Improvements in Filters.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 15th May, 1893-Accepted, 22nd July, 1893
Improvements in Filters.
I, ARTHUR COLLINGS WELLS, Engineer, of A. C. Wells & Co., 103 Midland
Road, Saint Pancras, in the County of Middlesex 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 :-
My invention relates to filters and is more particularly designed to provide an
improved filter for filtering or cleansing oil which has been already used for
lubricating purposes. It may also be used for filtering or cleansing other liquid.
By my improved filter the oil or other liquid is thoroughly cleansed and is rendered
fit for use over and over again.
In carrying my invention into effect as applied for example to an oil filter I
provide two or more reservoirs or filtering chambers the first of which is for
receiving the dirty oil to be filtered, which oil then passes successively through
the other reservoirs or filtering chambers and can be withdrawn from the last
reservoir or chamber as required.
An important feature of my invention is the construction of the filtering box
proper; another important feature is the provision of means whereby only the
most clarified part of the oil is drawn off in the different stages of the cleansing.
process.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a vertical central section of an oil filter constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is a slightly modified and cheaper form of filter also constructed
according to my invention.
Referring to Figure 1, A is a top cylindrical or other suitably shaped vessel
for receiving the oil to be filtered, and also acting as a settling box or chamber to
allow so much of the dirt as possible to settle by gravitation; B is an intermediate
box which contains a filtering chamber as hereinafter described. Two or more
such filtering chambers may be provided in the box B. C is the bottom tank for
receiving the filtered oil. The top vessel A is constructed to fit in and rest on the
top of the box B, and the latter is similarly constructed to fit in and rest on the
bottom tank C in a well known manner, both the vessels A. and B being removable.
A is a removable lid or cover for the top vessel A; a is a vent hole formed in
said cover.
D is a tap for running off the oil into the second chamber B from
the top vessel as required after settling. Said tap is fixed some distance from the
bottom of said vessel so that it cannot be used to completely empty the contents of
the vessel. The dirt which settles naturally and accumulates on the bottom of the
chamber A below the tap D is removed from time to time. E is a perforated
shield or strainer fixed in the vessel A around the outlet to keep the tap or outlet
from being stopped up by impurities in the oil.
F is a lip or spout formed on the vessel B and intended to receive the oil that
It is useful as
flows from the tap D and to conduct such into said vessel B.
showing at a glance whether the oil which flows from the tap D has had sufficient
time for natural settlement. Settlement is greatly facilitated by heating the oil,
which can be effected very readily by removing the top box A and placing same
on a stove or near a fire.
Within the box B is a central filtering chamber G provided with a removable
lid G. The sides and lid G' are provided with a large number of fine perforations.
This box or boxes where there are more than one, as is sometimes the case, is or

page_text: are filled with suitable filtering material similar to that in the box K hereinafter
described. G' is a plain band placed round the chamber G at its lower end to
prevent the vessel B being drained quite dry. That is to say, the oil cannot be
drained below the level of the upper edge of the band G' and consequently any
dirt naturally precipitated does not pass through the perforations into the
chamber G but accumulates in the box B and can be removed from time to time.
H is a plain disc supported above the lid of the chamber G by supports H. H² is
a handle by which said disc can be removed or replaced in position when
required. The object of the disc H is to collect for easy removal any dirt which
would otherwise settle upon the lid of the chamber G or pass through the
perforations thereof.
The interior of the chamber G communicates, through a central opening G² which
is covered with a perforated disc G³, with the interior of a pipe I or with two or
more such pipes which is or are secured to the outside of the lower wall of the
box B and which projects or project into the lower tank C.
K is a filtering box which is carried by the pipe or pipes I being secured thereto
by means of a screw-threaded nipple 1' or other equivalent means which allows
of ready detachment when required. The box K is formed with an annular ledge
or corner at K' for a purpose hereinafter specified. This ledge may be formed in
the box as shewn in the drawing or it may be a loose annular ledge dropped into
the box, or a shelf projecting from the sides of the box.
L is a perforated plate which stands in the bottom of the box K on feet L¹.
The surface of the plate is a little below the level of the annular ledge K. Mis
a dished perforated plate between which and the perforated plate L and ledge K'
the filtering medium N is placed. O is a bar or cramp the ends of which are
passed under wire or like holders P which are soldered or otherwise suitably
fastened to the box K. Q is a screw passed through a screw threaded boss in the
centre of the bar and by which pressure can be applied to the plate M for
forcing the same tightly down on to the filtering medium N and so squeezing the
same into a firm compact mass. It will be seen that the filtering medium N which
consists of cotton, cloth, filtering paper or any other suitable medium is squeezed
most tightly around the edge thereof, that is to say, between the rim of the
plate M and the annular ledge K¹ of the box K, and is less tightly squeezed in
the centre. By this construction the oil is prevented from creeping up the side
of the filtering hox unfiltered and is forced to pass through the body of said pad
which is less tightly squeezed.
R is the drawing-off tap fixed in the side of the lower tank C.
The mode of operation of this filter is as follows, that is to say, the oil is poured
into the top cistern A. and allowed to settle, preferably all night, before passing any
oil to the filtering pads in the second chamber, so as to allow as much as possible of
the dirt to settle in the bottom of said cistern. The tap D is then opened and the
oil is allowed to flow out into the first filtering box B. Owing to the height at
which the tap is fixed above the bottom of the cistern A it is obvious that all the oil
cannot be drained off but only the clearest portion thereof. Moreover by means of
the lip F it can be seen if the oil so drawn off is very black or not; if very dirty
it indicates that the tap D should be closed to allow the oil to stand longer to settle
naturally before drawing more of it off.
The oil then passes through the holes in the chamber G to the filtering material
in same.
The plate H is placed over the chamber G to catch the dirt which would
otherwise settle vertically on the lid of said chamber making up the small holes
therein. The band or plain part GI prevents the complete draining of the vessel B
and retains the greater portion of the dirt which settles.
The oil as it escapes through the chamber G passes along and down 'the pipe I
to the space below the plate L which again acts as a dirt-collector. 'It then rises
up through the highly compressed cotton or other filtering medium 'N in the filtering
box K and passes out through 'the perforations in the upper plate M and overflows

page_text: into the tank C whence it can be drawn off by the tap R. It is obvious that the
very great compression to which the filtering pad N is subjected around the border
thereof will prevent the possibility of the oil finding its way up the side of the pad
and will compel the oil to pass through the body of the pad thus ensuring efficient
filtering.
'When the pad becomes choked and rendered unserviceable, the screw Q is slacked
back, the bar or cramp O and disc M are removed and the pad can then be taken
out and replaced by another one, the parts being then put back in their proper
position. The whole operation can be very easily and quickly performed. I' is a
removable plug in the side of the pipe I near the lower bend to admit of cleaning
the interior of said pipe. It will be seen that all the parts of the apparatus
can be very easily and efficiently cleaned. Moreover the settling box can be
removed and stood by a fire or placed on a stove or the like to warm in order to
facilitate the natural settling of the heaviest portions of the dirt in the oil before
filtering.
Although I have only shown and described one filtering box G and K in each of
the chambers B and C it is obvious that I may provide two or more such boxes
side by side in the same apparatus.
In Figure 2 I have shown a cheaper kind of filter provided with one receiving
and settling tank only, from the floor of which projects a tube G perforated
at its upper end and plain at its lower end at G' for a height below which it is
desired the oil shall not drain. In order to allow of the oil standing for a time,
say all night, to allow the dirt to settle as much as possible I provide a cover S
which can be placed over the tube G to close the same as long as desired. When
the oil has settled for a sufficient length of time the cover S is removed, and the
filtering then commences.
If it is thought desirable, the pipe I may be packed with wool, charcoal, or other
filtering medium which can be withdrawn and cleansed when required.
My improved apparatus can be made cheaply and forms a very handy and efficient
filter for both large and small users of oil.
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 :-
1. A filter provided with apparatus for compressing the filtering pad or pads
which operates to compress the said pad or pads more tightly at the edge or edges
thereof than in the body, for the purpose specified.
2. A filter for oil or other liquids having a filtering box wherein the filtering
medium is compressed between upper and lower perforated plates, the pressure being
greatest round the border of said medium, substantially as described, for the purpose
specified.
3. A filtering box K having an annular shoulder or ledge K' formed therewith
or placed loosely therein in combination with the upper and lower perforated
plates M, L, between which the filtering medium is compressed, the plate L
standing a little below the level of the annular ledge, and means for compressing the
filtering medium, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.
4. The filtering chamber G having perforated walls and removable lid, in
combination with the plain part G', and the plate H above said chamber, sub-
stantially as described for the purpose specified.
5. The combination of the chamber G, the pipe or pipes I, and the filtering box K,
substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
6. The combination, with the perforated tube G, having the plain part G', of the
cover S, substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
7. A filter provided with a preliminary settling chamber removable or otherwise
which allows of the settling by gravitation, assisted or not by heat, of the worst
portion of the dirt, substantially as described.

page_text: 8. An oil filter, constructed substantially as described with reference to either of
the drawings and operating as, and for the purpose, specified.
Dated this 15th day of May 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.