Improvements in Filtering Machinery and Apparatus connected therewith.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Mar., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1893
PROVISIONAL DIBUITION
Improvements in Filtering Machinery and Apparatus connected
therewith.
I, HARRY CHRISTOPHER ATKINS of No. 27 Agamemnon Road, West
Hampstead N.W. Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention consists of a centre tube or hollow shaft, or the shaft may be
partly hollow and partly solid. The tube or shaft has a circular flange at or near
each end, and also a series of ribs radiating from the tube or shaft to the full
diameter of and extending the full length between the flanges. Each of the
spaces thus formed between the extreme ends of the ribs and the peripheries of the
two flanges is covered by a piece of perforated material of the same curvature as
the peripheries the whole thus forming a cylinder divided into a series of longitudinal
compartments. Or such pieces of perforated material may be flat and the flanges
of similar form instead of circular.
There is one or more openings from each compartment to the interior of the
centre tube or shaft. Each of such openings is controlled by a valve or other
arrangement which is caused to open and close at certain points as the cylinder
revolves so that more or less vacuum can be maintained in those compartments
which are submerged.
The cylinder is placed in a cistern or other suitable receptacle and mounted upon
bearings that it may revolve upon its longitudinal axis. The centre tube or shaft.
is closed at one end whilst at the opposite end it is fitted with a stuffing box whence
a stationary pipe forming a continuation of the centre tube extends to one of the
sides of the cistern and discharges outside or may be arranged to discharge through
the bottom. Or the centre tube or shaft may be long enough to pass through a
stuffing box fixed to the cistern. Or either of these arrangements may be fitted to
each end of the centre tube or shaft.
The cylinder is almost entirely surrounded by a endless band of felt, filter cloth.
or any desired filtering material. The endless band is of considerably greater
length than the circumference of the cylinder so that whilst one portion of its
length is nearly surrounding the cylinder and travels therewith as it revolves,
another portion of the band is passing through a cleaning apparatus which is
place conveniently near.
As the filtering material leaves the cylinder it may either be extended in the
same direction in order to reach the cleaning apparatus, or it may be doubled back
by causing it to pass over a frame placed just above the top of the cylinder. This
frame consists of a series of strips or wires and may be stationary or may revolve.
It may be arranged to allow the deposit on the filtering material to pass over
distant points of contact or it may have such action as to remove the bulk of the
arrested matter and convey it to a suitable receptacle either for the purpose of
utilizing it or to facilitate subsequent cleaning or both these objects combined.
The liquid to be filtered is admitted to the cistern and filters through that portion
of the endless band of filtering material which is in contact with the cylinder.
The filtered liquid is drawn off through the centre tube or shaft or stationary
pipe. The suspended matter is arrested on the outside of the filtering material
carried thereby to the top of the cylinder and thence to the cleaning apparatus.
The filtering material continues to travel through the cleaning apparatus and
returns to the cylinder very close to the point at which it was led off, and resumes

page_text: filtering. Thus one portion of the endless band is always filtering whilst another
portion is always being cleaned so that filtering and cleaning are always proceeding.
Or the processes can be worked intermittently if desired.
Dated this 28th day of March 1892.
HARRY CHRISTOPHER ATKINS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Filtering Machinery and Apparatus connected
therewith.
1, HARRY CHRISTOPHER ATKINS of No. 27 Agamemnon Road; West
Hampstead London N.W. Engineer, 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 consists of a centre tube or hollow shaft or the shaft may be
partly hollow & partly solid. The tube or shaft has a circular flange at or near
each end & also a series of ribs radiating from the tube or shaft to the full
diameter of, & extending the full length between the two flanges.
Each of the spaces thus formed between the ends of the ribs and the periphery.
of each flange is covered by or fitted with a piece of perforated material or
anything of a similar kind that will act as a support for the filtering medium but
allow the filtered liquid to pass through. The perforated material is of the same
curvature as the peripheries of the flanges, the whole thus forming a cylinder
divided into a series of longitudinal compartments. Or it may be of polygon shape
if desired.
The cylinder is placed in a cistern or other convenient receptacle for the liquid
which has to be filtered, & is mounted upon bearings that it may revolve on its
longitudinal axis. The centre tube is closed at one end, or any convenient place, &
the opposite end is fitted with a stuffing box which receives a stationary pipe; or
the stationary pipe may be fitted with a stuffing box & receive the end of the
centre tube, thus forming a continuation of it to act as a discharge pipe outside
the cistern. Or each end of the centre tube may be fitted with a stationary pipe to
discharge at opposite ends of the cistern.
Each compartment in the cylinder has an opening or aperture, or more than one
if desired, to allow the filtered liquid to pass to the interior of the centre tube. It
is necessary that one or more of these apertures should be closed as the cylinder
revolves. This is effected by a valve of circular form the face of it being an arc
of a circle of the same diameter as & fitting accurately inside the centre tube.
A lever fitted in the discharge pipe or other convenient arrangement holds this
valve stationary against the inside of the centre tube where the apertures are. By
this means each aperture is in its turn closed & opened at certain points as the
cylinder revolves. The face of the valve must be of less extent than one half
the diameter of the centre tube or a sound joint cannot be maintained, as is well
understood in engineering practice. But the valve may be formed of pliable
material such as spring steel, or vulcanite & made to fit any desired portion of the
diameter of the centre tube greater than the half but less than the whole. And
it may be fitted with one or more compartments each connected with a separate pipe
passing through the discharge pipe and delivering outside the cistern. A second
valve may be employed at the opposite end of the centre tube in connection with
another set of apertures if desired, or at any intermediate point.
The cylinder is almost entirely surrounded by an endless band of felt or other
filtering material of the same width, but of greater length, than the circumference;
the additional length being. utilized to facilitate cleaning as hereafter described.
It is led on at or near the top of the cylinder, travels therewith, the liquid at..the

page_text: same time filtering through into the various compartments & on approaching the
point at which it was led on, passes off & travels to a cleaning apparatus.
As the filtering material does not entirely surround the cylinder, that portion
which is uncovered is kept above the level of the liquid to be filtered, & is therefore
exposed to the air. But the valve in the centre tube closes the aperture of any
compartment or compartments which happen to be thus exposed, and the suction
pipe of a pump is attached to the discharge pipe so that, more or less vacuum is
maintained in the remaining compartments. Owing to the pressure upon the
filtering material, caused by the vacuum, liquids of a very thick or clogging nature,
or very heavily charged with suspended matter, can be readily filtered; whereas
without such pressure their filtration is impossible for practical purposes.
As the filtering material leaves the cylinder it may either continue to travel in
the same direction in order to reach the cleaning apparatus or it may be doubled
back by causing it to pass over a travelling frame. This frame consists of a series
of strips or wires or such strips may take the shape of longitudinal shallow pans
forming an endless chain extending to any convenient point. The filtering material
rests upon this frame which both supports it and catches any of the matter arrested
by filtration which might otherwise fall in the cistern. The two travel thus together
to any convenient point where they part, the endless chain of pans emptying their
contents into a suitable receptacle & returning to the cylinder. The filtering
material is caused to pass through a cleaning apparatus & conducted back to the
cylinder. Or instead of an endless chain of strips or pans, an endless band of felt,
gauzewire or any somewhat similar material may be used for the same purpose.
This method of taking the filtering material off the cylinder is particularly service-
able when it is desired to obtain the matter, which has been arrested by ültration,
in a comparatively dry or solidified state. It also has the advantage of losing very
little space between the points where the filtering material leaves, and rejoins the
cylinder.
And in order that this invention may be clearly understood & readily carried into
practice I will now proceed to describe the drawings.
Fig. 1 is an exterior elevation of a filtering machine mounted in a cistern.
Fig. 2 is a plan with the filtering material removed.
Fig. 3 is a transverse section, the upper half being a section on the line a, b, &
the lower half a section on the line c, d, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section taken vertically on line e, f, of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section & Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of the valve when
constructed with compartments.
Fig. 7 is a section upon a large scale of a portion of the travelling frame or
endless chain of pans for supporting the filtering material & catching anything
that may fall from its surface.
Similar letters denote similar parts in each figure.
A is a centre tube or hollow shaft closed at any point as A. B B are the flanges
at or near each end of the centre tube. CCC are ribs radiating from the centre
tube & forming a series of compartments D, D, D. EEE are pieces of perforated
material fitted between the ribs C to act as a support for the filtering material, &
forming a cylinder. D' D' are openings or apertures through which the filtered
liquid passes from the compartments D to the centre tube A.
The cylinder is placed in a cistern 'F containing the liquid to be filtered, the
highest level of which is shown by the water line at F" & rests on bearing bars F".
It is caused to revolve by any convenient gearing; a spur wheel F" may be fixed
on the end of the centre tube for this purpose.
One end of the centre tube A is fitted with a stuffing box to receive a stationary
pipe G which passes through the cistern & delivers outside by the branch G¹.
H is the valve having a circular face which fits inside, & is kept pressed up
against the centre tube A, by the lever H'. The fulcrum of the lever is secured at
any convenient point, such as shown in the stationary pipe G, and the opposite end

page_text: has a weight H". This closes each aperture in its turn while the cylinder
revolves.
Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section, & Fig. 6 is a longitudinal horizontal
section, showing how the valve H may be constructed with compartments, each
having a separate pipe for withdrawing the filtered liquid from different portions
of the cylinder while it is revolving. It is made of pliable material such as spring
steel or vulcanite & has two compartments I, I, formed by the walls II but
having an open face against the centre tube at I" [". Each compartment receives
the filtered liquid from each aperture as it comes within the walls of the open face,
& it is drawn off by the pipes G" which pass along the discharge pipe G & deliver
outside the cistern. The valve is held in position by the lever H' in such a manner
as to cause a uniform distribution of pressure against the centre tube in all
directions.
Figs. 1 & 3 show how the endless band of filtering material K is led on to the
cylinder by the roll L' and led off by being doubled back over the travelling
frame M. This frame is made up of a series of shallow pans.each the same length
as the filtering material is wide & linked together to form an endless chain as shown
in Fig. 7. This frame passes round the roll L, the filtering material K resting on
it, & travelling with it, to a convenient place N. Here the chain drops the deposit
it lias received from the filtering material into a receptacle N' & returns to the
roll L. The filtering material passes on to a cleaning apparatus at O & then
returns to the cylinder by the roll L'. An endless band of felt, gauzewire or any
material of a somewhat similar kind may be used in place of the travelling frame
both to support the filtering material & receive any deposit from its surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is;
(1) In filtering apparatus a cylinder closed at both ends, divided into a number
of separate compartments by means of ribs or partitions radiating from a centre
tube, and having one or more openings or apertures communicating between each
compartment & the said centre tube substantially in the manner herein described.
(2) In filtering apparatus, the employment of a valve, fitting inside the centre
tube or its equivalent, for the purpose of automatically closing & opening certain
apertures substantially in the manner herein described.
(3) The employment of an endless band composed of a chain, felt, or other
material for the purpose of receiving all or part of any matter arrested in the
process of filtration or straining and conducting the same off the filtering machine
in the manner herein described.
(4) An apparatus constructed substantially in the manner herein described
whether used for the filtration of ordinary liquids or any analogous process such
as abstracting liquid from materials charged with more or less moisture.
Dated this 26th day of January 1893.
HARRY CHRISTOPHER ATKINS.