Improvements in Clarifying Liquids.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 31st Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Clarifying Liquids.
I WILLIAM MILES FOWLER of Stamford in the County of Fairfield and
State of Connecticut, United States of America, Manufacturer, 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:-
My invention, relates to improvements in clarifying liquids, in which provision is
made for passing the liquid from one receptacle to another, and through a filter
intermediate of tlie two receptacles, without exposing the liquid to the air, either
in the receptacle from which it is drawn, or that in which it is received after
passing through the filter.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents, in vertical section, a series of two receptacles, and a filter
interposed between them.
Figs. 2 and 3 represent transverse sections through the filter, showing one of the
movable sections in each of two adjustments.
Fig. 4 shows a set of filtering materials; and
Fig. 5 represents, in vertical section, a modified form of filter.
The gist of my invention is the vessels provided with movable liquid-tight
septums free to rise and fall within the vessels, to protect the liquid beneath the
septum, or seal from contact with the air, the filter, a connection through the filter
between the portions of the vessels below the liquid-tight septums or seals, and
means for imparting the necessary pressures, to cause the liquid to flow from one
of the vessels through the filter to another vessel.
The vessels which I have shown, to explain my invention, are denoted by A
and A. They are each provided with a septum consisting of a liquid and a float,
the float in the vessel A being denoted by B, and that in the vessel A' by B'.
The floats B B are fitted to rise and fall freely within the vessels A A', and
are surrounded by a body of sealing liquid, ns, for example, oil, denoted by C
and C.
The tops of the floats B B are provided with projections 6 b', adapted to enter
sockets a a' at the tops of the tanks A A', and cut off the exit of air from within
the tanks, when, for any purpose, the tanks are being filled with liquid beneath the
floats, through the inlet pipes D D'.
The sockets a a' are held normally closed against communication with the outside
air by means of valves E connected with vertically movable caps e, which fit over
the exterior and ends of the socket pieces a a', and are held normally raised by
means of springs e. There are openings in the caps e, so that when they are
depressed, to lower the valves E from their seats, there will be free communication
between the interior of the tank and the exterior air, but when they are left
free, they will lift, under the tension of the springs e', and hold the valves
Beated.
At the bottom of the tanks A A', I find it convenient to provide chainbers F F¹,
for the reception of the liquid seals C C, when the liquid has been withdrawn
from the tanks, and the bottoms of the floats B B' are provided with projections bab³,
which enter nipples G G at the bottoms of the tanks, as the floats BB are
lowered, and hold the chambers F F' closed against communication with the

page_text: interiors of the tanks, to prevent the further discharge of liquid therefrom. The
discharge pipes d d lead from the chambers F F, and hence, as soon as the pro-
jections become seated in the nipples G G' by the lowering of the floats, the
discharge of liquid from the tanks will be stopped, no matter what the pressure
exerted upon the floats may be.
For convenience in shipping, where the tanks are made portable, I provide a
screw H, which engages a screw threaded perforation in the bottom of the
chamber For F, and extends up within the nipple G, in position to engage a
perforation in the projection &, and hence lock the float in its depressed position.
The exit pipe d from the chamber F enters the top of the filter I, and the inlet
pipe D' for the tank A' connects with the bottom of the filter I.
The filter I consists of a series of superposed sections, one or more of the scations
being made movable laterally, to bring a set of filtering materials into exposed
position for renewal or other manipulation, while a new set of filtering materials,
or simply an opening, is brought at the same time into alignment with the body
of the filter, so that its action is not interrupted by the moving of the said
section.
The stationary-sections of the filter I are denoted by i, and the movable sections
by . The latter are made, in the present instance, to swing on one of the tie
rods, which connect the top and bottom plates i, . The pockets in each of the
swinging sectious aro denoted by i, and are located such a distance apart, that
the one will become perfectly cut off from communication with the interior of the
filter, before the other comes into communication therewith. The filtering material
may be of any desired kind or quality. In the present instance, it is shown as wire
gauze and felt. The several sections may be held yieldingly in contact by
springs.
For some purposes, the sectional filter l' represented in Fig. 5 may be found
satisfactory, the sections in this form being removed, when the filter is not in
action, by loosening the tie rods.
A pipe K for the inlet of compressed air connects with the top of the tank A,
and a similar pipe K' connects with the top of the tank A', for the purpose of
using the tanks in reverse order, if desired, or for the purpose of forcing the
float B' downwardly, to force steam admitted to the exit pipe d' through the filter
in reverse order, for cleaning purposes, if desired.
The several pipes are provided with stop cocks located for convenience in
forming the necessary closures and openings for rendering the apparatus
operative.
In use, supposo the tank A to have been charged with liquid which it is desired
to clarify, and the inlet pipe D closed, the exit pipod leading to the top of the
filter being open, the inlet pipe D' leading to the tauk A' being open and the air.
vent at the top of the tank A being open, and exit pipe d' closed, if pressure be
admitted to the tank A through the pipe K above the float B, it will force the
liquid in the tank A through the filter, and into the tank A' beneath the float B'.
If the filter and tank A be located sufficiently below the tank A to produce
the necessary head, gravity may be utilized instead of pressure admitted through
the pipe K.
In thus passing the liquid from the tank A through the filter into the tank A',
it is not exposed to the atmosphere, either in the tank from which it is discharged,
or in the tank into which it is received, nor is it exposed to the atmosphere while
passing through the filter. Its aroma is therefore completely saved, and it may be
drawn from the tank A¹ for purposes of barrelling, bottling, or other use, as may
be desired.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Apparatus for clarifsing liquids comprising plurality of tanka.
a
Leah

page_text: provided with a movable liquid-tight septum, and a filter connected with the anid
tanks, at points below the liquid-tight septums, substantially as set forth.
2. Apparatus for clarifying liquid comprising a plurality of tanks, each
provided with a movable liquid-tight septum, a filter connected with the tanks
at points below the liquid-tight septums, an inlet counccted with one of the
tanks at a point below its septum, and an outlet connected with another of the
tanks below its septum, and means for applying pressure upon the septum in one or
more of the tanks, to force the liquid therefrom, substantially as set forth.
3. The combination with a tubular filter section, of a plate arranged to move
laterally of the tubular section, and provided with an opening for the reception of
the filtering material, the movement of the said plate being sufficient to carry the
opening therein to and from an exposed position, from and to a position in
alignment with the interior of the filter section, while maintaining a liquid-tight
joint with the wall of said section, substantially as set forth.
4. A filter comprising superposed sections, certain of the sections being
removable, and the walls of the sections serving, when assembled, to form a liquid-
tight conduit interrupted by one or more layers of filtering material, substantially
as set forth.
Dated this 10th day of August 1896
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.