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PATENT A P P L I C A T I O N
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Embodiments of the invention are hereafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of a first form of manifold system,
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic vertical crosssectional view of the manifold system of Figure 1
showing a single satellite conduit and associated
pilot line, and
Figure 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a rotary valve unit of the invention in the open position, partly cut away to show the surface formation of the rotatable ball member.
Description of Preferred Embodiments
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Figure 1 illustrates schematically a manifold system comprising a manifold 10 having a main or common conduit 11 and e.g. twenty satellite conduits 12,
only the four endmost of which, at each end, are
shown in detail. As shown by these end conduits 12
each of the conduits 12 contains a satellite valve 13.
The manifold system of this embodiment is suitable
in use for the collection of one of a variety of liquid
products and when arranged in situ each satellite
conduit 12 will be connected from the remote end of
its valve 13 through a pump to a respective source
such as a storage tank. Aconnecting conduit 14 leads
from the common conduit 11 at a position spaced (in
this embodiment downstream) from the satellite conduits 12, and contains a main valve 15 which may be
fitted with a flow meter 16.
As will become apparent the satellite conduits 12
and connecting conduit 14 are connected via their
valves 13 and 15 at T junctions and the common con-
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conveyance operations.
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Claims
1. A manifold system con nectable in use for the substantially contamination free collection of one of
a variety of liquid products of differing character
from a selected source, or the substantially contamination free delivery of a said product to a selected one of a variety of destinations, comprising:
a manifold (10) having a common conduit
(11) connecting a plurality of satellite conduits
(12) themselves con nectable with respective said
sources or destinations,
a satellite valve (13) in each satellite conduit,
a connecting conduit (14) leading from
said common conduit at a position spaced from
the satellite connections,
a main valve (15) in said connecting conand
duit,
first cleaning means (17) operable for
freeing said common conduit of contaminants between conveyance of different said products.
2.
3.
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A system according to one of claims 1 to 3 wherein said common conduit extends from a first point
(18) beyond a first satellite connection furthermost from said connecting conduit to a second
point (19) beyond a junction with said connecting
conduit (14).
5. A system according to one of claims 1 to 4 wherein said first cleaning means comprises a pig (17).
6. Asystem according to claim 5 including a first pig
trap (18) at said first point and a second pig trap
(19) at said second point.
7. A system according to claim 5 or 6 wherein said
pig (1 7) is arranged to be actuated in at least one
direction by hydraulic pressure of a said product.
8. Asystem according to one of claims 5 to 7 wherein said pig (17) is arranged to be actuated in at
least one direction by pneumatic means.
9.
A system according to one of claims 6 to 8 suitable for the collection of a said product selected
from a plurality of sources, including a pilot manifold comprising a central pilot line (20a) connecting said first pig trap to a plurality of pilot lines
(20) each containing a pilot valve (21), said pilot
lines being respectively associated with a respective satellite conduit (12) and connected thereto
at a connection point on the far side of the respective satellite valve (13) from said central conduit
(11).
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tern according to one of claims 1 to 10 with said
satellite conduits connected via pumps to respective product sources.
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14. A liquid distribution system arranged for the substantially contamination free delivery of a liquid
product under pumping pressure to a selected
one of a variety of destinations including a manifold system according to one of claims 1 to 8, 11
and 12 with said satellite conduits (12) connected
to respective product destinations and means for
cleaning said satellite conduits between successive deliveries.
15. A liquid distribution system arranged for the substantially contamination free collection of one of
a variety of liquid products of differing character
from a selected source, and the substantially
contamination free delivery of said product to a
selected one of a variety of destinations, comprising:
a common transit conduit for conveying a
selected said product from an intake station to a
terminal station,
second cleaning means operable for freesaid
transit conduit of contaminants between
ing
conveyance of different said products,
a manifold system according to one of
claims 1 to 8 connected at each end of said transit
conduit via a said connecting conduit,
the satellite conduits (12) of the upstream
manifold being connected to respective product
sources and those of the downstream manifold
being connected to respective product destinations, and
individual cleaning means operable for
freeing said downstream satellite conduits of
contaminants between conveyance of different
said products.
16. A system according to claim 15 wherein said upstream manifold system accords with claim 9 or
claim 10.
17. Asystem according to claim 15 or 16 wherein said
downstream manifold system accords with claim
11 or claim 12.
18. A manifold (1 0) suitable for the conveyance of liquid products comprising:
a common conduit (11),
a plurality of satellite conduits (12) connecting with said common conduit intermediate of
the extremities (18, 19) of the common conduit,
a connecting conduit (14) leading from
said common conduit (11) at a position spaced
from the satellite connections and the adjacent
extremity of the common conduit, and
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