CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTERING WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSIAH
WILKINSON, of Lincoln's Inn Fields, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Eighth day of December, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Josiah Wilkinson, my exors, adiñors, and assigns, Her especial license, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Josiah Wilkinson, my
exors, adiñors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Josiah Wilkinson,
my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed.
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and also in the Islands of
Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark, and Man, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies
and Plantations abroad, the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTERING
WATER AND OTHER FLUIDS," being a communication from a Foreigner residing
abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said
Josiah Wilkinson, shall cause a particular description of the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited
Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said.
Josiah Wilkinson, do hereby declare that the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon (that is to say):-
-
This
The Invention relates to a mode of filtering water and other liquids by
means of pressure, and to the construction of an apparatus which is deno-
minated a radiant filterer, to be employed in effecting the same.
apparatus is constructed by combining and grouping a number of perforated
tubes made of metal or wood, which perforated tubes are to be filled with
porous and elastic filtering substances herein-after to be described. These
perforated tubes surround another tube, which is perforated with smaller
holes than the surrounding tubes are, and is also filled with elastic filtering
substances. After the liquid has been forced through all the surrounding per-
forated tubes, it is again forced through the céntre perforated tube, which is
furnished with a pipe at the top through which the filtered liquid flows. The
whole group of these perforated tubes are placed in and surrounded by an
outer case or recipient into which the turbid liquid is forced. This case is
supplied by means of a cistern or reservoir fixed in any suitable place, but
which must be considerably above the level of the filtering apparatus, as the
whole process of filtering is effected by pressure. But, in order that the said
Invention may be better understood and more readily carried into effect, I will
proceeed to give a description of the Drawings.
Figure 1 represents the elevation of the apparatus, and Figure 2 a view of
the group of the perforated tubes as seen removed from the case or recipient.
A, the case or recipient, which is fixed on a block or stands a, a. B is a supply
pipe leading from the case or recipient A to the cistern or reservoir C, which
contains the turbid liquid. The cistern or reservoir C must be fixed a con-
siderable height above the apparatus, so as to force the liquid in the case A.
b, b, b, b, are bent pipes communicating from a group of perforated metal or
wooden tubes which are contained in the case A. Metal tubes are best, as
being the lightest and taking up much less room than the wood ones.
Figure 2 represents a view of the group, containing forty-nine perforated
tubes c, c, c, which are fixed in rotation to each other, as seen by Figure 3,
which shews a top view of Figure 2. D, the cover of the case or recipient A,
which is made secure to the perforated tubes c, c, c, by means of solder or
otherwise, as may be found most convenient. Each perforated tube is open at
the top through the cover D, as seen at Figure 3, and also at the bottom of
the case A, so that at any time when they may require cleansing a rod of iron
or wood may be passed through them. a, a, a, a, are cocks or plugs which

page_text: are inserted in the ends of the perforated tube c, c, c; but Figures 1 and 2
represent them only as being plugged or corked at the bottom ends. It is
easily perceived that the centre tubes of each group of perforated tubes are
furnished with elbow pipes b, b, b, b, communicating with the receptacle b¹,
which is fixed to the centre perforated tube of the centre group, and must be
of sufficient capacity to receive the flow from the elbow pipes b, b, b, b. The
receptacle is furnished with a union joint i, to which may be screwed a pipe,
not shewn in Drawing, leading to any required place. E is a tap to allow
and regulate the admission of the turbid liquid into the case or recipient A.
F is another tap which is used in cleansing the apparatus.
Figure 4 shews a view of a single group of perforated tubes c, c, c, and
Figure 5 a plan thereof, with its surrounding case or recipient d', d'. This
single group may be used when a small quantity of water or other liquid is
required to be filtered, the manner and action of working being precisely
similar to Figures 1, 2, 3, which I will proceed to describe. The per-
forated tubes c, c, are filled with any elastic filtering substance (spong being
preferred), and when so filled corks or plugs are inserted in the ends thereof.
The elastic substance must be sufficiently compressed so that the finest matter
floating in the cistern C may not be allowed to pass. The centre tube of each
group is only perforated at the tangent points or at the point of contact, but
with the elastic filtering substance contained therein a small quantity of char-
coal or sand is mixed.
it is placed in the case or recipient A, after which it is ready for action. By
closing the tap F, and opening the tap E, the turbid liquid from the cistern
or reservoir C is forced down the pipe B, and enters the case at B', and is
forced by the column of water from the cistern C above through the perfora-
tions and the elastic filtering substances contained in the perforated tubes
c, c, c, the ends thereof being corked or plugged up. The liquid is forced
into the centre perforated tube of each group, which is furnished with elbow
pipes b, b, b, b, by which it flows after having been forced through seven
distinct and separate bodies of compressed elastic filtering substances.
must here observe, that the elastic filtering substances contained in the centre
perforated tubes, to which the elbow pipes b, b, b, b, are fixed, must not be so
tightly packed as to impede too much the flow of the liquid up the pipes
b, b, b, b, into the receptacle b, to which is fixed a pipe leading to any suitable
place. When the apparatus requires to be cleansed, the operation is speedily
performed by corking or plugging up the flow pipe 6 and opening the taps E
and F, and allowing the liquid to rush in, when the deposit contained in the
case or recipient A, or between the perforated tubes c, c, c, will be carried
When the group of perforated tubes is thus charged,
I

page_text: away by the direct flow of the liquid through the tap F; but when a more
complete cleansing is required it is effected by lifting the whole group of per-
forated tubes c, c, c, from the case or recipient A, and removing the corks or
plugs D, D, and inserting a small rod in the perforated tubes c, c, c, and
forcing out the elastic filtering substance, after which the whole apparatus can
be well cleansed.
Figures 6, 7, and 8 are enlarged views of a screw plug for closing the
ends of the perforated tubes c, c, c. e the part which is soldered to the tube,
furnished with a male screw f. g is a washer, made of leather or other
suitable material; and h the cover or cap to be screwed thereon.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that the appa-
ratus which is denominated the radiant filterer may be modified in its size,
form, shape, and number of groups, without deviating from the principle
thereof, and that no claim is made for the use of spong, sand, or charcoal, or
other known filtering substances; but what is claimed is,―
First, the filtering of water and other liquids by means of pressure derived
from a cistern or reservoir fixed above the apparatus, as above described; and,
Secondly, the constructing of filtering apparatus with perforated tubes
to be filled with elastic and other filtering substances, through which tubes and
substances water or other liquids may be forced and thereby filtered.
In witness whereof, I, the said Josiah Wilkinson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord
thenight hundred and fanty six
JOSIAH (L.s.) WILKINSON.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Eighth day of June, in
the year of our Lord 1846, the aforesaid Josiah Wilkinson came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified,
in form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Eighth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-six.