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Claim 1

IN A FILTER APPARATUS HAVING: A FILTER HOUSING, A BOTTOM PLATE MEMBER IN SAID HOUSING; A NIPPLE MEMBER HAVING EXTERNAL THREADS AND HAVING ONE END SECURED TO SAID BOTTOM PLATE MEMBER AND THE OTHER END EXTENDING INWARDLY INTO SAID HOUSING PROVIDING A FLUID INLET PASSAGE FOR SAID FILTER HOUSING; AND A HOLLOW FILTER CARTRIDGE THREADABLY SECURED TO SAID NIPPLE MEMBER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING SAID FILTER CARTRIDGE WHICH INCLUDES A HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL MASS OF RESIN IMPREGNATED FIBROUS MATERIAL, A PERFORATED CENTER TUBE DISPOSED WITHIN THE HOLLOW INTERIOR OF SAID MASS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL AND BEING IN CONTACT AND SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE THEREWITH, FIRST AND SECOND PLASTIC END CAPS SEALING OFF THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MASS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL AND BEIN INTIMATELY BONDED TO THE RESPECTIVE ENDS OF SAID MASS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL AND SAID PERFORATED CENTER TUBE, SAID FIRST END CAP HAVING AN ANNULAR PORTION THE UPPER SURFACE OF WHICH IS INTIMATELY BONDED TO ONE END OF SAID CYLINDRICAL MASS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL AND THE RESPECTIVE END OF SAID PERFORATED CENTER TUBE, SAID FIRST END CAP HAVING AN INTEGRAL HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL PORTION DEPENDING FROM SAID ANNULAR PORTION EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID MASS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL, INTERNAL THREADS INTEGRALLY FORMED ON THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL PORTIONI FOR THREADED ENGAGEMENT WITH THE EXTERNAL THREADS OF SAID NIPPLE MEMBER, AN ANNULAR GASKET SEAT FORMED WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF SAID FIRST END CAP BELOW THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID ANNULAR PORTION AND ADJACENT THE INNERMOST PORTION OF SAID INTERNAL THREADS SAID FIRST END CAP INCLUDING AN ANNULAR RECESS INTERMEDIATE SAID GASKET SEAT AND SAID INTERMOST PORTION OF THE THREADS, AN ANNULAR RING GASKET IN CONTACT WITH SAID GASKET SEAT AND SECURED THERETO, A PORTION OF SAID RING GASKET BEING RETAININGLY RECEIVED IN SAID ANNULAR RECESS, AND SAID FIRST END CAP INCLUDES INNER AND OUTER SPACED APART UPWARDLY EXTENDING RIMS INTEGRALLY FORMED ON SAID ANNULAR PORTION, SAID RIMS BEING RESPECTIVELY IN INTIMATE CONTACT WITH ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID HOLLOW CYLINDRICAL MASS OF FIBROUS MATERIAL AND SAID PERFORATED CENTER TUBE.