Improvements in the Construction of Filtering Beds.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th Sept., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Filtering Beds.
I, THOMAS COSHAM, of Portland House, Bowbridge Road, Newark-on-Trent,
in the County of Nottingham, Builder and Sanitary Specialist, do hereby declare
the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the construction of
filtering, beds, for filtering water, sewage, or other fluids or semi-fluids.
My invention consists of a series of tanks divided by walls, and fitted with raised
perforated floors. The walls are so arranged that the flow takes place, from one
tank to the other, alternately above and below the division walls, and also above
and below the perforated floors.
The walls arranged to allow the sewage, or other fluid to pass underneath, are
provided with chambers leading from the lower passages to the top, which I intend
to call "flocculent chambers" through which sediment, deposit, or other heavy
matters may be pumped, and whereby the lower chambers may be kept clear of
obstructive matter.
The perforated floors are covered with suitable filtering materials, commencing
with coarse materials, such as broken bricks, tiles, scraps of iron and other metal,
coarse gravel and the like; each floor in succession being covered with finer
material, such as fine gravel, sand of various degrees of fineness, charcoal and
the like.
The heavy materials collect in the lower chambers, underneath the perforated
floors, and the fluids pass onwards, until they are effectually cleansed and fit
for use.
The number of tanks in a series depends upon the nature of the fluids to be
treated and the amount of purity required in the effluent fluids after filtration.
Dated 15th M. 1901
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Filtering Beds.
I, THOMAS COSHAM, of Portland House, Bowbridge Road, Newark-on-Trent,
in the County of Nottingham, Builder and Sanitary Specialist, do hereby declare
the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in the construction of
filtering beds, for filtering water, sewage, or other fluids or semi-fluids.
My invention consists of a series of tanks, divided by walls, and fitted with raised
perforated floors. The walls are so arranged that the flow takes place, from one
tank to the other, alternately above and below the division walls, and also above
and below the perforated floors. The walls arranged to allow the sewage, or other
fluid to pass underneath, are provided with chambers leading from the lower
passages to the top, which I intend to call "flocculent chambers," through which
sediment, deposit, or other heavy matters may be pumped, and whereby the lower
chambers may be kept clear of obstructive matter.
The perforated floors are covered with suitable non-corrosive filtering materials,

page_text: commencing with coarse materials, such as broken bricks, tiles, scraps of iron and
other metal, coarse gravel and the like; each floor in succession being covered
with finer material, such as fine gravel, sand of various degrees of fineness, charcoal
and the like.
The heavy materials collect in the lower chambers, underneath the perforated
floors, and the fluids pass onwards, until they are effectually cleansed and fit
for use.
The number of tanks in a series depends upon the nature of the fluids to be
treated, and degree of purity required in the effluent fluids after filtration.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and
ascertained, reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which
similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation, showing a set of filtering tanks constructed
according to my invention; the section being drawn on the line 3-4 of Fig. 2 ;
and Fig. 2 is a plan of the same.
In the drawings a double set of tanks is shown. 5, 5, are the inlet pipes for
the foul water or sewage, and 6, 6, are the outlet pipes for the effluent water.
The tanks 7, 9 and 11 are descending tanks, and 8, 10, and 12 are ascending tanks,
all being surrounded by suitable walls; the division walls having arched openings
to permit the flow of the fluids, as indicated by the arrows.
The tanks 7 are filled with coarse materials, such as broken bricks, scraps of
iron and other metal, stones, coarse gravel, and the like. The tanks 9 and 11 are
filled with materials of a less coarse description; and the tanks 8, 10, and 12, are
filled with finer materials as above described. Each tank is fitted with a perforated
floor, as shown in Fig. 1. Flocculent chambers 13, 14, and 15, are formed under
each pair of tanks, and sumps 16, 17 and 18 are formed below the level of the
chambers, for pumping purposes. The whole is built upon a concrete foundation,
as shown.
The sewage or other matters entering by the pipes 5, pass downwards through
the tanks 7, to the chambers 13. From thence they pass upwards, somewhat.
purified, through the material in the tanks 8; then down through the tanks 9 and
the chamber 14 up through the tanks 10, and in like manner through the tanks 11,
chamber 15, and tanks 12 to the outlet pipes 6. The shafts 19, 20, 21, leading to
the flocculent chambers, are provided for the purpose of fitting pumps thereto.
The said shafts being made perfectly air tight at their upper ends whereby the
precipitate or suspended matters may be readily removed.
By reversing the order of the flow, by means of pumping appliances, the whole
of the arrested matters may be entirely removed from the tanks, without removing
the filtering material; clean water may be admitted for that purpose, and, by
continuing the pumping, and stopping the supply, the whole of the tanks may be
pumped dry air being drawn through the filtering material, thus causing a rapid
system of aeration.
The floors of the chambers 13, 14, 15, are inclined towards the sumps 16, 17, 18,
to enable the pumps to act efficiently in clearing the whole of the arrested matter.
Although I have shown rectangular tanks in the drawings, it is obvious that
they may be otherwise formed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In filtering beds for the purposes aforesaid, the combination of two or more
tanks, enclosed in suitable walls, and having perforated floors over flocculent
chambers, so arranged that the sewage or other matters to be operated upon and
filtered, is caused to pass alternately downward and upward, through filtering
material, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. In filtering beds as aforesaid, the combination therewith of separate
shafts 19, 20, 21, having sumps 16, 17, 18, at their lower ends, for the insertion

page_text: of suitable pumping appliances, substantially as herein before described and
illustrated by the drawings.
3. The improvements in the construction of filtering beds, whereby the cleansing
of the beds may be effected without removing the filtering materials, and the
filtering beds may be rapidly aërated, substantially as herein before described and
illustrated by the drawings.
'
4. The improvements in the construction of filtering beds, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
Dated th Cantambon 1904
GEO.
DOWNING,
8, Quality Court, London, W.C., Agent.