Improvements in Filtering Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Filtering Machines.
I, JAMES ALLEN CROCKER, Mechanical Engineer, of 186 Remsen Street, Brooklyn,
Kings County, State of New York, United States of North America, 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 :-
Fig. 1. is a longitudinal section through the centre of my improved filtering
machine.
Fig. 2. is a transverse vertical section on the line w w of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3. is a transverse vertical section on the line of Fig. 1. looking in the
direction of arrow 20.
Fig. 4. is an end elevation of the outside of the filtering machine.
Fig. 5. is a section on the line y y of Fig. 1. looking in the direction of arrow 21.
Fig. 6. is a section on the line zz of Fig. 1. looking towards the arrow 21.
Fig. 7. is an end elevation showing one of the journals and its bearings.
Fig. 8. is a section through a journal and its bearings.
Fig. 9. is a section on the line uu of Fig. 4. looking in the direction of the
arrows.
My present invention particularly relates to certain improvements in filtering
machines set forth in United States Patent No. 395038 granted to me on the
25th day of December 1888 in which large bodies of water for supplying cities,
towns, etc., are filtered for drinking and manufacturing. purposes, and the primary
object of this invention is a filtering machine whose construction is particularly
adapted to enable its filter bed to be cleansed while the machine is stationary or
during its revolution, and my invention consists in two pairs of rotating valves or
sleeves; one pair located in each head of the machine, one of each pair being operated
by a solid valve rod and the other of the pair by a valve sleeve, both rod and sleeve
passing centrally through the machine and extending outside its heads, in order that
they may be readily accessible for manipulation.
And my invention also consists in a pair of perforated sheets located between the
centre of the machine and two series of perforated tubes; one perforated sheet on each
side of the centre.
My invention also consists in certain other details to be hereinafter described and
claimed.
In the said drawings A represents a cylindrical receptacle whose hollow journals a
are caused to revolve on friction rolls b which have their bearings c in boxes B,
located on a foundation of masonry C. D, D, are the two opposite heads of the
machine, the inner and outer walls thereof being riveted at d to the cylindrical
shell A; each head consisting of four portions e, e, el, e¹, each portion representing
a quadrant; two portions e, e, being diametrically opposite each other and of single
thickness, and the remaining portions e¹, e¹, also diametrically opposite and of
double thickness, (see Figs. 2, 4, and 9), with a space / serving as a water passage
between them; said water. passage being divided by partitions h¹ into separate
compartments each communicating with the centre or hollow journal a, and with
one of the perforated filtering pipes, G, to be presently described.
Each water passage is wider at the centre of the end of the casing where the hollow
journal a communicates with the hollow head D, in which the passage is located;
said passage tapering to about one-half this width at its outer periphery, measured in
a horizontal direction. (See Fig. 1.)
The outer portion of each head is re-enforced by webs or braces i (see Fig. 4.).
Each outer wall of the portions e¹, e¹, is provided with a number of independent
openings K, over each of which is fitted an independent cover K₁, said openings

page_text: being made in order to admit of the introduction of the two series of perforated pipes G,
which (separated by the partitions h¹) are arranged in a horizontal position, side by
side, (in two groups) one diametrically opposite the other.
The cover for each opening may consist of a shouldered screw plug K, Fig. 1, with
a washer interposed between it and the wall, or the cover may be a round plate bolted
in place.
Each series of these pipes extends between and communicates with the water
passages h, h, in the two correspondingly located opposite double heads of the
casing.
The inner walls of the portions e¹, e¹, of the heads are provided with a number of
circular openings, corresponding to the number of pipes to be secured therein; four,
for instance in the upper part of each head and four in its lower part being shown in
the drawings (see Figs. 2, 3, & 4) a number of pipes in each series being preferred on
account of the greater area of surface obtained thereby.
Leading from the circular opening in the centre of each head of the casing, are two
rectangular holes or ports m, m, divided by the inner ends of the ribs i and diametri-
cally opposite one port communicating with the divided upper portion of the water
passage, and within the circular opening of each head, the hollow journal a is
located, and is secured immovably thereto so as to revolve in common therewith around
a stationary hollow sleeve I, through which the water to be filtered passes from a
pipe K connected therewith; one hollow sleeve being intended to be connected with
a supply pipe, and the other with a discharge pipe.
Each of the journals a is provided with two rectangular openings or ports n, n,
divided by the webs i, i, and diametrically opposite each other, of corresponding
size and in line with the rectangular ports m, m, of the subdivided, hollow portions e³,
of the heads of the casing.
Closing the open end of each of the hollow journals a and bolted thereto, is a
cover 10, the opposite covers being connected by a pipe 11, extending longitudinally
over and around the valve pipe connection W, in order to keep the filtrant from
contact therewith.
Through the centre of the filtering machine, and extending outside thereof, is a
solid rod L, to which are secured two rotary valves P, P, each of the form of a
quarter of a circle; one in each head, and the position of the valve in one head, being
exactly the reverse of that of the valve in the other head.
The outer end of this rod L passes through one of the water pipe elbows, connected
with the hollow head corresponding thereto (see Fig. 1.) and is provided with a lever M,
for reversing the position of the valves; the valve rod passing through an ordinary
water-tight stuffing box.
Each of the quadrantal valves P, P, is surrounded by another rotary valve N, the
outer end of which is open and the inner end closed, see Fig. 1, the latter being
formed with a square hub 13 (Fig. 5.), and connected with this square hub is the
pipe connection W, surrounding the solid rod L with a space interposed between
them, this pipe connecting the valve N in one head, with the valve N in the other
head.
Within the open end of one of the valves N, is bolted a ring Q, provided with
radial arms 12, extending to a sleeve R, which is provided with a lever S at its outer
end and by which the valves N, N, are manipulated. Each of these valves N, is
provided with ports n, each port being equal in length to the length of the water
passage h, and one port only in each valve is equal in width to the sum of the widths
of the portions of the subdivided water passages h, and another port in each valve is
equal in width to only one of the portions of the subdivided water passage h.
The periphery of each of the valves N comes into contact with and controls the
ports m, m, of the correspondingly located hollow journal a. The position of these
valves N, N, is reversed in the opposite heads.
The two series of valves can thus be operated independently or simultaneously as
occasion requires.
The object of the aforesaid construction is to direct the flow of water through a

page_text: single port or subdivided passage, leading to one perforated tube G independently
of, or all together; which may be readily done by operating one or both valve
rod levers until their valves are brought to register with their corresponding
ports.
When the flow is directed through a single port and passage leading to a single
perforated tube G, it causes a powerful local agitation, greater than would occur
at this point, were the flow directed through all the tubes simultaneously, the result
of which is a more complete disintegration or breaking up of the filter bed, which
thus permits a more thorough elimination of the sediment therefrom, during the
cleansing operation.
T, T, are two perforated plates, one on each side of the centre, between the hollow pipe
or sleeve 11 surrounding the valve rods and a group of perforated pipes G, making
three compartments, 15, 16, 17, for the reception of the filtering material, the inner
one around the centre (outside the sleeve 11) containing a finer filtrant than that
contained in either of the outer compartments 16, 17, formed between the perforated
plates T and their contiguous portions of the casing; one of the objects being to
enable one to use the finer filtrant to do the body of the work and the coarse
material to prevent the finer from being carried away by the water, and in order
to prevent the escape of the finer filtrant, which must be separated from the
coarser.
Another advantage resulting from this construction is, I am enabled to uso per-
forated tubes of thicker material and perforations of a larger size, thus ensuring
greater durability and a freer flow of water.
The perforated plates T, T, are formed of sections bolted together at u and
supported and strengthened by ribs n', of T-shaped iron, extending transversely
therewith, the outer ends of the T-irons being riveted to the shell or casing.
During the process of filtration, the water enters the cylinder at the inlet or
supply end A the branch B² being closed by a valve (not shown)-then the
water flows in the direction of the arrow 40 (Fig. 1) through the valves P and N
(shown closed) then up through the space between the hollow portions el, el, of
the head-then into the top series of perforated tubes G and out through their
perforations, down through the coarser filtering material--thence down through the
upper perforated plate T-next through the finer filtering material-then through
the lower perforated plate T and coarser material-into the lower series of perforated
tubes G, out through their perforations and into the water passage of the outlet
end A² (see arrows 40 Fig. 1). During the process of cleansing the filter bed-the
branch or waste pipe B is opened and the direction of the How of the water is
reversed by closing the valves P and N as shown in Fig. 1-the water going down
the passage instead of up as when filtering.
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 :-
1st. The combination with a filtering machine, having hollow heads, of a valve
rod L carrying a pair of valves P, P, and a tubular connection W, surrounding the
rod L and provided with a pair of valves N, N, both pairs of valves being
operated simultaneously or independently of each other, as and for the purpose
described.
2nd. A valve rod L, having a pair of quadrantal valves P, P, secured in reversed
or diametrically opposite positions thereto, a hollow sleeve connection W, having a
pair of circular valves N, N, secured thereto, in combination with a filtering machine
having two groups of perforated tubes G, and two heads D, D, with subdivided water
passages h, h, leading to said tubes, as and for the purpose described.
3rd. In a filtering machine, the perforated partition plates T, T, in combination
with and interposed between the two groups of perforated pipes G, as and for the
purpose set forth.

page_text: 4th. In a filtering machine having two groups of perforated tubes G, G, located
diametrically opposite each other, a pair of perforated sectional division plates T, T,
. and located one on each side of the centre of the machine and between it and the
corresponding group of perforated tubes G, as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this First day of January 1890 at Brooklyn, N.Y.