IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING AND HEATING FEED WATER, PARTLY APPLICABLE IN THE FILTRATION OF WATER FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Andrew Bell, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Engineer, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING
AND HEATING FEED WATER, PARTLY APPLICABLE IN THE FILTRATION OF
WATER FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Andrew Bell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th February 1880.
ANDREW BELL, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING AND HEATING FEED WATER,
PARTLY APPLICABLE IN THE FILTRATION OF WATER FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention relates in the first place to the filtration of the feed water for
steam generators. In my improved filter the water is forced into two chambers,
whence it flows through filtering media to a central chamber, from which it is
conveyed to the economiser or to the steam generator. A valve or valves is or aro
connected with the inlet chamber. Return currents for cleansing the filter are
obtained by opening the said valve or valves. In one form of the apparatus a
cylinder is provided at each end with covers, in which are mounted screws which
act upon outer perforated plates. The filtering medium, say, for example, asbestos,
is interposed and compressed by means of the said screws between these plates and
inner perforated plates, between which later is a space forming the said central
chamber. This filter is suitable for filtering water for other purposes. In somo
cases I use woven asbestos. The said woven asbestos is suitable for use in filters
constructed and arranged otherwise than as aforesaid. A second part of my
Invention relates to apparatus for heating the water so filtered before the same is
passed into the steam generator, or for heating water not so filtered. I cause the
water to flow through a series of twin or U shaped pipes, which are suspended or
mounted within a flue or chamber, as in the case of ordinary fuel economisers.
The log of one pipe is connected by means of a curved connection with the leg of
another pipe in the series in such a manner as that the water has to flow from one
pipe to another throughout the whole sories. I admit the water at the end of the
range which is furthest from the fire, that is to say, I cause the water to flow
through the economiser in a direction contrary to the direction of flow of the
heated gases, so that the water leaves the range of pipes at the end which is
FD611

page_text: An
exposed to the greatest heat. The connections of the pipes being all at the ends
which are above the flue are readily accessible, and any pipe can be removed by
simply disconnecting the connecting bends. I prefer to face the flanches of the
pipes and connections, and to socure the joints by means of joint rings and bolts, so
that the parts can be quickly disconnected. Any pipe can be disconnected from
the series, and the remainder of the series be used without such pipe. I prefer to
incline the pipes from the vertical, one row of pipes across the flue being inclined in
a direction contrary to that of the next row, so that the gases flowing through the
spaces in one row are caused to impinge upon the pipes in the next row.
opening closed by means of a removable cover or "blank flanch" at the lower end
of the bend, or of each pipe in the pair facilitates the cleansing of the pipe. I
prefer to mount the pipes in a metal framing having upright columns or standards
and upper and lower cross bearers, so that the parts of the apparatus are sustained
independantly of brickwork. Scrapers are employed to remove incrustation from
the exterior surfaces of the pipes. The frame or bearer which carries the scrapers
for each row is caused to move endwise or horizontally as it rises and falls to suit
the inclination of the pipes, or the scrapers are arranged to slide or move upon the
bearer for the same reason. I prefer that the ends of the scrapers on one side shall
enter between the ends of the scrapers on the other side.
a

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Andrew Bell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th August
1880.
ANDREW BELL, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING AND HEATING FEED WATER,
PARTLY APPLICABLE IN THE FILTRATION OF WATER FOR OTHER PURPOSES."
My Invention relates in the first place to the filtration of the feed water for
steain generators. In my improved filter the water is forced into two chambers,
whence it flows through filtering media to a central chamber, from which it is
conveyed to the economiser or to the steam generator. A valve or valves is or are
connected with the inlet chambers. Return currents for cleansing the filter are
obtained by opening the said valve or valves. In a modification one of the chainbers
acts as a preparatory filter, and the valves are so arranged as that the water can
be directed to flow either through one or through both of the chambers. These
filters are suitable for filtering water for other purposes. In some cases I have
woven asbestos as a filtering medium. A second part of my Invention relates to
apparatus for heating the water so filtered before the same is passed into the steam
generator for heating water. not Bо filtered. I cause the water to flow through a
series of twin or U shaped pipes which are suspended or mounted within a flue or
chamber as in the case of ordinary fuel economisers. The leg of one pipe is
connected by means of a curved connection with the leg of another pipe in the
series in such a manner as that the water has to flow from one pipe to another
throughout the whole series. I admit the water at the end of the range which is
furthest from the fire, that is to say, I cause the water to flow through the
economiser in a direction contrary to the direction of the flow of the heated gases,
so that the water leaves the range of pipes at the end which is exposed to the greatest
heat. I prefer to incline the pipes from the vertical, one row of pipes across the
flue being inclined in a direction contrary to that of the next row, so that the gases
flowing through the spaces in one row are caused to impinge upon the pipes in the
next row. An opening closed by means of a removable cover or "blank flanch" at
the lower end of the bend or of each pipe in the pair facilitates the cleansing of the
pipe. Scrapers are employed to remove incrustation from the exterior surfaces of
the pipes. The frame or bearer which carries the scrapers for each row is caused
to move endwise or horizontally as it rises and falls to suit the inclination of the
pipes, or the scrapers are arranged to slide or move upon the bearer for the same
reason,
And in order that my Invention may be fully understood I have attached
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings marked with letters of reference, to which Drawings
I will now refer. Fig. 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a horizontal section
of a filter designed to be used in the filtration of feed water. In the said Figs. a
is a cylindrical casing which is provided with end covers a'. In the said casing
are fixed or placed two stationary grids or perforated plates b, b, which abut upon
Jedges projecting from the interior surface of the cylinder. Movable grids are
Between the
acted upon by means of screws d, d, which work in the end covers.
The said filtering
grids b and c is interposed the filtering medium indicated by e.
medium may consist of asbestos, this being the material I prefer to use, but any
other suitable medium may be employed. In some cases I use a cloth woven
entirely from asbestos yarn either as a filling material or made into envelopes
which are filled with charcoal or other filtering medium. I also use the said cloth
in connection with filters constructed otherwise than is herein indicated. The
filtering medium can be compressed or condensed to a suitable extent by turning
the scrows d. The water from the feed pump or apparatus is conveyed into the
•

page_text: breeches pipof through which the water flows to each end of the casing and
through the two filtering chambers. in the indicated directions into the contral
space between the grids b, whence the water is conveyed to the steam generator or
to the economiser as the case may be. Each end of the casing is connected by
means of a pipe g with a valve h, which in the example is ordinarily kept closed
by means of a weighted lever. The intention is that when the filtring medium
becomes so choked with deposit as to check the flow of water the said valve shall
open, and by causing a wash of water through the end spaces of the casing shall
cleanse the filter to some extent and relieve the pressure therein. At suitablo
intervals the said valve may be opened so as to cause a reversal of the currents,
the boiler pressure driving the water back again through the filter. Other suitable
valve arrangements may be adopted. The filter may be used in the filtration of
water for other purposes than the feeding of steam generators. Fig. 3 illustrates a
modification in the filtering apparatus. In this example the lower part of the
casing is charged with a coarse filtering medium c', and the upper part with a
finer medium e, the two media being separated by grids b₁ which are free to move
in the cylinder when the filtering media are compressed, the distance between the
two grids being maintained by chaplets or feet, as shewn. An upper grid c¹ is
acted upon by a screw to compress the filtering media. In order to obtain a
greater amount of compression tho said screw is acted upon by a worm and worm-
wheel. A corresponding arrangement may be applied to the screws in the filter
first described. The filters may be compressed to any degree of density corro-
sponding to the foulness of the water to be purified. The water flows in the
indicated direction. The bottom space and the space between the grids b' are
connected with valves h' which open or are opened when it is desirable to cleanse
the filter. I prefer to provide a pipe and valve i to divert the inflowing current
of water to the upper part of the filter for cleansing purposes, and a second pipe or
valve, indicated by the dotted lines j, to divert the flow into the space between
the two filtering chambers in order to cleanse the lower filter bed. The remaining
Figures illustrate the second part of my Invention. Fig. 4, drawn to a scale of
about half an inch to the foot, represents an end clovation, Fig. 5 a plan, and Fig. 6
a side elevation of a fuel economiser constructed in accordance with my Invention.
In the said Figs. h, k, are the aforesaid twin or U shaped pipes. In the
example twelve twin pipes are arranged in six rows, but the number of rows and
of pipes in each row may be varied. The upper end of the pipes are formed with
sockets or flanches, which are preferably planed or faced. Curved coupling bends L,
also formed with planed flanches, are bolted to the twin pipes. The manner in
which the pipes are coupled is indicated in Fig. 5. The water entering at m
flows through the whole of the pipes in the series in succession and leaves at n,
the heated gases, by preference, passing in the contrary direction, as indicated by
the arrows. The connection of the pipes being all at the upper end and outside of
the flue are readily accessible, and any pipe can be removed by simply discon-
necting the coupling bends from the two limbs of the pipe. Any pipe in the
series may be disconnected or removed, and the contiguous pipes so connected as
that the water can flow through all the other pipes in the series, as, for example,
supposing the third pipe in the series to be damaged, the second and fourth pipes
could be directly connected and the economiser worked without the damaged
pipe. It will be seen from Fig. 4 that each rank of pipes is inclined in alternate
directions, but I do not confine myself to this. The lower ends of the pipes rest
in sockets upon bearers which are bolted to columns o, which also carry the upper
frame or plates o¹ so that the entire apparatus can be put together without the
aid of the walls of the flue. In some cases I may dispense with the said columns
or may otherwise vary the methods of sustaining the pipes. In some or in all
cases I cast a small branch on the bottom bend of each twin pipe and bolt a
removable blank flanch thereto, as indicated at 2, to facilitate the cleansing of the
pipes. The scrapers I prefer to use are indicated by Figs. 7 and 8. The ends of
one scraper pass within the ends of another scraper and are connected therewith

page_text: The
by means of a loosely fitting pin. On each scraper is cast an inclined ring r.
scrapers aro sustained by slotted or double bars represented by 8, 8, in Figs. 9 and 10.
The said bars extend across and on each side of each row of two twin pipes, and
are supported by their ends upon bearers t, t, which are suspended by chains from
pulleys u which are fixed to the rocking shaft v. The bearers are long enough
to sustain the bars & for one half of the series, a corresponding arrangement
sustaining the bars for the other half and being suspended from the other ond of
the chains. A reversing driving motion, represented in plan by Fig. 11, actuates
the shaft v. Upon the said shaft is fixed a worm wheel with which gears a worm
which is fixed on a cross shaft w, upon which is also fixed a bevel wheel. The
said bevel-wheel is driven alternately in opposite directions by bevel pinions which
are alternately connected by a sliding clutch with the driving shaft, the said clutch
being moved by a weighted rocking lever which is acted upon by an arm on a
worm-wheel which receives motion through the worm and shaft w¹ from the said
driving shaft. In lieu of this arrangement any suitable apparatus which will
cause the two sets of scraper bearers to rise and fall alternately as is usual in the
class of apparatus may be employed. The inner surfaces of the slots in the bars s
slope towards the pipes, whereby the scrapers are caused to bear against the said
pipes. Any other suitable form and arrangement of scrapers may be substituted
for those indicated.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of my said Invention and
the manner in which I carry the same into practical effect, I would have it to be
understood that I claim,-
First. The apparatus for filtering water, substantially as set forth and indicated
herein before and in and by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The use of asbestos cloth, for the indicated purposes.
Thirdly. The fuel economiser, arranged and acting substantially as set forth and
indicated.
Fourthly. The twin or U shaped pipes, for the purpose set forth.
Fifthly. The twin pipes connected together for the flow of water throughout the
series, substantially as and for the purpose sot forth and indicated.
Sixthly. The reversed inclination of the pipes of fuel economisers, substantially
as indicated.
And, lastly. The scrapers, formed and mounted substantially as set forth and
indicated.
In witness whereof, I, tho said Andrew Bell, have hereunto set_my_hand
and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
Witness,
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
41, John Dalton Street,
Manchester,
Agent for the Patentee.
ANDREW BELL. (L.S.)