Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Softening and Purifying Water.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1815
Complete Specification Left, 26th Oct., 1895--Accepted, 2nd May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Softening and
Purifying Water.
We, JAMES HENRY OSBOURN, of 3 Woodside Villas, Holderness Road, Hull,
in the County of York, Engineer, WALTER PEMBERTON of 74 Clifton Street
Brunswick Avenue, Hull, Engineer, and ROBERT APPLEGARTH of Mansion House
Chambers, 11, Queen Victoria Street, London, Engineer,. do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to make a simple construction of water softening
apparatus which shall be automatic in its action, and shall dispense with many of
the parts at present in use.
For the purpose of our invention we employ two tanks fixed in an elevated
position on girders or the like, water is fed to these tanks through branch pipes
connected to the main supply pipe, the said branch pipes being provided with taps
by means of which the supply to either tank can be turned on or off at any desired
time, these tanks have any suitable re-agent such as lime or the like within them,
and they are also provided each with a branch pipe at or near the bottom, and with
floating rose ends inside each tank, and, on the branch pipes outside, with taps to
allow of the contents of the tanks being run off together or separately as desired.
In any suitable position but preferably underneath the aforesaid tanks, we employ
a settling tank which has a downtake pipe provided in front, the water from the
branch pipes of the re-agent tanks, and also from the main supply pipe falls into
the said down-take pipe and comes up through suitable filtering substances in the
bottom of the settling tank.
The supply of water to the settling tank is automatically regulated by means of
a suitable graduated float in the said settling tank, which actuates the taps or
valves on the main supply pipe, and on the pipe connected to the branch of the
re-agent tanks simultaneously, as the water falls below the level of the outlet pipe
to the boilers or the like.
We may employ a slutch tap in the bottom of each of the tanks for cleansing
purposes.
Dated this Eighteenth day of June 1805
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Method of and Apparatus for Softening and
Purifying Water.
We JAMES HENRY OSBOURN of 3 Woodside Villas, Holderness Road Hull,
in the County of York, Engineer, WALTER PEMBERTON of 74 Clifton Street
Brunswick Avenue, Hull, Engineer, and ROBERT APPLEGARTH of Mansion House
Chambers, 11, Queen Victoria Street, London, Engineer, do hereby declare the
[I'rice 8d7

page_text: particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of our invention is to make a simple construction of water softening
apparatus which shall be automatic in its action and shall dispense with many of
the parts at present in use.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1, is a front elevation of our improved apparatus for softening and purifying
water.
Fig. 2, is a side view of Fig. 1 with the tanks shown in section.
Fig. 3, is a front view of downtake pipe, and discharge pipes.
Fig. 4, is a plan view of downtake top showing perforated plate through A B.
Fig. 5, is a plan view drawn to an enlarged scale of supply valves and Hoat.
Fig. 6, is a sectional elevation also drawn to an enlarged scale, of valve having
float attached.
For the purpose of our invention we employ two tanks A A fixed in an elevated
position on girders or the like B, water is fed to these tanks through branch pipes C
connected to the main supply pipe D, the said branch pipes being provided with
taps E by means of which the supply to either tank can be turned on or off at any
desired time, these tanks have any suitable re-agent such as lime or the like within
them and they are also provided each with a branch pipe F at or near the bottom
and with floating rose ends G inside the tank, and on the branch pipe outside with
taps H to allow of the contents of the tanks being run off together or separately as
desired.
In any suitable position but preferably underneath the aforesaid tanks, we
employ a settling tank J which we call the resultant tank and which has a down-
take pipe K provided in front, the water from the branch pipes F of the re-agent
tanks A A, and also from the main supply pipe D falls into the said downtake pipe
and comes up through suitable filtering substances L, in the bottom or any suitable
part of the settling or resultant tank J. The supply of water to the settling or
resultant tank J is automatically regulated by means of a suitable graduated
float M (Fig. 2) in the said settling tank which actuates the taps or valves NN
on the main supply pipe D and pipe O connected to the branch F of the reagent
tanks simultaneously as the water falls below the level of the outlet pipe P to the
boilers or the like.
The valves N N are opened by the float M connected to a lever which is
forked, the forkes Q1 pass through the valve spindles R and are pivotted to a
fulcrum joint S attached to a plate T which is rivetted or otherwise attached to
one of the girders B. The pivot U acts as a common fulcrum for both of the
prongs of the lever Q, thus both valves are actuated by the one float which rests
upon the surface of the water in the tank J directly above the discharge outlet P.
The valves can be slid in and out of the plate T either to or from the fulcrum
on the lever Q and tightened up by means of check nuts V at each side of the
plate so as to adjust the amount of opening of the valves in proportion as required.
The spindles R R are each provided with an india rubber or other flexible disc W
(one disc to each spindle) which prevents the water leaking past the guide nuts XX
the bottom sides of which are dished at X', the discs bedding into the recessed or
dished part prevent the water from escaping past the spindles, also when opening
of the valves takes place by the spindles R R being moved downwards by the
float M dropping, the said discs W act as a spring and keep the movement in slight
touch or tension owing to their flexible nature. For the lever Q as shown, we may
at any time substitute that the valves be actuated from each side of the fulcrum
which would be equivalent to the two prongs, but would only answer the same
purpose, that of acting instantly on both valves N, N.
The discharge outlets of the valves N N are directed to each other so that the
liquid from each commingles and falls together to the centre dished part of the

page_text: top K of the downtake K, the liquid mixture then overflows to the perforations
nearer the outer circumference of the top K', see Fig. 4, and falling on the coned sides
of the downtake, is then again directed to a central discharge on the surface of the
water in the downtake having access to the lower parts of the resultant tank J.
The whole of the liquid then passes through any suitable filtering medium in the
mid-part of the tank J and rising to the surface in its resultant state is taken off
as required by the outlet pipe P. As the resultant waters fill the tank J they lift
the float M which closes both valves N N when the water gets too high to allow
of it passing away easily through the outlet pipe P, therefore it will be seen
that with this construction of water softening and purifying apparatus the
supply of the water to be treated and the re-agent used are controlled by one
lever arm Q actuated by one float M from the surface of the resultant water,
whereby the quantity of liquid used from the resultant tank J rules the supply
of water to be treated and the re-agent used the lever arm Q acting from one
fulcrum S provides that both valves open at the same instant, and the adjustable
position of each valve N N allows of the opening of each valve to a greater
or less discharge in comparison to the other valve as required, thus controlling the
mixture of water to be treated and the re-agent employed each giving off a
proportionate discharge according to the result required without the necessity of
changing the valves.
We may employ a sludge tap in the bottom of each of the tanks for cleaning
purposes, pipes Y may be run down from the tanks A, the sludge taps being
at the bottom.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In connection with water softening and purifying apparatus, the automatic
action of the lever worked from one fulcrum and actuated by one float from
the surface of the resultant water, whereby the action of the float is initiated
by the rise or fall of the surface of the resultant water in the tank J, directly
as it is taken off by the outlet pipe P just below it substantially as shown and
described.
2. In water softening and purifying apparatus, the arrangement of the
downtake K with top K¹, having conical sides and perforated plate, so arranged
to mix the liquid to be heated and the re-agent in the manner and for the
purposes described.
3. Construction of valves N N, having flexible discs W W on spindles R R,
and adjustable on lever Q, by check nuts V V, through bracket T in the manner
and for the purposes substantially as shown and described.
4. A water softening apparatus constructed in the manner and for the purposes
substantially as shown and described.
Dated this Twenty-fifth day of October 1895.
JOHN E. WALSH,
Savile Street, Hull, and Crossley Street, Halifax,
Patent Agent for the Applicants.