Patent ID: 7704392

Claim:
Filter housing apparatus for receiving and retaining a filter element that has a filter medium and a filter base that has an insert fitting with a hollow core and an exterior seal, the filter housing apparatus comprising: a base plate with a top surface, a bottom surface, an inlet conduit extending between the bottom surface and the top surface, and a socket extending from the top surface toward the bottom surface to an outlet aperture, wherein the socket includes a cavity that is sized and shaped to receive the filter base and seal in a manner that places the hollow core of the filter element in fluid flow relation with the outlet aperture of the base plate and that seals a top portion of the socket above the seal and outside the filter base from a bottom portion of the socket below the seal so that fluid cannot flow from such top portion of the socket outside the filter base to the outlet aperture except through the filter medium and hollow core, and, further, wherein the base plate also has a socket drain extending between the top portion of the socket to the inlet conduit.