Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
210776000 | Skimming | 28 |
20080296235 | Method of and Apparatus for Separation of Scum from a Liquid - Apparatus for the separation of scum from a liquid including a housing ( | 12-04-2008 |
20090001030 | Method and Apparatus for Collecting and/or Separating Solids from Liquids - Apparatus ( | 01-01-2009 |
20090206043 | Method and a Device for Collection of Floating Waste on a Water Surface - A method and a device for collection of floating waste ( | 08-20-2009 |
20100089842 | Swimming Pool Skimmer and Debris Cleaning Device - A device for skimming the surface of the water in a swimming pool or the like, in a single, generally sweeping motion and thereby collecting most all of the debris floating on or near the surface of the pool into one spot where it may be lifted and removed from the pool. The system incorporates a long rectangular section of netting that is wound onto a cylindrical reel and contained on a vertically oriented cylindrical axel. The cylindrical axel and reel are mounted by brackets or weights to the side of the pool. The cylindrically wound netting may be drawn out from the fixed cylinder mounted on the side of the pool through a slot in a pivoting debris deflector positioned on the same cylindrical axel. One end of the long rectangular section of netting may be fixed to a second smaller cylinder or pipe which serves to keep the net from being drawn completely into the enclosure comprising the cylindrical reel. A handle may be inserted into the smaller cylinder or pipe to allow the user to withdraw the end of the net from the cylinder and direct the extension of the net out around the edge of the pool in a progressive fashion. As the long rectangular net is extended and the end is carried about the edge of the pool, debris collects to a single point as the end of the net is finally brought back to the fixed cylindrical reel location. The cylindrical device is positioned so as to extend vertically across the horizontal water line in the pool in such a manner that some part of the net extends below the water while some part of the net extends above. The cylindrical reel is preferably spring loaded, such that as the net is withdrawn, spring tension tends to hold and draw the net back as the end progresses about the edge of the pool. Various stops and cleaning mechanisms positioned on the debris deflector component of the cylindrical reel facilitate the collection of debris and prevent the debris from being pulled into the cylindrical reel upon retraction of the net. | 04-15-2010 |
20100147781 | APPARATUS FOR EXTRACTING MATERIAL FROM LIQUID AND METHODS THEREFOR - Apparatus for extracting a material from a body of liquid and methods therefore are disclosed. A transport member comprises at least one continuous loop configured to pass through a continuous orbit. The material sufficiently adheres to at least a portion of the at least one continuous loop. A scraping member urges against at least a portion of the continuous loop for removing at least some of any of the material adhered to the continuous loop. Such an apparatus can be a harvester that includes a frame having a first end and a second end. A first conveyor drum can be supported by the frame adjacent the first end and can have an outer surface for engaging the transport member. A second conveyor drum can be supported adjacent the second end and can have an outer surface for engaging the transport member. The at least one continuous loop can extend between the first conveyor drum and the second conveyor drum and frictionally engage at least a portion of each respective outer surface of the first conveyor drum and the second conveyor drum. | 06-17-2010 |
20100163498 | Skim Tank Configurations And Methods - A skim tank includes a flow-control structure that forces a solid-depleted phase of a mixed-phase feed into a toroidal motion within the container to thereby provide an up-flow movement within the structure. Most preferably, at least a portion of the solid-depleted phase is recirculated to further increase up-flow movement within the structure. | 07-01-2010 |
20100270244 | Method and Apparatus for Skimming Floated Sludge - A method and device for removing floated matter such as sludge located near the surface of a fluid body is contemplated that employs pneumatic force to remove the floated matter. The contemplated device employs pneumatic force for lifting and blowing the floated matter into an inlet channel. The device is configured to provide substantially uniform airflow across the inlet channel. The inlet channel of the device may also include an adjustable section which allows airflow velocity along the channel to be controlled in a periodic fashion. | 10-28-2010 |
20100320158 | SEPARATOR SEPARATING CHIPS AND OTHER MATERIAL FROM COOLANT AND METHOD - A separator for separating chips in a coolant generated by a workstation from other objects, including a conveyor having an inclined portion removing chips and other objects from the coolant, a separator plate beneath the conveyor including an inclined portion extending parallel to the conveyor having a plurality of generally parallel slots receiving the chips therethrough and enlarged openings adapted to receive the other objects therethrough, and a pump transferring the chips and coolant to a filter. | 12-23-2010 |
20110017680 | METHOD AND EXHAUST ARRANGEMENT IN THE REMOVAL OF SURFACE SCUM - A method and exhaust arrangement in the removal of surface scum. An exhaust arrangement is used existing in connection with a liquid basin. The exhaust arrangement includes a first surface chute arrangement for removal of surface scum utilizing an overflow arrangement, belonging to the first chute arrangement and being based on a continuous flow for overflowing the surface scum in at least two successive phases, from the fluid basin into a primary space in the fluid basin and from the primary space into a secondary space in the fluid basin, from where overflow is finally exhausted from the liquid basin utilizing an exhaust assembly for the surface scum. A second surface chute arrangement removes liquid processed in the liquid basin. Overflow of the surface scum in the primary space to the secondary space is controlled to minimize the amount of liquid drifting together therewith by adjusting a level of the liquid in the primary space utilizing a flow balancing assembly that connects the primary space and the second surface chute arrangement and/or by using an adjusting device existing in the wall defining the primary space and the secondary space. Passage of the surface scum in the primary space towards the secondary space is made more efficient by using a guiding arrangement for achieving a liquid flow in the primary space towards the secondary space to direct the surface scum. | 01-27-2011 |
20110094973 | SWIMMING POOL RAKE AND DEBRIS CATCHER APPARATUS AND SYSTEM - An assembly and method for capturing debris before it enters a skimmer mechanism in a pool are described, herein. A basket filter assembly is comprised of a frame assembly, which is constructed of water- and rust-proof material that has a mesh material placed around and attached to it. The basket filter assembly is then attached to a U-shaped arm, by which it is lowered into position over the skimmer mechanism. The other end of the arm is then attached to a weighted stand such that it holds the assembly in place. | 04-28-2011 |
20110108495 | Specimen Analysis and Extraction System - The invention relates to the process of automating a laboratory process for analysing the chemical properties of powder. The functions that have been automated are the scooping of an accurate volume of powder into beakers, adding an accurate volume chemical solution, agitating for a predetermined time, settling, withdrawal of the chemical solution, emptying, cleaning and rinsing of the beakers, filtering, and filling test tube racks ready for analysis, online measurement of pH, measuring weight of powder, and dosing dry powder into vessels for traditional analysis. | 05-12-2011 |
20110198302 | Floating marine debris trap - A system for capturing and containing waterborne floating debris in bays, harbors, rivers, and other waterways with current, tidal, or wind action flow. This system utilizes a hinged capture gate attached to any of the commercially produced oil slick containment boom systems along with an anchoring deployment that orients the debris trap perpendicular to current, prevailing wind, and tidal flow in employed waterways. The door frame/door gate invention along with the alignment and anchoring of the boom material will allow floating debris to be captured and held within the boom material for later collection and disposal or recycle. This system allows mandated oil slick boom to serve the extended purpose of collecting floating debris before it enters the open oceans and inland waterways. Thousands of yards of oil slick boom are in place that could be utilized to catch and contain waterborne trash and valuable recyclables in every coastal bay, harbor, and waterway worldwide. Removal of floating debris from the debris trap is accomplished with a small boat or skiff and a dip net. This trash may be collected for disposal by municipal agencies that both recycle, remove and (or) compost land borne waste. | 08-18-2011 |
20110233149 | SKIMMER, BARGE AND METHODS FOR RECOVERING AND TRANSFERRING HEAVY OIL OR BITUMEN - Skimmers, barges and related methods recover heavy oil or bitumen from contaminated water environments such as tailings ponds. The skimmer has an articulated mesh-like conveyor driven around a drum by a drive sprocket. A pusher mechanism discharges bitumen or heavy oil from cavities in the conveyor. In one embodiment, the skimmer includes an automatic depth control system. In other embodiments, knife-edged shear plates remove heavy oil or bitumen adhering to the conveyor and drum. A barge may incorporate multiple parallel skimmers. The barge may include a bitumen-transfer pump having an annular fluid-injection flange that generates an annulus of lubricating fluid inside a discharge hose. A method of skimming heavy oil or bitumen involves using a skimmer that automatically adjusts its elevation or depth based on a control signal generated by a depth sensor. Another method recovers and transfers bitumen by lubricating the discharge hose using the annular fluid-injection flange. | 09-29-2011 |
20110303620 | Superoleophobic and Superhydrophilic Fabric Filters for Rapid Water-Oil Separation - Product, method of making product, and technique for using product to separate oil from water via a filter, such as cotton, polyester, or leather, coated with a chemical that blocks oil while allowing water to pass therethrough. | 12-15-2011 |
20120043284 | OIL SKIMMER - A method and system for skimming oil contaminated water with a vessel fitted with a rotating reel and receiver tank affixed to a frame that can be raised or lowered into a body of water for flinging contaminated water into the receiver tank that will be fitted with check valves at the bottom of the receiver tank for discharge of water back into the body of water while pumping out oil from the top of the receiver tank into storage. | 02-23-2012 |
20120091073 | CIRCULAR CLARIFIER CLEANING SYSTEM - The circular clarifier cleaning system includes a mainframe to which all various components are attached for the prevention of growth and accumulation of the algae and debris. The components within the system include gravity-driven, horizontal and vertical sweeping chains. The outer trough wall, V-notch weirs, baffle plate wall, and inner baffle plate wall are all cleaned utilizing a rotating chain system device. Two main drag chains are used to clean the effluent trough and the overflow in the overflow wall after the V-notch weirs. An individual chain is utilized as a “garland” to clean to the V-notch weirs at the overflow. The circular clarifier cleaning system is driven by an existing skimmer arm found on all secondary clarifiers. | 04-19-2012 |
20120248045 | AUTOMATIC SKIMMER CLEANING SYSTEM - A new automatic pool skimmer cleaning system includes an auto clean skimmer, debris basin, and pump. A check valve line runs from the side of the skimmer to the debris basin. When the pump is run, suction on the check valve line opens the valve and allows water and accumulated debris in the skimmer to flow into the debris basin, where debris is caught in a debris basket. The filtered water is returned to the skimmer. Debris accumulates in the debris basin over a season and is occasionally emptied. The system's pump operates independently of the pool's filtration system and is run when the filtration pump is cycled off. For vacuuming, a vacuum attachment connects to the check valve line and allows vacuumed water to be passed directly through the debris basin and debris basket and then returned to the filtration system, avoiding the need to backwash the filter. | 10-04-2012 |
20120305498 | Pool Skimmer Assembly - A pool skimmer assembly able to be fluidly connected to a pool pump, the pool skimmer assembly including: a first vacuum plate having a first opening through which pool water is able to be sucked from below the vacuum plate when the pool pump operates in suction; and a first valve member which is connected relative to the vacuum plate, the valve member being displaceable between a closed position in which the valve member closes off the first opening and an open position in which the valve member is spaced from the first opening. | 12-06-2012 |
20130087513 | POND SURFACE DECANTER AND SKIMMER AND METHOD OF USE - An apparatus and method for skimming an upper liquid layer from a fluid body. A pond surface decanter and skimmer uses a floating platform and suspended plenum to draw an upper layer of liquid off of a lower liquid without removing the lower liquid. The skimmer may be used to separate a heavy and light liquid. The skimmer is useful in many applications such as removing rainwater from evaporation ponds. | 04-11-2013 |
20130118998 | Collector Apparatus - The present invention provides an apparatus, method and system for separating a first substance from a mixture of the first substance and a liquid. The apparatus comprises inlet means adapted to receive a portion of the mixture into a separator tank; a separator tank for holding a collected portion of the mixture and allowing the first substance to separate from the liquid due to the first substance having a different specific gravity to the liquid; and outlet means adapted to discharge the separated liquid and/or the first substance from the separator tank. | 05-16-2013 |
20130161271 | THIXOTROPIC INJECTOR WITH IMPROVED ANNULAR TRAP - By blocking an angular extent of an annular skimming trap used for semi-solid injection, a notable reduction in lenticular defects and porosity are observed. The blocking can be performed by a ring having dimensions to completely occlude a prior art annular skimming trap throughout the angular extent, and providing complete and/or partial flow across the ring throughout the rest of the angular extent. Preferably an outlet to the ring trap includes a chamfered edge and/or a deflector for encouraging flow of the contaminated semi-solid material into the trap. | 06-27-2013 |
20130327724 | LIQUID SETTLING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - A system and method for filtering sediment from water prior to disposal. According to some aspects, water is provided to a trough which feeds a settling pool via a port. The settling pool may comprise one or more blocks disposed in one or more corresponding channels which restricts flow of the water. In some embodiments, this restriction of flow may cause sediment to collect on a bottom of the settling pool and/or residual oil to collect on a surface of the water. The residual oil may be pumped or skimmed from the surface and the water may be pumped from the settling pool into one or more external holding tanks The one or more blocks may then be removed from the settling pool and the sediment may be collected via a frontloader or other device accessing the sediment via an access ramp formed in the settling pool. | 12-12-2013 |
20140197115 | Pool Skimmer - A device for skimming a pool surface to collect floating debris includes an elongate handle, a hollow body, and a spool on which an elongate continuous length of webbing is wound in a spiral configuration. The spool is housed within the body and the webbing is extendable from the spool through a slot formed in the body and is retractable onto the spool through the slot via spool rotation. The webbing has a proximal end to which an end piece is connected. The end piece is shaped to prevent passage through the slot and has a fastening element for being secured to an edge of a pool structure for removably mounting the end piece to the structure. The handle and body are sufficiently portable and lightweight to enable carrying by hand and ready removability of the entire device from the pool when not in use. | 07-17-2014 |
20140209546 | Pool Skimmer System - The present invention relates to systems for improving the range of pool skimmers. In some embodiments, the present invention provides at least one track that is attached to the pool sidewall and a second weir that moves along the track. In other embodiments, the present invention provides a deflector that is attached to the pool sidewall, extends from the sidewall and above the skimmer opening, and includes a side opening adjacent for feeding water to the skimmer opening. Without being bound to any particular theory, it is believed that the apparatuses are cheap to manufacture, safe, conserve water and chemical use, and allow for an aesthetically pleasing full pool. | 07-31-2014 |
20140263101 | Pool Skimmer Basket Assembly With Adapter - An improved pool skimmer basket assembly with skimmer vent tower adapter for mounting a skimmer vent tower on a pool skimmer basket allows for the existing design of a skimmer vent tower to be retrofitted with any pool skimmer basket and/or any pool skimmer. The adapter is reversibly secured between any pool skimmer basket available on the market and the skimmer vent tower without requiring modifications to either part. Applicant's assembly utilizes the substantially centrally positioned skimmer vent tower of an existing design to provide a means by which water is vented through the basket, even when the strainer orifices are clogged. When the user requires a different size of basket and/or a new basket, he can easily remove the adapter attached to the inner bottom portion of the basket and place it on another basket without forgoing the use of the skimmer vent tower altogether. Ease of removing the adapter and either attaching it to a new basket of the same or a differing size not only prevents additional expense but takes advantage of the skimmer vent tower and, ultimately, all advantages offered by it. | 09-18-2014 |
20140360949 | Apparatus and Method for Collecting a Floatable Liquid - The invention relates to an apparatus for collecting a lighter fraction floatable liquid from a heavier fraction liquid, such as a lighter fraction floating oil from a heavier fraction water, the apparatus comprising: a floatable collecting container and a cover placed above the collecting container leaving a continuous passage slot free; wherein the opening of the passage slot is adjustable by an inlet adjustment ring. The invention also provides a method to operate such an apparatus. | 12-11-2014 |
20160001200 | CHEMICAL-FREE FOAM CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method of subsiding foam resulting from an industrial process and moving it in a predetermined direction on the surface of an industrial-process liquid includes establishing a foam-displacement direction and a foam-displacement path. At least two fluid-spray sources from which a foam-subsiding fluid can be ejected are arranged serially above the industrial-process liquid and foam accumulating thereon. The fluid-spray sources are oriented and caused to eject foam-subsiding fluid such that foam impacted by foam-subsiding fluid ejected from the first fluid-spray source is wetted, partially subsided and displaced in the foam-displacement direction toward the spray being ejected from the second fluid-spray source by which the foam is further wetted, subsided and displaced in the foam displacement direction. In implementations including three or more fluid-spray sources, foam is moved sequentially through the sprays of the fluid-spray sources such that it is increasingly subsided as it moves through the foam-displacement path. | 01-07-2016 |
20160186399 | A METHOD AND A SYSTEM FOR REMOVAL OF OIL UNDER ICE - Provided is a method and a system for removal of oil under ice through an opening made into ice. The system includes oil booms extending under ice in two different directions from the opening so as to constitute an angle of less than 180 degrees between each other; an oil collection device placed in the opening; and a propulsion device placed on the level of the lower surface of ice at a distance from the opening in the area of the angle so as to provide a flow directed towards the opening between the oil booms in the area of the angle. | 06-30-2016 |