Improvements in Filter Presses and in Apparatus for Opening and Closing same.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1897-Accepted, 12th Mar.,
1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Filter Presses and in Apparatus for Opening and
Closing same.
GEORGE MOLYNEUX PARK, 117, Preston New Road, Blackburn, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to improve the construction and arrangement of
filter presses used for sewage, sludge and other like substances.
Firstly. To make such apparatus more convenient in working.
Secondly. To enable the plates used in such apparatus to be readily removed for
examination, changing of filter cloths, or repairs; also to reduce friction in open-
ing and closing such plates.
Thirdly. An improved mechanism or gear for nipping the plates together, either
by power, or hand, when working under pressure; also for opening same when
pressure is shut off.
Hitherto presses of this class have been constructed with two strong tie bolts or
cross stays, placed one on each side horizontally, and secured to each end frame,
the intermediate filter plates resting on and being carried by the said tie bolts or
cross stays, and are moved to and fro by hand and held in position by strong end
plate and screwed up either by means of nuts on the tie bolts, or by strong central
screw, or by a cylinder worked by either compressed air, steam or water pressure.
The strain on these presses being only stayed by two bolts is liable to be unequal
and has a tendency to break the plates, and at times the end frames are broken
from this cause; in addition to this the stays running on each side of the press
obstruct the operation of emptying and cleaning the press and prohibit the removal
of the plates except by lifting them over the stays.
Now, by my system of construction I avoid these objections, and secure my first
object by making the press with three or four tie bolts or stays, by preference
three; by this means I enable the attendant to clean the plates free from the
obstruction of the tie bolt or stay.
In constructing my three tie bolt press I make the top bolt of rectangular section
of sufficient strength to support the weight of the plates. On this tiebolt or stay
I fix a shackle for each plate having in its upper part a roller, ball or bobbin free
to revolve upon a central pin, the lower portion taking the form of a mitre or dove-
tailed hooked sleeve, a corresponding sleeved hook, inverted, being cast on each
intermediate plate, or in place of the sleeved hook, a knuckle joint and a central
pin may be adopted; by this means I remove the greater part of the friction in
opening and closing these plates by hand, and at the same time secure my object
of being able to withdraw any of the intermediate plates for the purpose of
examination, changing of filter cloths or repairs.
For closing the press I employ a heavy movable end platė having on its upper
side a knuckle joint and pin connected to a double shackle as before described,
sliding on the top tie bolt or stay, and on its lower sides two lugs or guides work-
ing on lower tie bolts or stays of press, and to this plate I secure a strong screw,
[Price 8d.]

page_text: which is traversed in and out by a strong bushed nut revolving in end frame of
the press, having heavy collar to resist the pressure and a ball bearing to relieve
the friction. On this bushed nut I securely fix a worm wheel having in its rim a
handle for quickly running up the end plate by hand.
In a convenient position on the periphery of the worm wheel I apply a worm
fixed upon a central shaft, having a collared bearing working in a rocking
pedestal; the other bearing of this shaft is fixed upon an eccentric disc in such a
manner, that by turning the eccentric say one fourth of its circumference, the
worm becomes engaged or disengaged with the wheel.
On the worm shaft is fixed a handwheel or handle by which means a greater
pressure may be exerted upon the press through the worm wheel and screw in
much less time than had the worm been kept constantly in gear with the worm
wheel.
When power is available I open and close the press by means of belts driven
from any convenient shaft; in such case I dispense with my tumbling or dis-
engaging worm and run the driving shaft in fixed bearings.
Upon the worm, which is made to run loose upon the shaft, is attached one half
of a spring clip coupling having its driving faces slightly bevelled; the other or
driving half of this coupling is made to slide upon the shaft, and driven from it
by feather or sunk keys, and is forced against the driven half of coupling by means
of a spring acting against a screwed collar upon the shaft, arranged to regulate the
tension.
On the driving rhatt is fixed one fast pulley and two loose pulleys, on which is
applied one open beit and one cruss belt with a suitable helt shifting gear in such a
manner that by throwing either of the belts on the driving pulley, the press is
opened or closed by power, and when the required pressure has been obtained the
coupling slips round and does not act on the worm or worm wheel. A friction
coupling may be employed, or a coupling with its driving edges held by springs,
to slip at the required pressure.
This slip coupling drive is applicable to many existing presses and may be
applied to bevel or spur gear as well as the worm wheel before mentioned.
Dated this Tenth day of March, one thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven.
Improvements in Filter Presses and in Apparatus for Opening and
Closing same.
GEORGE MOLYNEUX PARK, 117, Preston New Road, Blackburn, Mechanical
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: —
The object of this invention is to improve the construction and arrangement of
filter presses used for sewage, sludge and other like substances.
Firstly. To make such apparatus more convenient in working.
Secondly. To enable the plates used in such apparatus to be readily removed
for examination, changing of filter cloths, or repairs; also to reduce friction in
opening and closing such plates.
Thirdly. An improved mechanism or gear for nipping the plates together, either
by power, or by hand, when working under pressure; also for opening same when
pressure is shut off.

page_text: All as hereinafter fully described and ascertained, reference being made to the
accompanying drawings.
Hitherto presses of this class have been constructed with two strong tie bolts, or
cross stays, placed one on each side horizontally and secured to each end frame,
the intermediate filter plates resting on and being carried by the said tie bolts, or
cross stays, and are moved to and fro' and held in position by strong end plate and
screwed up by hand either by means of nuts on the tie bolts, or by strong central
screw, or by power with a cylinder worked by either compressed air, steam or water
pressure.
The strain on these presses being only stayed by two bolts is liable to be unequal
and has a tendency to break the plates, and at times the end frames are broken
from this cause; in addition to this the stays running on each side of the press
obstruct the operation of emptying and cleaning the press and prohibit the removal
of the plates except by lifting them over the stays.
Now, by my system of construction I avoid these objections and secure my first
object my making the press with three, or four, tie bolts, or stays, by preference
three, by this means I enable the attendant to clean the plates free from obstruc-
tion of the tie bolt, or stay.
In constructing my three tie bolt press I make the top bolt of rectangular section
of sufficient strength to support the weight of the plates. On this tie bolt, or stay,
I fix a shackle for each plate having in its upper part a roller, ball, or bobbin free
to revolve upon a central pin, the lower portion taking the form of a mitre or
dovetailed hook sleeve, a corresponding sleeved hook, inverted, being cast on each
intermediate plate, or in place of the sleeved hook a sliding joint may be adopted,
by this means I remove the greater part of the friction in opening and closing these
plates by hand, and at the same time secure my object of being able to withdraw
any of the intermediate plates for the purpose of examination, changing of filter
cloths, or repairs.
For closing the press I employ a heavy moveable end plate having on its upper
side a knuckle joint and pin connected to a double shackle as before described, roll-
ing on the top tie bolt, or stay, and to this plate is exerted the pressure of the central
screw acting upon a moveable distance piece sliding between two bars fixed at the
back of the before mentioned plate.
The screw is traversed in and out by strong bushed nut revolving in end frame
of press, having heavy collar to resist the pressure and ball bearing to relieve the
friction. On this bushed nut I securely fix a worm wheel having in its rim a
handle, for quickly running up the end plate by hand.
In a convenient position on the periphery of the worm wheel I apply a worm
fixed upon the central shaft, having a collared bearing working in a rocking
pedestal; the other bearing of this shaft is sheathed upon an eccentric disc in such
a manner that by turning the eccentric say one fourth of its circumference the
worm becomes engaged, or disengaged, with the wheel.
On the worm shaft is fixed a handwheel, or handle, by which means greater
pressure may be exerted upon the press through the worm wheel and screw in
much less time than had the worm been kept constantly in gear with the worm
wheel.
In the accompanying drawings, Sheet No. 1 Figure 1 shows an end elevation
with tie bolts shown A¹ A³ and A³.
B is an intermediate filter plate partly withdrawn from the hook sleeve shown
by dotted lines.
C is the worm wheel having fixed handle D for rapid closing.
The wheel C, being securely keyed upon bushed nut J, the central screw H, is
prevented from turning by screw guide H 1 Figure 2.
E, is the rocking pedestal carrying worm shaft, and F, the eccentric disc for dis-
engaging worm G.
Figure 2, is a side elevation of the press showing hook sleeve on press plate B,
central screw H, screw guide H1, and distance plate H2

page_text: Figure 3, is sectional plan showing bushed nut J, and ball bearing K.
Figures 4, 5 & 6 are plan, elevation and end view of disengaging worm G
showing enlarged view of eccentric disc F, and sheathed bearing F1.
According to another arrangement, and where power is available from any con-
venient revolving shaft, I open and close the press either direct, or by means of
clutch gear, or by belts or ropes, or friction driving from such shaft, and in such
case I dispense with my tumbling or disengaging worm and run the driving shaft
in fixed bearings.
An arrangement suitable for driving by power is shown in Sheet No. 3
Figure 7, which is a sectional end elevation arranged for driving by means of one 1
fast and two loose pulleys, having one cross and one open belt.
Figure 8, is a side elevation and Figure 9, a part sectional plan.
In this arrangement the worm No. 1, is made to run loose in its bearings and is
bored to receive a shaft 2, having attached one half of a spring clip coupling 3,
having its driving face slightly bevelled; the other half of this coupling 4, is made
to slide upon shaft 5, and is driven from it by feathered or sunk keys and is forced
against the driven half of coupling 3, by means of spring G, acting against screwed
collar 7, arranged to regulate the tension.
1.
Where presses require to be forced against heavy pressures I employ spur
wheel 8, fixed upon the end of shaft 2, workin gin gear with wheel 9, secured
upon the boss of wheel 10, working into wheel 11,, secured upon the end of worm,
These wheels may be varied in size to suit the required power of the press.
To the driving shaft, is keyed and fixed fast pulley 12, loose pulley 12', and
loose pulley 12, on which is applied one open belt and one cross belt with suitable
belt shitting gear arranged in such a manner that by throwing either of the belts
on fast pulley 12, the press is opened or closed by power, and when the required
pressure has been obtained the coupling slips around and does not act on the worm
or worm wheel, and the strap fork being attached to slip coupling 4, will stop the
machine when the required pressure has been attained.
Figure 10, is an enlarged view of the dovetailed hook sleeve.
Figure 11, detail of moveable end plate showing arrangement for moving dis-
tance piece.
Figure 12 is an arrangement for opening and closing by clutch gear in lieu of
pulley 12, 12, and 12b. In this arrangement no loose pulleys are required and
the press is opened or closed by moving clutch 13, in gear with bevel wheel 14,
or 14, the machine being stopped when in central position, as shown.
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. In apparatus for filtering sewage, sludge or other like substances, the com-
bination with a filter press, or presses, kept closed against the pressure of sewage,
or other substances, by means of a central screw, or one or more nuts applied
externally, and produced by, worm or worm wheel acting in conjunction with spur
or bevel gear, a tumbling or disengaging worm, whereby the worm wheel can be
turned quickly by hand substantially as hereinbefore described and for the pur-
pose set forth.
2. The combination with filter presses constructed as specified in the preceding
claim, a dovetailed hook sleeve having in its upper part a roller, ball or bobbin,
so arranged that any plate can be easily withdrawn as described and shown.
3. In apparatus for filtering sewage, sludge or other like substances the com-
bination with a filter press kept closed against the pressure of sludge or other
substances by means of central screw applied externally and produced by spur,
worm or bevel gear in the manner described, a spring slip coupling so constructed
and arranged as to slip when required pressure is attained, substantially as
described and shown.
4. In apparatus for closing a filter press, or presses, against the pressure of

page_text: sludge, or other like substances, pulleys constructed and arranged and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference respectively to, and shown
in, Figures 7, 8, 9, and 12, on the drawings annexed, for the purpose specified.
Dated this 6th day of December 1897.
GEORGE MOLYNEUX PARK.