Patent ID: 6132176
Filing Date: 2000-10-17
Classification: B01D,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
A filter press comprising:a horizontally elongate frame;first and second head assemblies mounted at opposite ends of said frame, said first head assembly being disposed adjacent one end of said frame and supported for horizontal movement toward and away from said second head assembly so as to be respectively movable into closed and opened positions;a plurality of filter plates supported on said frame for movement therealong between said first and second head assemblies, said filter plates being pushed together into a horizontally extending closed stack and clampingly held between said first and second head assemblies when said first head assembly is moved toward said second head assembly into said closed position;a feed pump for supplying slurry material under pressure to said plurality of filter plates, said feed pump being connected to a source of air by an air supply line;a pressure regulator associated with said air supply line for maintaining the air supplied to said feed pump at a predetermined pressure; andan air flow sensor mounted in said air supply line between said feed pump and said pressure regulator, said air flow sensor having an upstream end and a downstream end and including a housing defining a chamber therein, and a piston slidably disposed within said chamber and movable between a first position which permits air flow from said air supply line through said sensor in response to upstream air pressure and a second position which restricts air flow through said sensor in response to downstream air pressure generated during a press filling cycle which is indicative of slowing of said feed pump, said sensor being adapted to transmit a signal to a controller associated with said pressure regulator upon said piston moving into said second position to increase the pressure of the air supplied to said feed pump.