Improvements in Apparatus for Softening, Purifying, and Filtering Water.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 29th Mar., 1890
CUMI LIED MOTIVATION
Improvements in Apparatus for Softening, Purifying, and Filtering
Water.
1 JOSEPH WRIGHT of 16 Great George Street in the City of Westminster
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:-
The object of my Invention is to provide apparatus by which water is efficiently
softened purified and filtered or either of them in a continuous or intermittent manner
as desired the apparatus being automatically brought into action to admit and treat
fresh quantities of water as that already treated is drawn off the reagents being
automatically added in proper proportion to the untreated water and efficiently mixed
therewith means being provided for causing the impurities to become separated from
the water and the water being afterwards filtered if so desired.
I will describe my Invention with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein
the same letters of reference denote the same parts where they occur in the several
Figures-I do not limit myself to the precise forms of the parts illustrated as it will
be evident that they can be varied without departing from the nature of my
Invention.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of the apparatus. Figure 2 is an end
elevation as seen from the right hand of Figure 1 and Figure 3 is an end elevation as
seen from the left hand of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a plan and Figure 5 is a part
elevation and Figure 6 a part plan_drawn to a larger scale shewing the parts at the
left hand upper end of Figure 1. Figure 7 is a separate view of part of the interior
shewing the arrangement of the plates upon which the impurities are precipitated and
down which they pass. Figure 8 is part elevation and part section drawn to a larger
scale of the filter and Figure 9 is an end elevation thereof these Figures shewing
the filter arranged separately from the reagent and precipitating vessels and
illustrating also a modification of the form shewn in Figures 1 and 2 as herein-
after described. Figure 10 is a longitudinal section of one of the filter tubes drawn
to a still larger scale. The water to be treated is admitted to the apparatus by
the pipe A provided with a stop cock a and passes through the equilibrium double-
beat valve at a² into the trough B at the other end of which are orifices or
distributing nozzles by which the water passes to a turbine or water motor
device such as the water wheels CC secured to the rotatable shaft c upon which
are also secured pulleys having endless chains or agitators passed over them
and depending into the chamber D into which the untreated water after operating
the turbine or water wheels passes from the nozzles or orifices b. A portion of
the water from the trough B passes by the pipe e into the trough E and another
portion of the water passes by the pipe finto the vessel F. I will presume that the
reagents employed are lime and caustic soda although I do not limit myself to the use
of any particular reagents. The lime is introduced into the trough E and it is slacked
by the water admitted by the pipe e which water with the lime which it takes up
passes by the pipe e² (Figures 4 and 5) and descends into the chamber G in which is
an agitator such as for instance an endless chain g passed over a pulley g³ on a shaft g³
driven from the shaft c by gearing g' and descending into the receptacle³ beneath
for the purpose of keeping the excess of lime which has been washed down by the
water from the trough E in a suspended state until it is taken up by the incoming
A supply of caustic soda (say sufficient for a day or two's working) is placed
on the perforated plate in the vessel f* situated in the vessel F. Water is admitted
into the said vesself by the pipef and dissolves soda forming a strong solution,
which solution when of the required strength is by opening the valve /* passed into
water.

page_text: the water in the main body of the vessel F (which is made double or in two parts
communicating by the pipe f³) when the valve f is again closed and soda is placed on
the plate f and allowed to dissolve ready to supply a fresh charge to the vessel F when
required. The dilute soda solution is passed from the vessel F into the vessel H by
means of a chain of buckets passing over a sprocket wheel 2 secured to the shaft g³
(see separate view Figure 5) which buckets consist of boxes with an opening h³ only
at the upper part of the side presented to the vessel H so that as the buckets turn
over the wheel 2 the solution carried up by them runs out at the side into the vessel H
which is shewn as consisting of a compartment formed in the trough E by the
partition h the said solution passing from the said compartment H by the pipe ³ into
the perforated pipe from which it flows into the chamber D. The lime water passes
as aforesaid from the trough E by the pipe e² into the chamber G and mixes with the
water therein and passes under the partition or semi circular tube 9 into and up the
chamber R. from the upper end of which it passes by the pipes d into the perforated
pipe and therefrom into the vessel D. The perforations of the pipes and d² should
be distributed throughout their length and should be in the side presented towards the
water wheels C so that a certain level of liquid is maintained in the said pipes. The
water and reagents are thoroughly mixed in the chamber D by means of the
agitators and then pass under the partition I into the chamber J which is provided
with a number of plates j arranged at an angle (preferably one of forty five degrees).
These plates are arranged to cross each other alternately from side to side of the vessel
as shewn in Figure 7 and as the water passes upwards through the spaces between
these plates the impurities settle out and pass downwards over the plates and are
received into the V shaped culvert J2 at bottom from which they can be withdrawn at
intervals by the valve 3. The water when it reaches the upper part of the chamber J
can be withdrawn by a suitable draw off valve provided for the purpose or it can be
passed through a filter preferably one such as is shewn at the top of the said chamber
and more in detail in Figures 8, 9 and 10 the one shewn in Figures 8 and 9 having
the filtering devices projecting from both sides of the face plate whilst that shewn in
Figure 1 has the filtering devices projecting from one side only of the face plate:
The filtering devices consist of perforated or reticulated tubes K consisting of inner
and outer tubes with a space k between them and with an end plate k² also by
preference perforated or reticulated. The tubes K are covered inside and out by
filtering material preferably in the form of a tube passed over the outer of the
tubes K and then folded inwards to cover the interior of the inner of the tubes K and
the end plate k².
I
The tubes K are preferably made separately their outer ends being connected by
means of the ring ³ (Figure 10) and the inner end of the outer tube being rivetted
to the annular casting K2 with arms to the central boss of which the end
plate is rivetted. The annular castings K' are bolted to the face plate K³. The
water which passes through the filtering material into the spaces k passes by the
openings in the face plate K³ into the interior thereof and thence through
perforations in the hollow axis and thence by the nozzle or outlet into the
vessel L from which it can be drawn as required by the pipe by opening the cock 12
(see Figure 2). The cock m on the bye pass pipe M (Figure 2) is normally closed
but can be opened to pass the untreated water into the pipe when required. The
cocks and a are closed when cleaning is being done. When the filters are to be
cleaned this can be conveniently done by placing beneath the outer of the tubes K a
semicircular trough which extends from the inner end of the tube to the vessel N the
dirt from the filter when removed by squirting water over and into them running by
the trough into the vessel N from which it passes to the drain P by the pipe p the
cock p² being opened for the purpose. As water is withdrawn from the outlet / for
the treated water untreated water automatically enters by the float q (Figure 1)
falling with the lowering of the level of the water in the vessel J this falling of the
float acting on the lever 92 to open the inlet valve a². Residue can be run from the
receptacle into the drain P by opening the valve r; is a tightly closed hand hole
for giving access to the receptacle. At the upper part of the pipe p is an overflow

page_text: passages (Figure 2) communicating with the vessel J through which the water will
pass should anything occur to interfere with the proper working of the inlet
arrangements.
The filtering device shewn at Figures 8 and 9 differs only from that shewn in
Figure 1 in being duplicated it having a hollow face plate with openings at both
sides and tubes K fixed on at both sides and perforations k at the part where the face
plate is situated and outlets at both ends of the vessel by which it is contained (but
it may have an outlet at only one end if desired). It is here shewn as being separate
from the reagent and precipitating vessels and contained in a vessel X to which
water can be admitted by a cock as at Z. The parts corresponding to those shewn in
Figure 1 are marked with the same letters of reference. I prefer to make the
filtering device so that it can be turned on the hollow axis k³ to bring uppermost
whichever tubes K it may be desired to clean. For this purpose the axis & is fixed
and the face plate K³ is journalled on to it so that it can turn thereon and it
may be made water tight by packing or hydraulic cup leathers as shewn at C*
Figure 8.
It will be understood from the foregoing that the force of the entering water works
the apparatus through which it passes owing to its tending to find its own level
and that the quantity of treated water withdrawn is at once replaced by a fresh
quantity of untreated water the said water operating the agitators by acting on the
water wheels and being delivered very equally thereto by the nozzles or orifices b
which being at some distance from the inlet for untreated water ensure a steady
inflow of the water to the water wheels C and into the vessel D. T are stays which
serve both to strengthen the chamber J and to support the settling plates jj.
Y (Figure 3) is a pipe with a cock y through which the vessel F can be emptied when
desired.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
First. The apparatus for softening or purifying water consisting of the arrangement
and combination of parts substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings whether the filter be combined therewith or not.
Second. In apparatus for softening or purifying water a trough into which the
untreated water is delivered and in which it becomes comparatively quiescent there
being holes or nozzles 6 in the said trough and pipes (or passages) e and f (or
either of them) leading to the reagent vessel or vessels substantially as hereinbefore
described.
Third. In combination with water softening or purifying apparatus a reagent
vessel and a receiving compartment and a series of boxes or buckets h open at
the side near to the top for elevating and delivering for passing into the water
treating chamber the reagent or one of the reagents with which the water is to be
treated substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Fourth. In water softening or purifying apparatus the combination of the
chambers D. G and R and geared shafts and agitators having motion conveyed
thereto by the incoming water whose velocity is moderated substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated.
Fifth. In water softening and purifying apparatus the combination with the
chambers G. R and D of the reagent trough E and perforated outlet pipe d² from
the chamber R to the chamber D substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated.
•
Sixth. In water softening or purifying apparatus the combination with the reagent
vessel F of the chamber perforated plate f¹ and valve ƒ substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated.
Seventh. In water softening or purifying apparatus depositing plates j arranged
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated.

page_text: Eighth. A filter consisting of perforated or reticulated tubes connected to a hollow
face plate having openings for admitting the filtered water the said tubes being
covered by filtering material and the face plate being mounted on a hollow support or
axle which is perforated at the part which passes through the hollow face plate and
which forms a passage for the outlet of filtered water substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated whether it be arranged as shewn in Figure 1 or as shewn in
Figures 8 and 9.
Ninth. In apparatus substantially like that described the arrangement of pipes and
cocks whereby the passage for the water can be diverted substantially as and for the
purpose hereinbefore described and illustrated.
Dated the 3rd day of February 1900
JOSEPH WRIGHT.