Improvements in Water Filters.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1896
Improvements in Water Filters.
I, AUGUST HERMAN KOHLMEYER, of the City of St. Louis in the State of
Missouri, one of the United States of America, Builder, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for a water filter, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The invention relates to certain improvements in water filters, the object being
to simplify the construction while at the same time maintaining or providing for
the self-cleaning of the filtering blocks, and the further providing for a pressure
to lift the water to a higher elevation than the filter and storage tank.
Figure I shows the filter part in elevation and part in section.
Fig. II is an enlarged vertical section showing part of the auxiliary tank and
the valve that is contained within this tank.
Fig. III is an elevation of the filtering tank.
Fig. IV is an enlarged vertical section of the waste valve and the differential
piston for moving the valve.
Fig. V is an enlarged vertical section of the water supply valve.
Fig. VI is an enlarged vertical section of one of the filtering blocks or
stones.
Referring to the drawings; 1 represents the filtering tank provided with the
filtering stones or blocks 2. 3 represents the storage tank and 4 the auxiliary
reservoir. 5 represents the supply pipe provided with a valve 6 that may be used
to check the flow of water to the filtering tank. 7 is a ring within the filtering
tank and with which the pipe 5 communicates, this ring being provided with
perforations to permit the passage of water into the tank. 8 represents a clear
water chamber at the bottom of the tank 1, with which the tubes 9 that support
the stones 2 communicate. The tubes are perforated within the stones as shown
at 10, Fig. VI, so that the water that filters through the stones is conducted to the
chamber 8 through the tubes. Porous tubes preferably are used, through which
the water readily percolates and is filtered.
11 represents a pipe forming a communication between the clear water
chamber 8 and the storage tank 3. It is provided with a drain valve 11*
between the chamber and the tank. 12 is the service pipe, through which water
is drawn from the storage tank for use, this pipe being provided with a valve 13.
I have shown this pipe to be a continuation of the pipe 11.
14 represents a pipe forming a communication between the pipe 11 and the
bottom of the auxiliary reservoir, this pipe being provided with a valve 15.
16 represents a pipe forming a communication between the pipe 11 and the top
of the storage tank. It is provided with a valve 17.
18 is a pipe provided with a valve 19, and forming a communication between the
upper end of the auxiliary tank and the pipe 16.
20 is a waste pipe, and 21 a clean-out pipe forming a communication between
the pipe 20 and the interior of the filtering tank 1. This pipe is provided with a
valve 22.
23 is a pipe forming a communication between the clear water chamber 8 and the
pipe 20, and it is provided with a valve 24.
The valve 22 consists of two parts 25 and 26, as shown in Fig. IV. The part 25
of the valve has a seat 27 in the valve housing, and the part 26 of the valve has

page_text: a seat 28 in the part 25 of the valve. The two parts of the valve are connected
by a winged stem 29 carried by the part 26, and fitting in and having lost motion
in the part 25.
When the valve is in its lower position as shown by dotted lines in the lower
part of Fig. IV, the passage of water from the filter through the pipe 21 is shut
off. In opening the valve, the part 26 leaves its seat 28 before the part 25 leaves
its seat 27, and when the head of the lower end of the stem 29 comes against the
part 25, this part is raised from its seat. As soon as the part 26 is raised from its
seat 28, water starts to flow from the filtering tank through the pipe 21, and the
pressure in the tank is thus more gradually released than it would be if the two
parts of the valve were raised simultaneously, or if a single part valve were used;
and by providing a two part valve, it takes less force to open it, as the small part 26
is first moved and the water pressure thus partly reduced, and then the part 25 is
moved under the reduced pressure of the water.
The valve, speaking of it as a whole, is connected to a stem 30 made fast to the
part 26 of the valve and passing through a stuffing box 31 in the housing of the
valve. This stem extends into a cylinder 32 of a ram and is provided with a
piston 33, above which the stem 30 extends. The cylinder 32 has a reduced
part 34, and in this reduced part fits a piston 35 on the stem 30.
36 represents a pipe extending from the supply pipe 5 to the lower part of the
cylinder 32. In this pipe is located a valve 37. 38 represents a bucket secured
to the stem 39 of the valve 37, the stem being journalled in a bracket 40. The
bucket has an extended nose 41 (see Fig. III) so that when it becomes filled
with water, or partially filled with water, it will be overbalanced and will turn
down into the position shown by dotted lines, Fig. III, and as it thus turns, it
opens the valve 37. As the bucket dumps, it discharges its water into a funnel 42
connected by a pipe 43 to the pipe 21.
"
44 represents a pipe communicating with the chamber 8 of the filter, and having
a petcock 45 that drips water into a funnel 46ª secured to the bucket 38. Secured
to the bucket is an arm 46 having a counterbalance weight 47 for bringing the
bucket back to its position shown in full lines, Fig. III, when the water is
discharged from the bucket, thus closing the valve 37 again.
48 represents a pipe extending from the pipe 36 to the upper reduced end 34 of
the cylinder 32. When the valve 37 is opened by the tipping of the bucket, water
passes through the lower part of the pipe 36 to the cylinder 32 and raises the
valve 22 from its seat by moving the piston 33 and the piston rod 30, this move-
ment not being prevented by the piston 35 owing to the fact that the piston 33 is
larger than the piston 35, and as the pistons move upwardly, the water above the
piston 35 is forced back through pipe 48 into pipe 36. When the valve 37 is
closed, the pressure will be removed from the under side of the piston 33, and the
pressure in the pipe 48 will cause the pistons 35 and 33 to descend, closing the
valve 22, and as the pistons descend, the water escapes from beneath the piston 33
through a pipe 50 connecting the pipe 36 with the pipe 21. The pipe 50 is
provided with a valve 51 to regulate the flow of water from the cylinder 32, aud
thus cause the valve 22 to close more or less rapidly as desired. The speed
with which the valve 22 opens is regulated by a valve 36 in the pipe 36, for if
valve 36 is partially closed, pressure in pipe 5 is removed from pipe 48.
It will thus be seen that the valve 22 will automatically open at intervals,
permitting a back flow of filtered water from the auxiliary tank through the filter,
the water passing out through pipes 21 and 20. When a communication is thus
opened up between the filter and the waste pipe, filtered water will be forced back
through the stones from the auxiliary reservoir 4, the water passing back through
pipe 14, through pipe 11, through the chamber 8, through the tubes 9, and back
through the stones, (dislodging mud therefrom) into the filtering tank, and then
out through the pipes 20 and 21.
Within the auxiliary tank 4 is a float valve, illustrated in Fig. II. It comprises
a tube 60, secured to the bottom of the auxiliary tank or to the inner end of the

page_text: pipe 14, and within this tube is a piston or disc 61 secured to the stem 62 of a
valve 63. On the upper end of the sten 62 is a float 64. On the stem 62 within
the tube 60 is a collar 65. In the upper end of the tube 60 is a perforation or
opening 66. When the valve 22 is opened, water under the compressed air
pressure in the auxiliary reservoir (this air pressure being communicated from the
storage tank to the auxiliary tank through the pipes 16 and 18) passes through
the auxiliary reservoir, back through the filtering stones and through the tank to
the pipe 21 as explained. As the water descends in the auxiliary reservoir to the
float 64 and beneath the float, the float begins to fall and continues to descend until
the valve 63 closes the pipe 14, and then the escape of water from the auxiliary
reservoir is shut off.
To prevent the valve 63 from pounding on its seat, I provide the disc or
piston 61 and the opening 66, so that the valve can only descend as fast as water
enters through the perforation 66. In the absence of some such provision, the
valve is drawn down to its seat by the suction of water passing through the
pipe 14 before the float 64 is from under the influence of the water in the tank,
so that after the valve seats the float is lifted again, then it is drawn down again
by the suction and again lifted by the float, and this pounding of the valve is
objectionable.
After the valve 22 is closed, water begins entering the auxiliary reservoir again
through the pipe 14, raising the valve 63 from its seat, and as the tank fills with
water the float 64 rises, the water in the tube 60 being forced out through the
perforation 66. The float continues to rise until the collar 65 reaches the upper
end of the tube 60.
70 represents a pipe, provided with a valve 71, forming a communication between
the lower end of the auxiliary reservoir and the pipe 14. The object of this pipe
is to provide for the draining of the water from the auxiliary reservoir, after the
valve 63 seats, should it ever be desired to remove the water entirely from the
reservoir.
Air is admitted to the tank 1 after the auxiliary reservoir is closed off, so as to
prevent a vacuum in the tank and permitting the free escape of water, through
means of an inwardly opening check valve 72. This check valve is arranged in a
short section of pipe 73, against the lower end of which seats the valve 72. The
air enters the pipe 73 through an inwardly opening check 74. The valve 72 is
located within the hollow extension 75 of the head of the tank 1. The valve 72
is connected by a rod 76 to the stem 78 of a float ball 79, the stem 78 being
pivoted at 80 to the inside of the head of the tank. The head of the tank is
provided with a dome 81 in which the float ball 79 rises as the tank fills with
water.
The parts are so disposed that the valve 72 will be closed by the float before
water reaches it, so that when the filtering apparatus is in operation, there is a
small quantity of air imprisoned in the extension 75, and this air is sufficient to
allow water to run from the tank 1 after the auxiliary reservoir is closed off to an
extent that will let the float 79 fall sufficiently far to open the valve 72 before the
imprisoned air is exhausted, and this action is further facilitated and the freedom
of the movement of the float 79 increased by extending the dome 81 some distance
above the top of the ball 79 when the latter is in its upper position, so that by the
time this air is exhausted the valve 72 is opened and air is permitted to pass
through the valve 72 to avoid a vacuum being formed in the tank 1, and to permit
a free passage of water from the tank after the auxiliary reservoir has been shut off
and before the valve 22 closes.
The supply pipe 5 is always open and water is permitted to pass therethrough to
the extent that the valve 6 will allow, but water is not admitted to the tank as fast
through the valve 6 as it drains through the pipes 20 and 21, so that after the
auxiliary reservoir is shut off the water falls in the tank 1 and the outer surface of
the stones or tubes is washed or drenched off by water dripping upon them from
the ring 7.

page_text: when the water is drained from the tank 1, air from the 'storage tank may be
forced back through the filtering stones by opening the valve 17 in the pipe 16,
and this air has been found to have a very effective cleaning result on the stones.
The parts are so disposed that the valve 22 closes when the desired amount of
water has been exhausted from the filtering tank, and then water commences to
rise in the filtering tank, and the air that has entered through the check valve 72
is driven back through a hose or tube 83 connected to the tube 73 at one end and
connected at the other end to the storage tank 3, preferably through means of a
sight tube 84; and thus at each cleaning of the filter, the storage tank is
re-charged with air, so that a constant supply of air is maintained in the storage
tank for the purpose of forcing the service water to the point of use.. The tube 83
or pipe 84 is provided with a check valve 85 that does not interfere with the
passage of air from the tank 1 to the tank 3, but which prevents water or air
passing in the reverse direction.
86 represents a pipe forming a communication between the hollow extension 75
and the dome 81 so that air may pass from the former to the latter so that air
pressure in the two chambers may be equalized.
87 represents a valve in the pipe 73 by which communication between the
tanks 1 and 3 may be closed if desired.
The valve 6 has a special construction. It is illustrated in Fig. V. The stern 90
of this valve is threaded at 91 in the housing, and it has a conical lower end 92
seated over a port 93 in the valve proper. The valve proper is seated at 94 id
the housing. On the lower end of the stem 90 is a ring or collar 95 fitting within
the hollow neck of a sleeve 96 which carries the valve proper. When it is desired
to admit a light pressure of water through the valve, the stem 90 is run back far
enough to carry the conical point of the stem away from its seat 92, and then ail
the water that can pass through the port 93 will do so. If it is desired to provide
for a large flow of water through the valve, the stem 90 is run back until the
collar 95 comes against the upper end of the sleeve 96, and the valve proper is then
raised bodily from its seat 94, allowing a free open passage of the water. By the
use of this construction of valve, a light pressure of water through the filter (the
water passing in the direction of the arrow, Fig. V) may be obtained when
desired; as for instance, if there is forty pounds of pressure in the main supply
pipe, and ten pounds of pressure through the filter is sufficient to supply the
necessary amount of water, this ten pounds of pressure can be obtained through
the port 93, and this comparatively light pressure does not tend to clog the pores
of the stones as would the unnecessary high pressure, and at the same time, with
this construction of valve, the entire pressure of the water in the supply pipe may
be obtained when desired.
The filtering stones 2 are preferably supported on the tubes 9 by being located
between concave lower heads 100 and concave upper heads 101, the heads 100
being tapped or threaded on to the tubes, and the upper heads 101 being held by
nuts 102. Gaskets 103 may be interposed between the heads and the ends of the
stones. By tightening the nuts 102, the stones are clamped between the heads.
Each filtering stone may be made up of two or more sections, as shown in Fig. VI,
and when made up of sections, I round off the adjacent ends of the sections and
locate between them a ring 104 that is approximately wedge shape in transverse
section, and I preferably locate gaskets 105 between the ring and the ends of the
stones. This form of connection between the sections makes a perfectly tight
joint, and the shape of the adjacent ends of the sections and the ring 104 causes
the sections to be held plumb and in line with each other as the convex ends of the
stones seat themselves in the concave rings.
The perforations 10 in the tubes 9 are much smaller than the interior openings of
the tubes, so that when there is a reflux of water through the tubes and the stones,
these perforations will not permit a sufficient back flow of water within a given
time to cause the stones to be broken.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a water filter, the combination of a tank having a supply pipe, a filtering
block located within the tank, a storage tank, and a perforated pipe for con-
ducting the water from the filtering block, the perforations in said pipe being
relatively much smaller than the interior diameter of the pipe, so as to retard
the back flow of the water to avoid danger of breaking the filtering block, as set
forth.
2. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank having a supply pipe,
a filtering block located within the tank, a storage tank communicating with the
filtering block, and a pipe 16 having a valve 17 and forming a communication
between said filtering and storage tanks, substantially as set forth.
3. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank, a storage tank, an
auxiliary tank, pipes connecting said auxiliary and storage tanks to the filtering
tank, a clean-out pipe communicating with the interior of the filtering tank, a
valve located in the last mentioned pipe, a ram connected to said valve, a supply
pipe, a pipe forming a communication between said supply pipe and said ram,
a valve in the last mentioned pipe, and mechanism for automatically operating
the last mentioned valve at intervals, substantially as set forth.
4. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank, a storage tank, an
auxiliary tank, pipes connecting said storage and auxiliary tanks to the filtering
tank, a clean-out pipe communicating with the interior of the filtering tank,
a valve located in the last mentioned pipe, a ram connected to said valve, a supply
pipe, a pipe forming a communication between said supply pipe and said ram,
a valve located in the last mentioned pipe, and mechanism for automatically
operating the last mentioned valve at intervals; said mechanism consisting of
a bucket secured to the stem of the last mentioned valve, a pipe for dripping water
into said bucket, and a counterbalance weight for restoring said bucket to its
normal position after it is emptied, substantially as set forth.
5. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank, a storage tank, an
auxiliary tank, pipes connecting said auxiliary and storage tanks to the filtering
tank, a clean-out pipe communicating with the interior of the filtering tank, a valve
located in the last mentioned pipe, a ram secured to said valve, a supply pipe,
a pipe forming a communication between said supply pipe and said ram, a valve
in the last mentioned pipe, and mechanism for automatically operating the last
mentioned ovalve at intervals; said ram having two pistons of different areas,
and having a pipe connection with the supply pipe above the small piston,
substantially as set forth.
6. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank, a clear water discharge
pipe connected to said tank, a clean-out pipe communicating with the interior of
the filtering tank, a valve located in the last mentioned pipe, a ram connected to
said valve, a supply pipe, a pipe forming a communication between the supply pipe
and the bottom of said ram, a valve in the last mentioned pipe, a bucket secured
to the stem of the last mentioned valve, a pipe for dripping water into said bucket,
a weight for bringing the bucket back to its normal position after it is emptied,
and a pipe forming a communication between the upper part of said ram and said
supply pipe, substantially as set forth.
7. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank, a clear water discharge
pipe communicating with said filtering tank, a clean-out pipe communicating with
the interior of the filtering tank, a valve located in the last mentioned pipe, a ram
connected to said valve, a supply pipe, pipes forming communications between said
supply pipe and said ram, a valve in one of the last mentioned pipes, means for
automatically operating the last mentioned valve at intervals, and a pipe 50 pro-
vided with a valve 51 and forming a communication between one of said ram pipes
and the clean-out pipe, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 8. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank, a storage tank, an
auxiliary tank, pipes connecting said auxiliary and storage tanks with the filtering
tank, a clean-out pipe, a valve in the last mentioned pipe, a float valve in said
auxiliary tank located above the pipe leading to the filtering tank, a tube in
said tank through which the stem of said float valve passes, and a piston on said
stem within said tube; said tube having a perforation 66, substantially as set
forth.
9. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank, a storage tank, an
auxiliary tank, pipes connecting said auxiliary and storage tanks with the filtering
tank, a clean-out pipe, a valve located in the last mentioned pipe, a float valve
located in the auxiliary tank, a float valve located in the upper part of the filtering
tank, a communication between the upper part of the filtering tank and the
storage tank, and a check valve located in said communication, substantially as
set forth.
10. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank, a storage tank, a pipe
connecting said storage tank with the filtering tank, a clean-out pipe, a valve in
the last mentioned pipe, an extension and a dome at the upper end of the filtering
tank, a valve and float located respectively in said extension and dome, a com-
munication between said extension and storage tank, and an air valve. 74,
substantially as set forth.
11. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank, a storage tank, a pipe
forming a communication between the storage tank and the filtering tank, a clean-
out pipe, a valve lecated in the last mentioned pipe, an extension and a dome at
the upper end of the filtering tank, a valve and flont located respectively in said
extension and dome, a pipe forming a communication between said extension and
dome, a communication between said extension and the storage tank, and a check
valve located in said communication, substantially as set forth.
12. In a water filter, the combination of a filtering tank, a storage tank, an
auxiliary tank, pipes connecting said auxiliary and storage tanks to the filtering
tank, a clean-out pipe, a valve in the last mentioned pipe, a float valve located in
the auxiliary tank, an extension and dome at the upper end of the filtering tank,
a valve and float located respectively in said extension and dome, a communication
between the extension and the storage tank, a check valve in said communication,
and means for automatically operating said valve in the clean-out pipe, substantially
as set forth.
13. In a water filter, the filtering blocks made in sections connected by rings
that are convex in transverse section, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 10th day of December 1895.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.