Improvements relating to the Purification of Water and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1886

page_text: Improvements relating to the Purification of Water and to
Apparatus therefor.
We, CHARLES WILLIAM BURTON, of Nogent, Builder and FRANCOIS THEOPHILE
Motson, of Mouy, Gentleman, both in France, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:―
This invention relates to the purification of water and to apparatus operating
automatically under the action of the water to be purified.
The water to be purified enters a lie balance having two compartments of
equal capacity each of which is provided with a pocket. As long as the water does
not fill one. compartment hereinafter termed the first compartment and flow over into
its pocket, the equilibrium is stable. As soon however as it falls into the said pocket,
the equilibrium of the balance is disestablished. so that it oscillates and pours the
water it contains into a funnel whence it is conducted into a decanting apparatus
hereinafter described. By reason of this oscillation, the other compartment herein-
after termed the second compartment is placed under the water supply inlet and fills
in turn and pours out the water when it is full and so on.
At the same time and by the oscillations of the balance a quantity of a reagent
necessary for the precipitation of the salts contained in the water is admitted into each
compartment by the following means.
Upon the axis of the hydraulic balance is arranged a toothed sector gearing with
A chain
the pinion.
The latter is mounted on a shaft carrying a chain wheel.
carrying at each extremity in a bow a bucket engages with the chain wheel
on half of its circumference. When the balance oscillates, a circular motion
is imparted to the chain wheel and one of the buckets descends and dips into
The same motion
a reservoir containing a reagent in solution and is filled therewith.
causes the other bucket to rise and pour the reagent. it contains into one of the
compartments of the balance. The buckets are caused to tip to empty their contents
by means of a lug which engages with a book attached to the free extremity of a
small flat chain fixed upon and moving with the shaft carrying the buckets. The
water and the necessary quantity of the reagent are thus measured at each oscillation.
An endless
The toothed sector and the pinion can be replaced by chain wheels.
chain passing over the said two wheels transmits the motion of the balance to the shaft.

page_text: When it is desirable to employ several reagents separately or successively, several
bucket wheels are mounted upon the shaft and operate several pairs of buckets which
enter vessels containing the reagents and empty them either into the hydraulic
balance or into a box into which the water of the balance falls.
To obviate abrupt falls and shocks to the balance we provide upon the balance shaft
a lever, at the extremity of which is fixed a plate entering the water in a tank.
If it is suitable to employ reagents which are not easily soluble in water such
as lime, we construct an apparatus in which the solution is prepared. In this
apparatus if motive power is not at disposal, the water to be purified operates a
hydraulic motor and thence falls into a conduit divided into two channels by a
movable partition, permitting the quantity of water for each of them to be augmented
or diminished.
This division can be made by means of two cocks placed at the bottom of the vessel
into which the water falls.
Each compartment of the balance is divided by a partition into two other
compartments of a capacity proportional to the quantity of water introduced by each
channel. In the same manner as in the channels the capacities of the compartments
are augmented or diminished according to the composition of the water.
The division of the water is very easily effected in a box. For this purpose two
articulated partitions of sheet iron divide into two parts the jet of water which falls
from the hydraulic balance; one portion is poured into one compartment and the
other into the other compartment. According to requirements the quantity of water
which arrives in each compartment is augmented or diminished at will by inclining
the articulated plates or partitions to one side or the other.
The water of one compartment flows through one conduit, and the water of the
other compartment flows through the other conduit.
With this arrangement the distributing cocks and the movable plates of the
hydraulic balance are dispensed with.
When the compartments of the box are full, the balance oscillates and the water
falls into the said boxes.
The water of one box is conducted into a tube placed in the receptacle containing
the reagent to be dissolved, such as lime. The line water formed flows out through a
waste pipe into the other box, or it mixes with the water in one compartment.
When the water contains carbonate and sulphate of lime or of magnesia, lime water
and caustic soda are simultaneously employed, but it is more economical to employ
lime water and carbonate of sodiumi.
For this purpose the apparatus is somewhat modified and is provided with parts
serving for measuring specified liquid reagents. The reagent flows into a box,
arranged so as to effect the mixture of the liquids. The salts contained in the water
being precipitated remain in suspension in the water for some time and fall with it
through a conduit into a decanting apparatus.
The lime and pulverized reagents are measured when putting them in a funnel at
the bottom of which is a cylinder having two small cavities of a capacity determined
according to the nature of the water to be treated. The oscillating balance causes the
cylinder to turn. The cavity which is uppermost being filled with a reagent lets it
fall on turning into a channel. By the same motion the said cavity is brought into
the reservoir containing the reagent and in turn, pours a quantity of the reagent intọ
the channel.
From the channel and the funnel the reagent enfers a cylinder where it is
thoroughly mixed with the water by a stirrer having wings and operated by the said
motor and intermediate bevel wheels. Fixed plates prevent the water from turning
in the cylinder and facilitate the mixing. The cylinder does not extend to the bottom
of the cone which terminates the receptacle.
The shaft of the stirrer is provided fowards its lower extremity with wings designed
to stir the reagent which settles down in the conical part of the receptacle. Fixed
vertical plates are placed at the bottom for preventing the agitation of the water outside
the cylinder thereby permitting the bodies in suspension in the water to deposit. The

page_text: lower part of the receptacle is made conical or inclined, in order that the deposits or
solid materials can be removed by opening a cock or removing a plug placed at the
outlet orifice which terminates the cone.
The receptacle in which the solution of the reagent is prepared is sometimes
arranged as follows. A vertical shaft placed in the centre of the cylinder carries
a tube concentric therewith and terminated by a funnel in which the water mixed with
the reagent enters. A. second tube surrounds the concentric tube and prevents
agitation in the cylinder. Fixed vertical plates are likewise designed for this purpose.
The water flows out through a tube at the upper end of the cylinder.
The agitation of the reagents with the water is produced by means of a centrifugal
pump on the bottom of the vessel. The water thrown by the centrifugal force carries
the reagent with it, into an ascension pipe whence it falls in the middle of the water.
In like manner, by putting pallets on a vertical shaft, turning in a cylinder lined with
plates arranged in a helix upon its walls, the water undergoes a circular motion and
being thrown upon the helix by the centrifugal force, it rises carrying with it the
reagent which descends towards the centre, mixing with the water.
We sometimes place the reagents in suspension in the water by means of an endless
chain having buckets and placed in the tube instead of the agitator or in the ceniral
tube of the decanting apparatus hereinafter described.
This chain actuated by the motor takes the reagents at the bottom of the conical
part of the vessel, and raises them to the top of the column of water and lets them
continually fall.
We sometimes also employ a mixer which consists essentially of a hollow column of
round oval or parallelopipedic form, upon the side of which is an admission pipe for
the mixture, terminating at the base of the column. In the interior of this latter is a
chain of buckets actuating at about half the height of the column and set in motion
through the medium of any suitable transmission gear driven by a motor similar to
that before described. The water is distributed by a hydraulic balance provided with
measuring apparatus similar to those above described, and descends through a tube
and rises in the column. During its passage in the column the chain of buckets
constantly raises the reagents from the bottom of the column and pours them out at
about the middle of the height of the apparatus: thus an intimate mixing is effected
in the lower part of the column and in the upper half the water rises gradually without
agitation. so that the chemical reactions can freely take place. It passes afterwards
into the decanting apparatus.
The water from these various mixing apparatuses passes with the precipitated salts
which it contains in suspension into a decanting device through a pipe. In traversing
successively the compartments formed by partitions and obstruction plates, it deposits
the precipitates and runs out by passing through a discharge pipe.
The deposits settle upon the inclined bottoms and are discharged by opening a cock
or removing a plug placed at the orifice of each compartment. We sometimes place
the decanting apparatus in a vertical position. The plates or obstructions are
horizontal and are mounted upon pivots and connected with each other by a bar.
This bar can be placed outside the apparatus in which case the pivots upon which the
plates are fixed traverse stuffing boxes and each carries at its extremity a lever jointed
to the bar.
The water is admitted through the bottom of the decanting chamber and passes, in
rising, through the spaces between the plates and flows out through a suitable tube.
In its gradual passage from the bottom to the top of the chamber it deposits upon the
plates all the solid bodies.
After a certain time it becomes necessary to remove the deposit from the plates.
For this purpose the plates are turned, through the medium of a lever which acts
upon a bar into an inclined position. The solid material then slides off and falls to
the bottom of the decanting chamber. It is sufficient to open the lower orifice for
discharging them. The plates are subsequently returned to their horizontal position.
Instead of constructing apparatus having movable plates, we sometimes construct
them with fixed plates arranged spirally, the convolutions being placed around a core or

page_text: hollow cylinder. These helical plates are surrounded by a cylindrical casing
terminating at its lower extremity in a conical chamber.
The spaces comprised between the said plates form helicoidal channels which
commence at the base of the cylindrical casing and terminate at the upper part.
The water mixed with the reagent is led into the cylinder by means of a funnel,
descends into the conical part, and rises again in the channels and flows out through
the discharge pipe. On passing into the lower part of the cylinder the water deposits
the denser portions of the solid matters which it contains and while rising in the
helicoidal channels it deposits the remaining portions. The deposits formed upon the
inclined plates gradually descend and collect in the conical part of the apparatus from
which they are removed when the discharge pipe is opened.
The apparatus, instead of being cylindrical and having helicoidal plates, may be
rectangular and have straight inclined plates applied upon the four sides of a prismatic
hollow core.
orc. This
The channels are inclined at right angles to each other upon the said core.
operation is the same as in the cylindrical apparatus.
The mixing cylinder in the apparatus first described can be used for the precipitation
of the salts and for the decantation. It is sufficient for this purpose to place in the
space comprised between the tube and the wall of the cylinder inclined plates, and to
let all the water of the hydraulic balance pass into the central fube.
The purified water passing from the apparatus described is collected in a receptacle
in which is arranged a float. This float is, by means of a jointed bar, connected with
the admission cock for the water. When the receptacle is full, the cock is closed and
the operation ceases. When the lever lowers, the float opens the cock and the
apparatus is again set in operation.
When the water passing from the decanting apparatus is not prefectly clear, it is
necessary to filter it. We construct for this purpose a filter which we will describe.
In a cylindrical or slightly conical vessel we place, at a short distance from its sides,
a perforated casing of the same form. Into this vessel we place one or more bags
of felt, wool, cotton, hemp, asbestos or the like between the vessel and the casing, the
edges of which bags are held between the edge of the cover and the flange of
the vessel.
The outermost bag is internally sustained by a grate of perforated sheet metal,
carrying brushes. This support is mounted upon a shaft traversing a stuffing-box.
The filering parts are thus enabled to support the pressure which the liquid exerts.
The water is introduced through a pipe and fills the space in the perforated casing:
it thence traverses the filter depositing the solid matters upon the internal surface of
the filter. When the filter becomes clogged with deposit the internal surface is
brushed by turning the said support by means of a crank.
A cock is then opened for permitting the water with the impurities to be
discharged.
It will be understood from what precedes, that our process of purifying water is
based upon a combination of special apparatus, which on the one hand enables the
reagents which must be mixed with the water to he purified, to be automatically
measured proportionately as this water enters the apparatus, and on the other hand,
produces, by employing as a motive power the water itself which is to be treated, an
intimate mixture of the water and reagents, followed by one or more successive.
decantations, and by filtration if such be necessary.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co..
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Purification of Water and to
Apparatus therefor,
We, CHARLES WILLIAM BURTON, of Nogent, Builder, and FRANCOIS THEOPHILE
Moison, of Mouy, Proprietor, both in France, 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:-
This invention relates to the purification of water and to apparatus operating
automatically under the action of the water to be purified.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which
Figures 1 and 2 show an arrangement of the water admission apparatus forming
an hydraulic balance and enabling the quantity of the reagent necessary for the
purification of waters to be automatically measured off.
Figures 3 and 4 are modifications of the preceding arrangement applicable when
several reagents are employed, and constructed in such a manner that the water to be
purified sets in motion the various mixing devices of the system.
Figure 5 is a modification of the mixing devices.
Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 represent various types of decanters.
Figure 14 shows a system of filter.
Figures 15 and 16 show other modifications of the mixing device, and
Figures 17 and 18 are modifications of the measuring devices.
.
The water to be purified enters a hydraulic balance having two compartments A A¹
(Figures 1 and 2) of equal capacity which compartments are provided with pockets a, a
respectively. As long as the water does not fill the compartment A and flow over into
the pocket, the equilibrium is stable. As soon however as it falls into the said pocket
the equilibrium of the balance is disturbed so that it oscillates and pours the water it
contains into a funnel, whence it is conducted into a decanting apparatus hereinafter
described. By reason of this oscillation, the compartment A is placed under the
water supply inlet and fills, and in turn pours out the water when full, and so on.
At the same time and by the oscillations of the balance the quantity of the
reagent necessary for the precipitation of the salts contained in the water is ad-
mitted into each compartment by the following means.
Upon the axis of the hydraulic balance is arranged a toothed sector C gearing with
the pinion B. The latter is mounted on a shaft carrying a chain wheel G. A chain H
carrying at its extremities a bucket I, I engages with the chain wheel G on half its
circumference. When the balance oscillates, a circular motion is imparted to the chain
wheel and one of the buckets descends and dips into a reservoir K containing a reagent
in solution and is filled therewith. The same motion causes the other bucket I to
rise, and pour the reagent it contains into one compartment of the balance. The
buckets are caused to tip to empty their contents by means of an arm which engages
with a hook attached to the shaft of each bucket in its frame P. The water and the
necessary quantity of the reagent are thus measured at each oscillation.

page_text: The toothed sector C can be replaced by a chain wheel and the pinion B by a
smaller chain wheel B¹. An endless chain passing over the said two chain wheels
transmits the motion of the balance to the shaft b.
When it is desirable to employ several reagenis separately or successively, several
bucket wheels G are mounted upon the shaft and operate several pairs of buckets
which enter vessels containing the reagents and empty the latter either into the
hydraulic balance or into a box into which the water from the balance falls.
To obviate abrupt falls and shocks to the balance we provide upon the shaft Va
lever D, at the extremity of which is fixed a plate X entering the water in a tank X¹.
If it is desirable to employ reagents which are not easily soluble in water such as
lime, we construct an apparatus in which the solution is prepared. In this apparatus
if motive power is not at disposal, the water to be purified operates a hydraulic
motor Y (Figures 3 and 4) and thence falls into a conduit Y¹ divided into two
channels by a movable partition, permitting the quantity of water passing through
each of them to be augmented or diminished. This division can be made by means
of two cocks placed at the bottom of the vessel into which the water falls. Each
compartment of the balance is divided by a partition into two compartments D). D' of
a capacity proportionate to the quantity of water introduced by each channel. The
capacities of the compartments D D' can be augmented or diminished according to
the composition of the water.
The division of the water is very easily effected in a box D, Figures 17 and 18; for
this purpose two movable partitions i. of sheet iron, articulated at e. ¹ to the fixed
partition divide the jet of water which falls from the hydraulic balance into two
portions, one portion being poured into the compartment E and the other into the
compartment E. The quantity of water which arrives in each compartment is
augmented or diminished according to requirement by inclining the articulated
plates or partitions i. to one side or the other.
The water from the compartment E flows through the conduit M and the water
from the compartment E' through the conduit M.
With this arrangement the distributing cocks and the movable plates of the
hydraulic balance are dispensed with.
When the compartments D D of the box are full, the balance oscillates and pours
the water into the boxes E E¹. the water of the compartment. D being poured into
the box E. and the water of the compartment D' into the box E¹.
The water from the box E' is conducted through the tube M into a wide tube W
placed in the receptacle W containing the reagent to be dissolved, such as lime. The
lime water formed flows out through the overflow pipe into the box E, or it
mixes with the water in the compartment D.
When the water contains carbonate and sulphate of lime or of magnesia, lime
water and caustic soda are simultaneously employed, but it is more economical to
employ lime water and carbonate of sodium.
For this purpose the apparatus D D Figures 3 and 4 is provided with parts
serving for measuring specified liquid reagents as in Figures 1 and 2. The reagent
flows into the box E, arranged so as to effect the mixture of the liquids. The salts
contained in the water being precipitated remain in suspension in the water for
some time and fall with it into a decanting apparatus.
The lime and pulverized reagents are measured in a funnel at the bottom of
which is a cylinder having two small cavities of a capacity determined
according to the nature of the water to be treated. The oscillating balance causes
the cylinder to turn. The cavity which is uppermost being filled with a reagent
drops it, on turning. into a channel r. By the same motion the cavity is brought
into communication with the reservoir containing the reagent, and, in turn pours
a quantity of the same into the channel.
From the channel and the funnel the reagent enters the cylinder W where it is
thoroughly mixed with the water by the stirrer J having wings JJ, the said stirrer
being operated by the motor X and intermediate berel wheels. Fixed plates J.
JJ prevent the water from turning in the cylinder and facilitate the mixing.

page_text: The cylinder W does not extend to the bottom of the cone which terminates the
receptacle W
The shaft of the stirrer is provided towards its lower extremity with vanes L L
designed to stir the reagent which settles in the conical part of the receptacle W.
Fixed vertical plates o, o, are placed at the bottom for preventing the agitation of the
water outside the cylinder W and thereby permitting the bodies in suspension in the
water to deposit. The lower part of the receptacle is made conical or inclined, in
order that the deposits of solid materials can be removed by opening a cock or
removing a plug placed at the outlet orifice which terminates the cone.
The receptacle in which the solution of the reagent is prepared is sometimes
arranged as shown in Figure 5. The vertical shaft placed in the centre of the
cylinder carries a tube concentric therewith and terminated by a funnel a, into
which the water mixed with the reagent enters. A second tube 6, e surrounds the
tube and prevents agitation in the cylinder Q. Fixed vertical plates o, o are
provided for this purpose. The water flows out through the pipe T.
The agitation of the reagents with the water is produced by means of a centrifugal
pump, on the bottom of the vessel. The water acted upon by the centrifugal force
carries the reagent to the top of an ascension pipe whence its falls into the water. In
like manner, by attaching plates to a vertical shaft, turning in a cylinder, having other
plates arranged helically upon its walls, a circular motion is imparted to the water.
The centrifugal force, rises the water by means of the helix, the water carrying with
it the reagent which descends towards the centre, mixing with the water.
We sometimes place the reagents in suspension in the water by means of an endless
chain having buckets and placed in the tube W Figure 4 instead of by the agitator ',
or in the central tube of the decanting apparatus hereinafter described.
This chain actuated by the motor Y acts upon the reagents at the bottom of the
conical part of the vessel and raises them to the top of the column of water and then
allows them to fall continually.
We sometimes also employ a mixing apparatus of the kind represented in Figures 15
and 16. This apparatus consists essentially of a hollow column m of round, oval or
parallelopipedic form, upon the side of which is arranged a pipe #. terminating at
the base of the column, for the admission of the mixture. In the interior of the said
column is a chain of buckets we extending through about half the height of the column
and set in motion through the medium of any suitable transmission gear driven by a
wheel similar to that described with reference to Figures 3 and 4.
The water is distributed by a hydraulic balance provided with measuring apparatus
similar to that above described and descends through the tube and rises in the
column m.
During its movement in the column, the chain of buckets constantly
raises the reagents from the bottom of the column and pours them out at about the
middle of the height of the apparatus. An intimate mixing is thus effected in the
lower part of the column m, and in the upper half the water rises gradually, without
agitation, so that the chemical reactions can freely take place.
The water from the various mixing apparatuses passes with the precipitated salts
which it contains in suspensiou into a decanting box Figure 6 through the pipe E
In traversing successively the compartments formed by the partitions P P P and
obstruction plates PPP, it deposits the precipitates and runs out through the
discharge pipe T.
The deposit or sediment from the water settles upon the inclined bottoms and is
discharged by opening cocks or removing plugs placed at the orifices S of the
compartments RRR. We sometimes place the decanting apparatus in a vertical
position as in Figures 9 and 10. The partitions and obstructions PP. P¹ Pare
horizontal, and are mounted upon pivots and connected with each other by a bar U.
This bar can be placed outside the apparatus in which case the pivots upon which the
plates are fixed traverse stuffing-boxes, and each carries at its extremity a lever jointed
to the bar.
The water is admitted through the bottom of the decanting chamber at E" and
passes upwardly through the spaces between the plates P P and flows out through

page_text: the tube T. In its passage from the bottom to the top of the chamber it deposits upon
the plates all the solid bodies which it contains.
After a certain time it becomes necessary to remove the deposit from the plates.
For this purpose the plates are turned, through the medium of a lever which acts upon
a bar into an inclined position as shown in Figure 10. The solid material then slides
off and falls to the bottom of the decanting chamber. It is sufficient to open the
lower orifice S for discharging the deposit. The plates are subsequently returned to
their horizontal position.
Instead of constructing apparatus having movable plates, we can construct it with
fixed plates arranged spirally as shown in Figures 7 and 11 the convolutions being
formed around a core or hollow cylinder N. These helical plates are surrounded by
a cylindrical casing N¹ terminating at its lower extremity in a conical chamber Ni
The spaces comprised between the said plates form helicoidal channels whichi
commence at the base of the cylindrical casing and terminate at the upper part."
The water mixed with the reagent is led into the cylinder N by means of a funnel,
descends into the conical part N and rises again in the channels and flows out through
the pipe T. On passing into the lower part of the cylinder the water deposits the
denser portions of the solid matters which it contains and while rising in the helicoidal
channels, it deposits the remaining portions. The deposits formed upon the inclined
plates gradually descend and collect in the conical part N of the apparatus from
which they are removed when the discharge pipe S is opened.
Figures 8 and 12 represent another arrangement of apparatus of the same kind.
Instead however of being cylindrical and having helicoidal plates, it is rectangular
and has straight inclined plates applied upon the four sides of the prismatic hollow
core N.
The channels are inclined and at right angles to each other upon the sides of the
square tube N. The operation of this apparatus is the same as that of the cylindrical
apparatus.
The decanting apparatus previously described can be made of different forms: for
example as shown in Figure 13 where N is the hollow cone. The plates and channels
are located between the surfaces N and N. The height and the number of the inclined
plates employed and also of the number of decanting chambers themselves can vary
according to circumstances.
The cylinder W Figure 4 can be constructed to serve not only for the dissolution
of the reagents but for the precipitation of the salts and for the decantation. It is
sufficient for this purpose to place in the space comprised between the tube W and the
wall of the cylinder Winclined plates arranged as in the decanting apparatus shown
in Figures 7 and 8, and to let all the water of the hydraulic balance pass into the
tube W.
The purified water passing from this apparatus is collected in a receptacle in which
is arranged a float. The float is connected by means of a jointed bar with the
admission cock for the water above the apparatus. When the receptacle is full, the
cock is closed and the operation ceases. When the lever lowers, the float opens
the cock and the apparatus is again set in operation...
When the water passing from the decanting apparatus is not perfectly clear, it is
necessary to filter it. We construct for this purpose a filter which we will describe:-
In a cylindrical or slightly conical vessel ZZ Figure 14 we place, at a short distance
from its sides a perforated casing ee of the same form. Within this casing we place
one or more layers of felt or close fabrics of wool, cotton, hemp, asbestos. or the
like euclosed one within the other the edges of the said layers being held by bolts
between the edge of the cover and the flange of the vessel Z.
The innermost layer is internally sustained by a cylinder f f of perforated sheet-
metal, carrying a series of brushes. This support is mounted upon a shaft traversing
a stuffing box. The filtering parts are so supported upon the two faces as to support
the pressure which the liquid exerts.
The water is introduced through the pipe filling the space kit then traverses the
filter and passes out through the pipe e after depositing the solid matters upon

page_text: the internal surface of the filter. When the filter becomes clogged with deposit
the internal surface is brushed by turning the cylinder f by means of the crank p, and
a cock on the pipe s is opened for permitting the water with the impurities to be
discharged.
It will be understood from the preceding description that our process of purifying
water is based upon a combination of special apparatus which on the one hand enablo
the reagents which must be mixed with the water to be purified, to be automatically
measured proportionately as this water enters the apparatus, and, on the other hand,
produces by employing as a motive power the water itself which is to be treated, an
intimate mixture of the water and reagents, followed by one or more successive
decantations and by filtration if such be necessary.
It is to be understood that we may construct our apparatus of any suitable sizes
and shape and that we may modify the details of the construction according to the
circumstances without departing from the principle of our invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
First. The process hereinbefore described for purifying waters, the said process
being characterized by the employment of apparatus, substantially as set forth.
Second. The apparatus for measuring the reagents for the purification of the water
the said apparatus consisting of a hydraulic balance connected by a toothed sector or
by a chain transmission with a shaft having wheels carrying a system of swinging
buckets suspended from the two extremities of a chain; and a plate fixed upon the
balance, and dipping into the water for regulating the motion of the balance as
described.
Third. The subdivision of the hydraulic balance into compartments of variable size
and of the receptacles placed under the balance into compartments of corresponding
size, in combination with a special measuring cock placed upon the axis of the balance
for the purpose of permitting the simultaneous measuring of different reagents.
Fourth. The mixing apparatus actuated by a hydraulic wheel set in motion by the
water before it enters the hydraulic balance the said mixing apparatus being composed
either of two concentric casings of any suitable form, and an agitator placed in the
central casing, the water and the reagent descending into the central casing and
mixing therein and subsequently rising without agitation into the space between the
two casings or of a single chamber in the lower half of which is located a chain of
buckets for constantly raising the reagent from the bottom of the said chamber, the
said reagent being thus mixed, during its descent, with the water under treatment.
Fifth. The decanting apparatus composed either of a chamber having horizontally
swinging or vertical partitions and obstruction plates, or of concentric casings between
which helicoidal or inclined partitions are arranged as described.
Sixth. The filter herein before described, and comprising a series of layers of felt.
woollen fabrics, cotton, asbestos or the like, enclosed between two metallic perforated
walls of the same form as the cylinder constituting the external casing of the apparatus
and an internal rotary brush permitting the cleansing of the apparatus, the water to
be filtered entering at the centre of the apparatus and leaving at the periphery through
a suitable conduit.
HASELTINE. LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.