Filtration of Water and other Liquids.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Jan., 1886.
Complete Left, 18th Oct., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 18th Jan., 1887.
Filtration of Water and other Liquids.
I JOHN RONALD SHEARER of "Cold Blow" Queen Elizabeth's Walk Stoke
Newington in the County of Middlesex Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
The main object of this invention is to produce a filter which shall be capable of
effectually removing suspended impurities from water-particularly microbes and
germs without depriving the water of the salts and gases which give to it a crisp and
agreeable taste and to do so by a filter which shall have a maximum of filtering area in
a given space or as nearly so as is compatible with such filter requiring scarcely any
attention and being to all intents and purposes self-cleansing.
My invention relates to a filter capable of being rotated and generally more or less
spherical in form but always in such a form that whether the filtered water be drawn
from its centre or its circumference or however it may be drawn-when the
filter is inserted in the service pipe the unfiltered water in its passage to the
sink shall wash the surface of the filtering septum and when used as a table-filter the
heavy matters suspended in the water to be filtered shall be guided past the filtering
septum to be deposited as sediment on the bottom of the containing vessel. By such
conformation I ensure as nearly as possible the equal and uniform activity of every
part of the filtering septum which from the largeness of the area available for filtering
purposes I am enabled to make of very fine texture with a low degree of porosity.
Such a filter naturally would tend to become clogged at a rate proportionate to its
efficiency a tendency which I overcome by one or other of the following devices.
a filter for table use which may be used with the ordinary belljar where rotability is of
minor importance I fix a cover over the filtering septum which ensures the deposition
on the bottom of the containing vessel of the heavier matters held in suspension in the
water before the water ascends to traverse the filtering septum and in a high pressure
filter to be attached to the water supply-pipe I make this cover entirely to surround
the filtering septum and between the cover or case and the septum which latter is made
capable of being easily revolved I lead the total supply of water which passes from the
In

page_text: cistern to the sink. By so arranging the cover I ensure the complete washing of the
whole of the filtering septum on every occasion when unfiltered water is drawn for
ordinary or domestic use.
As a filtering septum especially in the high pressure form of filter I prefer to use
such unglazed earthenware as is capable of being re fired when necessary but with both
the high and low pressure forms I sometimes use Asbestos woven or pulverised alone
or mixed with or together with other insoluble materials such as animal, mineral and
vegetable charcoal, the various clays, silicious earths, and tufa, Carbonized Cotton
Cake, Linseed Cake and Waste from starch factories, Cotton wool more or less parch-
mentized or otherwise treated, glass wool, slagwool, spongy iron, pulverised Zinc, or any
one or combination of these or of any known filtering materials either moulded or
otherwise.
I generally prefer to make my filtering septum in the form of a Right Sphere i.e. a
sphere which when in position for use has its poles right and left or horizontal
corrugated or plain its horizontal poles terminating in short projecting pipes which in
the high pressure form serve as the axis on which it may be revolved. This axis works
in watertight trunnions which may be attached to and form part of the containing
cover or case. One of these poles is generally sealed and serves as a handle by which
the filtering septum may be revolved the other has an opening through which the
filtered water passes either by means of a syphon or otherwise to a tap or to a filtered
water supply cistern which is generally regulated by a ball cock. The containing
case is generally made in the form of a Parallel Sphere i.e. a sphere, which
when in position for use has its poles up and down or vertical with its Zenith
and Nadir poles terminating in short projecting pipes which of course are dis-
posed at right angles to the horizontal axial poles of the septum. It is made in
sections generally in hemispheres to allow of its being fitted over the contained
spherical septumn and these sections or hemispheres are fitted together by screws or
otherwise so as to be watertight. One pole generally the upper, I join to the service
pipe in the direction of the cistern which pole I term the Induction pole the other pole,
generally the lower, I join to the service pipe in the direction of the sink which pole I
term the Eduction pole. So fixed the filter case forms, in fact, a section of the service
pipe containing the septum and from the disposition of the parts it follows that on
every occasion when water is drawn at the sink the current entering the spherical case
at the Induction pole breaks over the contained spherical septum washing its entire
area before escaping at the Eduction pole in its passage to the sink. The septum
being in the form of a Right sphere and capable of being rotated any part of
equatorial circumference may be turned at will to receive the maximum shock from the
entering water. To increase the scouring effect of the water in its passage through
the filter I generally place shutes or guides in the Induction pole to set up a violent
gyratory motion in the water as it enters the filter and I may place similar shutes or
guides in the Eduction pole or make such pole so that similar shutes or guides may be
readily inserted when the hemispheres may be exact counterparts of each other and
interchangeable. Obviously a spiral inlet pipe and many other mechanical equivalents
are available and these of course I may use instead of the shutes or guides.
Although I consider the spherical form best as being generally most useful and
ornamental it is obvious that rotability, automatic cleansing, and the other merits which
together make up the special features of this invention could be obtained in a greater
or lesser degree by some other forms. One form I sometimes use consists of a series
of porous pots radially disposed round a hollow boss which acts as a collecting chamber
for the filtered water. The whole is capable of being revolved within a case as in the
previously described form and the filtered water is drawn from the axis. An oblate or
prolate spheroid or even a hollow drum arranged in a case could also be used and these
or their mechanical equivalents I may use as occasion requires.
When I use a soft material as my filtering septum I generally compress it
between two perforated spherical metallic shells one at least of which I put together in
sections. These I mount on a pipe which takes the place of the axis in the porcelain
filter above-described. The axis I generally dispose horizontally when for use with
high pressure and vertically in the form for table use.

page_text: I am aware that other forms of high pressure porcelain filters have been used which
in the laboratory have given good results but these have all been cumbersome and
have required a great deal of attention to keep them in working condition and few—if
any of them have been adapted to the conditions of general domestic supply. Some
of the advantages of the spherical form will be evident from the following comparison.
A porcelain porous jar of a certain density eight inches in length and one inch in
diameter with a pressure of about two atmospheres is capable of furnishing a supply of
ten gallons of filtered water per day. The jar to be cleansed requires to be disconnected,
taken out and energetically brushed. The globe filter of the same density and eight
inches in diameter has about eight times the superficial area and consequently with the
same pressure would be capable of furnishing a supply of about eighty gallons of filtered
water per day and it would be cleansed automatically on every occasion when unfiltered
water was drawn for domestic use. Besides in the matter of space occupied it has con-
siderable advantage over the filtering rod as every part of it may be utilized. Whereas
with the eight inch rod a vessel of some sort is required to hold the filtered water its
internal capacity being only about six and one quarter cubic inches which is scarcely
sufficient to hold one fifth part of a pint the eight inch Globe may itself be the contain-
ing vessel its internal capacity being about two hundred and sixty eight cubic inches
which is sufficient to contain about seven and three quarter pints and if the diameter
were increased to sixteen inches which would neither make it clumsy nor cumbersome
its containing capacity would amount to nearly seven and three quarter gallons.
Although I sometimes use the interior of the filtering septum as the containing
vessel where circumstances permit I prefer to have a separate cistern for the filtered
water such for example as where sufficient head can be obtained to admit of the follow-
ing additions for the purpose of aërating the filtered water. I connect to the filtered
watern cistern any suitable aërating machine driven by any suitable motor actuated by
the unfiltered water in its passage to the sink. One method by which I accomplish
this automatic aëration is by inserting in the service pipe leading to the sink a small
turbine attached to an aërating machine. This turbine I make with adjustible shutes
or guides which instead of being controlled, as they usually are, by a screw and hand
wheel I control by a valve in the filtered water cistern to which I connect them.
When the water in the filtered water cistern is under ordinary pressure the valve acts
to dispose the shutes or guides in such a position that the whole of the water passing
to the sink, or as much of such water as may be necessary is directed through the
turbine and the aërating machine is made to do full duty. When, again the water in
the filtered water cistern is up to the full pressure desired the valve acts to dispose
the shutes or guides so as to direct the water to the sink without actuating the turbine.
I generally regulate the valve to cut off the aërating machine at a pressure less than
that of the water from the filter to ensure that filtration may be continuous but I some-
times when desirable for special purposes obtain a greater degree of aëration by altering
the adjustment of the controlling valve or by turning a handle attached either to the
turbine or to the aërating machine even if the effect be to temporarily cut off the
supply of water from the filter. I generally insert a septum of Cotton Wool between
the aërating machine and the filtered water Cistern to ensure the thorough filtration
of the injected air.
Sometimes when sufficient head cannot be obtained for the water entering from the
filter to admit of the aeration of the filtered water being controlled in the way described
or when from any other reason it is preferred I aërate the water in its passage from
the filter to the filtered water cistern by any ordinary aërating machine actuated by
the water supply through any suitable motor and I pump the filtered water into the
cistern by the same means. I generally have a safety valve in the filtered water
cistern. Although I have described these two methods it is obvious that many other
modifications would effect the same purpose, for example it would be easy to regulate
the pressure by the safety valve in the cistern alone allowing the motor and aerating
machine always to work when unfiltered water was being drawn. This method would
not apply without modification if the water was being aerated by Carbonic Acid Gas.
Another simple method of utilizing the power of the water in its passage to the sink

page_text: for the purpose of aerating the filtered water would be to insert a hydraulic ram
attached to an air pump connected with the filtered water cistern the safety valve of
which was adjusted to regulate the extent of aëration.
Another simple method of aeration would be to pass the filtered water at intermittent
periods through an air injector similar to the injector of a steam engine in which case
the water collected within the spherical filtering septum would be discharged periodically
into the filtered water cistern by means of a regulating valve in the latter.
Aëration of the unfiltered water might be secured by inserting a similar injector
between the main service supply and the ordinary cistern.
In this specification wherever the word "Sink" is used it is to be understood to
include any opening through which water is withdrawn from any water pipe after the
water has passed the filter unless the context should be repugnant to such rendering.
Although in this specification filtration is represented as being from the circum-
ference to the centre it is obvious mutatis mutandis the same may be carried out by
the converse process namely from the centre to the circumference without departing
from the main features of this invention.
Having now described my invention I consider the principal features of novelty and
merit in it to be the particular forms of filter and case described-the special disposition
of the filtering septum and case to each other and to the service pipe which enables
me to get maximum filtering area in convenient space together with continual washing
effect of the entire surface of the filtering septum on every occasion when unfiltered
water is drawn for ordinary use the rotary arrangement of the filtering septum-not
per se but for the purpose of varying the particular part of the surface of the filtering
septum exposed to maximum impact from the unfiltered water-the particular
devices employed and their mechanical equivalents for imparting gyratory movement
to the unfiltered water to increase its cleansing effect-the combination of these-the
use as a filtering septum of Carbon made from the waste products of the oil press such
as Cotton Cake and Linseed Cake and the waste products of the starch factory all of
which are cheap and rich in vegetable albumen-the use of pulverised Zinc for the
same purpose the utilization of the filtered water for aërating the filtered water by the
air-injector the utilization of the unfiltered water for aërating the filtered water by
means of a hydraulic ram or other motor connected with an air pump or other aërating
machine and the methods described for regulating the extent of aeration-the method
of aërating the unfiltered water by means of an air injector as described-the combina-
tion of filter and aërator as described.

page_text: що
FILLOTS
Applicable Ior the
Filtration of Water and other Liquids.
I JOHN RONALD SHEARER of 42 Gutter Lane in the City of London Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF FILTERS APPLICABLE FOR THE FILTRATION OF WATER AND OTHER LIQUIDS and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The main object of this invention is to produce a filter which shall be capable of
effectually removing suspended impurities from water-particularly microbes and
germs without depriving the water of the salts and gases which give to it a crisp and
agreeable taste and to do so by a filter which shall have a maximum of filtering area
in a given space or as nearly so as is compatible with such filter requiring scarcely
any attention and being to all intents and purposes self cleansing.
My invention relates to a filter generally capable of being rotated and more or less
spherical in form but always in such a form that-whether the filtered water be drawn
from its centre or its circumference or however it may be drawn-when the filter is
inserted in the service pipe the unfiltered water in its passage onwards shall wash
the Surface of filtering septum. By such Conformation I ensure as nearly as
possible the equal and uniform activity of every part of the filtering septum which
from the largeness of the area available for filtering purposes I am enabled to
make of very fine texture with a low degree of porosity. Such a filter would
naturally tend to become clogged at a rate proportionate to its efficiency a
tendency which I overcome in the following manner. I make the cover entirely to
surround the filtering septum and between the cover or case and the Septum I lead
the total supply of unfiltered water which therefore washes the filtering septum in
passing the filter. To increase this washing effect I sometimes place shutes or guides
in such a position as to impart to the unfiltered water a violent gyratory motion while
passing the filtering septum or I may use any mechanical equivalent of the shutes or
guides for the same purpose.
As a filtering septum I generally prefer to use unglazed earthenware but I may use
Asbestos, woven or pulverised, alone or mixed with or together with other insoluble
materials such as animal, mineral and vegetable charcoal, the various clays, silicious
earths and tufa, Carbonized Cotton Cake, Linseed Cake and waste from Starch
factories, Cotton wool more or less parchmentized or otherwise treated, glass wool,
slag wool, Spongy iron, pulverized Zinc, or any one or combination of these or of any
known filtering materials either moulded or otherwise.
It will be seen that this filter, drawing its supply from the service pipe by which it
is surrounded-the service pipe being in fact the cover or case of the filter-constitutes
a double service supply one supply being of filtered and the other of unfiltered liquid
and involves and illustrates an entirely new principle in the construction of filters.
This filter can be made to meet the requirements of the smallest house or those of the
largest city. From the wideness of the range of its adaptability and the different
positions in which it may be placed it is obvious it may be made in a great variety of
forms.

page_text: For domestic purposes I sometimes make the filtering septum in the form of a
hollow sphere with polar extensions the case being also made of a similar form and
having polar extensions. The poles of the filtering septum may be mounted in the
same plane with the poles of the case or at any angle therewith and the septum may if
desired be made capable of being revolved or vibrated within the case. Fig. 1 shows
a vertical section of a filter in which the septum and case are mounted in the same plane.
Fig. 2 shows a vertical section of a filter in which the filtering septum and case are
mounted at right angles to each other. To increase the scouring effect I sometimes
impart gyratory motion to the unfiltered water by means of shutes or guides generally
placed in or near the poles of the case.
For some purposes I prefer to make the filtering septum in the form of a hollow
drum or pipe consisting of one or any number of lengths which I may join together in
the direction of their length into one continuous pipe. This pipe when held central in
the ordinary, or in an enlarged main supply pipe by a suitable support makes a very
simple and effective filter which may be used in lieu of or in addition to the ordinary
sand filtering beds for town supplies. If desired the annular or other supports of the
filtering septum may be so formed as to impart rotatory or vibratory motion to the un-
filtered water or the septum may be sufficiently washed by the passing water without
rotating either the water or the septum and of course the septum may be supported
in any convenient position.
When I use a soft material as my filtering septum I generally compress it between
two perforated spherical shells, one at least of which I put together in sections. These
I mount on a pipe which takes the place of the axial polar extensions in the porcelain
filter above-described. Fig. II illustrates such a filtering septum having its poles
disposed horizontally.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I have annexed hereto a
sheet of drawings in which the same letters refer to corresponding parts in all the

page_text: movement to the unfiltered water if necessary.
прико буу
The above described forms I prefer but it is obvious that Automatic Cleansing the
main object of this invention and the other special merits of this filter may be obtained
in a greater or less degree by other forms.
I am aware that unglazed earthenware or porcelain has been used for filtering
purposes from time immemorial and some porcelain filters used in recent years have
given good results but these all have required a great deal of attention to keep them
in working order and have been much more suitable for the laboratory than for
domestic purposes. The Combination of an unglazed earthenware filtering septum
which at the same time is its own containing vessel with the ordinary service supply
for obtaining the washing effect I believe to be entirely new.
Although in this specification filtration is spoken of as being from the outside to the
inside of the filtering septum it is obvious that mutatis mutandis the same may be
carried out by the converse process namely from the inside to the outside without
departing from the main features of this invention.
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
I. The Combination of parts constituting the improved filter in its different modi-
fications as herein described and in part illustrated by the Drawings.
II. In a filter as described the combination of parts by which the filtering is
automatically cleansed by the passing over its filtering surfaces of the unfiltered water
designed for ordinary uses and in which the filtering septum encloses and is itself a
collecting and containing vessel for the filtered water.
III. In a filter as described the use of the various parts and their mechanical
equivalents not only for filtering water but also for filtering other liquids.