Parts washing apparatus with centrifugal filter
OwnerCharles T. Maglioccainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A parts washing apparatus comprising a basin having a drain, a reservoir located below the drain, and a solvent filtering and recirculating system. This system comprises a centrifuge filter assembly and a solvent recirculating system. The centrifuge filter assembly in turn comprises a centrifugal filter comprising a receptacle and a replaceable filter element, and also a turbine to drive the centrifugal filter. The centrifuge filter and the turbine are positioned in an enclosing structure to enclose the turbulent flow of the solvent from the centrifuge filter and also enclose the fumes associated with the turbulent flow. Thus, there is a discharge of solvent as less turbulent flow while substantially enclosing the associated fumes.
Claims10
A parts washing apparatus comprising:
- a) a wash basin having a drain;
- b) a reservoir located below the basin and defining a containing chamber;
- c) a solvent filtering and recirculating system comprising:
- i) a centrifuge filter assembly;
- and
- ii) a solvent recirculating system;
- d) said centrifuge filter assembly comprising:
- i) a centrifugal filter comprising a rotatably mounted receptacle positioned to receive solvent from said drain and a replaceable filter element positioned in the receptacle;
- and
- ii) a turbine having a drive connection with said receptacle to rotate said centrifugal filter;
- e) a partitioning and support section within the containing chamber which divides the containing chamber into an upper operating zone and a lower solvent retaining zone, said partitioning and support section providing support for components of the solvent filtering and recirculating system;
- f) wherein said partitioning and support section comprises a main support plate section having at least three arms having inner end portions connecting to the support plate section and outer end portions to engage said reservoir, at least two of said arms having their inner end portions connected rotatably to the main support plate so that these are able to rotate about a vertically aligned axis between an outer reservoir engaging position and to a retracted position;
- g) said solvent recirculating system comprising a pump and a solvent transport line section operably configured to transport a first portion of solvent from the reservoir to the basin for a parts washing function and to transport a second portion of the solvent to drive the turbine;
- and
- h) said centrifugal filter and said turbine comprising an operating section which is located in the upper operating zone with the operating section so that flow of solvent from the turbine and from the centrifugal filter is in large part enclosed by an enclosing structure to enclose turbulent flow of solvent from said centrifugal filter and said turbine.
A solvent filtering and recirculating system for use in a parts washing apparatus comprising a wash basin having a drain and a reservoir located below the basin and defining a containing chamber, said solvent filtering and recirculating system comprising:
- a) a centrifuge filter assembly comprising:
- i) a centrifugal filter comprising a rotatably mounted receptacle positioned to receive solvent from said drain and a replaceable filter element positioned in the receptacle;
- and
- ii) a turbine having a drive connection with said receptacle to rotate said centrifugal filter;
- b) a solvent recirculating system comprising a pump and a solvent transport line section being arranged to transport a first portion of solvent from the reservoir to flow to the basin for a parts washing function and to transport a second portion of the solvent to drive the turbine;
- c) said centrifugal filter and said turbine comprising an operating section, said system further comprising an enclosing structure which is arranged so that flow of solvent from the turbine and from the centrifugal filter is enclosed by said enclosing structure to enclose turbulent flow of the solvent from said centrifugal filter and said turbine and to enclose fumes associated with said turbulent flow, and to discharge said solvent from said operating section as less turbulent flow while substantially enclosing the associated fumes;
- d) said centrifugal filter and said turbine being positioned adjacent to one another, with said centrifugal filter and said turbine having center axes of rotation which are aligned with one another
- e) said recirculating system further comprising a partitioning and support section comprising a main support plate section having at least three arms having inner end portions connecting to the support plate section and outer end portions to engage said reservoir, at least two of said arms having their inner end portions connected rotatably to the main support plate so that these are able to rotate about a vertically aligned axis between an outer reservoir engaging position and to a retracted position;
- and
- f) said centrifugal filter comprising a receptacle having a peripheral sidewall and a bottom wall, said turbine being positioned adjacent to said bottom wall and having a drive connection with said centrifugal filter, said enclosing structure comprising a circumferential wall surrounding said sidewall of the receptacle and being spaced radially outwardly from the sidewall of the receptacle to form a solvent-receiving space to receive solvent which has passed through the centrifugal filter and a lower enclosing wall enclosing a solvent retaining region below the turbine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.