Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to filter baskets, filter bags used therein, in pressurized filter systems, and more particularly, to the construction of the filter basket and bag to improve the life of the filter bag. 
   2. Discussion of the Relevant Art 
   The prior art discloses devices used in pressurized continuously operated filter systems, such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,559 issued to Levin et al. on Apr. 29, 1997, which a threaded vessel cap that seals the filter bag to a lower body member. 
   Another apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,188 issued to Kirsgalvis on Nov. 24, 1998, which utilizes a bulbous lip, that frictionally engages the housing to secure and seal the bag at the housing and basket. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Therefore it is the primary object of the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a solid bottomed hemispherical shaped filter basket and bag to disperse particulate, accumulated from fluid being filtered, upward along the vertical wall of the filter and filter basket, thereby increasing the life of the filter bag. 
   The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration a specific construction and an alternative embodiment in which the invention may be practiced. These apparatuses will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to utilize the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed method and description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims. 
   The subject matter, regarded as the invention, is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed at the concluding portion of the specification. The invention, itself, as to its construction, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     In order that the invention may be more fully understood, it will now be described, by way of example, with reference to accompanying drawing in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a pictorial side view, in elevation of a pressurized filter vessel of the prior art, with its top cover open and a filter basket and filter bag extending upwardly therefrom, according to the principals of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a prior art laminated filter bag having heat formed outwardly extending seams, including a ring portion, which has been attached thereon with heat techniques; 
       FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view of a filter basket having a hollow solid bottom and circumferentially perforated walls, into which a filter bag is inserted; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view in elevation of an inverted filter bag, partially broken away to show the seams thereon facing inwardly; and 
       FIG. 5  is a partial pictorial representation of an alternative embodiment of a hollow solid bottom member that may be affixed on the bottom of a filter bag, attached thereto or inserted in the bottom of a conventional filter basket. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Applicant hereby incorporates U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,581, issued May 21, 1993 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,077 issued Jun. 23, 1998, to Sidney Goldman as hereinbefore set forth at length. 
   Referring now to the figures, and in particular to  FIG. 1 , wherein there is shown, a prior art pressurized filter vessel  10  that includes a filter housing  12  and a filter basket  16  into which is inserted a inverted filter bag  18 , in a conventional manner. 
   The open or top end  20  of the filter vessel  12  is provided with a sealing cover  42  having a handle  14  affixed thereon. A plurality of conventional clamping mechanisms  34  and  36  serve to hold the cover  42  thereon, in a conventional manner. 
   The cover  42  is shown in the open position and is hingedly affixed to said filter housing  12  by a pivot pin  40  provided on an extending lip portion  44  disposed proximate the filter vessel opening  20  The handle  14 , disposed on the cover  20 , assists in raising the cover  20  to the open position. 
   The inlet port  46  to the housing  12 , in the preferred embodiment, communicates with the aperture  38  provided in the cover  42  so that the input fluid to be filtered flows over the top of the filter bag  16  and the filter basket  18  when entering the filter vessel housing  12 . The outlet port  22  is provided proximate the lower or closed portion of the filter vessel housing  12 , preferably below the hollow solid bottom  19  of the filter basket  16 . 
   An inlet control valve, not shown, is disposed in series with the filter vessel input port  46  and it is connected to the main fluid line, not shown, in which the unfiltered fluid flows. An outlet control valve, not shown, is disposed in series with the filter vessel output port  22  and it is connected to the main filtered fluid line  46 , not shown, in which the filtered fluid flows. The filter vessel housing  12  is maintained in an upright or vertical position by a base member  24 , which includes legs  26 ,  28 ,  30 , and  32 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , which is a perspective view of a prior art multi-layered heat laminated filter bag  18 , that may be fabricated from a plurality of different porosity filter materials  48  and affixed to a sealing ring portion  50 , which has been attached with heat welding techniques. Disposed along the length and width of the bag  18  are a plurality of heat laminated junctures  54  that improve the strength of the laminated materials  48  and, which may vary in size and quantity depending upon the particulate to be captured (filtered from the fluid). 
   Referring now to  FIG. 3 , which is a cross-sectional view of a filter basket  16  showing its hollow solid bottom  19  and perforated vertical walls, that permit the filtered liquid to flow therethrough. The inverted filter  18  bag is adapted to be received into the filter basket  16  in a conventional manner; 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , it can be seen that the construction of the filter basket  16  is different than that known in the prior art, since its bottom portion  19 , instead of being fabricated from perforated or screened material just as the vertical side walls (circumference), it is fabricated from a hollow solid hemispherical material (no openings therein). This type of construction will provide turbulence at the bottom portion of the filter bag  18  and filter basket  16 . The particulate being filtered out of the fluid will be caused to move up the vertical wall as the filtered fluid exits, via the openings (apertures) provided in the vertical wall of the basket  16 , since the fluid will takes the path of least resistance to exit the filter basket, thereby removing the strain on the bottom heat formed seams of the filter bag  18 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 4 , which shows a side view in elevation of an inverted filter bag  18 , partially broken away to show the disposition of the seams  58  thereon facing inwardly. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , in the alternative embodiment, it can be seen that the construction of the filter bag  18  is different than that known in the prior art, since its bottom portion  52 , instead of being fabricated from filter material just as the rest of the filter bag  18 , it is fabricated from the hollow hemispherical solid (no openings therein) member  52  affixed to the filter material  48 . Alternatively, the hollow hemispherical solid material  52  may be inserted into the bottom of a conventional filter bag or basket In operation, the inverted filter bag  18  inserted into the filter basket  16 , which is placed into the filter vessel housing  12  and the cover  42  is closed and sealed by the cover clamping mechanisms  34  and  36 . 
   Hereinbefore has been disclosed an apparatus and method for improving the life and reliability of filter bags used in pressurized filter systems. It will be understood that various changes in the method detail, materials, arrangements of parts and operating conditions, which have been herein described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principles and scope of the instant invention.

Technology Category: 7