Improved Water Softening and Purifying Apparatus.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Water Softening and Purifying Apparatus.
I, WARWICK JOSEPH WRIGHT, of Broad Sanctury Chambers, Westminster, in the
County of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for continuously
softening and purifying water, such improvements relating principally to the
construction and arrangement of the parts of such apparatus and the means for
automatically supplying the softening agents to the water being treated.
The improved apparatus consists of a large vessel or settling tank and two
smaller vessels arranged at the sides or end of it, called hereinafter the lime tank
and the soda tank respectively.
The main tank may be of any suitable form and is divided into two unequal
divisions, the smaller being called the mixing, and the larger the settling division,
by a vertical partition extending to within a suitable distance of the bottom, the
larger being fitted with inclined deflector plates arranged parallel to one another
and connected to the opposite sides of the settling division alternately, so as to
give the water a zig-zag course.
The upper edges of the mixing division are continued upwards for a suitable
distance and support on them a small supply tank, and to this is delivered the
whole of the water to be treated through a pipe governed by valves controlled by
floats arranged respectively in the said small supply tank to keep the water at
one level, and in the settling division to keep the apparatus always full.
This supply tank is provided with an outlet controlled by a valve arranged
immediately over a trough mounted on a rocking shaft which is fixed in the
extended portion of the mixing division; the trough is provided with a central
division which causes the water to fill only one side of the said trough with water
and the trough is thus caused to swing over on that side, thus directing the stream
of water to the empty side, and vice versa.
As long as the supply of water therefore continues, this trough is given a
rocking motion and this motion I utilize to operate a pump for pumping the
necessary quantity of a dilute soda solution or other reagent into the upper por-
tion of the mixing division and for operating a mixer in the lime tank. A second
outlet from this tank conveys water to the lime mixer (described later) and is
controlled by a valve.
The soda tank I preferably divide into two parts, one in which the soda or other
5 reagent is stored in a strong solution and the second for the reception of a more
dilute solution. This second division also contains a suitable pump, as above
mentioned, for pumping such solution into the mixing division of the main tank

page_text: and this pump is connected by suitable levers and spindles to the rocking shaft
above mentioned.
The lime tank is provided at its upper end with a tray for the reception of the
lime on to which water is supplied from the supply tank through a suitable tube
and valve. The bottom of this tray is perforated and communicates with the
upper end of an internal tube arranged in the lime tank and extending nearly
to the bottom of same and through which the lime water must consequently pass
before rising in the annular space around the tube and overflowing into the
mixing division of the main tank.
In the internal tube in the lime tank is arranged a agitator consisting of a
rod having discs fixed thereon at intervals, and which is given a reciprocating
motion by suitably connecting it to the rocking trough above mentioned.
It will thus be seen that part of the water to be treated passes directly to the
mixing division, and the other part passes first through the lime and soda tanks
and then into this mixing division, where the whole gradually descends down
through this mixing division and rises up through the settling division between
the settling on inclined plates, and may then be caused to pass through a suit-
able filtering bed arranged at the top of this latter before reaching the outlet.
Suitable openings are provided in the different vessels to permit of these being
cleaned, whilst outlets may be provided opposite the lower end of each pair of the
settling plates and these openings connected to a single outlet pipe, fitted with
float valves to prevent water passing from one opening to another above it, when
the apparatus is in use. While when the apparatus is cleaned the sludge can
pass down through them on account of the pressure caused by the weight of
water.
1
22
CASTLE SMITH,
Invention Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.
* Apparatus.
I, WARWICK JOSEPII WRIGHT, of Broad Sanctury Chambers, Westminster, in the
County of London, Engineer, 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;-
My invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for continuously
softening and purifying water, such improvements relating principally to the
construction and arrangement of the parts of such apparatus and the means for
automatically supplying the softening agents to the water being treated.
The improved apparatus consists of a large vessel or settling tank and two
smaller vessels arranged at the side or end of it, called hereinafter the lime tank
and the soda tank respectively.
The main tank may be of any suitable form and is divided into two unequal
divisions, the smaller being called the mixing, and the larger the settling division,
by a vertical partition extending to within a suitable distance of the bottom, the
larger being fitted with inclined deflector plates arranged parallel to one another
and connected to the opposite sides of the settling division alternately, so as to
give the water a zig-zag course.

page_text: .
The upper edges of the mixing division are continued upwards for a suitable
distance and support on them a small supply tank, and to this is delivered the
whole of the water to be treated through a pipe governed by valves controlled by
floats arranged respectively, in the said small supply tank to keep the water at
one level, and in the settling division to keep the apparatus always full.
This supply tank is provided with an outlet controlled by a valve arranged
immediately over a trough mounted on a rocking shaft which is fixed in the
extended portion of the mixing division; the trough is provided with a central
division which causes the water to fill only one side of the said trough with water
and the trough is thus caused to swing over on that side, thus directing the stream
of water to the empty side and vice versa.
As long as the supply of water therefore continues, this trough is given a
rocking motion and this motion I utilize to operate a pump for pumping the
necessary quantity of a dilute soda solution or other reagent into the upper por-
tion of the mixing division and for operating a mixer in the lime tank. A second
outlet from this tank conveys water to the lime mixer (described later) and is
controlled by a valve.
The soda tank I preferably divide into two parts, one in which the soda or other
reagent is stored in a strong solution and the second for the reception of a more
dilute solution. This second division also contains a suitable pump, as above
mentioned, for pumping such solution into the mixing division of the main tank
and this pump is connected by suitable levers and spindles to the rocking shaft
above mentioned.
The lime tank is provided at its upper end with a tray for the reception of the
lime on to which water is supplied from the supply tank through a suitable tube
and valve. The bottom of this tray is perforated and communicates with the
upper end of an internal tube arranged in the lime tank and extending nearly
to the bottom of same and through which the lime water must consequently pass
before rising in the annular space around the tube and overflowing into the
mixing division of the main tank.
In the internal tube in the lime tank is arranged an agitator consisting of a
rod having discs fixed thereon at intervals, and which is given a reciprocating
motion by suitably connecting it to the rocking trough above mentioned.
Apparatus constructed according to my invention is illustrated by the accom-
panying drawings and will be better understood by reference thereto.
Of these drawings Fig. 1 is a plan with the regulating tank removed, and
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of apparatus constructed according to my invention.
Referring to these illustrations the apparatus will be seen to consist essentially
of three tanks a be suitably arranged relatively one to the other and constituting
the mixing and settling tank, the lime tank, and soda tank respectively.
The first of these tanks a is divided into two unequal parts by a partition d
extending nearly but not quite, to the bottom thereof. The smaller of these
divisions constitutes the mixing chamber, whilst the large forms the settling
chamber and is fitted with a number of inclined baffles e connected to the opposite
sides of the chamber alternately, whilst above these, but below the outlet f may
be arranged a filtering bed g.
The upper edges of the mixing division are continued upwards and support a
tank h to which all the water to be treated is supplied through a pipe k, the
supply being governed by valves m m³ m being controlled by a float 7 arranged in
said tank and the other m' by a second float arranged in the larger or settling
division.
The water from the tank h is supplied to the mixing division through a valve n
arranged immediately over a trough o pivoted in the upper end of the mixing
division. This trough is divided centrally by a web o' so that as soon as one side
of the trough has been filled with water and it has so been caused to tilt to that
side, the water will be projected into the opposite side and vice versa the consc-
quence being that the trough is given a rocking movement.

page_text: Water from the tank is also supplied to the lime and soda tanks b, c,
respectively through suitable supply pipes. The water so supplied to the lime
tank is fed on to a tray p fixed in the upper end of the said tank b, and in which
the lime is placed. This tray is perforated and communicates with the upper
end of a tube q fixed in the tank band extending nearly to the bottom thereof, so 5
that the water fed to the tank is caused to descend through the tube and rise up
through the annular space round it before it can escape into the mixing division
of the tank a through a suitable outlet.
In the tube q is arranged an agitator formed of a vertical rod s on which are
secured at intervals plates s'.
To this agitator a reciprocating movement is given by the rocking trough
by coupling the pivot thereof to said agitator through lever t, rod t', and crank t
arranged as shown.
0
The soda tank c is preferably divided into two parts, one for controlling a con-
centrated solution of soda, and the other a more dilute solution.
This later division is filled with a suitable pump actuated by the trough o by
coupling its connecting rod to an eccentric on the end of the rod t¹ and this pump
supplies the reagent to the upper end of the mixing division of the tank a.
It will thus be seen that part of the water to be treated passes directly to the
mixing division, and the other part passes first through the lime and soda tanks
and then into this mixing division, where the whole gradually descends down
through this mixing division and rises up through the settling division between
the settling or incline plates and then passes through the filtering bed arranged
at the top of this latter before reaching the outlet.
Suitable openings are provided in the different vessels to permit of these
being cleaned, whilst outlets may be provided opposite the lower end of each pair
of the settling plates or baffle e and these openings connected to a single outlet
pipe w, fitted with float valves to prevent water passing from one opening to
While when the apparatus is
another above it, when the apparatus is in use.
cleaned the sludge can pass down through them on account of the pressure caused
by the weight of water.
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:-
(1) Apparatus for softening and purifying water consisting of a settling chamber
fitted with inclined baffle or settling plates a mixing chamber fitted with an
oscillating trough, a lime chamber fitted with an internal tube containing an
agitator and a sub-divided soda vessel the whole arranged and operating sub-
stantially as described.
(2) In apparatus for softening and purifying water a settling chamber fitted
with inclined baffle or settling plates connecting to the opposite sides thereof
alternately and provided with outlets opposite the lower end of each pair of such
plates all of which are connected to a single pipe fitted between such openings
with float valves substantially as described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
(3) In apparatus for softening and purifying water a mixing chamber fitted
with a pivoted trough divided by a central web and arranged below the outlet
of the water supply pipe so that it may be oscillated substantially as described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
(4) In water softening and purifying apparatus a lime vessel fitted at its upper
end with a perforated lime tank communicating with downwardly extending
tubular portion containing an agitator substantially as described and illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
(5) In water softening and purifying apparatus the combination of a mixing
chamber fitted with an oscillating trough with a lime vessel and soda vessel fitted
respectively with an agitator and pump operated through the medium of such

page_text: oscillating trough substantially as described and illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
Dated this 10th day of July 1899.
" Invention
رو
CASTLE SMITH,
Office, Mitre Court, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.