CA2023383A1 - Siphon gravity classifier and clarifier - Google Patents

Abstract

A SIPHON GRAVITY CLASSIFIER AND CLARIFIER

ABSTRACT

A DEVICE FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS FROM SOLIDS AND SOLIDS
FROM SOLIDS IS PROVIDED BY UTILIZING A TALL COLUMN FILLED WITH
LIQUID WHICH IS SUBJECTED TO A SIPHON ACTION THAT PULLS THE
LIQUID/SOLIDS MIXTURE VERTICALLY THROUGH THE COLUMN CLARIFYING
THE LIQUID AND CLASSIFYING THE SOLIDS. THIS SIPHON METHOD
PROVIDES A MOST EFFICIENT METHOD OF CLASSIFICATION OF SOLIDS
AND CLARIFICATION OF LIQUIDS. ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND
GRAVITY CREATE FORCES WITHIN THE DEVICE WHICH SIMULTANEOUSLY
ACT ON EVERY PARTICLE. THE INTERIOR OF THE TALL COLUMN HAS
NO MOVING PARTS.

Description

2~2338~

A SIPHON GRAVITY CLASSIFIER AND CLARIFIER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ~ -NORMALLY LIQUIDS ARE CLARIFIED BY A COMBINATION OF
FLOCCULATION AND DECANTATION AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE. ~-SOLID/LIQUID MIXTURES ARE INTRODUCED TO CONTAINERS OR TANKS
OF SUFFICIENT SIZE AND DEPTH TO ALLOW THE SOLIDS TO SINK BY
GRAVITY BELOW A CLEAR LIQUID LEVEL, AND THE LIQUID IS THEN
REMOVED BY OVERFLOWING THE CONTAINER. OFTEN, THE THICKENED
SLURRIES ARE REMOVED FROM THE BOTTOMS OF THE CLARIFIERS BY
MECHANICAL METHODS SUCH AS RAKES, SCREWS, BUCKETS, SHOVELS, ETC. THE SOLID/LIQUID MIXTURES NORMALLY TREATED ARE METAL, MINERAL, INDUSTRIAL, SEWAGE OR OTHER MATERIALS THAT HAVE BEEN -~
PREPARED FOR SEPARATION BY PROCESSES SUCH AS SCREENING, -~
GRINDING OR CLASSIFYING BY SCREW, RAKE OR OTHER PREPARATORY
PROCESSES.
APART FROM SEPARATING LIQUIDS FROM SOLIDS, IT IS
FREQUENTLY REQUIRED TO SEPARATE THE SOLID CLASSES IN A MIXTURE
FROM EACH OTRER: I.E. THE SEPARATION OF METALS FROM SAND, MARKETABhE MINERALS FROM GANGUE MATERIAL OR COARSE PARTICLES
FROM FINE ONES. -THREE GENERAL METHODS ARE COMMONLY IN USE TO SEPARATE
SOLIDS FROM SOLIDS IN A LIQUID MEDIUM: GRAVITY METHODS, FROTH
FLOTATION AND HEAVY MEDIA SINK/FLOAT SEPARATION.
GRAVITY SEPARATION OF METALS AND MINERALS IS NORMALLY
CARRIED ON BY THE USE OF MINERAL JIGS, SHAKER TABLES, SLUICE
BOXES, BELTS AND PULLEYS, CONES, CYCLONES, RAKES, SCREWS, ETC.
MANY GRAVITY SEPARATORS HAVE RELATIVELY LOW THROUGHPUT
CAPACITIES AND REQUIRE HIGH RATIOS OF WATER TO SOLIDS, IN THE
RANGE OF 5:1 TO 10:1 BY WEIGHT. MINERALS OF DIFFERENT
SPECIFIC GRAVITIES ARE SEPARATED AS THEY ARE WASHED ACROSS THE
SURFACES OF VARIOUS DEVICES.
FROTH FLOTATION OF MINERAL CONCENTRATES IS NORMALLY
CARRIED ON IN TANKS OR CELLS FITTED WITH AGITATORS AND
AERATORS. THE LIQUID IS TREATED WITH CHEMICAL ADDITIVES TO
CAUSE ONE MINERAL TO SINK WHILE ANOTHER FLOATS TO THE SURFACE
IN A FROTH WHICH AFFECTS THE SEPARATION OF THE MINERALS OF
OPPOSITE SURFACE TENSION CHARACTERISTICS.
HEAVY MEDIA SINK/FLOAT SEPARATORS UTILIZE A HEAVY MEDIA -OR THICKENED LIQUID TO EFFECT A GRAVITY SEPARATION BY FLOATING ~ ~
TRE LIGHT PARTICLES AND SINKING THE HEAVY ONES. D
IT IS AN OB~ECT OF THE INSTANT INVENTION TO REMOVE SOME
OF THE DEFICIENCIES OF THE ABOVE PRIOR ART BY PROVIDING A
DEVICE WHICH MAY BE PRODUCED AND OPERATED MORE INEXPENSIVELY
AND WHICH IS ~ESS COMPLEX TO BUILD AND OPERATE THAN THOSE OF
THE PRIOR ART. IN PRINCIPAL, THE INSTANT INVENTION USES THE
BASIC TECHNIQUE OF A SIPHON TO PULL A LIQUID CONTAINING SOLID
PARTICLES VERTICALLY UPWARD THROUGH A TALL COLUMN AND HENCE
A CLASSIC SIPHON MUST BE CONSIDERED PRIOR ART.
TO DATE, WE HAVE FOUND NO EVIDENCE IN PRACTICE, IN

.. . .

~` 202~3~3 2 ~ -: ', ' ,: :
LITERATURE OR IN PATENTS TO SUPPORT THE FACT THAT DEVICES
UTILIZING THE SIPHON HEIGHT OF A LIQUID ARE IN USE TO CLARIFY
LIQUIDS, CLASSIFY SOLIDS, TO COMMINUTE SOLIDS OR TO DESTROY
WATER BORNE LIVING ORGANISMS. THE SIPHON HEIGHT OF A LIQUID
IS THE HEIGHT TO WHICH A LIQUID WILL RISE UNDER VACUUM AT A
GIVEN BAROMETRIC PRESSURE AND IS APPROXIMATELY 34 FEET (10.363 M) FOR WATER AND 29.92 INCHES (0.760 M) FOR MERCURY AT SEA
LEVEL.
:
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
THE INSTANT INVENTION IS COMPRISED GENERALLY OF A TALL
COLUMN HAVING A HEIGHT WHICH IS LESS THAN THE SIPHON HEIGHT
OF THE SUBJECT LIQUID. A TUBE OF DIAMETER SIGNIFICANTLY
SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE COLUMN IS ATTACHED TO A HOLE
IN THE TOP OF THE COLUMN AND IS DISCHARGED AT A DEPTH
SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE LIQUID LEVEL OF A SEPARATE
RESERVOIR PROVIDED FOR SUPPLYING THE SOLID/LIQUID MIXTURE TO
THE COLUMN. THE SOLID PARTICLES SHALL NECESSARILY BE OF A
SIZE SMALL ENOUGH TO ALLOW THEM TO BE DRAWN BY SUCTION INTO
THE DEVICE. ONE END OF A SUCTION TUBE OF DIAMETER
SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE TALL COLUMN IS
PLACED UNDER THE LIQUID LEVEL OF THE SEPARATE RESERVOIR; THE
OTHER END IS ATTACHED TO A HOLE IN THE SIDE OF THE BOTTOM OF
THE TALL COLUMN. SEALS ARE PROVIDED FOR THE DISTAL ENDS OP
THE SUCTION AND DISCHARGE TUBES. THE TALL COLUMN AND TUBES
ARE FILLED WITH LIQUIDt AND THE DISCHARGE SEAL AND SUCTION
SEAL ARE REMOVED IN THAT ORDER. THE FALLING LIQUID IN THE
DISCHARGE TUBE CAUSES THE SOLID/LIQUID MIXTURE IN THE SEPARATE
RESERVOIR TO ENTER THE COLUMN THROUGH THE SUCTION TUBE BY
SIPHON ACTION. THE INCREASE IN DIAMETER OF THE TALL COLUMN
OVER THE DIAMETER OF THE SUCTION AND DISCHARGE TUBES CAUSES
A REDUCTION IN VELOCITY IN THE MATERIALS PASSING THROUGH THE
COLUMN. ONCE INSIDE THE TALL COLUMN, GENERALLY, THE SOLIDS
FALL AND THE LIQUID RISES. BY PLACING A DISCHARGE ORIFICE
ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TALL COLUMN, THE SOLIDS MAY BE WITHDRAWN
FROM THE COLUM~ BY A TUBE OF SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER DIAMETER
THAN THE SUCTION TUBE WITH A VERTICAL DISCHARGE POINT LOW
ENOUGH TO EXCEED THE SIPHON HEIGHT OF THE LIQUID IN THE TALL
COLUMN. THE D~SCHARGE END IS SUBMERGED IN SUFFICIENT LIQUID
TO PREVENT AIR FROM ENTERING THE DEVICE. OR ALTERNATIVELY, IF THE SETTLED SOLIDS ARE LOW IN QUANTITY, THE ACTION OF THE
DEVICE MAY BE INTERMITTENTLY STOPPED TO ALLOW THE SOLIDS TO
BE REMOVED THROUGH A SOLIDS DISCHARGE ORIFICE LOCATED IN THE
BOTTOM CENTER OP THE TALL COLUMN.
THESE AND OTHER OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION WILL BECOME
READILY APPARENT AS THE FOLLOWING DESCRIPTION IS READ IN
CONJUNCTION WITH THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWING WHEREIN LIKE
REFERENCE NUMERALS ARE USED TO REFER TO THE VIEW SHOWN.

?

:

A SIPHON GRAVITY CLASSIFIER AND CLARIFIER
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
::- ~ .:
FIGURE 1 IS A SCHEMATIC REPRESENTATION OF THE INSTANT ~-INVENTION UTILIZING A SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICAL TALL COLUMN.

INVENTION WHEREIN THE TALL COLUMN IS DIVIDED INTO SEGMENTS.
THE VARIOUS CONFIGURATIONS OF THE INSTANT INVENTION ARE
MORE FULLY DESCRIBED IN THE SUBJECT HEADING "DESCRIPTION OF
THE
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS".
, DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FROM FIGURE 1 A SIPHON GRAVITY CLASSIFIER AND CLARIFIER, GENERALLY 11, WHICH WHEN USED AS A SOLIDS AND LIQUID

OF SUFFICIENT HEIGHT AND DIAMETER TO SETTLE ALL SOLIDS WHICH
ENTER THE TALL COLUMN BUT NOT SO TALL AS TO EXCEED THE HEIGHT
TO WHICH THE LIQUID WHICH ENTERS THE TALL COLUMN WILL RISE
UNDER VACUUM DUE TO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE. TWO SEPARATE
RESERVOIRS, 13 AND 14 AND THREE APPENDED TUBES, 15, 16, AND
17 ARE PROVIDED. TUBE 15, THE INTAKE TUBE, IS OF
SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER DIAMETER THAN THE TALL COLUMN AND IS
USED TO CONNECT SEPARATE RESERVOIR 13, WHICH RECEIVES THE
INITIAL SOLID AND LIQUID MIXTURE, TO THE TALL COLUMN 12. THE

TALL COLUMN THROUGH HOLE 18 LOCATED IN THE SIDE, NEAR THE
BOTTOM OF TALL COLUMN 12. INSIDE THE TALL COLUMN 12, THE
LIQUID RISES AND SOLIDS FALL. THE THICKENED SOLIDS MOVE

THE CENTER OF THE BOTTOM OF THE TALL COLUMN WHICH IS OF
SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER DIAMETER THAN THE TALL COLUMN. TUBE 17 PROVIDED TO KEEP AIR FROM ENTERING THE DEVICE BY IMMERSING THE

LEVEL LOWER THAN THE HEIGHT TO WHICH THE LIQUID MAY BE DRAWN
BACK INTO THE COLUMN BY THE NEGATIVE PRESSURE INHERENT INSIDE
THE TALL COLUMN 12, WHEREIN THE LIQUID INSIDE THE TALL COLUMN

BY SIPHON ACTION, DUE TO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE, A VACUUM IS
CREATED INSIDE TALL COLUMN 12.
TO INITIATE THE SIPHON ACTION OF THE INSTANT INVENTION, TUBES 15, 16 AND 17 ARE SEALED AT THE DISTAL ENDS BY PLUGS OR
VALVES. FILLER PLUG 21, AT THE TOP OF THE TALL COLUMN 12, IS
REMOYED TO ALLOW TALL COLUMN 12 AND THE APPENDED TUBES 15, 16 = ,, ., .. , ., " ,:. - ., .
~',;A;,~ ~'. ., .. , ' 2~233~ :
" :

13 AND 14. WHEN ALL AIR HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM TALL COLUMN 12 AND THE APPENDED TUBES 15, 16 AND 17, FILLER PLUG 21 IS
REPL~CED AND THE SOLIDS AND LIQUID MIXTURE IS MADE TO FLOW
INTO RESERVOIR 13. CARE MUST BE EXERCISED TO KEEP THE INTAKE

TO PREVENT ANY AIR FROM ENTERING THE DEVICE. SIMULTANEOUSLY
THE SEALS ARE REMOVED FROM THE DISTAL ENDS OF TUBES 15, 16 AND
17. THE LIQUID THEN MOVES THROUGH THE TALL COLUMN 12 BY
SIPHON ACTION AND ANY SOLIDS ENTERING THEREIN VIA SUCTION

IS REMOVED VIA DISCHARGE TUBE 16 WHICH DISCHARGE END IS PL~CED

CAUSING THE LIQUID ENTERING THEREIN TO BE PULLED THROUGH
COLUMN 12 AND DISCHARGED FROM TUBE 16 BY SIPHON ACTION.
TO ONE FAMILIAR WITH SIPHONS IT WILL BE APPARENT FROM

16 WILL INCREASE THE FLOW OF LIQUID THROUGH TALL COLUMN 12.
FURTHER THE VELOCITY OF THE FLOW OF LIQUID EXITING THE TALL

OF THE TAL.L COLUMN 12. ALSO BY CONNECTING A PUMP 24 TO THE

WILL BE ENHANCED. LIKEWISE, BY ADDING A CONE 25 TO THE BOTTOM
OF THE TALL COLUMN 12, THE GATHERING OF THE SETTLED SOLIDS
FROM THE COLUMN WILL BE ENHANCED ALONG WITH THE VELOCITY OF

THICKENED SOLIDS DISCHARGE TUBE 17.

PUMPS 26 AND 27 PLACED IN SECONDARY DISCHARGE TUBES 15~ AND
149, RESPECTIVELY, AT SITES ALONG THE SIDES OF TALL COLUMN 12 WILL DRAW LIGHTER SOLIDS FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE TALL COLUMN

LIGHTER SOLIDS BEFORE THEY CAN SETTLE.

INSTANT INVENTION, A SIPHON GRAVITY CL~RIFIER AND CLASSIFIER, GENERALLY llA, WHEREIN THE TALL COLUMN MAY BE DIVIDED INTO A
PLURALITY OF COLUMNS OR SEGMENTS REPRESENTED AS 30, 31 AND 32 RESPECTIVELY TO ENHANCE THE SEPARATION OF SOLIDS OF DIFFERENT
SPECIFIC GRAVITIES THAT ARE INTRODUCED INTO SEPARATE RESERVOIR

HOLE 18 LOCATED IN THE LOWER PART OF THE SIDE OF SEGMENT 30.
CONES 33, 35 AND 37 ARE PROVIDED AT THE BOTTOMS AND CONES 34, 36 AND 3B ARE PROVIDED AT THE TOPS OF COLUMNS OR SEGMENTS 30, 31 AND 32 RESPECTIVELY. THE BOTTOM CONES 33, 35 AND 37 -ENHANCE THE SETTLING OF THE THICKENED SOLIDS AND THE TOP CONES
34, 36, AND 38 ENHANCE THE VELOCITY OF THE LIQUID DISCHARGE
EXITING THEIR RESPECTIVE COLUMNS OR SEGMENTS 30, 31 AND 32.

i7`~ " ' ' ~ , 7:

2~23~3 OF SEGMENT 31. THE DISCHARGED MIXTURE OF COLUMN OR SEGMENT
31 VIA CONE 36 ENTERS TUBE 47 W~ICH BECOMES THE INTAKE TUBE
OF COLUMN OR SEGMENT 32. THE DISCHARGED CLARIFIED LIQUID OF

CLARIFIED LIQUID TUBE 16. WHEN PUMP 22 IS CONNECTED BETWEEN

WITHIN COLUMNS OR SEGMENTS 30, 31 AND 32 IS ENHANCED.
LIKEWISE, WHEN PUMPS 40, 41 AND 42 ARE CONNECTED WITHIN THE
THICKENED SOLIDS DISCHARGE TUBES 49, 50 AND 51 RESPECTIVELY
WHICH EXIT THE BOTTOMS OF COLUMNS OR SEGMENTS 30, 31 AND 32 RESPECTIVELY, THE SETTLING AND SOLIDS REMOVAL RATES FROM EACH
OF THE COLUMNS OR SEGMENTS ARE ENHANCED.
IN FIGURE 2 SEPARATE RESERVOIRS 43, 44 AND 45 ARE
PROVIDED TO RECEIVE THE THICKENED SOLIDS DISCHARGED FROM
COLUMNS OR SEGMENTS 30, 31 AND 32 RESPECTIVELY. CARE MUST BE
TAKEN TO KEEP THE DISCHARGE ENDS OF THICKENED SOLIDS DISCHARGE
TUBES 49, 50 AND 51 IMMERSED IN LIQUID AT ALL TIMES IN
SEPARATE RESERVOIRS 43, 44 AND 45 RESPECTIVELY WHICH VOLUMES
OF CONTAINED LIQUIDS ARE GREATER THAN THE VOLUMES OF THE

FROM ENTERING THE DEVICE DUE TO THE VACUUM CREATED INSIDE
COLUMNS OR SEGMENTS 30, 31 AND 32 BY THE PULL OF THE PUMPS 22, 40, 41 AND 42.
FROM FIGURE 2, TO INITIATE THE SIPHON ACTION OF THE
INSTANT
INVENTION, GENERALLY llA, TUBES 15, 16, 43, 44 AND 45 ARE
SEALED AT THE DISTAL ENDS, FILLER PLUG 21 IS REMOVED AND ALL
CAVITIES OF llA ARE FILLED WITH LIQUID. SEPARATE RESERVOIRS
13, 43, 44 AND 45 ARE FILLED WITH LIQUID, THE SOLID AND LIQUID
MIXTURE IS CAUSED TO FLOW INTO SEPARATE RESERVOIR 13, THE SEAL
IS REMOVED FROM THE DISTAL END OF TUBE 16, PUMP 22 IS TURNED
ON AND THE SEAL IS REMOVED FROM THE SUCTION END OF TUBE 15.
SIMULTANEOUSLY THE SEALS ARE REMOVED FROM THE DISTAL ENDS OF
SOLIDS DISCHARGE TUBES 49, 50 AND 51 AND PUMPS 40, 41 AND 42 ARE TURNED ON ACTIVATING THE INSTANT INVENTION. THE SOLID
PARTICLES ENTERING THE TALL COLUMN ARE COMMINUTED BY THE
NEGATIVE PRESSURE CREATED BY THE SIPHON ACTION, AND ANY GASES
WHICH ARE DISSOLVED IN THE LIQUIDS ENTERING THE TALL COLUMN
ARE REMOVED FROM THE LIQUID BY THE SIPHON CREATED VACUUM.

.~ .. . .. . . . .

Claims

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
27. AN APPARATUS FOR THE CLARIFICATION OF A LIQUID, SAID
APPARATUS COMPRISING:
A FIRST TALL UPRIGHT HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL COLUMN, WITH VERTICAL
CIRCULAR SIDES, SAID COLUMN BEING SEALED AT BOTH ENDS WITH A
SINGLE HOLD POSITIONED IN EACH END, INTO WHICH A MIXTURE OF
SOLIDS AND LIQUIDS ARE DRAWN BY A SIPHON CREATED VACUUM
THROUGH A HOLE POSITIONED IN THE VERTICAL SIDE OF THE HOLLOW
UPRIGHT COLUMN NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE COLUMN, SAID COLUMN
BEING TALL ENOUGH TO EXCEED THE HEIGHT TO WHICH THE SOLIDS
WILL RISE, UNDER A SIPHON CREATED VACUUM, BUT NOT SO TALL AS
TO EXCEED THE HEIGHT TO WHICH A SIPHON CREATED VACUUM WILL
DRAW THE LIQUID VERTICALLY UPWARD THROUGH THE COLUMN, THEREBY
EFFECTING A SEPARATION OF THE LIQUID FROM THE CONTAINED SOLIDS
THAT ENTER THE COLUMN AS WELL AS EFFECTING THE SEPARATION OF
SOLIDS OF VARYING SPECIFIC GRAVITY THAT ENTER THE COLUMN;
AN INTAKE TUBE, OF SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER DIAMETER THAN THE
TALL HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL COLUMN, FITTED ON ONE END TO THE HOLE
IN THE SIDE OF THE COLUMN NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE COLUMN WITH
THE OPPOSITE END OF THE TUBE EMPLACED TO SERVE AS AN INTAKE
ORIFICE;
A SEPARATE SOLID AND LIQUID RESERVOIR, LOCATED NEAR THE BOTTOM
OF THE TALL UPRIGHT HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL COLUMN AND CONNECTED
THERETO BY THE INTAKE TUBE, WHICH RESERVOIR IS PROVIDED FOR
RECEIVING THE SOLID AND LIQUID MIXTURE, SAID SOLID AND LIQUID
MIXTURE BEING MAINTAINED IN THE RESERVOIR AT A LIQUID LEVEL
HIGH ENOUGH ABOVE THE INTAKE ORIFICE OF THE INTAKE TUBE SO AS
TO PREVENT ANY AIR FROM ENTERING THE TALL COLUMN THROUGH THE
INTAKE ORIFICE ALONG WITH THE SOLID AND LIQUID MIXTURE;
A TUBE FOR DISCHARGING THE CLARIFIED LIQUID SAID TUBE BEING
OF SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER DIAMETER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE
TALL HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL COLUMN AND ATTACHED TO THE HOLE IN THE
TOP END POSITIONED IN THE CENTER AT THE TOP OF THE COLUMN AT
ONE END OF THE TUBE FOR DISCHARGING A CLARIFIED LIQUID FROM
THE OPPOSITE END OF THE DISCHARGING TUBE, SAID OPPOSITE END
BEING AT A LEVEL SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE LIQUID LEVEL IN
THE SEPARATE RESERVOIR CONTAINING THE INTAKE TUBE THEREBY
ALLOWING THE CLARIFIED LIQUID TO MOVE BY SIPHON ACTION FROM
THE SOLID AND CLARIFIED LIQUID RECEIVING RESERVOIR THROUGH THE
INTAKE TUBE INTO THE TALL COLUMN WHEREBY THE SIPHON ACTION
FURTHER CAUSES THE LIQUID TO RISE VERTICALLY THROUGH THE
COLUMN AND TO EXIT THE APPARATUS BY WAY OF THE CLARIFIED
LIQUID DISCHARGE TUBE WHILE THE THICKENED SOLIDS FALL BY
GRAVITY ACTION TO THE BOTTOM OF THE TALL COLUMN;
A TUBE FOR DISCHARGING THE THICKENED SOLIDS SAID TUBE BEING
OF SIGNIFICANTLY SMALLER DIAMETER THAN THE DIAMETER OF THE

TALL HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL COLUMN AND ATTACHED TO THE HOLE IN THE
BOTTOM END POSITIONED AT THE CENTER OF THE BOTTOM OF THE
COLUMN AT ONE END OF THE TUBE AND DISCHARGING AT THE OPPOSITE
END OF THE TUBE A LIQUID CONTAINING THOSE SOLIDS THAT FALL BY
GRAVITY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE COLUMN, WHICH TUBE, BY DESIGN, HAS A DISCHARGE END WHICH EXTENDS TO A LEVEL LOWER THAN THE
HEIGHT TO WHICH THE LIQUID IN THE THICKENED SOLIDS DISCHARGE
TUBE IS DRAWN BACK INTO THE COLUMN BY THE VACUUM CREATED IN
THE COLUMN BY THE SIPHON ACTION OF THE APPARATUS;
A SECOND SEPARATE RESERVOIR FOR RECEIVING LIQUID AND THICKENED
SOLIDS SAID SECOND RESERVOIR PLACED TO RECEIVE THE DISCHARGE
END OF THE THICKENED SOLIDS DISCHARGE TUBE SAID SECOND
RESERVOIR BEING OF SUFFICIENT VOLUME TO SUPPLY A VOLUME OF
LIQUID GREATER THAN THE VOLUME OF THE THICKENED SOLIDS
DISCHARGE TUBE SO AS TO PREVENT ANY AIR FROM ENTERING THE TALL
COLUMN THROUGH THE THICKENED SOLIDS DISCHARGE TUBE.
28. THE APPARATUS OF CLAIM 27 FURTHER COMPRISING A MEANS
FOR RECYCLING THE DISCHARGED CLARIFIED LIQUID INCLUDING A PUMP
IN THE CLARIFIED LIQUID DISCHARGE TUBE AT THE TOP OF THE TALL
COLUMN TO ALLOW THE CLARIFIED LIQUID TO BE PUMPED THROUGH SAID
TUBE.
29. THE APPARATUS OF CLAIM 27 WHEREIN THE TALL COLUMN
IS FORMED INTO A CONE AT ITS UPPER END, WHICH REDUCES THE
DIAMETER OF THE COLUMN TO THE DIAMETER OF THE DISCHARGE TUBE
WHEREBY THE VELOCITY OF THE CLARIFIED LIQUID EXITING THE
COLUMN IS INCREASED.
30. THE APPARATUS OF CLAIM 27 FURTHER COMPRISING A PUMP
INSTALLED IN THE THICKENED SOLIDS DISCHARGE TUBE, WHEREIN THE
THICKENED SOLIDS BEING DISCHARGED FROM THE TALL COLUMN THROUGH
THE DISCHARGE TUBE ATTACHED TO THE BOTTOM CENTER OF THE BOTTOM
OF THE TALL COLUMN ARE PULLED THROUGH SAID PUMP THEREBY
ENABLING THE DISCHARGED SOLIDS TO BE REMOVED AT INCREASED
RATES OVER GRAVITY SETTLING.
31. THE APPARATUS OF CLAIM 27 WHEREIN THE TALL COLUMN
IS FORMED AS A CONE AT ITS LOWER END WHICH REDUCES THE
DIAMETER OF THE COLUMN TO THE DIAMETER OF THE DISCHARGE TUBE
WHEREBY THE VELOCITY OF THE THICKENED SOLIDS DISCHARGE EXITING
THE COLUMN IS INCREASED AND THE COLLECTION OF SETTLED SOLIDS
IS ENHANCED.
32. THE APPARATUS OF CLAIM 27 WHEREIN SOLIDS OF
DECREASING SPECIFIC GRAVITY WILL CLASSIFY ACCORDING TO THEIR
DENSITY BY THE VACUUM CREATED THROUGH THE SIPHON ACTION OF THE
APPARATUS WHICH ALLOWS THE LESS DENSE PARTICLES TO RISE
VERTICALLY HIGHER THROUGH THE LIQUID BEING DRAWN THROUGH THE
TALL COLUMN THAN THE MORE DENSE PARTICLES; THE APPARATUS
FURTHER INCLUDES A PLURALITY OF HOLES PLACED AT SUCCESSIVELY

HIGHER SITES UPWARD ALONG THE VERTICAL SIDES OF THE COLUMN AND
SECONDARY DISCHARGE TUBES WITH PUMPS ATTACHED TO THE HOLES, WHEREBY THE LESS DENSE PARTICLES ARE DISCHARGED FROM COLUMN
THEREBY EFFECTING A SEPARATION OF SUCCESSIVELY LESS DENSE
SOLIDS AS THEY ARE PULLED BY A SIPHON CREATED VACUUM THROUGH
THE INCREASINGLY HIGHER LOCATIONS FROM WITHIN THE COLUMN VIA
THE SECONDARY DISCHARGE TUBES.
33. THE APPARATUS OF CLAIM 27 FURTHER INCLUDING AT LEAST
ONE ADDITIONAL UPRIGHT COLUMN OF IDENTICAL CONSTRUCTION TO
SAID UPRIGHT TALL COLUMN, SAID AT LEAST ONE ADDITIONAL COLUMN
BEING SEALED AT BOTH ENDS, SAID COLUMNS BEING PLACED IN
SUCCESSION, WITH EACH SUCCESSIVE COLUMN PLACED IN SERIES AT
SUCCESSIVELY HIGHER LEVELS AND CONNECTED SO THAT THE DISCHARGE
TUBE ARISING FROM THE CENTER OF THE TOP OF A LOWER COLUMN
ENTERS THE VERTICAL SIDE OF THE NEXT HIGHER COLUMN NEAR THE
BOTTOM OF THE COLUMN WITH EACH COLUMN HAVING A THICKENED
SOLIDS DISCHARGE TUBE AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF FOR REMOVING
SUCCESSIVELY LOWER DENSITY SOLIDS FROM SUCCESSIVELY HIGHER
COLUMN AND WHERE THE PARTICLES SETTLE OUT IN THE COLUMN
ACCORDING TO THEIR RESPECTIVE SPECIFIC GRAVITIES.
34. THE APPARATUS OF CLAIM 33 WHEREIN THE TOP AND BOTTOM
ENDS OF THE SEGMENTS OF THE TALL COLUMN ARE FORMED AS CONES
AT THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS OF EACH SEGMENT WHICH REDUCES THE
DIAMETER OF THE TALL COLUMN TO THE DIAMETER OF THE RESPECTIVE
DISCHARGE TUBES ATTACHED THERETO.
35. THE APPARATUS OF CLAIM 27 WHEREIN THE SOLID
PARTICLES ENTERING THE TALL UPRIGHT CYLINDRICAL COLUMN ARE
COMMINUTED BY THE NEGATIVE PRESSURE CREATED BY THE SIPHON
ACTION.
36. THE APPARATUS OF CLAIM 27 WHEREIN ANY GASES WHICH
ARE DISSOLVED IN THE LIQUIDS ENTERING THE TALL COLUMN ARE
REMOVED FROM THE LIQUID BY THE SIPHON CREATED VACUUM.