Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Liquids from Solid Matters Suspended therein.
Year: 1885

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Liquids from Solid
Matters Suspended therein.
I WILLIAM MACNAB of 74 Windsor Road, Forest Gate, Essex, Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS
FOR SEPARATING LIQUIDS FROM SOLID MATTERS SUSPENDED THEREIN
to be as
follows:-
--
"
My Invention has for its object to improve and render more easy of construction
and perfect in operation apparatus of a similar character to apparatus of the class
for which Letters Patent were granted to John Herbert Hadden No 972 dated
22nd February 1883 wherein the liquid containing the solid matter in suspension
is caused to traverse alternately downwards and upwards between inclined parallel
partitions plates or surfaces.
According to my Invention the apparatus may consist of a vertical vessel in
which the partitions on which the solid particles are deposited and which deflect the
current of the liquid alternately downwards and upwards extend straight across
the vessel from side to side and slope downwards from the central transverse plane
of the vessel to the opposite transverse sides of the vessel the alternate partitions
which deflect the current of the liquid downwards are joined together at the
central plane or apex and the other partitions instead of being directly fixed at
their lower edges to the transverse sides of the vessel are prolonged downwards
for a short distance and attached to the said sides of the vessel so as to form with
the said sides a series of contracted spaces or wells deepening towards their centre
and arranged so that by means of cocks or valves the deposit may be easily and
uniformly drawn off from each side of the apparatus-The liquid containing the
solid particles in suspension enters the bottom compartment along the centre line and
alternately flows downwards to the opposite sides of the apparatus and upwards
towards the centre and so on-Agitators may be mounted under the apex formed
by each pair of plates joined together at the centre.
The apparatus may also be made with the partitions sloping in one direc-
tion only like the apparatus herein before described divided down the transverse
central line.

page_text: The apparatus may also be arranged with the vessel disposed horizontally the
inclined partitions being arranged so that the liquid enters at one end and traverses
upwards and downwards till it discharges at the opposite end of the vessel the
inclined partitions extending straight across the vessel and the lower end of each
alternate partition being prolonged in a vertical direction and forming the one side
of a narrow well or space deepening towards the centre the other side of the said
well or space being formed by a parallel plate having at its upper end a continua-
tion or plate which may be attached to the back of the adjacent of the alternate
inclined partitions and is reversely inclined so as to lead into the said narrow well
or space-In these wells or spaces the deposit is received and may be discharged by
valves or cocks in connection therewith.
In apparatus arranged as herein before described the deposit can be discharged
with a minimum quantity of liquid.

page_text: Improvements in Apparatus for Separating Liquids from Solid
Matters Suspended therein.
I WILLIAM MACNAB of 74 Windsor Road, Forest Gate in the County of Essex
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 has for its object to improve and render more easy of construction
and perfect in operation apparatus of a similar character to apparatus of the class
for which Letters Patent were granted to John Herbert Haddan No 972 dated
22nd February 1883 wherein the liquid containing the solid matter in suspension
is caused to traverse alternately downwards and upwards between inclined parallel
partitions plates or surfaces.
According to my invention the apparatus may consist of a vertical vessel in
which the partitions on which the solid particles are deposited and which deflect the
current of the liquid alternately downwards and upwards extend straight across
the vessel from side to side and slope downwards from the central transverse plane
of the vessel to the opposite transverse sides of the vessel, the alternate partitions
which deflect the current of the liquid downwards are joined together at the
central plane or apex and the other partitions instead of being directly fixed at
their lower edges to the transverse sides of the vessel are prolonged downwards
for a short distance and attached to the said sides of the vessel so as to form with
the said sides a series of contracted spaces or wells deepening towards an outlet
preferably at their centre and arranged, so that by means of cocks or valves, the
deposit may be easily and uniformly drawn off from each side of the apparatus.―
The liquid containing the solid particles in suspension, on entering the bottom
compartment along the centre line, alternately flows downwards to the opposite
sides of the apparatus and upwards towards the centre and so on to its exit from
the apparatus. Agitators may be mounted under the apex formed by the lower
pair of partitions joined together at the centre.
The apparatus may also be made with the partitions sloping in one direction
only like the apparatus hereinbefore described divided down the transverse
central line.
The apparatus may also be arranged with the vessel disposed horizontally, the
inclined partitions being arranged, so that the liquid enters at one end and traverses,
upwards and downwards, till it discharges at the opposite end of the vessel, the
inclined partitions extending straight across the vessel and the lower end of each
alternate partition being prolonged in a downward or vertical direction and forming
the one side of a narrow well or space deepening towards an outlet preferably at
the centre of the well or space the other side of the said well or space being
formed by a plate having at its upper end a continuation or plate which may be
attached to the back of the adjacent or the alternate inclined partitions and is
reversely inclined so as to lead into the said narrow well or space. In these wells

page_text: or spaces the deposit is received and may be discharged by valves or cocks in
connection therewith.
In apparatus arranged as hereinbefore described the deposit can be discharged
with a minimum quantity of liquid.
And in order that my said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheets of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section and figure 2 a side elevation partly in section
of a vertically arranged apparatus constructed according to my Invention and
figure 3 is a diagram of a portion thereof-Figure 4 is a longitudinal section and
Figure 5 a transverse section of a horizontally arranged apparatus constructed
according to my Invention-Figure 6 shews a detail of construction as hereinafter
described.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, A is a rectangular vessel open at top, in the
interior of which inclined partitions or plates B B¹ CC are fitted extending from
one side to the opposite side thereof and arranged to slope in opposite directions
from the centre towards the other sides of the vessel-The partitions or plates B B'
extend in an inclined direction to within a short distance of the sides of the vessel
(as shewn in Figure 1) and then extend downwards in a vertical direction or
parallel or nearly so to the said sides so as to form wells or spaces D (illustrated
diagrammatically in Figure 3) for the reception of the solid particles separated
from the liquid under treatment as hereinafter described The partitions or
plates CC are connected together at their apices or upper ends E in the centre
of the vessel A. and are inclined downwards therefrom parallel to the partitions or
plates B B' and towards the opposite sides of the said vessel-They do not however
extend to the said sides but a space is left between the lower ends of the partitions
or plates and the sides of the vessel-The liquid to be treated is admitted to the
lower part of the vessel A through the inlet passage G and passes thence over
the upper edge of the bottom inclined partition or plates B B¹ and down over the
upper surface thereof and then upwards over the adjacent inclined partitions or
plates CC towards the centre of the vessel then over the edge of the next higher
partitions or plates B B¹ and so on over and under the whole of the partitions or
plates to the top or upper part of the vessel as shown by the arrows in figure 1
and passes out therefrom through the outlet passage H-The solid matters
suspended in the liquid are deposited on the partitions or plates as the liquid
passes over them; the said deposited matters collect at the lower parts of the
plates or partitions and in the wells or spaces D from which they are discharged as
required through the cocks or valves I-The wells are formed with sides inclined
towards the bottom as shewn clearly at in Figure 2 so as to facilitate the
discharge of the solid matter therefrom. x² shew inclined surfaces which may be
provided to facilitate the drawing off.
In constructing apparatus of large dimensions a stiffening diaphragm K is
preferably inserted between each pair of partitions B C and B' C as shewn in
Fig. 6 and for convenience of construction these partitions are joined together by
the plates K¹ and are attached to the sides of the apparatus by the angle iron K².
Each pair of partitions are thus made separately and afterwards fixed in the
interior of the vessel A.
The discharge cocks or valves I of one vertical series of wells D may be
connected to one common stack pipe L as shewn.
M are stirrers fitted in the lower part of the vessel A for use when required.
In the horizontal arrangement illustrated by Figures 4 and 5 the vessel A may
be covered in at. the top if desired or left open as shewn in my drawing.
The liquid to be treated is admitted to the interior of the vessel by the inlet
passage G and flows over the upper edge of and down the inclined partition B
thence upwards over the surface of the adjacent inclined partition C and down the

page_text: next inclined partition B and so on to the opposite end of the vessel as shewn by
the arrows the solid matters suspended in the liquid being deposited at the lower
ends of the plates B and in the wells D like those in the vertical arrangement
herein before described from whence they are drawn off as required by cocks or
valves provided at the outlets a. The purified liquid passes from the vessel
through the outlet pipe H. An agitator or stirrer may be fitted at the inlet end if
desired in the vessel A.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
First. In apparatus for the purpose herein described the combination with
inclined plates or partitions of wells or spaces for the reception of deposit
substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. In apparatus for the purpose herein described wells or spaces for the
reception of deposit the said wells or spaces having sides inclined towards an
outlet and being constructed as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying Drawings.
Third. The general construction and arrangement of parts constituting the
apparatus substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described with
reference to Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The general construction and arrangement of parts constituting the
apparatus substantially as and for the purpose herein before described with
reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying Drawings.