Patent GB-628549-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to apparatus for conditioning cooling liquids
IPC: B01D21/18
Filed: 1946-04-23
Abstract: 628,549. Gravity - separation apparatus; filters. HAPMAN, H. W. April 23, 1946, No. 12216. [Class 46] [Also in Groups XXII and XXIII] Apparatus particularly applicable for purifying the coolant liquid collected from one or more machine tools comprises a tank formed to include a trough, a conveyer conduit structure co-operating with the trough to form a conveyer pathway, the conduit being disposed with its outer ends in close proximity to one another above the liquid level in the tank, and an endless flight conveyer extending through the conveyer pathway and being driven by a driving wheel engaging an external portion of the conveyer emerging from the outer ends of the conduit. A pumping system for feeding coolant liquid from the tank to the machine tools, after removal of sediment, may be provided. For a series of machine tools the apparatus further includes a circuitous conveyer conduit connected to the discharge pipe of each of the machine tools and to the tank, and an endless flight conveyer in the conduit. In each case the tank preferably contains filtering elements. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the tank 7 comprises a rectangular upper portion and a lower trough portion. Conveyer conduits 23, 28 are connected to the tank at opposite ends of the trough forming with the latter an approximately rectangular loop. A conveyer chain 37 having conveyer flights 41 connected to alternate links is driven through the conduits and along the trough by a motor 33. A centrifugal pump 62 driven by a motor 59 has two inlets, one, 66, from the body of the tank, and the other, 85, from a manifold 69 attached to two sets of four filters 78. The pump 62 has outlets 91 for connection to the machine tool 87 back to the manifold 69, and 94 to a flexible hose 96. In operation, coolant liquid falls on to the part 16 and flows into the trough in the lower part of the tank. The conveyer 37 moving in a clockwise direction, Fig. 1, carries sediment up to the flared mouth 29, where it is discharged into a receptacle 104. Meanwhile, liquid is withdrawn by the pump 62 through the elements 78 and manifold 69 and discharged through the pipe 91 back to the machine tool. For cleaning the elements 78, valve 92 is closed and 95 opened, and the flexible hose 96 manually manipulated to wash the elements 78 with the filtered liquid issuing from it. Alternatively, valves 85, 92, 95 may be closed and 67 and 86 opened, the liquid then flowing in the reverse direction through the filter elements to clean them. In a modification the filter elements 78 are replaced by vertical elements of the type shown in Fig. 8, in two sets of three, connected to two pipes 129 connected to the manifold 69 at one end, and joined by a connecting pipe at the other. The manifold 69, together with the pipe 129, is, in this case, arranged to swivel to provide access to the filter elements, the pipe 89, Fig. 1, being shaped to accommodate this movement. Each filter element, Fig. 8, comprises two star-shaped supports 138, 139 with foreshortened points, and a star-sectioned screen 144, all embedded in plastic end-plates 142, 143 having caps 148, 149. In a modification, this filter element is made longer with a further star-shaped support in the middle screwed to a central discharge tube having holes near the bottom and a small cock at the top communicating with the atmosphere to regulate the flow of liquid through the element. In a modification of the main apparatus, parts of the converging bottom walls meet in a line inclined to the horizontal and are welded to a part-circular inclined trough 196, Fig. 11. The horizontal part of the trough is connected externally to a conduit 197 which rests on the upper edge. of a partition 212, Fig. 12, within the tank. Filter elements may be provided. In Fig. 15 machine tools 225 such as lathes, grinders and shapers are supplied with coolant through a feed pipe 226, manifold 227 and branch pipe 228. Used coolant is discharged through pipes 256 having connections provided with inspection plates to a conduit 252 below floor level traversed by an endless conveyer. Guiding sprockets 275 and a motor are provided. The tank 236 has its top at floor level, and a pump 232 for the clean coolant connected to it. Fig. 21 shows a further type of filter element incorporated in the tank of Fig. 1, which may be rotated intermittently for cleaning the portion of the surface not immersed in the liquid.