IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLEANSING HIGH-PRESSURE FILTERS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF WATER
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Henry Clemesha and Thomas Roberts,
of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLEANSING HIGH-PRESSURE FILTERS
FOR THE PURIFICATION OF WATER."
Sealed the 15th September 1870, and dated the 22nd March 1870.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Henry
Clemesha and Thomas Roberts at the Office of the Commissioners
of Patents, with their Petition, on the 22nd March 1870.
We, WILLIAM HENRY CLEMESHA and THOMAS ROBERTS, of the City
of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLEANSING HIGH-PRESSURE
FILTERS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF WATER," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the manufacture and employment of
improved self-cleansing filters for the purification of water under high
pressure, the filters being specially adapted for attachment to pumping
engines, to the main pipes of water companies, or to any other supply.

page_text: In one arrangement we form the body of the filter of two semi-
elliptical metallic vessels bolted together, there being at the apex a
boss, into which is screwed a pipe for the egress when filtering, and at
the base a boss, into which is screwed a valve box to which the said
pipe is attached by a union. In the two semi-elliptical vessels we place
two perforated metal plates, either concave, convex, or flat, there being
perforated tubes extending from the perforations for enlarging the area,
for the more equal distribution of the water entering the filter, and for
supporting the filtering material composed of animal and vegetable
carbons or other matters used for purifying purposes; and the perforated
plates are kept in position either by the pressure of the filtering media
enclosed between them, or by a bolt or bolts passing through them, or
by being fastened to the interior of the vessel. In the valve box at
the base we place an improved valve for the ingress and egress of the
water or liquors, the valve being adapted to pass the water from the
pump, main, or other supply to the escape without passing through
the filtering media, or into the filtering media at the base and out at
the top, or into the top and out at the base, the first position being used
when unfiltered water is required, the second for filtered water, and
the third for cleansing the filtering materials. The valve is made in
the form of a plug and has passages formed through it and cut in its
exterior, and on the handle which works the valve there is a finger or
index in connection with a dial for indicating the required position of
the valve.
In some cases the valve is duplex instead of triplex, the passages
being formed through it and around it as required, and is then placed
at the point of junction with the water main or supply pipe, and is.
connected with the top and base of the filter by means of pipes, and we
also, when desired, make the vessels containing the filtering media of a
simple cylindrical form or any other suitable shape.
When these improved filters are applied to pumping engines we
employ a safety valve, placed between the ingress and the metal plate
supporting the filtering media, for the prevention of undue strain on
the filter or pump if the proper cleansing of the filter has been
neglected.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Henry Clemesha and Thomas Roberts in
the Great Scal Patent Office on the 22nd September 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, WILLIAM
HENRY CLEMESHA and THOMAS ROBERTS, of the City of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, send greeting.
WHEREAS 1er most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the
thirty-third year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said William Henry Clemesha and Thomas
Roberts, Her special license, that we, the said William Henry Clemesha
and Thomas Roberts, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as we, the said William Henry Clemesha and Thomas Roberts, our
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SELF-CLEANSING HIGH-PRESSURE FILTERS FOR THE PURIFICATION OF WATER,"
upon the condition, amongst others, that we, the said William Henry
Clemesha and Thomas Roberts, by an instrument in writing under our
hands and seals, or under the hand and seal of one of us, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said William Henry Clemesha, and
Thomas Roberts, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof,
reference being had to the Figures on the accompanying two Sheets
of Drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon (that is
to say): :-
This Invention consists in the manufacture and employment of
improved self-cleansing filters for the purification of water under high

page_text: pressure, the filters being specially adapted for attachment to pumping
engines, to the main pipes of water companies, or to any other supply.
In one arrangement we form the body of the filter of two semi-
elliptical metallic vessels bolted together, there being at the apex a
boss into which is screwed one end of a pipe for the egress when filtering,
and at the base a boss, into which is screwed a circular shell or valvo
box to which the other end of the pipe is screwed or otherwise fastened,
In the two semi-elliptical vessels we place two perforated metal plates.
either concave, convex, or flat, the lower one for supporting the filtering
material composed of animal and vegetable carbons or other matters
used for purifying purposes; and the perforated plates are kept in
position either by the pressure of the filtering media enclosed between
them, or by a bolt or bolts passing through them, or by being fastened
to the interior of the vessel. In the valve box we place an improved
plug or valve for the ingress and egress of the water or liquors, the valve
being adapted to pass the water from the pump, main, or other supply
to the escape without passing through the filtering media or into the
filtering media at the base and out at the top, or into the top and out at
the base, the first position being used when unfiltered water is required,
the second for filtered water, and the third for cleansing the filtering
materials. The valve is made in the form of a plug, and has passages
formed through it and cut or cast in its exterior, or all the passages
formed through it; and on the handle, by which the valve is turned, there
is a finger or index in connection with an index plate or dial for
indicating the required position of the valve, and, when desired, the
valve is duplex instead of triplex, the passages being arranged for
filtering and cleansing only.
Wo also, when desired, make the vessels containing the filtering media
of a simple cylindrical form or any other suitable shape, and when our
improved filters are applied to pumping engines we employ a safety valve
between the ingress and the metal plate supporting the filtering media,
for the prevention of undue strain on the filter or pump if the proper
cleansing of the filter has been neglected.
On the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, Sheet 1,
are front and side elevations of one of our improved filters, in which the
body is formed of two semi-elliptical vessels bolted together, and Figs. 3,
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, Sheet 2, are views and sections of
different arrangements of the valve boxes and valves.

page_text: In Figs. 1 and 2 a represents the body of the filter; b, the valve box;
c, the plug or valve; d, the handle for working it; e, the indicating
finger; the index plate; g, part of the supply pipe; h, the union for
connecting it to the valve box; and i, the delivery tap.
There are various ways of forming the triplex passages in the valve,
corresponding with passages in the valve box for the purposes of
supplying unfiltered or filtered water or liquors, and cleansing the filter,
and in Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6, Sheet 2, we represent a valve box containing
a valve having passages formed through it and cut in its exterior. In
the box there is a passage leading to the bottom of the filter, and
also two passages m, n, opposite each other, the passage m opening to
the supply, and the passage to the exit, and through the valve there
is a passage o corresponding with the passages m, n, when the plug is
in the position for allowing unfiltered water or liquor to pass direct
from the supply to the delivery, as shewn by the arrows in Fig. 4.
Through the valve c there is a passage p, q, in connection with a recess »
formed in the exterior, and between the bottom of the valve and box
there is a space s communicating with two external slots t, u, one used
for filtering and the other for cleansing. When the filter is to be used
for filtering the valve is turned until its recessed part is opposite the
supply opening m, and the water or liquor flows down the recess through
one end
P of the passage p, q, into and through the filter, from whence
it passes down the pipe to the spaces at the bottom of the valve, and
then along the slot to the delivery passage n and delivery tap, as shown
by the arrows in Fig. 5. For cleansing the filter the valve is turned
until the slot is opposite the supply opening m for the water to flow
along it to the bottom of the valve through the pipe and through the
filter from the top to the bottom, from whence it passes through the
end of the passage p, q, to the recess and out through the delivery
passage n to the delivery tap, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 6, the
operation being continued unill the filter is clean.
In another arrangement of valves we dispense with the external slots
and recess and form all the passages through the valve, and one of
these valves with the valve box in section is shown in Figs. 7, S, 9,
and 10, m representing the supply passage; 1, the passage to the filter;
and the delivery passage, and it will be seen that the passages m, 1,
are much wider than the corresponding passages in the box before
described.

page_text: For unfiltered water the valve c is turned until the opening a¹ of the
passage a¹, b', is opposite the supply passage m, and then the water
passes through the passage and opening to the delivery passage n and
delivery tap as shown by the arrows in Fig. 8.
For filtered water or liquor the valve is slightly turned so as to cause
the opening c¹ to be open to the passage without shutting off the
opening m to allow the water or liquor to pass through the two
openings a', c', to the filter through which it passes from the bottom to
the top, and then through the pipe e to the bottom of the valve box,
from whence it passes through the bottom of the valve to the opening d'
and out through the delivery passagen and delivery tap, as shewn by
the arrows in Fig. 9.
For cleansing the filter the valve is turned to place the opening c¹
open to the supply passage m, and then the water passes through the
bottom of the valve through the pipe v, through the filter, and through
the openings c¹, a', to the delivery passage 1 and delivery tap, as shown
by the arrows in Fig. 10, there being at the side of the passage in the
valve box a hollow or recess to facilitate the passage of the water, and
in this description of valve when made of large dimensions, instead of a
single opening leading to and from the filter, there are two, with a
partition between them to obtain strength.
In another arrangement of valve box and valve adapted for a con-
tinuous pipe with several taps we make four passages in the box and
employ a separate tap for cleansing, the passages in the valve being
made to correspond, and this description of valve box and valve is shown
in Figs. 11, 12, 13, and 14, in which represents the supply passage
in the box; , the passage to the filter, and 1, the delivery passage for
unfiltered or filtered water or liquor, there being another passage g' in
the box leading to the tap to be used for cleansing.
For unfiltered water the valve c is turned to place the opening "
opposite the supply passage m, and the water passes through the valve
and out of the passage m³ to the delivery passage and delivery tap, as
shewn by the arrows in Fig. 12.
い
For filtered water or liquor the valve is partly turned to leave the
opening open to the supply passage m, and the opening o' opposite
the delivery passagen, and then the water or liquor passes through the
openings and p' into the filter from whence it returns to the bottom
of the valve box and thence through the bottom of the valve to the

page_text: opening o', the delivery passagen and delivery tap, as shewn by the
arrows on Fig. 13.
For cleansing, the opening q' is turned open to the supply passage m,
and then the water passes through the bottom of the valve through the
pipe, through the filter, and through the openings r, s, to the
opening in the valve box and the discharge pipe and tap h³, as shewn
by the arrows in Fig. 14. When desired we cast the valve box and
communicating pipe to the body of the filter, or cast to the filter nozzles
to which the valve box and communicating pipe are fixed, and also
vary the the arrangements according to the forms and dimensions of
the filters.
Having now described the nature and particulars of our said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, we desire it to be
understood that we claim,-
First. The construction of high-pressure filters having self-cleansing
arrangements.
And, secondly. The combination of high-pressure filters with valve
boxes and valves, commonly called plug taps, in which the required
passages are formed through each plug, and cut or cast in its exterior or
all formed through it, as all such improvements are herein described and
illustrated in the accompanying two Sheets of Drawings.
In witness whereof, we, the said William Henry Clemesha and
Thomas Roberts, have hereunto set our hands and scals, this
Twenty-first day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy.
Witness,
WILLIAM HENRY CLEMESIA. (L.S.)
THOMAS ROBERTS.
(L.S.)
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.