Center flow perforated plate filter

Abstract

A waste water filter has a perforated conveyor made up of a plurality of segments. Each of the segments has a shelf portion to lift trapped filtered material. Drive chains on opposite sides of the conveyor rotate the conveyor in an oblong loop. End plates on the ends of each segment have leading and trailing edges that extend at an acute angle relative to one another. Each of the end plates is rigidly mounted to a link of one of the chains. A socket mounted on a first edge of each of the segments engages a rod mounted on a second edge of an adjacent segment. Seal plates are located between the chains and the end plates. Each of the seal plates is rigidly mounted to one of the end plates and has an overlapping portion that extends alongside in sliding contact with an adjacent one of the end plates.

1 . In a filter having a perforated conveyor for placement in a fluid flow to trap filtered material, a drive assembly for rotating the conveyor, the conveyor having a plurality of segments pivotally linked together, each of the segments having a shelf portion to lift trapped filtered material, the improvement comprising: 
 a socket mounted on a first edge of each of the segments; and    a rod rigidly mounted to a second edge of each of the segments, the rod of each of the segments being rotatably located within the socket of an adjacent one of the segments to pivotally link the segments together.    
   
   
       2 . The filter according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the sockets extends continuously a full width of each of the segments.  
   
   
       3 . The filter according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 each of the sockets has a cylindrical interior with a slot extending the full width of each of the segments; and    each of the rods extends the full width of each of the segments, and the second edge of each of the segments extends through the slot of an adjacent one of the segments.    
   
   
       4 . The filter according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the drive assembly comprises a pair of chains, the chains being located on opposite sides of the conveyor; wherein end plates are secured to opposite sides of each of the segments; and    a fastener extends between each of the end plates of the segments and a link of one of the chains to secure the segments to the chains.    
   
   
       5 . The filter according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the drive assembly comprises a pair of chains, the chains being located on opposite sides of the conveyor and secured to the segments by fasteners; and    the rods have ends that are separated from the chains by a clearance so that lifting forces on each the segments pass from the end plates to the chains and not through the rods and sockets.    
   
   
       6 . The filter according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 end plates secured to opposite ends of each of the segments, each of the end plates having first and second edges extending at an acute angle relative to each other; and    a plurality of seal plates, each of the seal plates having a second portion pivotally mounted to one of the end plates and a first portion extending past the first edge of the end plate to which it is mounted and alongside in flush sliding contact with an adjacent one of the end plates.    
   
   
       7 . The filter according to  claim 6 , wherein the first edge of each of the end plates and the second edge of an adjacent one of the end plates are at an acute angle relative to one another while on linear portions of the conveyor, and substantially flush with one another while turning at ends of the conveyor.  
   
   
       8 . In a center flow filter having a perforated conveyor for placement in a fluid flow to trap filtered material, a pair of chains on opposite sides of the conveyor for rotating the conveyor in a loop defining a linear upward moving run, an upper curved portion around an upper axis, a linear downward moving run, and a lower curved portion around a lower axis, the conveyor having a plurality of segments pivotally linked together, each of the segments having a shelf portion to lift trapped filtered material, the improvement comprising: 
 a plurality of end plates, the end plates being rigidly mounted on opposite ends of each of the segments, each of the end plates having leading and trailing edges, the leading edge of one of the end plates and the trailing edge of an adjacent one of the end plates having gaps between them while on the upward and downward moving runs that decrease while on the upper and lower curved portions of the conveyor; and    a plurality of seal plates located between the chains and the end plates, each of the seal plates having a first portion rigidly mounted to one of the end plates and a second portion that slidingly overlaps and is pivotal to an adjacent one of the end plates to overlay the gaps between adjacent ones of the end plates.    
   
   
       9 . The filter according to  claim 8 , wherein each of the chains has a plurality of links, and wherein each of the end plates and each of the seal plates are rigidly attached to one of the links.  
   
   
       10 . The filter according to  claim 8 , wherein the leading and trailing edges of each of the end plates extend at an acute angle relative to one another, creating a V-shaped gap between adjacent ones of the end plates while on the upward and downward moving runs and being substantially parallel while on the upper and lower curved portions of the conveyor.  
   
   
       11 . The filter according to  claim 8 , wherein: 
 each of the seal plates has a convex edge and a concave edge; and    the convex edge of each of the seal plates is in flush sliding engagement with the concave edge of an adjacent one of the seal plates while on the upward and downward moving runs.    
   
   
       12 . The filter according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a frame that supports the conveyor; and    wherein the seal plates slidingly engage a portion of the frame to block filtered material from contact with the chain.    
   
   
       13 . The filter according to  claim 8 , further comprising: 
 a socket welded to a first edge of each of the segments, the socket having a cylindrical interior and an elongated slot; and    a cylindrical rod welded to a second edge of each of the segments, the rod of each of the segments being rotatably located within the socket of an adjacent one of the segments, the second edge extending through the slot.    
   
   
       14 . A filter, comprising: 
 a frame having an inlet on one side and a closed opposite side;    a perforated conveyor having a plurality of segments pivotally linked together, each of the segments having a shelf portion to lift trapped filtered material;    a pair of chains on opposite sides of the conveyor for rotating the conveyor in a loop defining a linear upward moving run, an upper arcuate portion, a linear downward moving run, and a lower arcuate portion, the conveyor being oriented so that fluid flowing through the inlet of the frame passes first between the upward and downward moving runs, then outward through the upward and downward moving runs;    a plurality of end plates, the end plates being rigidly mounted on opposite ends of each of the segments, the end plate of adjacent ones of the segments having gaps between them while on the upward and downward moving runs, the gaps decreasing while on the upper and lower arcuate portions;    a socket mounted on a first edge of each of the segments, each of the sockets having a cylindrical interior and extending a full width of each of the segments, each of the sockets having a slot extending the full width of each of the segments;    a rod rigidly mounted to a second edge of each of the segments and extending a full width of each of the segments, the rod of each of the segments being rotatably located within the socket of an adjacent one of the segments and the second edge extending through the slot; and    a plurality of seal plates located between the chains and the end plates, each of the seal plates being rigidly mounted to one of the end plates and having an overlapping portion that extends alongside in sliding contact with an adjacent one of the end plates, each of the seal plates fully eclipsing one of the gaps between the end plates both while in the upward and downward moving runs and while in the upper and lower arcuate portions.    
   
   
       15 . The filter according to  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the frame has spaced-apart wall portions on each side that define a recess through which each of the chains extend; and    the seal plates slidingly engage the wall portions to reduce fluid flowing into contact with the chains.    
   
   
       16 . The filter according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the seal plates has a leading edge, a trailing edge, an outer edge and an inner edge, and wherein the outer edge has a portion located in the overlapping portion.  
   
   
       17 . The filter according to  claim 14 , wherein: 
 each of the end plates is secured to a link of one of the chains by a pair of fasteners; and    the overlapping portion of each of the seal plates pivots relative to the end plate being overlapped while passing through the arcuate portions of the conveyor and has a cutout to accommodate the pivotal movement relative to one of the fasteners of the end plate being overlapped.    
   
   
       18 . The filter according to  claim 14 , wherein: 
 each of the end plates has leading and trailing edges that extend at an acute angle relative to one another, the leading edge of each of the segments being at an acute angle relative to the trailing edge of an adjacent one of the segments while on the upward and downward moving runs, creating a V-shaped gap, and being substantially parallel while on the arcuate portions.    
   
   
       19 . The filter according to  claim 14 , wherein: 
 the rods have ends that are separated from the chains by a clearance so that lifting forces on each the segments pass from the end plates to the chains and not through the rods and sockets.