Submersible landfill pump

• US 10,030,651 B1
• Filed: 02/23/2015
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc. (Graco Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Q.E.D. Environmental Systems, Inc. (Graco Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cassel, Mitchal, Tooley, Jamie, Marcell, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, F. Daniel
• Application Number:
  US14/629,389
• Time in Patent Office: 1,247 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 1/00 Dumping solid waste
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 1/006 Shafts or wells in waste dumps
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/005 Extraction of vapours or gases using vacuum or venting
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/13 specially adapted to dewatering of wells of gas producing reservoirs, e.g. methane producing coal beds
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/06 Measuring temperature or pressure
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/07 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: F04F 1/06 the fluid medium acting on the surface of the liquid to be pumped F04F1/02 takes precedence

Abstract

A submersible landfill pump system is disclosed which comprises a damper actuation mechanism that includes a rocker assembly and a float rod assembly comprising one or more dampeners.

Claims

1. A dampener actuation mechanism for a submersible landfill pump, the dampener actuation mechanism comprising:

a rocker assembly; and

a float rod assembly connected to the rocker assembly, the float rod assembly comprising;

a rod,

a float movable along the rod,

a first dampener positioned below the float; and

a second dampener positioned above the float and configured to axially compress when pressure is applied to the second dampener by the float rising in the submersible landfill pump due to rise in fluid level within the submersible landfill pump, wherein the second dampener is configured to absorb a first portion of the pressure applied in order to increase pressure applied to the rocker assembly when the pressure applied reaches a threshold level, such that the rocker assembly is moved to an end position in response to the increased pressure applied to the rocker assembly.

2. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 1, wherein the rod is stainless steel.

3. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 1, wherein the first and second dampeners comprise steel springs.

4. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 1, wherein the float is cylindrically shaped.

5. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 1, wherein the rocker assembly is connected near an uppermost portion of the float rod assembly.

6. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 1, and further including a weight connected to the rocker assembly.

7. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 6, wherein the weight is connected to the rocker assembly on an opposite end of the portion of the rocker assembly that is connected to the float rod assembly.

8. A dampener actuation mechanism for a submersible landfill pump, the dampener actuation mechanism comprising:

a rocker assembly; and

a float rod assembly connected to the rocker assembly, the float rod assembly comprising;

a rod;

a float movable along the rod;

a first dampener positioned below the float; and

a second dampener positioned above the float and configured to axially compress due to upward movement of the float to actuate the rocker assembly.

9. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 8, wherein the rod is stainless steel.

10. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 8, wherein the first and second dampeners comprise steel springs.

11. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 8, wherein the float is cylindrically shaped.

12. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 8, wherein the rocker assembly is connected near an uppermost portion of the float rod assembly.

13. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 8, and further including a weight connected to the rocker assembly, wherein the weight is connected to the rocker assembly on an opposite end of the portion of the rocker assembly that is connected to the float rod assembly.

14. A dampener actuation mechanism for a submersible landfill pump, the dampener actuation mechanism comprising:

a rocker assembly; and

a float rod assembly connected to the rocker assembly, the float rod assembly comprising;

a rod;

a float movable along the rod; and

a dampener positioned above the float and configured to axially compress when pressure is applied to the dampener by the float rising in the submersible landfill pump due to rise in fluid level within the submersible landfill pump, wherein the dampener is configured to absorb a first portion of the pressure applied in order to increase pressure applied to the rocker assembly when the pressure applied reaches a threshold level, such that the rocker assembly is moved to an end position in response to the increased pressure applied to the rocker assembly.

15. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 14, wherein the rod is stainless steel.

16. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 14, wherein the dampener comprises a steel spring.

17. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 14, wherein the float is cylindrically shaped.

18. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 14, wherein the rocker assembly is connected near an uppermost portion of the float rod assembly.

19. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 14, and further including a weight connected to the rocker assembly.

20. The dampener actuation mechanism of claim 19, wherein the weight is connected to the rocker assembly on an opposite end of the portion of the rocker assembly that is connected to the float rod assembly.