Apparatus for cleaning a pool bottom having a sand bed
First Claim
1. An apparatus for cleaning sand of a sand bed of a facility including a slow sand filter, infiltration basin and pools having sand beds, the apparatus comprising:
- a chassis having a front end and a rear end;
first and second caterpillar track assemblies mounted on respective longitudinal sides of said chassis;
first and second drive wheels for engaging said first and second caterpillar track assemblies, respectively;
a motor mounted on said chassis;
electro-magnetic clutches connected to said drive wheels;
said motor being connected to said drive wheels via said electro-magnetic clutches for driving said caterpillar track assemblies for propelling said apparatus over said sand bed;
a submersible pump mounted at said front end and having a nozzle through which sand to be cleaned of sludge is drawn by suction from said sand bed;
a hydrocyclone also mounted on said chassis and being connected to said submersible pump for receiving said sand to be cleaned and separating said sludge therefrom;
said hydrocyclone having a first outlet through which said sludge is discharged from said hydrocyclone and a second outlet through which the cleaned sand is discharged;
a spreader device mounted below said second outlet for spreading the cleaned sand onto said sand bed;
a hose connected to said first outlet for conducting said sludge away from said hydrocyclone and said apparatus; and
, a control unit for controlling said electro-magnetic clutches for changing the direction of movement of said apparatus as well as controlling said submersible pump and said motor.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for cleaning the sand beds of slow sand filters, infiltration basins and pools of other types having sand beds in water treatment works and similar plants, while the filter is in service, by removing a few centimeters of the bed surface, cleaning the sand of the sludge or filter film formed on the bed surface, returning the cleaned sand to the bed, and discharging the separated sludge, suspended in water to drain or to a suitable disposal site. This is achieved using a tracked cleaning machine equipped with a submersible pump (7) and nozzle (8) to remove the top layer of sludge-bearing sand from the bed, cleaning the sludge from the sand thus removed in a hydrocyclone (13), returning the cleaned sand to the bed via a spreader plate (15) and discharging the water-suspended sludge to a drain or to a suitable disposal site through a hose (17).
28 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for cleaning sand of a sand bed of a facility including a slow sand filter, infiltration basin and pools having sand beds, the apparatus comprising:
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a chassis having a front end and a rear end;
first and second caterpillar track assemblies mounted on respective longitudinal sides of said chassis;
first and second drive wheels for engaging said first and second caterpillar track assemblies, respectively;
a motor mounted on said chassis;
electro-magnetic clutches connected to said drive wheels;
said motor being connected to said drive wheels via said electro-magnetic clutches for driving said caterpillar track assemblies for propelling said apparatus over said sand bed;
a submersible pump mounted at said front end and having a nozzle through which sand to be cleaned of sludge is drawn by suction from said sand bed;
a hydrocyclone also mounted on said chassis and being connected to said submersible pump for receiving said sand to be cleaned and separating said sludge therefrom;
said hydrocyclone having a first outlet through which said sludge is discharged from said hydrocyclone and a second outlet through which the cleaned sand is discharged;
a spreader device mounted below said second outlet for spreading the cleaned sand onto said sand bed;
a hose connected to said first outlet for conducting said sludge away from said hydrocyclone and said apparatus; and
,a control unit for controlling said electro-magnetic clutches for changing the direction of movement of said apparatus as well as controlling said submersible pump and said motor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification