US2215181A - Liquid distributor - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 17, 1940. J. H. KNowLl-:s ET AL LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR Filed OC'L. 2, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l 1 sans INVENTORQS k/o/f/v H. Kwan/55,

SGPL 17, 1940- J. H. KNowLEs ET Al. 2,215,181

LIQU'D DISTRIBUTOR .535,3 j; (1ML l le l ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. l 7,v 1 940 ,PAfrsN'rA 01u-lcs i LIQUID DISTRIBUTOR John Knowles, Larchmont, and Harold B. Coul-A ter, Mamaroneck, N. Y., assignors to The Don- Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 2, 1937, Serial No. 167,002

4 Qlaims. (Cl. 299-69) This invention relates' to distributors or disseminating devices for spraying liquids such as sewage, onto filter beds or the like. More particularly it relates to the rotary type 5 of distributor having radial distributing or spray arms and, in the preferred embodiment, contemplates improvements in the rotary hydraulically operated type of machine wherein rotation of the spray arms'is produced by the hydraulic l reaction of sprays of liquid emited from orifices arranged laterally in the radial arms or spray pipes which are vcarried by suitable rotative supporting structure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved rotative liquid distributor of sturdy and compact `construction having a minimum of constructional elements and requiring relatively small vertical space for its proper positioning and functioning with regard to the ltel bed.

Another object is to provide, in liquid distributing devices, a center assembly or rotativesupporting structure for the spray arms that may be mounted in a rigid and substantial manner and which will rotate with a minimum amount of friction, thus increasing the effect of the hydraulic reaction of the sprays when the device is in operation. v y

A further object is to provide a liquid distributing device so constructed as to permit a higher rate or volume of liquid feed to the device than has been possible' with prior constructions.

With these and other objects in, view, the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor de- 40 tails of construction, within the scope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section and with certain parts broken away, of a liquid distributing device embodying featuresj of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation showing in detail the ycenter assembly or rotative supporting structure of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Centrally disposed of the lter bed I and up- 5 standing therein is a stationary supporting 'foundation 2 of concrete or other suitable material having a central conduit or passageway 3 for conducting therethrough liquid which is supplied through the inlet pipe or conduit 4. The foundation z supports a stationary bearing member 5 which in turn accommodates a rotatable supporting structure generally indicated by the numeral 6. The supporting structure 6 includes a hollow body portion 'I, an upstanding tubular section 8 and radially extending sockets 9 which carry and support the radial spray arms or pipes III, the same being firmly secured in the sockets by suitable packing I0a. These spray pipes may be of any desired length, size and configuration, but are herein shown to be substantially eliptical in cross-section and tapering from their inner to their outer ends. The spray pipes are further supported by means of the upstanding tubular section 8 and connecting guying structure II in a manner Well-known in the art. 'I'he arms Il)` are provided substantially throughout their length with a plurality of aligned openings for the discharge of liquid onto the filter bed I which liquid is caused to assume a fanlike spray upon emission from the various openings by means of deector elements I 2 extending substantially throughout the length of the spray arms, the ends of the arms being closed in any suitable manner. The peculiar shape and arrangement of the spray arms I 0, the arrangement of the discharge ports and the deilector elements I2 form no part of the present invention, these features Abeing covered in the pending application of Nels B.- Lund, Serial No. 200,940, filed April 8, 1938.

The features of the present invention will be seen in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. 'I'he concrete base supports the stationary bearing element 5 through the medium of the embedded bolts I3, nuts I4 and I5, and grouting I6. In erecting the apparatus, the bearing member 5 is positioned on the bolts I3 which are embedded in the concrete base and rests upon the nuts I5. The nuts I4 and I5 may be adjusted to position the bearing member 5 at the desired elevation and in the desired plane. Thereafter thegrouting I6 is applied and when set, there is afforded a rm, stationary and rigid base for support of the rotatable center assembly 6.

The stationary bearing member 5 preferably is in the form of an annular casting and is provided atits upp'er face with an annular upstanding flange I1 which, in cross-section, is in the I structure 6 is provided with a bottom or under cant as indicated at 22.

surface 20 constituting a rotatable bearing surface or member and which is adapted to be supported upon the stationary bearing member 5 for rotation thereon. There is therefore provided a downwardly depending annular flange 2| which is oiset from the stepped portion I8 of the member 5 in order to form a bearing retaining pocket or raceway as clearly seen inFig. 3 of the drawings. It will be seen that the under surface 20 of the rotatable supporting member 6 rests upon the ball bearingsi9 Yso that it may rotate freely thereon. The space between .the inverted L-shaped flange I1 and the stepped portion I8 affords a chamber for retaining a lubri- Oil or grease may be deposited in the receptacle 23, which is provided with a removable cap, and is then free to flow through the connecting pipe 24 into the lubricant chamber 22- from which it may be drained as` occasion requires through the drain pipe 25 normally closed by a removable cap 26. t In order' to maintain the lubricant within the chamber 22 and in intimate contact with the bearing elements I9, there are provided the annular brous sealing strips 21 and 28y which are embedded in upstanding portions of the stationary' bearing member 5 and normally engage with the under surface 20 ofthe rotatable supporting structure so as to effectively prevent escape of the lubricant.

It will be noticed that the balls I9 are shown to be alternately. and successively-of large and small diameter.

are spaced from one another by spacing balls I9b, all of a diameter less than that of the balls I 9a'. 'Ihis arrangement affords a composite ball bearing structureV which will operate easily and with a minimum of friction. It will `be understood, however, that this construction is merely that preferred and the balls may be all of substantially uniform size or any other suitable form of bearing' surface may be substituted for that shown herein.

At several points around its periphery, herein shown to be four equally spaced points, to the' upper outer edge of the rotatable bearing member 20 there are attached by means of bolts 29 the channel sections or U-shaped members 30. As will be seeny one iiange-of the channel sections 30 is rigidly attached to the portion 2U of the.` rotatable supporting structure and the other ange 6i.' the channel sections extends under and substantially interlocks with the inverted L- shaped ange I1. By this interlocking arrangement it will be seen that any substantialinclination of the supporting structure Ii to tilt in any direction from the vertical .will be opposed ,by the interengagement of these elements so that vany tilting of the rotatable supporting structure acusanK A l is effectually prevented. Sufflcient clearance is.

In other words, the balls i90., which furnish the actual bearing surface, are of a suitable substantially uniform diameter and provided between the channels 30 and the flange I1 sov that there will be no frictional engagement of the two under normal operating conditions, but the relationship of these elements is close enough so that the rotatablestructure 6 can deviate very little at all from a vertical position.

Depending 'from the inner annulus of stationary bearing member 5, either integral therewith or attached thereto in' suitable manner. is a double-walled cylinder 3I supplying the dual functions of an inlet for liquid being supplied to the spray arms and a chamber for retaining a sealing liquid. The outer and inner walls 32 and 33 respectively of this cylindrical member areA closed at thebottomvas at 34 and spaced. from one another to provide the annular chamber 35 for retaining a sealing liquid as will be further described. As illustrated by the arrows in Fig. 3, the liquid to be vtreated flows through the inlet pipe 4 into the passageway 3 and thence upwardly through the double-walled cylindrical conduit 3| into the hollow body portion 1 of the rotatable supporting structure and then passes out yinto the radial spray pipes I0 to be distributed over the surface of the lter bed by means of suitable ports and the deflectors I2.

The bottom portion 20 of the rotatable supporting structure carries a downwardly' depending ,circular sleeve 360i appropriate diameter to be received within the chamber 35 and spaced approximately equally distant from the walls 32 and 33. Mercury or other suitable sealing liquid is supplied to the chamber 35 through the receptacle 31 which is provided with a removablecap and the connecting pipe 38. It will be seen that the sealing liquid will -ilow through 38 to the interior of the hollow body member 1 and down into the chamber 35, a suflicient supply being maintained within this chamber. to effectively maintain a seal and prevent escape from the apparatus of thev liquid being treated. Means are provided by a pipe 39 and cap l0 for draining from the chamber 35 the mercury or other sealing liquid therein whenever such action is desired. f y

vThe features oi' the present invention are of particular advantage in the construction and operation of liquid distributors of relatively large size and volume. Manifestly ina machine of this type having quite lengthy spray arms, there vis tendency for the rotatable structure to tilt or wobble from the horizontal, particularly should the flow to the distributor be not even and smooth. 'Ihe present invention obviates these 'difliculties by providing the large diameter bearing members 5 and 20 which support the rotatincluding the sturdy concrete foundation 2 permit the use of inuent or feed conduits of large cross-sectional area, ,thereby allowing muchv greater volumes of liquid'to be supplied to the distributor' and at higher rates of ilowthan heretofor'e possible.

Despite the fact that distributors of the present invention may be constructed on a larger scale than has lheretofore beenpossible, the arrangement of the bearing construction including .fthe

ball bearings I9 operating in a bath of:lubricant at all times provides a rotatable structure that will operate quite easily and with a. minimum of friction. 'Ihis feature is of importance in that the apparatus of necessityis frequently required to operate with only a very small head on the liquid being supplied to it or by a minimum amount of pumping force applied to the liquid being treated. Since the machine is rotated purely by the force or reaction of liquid emitted from the orifices provided throughoutv the length of the spray arms l0, it is manifest that in order to operate efficiently, the machine, particularly if of large and heavy construction, must be Well balanced and able to rotate freely and with a minimum of friction to be overcome by the force of the liquid spray. The present invention presents just these advantages among others, and a maximum result of the spray force is realized even though the liquid is supplied under a very low head or pump pressure.

What is claimed is:

1. In a liquid distributor for filter beds and the like, a stationary foundation, a stationary beary ing member carried by said foundation, a rotatable supporting structure cooperating with said stationary bearing member and adapted to rotate thereupon, liquid spray arms carried by saidsupporting structure, said stationary bearing member having an upstanding annular flange substantially inverted' L-shaped in cross-section, and a channel section attached to a part of said rotatable supporting structure and interlocking with said annular flange to prevent substantial tilting of said supporting structure.

2. In a liquid distributor for filter beds and the like and adapted for mounting in fluid-tight engagement with a foundation constructed to provide in effect an up-flow feed conduit for the distributor, said liquid distributor having a rotary member provided With radially extending reaction-driven distributor arms', and further having annular bearing means for operatively supporting said rotary member upon said foundation, there being provided an annular stationary base member for said bearing means, which base member in turn is adapted for mounting `upon said foundation, a sealing arrangement effective between the rotary and the stationary member and comprising an annular portion extending from the inner margin ofl said annular base member to form an inwardly disposed annular sealing cup adapted to receive a sealing liquid heavier than water, and a cylindrical sealing porltion constituting part of and extending down- JOHN H. KNOWLES. HAROLD B. COULTER.

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