IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTERING APPARATUS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Prince, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing
Cross, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FILTERING APPARATUS."-A communication from abroad by François
Michel and Aimé Pruvot, both resident at Paris, in the Empire of
France.
Sealed the 23rd August 1864, and dated the 26th February 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Prince at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
February 1864.
I, ALEXANDER PRINCE, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the
County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTERING APPARATUS," a communication to me from
abroad by François Michel and Aimé Pruvot, both resident at Paris, in the
Empire of France, to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to cortain improvements in apparatus for filtering,
whereby large quantity of water may be instantaneously filtered, and the
apparatus cleansed from the impurities left therein. The apparatus consists
of two or more large basins or reservoirs, each containing the filters; these
basins may be worked simultaneously or in succession by the following means:-
A large reservoir of water above the filtering basins conducts the water by a
pipe across a reservoir or vessel, the water being conducted into a channel at
the lower part of the basins. Above the channel is placed the first support of

page_text: the filtering material, which may consist of sand, charcoal, or other pulverized
substances. The water is forced by the pressure through these materials, and
arrives at a smaller second or upper channel, over which is another support
for a further supply of finer filtering powdered materials. The water speedily
forces its way through the second layer of material, and reaches the top of the
basin in a clear or filtered state, whence it escapes by a valve, and is ready
for use.
In order to clean the apparatus the conducting pipe is closed, and a valve
opened at the lower part of the basin in the canal; the water then runs out
by a waste pipe, and a fresh supply is allowed to enter from the reservoir
through jets or roses, which wash away all the impurities resulting from the
Gltration.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexander Prince in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th August 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER
PRINCE, of No. 4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross, in the County of Middle-
sex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Alexander Prince, Her special licence that I, the said Alexander Prince,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Alexander Prince, my executors. administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FILTERING APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Alexander Prince, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should par-
ticularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Prince, do hereby declare
the nature of my said 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 consists of certain improvements in apparatus for filtering,
whereby a large quantity of water or other liquid may be instantaneously
filtered, and the apparatus cleansed from the impurities left therein.
In order that the said Invention may be completely understood, I proceed
to describe the same with reference to the accompanying Drawings, in which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical section, Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3 a transverso
vertical section, of one form of apparatus for filtering and cleansing. The
same letters denote corresponding parts in each of the Figures.
A and B are two large basins; A' is the elevated conductor of the water to
be filtered; B', the conducting tube of the water to the reservoir C; C, the
reservoir, containing three pipes provided with valves; D, the conducting tube
of the water to the filter; E, the first layer or purifying filter; F, the second
layer or clarifying filter; G, G, the basins of filtered water; H, H, flood gates
or outlets for the filtered water; I, the channel for cleansing; J, valve of the
discharge pipe; K, discharge pipe; L, valve, closing at will the pipe D;
M, pipe for conducting the water for cleansing; N, valve for the pipe M.
The two large basins A, B, enclose each an apparatus for filtering. Theso
two basins, to which others may be added if desired, work simultaneously or
successively in the following manner :-A largo reservoir or supply of water A'.
furnished from a somewhat elevated position the water for the filter, which
passes by the pipe B' across the reservoir C, and continues by the pipe or
conduit D into a channel I, above which is placed the first layer of filtering
purifier E. The pressure to which the water is subjected should be sufficiently-
great as however dirty the water may be to cause it to pass through this sheet
or layer composed of filtering materials or porous substances fit for arresting
tho passage of impurities. The water which traverses the first layer arrives
in a small channel separating the layer E from the clarifying layer F, and
there remains for some moments, then, under the constant action of pressure
which it sustains, it traverses the second layer F, containing finer filtering
materials than those of the layer E, and it arrives limpid and pure as crystal
in the upper basin G, whence it flows out by the outlet valve H ready for use.
The materials which compose the two layers, and which may vary according
to the facilities afforded by the localities in which the apparatus is set up, are
of different natures, which are well known, and have no special designation;
they ought to deprive the water of nothing which can in any way alter the

page_text: essential qualities of the water to be filtered, and should only remove the dirt
and heterogeneous bodies which it contains. The basin A and B, comprising
the apparatus, may have any desired dimension; but the system would not be
complete if it did not combine also the means of cleaning out the apparatus
in a very short time. It is evident, in effect, that at the end of a certain time
the layer E would be obstructed by saline and viscous matter, and that it is
necessary to remove them. The following is the method of so operating:-
The pipe D is to be closed, the valve L opened, and the water which is in the
basin I runs out by the channel of discharge K; in this manner the filtration is
stopped, and the cleansing of the apparatus is permitted to work. The water
from the reservoir C passes by the channel M, and comes with a powerful
pressure, which is exercised by four or many jets acting in all directions, clears
or cleanses the basin I and the lower surface of the layer E; this water, and
the impurities constantly escape, until the cleansing is perfect, by an outlet
made for this purpose in the basin I.
It is not necessary to indicate the nature of the materials employed in the
construction of the apparatus, nor the different methods of pressure which
may be applied to cause the circulation of the liquid, the first may vary
according to the localities and the price of material, and the second being all
well known and in public use.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of a filter of a small size, but acting on the same
principles as the largo filter just described. It consists of a hollow cylinder A,
of iron or other material, placed vertically, and containing two layers provided
with filtering matters, which are separated into two basins, the lower one
destined to receive the water to be filtered, the upper one containing the
clarified liquid, which runs out according as required by a tap or cock b. A
cistern c is situated above the level of the cylinder containing the water to be
filtered, and conveying it by a syphon tube d into tho lower basin of the
cylinder. In obedience to the law of equilibrium of liquids the water rises in
the lower basin, passing through the filtering layers, where it is completely
purified. As will be seen this system differs essentially from the usual
methods of filtering, by which the clarified liquid flows out at the lower part
of the recipient. e is the tap for the supply of water to be filtered; f, the tap
for cleansing; and g the discharging tap. The apparatus is of course to be
set on a suitable stand, or it may rest on a floor, or the ground, proper arrange-
ments being made for the situation of the pipes. It may be set on a carriago
with wheels for transport for armies in the field; or it may be used as an
ordinary drinking fountain by a modification of shape.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in

page_text: which the same is to be performed, I would remark, in conclusion, that I do
not limit myself to the precise details and configuration of parts herein
expressed and shewn, as the same may obviously be varied without departing
from the principles on which the Invention is based; but what I claim and
desire to be secured to me by the herein in part recited Letters Patent is, the
general arrangement, construction, and combination of parts substantially as
described and illustrated, constituting "Improvements in Filtering Apparatus,"
as first herein stated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Prince, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of August, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
DRINGE
ATTV
PRINCE. (...)