VACUUM CLEANING APPARATUS TO REMOVE INDUSTRIAL WASTE FROM MACHINERY

• US 3,628,213 A
• Filed: 10/13/1969
• Issued: 12/21/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oliver H. Ramo
• Original Assignee: Oliver H. Ramo
• Inventors: Ramo, Oliver H.
• Application Number:
  US04/870,487
• Time in Patent Office: 799 Days
• US Class Current: 15/352
• CPC Class Codes: D01H 11/005 with blowing and/or suction devices in general A47L7/00; in cooperation with thread breakage detecting means D01H13/1691

Abstract

Textile vacuum cleaning apparatus for automatically providing in timed sequence repetitive, intermittent implosions of waste into a piping system having therein a waste receiving tank for collecting the imploded waste, in which the receiver tank is automatically and intermittently unloaded each time an implosion occurs without interrupting the implosions and in which waste imploded into such piping system by such implosions is collected in said receiver tank between implosions, whereby the size of the receiver tank can be substantially reduced and whereby the waste collected in the tank between implosions is not subjected to the surging action of subsequent implosions.

Claims

1. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus for applying a vacuum by a vacuum pump to an accumulation of waste to suck said waste into an inlet of a piping system having therein waste receiving means for collecting said waste and having a first piping section providing communication between said inlet and said waste receiving means and a second piping section providing communication between said waste receiving means and said pump, the improvement comprising in combination a one-way check valve between said inlet and said waste receiving means for preventing backflow of air from said waste receiving means to a substantial portion of said first piping section adjacent said inlet but permitting free flow of air in an opposite direction, a vacuuM cutoff valve in said second piping section for intermittently cutting off said pump from said waste receiving means during an unloading operation, means for automatically opening said waste receiving means to the atmosphere to release vacuum in said waste receiving means when said cutoff valve is closed but not when said cutoff valve is open, said waste receiving means having a waste removing door and means for automatically opening said door when said cutoff valve is closed and said vacuum is released and for automatically closing said door when said cutoff valve is opened.

2. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus for intermittently and repetitively applying a vacuum to a waste accumulation point to suck waste into an inlet of a conduit system having therein waste receiving means for collecting said waste, said apparatus including a vacuum pump for applying said vacuum, the improvement comprising means for intermittently and repetitively unloading said waste receiving means each time a vacuum is applied to said inlet, said unloading means comprising, a one-way check valve between said waste receiving means and said inlet preventing the flow of air from said waste receiving means to a substantial portion of said conduit means adjacent said inlet but permitting free flow of air in an opposite direction, a vacuum cutoff valve between said waste receiving means and said pump which is closed each time a vacuum is applied to said inlet, means for releasing the vacuum in said waste receiving means when said cutoff valve is closed, said waste receiving means including a waste removing door and means to open said door when said cutoff valve is closed and to close said door when said cutoff valve is opened.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, including an inlet valve associated with said inlet and located between said inlet and said one-way valve, and control means to (a) intermittently, repetitively and automatically open and close said inlet valve and to (b) intermittently and automatically close said shutoff valve and open said door when said inlet valve is opened and to open said cutoff valve and close said door when said inlet valve is closed.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, the volume of the conduit means between said one-way valve and said inlet valve at the degree of vacuum delivered by the pump being sufficient to suck the desired amount of accumulated waste at said accumulation point through said inlet valve into said conduit system when said inlet valve is opened and said one-way valve is closed, said one-way valve being closed by the release of vacuum in said waste receiving means.

5. An apparatus according to claim 3, said unloading means being synchronized with said implosions.

6. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus for automatically creating repetitive, intermittent implosions of waste into an inlet of a piping system having therein waste receiving means for collecting said imploded waste, the improvement comprising a one-way check valve located between said waste receiving means and said inlet to prevent the flow of air in a direction from said waste receiving means to said inlet but to permit the flow of air in a reverse direction, means for intermittently building up a vacuum in said piping system during a dwell period between implosions and means located between said waste receiving means and said vacuum buildup means to intermittently shut off communication therebetween and vent said waste receiving means to atmosphere for intermittent unloading of said waste receiving means.

7. In an apparatus for removing and conveying industrial wastes from an accumulation point comprising a vacuum pump, waste receiving and collecting means and a conduit system having an inlet located at said accumulation point and providing communication between said inlet and said waste collecting means and between said waste collecting means and said pump, an inlet wave associated with said inlet and means for actuating said valve to automatically, intermittently and repetitively oPen and close said valve, the improvement comprising means for intermittently unloading said waste collecting means at a time when said valve is opened, said means for unloading said waste collecting means including a shutoff valve between said waste collecting means and said pump, which is automatically closed each time said inlet valve is opened and is automatically opened each time said inlet valve is closed, means automatically actuatable to open said waste collecting means to the atmosphere when said shutoff valve is closed and to close said waste collecting means to the atmosphere when said shutoff valve is open, a one-way valve for preventing flow of air from the waste collecting means to at least a substantial portion of said conduit means adjacent said inlet valve but permitting flow of air in a reverse direction, a door for said waste collecting means and means for automatically closing said door when said shutoff valve is opened and opening said door when said shutoff valve is closed.

8. Apparatus for removing and conveying industrial wastes from a plurality of stations, each station comprising at least one waste inlet at which wastes accumulate, vacuum pump means, waste receiving and collecting means, conduit means providing communication from each of said stations to said waste receiving and collecting means and from said last-mentioned means to said pump means, an inlet valve for each of said stations and control means for automatically opening and closing said valves successively and repetitively in accordance with a predetermined time program in which each valve is open during a first predetermined time interval and is closed for a second predetermined dwell time interval before the next succeeding valve is opened and during which all said valves are closed, to thereby build up the vacuum in said conduit means downstream of said values so that when said next succeeding valve is opened, a sudden and violent implosion into and through said next succeeding valve and its station occurs and means for intermittently unloading the waste which collects in said waste collecting means without interrupting the repetitive implosions at said stations, said unloading means including a check valve preventing flow of air from said waste receiving means to a substantial volume of said conduit means adjacent said inlet valves but permitting flow in the opposite direction, said unloading means also comprising a waste removal door associated with said waste receiving means and means for releasing the vacuum in said waste receiving means and opening said door when an inlet valve is opened and for deactuating said vacuum release means and closing said door when said inlet valve is closed.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, also including a vacuum cutoff valve located between said waste receiving means and said pump and synchronized with said inlet valve control means and said vacuum release means and said door to close when said inlet valve is opened and to open when said inlet valve is closed.

10. Apparatus for removing and conveying industrial wastes from a plurality of stations, each station comprising at least one waste inlet at which wastes accumulate, vacuum pump means, waste receiving and collecting means, conduit means providing communication from each of said stations to said waste collecting means and from said waste receiving means to said pump means, an inlet valve for each of said stations to individually open and close communication between said stations and said conduit means and control means to automatically open and close said valves successively and repetitively in accordance with a predetermined time program in which each valve is open during a first predetermined time interval and is closed for a second predetermined dwell time interval before the next succeeding valve is opened and during which all said valves are closed, to thereby build up the vacuum in said conduit means downstream of said valves so that when said next succeeding valve is opened, a sudden and violent implosion of said wastes and air into and through said next succeeding valve and its station occurs, means for intermittently unloading said waste collecting means during each implosion, said unloading means comprising a check valve preventing flow of air from said waste receiving means to a substantial volume of said conduit means adjacent the inlet valves but permitting flow in the reverse direction, said unloading means also comprising means for intermittently removing waste accumulated in said waste receiving means and means synchronized with the control means for said inlet valves to (a) release the vacuum in said waste receiving means and to open said waste removal means to unload said waste receiving means each time an inlet valve is opened and an implosion is initiated and (b) to deactuate said vacuum releasing means and to close said waste removing means to thereby restore the vacuum in said waste collection means each time an inlet valve is closed to initiate a dwell period.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, said unloading means also including a vacuum cutoff valve located between said waste receiving means and said pump and synchronized with said inlet valve control means to open each time said inlet valve is closed and to close each time said inlet valve is opened, whereby during each dwell period a vacuum is built up in said conduit system and in said waste receiving means for the next implosion and imploded waste is moved from said volume of said conduit into said waste receiving means and whereby during the next succeeding implosion period such waste is unloaded from said waste receiving means.

12. Apparatus according to claim 11, said vacuum being released by a slot in said cutoff valve, which, when said valve is closed, provides communication between said waste receiving means and the atmosphere to thereby release the vacuum in said waste receiving means

13. Apparatus according to claim 12, said inlet valve control means comprising multicam-controlled multiswitches controlled by a synchronized motor so that said inlet valves are actuated intermittently and automatically and repetitively in time sequence by sequential activation of said switches, and cutoff valve and waste removing means being also controlled by said multiswitch control and synchronized motor.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13, each of said cutoff valve and said waste removing means being controlled by an electrically actuated solenoid wired to said inlet valve control means so that the actuation of each switch to energize and open an inlet valve deenergizes said solenoids to close said cutoff valve and open said waste removing means and so that the actuation of each switch to close said inlet valve during a dwell time interval completes a circuit through said switches to energize said solenoids to open said cutoff valve and close said waste removing means.

15. In an apparatus for removing industrial wastes from a plurality of stations, each station comprising at least one inlet at which wastes accumulate, a vacuum pump, waste receiving means and a conduit system interconnecting said stations, said waste receiving means and said pump, an inlet valve for each station, control means for automatically, sequentially, intermittently and repetitively opening and closing said valves according to a timed program, a vacuum cutoff valve between the waste collecting means and the pump, means for venting the waste receiving means to the atmosphere when said cutoff valve is closed but not when said cutoff valve is open, means for preventing flow of air from said waste receiving means to a substantial volume of said conduit system adjacent said inlet valve but permitting flow of air in an opposite direction, said waste receiving means having a waste removal door and means controlled by said control means for controlling said cutoff valve, said venting means and said door to intermittently release the vacuum in and unload said waste receiving means in synchronization with Said intermittent opening and closing of said inlet valves.

16. In a vacuum cleaning apparatus for creating repetitive, intermittent implosions of waste into an inlet of a conduit system having therein means for collecting said imploded waste and means for creating a vacuum in said conduit system and waste collecting means, said waste collecting means having a door to remove collected waste, the improvement comprising first valve means to intermittently open and close communication between said vacuum creating means and said waste collecting means, vent means for venting said waste collecting means, means to open said vent means to vent said waste receiving means to release the vacuum therein when communication between said vacuum-creating means and said waste collecting means is closed by said first valve means and to close said vent means when said communication is open, second valve means to (a) close communication between said waste receiving tank and at least a substantial portion of said conduit system adjacent said inlet when said receiving tank is vented to release the vacuum therein and to (b) open said last mentioned communication when said waste collecting means is in communication with said vacuum creating means, and means for opening said door when said first valve means is closed and said vacuum is released and to close said door when said first valve means is open and said vent means is closed.

17. An apparatus according to claim 16, said inlet being provided with an implosion valve which is intermittently opened and closed to create said implosions, control means to (1) actuate said first valve means to close the same, (2) open said vent means to release the vacuum in said waste collecting means, (3) actuate said second valve means to close the same and (4) actuate said door to open the same when said implosion valve is opened to thereby create an implosion at said inlet and remove waste previously collected in said waste collecting means, and (5) actuate said first valve means to open the same, (6) actuate said vent means to close the same, (7) actuate said second valve means to open the same and (8) actuate said door to close the same when said implosion valve is closed to thereby build up a vacuum in said conduit system and said waste collecting means.