Improved Apparatus for Filtering and Sterilizing Water.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 29th Sept., 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Filtering and Sterilizing Water.
I, Dr. HEINRICH KOWALSKI, (Surgeon-Major) of IX Alserstrasse, 16, Vienna,
in the Empire of Austria, 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus by means of which water may be purified and
sterilized, the object being to furnish an uninterrupted supply of potable water free
from infectious matters.
The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawing,
which is a longitudinal section of the entire apparatus, which consists essentially of
two filtering vessels A and F, (the one a cold water and the other a hot water
filter,) a cooler B, and a sterilizer G, connected with each other in such a manner
that the impure water, after being filtered in the filter A, flows as pure filtrate
through the cooler B, into the coil or the double wall of the filter F, and thence
into the sterilizer G, where it is boiled and freed from noxious substances, (and
also, as the case may be, from pathogenous germs,) subsequently passing into the
filter F, then into the coil or the double wall of the cooler B, where its temperature
is lowered as much as possible, and finally escaping as drinkable water through the
discharge pipe f³.
The vessel A is made of corrugated sheet iron and is provided with a filtering
bed resting on internal projections of the vessel and consisting of a layer of fine
sand and pulverized infusorial earth held between two layers of pervious asbestos-
cloth framed in sheet iron and strengthened by a grating. a is an overflow pipe
situated at the top of the filtering vessel and serving to ensure a uniform head of
water and consequently an invariable pressure and a uniform filtration.
To test the filtered water, a sample of the same may be taken from the pipe a¹,
provided at the bottom of the vessel. If the water contains impurities it should be
again filtered but if it is sufficiently clean it is allowed to pass through the pipe a³
to the bottom of the cooler B. a² is a stop-cock for controlling the supply passing
through the pipe a³.
The cooler B is also made of corrugated sheet iron. It has double walls and
contains a coil f2. The inner space of the cooler receives the filtered water as it
flows from the vessel A; the hot water already sterilized and filtered, coming
from filter F, circulating through the space between the side walls and through the
coil. From the cooler B the filtered water flows either into the double side walls
or into the coil of filter F, or into both. The filter F is, like vessel A, also of
corrugated sheet iron and has a similar filtering bed or layer. Like cooler B it has
double side walls, or a coil, or both. The hot water already sterilized passes into
the inner chamber of this vessel and is filtered and is then led through a connecting
pipe at the bottom of the vessel into the double side walls, or the coil f² of cooler B,
or into both. The filtered water to be sterilized, which has already been
considerably heated in its passage through the coil by the hot water coming from
the sterilizer, passes into the sterilizer through pipe 63, (which is furnished with a
stop-cock ) into the heater of the sterilizer.
The sterilizer G is a boiler divided into two chambers by a funnel-shaped
partition c reaching upwards close to the cover, the upper smaller chamber C being
the heater, and the lower larger one D the boiler proper. The latter is provided
with a suitable furnace E connected by flues to the chimney e.
The steam-space w
is formed by the wall of the chimney, the partition e, and the dome c', the lower
part of which latter is perforated and reaches beneath the water-level. This steam

page_text: space communicates with the chamber C by a small tube terminating above the
upper orifice of the pipe c³. The space C is closed by a cover attached loosely so
as to obviate any danger from excessive steam pressure, and also to ensure that, in
the event of the fire slackening and thus tending to cause the production of a
vacuum within the steam chamber, there shall penetrate only air, and not water,
into the latter. The connection between the heater C and the boiler D is effected
by the feed pipe c² having its lower end close to the bottom of the boiler D and its
upper end somewhat above the upper row of holes in dome c'. At the height of
the normal level of the water the boiler D is provided with a sight-hole d and a
U-shaped discharge pipe d', having on one of its branches a thermometer d² and on
the other a three-way cock d* and ending in a rose above the hot water filter F
already described. A little distance below the normal water level the boiler is
provided, as shewn, with a sieve for the purpose of producing a more uniform
distribution of temperature of the boiling water. The water, boiled and con-
sequently sterilized, may either be drawn off direct while still hot, by means of the
three-way cock d³, or may be admitted into the filter F and discharged cold at the
outlet. The space (if there be any) under the sterilizer may be used for
the storage of fuel.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-When the water to be sterilized
has passed one or more times through the filter A. it flows through cock a2 and
pipe a³ into the cooler B where, as it rises, it is already warmed by the sterilized
water coming from filter F and flowing through the intermediate space f, the
coil, or both. The water theu passes from cooler B through the overflow pipe b
into coil, or jacket f, or both, where it is further warmed by the heat of the
sterilized water given up by filter F and flows into the heater C of the sterilizer G
in which it rises till it reaches the upper mouth of pipe c². The water, further
heated by contact with partition c, passes through pipe c to the lowest point of the
boiler D, then rises from the bottom of the latter to the mouth of the discharge
pipe d', being at the same time boiled and sterilized. Up to this moment, the
three-way cock d³ remains closed and is only opened when the thermometer d²
indicates the boiling point.
The steam generated during the boiling rises between the chimney e and the
partition c and being discharged through the pipe es into pipe c², acts as an injector
to assist the passage of the water from the heater C to the boiler G.
condensed steam is absorbed by the water contained in the heater.
The
In the event of the fire slackening, the pipe serves the further purpose of
preventing the formation of a vacuum in the steam chamber and the consequent
overflow of water thereinto from heater Cover the top of the partition e,
atmospheric air, which enters the heater by the joints of the cover, being free to
pass from above the water in heater C through the pipe 3, into the steam
space w.
The water when sterilized is continually fed (the cock d³ being open) from the
U pipe a into the hot water filter F, giving up its beat as completely as possible
during the filtration and its subsequent passage through the coil, or the jacket f³,
(or both) to the water contained within coil 6, or jacket f, or both, and cooler B,
and may be discharged through pipe f³ where required.
In order to facilitate transportation, the vessels A, B, F, are of such dimensions
that they may be packed away within one another.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in wliat manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. A continuous water purifier and sterilizer, consisting essentially of a
sterilizer G, filters A and F and cooler B, connected to each other by pipes and
coils in such a manner that the water is filtered both before and after being boiled,
and that the beat of the sterilized water is given up to the water about to be
sterilized, substantially as described and shewn.

page_text: 2nd. In a sterilizing apparatus, a sterilizer G, divided by a partition c into a
heater C and boiler D, connected with each other by a pipe c², in such a manner
that the water, previously heated as much as possible, is taken from the heater C
to the lowest point of the boiler D, and consequently prevented from acting
detrimentally on the upper layers of water during ebullition, a dome c¹ placed in
the space C above the upper end of the boiler serving to convey to the water the
steam generated, and a pipe c³ being provided for the purpose of preventing any
noteworthy tension of the steam and therefore any danger of explosion, substantially
as described and shewn.
3rd. Filtering vessels A, F, of corrugated sheet iron substantially as described
and shewn.
this 14th day of August 1834.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.