Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of Water, or other Liquids, with Powdered Materials.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of Water, or other
Liquids, with Powdered Materials.
We, MAIGNENS FILTRE RAPIDE AND ANTI-CALCAIRE COMPANY, LIMITED, Filter
Manufacturers, and ALFRED ARTHUR ELLIS, Engineer, both of 255 Regent Street,
London, W. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to the treatment of water or other liquids by a uniform or
proportional supply of fine powder, such as is the case in the softening of hard water,
and it consists of improvements in apparatus applied to such purposes whereby a
regular and controllable supply of a powdered substance can be automatically given
to the water and liquid to be treated by the action of and in proportion to the amount
of the said water or liquid.
Apparatus is already known whereby an overshot water wheel or other water motor
may be utilized to discharge a fine powder into a receptacle of the water or liquid to
be treated, but in as much as the charge or store of powder to be used for treatment
if only recharged at considerable intervals varies much in amount and consequent
density of packing during such intervals, the resistance of discharge is not constant
and the velocity of the water wheel or motor is apt to vary largely.
It is to avoid this irregularity of feed that the present improved apparatus has
been designed.
The rotation of such a water wheel or other water motor is utilized to stir and eject
a suitable amount of the desired powdered substance charged into one or more
canisters or hoppers adjoining the said water wheel or motor and fitted with stirring
blades operated by the said water wheel or motor and ejecting the powder from
suitable orifices in the said canisters or hoppers which orifices are also controlled and
regulated as to size by adjustable doors or shutters.
Where one orifice of ejection is used alone it is obvious that as the level of the
powder in its hopper or canister falls, the resistance to the stirring and ejecting
blades decreases and the velocity of the water wheel will increase with less water
passing thereover and the ratio of the supply of powder to that of the liquid passing
will also increase unless constantly controlled and readjusted by an attendant.
To avoid this constant attention, in this improved apparatus a series of ejecting
orifices are provided at various levels in the said canisters or hoppers each with its
appropriate stirring and ejecting blade.
When then the hopper or canister is full and the speed of the water motor is at its
lowest owing to maxiinum resistance, the delivery of the powder takes place simul-
taneously from many orifices at different heights. As the level of the powder falls
through use and the resistance to the water motor is thereby decreased and the speed
of rotation increased, the ejection of the powder from one or more of the upper
orifices ceases owing to the fall of the level of the powder below such orifices.
By a proper adjustment of the sizes of such ejecting orifices the amount of powder

page_text: actually ejected may be made to be exactly and automatically proportioned to the
quantity of water passing over the water wheel without further attention until the
powder is exhausted.
Where two or more canisters are employed various powders of different chemical
properties may be used one in either canister and their respective feeds of such powders 5
inay be adjusted independently of one another as may be desired.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Treatment of Water, or other
Liquids, with Powdered Materials.
We, MAIGNENS FILTRE RAPIDE AND ANTI-CALCAIRE COMPANY LIMITED, Filter
Manufacturers, and ALFRED. ARTHUR ELLIS Engineer, both of 255 Regent Street
London W. 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 the treatment of water or other liquids by a uniform or
proportional supply of fine powder such as is the case in the softening of hard water,
and it consists of improvements in apparatus applied to such purposes, whereby a
regular and controllable supply of a powdered substance can be automatically given
to the water and liquid to be treated by the action of and in proportion to the amount
of the said water or liquid.
Apparatus is already known whereby an overshot water wheel or other water motor
may be utilized to discharge a fine powder into a receptacle of the water or liquid to
be treated, but inasmuch as the charge or store of powder to be used for treatment
(if only recharged at considerable intervals) varies much in amount and consequent
density of packing, during such intervals the resistance of discharge is not constant,
and the velocity of the water wheel or motor apt to vary largely.
It is to avoid this irregularity of feed that the present improved apparatus has a
been designed.
The rotation of such a water wheel or other water motor is utilized to stir and eject
a suitable amount of the desired powdered substance, charged into one or more
canisters or hoppers adjoining the said water wheel or motor, and fitted with stirring
blades operated by the said water wheel or motor, and ejecting the powder from
suitable orifices in the said canisters or hoppers, which orifices are also controlled and
regulated as to size by adjustable doors or shutters.
Where one orifice of ejection is used alone, it is obvious that as the level of the
powder, in its hopper or canister falls the resistance to the stirring and ejecting blades
decreases, and the velocity of the water wheel will increase with less water passing 4
thereover, and the ratio of the supply of powder to that of the liquid passing will also
increase unless constantly controlled and readjusted by an attendant.
To avoid this constant attention, in this improved apparatus a series of ejecting
orifices are provided at various levels in the said canisters or hoppers, each with its
appropriate stirring and ejecting blade.

page_text: When then the hopper or canister is full, and the speed of the water motor is at its
lowest, owing to maximum resistance, the delivery of the powder takes place simul-
taneously from many orifices at different heights. As the level of the powder falls
through use, and the resistance to the water motor is thereby decreased, and the speed
of rotation increased, the ejection of the powder from one or more of the upper orifices
ceases owing to the fall of the level of the powder below such orifices.
By a proper adjustment of the sizes of such ejecting orifices, the amount of powder
actually ejected may be made to be exactly and automatically proportioned to the
quantity of water passing over the water wheel, without further attention, until the
powder is exhausted.
Where two or more canisters are employed various powders of different chemical
properties may be used, one in either canister, and their respective feeds of such
powders may be adjusted independently of one another as may be desired. And in
order that this invention may be the better understood we now proceed to describe
the same with reference to the drawings hereto annexed and to the letters and figures
marked thereon.
The drawing shows a part sectional elevation through an over shot water wheel
operating two feed canisters, one in section, and the other in outside elevation.
The apparatus is mounted on a bridge A of a tank B or other receptacle for the
water or liquid to be treated.
A constant supply of water or liquid is admitted over the overshot water wheel C,
which being a known mechanism for a similar purpose, is not more particularly
described.
The wheel C being caused to rotate by the passing of the water or liquid thereover,
delivers the said water or liquid to the tank or receptacle B. and at the same
time operates the vertical ejector spindles D. D. within the canisters F. F. by the
bevel cog wheels E. E.
The canisters F. F. are supplied with the fine powder or various powders, one in
each canister, with which it is desired to treat the water or liquid.
Various orifices G. G. with finely adjustable shutter doors H. H. are provided at
different heights in the sides of the canisters, and the vertical ejector spindles D. D.
are provided with an ejector arm or arms K. K. at the level of each orifice.
When the canisters are full of powder, and the resistance to the rotation of the
water wheel C is great, so that a considerable body of water or liquid is passing
over it at a slow speed, all or any number of the orifices G may be opened to
any required extent, so that a considerable ejection of the powder, proportionate
to the quantity of water or liquid passing, is ejected.
As the level of the powder in the canisters F falls, and the resistance to the
rotation of the wheel or water motor C diminishes in the same proportion, the number
of orifices effective for the delivery of the powder also diminishes by the fall of the
level of the powder, and the feed of powder can be thus maintained in proper ratio
to the quantity of liquid or water passing over the wheel.
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:-
1st. In automatic apparatus for the treatment of water or other liquids with
powdered material, the arrangement in the powder supply canisters of orifices of
ejection at various levels, with means for the adjustment of the size of the orifices,
and means for the ejection of powder therefrom, operated by a water wheel or motor,
to automatically proportion the feed of powder to the quantity of water or liquid
passing over or through the said operative water-wheel or motor.
2nd. In automatic apparatus for the treatment of water or other liquids with
powdered material, the combination with a water wheel or motor, of a canister or
canisters adapted to contain a store of powdered material; rotating spindles and
ejecting arms fitted therein, operated by the said water wheel or motor; orifices at

page_text: various levels in the sides of said canisters; and screw-regulated shutter doors,
adapted to said orifices, substantially as and for the purposes described.
Dated this 18th day of June 1897.
FELL & JAMES,
1 Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.