IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING WATER
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Welsh Dawson, of Indianapolis, in the County of
Marion, State of Indiana, United States of America, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING WATER."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Welsh Dawson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th June 1880.
GEORGE WELSH DAWSON, of Indianapolis, in the County of Marion, State of
Indiana, United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING
WATER."
My Invention relates to improvements in filters or filtering apparatus in which
a receptacle containing silex or other filtering material operates in conjunction
with a four-way cock, and the chief objects of the said Invention are as follow, that
is to say
To provide a filtering receptacle with a four-way cock-case having four ports,
and a key having a central partition with a large recess or water-way on each side
adapted to reverse the currents of water in the filtering receptacle without shutting
off the inlet or discharge openings.
To afford facilities for inserting the filtering material in or removing it from the
filtering receptacle.
To provide means for reversing the position of the key and changing the direction
in which the water flows through the filtering receptacle, which may be operated
at any desired distance from the filterer.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a hollow receptacle, which
may be constructed of any desired form and of any suitable material, and is filled
with silex, animal charcoal, or other suitable filtering material, and provided with
man-boles closed with heads; or screw-plugs may be employed for the purpose of
inserting or removing the filtering material, and the filtering receptacle may rest on
or form part of a base.
The said filtering receptacle is provided with suitable flanges or connections, to
which are secured reducing elbows or other suitable connecting pipes, with one or
more screens between the flanges of each arm of the receptacle and the other
flanges.

page_text: The four-way cock is composed of an outer case, having suitable screw-connections
diametrically opposite each other to connect with the respective ends of their
connections with the aforesaid flanges. The case is also provided with two sockets,
also diametrically opposite each other, and at right angles to the connections to
receive the inlet and outlet pipes. Ports lead into the reduced elbows or other
connections, with the flanges at opposite ends of the filtering receptacle. One of
these ports forms, an inlet for the water, and the other port a discharge for the
water and sediment collected in the filtering material. A key is provided tapered
to fit into its socket, and is held in place by an ordinary washer and nut as in
common cocks, or in any other convenient manner. The central portion of the key
separates the water recesses or passages from each other. These recesses are closed
at the bottom and top to prevent the passage of water either up or down, and the
upper end of the key is provided with a connecting or projecting part, on which a
coupling-rod provided with a crank may be attached, or a crank may be attached
direct for operating the key. The upper edge of the key-socket in the case is
provided with two stops, and the key is provided with a pin, which operates
between the said stops, and regulates the distance that the key turns. The discharge
or distributing pipe may be provided with a cock at any suitable place between the
filterer and discharge openings in the distributing pipes. This cock is used to
remove the sediment collected in the filtering material.
The ports of the cock-case are never closed by the turning of the key, and the
water flows through them always in one direction; but the direction in which the
water enters the filtering receptacle through the ports leading into the reduced
elbows is reversed as the key is turned.
It is obvious that the cock on the discharge pipe may be a three-way cock for
the purpose of shutting off discharge openings while the sediment is being
discharged.
'
I may also construct a key of modified form as follows:-
=
It is similar in construction to the key hereinbeforo described, except that there
is another way or opening in the top, connected by a chamber with a recess at one
side of a partition, while another recess is closed at the top by another partition
'forming a five-way cock. A discharge pipe is inserted in the opening and
provided with a discharge cock in any convenient place, and the sediment is
discharged through the chamber and said pipe in the same manner as before
described with the four-way cock; the water passes through the filtering receptaclo
in exactly the same manner, but the additional way in the key dispenses with the
cock in the dischargo-pipe herein beforo described. The pipe secured in the opening
also acts as a rod to turn the key for reversing the direction of the travel of the
water through the filtering rocoptacle as in the four-way cock. The four way cock
however I prefer.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Welsh Dawson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
18th December 1880.
GEORGE WELSH DAWSON, of Indianapolis, in the County of Marion, State of
Indiana, United States of America. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR FILTERING
WATER"
My Invention relates to improvements in filters or filtering apparatus in which
a receptacle containing silex or other filtering material operates in conjunction
with a four-way cock, and the chief objects of the said Invention are as follow, that
is to say:
To provide a filtering receptacle with a four-way cock case having four ports,
and a key or plug having a contral partition with a large recess or water-way on
each side adapted to reverse the currents of water in the filtering receptacle without
shutting off the inlet or discharge openings.
To afford facilities for inserting the filtering material into or removing it from
the filtering receptacle.
To provide devices for reversing the position of the key or plug and changing
the direction in which the water flows through the hollow filtering receptacle,
which devices may be operated at any desired distance from the filter.
I attain these objects by the apparatus or mechanism illustrated in the
accompanying Drawing, in which,-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the filtering receptacle and four way cock, and
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same, shewing the interior arrangement of
the parts of the said apparatus.
Figure 3 is a plan or top view of Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a horizontal cross section drawn to an enlarged scale through the
centre of the four-way cock and its inlet and outlet ports, and
Figure 5 is an elevation of the key or plug of the said cock.
Figure 6 is a top view of the said four-way cock and its case.
Figure 7 is a sectional view of a modified form of the key.
Figure 8 is also a cross section of the four way cock.
Like letters refer to similar parts throughout the Drawing.
The hollow receptacle A, A, may be constructed of any desired form and of any
suitable material; it' is filled with silex, animal charcoal, or other suitable filtering
material, as shewn at K, Figure 2, and is provided with man-boles closed by
heads A2, A3, or screw-plugs may be employed, as shown at A, for the purpose of
inserting or removing the filtering material, and the filtering receptacle may rest
on or form part of the base A¹.
The said filtering receptacle A, A, is provided with suitable flanges or
connections C, C, to which are connected reducing elbows or other suitable
connecting pipes D, D³, with one or more screens w, w³, between the flanges C of
each arm of the receptacle and the flanges C¹ of the said elbows or pipes.
The four-way cock is composed of the outer case G, having suitable screw-
connections ff, diametrically opposite each other, to connect with the respective
ends of the pipes D, D', provided with the flanges C', C. The case G is also
provided with two sockets ff, also diametrically opposite to each other and at
right angles to the connections.", to receive the inlet and outlet pipes d², d. The
ports and lead into the reduced elbows D¹, D, or other connections with the
flanges C, C, at opposite ends of the filtering receptacle A. The port r³ forms an
inlet for the water, and the port r serves as a discharge opening for the water and
sediment collected in the filtering material. The key or plug I, J, is tapered to fit
into its socket, and is held in place by an ordinary washer and nut, as in common

page_text: cocks, or in any other convenient manner. The central portion J of the key or plug
separates the water recesses or passages m,m², from each other, as shown in
Figures and 5. These recesses m,m', are closed at the top and bottom to prevent
the passage of water either up or down, and the upper end of the key is provided
with a connection or projecting part on which a coupling rod provided with a crank
may be attached, or a crank may be attached direct, for actuating the key.
upper edge of the key-socket in the caso G is provided with two stops c, c¹,
(Figure 6), and the key or plug I, J, is provided with a stop-pin 6 which operates
between the stops c, c', and regulates the distance through which the koy turns, as
shown in Figure 6.
The
at any
The discharge or distributing pipe d may be provided with a cock
suitable place between the filter and discharge openings in tho distributing pipes
(not shown). This cock d³ is used to remove the sedimont collected in the filtering
material.
]
]
The operation of my improved apparatus is as follows, that is to say :—
When the key or plug I, J, is turned by the cranks I', H, or by other devices, so
that the partition J is in the position shown in Figure 8, the pin b of the key rests
against the stop c of the case G, and the water from the inlet pipe & passes through
the port into the recess m' of the key, and into the connecting pipo D¹ through
the port ; the water then passes through the screen winto the filtoring material K 2
in the chamber A, and the sediment is collected in tho filtering material near the
screen w, while the water passes through the receptacle A and screen w¹ into the
the pipe connection D, and through the port ³, recess m, and port r, into the
discharge or distributing pipo d for use.
The water is allowed to run in this direction until it becomes necessary to remove 2
the sediment collected in the filtering material near the screen w; then the key I, J,
is turned until the pin 6 comes in contact with the stop c¹, which causes the parti-
tion J to assume the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 8, thus reversing the
direction in which the water flows through the filtering receptacle; at the same
time the cock d² is opened, and as the sediment is removed from the filtering 3
material near the screen w by the reverse action of the water, it is discharged
through the said cock d³ until the water runs clean, after which the cock dis
closed and the water allowed to flow in this last mentioned direction, that is, into
the port through the recess m', and the port ³ into the other side of the filtering
receptacle, and out through the ports, recess m, and port r until the sediment 3
which collects in the filtering material near the screen w² has to bo.removed, when
the operation of reversing the cock is repeated and the sediment removed, as before
stated, but in a reverse direction.
It will be observed that the ports and 7 of the cock-case are never closed by
the turning of the key, and the water flows through them always in one direction, 4
but the direction in which the water enters the filtering receptacle through the
ports and is reversed as the key is turned.
It is also obvious that the cock d³ may be a three-way cock for the purpose of
shutting off the discharge-openings while the sediment is being discharged.
The modified form of key or plug L, shown in Figure 7, is similar in construction 4
to the key shown in Figure 5, except that there is another way or opening L'in the
top connected by the chamber Ls with the recess m² at one side of the partition L*,
while the recess m³ is closed at the top by the partition L³, thus forming a five-way
cock. A discharge pipe is inserted in the opening L¹, and provided with a discharge-
cock (not shown) in any convenient place, and the sediment is discharged through 5
the chamber L, L', and the said pipe in the same manner as above described with
reference to the four-way cock. The water passes through the filtering receptacle
in exactly the same manner, but the additional way L'in the key enables me to
dispense with the cock d². The pipe secured in the opening L' also acts as a rod
to turn the key for reversing the direction of the course of the water through the 5
filtering receptacle, as in the four-way cock. The four-way cock however is
preferable.
I

page_text: Having thus fully described my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
First. The combination in a filtering apparatus or device of the receptacle filled
with silex, animal-charcoal, or other suitable filtering material, the screens, the four-
way cock, the inlet pipe, the distributing pipe, and the sediment discharge cock, all
substantially as herein described and for the purposes specified.
Second. In a water-filter the cock-case provided with the ports 7, 7ºª³, 7ª, 78, the
supply-pipe connection f, the discharge-pipe connection f³, the side connections
ff, the stops for the key or plug, which is provided with a central partition having
recesses one on each side and closed at the top and bottom, the stop-pin, and the
actuating device, all adapted to operate substantially as above set forth and for the
purposes specified.
Third. The combination in a filtering device of the receptacle provided with
silex or other filtering material, the screens, and the four-way cock-case, having the
key or plug with an outlet through its top, as at L', substantially as above described
and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. In a water-filter the cock-case provided with four ports, and the key
or plug with an outlet through its top, as above set forth, and for the purpose
specified.
Fifth. A filtering apparatus or device consisting of the chamber, the filtering
screens, and the filtering material, combined with a cock adapted to receive the
unfiltered water always in one direction through one port, and discharge it always
in one direction through another port, and at the same time adapted to reverso the
direction in which the water passes through the filtering receptacle when the key
or plug of the cock is turned without changing the direction of the inlet or discharge
of the water, and without shutting off the supply or discharge, as above set forth
and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In a filtering apparatus the receptacle filled with filtering material, and
provided with screens at each end forming partitions between the filtering chamber
and the connections with the cock, in combination with a cock having four ports,
two of which are always open, and through which the water always flows in one
direction, the other two being adapted to he closed and opened by the key or plug.
to reverse the direction of the course of the water in the filtering chamber, all sub-
stantially as herein described for the purpose specified.
Seventh. The receptacle filled with filtering material, and provided with screens
at each end, in combination with a cock which receives the unfiltered water and
discharges it after passing through the filtering chamber, substantially as above set
forth and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Welsh Dawson, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty.