IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTER PRESSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Staples, of No. 2, Buckland Villas, Belsize Park, in
the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, and Thomas Sipling Wilson, of No. 52,
Sparsholt Road, Crouch Hill, in the said County, Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTER PRESSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Staples and Thomas
Sipling Wilson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th
December 1877.
HENRY STAPLES, of No. 2, Buckland Villas, Belsize Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, and THOMAS SIPLING WILSON, of No. 52, Sparsholt Road,
Crouch Hill, in the said County, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTER PRESSES."
Our Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements herein-after described in
arranging and securing the filter cloths and the perforated metal plates of filter
presses. According to this part of our Invention we cut the said perforated metal
plates of a size rather less than that of the recesses in the corrugated plates in
which they are to lie, and we cover each of the said perforated plates on one side
with a cloth or cloths, the edges of which we fold over the edges of the said
perforated plate. In the centre of each of the said cloths we cut a hole rather
smaller than the central hole in the perforated plate, so that the cloth or cloths at
this part may overlap the edge of the hole in the plate, under which we turn the
overlapping edge or edges of the said cloth or cloths Through each corrugated
plate and around the central hole therein we drill holes to admit of the sewing herein-
after referred to, and on each side of the said hole we place a ring or washer of
leather or other suitable material, against which the part of the cloth turned under
the edge of the central hole in the perforated plate resta. We then place one of the
perforated plates with its cloth covered side outwards on each side of each corrugated

page_text: plate, and we secure the said plates and cloths together by bolts and nuts, or by
screws which pass through the cloth covered plates near their outer edges and
through the corrugated plates, and by sewing through the said cloths and plates and
rings or washers around the central holes.
Our Invention consists further in affixing to the projecting meeting faces of the
rims of the corrugated plates aforesaid rings or strips of india-rubber, leather,
canvas, or other suitable clastic or compressible material, by which the joints
between the said plates are rendered water-tight when the press is screwed up.
In constructing a filter press to be used for filtering sewage sludge or other
matters containing fibrous substances we form in the back plate at or about the
centre thereof a hollow, into which the said fibrous substances are forced when the
press is worked
The obstruction of the passages of the press by such substances is
thus prevented.
The improvements herein-before described render our said presses much easier
and more economical in working than presses of the ordinary construction, the great
care requisite in arranging the cloths of the said ordinary presses being rendered
unnecessary, and the rapid wear of the said cloths being avoided.
Also the arrangement of packing between the corrugated plates renders the
accurate planing of their meeting faces unnecessary, or of much less importance in
our improved presses than in those of the ordinary construction
By the arrangement of the cloths herein-before described a much less area of
cloth is required for the plates than that required in the ordinary arrangements.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Staples and Thomas Sipling Wilson in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 12th June 1878.
HENRY STAPLES, of No. 2, Buckland Villas, Belsize Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, and THOMAS SIPLING WILSON, of No. 52, Sparsholt Road,
Crouch Hill, in the said County, Engineer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTER PRESSES.”
Our Invention consists, firstly, of the improvements herein-after described in
securing filter cloths and plates of filter presses. We drill holes around the central
hole in each of the corrugated plates of the press to admit of the sewing herein-
after referred to. We place in the recesses at each side of each corrugated plate a
perforated metal plate or strainer, and we hang the filter cloths over the upper
edges of the corrugated plates, so that the ends of the said cloths hang down over
the said plates. In those portions of the perforated plates and filter cloths which
lie over the central holes in the corrugated plates holes of corresponding shape and
size are cut, and we secure the said plates and cloths together by sewing through
them with wire or twine or other suitable material.
Rings or washers of leather or other suitable material may be interposed between
the edges of the central holes in the corrugated plates and the perforated plates.
Our Invention consists further in affixing to the opposed faces of the rims of the
corrugated plates aforesaid rings or strips of india-rubber, leather, canvas, or other
suitable elastic material, by which the joints between the said plates are rendered
water-tight when the press is screwed up.
Having now described the nature of our Invention we will proceed to describe
the manner in which the same is to be performed, reference being had to the
accompanying Drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
The same letters and figures of reference are used to indicate liko parts in each of
the Figures of the Drawing.
Figure 1 is an elevation of one of the corrugated plates, a portion of one of the
perforated plates being shewn broken away in order to exhibit the water channels
in the corrugated plate, and Figure 2 is a vertical section of a portion of a filter
press to which our improvements are applied, one plate in the said Figure 2 being
shewn in side elevation.
a, a, are the corrugated plates around the central holes a¹, of which we drill
holes u, a²; B, B, are the perforated plates or strainers (the perforations in which are
not shewn in the Drawings) placed in the recesses at each end of each of the said
corrugated plates A, A, and secured thereto by sewing through them with wire or
other suitable material; 61, 6¹, are holes drilled through them to admit of such
sewing; C, C, are the filter cloths which we hang over the upper edges of the
corrugated plates, the ends of which cloths hang down over the said plates;
D, D, are the central holes formed in the cloths and perforated plates; d, d², is the
wire or twine, by means of which the said cloths and plates are secured together.
Rings or washers of leather or other suitable material may be placed between the
corrugated plates and the perforated plates around the central holes, and the cloths
instead of being merely laid over the said plates before being sewn thereto may be
doubled or turned under the edges of the central hole in the perforated plates, and
the said cloths may be sewn round their edges to the plates with the same stitches
that are used in securing the corrugated and perforated plates together instead of
leaving the said cloths loose round their edges, as herein-before described and
illustrated. When the said cloths are thus sewn we prefer to turn their outer edges
under the said perforated plates before sewing them In this case each perforated
plate is covered by a separate cloth. E, E, are rings or strips of india-rubber sewn
to the opposed faces of the rims of the corrugated plates A, A, by wires or cords e¹, e¹,
which pass through holes drilled in the said rims and through the said rings or
strips E, E.

page_text: Instead of sewing as herein-before described, the said rings or strips of india-
rubber may be secured to the plates by means of cement, or otherwise; F is the
back plate of the press, which is provided with a perforated plate and cloth as
herein-before described, the said cloth being secured to the upper edge of the plate
by a bar and screws, one of which is shewn at f*.
In the space enclosed between the back plate and the plate next to it the cloths
are shewn (in Figure 2) pressed against the perforated plates behind them ie., in
the positions which they occupy when the said space is filled with matter under
pressure.
In the space between the first and second plates the cloths are shewn hanging
loose.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention and the manner in which it
is to be performed, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to
the precise details herein-before described, as they may be varied without departing
from the nature of our said Invention, but we claim as our said Invention,-
Firstly. Attaching or securing the central portions of the perforated plates and
filter cloths of filter presses to the central portions of their corrugated plates by
Bewing essentially as herein-before described, and illustrated in Figure 2 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. Affixing to the opposed faces of the rims of the corrugated plates of
filter presses, rings or strips of india-rubber or other suitable elastic material,
essentially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Staples, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Twelfth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight
hundred and seventy-eight