Water softener abstract
A material transport system for conveying water softener salt to
a water softener brine tank located within a structure is disclosed.
The material transport system includes a loading hopper having a
removable lid that is secured to or adjacent a wall of the structure.
Salt is fed into the upper end of the loading hopper and travels
through the hopper to the lower end of the hopper where a downwardly
sloping gravity feed sleeve is connected to the loading hopper.
The feed sleeve is formed of a non-corrosive material and extends
from the loading hopper through floors and walls of the structure
to a lower level of the structure. At its lower end, the feed sleeve
is connected to a storage hopper suspended in the lower level of
the structure by a hanging framework attached to the underside of
a floor of the structure located directly above the storage hopper.
The feed sleeve is attached adjacent the upper end of the storage
hopper, allowing the salt to migrate through the storage hopper
to a dispensing spout connect to the lower end of the storage hopper.
The dispensing spout is, in turn, connected to a feed mechanism
located beneath the storage hopper. The feed mechanism includes
a connecting sleeve forming the exterior of the mechanism and containing
a feed system used to selectively dispense the salt from the feed
mechanism through a tank sleeve connected between the feed mechanism
and the water softener brine tank.
Water softener claims
I claim:
1. An apparatus for conveying water softener salt to a water softener
storage tank located in the interior of a structure comprising:
a loading hopper located adjacent a wall of the structure and having
open top and bottom ends;
a removable lid secured over the top end of the loading hopper;
a storage hopper having a top and a bottom end that is located
in the interior of the structure below the level of the loading
hopper and is secured to the structure;
a downwardly sloping gravity feed sleeve having a pair of spaced
ends, the feed sleeve being connected at one end to the bottom end
of the loading hopper, extending through an exterior wall of the
structure into the interior of the structure, and being connected
at its other end adjacent the upper end of the storage hopper; and
a feed mechanism including:
a downwardly sloping connecting sleeve having a pair of spaced
ends, a feed system disposed within the connecting sleeve including
an actuation device attached to the system that extends to the outside
of the connecting sleeve, wherein the connecting sleeve is attached
to the bottom end of the storage hopper adjacent the upper end of
the connecting sleeve and at the end of the connecting sleeve opposite
the storage hopper to the storage tank.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the actuation device of the
feed mechanism is a manual actuation device.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the feed mechanism comprises
an auger disposed within the connecting sleeve.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the manual actuation device
is a crank handle extending through the upper end of the connecting
sleeve.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the lid is removably secured
to the top end of the loading hopper by a set of hinges.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the loading hopper is connected
directly to a wall of the structure.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the loading hopper has a generally
frustoconical shape.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the storage hopper is formed
from a non-corrosive material.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the feed sleeve is comprised
of a rigid material.
10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the storage hopper further
comprises a lid secured over the top end of the storage hopper.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the storage hopper is secured
to the underside of a floor of the structure by a hanging framework
comprising a set of suspension rods secured to the storage hopper
and the adjacent floor of the structure by a plurality of bolts
threadably mounted to the ends of the suspension rods.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the storage hopper further
comprises a cylindrical upper portion and a frustoconical lower
portion.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein a dispensing spout connects
the storage hopper with the feed sleeve.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the feed sleeve, the connecting
sleeve, the dispensing spout, and the tank sleeve are all formed
of a non-corrosive material.
15. An apparatus for mechanically conveying water softener salt
to a water softener brine tank in the interior of a structure comprising:
a loading hopper located adjacent a wall of the structure and having
open top and bottom ends;
a removable lid secured over the top end of the loading hopper;
a feed mechanism including a downwardly sloping connecting sleeve
having two spaced ends, a feed system disposed within the connecting
sleeve and having an actuation device attached to the system that
extends through a closed end of the connecting sleeve;
a downwardly sloping feed sleeve having a pair of spaced ends,
connected at one end to the bottom end of the loading hopper, extending
through the structure wall and the interior of the structures, and
connected at its other end to the feed mechanism;
wherein the connecting sleeve is secured to the downwardly sloping
feed sleeve adjacent the actuation device and is connected opposite
the actuation device at an open end to a tank sleeve attached between
the feed mechanism and the water softener brine tank.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the actuation device of the
feed system is a manual actuation device.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the feed system comprises
an auger disposed within the connecting sleeve.
18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the manual actuation device
is a crank handle extending through the upper end of the connecting
sleeve.
19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the lid is secured to the
top end of the loading hopper by a set of hinges.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the loading hopper is connected
directly to an exterior wall of the structure.
21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the loading hopper has a
generally frustoconical shape.
22. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the feed sleeve is comprised
of a rigid material.
23. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the feed sleeve, the connecting
sleeve, and the tank sleeve are all formed of a non-corrosive material.
24. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the connecting sleeve is
secured to the structure and supported by a pair of legs extending
from and attached to both sides of the connecting sleeve.
25. An apparatus for mechanically conveying water softener salt
to a water softener brine tank in the interior of a house, comprising:
a loading hopper located adjacent a wall of the house and having
open top and bottom ends;
a removable lid secured over the top end of the loading hopper;
and
a downwardly sloping gravity feed sleeve having a pair of spaced
ends, connected at one end to the bottom end of the loading hopper,
extending through an exterior wall of the house and connected to
the water softener brine tank at the opposite end.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the loading hopper and feed
sleeve are formed from a non-corrosive material.
27. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the lid is secured over the
top of the loading hopper by a set of hinges.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein the loading hopper secured
directly to the outside of the house.
29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the loading hopper has a
generally frustoconical shape.
30. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the feed sleeve is formed
from a rigid material.
31. The apparatus as set forth in claim 25 wherein said loading
hopper is demountably attached to the house and to said one end
of the feed sleeve.
32. The apparatus as set forth in claim 31 including closure means
for closing said one end of the feed sleeve when the loading hopper
is detached.
33. The apparatus as set forth in claim 32 wherein said closure
means comprises a hinged cover.
Water softener description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to devices used to convey materials
in pellet, granulated, or other small particle form from a loading
apparatus located on or near a wall of a building-like structure
to a device positioned within the interior of the structure where
the material is utilized for a specific purpose. More specifically,
the present invention is directed to a material transport system
for conveying a water softener salt, such as common salt, from a
loading hopper located adjacent a wall of a house to a water softener
brine tank located in the basement of the house.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The prior art hopper devices used to supply material to an apparatus
for use in the apparatus generally concerned themselves with solving
the problem of dispensing the material from a loaded hopper into
the apparatus. These devices solved this problem in various ways.
The device of the Mihara et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3244561 connected
a hopper directly to an opening in the top surface of a tank via
a valve located at the bottom end of the hopper to selectively dispense
the material held within the hopper into the tank. The device of
Porter U.S. Pat. No. 2973319 discloses an inlet pipe, including
a shut-off valve, leading from a hopper to the upper portion of
a tank in which the material is deposited. As with the Mihara '561
device, this valve allows for selective dispensing of that material
from the hopper into the apparatus where the material is used. Geraghty
et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5151000 discloses a reciprocating feed plate,
located underneath the bottom opening of a hopper, that is used
to urge the feed material from the hopper into an adjacent device
for use.
While these devices are useful in dispensing material from large
hoppers, they are impractical for smaller scale applications, such
as dispensing salt into a water softener brine tank. Furthermore,
none of these prior art patents discloses any apparatus or means
that may be used to place the material into the hopper. In large-scale
applications, material can be loaded into a hopper by a piece of
heavy machinery, such as a crane or the like. However, when a hopper
is utilized as part of a much smaller application, such as to supply
water softener salt to a household water softener system, the problem
of loading the material into the hopper becomes more difficult to
solve. For example, in most instances, a brine tank of a water softener
system can be loaded only by an individual, or individuals, carrying
containers of the material, typically 40-80 lb. bags of salt, to
the water softener system in the basement of a house and manually
dumping the salt into the tank. As containers of the salt can weigh
significant amounts, this method may be beyond the capacity of a
large segment of the population due to the weight of the salt bags
and the height of the tanks, who then must find another way to load
the salt. Furthermore, if a storage hopper is used with the system,
so that the brine tank does not need to be continuously loaded by
hand as the salt level recedes, the hopper is normally positioned
higher than the brine tank to facilitate dispensing of the salt,
forcing an individual to raise the salt container even higher for
the material to be placed in the hopper.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a material
transport system for conveying salt from an easily accessible loading
hopper located on or adjacent a wall of a building-like structure
to a water softening system located at a lower level in the building-like
structure.
It is a further object of the invention to supply a selectively
operable feed mechanism within the system that allows for an individual
to control of the amount of salt supplied to the water softening
system brine tank.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a material
transport system that is of simple construction and easy to install
and maintain.
In accordance with the present invention, a material transport
system is provided for supplying a household water treatment system
with a water softener salt. The system includes a loading hopper
positioned on or adjacent a wall of the house on the interior or
exterior of the house. The loading hopper is formed of a non-corrosive
material and is generally frustoconical in shape, with an open,
wide loading end being positioned above an open, narrow dispensing
end. The loading hopper also has a lid removably secured over the
loading end opening by a set of hinges fixedly secured to both the
lid and the loading hopper.
Located in the interior of the house at a level below that of the
loading hopper is a storage hopper. The storage hopper is larger
than the loading hopper, is formed of a non-corrosive material and
has an upper, receiving end and a lower, dispensing end. The storage
hopper is comprised of an upper cylindrical section and a lower
frustoconical section from which the salt held in the storage hopper
is dispensed. A cover is fixedly secured over the upper cylindrical
section of the storage hopper. The storage hopper receives the incoming
salt from the loading hopper and holds it until such time as the
salt is needed. As some of the salt may adhere to the wall of the
storage hopper, a vibrator motor may be attached to the storage
hopper to shake the salt loose from the storage hopper, allowing
all of the salt to be dispensed.
The storage hopper is supported in the interior of the house by
a hanging framework. The framework comprises a support beam attached
to the lower surface of a floor of the house, and a set of suspension
rods connected to, and depending from, the support beam. The support
beam is fixedly attached to a number of floor joists located in
the floor, and includes a number of suspension rod openings along
its length. The suspension rods are secured to the support beam
and to the upper end of the storage hopper through matching openings
in the edge of the cover on the storage hopper, the rim of the storage
hopper and the openings in the support beam by a set of bolts threadably
mounted to both ends of the suspension rods. With this hanging framework,
the storage hopper can be supported in an elevated position above
the basement floor and above the water softener brine tank to facilitate
the transport of the salt from the storage hopper into the brine
tank.
A cylindrical, downwardly sloping gravity feed tube is connected
between and directs the salt from the loading hopper to the storage
hopper. The feed tube is formed of a non-corrosive material that
may be flexible or rigid and extends from the dispensing end of
the loading hopper, through feed tube openings formed in an exterior
wall and/or floor of the house, into the basement of the house for
connection to the storage hopper. As the feed tube extends in a
downward direction throughout its entire length, gravity forces
the salt from the loading hopper downwardly into the storage hopper.
A dispensing spout is attached to and depends from the narrow end
of the lower frustoconical section of the storage hopper to direct
the salt from the storage hopper. The dispensing spout has an inlet
end attached to the storage hopper and an outlet end through which
the salt is dispensed. Also, the dispensing spout is formed of a
non-corrosion material that may be flexible or rigid, depending
on the specific application.
Attached to the outlet end of the dispensing spout is a feed mechanism
used to control the amount of salt supplied to the water softener
brine tank. The feed mechanism includes a generally cylindrical,
downwardly sloping connecting sleeve, having a pair of spaced upper
and lower ends and formed of a non-corrosive material, and a feed
system contained within the connecting sleeve. The connecting sleeve
is open at its lower end, allowing incoming salt to flow out of
the connecting sleeve. The feed system disposed in the connecting
sleeve can be any mechanism capable of metering controlled amounts
of salt from the storage hopper into the brine tank. However, the
feed system normally comprises a rotatable auger-type device that
extends substantially the entire length of the connecting sleeve.
The feed system can be activated by the use of any means that allows
for selective operation of the feed system. Preferably, a crank
handle connected along the axis of rotation of the auger and extending
outside the connecting sleeve through a small opening in the closed,
upper end of the connecting sleeve is used, allowing the feed system
to be rotated within the connecting sleeve. The crank handle may
be manually activated or can be actuated by a selectively operable
motor connected to the crank handle. Opposite the crank handle,
at the open end of the connecting sleeve, the connecting sleeve
is secured to a tank sleeve that depends downwardly from the connecting
sleeve and is connected at its opposite end directly to the water
softener brine tank.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a material transport
system is provided in which the gravity feed tube is connected directly
to the feed mechanism. In this embodiment of the invention, the
storage hopper is eliminated, allowing salt loaded into the loading
hopper to immediately be transported by the feed tube to the feed
mechanism for controlled dispensing into the water softener via
the feed mechanism.
According to still another aspect of the invention, a material
transport system is provided in which the gravity feed tube is connected
directly between the loading hopper and the brine tank of the water
softener system. The storage hopper and feed mechanism are eliminated,
thus reducing the space taken up by the device in the interior of
the house.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention
will be made apparent from the following description taken together
with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated of
carrying out the invention.
In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a side plan view of a salt transport system constructed
according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIG.
1; and
FIG. 3 is a side plan view of a second embodiment of a salt transport
system constructed according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an improved system whereby an individual
can supply salt to a brine tank utilized in a water softening system
within a house.
Referring now to FIG. 1 a material transport system, indicated
generally at 22 is shown as assembled in a house 10. The house
10 includes an exterior wall 12 a floor 14 including a number
of floor joists 18 a foundation 16 beneath exterior wall 12 and
an I-beam extending from foundation 16 beneath floor 14 to provide
support for floor 14.
Material transport system 22 includes a loading hopper 24. Loading
hopper 24 is formed from a non-corrosive material and is generally
frusto-conical in shape, tapering from top to bottom. Loading hopper
24 is mounted to exterior wall 12 of house 10 by a mounting plate
26 secured to exterior wall 12. Any suitable means can be utilized
to secure mounting plate 26 to exterior wall 12 and loading hopper
24 to mounting plate 26. Loading hopper 24 may also be positioned
adjacent exterior wall 12 on a framework of some sort able to support
loading hopper 24. Loading hopper 24 includes a lid 28 secured over
the upper end of loading hopper 24. Lid 28 is normally fastened
to loading hopper 24 by a set of hinges (not shown) secured between
lid 28 and loading hopper 24 by a number of threaded fasteners inserted
through openings in the hinges into both loading hopper 24 and lid
28.
The bottom end of loading hopper 24 is rigidly secured in a conventional
manner to a feed sleeve 30. Feed sleeve 30 is also formed of a non-corrosive
material and transports the salt fed into loading hopper 24 to the
interior of house 10. Feed sleeve 30 can be formed of either a rigid
or a flexible non-corrosive material. A rigid material is able to
better withstand wear from regular usage and damage from the outside
elements where the feed sleeve 30 is exposed. A flexible material
allows for easier installation and may incorporate a number of angled
sleeve elbows (not shown) that hold the feed sleeve 30 in a desired
configuration within the system. Feed sleeve 30 is downwardly sloping
throughout its entire length, allowing gravity to act on the salt
within feed sleeve 30 to force the salt along sleeve 30 and away
from loading hopper 24. Sleeve 30 extends into house 10 through
exterior wall 12 and floor 14 through a pair of feed sleeve openings
32 in exterior wall 12 and floor 14.
At its lower end, sleeve 30 is rigidly connected in a suitable
manner to a storage hopper 34. Storage hopper 34 is located in house
10 under floor 14 and adjacent foundation 16 below the level of
loading hopper 24. Storage hopper 34 is formed of a rigid, durable
non-corrosive material and is comprised of an upper cylindrical
section 36 and a lower frustoconical section 38. A storage hopper
lid 35 is secured over the top end of cylindrical section 36 of
storage hopper 34 to prevent any incoming salt from spilling out
of storage hopper 34. Storage hopper lid 35 is circular in shape
and has a diameter slightly larger than cylindrical section 36 to
form a flange 37 extending over the entire circumference of cylindrical
section 36.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 storage hopper 34 is suspended below
floor 14 by a hanging framework 42. Framework 42 includes a support
beam 43 that is connected to a number of floor joists 18 in floor
14. Hanging framework 42 also includes a number of suspension rods
44 that are secured between support beam 43 and storage hopper 34.
Support beam 43 and flange 37 include a number of suspension rod
openings (not shown) into which suspension rods 44 are inserted.
As shown in FIG. 2 suspension rods 44 are secured between storage
hopper lid 35 and support beam 43 by a number of bolts 46 threadably
engaged on suspension rod 44 on each side of both storage hopper
lid flange 37 and support beam 43. In this manner, storage hopper
34 is supported below floor 14 in an elevated arrangement above
the remainder of material transport system 22 such that incoming
salt is acted on by gravity and forced out of storage hopper 34
when material transport system 22 is employed. In order to prevent
the salt from becoming attached to the sides of storage hopper 34
a vibrator motor (not shown) may be placed on the exterior of storage
hopper 34 to shake loose any salt that has become attached to the
sides of storage hopper 34.
Referring now to FIG. 1 a dispensing spout 40 extends from the
opening in lower frustoconical section 38 of storage hopper 34.
Spout 40 may be formed of either a rigid or flexible non-corrosive
material and directs the salt from storage hopper 34 in a generally
downward direction away from storage hopper 34 from its receiving
end 39 to its outlet end 41. A feed mechanism 48 used to selectively
dispense the salt from storage hopper 34 into a brine tank 58 is
attached at the outlet, dispensing end of dispensing spout 40. Feed
mechanism 48 is comprised of a cylindrical connecting sleeve 50
formed of a rigid non-corrosive material and a feed system 52 enclosed
within the connecting sleeve. Connecting sleeve 50 has one open
end 51 and a closed end 53. Sleeve 50 is connected in a conventional
manner to the outlet of tubular spout 40 adjacent closed end 53.
Connecting sleeve 50 also slopes downwardly from closed end 53 to
open end 51.
Feed system 52 preferably is an auger-type arrangement having an
axis of rotation that is the same as the center line of connecting
sleeve 50. Feed system 52 can be activated using a crank handle
54 extending through closed end 53 of connecting sleeve 50. Crank
handle 54 can be activated manually or may be attached to a motor
(not shown) for automatic operation. Connecting sleeve 50 is attached
to a tank sleeve 56 at open end 51. In operation, feed system 52
receives incoming salt from tubular spout 40 of storage hopper 34
and moves the salt downward to open end 51 of connecting sleeve
50. The salt exits sleeve 50 and is directed by tank sleeve 56 into
brine tank 58 for use in the water softening system. Tank sleeve
56 depends directly downward from connecting sleeve 50 and into
brine tank 58.
In another embodiment of the invention shown in phantom in FIG.
1 storage tank 34 and hanging framework 42 may be removed entirely,
such that feed sleeve 30 connects directly at its lower end with
connecting sleeve 50.
Referring now to FIG. 3 a third embodiment of the present invention
is shown. In this embodiment, a storage hopper 124 is connected
to an exterior wall 12 of a house 10 by a mounting plate 126 secured
between loading hopper 124 and exterior wall 12. Loading hopper
124 is formed of a non-corrosive material and includes a lid 128
secured to the top end of loading hopper 124 by a set of hinges
(not shown). Attached to the lower end of loading hopper 124 is
a feed sleeve 130. Feed sleeve 130 extends downwardly throughout
its entire length and enters house 10 through a pair of feed sleeve
openings 132 in exterior wall 12 and a floor 14 of house 10. Feed
sleeve 130 is connected opposite loading hopper 124 directly to
a brine tank 134 located in house 10 adjacent a foundation 16 of
house 10.
In an alternative structure to this embodiment, loading hopper
124 can be positioned on an interior wall 136 of house 10 as shown
in phantom in FIG. 3.
In either of the foregoing embodiments, it may be desirable to
provide a storage hopper 24 or 124 which is demountably attached
to the wall on which it is mounted. Also, the upper end of the feed
sleeve 30 or 130 should be separated from the lower end at the feed
sleeve openings 32 or 132.
Referring for example to FIG. 1 the loading hopper 24 may have
a horizontal mounting bar 25 attached to its rear wall which is
received in a pair of mounting hooks 27 attached to or adjacent
the mounting plate 26. The feed tube 30 is separated into two pieces
at a joint 31 at the feed sleeve opening 32. The upper end of the
feed sleeve 30 is provided with a tapered lower end 33 which fits
into the lower portion of the feed sleeve when the loading hopper
24 is mounted on the exterior wall 12. Either the outside of the
tapered end 33 or the inside of the lower portion of the feed sleeve
at the joint 31 may be provided with an annular seal 37. To close
the opening at the joint 31 when the hopper 24 is removed from its
mounting, a hinged cover 39 may be pivoted down to close the feed
sleeve opening 32.
Various alternatives and embodiments are contemplated as being
within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out
and distinctly claiming the subject matter regarded as the invention. |