Abstract:
An adjustable vacuum pan assembly [ 190 ] for a belt filter [ 900 ] is disclosed. The adjustable vacuum pan assembly [ 190 ] comprises an arm [ 140 ] configured to be attached to a frame portion [ 930 ] of the filter [ 900 ], a vacuum pan [ 150 ] adjustably connected to the arm [ 140 ], and a cam [ 170 ] operatively coupled to the arm [ 140 ]. The cam [ 170 ] is rotatable with respect to the arm [ 140 ] and has a peripheral surface which contacts a portion [ 157 ] of the vacuum pan [ 150 ]. The assembly [ 190 ] further comprises a locking member [ 169 ] which serves to hold the cam [ 170 ] against rotation with respect to the arm [ 140 ]. Varying an angular rotational position of the cam [ 170 ] effectively varies a spacing between the vacuum pan [ 150 ] and the arm [ 140 ], thereby providing an amount of misalignment compensation therebetween. Retrofit kits for a preexisting conventional filter [ 900 ] and methods of providing increased adjustability to a filter [ 900 ] are also disclosed.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/555,040 filed on 3 Nov. 2011. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to filtration processes and equipment, and more particularly to horizontal belt filter apparatus, particularly for use in minerals processing. 
       FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  4  show a horizontal belt filter  900  having a conventional vacuum pan assembly  990 . Horizontal belt filter  900  comprises a frame  930 , a plurality of return rollers  920  and a drainage belt  910  having a number of pores  912  provided therein which are configured to pass fluid and moisture from a slurry (not shown) to the conventional vacuum pan assembly  990  positioned below the belt  910 . Belt  910  supports filter media  914  such as a filter cloth. Conventional vacuum pan assembly  990  comprises a swing arm  940  which is pivotally attached to said frame  930  by way of a pivot bracket  941  having a first pivot member  946 , and a second pivot member  936  provided to the frame  930 . A vacuum pan  950  having an elongated inlet  951  and a channel  952  is mounted to the swing arm  940  via a number of fasteners  953  passing through at least one mount  957  on the pan  150 . A wear plate  959  having a number of apertures  955  may serve as a sacrificial interface between the pan  150  and the belt  910 . Apertures  955  in the wear plate  959  allow fluid and moisture from slurry passing through pores  912  to enter the conventional vacuum pan assembly  990  positioned below the belt  910 . A first securing portion  944  is provided to a distal end of the swing arm  940 , opposite the pivot bracket  941  and the first pivot member  946 . The first securing portion  944  is configured to mate with a complementary second securing portion (not shown) provided at a predetermined location on the frame  930  of the filter  900 . Engagement between the first securing portion  944  and the second securing portion (not shown) serves to keep vacuum pan  950  and wear plate  959  in close communication with belt  910 . 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , at least one shim  960  is typically placed between the swing arm  940  and mount  957  to better align the inlet  951  of the pan  950  with the pores  912  in the belt  910  and sometimes to adjust the tilt of the pan  950  to match an inclination of the belt  910 . The exact number and/or configuration of shims  960  may vary between each swing arm  940  and mount  957  along the length of the filter  900 , and will frequently change as portions of wear plate  959  dimensionally change (e.g., in thickness) due to continued friction with the belt  910 . 
     A significant disadvantage of using shims  960  is that when used wear plates  959  are replaced with thicker new wear plates (or when any portion of the conventional vacuum pan assembly  990  such as the pan  950  itself needs to be removed for routine maintenance or cleaning), there is no simple way to restore the position of the pan  950  to a “factory default” alignment configuration with respect to the swing arm  940 . In other words, shims  960  necessary for use with thin worn wear plates  959 , which are removed from the assembly  990  to accommodate thick new wear plates  959 , will need to be replaced in a new configuration in a lesser number in order to bring the pan  950  into proper re-alignment with the belt  910 . Such re-configuring and adjustment steps require unnecessary downtime and labor. 
     To add to the abovementioned problem, shims are typically custom-fabricated at each shim location. Multiple shims of varying thickness are required at each shim point to achieve the desired elevation required for belt-to-pan alignment and proper vacuum seal between the belt  910  and vacuum pan assembly  990 . Shims  960  are frequently lost, mixed up or accidentally confused with other shims  960 , and additional shims  960  may need to be quickly fabricated and provided in the field in order to adjust the positioning of the vacuum pan  950  during routine maintenance. 
     Jack screws often “seize” in place after a short time in operation, thereby resulting in the inability to adjust the elevation or removal of vacuum pan  950  during routine maintenance. Neither shims  960  or jack screws (not shown) provide a quick and efficient way to re-establish “factory-set elevation points” for a vacuum pan  950  after maintenance adjustments are performed. 
     Conventionally, the horizontal adjustment of vacuum pans  950  typically involves welding an adjusting plate (not shown) to the swing arm in-situ during assembly. As a result of in-situ welding, additional cleaning of the weld area and protective repainting is required. These extra steps add to the total commissioning time and cost. Moreover, welding exposes expensive components (e.g., belt  910 ) to potential damage. 
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a vacuum pan assembly which reduces down time for users during routine maintenance. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide a vacuum pan assembly which requires less shop assembly time and does not require welding and subsequent protective painting. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide a vacuum pan assembly adjustment mechanism which is easily adapted for and configured to be used with current filters using shims and jacks, thereby providing a valuable aftermarket conversion kit. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide a device which enables a user of a filter to adjust a vacuum pan both vertically and horizontally using a single mechanism. 
     It is also an object of the invention to provide adjustment means to a vacuum pan which allows horizontal adjustment without the need for a providing a separately-welded adjusting plate, and welding in assembly. 
     These and many other objects of the invention will be apparent from the drawings and description herein. Although every object of the invention is believed to be attained by at least one embodiment of the invention, there is not necessarily any one embodiment of the invention that achieves all of the objects of the invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An adjustable vacuum pan assembly for a belt filter is disclosed. The adjustable vacuum pan assembly comprises an arm configured to be attached to a frame portion of the filter, a vacuum pan adjustably connected to the arm, and a cam operatively coupled to the arm. The arm may comprise a swing arm which is pivotally attached to said frame portion of the belt filter. The cam is rotatable with respect to the arm and has a peripheral surface which contacts a portion of the vacuum pan. The assembly further comprises a locking member which serves to hold the cam against rotation with respect to the arm. Varying an angular rotational position of the cam effectively varies a spacing between the vacuum pan and the arm, thereby providing an amount of misalignment compensation therebetween. In some embodiments, the cam is operatively coupled to the arm via a bracket which may be adjustably positionable with respect to the arm in at least one direction. In some embodiments, the locking member selectively engages one of a plurality of engagement surfaces on the cam to maintain a spacing between the vacuum pan and the arm. In some embodiments, means for applying a torque to the cam is provided. In some embodiments, the cam rotates about an axis defined by a pin, and the position of the cam along said axis may be adjusted and then limited or maintained by a stop one or more retainers. 
     A belt filter is also disclosed, wherein the belt filter comprises an adjustable vacuum pan assembly as described above. 
     A retrofit kit for a filter is also disclosed. The kit comprises a bracket configured to be mounted to an arm or other frame portion of a filter, a cam configured to be operatively coupled to said bracket, and a locking member configured to hold the cam against rotation with respect to the bracket. The arm may comprise a swing arm which is pivotally attached to said frame portion of the belt filter. The cam is rotatable with respect to the bracket and has a peripheral surface which is configured to contact a portion of a vacuum pan or other component. In use, varying an angular rotational position of the cam effectively varies a spacing between a vacuum pan and said bracket, thereby providing an amount of misalignment compensation therebetween. 
     Also disclosed is a method of providing increased adjustability to a conventional vacuum pan assembly in a filter. The method comprises the steps of providing a cam to an arm or frame portion of a filter, providing a locking member to hold the cam against rotation with respect to the arm or frame portion, varying an angular rotational position of the cam to effectively vary a spacing between a vacuum pan and the arm or frame portion, thereby providing an appropriate amount of misalignment compensation therebetween, locking the cam from rotation using the locking member, and maintaining an appropriate spacing between a vacuum pan and said arm or frame portion during operation of said filter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an end cross-sectional view of a conventional horizontal belt filter; 
         FIG. 2  is a detailed end view of a vacuum pan of the belt filter shown in  FIG. 1   
         FIG. 3  shows an adjustable vacuum pan according to some embodiments; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the conventional vacuum pan shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the adjustable vacuum pan shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a detailed exploded view of the adjustable vacuum pan shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric cross-sectional view of the adjustable vacuum pan shown in  FIG. 3 ; and, 
         FIG. 8  is broad isometric view of the adjustable vacuum pan shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS.  3  and  5 - 8  show an improved adjustable vacuum pan assembly  190 . The vacuum pan assembly  190  comprises a swing arm  140  which is pivotally attached to a frame portion of a filter  900  (e.g., a horizontal belt filter). Swing arm  140  comprises a pivot bracket  141  having a first pivot member  146  configured to communicate with a second pivot member  936  such as a pin, dowel, hinge, fulcrum, or other equivalent device provided to the frame  930  of the filter  900 . In the exemplary embodiment shown, first pivot member  146  is provided as an aperture suitable for receiving a pin or rod; however, the first pivot member  146  may equally be a portion of a hinge or other pivoting mechanism without limitation. A vacuum pan  150  having one or more effluent ports  158 , an elongated inlet  151 , and a channel  152  suitable for collecting, retaining, and delivering fluid and moisture is mounted to the swing arm  140  via at least one fastener  153  passing through at least one mount  157  on the pan  150 . One or more wear plates  159  having a number of apertures  155  may serve as a sacrificial interface between the pan  150  and a belt  910 . Apertures  155  in each wear plate  159  allow fluid and moisture passing through pores  912  of a belt  910  to enter the vacuum pan assembly  190  positioned below the belt  910 . While not shown, it is envisaged that each wear plate  159  may alternatively comprise two parallel wear plates having therebetween, a spacing which similarly allows fluid to pass. A first securing portion  144  is provided to a distal end of the swing arm  140 , opposite the pivot bracket  141  and first pivot member  146 . The first securing portion  144  is configured to mate with a complementary second securing portion (not shown) provided at a predetermined location on the frame  930  of a filter  900 . Engagement between the first securing portion  144  and the second securing portion (not shown) serves to keep vacuum pan  150  and wear plate  159  in close communication with belt  910 . 
     Fine adjustability of spacing between the pan  150  and the swing arm  140  is achieved through the use of at least one cam  170  which initially supports the mount  157  of the pan  150  in at least a Z-axis direction extending between an upper and lower portion of the filter  900 . Cam  170  is rotatable through a range of motion in at least one rotational degree of freedom. The at least one rotational degree of freedom is shown to be about an axis which is generally parallel with a long axis of the swing arm  140  extending between the pivot bracket  141  and first securing portion  144 . However, while not shown, said at least one rotational degree of freedom may alternatively be about an axis which is generally perpendicular with respect to a long axis of the swing arm  140  as will be described in more detail below. In some preferred embodiments, the cam  170  is round and allows independent vertical adjustment of the pan  150  in the Z-axis direction in 0.5-5 mm increments, and even more preferably between 1 mm and 3 mm increments—for example, 1.5 mm increments. 
     Swing arm  140  comprises a set of one or more oblong openings  142  which may extend longitudinally in an X-axis direction within an X-Z plane which is generally transverse to the filter  900 . One or more fasteners  163  extend through said oblong openings  142  and hold a bracket  160  to the swing arm  140 . The elongated nature of the oblong openings  142  allows bracket  160  to be mounted to the swing arm  140  with some amount of positional adjustability in at least said X-axis direction. In the embodiment shown, bracket  160  comprises a set of one or more openings  161  which are configured to receive the fasteners  163 . However, it is contemplated that while not shown, oblong openings  142  may instead be provided on the bracket  160 , and openings  161  may be provided to the swing arm  140 . Moreover, other means for X-axis positional adjustment may be provided, including, but not limited to: tracks, channels, sliding dovetail joints, linear bearings, or the like. 
     Swing arm  140  further comprises a set of one or more oblong openings  143  which may extend longitudinally in an X-axis direction within an X-Y plane which is generally parallel to belt  910 . One or more fasteners  153  extend through said oblong openings  143  and hold mount  157  to the swing arm  140 . The elongated nature of the oblong openings  143  allows pan  150  to be mounted to the swing arm  140  with some amount of positional adjustability in at least the X-axis direction. Similarly, one or more mounts  157  provided to the vacuum pan  150  may comprise a set of one or more oblong openings  156  which may extend longitudinally in a Y-axis direction within said X-Y plane. Fasteners  153  extend through said oblong openings  143 ,  156  and secure the mount  157  (and therefore, pan  150 ) to the swing arm  140 . The elongated nature of the oblong openings  156  allows pan  150  to be mounted to the swing arm  140  with some amount of positional adjustability in at least the Y-axis direction. While not shown, it is contemplated that oblong opening sets  143  and  156  may be interchanged without negatively affecting function. Moreover, oblong openings  143 ,  156  may be collectively replaced with other means for X-Y planar positional adjustment including, but not limited to: perpendicular tracks, perpendicular channels, perpendicular sliding dovetail joints, planar bearings, etc. While specifically shown as nuts and bolts, it should be noted that fasteners  153 ,  163  according to the invention may be of any suitable type including, but not limited to: headed rivets, clevis pins, weld studs, and the like. 
     Bracket  160  comprises a pin  165  which is configured to receive a cam  170  via an aperture  177  provided to said cam  170  which is offset of center (i.e., the cam  170  is eccentric). Pin  165  may be modular (e.g., provided as a bolt secured to the bracket  160  with a nut), or pin  165  may be permanently attached to the bracket (e.g., a weld stud). 
     A torque boss  171  may be provided to the cam  170 . In some embodiments, torque boss  171  is concentric or otherwise co-axial with said aperture  177 . Cam  170  further comprises a plurality of engagement surfaces  178  which are displaced various distances from said aperture  177  and are positioned at different locations relative to the aperture  177 . The engagement surfaces  178  are configured to accept a locking member  169  which is adapted to fix the cam  170  in place in at least 5 degrees of freedom with respect to the bracket  160 . In the very least, locking member  169  prevents a rotational movement of the cam  170 . In some embodiments, cam  170  may be permitted to move in a direction along the axis of pin  165  and aperture  177  (i.e., in an X-axis direction) and contact a stop  154  provided on the pan  150  or pan mount(s)  157  or other portion of the assembly  190  in order to limit lateral movement of the cam  170 . Smooth peripheral surfaces on the cam  170  enable some amount of horizontal displacement of the cam  170  in the X-axis direction or Y-axis direction, without affecting the vertical positioning of the vacuum pan  150  in the Z-axis direction, thereby eliminating the need for an additional adjusting plate and the step of welding said adjusting plate to the assembly  990  in-situ. If desired, the cam  170  may be fixed in 6 degrees of freedom relative to the swing arm  140  by one or more retainers  164 ,  166  located on either side of the cam. As shown, in some embodiments, retainers  164 ,  166  may comprise threaded lock nuts which engage threads provided to pin  165 . In other embodiments (not shown), retainers  164 ,  166  may comprise internal lock washers having biting teeth in the internal diameter surfaces which lock to pin  165  when axially pressed axially onto pin  165 . In yet even other embodiments, retainers  164 ,  166  may comprise small locking detent pins, positive lock pins, or set screws which transversely engage the pin  165 . 
     In use, an operator inputs a torque on the torque boss  171 , which in turn rotates cam  170  about pin  165 . Outer peripheral surfaces of cam  170  ride/slide along mount  157 , which acts as a “follower”. As cam  170  is rotated, pan  150  moves up or down in a Z-axis direction, thereby increasing or decreasing a distance between the belt  910  and the adjustable vacuum pan assembly  190 . Once the desired position of the adjustable vacuum pan assembly  190  is set in the Z-axis direction, the spacing between belt  910  and wear plate  159  can be reversibly set in place by engaging a locking member  169  with one of the engagement surfaces  178  provided on the cam  170 . Engagement surfaces  178  are preferably marked with indicia to indicate factory set points and indicate an amount of adjustment (e.g., in millimeters). This eliminates the need for a maintenance worker to go through several step iterations to realign the vacuum pan  150  following routine maintenance or disassembly. 
     In the particular embodiment shown, engagement surfaces  178  are apertures which are configured to receive a locking member  169  in the form of a pin. At least one oblong opening  167  may extend longitudinally in a Y-axis direction in a median/sagittal Y-Z plane. Locking member  169  may extend through said oblong opening  167  and thereby hold cam  170  against rotational freedom about pin  165 . Securement of locking member  169  may be facilitated by a retainer  162  provided on both an inside portion of bracket  160 , and an outside portion of bracket  160 , wherein the retainers  162  communicate with the locking member  169  and sandwich the oblong opening  167  and cam  170  therebetween. Consequently, pan  150  may be propped up to a desired elevation with respect to the belt  910  in at least a Z-axis direction. 
     The elongated nature of the one or more oblong openings  167  allows cam  170  to be fixedly positioned to the bracket  160  in a plurality of rotational angles utilizing a “peg-in-hole” configuration. However, while not shown, it is contemplated that oblong opening  167 , retainer  169 , and engagement surfaces  178  may be replaced with other means for securing against rotation of the cam  170  about pin  165 , including, but not limited to: pawl and ratchet systems, worm drives (e.g., wherein peripheral cam surfaces are toothed), clamp members, and/or semi-permanent tack welds or other form of reversible or temporary adhesive bonding. While specifically shown as clips, it should be noted that retainers  162  according to the invention may be of any suitable type including, but not limited to: headed rivets, clevis pins, set screws, and the like. 
     Once the Z-axis position of the pan  150  is set by cam  170  and fixed by locking member  169 , fastener  153  may be fully tightened or otherwise engaged to further secure the pan  150  to the swing arm  140  in at least a Z-axis direction. However, prior to setting fastener  153 , small horizontal positional adjustments of the vacuum pan  150  relative to belt  910  may be made by loosening fasteners  153 ,  163  and subsequently sliding bracket  160  along the swing arm  140  in the X-axis direction, wherein the fasteners  163 ,  153  slide in oblong openings  142 ,  143 , respectively. The bracket  160  and pan  150  may then be fixed into place with respect to the swing arm  140  by tightening fasteners  153 ,  163 . 
     Alternatively, and more preferably, horizontal positional adjustments of the vacuum pan  150  relative to belt  910  may be made by loosening fastener  153  and subsequently sliding pan  150  along the swing arm  140  in the X-axis direction to a desired location, wherein the fasteners  153  slide in oblong openings  143  of the swing arm  140 . Securement of the pan  150  with respect to the swing arm  140  begins by tightening fasteners  163  so as to secure bracket  160  to swing arm  140 . Retainers  164 .  166  provided on pin  165  which extends from the bracket  160  are positioned along the pin  165  in an X-axis direction so as to move cam  170  laterally against stop  154 . Forces acting in the X-axis direction are applied to the stop  154  by the cam  170  and move or bend the pan  150  into longitudinal alignment with pores  912  in the belt  910 . The Z-axis position of the pan  150  may then be set by rotating cam  170  about pin  165  to a desired location, and then fixing the rotational position of cam  170  with locking member  169 . Thereafter, fastener  153  may be fully tightened or otherwise engaged to secure the pan  150  to the swing arm  140  in at least a Z-axis direction. 
     A contractor or other entity may provide a belt filter, vacuum pan assembly, or component of vacuum pan assembly, or operate a belt filter or vacuum pan assembly in whole, or in part, as shown and described. For instance, the contractor may receive a bid request for a project related to designing or operating a belt filter or vacuum pan assembly, or the contractor may offer to design such a system or a process for a client. The contractor may then provide, for example, any one or more of the devices or features thereof shown and/or described in the embodiments discussed above. The contractor may provide such devices by selling those devices or by offering to sell those devices. The contractor may provide various embodiments that are sized, shaped, and/or otherwise configured to meet the design criteria of a particular client or customer. The contractor may subcontract the fabrication, delivery, sale, or installation of a component of the devices disclosed, or of other devices used to provide said devices. The contractor may also survey a site and design or designate one or more storage areas for stacking the material used to manufacture the devices, or for storing the devices and/or components thereof. The contractor may also maintain, modify, or upgrade the provided devices. The contractor may provide such maintenance or modifications by subcontracting such services or by directly providing those services or components needed for said maintenance or modifications, and in some cases, the contractor may modify a preexisting conventional filter, vacuum pan assembly, or parts thereof with a “retrofit kit” to arrive at a modified filter system comprising one or more method steps, devices, components, or features of the systems and processes discussed herein. 
     Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, one of ordinary skill in the art, in light of this teaching, can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit of or exceeding the scope of the claimed. 
     For example, it is envisaged that swing arm  140  and corresponding vacuum pan  150  may comprise different shapes and sizes depending on the overall size and design specifications of a filter  900 . Moreover, while oblong openings  142 ,  143 ,  156 ,  167  are primarily shown in the drawings as through holes, oblong openings may be blind openings and/or may comprise any one or more of the following without limitation: cutouts, a series of closely-spaced non-oblong apertures (threaded or non-threaded), notches, detent configurations, pockets, pawl and ratchet adjustment mechanisms, grooves, channels, depressions, dovetails, and/or undercuts. Similarly, male members shown herein such as locking member  169  may comprise threads, for example, in the form of a set screw. 
     Furthermore, features and components of the adjustable vacuum pan assembly  190  may be modular, removable, “bolt-on”, or “weld-on” components which are provided individually or collectively within a “retrofit kit”. Such components may therefore be interchanged with or added to preexisting conventional vacuum pan assemblies  990  to achieve the benefits of the invention. In some instances, a retrofit kit may comprise one or more mounts  157  or adapters to accommodate preexisting conventional mounts  957 . Said adapters can be bolted or welded to preexisting conventional mounts  957  or other portions of a preexisting conventional vacuum pan  950 . Such adapters may comprise one or more stops  154 , additional flanges or flange extenders, extension members, spacers, or one or more universal mounting features such as oblong openings  156  which are configured to accept at least one fastener  153 . 
     It should be known that in some embodiments, torque boss  171  may be eliminated in favor of other means for applying a torque to the cam  170 . Such means may comprise, for instance, torque-application surfaces provided as one or more “flats” which are located at selected peripheral locations of the cam  170 . Such means may also comprise a lever or handle which extends from the cam, or a peripheral cavity which is engagable by a separate torque arm or cheater bar. 
     It is contemplated that in some embodiments, male and female components disclosed herein may be reversed and still be within the scope of the disclosure. For example, male pin  165  provided to bracket  160  and female aperture provided to cam  170  may be reversed so that the pin  164  extends from the cam  170  and into the bracket  160 . Similarly, while engagement surfaces  178  are shown to be provided on the cam  170 , and oblong opening  167  is shown to be provided on the bracket  160 , the two may obviously be reversed such that the engagement surfaces are provided on the bracket  160 , and oblong opening  167  is provided on the cam  170 . 
     Moreover, the joining of fasteners  153 ,  163  may be accomplished using threaded connections, plastic deformation, welding, gluing, combinations thereof, or other equivalent means without limitation. Mounts  157  and/or fasteners  153 ,  163  may be provided in any number or configuration which is suitable for the intended purpose. As shown in  FIGS. 7-8 , brackets  160  according to the invention may further comprise one or more wear belt guides  180 —each having one or more rollers or bearing members  182  provided thereon to provide support and/or lateral guidance for a wear belt (not shown) which travels within upper grooves formed in wear plate  159  and contacts belt  910 . 
     Furthermore, the number and configuration of components described may vary. For instance, while two cams  170  are shown in  FIGS. 4-8 , a single cam  170  or more than two cams  170  may be employed without departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover, while cams  170  are shown to be mounted to the swing arm  140 , they may inversely be connected to mounts  157 , wherein peripheral surfaces of the cam  170  engage a portion of the swing arm  140  to effectively vary a spacing therebetween. Alternatively, cams  170  may be provided to the swing arm  140  directly, without the need for a bracket  160 . This may be accomplished, for example, by orienting the cam  170  ninety degrees from what is shown in the drawings, so that it is parallel to the swing arm  140 , providing pin  165  directly to the swing arm  140 —on which the cam  170  rotates, and providing a locking member  169  which engages or otherwise communicates with the swing arm  140  to prevent rotation of the cam  170  relative to the swing arm  140 . 
     In some instances, swing arm  140  may comprise a portion of a linkage (e.g., of the four-bar type), which moves pan  150  up and down in a Z-axis direction. Or the swing arm  140  may be configured to “tilt” or pivot with respect to the belt  910  and travel in an arcuate transverse path as shown. Additionally, bracket  160  may be mounted to other types of vacuum pan  150  raising and lowering systems such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,336,139, U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,298, U.S. Pat. No. 3,992,298, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,876. In some instances, swing arm  140  may not necessarily be configured to “swing” at all. In other words, it is envisaged that an “arm”, where the term is used herein, may simply comprise a static portion of a filter&#39;s frame  930 , or may comprise an arm  140  which is connected at both ends to other frame portions  930 . Such connections may be realized using welding, bolting, or adjustable mounting means. The arm  140  may also be moved linearly in a Z-axis direction with respect to said belt  910  without swinging, for example, via the use of one or more mechanical actuators, compressible or incompressible fluid cylinders, or electric solenoids. In some embodiments, arm  140  may ride on a track, and cams  170  may be fixed to frame portions  930  which are adjacent to end portions of the arm  140 . Z-axis positioning and tilt of the arm  140  with respect to frame  930  may be adjusted by rotating and then subsequently immobilizing the cams  170  relative to the frame  930  using a locking member  169 . 
     It should also be noted that while shown specifically on a horizontal belt filter  900 , adjustable vacuum pan assemblies  190  of the invention may be used in other applications requiring quick fine adjustment between two adjacent components. For example, assemblies  190  and components thereof which are shown and described herein may have equal applicability on table filters and belt filter presses. 
     Accordingly, it is to be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are proffered by way of example to facilitate comprehension of the invention and should not be construed to limit the scope thereof. 
     REFERENCE NUMERAL IDENTIFIERS 
     
         
           900  Filter 
           910  Drainage belt 
           912  Pores 
           914  Filter media 
           920  Return roller 
           930  Frame 
           936  Second pivot member 
           940  Swing arm 
           941  Pivot bracket 
           944  First securing portion 
           946  First pivot member 
           950  Pan 
           951  Inlet 
           952  Channel 
           953  Fastener 
           955  Aperture 
           957  Mount 
           959  Wear plate 
           960  Shim 
           990  Conventional vacuum pan assembly 
           140  Swing arm 
           141  Pivot bracket 
           142  Oblong opening (X-axis direction) 
           143  Oblong opening (X-axis direction) 
           144  First securing portion 
           146  First pivot member 
           150  Pan 
           151  Inlet 
           152  Channel 
           153  Fastener 
           154  Stop 
           155  Aperture 
           156  Oblong opening (Y-axis direction) 
           157  Mount 
           158  Port 
           159  Wear plate 
           160  Bracket 
           161  Opening 
           162  Retainer 
           163  Fastener 
           164  Retainer 
           165  Pin 
           166  Retainer 
           167  Oblong opening (Y-axis direction) 
           169  Locking member 
           170  Cam 
           171  Torque boss 
           177  Aperture 
           178  Plurality of engagement surfaces 
           180  Wear belt guide 
           182  Roller or bearing member 
           190  Adjustable vacuum pan assembly