Electronic control system for pneumatic-hydraulic pump dredge
First Claim
1. A control system for a dredging device comprising a plurality of chambers, each chamber including an air port through which air can be delivered to and exhausted from the chamber, a material discharge port, a material suction port, and air port control means for alternately exhausting air from the chamber to admit material to the chamber through the suction port and delivering air to the chamber to discharge material from the chamber through the discharge port, said control system comprising:
- electrically energizable actuator means coupled with said air port control means and responsive to predetermined electrical control signals for causing actuation of said air port control means to a first position for said exhausting of air from the chamber, to a second position for said delivering of air to the chamber and to a third, intermediate position for effectively closing off the chamber to either air delivery or air exhaust, and electronic control means for providing said predetermined electrical control signals in a preselected cycle for cyclically operating all of said air port control means for admitting material to each chamber and discharging material from each chamber in said preselected cycle comprising the operation of the air port control means of each of said chambers in a time-staggered sequence with respect to that of each of the other chambers, whereby to provide a relatively uniform flow of material from the dredging device, said electronic control means further including controllable timer means for regulating said preselected cycle and operator adjustable control means for selectively varying said controllable timer means during operation of said dredging device so as to regulate said preselected cycle to achieve and maintain optimum efficiency of the dredging device.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A control system is disclosed for a dredging device which includes a submersible pump having one or more chambers. Each chamber defines an air port through which air can be delivered to and exhausted from the chamber, a material discharge port for discharging liquid and solid material from the chamber, and a chamber suction port for admitting liquid and solid material to the chamber. Air control valves are provided for alternately exhausting air from each chamber to admit material to the chamber through the suction port and for delivering air to each chamber so as to discharge material from the chamber through the discharge port. The control system operates these air control valves in accordance with a selectable timed cycle to achieve optimum efficiency in the dredging operation.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A control system for a dredging device comprising a plurality of chambers, each chamber including an air port through which air can be delivered to and exhausted from the chamber, a material discharge port, a material suction port, and air port control means for alternately exhausting air from the chamber to admit material to the chamber through the suction port and delivering air to the chamber to discharge material from the chamber through the discharge port, said control system comprising:
- electrically energizable actuator means coupled with said air port control means and responsive to predetermined electrical control signals for causing actuation of said air port control means to a first position for said exhausting of air from the chamber, to a second position for said delivering of air to the chamber and to a third, intermediate position for effectively closing off the chamber to either air delivery or air exhaust, and electronic control means for providing said predetermined electrical control signals in a preselected cycle for cyclically operating all of said air port control means for admitting material to each chamber and discharging material from each chamber in said preselected cycle comprising the operation of the air port control means of each of said chambers in a time-staggered sequence with respect to that of each of the other chambers, whereby to provide a relatively uniform flow of material from the dredging device, said electronic control means further including controllable timer means for regulating said preselected cycle and operator adjustable control means for selectively varying said controllable timer means during operation of said dredging device so as to regulate said preselected cycle to achieve and maintain optimum efficiency of the dredging device.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 10)
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5. A control system for a dredging device comprising three like chambers, each chamber including an air port through which air can be delivered to and exhausted from the chamber, a material discharge port, a material suction port and electrically energizable air port control means for alternately exhausting air from the chamber to admit material to the chamber through the suction port and delivering air to the chamber to discharge material from the chamber through the discharge port, said control system comprising:
- electrical energizing means coupled with said air port control means and responsive to predetermined electrical control signals for causing actuation of said air port control means to a first position for said exhausting of air from the chamber, to a second position for said delivering of air to the chamber and to a third, intermediate position for effectively closing off the chamber to either air delivery or air exhaust, and electronic control means coupled with said energizing means for producing said predetermined electrical control signals in a preselected cycle for cyclically operating said air port control means of each chamber for admitting material to the chamber and discharging material from the chamber in said preselected cycle said electronic control means being configured to provide said preselected cycle such that the operation of each chamber is time-staggered in a predetermined fashion with respect to the operation of each other chamber, said electronic control means further including controllable timer means for regulating said preselected cycle and operator adjustable control means for selectively varying said controllable timer means during operation of said dredging device so as to regulate said preselected cycle to achieve and maintain optimum efficiency of the dredging device.
- View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
Specification