Improvements in Filters.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1893.
Complete Specification Left, 18th May, 1894-Accepted, 30th June, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Filters.
I, ARTHUR COLLINGS WELLS, Engineer, of A. C. Wells & Co., 103 Midland
Road, St. Pancras, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to filters for oil or other liquids, and is chiefly applicable
to oil filters, of that kind wherein the dirty oil which has already been used on
engines or machinery is collected or delivered into a tank for the purpose of
filtering and cleaning. A convenient form of such apparatus comprises three
tanks fitting one on top of the other, the uppermost tank being the settling tank
and the several tanks being provided with various straining and filtering devices.
One part of my said invention relates to the provision of means for transferring
oil from the settling tank into the tank next below, or direct to the filtering
medium.
Another part of my invention relates to an improved construction of hanging
filter for use more especially on board ship.
According to my invention I provide a syphon, the short leg of which is
attached to a float which floats on the surface of the oil in the settling tank. The
long leg of the syphon is arranged to deliver the oil into the vessel below, and
may be provided with a suction tube in the ordinary manner for starting the
flow of liquid in the syphon.
If, as is often the case, the vessel into which the oil is to be delivered is
immediately below and of the same size as the settling tank, I provide the same
with a lip which projects under the long leg of the syphon, so as to catch the
oil, or the syphon may empty into an internal tube placed for instance at or near
the centre of the vessel.
It may happen that the vessel into which the oil is delivered from the settling
tank is already full or nearly full, so that when the syphon continues working the
oil overflows the side or lip of said vessel; in order therefore to prevent any
possibility of this occurring I may enlarge the lip of the said vessel into a trough
which wholly or partially encircles the settling tank to a suitable height. The oil
flows from the syphon into the trough and thence into the second tank, so that
before the oil can overflow the said trough must be filled as well as the second
tank. When, however, the level of the oil in the trough reaches the level of the
oil in the settling tank the syphon no longer works, and as this always occurs,
owing to the height of the trough, before the trough is full, overflow of the oil is
thereby entirely prevented.
The short leg of the syphon is, as above mentioned, attached to a float, so that
the syphon rises and falls with the level of the oil in the settling tank, the opening
in the short leg being always close to the surface of the oil in the tank.
times provide the short leg of the syphon with a strainer.
I some-
By using a syphon in the manner above described I gain an important advantage
inasmuch as the clearest and best portion from the top of the oil or other liquid
flows very quietly from one chamber to the other and no currents or eddies are set
up which is not the case when a tap is used. The settling of the impurities in
the oil or other liquid and its subsequent filtration is thereby greatly facilitated.
In carrying out the second part of my invention I arrange a handle in such a
manner that the whole can be hung up. This handle preferably made of flat
iron descends on each side of the filter to its base, thence turning inward and
upward on the outside of the filter. The several compartments are provided

page_text: with a suitable lug or lugs which fit over and slide upon the inner portions of
the handle.
Each compartment can thus be taken out for examination or recharging while
the remaining portion of the filter is still hanging.
Dated this 18th day of August 1893.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Filters.
I, ARTHUR COLLINGS WELLS, Engineer, of A. C. Wells & Co., 103 Midland
Road, St. 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 for oil or other liquids, and is chiefly applicable
to oil filters, of that kind wherein the dirty oil which has already been used
on engines or machinery is collected or delivered into a tank for the purpose of
filtering and cleaning. A convenient form of such apparatus comprises three
tanks fitting one on top of the other, the uppermost tank being the settling
tank and the several tanks being provided with various straining and filtering
devices.
One part of my said invention relates to the provision of means for transferring
oil from the settling tank into the tank next below, or direct to the filtering
medium.
Another part of my invention relates to an improved construction of hanging
filter for use more especially on board ship.
According to my invention I provide a syphon, the short leg of which is attached
to a float which floats on the surface of the oil in the settling tauk. The long leg
of the syphon is arranged to deliver the oil into the vessel below, and may be
provided with a suction tube in the ordinary manner for starting the flow of liquid
in the syphon.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will proceed to describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings in which
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an improved oil filter constructed according
to my invention.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing a modification of any invention.
Figure 3 is a view shewing a detail hereinafter described.
Figure 4 is a side elevation shewing my improved hanging filter.
Like letters denote similar parts in all the drawings.
A is the settling tank, B is the syphon.
The short leg of the syphon is provided with a float B' so that the syphon rises
and falls with the level of the oil in the settling tank, the opening B2 of the short
leg being always close to the surface of the oil in the tank. I sometimes provide
the syphon with a strainer.
Referring now to Figure 1, the vessel C into which the oil is delivered is
provided with a lip C¹ which projects under the long leg of the syphon so as to
catch the oil delivered thereby. The oil flows from the vessel C through a suitable
strainer C, pipe D and filter D' into the lowest tank from which it is drawn off by
the tap E.
Strainers and filtering devices suitable for my purpose are described in my prior
Specification No. 9725 of 1893 and I shall not describe them further.
In the arrangement shewn in Figure 2 the long leg of the syphon empties into
an internal tube D2 which leads direct into the pipe D, or said tube D' may deliver
the oil into an intermediate chamber such as shewn at C in Figure 1 instead of
into the pipe D.

page_text: The long leg of the syphon is provided with a tube B3 through which the air can
be exhausted from the syphon to start the flow of liquid therethrough.
In order to do this the open end of the long leg must be stopped, this may be
done by the finger of the operator but in the design shewn in Figure 2 I provide
a shelf D³ in the tube D2 on the top of which shelf is a pad of indiarubber or
the like D against which the open end of the long leg is pressed when it is
desired to close the said opening. Other means may be provided for starting
the flow in the syphon if desired.
The float B is preferably weighted as shewn at B to balance the weight of
the syphon, and maintain the same in an upright position. Said float may be
made of wood or the like but I preferably use a hollow metal float.
It may happen that the vessel C into which the oil is delivered from the
settling tank is already full or nearly full, so that when the syphon continues
working the oil overflows the side or lip of said vessel. To prevent the possibility
of this occurring I may enlarge the lip of the vessel into a trough as shewn
at F in Figure 3 which wholly or partially encircles the settling tank to a
suitable height. The oil flows from the syphon B into the trough and thence
into the second tank, so that before the oil can overflow the said trough must
be filled as well as the second tank. When, however, the level of the oil in
the trough reaches the level of the oil in the settling tank the syphon no longer
works, and as this always occurs, owing to the height of the trough, before the
trough is full, overflow of the oil is thereby entirely prevented.
By using a syphon in the manner above described I gain an important
advantage inasmuch as the clearest and best portion from the top of the oil or
other liquid flows very quietly from one chamber to the other and no currents or
eddies are set up which is not the case when a tap is used. The settling of the
impurities in the oil or other liquid and its subsequent filtration is thereby
greatly facilitated.
In Figure 4 I shew one of my improved filters fitted with a hanger G
arranged so that the whole can be hung up. Said hanger is preferably made of
flat iron and is provided with two rings G' and G2 into which two compartments.
of the filter are received as shewn. Each compartment of the filter can be removed
from the hanger for examination or recharging while the remaining portion of
the filter is still hanging. More than two rings may be provided if desired.
My improved suspending device is especially suitable for use on board ship as.
the filter can when suspended accommodate itself to the motion of the vessel.
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. For withdrawing the liquid from the settling compartment of a filter, a
syphon, the short leg of which is attached to a float which floats on the top.
of the liquid, with or without a strainer, substantially as, and for the purpose
specified.
2. The trough F substantially as, and for the purpose, specified.
3. A filter constructed substantially as described with reference to Figures 1,
or 3 of the accompanying drawings.
2
4. The combination with an oil filter such as described of a suspending device
constructed substantially as described with reference to Figure 4 of the
| accompanying drawings."
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.