Claims
- 1. A filter for a carpet cleaning device comprising:
a casing; a partition attached to said casing to extend therefrom, said partition defining a primary chamber and a secondary chamber in said casing; and, a main siphon mounted in said partition and placing said primary chamber in fluid communication with said secondary chamber.
- 2. The filter of claim 1 wherein said main siphon has an inverted U-shape, and further wherein said main siphon has a first end extending into said primary chamber and a second end extending into said secondary chamber.
- 3. The filter of claim 2 wherein said main siphon has a horizontal portion and a first vertical portion oriented substantially perpendicular to said horizontal portion and terminating at said first end, and a second vertical portion oriented substantially perpendicular to said horizontal portion and terminating at said second end.
- 4. The filter of claim 3 wherein said primary chamber has a primary fluid level when wastewater is transported into said filter, and further wherein said main siphon transports said wastewater from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber when said primary fluid level is about even with said horizontal portion.
- 5. The filter of claim 1 further comprising:
an auxiliary siphon having a vertical auxiliary portion and a horizontal auxiliary portion attached to said casing, said vertical auxiliary portion being oriented substantially perpendicular to said horizontal auxiliary portion and being in fluid communication with said secondary chamber.
- 6. The filter of claim 5 further comprising a pump connected to said casing in fluid communication with said horizontal auxiliary portion.
- 7. The filter of claim 6 further comprising:
a prime mover connected to said pump for powering said pump; a high level switch electrically connected to said prime mover for selectively stopping said prime mover; and, a low level switch electrically connected to said pump for selective operation of said pump.
- 8. The filter of claim 7 wherein said high level switch is mounted to said casing within said secondary chamber and above said horizontal auxiliary portion, and further wherein said low level switch is mounted to said casing within said secondary chamber and below said horizontal auxiliary portion.
- 9. The filter of claim I further comprising:
a filter basket removably placed within said filter and formed with a primary compartment and a secondary compartment, said primary compartment corresponding to said primary chamber and said secondary compartment corresponding to said secondary chamber when said basket is placed in said filter.
- 10. A method for filtering insoluble debris from a combined wastewater/debris stream of a carpet cleaning device which comprises the steps of:
transporting said wastewater/debris stream into a filter having a casing, said casing having a partition extending into said casing to define a primary chamber and a secondary chamber, said filter also including a main siphon mounted in said partition to place said primary chamber in fluid communication with said secondary chamber; containing said stream in said primary chamber to establish a primary fluid level; settling said debris in said primary chamber; moving said wastewater from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber when said primary fluid level reaches a first predetermined level in said primary chamber, said moving step establishing a secondary fluid level in said secondary chamber; and, transferring said wastewater from said secondary chamber when said secondary fluid level reaches a second predetermined level, said transferring step being accomplished simultaneously with said transporting step.
- 11. The method of claim 10 further comprising the step of:
straining said wastewater/debris stream with a basket, said basket having a plurality of openings sized for allowing said stream therethrough while trapping larger-sized pieces of said debris therein, said basket further having a primary compartment corresponding to said primary chamber and a secondary compartment corresponding to said secondary chamber when said basket is placed within said filter, said straining step occurring prior to said containing step.
- 12. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:
re-settling remaining portions of said debris in said secondary chamber, said resettling step occurring after said moving step and before said transferring step.
- 13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of:
monitoring said secondary fluid level in said secondary chamber.
- 14. A filter for a carpet cleaning device comprising:
a first casing defining a primary chamber; a second casing defining a secondary chamber and attached in fluid communication with said first casing; and, an angled connection attached to said secondary casing to extend therefrom into said secondary chamber, said angled connection having a horizontal portion and a downturned vertical portion oriented about perpendicular to said horizontal portion.
- 15. The filter of claim 14 further comprising a wastewater pump attached in fluid communication with said horizontal portion.
- 16. The filter of claim 14 further comprising:
a tube, said tube having an inverted U-shape with a tube horizontal portion with a pair of respective downturned tube vertical portions projecting from said tube horizontal portion, said tube being mounted to said filter so that one of said tube vertical portions extends into said primary chamber and the other of said tube vertical portions extends into said secondary chamber.
- 17. The filter of claim 16 wherein said primary chamber has a primary fluid level when wastewater is transported into said filter, and further wherein said tube transports said wastewater from said primary chamber to said secondary chamber when said primary fluid level is about even with said tube horizontal portion.
- 18. The filter of claim 17 further comprising:
a prime mover connected to said pump for powering said pump; a high level switch electrically connected to said prime mover for selectively stopping said prime mover; and, a low level switch electrically connected to said wastewater pump for selective operation of said pump.
- 19. The filter of claim 18 wherein said high level switch is mounted to said second casing within said secondary chamber and above said horizontal portion, and further wherein said low level switch is mounted to said second casing within said secondary chamber and below said horizontal portion.
- 20. The filter of claim 19 further comprising:
a filter basket formed with a primary compartment and a secondary compartment, said primary compartment corresponding to said primary chamber and said secondary compartment corresponding to said secondary chamber when said basket is placed in said filter.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims priority from application Ser. No. 60/198,280, which was filed Apr. 17, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60198280 |
Apr 2000 |
US |