Year: 1888

page_text: This Specification was, upon the 30th day of April 1890, Amended under
Sections 18 to 21 of the Patents. Designs, and Trade Marks Act, 1883.
I ALFRED DERVAUX of No. 78 Boulevard Anspach, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, 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:—
The principle of the treatment followed for the purification of water for industrial
purposes is the following:
To the water to be purified is added, (ist), a certain quantity of lime water, which
precipitates the hi-carbonate of lime in the state of insoluble neutral carbonate; (2nd).
a certain quantity either of carbonate of soda, which precipitates the sulphates and
chlorides of lime and maguesia as insoluble carbonates, or of chloride of barium, which
precipitates the sulphates as sulphate of baryta.-The water thus mixe! with re-agents
is now allowed to rest for some time in a suitable reservoir, in which the precipitated
salts will be deposited, and if necessary, the water may pass through a filter in order
to obtain it perfectly clear before employing it.
For example, the water to be purified is drawn from a pipe H, (Figs. 1 & 2) into a
receiver A, the supply being regulated by a valve operated by a float, so as to maintain
a coustant level in the receiver A.-The liquid re-agents employed for the purification.
such as soda, chloride of barium, sulphate of alumina, &c., are drawn from one or
more reservoirs C, into one or more receivers D, the supply being similarly regulated,
so as to maintain a constant level, by a valve and float.
A second supply of water is taken from the pipe H at X, a certain quantity being
led to the bottom of a reservoir B, in which, at regular intervals, lime paste or
powder is introduced by the funnel y.
The water passes through the lime from the bottom upwards, saturating itself with
regularity, that is to say. dissolving a constant quantity of lime (about 1 gramme per
litre), and passing to the condition of milk of lime, the unabsorbed portion of which.
falling back to the bottom of the apparatus, is taken up by the entering water, which.
rising, circulates between the decanting partitions NNNN, and reaches the top of
the reservoir B in the state of lime water, a constant level being maintained by a
float.

page_text: It will be understood that if it is desired to charge the water with another alightly
soluble re-agent, such, for example, as carbonate of magnesin, the sine process may
be adopted, either with the same apparatus as is used for the lime, or with a separate
apparatus.
The water to be purified coming from the receiver A. the liquid re-agent or re-agents
coming from the receiver D, and the water saturated with lime coming from the
saturating reservoir B, flow together at equal speed under the constant pressure
determined by their constant level, and proportionately to the flow regulated by the
cocks ad b, into a common pipe M, which conducts them together to the bottom of a
reservoir E.--In this reservoir. the renctions between the reagents and the water to
be purified are produced.-The calcareous salts in solution, rendered insoluble, are
precipitated, and the water purified, but clouded by these salts in suspension, rises in
the reservoir E, circulating nearly horizontally between the partitions L. 1. LL, the
matters in suspension being deposited during this travel, and uniting in the condition
of mud at the bottom of the reservoir E whilst the water rises clear to the exit pipe T
after passing, if required, through a filter F, of suitable composition, occupying the
whole surface of the reservoir, and of which the cover, as well as the bottom, composed
of perforated sheet iron, serves as a supplemental decanting surface equal to the
horizontal surface of the precipitation vessel.
When, the consumption of the purified water ceasing, the decanting reservoir E
fills with the purified water, a float Glowers a valve S, thus closing the prissage
through the pipe M, and automatically stopping the flow from the receivers A D B,
which remain filled up to the level determined by their floats.
Once every day the residua! muds of purification are cleared out by opening the
cook of the reservoir E.
The receiver B may likewise be purged a little, before the periodical addition of
fresh lime, by opening the clearance cock t.
The apparatus being thus briefly described, it now remains to point out the special
arrangements comprised, relatively first, to the decanting reservoir E, and secondly to
the saturating reservoir B.
DECANTING RESERVOIR.
The rapidity of recantation of a water containing muddy matters in suspension is
in proportion to the horizontal surface presented by the liquid in the decanting
reservoir. The depth of the reservoir is without influence, for the simple reason that
the muds thrown down from the upper strata fall into the lower strata step by step as
the decantation proceeds.
The improved decanting reservoirs are provided with positions forming superposed
compartments communicating freely, firstly, by their upper parts, so that the water
rises in a general ascending current, slowly and nearly horizontally from one con-
partment to another, and secondly, by their lower parts, so as to produce a common
general descending current, completing the circuit, and uniting at the bottom of the
apparatus the deposits from all the compartments:-the arrows shew this circulation.
The horizontal surface presented by the water in the decanting reservoirs is thus
augmented in proportion to the number of partitions employed, the muds deposited
from the upper strata, never arriving to soil the water of the lower strata, but, on the
other hand, owing to the partitions which separate the strata, uniting with the deposits
thrown down by the latter.
Thus, with four superposed partitions in a reservoir of 5 superficial metres of
horizontal surface, 4 x 5 = 20 metres of surface, useful for decantation, will be
added. It may be remarked, besides this, that the walls of each compartment envelope
those of the compartment immediately below, overlapping the orifices for the escape
of the ascending current from that compartment, so that the ascending and descending
currents are naturally isolated from each other by true hydraulic joints.-This arrange-
ment has the advantage of ensuring perfect sealing of the compartments without
rivetted joints-claim; however, the application-of-partitions--with-rivetted-joints,
as-will-be-shown-herrufior.

page_text: The partitions with hydraulic joints are readily applicable to existing reservoirs of
any form, either of sheet iron or of masonry, thereby doubling, tripling, quadrupling
etc., the decanting surface by the addition of one, two, or more superposed partitions
as above described, and-as-I-claim-to-make-them. I-reserve-to-myself-to-enclose-the
filtering matter Between the two upper partitions of the decanting apparatus,
perforating filtering matter is enclosed the partitions being perforated and uniting
their edges united (Figs. 1 and 3, Sheet I) by perforated sheet metal plates or wire
gauze,
By these this means a movable filter is obtained, with hydraulic joints, which, by
reason of the sloping arrangement of the walls will clean itself, its upper faces
supplying an additional sloping decanting surface, which will also clean itself, whilst
the flat horizontal surface of the ordinary filter requires to be cleaned.
The filter, as well as the partitions, may either be lifted out to be cleaned, or, by
giving sufficient size to the reservoir, may be submitted to a rotary or vibratory
movement in the water of the reservoir, so as to rinse them without removal; for this
purpose, it will suffice to suspend the filter and all the partitions from a horizontal
axis, either fixed or mounted on wheels running on rails fixed above the reservoirs.
This arrangement is applicable in all cases, but it is more particularly useful in the
case of reservoirs enclosed in sheet iron or in masonry.-In this latter case, as the
decanting reservoir cannot be cleaned out by means of emptying cocks, the mud must
be allowed to accumulate in the bottom of the reservoir, from whence it may be
removed at certain intervals, the horizontal displacement of the filter and the partitions
permitting of the cleansing of the whole surface of the bottom piecemeal with the aid
of a shovel.
It-will-be-understood that Lelaim enclosing the filtering-material-between the two
upper partitions in all the types of decanting apparatus above described, in such a way
us to constitutefilterswith inclinedwalls capable of cleansingthemselves automatically.
and-which-may-be-fixul with rivetted joints.-or-movable, with hydraulic-joints.
The principle of superposed partitions, either with hydraulic or with rivetted joints,
may be applied either to the decanting reservoir-E-er to the saturating apparatus B.
in various ways, as will be described hereafter.
SATURATING RESERVOIR.
This apparatus is composed essentially of a decanting reservoir placed over a
bubbling reservoir, the two reservoirs being formed in one, so that the lime or other
re-agent carried in the state of milk, but not dissolved in the first reservoir. is
deposited continually into the second reservoir.-I claim the application of this new
principle permitting of the continuous automatic preparation of clear saturated water,
and well saturated, since it will have first passed to a condition of milk, all possible
types of decanters, or of simple reservoirs even, may be employed.
There have already been established apparatus in which the water traverses the
purifying matter, is filtered to some extent in traversing this matter, held in place by
its density or held between perforated plates, but my method of arranging and my
mode of operating, are altogether different.-I operate by bubbling up, followed by
decantation in a receiver in which the lower part-the bubbler-is so contrived as to
gather the re-agent continually into a small space in the presence of the water to be
saturated, whilst the upper part-the decanter-has, on the contrary, the necessary
arrangement or dimensions to ensure the decantation of the saturated water, and the
fall of the undissolved matters (held in suspension) continually into the "bubbler."
I propose, in some cases, to fit the saturator with a filter.
P
A pipe y, provided with a funnel y, serves to conduct the lime to the bottom of the
saturator, and the cock t serves to draw off the exhausted re-agent; a proof cock
serves to show if the water near the bottom of the decanter contains sufficient milk of
lime to ensure saturation.
The bubbler" is formed of a cone or sharp pointed pyramid, or long part, of
cylindrical, square, or other section, of small section, in which the re-agent collects.
and it is united to the decanter by a square or pointed pyramid.-The lime, inagnesia

page_text: or other solid reagent is deposited freely in the bottom of the small section of the
saturator without any partition, perforated or otherwise, being required to retain it.
Under these conditions, the water to be saturated, and which reaches the bottom of
the apparatus, cannot force a passage through the reagent, but must lift it up and
continually dilute it. The lime settling as paste on an incline or slope at the bottom 5
of the apparatus, around the passage formed by the vertically ascending water, cannot
maintain itself, but always and incessantly fall, and the reagent becomes thoroughly
diluted with the water, and spreads itself in the saturator.
I have proved by experiment that there is no risk, na might be supposed, of
obstruction from the lime collected, as it is not heid down; the water coming in from 1
below will always face a pas age for itself through the lime, lifting it up and
diluting it.
But as that seement, and even the dousity of tive lime, causes a constantly varying
sens tamen, I take the water for upsidying the afurato, hom the pipe I andr
putator tom a load of water,ams to ensure a constant delivery of racina'el witer, 1
the spite of the Vareche re 1-tance, I tie care (1-1) to place the cock whien reguinte
the rate of the How through the apparatus, at the exit, and not at the entrance of the
siturator; (2milly) to regulate the rate of flow, not according to the rate of fl »
cominon t the water to be purified, and the water to be saturated coming from a
evinmion reservoir, which would have to overcome the said variable resistance, hat hy a
means of a fleat or the water which has overcome this resistance, that is to -ay, on the
surface of the water in the saturator itself, or in a receiver for the overflow from the
satanitor, so as to maintain there a constant level and a constant deitvery.
115
I would remark that the "hubbler," which intended to produce the milk of lime,
which, after decantation, formaturated line sater, may be modified. For example, :
the inside may be provided with partition er baffle plates, which may be arranged in
variou» way», niways with the same end, to colect the lime constantly thrown down
in the apparatus, in the presence of the water to be saturated, and which comes in at
that poin'.—I give the preference to the simple form shown, but I elim the application
of the arrangements I have indicated in the preceding phrase, and of which Sheet II. :
of the accompanying drawings furnishes some examples.
Again, the bottom of the apparatus may be provided with a mechanical stirrer or
lime mixer, of which there are many arrangements, and when employing these weil
known means for mixing lime and water, or when employing the means above stated,
it will not be necessary that the base of the apparatus should be narrow; it may be of
the same section as the decanter which forms the upper part.
The employment of these arrangements will not be outside the principle of my
invention; they tend simply to change it, in complicating the mode of application,
and I believe I have sufficiently described it.
My principle is this:--
To make milk of lime with all the water to be saturatel, and leaving it to decant
afterwards (this is what is not yet, 1 think, really done) by mean of a reservoir
carrying at its lower part a bubbler," and at its upper para dec inter; these two
essential parts may be in one, and of the same section, the bubbling" operating at
the same time as the decantation, the water rising without agitation near the top of the
apparatus, whilst it is agitated, with the lime at the bottom, in one of the ways above
indicated, and flows out of the apparatus contiunously, to mix with the water to be
purified. Nor is it indispensable that the decanter of the saturator should be in the
axis of the "bubbler," provided that it is at a higher level, and that the deposits from
the former fall continually into the latter.
It should be remembered that 1 claim-caturating propose to suturate water also
with carbonate of maguesia or other re-agent.
In passing the feed water of steam boilers hot through this apparatus, charged with
carbonate of magnesia, the sulphate of lime will be transformed into sulphate of
magnesia.
The mixture of lime or other reagent can also be effected in the saturator, whatever
be its forin, by bubbling, by means of nu mir injector. L-alaim-using-this-well-known

page_text: means, but in order to conform it to the principles of my apparatus, so as to be able
To adapt it thereto, I claim-the use, at will, in such case, of air driven in at the bottom
of the apparatus, and providing for its disengagement from the water under decantation
at its upper strata, either by means (1st) of a partition formed with diverging places,
as shown at Figs. 3 and 5, Sheet 1, placed over a pipe for the disengagement of air on
the outside, and rising above the level of the water in the saturator; or (2nd) of a
partition formed of converging planes, as shown in Figs. 14, 17, 19, or 20, reversed.
of which the edges, prolonged vertically, rise above the level of the water in the
saturator.
In this case, it is necessary, in order to avoid a disengagement of the air by the
lower central opening of the partitions, to direct it by a baffle in the axis, like the
baffles V shown in Fig. 20.
Finally-elnim specially, Or / effecting the bubbling by means of one or more
little jets of steam at the bottom of the saturator.-By-these-new-menus, If the
saturator is of sinall section at its base, a little steam will produce much useful
effect, and will not be lost, inasmuch as it slightly raises the temperature of the
Water.
VARIABLE ARRANGEMENTS OF SUPERPOSED DECANTATION PARTITIONS.
•
These arrangements may be very diverse, and to realise the application of the
principle of decantation above explained, I have shown, in view of the arrangement
shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, Shert superposed compartments formed of diverging
partitions, and having hydraulic joints between the compartments.
Fig. 3, Sheet I, is a side view of the decanting reservoir E, showing the whole
arrangement. Fig. 4 is a side view of the saturator B.-It will be seen that I have
shown the same type of partitions for the decanter E and the saturator B.-In this
type of diverging partitions, the hydraulic joint may be replaced by a rivetted joint, as
indicated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.
These partitions may be triangular, jointed diagonally across a decanter of square
section, Fig. 8.
Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, Sheet II, show a mode of dividing the decanter by means of
partitions rivetted to three sides of the reservoir, and which may be rectangular, as at
Fig. 11, or triangular as at Fig. 12.-The said partitions inay be formed with
flanges, thereby dispensing with rivetted joints, and forming hydraulic joints, as at
Fig. 13.
Figs. 14, 15, 16 show a mode of dividing by converging rivetted partitions. Fig. 17
shows the same partitions without rivets, but furnished with overlapping flanges,
which form nydraulic joints. Fig. 18 shows partitions arranged in series alternately
diverging and converging, which may have either rivetted or hydraulic joints. As
shown in Figs. 17, 19. 20 these partitions may be torined of cones or pyramids, with
either rivettel or hydraule joints and they are specially amp ed to be thus arrange 1,
when it is desirel to work under pressure, in whien cas the holy of he appara us
should be of cylindrical form.-In this case, the openings for the ascending currents
should be diametrica ly opposed, except in the case of the vertical cones, Fig. 20,
where the orifices for the ase-nding currents are necessarily at the summit of the
cones, and directly sloping; and there is space to interpose between the summits of
the cones of decaniation, small cones V. V. V., forming baffies, and forcing the water
to spread laterally. When the apparatus is intended to work under pressure, the
cylindrical saturating and decanting receivers are closed by a cover, and the pipe for
the water under pressure from a head or pump is put directly into connection with the
receivers without the intervention of floats. The proportional flow of the water to be
purified, and of the lime water. takes place under the common pressure in the pipe,
and can always be regulated by the same cocks. The introduction of the lime or other
reagent, in paste or powder, to the saturator. is effected by means of cocks or plugs of
ordinary construction.-The introduction of the soda, chloride of barium, or other
liquid reagent, is effected by the air of a small receiver, Fig. 21, placed on the water
pipe, and put into communication therewith by means of two smail cocks a b.

page_text: In order to ensure the flow of the water from a towards b, a short dip tube, cut
obliquely, partly obstructs the pipe on the departure side of the water. thus providing
an increase of pressure in the pipe between a and b.
When the apparatus is applied to the purification of the feed water of boilers, if my
patent purifier or mnd eliminator is applied to the boiler, it is not necessary to carry
precision so far in the employment of the reagents or in the decantation of the water.―
The decanter may even be dispensed with altogether, and a small cylindro-conical
saturating receiver. without partitions (Fig. 22), employed for the introduction of the
lime water, and the receiver Fig. 21 for the introduction of the liquid re-agents.--[
claim these special arrangements for the summary purification, or rather the
decomposition, transforming the calcareous salts contained in the feed water of steam
boilers.
For open-air purification-claim-by-substitue for-the-dont-valve-for-maintuming a
constant-level-in-the-liquid-reagent reviver, a bottle-shaped-receiver-mounted-oma
pivot-galler-downwards-and-plunging ints-the-recover D.-and-thus-maintaining
n-constant-leveh
The openings for the ascending current in the decanter can be arranged in many
different ways, provided that they force the water to traverse the apparatus trans-
versely. The arrangement shown for these opening is not obligatory; they may even
he advantageously replaced by exterior passages of communication from one compart-
ment to sum her. The inovalile hydraulic partitions may he provided with separating
stops and lifting hooks of any convenient form.
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 :-
mamwr-that-there-set-up--emeral cirenlating Purrent and that the minds
tst. The ineration-of-decanter-turu-hed-with-a-partitions having the
following spent-christ+(+; the partitions-form-perposed-compartments
communicating with one-another-by-their-upper-art-and-by their lower-tt: |--Heh
[sediments] of all the compartments-ellent at the bottom-of-the-apparatus+(3)
The walls-of-erh-compartment envelope those of the compartiment-immediatly
below-in-such-n-manner that the ascending and desernding currents-of-the-com-
partments themselves, entende their orifices-of-communication-re-isolated-the-e
from-the-other-by-true-bydraulie-joint-of-by-rivetted-joints; us-desired. It should
be-remembered that the upper-partitions Fall the above described forms of decanting
apparatus-whether-fixed-with-rivetted joints) or movable (with-hydraulie-joints);
being perforated-and-their-edge-united-by-perforated-sheet-iron-or-by-wire-ganze,
coustitute-filters with inclined walls-capable-of-cleaning themselves-automatically.
2nd 1st. I claim as my invention a saturating reservoir for the preparation of lime
water or water saturated with any re-agent having the following characteristics:-
(+) a bubbling receiver of vertically elongated, acutely conical, long cylindro-conical,
or analogous form, of which the contracted bottom receives directly, without the
interposition of any perforated partition, the solid matter to be dissolved and the water
to be saturated; (3)-a-decanting-reservoir surmennting the said bubbling receiver.
having larger horizontal-dimensiens-than-the-laster, and 2nd. The combination us
shewn, and described of a decanting receptacle with the suid bubbling receiver the said
decanting receptacle surmounting the bubbling receiver, it being furnished, as required,
with decanting partitions, in such manner that the undissolved re-agent carried up
will be there separated from the saturated water, and will continually fall back to the
contracted bottom of the bubbling receiver;-(4)-reserve the right of applying in
the contracted content, cylindro conient, or analogously formed bottom-of-the-bubbler,
a-mechanical--ngitator. This compliention is however unnecessary with the long
vertient-form-of-my--bubbler, which-form has not been-devised-up-to the present
time, probably-fur-four of obstruction-by-the-settlement of the water in the-contructed
bottom-of-the-apparatus+ (+) In view of the variable-resistance-enused-by-this
settlement to the passage of the water, which-in-my-arrangement of apparatus should

page_text: raise-and-dilnte-it-automatically, without any variation in the delivery resulting from
such variable-resistances, I reserve to myself (and this again is a charasteristic of my
system of untomatic saturation) to regulate the delivery of water saturated with lime
by-means-of-a-float swimming upon-the-water-which-has-overcome these resistances,
that is to say, on the surface of the-saturator-itself,-or-of-u-recipient of the overflow
from-the-saturator, by these--means-a-constant-level-and-a-constant delivery-of
saturated water is maintained, notwithstanding the variable-resistance-offered to the
entrance of the water to be saturated;-(5): 3rd. I reserve to myself to furnish the interior
of the bubbling receiver, which may then be of cylindrical or of prismatic form.
with partitions or baffles arranged as above described, so as to collect the lime
decanted-nt raised by the inflow of the water to be saturated, these baffles being an
indirect way of arriving at the same end as with the saturation cone; (6) Finally I
reserve to myself-again, as-has-been already-stated, effecting-the-bubbling-at-the
bottom-of-the-onturator-by-means-of-un-injection-of-uir-or-steam.

page_text: I ALFRED DERVAUX of No. 78 Boulevard Anspach, Brussels, in the Kingdom of
Belgium, 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 :-
The principle of the treatment followed for the purification of water for industrial
purposes is the following :-
To the water to be purified is added, (1st), a certain quantity of line water, which
precipitates the bi-carbonate of line in the state of insoluble neutral carbonate; (2nd),
a certain quantity either of carbonate of soda, which precipitates the sulphates and
chlorides of lime and magnesia as insoluble carbonates, or of chloride of barium, which
precipitates the sulphates as sulphate of baryta. The water thus mixed with re-agents
is now allowed to rest for some time in a suitable reservoir, in which the precipitated
salts will be deposited, and if necessary, the water may pass through a filter in order
to obtain it perfectly clear before employing it.
For example, the water to be purified is drawn from a pipe H, (Figs. 1 & 2) into a
receiver A, the supply being regulated by a valve operated by a float, so as to maintain
a constant level in the receiver A.-The liquid re-agents employed for the purification,
such as soda, chloride of barium, sulphate of alumina, &c., are drawn from one or
more reservoirs C), into one or more receivers D, the supply being similarly regulated,
so as to maintain a constant level, by a valve and float.
A second supply of water is taken from the pipe H at X, a certain quantity being
led to the bottom of a reservoir B, in which, at regulated intervals, lime paste or
powder is introduced by the funnel y.
The water passes through the lime from the bottom upwards, saturating itself with
regularity, that is to say, dissolving a constant quantity of lime (about 1 gramme per
litre), and passing to the condition of milk of lime, the unabsorbed portion of which,
falling back to the bottom of the apparatus, is taken up by the entering water, which,
rising, circulates between the decanting partitions N N N N, and reaches the top of
the reservoir B in the state of lime water, a constant level being maintained by a
float.

page_text: any form, either of sheet iron or of masonry, thereby doubling, tripling, quadrupling
etc., the decanting surface by the addition of one, two, or more superposed partitions
as above described, and as I claim to make them. 1 roserve to myself to onclose the
filtering matter between the two upper partitions of the decanting apparatus, perforating
these partitions, and uniting their edges (Figs. 1 and 3, Sheet 1) by perforated sheet
metal plates or wire gauze.
By these means a movable filter is obtained, with hydraulic joints, which, by reason
of the sloping arrangement of the walls will clean itself, its upper faces supplying an
additional sloping decanting surface, which will also clean itself, whilst the flat
horizontal surface of the ordinary filter requires to be cleaned.
The filter, as well as the partitions, may either be lifted out to be cleaned, or, by
giving sufficient size to the reservoir, may be submitted to a rotary or vibratory
movement in the water of the reservoir, so as to rinse them without removal; for this
purpose, it will suffice to suspend the filter and all the partitions from a horizontal
axis, either fixed or mounted on wheels running on rails fixed above the reservoirs.
This arrangement is applicable in all cases, but it is more particularly useful in the
case of reservoirs enclosed in sheet iron or in masonry.-In this lattor caso, as the
decanting reservoir cannot be cleaned out by means of emptying cocks, the mud must
be allowed to accumulate in the bottom of the reservoir, from whenco it may be
removed at certain intervals, the horizontal displacement of the filter and the partitions
permitting of the cleansing of the whole surface of the bottom piecemeal with the aid
of a shovel.
It will be understood that I claim enclosing the filtering material between the two
upper partitions in all the types of decanting apparatus above described, in such a way
as to constitute filters with inclined walls capable of cleansing themselves automatically,
and which may be fixed, with rivetted joints, or movable, with hydraulic joints.
The principle of superposed partitions, either with hydraulic or with rivetted joints,
may be applied either to the decanting reservoir E, or to the saturating apparatus B,
in various ways, as will be described hereafter.
SATURATING RESERVOIR.
This apparatus is composed essentially of a decanting reservoir placed over a
bubbling reservoir, the two reservoirs being formed in one, so that the line or other
re-agent carried in the state of milk, but not dissolved in the first reservoir, is
deposited continually into the second reservoir.-I claim the application of this new
principle permitting of the continuous automatic preparation of clear saturated water,
and well saturated, since it will have first passed to a condition of milk, all possible
types of decanters, or of simple reservoirs even, may be employed.
There have already been established apparatus in which the water traverses the
purifying matter, is filtered to some extent in traversing this matter, held in place by
its density or held between perforated plates, but my method of arranging and my
mode of operating, are altogether different.-1 operate by bubbling up, followed by
decantation in a receiver in which the lower part the bubbler-is so contrived as to
gather the re-agent continually into a small space in the presence of the water to be
saturated, whilst the upper part-the decanter-has, on the contrary, the necessary
arrangement or dimensions to ensure the decantation of the saturated water, and the
fall of the undissolved matters (held in suspension) continually into the "bubbler."
I propose, in some cases, to fit the saturator with a filter.
A pipe y', provided with a funnel y, serves to conduct the lime to the bottom of the
saturator, and the cock serves to draw off the exhausted re-agent; a proof cock p
serves to show if the water near the bottom of the decanter contains sufficient milk of
lime to ensure saturation.
The "bubbler" is formed of a cone or sharp pointed pyramid, or long part, of
cylindrical, square, or other section, of small section, in which the re-agent collects,
and it is united to the decanter by a square or pointed pyramid.-The lime, magnesia,

page_text: or other solid reagent is deposited freely in the bottom of the small section of the
saturator without any partition, perforated or otherwise, being required to retain it.
Under these conditions, the water to be saturated, and which reaches the bottom of
the apparatus, cannot force a passage through the reagent, but must lift it up and
continually dilute it. The lime settling as paste on an incline or slope at the bottom
of the apparatus, around the passage formed by the vertically ascending water, cannot
maintain itself, but always and incessantly falls, and the reagent becomes thoroughly
diluted with the water, and spreads itself in the saturator.
I have proved by experiment that there is no risk, as might be supposed, of
obstruction from the lime collected, as it is not held down; the water coming in from
below will always force a passage for itself through the lime, lifting it up and
diluting it.
But as this settlement, and even the density of the lime, causes a constantly varying
resistance, I take the water for supplying the saturator from the pipe I under
pressure, or from a head of water, and to ensure a constant delivery of saturated water,
in spite of this variable resistance, I tako care (1st) to place the cock which regulates
the rate of the flow through the apparatus, at the exit, am not at the entrance of the
saturator; (2ndly) to regulate the rate of flow, not according to the rate of How
common to the water to be purified, and the water to be saturated coming from a
common reservoir, which would have to overcome the said variable resistance, but by
means of a float on the water which has overcome this resist inee, that is to say, on the
surface of the water in the saturator itself, or in a receiver for the overflow from the
saturator, so as to maintain there a constant level and a constant delivery.
I would remark that the "bubbler," which is intended to produce the milk of lime,
which, after decantation, forms saturated lime water, may be modified. For example,
the inside may be provided with partitions or baffle plates, which may be arranged in
various ways, always with the same end, to collect the time constantly thrown down
in the apparatus, in the presence of the water to be saturated, and which comes in at
that point. I give the preference to the simple form shown, but I claim the application
of the arrangements I have indicated in the preceding phrase, and of which Sheet 11.
of the accompanying drawings turnishes some examples.
Again, the bottom of the apparatus may be provided with a mechanical stirrer or
lime mixer, of which there are many arrangements, and when employing these well
known means for mixing line and water, or when employing the means above stated,
it will not be necessary that the base of the apparatus should be narrow; it may be of
the same section as the decanter which forms the upper part.
The employment of these arrangements will not be outside the principle of my
invention: they tend simply to change it, in complicating the mode of application,
and I believe I have sufficiently described it.
My principle is this :-
To make milk of lime with all the water to be saturated, and leaving it to decant
afterwards (this is what is not yet, I think, really done) by means of a reservoir
currying at its lower part a “ bubbler," and at its upper part a decanter; these two
essential parts may be in one, and of the same section, the "bubbling" operating at
the same time as the decantation, the water rising without agitation near the top of the
apparatus, whilst it is agitated, with the lime at the bottom, in one of the ways abovo
indicated, and flows out of the apparatus continuously, to mix with the water to ho
purified. Nor is it indispensable that the decanter of the saturator should be in the
axis of the "bubbler," provided that it is at a higher lovel, and that the deposits from
the former fall continually into the lattor.
It should be remembered that I claim saturating water also with carbonate of
magnesia or other re-agent.
In passing the feed water of steam boilers hot through this apparatus, charged with
carbonate of magnesin, the sulphate of lime wil bu transformed into sulphate of
magnesia.
The mixture of lime or othor reagent can also be effected in the saturator, whatover
bo its form, by bubbling, by means of an air injector. 1 claim using this well known

page_text: to adapt it thereto, I claim the use, at will, in such case, of air driven in at the bottom
of the apparatus, and providing for its disengagement from the water under decantation
at its upper strata, either by means (1st) of a partition formed with diverging planes,
as shown at Figs. 3 and 5, Sheet I, placed over a pipe for the disengagement of air on
the outside, and rising above the level of the water in the saturator; or (2nd) of a
partition formed of converging planes, as shown in Figs. 14, 17, 19, or 20, reversed,
of which the edges, prolonged vertically, rise above the level of the water in the
saturator.
In this case, it is necessary, in order to avoid a disengagement of the air by the
lower central opening of the partitions, to direct it by a battle in the axis, like tho
baffles V shown in Fig. 20.
Finally, I claim specially, effecting the bubbling by means of one or more little jets
of steam at the bottom of the saturator. By those new moans, if the saturator is of
small section at its base, a little steam will produce much useful effect, and will not be
| lost, inasmuch as it slightly raises the temperature of the water.
VARIABLE ARRANGEMENTS OF SUPERPOSED DECANTATION PARTITIONS.
Those arrangements may be very diverse, and to realise the application of the
principle of decantation above explained, I have shown, in view of the arrangement
shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, Sheet I, superposed compartments formed of diverging
partitions, and having hydraulic joints between the compartiments.
Fig. 3, Sheet I, is a side view of the decanting reservoir E, showing the whole
arrangement. Fig. 4 is a side view of the saturator B.-It will be seen that I have
shown the same type of partitions for the decanter E and the saturator B.-In this
type of diverging partitions, the hydraulic joint may be replaced by a rivetted joint, as
indicated in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.
These partitions may be triangular, jointed diagonally across a decantor of square
section, Fig. 8.
Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, Sheet II, show a mode of dividing the decanter by means of
partitions rivetted to three sides of the reservoir, and which may be rectangular, as at
Fig. 11, or triangular, as at Fig. 12.-The said partitions may be formed with
flanges, thereby dispensing with rivetted joints, and forming hydraulic joints, as at
Fig. 13.
Figs. 14, 15, 16 show a mode of dividing by converging rivetted partitions. Fig. 17
shows the same partitions without rivets, but furnished with overlapping flanges,
which form hydraulic joints. Fig. 18 shows partitions arranged in series alternately
diverging and converging, which may have either rivetted or hydraulic joints. As
shown in Figs. 17, 19, 20 these partitions may be formed of cones or pyramids, with
either rivetted or hydraulic joints and they are specially adapted to be thus arranged,
when it is desired to work under pressure, in which case the body of the apparatus
should be of cylindrical form.-In this case, the openings for the ascending currents
should be diametrically opposed, except in the case of the vertical cones, Fig. 20,
where the orifices for the ascending currents are necessarily at the summit of the
cones, and directly sloping; and there is space to interpose between the summits of
the cones of decantation, small cones V. V. V, forming baffles, and forcing the water
to spread laterally. When the apparatus is intended to work under pressure, the
cylindrical saturating and decanting receivers are closed by a cover, and the pipe for
the water under pressure from a head or pump is put directly into connection with the
receivers without the intervention of floats. The proportional flow of the water to ha
purified, and of the lime water, takes place under the common pressure in the pipe,
and can always be regulated by the same cocks. The introduction of the lime or other
reagent, in paste or powder, to the saturator, is effected by means of cocks or plugs of
ordinary construction. The introduction of the soda, chloride of barium, or other
liquid reagent, is effected by the aid of a small receiver, Fig. 21, placed on the water
pipe, and put into communication therewith by means of two small cocks a b.

page_text: In order to ensure the flow of the water from a towards b, a short, dip tune, cut
obliquely, partly obstructs the pipe on the departure side of the water, thus providing
an increase of pressure in the pipe between a and b.
When the apparatus is applied to the purification of the feed water of boilers, if my
patont purifier or mud eliminator is applied to the boiler, it is not necessary to carry
precision so far in the employment of the reagents or in the decantation of the water.
The decanter may even be dispensed with altogether, and a small cylindro-conical
saturating receiver, without partitions (Fig. 22), employed for the introduction of the
lime water, and the receiver Fig. 21 for the introduction of the liquid re-agents.—L
claim these special arrangements for the summary purification, or rather the
decomposition, transforming the calcareous salts contained in the feed water of steam
boilers.
For open air purification, 1 claim to substitute for the float valve for maintaining a
constant level in the liquid reagent receiver 1, a bottle shaped receiver mounted on a
pivot, gullet downwards, and plunging into the receiver D, and thus maintaining
a constant level.
The openings for the asconding current in the decanter can be arranged in many
different ways, provided that they force the water to traverse the apparatus trans-
versely. The arrangement shown for these openings is not obligatory; they may even
be advantageously replaced by exterior passages of communication from one compart-
ment to another. The movable hydraulic partitions may be provided with soparating
stops and lifting hooks of any convenient form.
Hlaving now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I doclare that what 1
claim is :-
Ist. The invention of a decanter furnished with a system of partitions having the
following special characteristics: (1) The partitions form superposed compartments
communicating with one another by their upper part and by their lower part, in such
manner that there is set up a general circulating current, and that the muds
[sediments of all the compartments collect at the bottom of the apparatus; (2)
The walls of each compartment envelope those of the compartment immediately
below, in such a manner that the ascending and descending currents, or the com-
partments themselves, outside their orifices of communication, are isolated the ono
from the other by true hydraulic joints, or by rivetted joints, as desired. It should
be remembered that the upper partitions of all the above described forms of decanting
apparatus, whether fixed (with rivetted joints) or movable (with hydraulic joints),
being perforated, and their edges united by perforated sheet iron, or by wire gauza,
constitute filters with inclined walls capable of cleaning themselves automatically.
2nd. 1 claim as my invention a saturating reservoir for the preparation of lime
water or water saturated with any re-agent having the following characteristics:-
(1) a bubbling receiver of vertically elongated, acutely conical, long cylindro-conical,
or analogous form, of which the contracted bottom receives directly, without the
interposition of any perforated partition, the solid matter to be dissolved and the water
to be saturated; (2) a decanting reservoir surmounting the said bubbling receiver,
having larger horizontal dimensions thau this latter, and being furnished, as required,
with decanting partitions, in such manner that the undissolved re-ngent carried up
will be there separated from the saturated water, and will continually fall back to the
contracted hottom of the bubbling receiver;-(8) I reserve the right of applying, in
the contracted conical, cylindro-conical, or analogously formed bottom of the bubbler,
a mechanical agitator. This complication is howover unnecessary with the long
vertical form of my bubbler, which form has not been devised up to the presont
time, probably for fear of obstruction by the settlement of the water in the contracted
bottom of the apparatus; (4) In view of the variable resistance caused by this
settlement to the passage of tho water, which in my arrangement of apparatus should
raise and dilute it automatically, without any variation in the delivery resulting from
such variable resistances, I reserve to myself (and this again is a characteristic of my

page_text: system of automatic saturation) to regulate the delivery of water saturated with lime
by means of a float swimming upon the water which has overcome these resistances,
that is to say, on the surface of the saturator itself, or of a recipient of the overflow
from the saturator, by these means a constant level and a constant delivery of
saturated water is maintained, notwithstanding the variable resistance offered to the
entrance of the water to be saturated; (5). I reserve to myself to furnish the interior
of the bubbling receiver, which may then be of cylindrical or of prismatic form,
with partitions or battles arranged as above described, so as to collect the lime
decanted at the inflow of the water to be saturated, these baffles being an indirect
way of arriving at the same end as with the saturation cone; (6) Finally I reserve to
myself again, as has been already stated, effecting the bubbling at the bottom of the
saturator by means of an injection of air or steam.