A Tubular Filter, especially applicable for Feed Water.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Tubular Filter, especially applicable for Feed Water.
JAMES LEWIS BOOTHMAN, 37, Bank Street, Greenock, Scotland, Marine
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
the
same.
of a
This invention relates to improvements in filters, and whilst generally applicable
for filteration purposes it is especially so for the filteration of feed water to steam
generators. The apparatus constituting this invention consists of a vessel which
forms the bottom part of the filter having inlet and outlet branches. The inlet
is shut off from direct communication with the outlet by an internal division
plate. Through the top of the said vessel are circular openings which admit
perforated tubes around which is placed the filtering material. The bottom end
of these tubes project through division plate and make a joint with
Over these tubes is placed an outer casing or tube, the
top end of which is closed by means
screwed plug the bottom
end of same making a joint with the top of bottom vessel. Between the
perforated tube and outer casing is an annular space which allows the water
which enters on top side of division plate to rise and pass through the filtering
medium, decending to bottom of vessel to which is attached the outlet branch.
The tubes are held in place by standards screwed into top of bottom vessel, on the
top of these standards is a crossbar through which is a set screw which presses
on to top of outer casing making joints with division plate and perforated tube,
outside casing and top of vessel, and outside casing and top of perforated tube,
respectively. A steam cleaning valve is fitted to outlet side of filter, a sludge
and air valve being also fitted to inlet side of same. The filter may be arranged
for any number of tubes fitted for single or double filteration.
Dated this 8th day of April 1897.
I, JAMES LEWIS BOOTHMAN, of 37, Bank Street, Greenock, Scotland, Marine
Engineer, 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 improvements in filters and whilst generally applicable
for filtration purposes, it is especially so for the filtration of feed water to steam
generators, and the like.
The apparatus constituting this invention as illustrated by Figure 1 Fig. 2
and Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawing's consists of a chamber A having inlet and

page_text: outlet branches B and C. Through the top of chamber A are circular holes for
admission of perforated cylindrical tubes D and outer cylindrical casings E which
tubes and casings are held in place by means of set screws F screwed through top
plate G which plate is supported by columns H screwed at bottom end into
chamber A. Figure 1 of the drawings is a vertical section through plane VW.
Figure 2 is a plan, Figure 3 is a vertical section through plane V₁ W₁ of valve
box I, the same or like parts being marked by the same reference letters in each
of the figures. Attached to the inlet and outlet branches B and C is a valve box L
having a non return screw down inlet valve J communicating with the inlet
branch B of filter, also a screw down outlet valve K which is in communication
with the outlet C from filter. On the same spindle to which the outlet valve K
is attached is a spring loaded by pass valve L, which valve is connected by a
passage M to the under side of inlet valve J and having its outlet Z common
with the outlet from valve K. When the pressure required to force the water
or liquid through the filtering medium exceeds the load on the by pass valve L
this valve opens and allows the water or liquid to pass direct to the outlet Z.
Valve K is actuated by means of a hand wheel and nut Y there being a feather X
in the crossbar at bottom of spring to prevent the spindle from turning while
shutting or opening the valve. The cylindrical perforated tubes D are bevelled
at bottom end to form a joint between the inlet and outlet sides of chamber A.
These tubes are fitted single as at N or double as at O when extra filtration is
required, over these perforated tubes is drawn the filtering material in like manner
as a stocking, which material is fastened at the bevelled end by means of a cord
or wire lapping to prevent the same from sliding up the tube while placing the
same in position. The filtering material P may consist of closely woven flax,
flannel or other suitable substance. When the filter is fitted for double filtration
as shown at the sludging valve Q is fitted over the lower apertures of the outer
perforated tubes which sludging valve is actuated by blowing steam through the
filter in the opposite direction to that of the water when the filter is in operation.
The resistance set up by the outer filtering strata to the steam causes a pressure
underneath valve Q sufficient to lift it and allow the grease and other impurities
arrested by the inner or 2nd strata to escape from between the perforated tubes
to the sludge valve fitted at R. If so desired valve Q can be fitted with a lever
and shaft leading through a stuffing box to the outside of chamber A, so as to
enable the same to be worked by hand, but preferably it is made to be self acting
as shown, by the pressure of the steam when cleaning the filter. A steam cleaning
valve is fitted to the outlet side of filter at S, pressure gauges and air valves may
also be fitted on the inlet and outlet sides of filter. The outer casings E consist
of solid drawn or cast tubes of steel, brass, or other suitable metal. The top
ends of these casings are closed by means of a screwed plug piece T, inside of
which is placed a thickness of india rubber or other yielding substance which
makes a joint with the top of perforated tubes D and at the same time allows of
the joint with casings E and chamber A being pressed tightly together. When the
filter is in operation the water or liquid enters through the inlet valve J into the
inlet side of the filter, thence rising up the annular space between outer casings E
and filtering material, passing through which it decends down the centre of per-
forated tubes to the bottom of chamber A, and thence to outlet branch C through
valve K to outlet Z. When the filtering material becomes foul and the pressure
required to force the water or liquid through such material exceeds that to which
the load on the by pass valve L is adjusted this valve opens and allows the water
or liquid to pass direct to the outlet branch Z. To cleanse the filter, shut the
inlet valve J also outlet valve K which operation allows the by pass valve L to
open full independently of the spring, open sludge valve at R and steam valve
at S which allows steam to blow through the filter in the opposite direction to that
of the water or liquid when the filter is working. After blowing through for a
few seconds shut valve S and valve R, open inlet valve J and outlet valve K when
the filter again resumes duty. The filter may be fitted with any number of per-

page_text: forated tubes and outer casings arranged in one or any number of rows and
fastened in the manner before herein described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1st. A tubular filter especially applicable for feed water, constructed sub-
stantially as described, having each perforated tube or each set of tubes in the
case of double or treble filtration with their filtering material inside an outer
cylindrical casing.
2nd. A self acting or hand actuated sludging valve fitted over the lower
apertures of outer perforated filtering tube which allows the escape of deposit
arrested by inner filtering stratum.
3rd. A combined self acting and hand actuated by pass valve, constructed on
the same spindle as the outlet valve and adjusted by the same hand wheel, which
by pass valve can be either spring loaded or made to work self acting without a
spring, by making the sectional area of its spindle such that the area of valve
exposed to the pressure of the water or liquid on discharge side is in excess of
that on inlet side sufficient to give the necessary difference of pressure on the
inlet and discharge side of filter to force the water or liquid through the filtering
medium.
Dated this 4th day of February 1898