Improvements in Presses for Compressing Semi-fluids into Solids, commonly known as Filter Presses.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Apr., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 28th Jan., 1890-Accepted, 8th Mar., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Presses for Compressing Semi-fluids into Solids,
commonly known as Filter Presses.
I, JOHN HILL of 23 Adelaide Street Fenton Stoke on Trent Mechanical Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to those filter presses which are used for making
potters' clay or for compressing yeast or paraffin and other semi-fluids in which
porous slabs or tiles are employed as the filtering medium through which the liquid
part of the semi-fluid is forced.
The chief feature of this invention consists in so constructing the said presses that
the porous slabs can be removed and their position reversed so that the liquid portions
will flow therethrough alternately in opposite directions so as to prevent their pores
becoming choked with the solid matter which is a defect in this kind of filter press as
heretofore constructed.
A filter press constructed according to this invention consists of several sections
each formed of two or more porous tiles or slabs of suitable thickness carried in
wooden or other frames these sections being bolted or otherwise cramped together
side by side so as to leave spaces between each set of tiles or slabs. The faces of the
tiles or slabs are suitably grooved or channelled to allow passages for the liquid.
The slurry or other semi-fluid is forced into the said spaces between the sets of
tiles or slabs through which latter the liquid passes and escapes the clay or other
solid matter being retained in the said spaces. When the said spaces have become
filled with the solid matter the slabs and solid matter are removed from the
press and
when the slabs are replaced they are turned half round so that their sides which were
towards the solid matter are now next each other by this means when the spaces are
again filled with the semi-fluid the liquid portions passing through the slabs in the
reverse direction will clear the pores and prevent them becoming clogged.
The said porous slabs are very readily made of ordinary clay as used for making
bricks mixed with a certain portion of sawdust or coaldust and then moulded into
shape and fired the firing operation consuming the coaldust or sawdust and thus
making the slabs thoroughly porous.
Doted thic 16th day of Mov 1889
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Presses for Compressing Semi-fluids into Solids,
commonly known as Filter Presses.
I, JOHN HILL, of 23, Adelaide Street, Fenton, Stoke-on-Trent, Mechanical Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has reference to those filter presses which are used for making
potters' clay or for compressing yeast or paraffin and other semi-fluids, in which
porous slabs are employed as the filtering medium through which the liquid part of
the semi-fluid is forced.
The chief feature of this invention consists in so constructing the said presses that
the porous slabs can be removed and their position reversed so that the liquid
portions will flow therethrough alternately in opposite directions so as to prevent

page_text: their pores becoming choked with the solid matter which is a defect in this kind of
filter press as heretofore constructed.
On the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 illustrates in part sectional elevation a
filter press constructed according to this invention and Fig. 2 is an end view of the
same; Fig. 3 is a part sectional plan of the same and Fig. 4 represents on an
enlarged scale in elevation and in cross section one of the porous slabs of the same
separately; Fig. 5 represents in elevation one of the frames carrying the porous
slabs; Fig. 6 is a view of the other side of the same; Fig. 7 is a cross section of the
same, and Fig. 8 represents, in elevation and in section one of the frames which are
placed between the porous slab frames and contain the clay or other solid matter.as
hereinafter described; Figs. 9 and 10 are vertical sections on an enlarged scale of a
part of the porous slabs and their frames and the frames for containing the clay or
other solid matter so as to illustrate how the position of the porous. slabs is reversed
as hereinafter described.
The same letters of reference indicate the same or corresponding parts in all the
Figures of the drawings.
The said filter press consists of several sections each formed of two or more
porous tiles or slabs of suitable thickness carried in wooden or other frames these
sections being bolted or otherwise cramped together side by side so as to leave spaces
between each set of tiles or slabs. The faces of the tiles or slabs are suitably
grooved or channeled to allow passages for the liquid. In the example illustrated
by the drawings five of the said sections are shewn and marked respectively A' A'
A³ A A³ each section consisting of two frames marked respectively B and C each
frame carrying twelve porous tiles or slabs d (but a larger or smaller number of
these slabs may be used in each frame). One of these frames is represented by
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 where it will be seen that its sides are bound round by square
bolts marked e¹ e² e et one end of each bolt being reduced and passing through a
corresponding hole in the next bolt so that when tightened up they will hold the
slabs or tiles & securely in position. The longer sides of the frame are strengthened
by the cross stay e which passes through the frame. Each of the shorter sides has a
central trunnion f forged respectively in a piece with the bolts e² et. As will be seen
by Fig. 4 the porous tiles or slabs are grooved or channeled on each side these
grooves or channels running by preference in opposite directions so that when
placed together in the frame the grooves or channels will be longitudinal on one
side, as seen in Fig. 5, and transverse on the other side, as seen in Fig. 6, and
when the two frames B and C forming one section are placed together the grooves
on the adjacent faces of the tiles in the frames B and C respectively run at right
angles to each other, those in the frame B for instance being vertical and those in
the frame being horizontal so that the fluid percolating through the slabs as
hereinafter described will run along these grooves and escape at the bottom edge.
Between each of the said sections is a clay frame G, represented separately by
Fig. 8, which is similar to the frames for containing the porous slabs but at its
upper side is provided with a small tube g through which the slurry or other semi-
fluid enters the frame, each of these tubes g being furnished with a suitable cock h
which by a flexible pipe j is connected to the main pipe k which conveys the slurry
or other semi-fluid to the filter press. The said clay frames and the, porous slab
frames are carried side by side by their trunnions resting at each side between
guides which in this case form tie bolts for securing the two end plates m¹ m² of
the press together each of the said end plates m² m² being supported by a suitable
standard n.
o is a pressure plate also carried by the side guides and in this case
provided with two pairs of toggle levers p with nuts and right and left hand
screw p² which mechanism is similar to that used in other presses and forms no part
of this invention. Instead of the right and left hand screw and toggle levers any
other mechanism may be employed for operating the pressure plate o.
In using the said filter press the porous slab frames are as above stated arranged
in pairs side by side one of the clay frames being placed between each pair. In the

page_text: press illustrated by Figs. 1 and 3 only a...few of the frames are shewn but it is to
be understood that enough of these frames are used to reach from the back plate m'..
to the pressure plate o. The pressure plate o is then screwed up so as to cramp the
frames together between the pressure plate o and the back plate m'. The meeting
faces of the frames are grooved all round at q and in these grooves of the clay
or solid matter frames G are placed round or other indiarubber strips or other
packing running all round which fit in corresponding grooves in the porous slab
frames and make a water-tight joint between the clay frames and the porous slab,
frames. There is no packing used between each pair of porous slab frames, and the
faces of these frames are cross grooved so as to allow the liquid matter which has
passed through the porous.slabs to escape. The slurry or other. semi-fluid is forced
through the pipes g into the clay frames G or spaces between the sections of porous
tiles or slabs through which latter the liquid passes and runs down the channels
between the slabs and escapes between the frames B and C ; the clay or other solid
matter being retained in the spaces between the sections of porous slabs or tiles.
When these spaces have become filled with the solid matter the pressure plate o is
screwed back or otherwise removed so that the porous slab frames and the clay frames
can be separated from each other; the clay or other solid matter is then removed
and before the frames are replaced the porous slab frames are turned halfround as
shewn in Fig. 10 so that their sides which were towards the solid matter are now
next each other; by this means when the spaces are again filled with the semi-fluid the
liquid portions passing through the slabs in the reverse direction will clear the pores
of the slabs and prevent them becoming clogged.
The said porous slabs are very readily made of ordinary clay as used for making
bricks mixed with a certain portion of coaldust or sawdust and then moulded
into shape and fired; the firing operation consuming the coaldust or sawdust and
thus making the slabs thoroughly porous; or the porous slabs can be made in
other ways as are well known, the method of making the said slabs forming no part
of this invention.
To enable the porous slab frames and the clay frames to be moved parallel along
the guides by one man at the side of the press the ends f₁ of the trunnions of may
be reduced as shewn and connected by hooks to the ends of cords (forming no part
of this invention) one at each side of the press which are led over guide pulleys to
the same side.
The accompanying drawings illustrate what I consider to be the best method for
carrying my invention into practice but it is to be understood that the said invention
is not limited to the precise details illustrated as the frames for instance may be of
other shapes and more than two porous slab frames may be used in each section and
instead of the frames being arranged vertically they may be used horizontally one
above the other.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a filter press the employment of filtering sections arranged alternately with
a space for the semi-fluid between each section, each of the said sections consisting
of two or more separable and reversible porous slabs or tiles side by side which can
be reversed in position relatively to each other so that the liquid will flow therethrough
alternately in opposite directions to prevent their pores becoming choked, substantially
as herein before set forth.
2. In a filter press and in combination, the filtering sections each consisting of
two similar reversible frames A B carried on trunnions movable along guides and
furnished with porous slabs d, the clay or solid matter frames G fitting alternately
between each section and constructed so as to joint thereto and furnished with inlets
for the slurry or other semi-fluid, and suitable means for cramping the frames together
when required, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

page_text: 3. The construction of the filtering sections each consisting of two similar
reversible frames furnished with porous slabs having their faces so grooved or
channeled that when placed together or reversed the channels will cross each other
for the purpose and substantially as herein before set forth.
4. The improved filter press taken as a whole, but apart from any particular
mechanism for operating the pressure plate, substantially as described and shewn.
Dated this 27th day of January 1890
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.