Agitation parts degreaser

Claim 1

An agitation degreaser for cleaning oil from parts by contacting them with a cleaning liquid, and at the same time removing oil from the cleaning liquid, comprising: (a) a container filled to a high level with cleaning liquid which is heavier than the oil being removed; (b) an upright partition means in said container having a top extending above the surface of said liquid and dividing said container into a first turbulent-liquid chamber receiving the parts to be cleaned and a second calm-liquid chamber, said partition means being selectively vertically adjustable so as to openly communicate said first turbulent-liquid chamber with said second calm-liquid chamber so that oil floating on the surface of said first turbulent-liquid chamber may be selectively urged into said second calm-liquid chamber; (c) suction duct means and discharge duct means communicating with said first chamber; (d) liquid pump means connected with said suction and discharge duct means and operative to draw liquid from said suction duct means and discharge it through said discharge duct means into said first chamber at high velocity, whereby to maintain the liquid in the first chamber in a high state of turbulence sufficient to prevent accumulation of an oil skim at the surface of the liquid in said first chamber; (e) oil removal means operative in said second chamber and including bleed means operative for diverting a proportion of the cleaning liquid passing through said suction duct means and said duct means and said discharge duct means into the calm liquid of said second chamber, and including opening means leaving said second chamber below the surface of the liquid for passing a portion of the calm liquid back into said first chamber; and (f) oil skimming means operative at the liquid surface in the second chamber for skimming oil therefrom and delivering it outside the container.