JPH0235084B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to drying devices, and in particular to the problem of removing liquid from areas of the ground where it has spread.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The need to quickly and efficiently remove liquids that cover large areas of the ground is well known. After heavy rain, golf course grass, cricket pitches and tennis courts are unplayable.
Equally common, and potentially very dangerous, is the prompt cleaning of large puddles of fuel oil or other chemical fluids spilled onto highways from transport tank cars, which is generally impossible. It is.

The easiest way to clean up such liquids is to use a large number of personnel to sweep them from the ground where they are flowing. This method is generally time consuming and necessarily expensive.

Another method sometimes used is to use the downdrafts generated by the rotors of one or more hovering helicopters to disperse the water as a mist, in an attempt to vaporize large standing water. There is. This method is expensive compared to its effectiveness,
There are doubts about its effectiveness.

Devices have been developed that attempt to solve this problem. One such device is known as MOTOMOP. This device is a UK TA1 4EA
It is currently manufactured and sold by MOtomop, Kretsetund 2, Taunton, Somerset. This device is a driven machine that moves on ground wheels and propels a large rotating sponge. The sponge is adapted to cover a flooded area of a grassed sports field. The water collected by the sponge is temporarily stored in the device's tank and then piped out of the device.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, the above-described device has a disadvantage in that the sponge wears out and must be replaced periodically. Another disadvantage is that when the weight of the device is added to the weight of collected and stored water,
The wheels of the equipment sink into the waterlogged grass field, thereby damaging the ground. Yet another drawback is that although this machine has been developed specifically for cleaning water from grassed sports fields, it is unclear whether it can be applied to other surfaces as required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A machine according to the invention for removing liquid from areas of ground where it has spread comprises: (b) a tray that is substantially flat and has an opening in the center; and (c) a tray that is installed inside the hood to form the bottom part of the water remover when in use. (d) a device mounted centrally and within the hood for drawing air through the annular gap; (e) a motor-driven fan that blows descending air across the interior of the water remover and toward the central opening of the tray; (e) a motor-driven fan formed around the periphery of the central opening and rising toward the fan to remove water through the opening (f) A wall formed around the periphery of the tray that directs air rising from the tray and entering the annular gap into the hood. (g) a chamber formed between the tray walls to receive the liquid drawn into the annular gap with the air and carried over the peripheral walls of the tray; and (h) a device maintaining a passageway for the flow of the drawn air over the peripheral tray wall, across the interior of the dehydrator, and into the fan.

This water remover does not have direct contact between the sponge or other liquid collection means and the ground. Instead, the liquid is forced toward the annular gap by the fan-blown air and drawn into the gap by the air that enters the drainer and circulates across the drainer toward the fan. Water removal machines operate very efficiently and without much trouble.

In the preferred embodiment described herein, the descending airflow generated by the fan is such that the air blown through the tray opening and across the underside of the dewatering machine is controlled when the dehydrator is in use. , which constitutes the main means or sole means for supporting the lower side of the water remover above the ground. In other words, the water remover functions as a hovercraft. Such water removers do not run on wheels on the ground, and the same fan and power unit can be used to form both the air suction that supports the water remover and the air suction that lifts the liquid.

Preferably, liquid carried over the peripheral walls of the tray travels straight across the interior of the dehydrator and is actively prevented from reaching the rotating fan. This will prevent the fan blade from getting wet or rusty. If only a small amount of liquid is circulated by the fan, the effectiveness will be less than optimal, but the water removal capacity of the water remover will still be maximized.

Such dehydrators, which prevent liquid from reaching the fan, can also be constructed from baffles. The baffle forcefully deflects the liquid into the liquid receiving chamber as it leaves the top of the surrounding tray wall.
While incorporating suitable baffles, a path for suction air can be left from the top of the peripheral tray wall across the interior of the dehydrator to the fan.

(Embodiments) Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

This water remover is basically circular in plan view.
When viewed from the side as shown in FIG. 1, it has a substantially convexly recessed hood indicated by 11. A flat tray 12 is provided inside the hood. The hood 11 forms the top and sides of the water remover, while the flat tray 12 forms the underside of the water remover.

The annular gap 13 extends around the entire circumference of the water remover,
It is intentionally provided between the periphery of the hood 11 and the periphery of the tray 12.

A fan 14 is mounted centrally and inside the hood 11. A motor 15 is attached to the outside of the hood and drives the fan 14. The tray 12 has a central circular opening 16 directly below the fan.
is formed. A cylindrical wall 17 is also formed around the opening 16 and rises up to the fan to form a duct for the downdraft that occurs when the fan is in use.

Another cylindrical wall 18 rises from the periphery of the tray towards the underside of the hood 11, but does not reach the underside of the hood. The walls 17, 18 together with the tray 12 form an annular chamber inside the water remover.

As the fan 14 rotates, it directs downdraft air in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. The gap 13 is effectively channeled over the tray wall 18 and across the underside of the hood 11 to the fan 14, so that the fan 14 draws air into the annular gap and absorbs an equal volume of air. is effectively circulated through the water remover.

A unique feature of this water remover is that the downdraft generated by the fan has sufficient force to lift the water remover off the ground. Therefore, when the water remover moves over a layer of liquid spread on the ground, the downdraft blows the liquid towards the annular gap 13,
The liquid is then blown into the water remover. Most or all of the liquid is removed from portion 1 as the air moves across the underside of hood 11 and into fan 14.
It naturally accumulates in the chamber formed by 2, 17 and 18.

Moreover, air is sucked into the annular gap 13 not only from the fan but also from the area around the water remover immediately outside. In this way, the same motor-driven fan
An air cushion on which a water remover moves,
It creates both a suction air flow that pulls the liquid spread on the ground into the dehydrator.

As shown in FIG. 2, the motor 15 is connected to the lever 19
controlled by. This lever is connected to the motor's carburetor by a conventional cable arrangement. The motor in this particular example is an 8 horsepower (Briggs & Stratton) air-cooled 4-stroke 320 c.c. single cylinder gasoline engine. This engine is
Although the fan 14 is driven through suitable bearings and couplings, no reduction gears are used in the driving process. The handle 21 swings about a horizontal axis 22 to easily direct the dehydrator to the desired arc or linear travel. Handle 21
is hinged around another horizontal axis so as to be foldable onto the handle itself, to minimize its size for loading or transport without the use of a dehydrator.

As shown in FIG. 3, the upper surface of the hood 11 is divided into seven sectors. Each of these sectors can be removed to gain access to the interior of the water remover. In FIG. 3, two sectors have been removed. The use of seven sectors is due to the commercially practical size of the dehydrator; the resulting fan panel is neither too large to remove nor too small to shape the curvature of the dehydrator hood. .

A partition wall 24 radiates out from the center of the hood. Arched passages 25 are cut out of these partitions, and the chambers formed between the tray 12 and the tray walls 17 and 18 are continuous around the inside of the water extractor. As shown, the top panel of the hood 11 is elevated approximately 15 degrees from horizontal when the water remover is in its normal position. The panels are designed to achieve the desired effect, such that air moving away from the top of the tray wall 18 causes a pressure drop and thus loses its "support" on the liquid it was carrying into the dehumidifier. It is raised at an angle of 10 to 25 degrees relative to the horizontal plane.

A baffle plate 26 spans the continuous bulkhead 24 around the water remover. The liquid flows through the surrounding tray wall 18.
The liquid impinges on the baffle plate and is forcibly deflected into the liquid storage chamber. However, as shown in Figure 4, a passageway is provided for air to cross the bottom of the water remover and return to the fan.

FIG. 5 shows in detail one of the blades of the fan 14, and this unique fan is a seven-blade fan with variable angle of attack for each blade. Preferably, in the water remover shown, the angle of attack is approximately 35 degrees relative to the horizontal plane. This angle can also be varied between 35 degrees and 40 degrees depending on the detailed conditions in which a given dehydrator is used. The standard water remover shown uses an agricultural grain dryer fan.

The particular water remover shown has a diameter of approximately 4 feet (122 centimeters), measured at the outer edge of the annular gap 13. Gap 13 itself is approximately 0.75
It has a width of 1.9 inches (1.9 cm) and is constant around the water remover. The distance between tray walls 18 and 17 is approximately 8.25 inches (21 centimeters)
The fan 14 has a diameter of 19 inches (48 centimeters).

The tip of the fan blade is approximately 5.5 inches (14 centimeters) above the floor of the liquid containing chamber formed by tray 12. The perimeter of the upper area of hood 11 is approximately 9 inches (23 centimeters) above tray 12, while the central hood top with motor 15 is approximately 12 inches (30 centimeters) above the floor of tray 12. ) located above.

A cap is attached to the drain port 27, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. When you remove the cap, all the water actually leaves the water remover's internal chamber.

Alternatively, the water can also be pumped out via a suitable hose. Water can also be constantly pumped out as the machine moves over flooded areas. Alternatively, if the liquid storage chamber of the water remover is very large, it can also be pumped out at intervals.

In FIG. 6, the exhaust gas from the air-cooled gasoline engine 15 is sent directly below the fan 14 in the water remover before being discharged to the atmosphere. The exhaust gases become hot in use, and the downdraft from the fan 14 is heated and serves to vaporize the fluid below the water extractor. This increases the efficiency of the water remover.

Also shown in FIG. 6 is an iris or camera shutter type vent 28 provided in one of the upper panels of the hood 11 and connected by a cable mechanism to a lever (not shown) on the handle 21. The vent normally remains closed. The vent can be opened whenever it is desired to move the dehydrator across an area that does not require suction into the annular gap. For example, a water remover may cross a gravel walkway that divides a flooded lawn. Under these circumstances, the dehydrator must remain afloat, but must not suck gravel into the liquid containment chamber. In such a case, the vent 28 is opened and then closed again when the dehydrator is used in liquid suction mode.

Since the fan 14 takes in air from the annular gap 13 even in modes other than the above-mentioned drainage mode, air is hardly "dissipated" horizontally around the water remover. This has two advantages. First, the liquid covered by the moving water remover is not sprayed onto the water remover operator or nearby spectators. Second, by using a flexible skirt, there is no need to provide an air cushion on which the water remover floats. Such skirts are notoriously expensive and fragile when used in the most common hovercraft configurations.

In FIG. 7, the primary means of supporting the dehydrator is a pair of flotation wheels of the untreaded, low pressure balloon type. The water remover operates in the manner described above, but it does not float. The wheels can be made removable, so that the operator can use the water remover in floating or non-floating mode to suit the individual situation.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the basic principle of operation of one water remover embodying the present invention. Figure 2 shows
The water remover is shown from an angle. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the water remover with a part of the upper part removed. FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of a portion of the water remover shown in FIG. 3. Figures 5A, 5B and 5C
The figure shows the fan blades used in the water remover. FIG. 6 schematically shows an example of a modified water remover.
FIG. 7 is also a diagram of a schematic modification example. 11: Hood; 12: Tray; 13: Annular gap; 14: Fan; 15: Motor; 16: Central annular opening; 17, 18: Cylindrical wall; 19: Lever; 2
1: Handle; 22, 23: Horizontal axis; 24: Bulkhead; 25: Arch passage; 26: Deflector; 27:
Drain port; 28: Vent hole.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A water remover for removing liquid from an area of ground where the liquid has spread, the water remover being essentially holeless and generally bowl-shaped;
A hood 11 that forms the upper and side parts of the water remover when in use; a tray 12 having an opening 16 in the center; and a tray 12 that is attached inside the hood 11 so that the periphery of the tray 12 and the hood 11 are connected to each other.
A device 2 that forms an annular gap 13 between the peripheral portion of the
4, a motor-driven fan 14 attached to the center and inside of the hood 11, which sucks air from the annular space 13 and sends a downward airflow toward the center opening 16 of the tray; and the central opening 16. A wall 17 is formed around the periphery of the fan 14 and rises toward the fan 14.
, another wall 18 formed around the periphery of the tray and rising from the tray, and a wall 18 formed between the two walls, which is drawn into the annular space 13 with air to form the tray. a chamber for receiving the liquid carried over the other wall 18 at the periphery of the tray; and the another wall 1 formed at the periphery of the tray.
8. A water remover characterized by having a device 26 for flowing the air sucked in over the water filter 8 downward.