Improvement in Filters.
Year: 1899

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Filters.
I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Southampton Build-
ings, in the County of London, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me
from abroad by the Firm of Direktor Claassen & Company, of Beuthen, Upper
Silesia, Prussia, Manufacturers,) to be as follows:--
Filters of known construction have the following disadvantages: the impuri-
ties mixed up with the liquids or gases to be purified penetrate into the filtering
masses and soil them, which necessitates their frequent renewal or cleaning.
The extent of this inconvenience can be estimated by the fact that special cleaning
processes have been devised in order to utilise the filtering apparatus or filter
masses in an economical manner. As the material of the filtering masses, whether
these are made of fibrous or granular substance, is always of a more or less loose
nature it is in many cases impossible also to attain the required end i.e. a
satisfactory cleaning of the products in one filtering operation. Attempts are
therefore constantly made to replace the filtering mass hitherto used by others
more appropriate to fulfil the object in view.
The disadvantages attendant upon the use of the present filters are avoided
according to this invention by the use of plates of soft kinds of wood, such as
poplar, lime tree, alder etc., in such a manner that the passage of the liquid or
gases to be filtered always takes place in the longitudinal direction of the fibres.
Trials have already been made for the purpose of turning sea water into soft
potable water by pressing it through tree trunks. These trials have not how-
ever led to any useful results because wooden trunks are not adapted to produce
a good filtration, when they are simply used in their original condition.
According to my present invention this purpose is attained in a perfect manner.
Tree trunks usually split up along two diagonals at right angles to each other
which divide them into four parts or quarters.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings represents the section of such a trunk
and according to the present invention, four separate pieces, one from each
quarter, as shown by the circle A in one of the quarters, are obtained from the
trunk. The filtering bodies obtained in this way possess a uniform texture.
These filtering bodies are surrounded by a special envelope on their whole
cylindrical periphery and this envelope must be absolutely tight.
For this purpose the filtering body is if necessary made tight where it is in
contact with the envelope by a suitable plastic substance. A filtering body of
this nature in which the piece of wood cut across the grain for instance surrounded
by an iron cylinder is shewn in Fig. 2 of the drawings.
The liquid or gases to be filtered are passed through the filtering bodies thus
constructed by means of air pressure or a vacuum or a suitable combination of
both. The escape of the liquid or gases at the periphery of the filtering bodies
is entirely prevented. The filtering body possesses a uniformly dense texture
which does not alter whilst it is in use and consequently retains in a perfect
manner the impurities to be separated from the liquids or gases.

page_text: The filter can be applied to the purification of all liquids and gases. The
purification effected in the filters hitherto known requires the use of large quanti-
ties of the filtering mass and in many cases repeated filtration, but in the appa-
ratus forming the object of the present invention filtering is effected in a perfect
manner by passing the substance to be filtered only once through it.
The impurities are retained in this filter at the surface and form, after it has
been in use more or less time, or largely used, a loose mud. The cleaning of
the filter consists simply in removing this muddy deposit from the said surface.
As examples of the application of the filter, Figs. 3 to 17 of the accompanying
drawings show apparatus in which the filtration takes place in the aforesaid
manner.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show respectively a vertical section, a sectional plan, and an
end view of a filter for purifying liquids, oil etc.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew a vertical section and sectional plan of an apparatus for the
continuous filtration of beer and the like.
Figs. 8 to. 13 represent a filter for purifying gases. Fig. 8 and 10 shew
vertical sections at right angles to each other, Fig. 9 shews a sectional plan and
Figs. 11 to 13 shew enlarged details.
Figs. 14 and 15 shew a vertical section and section at A B of a tap fitted on
the water main and provided with the new apparatus.
Figs. 16 and 17 represent a vertical section and sectional plan of a coffee
filter.
A preliminary heating of the product to be purified may take place in the
receptacle (Figs. 3, 4, 5) and a washing of the said product may be effected
in à receptacle C connected with R. The product to be filtered passes then
through the opening L on to the first filter F and thence through the opening L
onto the second filter F and from this into some kind of collecting reservoir G.
The filtering' bodies F and F, the direction of the fibres of which is indicated
by vertical hatched lines, are surrounded at their upper part by a metal ring
of suitable section while the lower part fits tightly into a hole bored for the purpose.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew two filtering chambers a a¹ which are of cylindrical shape
and closed at the top and bottom by lids b¹. These chambers are arranged
close together and may, for instance as shown on the drawing, be made in one
piece or connected in any suitable manner.
In the centre of these filtering chambers the filtering bodies care secured
consisting of plates of wood cut across the grain and so constructed that the liquid
penetrates along the direction of the fibres. To keep these filtering bodies in
position, double rings e el connected by bars d d are provided.
Packing rings are provided between the double rings and the filtering bodies
and shoulders f on the lids pressing on the double rings e e¹ thus com-
pressing the packing rings at the periphery of the filtering bodies.
Above the filtering bodies are on the one side the inlet passagės g g¹ corre-
sponding to outlet ones on the other side. These four passages are connected
with cocks h h or k k or other closing devices. behind which the separate
chambers are connected by means of T-pipes and m.
In using the filters the cocks on one side are closed. If cocks and are
closed, the liquid passes through T-pipe 7 cock h¹ into the filter and is
evacuated from the lower part of the same through cock 1 and T-pine m. If
the filter c¹ has to be cleaned, cocks h and are opened and h¹ and ¹ closed,
so that filter c now effects the purification, and the other filtering chamber can
be opened for the purpose of removing the muddy deposit that has accumulated
on filter c¹.
I In a frame of a rectangular shape (Fig. 8 to 13) longitudinal channels are
formed, which may consist for instance of iron of suitable channel "section.
Closely joined plates e of wood cut across the grain of suitable thickness are placed
in these channels and pressed longitudinally so firmly that the joint between each
pair of plates is hermetically closed.

page_text: The frame and the filtering strips of wood cut across the grain (lime tree,
poplar, alder &c.) which it contains form a closed plate. The liquids or gases
to be purified are brought against the filtering bodies so formed in vertical or
a nearly vertical direction or at any suitable angle. The purified liquid or
gas (it may also be air) passes along the wooden fibres through the wood cut
across the grain onto the free surface of the filter, while the dirt remains on the
outer surface of the filtering body, from which it is removed automatically, or
from time to time by suitable means.
The applications of this filtering body are manifold. For instance the gases
issuing from roasting furnaces can be freed from the impurities they contain,
and the-hot gases from all kinds of firing installations be freed from soot.*
By means of the same filtering body, the waste water from' factories can be
purified so that it can then be returned to the river without' fear of 'this being
polluted and can be used again for many other industrial purposes. In the
devices used in mills for removing dust from the air &c., the present filtering
body can be utilised to retain the dust drawn from the operating rooms instead
of the ventilator rejecting it into the open air and polluting it. As an example
of the application of the filtering body Figs. 8 to 10 show the arrangement of
the same for the purification of combustion gases. The filtering body is arranged
obliquely in a suitable structure of masonry over the flue; the gases strike against
it and the soot remains on the side of the filter which is presented towards the
firing installation. Owing to the inclination of the filter the soot drops down,
whilst the purified gases escape through the other side into the chimney.
Figs. 14 and 15 shew a filtering cock respectively in part sectional elevation
and in sectional plan on line A B.
The lower part of the cock outlet is formed into a flange the periphery of which
is provided with a screw thread on which is screwed a cylindrical case having
a female thread at its upper part. The case is provided at its lower part with
a short projection forming an outlet and contains a piece of wood cut across the
grain which fits in it tightly. Above and below the wood serving as filtering
mass is arranged a packing ring which, on the case being screwed on the flange
of the cock-outlet, is compressed and thus forms a tight joint.
Owing to the insertion of a packing ring above and below the filtering body,
two shallow cylindrical chambers are tormed, in the upper one of which the liquid
distributes itself uniformly over the surface of the filtering mass while the lower
chamber serves for the reception of the filtered fluid whence it can escape through
the aforesaid outlet provided at the bottom of the case.
Figs. 16 and 17 shew a coffee pot n fitted with the new device ready for use.
A cylindrical vessel o which may be fitted with a handle p is provided at its
lower end with a somewhat narrower cylindrical extension so that the shoulder
thus formed can rest on the top of the coffee pot proper. In lieu of this, the
upper part may be provided with a collar-like flange by means of which it rests
on the rim of the coffee pot. The vessel o has its lower narrowed extension
provided with a screw thread on which a case is screwed.
By means of this case, a siever, a filter of wood cut across the grain c, and
a second sieves together with the required number of intermediate packing rings
are screwed against the lower end of the aforesaid extension. The upper part o
is closed at its top by a lidt fitted with an inlet tube u permitting of the inside
of the vessel-o-being-subjected to pressure by any suitable means.
The ground coffee is put on the upper siever whereupon the hot water is
admitted into o with or without pressure. The coffee passing through the wooden
filtering body c is clarified so that no deposit is formed in the lower part of the
coffee pot.
Dated this 24th day of January 1890
..

page_text: I, CHARLES DENTON ABEL, of Birkbeck Bank Chambers, Southampton Build-
ings, in the County of London, Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (as communicated to me
from abroad by the Firm of Direktor Claassen & Company, of Beuthen, Upper
Silesia, Prussia, Manufacturers) and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
Filters of known construction have the following disadvantages: the impuri-
ties mixed up with the liquids or gases to be purified, penetrate into the filtering
masses and soil them, which necessitates their frequent renewal or cleaning.
The extent of this inconvenience can be estimated by the fact that special cleaning
processes have been devised in order to utilise the filtering apparatus or filter
inasses in an economical manner. As the material of the filtering masses, whether
these are made of fibrous or granular substance, is always of a more or less loose
nature it is in many cases impossible also to attain the required end i.e. a
satisfactory cleaning of the products in one filtering operation. Attempts are
therefore constantly made to replace the filtering mass hitherto used by others
more appropriate to fulfil the object in view.
The disadvantages attendant upon the use of the present filters are avoided
according to this invention by the use of plates of soft kinds of wood, such as
poplar, lime tree, alder etc., in such a manner that the passage of the liquid or
gases to be filtered always takes place in the longitudinal direction of the fibres.
Trials have already been made for the purpose of turning sea water into soft
potable water by pressing it through tree trunks. These trials have not how-
ever led to any useful results because wooden trunks are not adapted to produce
a good filtration, when they are simply used in their original condition.
According to my present invention this purpose is attained in a perfect manner.
Tree trunks usually split up along two diagonals at right angles to each other
which divide them into four parts or quarters.
Fig. 1 of the drawings accompanying my Provisional Specification represents
the section of such a trunk and according to the present invention, four separate
pieces, one from each quarter, as shown by the circle A in one of the quarters,
are obtained from the trunk. The filtering bodies obtained in this way possess
a uniform texture.
These filtering bodies are surrounded by a special envelope on their whole
cylindrical periphery and this envelope must be absolutely tight.
For this purpose the filtering body is if necessary made tight where it is in
contact with the envelope by a suitable plastic substance. A filtering body of
this nature in which the piece of wood cut across the grain for instance surrounded
by an iron cylinder is shewn in Fig. 2 of the drawings accompanying my Pro-
visional Specification.
The liquid or gases to be filtered are passed through the filtering bodies thus
constructed by means of air pressure or a vacuum or a suitable combination of
both. The escape of the liquid or gases at the periphery of the filtering bodies
is entirely prevented. The filtering body possesses a uniformly dense texture
which does not alter whilst it is in use and consequently retains in a perfect
manner the impurities to be separated from the liquids or gases.
The filter can be applied to the purification of all liquids and gases. The
purification effected in the filters hitherto known requires the use of large quanti-

page_text: ties of the filtering mass and in many cases repeated filtration, but in the appa-
ratus forming the object of the present invention filtering is effected in a perfect
manner by passing the substance to be filtered only once through it.
The impurities are retained in this filter at the surface and form after it has
been in use more or less time, or largely used, a loose mud. The cleansing of
the filter consists simply in removing this muddy deposit from the said surface.
As examples of the application of the filter Figs. 3 to 17 of the drawings
accompanying my Provisional Specification show apparatus in which the filtration
takes place in the aforesaid manner.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 show respectively a vertical section, a sectional plan, and an
end view of a filter for purifying liquids, oil etc.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew a vertical section and sectional plan of an apparatus for the
continuous filtration of beer and the like.
Figs. 8 to 13 represent a filter for purifying gases. Figs. 8 and 10 shew
vertical sections at right angles to each other, Fig. 9 shews a sectional plan and
Figs. 11 to 13 shew enlarged details.
.
Figs. 14 and 15 shew a vertical section and section at A B of a tap fitted on
the water main and provided with the new apparatus.
Figs. 16 and 17 represent a vertical section and sectional plan of a coffee
filter.
Figs. 12 and 13" of the drawings filed herewith shew respectively a part plan
and an enlarged part section of the filtering plate.
A preliminary heating of the product to be purified may take place in the
receptacle (Figs. 3, 4, 5) and a washing of the said product may be effected
in a receptacle C connected with R by an inlet pipe O. The product to be filtered
passes then through the opening L on to the first filter F and thence through
the opening L' on to the second filter 1" and from this into some kind of collecting
reservoir G. The filtering bodies F and F, the direction of the fibres of which
is indicated by vertical hatched lines, are surrounded at their upper part by
a metal ring of suitable section while the lower part fits tightly into a hole bored
for the purpose, into which it is pressed by spiral springs as shewn.
Figs. 6 and 7 shew two filtering chambers a a' which are of cylindrical shape
and closed at the top and bottom by lids 6 b. These chambers are arranged
close together and may, for instance as shown on the drawing, be made in one
piece or connected in any suitable manner.
In the centre of these filtering chambers the filtering bodies c c are secured
consisting of plates of wood cut across the grain and so constructed that the liquid
penetrates along the direction of the fibres. To keep these filtering bodies in
position, double rings e e¹ connected by bars d dare provided.
Packing rings are provided between the double rings and the filtering bodies
and shoulders ff on the lids b₁ pressing on the double rings e e thus com-
pressing the packing rings at the periphery of the filtering bodies.
Above the filtering bodies are on the one side the inlet passages y g₁ corre-
sponding to outlet ones below the filtering bodies on the other side. These
four passages are connected with cocks h¹ or k k or other closing devices, behind
which the separate chambers are connected by means of T-pipes / and m.
In using the filters, the cocks on one side are closed. If cocks hor k are
closed, the liquid passes through T-pipe cock h¹ into the filter c and is
Levacuated-from-the lower-part of-the-same-through-cock-and-T-pipe-m. If-
the filter c¹ has to be cleaned, cocks and are opened and h¹ and closed,
F
so that filter c now effects the purification, and the other filtering chamber can
be opened for the purpose of removing the muddy deposit that has accumulated
on filter c¹.
Figs. 8 to 13 shew the construction and application of a filtering plate adapted
for filtering gases or air. For this purpose two metal frames o o¹ in the form of
gratings, as shewn at Figs. 11, 12, 12ª, 13 and 13" are employed, the one frame o
having ribs of a height corresponding to the thickness of the wood slabs ca

page_text: as shewn at Figs. 13 and 13", while the other is flat, the two, frames: being
secured together by bolts p passing through them.
1.
--
The wood slabs e cut across the grain and having strips of felt q laid round
their side edges, are laid in the grooves of frame o and after having been pressed
firmly end to end so as to form tight joints at c if necessary with the inter-
position of. strips of felt or other suitable material). they, are tightly, clamped
between the frames o and ol by means of the bolts 2, so that the entire combined
frame constitutes an extended filtering surface the frames o olmay, either.be of
metal as shewn or of wood according to the nature of the gas or air to.. be
filtered. These frames having been placed in position. such as indicated in
Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the liquids or gases to be purified are brought against the
filtering bodies.so formed in vertical or a nearly vertical direction or at any
suitable angle. The purified liquid or gas (it may also be air) passes along the
wooden fibres through the wood cut across the grain on to the free surface of
the filter,... while the dirt remains on the outer surface of the filtering, body,
from which it is removed automatically or from time to time by suitable means..
The applications of this filtering body are manifold. For instance the gases
issuing from roasting furnaces, can be freed from the impurities they .contain,
and the hot gases from all kinds of firing installations be freed from soot..
By means of the same filtering body the waste water from factories can be
purified so that it can then be returned to the river without fear of this being
polluted and can be used again for many other industrial purposes. In the
devices used in mills for removing dust from the air &c., the present filtering
body can be utilised to retain the dust drawn from the operating rooms instead
of the air propellers rejecting it into the open air and polluting it. As an example
of the application of the filtering body Figs. 8 to 10 show the arrangement of
the same for the purification of combustion gases. The filtering body is arranged
obliquely in a suitable structure of masonry over the flue; the gases strike against
it and the soot remains on the side of the filter which is presented towards the
firing installation. Owing to the inclination of the filter the soot drops down,
whilst the purified gases escape through the other side into the chimney.
Figs. 14 and 15 shew a filtering cock respectively in part sectional elevation
and in sectional plan on line A B.
The lower part of the cock outlet is formed into a flange the periphery of which
is provided with a screw thread on which is screwed a cylindrical case having
a female thread at its upper part. The case is provided at its lower part with
a short projection forming an outlet and contains a piece of wood cut across the
grain which fits in it tightly. Above and below the wood serving as filtering
mass is arranged a packing ring which, on the case being screwed on the flange
of the cock-outlet, is compressed and thus forms a tight joint.
Owing to the insertion of a packing ring above and below the filtering body,
two shallow cylindrical chambers are formed, in the upper one of which the liquid
distributes itself uniformly over the surface of the filtering mass while the lower
chamber serves for the reception of the filtered fluid whence it can escape through
the aforesaid outlet provided at the bottom of the case.
Figs. 16 and 17 shew a coffee pot n fitted with the new device ready for use.
A cylindrical vessel o which may be fitted with a handle P is provided at its
lower end with a somewhat narrower cylindrical extension so that the shoulder
thus formed can rest on the top of the coffee pot proper. In lieu of this, the
upper part may be provided with a collar-like flange by means of which it rests
on the rim of the coffee pot. The vessel o has its lower narrowed extension
provided with a screw thread on which a case is screwed.
By means of this case, a siever, a filter of wood cut across the grain c, and
a second sieves together with the required number of intermediate packing rings
are screwed against the lower end of the aforesaid extension. The upper part o
is closed at its top by a lid t fitted with an inlet tube u permitting of the inside
of the vessel o being subjected to pressure by any suitable means.

page_text: The ground coffee is put on the upper sieve r whereupon the hot water is
admitted into o with or without pressure. The coffee passing through the wooden
filtering body c is clarified so that no deposit is formed in the lower part of the
coffee pot.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is-
1. A filtering body for the purification of liquids and gases and their separation
from solid substances, consisting of a piece of wood cut across the grain obtained
from one of the homogeneous quarters of a tree trunk, the lateral surface of
such piece being rendered impervious by a suitable envelope so that the liquid or
gas has to pass through it in the longitudinal direction of the grain substantially
as described.
2. In a filtering body such as referred to in Claim 1, surrounding the cylindrical
surface of the wood by a metal ring B substantially as described.
3. Arranging filtering bodies such as referred to in Claims 1 and 2 as double
filters for filtering of liquids, so arranged that in each filtering chamber a plate
of wood cut across the grain serving as filtering body, is disposed so as to be
traversed by the liquids to be filtered in the longitudinal direction of the grain
substantially as described.
4. A filter such as is referred to in Claims 1 and 2 for the purifying of liquids,
gases, air etc., from dirt etc., consisting of plates of wood cut across the grain
hermetically joined together and secured in a frame in such manner that no
joint allows of any unpurified liquid passing through it substantially as described.
5. A discharge cock combined with filter of the kind referred to in Clainis 1
and 2 in which the nozzle of the cock is provided with a flange onto which is
screwed a case having a bottom outlet and containing a piece of wood cut across
the grain provided at its lower and upper end with a packing ring so that the
liquid is compelled to pass through the said piece of wood in the direction of
the grain, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a coffee pot of a filtering device consisting of a piece
of wood cut across the grain arranged and operating substantially as herein
described.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1899
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.

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