Apparatus for automatically draining off liquid-containing solid particles

Claim 1

PUMPING APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY DRAINING OFF A LIQUID CONTAINING SOLID PARTICLES WHICH IS COLLECTED IN A SUMP OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING: A SIEVE BEND ADAPTED TO GBE MOUNTED ABOVE THE SUMP INCLUDING A SCREENING DECK HAVING AN UPPER SUPPLY END AND A LOWER DISCHARGE END, SAID SCREENING DECK INCLUDING SPACED APART PERFORATIONS PROVIDING A SEPARATION OF THE LIQUID CONTAINING SOLID PARTICLES INTO AN OVERFLOW FRACTION AND AN UNDERFLOW FRACTION; FEED TANK MEANS FOR COLLECTING THE UNDERFLOW FRACTION FROM SAID SCREENING DECK; PUMP MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID FEED TANK MEANS; A FIRST CLOSED RESERVOIR MOUNTED ABOVE THE SUPPLY END OF SAID SCREENING JDECK; MEANS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE UPPER REGION OF SAID RESERVOIR FOR INTERMITTENTLY PROVIDING A SUBATMOPHERIC PRESSURAE THEREIN; SAID RESERVOIR INCLUDING A SUCTION LINE ADAPTED FOR COMMUNICATION WITH THE SUMP, AND FURTHER INCLUDING A DISCHARGE MEANS AT ITS LOWER END POSITIONED TO DISCHARGE ONTO THE SUPPLY END OF SAID SCREENING DECK, SAID DISCHARGE MEANS INCLUDING A PIPE INCLINED DOWNWARDLY WITH RESPECT TO THE HORIZONTAL FOR DISCHARGING TANGENTIALLY ONTO SAID SCREENING DECK, SAID PIPE HAVING A GENERALLY FLAT DISCHARGE OUTLET SITUATED IN A PLANE DISPOSED AT MAXIMUM IN A VERTICAL PLANE WHILE BEING IN AN ACUTE CONVERGING ANGLE WITH RESPECT TOT HE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID PIPE; AND MEANS FOR CLOSING SAID DISCHARGE OUTLET RESPONISIVE TO SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE WITHIN SID RESERVOIR, SAID OUTLET CLOSING MEANS INCLUDING A FLEXIBLE COVER SUSPENDED ADJACENT SAID DISCHARGE OUTLET WHEREBY SAID COVER IS DRAWN AGAINST SAID DISCHARGE OUTLET BY SUBATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE WITHIN SAID RESERVOIR.