Slide guide assembly and slider kit for floating cover of digester tank and associated method

Abstract

A guide assembly for a floating cover of a sludge digester tank includes a track having a pair of opposing surfaces facing one another to define a vertical guide channel or track connected to the tank or the floating cover. At least one slider member is disposed in the channel for vertical motion therein. The slider member is connected to the other of the tank or the floating cover. Two bearing strips are attached to the slider member for engaging opposing surfaces of the track in a low-friction slidable contact. The bearing strips are vertically removable from the slider member, so that the bearing strips may be replaced without removing the slider member from the guide channel.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A slide guide assembly for a floating cover of a sludge digester tank, comprising: 
 a track having at least one surface defining an at least partially vertical guide path, said track being connected at least indirectly to one of the floating cover and the tank;    at least one slider member slidably engaged with said track for motion along said path, said slider member being connected at least indirectly to the other of the floating cover and the tank; and    at least one bearing strip attached to said slider member for engaging said surface of said track in a low-friction slidable contact, said bearing strip being removable from said slider member while said slider member remains in slidable engagement with said track.    
     
     
         2 . The slide guide assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein said surface is one of a pair of opposing surfaces of said track facing one another to define said path as an at least partially vertical guide channel, said slider member being disposed in said channel for motion therein, said bearing strip is one of at least two bearing strips attached to said slider member for engaging said opposing surfaces of said track in a low-friction slidable contact, said bearing strips being removable from said slider member while said slider member remains in slidable engagement with said track.  
     
     
         3 . The slide guide assembly defined in  claim 2  wherein cooperating connector elements are provided on said slider member and each one of said bearing strips for enabling removal of said bearing strips from said slider member by moving said bearing strips in a longitudinal direction along said slider member.  
     
     
         4 . The slide guide assembly defined in  claim 3  wherein said connector elements include mating flanges and grooves.  
     
     
         5 . The slide guide assembly defined in  claim 4  wherein said flanges and said grooves are disposed in parallel planes.  
     
     
         6 . The slide guide assembly defined in  claim 5  wherein said flanges are on said slider member and said grooves are on said bearing strips.  
     
     
         7 . The slide guide assembly defined in  claim 6  wherein each of said bearing strips has two oppositely facing grooves and wherein said slider member is provided on the respective side with a pair of flanges inserted into respective ones of said oppositely facing grooves.  
     
     
         8 . The slide guide assembly defined in  claim 2  wherein said slider member is formed with a pair of opposing flanges disposed in a common plane oriented vertically and parallel to said opposing surfaces, each of said bearing strips being formed with a pair of oppositely facing vertical grooves receiving respective ones of said flanges.  
     
     
         9 . The slide guide assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein said path extends vertically, said slider member being disposed for vertical motion along said path.  
     
     
         10 . The slide guide assembly defined in  claim 9  wherein said bearing strip is vertically removable from said slider member.  
     
     
         11 . The slide guide assembly defined in  claim 1  wherein said bearing strip is made of a non-lubricated polymeric material.  
     
     
         12 . A slider kit for use in a slide guide assembly for a floating cover of a sludge digester tank, comprising: 
 at least one slider member disposable along an at least partially vertical guide track for at least partially vertical motion therealong, said slider member being connectable at least indirectly to one of the floating cover and the digester tank, said slider member having a longitudinal axis; and    at least one bearing strip attachable to said slider member along a side thereof for engaging a surface of said track in a low-friction slidable contact, said bearing strip being removably attachable to said slider member.    
     
     
         13 . The slider kit defined in  claim 12  wherein said bearing strip is slidably attachable to said slider member for removal motion in a direction parallel to said longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         14 . The slider kit defined in  claim 13  wherein cooperating connector elements are provided on said slider member and said bearing strip for enabling a removal of said bearing strip from said slider member by moving said bearing strip parallel to said longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         15 . The slider kit defined in  claim 14  wherein said connector elements include flanges and grooves.  
     
     
         16 . The slider kit defined in  claim 15  wherein said flanges are provided on said slider member and said grooves are provided on said bearing strips.  
     
     
         17 . The slider kit defined in  claim 16  wherein said bearing strip has two oppositely facing grooves and wherein said slider member is provided with a pair of flanges insertable into respective ones of said oppositely facing grooves.  
     
     
         18 . The slider kit defined in  claim 13  wherein said slider member is formed with a pair of opposing flanges disposed in a common plane oriented parallel to said longitudinal axis, said bearing strip being formed with a pair of oppositely facing grooves for receiving respective ones of said flanges.  
     
     
         19 . The slider kit defined in  claim 12  wherein said bearing strip is made of a non-lubricated polymeric material.  
     
     
         20 . A method for repairing or maintaining a slide guide assembly for a floating cover of a sludge digester tank, comprising: 
 removing a first bearing strip from a slider member of the slide guide assembly, said slider member being attached at least indirectly to one of the floating cover and the sludge digester tank, said slider member being disposed in slidable engagement with a track fastened to the other of said floating cover and said sludge digester tank, the removing of said first bearing strip being executed while said slider member remains in slidable engagement with said track;    providing a second bearing strip; and    while said slider member remains in slidable engagement with said track, attaching said second bearing strip to said slider member at a location previously occupied by said first bearing strip.    
     
     
         21 . The method defined in  claim 20  wherein the removing of said first bearing strip from said slider member includes sliding said first bearing strip longitudinally along said slider member until said first bearing strip is completely removed from said slider member, and wherein the attaching of said second bearing strip to said slider member includes: 
 inserting a lower end of said second bearing strip into said slider member; and  
 upon inserting of said lower end, sliding said second bearing strip longitudinally along and into said slider member.  
 
     
     
         22 . The method defined in  claim 21 , further comprising maintaining said floating cover in an operative position in said sludge digester tank during the sliding of said first bearing strip, the inserting of said lower end of said second bearing strip, and the sliding of said second bearing strip.  
     
     
         23 . A sludge digester tank system, comprising: 
 a tank;    a floating cover movably mounted to said tank; and    at least one slide guide assembly operatively connected to said tank and said cover, said guide assembly including:    a track defining an at least partially vertical guide path, said track being connected at least indirectly to one of the tank and the cover;    at least one slider member slidably engaged with said track for at least partially vertical motion therealong, said slider member being connected at least indirectly to the other of the tank and the cover; and    at least one bearing strip attached to said slider member for engaging a surface of said track in a low-friction slidable contact, said bearing strip being removable from said slider member while said slider member remains in slidable engagement with said track.    
     
     
         24 . The sludge digester tank system defined in  claim 23  wherein said surface is one of a pair of opposing surfaces of said track facing one another to define said path as an at least partially vertical guide channel, said slider member being disposed in said channel for at least partially vertical motion therein, said bearing strip being one of at least two bearing strips attached to said slider member for engaging said opposing surfaces of said track in a low-friction slidable contact, said bearing strips being vertically removable from said slider member.  
     
     
         25 . The sludge digester tank system defined in  claim 24  wherein cooperating connector elements are provided on said slider member and each one of said bearing strips for enabling removal of said bearing strips from said slider member by moving said bearing strips in a vertical direction relative to said slider member.  
     
     
         26 . The sludge digester tank system defined in  claim 25  wherein said connector elements include mating flanges and grooves.  
     
     
         27 . The sludge digester tank system defined in  claim 26  wherein said flanges and said grooves are disposed in vertical planes.  
     
     
         28 . The sludge digester tank system defined in  claim 26  wherein said flanges are on said slider member and said grooves are on said bearing strips.  
     
     
         29 . The sludge digester tank system defined in  claim 23  wherein said slider member is formed with a pair of opposing flanges disposed in a common plane oriented vertically and parallel to said opposing surfaces, said bearing strip being formed with a pair of oppositely facing vertical grooves receiving respective ones of said flanges.