IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTER PRESSES to be as follows:-
Year: 1885

page_text: We, DANIEL KINNEAR CLARK of 8 Buckingham Street Adelphi Civil Engineer
and WILLIAM JERVIS EYRE FOAKES of 5 Stonar Road West Kensington Civil
Engineer both in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTER PRESSES to be as follows:-
"
Our invention has for its object the providing for and facilitating the outflow
and discharge of the fluid when separated by filtration from the insoluble matter
with which it may be mixed towards and at the circumference or outer edges of the
diaphragms of filter presses.
For this purpose the bearing rims or borders of the diaphragms which separate
each diaphragm from the other of a filter press are perforated or sub-channeled
advantageously in a radial direction so that the fluid which is strained through the
filtering cloths or other material with which the diaphragm may be covered flows
towards and into such perforations or channels, and is thence discharged circum-
ferentially outside the press.
Diaphragms of cast metal may for facility of construction, be cast with radial
grooves or flanges longer or shorter according to circumstances to form grooves or
channels, upon and over which solid rings may be fixed at or near the margin of
the diaphragm so as to forin raised rims.
According to another part of our invention the grooves or channels above
mentioned are extended radially, or as nearly radially as is convenient on the
surfaces of the diaphragms towards or to the centre of the diaphragms in order to
form collecting grooves or thoroughfares by which the filtered fluid is conducted
towards the circumference or outer edges.
For diaphragms which are formed of flat plates or discs, without any raised rim,
a grooved rim is fastened on each side of the margin of the plate the grooves next
the plate or disc being so constructed as to provide when fixed suitable sub-
channels for the outflow of the filtered fluid in the manner above described.
The entrances to the outflow channels at the rims may be formed with
perforated plate, wire net, or open coiled wire, or like appliances fitted into the
rim or forming part of it.

page_text: Another form of rim, applicable to a simple flat plate diaphragm, for the object
of facilitating the outflow of filtered fluid, is constructed with an open coil of wire
advantageously flattened through the interspaces of which the fluid may pass
outwards.
According to another part of our invention to augment the rate of filtration
filter presses may be encased in an airtight enclosure so that a vacuum may be
maintained around it by any of the usual means for the purpose. A single pump
may be employed for the double purpose of forcing the semi-fluid material into
the press and extracting the fluid and maintaining the vacuum.

page_text: We, DANIEL KINNEAR CLARK of 8 Buckingham Street Adelphi Civil Engineer
and WILLIAM JERVIS EYRE FOAKES of 5 Stonar Road West Kensington Civil
Engineer both in the County of Middlesex 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 :-
Our invention has for its object the providing for and facilitating the outflow
and discharge of the fluid when separated by filtration from the insoluble matter
with which it may be mixed towards and at the circumference or outer edges of
the diaphragms of filter presses.
For this purpose the bearing rims rings or borders of the diaphragms which
separate each diaphragm from the other of a filter press are perforated or sub-
channelled advantageously in a radial direction (although they may be parallel)
so that the fluid which is strained through the filtering cloths or other material
with which the diaphragm may be covered flows towards and into such perforations
or channels and is thence discharged circumferentially outside the press.
Diaphragms of cast metal may for facility of construction be cast with radial
grooves or flanges longer or shorter according to circumstances to form grooves or
channels upon and over which solid rings may be fixed at or near the margin of
the diaphragm so as to form raised rims."
According to another part of our invention the grooves or channels above
mentioned are extended radially or as nearly radially as is convenient on the
surfaces of the diaphragms in order to form collecting grooves or thoroughfares by
which the filtered Huid is conducted towards the circumference or outer. edges.
For diaphragms which are formed of flat plates or discs without any raised
rim a grooved rim is fastened on each side of the margin of the plate the grooves
next the plate or disc being so constructed as to provide when fixed suitable
sub-channels for the outflow of the filtered fluid in the manner above described.
The entrance to the outflow channels at the rims may be formed with perforated
plate wire net or open coiled wire or like appliances fitted into the rin or forming
part of it.
Another form of rim or ring for the object of facilitating the outflow of filtered
fluid is constructed with an open coil of wire advantageously flattened through the
interspaces of which the fluid may pass outwards.
According to another part of our invention to augment the rate of filtration
filter presses may be encased or partly encased in an air tight enclosure so that a
vacuum may be maintained around or partly around it by any of the usual
means for the purpose. A single pump may be employed for the double purpose
of forcing the semi-fluid material into the press and extracting the fluid and
maintaining the vacuum.
And in order that our invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into practice we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereto annexed.

page_text: each face. These rings a¹ are shown to a larger scale in Figures 3, 4 and 5 in
which the sub-channels a' a' are shown. The plate a with the metal rings a¹
attached, is covered with straining cloth in any of the usual ways.
Figures 6 and 7 show side view and section of a diaphragm of cast metal a
formed with radial grooves a³ on each face for the collection and outflow of water
passed through the straining cloth. The ring a¹ is formed separately of suitablo
material and is fixed on the diaphragms a, one on each face, to complete the sub
channels and to offer a flat surface so as to make close joints between neighbouring
diaphragms constructed in the same manner.
Figures 8 and 9 show a similar arrangement to that previously described the
arrangement of the grooves a being varied.
Figures 10 and 11 show the grooves a³ arranged in sections of parallel lines.
The enlarged sections 7. 9 and 11 show that the ribs between the grooves may
be varied in form and applied in combination with either of the arrangements of
grooves shown by Figures 6. 8 and 10.
Figure 12 shows a portion of the grooved diaphragms in section.
Figure 13 shows a section of two rings a¹ in contact the surface of one being
curved as shown.
Figure 14 shows another section one of the rings a¹ being of circular section the
object in each case being to effect when necessary a tighter joint than with two
flat rings.
Figure 15 shows a section of a hollow ring a¹ to reduce the weight of such rings
the sectional form of which may be varied.
Figures 16. 17 and 18 show adjustable pins for holding the filtering cloths.
Figure 19 shows a side view and Figures 20 and 21 show sections of a
diaphragm a constructed of corrugated metal in the parallel grooves of which
the separated fluid may be collected and run off the rings a¹ a¹ being applied to
complete the sub-channels. In Figure 21 the grooves are formed with sharp
corrugations.
Figure 22 shows a method of constructing the diaphragm by combining two
corrugated discs in one-joined by rivetting or otherwise forming parallel sub-
channels across the diaphragms. These are advantageously formed by stamping
into shape in which case the flat rim may be formed at the same time. The plates
are perforated so that the strained fluid passes direct into the sub-channels.
Figure 23 shows a similar diaphragm made with flat in place of corrugated
plates.
The diaphragms may be made with borders of rectangular or other form in place
of circular,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
The improved construction of ordinary filter presses by forming the raised
bearing rims rings or borders of the diaphragms with perforations or sub channels
through which the fluid that is separated from the solid and strained through the
filtering cloths may flow towards the circumference or border and be thence dis-
charged outside the press substantially as described with reference to the drawings
hereto annexed.