Locking mechanism for filter screw press

Claim 1

DEVICE FOR FILTERING HIGHLY FLUID SUSPENSIONS CONTAINING SOLIDS, WHICH COMPRISES MEANS DEFINING A SPIRAL CONVEYING PATH INCLUDING A FILTER SURFACE IN THE FORM OF A CYLINDRICAL PERFORATED CASING AND A CENTRAL ROTATABLE CONVEYOR SCREW IN THE FORM OF A SHAFT HAVING A HELICAL CONVEYING FLANGE DISPOSED THEREALONG, SAID CASING OUTWARDLY CONFINING SAID SCREW AND BEING SPACED FROM SAID FLANGE A SLIGHT DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TO ALLOW CONVEYING MOVEMENT OF SAID SCREW, INLET MEANS FOR A HIGHLY FLUID SUSPENSION AT ONE END PORTION OF THE PATH DEFINED BY SAID SPIRAL CONVEYING PATH MEANS, SAID SCREW AND CASING HAVING DISCHARGE ENDS, RESPECTIVELY, WHICH TERMINATE AT THE SAME AXIAL POINT AT THE OTHER END PORTION OF SAID PATH TO FORM ANNULAR DISCHARGE OUTLET MEANS, THE RADIALLY INNER EDGE OF THE CASING DISCHARGE END DEFINING THEREAT A RADIALLY OUTER LINE CONTACT EDGE OF SAID ANNULAR DISCHARGE OUTLET MEANS AND THE RADIALLY OUTER EDGE OF SAID CONVEYOR SHAFT, RADIALLY INWARD OF THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID HELICAL FLANGE, DEFINING THEREAT A RADIALLY INNER LINE CONTACT EDGE OF SAID ANNULAR DISCHARGE OUTLET MEANS, AN ADJUSTABLE COMPRESSION SPRING, AND A YIELDABLE ANNULAR PRESSURE VALVE MEANS HAVING AN ANNULAR CONVEX SEALING SURFACE, SAID SURFACE BEING URGED BY SAID ADJUSTABLE COMPRESSION SPRING AGAINST SAID OUTLET MEANS TO NORMALLY CLOSE SAID OUTLET MEANS AND RESILIENTLY SEALINGLY ENGAGE THE RADIALLY INNER EDGE OF SAID CASING IN LINE CONTACT WITH THE RADIALLY OUTER CONVEX PORTION OF SAID ANNULAR SEALING SURFACE AND THE RADIALLY OUTER EDGE OF SAID SHAFT IN LINE CONTACT WITH THE RADIALLY INNER CONVEX PORTION OF SAID ANNULAR SEALING SURFACE, SAID SCREW BEING CAPABLE OF FORCING A HIGHLY FLUID SUSPENSION ALONG SAID PATH CONFINED BY SAID CASING AND AGAINST SAID CASING DURING TRAVEL OF THE SUSPENSION ALONG SAID PATH TO FILTER THE FLUID CONTENT OF SAID SUSPENSION THROUGH SAID CASING AND TO FORCE THE SOLIDS CONTENT REMAINING AGAINST SAID VALVE MEANS TO OPEN SAID OUTLET MEANS AND DISCHARGE THE SEPARATED SOLIDS.