Patent ID: 8580004

Claim:
A high efficiency, unitary filter cartridge to be removably, but sealingly installed with a separate sealing gasket, in a uniform hole of the tube sheet for a pulse-jet baghouse, said filter cartridge comprising: an elongate, perforated support conduit having a uniform internal bore and further having first and second ends; a pleated filter sleeve geometrically circumscribing said support conduit and having first and second ends; a bottom end cap secured to said second ends of said support conduit and filter sleeve to sealingly close said second ends; a molded, open mouth top fitting secured to said first ends of said support conduit and filter sleeve, said top fitting having an upper flange configured and sized such that a portion of said flange overlies the tube sheet adjacent said hole therein, said top fitting having a side wall integrally formed with said upper flange to extend downwardly therefrom and being configured and sized to fit through said hole of the tube sheet in which said filter cartridge is installed, said top fitting having an interiorly flared open mouth with a rounded shoulder integrally formed with said upper flange and transitioning to a throat portion with a bore configured and sized to substantially correspond to said bore of said support conduit, wherein said rounded shoulder is continuously curved from said upper flange to said throat portion; whereby, when said filter cartridge is installed in said hole of said tube sheet, said top fitting biases said sealing gasket to engagement with said tube sheet to create a leak proof seal between said top fitting and said tube sheet.