Improvements in and relating to Precipitating Tanks and the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Precipitating Tanks and the like.
I, ALFRED FIDLER, of Holly Mount, Adelaide Terrace, Blackburn, in the County
of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
-
This invention relates to precipitating or settling tanks or the like in which
sewage or other foul liquids or waters are treated for the separation of solid
matters. Its chief objects are to provide a simple and economical means of
collecting the sludge or the like and conducting it to a well or receptacle, and
to enable the collected sludge to be easily removed from the tank.
A tank constructed to embody these improvements is provided with a central
vertical shaft which may be rotated by any suitable means. At the lower end
the shaft carries an arm or blade which is in contact with or very little above
the floor of the tank and extends from the shaft to the tank walls. This blade,
viewed in plan, is spiral in form or occupies part of a spiral, or is otherwise
formed with a leading outer end and a following inner end, so that upon the
rotation of the central shaft any sludge upon the floor of the tank is carried
inwards along and by the blade to the centre of the tank where a suitable recep-
tacle is provided into which it falls. The outer end of the blade may, if desired,
be provided with and supported by a bowl or wheel which runs along a rail or
path provided for it. Additional bowls may be placed at different points in
the length of the blade or it may be suitably stayed to the vertical shaft.
The sludge receptacle or well may conveniently be in the form of a cylinder
furnished with a piston and having outlet pipes which are kept below the level
of the liquid in the tank. The piston is preferably mounted to slide loosely upon
the central vertical shaft and is withdrawn vertically from the cylinder and
suspended within the tank during the collection of the sludge. When the
cylinder is full or contains sufficient sludge the piston is gently lowered until
it is in the mouth of the cylinder. A valve in the outlet pipe is then opened
and the head of water or other liquid in the tank forces the piston downwards
and expels the sludge. The valve may then be closed and the piston again be
withdrawn to enable the well to be again filled. By this arrangement no water
escapes from the tank with the sludge. The piston may be raised and lowered
by hand or it may be connected in any well known manner to the driving
mechanism of the central shaft.
In a modification the sludge well may be covered with a finely perforated cover.
When sufficient sludge has accumulated the valve in the outlet pipe is opened
as before and the direct pressure of the liquid in the tank drives the sludge out.
The perforated cover prevents a violent rush and consequent escape of liquid.
The floor of the tank may be flat and horizontal or it may slope downwards
towards the centre.
Instead of being driven from the central shaft the blade may have its outer
end attached to a toothed ring which is capable of rotating in suitable guides

page_text: and is driven by a pinion or by pinions, or any other convenient method of
operating the blade may be adopted.
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in and relating to Precipitating Tanks and the like.
I, ALFRED FIDLER, of Holly Mount, Adelaide Terrace, Blackburn, in the County
of Lancaster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement.
This invention relates to precipitating or settling tanks or the like in which
sewage or other foul liquids or waters, or liquids containing solid matters are
treated for the separation of the solid matters, which are hereinafter referred
to as sludge. Its chief objects are to provide a simple and economical means
of collecting the sludge and conducting it to a well or receptacle, and to enable
the collected sludge to be easily removed from the tank.
A tank constructed to embody these improvements may be provided with a
central vertical shaft which may be rotated by any suitable means. At its
lower end the shaft carries a continuous arm or blade which is in contact with
or very little above the floor of the tank and extends from the shaft or from
practically the centre of the tank to the tank walls. This blade, viewed in plan,
is spiral in form or occupies part of a spiral, or is otherwise formed with a lead-
ing outer end and a following inner end so that upon the rotation of the central
shaft any sludge upon the floor of the tank is carried inwards along and by the
blade to the centre of the tank where a suitable receptacle is provided into which
it falls. The outer end of the blade may, if desired, be provided with and sup-
ported by a bowl or wheel which runs along a rail or path provided for it.
tional bowls may be placed at different points in the length of the blade or it
may be suitably stayed to the vertical shaft.
Addi-
The sludge receptacle or well may conveniently be in the form of a cylinder
furnished with a piston and having outlet pipes which are kept below the level
of the liquid in the tank. The piston is preferably mounted to slide loosely within
the cylinder and is withdrawn and suspended within the tank during the collec-
tion of the sludge. When the cylinder is full or contains sufficient sludge the
piston is gently lowered until it is in the mouth of the cylinder. A valve in
the outlet pipe is then opened and the head of water or other liquid in the
tank forces the piston downwards and expels the sludge. The valve may then
be closed and the piston withdrawn again to enable the well to be again filled.
By this arrangement a minimum of water escapes from the tank with the sludge.
The piston, may be raised or lowered by hand or it may be connected in any well
known or suitable manner to the driving mechanism of the central shaft.
In a modification the sludge well or receptacle may be covered with a finely
perforated cover. When sufficient sludge has accumulated the valve in the out-
let pipe is opened as before and the direct pressure of the liquid in the tank
drives the sludge out. The perforated cover prevents a violent rush and conse-
quent escape of water, and the valve is closed when the sludge has been driven
from the well.
The accompanying drawings to which I will hereinafter refer illustrate a
tank and its accessories constructed to embody my improvements.

page_text: Figures 1 and 2 represent respectively in vertical section and plan one of my
improved tanks.
A is the tank, preferably circular in plan, provided with a central rotary
shaft B which may be driven in any suitable manner, as, for example, by the
bevel wheels C. Secured to this shaft in such a manner as to rotate therewith,
is a continuous blade or arm 1), which is so arranged as to be in contact with
or very little above the floor of the tank A. This blade is spiral in plan or occu-
pies part of a spiral as clearly shewn in Figure 2, or is otherwise so formed that
its outer end leads or is in advance of its inner end, so that when the shaft B
rotates any sludge upon the floor of the tank will be carried or fed by the arm
or blade into the centre of the tank where a receptacle E is provided for its
reception. This receptacle is open at its mouth on a level with the floor of the
tank so that the sludge falls easily into it, and is preferably in the form of a
cylinder which is fitted with a piston F, capable of being withdrawn to the
position shown in Figure 1, in which position free access is permitted to the
receptacle. The piston may be withdrawn in any suitable manner and by any
suitable means, and conveniently by those illustrated. The shaft B is hollow
and has passing through it a cord or chain G, which passes over pulleys or the
like and has its ends connected respectively to the piston F and to a drum or
cylinder H secured to a shaft J from which the shaft B is driven. The drum is
furnished with a clutch or like device by means of which it can be connected to
or disconnected from the shaft at will. K, K, are guide rods for the piston F.
When it is desired to withdraw the piston from the receptacle the drum H is
connected to the shaft J, and upon the rotation of this latter the withdrawal is
effected. The drum is then disconnected and may be held in its required position
by a pawl or the like. L is an outlet pipe which is kept below the level of the
liquid in the tank and is furnished with a valve or cock M.
When the blade 1) has filled the receptacle E with sludge, the piston F is
gently lowered until it enters the mouth of the receptacle. The valve in the
outlet pipe is then opened and the head of water in the tank forces the piston
downwards thus expelling the sludge. The valve M may then he closed and
the piston withdrawn, so as to leave the receptacle open for another charge of
sludge. To enable the piston to be easily withdrawn it may be a loose fit within
the receptacle or it may be provided with a valve or valves which open on the
return stroke and permit the inflow of liquid from the tank.
If desired, however, the piston F may be dispensed with and the modifica-
tion shewn in Figure 3 may be adopted. In this case E is the receptacle as
before, and the central shaft B may extend within the receptacle and be sup-
ported by the bearing N. The mouth of the receptacle is covered by a per-
forated plate O. When the receptacle has been filled with sludge by the blade 1)
the valve in the outlet pipe is opened and the direct pressure of the liquid
contained within the tank expels the sludge, the perforated cover preventing a
violent rush and consequent escape of liquid. The valve is then closed and the
receptacle receives another charge of sludge.
The end of the blade 1) may be supported by a bowl or roller P which runs
along a rail R or suitable path, and, if desired, the blade may be similarly sup-
ported at intermediate points in its length.
Instead of being driven from a central shaft the blade may be rotated by
having its outer end attached to a toothed ring which gears with and is driven
by a pinion attached to a shaft which passes through a packed opening in the
wall of the tank, or a vertical shaft having a bevel wheel at its end may be
arranged to pass downwards close inside the wall of the tank and engage with
the toothed ring, or any other suitable or convenient means of driving may be
employed.
The floor of the tank may be flat and horizontal as shewn, or it may slope
downwards so as to assist the flow of the sludge to the receptacle, the blade, of
course, following the form of the floor.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. In a settling or precipitating tank for liquids containing solid matters, a
continuous rotary blade or arm, a central well or receptacle for the sludge, a
piston capable of fitting within or being withdrawn from the receptacle, and an
outlet pipe below the level of the liquid within the tank, all constructed arranged
and operating substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth and
as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In a settling or precipitating tank for liquids containing solid matters, a
continuous rotary blade or arm, and a central well or receptacle for the sludge,
constructed arranged and operating substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before set forth and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. In a settling or precipitating tank for liquids containing solid matters, a
continuous rotary blade or arm, constructed and operated substantially as here-
inbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
4. In a settling or precipitating tank for liquids containing solid matters, a cen-
tral well or receptacle provided with a removable ram or piston, substantially
as and for the purpose herein before described and as illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings.
5. A settling or precipitating tank for liquids containing solid matters, con-
structed arranged and operating substantially as hereinbefore described and as
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 19th day of May A.D. 1898.
W. E. HEYS & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.