Patent GB-470842-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to water softening apparatus
IPC: C02F1/42
Filed: 1935-11-18
Abstract: 470,842. Softening water. KERRISON, 0. C. Nov. 18, 1935, No. 31940. [Class 46] A box 3 containing valve members for controlling the regeneration of base-exchange material by brine is mounted on the top of the softener 1. The box is divided by a vertical partition into two compartments which are shown in vertical section in Figs. 4 and 5 respectively. The main compartments are subdivided by horizontal partitions . 8, 9 into upper and lower compartments. The hard water is supplied through a connection 10 to the compartment 40, passes through an aperture 11 to the compartment 50 and thence through a pipe to the bottom of the softener. Soft water from the top of the softener passes to the chamber 70, thence through an aperture 28 to the chamber 60 and through a connection 29 to the soft water system. When regeneration is necessary a spindle 6 is turned and valves 5, 4, on arms attached to the spindle are moved to close the aperture 11 and to open a connection 23 to waste. The hard water then passes through an aperture 19 and an injector 13, which draws brine from a brine tank 2, Fig. 7, the water from the top of the softener 1 then passing through the chambers 70, 60 to waste. A controllable port 31 in the partition separating the chambers 40, 60, may serve as an air vent or allow a predetermined proportion of hard water to mix with the softened water. The supply of brine to the injector may be controlled by a valve of the kind described in Specification 439,416, or by arrangements as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The valve body 43, Fig. 7, is connected by a pipe 45 to the brine tank 2 and has an outlet 46 to the injector. The valve has an obturating member with upper and lower closed positions, the passage being opened when the member is in an intermediate position. The position of the member is controlled by the lever 48 of a float 47. When the spindle 6 is turned to direct the hard water through the injector, a pin 53 on the operating lever 41 of the spindle, engages a fork 51 at the end of the lever 48 and opens the valve 43 so that brine is drawn to the injector. The float 47 closes the valve when the requisite amount of brine has been withdrawn from the tank 2. When the spindle is returned to the initial position the valve 43 is again opened and water flows back through the pipe 45 to replenish the tank 2. As shown in Fig. 8, a single-action valve 56 is used. The pipe 45 has an aperture 54 below the brine level and a non-return valve 55. Brine flow ceases when the aperture 54 is uncovered. The water to replenish the brine tank enters through the aperture 54. The lever 41 may be moved manually or by an electric timing device. Arrangements may be made for altering the effective length of the float lever, which may be calibrated to indicate the amount of brine delivered for any effective length. Arrangements may also be made for swinging the float clear while the tank is being charged with salt. The amount of salt below the brine may be indicated by means of a rod having at its lower end a member which rests upon the surface of the salt. As shown in Fig. 4, a filter 34 is provided in the chamber 70 to filter the soft water passing through the aperture 28. The filter may have a rotary cleaning member which may be operated by a connection to the lever 41. A valve on the soft water pipe from the connection 29 may be kept open by a finger, connected to the spindle 6, when the latter is in position for normal flow, but is closed by a spring when the spindle is turned for regeneration.