IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER FILTERS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Powley Alexander, of 14, Southampton Buildings,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER FILTERS." A communication from
abroad by Frederick Wallroth and William Nugent, both of the City, County,
and State of New York, in the United States of America.
Sealed the 5th April 1878, and dated the 8th October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Powley Alexander at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th October 1877.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER
FILTERS." A communication from abroad by Frederick Wallroth and William
Nugent, both of the City, County, and State of New York, in the United States of
America.
The object of this Invention is to provide a water filter for use in private
residences and other places, which shall be extremely simple and inexpensive in its
construction, which may he very readily applied to and removed from the hydrant
or other source of supply, and which may, with equal facility, be packed either
tightly or loosely with the filtering material, and admit of the said filtering material
being removed therefrom readily and easily, and without requiring the exercise of
any skill in order to detach and re-adjust the parts.
The improvement consists in making the main body of the filter of sheet metal,
struck up in two parts by dies and seamed together, having suitable inlet and outlet
tubes, the former being made with spiral corrugations, and having inserted therein
a spirally corrugated bushing of rubber or similar material, by means of which the
filter may be easily and tightly attached to the hydrant or supply pipe, and which
is detachable, so that access to the interior may be readily had for the purpose of
removing the filtering material when it needs cleansing, and the removing therefrom
of the sediments or impurities.

page_text: A perforated plate is provided in order to keep the filtering material from
entering the outlet tube, which said filtering material may be sponge or other
suitable substance.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Edwin Powley Alexander in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th April 1878.
EDWIN POWLEY ALEXANDER, of 14, Southampton Buildings, in the County of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN WATER
Middlesex, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.
FILTERS." A communication from abroad by Frederick Wall roth and William
Nugent, both of the City, County, and State of New York, in the United States of
America.
The chief object of the said Invention is to provide a water filter for use in
private residences and other places, which shall be extremely simple and inexpensive
in its construction, which may be very readily applied to and removed from the
bydrant or other source of supply, and which may, with equal facility, be packed
either tightly or loosely with the filtering material, and admit of the said filtering
material being removed therefrom readily and easily, and without requiring the
exercise of any skill in order to detach and re-adjust the parts.
The improvement consists in making the main body of the filter of sheet metal,
or of glass, porcelain, or such like materials, either alone or in combination with
metal but when made of sheet metal it is struck- up in two parts and seamed
together, and in all cases is provided with suitable inlet and outlet tubes, in the
former of which there is inserted a bushing of rubber or similar material, by means
of which the filter may be easily and tightly attached to the hydrant or supply pipe,
and which is detachable, so that access to the interior may be readily had for the
purpose of removing the filtering material when it needs cleansing, and the removing
therefrom of the sediments or impurities, the several parts being constructed and
arranged as herein-after set forth.
The accompanying Drawing represents a vertical section, about full size, of the
improved filter taken through its centre.
A represents the body of the filter, which may be of any suitable metal or other
material, and of convenient form, the two parts, when made of sheet metal, as
illustrated in the Drawing, being struck up by means of dies, and seamed together.
b is the outlet at the lower side of the former, and c the neck or inlet. Upon the
neck or inlet c are provided spiral corrugations to receive and hold a bushing D of
rubber or other suitable material, which is inserted in the said neck or inlet. The
object of this elastic bushing D is twofold, namely:-To admit of the filter or
vessel being easily and firmly attached to the hydrant or any other discharge pipe
without requiring any further adjustment than to simply slip it on to the same;
and also to permit ready access to the interior of the filter for the purpose of
removing the sponge E or other filtering material that may be used therein when
the same requires cleansing.
On the outer side of this rubber bushing D are formed indentations corresponding

page_text: to the corrugations on the neck c of the filter, so that the former may be screwed
into the latter and held firmly therein.
f is a perforated plate or wire gauze to keep the filtering material from entering
the outlet b, which said filtering material may be sponge or other suitable substance.
This sponge may be packed in the body of the filter, either loosely or compactly, as
may be desired, and by simply removing the bushing D it may be taken out and
replaced with very little trouble. It will also be seen that by means of this elastic
bushing the filter may be very easily attached and detached, and made to fit any
size of pipe; and that, by reason of the construction and arrangement of parts as
above described, a very efficient and inexpensive filter can be obtained, requiring
comparatively neither trouble nor skilt in its management.
The rubber bushing, which fits into the inside of the neck, may be made either
plain or spirally corrugated on its surface, whilst the hole through the said bushing
can be made larger or smaller so as to fit any size of faucet. It is obvious moreover
that the same rubber bushing, made plain or spirally corrugated, and fitting inside
a plain or spirally corrugated neck or tubular mouth-piece, is equally applicable to
the uniting or connecting together of other analogous articles composed of metal,
glass, wood, and the like, and that when such bushing is made solid it will serve as
an effectual stopper for the mouths of vessels and tubular orifices having spiral
corrugations inside the neck, mouth, or opening.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original,
and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part
recited Letters Patent is,-
First. The water filter, herein described, consisting of the sheet metal case A,
struck up as set forth, or composed of glass or other suitable material, in combination
or not with metal, having the inlet c provided with spiral corrugations, the outlet b,
the elastic bushing D, whether plain or spirally corrugated, the perforated bottom
plate or its equivalent f, and the sponge or other filtering material E, combined
together, substantially as herein-before described.
Second. The application and use of a plain or spirally corrugated elastic rubber
bushing in combination with a plain or spirally corrugated filter mouth-piece, as
herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edwin Powley Alexander, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
EDWIN P. ALEXANDER. (L.S.)