Self-cleaning hydraulic classifier control

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF A SLURRY OF SOLID PARTICLES IN LIQUID SUSPENSION COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE, MEANS FOR MAINTAINING A TEETER COLUMN FOR SAID SUSPENSION INCLUDING MEANS NEAR THE BOTTOM OF THE ENCLOSURE FOR DIRECTING JETS OF WATER UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID SUSPENSION, INTAKE MEANS FOR REPLENISHING THE SLURRY, A SIPHON PASSAGE INCLUDING A PIPE HAVING AN INLET END REAR THE LOWER, DENSER PORTION OF SAID TEETER COLUMN AND AN OUTLET END OUTSIDE THE ENCLOSURE, AN AIR VENT AT A ZONE IN SAID SIPHON PASSAGE NEAR ITS UPPERMOST POINT AND ABOVE THE LEVEL OF LIQUID IN SAID COLUMN, AND MEANS FOR OPENING AN AIR PASSAGE MEANS TO SAID AIR VENT INCLUDING A FLOAT CHAMBER, A LIQUID-RESPONSIVE MOVABLE FLOAT IN SAID CHAMBER ADAPTED, BY RISING MOVEMENT THEREOF TO CUT OFF AIR SUPPLY TO SAID AIR VENT AND BY FALLING MOVEMENT THEREOF TO RESTORE AIR SUPPLY TO SAID AIR VENT, AND MEANS FOR VARYING THE LEVEL OF LIQUID IN SAID FLOAT CHAMBER INCLUDING A WATER CARRYING CONTROL PIPE HAVING AN UPPER END IN FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FLOAT CHAMBER AND A LOWER END IN FLOW COMMUNICATION WITH SAID TEETER COLUMN NEAR THE SIPHON INLET END, SAID LOWER END OF SAID CONTROL PIPE HAVING A DOWNWARDLY FLARING INTAKE MEMBER OPENING WHICH IS GREATER IN DIAMETER AT ITS LOWERMOST EDGE THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID CONTROL PIPE.