Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying and Softening Water.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Mar., 1899-Accepted, 8th Apr., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Purifying and Softening Water.
We, WALTER STOWE BRIGHT MCLAREN, of 56, Ashley Gardens, in the City of
Westminster, M.A., and HENRY CARROD, of 6, Ledbury Road, South Croydon, in
the County of Surrey, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to apparatus for purifying and softening water such as
is described in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 16295 granted to us and
dated the 30 August, A.D. 1895, the object of the present invention being to pro-
vide a construction of the apparatus which can be more readily and economically
manufactured, and which is more convenient in use. According to the present
invention the compartments of the reagent tank are made circular and with one
compartment within the other, the stirrers, and inlets and outlets, being arranged
so that either of the compartments can be used for preparing the reagent, whilst
the reagent which has been prepared in the other vessel is being run therefrom
to meet the water to be purified and softened. We will describe the invention with
reference to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 being an elevation partly in
section, and Figure 2 a plan. As in the arrangement described and shewn in
the Specification of the aforesaid Letters Patent, purification and softening
are effected in a tank A provided with a slotted, inclined, and baffling,
plates. De represent the compartments, or vessels, constituting the reagent
tank, made by one circular vessel being placed in another circular vessel, or by
a circular wall being fixed inside a circular vessel, so as to form an inner circular
compartment, or vessel, and an outer annular compartment, or vessel, the
capacity of the inner compartment, or vessel, D2 being preferably equal, or
about equal, to the capacity of the outer compartment, or vessel, D. Crossing
the inner compartment, or vessel, D2, is an angle iron d, having a boss in its
middle in which and in a lower bearing is supported a vertical post d, having
stirrers e, secured to its sides, and provided with a handle e, by which the stirrers
can be rotated, or moved to and fro, to agitate the contents of the inner compart-
ment, or vessel, D². The stirring of the contents of the outer compartment, or
vessel, D, is effected by means of a handle, f, on one of the cross arms f, mounted
on a pivot, formed on the upper end of the post d, the said arms f, having,
fixed to their outer ends, depending arms, f³, to which are secured blades f* in
the outer compartment. Each compartment has a jointed outlet pipe, (2), the
end of which is provided with a float (34), so that the reagent is drawn off from
the top. The pipes, i, are put alternately, or as required, in communication
with a pipe which may be effected by means of a three-way cock 6, the said
pipe passing the reagent from either of the compartments, or vessels, (D) or D²)
according to the position of the three-way cock into a compartment E, from
which the said reagent passes through a nozzle into a compartment G, between
the compartment E. and another compartment F, to which the water to be
softened and purified is admitted, it passing therefrom, by a nozzle, into the

page_text: compartment G, the water and reagent passing together from the compartment G,
down a pipe into the tank A, as in the arrangement described in the Specification
of the aforesaid Letters Patent.
By arranging the compartments, or vessels, D, D2, as herein before described,
an apparatus can be very economically made which will occupy but a comparatively
small ground space.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In an apparatus for purifying and softening water and of the character
referred to, the arrangement of the compartments, or vessels, of the reagent tank,
one within the other, substantially as hereinbefore described.
2. In an apparatus for purifying and softening water and of the character
referred to, the arrangement of the compartments, or vessels, of the reagent tank,
one within the other, and a central post supporting the stirrers for each such
compartment, or vessel, and means for operating the said stirrers, substantially
as herein before described.
3. In an apparatus for purifying and softening water and of the character
referred to, the arrangement of the compartments, or vessels, of the reagent tank,
one within the other, and a central post supporting the stirrers for each com-
partment, or vessel, and means for operating them, and outlet pipes, one communi-
cating with each compartment, or vessel, and leading to one common outlet
pipe, controlled by a three-way cock, or its equivalent; substantially as herein-
before described.
4. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting the apparatus for
purifying and softening water hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawing.
1000
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.