Improvements in Apparatus for Filtering, Purifying, and Impregnating Air.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Filtering, Purifying, and
Impregnating Air.
I, DAVID GROVE, of No. 24 Friedrich Strasse, Berlin, Germany Sanitary Engineer,
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:-
My invention relates to improvements in air filters or apparatus for filtering or
purifying and impregnating the air and removing all dust, particles of soot, smoke
and other matters deleterious to health. According to my invention the air is
compelled to pass between strips of fabric of any desired fineness or coarseness,
which are constantly kept in moist or wet condition and is held taut between
angular frames so that each strip of fabric forms in its width a right angle.
Through this arrangement of the strips of fabric any desired number of rectangular
passages are formed between the partitions of damp fabric so that the air enters
the said passages, flows for the one half of its way in the filter in the same,
deposits a part of the dust and other extraneous matter suspended in the same,
and then impinges against the second half of the petition of wet fabric, passes
along the same, deposits the remaining particles of extraneous matter still suspended
in the same and leaves the apparatus at the opposite side, not only perfectly free
from all dust and other extraneous matter, but also impregnated with moisture in
any desired degree.
Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawing represents a part of my improved apparatus in
elevation.
Fig. 2 is a vertical section of Fig. 1, one of the filtering partitions in side view.
Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line A-B in Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the rectangular partitions shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 represents one of the rails for carrying the rectangular frames and strips of
fabric.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the rectangular frames.

page_text: The main frame a carries at its upper end a trough like water receptacle 6 in which
a rod or shaft c is fixed. The ends of the strips of fabric d of good conducting
material are fixed to the rod and the fabric led over the rounded edge b' of the
reservoir or water receptacle 6 from thence between the rails e, e¹ which carry the
rectangular frames over which the wet fabric is laid and kept taut and in proper
form. The lower end of each strip of fabric d is fixed to the rod h in the water
reservoir g, Figs. 1 and 2, and is kept stretched.
The water in the upper vessel b, which is provided with a swimmer valve for
regulating the water supply, is kept at such a level that it just reaches the bent
edge of the vessel b.
The water in the fabric d is supplied in minimuin quantity, partly by capillary
attraction and partly by water running over the edge 6 of the upper reservoir b so
that the said fabrics are equally damp over their entire length. The superfluous
water flows into the lower vessel g and carries with it the impurities separated out
of the air and caught up by the rows of fabric from whence the impurities are
led off.
The rails e, e arranged in the main frame a are provided with recesses for receiving
the rectangular frames f, which are also recessed so that the recesses of the one fit
into the recesses of the other so as to assure a firm hold. The rectangular frames f
between which the strips of fabric d are arranged are provided with teeth f¹ which
gear into the meshes of the fabric and prevent the same from getting out of place.
The distance between the strips of fabric can be regulated at will by means of the
rectangular frames f.
As afore-mentioned the air is not only freed from dust and all other extraneous and
deleterious matter, but is also impregnated with moisture so that the same can not
only be employed in hygienic interest in factories, hospitals or schools but in any
place where pure moist air is considered necessary.
as to also
If desired antiseptic preparations can be mixed with the water so
disinfect the rooms into which the purified air is fed or the water can be mixed
with perfumes for slightly perfuming the air.
The enormous importance of my invention not only for hospitals but for living
rooms in hot weather and especially in tropical and other hot climes will be evident
to all persons versed in sanitary engineering.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact form of the.
frames as these can be modified in many ways without departing from the nature of
my invention.
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
An apparatus for filtering, purifying and impregnating air with moisture in which
the filtering surfaces are made of fabric stretched over appropriate frames and
arranged to dip into water reservoirs at each end, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth and shown on the drawings.
Dated this 26th day of November 1888.

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