Improvements in Feed-water Filtering Apparatus for Steam Engines.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Feed-water Filtering Apparatus for Steam Engines.
JOHN LIST of 3 St Johns Park Blackheath in the County of Kent. Engineer
and ROBERT ANDREW MUNN of 1 Kirklee Road Kelvinside Glasgow in the County
of Lanark Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object the removal in a better, more convenient, and
economical manner than hitherto of all oil and other impurities from the feed
water of steam engines before the said feed water is put into the boilers. One
distinguishing feature in our mode of operation consists in giving the water the
necessary pressure or head to force it through the filtering material by fitting to
the hotwell of the air pump a stand pipe carried up to the height required for
this purpose.
In carrying out our invention according to one modification, we fit an overflow
or standpipe to the hotwell, led up to a higher level than the filters. The filters
are formed with perforated or open metallic work, such as wire netting made in
the form of cylinders with open ends, the sides being either circular or angular.
The cylinders are arranged to go inside each other leaving a space between each
set, the whole number forming a filtering cell. The outsides of the cylinders are
covered with the filtering cloth or material. The closed vessel or tank in which
the filtering cells are placed is provided with a double bottom, and holes are
made through the inner bottom in a position corresponding to the outlet spaces in
the cells. The filtering cells are held in position by a bolt or stud fixed to the
inner bottom and carried up through the centre of the cell and through the
cover of the cell. In the cover are holes to admit the water to the inlet spaces in
the cells. The cells are jointed at the top and bottom by felt or other suitable
jointing material. The tanks containing the filtering cells are connected to the
hotwell by pipes for admitting the dirty water. The water then passes through
the filtering material in the cells and down through the inner bottom of the tank
to the receiver when it will be in a fit state for boiler feed. On the pipe connec-
tions to and from the tanks, cocks or valves are fitted for the purpose of shutting
off while cleaning. It is preferable to fit the tanks in pairs so that cleaning may
be done alternately without stopping the filtration.
1007
JOHN LIST.
ROBERT. A. MUNN.

page_text: Improvements in Feed-water Filtering Apparatus for Steam Engines,
We, JOHN LIST, of 3 St. John's Park, Blackheath, in the County of Kent,
Engineer and ROBERT ANDREW MUNN, of 1 Kirklee Road, Kelvinside, in the
County of Glasgow, North Britain, 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:-that is to say:
This Invention has for its object the removal in a better, more convenient, and
more economical manner than hitherto, of oil and other impurities from the
feed water of steam engines before the said feed water is put into the boilers.
In carrying out our invention we prefer to fit an overflow or stand-pipe to the
engine hotwell or vessel for receiving the feed water after it has been discharged
by the air pump from the condenser, this stand-pipe being arranged to extend
above the filters for the purpose of imparting to the feed water entering the filters
sufficient head or pressure to enable it to force its way through the filtering
medium to the tank or vessel from which it is drawn by the feed pumps to be
forced into the boilers. The filtering apparatus comprises a tank or closed vessel
which has within it several groups of concentric vertical-cylindrical or other
perforated metal shells, each separate shell being covered with cloth or like
permeable material, and each group of shells being fixed by a plate or plates and
bolts to a false bottom in the tank. The impure teed water has access about the
groups of shells and to each alternate space between the shells of each group,
and finds its way through the filtering medium to the adjacent spaces between
the shells, from which it passes through the false bottom in the tank to a space
or spaces below the false bottom from which it is afterwards delivered in a purified
condition.
And in order that our said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, we hereunto append a sheet of explanatory drawings,
to be hereinafter referred to, and showing parts of two examples of feed water
filtering apparatus as made according to our Invention.
Figure, 1, of the drawings is a sectional plan of one example of the improved
apparatus, figures, 2, and 3, being respectively a vertical section and a side
clevation, as taken at right angles to each other, of the same. Figure, 4, is a
vertical section (as at the line 1-2 in figure, 1) of a second example of the im-
proved apparatus as drawn to a larger scale. In these drawings the same reference
letters and numerals are used to mark the same or like parts wherever they are
repeated.
The apparatus when made according to the example shown in figures, 1, 2,
and 3, of the drawings comprises a castiron tank, A, which is made with a
removable cover, B, and with a false bottom, C, consisting of a separate plate
fixed to a horizontally-projecting flange, D. The lower bottom, E, of the tank, A,
is made with an inclination and the space, G, between the bottom, E,
and the false bottom, C, communicates at its lowermost by a passage, H, formed
in the tank casting with a delivery outlet, J, which is controlled by a stop valve, K.
The impure feed water is led from the overflow or stand-pipe (which is not shown)
or from any other vessel to the tank, A, by a pipe or pipes (not shown) and a
passage, L, controlled by a stopvalve, M. Within the tank, A, there are several
groups of concentric, perforated metal shells, N, which are of vertical cylindrical
or of vertical rectangular form (or both forms may be used in one group) each
separate shell being covered by one or more convolutions of cloth or other filtering
material, and each separate group being independently secured to the false

page_text: bottom, C, by a cap or plate, P, and bolts, Q. The upper and lower edges of the
shells, N, enter rebates in the cap, P', and false bottom, C, and there are between
the shell edges and the cap and the false bottom pieces of felt, R, or other jointing
material. The impure feed water flows about the outsides of the groups of shells, N,
and has access through openings, S, in the cap, P, to the space, T, between two of
the frames (and in cases in which there are more than three shells to each alter-
nate space); and the water passes through the shells and filtering material to the
adjacent spaces, U, from which it escapes to the space, G, by openings, V, in the
false bottom, C, passing thereafter by the passage, H, to the delivery outlet, J,
in a purified condition free from oil and other oleaginous matters. The tank, A',
is made with feet, W, by which it is fixed to any convenient base.
We prefer to provide the improved filters in duplicate, so that should one require
to be opened up for examination and cleansing or repair the other may be put
into operation and thus prevent stoppage of the filtration of the feed water. A
by-pass valve, X, and passage is provided in connection with the apparatus in case
it should be desirable from any cause to pass the feed water directly from the
hotwell or other source to the feed pumps.
In the example of apparatus shown in figure, 4, the tank, A, is constructed of
iron or steel plates which are fixed together with angle irons. The false bottom, C,
is fixed to angle irons, D, and is supported and kept at a proper distance from
the lower bottom, E, of the tank by set pins or studs, Y, which are fixed in it.
The filtering shells, N, are held between upper and lower plates, P, (similar to
the cap, P, of the example first described) and each group of shells and the plates
between which they are held, are fixed as one piece to the false bottom, C, by a
central bolt, Q, secured by a thumb screw nut, Z. A piece of jointing material, 11,
is let into a rebate in the lower side of the lower plate, P, of each group of shells, N,
to insure a watertight joint being made between the plate and the false bottom, C.
The water escapes from the spaces, U, through openings, P2, in the lower plate, 1',
and openings, V, in the false bottom, C, to the space, G, from which it passes to
the outlet, J. The plates, P, are provided with guide pieces, P3, which enter
between the shells, N, guiding them into their positions when the shells and
plates are being fixed together.
The shells, N, may be made of any suitable perforated or permeable metal:
and we find what is known as expanded or reticulate sheet metal is well adapted
for the purpose.
All internal parts of the improved apparatus can be easily disconnected and
removed from the tank for cleansing purposes or for examination or repair.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
-
Improved feed-water filtering apparatus comprising a vessel having within it
one or more groups of concentric perforated or permeable metal shells covered
with permeable filtering material, each group of shells being secured between a
cap plate and a false bottom, the impure water having direct access about the
groups of shells and to alternate spaces between the shells, and filtering into the
adjacent spaces from which it passes through the false bottom to a delivery
passage and valve, the parts being arranged or combined substantially as herein-
before described and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this twenty fifth day of October, 1897.
EDMUND HUNT.
Applicants' Agent.