US3860394A

US3860394A - Apparatus for dissolving and dispensing soluble solid material

Info

Publication number: US3860394A
Application number: US394007A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Joseph J Tepas; Arlon G Sangster
Original assignee: Olin Corp
Current assignee: Olin Corp
Priority date: 1973-09-04
Filing date: 1973-09-04
Publication date: 1975-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-14

Abstract

An improved apparatus for dissolving and dispensing soluble material including a container having an upper and a lower chamber. The upper chamber is separated into a first and a second compartment. A rotary receptacle in the first compartment receives liquid through an inlet in the first compartment and is periodically emptied, releasing precisely the same amount of liquid each cycle. The second compartment contains a magazine which holds soluble solids to be dissolved by the liquid. A control valve regulates the amount of liquid contact with the solid. The lower chamber receives the solution from the second compartment and thru valve means releases the solution into the liquid system to be treated. The improvement comprises providing an opening in the first compartment and an opening in the second compartment and a novel flow control means to regulate liquid flow between the first and second compartments. The novel flow control means is comprised of a cup pivotally attached to the underside of a surface with the cup being eccentric to the pivotal attachment. The cup is sufficiently large to circumscribe the openings in the first and second compartments.

Description

United States Patent 1 1 Tepas, Jr. et al.

[ 1 Jan. 14, 1975 1 APPARATUS FOR DISSOLVING AND DISPENSING SOLUBLE SOLID MATERIAL Inventors: Joseph J. Tepas, Jr., Easton, Conn;

Arlon G. Sangster, Sterling, Mass.

[73] Assignee: Olin Corporation, New Haven,

Conn.

Filed: Sept. 4, 1973 Appl. No.: 394,007

[52] US. Cl. 23/267 E, 23/272.8, 23/269,

134/93, 137/572, 137/574, 210/169 [51] Int. Cl B01d 11/02 [58] Field of Search... 23/267 C, 267 E, 272.7,

Primary ExaminerNorman Yudkoff Assistant ExaminerS. J. Emery Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Donald F. Clements; Thomas P. ODay [57] ABSTRACT An improved apparatus for dissolving and dispensing soluble material including a container having an upper and a lower chamber. The upper chamber is separated into a first and a second compartment. A rotary receptacle in the first compartment receives liquid through an inlet in the first compartment and is periodically emptied, releasing precisely the same amount of liquid each cycle. The second compartment contains a magazine which holds soluble solids to be dissolved by the liquid. A control valve regulates the amount of liquid contact with the solid. The lower chamber receives the solution from the second compartment and thru valve means releases the solution into the liquid system to be treated.

The improvement comprises providing an opening in the first compartment and an opening in the second compartment and a novel flow control means to regulate liquid flow between the first and second compartments.

The novel flow control means is comprised of a cup pivotally attached to the underside of a surface with the cup being eccentric to the pivotal attachment. The cup is sufficiently large to circumscribe the openings in the first and second compartments.

PATENTED 4 5 SHEEI 1 BF 2 PATENTED JAN 1 M975 SHEU 2 BF 2 APPARATUS FOR DISSOLVING AND DISPENSING SOLUBLE SOLID MATERIAL This invention relates to apparatus for the prepara tion and controlled feeding of aqueous solutions of solid particulate material. More particularly, the apparatus provides means for preparing aqueous solutions of water-soluble solids and dispensing said solutions at controlled rates. Still more particularly, this invention relates to apparatus for supplying solutions containing available chlorine over a wide range of concentrations from solid hypochlorite compositions in conveniently handled granular, pressed or tabletted forms at accurately controlled rates for use in a variety of chlorination and water treating applications differing widely in the concentration of the solution required.

In the treatment of water including particularly swimming pools, a supply of aqueous solution of an available halogen compound, preferably a hypochlorite, is commonly metered into a flowing body of the liquid to be treated Sodium hypochlorite solutions are available commercially at concentrations not exceeding 15 percent of available chlorine but such solutions deteriorate rapidly during shipment and storage. Solid sodium hypochlorite compositions are not available because they are very unstable. Calcium hypochlorite, on the other hand, can be shipped as a relatively stable solid containing up to about 85 percent or more of available chlorine and can be stored for long periods without appreciable loss of available chlorine.

In spite of the advantages of solid calcium hypochlorite over other sources of available halogen for use as a sterilizing agent, there is a problem in applying the solid continuously and directly to water in such a manner that only a few parts per million of available chlorine are ultimately present in the water. In conventional methods of application in swimming pools, granular calcium hypochlorite is sometimes added directly to the water in the pool or tablets are placed in the skimmer or in dissolving baskets around the pool. Preferably, however, solid calcium hypochlorite is dissolved in water to form a solution of desired concentration which is metered into the water in the circulating system at a rate to maintain residual chlorine concentration generally from about 0.3 to about 1.5 parts per million in the pool.

Many devices have been devised to control dissolution of soluble materials but which are not satisfactory for use with calcium hypochlorite or other substances having similar solubility and solution characteristics.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,216,051 shows a dispensing device having a solute-containing magazine covered at one end by a perforated disk and supported at a fixed elevation in the total stream of flowing water to be treated. The flow of the total stream promotes turbulence in the region of the perforated end of the magazine and extensive wetting of undissolved solute. Contact between solute and liquid and hence the degree of liquid treatment is dependent on liquid pressure.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,971,825 shows a dispenser for dissolving and dispensing solutes by passing a variably controlled portion of the inflowing fluid into and out of a mixing chamber which contains the solute and which is partially covered by a screen. Turbulent flow in the region of the perforated end and extensive wetting and mixing of solvent and undissolved solute are encouraged by the structure of the device of this patent. The

range of concentrations for treated solutions is limited by the extent stream deflection is permitted by the controls. The uniformity of concentrations of treated solutions is dependent on liquid pressure.

The dispensing device of U.S. Pat. No. 3,107,156 comprises a solute containing magazine suspended into a container into which a constant flow of water enters. The magazine has a water soluble plastic film at the lower end which dissolves in contact with water and exposes the solute to the dissolving action of water. The extent of contact of solute with water is adjusted by raising or lowering the magazine. A siphon tube determines the upper and lower liquid levels in the container and periodically releases a quantity of treated water.

In contrast to the above dispensers, a recently developed dispensing apparatus provides for accurately controlled concentrations of treated solutions which are substantially independent of changes in the pressure conditions in the system being treated. The dispenser provides controlled turbulence in the area of liquidsolute contact and prevents undesired contact between the liquid and the soluble material. Continuous immersion of the soluble material in the liquid is avoided by the dispensing apparatus. Periodic release of a controlled quantity of liquid from the receptacle permits liquid-solute contact which is essentially unaffected by changes in liquid flow rates. The dispensing apparatus permits a zero feed rate of soluble material while maintaining a continuous flow of liquid through the apparatus under normal operating conditions.

This recently developed dispenser includes a closed container having an upper chamber and a lower chamber and at least one partition separating the two chambars. The upper chamber is separated into a first and a second compartment by a divider. The first compartment contains an inlet for liquid in its upper part and a rotary receptacle for receiving the liquid from the inlet. When filled, the receptacle rotates and discharges the liquid and returns to its original position to receive additional liquid. A channel in the divider between the first and second compartments permits the liquid to flow into the second compartment, the flow being regulated by a valve. A magazine in the second compartment for holding soluble solid materials has a grid at the lower end. Liquid flowing into the second compartment, rises up thru the grid and contacts the soluble solid, forming a solution. The concentration of the solution is controlled by the valve setting regulating liquid flow rate. The solution formed passes thru an opening between the second compartment and the lower chamber. A valve in the lower chamber regulates the flow of solution from the dispenser to the body of liquid to be treated.

Although this dispenser is capable of providing a wide range of solution concentrations, there is a need for improved means to control liquid flow from the first compartment to the second Compartment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel control valve for controlling the flow of fluid from one compartment to another.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for dissolving solid material to form a solution and dispensing the resulting solution into a liquid to be treated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for dispensing solutions of dissolved solids utilizing an improved control means for controlling liquid flow rates within the apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus for feeding active chlorine solutions to swimming pool water.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention.

It has now been discovered that the foregoing objects are accomplished in a novel control means which controls flow of fluid from one compartment to another. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the control means is a rotary member positioned below an opening in a first compartment and an opening in a second compartment, the rotary member being pivotally attached between the openings. Within the rotary member is a cup which is eccentric to the pivoted attachment and communicating with each opening. An aperture is provided in the rotary member for permitting fluid from the first compartment to by-pass the cup and enter the lower chamber without passing through the dissolving chamber.

This novel control means is especially useful in an apparatus for dissolving and dispensing soluble material to form an improved novel dispensing apparatus which includes in combination a closed container having an upper chamber and a lower chamber and at least one partition separating the chambers. The upper chamber is separated into a first and a second compartment by a divider. An inlet in the upper part of the first compartment introduces liquid from an external source into a rotary receptacle housed in the first compartment. The receptacle is located below the inlet and is attached to the sidewalls of the first compartment by a pair of trunnions. Means are provided for periodically emptying liquid from the receptacle. Liquid flow is regulated by a first flow control means associated with at least one opening for controlling liquid flow between the first compartment and the second compartment. A magazine in the second compartment for holding soluble solids has a pervious lower end permitting liquid from the receptacle to contact the solids. At least one opening is provided in the second compartment permitting liquid to flow between the second compartment and the lower chamber. An outlet in the lower chamber is equipped with a second flow control means which permits the regulation of liquid flow thru the outlet. The improvement of this novel dispenser apparatus comprises said first compartment and said second compartment each being provided with an opening in the partition separating the upper chamber from the lower chamber, and employing a novel first flow control means for controlling liquid flow between the opening in the first compartment and the opening in the second compartment.

FIGS. l4 show various embodiments of the novel dispenser of this invention. Corresponding parts have the same identifying numbers in FIGS. 14. FIG. shows a diagram utilizing the dispenser of this invention in a swimming pool installation.

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross section of one embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 with parts broken away.

FIG. 3 is a top view of one embodiment of liquid flow control means employed in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partial vertical cross section of another embodiment of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic plan ofa swimming pool filtering system incorporating the dispensing apparatus of the present invention.

The dispensing apparatus of this invention, as shown in FIG. 1, is divided into upper chamber 1 and lower chamber 2 by partition 3. Upper chamber 1 is separated into first compartment 4 and second compartment 5 by divider 6. Liquid from an external source enters the apparatus by way of tube 7 passing thru flow indicator 8 and inflow valve 9 into inlet 10 attached to the upper part of wall 14 of first compartment 4 and below cover 61. Deflector is inserted at the discharge end of inlet 10 to deflect the liquid into rotary receptacle 1 1, which is attached to the side walls of first compartment 4 by means of a pair of trunnions 12. Receptacle .11 empties itself when the liquid volume reaches a predetermined level by pivoting on trunnions l2 stopping when protuberance 71 on the front edge of receptacle 11 contacts partition 3.

Upon emptying, receptacle 11 returns to its original position, stopping when protuberance 72 on receptacle 11 contacts the edge of opening 73. Opening 73 allows liquid to flow directly between first compartment 4 and lower chamber 2 in the event of a build-up of liquid in first compartment 4. Liquid from receptacle ll flows down partition 3 thru opening 74 in partition 3. Rotary member 75, comprised of cup 76, flange 99 and aperture 77 (not shown) in flange 99 is attached to partition 3 by screw 78. Rotary member 75 regulates the flow of liquid from first compartment 4 to second compartment 5 by controlling the amount of liquid which passes down through opening 74 into cup 76 and from cup 76 up thru opening 79 in partition 3, the liquid passing thru channel 80 and over dam 81 into second compartment 5.

Magazine 18, having removable cover 60 and with the lower pervious end comprising grid 19 and supporting a liquid soluble particulate material (not shown), is contained in second compartment 5. Rotary member 75 regulates the volume .of liquid flow thru opening 79 in partition 3 and thus the height of the liquid column passing up through grid 19 containing the solid soluble particulate material to form a solution of the material. Dial control settings (not shown) are indicated along a portion of the circumference of rotary member 75. From second compartment 5 the solution formed passes down thru drain 21 into lower chamber 2. Float valve 82 comprised of hinge 84, valve seal 87 and containing buoyant material 90, is attached to outlet flange by pivot pin 86. Float valve 82 regulates the flow of solution from lower chamber 2 thru outlet 24 to the body of liquid to be treated.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1. Opening 74 in partition 3 permits liquid to flow from first compartment 4 into cup 76 of rotary member 75 and from cup 76 thru opening 79 into channel 80. Dam 81, adjacent to channel 80, prevents the complete draining of the solution formed in second compartment 5 back thru channel 80 and opening 79 into cup 76. Upon turning a rotary member 75 a variable portion of the liquid passing thru opening 74 is allowed to pass thru aperture 77 in flange 99 directly into lower chamber 2 without passing thru cup 76 and subsequently into and thru second compartment 5.

FIG. 3 is a top view of one embodiment of first flow control employed in the dispenser of FIG. 1. Rotary member 75 has cup 76 and an aperture 77 in flange 99 secured to the lip of cup 76 to control the flow of liquids from first compartment 4 to second compartment 5 as described above in the discussion of FIGS. 1 and 2. Dial control settings are indicated along a portion the circumference of flange 99.

FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of second flow control means for controlling the flow of solutions from lower chamber 2 through outlet 24. Float valve 82, containing buoyant material 90 and having hinge 84, is attached to outlet flange 85 of lower chamber 2 by pivot pin 86. Valve seal 87 is also attached to hinge 84 such that, when the solution in lower chamber 2 drops to a selected level, outlet 24 is effectively closed. Arm 88, attached to float valve 82, projects above the top side offloat valve 82. When the solution in lower chamber 2 reaches a predetermined level, arm 88 contacts valve rod 89 attached to sealing means (not shown) for tube 7. As the solution level rises, arm 88 exerts increasing pressure on valve rod 89 which reduces liquid flow through tube 7. When the solution level has reached the maximum allowable level, arm 88 exerts sufficient pressure on valve rod 89 to stop liquid flow into tube 7. The release of the desired amount of solu tion thru outlet 24 reduces the solution level and float valve 82 and attached arm 88 return to their original position, permitting liquid to flow into tube 7 and closing outlet 24.

FIG. 5 illustrates the use of the present invention in supplying chlorinated water to a swimming pool system including swimming pool 50, a pump 51 with its low pressure or suction side connected by conduit 52 to pool 50 and with its high pressure or outlet side by conduit 53 to filter 54. A portion of the water discharged from filter 54 through conduit 55 passes through conduit 56 into dispenser apparatus 57. For example, when magazine 18 of the dispenser of this invention contains calcium hypochlorite and pool water is contacted with the calcium hypochlorite contained therein, the resulting chlorine-containing solution formed by dispenser apparatus 57 is discharged through outlet 24 (not shown) to conduit 58 to pump 51, through conduit 53 to filter 54 and through conduit 55 to pool 50.

The dispensing apparatus of this invention is suitably fabricated of metal or plastic depending on the solute and liquid with which it is to be used. When solid hypochlorites, for example, calcium hypochlorite, or solutions of hypochlorites are employed, the materials of construction are preferably those resistant to its action. Particularly suitable for this purpose are a considerable number of plastic compositions, for example, Lucite which has the additional advantage of transparency. The apparatus may also be constructed of other resins, for example, acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene, Bakelite, nylon, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, and polystyrene and of suitable metals including copper, brass, stainless steels, and titanium.

The dispensing apparatus is designed to operate with liquid supplied at suitable pressures and may be operated without controlling means for liquid flow rates. In systems with highly variable liquid flow rates, it may be desirable, however, to equip the inlet with means to regulate liquid flow. In the case of treating swimming pool water, for example, control means combining a visual flow indicator and a valve member are useful in indicating a pressure build-up in the filter or at the hair and lint screen and to provide visible check valve function when the filter pump stops. An example of a suit able inlet liquid flow control means is a combination of a ball flow indicator and a tee valve.

The receptacle for the liquid is self-emptying and provides for the release of liquid on a periodic basis, controlled, for example, by a predetermined volume or weight of liquid. It can, for example, be shaped generally cylindrical, ellipsoidal or circular, having at least one opening for liquid to enter and be discharged. In one embodiment, a tear drop shaped receptacle is attached to the walls of the container, for example, by a pair of trunnions or pivot pins and is carefully balanced so that upon emptying the liquid it returns by gravity to its original position. A stopping means for maintaining the receptacle at a suitable position for filling may be provided by the appropriate length of the inlet tube or by appropriately located protuberance as shown in FIG. 1.

One or more openings can be provided in the first compartment to permit flow of liquid directly to the lower chamber. A suitable example is an opening or overflow tube which prevents the build-up of liquid in the first compartment.

The novel control apparatus for controlling the flow of liquid in a container is applied to a container having a surface below the top of the container and attached to opposing sides of the container. The surface has a first opening for supplying liquid and a second opening for receiving liquid, and a divider between the first and second openings. The surface is flat in the area surrounding the first and the second opening. The novel flow control apparatus is comprised of a cup pivotally attached to the underside of the surface, with the cup being eccentric to the pivotal attachment. The cup has a diameter sufficiently large to circumscribe the first opening for supplying liquid and the second opening for receiving liquid. Generally the divider, for example, a partition is positioned within the container to separate the liquid into two compartments, one compartment supplying liquid to the first opening and the other compartment receiving liquid from the second opening. In a preferred embodiment, the cup has a flange secured to the cup lip which surrounds the cup and which has an aperture. Pivoted movement of the cup permits up to about 90 percent of the liquid supplied by the first opening to bypass the cup by passing through the flange aperture. The lip of the cup is pressed against the underside of the flat portion of the surface so that a seal is provided between the lip of the cup and the underside of the surface, and liquid is prevented from passing between the cup and the surface.

In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 the flow of liquid from compartment 4 to compartment 5 is regulated by the novel flow control apparatus in the following manner:

First compartment 4 has opening 74 in partition 3 separating upper chamber 1 from lower chamber 2. Second compartment 5 also has opening 79 in partition 3 separating upper chamber 1 from lower chamber 2. Directly below and pivotally attached to partition 3 is rotary member 75 having cup 76 sufficiently large to encompass both

openings

74 and 79 in partition 3. Cup 76 is eccentric to pivotal attachment 78. Between the sidewalls of cup 76 and the outer edges of rotary member 75 there is at least one opening, for example, aperture 77. In operation, a selected portion of the liquid flowing through opening 74 in first compartment 4 flows into cup 76 of rotary member 75 and then into second compartment 5 through opening 79 in partititon 3. The remainder of the liquid passes through aperture 77 in rotary member 75 into lower chamber 2. Rotation of rotary member 75 changes the selected portion ofliquid flowing into cup 76. The selected portion can be any amount of liquid passing from first compartment 4 through opening 74, for example, from about to about I00 and preferably from about to about 95 percent. The selected portion of liquid enters second compartment 5 through opening 79 where it contacts the soluble solid to form the desired concentration of solution.

The supply magazine has the form, for example, of a hollow rectangular or cylindrical solid having a pervious lower end. The magazine is insertable into the second compartment of the upper chamber and stop means are provided to establish the level of the pervious lower end of the magazine at an appropriate distance above the bottom of the compartment. The pervious lower end can be, for example, a grid of suitable mesh attached to the magazine and made integral therewith. The magazine can be removable from or made integral with the second compartment.

In a preferred embodiment, the magazine is tapered, the cross sectional area at the top being slightly smaller than the cross sectional area at the bottom, or pervious end. Such tapering is particularly desirable when tabletted materials are employed in the magazine. The tapering enhances the downward movement of unwetted tablets to replace wetted tablets being dissolved by the liquid and prevents bridging of the tablets when they are first contacted by the liquid.

A removable cover permits the magazine to be filled with soluble material in a form which is suitable for dissolving in the liquid being supplied to the apparatus of the invention. While a magazine is a preferred embodiment for containing the soluble solids it will be recognized that other supports or holders having suitable openings for liquid may be used.

The lower portion of the magazine is periodically submerged in liquid, with the volume of the submerged portion usually being no greater than about 5 percent of the total volume of the magazine. The extent of contact is regulated by the adjustable flow control means.

As soluble material dissolves at the pervious end of the magazine and is removed, the soluble material originally in the air space above and not wetted by liquid, gradually descends to the pervious end to replace that dissolved. Only soluble material about to be dissolved is contacted by liquid flowing across the pervious end of the magazine.

At least one opening, is provided to permit the flow of solution between the second compartment and the lower chamber. This may comprise, for example, a drain with a suitable dam to maintain liquid level near the grid. In addition, drain means suitably notched to minimize plugging by non-dissolved particles can be employed. If desired, drain means with a variable size orifice can be advantageously used especially where particulate materials of differing degrees of solubility are employed with a common solvent.

Release of solution from the lower chamber through outlet 24 to the liquid to be treated is controlled by a second flow control means, a float valve, for example, so arranged that air is prevented from being drawn into the pump suction line causing undesired introduction of air into the recirculating system.

In one embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, float valve 82 comprises a housing having a top and sides sealed together to form a container open on the bottom. The housing is filled with a material which is buoyant, does not absorb and is resistant to the solutions being dispensed. Suitable materials include, for example, cork or foamed polyethylene. The float valve housing is provided with attachment means for the sealing means. The sealing means contacts and closes the outlet from the dispenser when the level of solution has fallen to a predetermined limit. A suitable sealing means is, for example, valve seal 87 having a concave face with a smooth outer edge and composed ofa material such as natural or synthetic rubber, having sufficient flexibility to produce a sweeping action each time the outlet is closed. This sweeping action keeps the sealing surface surrounding the outlet opening free of any solid materials which might tend to accumulate thereon. The weight of the housing is adjusted with material of suitable density to provide maximum force for positive sealing without adversely affecting the buoyant force obtained on immersion thereof.

In the event solution is not removed through outlet 24 while liquid continues to enter the dispenser, sufficient amounts of solution could be present to fill the lower chamber 2 and back up into second compartment 5, coming in contact with the soluble solid. This condition could alter the carefully controlled amount of soluble solid in the liquid by raising the concentration of the solution to an undesired level. To prevent this, in an embodiment such as illustrated in FIG. 4, a lever or arm attached to the float valve operates a shutoff valve in tube 7 by activating a valve rod 89 or piston attached to sealing means which reduces or stops the flow of liquid into tube 7.

The dispenser is designed to operate with liquid supplied at suitable pressure and to discharge the solution at or below atmospheric pressure into the liquid to be treated.

The rotary receptacle accumulates a volume of liquid and periodically instantaneously releases this liquid to a dissolving zone wherein the liquid contacts a soluble material in the lower end of the magazine to form a solution containing a carefully controlled amount of the soluble material. By releasing precisely the same amount of liquid during each cycle, accurately controlled solution concentrations are consistently obtained for a particular setting of the dial control. A wide range of concentrations are provided by the apparatus of this invention. For example, when dissolving solid calcium hypochlorite, available chlorine in amounts of from 0 to greater than about 4,000 grams per day can be supplied. In contrast, most currently available erosion type dispensing devices for chlorinating swimming pools cannot provide a zero feed rate of available chlorine while operating, nor can they feed more then approximately 300 grams of available chlorine per day when dissolving the prescribed available chlorine-containing compound.

The device of the present invention is used particularly advantageously when it is desired to dispense solutions of soluble solid materials supplied in a suitable form at accurately controlled rates. These rates are varied by controlling the volume of liquid in contact with the soluble material. The dispenser of this invention is particularly useful in the application of solid hypochlorites, for example, calcium hypochlorite, to bodies of water, for example, in treating water in swimming pools, water plants in small municipalities, bottling plants, dairies and cooling systems where the addition of a sterilizing agent or other chemical is desirable. The device also can be advantageously used in the treatment of industrial wastes to destroy color, odor and toxic constituents, and for odor and bacterial control in sewage effluents. Pressed tablets of calcium hypochlorite are especially suitable in the present apparatus, but granular shapes and sizes of particles are also suitable. The apparatus can be used for dissolving and feeding other chemicals, for example, sodium fluoride in minor amounts for water supplies, polyphosphates and compositions containing them for water softening, soda ash furnished as briquettes or fused soda ash for adjusting the alkalinity of aqueous bodies, sodium chloride, alum and available chlorine compounds other than hypochlorite including, for example, dichlorocyanuric acid and alkaline salts thereof, trichlorocyanuric acid and alkaline salts thereof, tetrachloroglycoluril, 1,2- dichloro-S,S-dimethylhydantoin and l-chloro-3 bromo-S,S-dimethylhydantoin.

The following examples are presented to illustrate the invention more fully. All parts and percentages are by weight unless otherwise specified.

EXAMPLE I A dispensing apparatus, substantially as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3, was fabricated substantially of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene resin. Tear drop shaped receptacle 11 had a capacity of approximately one quart of liquid. Magazine 18 had a grid forming the pervious end and was filled with calcium hypochlorite briquettes containing 70 percent Ca(OCl) Flow control valve 75 for controlling liquid flow between openings in the first and second compartment of the upper chamber corresponded to the valve shown in FIG. 3.

The dispensing apparatus was connected to a test stand simulating a swimming pool installation to test uniformity in maintaining available chlorine levels.

The test stand included a stirred tank having a capacity of 150 gallons of water.

Fresh water at a temperature of 80 F. was added to the dispensing apparatus at the rate of 15 gallons per hour.

At a control setting of 2, the dispensing apparatus was operated for a period of hours. Analyses of the treated solution taken at intervals of 1, 2, 3 and 5 hours after starting liquid flow to the dispensing apparatus, showed an average available chlorine concentration of 164 parts per million, with the highest reading being 170 parts per million and the lowest reading 156 parts per million.

The example shows the accurate control of concentration of available chlorine in an aqueous solution attained during operation of the improved dispensing apparatus utilizing the improved flow control valve of the present invention.

EXAMPLE II Using the apparatus of Example I, fresh water at a temperature of 80 F. was added to the dispensing apparatus at the rate of gallons per hour. The magazine was filled with tableted calcium hypochlorite containing Ca(OCl) At a control setting of 1.00, the dispensing apparatus was operated for a period of about 7 hours. Twelve analyses of the treated solution taken at intervals during the period of operation showed an available chlorine concentration from 12 to 33 parts per million was maintained, the average being 18 parts per million.

EXAMPLE III Using the apparatus of Example 1, fresh water at a temperature of F. was fed to the dispensing device at a rate of 7.5 gallons per hour. At a control setting of 9, the dispenser was operated for a period of about 4 hours. Five analyses of the treated solution taken at intervals during the period of operation showed an available chlorine concentration ranging from 1,231 to 1,339 parts per million.

EXAMPLE IV Using the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1, water was accumulated in a rotary receptacle and when filled, 1.27 quarts of water were discharged to a dissolving zone containing calcium hypochlorite tablets containing 70% Ca(OCl) Total time for accumulation and discharge of the water was 73 seconds. Following contact with the calcium hypochlorite, 1.27 quarts of solution were formed containing 116 parts per million of available chlorine. All of the available chlorinecontaining solution was released from the dispenser into the line leading to the pump, the line operating at a vacuum of 3 inches of Hg. Release time for the solution from the dispenser was 20 seconds. The solution was fed directly into a recirculating line containing water from a swimming pool having an available chlorine content of 0.5 part per million and flowing at a rate of 80 units per minute. The available chlorinecontaining solution fed to the recirculating line during the discharge time of 20 seconds treated 21.9 quarts of recirculating water, raising the available chlorine concentration of these units to 5.8 parts per million, an increase of l 1.6 times the initial available chlorine content. The control valve for the dispenser was at a setting of 2.5. Had the dispenser been discharging the chlorine-containing solution on a continuous basis, it would have raised the available chlorine concentration level of all of the recirculating water to 1.69 parts per million.

Thus the example shows that by employing the apparatus of the present invention, a portion of the water being recirculated to the swimming pool is treated with a chlorine-containing solution such that available chlo' rine concentration of the portion is raised to 5.8 parts per million, which in excess 3.5 parts per million, the minimum generally required to effect superchlorination. Thus, when using the improved dispensing appartus and novel flow control valve of the present invention, a portion of the water treated receives sufficient available chlorine to raise the concentration for this portion of water above that required for superchlorination without increasing the amount of available chlorine-containing compound consumed. Thus it is no longer necessary to periodically superchlorinate pool water by adding large amounts of available chlorinecontaining compound to the pool water to raise the concentration of available chlorine for the entire body of water to above 3.5 parts per million.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for dissolving and dispensing soluble solid material including in combination a closed container having an upper chamber and a lower chamber and at least one partition separating said chambers, said upper chamber having a first and a second compartment separated by a divider; an inlet for liquid in thevupper part of said first compartment, a rotary receptacle in said first compartment and attachment means therefore comprising a pair of trunnions, said receptacle receiving said liquid from said inlet and upon rotation periodically emptying said receptacle; first flow control means associated with at least one opening for controlling liquid flow between said first compartment and said second compartment; a magazine in said second compartment to hold soluble solids, said magazine having a pervious lower end permitting said liquid to contact the lower portion of said solids, a first opening for liquid flow between said second compartment and said lower chamber, an outlet in said lower chamber and second flow control means for liquid flow through said outlet, the improvement which comprises: said first compartment having an opening in said partition separating said upper chamber from said lower chamber, said second compartment having a second opening in said partition separating said upper chamber from said lower chamber, and said first flow control means controlling liquid flow between said opening in said first compartment and said second opening in said second compartment, said first flow control means between said opening is said first compartment and said second opening in said second compartment comprising a rotary member having a pivotal attachment to the underside of said partition between said upper chamber and said lower chamber, said rotary member having a cup positioned eccentric to said pivotal attachment, said cup having a lip of sufficient diameter to encompass said openings in said first compartment and said second compart, whereby liquid can flow from said first compartment to said second compartment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said rotary member has a flange secured to the lip of said cup.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 in which said flange has at least one aperture to permit at least a portion of liquid from said first opening to by-pass said cup.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said receptacle is a tear drop shaped vessel having at least one opening therein.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 in which said partition separating said upper and said lower chambers comprises an inclined section, a substantially vertical section and a substantially horizontal section.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 in which said opening between said second compartment and said lower chamber is comprised of a drain having a liquid retaining dam.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 in which said second flow control means for controlling said outlet is a float valve.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said magazine is removable from said compartment.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said pervious end of said magazine is a grid.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said inlet has control means comprising a flow indicator tube attached to valve means.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said valve means comprises a shut-off valve having rod activated sealing means.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said float valve has an arm secured to the upper portion thereof and being adapted to activate said rod in said shut-off valve when said float valve is in a raised position.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said float valve operates a sealing means comprised of a flexible member having a concave-shaped surface in contact with said outlet.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said magazine is filled with soluble solids selected from the group consisting of calcium hypochlorite, dichlorocyanuric acid and alkaline salts thereof, trichlorobyanuric acid and alkaline salts thereof, tetrachloroglycoluril, 1,3- dichloro-S,S-dimethylhydatoin, and 1-chloro-3-bromo- 5,5-dimethylhydatoin.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 in which said soluble solid is calcium hypochlorite.

16. The apparatus of claim 7 in which said magazine is tapered, the cross sectional area at the top being slightly smaller than the cross sectional area at the pervious end.

Claims

1. IN AN APPARATUS FOR DISSOLVING AND DISPPENSING SOLUBLE SOLID MATERIAL INCLUDING IN COMBINATION A CLOSED CONTAINER HAVING AN UPPER CHAMBER AND A LOWER CHAMBER AND AT LEAST ONE PARTITION SEPARATING SAID CHAMBERS, SAID UPPER CHAMBER HAVING A FIRST AND A SECOND COMPARTMENT SEPARATED BY A DIVIDER; AN INLET FOR LIQUID IN THE UPPER PART OF SAID COMPARTMENT A ROTARY RECEPTACLE IN SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT AND ATTACHMENT MEANS THEREFORE COMPRISING A PAIR OF TRUNNIONS, SAID RECEPTACLE RECEIVING SAID LIQUID FROM SAID INLET AND UPON ROTATION PERIODICALLY EMPTYING SAID RECPTACLE; FIRST FLOW CONTROL MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH AT LEAST ONE OPENING FOR CONTROLLING LIQUID FLOW BETWEEN SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT AND SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT MENT; A MAGAZINE IN SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT TO HOLD SOLUBLE SOLIDS, SAID MAGAZINE HAVING PREVIOUS LOWER END PERMITTING SAID LIQUID TO CONTACT THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID SOLIDS, A FIRST OPENING FOR LIQUID FLOW BETWEEN SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT AND SAID LOWER CHAMBER, AN OUTLET IN SAID LOWER CHAMBER AND SECOND FLOW CONTROL MEANS FOR LIQUID FLOW THROUGH SAID OUTLET, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES: SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT HAVING AN OPENING IN SAID PARTITION SEPARATING SAID UPPER CHAMBER FROM SAID LOWER CHAMBER, SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT HAVING A SECOND OPENING IN SAID PARTITION SEPARATING SAID UPPER CHAMBER FROM SAID LOWER CHAMBER, AND SAID FIRST FLOW CONTROL MEANS CONTROLLING LIQUID FLOW BETWEEN SAID OPENING IN SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT AND SAID SECOND OPENING BETWEEN SAID COMPARTMENT, SAID FIRST FLOW CONTROL MEANS BETWEEN SAID OPEINING IS SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT AND SAID SECOND OPENING IN SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT COMPRISING A ROTARY MEMBER HAVING A PIVOTAL ATTACHMENT TO THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID PARTITION BETWEEN SAID UPPER CHAMBER AND SAID LOWER CHAMBER, SAID ROTARY MEMBER HAVING A CUP POSITIONED ECCENTRIC TO SAID PIVOTAL ATTACHMENT, SAID CUP HAVING A LIP OF SUFFICIENT DIAMETER TO ENCOMPASS SAID OPENINGS IN SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT AND SAID SECOND COMPART, WHEREBY LIQUID CAN FLOW FROM SAID FIRST COMPARTMENT TO SAID SECOND COMPARTMENT.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 in which said magazine is filled with soluble solids selected from the group consisting of calcium hypochlorite, dichlorocyanuric acid and alkaline salts thereof, trichlorobyanuric acid and alkaline salts thereof, tetrachloroglycoluril, 1,3-dichloro-5,5-dimethylhydatoin, and 1-chloro-3-bromo-5,5-dimethylhydatoin.