Improvements relating to the Filtering of Water, and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Filtering of Water, and to Apparatus
therefor.
I, GEORGE HENRY SELLERS, of 1301 Rodney Street, in the City of
Wilmington, in the County of New Castle, in the State of Delaware, United.
States of America, 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 :-
My invention relates to the construction and operation of what may best be
called a filtering plant and it consists in the various novel features of the con--
struction hereinafter fully described, by which I obtain a filter not only simple and
efficient in operation, but one which can be easily maintained clean, the appliances
for washing the bed being of particular importance; my invention also contemplates
for its most efficient operation the use in connection with filter beds, preferably of
a character in which the water passes upward through the filtering material, of
settling chambers through which the water passes on its way to the filter beds, and
in which a considerable proportion of the impurities are separated from the water,
and, in addition, I provide improved appliances for impregnating the water. with a
coagulant before it reaches the filter or settling tanks, and for subjecting it to a
thorough aerification; and another feature of my invention lies in a novel method
of impregnating water with the coagulant before mentioned.
The various novel features of my invention will be best understood as described
in connection with the drawings in which they are illustrated, and in which,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through a filter constructed in accordance with
my invention and provided with my improved appliances for impregnating the
water with a coagulant and effecting its thorough aerification.
Figure 2 is a plan view of a portion of the said filter.
Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the same plane as that of Fig. 1
of the central portion of the filter plant, said section being also indicated as taken
on the section line y-y of Fig. 4.
Figure 4 is a plan view taken on the section line -v of Fig. 3.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical section taken on the section line -x of
Fig. 3.
Figure 6 is a transverse section on the line z-z of Fig. 3.
Figure 7 is an elevation partly in section of the mechanism which I prefer to
use for forcing the water into the reservoir from which I take it for purification.
Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the water channel shown at the upper
right hand corner of Fig. 1.
Figure 9 is a transverse section through the water and air conduit taken, for
instance, on the line w-w of Fig. 8.
Figure 10 is an enlarged sectional view of the water and air conduits as shown
at the upper left hand corner of Fig. 1.
Figure 11 is a view of the top of the portion of the air box shown in Fig. 10,
and
Figure 12 is a side view taken on the section line ww of Fig. 8.
A is a pipe through which water is forced into the reservoir B, preferably I lift.
the water from a well or tank, indicated at A' (Fig. 7) by means of the action of
compressed air, A' indicating a compressed air pipe, the end of which a enters an
enlargement a at the bottom of the pipe A. The pipe A' is shown as connected
1

page_text: with an air reservoir A which in turn is connected with an air pump A' by a
pipe A. This is a familiar apparatus, known as an air lift pump, and has the
effect of forcing both water and compressed air into the reservoir B, which
reservoir should be sealed in such a way as to prevent the escape of the air except
through channels provided for that purpose. C is a pipe leading from below the
water level of the reservoir B to a water conduit F, and, as shown, a turbine
wheel D is placed in the mouth of the pipe C so as to be rotated by the water
flowing from the reservoir in the conduit F, a shaft D' communicating motion
from the turbine 1 to a mitre wheel d¹ which in turn is in gear with a mitre
wheel d² secured to the transverse shaft D', to which is also secured a sprocket
wheel d, which, by means of a sprocket chain D' gives motion to a series of.
transverse shafts D, each such shaft having a sprocket wheel d' secured to it,
over which, as well as .around the sprocket wheel d³, passes a sprocket chain D'
(see Fig. 8).
The series of shafts D' are situated above the first and deepest portion F of the
channel into which the water passes from the pipe C, and each such shaft extends
across this portion of the water conduit and is provided with two or more chain
loops D; preferably they are, as indicated, sprocket chains passing over sprocket
wheels d secured to the shafts, and in the lower bights of these chains I suspend
masses of iron scrap or bundles of iron bars in such position that they will be
wholly or partly submerged in the water passing through the conduit F. It is
necessary that this mass of iron scrap or rods should be kept in motion so that the
different particles or pieces will be subjected to constant attrition, this attrition
insuring the separation of the iron oxide relied upon as a coagulant, thus making
certain that it shall get into the water and that the remaining scrap shall have a
clean surface such as is most easily oxidised, and I will here mention that I have
found greatly improved results from the use of iron as a coagulant can be obtained
by mixing with the iron scrap some other metal such as copper with which the iron
forms a galvanic couple, the galvanic action which takes place in this mixture
insuring a much larger separation of the iron salt relied upon as a coagulant, and
this method of promoting the formation of the desired iron salt coagulant forms one
feature of my invention.
Referring again to the mechanism shown, where I use the iron scrap in the form
of small pieces, as indicated at e', Fig. 8, I place the scrap in angularly formed
perforated boxes, such as are indicated at E, securing sprockets to the end of each
box as indicated at e, the chains D passing around these sprocket wheels and thus
at the same time supporting and rotating the angular boxes which of course us
they rotate effect a thorough mixing and attrition of the metal particles contained
in them while the salts liberated by the attrition pass off freely through the
perforations of the boxes through which of course the water is constantly flowing.
I have however found it desirable in many cases to use, instead of small particles
of iron a. bundle of iron rods which I cut off to a length practically equal to the
width of the conduit in which they are suspended and then simply hang each
bundle in the loops of the chain D³, as indicated at E', Fig. 8; obviously the
rotation of the chains will keep each bundle of bars in constaut motion effecting
the necessary attrition by the rubbing of the bars against each other.
Referring again to the water channel which, as shown, extends along the top of
the filter bed, but it may be placed in any desired or convenient position. The
conduit F first forms a comparatively deep channel in. which I place the masses of
coagulating material, as already described, and then rises to the top of an air
chamber or conduit G, the water conduit continuing above it as indicated at,F
and then passes. downward at the end of the air chamber G, as indicated at F,
then it passes beneath the chamber G2, as indicated. at F, thence beneath the
portion of the water conduit, turning downward again as indicated at F* and
passing downward as indicated at F until it reaches a distributing chamber F.
From the chamber F the water passes through openings FF' corresponding in
number to the settling and supply chambers. I into downwardly extending pipes F

page_text: which open into the distributing chamber at their tops issuing from the said pipés
at f into the bottom of the settling and supply chambers I, with which chambers
are connected through passages indicated at the vertical chambers F. These
vertical chambers F may serve as the conduit between the distributing chamber F*
and the chambers I taking the place of the pipe F, but I prefer to use these pipes
so as to convey the water to the chambers I with as little disturbance as possible
and to use the chambers F which are in free communication with the chambers I
simply as stand pipes, so to speak, to give a more regular pressure to the water in
the chambers I than would be the cause if the head relied upon were only that of
water in the pipes F. From the chambers I the water passes upward through
supporting gratings J into the filtering chambers K K of which there may be any
desired number and in which, supported on the gratings J, is the filter bed
indiented at M M'; from the chambers K the water passes through the openings,
indicated at N N into the pure water reservoirs O O from which it can be drawn
off as desired.
S, Fig. 3 indicates a conduit for waste water used for washing the filter. It is
connected with each chamber I by openinge, as indicated at Q, said openings being
normally closed by valves or gates, as indicated at q. These gates are opened
when it is desired to wash any portion of the bed and the water from the corre
sponding chamber I then runs out through conduit S, while water from the top of
the bed passes down through out into the chamber I.
Before describing further the detailed construction of the filter beds proper,
I will note that the air box G2 is supplied with air under pressure. In the plan
shown this compressed air is led to the box by a branch Glending from a pipe G
which in turn leads from above the water level of the reservoir B. The box G is
provided with a multiple series of pipes or openings, as indicated at gg, these
pipes or openings leading to the bottom of the conduit sections F1 and F so that
air is constantly forced into the water passing through these sections of the water
conduit, and it will be noticed that by the construction illustrated, I not only
thoroughly impregnate the water with air in the reservoir B and before it reaches
the reservoir, but I also subject it to an energetic aerification after the water has
been impregnated with the coagulant as described in the section F and this
thorough aerifiention both before and after the impregnation of the water with the
coagulant I have found to be of the greatest value in effecting a thorough
purification of the water.
The gratings J J ete., upon which the filter bed is supported rest upon the
walls etc., separating the chambers II etc. M M', as already stated, indicate
the filter bed, the line between the two sections so marked indicating the zone of
deposit, so to speak, at which the greater part of the impurities are intercepted and
held, M' indicating the top of the filter bed above which the presence of water is
indicated. As shown, and as I prefer to construct the apparatus, my filter is made
up of two sections K K one situated on ench side of the distributing chambers F
and of the waste water conduit S, and beneath each chamber K I bave shown four
settling and supply chambers I, L indicating a partition dividing the filter bed into
two sections and extending above the water line of the filter so as to form in each
section K two compartments or sections, as indicated at K and K'. Each of
these sections are again divided into sub-sections K and K by means of
partitions L which extend up from the walls I' to a point below the water level
of the filter and preferably shown to or about the level of the zone of deposit in
the filter bed. Obviously my filter may consist of any number of chambers K,
three such chambers, for instance, being indicated in Fig. 5, but each chamber
constitutes practically a separate filter, and indeed this is true also in a sense of
the sub-sections K and K, and while, for reasons which will be understood, as
I explained in the operation of washing the filter, I prefer to divide each chamber
section K and K into two sub-sections K and K. More of such sub-sections.
inay be included in each chamber section if desired.
Besides connecting the compressed air pipe G with the air box G³, as already

page_text: described, I lead from it pipes G G which extend down into the bed of the filter
and there connect with a series of transversely extending perforated pipes G lying
preferably at or about the zone of greatest deposit in the filter; ggs indicate
valves by which the air supply is cut off at will from the perforated pipes G.
H indicates a supply pipe for water under pressure, from which pipe I lead
branches H' communicating at H' with branch pipes H, said pipes being provided
with valves and communicating, as shown, with the pipes G previously described.
By means of this connection water can, at will, be introduced into the perforated
pipes G and I am thus enabled to force either air or water or both air and water
into the filter bed.
As I found it desirable to aerify the water in the pure water reservoirs OI lead
a pipe G from the compressed air pipe G to the bottom of these chambers where
it terminates in a perforated section as indicated at g*.
The normal operation of my apparatus has been sufficiently indicated. Briefly,
the water, having preferably been first energetically aerified, is impregnated with
a coagulant iron salt in the conduit sections F, then again energetically aerified as
it passes through the conduit sections F and F, then on reaching the settling and
supply chambers I in which the water is quiescent much of its coagulated impurity
is precipitated to the bottom of these chambers, the partially purified water then
passed upward through the filter bed, where its purification is completed, and
thence into the reservoir O. Sometimes it is advisable to further aerify the water
as already described.
In washing the filter constructed in accordance with my invention I am enabled
to wash one section or sub-section at a time thus cutting off the supply of water to
the settling chamber or chambers of any particular section, I open the corresponding
gate whereupon the water accumulated above the filter bed will rush down
through the bed into the chamber I and thence to the waste channel S. While
this reverse action is going on I have found it advantageous to inject water under
pressure through the pipes G' thus effecting a stirring up of the sand at the very
point where the washing is most required and I also find it decidedly advantageous
to inject air under pressure at this point so that it will pass upwardly through the
filter bed while the water is passing downward through it, and for this mode of use
it is quite important that the perforated pipes G should be situated at or near the
zone of deposit in the bed because it is, in the first place, this part of the bed
above it which ends the stirring action of the air, a stirring action which is
particularly efficient as the sand is simultaneously exposed to the action of water
passing down and of air passing up through it and because, in the second place, air
introduced near the bottom of the bed would not pass upward through it but would
be sucked down by the descending body of water. I am also enabled, as will be
readily seen, to pass water up through one subsection while it is passing down
through the other subsection; for instance, water may be passing upward through
the sub-section K of Fig. 6 while the sub-section K is being washed and in this
way the washing of the sub-section K' is effected by the action of filtered water
and any desired quantity of such filtered water is obtainable for washing
purposes.
I find it advisable to provide an escape for such air as may be held in the lower
part of the filter bed, and this I do by providing a pipe P leading from the lower
portion of the bed to above the water level of the chamber.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my Baid
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is:
1. The combination with two beds of filtering material in communication beyond
the zone of deposit of impurities, of independent water supply conduits for each
bed delivering the water on the same sides thereof, independent waste water
conduits leading from each bed on the same side that the water is delivered
thereto, and means for cutting off water supply and opening waste conduits to and

page_text: from each filter bed at will, whereby, while the water normany passes through the
two beds as one, it will in washing pass through one bed and then in reverse
direction through the other bed.
2. The combination with two or more chambers I each having an independent
water supply and an independent outlet to a waste water conduit of a filter bed
supported above said chambers, partitions as L' dividing the filter bed into com-
partments corresponding to the underlaying chambers I, an outlet conduit for
filtered water leading from the upper part of the filter and means for controlling
the flow of water to each chamber I and the outlet of water from each such
chamber to the waste water conduit.
3. An upward filter bed having a settling and supply chamber beneath it, a
waste water conduit connected to the said chamber and means for supplying water
to the top of the filter bed above the settling and supply chamber in combination
with a series of perforated pipes lying in the filter bed at or near the zone of
deposit, and a pressure air pipe connected to said perforated pipes whereby water.
can be passed down through the bed to the settling and supply chamber at the
same time that air is, injected into and passes up through the bed.
4. An upward filter bed having a settling and supply chamber beneath it, a
waste water conduit connected to said chamber and means for supplying water to
the top of the filter bed above the settling and supply chamber in combination with
a series of perforated pipes lying in the filter bed at or near the zone of deposit
and pressure water and air pipes connected to said perforated pipes whereby water
can be passed down through the bed to the settling and supply chamber at the
same time that air is injected into and passes up through the bed and whereby also
water can be injected into the body of the filtering material at will.
5. An upward filter bed having its filtering bed divided into sections K¹ K' by a
partition or partitions L extending above the water level, and each such section
again subdivided by a partition or partitions L' extending from the bottom of the
bed to a point below the water level in combination with a series of settling and
supply chambers I situated one beneath each subdivision of the bed, connections
from a source of water supply to each chamber I and connections provided with a
closing valve or gate from each chamber I to a waste water conduit.
6. An upward filter bed having its filtering bed divided into sections K' K by
a partition or partitions L extending above the water level, and each such section
again subdivided by a partition or partitions L' extending from the bottom of the
bed to a point below the water level in combination with a series of settling and
supply chambers I situated one beneath each subdivision of the bed, connections
from a source of water supply to each chamber I, connections provided with a
closing valve or gate from each chamber I to a waste water conduit, a series of
perforated pipes G lying in each filter bed and a connection from a pressure water
main to said perforated pipes.
7. An upward filter bed having its filtering bed divided into sections K' K' by a
partition or partitions L extending above the water level, and each such section again
subdivided by a partition or partitions L' extending from the bottom of the bed
to a point below the water level in combination with a series of settling and supply
chambers I situated one beneath each subdivision of the bed, connectious from a
source of water supply to each chamber I, connections provided with a closing
valve or gate from each chamber I to a waste water conduit, a series of perforated
pipes Glying in each filter bed, a connection from a pressure water main to said
perforated pipes and a connection from a pressure air main to said pipes.
8. An upward filter bed having its filtering bed divided into sections K' K by
a partition or partitions L extending above the water level, and each such section
again subdivided by a partition or partitions L' extending from the bottom of
the bed to a point below the water level in combination with a series of settling
and supply chambers 1 situated one beneath each subdivision of the bed, a
chamber connected to each chamber I and rising above the water level of
the filter, connections from a source of water supply to each chamber I; and

page_text: connections provided with a closing valve or gate from each chamber 1 to a waste
water conduit.
9. An upward filter bed having its filtering bed divided into sections K' K' by
a partition or partitions L extending above the water level and each such sectiou
again subdivided by a partition or partitions L' extending from the bottom of the
bed to a point below the water level in combination with a series of settling and
supply chambers I situated one beneath each subdivision of the bed, a chamber F
connected to each chamber I and rising above the water level of 'the filter, a
water supply conduit situated above the water level of the filter, pipes leading
from such conduit to the bottom of each chamber I and connections provided with
a closing valve or gate from each chamber I to a waste water conduit.
10. In combination with a conduit as F through which water to be purified
passes, one or more rotatable shafts D situated above the conduit, chain loops D'
suspended from and rotated by said shafts and a mass of relatively movable pieces
of scrap iron sustained by the lower part of each pair of loops and so as to be
thrown into frictional contact with each other as the loops revolve.
11. In combination with à conduit as F through which water to be purified
passes, a series of transverse shafts D situated above the conduit and having
sprocket wheels d secured thereto, a driving chain D' engaging said sprockets,
two or more chain loops D' supported on and rotated by each shaft D', a mass of
relatively movable pieces of iron scrap suspended upon and caused to rotate by
said chains and so as to be thrown into frictional contact with each other by
reason of such rotation and a motor arranged to drive chain D³.
12. In combination with a conduit as F through which water to be purified
passes, a series of transverse shafts D situated above the conduit and having
sprocket wheels secured thereto, a driving chain D³ engaging said sprockets,
two or more chain loops D supported on and rotated by each shaft D a mass of
relatively movable pieces of iron scrap suspended upon and caused to rotate by
said chains so as to be thrown into frictional contact with each other and a motor
driven by the flow of water arranged to drive chain D.
13. The combination with a water and air reservoir B, of an open conduit as F
for water to be purified, an air conduit as G' having a multiple series of escape
pipes opening into the water conduit, and pipes C and G leading from the water
and air spaces of the reservoir to the said water and air conduits respectively.
14. The combination with a water and air reservoir B, of a conduit for water
to be purified, means for impregnating the water with a coagulating salt or
compound situated in the receiving end of the water conduit, an air conduit
having a multiple series of escape pipes opening into the water conduit, on the
delivery side of the portion containing the impregnating devices aforesaid, and
pipes and G leading from the water and air spaces of the reservoir to the water
and air conduits respectively.
15. The combination of means for forcing compressed air into a moving body
of water, a conduit through which said body of water moves, a water and air
reservoir as B arranged to receive the water and air and into which said conduit
opens, a water conduit having means for impregnating the water with a coagulant
situated in its receiving end, an, air conduit having a multiple series of openings
into the water conduit, and pipes C and G leading from the reservoir B to the
water and air conduits respectively.
16. The combination of means for forcing compressed air into a moving body
of water with a closed conduit through which said body of water moves, an open
water conduit having means for impregnating the water with a coagulant situated
in its receiving end into which end the closed conduit aforesaid opens, an air
conduit having a multiple series of openings into the open water conduit and
means for forcing air into the air conduit.
17. The combination of means for forcing compressed air into a moving body
of water with a closed conduit through which said body of water moves, an open
water conduit having means for impregnating the water with a coagulant situated

page_text: in its receiving end into which end the closed conduit aforesaid opens, an air
conduit having a multiple series of openings into the water conduit, means for
forcing air into the air conduit, a filter arranged to receive the water as it leaves
the water conduit aforesaid, a receiving chamber for the filtered water and means
for forcing air into the bottom of said receiving chamber to further aerify the
filtered water.
18. The combination with an upward filter bed having a settling chamber
situated beneath it, and a reservoir for filtered water, of a conduit leading to the
settling chamber situated above the filter, means for coagulating the impurities of
the water situated in said conduit and means for injecting air into the water in the
conduit and reservoir aforesaid.
19. The method of purifying water which consists in agitating therein pieces of
iron in direct contact with pieces of another metal with which the iron can form
a galvanic couple so as to facilitate the formation of an iron salt soluble in the
water.
20. The method of purifying water which consists in agitating therein pieces of
iron in direct contact with pieces of another metal with which the iron can form
a galvanic couple so as to facilitate the formation of an iron salt soluble in the
water and then forcing air through the water thus impregnated with the iron salt
in order to form a coagulant and precipitate the iron and impurities.
21. The method of purifying water which consists in first forcing air into the
water, then agitating therein pieces of iron in direct contact with pieces of another
metal with which the iron can form a galvanic couple so as to facilitate the
formation of an iron salt soluble in the water and then forcing air through the
water thus impregnated with the iron salt in order to form a coagulant and
precipitate the iron and impurities.
Dated the 28th day of July 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.