Improvements in Apparatus for Softening and Purifying Water.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 15th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Softening and Purifying Water.
I, HOWARD THEOPHILUS WRIGHT of 16 Great George Street in the City of
Westminster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of my invention is to provide apparatus by means of which water
under pressure can be softened and purified in a very efficient and rapid manner
without the employment of other pumping or. pressure creating means than may be
necessary for the ordinary town or other supply.
According to my invention I pass the water to be treated at the pressure of say
the town. maius: into a box, chamber or receiver which has two passages leading
therefrom the one carrying the water to the lower part of "the tower or vessel. in
which the water is to be. treated and in which solid impurities are to be deposited
and the other (controlled by a regulating cock or valve) leading any required
proportion of the water to the vessel in which the solution of the re-agent is made
the solution so made, then passing back and joining the water entering the tower
or-vessel aforesaid, the said solution being pumped by any suitable forcing device.
The solution and water then pass together up through the said tower or vessel
which is furnished inside with inclined surfaces, which constitute between them
passages, through which the water and solution pass upwards and outwards and
downwards and inwards alternately until they finally issue from the tower or vessel
through any suitable filter to a place of storage or use. At any part of the
passage of the water any other additional reagent may be added, as desired. The
inclined surfaces, in, the tower or vessel are arranged in such a manner that they
conduct solid matter which deposits upon them into and through openings or
funnels, through which the said deposited matters can reach the bottom of the towor
or vessel to be subsequently removed. The tower or vessel is of course closed so
that the water, under pressure cannot escape except through the outlet provided
for the purpose. A convenient arrangement of the inclined surfaces is to make
them of inverted conical form each alternate one terminating at its lower end in a
short pipe for the escape of deposited matter down through the centre of the tower
or vessel to the lower part thereof, the said inclined alternate conical surfaces
leaving a passage for water between their upper edges and the sides of the tower
or vessel. The other inclined conical surfaces alternating with those aforesaid join
the sides of the tower or vessel at their upper part but leave a space between their
lower parts and the first named inclined surfaces or the short tubes extending
therefrom. The water and solution thus pass upward between the last-named
inclined, surfaces and those first named then downward between those first named
and those last named and so on alternately in reverse directions until the upper
part of the vessel is reached, the solid matter deposited sliding down on the upper
side of the inclined surfaces and escaping by the short pipes to the bottom of the
apparatus. If desired the inclined surfaces can be flat and the short pipes be
replaced by a flat passage way extending through the width of the tower or
chamber or any desired portion thereof. Although I have mentioned but one
tower or vessel two or more can be used the water and solution being conducted

page_text: -
by branches so that they pass up through both or all of the said towers or
vessels.
S.
Dated this 15th day of February 1895.
22
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: inclined conical surfaces 6* alternating with those aforesaid (62) join the sides of the
tower or vessel B at their upper part but leave a space between their lower parts
and the first named inclined surfaces (63) or the short tubes (63) extending
therefrom. The water and solution thus pass upward between the inclined
surfaces 64 and 63, then downward between the inclined surfaces 62 and 64 and so on
alternately in reverse directions until the upper part of the vessel B is reached, the
solid matter deposited sliding down on the upper side of the inclined surfaces 62
and 6 and escaping by the short pipes 68 or passages to the bottom of the apparatus
from which it can be removed as required. If desired the inclined surfaces can be
flat and the short pipes be replaced by a flat passage way extending through the
width of the tower or chamber B, or any desired portion thereof. Although I
have mentioned but one tower or vessel B two or more can be used the water.and
solution being conducted by branches so that they pass up through both or all of
the said towers or vessels.
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 apparatus for purifying and softening water the combination of passages
for water one passage conducting a part of the water to the water treating tower
or vessel or towers or vessels in which it is to be treated and the other conducting
another part of the water to the vessel in which the solution of the reagent is made,
and means for conveying the solution to join the water entering the water treating
tower or vessel or towers or vessels, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. For softening and purifying water a closed tower or vessel with inclined
surfaces each alteruate one leaving a space between its upper part and the sides of
the tower or vessel and terminating at its lower end in a short pipe and each other
alternate inclined surface joining the sides at their upper part and leaving a space
between themselves and the first named inclined surfaces so that the water under
treatment passes through the apparatus and deposited matter, escapes to the bottom
of the apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figure 3
of the accompanying drawings.
3. An apparatus for softening and purifying water under pressure the said
apparatus being constructed or arranged substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 15th day of November 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.