IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SOFTENING, PURIFYING, AND FILTERING IVATED
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Francis Henry Atkins and Walter George Atkins, both
of 62, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Engineers, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR SOFTENING, PURIFYING, AND FILTERING
IVATED"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Francis Henry Atkins
and Walter George Atkins at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 31st December 1881.
FRANCIS HENRY ATKINS and WALTER GEORGE ATKINS both of 62 Fleet
Street in the City of London, Engineers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
SOFTENING PURIFYING AND FILTERING WATER."
This Invention relates particularly to improvements in apparatus for filtering
water which is treated with lime or other softening or purifying ingredient.
The first part of our Invention has for its object the improved arrangement and
construction of a regulating valve for regulating the flow of the water and lime
into the mixing vessel or cistern.
The valve consists of a valve box containing a circular disc having a semicircular
slot or slots of uniform width formed therein. Over this slot or slots a circular
disc of metal fits having a central pin or axis which passes through a stuffing box
to the outside of the valve box. On this pin or axis a disc or worm wheel is fixed
its upper surface being marked with figures or points and the edge having teeth
cut thereon thus forming a worm wheel. This disc wheel is actuated by a worm
upon an axis mounted on the valve box. There is also a stationary pointer
extending over the face of the disc pointing to the figures or points thus indicating
how far the regulating valve is opened or closed.
The second part of our improvements relates to the arrangement and application
of what we call a mixer for intimately mixing or combining the lime and water
with the water to be filtered.
This apparatus consists of a trough or cistern of any convenient size having a
series of openings and baffle plates or obstructing surfaces and into which cistern

page_text: the lime water and the water to be filtered flows in regulated proportions the
currents being deflected in various directions by coming in contact with the baffle
plates or obstructions arranged in the channel or passage leading to the interior of
the cistern from which the mixture flows to the filtering bags.
The third part of our improvements relates to the arrangement and construction
of the filtering apparatus which consists of a tank made in two parts, viz. an upper.
and a lower part, flanged and bolted or fastened together in any other convenient
manner. Between this upper and lower part is fixed a plate having a series of
parallel slots extending nearly the width of the tank. For the purpose of forming
the filter bags of any suitable material are made of such a size as to fit one into
cach of the said slots the depth of the bag being regulated according to the depth
of the lower part of the tank.
In order to form a water tight joint between the slotted plate and a bag the
latter has a collar fastened in any convenient manner at the top. The bag is passed
through the slot until the collar rests like a flange on the upper surface of the
plate. A bar is then laid on the collar of the bag and screwed down by nuts
upon studs fastened at each end of the slot or at other places if more convenient.
The bar extends the whole length and width of the slot and completely covers it,
the edges of the bar resting on the plate over and beyond the edge of the slot.
This bar has holes or slots along its longitudinal centre corresponding with the slot
in the plate. The liquid to be filtered is admitted to the upper part of the tank,
passes through the holes in the bar into the bag, filtering through this into the
lower part of the cistern whence it is drawn off as required.
In some cases it may be desirable to support the filtering bags below the slotted
plate. This can be done with perforated zinc, wire or cast iron gratings, and in
cases where the filtering bags are made of considerable depth the perforated zinc
may be supported with bars or gratings behind it, either vertically or slightly
sloping downwards and inwards to the bottom in order to facilitate the withdrawal
of the filter bags when a quantity of sediment has been arrested and settled at the
bottom.
Another part of our Invention relates to improvements in the application of bag
filters to tanks or cisterns containing water treated with lime or other softening or
purifying materials.
In this arrangement we apply a syphon pipe or pipes to a cistern such pipe or
pipes being capable of removal from the cistern when required.
Upon the end of the syphon within the cistern a hollow cage or framework of
wire gauze perforated zinc or other suitable perforated material is attached and
over it a bag or cover of filtering cloth is stretched the neck being tied or secured
around the syphon pipe above the level of the water to be filtered. The water is
filtered by passing through the filtering bag into the perforated cage and from it
through the syphon pipe from which it can be drawn and discharged as
required.
The discharge pipe need not necessarily be arranged to act on the syphon
principle.
Filters thus arranged and constructed may be readily removed for cleansing or
renewal when required.
The filtering bags may be arranged independently of the discharge pipe if
desired.

page_text: The liquids to be mixed are introduced at a and flow downwards returning
upwards as shown by the dotted arrows and overflow and fall into the second
trough or cistern where the liquids are similarly treated in any desired number of
chambers successively.
The second part of our improvements relates to the arrangement and construction
of the filtering apparatus which consists of a tank made in two parts viz an
upper and a lower part flanged and bolted or fastened together in any other con-
venient manner. Between this upper and lower part is fixed a plate having a
series of parallel slots extending nearly the width of the tank.
For the purpose of forming the filter bags of any suitable material are made of
such a size as to fit one into each of the said slots the depth of the bag being
regulated according to the depth of the lower part of the tank.
In order to form a water tight joint between the slotted plate and a bag the
latter has a collar fastened in any convenient manner at the top.
The bag is passed through the slot until the collar rests like a flange on the
upper surface of the plate.
A bar is then laid on the collar of the bag and screwed down by nuts upon
studs fastened at each end of the slot or at other places if more convenient. The
bar extends the whole length and width of the slot and completely covers it the
edges of the bar resting on the plate over and beyond the edge of the slot. This
bar has holes or slots along its longitudinal centre corresponding with the slot in
the plate. The liquid to be filtered is admitted to the upper part of the tank,
passes through the holes in the bar into the bag, filtering through this into the
lower part of the cistern whence it is drawn off as required.
In some cases it may be desirable to support the filtering bags below the slotted
plate. This can be done with perforated zinc, wire or cast iron gratings and in
cases where the filtering bags are made of considerable depth the perforated zinc
may be supported with bars or gratings behind it, either vertically or slightly
sloping downwards and inwards to the bottom in order to facilitate the withdrawal
of the filter bags when a quantity of sediment has been arrested and settled at the
bottom.
Figure 5 shows a longitudinal section Figure 6 a transverse section and Figure 7
a plan of filtering apparatus arranged and constructed in accordance with this part
of our improvements.
This improved filtering apparatus consists of a cistern a flanged at the top to
receive a cast iron or other metal plate b and on this plate an upper cistern a' the
bottom of which is flanged so that it may be fixed or attached to the lower
cistern a.
The upper cistern a¹ may have a tight fitting cover on the top so that the filter
may be worked under pressure if desired.
The plate b has a series of parallel slots b' of any desired width and length
through which filter bags (made of cotton filter cloth or any other suitable material)
are suspended each bag has a collar c on the top which lies along the two sides of
the slots balso passing round each end. This collar c is secured in its place by a
slotted bar d consisting of two parallel sides suitably strengthened in the middle
and solid at each end. This bar d fits over and presses the collar c firmly on the
metal plate b along the sides and ends the bar & being screwed down by screw
nuts d' upon the pins or studs be fixed in the plate b.
In order to give the required support to the filter bags gratings e are attached
to the plate b by being bolted to the two side plates b* forming part of the plate b
these gratings e fill up the space between the slots as shown at Figure 6. Ench
grating e may be covered with galvanized wire or other suitable material (part of
such covering being shown broken away in Figure 5) to give the bag more effective
support.
The gratings e may either be arranged parallel as shown in Figure 6 or they may
be jointed together or almost joined together at the bottom and any desired distance
apart at the top which might in some cases facilitate the withdrawal of the bags

page_text: when charged with material that has been arrested in them by the process of
filtration.
The unfiltered liquid is admitted into the upper cistern a¹ at any convenient
point such as at a² and passes through the slots in the bars d into the bags, filters
through them into the lower cistern a and escapes through any suitable outlet
such as a³.
The deposit obtained in the process of filtration is left in the bags and after
unscrewing the nuts d¹ the bars & can be removed each bag lifted out washed out
and replaced.
Another part of our Invention relates to improvements in the application of bag
filters to tanks or cisterns containing water treated with lime or other softening or
purifying materials.
In this arrangement we apply a syphon pipe or pipes to a cistern such pipe or
pipes being capable of removal from the cistern when required.
Upon the end of the syphon within the cistern a hollow cage or framework of
wire gauze perforated zinc or other suitable perforated material is attached and
over it a bag or cover of filtering cloth is stretched the neck being tied or secured
around the syphon pipe above the level of the water to be filtered. The water
is filtered by passing through the filtering bag into the perforated cage and from
it through the syphon pipe from which it can be drawn and discharged as
required.
The discharge pipe need not necessarily be arranged to act on the syphon principle.
Filters thus arranged and constructed may be readily removed for cleansing or
renewal when required.
The filtering bags may be arranged independently of the dischargo pipe if
desired.
The third part of our Invention has for its object the improved arrangement and
construction of a regulating valve for regulating the flow of the water and limo
into the mixing vessel or cistern.
The valve consists of a valve, box containing a circular disc having a semi-
circular slot or slots of uniform width formed therein. Over this slot or slots a
circular disc of metal fits having a central pin or axis which passes through a
stuffing box to the outside of the valve box. On this pin or axis a disc or worm
wheel is fixed its upper surface being marked with figures or points and the edge
having teeth cut thereon thus forming a worin wheel. This disc wheel is actuated
by a worm upon an axis mounted on the valve box.
There is also a stationary pointer extending over the face of the disc pointing
to the figures or points thus indicating how far the regulating valve is opened or
closed.
Figure 8 shows a side view Figure 9 a plan and Figure 10 a plan with the cover
removed of a regulating valve arranged and constructed in accordance with this
part of our improvements.
This improved construction of regulating valve consists principally of three
parts the lower part being the inlet and outlet or outlets the second part is a
revolving disc having one or more circular slots and the third part is the upper
half of the valve chamber in which the disc revolves and which also has space for
the liquid to be filtered to pass from the inlet to the outlet.
The liquid to be filtered is admitted through the pipe a to the upper part b and
can only escape through the slots c c. These slots are covered and uncovered by
means of a suitably formed plate d which has openings of the same size as and
to correspond with the slots c c and covering surfaces slightly larger than the said
slots.
This disc d is connected by the three pins e e e to a central pin or axis passing
through a stuffing box f, and terminating with a button g.
The action of this improved regulating valve is as follows
The liquid to be filtered is admitted by the pipe a through the opening a¹ to the
box or chamber b. As the button g is turned the revolving plate e to which it is

page_text: connected also turns covering or uncovering the slots c c which allow the liquid to
escape into the outlet pipe h. A pointer i fixed on the outside of the chamber b
and by means of the right angle lines on the turn button g indicates how much
the valve is opened.
In place of having two slots cc the valve can be formed with one slot only but
of greater length the disc d in such a case having one slot the same length, the turn
button g may have a milled edge as shewn or the edge may be toothed to form a
pinion with a worm wheel fixed by the side to actuate the same.
Any or either of the above described arrangements of apparatus may be used in
combination or separately as may be required.
Having thus described the nature of our improvements and the manner of
performing or carrying the same into practice we would remark that we do not
claim any of the parts separately which are well known and in common use but
what we claim is;
First, the improved arrangement and construction of apparatus for intimately
mixing and combining a mixture of lime water with the water to be softened
purified and filtered by means of baffle plates or intercepting surfaces acting
substantially in the manner and for the purpose hereinbefore described and
represented in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
Second, the improved arrangement and combination of apparatus for softening,
purifying and filtering water in which the filtering bags or surfaces are mounted
and supported in a tank such as a a¹ so as to facilitate their removal for cleansing
or renewal being arranged to act substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein before described and represented in Figures 5, 6, and 7 of the Drawings
hereto annexed.
We also claim the application of bag filters to tanks or cisterns containing water
treated with lime or softening or purifying materials substantially in the manner
and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Third, the improved arrangement and construction of regulating valves for
regulating the flow of water and lime water into the mixing vessel in the pro-
portions required such regulating valves being arranged to act substantially in
the manner and for the purpose herein before described and represented in Figures
8, 9 and 10 of the Drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof we the said Francis Henry Atkins and Walter George
Atkins have hereunto set our hand and seal this Twenty eighth day of
June in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty
F. H. ATKINS. (L.S.)
W. G. ATKINS. (L.S.)