Filter apparatus

Claim 1

IN A FILTER APPARATUS, IN COMBINATION, A HOUSING HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY CYLINDRICAL CONFIGURATION OVER MOST OF ITS LENGTH AND HAVING A LOWER PORTION OF A REDUCED CROSS SECTIONAL AREA AS COMPARED TO THE REMAINDER OF SAID HOUSING; A DISCHARGE OPENING LOCATED AT SAID LOWER PORTION OF SAID HOUSING; AN ELONGATED HOLLOW SHAFT SUBSTANTIALLY COAXIAL WITH SAID HOUSING SUPPORTED FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS AXIS BY SAID HOUSING; A PLURALITY OF FILTER ELEMENTS COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOLLOW SHAFT AND CARRIED THEREBY FOR ROTATION THEREWITH; DRIVE MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID SHAFT FOR ROTATING THE LATTER AT HIGH SPEDD AS AS TO THROW OFF BY CENTRIGUGAL ACTION SOLID PARTICLES SETTLING ON SAID FILTER ELEMENTS; AND MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING FOR DIRECTING A HOT GAS THERETHROUGH SO AS TO HEAT THE INTERIOR OF SAID HOUSING AND SO AS TO DRY PARTICLES SETTLING ON SAID FILTER ELEMENTS TO FACILITATE THEREBY REMOVAL OF THE DRIED PARTICLES FROM SAID FILTER ELEMENTS BY CENTRIFUGAL ACTION, WHEREBY DRIED PARTICLES MAY BE REMOVED THROUGH SAID DISCHARGE OPENING WITHOUT REMOVING SAID FILTER ELEMENTS FROM SAID HOUSING.