from Water or other Liquid.
Year: 1884

page_text: from Water or other Liquid.
I ANDREW HOWATSON of 7 Lavender Hill in the County of Surrey, Civil
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR SEPARATING SOLID IMPURITIES FROM WATER OR OTHER LIQUID
to be as follows:
My Invention relates to the class of apparatus for separating solids from liquids
wherein the water or liquid is caused to pass between surfaces upon which the
solids are deposited and from which they are discharged and my Invention has
for its principal object to effect a very considerable saving in the cost of such
apparatus without impairing its efficiency and also to give a more compact
arrangement occupying a small space.
$
According to my Invention I superpose in any suitable form of containing vessel
a number of plates or trays horizontally placed as regards their general figure. but
furnished with a well or wells with inclined sides terminating in an orifice or
orifices opening into a channel at the lower part of each well or of all or some of
the wells common to one plate. The inclined sides of the well or wells when the
plates are superposed form between adjacent sides inclined or zig-zag passages'
The water or other liquid to be treated admitted at the lower part of the vessel.
and passes upward through the inclined or zig-zag passages formed by the sides of
the wells, the solid particles being deposited upon the sides of the wells and sliding
down them and through the orifices into the channels, which channels terminate
outside the main vessel and are provided with cocks or openings and covers by
which the collected sediment is removed-The said channels by preference open
into one common pipe or channel leading to a suitable place into which the
sediment may be discharged when the apparatus is being cleansed.
Dated this 19th day of December 1884

page_text: from Water or other Liquid.
I ANDREW HOWATSON of 7 Lavender Hill in the County of Surrey, Civil
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 :-
My invention relates to the class of apparatus for separating solids from the
liquids holding them in suspension being apparatus by means of which the water
or liquid is caused to pass, between surfaces upon which the solids are deposited
and from which they are discharged and my invention has for its principal object
to effect a very considerable saving in the cost of such apparatus without impairing
its efficiency and also to give a more compact arrangement occupying a small
space.
According to my invention I superpose in a containing vessel of any suitable
form a number of plates or trays horizontally placed as regards their general figure
but furnished with a well or wells with inclined sides terminating in an orifice or
orifices opening into a channel at, the lower part of each well or of all or some of
the wells common to one plate. The inclined sides of the well or wells when the
plates are superposed, form between adjacent sides inclined or zigzag passages.
The water or other liquid to be treated is admitted at the lower part of the vessel
and-passes upward through the inclined or zigzag passages formed by the sides of
the plates the solid particles being deposited upon the sides of the wells and sliding
down them and through the orifices into the channels, which channels terminate
outside the main vessel and are provided with cocks or openings and covers by
which the collected sediment is removed. The said channels by preference open
into one common pipe or channel leading to a suitable place into which the
sediment may be discharged when the apparatus is being cleansed.
This apparatus can be used for the purpose of separating the solids contained
in liquids of any description but it is particularly applicable for the purification of
water.
My invention will be clearly understood by reference to the annexed drawings.
Figures 1 and 2 (Sheet I) are sections of an apparatus fitted up on my improved
principle. The shelves arranged horizontally are formed with a series of squares
or wells A as at Figure 3 whose sides slope to a sludge hole B in the centre and
to a pipe C. The bottom shelf of the upper series rest on an angle iron D and
the others are placed one on top of the other as seen more particularly at
Figure 1.
The water or other liquid containing solid impurities or treated chemically to
precipitate the impurities enter the apparatus at E, Figure 2, a space F being left
between the first and a lower range of shelves G to allow the chemical action to
be completed. A part of the impurities deposit on the lower shelves G while the
liquid passes upwards and traverses the other shelves A, A, passing alternately
from right to left. In its course the solid particles are deposited on the inclined

page_text: sides of the well shaped shelves A from which the impurities slide into the centre B
of such squares and into the pipes C. By opening the cocks H, H, all the deposit
is drawn through the holes B and pipes C into the sludge pipe I and thence into
the main sludge pipe J (see Figure 4 sheet 2) and conveyed away into any
convenient drain.
The clear water or other liquid on reaching the top of the apparatus is conveyed
away by the opening K. In cases where it is impossible to deposit all the
impurities on the shelves A or when it may be necessary to force the apparatus,
a simple filter L made of any suitable material is placed at the top of the
apparatus.
The apparatus can be made of any convenient shape.
Sheet 3 and 4, Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 show a modification of my apparatus the
wells being differently shaped to those shown on sheets I and 2.
The tank is circular and to reduce the expense for domestic purposes or where a
small quantity of water or other liquid is required to be purified I fit only one
sludge cock H at the bottom.
The shelves A. A are a series of hit and miss gratings the lower ones A' being
fixed to the body of the apparatus M and the top ones A to the spindle N. The
spindle is fitted at the top with a handle P and an indicating pointer Q, or a
worm wheel arrangement may be fitted. The liquid in this case also enters the
bottom at E and traversing the shelves A from right to left issues at the top
at K.
.
When it is necessary to clear all the wells of the impurities deposited on them,
the handle P is turned which opens all the gratings from top to bottom the
impurities then falling into the chamber Q and then by opening the cock at H the
apparatus is thoroughly cleaned out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The construction and arrangement of apparatus such as is shown on
Sheets I and 2 of the annexed drawings by which the liquid to be purified or
deprived of its solid impurities passes in an upward and horizontal direction
alternately over depositing shelves in the manner described, said shelves being
arranged in a superposed manner as set forth.
Secondly. The modification of apparatus such as is shown on Sheets 3 and 4 of
the annexed drawings for the purposes described by which the several shelves
with angled sides forming wells can be moved in a circular direction to bring their
apertures directly over apertures of fixed shelves in the manner set forth for
clearing the apparatus of the impurities it contains.