US3275246A

US3275246A - Aerators with enlarged stream outlets

Info

Publication number: US3275246A
Application number: US534915A
Authority: US
Inventors: Elie P Aghnides
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1966-03-16
Filing date: 1966-03-16
Publication date: 1966-09-27
Anticipated expiration: 1983-09-27

Description

p 27, 1966 E. P. AGHNIDES 3,275,246

AERATORS WITH ENLARGED STREAM OUTLETS Original Filed Oct. 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I. FIG. 3.

INVENTOR Elie P. Aghnides ATTORNEYS P 7, 1966 E. P. AGHNIDES 3,275,246

AERATORS WITH ENLARGED STREAM OUTLETS Original Filed 001;. 22, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 4.

FIG. 5.

FIG. 5A.

XNVENTOR Elie P. Aghnid BY aw ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,275,246 AERATGRS WITH ENLARGE!) STREAM OUTLETS Elie P. Aghnides, 46 W. 54th St, New York, N.Y. Continuation of application Ser. No. 317,894, Oct. 22, 1963. This application Mar. 16, 1966, Ser. N 0. 534,915 6 Claims. (Cl. 239-4285) This application is continuation of my prior copending application Serial Number 317,894 filed October 22, 1963, entitled Aerators with Enlarged Stream Outlets, and now abandoned.

The present invention relates to devices adapted to mix water and air thereby to produce a highly bubbly stream of water; and is more particularly concerned with improved mixing structures of simplified, relatively inexpensive, but highly efficient designs adapted to present larger effective mixing areas than has been the case heretofore.

Various forms of water aerators have been suggested in the past, and a number of these aerators are in fact described in various patents which I have obtained heretofore. In general, these prior water aerators are characterized by the provision of means adapted to produce a plurality of high velocity streamlets, and adapted to mix these streamle-ts with air in an appropriate mixture chamber, thereby to produce a coherent highly bubbly stream of water. The structures utilized heretofore have ordinarily comprised metallic assemblies, although, in recent times, portions of the assembly, or in some cases the entire assembly, has comprised plastic materials.

Aerators of these known types are at the present time in world-wide use; and the outer casings thereof have, for the most part, been standardized in diameter. This use of a standard diameter casing places corresponding limitations on the size of the stream outlet which can be achieved. Because of public demand, some efforts have been made to achieve a larger stream outlet, notwithstanding the standardized casing, e.g., by thinning out the casing itself. As a practical matter, however, such thinning of the casing, or of internal supporting or mixing parts within such a casing, has marked and obvious limitations, particularly when the casing or said internal parts comprise a plastic material. The present invention is accordingly directed to the provision of improved mixing screen assemblies operative to increase the effective stream outlet over and above that which can be achieved by casing thinning alone, with the mixing arrangements being such that they can be utilized effectively even when the casing and/or internal parts thereof comprise plastic materials.

More particularly, as will appear hereinafter, the present invention is primarily directed toward assemblies for holding the mixing screens in novel manners, e.g., by engaging or grasping the screen (or screens) only at limited spaced peripheral portions thereof. Substantially the entire screen area is accordingly maintained free for stream discharge therethrough; and this increased effective screen area is achieved moreover in structures which can be readily and inexpensively fabricated, and which do not exhibit any significant structural weaknesses, even when plastic materials are used in such structures,

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide improved fluid mixing assemblies for water aerators.

Another object of the present invention resides in the provision of mixing screen assemblies for use in Water aerators, so constructed and arranged that substantially the entire screen area is available for mixing and stream flow through, without the screen area be- 3,275,246 Patented Sept. 27, 1966 lCC ing significantly reduced in effective size as a result of the screen holding assembly.

A further object of the present invention resides in the provision of improved water aerators, and, more particularly, of improved mixing screen structures for use in such water aerators, comprising plastic screen holding structures associated in novel manners with mixing screen surfaces.

Still another object of the present invention resides in the provision of improved techniques for fabricating mixing screen assemblies.

In providing for the foregoing objects and advantages, the present invention contemplates the provision of mixing screen assemblies comprising in essence one or more mixing screen surfaces associated with a screen holding structure, for example, comprising a 'plastic material, so arranged that said screen holding structure does not significantly cut down the screen area available for mixing. The screen holding means accordingly serves to hold the screen or screens in position while simultaneously maintaining substantially the entire screen area free for stream discharge therethrough, whereby the size of the stream discharge available from an otherwise standard sized aerator can be increased. Various arrangements achieving this desired result are described hereinafter.

In general, the arrangements are such that a screen holding means, screen frame, or the like is provided with a plurality of spaced, limited dimension, inwardly extending protuberances (webs, ribs, teeth, etc.) located in a generally circular locus and operating to engage spaced limited portions of a screen periphery; whereby intermediate peripheral portions of the screen, between said protuberances, are available for mixing all the way to the outermost edge of the screen. The screen holding means or frame is, moreover, so arranged as to avoid portions overhanging the screen, particularly adjacent said intermediate peripheral portions, to avoid cutting down the effective screen area by such screen overhangs.

In accordance with certain of the arrangements, moreover, the improved results of the present invention are achieved by so fabricating an assembly of plastic screen holding means and metal screen surface (or surfaces) that the actual screen holding function is accomplished by causing pontions of the metal screen surfaces to intimately engage and become at least partially embedded into adjacent portions of the plastic screen holding means. Such an embedding can be accomplished, as will be described hereinafter, by assembling the screen and its associated holding means in frictional engagement with one another, and by thereafter causing a softening and resolidification of the screen holding means, for example, by subjecting the screen to high frequency energy or electrical heating such as induction heating, whereby edge portions of the screen are elevated in temperature thereby to soften or even melt adjacent portions of the plastic screen holding means, so that said screen edge portions thereby penetrate and become at least partially embedded within said plastic holding means.

The foregoing objects, advantages, construction and operation of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of still another embodiment of the present invention, with each of FIG- URES 1 through 3 inclusive illustrating various embodiments employing the high frequency heating and melting technique which also constitutes a portion of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 illustrates a further embodiment of the present invention utilizing an improved friction gripping assembly;

FIGURE 5 illustrates still another embodiment of the present invention utilizing an improved edge engagement assembly; and

FIGURE 5A is a view taken on line A-A of FIGURE 5 illustrating a top view of the screen assembly shown in FIGURE 5.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, it will be seen that aerators constructed in accordance with the present invention may comprise a casing having threads 11 at its upper end for engagement with a water tap or the like, and having a plurality of spaced inwardly projecting lugs 12 at its lower or discharge end for supporting an internal water mixing and aeration apparatus. This internal apparatus includes a perforated diaphragm member or disc 14 adjacent the upstream end of casing 10 operating to break up water into a plurality of streamlets, and to impose turbulence thereon; and the said member 14 illustrated in FIGURE 1 (as well as the similar such members which can be employed in each of the other embodiments to be described hereinafter) may take the form described for example in my prior patent Nos. 2,998,929 and/or 2,998,933, each issued September 5, 1961 for Water Aerators. The member 14 is supported upon a mixing screen unit 15 which. in turn is carried upon the aforementioned lugs 12. Mixing unit 15 comprises a substantially cylindrical plastic frame 16 having a plurality of inwardly projecting spaced webs 17 around its interior surface. Webs 17 act to space a pair of

screens

18 and 19 from one another, said

screens

18 and 19 being disposed as illustrated adjacent the upper and lower extremities of the said Webs 17. Frame 16 further defines adjacent its exterior surface a further plurality of spaced ribs or webs 20 for centering the mixing screen unit 15 within casing 10. Air can enter the unit from the downstream end thereof between the various lugs 12, passing in an upward direction between the several external centering webs 20 and thence between spaced feet 21 provided at the lower end of disc or diaphragm 14 to a region between said disc 14 and the mixing unit 15.

At least one of the screens 18 and/or 19 in screen unit 15 is provided with an aperture, e.g., located centrally therein as at 22 to permit any foreign particles or dirt gathering between the screens to be washed out. The overall screen unit is, moreover, reversible so that the aperture 22 may be located in either the upper or the lower screen (-or, of course, in both).

In fabricating the screen unit 15, in accordance with the preferred technique contemplated by the present invention, the

screen members

18 and 19 are friction positioned within frame 16 adjacent the upper and lower extremities of interior webs 17; and the peripheral junction of said frame and screens is then heated, e.g., by subjecting the screens (in the case of metallic or conductive screens) to high frequency energy operative to effect such heating by induction effects. The heat thus imposed upon or generated by the

screens

18 and 19 softens the plastic material of frame 16 and/ or of webs 17 adjacent the outer periphery of each of

screens

18 and 19; and this in turn causes a flow of plastic around and into intimate contact with peripheral portions of the

screens

18 and 19. As a result, after the unit has been permitted to cool, the screen units are tightly retained within frame 16 without any auxiliary rings, gaskets, or the like. Moreover, .as will be appreciated from FIGURE 1, the screens are retained in place essentially by peripheral engagement at a plurality of spaced locations of limited dimension, i.e., the upper and lower extremities of spaced relatively narrow webs 17, with intermediate portions of the screen periphery between FIGURE 2.

said webs 17 being unrestricted by any overhanging retaining means or frame. Substantially the entire screen area of the

screens

18 and 19 is thus maintained free for mixing and stream discharge, whereby a stream of increased diameter is effected.

Another arrangement incorporating various of the concepts discussed in reference to FIGURE 1 is shown in In this alternative embodiment, the aerator casing 25 again includes inwardly projecting spaced lugs at its lower ends, one of which is shown at 26, ultimately serving to support a disc or diaphragm 27 and a screen mixing unit 28. The screen mixing unit 28, in the embodiment of FIGURE 2 comprises a pair of

tubular portions

29 and 30, of different diameters, with the portion 30 being adapted to project below the lugs 26 as illustrated. The

tubular members

29 and 30 are interconnected to one another by inwardly projecting spacing ribs or webs 31 performing a function analogous to the spacing webs 17 of FIGURE 1, i.e., operating to retain a pair of

screen members

32 and 33 in spaced relation to one another by peripheral engagement at limited dimension spaced locations. The spacing between webs 31, moreover, provides holes 34 in the side walls of the mixing unit 28, at positions between the

screens

32 and 33. This again serves to prevent any accumulation of dirt or foreign particles between the screens and, in the arrangement of FIGURE 2, the prevention of such dirt accumulation is accomplished without in any way perforating the screen surfaces 32 and/or 33 themselves. Mixing unit 28 is further provided with a plurality of interior webs or ribs 35 spaced from one another as shown to provide open areas between the periphery of screen 3-2 and the inner wall of casing 25. Air may accordingly enter the device along the paths shown, for example, by dotted lines 36.

The screen unit shown in FIGURE 2 may be fabricated by a technique analogous to that described in reference to FIGURE 1. More particularly, the overall supporting unit or

frame

29, 30, 31, 35 can initially be molded or otherwise fabricated, e.g., of a plastic material. Thereafter screen

units

32 and 33 are press fit into place and subjected to a high frequency electric heating to effect a softening or melting of portions of said plastic material, whereafter, after cooling, the unit retains a stable assembled configuration Without the need of external holding means. Moreover, the heating may be such that the peripheral edges of the

screens

32 and 33 actually penetrate and become embedded within portions of the plastic frame, e.g., as illustrated at 37 (for screen 32) and at 38 (for screen 33).

The arrangements of FIGURES 1 and 2 are intended to illustrate, moreover, that the aerator casing, disc or diaphragm member, and mixing screen unit, can be fabricated as separate parts which are thereafter assembled. The overall assembly of casing, diaphragm, and screen supporting member, may however be also molded or fabricated as a unitary structure, e.g., from an appropriate plastic material; and such an arrangement is shown in FIGURE 3. The arrangement of FIGURE 3 comprises for the most part a unitary molded member of the type described in my prior copending application Serial No. 170,140 filed January 31, 1962 for Molded Water Aerators. The device constitutes a unitary assemblage of casing 40, disc or diaphragm 41, and a screen supporting member comprising sleeve 42 provided with interior spaced ledges 43. The screen unit itself comprises a first screen member 44 in engagement with the various ledges 43 as well as with the interior surface of sleeve 42, and also comprises a basket shaped screen 45 overlying screen 44 and having its side portions also in engagement with sleeve 42 for spacing the

screens

44 and 45 from one another. In my prior copending application Serial No. 170,140 identified above, it was contemplated that the

screen members

44 and 45 be retained in place by friction; but in accordance with the present invention, this retention may be enhanced by heating the screen surfaces 44 and 45, e.g., by induction heating techniques, thereby to effect a softening or melting, and partial flow, of the plastic material comprising sleeve 42 and/or ledges 43 adjacent the periphery of the

screen members

44 and 45.

Still another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGURE 4; and this particular arrangement may again comprise a unitary molded casing, diaphragm, and screen supporting construction of a type analogous to that described in reference to FIGURE 3. In this alternative arrangement, the overall unit 50 is provided with a centrally located stud 51. The interior screen supporting member or sleeve 52 is also provided with a first plurality of spaced ledges 53 adapted to engage spaced peripheral portions of a first screen member 54, as Well as with a second plurality of spaced ledges 55 adapted to engage spaced peripheral portions of a further screen member 56. To increase the frictional forces provided, all or spaced portions of the inner wall of sleeve 52 can be grooved as shown partially at 57.

The spaced

ledges

53 and 55 operate in a manner analogous to members 17 of FIGURE 1, or members 31 of FIGURE 2, to space the flat screens from one another. In the arrangement of FIGURE 4, the screens are held in place by frictional engagement with the central stud 51, which passes through central apertures in both of

screens

54 and 56, and/ or said screens are held in place by frictional engagement adjacent their peripheries with the sleeve member 52, and more particularly with grooves 57 provided thereon. The frictional engagement thus provided at spaced locations by stud 51 and grooves 57 is normally sufiicient to hold the

screens

54 and 56 in place notwithstanding the imposition of water pressures on said screens. If desired, however, an arrangement of the type shown in FIGURE 4 may be again subjected to electrical heating in accordance with the techniques described in reference to FIGURES 1 through 3, in order to increase the screen holding forces.

Still another arrangement operating to increase the effective screen area is shown in FIGURES 5 and 5A; and in this arrangement, the screen members are movable in nature. In my prior Patent No. 2,998,932 issued September 5, 1961 for Framed Movable Screens for Use in Aerator Devices, I have described arrangements for so framing screen members that the screen members themselves may move relative to the frame, thereby to permit insertion of the screens in either of two opposed directions without detracting from the operation of the aerator. The arrangement actually shown in my prior Patent No. 2,998,932 utilizes screen frames which have continuous inwardly extending lips overlying both the upper and lower surfaces of the screen; and such lips, extending continuously around the screen peripheries, tend to cut down on the effective screen mixing area to some extent. This is obviated by the improved arrangement shown in FIG- URES 5 and 5A, wherein, once more, spaced peripheral screen engagement of limited dimension is utilized for screen retention purposes.

In the arrangement of FIGURES 5 and 5A, the casing 60 is provided with a plurality of spaced internal webs 61 terminating in inwardly projecting lugs 62 adapted to support one or more framed movable screen units. FIG- URE 5 illustrates the provision of two

such units

63 and 64 disposed in superposed relation to one another, although more or fewer such units may be provided. Each such unit, e.g., unit 64, comprises a cylindrical frame constructed of metal, or of a plastic material; having a plurality of narrow relatively widely spaced inwardly projecting teeth 65 about its upper periphery, and also provided with a further plurality of relatively narrow widely spaced inwardly projecting teeth 66 extending about its lower periphery. The narrow relatively small dimensions of the

teeth

65 and 66 assure that the elfective screen area,

of the screen element 67 located therebetween is not significantly decreased; and this minimization of screen area decrease is further enhanced by the fact that, in the preferred embodiment of the :present invention, the

teeth

65 and 66 are disposed in respectively staggered relation to one another.

The screen unit 67 is retained in place within member 64 by the

teeth

65 and 66; and the said screen member 67 rests either upon inwardly projecting teeth 66, or upon inwardly projecting teeth 65, dependent upon the actual position of unit 64 within casing 60. Similar operation occurs with respect to the movable screen. surface 68 in screen unit 63, which screen unit 63 is provided with staggered inwardly projecting teeth analogous to the

teeth

65 and 66 described in reference to unit 64.

While I have thus described preferred embodiments of my invention, many variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. All such variations and modifications are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A mixing unit for use in a water aerator, comprising a thermoplastic substantially tubular screen supporting element, at least one mesh screen element having an outside diameter substantially equal to the interior diameter of said tubular element, means for retaining said mesh screen element within said tubular screen supporting element, said thermoplastic supporting element having a lower melting point than the melting point of said mesh screen element so that the latter may be readily embedded in or removed from the thermoplastic supporting element by application of induction heating to said mesh screen element, said retaining means comprising a plurality of limited dimension and relatively widely spaced portions of said tubular supporting element in which are partly embedded a plurality of limited dimension and relatively widely spaced peripheral portions of said screen element whereby substantially the entire screen area of said mesh screen element is maintained unobstructed by said retaining means and free for the discharge of a Water stream therethrough, the uppermost and lowermost edges of said screen supporting element each defining an open interior diameter substantially equal to the outside diameter of said mesh screen element throughout substantially the entire interior periphery of said supporting element whereby said free screen area is unobstructed by any significant portion of said supporting element edges overhanging said screen element.

2. The unit of claim 1 wherein said limited and relatively widely spaced portions of said tubular screen supporting element comprise a plurality of inwardly projecting spacer webs disposed in relatively widely spaced relation to one another about and substantially parallel to the axis of said tubular supporting element, said spacer webs defining upper and lower spaced abutment surfaces, there being a pair of said mesh screen elements positioned respectively adjacent said upper and lower abutment surfaces of said spacer webs.

3. The unit of claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a plurality of relatively narrow abutment ele ments projecting inwardly from an inner surface of said tubular supporting element in relatively widely spaced relation to one another about the axis of said tubular element.

4. The unit of claim 1 wherein said retaining means comprises a plurality of grooves formed in the inner surface of said tubular element.

5. A mixing unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular element comprises thermoplastic material.

6. A mixing unit for a water aerator comprising a substantially cylindrical supporting member, a mesh screen, and means for retaining said screen within said supporting member in such manner that substantially the entire area of said screen is free for the flow of water therethrough, said retaining means comprising a plurality of spaced projections extending inwardly from the inner surface of said supporting member in a locus around the axis of said supporting member, spaced peripheral portions of said mesh screen being partially embedded in said projections, the intermediate peripheral portions of said screen located between said projections being free for the flow therethrough of water, the inner surface and extremities of said cylindrical supporting member being substantially flush with one another adjacent said intermediate peripheral screen portion-s thereby to avoid any overhang f-rom said supporting member tending to restrict the flow of water through said intermediate peripheral screen portions, said projections being of thermoplastic material with a lower melting point than that of the mesh screen whereby the mesh screen may be partly embedded in or removed from said projections by application of induction heating.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Curtis 156303.1 Williams 210-161 Gunter.

Elliott 156303.1 Aghnides.

Aghnides 239431 Aghnides.

Aghnides 239-431 Aghnides 239431 Great Britain.

EVERETT W. KIRBY, Primary Examiner.

Claims

6. A MIXING UNIT FOR A WATER AERATOR COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL SUPPORTING MEMBER, A MESH SCREEN, AND MEANS FOR RETAINING SAID SCREEN WITHIN SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER IN SUCH MANNER THAT SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE AREA OF SAID SCREEN IS FREE FOR THE FLOW OF WATER THERETHROUGH, SAID RETAINING MEANS COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF SPACED PROJECTIONS EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER IN A LOCUS AROUND THE AXIS OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER, SPACED PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF SAID MESH SCREEN BEING PARTIALLY EMBEDDED IN SAID PROJECTIONS, THE INTERMEDIATE PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF SAID SCREEN LOCATED BETWEEN SAID PROJECTIONS BEING FREE FOR THE FLOW THERETHROUGH OF WATER, THE INNER SURFACE AND EXTREMITIES OF SAID CYLINDRICAL SUPPORTING MEMBER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY FLUSH WITH ONE ANOTHER ADJACENT SAID INTERMEDIATE PERIPHERAL SCREEN PORTIONS THEREBY TO AVOID ANY OVERHANG FROM SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER TENDING TO RESTRICT THE FLOW OF WATER THROUGH SAID INTERMEDIATE PERIPHERAL SCREEN PORTIONS, SAID PROJECTIONS BEING OF THERMOPLASTIC MATERIAL WITH A LOWER MELTING POINT THAN THAT OF THE MESH SCREEN WHEREBY THE MESH SCREEN MAY BE PARTLY EMBEDDED IN OR REMOVED FROM SAID PROJECTIONS BY APPLICATION OF INDUCTION HEATING.