Automatic pet relief station

A separator/washer for cleansing soiled litter in a fluid bath and substantially said cleansed litter from the liquid, wherein said litter is composed of washable particles that float in water, and said separator/washer comprises:

• (a) a first chamber;
• (b) a second chamber disposed within said first chamber, with said second chamber being mounted for rotation about its vertical axis within said first chamber;
• (c) said second chamber being formed of a mesh-type material that allows the passage of fluids and solid particles smaller than a predetermined size;
• (d) at least one valve in fluid communication with at least one of said chambers for introducing at least one cleansing liquid into at least one of said chambers;
• (e) a motor connected to said second chamber, said motor operable for rotation of said second chamber about its vertical axis within said first chamber;
• (f) at least one pump having an intake coupled to at least one of said chambers for evaluating fluid from said chambers;
• and
• (g) an intake flange positioned to collect said cleansed litter that floats to the surface of said at least one cleansing liquid, said intake flange for substantially separating said cleansed litter from said liquid.

A method of cleansing soiled litter and substantially separating said cleansed litter from a wash liquid, wherein said litter is composed of washable particles that float in water, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) placing said soiled litter in a chamber;
• (b) injecting at least one cleansing liquid into said chamber;
• (c) providing motion to said chamber to provide cleansing action;
• (d) rinsing said cleansed litter;
• (e) filling said chamber with rinse liquid to substantially the level of an intake flange within said chamber, thereby floating said cleansed litter to substantially the level of said intake flange;
• and
• (f) rotating said rinse liquid within said chamber so that said cleansed litter and a minor amount of said rinse liquid is swept into said intake flange, while adding a sufficient quantity of said rinse liquid to maintain the level of liquid in said chamber at substantially the level of said intake flange until substantially all said cleansed litter is collected in said intake flange.

A separator/washer to cleanse soiled litter and substantially separate cleansed litter from wash liquid, wherein the litter is composed of washable particles, said separator/washer comprising:

• (a) a first chamber;
• (b) a second chamber disposed within said first chamber and mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis;
• (c) said second chamber being formed of a mesh-type material that allows the passage of fluids and solid particles smaller than a predetermined size;
• (d) at least one valve in fluid communication with at least one of said first and second chambers for introducing at least one cleansing liquid into at least one of said first and second chambers;
• (e) a motor connected to said second chamber for rotating said second chamber about its horizontal axis within said first chamber;
• (f) at least one pump having an intake opening coupled to at least one of said first and second chambers for evacuating fluid from said chambers;
• and
• (g) an intake flange positioned within said second chamber, said intake flange being positioned to collect said cleansed litter as it falls from the upper region of said second chamber, while said second chamber is rotated at a rate to move said cleansed litter along a path defined by said rotating said second chamber until gravity overcomes centrifugal effects within said rotating second chamber, causing said cleansed litter to fall away from the wall of said rotating second chamber.

A method of cleansing soiled litter and substantially separating cleansed litter from a wash liquid, wherein said litter is composed of washable particles and said method comprises the steps of:

• (a) placing said soiled litter in a cylindrical chamber, with the longitudinal axis of said cylindrical chamber substantially horizontal and said cylindrical chamber is a mesh-type material that allows the passage of fluid and solid particles smaller than said washable litter particles;
• (b) rotating said cylindrical chamber about its horizontal axis at a rate sufficient to establish centrifugal force that forces soiled litter against the walls of said rotating cylindrical chamber, even at the topmost part of each revolution of said cylindrical chamber;
• (c) injecting at least one cleansing liquid into said cylindrical chamber to cleanse said soiled litter;
• and
• (d) collecting said cleansed litter by reducing the rotation rate of said cylindrical chamber to a rate where the cleansed litter falls from said cylindrical chamber as it reaches said topmost part of a revolution of said cylindrical chamber, said cleansed litter being trapped in a trough that opens upwardly into said cylindrical chamber.