Rack and pinion drive for trash rake
AssigneeHydro Component Systems, LLC
InventorThomas J. Reiss, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is disclosed a trash rake system for use in clearing debris from an intake screen of an intake trash rack of a water intake port of a water use facility. The intake screen is configured to collect debris transported by water, for example, a river, to prevent the debris from entering the intake port of the water use facility. The trash rake system includes a track system, a movable support structure, a rack and pinion drive mechanism, and a controller configured to receive signals from an encoder on a drive motor and a proximity sensor system.
Claims23
A rack and pinion drive for a trash rake system, the trash rake system used to clear debris from an intake screen of an intake rack of a water intake port of a water use facility, the intake screen configured to collect debris transported by the water before the debris enters the intake port, the trash rake system includes a track system having two parallel tracks including at least one of a straight section and a curved section, a movable support structure configured to move on the track system, the support structure including a trash rake apparatus, the rack and pinion drive comprising:
- a drive mechanism including a drive bar, a drive motor, a drive pinion attached to said drive motor, and an encoder coupled to the drive motor, with the drive bar defining a plurality of teeth extending substantially the length of the drive bar, with the drive bar disposed in the area defined by the parallel tracks and extending substantially parallel to the tracks, with the drive motor disposed in the movable support structure and mounted to a mounting plate, the mounting plate attached to said movable support structure and movable relative to the movable support structure such that, the mounting plate, the drive motor, and the drive pinion are movable relative to the parallel tracks in a direction which is perpendicular to a direction of travel of the movable support structure along a length of the parallel tracks of said track system, the drive motor coupled to the drive pinion, with the drive pinion configured to engage the teeth of the drive bar along the entire length of the drive bar, wherein rotation of the drive pinion along the drive bar moves the support structure on the tracks;
- and
- a controller coupled to the drive motor and configured to selectively position the movable support structure along the parallel tracks in response to a signal received from the encoder, wherein the trash rake apparatus is positioned proximate the intake rack to remove debris from the intake screen.
A trash rake system for use in clearing debris from an intake screen of an intake rack of a water intake port of a water use facility, the intake screen configured to collect debris transported by the water before the debris enters the intake port, the trash rake system comprising:
- a track system positioned proximate a portion of the intake rack and aligned with the intake rack, the track system including two parallel tracks, wherein a path of the track system includes at least one straight section and one curved section;
- a movable support structure configured to move on the track system, with the support structure including a trash rake apparatus;
- a drive mechanism including a drive bar, a drive motor, a drive pinion, and an encoder coupled to the drive motor, the drive bar defining a plurality of teeth extending substantially the length of the drive bar, with the drive bar located between the parallel tracks, spaced apart from each of the tracks, and extending substantially parallel to the tracks;
- a drive motor disposed in the movable support structure and mounted to a mounting plate, the mounting plate attached to said movable support structure and movable relative to the movable support structure such that the mounting plate, the drive motor, and a drive pinion coupled to the drive motor are movable relative to the parallel tracks in a direction which is perpendicular to a direction of travel of the support structure along a length of the parallel tracks of said track system, with the drive pinion configured to rotably engage the teeth of the drive bar along the entire length of the drive bar, wherein rotation of the drive pinion along the drive bar moves the movable support structure on the tracks;
- and
- a controller coupled to the drive motor and configured to selectively position the movable support structure along the path in response to a signal received from the encoder, wherein the trash rake apparatus is positioned proximate the intake rack to remove debris from the intake screen.
A method for clearing debris from an intake screen of an intake rack of a water intake port of a water use facility, the intake screen configured to collect debris transported by the water before the debris enters the intake port, the method comprising:
- installing a track system positioned proximate a portion of the intake rack and aligned with the intake rack, the track system including two parallel tracks, wherein a path of the track system includes at least one straight section and one curved section;
- mounting a movable support structure on the track system, the support structure configured to move on the track system, with the movable support structure including a trash rake apparatus;
- installing a drive mechanism on the movable support structure, with the drive mechanism including a drive bar, a drive motor, a drive pinion, and an encoder coupled to the drive motor, the drive bar defining a plurality of teeth extending substantially the length of the drive bar, with the drive bar disposed in an area defined by the parallel tracks and extending substantially parallel to the tracks, the drive motor is coupled to the drive pinion, with the drive pinion configured to rotably engage the teeth of the drive bar along the entire length of the drive bar, wherein rotation of the drive pinion along the drive bar moves the support structure on the tracks;
- installing a controller coupled to the drive motor and configured to selectively position the movable support structure along the path in response to a signal received from the encoder, wherein the trash rake apparatus is positioned proximate the intake rack to remove debris from the intake screen;
- and
- wherein the step of installing the drive mechanism on the movable support structure includes mounting the drive mechanism to a movable mounting plate and attaching said movable mounting plate to said movable support structure with a linear bearing assembly such that the movable mounting plate is movable in a direction perpendicular to a direction of travel of the support structure along a length of the parallel tracks of said track system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.