IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION. OF WATER
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Anderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1883.
WILLIAM ANDERSON of 3 Whitehall Place in the City of Westminster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION. OF WATER
"1
"
This invention relates to the treatment of water by means of spongy iron.
The method at present adopted is to pass the water through layers of the
purifying material arranged like an ordinary filter bed but in many cases notably
where spongy iron is used with bad water the purifying material gets covered
with slime, cakes into lumps and has to be disturbed and, cleaned from time to:
time. Moreover the process of purification by percolation being very slow large
areas of filters are required and a heavy capital expenditure in the purifying
material.
The proposed method consists in placing the spongy iron in a revolving vessel of
suitable size and passing the water to be purified through the hollow trunnions, in
at one end and out at the other. The inside of the vessel may be fitted with
shelves or ledges to cause the material to be carried up and caused to fall through
the water, thus constantly exposing fresh surfaces.
The rubbing of the particles of the spongy iron against each other, as the vessel
revolves serves to keep them clean and in an active condition. One or both ends
of the revolving vessel are fitted with perforated screens so as to prevent the
escape of the inaterial through the trunnions. An air cock is provided to allow of
the escape of any air or gases that may collect in the upper part of the vessel.
.
The vessel may be driven in any convenient manner by steam or water power
or by the fall of the water which is being operated on before or after it leaves the
vessel.
:
The shelves ledges or paddles may be of any shape and arranged at any
inclination so as to keep the material distributed as uniformly as possible.
The arrangements may advantageously be such as to admit of change in the
direction of flow from time to time.

page_text: Figure 1 is a vertical section of an apparatus for the purification of water in
accordance with my invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same.
The apparatus consists of a cylinder A, mounted so as to revolve about horizontal
axes or trunnions A¹. A³. These trunnions at its ends serves one of them as the
water inlet, and the other as the outlet. Preferably the outlet is of considerably
larger dimensions than the inlet. This arrangement is made in order that the flow
of water through the apparatus may not cause the spongy iron with which the
apparatus is charged, to be carried out of the cylinder. This plan is preferable to
the use of a strainer to retain the spongy iron but nevertheless a strainer may be
employed. At the inlet end of the apparatus the velocity of the incoming water
is checked by a baffle plate, as shown, or the same object may be attained by
means of a perforated plate or strainer.
The cylinder contains within it shelves A³. A³. and these as the cylinder rotates
lift the spongy iron and then allow it to fall down through the water to the bottom
of the cylinder. One of these shelves is divided up into a series of sections A* A*
and these are set in a somewhat oblique position, with the object to counteract
any tendency there may be for the spongy iron to travel along the cylinder.with
the current of water from the inlet to the outlet end.
Where the inlet and the outlet are of similar dimensions the same end may bo
attained by reversing the flow of water through the apparatus, but the arrangement
shown by the Drawing I consider preferable.
The water issuing from the cylinder ascends by the rising channel B into the
trough C, which leads it away to an ordinary sand filter where it is exposed to the
air and the iron dissolved in the purifier is precipitated and separated by filtration
leaving the water fit for use.

page_text: The
Rotation may be imparted to the cylinder A in any convenient manner.
Drawing represents a ring of teeth at A. With these teeth a pinion engages, and
on the axis of the pinion is a worm wheel engaging with a worm upon an axis
driven by a belt from any motor engine; the method of driving may however be
varied.
With an apparatus such as the Drawing shows and having a cylinder five feet
in diameter a circumferential speed of five feet per minute will be suitable. Such
an apparatus will be capable of purifying say five hundred gallons of water
per minute but this will depend to some extent upon the quality of the water
supplied by the apparatus, and the standard of purification to which it is desired
to attain. With very impure water such as sewage the quantity purified will be
much less.
The cylinder should be provided with an air cock by opening which air is
permitted to escape from time to time as it accumulates.
This air cock is not represented in the Drawings.
By spongy iron, I would have it understood that I mean metallic iron in a state
of division such as to present a large surface to contact with the water and such
as to admit of its being conveniently worked in the apparatus described. The
best suited for the purpose is iron obtained by the reduction of an oxide ore of
iron by heating it when in admixture mixed with carbonaceous matter to a
temperature sufficient to effect the reduction without causing agglomeration.
. Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I claim :—
First. The process for the purification of water consisting in causing it to pass
through a rotating apparatus containing spongy iron, which, by the movement of
the apparatus is kept in agitation or movement amongst the water substantially
as described.
Second. The apparatus for the purification of water by means of spongy iron,
substantially as herein described and represented by the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said William Anderson have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fifth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty four.

page_text: I, WILLIAM ANDERSON of 3 Whitehall Place in the City of Westminster seek
leave to amend the specification of Letters Patent, No. 5496 of 1883, as shown
in red ink in the copy of the original specification hereunto annexed:-By
inserting at page 3 at the end of line 24 the words "or flow continuously." Also
by inserting at page 3 line 25 after the word "apparatus" the words "such as
that herein set forth and "
My reasons for making this amendment are as follows:-That the first claim
made in my Specification is too wide and general and as it stands without this
amendment might be held to include the process of purifying water by causing
spongy iron to be mixed with the water by any well known mechanical means
which had before been proposed.
NORDGAN
In the matter of the application made by William Anderson for leave to amend
the Specification of Letters Patent N° 5496 of 1883.
I hereby grant leave to the said William Anderson to amend the said
Specification in the manner proposed.

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Anderson of 3 Whitehall Place in the City of
Westminster for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION OF
WATED"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Anderson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd November 1883.
WILLIAM ANDERSON of 3 Whitehall Place in the City of Westminster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION OF WATER
و"
This invention relates to the treatment of water by means of spongy iron.
The method at present adopted is to pass the water through layers of the
purifying material arranged like an ordinary filter bed but in many cases notably
where spongy iron is used with bad water the purifying material gets covered
with slime, cakes into lumps and has to be disturbed and cleaned from time to
time. Moreover the process of purification by percolation being very slow large
areas of filters are required and a heavy capital expenditure in the purifying
material.
The proposed method consists in placing the spongy iron in a revolving vessel of
suitable size and passing the water to be purified through the hollow trunnions, in
at one end and out at the other. The inside of the vessel may be fitted with
shelves or ledges to cause the material to be carried up and caused to fall through
the water, thus constantly exposing fresh surfaces.
The rubbing of the particles of the spongy iron against each other, as the vessel
revolves serves to keep them clean and in an active condition. One or both ends
of the revolving vessel are fitted with perforated screens so as to prevent the
escape of the material through the trunnions. An air cock is provided to allow of
the escape of any air or gases that may collect in the upper part of the vessel.
The vessel may be driven in any convenient manner by steam or water power
or by the fall of the water which is being operated on before or after it leaves the
vessel.
The shelves ledges or paddles may be of any shape and arranged at any
inclination so as to keep the material distributed as uniformly as possible.
The arrangements may advantageously be such as to admit of change in the
direction of flow from time to time.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Anderson in the Patent Office on the 23rd May 1884.
WILLIAM ANDERSON of 3 Whitehall Place in the City of Westminster
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PURIFICATION OF WATER
"
This Invention relates to the treatment of water by means of spongy iron.
The method at present adopted is to pass the water through layers of the purifying
material arranged like an ordinary filter bed, but in many cases, notably where
spongy iron is used with bad water, the purifying material gets covered with slime
cakes into lumps and has to be disturbed and cleaned from time to time. Moreover
the process of purification by percolation being very slow large areas of filters are
required and a heavy capital expenditure in the purifying material.
The proposed method consists in placing the spongy iron in a revolving vessel
of suitable size but so as not nearly to fill it and passing the water to be purified
through the hollow trunnions, in it at one end and out of the other. The inside of
the vessel may be fitted with shelves or ledges to cause the material to be carrie.!
up and caused to fall through the water, thus constantly exposing fresh surfaces.
The rubbing of the particles of the spongy iron against each other, as the vessel
revolves, serves to keep them clean and in an active condition.
In order that my said Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a vertical section of an apparatus for the purification of water in
accordance with my invention. .
Figure 2 is a transverse section of the same.
The apparatus consists of a cylinder A, mounted so as to revolve about horizontal
axes or trunnions A'. A³. These trunnions at its ends serves one of them as the
water inlet, and the other as the outlet. Preferably the outlet is of considerably
larger dimensions than the inlet. This arrangement is made in order that the flow
of water through the apparatus may not cause the spongy iron with which the
apparatus is charged, to be carried out of the cylinder. This plan is preferable to.
the use of a strainer to retain the spongy iron but nevertheless a strainer may be
employed. At the inlet end of the apparatus the velocity of the incoming water
is checked by a baffle plate, as shown, or the same object may be attained by
means of a perforated plate or strainer.
The cylinder contains within it shelves A³. A³. and these as the cylinder rotates
lift the spongy iron and then allow it to fall down through the water to the bottom
of the cylinder. One of these shelves is divided up into a series of sections A*. A*.
and these are set in a somewhat oblique position, with the object to counteract
any tendency there may be for the spongy iron to travel along the cylinder with
the current of water from the inlet to the outlet end.
Where the inlet and the outlet are of similar dimensions the same end may be
attained by reversing the flow of water through the apparatus, but the arrangement
shown by the Drawing I consider preferable.

page_text: The water issuing from. the cylinder. ascends by the rising channel B into the
trough C, which leads it away to an ordinary sand filter where it is exposed to the
air and the iron dissolved in the purifier is precipitated and separated by filtration
leaving the water fit for use.
The
Rotation may be imparted to the cylinder A in any convenient manner.
Drawing represents a ring of teeth at A³. With these teeth a pinion engages, and
on the axis of the pinion is a worm wheel engaging with a worm upon an axis
driven by a belt from any motor engine; the method of driving may however be
varied.
With an apparatus such as the Drawing shows and having a cylinder five feet
in diameter a circumferential speed of five feet per minute will be suitable. Such
an apparatus will be capable of purifying say five hundred gallons of water
per minute but this will depend to some extent upon the quality of the water
supplied by the apparatus, and the standard of purification to which it is desired
to attain. With very impure water such as sewage the quantity purified will be
much less.
The cylinder should be provided with an air cock by opening which air is
permitted to escape from time to time as it accumulates.
This air cock is not represented in the Drawings.
By spongy iron, I would have it understood that I mean metallic iron in a state
of division such as to present a large surface to contact with the water and such
as to admit of its being conveniently worked in the apparatus described. The
best suited for the purpose is iron obtained by the reduction of an oxide ore of
iron by heating it when in admixture mixed with carbonaceous matter to a
temperature sufficient to effect the reduction without causing agglomeration.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention and the manner of
performing the same I would have it understood that I claim :-
First. The process for the purification of water consisting in causing it to pass
or flow continuously through a rotating apparatus such as that herein set forth
and containing spongy iron, which, by the movement of the apparatus is kept in
agitation or movement amongst the water substantially as described.
Second. The apparatus for the purification of water by means of spongy iron,
substantially as herein described and represented by the annexed Drawings.
In witness whereof I the said William Anderson have hereunto set my hand
and seal this fifth day of May in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and eighty four.