IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTERS AND APPARATUS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH
Year: 1885

page_text: I, STEWART ROBERTSON of Dundee in the County of Forfar N.B. Sanitary
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
FILTERS AND APPARATUS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH to be as follows:—
This invention has for its object the construction or arrangement of Filters and
the apparatus and materials connected therewith, whereby liquids may be more
easily and effectively clarified than hitherto.
My Invention may be made use of in a variety of ways. I proceed to describe
one method. In it, the apparatus consists of an outer shell, a filtering chamber,
and filtering material. The outer shell may be made of porcelain, fireclay, terra
cotta, stone or any other similar substance (made suitably non-porous by enamelling
or otherwise) of any convenient shape, having a moveable lid, and provided with
an inlet at top to admit liquid to be filtered, and an outlet aperture at bottom for
exit of filtered liquid. About midway in the depth of this outer shell, I form
bevelled projections in the insides, properly shaped to receive & act as a seat for
the filtering chamber. This filtering chamber (which contains the filtering
material) I make of biscuit porcelain or any other suitable porous material, of any
convenient depth, closed in on all sides; with the exception of a hole with lid, at
side for admitting extra filtering material when required. The filtering material
inside the chamber consists of charcoal, carbon, sand, iron, or other. suitable
substance.
The combination of the biscuit porcelain or other material (of which the filtering
chamber is composed) with the filtering material inside the chamber, enables the
liquid, in passing through these combined substances, to issue more pure than in
the existing types of filters; and besides, none of the filtering materials are allowed
to drop into the clarified liquid passing as it does through one thickness of
porcelain (forming the upper side of the filtering material chamber) then through
.

page_text: the filtering material inside, and lastly through another thickness of porcelain
forming the bottom of the chamber. I do not confine myself to biscuit porcelain
alone in the manufacture of the filtering chamber; as terra cotta, fireclay, cominon
clay, stone, or any other suitable porous material may be made use of. I sometimes
vary the top and bottom sides of the filtering chamber, by the substitution of a
layer of asbestos for the substances above described.
I apply the filtering chamber and filtering medium (above described) in many
different ways, such as for acting as a high pressure filter, fitted to supply taps,
cisterns, ball cocks, and for many other varieties of purposes.

page_text: Improvements in Filters and Apparatus in Connection
therewith.
I, STEWART ROBERTSON, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North Britain,
Sanitary Engineer do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FILTERS AND APPARATUS IN CONNECTION THEREWITH" and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
My principle of filtration may be applied as follows:-Where the water or other
liquids to be filtered passes through the Filter by gravitation as in Figure I or by
pressure as in Fig. II and III.
The Filters as shewn by vertical sections Fig. I. II. and III. each consists
respectively of an outer shell A. A. A. of fireclay, stoneware porcelain, iron, brass
or other suitable material or metal provided with a cover or lid A 1. Fig. I. or fixed
to outer case by Banges Fig. II. M. M & Fig. VIII having holes in same and fastened
together by means of bolts and nuts Fig. II. N. N. or screwed together as in
Fig. III and a draw off cock or tap A 2. Fig. I. or outlet I-Fig. II and III and
an inner filtering vessel B. B. of fireclay, common clay, biscuit porcelain, stone or
other suitable porous material divided by webs D. H. into a single chamber or by
webs D. F. H. of the same or other material into two separate chambers, for the
reception of the filtering agents E. G. The filtering vessel B. B. to be suspended
within the shell by a rim or flange C. C. Fig. I. or may be supported by a Beat
prepared for its reception of india rubber, asbestos or other material J. J. Fig. II.
and III. or permanently fixed by means of cement or other suitable material that
will prevent the water or other liquids to be filtered from passing into the clean
water chamber I. Fig. I. or through opening I. Fig. II and III in an unfiltered
state The unfiltered water or other liquids will be allowed to pass through the
natural pores of the webs D. H. or D. F. H. of the filtering chamber or chambers
or through holes made in same or alternately through the natural pores of
one or more of the webs and holes in the remaining-The openings K. K.
& Fig. 1V. VII & VIII to be made in the filtering chambers to allow of the
filtering agents E. G being put in and removed, or the opening or openings may be
placed in the web D or D. F. for the same purpose-The openings K. K. to have
lid or cover L and Fig. V screwed or otherwise fastened into said filtering
chambers, and where the holes are put into web D. or webs D. F. said hole or holes
will also be provided with such lids or covers as provided at K. K. The filtering
agents E. G. to consist of oxide of iron in the upper chamber and carbon in the
lower chamber or vice-versa or of oxide of iron only in one chamber or of. carbon
only in one chamber, or of a combination of these materials or agents placed in
one or both chambers or of oxide of iron carbon, charcoal, sand, gravel, asbestos, or
other suitable material or agent separate or in combination with these or other
suitable material-A perforated plate O Fig. II, and III of brass or other metal is
placed over the upper web D. of the filtering chamber to break the pressure of the

page_text: water and destributed equally over the filtering surface of said web D. having pins
cast thereon and resting on flange P. P. and Fig. IX having holes to receive
said pins.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. The principle of having separate chamber or chambers divided by web or
webs of a porous material such chamber or chambers containing suitable filtering
agents as above described and illustrated by Fig. I. II, and III.
Second. That the water or other liquid passing slowly through the web D. is
brought into lengthened contact with the oxide of iron E. whereby organic life
is destroyed and then passing through the web F. is brought into contact with the
carbon G. whereby impurities are removed, and thence finally through the web H.
into the clean water chamber; thus forms a combination of the chemical and
mechanical processes of filtration-By this method it is impossible for the water to
pass into: the clean water chamber without coming into lengthened contact with
the purifying agents, thus securing greater certainty in the quality of the water
filtered, than by the ordinary methods of filtration.
Third. The filtering agents E. G. can easily be removed and cleaned and every
part of the Filter cleaned without the usual annoyance and difficulty attendant on
such operations. (