Year: 1897

page_text: I, WILLIAM DUFFIELD ROBINSON, M.D., of 2012 Mount Vernon Street, in the
City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, United States of America,
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 more particularly to that class of filters wherein the filtration
of a liquid is accomplished by causing the said liquid to pass through masses of
granular material and therein deposit its impurities.
My present invention comprises:
First. A controlling valve and suitable pipe connections comprising an auxiliary
valve, whereby the liquid may be directed through a number of said masses in
the direction for filtration, or, by the manipulation of said valve, each of the
masses in the series, may be separately cleansed by a flow of said liquid in
the reverso direction, and said impurities be automatically discharged from the
apparatus.
Second. Jet orifices for the cleansing liquid located within the said mass of
filtering material in oblique or diagonal relation to the enclosure of said mass, whereby
an upward rotary or spiral movement is imparted to said granules composing said
mass, thus accomplishing by the liquid alone the immediate disintegration and
continued turbulent agitation of said granules thus scouring off all previously
deposited impurities adhering to the individual granules, to be carried away by the
outflowing liquid.
Third. Certain details of construction of the said controlling valve hereinafter more
definitely specified and claimed.
In the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown a convenient embodiment of
my invention,
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a controlling valve, and a casing containing the said
masses of filtering material, and provided with suitable pipe connections.
Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the apparatus of Fig. 1, certain parts being
shown in elevation.
Figs. 3 to 8 are detail viows of the controlling valve indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation of said valve and its operating bandle.
Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through the front, middle and rear members
of the valve casing.
Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section through the front member of the valve casing
on the line xx, of, Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section through the front member of the valve casing
on the line yy, of Fig. 4.
Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the middle member of the valve casing.
Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the rear member of the valve casing.
Fig. 9 is a vertical central section, on a large scale, of one of the supporting
diaphragms shown in Fig. 2.

page_text: Fig. 10 is a plan view of the pan frame of the diaphragm.
Fig. 1 is a plan view of the spider frame of the diaphragm which is adapted to fit in
the said pan frame of Fig. 10.
Fig. 12 is a central vertical section on a larger scale of one of the restricted nozzle
outlets of the cleansing pipe indicated in Fig. 2.
Fig. 18 is a plan viow of the nozzle shown in Fig. 12.
Fig. 14 is a plan view of one of the cleansing pipes with its branches and nozzles.
Similar letters indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
A is the filter casing conveniently made in three sections or compartments, a, a¹, a³,
containing respective inasses of filtering material, B, B1, B³, and provided with
respective supporting diaphragms, U, O', C.
Fach of said diaphragms, see Figs. 9, 10 and 11, comprise perforated top and
bottom screens, c, c, separated by a spider frame, o, conveniently mounted in a
pan frame, c, which is supported from the casing, A, in any suitable manner.
The top screen, c, is secured upon said frame by a ring, c', and the bottom
screen, e, is supported above the bottom of the pan frame upon ribs, c', thus
giving free passage for the liquid through the remainder of the screen area. The
bottom of suid pan frame is provided with a number of openings, c, so placed as to
permit of a uniform flow of liquid throughout the area of the diaphragms.
The insertion beneath each of said masses of a relatively coarser granular material,
as indicated at Ox between the diaphragm scroons, permits the use of large
perforations in said screens, said perforations being inerely small enough to prevent
the escape of said coarse granules. The beds of coarse granules so placed afford
an effectual barrier to the passage of the superimposed finer granules, whilst
permitting an unobstructed flow of the liquid in either direction. Centrally mounted
upon the top of each of said diaphragms is a brunched cleansing pipo, D, see
Figs. 2 and 14, said pipe, D, having an unrestricted opening through the centre of
said diaphragm. The branches of said pipe terminate at different levels within the
superimposed mass of granular material, and are each provided with a cap or
nozzle, d, having a restricted opening, d, said openings extend obliquely upward
through said nozzles, the effect of such a construction of the nozzle is to induce
a rotary movement of the liquid discharged into the said mass of granular material.
The cleansing pipes, D, perform no function during the ordinary operation of
filtering, said pipes being provided with suitable check valvos, d³, which only
open in the direction for cleansing. The pipes, D, may be protected from the
inflow of the filtering material by screens, d, placed in the nozzles, as indicated
in Fig. 12.
The casing, A, is provided with five external openings which are numbered 1, 2, 3,
4 and 5, said openings are used both as outlets and inlets, during the various
operations of the apparatus, and may be provided with soreen caps, a', to prevent the
egress of the filtering material during the cleansing operation.
Five ducts lead respectively from said openings in the casing, A, to the rear
of the controlling valve, E, terminating therein in openings grouped about a ported
valve plug, F. To avoid multiplicity of reference marks, each of said ducts is
designated throughout its extent by the number of its respective opening in the
casing A.
The casing of the valve, E, is conveniently cast in three sections secured together
by screws, e. The rear section, el, see Fig. 8, is provided with two ducts in addition
to the five already mentioned, the one marked W is a liquid supply inlet, the other
marked S, is a drain ontlet for dirty water. Said rear section, e', is suitably
chambered in its front side to communicate with nine orifices in the rear side of the
middle section, e³, which is also suitably chambered in its front side, see Fig. 7, to
communicate with twelve openings grouped in two zones of six each about the
chamber containing the valve plug, F, in the front section, e. The plug, I, is
provided with a rear port, f, adapted to register with the six alternato openings
which terminute in said rear zone, as shown in Fig. 6; und indicated by the dotted
lines of Fig. 4. The front port, f, in said plug, F, is adapted to register with the

page_text: 111
Bix ternate openings which tornato
Figs. 4 and 5.
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45
The said ports,, are each adapted to connect two adjoining openings in their
respective zones, their relative circumferential position is shown in Fig. 5, and their
position relative to the valve operating handle, G, is indicated in said fig. by the dot
and dash line.
A handle lug or stem, /, upon the plug, F, extends through the cap plate, c', said
lug is irrogularly shaped to fit a corresponding opening in the operating handle, G.
so that said handle, which is convoniently removable, cannot be wrongly placed on
said lug. An index, y, on said handle is adapted to traverse the front face of the cap
plate, e, which is graduated into six parts and tho affect upon the apparatus and its
operation when the plug, F, is rotated by the handle, G, into said respective positions
is indicated by the following inscriptions upon said plate, e: "Full filtored
wator,"
""Wash top bed," "Wash middle bed," "Wash bottom bod,” “All water
off," and "All off."
In the two positions of valve plug, F, indicated respectively by "All water off,"
and "All off," all communication through valve, E, is shut off."
To facilitate tho accurate manipulation of the valve handle, G, six sockets are
provided in said cap plate, e, and a romuovable stop pin, es, adaptod to fit said sockets
is conveniently chained to the valve casing, said stop pin is inserted in the socket
corresponding with the desired position of the valve plug, F, and the valve handle, G,
is then rotated into contact with it, as shown in Fig. 3.
The embodiment of my invention which I have illustrated is adapted to filter water
received through the supply inlet W. In the several views of the apparatus the
controlling valve, E, is in the normal position, in which "Full filtered water" is
delivered, as indicated by the dial of Fig. 3.
By reference to Figs. 2, 5 and 6, it may be seen that in said position of the valve
the water is directed from the supply inlet, W, by the port, ƒ, in the plug, F, to the
duct, 1, leading into the casing, A, at the top of the compartment, a; passing thence
down through tho mass, B, diaphragm, C, mass, B', and diaphragm, C', then out
through the duct, 3, from the compartment, a', to the valve, by the port, f, in the
plug, F, to the duct, 4, leading into the casing, A, at the top of the compartment, a³,
thence down through the mass, B, and diaphragm, C, out through the duct, 5,
in the bottom of the compartment, a², to tho delivery pipe, H, loading from the
apparatus.
I will now describe the operation of separately cleansing the mass of filtering
material in the lower compartment, a³, of the casing, A.
The stop pin, e, is placed in the proper socket in the cap plate, e, and the
handle, G, is rotated until its index g, points to the inscription, Wash bottom bed."
In said position tho water is directod from the supply inlot, W, by the port, f, in the
plug, F, to the duct, 1, leading into the top of the compartment, a, passing thence
down through the mass, B, diaphragm, C, the mass, B, and the diaphragm, O',
thence out through the duct, 3, in the compartment, a', to the valve, by the port, f¹,
to the duct, 5, leading to the bottom of the compartment, a', and also to tho delivery
pipe, H, thus the pressure is maintained in the delivery pipe, H, whilst said water is
directed through the duct, 5, into the compartiment, a'. The double course of tho
water, just described is made possible by reason of the partition which separates the
compartment a from the upper compartment a' as shown in section in Fig. 2.
The water, admitted through duct, 5, has access to the ten small boles, cº, in
the bottom of the pan frame, c, and also to the cleansing pipe, D, the check valve, d³,
opening freely by upward pressure, tho said pipe, D, with its brunch outlets near the
top of the mass, B', offers less resistance to the passage of the cleansing water than
the said holes, c, which have a greator dopth of overlying material. The said water
first finding an outlet from the upper branch of said pipe, D, because of the slight
depth of material overlying it, instantly breaks up the overlying mass of granules
with a whirling movement that is quickly imparted to the whole upper strata of
granules. The next lower nozzle, d, relieved of a portion of resistance, begins to

page_text: operate, likewise the third and lowest nozzlo, d, is permitted to operate. The water
then forces its way in vertical jets through the ten holes, c, in the pan frame. Owing
to the fact that the aggregate area of said holes is only equal to the area of the
supply inlet there is no substantial diminution in its force when said supply is divided
into the said ten jets. The effect of the continuous turbulent agitation of the whole
mass of granules, which is thus produced, is to thoroughly scour each granule. The
impurities thus rubbed off are carried by the water thenco through the screen.cap, a',
of the duct, 4, which prevents the egress of the granules, said dirty water passing
through the lower portion of the duct, 4, through the open valve, , and thence out
through the drain duct, S. The auxiliary valvo, s, remains closed, except during the
above described operation of washing the bottom bed.
In the position of the valvo indicated by "Wash top bed," the water entering the
valve, E, by the duct, W, is directed through the duct, 2, thenco through the top bed
in compartment, a, out through duct, 1, to valve, E, and thence, laden with the
impurities washed from the filtering material, passed into duct, S, and away.
In the position of the valve indicated by "Wash middle bed," the water entering
the valve, E. by the duct, W, is directed through the duct, 3, thence through the
middle bed in compartment, a', out through duct, 2, to valve, E, and thence to
duct, S, and away. Of course in both positions of the valve last described, tho.
duct, 4, is closed at valvo, E, as are all of the ducts whon not in use. The
filtered water in duct, 4, is thus suparated from the dirty wash water passing.
through valve, E.
It is obvious that the ducts leading into valve, E, may enter either of the throe.
sections of said valve. I thereforo do not desire to limit myself to the precise form of
said valve which I have shown and desoribed.
•
I do not desire to limit myself to a series of threo masses, nor to the precise
arrangement of said masses which I havo illustrated, as it is obvious that many
changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the samo is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In a filter, a serios of threo compartments, a controlling valve, provided with a
liquid supply inlet, and a drain outlet for dirty liquid, in addition to ducts connecting
each of said compartments with said valvo, the relation of said members being such
that the filtered liquid in the last compartment of the series, in communication with
the delivery pipe leading from the filter, may be shut off from the supply of unfiltered
liquid, and said liquid be simultaneously diverted from its normal course, to cleanso
either of the other compartments of the series, and thence directed to the outlet for
dirty liquid, substantially as set forth.
"
2. In a filter, a series of three compartments, a controlling valve, provided with o
liquid supply inlet and a drain pipe, an auxiliary valve for said drain pipe, and
ducts connecting each of said compartments with said controlling valvo, the relation
of said members being such that by the manipulation of said controlling valvo,
the liquid filtered through the first two compartments may be reversely directed to
cleanse the third compartment and by the manipulation of said auxiliary valvo, bo
discharged into the said drain pipo, during the continuous delivery of pure filtered
liquid from the apparatus, substantially as set forth.
3. In a valve, a casing having a plurality of external orifices, a valve plug
chamber, a plurality of ports opening into said chamber, a plug fittod to rotate
in said chamber and provided with a port, adapted to register with said chamber
ports, a plane member of the valve casing adapted to permanently connect a pro-
determined pair of said chamber ports, by a passage way in said plano casing member,
substantially as set forth.
4. In a valve, a casing having soven external orifices, a plug chamber, twelve
ports opening into said plug chamber, a. plug fitted to rotate. in. said chamber and,
provided with two ports, adapted to register with said chamber ports,-two plane

page_text: members of said casing each adapted to permanently connect predetermined pairs
of said chamber ports by passage ways in said plane members of the casing,
substantially as set forth.
DAL O
1000