An Improved Filtering Machine.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 5th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 9th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Filtering Machine.
I, JOHN MOTTRAM SMALES Engineer of Leavesden, King's Langley Hertford-
shire do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention consists of a double cylinder that is to say one cylinder within
another leaving an annular space which is closed at each end. The periphery of
the outer cylinder is plain or solid for a short distance against each end the inter-
vening distance being for the most part freely perforated or formed in any manner
that will act as a support for a filtering material but allow the filtered liquid to
pass to the annular space. The said annular space is divided into any desired
number of separate longitudinal compartments and where the material forming the
divisions comes in contact with the periphery of the outer cylinder, there are no
perforations.
The double cylinder is intended to revolve and has an axle one end of which is
formed into a circular hollow chamber which is divided into the same number of
compartments that there are in the annular space. Each compartment in the
annular space is connected by a tube to a corresponding compartment in the
chamber which revolves with the double cylinder.
Each compartment in the chamber has a separate outlet or port discharging into
a circular central space. In this circular space there is a stationary pipe which
both acts as an internal bearing and a receiving pipe for filtered water.
This pipe
is so constructed that it blocks or shuts off one or more of the ports which are at
the top of the chamber but leaves all the rest open. When the nature of the liquid
to be filtered or other cause renders an external bearing necessary the chamber
terminates with a vertical face so formed as to present a separate outlet or port for
and in connection with each compartment the said ports radiating from the centre.
The receiving pipe has a vertical face formed to press against the face of the
chamber and is of sufficiently large diameter to leave the ports clear excepting one
or more at the top which are always closed or shut off by means of a solid piece
provided for this purpose at the top of the face of the receiving pipe. By either
of these arrangements communication is shut off between the receiving pipe and
the one or more compartments in the double cylinder which happen to be at or
near the top as it revolves.
The double cylinder with the tubes connecting it to the axle and central chamber
form a filter which is placed and revolves in a cistern or other receptacle for the
unfiltered liquid. The central chamber can be extended so as to pass through a
stuffing box in the side of the cistern and then be fitted to the receiving pipe in
either of the ways herein described or they may be fitted together inside the cistern
and the stuffing box dispensed with. There may be a similar central chamber and
receiving pipe at each end of the axle if desired.
An endless band of any desired filtering material of the same or nearly the same
width as the periphery of the double cylinder but of greater length than the
circumference passes round it and by means of rollers is so arranged that it does
not meet at the top but is led off for the purpose of being cleaned and then
returns to the periphery close to that point where it left it. The double cylinder
with its central axle and chamber is always revolving slowly and the filtering
material travels with it.
The liquid to be filtered is not deep enough to reach that portion of the periphery
of the double cylinder which is not covered by the filtering material. The liquid
filters through the filtering material into all those compartments in the double

page_text: cylinder which are under the liquid, and passes through the tubes to the corre-
sponding compartments in the central chamber and through those ports which are
open into the receiving pipe.
By the arrangements herein described communication between the receiving pipe
and the compartment or compartments in that portion of the annular space which
is above the level of the infiltered liquid is shut off and more or less vacuum
can be maintained in the remaining compartments so as to draw more water
through the filtering material than can be obtained without the aid of a vacuum.
Το prevent or reduce the accumulation of air or to regulate the flow of the
filtered liquid a valve may be fitted in each compartment in the double cylinder
or a tap may be fitted in each tube and such valve or tap arranged to act
automatically.
The double cylinder instead of being a true circle may be of polygon shape
without departing from the principle of my invention.
Dated this 7th day of February 1801
JOHN MOTTRAM SMALES.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Filtering Machine.
I, JOHN MOTTRAM SMALES Engineer, St. Pancras Schools, Leavesden, Herts
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 consists of a double cylinder that is to say one cylinder within
another leaving an annular space which is closed at each end. The periphery of
the outer cylinder is plain or solid for a short distance against each end, the inter-
vening distance being for the most part freely perforated or formed in any manner
that will act as a support for a filtering material but allow the filtered liquid to
pass to the annular space. The said annular space is divided into any desired
number of separate longitudinal compartments and where the material forming
the divisions comes in contact with the periphery of the outer cylinder there are no
perforations. Or the outer cylinder may be constructed in the manner described
but each longitudinal compartment may take the form of a channel with two sides
inclining to the periphery and where the inclining sides join the periphery the
latter is not perforated. This arrangement is the equivalent of a double cylinder
but affords less space for the accumulation of air in each compartment as it rises,
when the cylinder is revolving, above the level of the liquid to be filtered.
The double cylinder or its equivalent is intended to revolve and has a hollow
axle at one end of which there is the same number of compartments radiating
from the centre that there are longitudinal compartments in the double cylinder.
Each longitudinal compartment is connected by a tube or any convenient form of
conduit to a corresponding compartment in the axle and may be compared to
hollow spokes of a wheel. The axle and the double cylinder therefore necessarily
revolve together.
Each compartment in the axle has a separate outlet or port discharging into a
circular central space. In this circular central space there is a stationary pipe
which both acts as an internal bearing and a receiving pipe for filtered water. This
pipe is so constructed that it blocks or shuts off one or more of the ports which
are at or near the top of the axle but leaves all the rest open.
When the nature of the liquid to be filtered or other cause renders an external
bearing desirable the axle is constructed with a series of separate horizontal
compartments each one being connected to a corresponding longitudinal com-
partment by means of a tube in the manner already described. The axle
terminates with a vertical face so formed as to present a separate outlet or port
for each horizontal compartment the said ports radiating from the centre.
The

page_text: receiving pipe has a vertical face which presses against the vertical face of the
axle, forms a water tight joint and blocks or shuts off one or more of the ports
which are at or near the top of the axle but leaves the rest open.
Either of the above described arrangements has the effect of automatically
shutting off communication between the receiving pipe and one or more of the
longitudinal compartments in the double cylinder or its equivalent which happen
to be at or near the top as it is revolving so that more or less vacuum can be
maintained in the remaining ones. The object is by means of the vacuum to bring
pressure to bear upon the filtering material which surrounds the periphery of the
outer cylinder and thus obtain a larger flow of filtered liquid than would be the
case without the aid of a vacuum.
The double cylinder or its equivalent with the tubes or other means of con-
necting the longitudinal compartments with the compartments in the axle, form a
filter which is placed and revolves in a cistern or other receptacle for the liquid to
be filtered. The axle can be extended so as to pass through a stuffing box fitted
to the cistern and then be attached to the receiving pipe or this may be effected
inside the cistern & the stuffing box dispensed with. There may be an axle
with the appurtenances herein described at each end of the double cylinder or its
equivalent, if desired.
An endless band of filtering material of the same or nearly the same width as
that of the double cylinder, but of greater length than the circumference nearly
surrounds it and by means of rollers is so arranged that it does not meet at the
top but is led off for the purpose of being cleaned and then returns close to that
point at which it was led off. As the double cylinder or its equivalent revolves
the filtering material travels with it.
The "water-line" or highest point that the liquid to be filtered can reach, is
kept below that portion of the periphery of the double cylinder or its equivalent
which is not covered by the filtering material. The liquid filters through the
material into all those compartments in the double cylinder which are under the
liquid, passes through the tubes to the corresponding compartments in the axle
and through those ports which are open, into the receiving pipe.
To prevent or reduce the accumulation of air or to regulate the flow of the
filtered liquid a valve may be fitted in each longitudinal compartment in the
double cylinder or a tap may be fitted in each tube and such valve or tap arranged
to act automatically.
The double cylinder or its equivalent instead of being a true circle may be of
polygon shape without departing from the principle of my invention
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a filter constructed in accordance with my invention
mounted in a cistern, a portion of the endless band of filtering material being led
off to an adjoining washing machine which it passes through for the purpose of
being cleaned.
In all the remaining drawings the endless band of filtering inaterial is omitted.
Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section on line ab of Fig. 4 showing the arrangement
of tubes or conduits between the double cylinder and the axle and also showing the
compartments in the latter radiating from the centre.
This
Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section on line de of Fig. 4 showing one cylinder within
another with the divisions which form the longitudinal compartments.
drawing also shows that where the dividing pieces come in contact with the outer
cylinder the latter is not perforated, but is so at the intervening parts.
Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on line of Figs. 1, 2, 3, showing the general
arrangement of the double cylinder, two of the tubes or conduits which communicate
with the axle, the horizontal compartments in the latter terminating at the vertical
face which works against the face of the receiving pipe..
Fig. 5 is an elevation of the face of the receiving pipe which works against the

page_text: vertical face of the axle, and showing the solid part at the top which blocks or
shuts off one or more of those ports which happen to be at or near the top.
Figs. 6 & 7 are respectively cross and longitudinal sections showing a filter
constructed in accordance with the principle of my invention, but the longitudinal
compartiments are formed by means of inclined sides thus forming the equivalent
of an inner cylinder and divisions as shown in the preceding figures. Figs. 6 & 7
also show an axle with a central chamber from which the same number of com-
partments radiate that there are longitudinal divisions in the equivalent of the
double cylinder. Each division communicates by means of a tube or conduit with
a corresponding compartment in the axle. The axle is supported by & revolves
upon a receiving pipe which both acts as an internal bearing and is so formed as
to block or shut off certain ports or compartments which are at or near the top
of the axle.
Similar letters of reference denote similar or corresponding parts in each
figure.
A is a cylinder which is plain or solid for a short distance against each end but
the intervening distance from A to A¹ (Figs. 4 and 7) is freely perforated so as to
support the filtering material but allow the filtered liquid to pass through. B is a
second cylinder within the aforesaid cylinder A and is not perforated. The
ends BB' are closed thus forming an annular space C for the reception of the
filtered liquid.
The annular space C is divided into any desired number of separate longi-
tudinal compartments by the dividing pieces D, and where these come in contact
with the cylinder A it is not perforated, but the intervening space is as shown in
Fig. 3.
The filtered liquid is withdrawn from the longitudinal compartments by the tubes
or conduits E which are connected to the axle F each tube discharging into a
separate compartment F1 (Figs. 2 & 4) the latter discharging through the ports in
the vertical face of the axle into the receiving pipe G. The double cylinder A, B
the tubes E and axle F form a filter which may be placed in a cistern H the axle
passing through a stuffing box. Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 show such an arrangement, the
vertical face of the axle F working against the vertical face of the receiving
pipe G. The upper part of this pipe is solid as shown in Fig. 5 so as to block
or shut off certain ports at or near the top of the axle. The said pipe is
stationary but the face is held against the face of the axle with sufficient force
to allow the latter to revolve at the same time that the two faces form a
watertight joint.
This may be effected in various ways a convenient form being shown in Fig. 4
which consists of a stud secured to the centre of the axle and extending through
the receiving pipe & fitted at the end with a spring and nut & locknut, these being
enclosed by a small chamber G³.
Figs. 6 and 7 show a cylinder A similar to that in Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 4 but the
longitudinal compartments are formed by inclined sides B and may be termed
the equivalent of a double cylinder. Where the inclined sides B¹ join the
periphery of the cylinder A the latter is solid but the intervening spaces are freely
perforated as shown in Fig. 3.
Figs. 6 and 7 also show the tubes or conduits E communicating with a series of
compartments F" which terminate in a central circular chamber in the axle F.
Inside this axle is shown the stationary receiving pipe G" the upper part of which
is of the same diameter outside as the inside of the chamber F and therefore blocks
or shuts off one or more of the compartments or ports F" which are at or near the
top of the said chamber, but the rest of the circumference of the pipe is of smaller
diameter than the said chamber and has slots G to allow the filtered liquid to
escape from the remaining ports into the receiving pipe whence it is conveyed to
the outside of the cistern.
The axle and receiving pipe shown in Figs. 6 and 7 may be employed in connec-
tion with the double cylinder shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and similarly that shown in

page_text: the latter figures, may be employed with Nos. 6 & 7. And either form of receiving
pipe may be constructed with one or more divisions to yield or form separate
outlets from certain ports, if desired.
The general working of this filter is as follows.
An endless band of filtering material I of the same width as the cylinder A. but
of greater length than the circumference is caused to pass on to the cylinder by
the roller K, travels with the cylinder until nearing the highest part when it is led
off as shown in Fig. 1 by the roller K¹. It continues to travel & passing over
roller K" descends into any convenient washing machine L. It travels through
this, emerging in a clean state and passing over the roller K is conducted to
the roller K where it started.
The double cylinder A B or its equivalent with the tubes E and axle F are
always revolving and the endless band of filtering material I travels with the
cylinder A. The liquid to be filtered is contained in the cistern H & filters
through that portion of the endless band of filtering material which is surrounding
the cylinder A whilst they are travelling together. The speed may be so regulated
that the filtering material is practically choked with matter arrested during the
time that is occupied by a given point of the cloth being led on to the cylinder by
the roller K, and leaving it when coming again near the top as shown in
Fig. 1. By this arrangement filtering & cleaning are always proceeding without
interruption.
The requisite motion is imparted by gearing. A convenient arrangement is
shown in Fig. 1 in which pulleys M are mounted on a shaft M'. This actuates
a worm N which gears into a spur wheel O which is secured to the axle F.
Figure 7 a spur ring O₁ is shown attached to the end of the cylinder A and to
which power may be imparted in any convenient manner.
In
A shaft may be attached to the axle & extended to the opposite end of the
cylinder if desired as shown in Fig. 7.
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:
1. A double cylinder that is to say one within another forming an annular space
closed at the ends and divided into longitudinal compartments. Or the equivalent
of such double cylinder forming a series of longitudinal compartiments with a
convenient form of channel for the passage of the filtered liquid and each of the
said longitudinal compartments communicating by means of a tube or any convenient
form of conduit with an axle.
2. An axle having the same number of compartments that there are in the
double cylinder or its equivalent such compartments in the axle terminating in
ports for the discharge of the filtered liquid substantially in the manner herein
described.
3. A receiving pipe or pipes of the construction shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, 7 so
designed as to automatically block or shut off certain of the aforesaid ports whilst
the filter is revolving and filtering is proceeding, so that more or less vacuum can
be maintained on a certain portion of the filtering area.
4. The general arrangement of a machine constructed substantially in the
manuer herein described and shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 whether used for
filtering liquids or for other purpose or purposes.
Dated this 5th day of December 1891
JOHN MOTTRAM SMALES.