US 6,036,357 A · Submarine-type liquid mixer

Abstract

The present invention, a submarine-type liquid mixer provides a mixing device that contains a gas-trapping component in the shape of a cap or umbrella with an open bottom, which is centered upon, and slides up and down along a vertical pole-like structure within a vessel containing liquid. When gas is formed naturally in the vessel and is caught under the opening of the cap-shaped component, or is directly pumped into the same, it displaces the liquid volume under the cap-shaped component to the extent that the cap-shaped component, which is also generally the mixing device, has the buoyancy to rise to the top of the vessel. The gas is then released through valving installed on top of the cap-shaped component, causing it to lose it's buoyancy and sink back to the bottom of the tank. This process then repeats itself, the up-and-down movement of the cap-shaped component mixing the liquid. The gas-trapping component may alternately be a mainly closed gas container. In this case, the gas may be introduced or withdrawn through a flexible hose.

Claims15

Dependent claims

An apparatus for mixing a viscous fluid within which the apparatus moves, the apparatus comprising:

a means for mixing the viscous fluids, the mixing means having negative buoyancy and comprising a means for restraining a gas for providing positive buoyancy to the mixing means, the restraining means configured as a cap shaped body having a tubular stabilizing means centrally disposed therein, the cap-shaped body extending laterally outwardly from the tubular stabilizing means;
a vertically oriented pole structure supporting means, the tubular stabilizing means being slidably engaged on the pole structure supporting means for vertical movement of the mixing means along the pole structure supporting means;
the mixing means further comprising a portal means for releasing the gas from the restraining means at a selected vertical position of the mixing means on the supporting means so as to reduce buoyancy of the mixing means;
whereby with the gas supporting the restraining means, the mixing means rises in the fluid along the pole structure supporting means due to buoyancy of the gas, and with release of the gas from the restraining means, the mixing means falls in the fluid due to the loss of said buoyancy;
the rising and falling of the mixing means providing mixing of the fluid.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Submarine-type liquid mixer

Life of this patent

Submarine-type liquid mixer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15