IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTERS.
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Flowers Bentley, of Peterborough, in the
County of Northampton, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FILTERS.'
Sealed the 6th August 1869, and dated the 10th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Flowers Bentley
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th February 1869.
I, JOHN FLOWERS BENTLEY, of Peterborough, in the County of
Northampton, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the adaptation to filters of a closed reserve
tank or vessel to contain the filtered water after it has passed through a
layer or layers of filtering material, so that on the application of a pump
or a syphon or a tap by which it is intended to draw the water from this
résérve tank or inner cylinder, and on the removal of all or a portion of
the water from the tank or cylinder, a partial vacuum will be formed, in

page_text: consequence of which the process of infiltration will continue with
regularity though the withdrawal of water from the reserve tank or
cylinder may be intermittant, sudden, and irregular.
In constructing these improved filters I propose to place the filtering
material round the lower portion of the outer of two concentric cylinders,
the top and bottom of both of which are closed, except as herein-after
described. I perforate the upper portion of the inner cylinders and insert
the suction pipe of the pump or syphon into the inner cylinder through
its top, taking it down to near the bottom of that vessel. Having first
filled this cylinder with and immersed the whole apparatus in the water
desired to be filtered, either in a special tank or otherwise, I set the
pump in motion and withdraw part of or all the water from the inner
cylinder. The vacuum formed, as above described, will then cause the
water which it is desired to filter to pass through the filtering material
and up the annular space between the two cylinders, entering the inner
one through the holes, which, as stated, I provide near the top of the
inner one. When an accumulation has thus been effected the pump
may again be started, and the action continues in the same manner.
I propose to apply these filters in wells, or in supply tanks for domestic
or manufacturing purposes, and especially for portable or other steam
engines, or for supplying fire engines, or generally where a large demand
exists for water filtered from sand and other impurities held in
suspension.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Flowers Bentley in the Great Seal Patent 25
Office on the 10th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
FLOWERS BENTLEY, of Peterborough, in the County of Northampton,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her 30
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Flowers Bentley, Her special
licence that I, the said John Flowers Bentley, my executors, adminis- 35

page_text: trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Flowers
Bentley, my 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 FILTERS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said John Flowers Bentley, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under , or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly 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 I, the said John Flowers Bentley, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 Drawing
hereunto annexed, that is to say:-
This Invention consists in the adaptation to filters of a closed reserve
tank or vessel to contain the filtered water after it has passed through a
layers or layers of filtering materials, so that on the application of a pump
or a syphon or a tap by which it is intended to draw the water from
this reserve tank or inner cylinder, and on the removal of all or a portion
of the water from the tank or cylinder, a partial vacuum will be formed,
in consequence of which the process of infiltration will continue with
regularity though the withdrawal of the water from the reserve tank
may be sudden, intermittent, and irregular.
In constructing these improved filters I place the filtering material
round the lower portion of the outer of two concentric cylinders, the
top and bottom of both of which are closed, except as herein-after
described. I make a hole in the upper portion of the inner cylinder,
and insert the suction pipe of the pump or syphon into the inner
cylinder, as shewn, taking it down to near the bottom of that vessel.
Having first filled this cylinder with and immersed the whole apparatus
n the water desired to be filtered, either in a special tank or otherwiso, ⚫
I set the pump in motion and withdraw part of or all the water from
he inner cylinder. The vacuum formed, as above described, will then

page_text: cause the water which it is desired to niter to pass unrough the
material and up the space between the two cylinders, entering the inner
one through the holes, which, as stated, I provide near the top of the
inner one. When an accumulation has thus been effected the pump
may again be started, and the action continues in the same manner.
I propose to apply these filters in wells or in supply tanks for domestic
or manufacturing purposes, and especially for portable or other steam
engines, or for supplying fire engines, or generally where a large demand
exists for water filtered from sand and other impurities held in
suspension.
up
The Invention will be well understood by referring to the annexed
Drawing in connection with the above, and the following description :―
a, a, is the closed reserve cylinder, tank, or vessel; its lower end rests
upon a ring a placed upon the bottom of an outer vessel b, b. The
vessel is surrounded with another vessel c, c, which is fitted with a
filtering material or materials d, d, secured to it in any convenient
manner. The outer vessel has a movable lid or cover composed of
perforated metal e to allow the water in which it is immersed to flow
through and fill the space between it and the cylinder c, c. Through
the top or cover f of the inner cylinder or tank a I fit a tube or
pipe g in communication with a pump, syphon, or other apparatus for
drawing off the water. The tube g terminates near the bottom of the
tank a, and when the suction is applied the water is drawn the tube
and employed for any purpose for which the filter may be applied.
As before explained the vessel c is immersed in the water which has
to be filtered, and when the pump or syphon is set in action, and the
filtered water is drawn off from the tank a, a vacuum is formed in
the upper part of it, and the water commences to rise in the space h
and flows through the perforations into the tank a, and partially or
wholly fills it. The outer water at the same time passes through the
filtering medium d, d, and rises in the space h, and thus as the water
is drawn off a fresh vacuum is formed, and by that means a continual
supply of filtered water is obtained. The perforated cover e serves to
keep stones and other foreign matter from getting into the space i and
choking up the meshes of the filtering medium. I fit a tap or valve j
opening outwards on the cover of the reserve chamber or tank a for
letting out any air that accumulates therein.

page_text: And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the employ-
ment of the closed reserve tank or vessel a, in which a vacuum is formed
for the purpose of receiving filtered water, in combination with the
vessel c to which the filtering medium is secured, in the manner
described and represented in the Drawing.
In witness whereof I the said John Flowers Bentley, have hereunto
J. F. BENTLEY. (L.S.)