IMPROVEMENTS IN FILTER PRESSES
Year: 1885

page_text: I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincoln's Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FILTER PRESSES which Invention has been communicated to me from abroad
by Ferdinand Quarez and Rodolphe Quarez, both of Paris, in the Republic of
France Engineers to be as follows
In filter presses constructed according to this Invention the plates or leaves rest
upon longitudinal screws provided with traversing nuts for drawing the leaves
together in combination with bent leaves operated by means of a fly or band wheel
fixed on a shaft provided with right and left band screw threads engaging with
nuts connected with the long arms of the said levers which are jointed to the end
plate of the press.
The traversing nuts on the longitudinal screws press the plates or leaves together
by acting upon the short arms of the levers or these parts of the said levers may
work in recesses formed in the body of the end plate so as to enable the nuts to act
directly on the latter instead of on the levers.
When these nuts have been sufficiently tightened up the levers are brought into
operation by turning the wheel fixed on the right and left handed screw whereby
the long arms of the levers are drawn in opposite directions or towards each other
and the short arms are caused to press against the traversing nuts whereby a
corresponding pressure is exerted on the end plate at the points where the levers
are attached thereto.
The
Valves are provided at the fixed end plate controlling the supply of liquid for
washing in either a downward or an upward direction. The products of the
washings are discharged through valves at the opposite end of the press.
plates or leaves are provided with ducts or passages and acting as distributors with
respect to the descending washing and as collectors with respect to the products of
the descending washing liquid and other passages are provided in the plates having
no vertical passage affording a passage for the washing liquid for the descending
washing or for the products of the ascending washing.

page_text: Taps are provided for the escape of the expressed juices or liquors and air passages
are provided for the escape of air. The discharge taps are connected by short
passages or orifices with vertical passages serving for the discharge of the liquids
or juices from the descending washing or for the supply of washing liquid for the
ascending washing. The liquids or juices resulting from the descending washing
also escapes in part through a tap at the upper part of the plate and are received
in a suitable gutter. The products of the descending washing are collected in a
passage which also serves as a distributor for the washing liquid for the ascending
washing.
In the filter presses now employed in sugar and other works water plates or
frames or leaves for the water or washing liquid are arranged alternately with
plates or leaves for the liquor or product. The materials to be treated being
introduced and all the valves or cocks for the escape of liquor or other product
being closed water under pressure is admitted to the water plates and penetrating
the press cakes or layers of materials under treatment displaces the juice or liquid
therein contained which juice or liquor fills the juice plates and escapes through
orifices communicating with a collecting channel or passage at the upper part.
The results obtained by this arrangement are imperfect because the more dense
part of the juice or liquor which is the first to be displaced by the water tends to
remain in the plate owing to the orifice for the escape of the juice or liquor being
arranged at the upper side so that this denser liquor having a tendency to remain
at the lower part of the plate or frame is only discharged very slowly by gradually
becoming diluted with the thinner juice which enables it to rise to the upper part
of the plate. This necessitates the employment of a large excess of water in order
to produce an effectual washing.
In filter presses arranged according to this Invention the cakes or layers of
materials are immersed or acted upon on both sides and the juices or liquors
displaced are discharged according to their order of density that is to say the
denser parts are immediately evacuated or discharged without being diluted in the
filter press.
The water plates are arranged alternately with juice plates the passages being
provided for the admission of water which enters each water frame or plate through
the orifices at the upper part of the plate. The outlet may also be provided for by
two ascending passages (one on each side). The main inlet valve for the substance
or material to be clarified and the outlet taps at the lower part of each plate or
frame being closed water is admitted to the water supply passage or duct and by
penetrating the layers on each side of the water plates displaces the juice or liquor
contained therein The air which is expelled by the water escapes through suitable
air passages or ducts in the sides of the plates or leaves. Each juice plate receives
the juice or liquor resulting from the washing of the two adjacent layers and
which fills all the available space behind the filtering Cloths or surfaces driving out
the air which escapes through suitable passages. When these plates are full the
juice or liquor escapes through orifices at the lower part and ascends a vertical
passage and is discharged through the taps at the upper part. In place of these
taps a collecting Channel may be employed extending through the entire length of
the press.
The aforesaid ascending duct or passage in place of being formed in the thickness
of the casting or frame may be formed by an external tube or pipe forming branch
on a pipe arranged immediately in front of the lower tap.
The filter presses for washing as heretofore constructed the water is introduced
into the distributing duct through a valve on the fixed end leaf or plate and the
liquor escapes through a cock placed on the same end plate. This arrangement
does not effect an equal distribution of the water throughout all the leaves because
those leaves which are nearest to the inlet being also nearest to the outlet receive
more water than the leaves at the other extremity of the press. This disadvantage
is obviated in this improved press a regular and uniform supply being provided for

page_text: each individual leaf. For this purpose it is simply necessary to manipulate the
taps or cocks controlling the delivery of the liquids or juice.
When a collecting duct is employed in place of these taps or cocks the delivery
is regulated in two ways namely:-
1. The escape of the liquor instead of taking place at the same fixed or end plate
or leaf of the press as the introduction of water takes place through a valve on the
moveable plate at the opposite end thus ensuring a more regular distribution the
leaves farthest from the water supply valve and at a disadvantage as regards
the supply of water are more favored with regard to facility for the escape of
liquor so that the one compensates for the other.
2. A more accurate control of the washing may be obtained by means of trials
made by adjusting the section of the ascending passages or ducts in each leaf for
liquor by means of valves or of screws in the sides of the leaves so arranged as to
be capable of projecting into and obstructing the said passages whereby the
delivery is regulated. The same result may be obtained by regulating the water
supply in such water plate.
In certain cases it is necessary to reverse the direction of this washing-Filter
presses constructed according to this invention are capable of performing three
kinds of washings namely
.
1. A descending washing with liquids circulating in a downward direction.
2. Ascending washing with liquids circulating in an upward direction.
3. Alternating washing in which the washing liquid passes through the materials
in opposite (upward or downward directions alternately entering at both sides.
With this object the press is provided with valves so arranged as to admit of the
order of circulation being readily reversed the duct for the distribution of water in
the descending washing becoming the collecting duct for the juices or products in
the ascending washing and the duct for collecting the juices or products in the
descending washing becomes the distributing duct for the washing liquid in the
ascending washing. For this purpose a valve placed upon the fixed end plate
of the press is employed to control the supply of liquid to the collecting or
distributing duct After traversing the materials the liquid proceeds to the plates
which are unprovided with vertical passages and escapes therefrom through the
holes or orifices hereinbefore referred to in the upper part and is carried away by
the collecting duct being ultimately discharged through the valve on the moveable
end plate. The alternating washing is effected by simply reversing the circulation
at the required intervals.

page_text: "
Improvements in Filter Presses.
I JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields in the County of Middlesex
Gentleman do hereby declare the nature of this Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN FILTER PRESSES which Invention has been communicated to me from abroad
by Ferdinand Quarez and Rodolphe Quarez both of Paris in the Republic of
France and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention relating to filter presses consists in improvements in the con-
struction and arrangement of mechanisin for applying the pressure and in the
arrangement of the ducts or passages for the circulation of the washing liquids as
hereafter described.
In the filter presses now usually employed for clarifying or washing purposes in
sugar and other works water plates or frames or leaves for the water or washing
liquid are arranged alternately with plates or leaves for the separated liquor or
product. The materials to be treated being introduced into the press and all the
valves or cocks for the escape of liquor or other product being closed water or
washing liquid under pressure is admitted to the water plates and penetrating the
press cakes or layers of materials under treatment displaces the juice or liquid
therein contained which juice or liquor fills the juice plates and escapes through
orifices communicating with a collecting channel or passage at the upper part.
The results obtained by this arrangement are imperfect because the more dense
part of the juice or liquor which is the first to be displaced by the water tends to
remain in the plate owing to the orifice for the escape of the juice or liquor being
arranged at the upper side so that this denser liquor having a tendency to remain
at the lower part of the plate or frame is only discharged very slowly by gradually
becoming diluted with the thinner juice which enables it to rise to the upper part
of the plate. This necessitates the employment of a large excess of water in order
to produce an effectual washing.
In filter presses arranged according to this Invention the cakes or layers of
materials are immersed or acted upon on both sides and the juices or liquors
displaced are discharged according to their order of density that is to say the
denser parts are immediately evacuated or discharged without being diluted in
the filter press.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same and for that. purpose shall refer to
the several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation and Figure 1ª is a
plan of a press constructed according to this Invention.
Figure 2 shows one of the plates or leaves detached these plates being provided
with passages for the admission of washing liquid and hereinafter referred to as
the water plates.

page_text: Figure 3 shows another form of the plates or leaves these plates are hereinafter
referred to as the juice plates being arranged in the press alternately with the
water plates shown in figure 2.
Figure 4 represents a modified form of the juice plates and figure 5 is another
view of the same with the cloth removed to show the ribs on the plate.
Figure 6 and 7 represent horizontal sections taken respectively through the
passages a land f. e figures 2, 3 and 4.
The following description refers to that class of filter press in which the materials
are received in chambers and are discharged automatically but it is evident that
the Invention is equally applicable to other kinds of filter presses such for example
as those which are provided with frames for removing the inaterials.
In the arrangement illustrated in figures 1 and 2 water plates A arranged
alternately with juice plates or leaves A rest upon longitudinal screwed bars A²
provided with traversing nuts C for drawing the leaves together. These nuts act
in combination with bent levers D operated by means of a fly or hand wheel E
fixed on a shaft F provided with right and left hand screw threads engaging with
swivelling nuts G connected to the long arms of the said levers which are jointed
to the moveable end plate H of the press at D¹. These levers may be conveniently
made by bolting together two plates of suitable shape.
The material to be treated being introduced through a valve 8 and distributed
in layers 10 (figures 6 and 7) between the plates by a passage 9 (figs. 2 to 5); the
traversing nuts C on the longitudinal screws press the plates or leaves together by
acting upon the short arins D2 of the levers as indicated in figure 1ª or these
parts of the said levers may work in recesses formed in the body of the end plate
so as to enable the nuts to act directly on the latter instead of through the levers.
The power of the press may be regulated as required by varying the pitch of the
screws and the length of the levers.
When these nuts have been sufficiently tightened up the levers D are brought
into operation by turning the wheel E whereby the long arms of the said levers
are drawn in opposite directions or towards each other and the short arms are
caused to press against the traversing nuts C whereby a corresponding pressure
is exerted on the end plate H at the points where the levers are attached thereto.
The press is provided with a fixed end plate H¹ carrying a valve J for con-
trolling the supply of liquid for washing in a downward direction and with a
similar valve K regulating the admission of the liquid in the upward direction.
The products of the ascending and descending washing are discharged respectively
through valves L and M. situated at the opposite end of the press. The plates or
leaves are provided with ducts or passages a Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 acting as
distributors or supply passages with respect to the descending washing and as
collectors or outlet passages with respect to the products of the in the ascending
washing and with passages b figures 2 & 6 (provided in the plates having no
vertical passage) affording a passage for the washing liquid for the descending
washing or for the products of the ascending washing.
Taps or cocks c and d (figures 2 and 3) are provided for the escape of the
expressed juices or liquors and air passages ef are provided for the escape of air.
The plates A' are provided with passages g, connecting the spaces between the
plates with discharge taps d and with vertical passages h shown in dotted lines in
figures 3 and 4 and in plan in figure 6 serving for the discharge of the liquids or
juices from the descending washing or for the supply of washing liquid for the
ascending washing. The area of these passages can be regulated by means of
screwed plugs m figure 4. The products of the descending washing are discharged
through the taps d or ascend the passages h and are discharged through taps j into
a gutter k figure 3 or are collected in a passage which also serves as a distributor
for the washing liquid for the ascending washing and extends through all the
plates in the press.

page_text: The water plates A. (figure 2) are arranged alternately with the juice plates A¹
(figures 3 and 4) the passages a being provided for the admission of water or
washing liquid which enters cach water frame or plate through the orifices b
figures 2 and 6 at the upper part of the plate-The passage a may if preferred be
arranged at any desired part of the frame instead of at the upper corner as shown
in the drawing. The outlet may also be provided for by two ascending passages
(one on each side) The main inlet valve 8 for the substance or material to be
clarified and the outlet taps c and d at the lower part of the plates or. frames
being closed water or washing liquid is admitted (for a descending washing)
to the supply passage or duct, a and by flowing in the direction indicated by
the arrows in figure 6 and penetrating the layers 10 on each side of the water
plates displaces the juice or liquor contained therein and escapes through the
passages gh. The air which is expelled by the water from the water plates A
escapes through the air passages or ducts e the air from the juice plates A¹
escaping through the passages f. Each juice plate receives the juice or liquor
resulting from the washing of the two adjacent cakes or layers which fills all
the available space behind the filtering cloths or surfaces driving out the air
through the said passages f. The passages fe may be provided with taps f¹ el as
indicated in figure 5 When these plates are full the juice or liquor escapes at the
lower part of the plates into the passages g h and (the tap d being closed) ascends
the vertical passages h and is discharged through the tap figure 3 at the upper
part into the gutter k In place of these taps the passages may be arranged to
discharge into the collecting channel as indicated in figures 5 and 6 extending
throughout the entire length of the press. The aforesaid ascending ducts or
passages h in place of being formed in the thickness of the casting or frame as
shewn in the drawing may be formed by an external tube pipe or syphon forming
a branch on a pipe arranged in proximity to the lower tap d and ascending to the
desired level.
In filter presses for washing as heretofore constructed the water or washing
liquid is introduced into the distributing duct through a valve on the fixed end.
leaf or plate and the liquor escapes through a cock placed on the same end plate.
This arrangement does not effect an equal distribution of the water throughout all
the leaves because those leaves which are nearest to the inlet being also nearest to
the outlet receive more water or washing liquid than do the leaves at the outer
extremity of the press. This disadvantage is obviated in this improved press
a regular and uniform supply is provided for each individual leaf For this purpose
it suffices to contract the discharge by regulating the degree of opening of the
taps j figure 3..
When the duct is employed as a collecting duct in place of these taps or cocks
as in the modification illustrated in figure 5 the delivery is regulated in two ways
namely.
1. The escape of the liquor instead of taking place at the same fixed or end
plate or leaf of the press as that at which the water or washing liquid is introduced
takes place through the valve M on the moveable plate.at the opposite end thus
ensuring a more regular distribution the leaves farthest from the water supply
valve and at a disadvantage as regards the supply of water are more favored with
regard to facility for the escape of liquor so that the one compensates for the other
and the effect is equalised throughout.
2. A more accurate control of the washing may be obtained by means of trials
made by adjusting the area of the ascending passages or ducts / in each leaf for
liquor by means of the screws or plugs m herein before referred to in the sides of
the leaves which are so arranged as to be capable of projecting into and obstructing
the said passages and thereby regulating the delivery. The same result may be
obtained by regulating the water supply in each water plate.
In certain cases it is necessary to reverse the direction of the washing when for
example it is necessary to displace by means of water a liquid of less density such

page_text: as alcohol retained in the materials or when the substance in the leaves is hot and
its density consequently less than that of the cold washing liquid employed.
Again certain substances or residues may require an alternating washing, the water
being supplied to the leaves on opposite sides alternately.
This may be readily accomplished with presses arranged according to this
Invention Filter presses constructed according to this Invention are capable of
performing three kinds of washing namely.
1. A descending washing with liquids circulating in a downward direction.
2. An ascending washing with liquids circulating in an upward direction.
3. An alternating washing in which the washing liquid passes through the
materials in opposite (upward and downward) directions alternately entering at
both sides.
The descending washing is performed as herein before described.
In order to effect the ascending washing the order of circulation is reversed the
duct for the distribution of water or washing liquid in the descending washing
becoming the collecting duct for the juices or products in the ascending washing
and the duct for collecting the juices or products in the descending washing
becoming the distributing duct for the water or washing liquid in the ascending
washing. For this purpose the valve K placed upon the fixed end plate H¹
of the press is employed to control the supply of liquid to the duct Z
which now become distributing ducts instead of collecting ducts as hereinbefore
described.
The admission of liquid to the plates being rendered uniform by suitably
adjusting the screws m in the vertical passages leading to the lower part of the leaf
or plate, the liquid after traversing the materials proceeds to the plates which are
unprovided with vertical passages and escapes therefrom through the holes or
orifices herein before referred to in the upper part and is carried away by the
duct a which now becomes a collecting duct being ultimately discharged through
the valve L on the moveable end plate H. The alternating washing is effected
by reversing the circulation at the required intervals by means of the valves
or taps.
Having now particularly described the nature of the said Invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
First. The combination with the moveable end plate of filter presses of levers
as a means for exerting pressure upon the end plate substantially as and for the
purpose herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Second. In filter presses the combination of means for washing the materials
and discharging the liquor at the lower sides of the plates into ducts ascending to
the upper parts of the plates the said ducts consisting either of a passage formed
in the casting or of external pipes or syphons and being carried up to any desired
level substantially as bereinbefore described.
Third. In filter presses the combination of means for rendering uniform or
equalizing the washing action by arranging the outlet for the collecting duct for
the liquid upon the plate at the opposite end of the press to that where the water
enters substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Fourth. In filter presses the combination of means for the accurate adjust-
ment of the washing action either by varying the opening of the orifice for the
discharge of the liquor at each leaf by means of an adjustable screw or plug in the.
discharge passage or by means of a valve or cock or inversely by regulating in an
analogous manner the introduction of water or washing liquid into each water
plate substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: Fifth. In filter presses the combination of means for enabling the washing to be
effected either by a descending circulation of the washing liquid or by an ascending
circulation as required or by an alternate ascending and descending circulation
in which case the washing liquids penetrate the materials from opposite sides
successively substantially as herein before described and illustrated in 'the accom-
panying drawings.