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US 12,214,957 B2Granted
Self-cleaning tank
AssigneeSpokane Stainless Technologies, Inc.
InventorsNathan Hayes Owen, Nathan Scott Batson, Thomas Raymond Rodgers
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tank, such as a fermentation tank, includes a scraper blade assembly slideably coupled to a bottom surface of the tank. The scraper blade assembly includes a blade arranged to displace solids deposited on the bottom surface of the tank out through an aperture arranged flush with the bottom surface of the tank.
Claims20
A method comprising:
- supplying power to a first hydraulic motor via a hydraulic power unit, the first hydraulic motor being attached beneath a first tank, and the hydraulic power unit being separate from the first tank, the first tank including:
- a first top surface;
- a first bottom surface opposite the first top surface;
- a first wall fixed between the first bottom surface and the first top surface;
- and
- a first aperture located in the first wall;
- the first hydraulic motor being operatively coupled to a first scraper blade assembly including a first scraper blade rotatably coupled to the first bottom surface, wherein when the first hydraulic motor is powered via the hydraulic power unit the first scraper blade is rotatably displaced along the first bottom surface;
- disconnecting the hydraulic power unit from the first hydraulic motor;
- connecting the hydraulic power unit to a second hydraulic motor, the second hydraulic motor being attached beneath a second tank, the hydraulic power unit being separate from the second tank, the second tank including:
- a second top surface;
- a second bottom surface opposite the second top surface;
- a second wall fixed between the second bottom surface and the second top surface;
- and
- a second aperture located in the second wall;
- supplying power to the second hydraulic motor via the hydraulic power unit;
- and
- the second hydraulic motor being operatively coupled to a second scraper blade assembly including a second scraper blade rotatably coupled to the second bottom surface, wherein when the second hydraulic motor is powered via the hydraulic power unit the second scraper blade is rotatably displaced along the second bottom surface.
14 more elements
A method comprising:
- supplying, via a hydraulic power unit, first power to a first hydraulic motor to rotatably displace a first scraper blade of a first scraper blade assembly along a first bottom surface of a first tank;
- the first hydraulic motor being operatively coupled to the first scraper blade assembly including the first scraper blade rotatably coupled to the first bottom surface of the first tank, wherein when the first hydraulic motor is powered by the hydraulic power unit the first scraper blade is rotatably displaced along the first bottom surface of the first tank;
- disconnecting the hydraulic power unit from the first hydraulic motor;
- connecting the hydraulic power unit to a second hydraulic motor;
- supplying power to the second hydraulic motor with the hydraulic power unit;
- and
- the second hydraulic motor being operatively coupled to a second scraper blade assembly including a second scraper blade rotatably coupled to a second bottom surface of a second tank, wherein when the second hydraulic motor is powered by the hydraulic power unit the second scraper blade is rotatably displaced along the second bottom surface of the second tank.
4 more elements
A method comprising:
- supplying power to a first hydraulic motor of a first tank via a hydraulic power unit, the hydraulic power unit being separate from the first tank and operatively coupled to a first scraper blade assembly including a first scraper blade rotatably coupled to a first bottom surface of the first tank, wherein the first scraper blade is rotatably displaced along the first bottom surface based on the power being supplied to the first hydraulic motor;
- disconnecting the hydraulic power unit from the first hydraulic motor;
- and
- connecting the hydraulic power unit to a second hydraulic motor of a second tank, the hydraulic power unit being separate from the second tank and operatively coupled to a second scraper blade assembly including a second scraper blade rotatably coupled to a second bottom surface of the second tank, wherein the second scraper blade is rotatably displaced along the second bottom surface based on the power being supplied to the second hydraulic motor.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.