Patent ID: 7169312

Claim:
A system for collecting material from a bottom of a material settling container, comprising: a first rigid pipe, the first rigid pipe having a first opening; a second rigid pipe, the second rigid pipe having a first open end; the first and second pipes being in telescopic relationship with one pipe received within the other pipe in an overlapping relationship so that the first and second pipes cooperate to define a material collection conduit, wherein a first portion of the material collection conduit extends axially between the first opening and the first open end, the first portion being configured to define a radial clearance between the first pipe and the second pipe and to extend axially between the first opening and the first open end; and a bearing received in the radial clearance between the first pipe and the second pipe and located axially between the first opening and the first open end, the bearing being configured in cross-section to cooperate with the inner pipe to define a material collection opening, the cross-sectional configuration of the bearing being such that with the inner pipe received in the bearing the material collection opening allows a flow of collected material having a value not less than a minimum flow to flow centrally and axially through the radial clearance from the first open end of the second rigid pipe to the first opening of the first pipe.