Patent ID: 7913854
Filing Date: 2011-03-29
Classification: B01D

Abstract:
1. A filter apparatus including: a tank having an interior space adapted to receive and contain a liquid containing solids to be filtered out; a closed loop filter belt having a segment extending within said tank space; a filter belt support located within said tank interior space and on which said segment of said filter belt is supported, said filter belt support having openings allowing liquid passing through said filter belt to be filtered to pass into a separate collection space in said tank; a pump drawing filtered liquid out of said collection space for reuse; said filter belt having a return segment connected to said one segment to allow periodic indexing movement thereof to bring successive sections onto said filter belt support and advance other sections out of said interior space to allow discharge of filtered solids deposited on said filter belt; said filter belt passing around a filter belt support at either end to allow circulation of said filter belt back into said tank interior space by successive indexing movements of said filter belt; said filter belt having a series of spaced apart parallel drive-flight bars mounted thereto along the length thereof, each bar extending across said filter belt; an indexing drive mechanism periodically acting on said filter belt by successively engaging each of said drive-flight bars and advancing said engaged drive-flight bar and thereby said closed loop filter belt to cause said indexing movement of said filter belt, said indexing drive mechanism including at least one extendible member carrying an associated engagement element, said indexing drive mechanism operable to extend and retract said extendible member to bring said engagement element into and out of engagement with each successive one of said filter belt drive-flight bars as said indexing movement of said filter belt proceeds and said indexing drive mechanism advancing said extendible member while in engagement with said successive one of said drive-flight bars to carry out indexing of said filter belt.