Filtering Machinery.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Aug., 1893-Accepted, 9th Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Filtering Machinery.
I, JOHN MOTTRAM SMALES, Engineer, St. Pancras Schools, Leavesden,
King's Langley, Herts., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
It relates to an improved method for filtering liquids, and is specially applicable
where large quantities of liquids require to be filtered, such as in reservoirs, tanks,
and the like.
It consists of a tube, vessel or similar receptacle of any desired shape or material,
having suitable openings, or perforations, and is placed in a horizontal or inclined
position, surrounded, or partly covered, by any suitable filtering material, one, or
both ends of this tube, or receptacle, may terminate in a syphon pipe or pipes, the
long end of which conveys the filtered liquid into a trough, channel, or vessel
provided to receive the discharge from several of these filters.
These filters are provided with wheels, rollers, or balls, placed either above,
below, or in other convenient parts of the filter or framework supporting the same,
and caused to travel on suitable lines, grooves or tracks that guide the submerged
filters round, or along the length of the reservoir or cistern containing the liquid to
be'filtered.
"The clean filters enter one part of the reservoir or cistern, and after travelling
the distance required, pass out dirty at another part ready to be cleaned and travel
again in the reservoir.
The high portion of the syphon passes over the top of one side of the trough, or
channel and the down pipe of the syphon continues to discharge the filtered liquid
into it as it travels along. The liquid having passed through the filtering media
into the horizontal perforated tube is drawn up the syphon by the aid of the down
or discharge pipe, the outlet of which is in the trough and below the level of the
liquid in the reservoir.
The trough, channel, or vessel for receiving the 'filtered liquid may adjoin, or
form one side of the reservoir, or one or more troughs may be placed in the
reservoir and so arranged to receive the discharge from two rows, or trains of
filters, one on either side of it at the same time.
The sides of the trough stand above the level of the liquid in the reservoir, and
extend the whole length that the filters are required to travel in the reservoir, the
filtered liquid collected in the trough is conveyed by means of pipes to where
required.
The filters may be placed on trucks, or carriages coupled or secured together and
run on prepared tracks or lines, or they may be arranged to slide float, or lie on
endless bands, ropes, or chains, and caused to travel in the reservoir by any suitable
mechanical means. The speed may be so regulated that the filtering material is
practically choked with the matter arrested during the time that the filter is
occupied in travelling, the required distance in the reservoir, the travel may be
continuous or intermitting.
The filters may be placed in the reservoir and removed for cleaning by means of
a travelling or other crane, and may be caused to travel or be placed upon supports,
or suspended as desired.
The filters may be used in the same reservoir and in addition to the ordinary
method of downward filtration and may enter and leave the reservoir by means of
an incline.
The horizontal or inclined tube may have connected to it any number of

page_text: perforated branches, cylinders, or discs, and these may be corrugated, ribbed or
treated in any manner calculated to give the most satisfactory results, or may be
connected one to another and so arranged as to dispense with the tube, or be in
addition to it, these are surrounded or partly covered by any suitable filtering
material, which may be graduated in fineness and be cleaned or renewed when
desired. The filtering material may be covered or encased or partly so with
perforated covers or gauze wire, filter cloth or similar fabric may be used alone or
in conjunction with any of the well known filtering materials. Trays may be
provided near the filters to receive any sediment, or deposit taking place in the
reservoir.
Suitable valves may be employed to commence or regulate the suction through
the discharge pipe and steam, water, air, or other means may be employed to start,
or accelerate the discharge from the filtering vessel or tube, and any number of
vessels or tubes may be connected to one discharge or syphon pipe, or one vessel or
tube may have more than one discharge pipe.
Where it is undesirable to place the trough in the reservoir it may stand upon
supports above, or at one side of it, in such cases the filtered liquid would
accumulate in a vertical, or similar pipe at the end, or ends of the filter, and the
syphon pipe dispensed with, the upper end of the vertical pipe would stand above
the level of the liquid in the reservoir, the filtered liquid that collects in these pipes
would be raised by any suitable means, such as pumps, injectors, and the like.
Electric motors may be used to give effect to such pumps, and the overhead lines
supporting the filters may be used to convey the current to the motors that are
placed on, or near the filters, and may travel with them, these pumps, or injectors
would raise the filtered liquid high enough to admit of it running into the trough,
or channel by means of a suitable pipe or spout. A float may be fitted in the vertical
pipe that would rise and fall with the level of the filtered liquid, and so govern the
speed of the pumps, injectors, motors or other power driving the same.
Dated this 7th day of November 1892.
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Filtering Machinery.
1, JOHN MOTTRAM SMALES, Engineer, St. Pancras Schools, Leavesden,
King's Langley, Herts., 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 :-
It relates to an improved method for filtering liquids and is specially applicable
where large quantities of liquids require to be filtered, such as in reservoirs, tanks,
and the like.
It consists of a tube, vessel or similar receptacle of any desired shape or material,
having suitable openings, or perforations, and is placed in a horizontal or inclined
position, surrounded or partly covered by any suitable filtering material, one or
both ends of this tube or receptacle may terminate in a syphon pipe, or pipes the
long end of which conveys the filtered liquid into a trough, channel or vessel,
provided to receive the discharge from several of these filters.
These filters are provided with wheels, rollers, or balls, placed either above, below
or in other convenient parts of the filter or framework supporting the same, and
caused to travel on suitable lines, grooves or tracks that guide the submerged filters
round, or along the length of the reservoir or cistern containing the liquid to be
filtered.
The clean filters enter one part of the reservoir or cistern, and after travelling
the distance required, pass out dirty at another part ready to be cleaned, and travel
again in the reservoir.
The high portion of the syphon passes over the top of one side of the trough, or

page_text: channel, and the down pipe of the syphon continues to discharge the filtered liquid
into it as it travels along.
The liquid having passed through the filtering media into the horizontal
perforated tube is drawn up the syphon by the aid of the down or discharge pipe,
the outlet of which is in the trough and below the level of the liquid in the
reservoir.
·The trough, channel, or vessel for receiving the filtered liquid may adjoin, or
form one side of the reservoir, or one or more troughs may be placed in the
reservoir and so arranged to receive the discharge from two rows, or trains of
filters, one on either side of it at the same time.
The sides of the trough stand above the level of the liquid in the reservoir, and
extend the whole length that the filters are required to travel in the reservoir, the
filtered liquid collected in the trough is conveyed by means of pipes to where
required.
The filters may be placed on trucks, or carriages coupled or secured together and
run on prepared tracks or lines, or they may be arranged to slide float or lie on
endless bands, ropes, or chains and caused to travel in the reservoir by any suitable
mechanical means. The speed may be so regulated that the filtering material is
practically choked with the matter arrested during the time that the filter is
occupied in travelling the required distance in the reservoir, the travel may be
continuous or intermittent.
The filters may be placed in the reservoir and removed for cleaning by means of
a travelling or other crane, and may be caused to travel, or be placed upon supports,
or be suspended as desired.
The filters may be used in the same reservoir and in addition to the ordinary.
method of downward filtration through sand beds, and may enter and leave the
reservoir by means of an incline.
The horizontal or inclined tube may have connected to it any number of
perforated branches, cylinders, or discs, and these may be corrugated, ribbed or
treated in any manuer calculated to give the most satisfactory results, or may be
connected one to another, and so arranged as to dispense with the tube, or be in
addition to it, these are surrounded or partly covered by any suitable filtering
material, which may be graduated in fineness and be cleaned or renewed when
desired.
The filtering material may be covered or encased, or partly so, with perforated
covers, or gauze wire, filter cloth, or similar fabric may be used alone or in
conjunction with any of the well known filtering materials. Trays may be
provided near the filters to receive any sediment or deposit taking place in the
reservoir.
Suitable valves may be employed to commence or regulate the flow through the
discharge pipe, and steam, water, air, or other means may be employed to start or
accelerate the discharge from the filtering vessel or tube, and any number of
vessels or tubes may be connected to one discharge or syphon pipe, or one vessel or
tube may have more than one discharge pipe.
Where it is undesirable to place the trough in the reservoir it may stand upon
supports above, or at one side of it, in such case the filtered liquid would
accumulate in a vertical or similar pipe at the end, or ends of the filter, and the
syphon pipe dispensed with, the upper end of the vertical pipe would stand above
the level of the liquid in the reservoir, the filtered liquid that collects in these
pipes would be raised by any suitable means, such as pumps, injectors, and
the like.
Electric motors may be used to give effect to such pumps, and the overhead lines
supporting the filters may be used to convey the current to the motors that are
placed on, or near the filters, and may travel with them, these pumps or injectors
would raise the filtered liquid high enough to admit of it running into the trough
or channel by means of a suitable pipe or spout. A float may be fitted in the
vertical pipe that would rise and fall with the level of the filtered liquid, and so

page_text: govern the speed of the pumps, injectors, motors or other power driving the
same.
In the accompanying drawings similar letters of reference indicate corresponding
parts.
Fig. 1 represents a portion of a plan of a reservoir shewing four of a series of
filters A, A, A, A,.submerged in the reservoir and placed upon two trucks B, B,
mounted on wheels C. The trucks are coupled by the hooks D. and run on the
rails E, E.
The liquid to be filtered having passed through the filtering material A¹, enters
the perforated tube F, and passes through the syphon G into the receiving
trough H, and then flows, by gravity to where required, the syphons are charged by
the valves I.
Fig. 2 is an end elevation with the trough. H 'removed, the filters A, A, A, A, on
the two trucks B, B, one at work in the reservoir and the other raised out of it for
cleaning, or after having been cleaned is ready for entering the reservoir J.
Fig. 3 is an end elevation and part section of one form of filter dispensing with
the perforated cover, and the necessity for cleaning the whole of the filtering
material A'. A crust of the deposit having formed on the outer surface is easily
removed, and replaced with fresh sand or other filtering material. K represents
an ordinary waterworks sand filter bed above which my improved filter may be
placed. the unfiltered liquid, M the filtered liquid, N masonry.
Fig. 4 is an end elevation and part section of a portable filter with perforated
cylindrical case containing the filtering material A¹.
Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the portable filter A, moving over and used in
conjunction with an ordinary waterworks or similar sand filter bed K. H indicates
the receiving trough in section.
Fig. 6 is a section through one form of filter, shewing a tray or screen O, for the
purpose of collecting any deposit that would fall upon the filtering material A', or
when used for filtering sewage, or similar liquids to screen the coarser matter before
allowing the liquid to pass to the filter. When the tray O is used the liquid may
enter through openings at V.
Fig. 7 is a side view of a portable or semiportable filter with vertical pipe T, and
the receiving trough H in section. The trough is supported upon columns P, or
may be placed upon the side of the reservoir. This figure shews an arrangement
where the syphon is dispensed with, and the filtered water that collects at the
bottom of the vertical pipe T is raised by a rotary or other pump Q, driven by an
electro motor placed by its side and supplied by electric current from the
cables R, R. S, is a float rising and falling as the water fluctuates in the lower end
of the pipe T, and by means of a rod U makes or breaks the contact as required
with the cable R.
Having now particularly described and 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:
1st. In a filtering apparatus, a perforated tube or tubes, surrounded or partly
surrounded by filtering material, terminating in a syphon mounted upon a truck,
with wheels and caused to move in a reservoir containing liquid to be filtered, and
discharging filtered liquid through the syphon into a receiving trough, a series of
these portable filters coupled together forming a train, emerging at one end of the
reservoir when required for cleaning; clean filters entering at same or opposite end
to travel the length of reservoir.
2nd. In a filtering apparatus, a perforated tube or tubes surrounded or partly
surrounded by a filtering material, terminating in a syphon a number of these semi-
portable filters are placed upon supports in a reservoir containing liquid, to be
filtered, and discharging filtered liquid through the syphon into a receiving trough,
being removed when dirty and replaced when clean.
3rd. In a filtering apparatus à perforated tube or tubes surrounded or partly

page_text: covered by a filtering material, terminating in a vertical pipe closed at the lower
end and receiving the filtered liquid from the perforated tube, which is then raised by
suitable means and discharged into a receiving trough, a number of these semi-
portable filters being placed in a reservoir of liquid to be filtered, and removed when
dirty and replaced when clean.
4th. Utilizing the aforesaid portable or semiportable filters by placing them, with
or without trays or screens in a reservoir or tank containing liquid to be filtered,
or in conjunction with an ordinary sand or similar filtering bed, as an auxiliary to
the same.
5th. The general arrangement of a machine constructed substantially in the
manner herein described and shown in Figs. 1 to 7, for filtering purposes.
Dated this 31st day of July 1893.
JOHN MOTTRAM SMALES.