Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Softening and Clarifying Water.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 12th July, 1899-Accepted, 30th Sept., 1899
PROVIDIONAL DI
SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Softening and
Clarifying Water.
I, WILLIAM JAMES BAKER, of Peasholme House, Scarborough, in the County
of York, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in and relating to that class of water
softening apparatus in which suitable re-agents are added to the water for the
precipitation of lime, magnesia and other earthy impurities, and colouring
matter, the process in some cases being facilitated or expedited by the application
of heat to the water under treatment, the said precipitation being completed
in a special form of tank provided therefor.
For the purpose of adding the required proportion of the precipitating re-agent,
a solution thereof is made of a known strength, and contained in an elevated
tank, in which are fitted endless chains carrying small buckets or measures,
which are raised and tipped over into a funnel by the motion of the chains driven
by sprocket wheels fixed upon a horizontal shaft, which is driven from a covered
water-wheel motor actuated by the flow of water in the pipe leading to the
softening apparatus. The above mentioned funnel is connected to a pipe which
conducts the solution of re-agent to the water to be softened, with which it mixes.
After the admixture of the re-agent with the water as aforesaid it passes into a
depositing tank for the purpose of allowing the earthy and other suspended
impurities to settle to the bottom, or upon horizontal or inclined shelves or
diaphragms, placed across the depositing tank at intervals one above another,
which are found to expedite the settling process.
Hitherto these shelves or diaphragms have been fixed to the sides of the
depositing tank, and are generally rivetted thereto in an inclined position, in order
that lime and other sediment may slide down the inclined surfaces to blow-off
cocks which are opened occasionally to wash out the sediment.
According to my present improvements, the shelves or diaphragms are not
fixed, but are supported upon central pivots in a horizontal position, several of
the shelves being connected at their edges by means of links or chains, whereby
the act of raising the edge of the top shelf at the same time raises the corre-
sponding edges of the shelves under it, until they are at an angle of about 45°,
when the lime and sediment slide off the shelves, and quickly fall to the bottom
of the tank. Each shelf is perforated with rows of holes transversely to its axis,
the water rising through the holes and depositing its sediment upon the spaces
between the perforations. Stops of angle iron are fixed across the sides of the
tank for the edges of the shelves to rest against, in order to hold them in a
horizontal position when not being purposely tilted.
As a modification of this method of mounting the shelves or diaphragms upon
central pivots, they may be hinged to the side of the tank, and supported hori-
zontally by means of a chain or rod, which when lowered allows the shelves to

page_text: fall into a sloping position, and the accumulated sediment to slide off to the
bottom of the tank.
Instead of the perforations in the shelves herein described, spaces may be left
at the right and left alternately between the edges of the shelves and the sides
of the tank, which arrangement will cause the current of water to take a zig-zag
course, and to flow over the whole surface of the shelves upon which it will leave
its sediment.
For the purpose of quickly removing scum, which may rise in the process of
clarification, a perforated pipe is fixed across one end of the depositing tank,
and at the opposite end is provided a skimming-lip and overflow pipe.
By turning on a powerful stream of water through the perforations of the pipe,
a current is produced which rapidly sweeps away the scum, over the skimming-lip,
and out at the overflow pipe, which is made sufficiently large to allow the passage
of the scum.
Dated this 14th day of October 1898.
WILLIAM J. BAKER,
Peasholme House, Scarborough.
Improvements in and relating to Apparatus for Softening and
Clarifying Water.
I, WILLIAM JAMES BAKER, of Peasholme House, Scarborough, in the County
of York, Mechanical 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 additions to or improvements upon my former Patents
No. 91 of 1895 and No. 15,384 of 1897 and has reference to that class of water
softening and clarifying apparatus in which suitable re-agents are added to the
water for the precipitation of lime, magnesia, and other impurities, and colouring
matter, tanks of a special form being provided for the deposition of the impurities,
which deposition may in some cases be facilitated or expedited by the application
of steam heat, and an apparatus being also provided for skimming the tanks.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same
with reference to the accompanying drawings in which :-
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of apparatus for softening and clarifying water
constructed according to my invention;
Figure 2 is a plan of the tank of the apparatus from which the cover has been
removed;
Figure 3 is a plan of the automatic feed arrangement hereinafter described
for supplying measured portions of the re-agents;
Figure 4 is an underside view of one of the pivotted shelves or diaphragms
hereinafter referred to.
Similar letters in all the figures refer to similar parts.
A, A is an oil separator and B, B a water-heating cylinder similar to those
described in my said former patents.
From the heater B, B the water which has been raised in temperature, and
treated with suitable chemicals, as hereinafter described, passes along the
channel D into the flattened chamber I from whence it passes in the direction
of the arrow into the first compartment C where the deposition of earthy matter
immediately commences and continues as the water gently passes up through
apertures in the shelves or diaphragms E, E, until it reaches the top of the

page_text: partition when it flows over into the flat space H, H and thence into the second
depositing chamber C¹ where a further precipitation of the solids takes place,
the sediment being left upon the floor of the tank and upon the shelves, but in
this tank the water also passes through a perforated plate which forms one side
of the filter space F, F, which space is filled with suitable fibrous filtering material.
The water passing through the filter is divested of suspended solids and flows
from the outlet pipe G clear, soft and hot.
Instead of employing a vertical filter space F, F I may arrange this space
horizontally as shown by the dotted lines X, X in which latter case the outlet
pipe must be fixed above the top perforated plate of the filter.
The perforated plates E, E are found to materially expedite the settlement of
suspended solids, the water passing up through the holes and leaving its sedi-
ment in the spaces between the rows of holes.
Perforated plates as hitherto used for this purpose have been rivetted to the
sides of the tanks and set at an angle to allow the sediment to slide down towards
blow off cocks which discharged it occasionally, but in my improved apparatus
the plates E, E are pivotted upon rods at L, L which rods are carried in caps M, M
at the front and back of the tank which can be unscrewed and the rods taken
out to release the plates or shelves.
Each shelf is connected at one edge by a chain or link to the next shelf so
that by lifting the chain K the said edges of the whole of the shelves are raised
and the deposited lime and sludge which has settled upon the shelves is shot
off at the lower edges and at once settles at the bottom of the tank. The shelves
are slightly wider on the side to which the chain is attached, to cause it to over-
balance the other side, and keep it in position against the angle iron stops N, N.
In some cases circular or cylindrical tanks may be employed for the deposition
of lime in which case circular perforated shelves are employed which are mounted
upon central rods or pivots and which act in the same manner as the rectangular
diaphragms before described.
The tank is cleared of scum by stopping the flow of the water from the outlet
pipe G and allowing the level of the water to rise until it overflows the skimming
lip J; the water is then turned on at the valve V when a thin stream of water
from the perforated pipe V sweeps the scum along the surface of the water until
it passes over the skimming lip and out at the overflow pipe J¹.
For the purpose of measuring a supply of chemicals proportionate to the
volume of water passing through the softener a modification of the well known
water wheel and bucket elevator is employed. The water to be softened is
delivered into the small mixing tank by the pipe P and strikes the water
wheel which, in revolving, actuates the buckets upon an endless chain R
adapted to raise measured quantities of a solution of re-agent of predetermined
strength and deliver it into the mixing tank where it mingles with the incom-
ing water and passes with it down the pipe S to the heater B, B.
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 —
1. In water softening and clarifying apparatus, the construction of settling
tank of the form shewn having a filtering arrangement substantially as described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. In water softening and clarifying apparatus, the construction of settling tank
of the form shown provided with pivotted perforated shelves or diaphragms
designed to be tilted to any required angle, either combined or not with the
filtering arrangement shewn, all substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
3. In a water softening and clarifying apparatus whether circular or rectangular
in plan, the perforated pivotted shelves; with lifting chains or links and angle
iron stops, substantially as, and for the purpose described.

page_text: 4. In water softening apparatus the skimming arrangement consisting of the
perforated water pipe, the skimming lip, and the overflow-pipe, all substantially
as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
5. In water softening and clarifying apparatus the combination of the water
heating cylinder, (either with or without an oil separator) the depositing tank,
the pivotted and perforated shelves operated by means of a chain, the vertical
or horizontal filter and the accessories all arranged, constructed and operating
in the manner and for the purpose set forth and as illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Dated the 10th 1.
T11000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London,
Agents for the Applicant.