Bi-directional pick-up shoe

1. An apparatus for removing fluid from a cylinder, the apparatus comprising a syphon shoe connected to a syphon pipe, the syphon shoe comprising:

two opposing circumferential openings extending through an outer wall of the syphon shoe, the openings being disposed substantially parallel to a direction of rotation of the cylinder; and

a divider separating the opposing circumferential openings, the divider extending from an end of the syphon shoe 50 .

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the divider has two surfaces, each facing one of the opposing circumferential openings, the two surfaces being contoured.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the contour is curved.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the contour defines an angle progressively increasing from less than 30° to approximately 90°.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the height of the divider is less than a radius of a central bore of the syphon pipe.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the divider defines a height less than a radius of curvature of the surfaces of the divider.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the divider defines a height less than a height defined by the opposing circumferential openings.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the opposing circumferential openings define heights at least as great as a height defined by the divider.

9. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the opposing circumferential openings define heights at least twice a radius of curvature of the surfaces of the divider.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the opposing circumferential openings define heights at least as great as a radius of a central bore of the syphon pipe.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the opposing circumferential openings has a central portion and opposing end portions, the opposing end portions extending upward away from a bottom of the syphon shoe.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the opposing circumferential openings has a central portion defined by a concave arcuate segment and opposing end portions defined by convex arcuate segments.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the opposing end portions define diameters larger than a height of the central portion.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the syphon shoe is constructed of a material which is softer than the inside surface of the cylinder.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said material comprises a high molecular weight solid compound of carbon and fluorine.

16. An apparatus for removing fluid from a cylinder, the apparatus comprising:

a syphon shoe configured and dimensioned for connection to a syphon pipe, the syphon shoe including two opposing circumferential openings extending through an outer wall of the syphon shoe and disposed substantially parallel to a direction of rotation of the cylinder; and

a divider separating the opposing circumferential openings, the divider extending from an end of the syphon shoe and having two curved surfaces that face the opposing circumferential openings, each of the opposing circumferential openings having a central portion and opposing end portions.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the curved surfaces define angles progressively increasing from less than 30° to approximately 90°.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the central portion of the openings is defined by a concave arcuate segment and the opposing end portions are defined by convex arcuate segments.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the divider defines a height less than a height defined by the opposing circumferential openings.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the syphon shoe is constructed of a material which is softer than an inside surface of the cylinder.