Improvements in Filtering Apparatus.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1891
[Communicated from abroad by EDWARD M. KNIGHT, of San Francisco,
California, United States of America, Gentleman.]
Improvements in Filtering Apparatus.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of. Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 certain improvements in filters of that class in which a
fibrous or porous material is employed in conjunction with a filtering medium which
may be replaced or renewed at pleasure.
It consists in certain details of construction which will be hereinafter explained
with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1, is a vertical section of one of my filters.
Figure 2, shows a modified form of my device.
Figure 3, is a top view of the filtering screen showing the top screen and a portion
of the asbestos broken away.
Figure 4, is a detail showing in cross section, a portion of the rim E which clamps
the edges of the screens and fibrous material together.
My present invention is designed to provide a portable filter in which the filtering
surfaces may be easily cleansed and renewed from time to time.
The supply and delivery chambers may be made in various forms, but one
convenient arrangement which I have here shown comprise the employment of two
chambers A and B. The chamber A forms a storage or delivery chamber having
a cock and faucet at the bottom, from which the filtered water may be withdrawn
from time to time.
The chamber B has a flange at its lower end which fits into the top of the
chamber A, so that the upper chamber is supported upon the rim of the lower one.
In the bottom of the chamber B is fixed the lower portion of the filter which
consists of wire screens CC having asbestos cloth or other fibrous material D com-
pressed between the two.
Around the periphery of the wire cloth screens, which are cut to the proper size
to fit into the bottom of the chamber B, is fixed a rim E of metal which is flanged
or bent over so as to enclose the ends of the wire cloth, and it is then soldered in
place, so that the screens and the fibrous intermediate substance are firmly held in
place, and leakage of unfiltered water around the edges is prevented.
In the present case, I have shown the screens made of woven wire cloth, and they
may be set at any suitable angle with each other, so that the wires of one of the
screens will cross those of the other diagonally, or, if preferred, they may be set so
that the wires are parallel either directly in a vertical line with each other, or the
wires of one of the screens may stand intermediate with those of the other for the
purpose of more completely subdividing the spaces and forming a better support for
the intermediate fibrous material.
The two screens with the intermediate fibrous material and the surrounding ring
are then fitted into the bottom of the chamber B where they may be soldered or
otherwise permanently or removably fixed.
The wire screen which is above the fibrous material, forms interstices within
which a paste formed of finely pulverized charcoal is placed and retained.
In practice it is only necessary to mix the paste with water and place it in the

page_text: chamber B, when it will settle to the bottom and fill the interstices in the wire
screen, thus forming a coating which is supported by the fibrous material between
the screens, and which serves as a filter and purifier for the water.
In order to retain this paste in place and prevent being washed out whenever
water is introduced into the chamber B, I make a second frame consisting of the
wire screens C, C, and the intermediate fibrous material F with a surrounding
flange or hoop G whereby the whole device is held together.
Upon the top of this is fixed a suitable handle H by which it may be lifted. The
diameter of this removable screen is such that it will easily fit into the chamber B,
and will rest upon the top of or above the filtering medium which is spread upon the
lower filter.
This removable screen serves two purposes, first, when water is poured into the
chamber Bit prevents it from washing out the filtering medium which is spread
over the lower screen, and, secondly, it serves to receive any heavy sediment
which may be in the water to be filtered, and prevent its passing readily through
upon the filtering medium below.
The two chambers A. B, being in place, the upper one is filled with water which
gradually percolates through the screens and filtering medium, passing into the
chamber below from which it may be drawn from time to time, as described.
Whenever the upper and removable screen becomes clogged by sedimentary or
other deposit from the water, it is only necessary to lift it out and rinse it in clean
water when it may be replaced. When the filtering medium upon the lower screen
has become clogged or contaminated, so that it is desirable to renew it, the
chamber B is washed out with clear water, and the paste washed off the upper
surface of the screen, after which a new coating is placed upon the screen, and the
removable cover being replaced, the filter is again in condition for work.
In Figure 2 I have shown a delivery chamber A made conical in shape with a
discharge pipe extending downward from the apex of the cone. The filter screens
are fixed just above this conical chamber, and the whole device may be attached to
or connected with any suitable chamber or source of supply by which the
unfiltered water can be brought to and distributed over the filtering surface.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
:-
First. In a filter having a supply and delivery chamber, a fixed filtering screen,
and a removable filtering screen, said fixed and removable screens each consisting
of an upper and lower foraminous plate, and an intermediate fibrous material, and a
flange or rim bent over the edges of the upper and lower plates and fibrous material
enclosing said edges to prevent leakage, substantially as herein described.
Second. A filtering apparatus consisting of the supply and delivery chambers.
a filter composed of wire screens having fibrous material clamped between them,
and a surrounding ring or flange whereby the parts are held together, and leakage
around the edges prevented, a coating of filtering material spread upon the upper
surface and in the interstices of the wire cloth, and a removable screen or guard above
the filter, substantially as herein described.
Third. A filtering apparatus consisting of a supply and delivery chamber, the
intermediate filter consisting of discs of wire cloth with an intermediate fibrous
material compressed between them, a removable screen consisting of similar discs
of wire cloth with intermediate fibrous material and a rim or flange around the
periphery of the lises whereby the whole is clamped together, and a coating of
filtering material in the form of paste spread upon the upper surface of the lower
screen or filter, substantially as herein described.
Fourth. In a filter having a supply chamber, a chamber below the same made
conical in form, and having a discharge pipe leading therefrom, fixed and removable

page_text: screens above the conical chamber and each consisting of a fibrous material
compressed between an upper and lower foraminous disc, and a clamping flange
surrounding the edges of both discs and fibrous material, whereby leakage at said
edges.is prevented, substantially as herein described.
Dated this 27th day of January 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.