IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles George Pfander, of Nos. 33 and 34, Saint
"
Andrew's Hill, Queen Victoria Street, in the City of London, for an
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING WATER FOR
DOMESTIC USE."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles George Pfander at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1880.
CHARLES GEORGE PFANDER, of Nos. 33 and 34, Saint Andrew's Hill, Queen
Victoria Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
FILTERING WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for filtering water
for domestic use.
The apparatus consists of a metal case, by preference of cast iron, galvanized and
of cylindrical form. It is set with the axis vertical, the lower end is closed, and
at the top there is a moveable cover, which, when the filter is in use, is fixed on,
and the whole apparatus is sufficiently strong to sustain the pressure at which the
water is supplied.
Within the casing there are partitions; the partitions should be radial, and four
is a convenient number. The partitions divide the case into compartments, and the
compartments are connected by passages alternately at the top and bottom, so that
the water which is admitted near the bottom of one compartment has to traverse
the other compartments in succession. The water ascends in the compartment it
first enters, descends in the second, ascends in the third, and descends in the fourth
compartment. If there be four compartments the filtered water is drawn off from
the bottom of the fourth. All of the compartments are charged with filtering
material; the material which I consider best is of a carbonaceous granular
nature.
A false bottom of perforated metal is put into the first and into the last com-
partinents of the cylindrical vessel to support the filtering material and keep it at a
distance from the orifice at which the water enters and that by which it is drawn
off. The water enters at the side and near the bottom of the first compartment
beneath the false bottom, and is drawn off through another similarly placed
orifice in the fourth compartment.

page_text: The false bottom having been put in the casing is then filled with the filtering
material, and the cover is put on and secured. A water tight joint is made between
the cover and the partitions separating the first and second compartments from the
third and fourth by means of a strip of india rubber or like packing, to prevent the
water passing otherwise than by its legitimate course.
A draw off cock is provided in the bottom beneath the false bottom of the first
compartment by which unfiltered water can be drawn for use, and with this
unfiltered water any deposit there may be from the water will pass away instead of
remaining to clog the filter, and so the filter will remain at work for a long
time.
The action of the filter will be improved by aerating the filtering material from
time to time, and this can be readily done by closing a cock on the supply pipe
and opening the draw off cock at the bottom of the filter, thereby allowing all the
water to run out.
When after long use the filter requires recharging this is readily done, for.
the filter having been disconnected and the cover removed the whole contents
can be discharged by simply turning it over, and it can be refilled with equal
facility.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Charles George Pfander in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
23rd May 1881.
CHARLES GEORGE PFANDER, of Nos. 33 and 34, Saint Andrew's Hill, Queen
Victoria Street, in the City of London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
FILTERING WATER FOR DOMESTIC USE."
This Invention has for its object improvements in apparatus for filtering water
for domestic use.
The apparatus consists of a metal case, by preference of iron, galvanized, and of
cylindrical form. It is set with the axis vertical, the lower end is closed, and at the
top there is a moveable cover which, when the filter is in use, is fixed on, and the
whole apparatus is sufficiently strong to sustain the pressure at which the water is
supplied.
Within the casing there are partitions; the partitions should be radial, and four
is a convenient number. The partitions divide the case into compartments, and the
compartments are connected by passages alternately at the top and bottom, so that
the water which is admitted near the bottom of one compartment has to traverse
the other compartments in succession. The water ascends in the compartment it
first enters, descends in the second, ascends in the third, and descends in the fourth
compartment. If there be four compartments the filtered water is drawn off from
the bottom of the fourth. All of the compartments are charged with filtering
material; the material which I consider best is of a carbonaceous granular
nature.

page_text: A false bottom of perforated metal is put into the first and into the last com-
partments of the cylindrical vessel to support the filtering material and keep it at a
distance from the orifice at which the water enters and that by which it is drawn
off. The water enters at the side and near the bottom of the first compartment
beneath the false bottom, and is drawn off through another similarly placed orifice
in the fourth compartment.
The false bottoms having been put in, the casing is then filled with the filtering
material, and the cover is put on and secured. A water tight joint is made between
the cover and the partitions separating the first and second compartments from the
third and fourth by means of a strip of india rubber or like packing to prevent the
water passing otherwise than by its legitimate course.
A draw off cock is provided in the bottom beneath the false bottom of the first
compartment, by which unfiltered water can be drawn for use, and with this
unfiltered water any deposit there may be from the water will pass away instead
of remaining to clog the filter, and so the filter will remain at work for a long
time.
The action of the filter will be improved by aerating the filtering material from
time to time, and this can be readily done by closing a cock on the supply pipe,
and opening the draw off cock at the bottom of the filter, thereby allowing all the
water to run out.
When after long use the filter requires recharging this is readily done, for the
filter having been disconnected and the cover removed, the whole contents can
be discharged by simply turning it over, and it can be refilled with equal
facility.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily:
wind insta affent I will nowared to daranibe the Drawings borcunto annexed
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a filter constructed according to my Invention ;
Figure 2 is a plan of the same, with the cover removed, the filter case is here
shown empty; Figure 3 is a plan of the cover; Figure 4 is an horizontal section
on the line 1, 1, in Figure 1; Figure 5 is a similar section on the line 2, 2, in
Figure 1 and Figure 6 is another similar section taken on the line 3, 3, in Figure 1:
The parts which would be hidden by the filtering material are indicated by dotted
lines in Figure 6. The filter here shown is of wrought iron galvanized, but cast
iron is also a material which may be conveniently employed.
a is the aperture in the side of the filter near the bottom, at which the inlet pipe
is connected; b is the aperture at which the connection is made for drawing off
unfiltered water (this, as will be seen, is at the bottom of the filter; c is the
aperture where the tap is fixed for drawing filtered water.
d, d, d, d, are radial partitions by which the interior of the filter is divided into
four longitudinal compartments; the number of compartments may be varied, but
four is a very suitable and convenient number. The four compartments are marked
e, f, g, and h. It will be seen in the transverse sections that the first compart-
ment e has no communication at its lower end with either of the other compartments,
and at a short distance above the inlet aperture a it receives a false bottom k, k,
of perforated metal, shown separately in plan at Figure 7, to support the granular
carbonaceous filtering material. By the pressure of the supply the water is com-
pelled to ascend in this compartment amongst the granules of the filtering material
whenever the outlet c is open. At the upper end of the filter the first compartment
communicates with the second compartment f, as is clearly seen in Figure 6;
thus the compartments e and f communicate with each other at the upper part of
the filter, but there is no direct communication with either of the other compart-
ments. Hence the water has to descend in the second compartment to the bottom
of the filter, where, as is clearly seen in Figure 4, the second compartment ƒ is in

page_text: connection with the third compartment g. The water again rises in the third
compartment to the top, where (as is also seen in Figure 6) the compartment ?
communicates with the fourth compartment h. This fourth compartment receives
one of the false bottoms represented in Figure 7, so that in filling the filter a small
space at the lower end of this compartment is kept free from the granular filtering
material, as is the case with the first compartment e, whereas the other compart-
ments and g are completely filled from top to bottom. The false bottoms rest
upon narrow ledges provided to support them within the compartments to which
they belong. In filling the filter the false bottoms are first put in, and then all the
remaining space is completely filled and packed with the granular carbonaceous
filtering material. The cover is then put on with a disc of vulcanized india rubber
under it. Bolt holes are provided in the upper flange of the filter and in the cover,
as is seen in Figures 2 and 3, and the india rubber disc is similarly perforated.
When the cover is bolted on the india rubber disc forms a water tight joint between
the flange of the filter and a similar flange provided on the top of the partitions
which separate the compartments e, f, from the compartments g, h; thus the filter
itself is closed so as to remain water tight under the pressure to which it will be
exposed, and at the same time the water is confined to its legitimate course in
passing through the filter.
These filters are also most readily emptied should they require to be recharged.
When they have been disconnected and the cover removed the entire contents,
together with the false bottoms k, k, will fall out on the filter being inverted.
Although I prefer to work these filters in a vertical position, this is not essential,
but if they are otherwise arranged the outlet b for the unfiltered water should be
at the lowest part, so that all deposit may be expelled by it whenever the unfiltered
water tap is opened. There should be a tap upon the supply pipe, by which the
supply may be shut off from time to time, and the filter allowed to run dry, so that
its contents may aerate.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim,-
The construction of a filter with a casing open at one end, where a cover is
provided and divided longitudinally by partitions d into compartments to be filled
with granular carbonaceous filtering material, and which compartments are traversed
in succession by the water during filtration, such filter being provided with inlet a
and outlets b and c and false bottoms k, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles George Pfander, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
C. G. PFANDER. (L.S.)