Improvements in Filters.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 21st June, 1898-Accepted, 7th Jan., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Filters.
We, HUGO RUDOLPH KUERSTEN, of 720, Addison Avenue, Mechanic, and
ANDREW MATTHEW KNOBLE, of 1214, Wrightwood Avenue, Manufacturer, both
of the City of Chicago, State of Illinois, United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following state-
ment:-
Our invention relates to a novel construction in a filter, the object being to
provide a device of this character of large capacity, compactness, and which can be
thoroughly cleaned without being taken apart, and consists in the features of con-
struction and combinations of parts, hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating our invention:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of a filter constructed in accordance with our inven-
tion, with the cover or upper portion of the casing removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical
longitudinal section of the same on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, also with the cover
removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, showing
the cover in place. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view of a valve on the cover. Fig. 5
is a detail view in elevation of an arm adapted to be mounted upon a shaft in said
filter and to carry brushes or scrapers for cleaning the filter tubes. Figs. 6 and 7
are detail fragmentary sectional views illustrating the manner in which the filter
tubes are made.
Referring now to said drawings, A indicates a practically cylindrical casing con-
sisting of two sections 1 and 2 which are adapted to be secured together by means
of screws passing through flanges 3 on the edges thereof, a rubber packing being
interposed between said flanges to effect a water-tight joint. Said portion 1 of said
casing A is provided with valve controlled inlet and outlet ports 4 and 5, respec-
tively, and with a series of openings 6 between the same through which the
nipples 7 of metallic rings 8 surrounding the earthenware filter tubes 9 are adapted
to pass. Said nipples 7 are coupled by means of unions 10 of ordinary construction
with the branches 11 of a common receiving pipe 12 adapted to receive the filtered
water, rubber washers being interposed in said connections to make water-tight
joints. Rubber washers 13 surround said nipples 7 and are compressed between
said rings 8 and said casing by means of said unions 10 in an obvious manner,
preventing said casing from leaking at said openings 6.
thus
Said filter tubes 9 are made in the form of flat cylindrical disks having central
openings, and are provided interiorly with annular passages 14 which are con-
nected together by means of radial passages 15 and have a common outlet through
said nipples 7 of said metallic rings 8 in which said tubes are rigidly mounted.
Each of said tubes is composed of two sections of cylindrical form, provided with
annular and radial grooves which, when said sections are joined, form said

page_text: passages 14 and 15 respectively. Said sections are further provided with annular
grooves 16 between, outside and within said grooves above referred to, which prior
to the burning of said tubes in the kiln are filled with wet clay which serves to
cement same together (as shown in detail in Figs. 6 and 7), so as to appear to have
been formed of one piece in the finished tube. The tube when finished is laid
within and firmly cemented to said ring 8 in such a manner as to bring its outlet
into alignment with opening in said nipple 7, for obvious reasons.
Said rings 8
obviously serve to strengthen said tubes and also to afford a means for securing
and supporting them in said casing. To hold said rings 8 in said casing so that
they stand transversely therein and to hold them parallel we provide pairs of
lugs 17 on said casing at regular intervals between which lugs 18 on said rings 8
are adapted to fit, thus obviously preventing said rings 8 from turning when coup-
ling same to said outlet pipes 11.
All filters, after they have been in operation for some time become clogged as
the fine sediment contained in the water enters and fills the pores of the porous
filtering material, and thus gradually decrease in capacity. This necessitates
taking the filters apart very frequently and thoroughly cleaning the tubes, thus
requiring time and labor. In constructing our filter we have kept in mind all
the objections to be overcome and have thus aimed to attain all the advantages
desired, namely, compactness, a large surface of porous material, simplicity and
cheapness of construction, durability and easy and simple means for cleaning the
tubes or porous material without removing same from the casing and while the
filter is in operation.
By means of the form of our tubes we obviously attain the large surface of
porous material without making a bulky tube and by means of the remaining
features above described, we attain simplicity, durability and cheapness of con-
struction. We also provide simple and efficient means for keeping said tubes
constantly clean without removing same from the casing or interrupting the
operation of the filter.
To this end we provide a shaft 19 running longitudinally through said casing A
practically in the centre thereof and through said central openings in said tubes.
This shaft is journalled in a bearing of cup 20 in one end of said casing and passes
through the other end thereof, a stuffing box 21 being provided at said last named
end to form a tight joint. On said shaft 19 between said tubes and between the
latter and said casing, a series of sleeves 22 are rigidly secured which carry radially
outwardly extending arms 23 at their opposite ends which extend in opposite
directions. Said arms 23 are provided with bushings 24 and 25 which are centrally
perforated and adapted to receive the pins 26 and 27 of socket pieces 28 in which
pieces 29 of said porous material of which said filter tubes are provided are mounted
and which serve as brushes to scrape the sediment which collects on said tubes.
Said brushes or scrapers 29 are held in close contact with said tubes by means of
springs 30 interposed between said arms 23 and said socket pieces 28 in an obvious
manner.
Said arms 23 are preferably so arranged relatively to each other as to bring
said scrapers 29 in direct alignment with each other on opposite sides of each tube
so as to avoid any tortional pressure thereon. Said shaft 19 is turned by means
of a crank handle 31 and by giving same a few turns at intervals it will be obvious
that said tubes can be kept clean and the capacity of the filter remain unimpaired.
During the time that said crank handle is being turned it would be advisable to
open the outlet port of said casing so as to lead the sediment thus removed from
the tubes into the waste pipe.
We also supply suitable means for enabling us to empty said casing when said
filter is not in use and to this end provide a ball valve 32 on the upper end of the
casing which will admit, and permit the outflow of air from said
casing, so that when the latter is being filled it will allow free exit of air, but as
soon as the water level reaches the ball the latter will be raised, thus closing said
valve and preventing the escape of water therethrough.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:-
1. In a filter, a filter tube composed of two flat cylindrical disks of clay each
provided on one of its flat faces with annular and radial grooves which when said
lisks are fitted together to form a tube, form annular and radial passages therein,
substantially as described.
2. In a filter, a filter tube composed of two flat cylindrical disks of clay each
provided in one of its flat faces with wide annular grooves bordered by narrow
grooves adapted to receive material to cement said disks together to form said tube,
said wide annular grooves forming annular passages in said finished tube, and
radial passages connecting said annular passages and forming an outlet from said
tube, substantially as described.
3. In a filter, a filter tube comprising a flat cylindrical disk having internal
annular passages and radial passages connecting said annular passages and form-
ing an outlet from said tube, a metal ring or band around said tube, and a nipple
on said band having an opening adapted to communicate with the outlet of said
tube, substantially as described.
4. In a filter, a filter tube comprising a flat cylindrical disk having internal
annular passages and radial passages connecting said annular passages and form-
ing an outlet from said tube, a metal ring or band around said tube, an exteriorly
screw-threaded nipple on said band communicating with said outlet of said tube,
a casing adapted to contain said tube and having an opening through which said
nipple is adapted to pass and means for securing said tube firmly within said
casing, substantially as described.
5. In a filter, a filter tube comprising a flat cylindrical disk having internal
annular passages and radial passages connecting said annular passages and form-
ing an outlet from said tube, a metal ring or band around said tube, an exteriorly
screw-threaded nipple on said band communicating with said outlet of said tube,
a casing adapted to contain said tube and having an opening through which said
nipple is adapted to pass and means for securing said tube firmly within said
casing comprising a union adapted to couple said nipple with an outlet pipe and
clamp said ring or band firmly against said casing around said opening, sub-
stantially as described.
6. In a filter, a casing, a filter tube within said casing comprising a hollow flat
cylindrical disk having a central opening therethrough and a peripheral outlet,
a ring or band around said tube having an outwardly extending nipple provided
with an opening communicating with said peripheral outlet, an opening in said
casing through which said nipple is adapted to pass, means for coupling said
nipple with an outlet pipe and serving to firmly secure said tube within said casing,
valve controlled inlet and outlet pipes for said casing, and an exhaust valve on
said casing adapted to permit the exit of air therefrom, substantially as described.
7. In a filter, a casing, a filter tube within said casing comprising a hollow flat
cylindrical disk having a central opening therethrough and a peripheral outlet,
a ring or band around said tube having an outwardly extending nipple provided
with an opening communicating with said peripheral outlet, an opening in said
casing through which said nipple is adapted to pass, means for coupling said
nipple with an outlet pipe and serving to firmly secure said tube within said casing,
a shaft passing centrally through said casing and through said central opening in
said tube, and devices carried by said shaft adapted to remove sediment from the
outer faces of said tube when said shaft is revolved, substantially as described.
8. In a filter, the combination with a plurality of parallel filter tubes com-
prising hollow flat cylindrical disks having central openings and firmly mounted
within a casing, of a shaft passing longitudinally through said casing and through
said central openings in said tubes and carrying devices adapted to scrape the
outer faces of said tubes to clean the same when said shaft is revolved, substan-
tially as described.

page_text: 9. In a filter, the combination with a plurality of parallel filter tubes com-
prising hollow flat cylindrical disks having central openings and firmly mounted
within a casing, of a shaft passing longitudinally through said casing and through
said central openings in said tubes and carrying arms extending outwardly between
said tubes, and devices carried by said arms and bearing against said tubes to clean
the same when said shaft is revolved, substantially as described.
10. In a filter, the combination with a plurality of parallel filter tubes compris
ing hollow flat cylindrical disks having central openings and firmly mounted
within a casing, of a shaft passing longitudinally through said casing and through
said central openings in said tubes and carrying arms extending outwardly between
said tubes, and movable spring-actuated scrapers carried by said arms and bear-
ing against said tubes to clean the same when said shaft is revolved, substantially
as described.
11. In a filter, a casing made in two parts, a plurality of filter tubes mounted
within said casing and consisting of hollow flat cylindrical disks surrounded by
peripheral bands having nipples communicating with the outlets of said tubes
and passing through openings in said casing, means for coupling said nipples
with branches of an outlet pipe for filtered water, central openings in said tubes,
a crank shaft passing through said casing and through said central openings in
said tubes, arms on said shaft, scrapers carried by said arms and bearing against
said tubes to clean the same when said shaft is revolved, valve controlled inlet and
waste pipes for said casing, and an air outlet valve on said casing adapted to be
closed automatically by the rise of water in said casing, substantially as described.
Dated this 21st day of May A.D. 1898.
HUGO R. KUERSTEN.
ANDREW M. KNOBLE.
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.