Liquid separator for vacuum filter

Abstract

A float valve 80 , made of HDPE, is movably mounted in a stainless steel cage 60 in an in-line vacuum filter. The float valve has a chamber 85 formed in a skirt portion 84 thereof. Float valve 80 has a generally cylindrical shaped outer surface 82 encircling the skirt portion 84 and a generally cylindrical shaped inner surface 83 encircling the chamber 85 . A upper portion 86 extends across the upper end of valve 80 to form an inverted cup shaped body. The upper portion 86 extending across the upper end of said valve 80 has a threaded hole 87 formed therein to receive a threaded bolt 88 for forming a ballast to permit adjustment of the weight of said valve 80 so that it floats at a level that prevents it being drawn by venturi effect into the central air chamber 19 before a predetermined volume of liquid is collected in the cylindrical enclosure 11 through which air flows en route to the filter element 14 . The water line is about 1 inch above the bottom edge of the skirt portion 84 and about 1 inch below the sealing surface 95 to assure that the float valve will engage a seal 98 on said cap 13 adjacent the lower end of central air chamber 19 before liquid is drawn into air chamber 19 . The chamber 85 forms an air pocket in which air is trapped to lift the float valve 80 for positioning the sealing surface 95 a predetermined distance above the surface of water or other liquid in which it is floating.

1 . An in-line vacuum filter useable in a vacuum system including a filter cap having a central air chamber and arcuate slots formed in the lower surface of said cap, said arcuate slots being concentrically arranged around said central air chamber, said cap further having an inlet passage between said arcuate slots and an outlet passage communicating with said central air chamber; a cylindrical enclosure extending into one of the arcuate slots forming an outer annular filter chamber, the improvement comprising: 
 an inner liquid separator assembly secured to the cap, said liquid separator assembly extending into said outer annular filter chamber;    a cage in said liquid separator assembly having an upper end extending into one of said arcuate slots, said cage having an inner cylindrical filter chamber communicating with said annular outer filter chamber and with said central air chamber;    a float valve movably mounted in said inner filter chamber in said cage, said float valve having a generally cylindrical shaped outer surface encircling a skirt portion and a generally cylindrical shaped inner surface encircling an air chamber;    a upper portion extending across the upper end of said valve to form an inverted cup shaped body;    a top surface bounded by a downwardly inclined conical sealing surface, having an upper circular edge and a lower circular edge; and    a seal on said cap adjacent the lower end of said central air chamber, said inclined conical sealing surface on said float valve moving into sealing relation with said seal when liquid accumulates in said outer filter chamber, said float valve being configured to float in accumulating liquid and to prevent the float valve being lifted by air flow through said inner filter chamber in said cage toward said central air chamber.    
   
   
       2 . An in-line vacuum filter according to  claim 1 , said a upper portion extending across the upper end of said valve having a threaded hole formed therein; and 
 a threaded bolt forming a ballast to permit adjustment of the weight of said valve.    
   
   
       3 . An in-line vacuum filter according to  claim 1 , said outer wall of central air chamber has a groove formed in the lower end thereof in which an O'ring seal is mounted.  
   
   
       4 . An in-line vacuum filter according to  claim 1 , said seal on said cap adjacent the lower end of said central air chamber comprising: an O'ring seal in a groove formed in said central air chamber.  
   
   
       5 . An in-line vacuum filter according to  claim 1 , said cylindrical enclosure extending into one of the arcuate slots forming an outer annular filter chamber comprises: a transparent cylindrical tube with indicia thereon to provide visual indication of the amount of liquid that has accumulated in said outer annular filter chamber.  
   
   
       6 . An in-line vacuum filter according to  claim 1 , wherein said filter element means is two cylindrical concentric filter elements with the first element a fine mesh screen filter outer element; and the second element a structural support filter inner element having larger through air flow openings therein than the openings in said fine mesh screen filter outer element.  
   
   
       7 . A liquid separator assembly configured to be mounted in an annular filter chamber in a vacuum filter, comprising: 
 a cage in said liquid separator assembly having an upper end, said cage having an inner cylindrical filter chamber;    a float valve movably mounted in said inner filter chamber in said cage, said float valve having a generally cylindrical shaped outer surface encircling a skirt portion and a generally cylindrical shaped inner surface encircling an air chamber;    a upper portion extending across the upper end of said valve to form an inverted cup shaped body;    a top surface bounded by a downwardly inclined conical sealing surface, having an upper circular edge and a lower circular edge, said air chamber forming an air pocket in which air is trapped to lift the float valve for positioning the sealing surface a predetermined distance above the surface of water or other liquid in which it is floating.    
   
   
       8 . An in-line vacuum filter according to  claim 7 , said a upper portion extending across the upper end of said valve having a threaded hole formed therein; and 
 a threaded bolt forming a ballast to permit adjustment of the weight of said valve.    
   
   
       9 . An in-line vacuum filter according to  claim 8 , with the addition of means for adjusting the weight of said float valve such that it will float with the lower half submerged in liquid wherein said float valve is positioned such that the surface of liquid is about 1 inch above the bottom edge of the skirt portion and about 1 inch below the sealing surface.