driven to create an air flow between an inlet end  54  and an exhaust outlet end  56 . The fans  52  create a vacuum of air flow through the air chamber  50  from the air inlet  33  to the exhaust outlet end  56 . A pair of motors  51  are also mounted to the upper shelf  40  and operatively coupled to the respective pair of fans  52  by belts  53  to drive the fans  52 . The motors  51  may be electronically powered or powered by gas, diesel, propane, natural gas or other readily available power source. 
     The assembly  10  further includes an air flow baffle or deflector  58  for directing and channeling the air flow through the air chamber  50  from the air inlet  33  to the exhaust outlet  56 . The deflector  58  extends between a first lower end  60  fixedly secured to the bottom  24  of the container  12  to an opposite upper distal end  62  spaced below the top wall  22 . The defector  58  includes an angled portion  64  protecting from the bottom wall  24  inwardly into the air chamber  50  to an upper vertical portion  66  extending generally parallel to the rear upper wall  38  to a distal end plate  68  spaced generally parallel to the top wall  22 . The defector  58  also extends transversely between and is fixedly secured to the opposing support sides  18 ,  20 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , the assembly  10  includes a series or matrix of support trays  70  equally spaced apart between the floor  24  and the upper shelf  40  and extending from the lower rear opening  42  to a plane aligned with the rear upper wall  38 . The matrix of support trays  70  are divided laterally by vertical support walls  72  to form a plurality of vertical rows of support trays  70  defining a series of slots  74  therebetween. A filter  76  is positioned within each of the slots  74  and supported by the support trays  70  to filter the air flowing through the air chamber  50 . It should be appreciated that the support trays  70  may be formed by pair of ledges, an L-shaped channel or a U-shaped channel secured to the support walls  72  and capable of supporting the filters  76  thereon between spaced apart opposing support walls  72  without varying from the scope of the invention. 
     Finally, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the assembly  10  further includes an secondary air inlet opening  80  formed in one of the support sides  18 ,  20  adjacent the bottom wall  24  and in fluid communication with the air chamber  50 . A filter  82  is seated within the secondary air inlet opening  80  to prevent dust, debris, or other particulates from entering the air chamber  50 . The secondary air inlet opening  80  improves the air flow and vacuum created by the fans  52  between the air inlet  33  and exhaust outlet  56 . 
     In operation, larger sections of steel and other metals in a scrap yard must be cut down to manageable and recyclable sizes. The cutting of steel is typically done by use of an oxygen torch cutting device. However, cutting the steel with an oxygen torch produces smoke with airborne particulates. The air vacuum filter assembly  10  is arranged to intake or vacuum the air, smoke and airborne particulates given off during the torch cutting process and exhaust filtered air back into the atmosphere. More specifically, the air vacuum filter assembly  10  is portable and may be positioned about the scrap yard or job site in areas adjacent sections of steel or other metal to be cut by torches. If the assembly  10  is used with the canopy  11 , then once the assembly  10  is positioned where desired, the canopy  11  is extended from the stowed position to the extended use position with the canopy doors  23 ,  25  pivoted open as shown in  FIG. 3 . The section of steel, exemplified at  78 , is position inside the side walls  13 ,  15  of the canopy  11  and adjacent the air inlet  33  of the container  12 . The fans  52  may be powered by gas, diesel or electric motors  51  to create a vacuum of suctioned air flowing through the air chamber  50  from the air inlet  33  to the exhaust outlet  56 .  FIGS. 4 and 5  show the path of air flow through the assembly  10  by air flow line A-A. As smoke is created from the torch cutting process of the steel, the assembly  10  suctions the smoke into the air inlet  33 . The smoke is directed though the air inlet  33  and directed into the air chamber  50  by the deflector  58 . The deflector  58  assists with deflecting and directing the flow of the smoke and diffusing the heat given off during the torch cutting process as the smoke travels through the air chamber  50 . The smoke is drawn through the air chamber  50  as shown by air flow line A-A and suctioned through the series of filters  76  positioned in the slots  74  formed by the support trays  70 . The series of filters  76  clean the smoke and remove airborne particulates and contaminants prior to exiting the container  12  through the exhaust outlets  56  and into the atmosphere. The series of filters  76  ensures that the air flow and smoke is filtered repeatedly as it flows through the air chamber  50 . Particulates will be captured and trapped by the filters  76  wherein some of the larger particles will fall and collect in the bottom  24  of the container  12  while the smaller particles will be collected in the series of filters  76 . The rear doors  44 ,  46  provide access to the series of filters  76  for cleaning and/or replacement as well as removal of any particulates which may be collected in the bottom  24  of the container  12 . The type of filters  76  used within the assembly  10  may vary as desired depending on the size and type of particulates to be filtered, the life expectancy of the filter, and the number of filters used in the assembly  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , an alternative embodiment of the air vacuum filter assembly  10 ′ is shown wherein like elements are illustrated in primed numbers. The filter assembly  10 ′ of  FIG. 7  includes the inlet air flow baffle or deflector  58 ′ for directing and channeling the air flow through the air chamber  50 ′ from the air inlet  33 ′ to the exhaust outlet  56 ′. The deflector  58 ′ extends between a first lower end  60 ′ fixedly secured to the bottom  24 ′ of the container  12 ′ to an opposite upper distal end  62 ′ spaced below the top wall  22 ′. The defector  58 ′ includes an angled portion  64 ′ projecting from the bottom wall  24 ′ inwardly into the air chamber  50 ′ to an upper vertical portion  66 ′ extending generally parallel to the rear upper wall  38 ′ to a distal end plate  68 ′ spaced generally parallel to the top wall  22 ′. The defector  58 ′ also extends transversely between and is fixedly secured to the opposing support sides  18 ′,  20 ′. The alternative air vacuum filter assembly  10 ′ also includes a plurality of secondary air flow baffles or deflectors  90 ,  92  for further channeling and directing air along a flow path in the air chamber  50 ′ between the air inlet  33 ′ and exhaust outlet  56 ′. The deflector  90  extends vertically downwardly from a first end fixed to the top wall  22 ′ and spaced parallel from the vertical portion  66 ′ of the deflector  58 ′ to a distal end  91  spaced above the bottom wall  24 ′. The deflector  90  also extends transversely between as if fixedly secured to the opposing support sides  18 ′,  20 ′. The deflector  92  extends vertically upwardly from first end fixed to the bottom wall  24 ′ and spaced parallel from the deflector  90  to a distal end  93  spaced below the top wall  22 ′. The deflector  92  similarly extends transversely between and is fixedly secured to the opposing support sides  18 ′.  20 ′. 
     Additionally the array of filter support trays  70 ′ and filters  76 ′ are alternatively arranged vertically between the bottom wall  24 ′ and a mid shelf  94 ′ and arranged perpendicular to the air flow path leading into the inlet end  54 ′ of the fans  52 ′. The assembly  10  of the alternative embodiment provides a longer air flow path between the air inlet  33 ′ and exhaust outlet  56 ′ which further dissipates heat from the torch cutting process and filters particulates from the smoke passing through the filters  76 ′ prior to exiting into the atmosphere. 
     The invention has been described here in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than limitation. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically enumerated within the description.