IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to François Alcide Bonnefin of Leadenhall Street in the
City of London Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
LETTERS PATENT to François Alcide Bonnefin of Leadenhall Street in the
City of London Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR FILTERING LIQUIDS AND SEPARATING SOLID MATTERS THEREFROM.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said François Alcide Bonnefin
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd March 1882.
FRANÇOIS ALCIDE BONNEFIN of Leadenhall Street in the City of London
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING LIQUIDS AND SEPARATING
SOLID MATTERS THEREFROM. "
My Invention has reference to apparatus of the character described in the Specifi-
cation of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated Sth August 1877 No. 3019
that is to say, apparatus in which the filtration of liquids and the separation of
solid matters therefrom are effected by capillary action taking place through or
among fibres forming elastic fabrics held by or between surfaces of a soft or
yielding material such as india rubber or the like. The present invention consists
of various improved constructions and arrangements of apparatus which I will
proceed to describe.
In the first place I construct a vertical filter as follows:-Upon a main solid
plate which has three or other suitable number of vertical bolts projecting from its
upper surface near the periphery, I place a number of frames of any suitable hard
material but preferably of brass, steel or phosphor bronze; these frames have
notches at their edges corresponding with and fitting the vertical bolts. These
plates are also formed with projections on their faces to enable their weight to be
supported without interfering with the action of the india rubber rings of which I
will now speak. Each frame is covered with india rubber having a thick ring or
flange at the inner edge of the frame. Between the rubber rings I place a filtering
cloth such as is described in the Specification of my said former Letters Patent the
said cloth being larger than the thick rubber ring. When as many frames have
been placed on the bolts as the latter will accommodate I apply a sort of open
cover to fasten the frames together and thus form a cylinder; to this cover I fix &

page_text: pipe for introducing the liquid to be treated. The liquid may however be admitted
either at the bottom or top as considered more convenient and either at atmospheric
pressure or under pressure from pumps or otherwise. The filtration by capillary
action will take place from inside to outside.
Secondly I can place the filter above described into a vessel completely
surrounding it and effect the filtration from outside to inside by introducing the
liquid to be filtered into the surrounding vessel. The opening between the sides
of this vessel and the wall of the filter is covered in.
Thirdly I can also work an apparatus such as those above described by vacuum
and with or without pressure by covering in the whole apparatus by a movable
dome.
Fourthly I can also work an apparatus such as that first above described by
centrifugal action; for this purpose I mount the filter on a plate or support to
which rapid rotary motion can be given as in centrifugal machines.
Fifthly I construct a horizontal filter as follows:-It is mainly composed of
two fixed end blocks, of a movable solid plate, and of a number of elements in the
form of frames or rings which formn the chamber of the apparatus. One end block
contains the inlet for the liquid to be treated; there are by preference two alternate
inlets each provided with a cock and one of them being in communication with a
pump so that pressure can be exerted at will. On the inner face of this block is a
projecting ring or frame corresponding with the frames or rings which form the
chamber. At the lower part of this block within the projecting ring is an outlet
with cock for drawing off at will the liquid remaining in the chamber after the
operations are finished. The other end block is fitted with two, three or more
toothed wheels through the centre of each of which a strong screw is passed its.
head being in the movable solid plate before described and the end projecting
outside the block. These toothed wheels gear with a central wheel by which they
can be rotated in either direction as required. The central wheel has a prolonged
shaft and hand wheel by which it is worked. The two blocks are connected
together by two horizontal parallel bars passing through holes or notches at their
sides. These bars may be of any required length so as so be capable of supporting
any given number of the frames or rings which form the chamber. The movable
solid plate has on its inner face a projecting ring identical with that on the end
block. as before described. This plate is supported by the two parallel bars
already described which pass through holes or notches at its sides. The frames or
rings which form the chamber may be made of phosphor bronze or other suitable
material. They are all supported on the parallel bars by notches formed in lugs
projecting from their sides at their most central position. They have a horizontal
bar or square head to support the fabrics squarely and perpendicularly; or only
the alternate frames may have these square heads and then the fabrics will be
made double and will be hung over the square heads of the alternate frames. The
frames are covered with india rubber terminating at its inner edge in a solid ring
of pure rubber which projects at either one or both sides. All the frames being
placed alternately on the parallel bars and being separated from each other by the
fabrics or cloths, they form a series of chambers divided by the fabrics each fabric
having a hole. The movable plate is then moved forward by means of the toothed
gearing until all the frames with their fabrics are locked between the plate and the
end block the apparatus being thus closed up. The liquid to be filtered is now
introduced. The apparatus thus arranged can work either naturally or with more
or less pressure obtained from accumulated air or from a liquid.
.
Sixthly. I can work the horizontal filter above described under pressure and
vacuum, or either by modifying it in the following manner. I form holes through
all the frames and in their rubber covering and I provide these frames with an
additional rubber ring at their outer edge rather thicker than the rubber ring at
the inner edge because it must form a tight joint to prevent air entering when
the vacuum is produced. I form a hole in the end block of the apparatus just
below the projecting ring against which the frames which form the chamber come.

page_text: This hole communicates with the annular space or channel between the two
projecting rings of each frame in which space the filter cloths terminate. I produce
the required vacuum by applying a suction pipe to the hole in the end block.
This filter has the advantage of allowing of the filtration of delicate liquids such as
saccharine juices without their coming into contact with air, light or injurious
temperature as they can be transferred directly from the interior of the filter to
the interior of a "triple effect" apparatus or of a vacuum pan.
Seventhly I can also work the horizontal filter herein before described by fixing
to the movable solid plate a metal cylinder or box open at its outer end and
capable of withstanding the atmospheric pressure when a vacuum is created within
it. This metal cylinder or box encloses all' the frames or rings. When these
frames with their cloths are in position the movable plate is moved forward and
the parts are so proportioned or arranged relatively to each other that when the
movable plate has reached the point at which the filter is closed or locked up the
end of the cylinder has come against the end block and thus formed the necessary
vacuum chamber; the end block may have a rubber lined groove or a rubber-
faced ring to receive the end of the cylinder and thereby make a tight joint.
When this cylinder or box is employed the parallel bars and screws must of
course be made much longer than with the arrangement of horizontal filter first
herein described.
Lastly; I can enclose the filter itself in a chamber in which a vacuum can be
produced while the liquid is introduced under atmospheric or other pressure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said François Alcide BonDefin in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st September 1882.
FRANÇOIS ALCIDE BONNEFIN of Leadenhall Street in the City of London,
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING LIQUIDS AND SEPARATING
SOLID MATTERS THEREFROM."
My Invention has reference to apparatus of the character described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated 8th August 1877
No 3019, that is to say, apparatus in which the filtration of liquids and the
separation of solid matters therefrom are effected by capillary action taking place
through, along or among fibres forming elastic fabrics held by or between surfaces
of a soft or yielding material such as india rubber or the like. The present
invention consists of various improved constructions and arrangements of
apparatus which I will proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying
drawings.
I construct a horizontal plate as represented in Figures 1, 2 and 3. Figure 1 is
a longitudinal section (partly in elevation) of this filter. Figure 2 represents one
half in outside view and one balf in inside view of the end framework or block O
and Figure 3 is a similar view of the other end framework or block P. The
apparatus is mainly composed of these two end blocks O aud P which are fixed
and may be solid or ribbed, of a movable solid plate S and of a number of
elements R R in the form of frames or rings which form the chamber of the
apparatus. The block P contains the inlet g for the liquid to be treated ;.
there are
by preference two alternative inlets g and g each provided with a cock and one of
them being in communication with a pump so that pressure can be exerted at will.
On the inner face of the block P is fixed, and preferably formed in a pieco
therewith, a projecting ring or frame c corresponding with the frames or rings RR
which form the chamber. At the lower part of this block within the ring c is an
outlet with cock c² for drawing off at will the liquid remaining in the chamber
after the operations are finished. The other end block O is fitted with 2, 3 or
more toothed wheels W₁ (4 are shewn in the drawing) through the centre of each
of which a strong screw W is passed its head being in the plate S and the end
projecting outside the block O. These toothed wheels gear with a central wheel W
by which they can be rotated in either direction as required. The central
wheel W2 has a prolonged shaft and hand wheel by which it is worked. The two
blocks O and P are connected together by two horizontal parallel bars Q (of which
only one is seen in Figure 1) passing through holes or notches at their sides. These
bars may be of any required length so as to be capable of supporting any given
number of the frames or rings R. The movable solid plate S has on its inner face
a projecting ring c' identical with the ring c on the end block P. This plate is
supported by the bars Q which pass through holes or notches at its sides. The heads
of the screws W are firmly fixed in the plate S and must be mathematically exact
so that the plate S can be put into mathematical contact with the block P, the two
rings cc fitting each other exactly. At the upper part of the plate S is a small
hole s fitted with a cock to allow the air to escape from the apparatus as the latter
becomes filled with the liquid, but this hole s may be dispensed with. The frames
or rings R may be made of phosphor bronze or other suitable material. Figures 4,
5, 6 and 7 represent in face view several forms which I may adopt for these frames.
They are all supported on the parallel bars Qby notches & formed in lugs projecting.
from their sides at their most central position. They have a horizontal bar or

page_text: square head a-Figures 4 and 7 to support the fabrics squarely and perpendicularly;
or only the alternate frames may have these square heads a and then the fabrics
will be made double and will be hung over the square heads of the alternate frames
as seen in Figure 1 in which E E are the fabrics. The frames R are each covered
with india rubber terminating at its inner edge in a solid ring of pure rubber
which projects at either one or both sides or some of them may be flat. Figures 8
to 13 are enlarged representations in section of the rims of variously covered
frames, e showing the metal frame and the caoutchouc. All the frames R being
placed alternately on the parallel bars Q and being separated from each other by
the fabrics or cloths EE (see Figure 1) they form a series of chambers divided by
the fabrics, each fabric having a hole or holes, or the fabric may be sufficiently
open to allow the liquid to flow through freely. The fabrics consist by preference
of mats formed of wicks or spun yarns of wool, cotton or other fibre. These wicks
or yarns are slack or untwisted and the fabric itself is preferably slack. The
movable plate S is then moved forward by means of the toothed gearing until all
the frames R with their fabrics are locked between the plate S and the end
block P the apparatus being thus closed up. The liquid to be filtered is now
introduced into the interior by the inlet g or g¹. The apparatus thus arranged can
work either naturally or with more or less pressure obtained from accumulated air
or from a liquid.
I can work the horizontal filter above described under pressure and vacuum, or
either, by modifying it in the following manner. I form holes through all the
frames R and in their rubber covering as shewn at i in Figures 4 to 7 and if
desired other holes as shewn in Figure 7 and I provide these frames with an
additional rubber ring at their outer edge as seen at K (Figures 5 and 11) rather
thicker than the rubber ring fat the inner edge because it must form a tight joint
to prevent air entering when the vacuum is produced. I form a hole i³ in the end
block P of the apparatus just below the ring c.
This hole communicates with the
annular space or channel between the two projecting rings and f of each frame
in which space the filter cloths terminate; when the frames R are pressed against
one another the holes i form a channel terminating in the hole 12. I produce the
required vacuum by applying a suction pipe to the hole 2. This filter has the
advantage of allowing of the filtration of delicate liquids such as saccharine juices
without their coming into contact with air, light or injurious temperatures as they
can be transferred directly from the interior of the filter to the interior of a "triple
effect" apparatus or of a vacuum pan.
I can also work the horizontal filter hereinbefore described by fixing to the
movable solid plate S a metal cylinder or box as indicated in Figure 1 by the
dotted lines X X open at its outer end and capable of withstanding the atmospheric
pressure when a vacuum is created within it. This metal cylinder or box X
encloses all the frames or rings R R. When these frames with their cloths are in
position the plate S is moved forward and the parts are so proportioned or arranged
relatively to each other that when the plate S has reached the point at which the
filter is closed or locked up the end of the cylinder X has come against the end
block P and thus formed the necessary vacuum chamber; the end block may have
a rubber lined groove, or a rubber faced ring to receive the end of the cylinder
and thereby make a tight joint. When this cylinder or box is employed the
parallel bars Q and screws W must of course be made much longer than with the
arrangement of horizontal filter first herein described.
According to another modification of the apparatus shewn in Figure 1 I can
enclose the filter itself in a chamber in which a vacuum can be produced while the
liquid is introduced under atmospheric or other pressure.
I construct vertical filters as shewn in Figures 14 and 15 or in Figures 16 and
17. That shewn in Figures 14 and 15 is worked by centrifugal action. A plate r
is fixed to the driving shaft and has 3, 4 or 5 holes through which perpendicular
bolts pass into an upper plate p. Upon this plate are placed the frames R with
their caoutchouc fittings and interposed fabrics as already explained. All these

page_text: frames are of the same form and are notched to correspond exactly with the
bolts which act as guides. The frames are also formed with projections on their
faces to enable their weight to be supported without interfering with the action
of the projecting caoutchouc rings. After the uppermost fabric has been placed in
position a cover o having a central orifice is fixed to the bolts by means of
nuts. These nuts are shewn with eyes to receive hooks by means of which the
whole of the interior of the apparatus can be lifted out at one operation together
with the residue retained among the fabrics. The interior of the apparatus thus
removed can be immediately replaced by another which has been got ready and
which is placed upon the solid plate r. This apparatus requires neither pressure
nor suction; the rapid centrifugal motion does all the work.
The filter shewn in Figures 16 and 17 will act either from the inside to the
outside or from the outside to the inside; in the former case the surrounding
vessel n may be dispensed with The filter resembles that shewn in Figures 14
to 15 except that the bottom plate is not supported by a rotating shaft but it forms
the bottom of the apparatus. When the filtration is to take place from inside to
outside the frames R should have a cover to fasten them all together and to this
cover is fixed a pipe for introducing the liquid to be treated.
The liquid may
however be admitted either at the bottom or top as considered more convenient
and either at atmospheric pressure or under pressure from pumps or otherwise. If
it is wished to assist the work by suction the whole apparatus is closed hermetically
by a cover so that suction can be applied to the outer vessel or chamber n. If the
filtration is to be from outside to inside the arrangement of the parts is the same
but the action is reversed.
Although all the apparatus hereinbefore described are shewn as cylindrical
internally, this being the form which I prefer, other forms such as square and
polygonal will answer well.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim :-
The various arrangements of apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described
´and represented in the accompanying drawings for filtering liquids and separating
solid matters therefrom.
And I claim specially the holes i in the frames R in combination with the outer
and inner elastic flanges or rings k and f substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
In witness whereof I the said François Alcide Bonnefin have hereunto set
my hand and seal this twentieth day of September One thousand eight
hundred and eighty two