Horizontal mixing aerator

A horizontal mixing aerator rides on an upright beam member for submersion in a body of water such as an equalization basin, oxidation ditch, or sludge holding tank. The aerator employs a submersible mixer motor driving a propeller which in one embodiment is mounted on the beam member by a slidable bracket for height adjustment. The bracket is also swingably mounted to the beam member for adjustment of the vertical plane angle. Because the beam member is also mounted for rotation, substantially any attitude or position of the mixer can be selected for creating an efficient flow pattern within the body of water. Air or fluid injection can also be provided by the use of alternate embodiments.

What is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A liquid circulating apparatus comprising:

(a) an upright beam member for extending into a body of liquid;

(b) upper and lower support means for holding said beam member in said body;

(c) a U-shaped bracket mounted on said beam member and including spaced sidewalls and an endwall;

(d) a submersible motor mounted on said bracket and extending outwardly of said endwall;

(e) a propulsion means operably connected to and rotatably powered by said motor to effect an outwardly directed flow in said body of liquid; and

(f) means selectively swingably mounting said bracket to said beam member including sets of front and rear guides extending between said bracket sidewalls and capturing said beam member therebetween, said sets of front and rear guides each including upper and lower guides with said lower rear guide being selectively removable and replaceable whereby said bracket swings upwardly against said upper front guide and said lower rear guide engages said beam member for controlling upward tilt and direction of flow of said liquid.

2. The apparatus set forth in claim 1 wherein:

(a) said bracket includes an arcuate series of bores extending through said spaced sidewalls; and

(b) said lower rear guide is a pin which is selectively positionable through opposite ones of said bores.

3. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 including:

(a) a conduit for the passage of a pressurized gas extending toward said motor and terminating in a nozzle means supported adjacent said motor and located forwardly and generally axially of said propeller in the flow path thereof for effecting a flow of pressurized gas into said body.

4. The apparatus set forth in claim 2 wheren:

(a) said lower support means includes a ball and socket joint extending between a lower end of said beam member and a bottom surface of said body of liquid.

5. A liquid circulating apparatus comprising:

(a) an upright beam member for extending into a body of liquid;

(b) upper and lower support means for holding said beam member in said body;

(c) a bracket mounted on said beam member;

(d) a submersible motor mounted on said bracket and extending outwardly thereof;

(e) a propeller operably connected to and rotatably powered by said motor to effect an outwardly directed flow in said body of liquid;

(f) arm structure extended outwardly of said motor and said propeller;

(g) a diffusing member mounted on said arm structure and positioned generally axially of said propeller and in the flow path thereof, said diffusing member having a fluid receiving chamber therein, said diffusing member being cone shaped to diffuse the flow radially outward; and

(h) means for communicating to the fluid receiving chamber within said diffusing member a supply of fluid to be mixed into the body of liquid; and

(i) means on said diffusing member for defining an annular orifice surrounding said diffusing member and means communicating between the fluid receiving chamber of said diffusing member and the annular orifice for flow of fluid therebetween and outwardly through said annular orifice in response to the flow effected by said propeller whereby the fluid is mixed with the liquid in the body of fluid.

6. A liquid circulating apparatus comprising:

(a) an upright beam member for extending into a body of liquid and having upper and lower ends;

(b) support means for said beam member for holding same in an upright attitude including:

(i) a lower ball pivot at said lower end wherein said lower end has a concave wall and rotatably engages a ball pivot extending from a bottom surface of said body of liquid;

(ii) an upper support arm mounted to said upper end and having an upper pivot means for relative rotation of said beam member relative to said support arms; and

(iii) rotation limiting means extending between said support arm and said beam member for setting an amount of rotation;

(c) a U-shaped bracket mounted on said beam member and including spaced sidewalls and an end wall;

(d) a submersible motor mounted on said bracket and extending outwardly of said endwall;

(e) a propeller operably connected to and rotatably powered by said motor to effect an outwardly directed flow in said body of liquid;

(f) a winch mounted to said beam member adjacent said upper end and connected to said bracket in order to selectively raise and lower said motor to control depth of placement in said body of liquid;

(g) means selectively swingably mounting said bracket to said beam member including sets of front and rear guides extending between said bracket sidewalls and capturing said beam member therebetween, said sets of front and rear guides respectively including upper and lower guide pins with said lower rear guide pin being selectively replaceable for swinging said bracket upwardly against said upper front guide pin, said bracket including an arcuate arrangement of guide pin holes through which said lower rear guide pin selectively extends to abut said beam member and set a desired upward angle of said bracket, motor and propeller for controlling upward direction of flow of said liquid.

7. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein:

(a) said rotation limiting means includes a second arm secured to said beam member through said upper pivot means and swingable therewith as said beam member revolves;

(b) said second arm having an end portion removably receiving a lock pin;

(c) a plate member positioned upon said support arm and having an arcuate series of bores corresponding to degrees of rotaton of said beam member; and

(d) said lock pin being selectively insertable into on of said bores to lock said beam member a selected degree of rotation.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 6 wherein:

(a) said upper support arm is spaced from said upper end of said beam member; and

(b) a telescoping member extends between said upper support arm and said upper end and includes a fastener for fixing said telescoping member at a selected amount of extension and retraction, thereby varying the inclination of said beam member.

9. A liquid circulating apparatus comprising:

(a) a hollow upright beam member for extending into a body of liquid and having closed upper and lower ends;

(b) upper and lower support means for holding said beam member in said body;

(c) a submersible motor with a propulsion means mounted on said beam member at a height for positioning in said body of liquid to effect an outwardly directed flow in said body; and

(d) an arm member connected to and extending outwardly of said beam member at a position adjacent said motor and propulsion means, said arm member having a longitudinal passageway therethrough and connected to a nozzle attached to said arm member and terminating in the flow path of said propulsion means;

(e) whereby said beam member comprises a conduit and a reservoir for a source of pressurized gas which is fed through said arm member and to said nozzle for injection into said body of liquid.