Contaminant entrained flow separating apparatus

Apparatus for separating contaminants from contaminant entrained flows including an inclined longitudinally extending filtering trough with a floating conveyor disposed therein, the trough having a lower inlet and upper outlet and being pivotally mounted intermediate its extremities relative a sump so that the lower portion of the trough extends into the sump with the conveyor driven at its lower extremity from a power source adjacent the pivot area and in spaced relation from the trough outlet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to contaminant entrained flow separating 
apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for separating solid 
contaminants from contaminant entrained flows, such as lubricating and 
coolant flows utilized in the metal working industry where long, thin 
metal shavings and both large and small chips become entrained in flows 
such as lubricating and coolant fluids circulated through the metal 
working machinery. 
An efficient and effective separation of entrained contaminants from a 
flow, particularly a liquid fluid flow, has been a desideratum of the 
metal working and woodworking industries where it is desirable not only to 
recovery the separated solid materials but to utilize the entraining flow 
and/or liquid in a recirculating system. 
Various types of filtration separators have been utilized in the past to 
accomplish such separation for further utilization of fluids and solids 
including apparatus which has utilized an inclined separating trough with 
the lower filtering portion of the trough cooperatively disposed in a flow 
containing sump. In this regard, attention is directed to U.S. Pat. No. 
2,929504, issued to A.C. Lind et al. on Mar. 22, 1960 and to U.S. Pat. No. 
3,865,727, issued to F. W. Broling et al. on Feb. 11, 1975, both patents 
teaching fixed, inclined waste-flow screening apparatus, each with the 
drive means for the screw conveyor adjacent the upper extremity thereof, 
the latter patent also teaching different sized sorting screens. However, 
none of the past structures teaches or recognizes the problems involved in 
locating the conveyor drive mechanism adjacent the separated contaminant 
outlet nor does any one of the known past structures of the contaminant 
separating art teach or suggest an arrangement which minimizes jamming 
through heavy agglomeration, and which allows ready movement and 
accessibility to the screening apparatus for servicing and maintenance. 
In accordance with the present invention, a unique, straightforward, and 
economical to manufacture and assemble contaminant entrained flow 
separating apparatus is provided which recognizes and resolves the 
aforementioned problems involved in movement of contaminant separating 
structure, accessibility of structure for servicing and maintenance, and 
conveyor interference by separated contaminants. In accordance with the 
present invention, a novel, cantilevered, floatingly supported screw 
conveyor is provided which is driven from a position remote from the 
separated contaminant solids outlet with the weight of the power portion 
of the drive mechanism located adjacent the pivot area of the conveyor 
structure to facilitate movement and to allow ready accessibility of the 
screening apparatus for maintenance and servicing. 
Various other features of the present invention will become obvious to one 
skilled in the art upon reading the description of the invention herein. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
More particularly, the present invention provides a unique and novel 
apparatus for separating solid contaminants from contaminant entrained 
flows comprising: a sump for containing filtered flows from which solid 
contaminants have been removed; a longitudinally extending inclined 
filtering trough having its lower end disposed in the sump to pass 
filtered flows therethrough, the trough having an inlet for introduction 
of contaminant entrained flows thereto for filtration thereof and an 
outlet for free passage therefrom of separated solids; longitudinally 
extending conveyor means disposed within the filtering trough for removing 
the separated solids to the trough outlet; power means spaced from the 
trough outlet in cooperative drive connection with the lower extremity of 
the conveyor means to drive the same; and means to remove filtered flows 
from the sump. 
In addition, the present invention provides a novel pivoting arrangement 
with the weight and location of the principal or power portion of the 
drive mechanism being adjacent the pivot area of the conveyor structure to 
enhance pivotal movement of the filter trough and conveyor disposed 
therein for ready maintenance and servicing accessibility. 
Further, the present invention provides a novel manner for mounting the 
conveyor to provide a cantilevered floating arrangement which readily 
yields to possible interfering and otherwise binding agglomerated solids. 
In addition the novel structure of the present invention provides for the 
ready utilization of multiple assemblies driven through a common power 
source, the multiple assemblies being capable of accommodating to various 
surrounding physical conditions where different angles of lift for 
separated solids might be desirable. 
It is to be understood that various changes can be made by one skilled in 
the art in one or more of the several parts of the apparatus disclosed 
herein without departing from the scope or spirit of the present 
invention. For example, endless belt-type conveyor means could be utilized 
in each assembly rather than a screw conveyor as disclosed, the drive 
linkage for the conveyor could include an assembly of belts and pulleys, 
and other types of solid separating filter mechanisms could be employed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the novel apparatus for 
separating solid contaminants from contaminant entrained flows, such as in 
finely divided particulate materials in liquid coolants and lubricants, is 
disclosed as including a suitably shaped sump 2, which in FIG. 1 is shown 
to be of a generally rectangular shape with a smaller trough receiving box 
3 communicatively connected thereto. Sump 2 can be made from any one of a 
number of appropriate materials, such as an appropriate gauge galvanized 
sheet metal, the particular material selected depending upon the nature of 
the flow which is to be contained. Although not shown in the drawings, it 
is to be understood that the sump can be provided with an appropriate flow 
drain in the lower portion of the flow containing peripheral sidewalls 
thereof and that a suitable top cover or covers can be provided to cover 
select portions thereof to avoid or at least reduce flow spill therefrom 
and to provide appropriate mounting platforms for apparatus described 
hereinafter. 
Arranged to project into the lower portion of small trough receiving box 3 
of sump 2 is the lower end portion of a longitudinally extending inclined 
filtering trough 4. The lower end portion of trough 4 includes a partially 
foraminous screen filter bottom 5 with the lower extremity of trough 4 
being provided with an extended end plate 6 which rests on the bottom of 
sump 4 to hold the lower end portion of trough 4 in spaced relation from 
the sump bottom. Trough 4 is pivotally mounted on and above sump 2 
intermediate the trough extremities through a pair of vertically extending 
spaced standards 7 (FIG. 2) mounted in spaced apart relation on the 
sidewalls of sump 2. A suitable cradle or saddle assembly 8 (shown only 
schematically in FIG. 2) extends between and is pivotally mounted to 
spaced standards 7. This cradle assembly which can be of U-shape serves as 
an undersupport for filtering trough 4 which nests in cradle assembly 8. 
Cradle assembly 8 further supports an appropriately sized power motor 9 
connected to a power control box 10 (disclosed in phantom). Motor 9 is 
connected to a drive system in the form of a gear reducer box 11 also 
supported on cradle assembly 8. Gear reducer box 11 is connected to one 
end of a hood protected drive shaft 12 which extends in spaced, parallel 
relation to one side of the lower portion of trough 4 (FIG. 1). The other 
end of drive shaft 12, which is downwardly extending during operation, is 
provided with a sprocket 13 to drive spaced sprocket 14 through drive 
chain 16. Sprocket 14, in turn, is fixed to the end of central shaft 17 of 
a longitudinally extending screw conveyor 18, the conveyor 18 including a 
helical or screw-like flight 19 mounted to and extending in helically 
wound fashion about central shaft 17. Although not shown in detail in the 
drawings, the conveyor flight 19 extends from one extremity of central 
shaft 17 to the other extremity thereof with screw conveyor 18 extending 
substantially the full length of filtering trough 4. The central shaft 17 
of screw conveyor 18 has mounted to what is its lower end when pivoted 
into an inclined position a bearing 21 which bearing 21, in turn, is fixed 
to the extended end plate 6 of trough 4. 
In accordance with one feature of the present invention, the remainder and 
opposite upper end of central shaft 17 is free to float and thus screw 
conveyor 18 is mounted for floating cantilevered rotation only in bearing 
21 to extend longitudinally in floating fashion from end plate 6 
substantially along the full length of trough 4. In this regard, it is to 
be noted that the outer edges of the flight 19 of screw conveyor 18 ride 
on spaced longitudinally extending straps in the form of wear spacer skids 
22 mounted in the bottom of the upper portion of trough 4. These straps or 
wear skids 22 serve to support screw conveyor 18 in spaced floating 
relation from the bottom of trough 4, the cantilevered floating 
arrangement of the conveyor allowing the conveyor to floatingly yield in 
the event of confrontation with agglomerated contaminant chips or 
elongated waste strips which will be carried or moved upwardly within the 
trough by the floating screw conveyor to the unobstructed outlet 23 at the 
uppermost extremity of trough 4. It is to be noted that the bottom of the 
lower portion of trough 4 is in the form of a filtering screen 5 which can 
be of U-shaped cross-section, which can extend longitudinally along the 
trough from end plate 6 to pivot standards 7 and which advantageously can 
be of wedge-wire screen material. The remainder of trough 4 including the 
upper portion can be encased in a suitable non-pervious material such as 
sheet metal except for the inlet 26 in the lower portion of the trough 
which allows for the introduction of contaminant entrained flow materials 
into the filter trough apparatus to screen such flow materials through 
contaminant separating filter screen 5 with the screened flow passing 
therethrough into sump 2 to be recirculated to the working site by a 
suitable gusher pump 26 extending into sump 2. The separated contaminants 
are carried to unobstructed outlet 23 at the extremity of the upper 
portion of trough 4 by floating screw conveyor 18 for further processing. 
Referring to FIG. 4 of the drawings, a modified assembly arrangement for 
separating solid contaminant from a containment entrainment flow is 
disclosed wherein two first and second assemblies 27 and 28 respectively, 
each having screw conveyors similar to the one described above are 
schematically disclosed, each assembly 27 and 28 having an inclined trough 
29 and 31 respectively with an inlet and outlet and a longitudinally 
extending screw conveyor 34 and 36 respectively substantially like that 
described above with such first and second assemblies 27 and 28 being 
arranged in series sequence. 
In the arrangement disclosed, a separate sump 32 and a conveyor support 
structure 33 respectively are shown with the outlet of the inclined trough 
29 of first assembly 27 communicating with the inlet of inclined trough 31 
of second assembly 28. In the disclosed arrangement, screw conveyor 34 of 
first assembly 27 is connected to screw conveyor 36 of series related 
assembly 28 through a sprocket and chain drive assembly 37 to be driven by 
common power motor 39. In this regard, it is to be noted that the location 
of common power motor 39 and pivot locations (not disclosed) can be 
adjusted to accommodate for existing environment but advantageously the 
screw conveyors 34 and 36 of both assemblies 27 and 28 respectively are 
each connected to be driven at the lower extremities thereof by the common 
power motor 39. In accordance with another feature of the present 
invention, it is to be noted that the incline of filter trough 29 can be 
at a different preselected angle from that of the incline of conveyor 
trough 31 with the angle of incline of trough 31 as shown being greater 
than that of trough 29. It is to be understood that the preselected 
incline angle of each of the troughs 29 and 31 can be varied in accordance 
with the physical nature of the environment and the materials to be 
treated. It further is to be understood that, although separate screw 
conveyors 34 and 36 are disclosed for a condition which necessarily might 
require separate screw conveyors under certain contaminant conditions, it 
would be possible to eliminate screw conveyor 36 and depend only upon 
screw conveyor 34 to move the contaminants along both troughs 29 and 31. 
From the above description, it can be seen that a unique and novel 
apparatus for separating solid contaminants from contaminant entrained 
flows is provided which allows for ready accessibility and maintenance of 
contaminant conveyors, such conveyors being yieldably and readily 
adjustable in cantilevered floating fashion to the agglomeration of 
contaminant particles during operation and readily arranged in series with 
additional conveyor and trough assemblies at different angles of incline, 
depending upon the existing physical conditions confronted.