Improvements in Filters.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Filters.
I, BONIFACIO MEDINA SANTURIO, of Buenos Ayres, in the Argentine Republic,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to what are known as "earthenware" filters, and consists
principally in an improved construction of permeable vessel for filtering the liquid
and means for automatically cleansing the same.
a nut.
In carrying out my invention, I employ an earthenware or other vessel consisting
of a cylinder surrounded by a helical tube; the cylinder and the tube being, made
integrally with each other. For convenience of construction, the vessel is
preferably made in several lengths; the various lengths being united to one another
by cement or otherwise. In cross section, the tube is triangular. The various
convolutions of the tube are strengthened by webs. The vessel is mounted on a
perforated base. The top of the vessel is terminated by a conical ring, cemented
or otherwise fastened on. Upon this ring is placed a cap with a dome-shaped top.
The joint between the ring and the cap is made with a washer of leather or other
suitable substance. An annular joint-piece is preferably placed inside against
the joint to keep the cap concentric with the ring; the washer projecting inwardly
from the joint and entering a groove in the joint-piece. The inlet is in the support,
which fits into the perforation in the base. The support also contains an outlet
for use in automatically cleansing the filter. The inlet, in order to save space,
partially surrounds the cleansing outlet. The main parts of the filter are held
together by a tube. The lower end of this tube is screwed into the support; the
upper end passing through a hole in the dome of the cap and being furnished with
The various joints are packed with leather or other substance, and are
kept tight by the screwing down of the nut. The upper end of the tube is
provided with slots, so as to afford communication with the interior of the and
cap
the cleansing outlet, to which the tube leads. The slotted part of the tube is
surrounded by a cylindrical grating, which is slipped over the tube (before the
cap is put on) and is supported by a flange. The outlet for the filtered liquid
is made in the perforated base. A bell-shaped cover is placed over the vessel and
cap, and bears against a packing ring on the upper edge of the base. The top of
the cover contains a perforation for the reception of a screw-threaded pin which
projects from and is made integrally with the top of the nut. An outer nut is
screwed down on the pin against a packing ring on the cover; thus holding the
cover securely. The annular space between the outer surface of the tube and
the inner surface of the cylinder is filled or nearly filled with sand or equivalent
substance. The top of the support, which constitutes the bottom of the annular
space, is inclined, so as to facilitate the descent of the sand from the annular space
to the inlet. The inlet is covered by a grating, which prevents the escape of the
sand or other cleansing material and arrests any gross impurities which may be
contained in the liquid to be filtered.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-In the normal working of the filter,
the cleansing outlet is closed. At starting, it is, however, partially opened until
the air in the apparatus is expelled. The liquid entering at the inlet, is forced into
the helical tube, the annular space containing the cleansing material and the cap.
The liquid escapes by passing through the lower and permeable side of the helical
tube and is thus filtered; the upper side of the tube being preferably impermeable.
The cap and other parts of the filter are also impermeable. The upper side of
the helical tube is made impermeable because the grains of sand do not have such
a cleansing effect thereon as on the lower side, which is kept clean as hereinafter

page_text: explained by the sand, and is therefore particularly suitable for use as the filtering
medium. The filtered liquid flows to the base, in which there is an annular
groove to conduct it to the outlet. The cover prevents contamination of the filtered
liquid by dust or other matter. When it is desired to cleanse the filter, the
cleansing outlet in the support is opened. Liquid from the inlet thereupon flows
into the helical tube and through the cylindrical grating and the slots in the
central tube to the cleansing outlet; the current carrying with it grains of sand
from the annular space which rub against the surface of the filtering medium and
remove therefrom any impurities which may have adhered thereto. The escape
of the grains of sand from the cap is prevented by the grating round the slits in
the inner tube. When the cleansing outlet is again closed, the grains of sand
in the cap drop back into the annular space; sand also falling from the annular
space into the inlet in the support.
Instead of forcing the liquid through the filtering medium, it may, if preferred,
be sucked through by an exhaust pump. In this case, the cover becomes a vacuum-
chamber. In cleansing the filter under these conditions, liquid is drawn through
the cleansing outlet by suction.
This apparatus can be easily sterilized by admitting superheated steam or
antiseptic solution to the space between the interior of the cover and the exterior
of the vessel.
The details of construction may, of course, be varied.
Dated this at 2
Lan. ioni
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Filters.
1, BONIFACIO MEDINA SANTURIO, of Buenos Ayres, in the Argentine Republic,
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 what are known as "earthenware" filters, and consists
principally in an improved construction of permeable vessel for filtering the liquid
and means for automatically cleansing the same.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 represents in front elevation (part of the cover being broken away) a
filter constructed according to the mode in which I prefer to carry out my
invention;
Fig. 2 being a vertical section on the line 2-2.
Fig. 3 is a front elevation (parts being broken away) of the support and the
central tube.
Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4, Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 being a similar section on the line 5-5, Fig. 3.
A is an earthenware or other vessel consisting of a cylinder a surrounded by a
helical tube a*; the cylinder and the tube being made integrally with each other.
For convenience of construction, the vessel is preferably made in several lengths;
three being shewn by way of example. The various lengths are united to one
another at the joints 66 by cement or otherwise. In cross section, the tube a* is.
triangular, as seen in Fig. 2. The various convolutions of the tube a* are united
by webs a¹. The vessel is mounted on a perforated base C. The top of the
vessel is terminated by a conical ring a², cemented or otherwise fastened on at
the joint b. Upon this ring is placed a cap D with a dome-shaped top. The
joint between the ring and the cap is made with a washer e of leather or other
suitable substance. An annular joint-piece E is preferably placed inside against

page_text: the joint to keep the cap D concentric with the ring a²; the washer e projecting
inwardly from the joint and entering a groove in the joint-piece. The inlet F¹ is
in the support F, which fits into the perforation in the base C. The support
also contains an outlet F2 for use in automatically cleansing the filter.
The
inlet F, in order to save space, partially surrounds the cleansing outlet F2, as
shewn in Figs. 2 and 5. The main parts of the filter are held together by a tube G.
The lower end of this tube is screwed into the support F; the upper end passing
through a hole in the dome of the cap and being furnished with a nut G. The
joints are packed with washers e¹ and e² of leather or other substance, and are
kept tight by the screwing down of the nut G'; a metal washer ex being placed
between the nut and the washer beneath it. The upper end of the tube is provided
with slots g, so as to afford communication with the interior of the cap D and the
cleansing outlet F2, to which the tube G leads. The slotted part of the tube is
surrounded by a cylindrical grating G², which is slipped over the tube (before
the cap is applied) and is supported by a flange g'. The outlet C¹ for the filtered
liquid is made in the perforated base C. A bell-shaped cover H is placed over
the vessel A and cap D, and bears against a packing ring e³ on the upper edge of
the base C. The top of the cover contains a perforation for the reception of a
screw-threaded pin G*, which projects from, and is made integrally with, the top
of the uut G. A' nut H' is screwed down on the pin against a packing ring e
on the cover; thus holding the cover securely. A metal washer ex is placed
between the nut H₁ and the ring e. The annular space between the outer surface of
the tube G and the inner surface of the cylinder a is filled or nearly filled with
sand K or equivalent substance. The top FX of the support F, which constitutes
the bottom of the annular space, is inclined, so as to direct the sand K in its
descent from the annular space towards the inlet F¹. The inlet is covered by a
grating f, which prevents the escape of the sand or other cleansing material, and
arrests any gross impurities which may be contained in the liquid to be filtered.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-In the normal working of the
filter, the cleansing outlet F2 is closed. At starting, it is, however, partially
opened until the air in the apparatus is expelled. The liquid entering at the
inlet F is forced into the helical tube a*, the annular space containing the cleansing
material K and the cap D. The liquid escapes by passing through the lower
and permeable side of the helical tube a*, and is thus filtered; the upper side of
the tube being preferably impermeable. The cap D and other parts of the filter are
also impermeable. The upper side of the helical tube is made impermeable
because the grains of sand K do not have such a cleansing effect thereon as on the
lower side, which is kept clean (as hereinafter explained) by the sand, and is
therefore particularly suitable for use as the filtering medium. The filtered liquid
flows to the base C, in which there is an annular groove c to conduct it to the outlet C¹.
The cover H prevents the contamination by dust or other matter of the filtered
liquid. When it is desired to cleanse the filter, the cleansing outlet F2 is opened.
Liquid from the inlet F¹ thereupon flows into the helical tube a*, through the
cylindrical grating G² and the slots g in the central tube G, and thence to the
cleansing outlet F. The stream immediately before entering the helical tube a*
meets the sand escaping from the annular space K and carries the same along with
it into and through the helical tube a*; the grains rubbing against the internal surface
of the said tube and particularly against the lower wall of the passage, or that
wall through which filtration takes place. By these means, impurities which may
have become deposited are dislodged and pass away with the wash-out water; the
escape of the sand being, however, prevented by the grating G² surrounding
the slots y. When the cleansing outlet is again closed, the grains of sand in the
cap D drop directly into the annular space K.
Instead of forcing the liquid through the filtering medium, it may, if preferred,
be sucked through by an exhaust pump. In this case, the cover H becomes a
vacuum-chamber. In cleansing the filter under these conditions, liquid is drawn
through the cleansing outlet F by suction.

page_text: This apparatus can be easily, sterilized by admitting superheated steam or
antiseptic solution to the space between the interior of the cover H. and the, exterior
of the vessel A.-
=
The design illustrated in the accompanying drawings is intended to serve as an
example of a mode in which my invention may be carried into effect; but it will
be obvious that the details of construction shewn may be varied without affecting
the principle of operation employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I claim :-
1. The improved filter constructed and operating substantially as described with
reference to the accompanying drawings, and capable of being cleansed without
being taken apart; the same having a permeable vessel through which the water
or, other liquid to be filtered is caused to percolate, and a volume of sand or similar
substance, which, on the cleansing outlet being opened, is carried along by the
current against the surface of the filtering medium for the purpose of scouring
the same.
2. In a. filter, the employment of a permeable vessel A for filtering the liquid;
such vessel consisting of a cylinder a surrounded by a helical tube a* made
integral therewith, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying
[drawings.
3. In a filter, the combination, with the vessel A and the cap D, of the base C,
the support F, the tube. G and grating G2, .substantially as and for the purposes
.set forth.
4. In a filter, the combination, with a permeable vessel A, formed with a helical
tube a*, of a sand-reservoir K, provisions for leading sand therefrom into the
(current entering the helical tube, and provisions for allowing the sand to return to
the sand-reservoir for re-use in scouring the filtering surfaces, substantially as
,herein set forth
Dated this 23rd day of December 1891.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C., Chartered Patent, Agent.