Apparatus for dust collection

Claim 1

IN A DUST COLLECTOR WHICH MAKES USE OF A PLURALITY OF FABRIC FILTER TUBES EACH DEFINING AN OPEN END INTO WHICH A GAS TO BE FILTERED IS INTRODUCED, MEANS MOUNTING THE TUBES VERTICALLY BETWEEN A SUPPORT AT THE TOP AND A RETAINER AT THE BOTTOM, MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE OPEN ENDS OF THE FILTER TUBES AT THE BOTTOM FOR FEEDING IN GAS TO BE FILTERED, AND MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH THE OPEN ENDS TO THE BOTTOM FOR RECEIVING THE MATERIAL MAKING UP THE FILTER CAKE SEPARATED ON THE IN GOING SIDE OF THE FILTER FABRIC, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING PROVIDING SAID FILTER TUBES WITH AN OPEN TOP, MEANS WITHIN EACH TUBE SPACED SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE OPEN TO FOR INTRODUCING A JET OF AIR UNDER PRESSURE DOWNWARDLY INTO EACH TUBE WHEREBY THE JET OF AIR FORMS INTO AN AIR BUBBLE WHICH TRAVELS DOWNWARDLY THROUGH THE TUBE TO LOOSEN THE FILTER CAKE FORMED ON THE INGOING SIDE OF THE FILTER FABRIC WHEREBY THE REMOVED FILTER CAKE FALLS GRAVITATIONALLY THROUGH THE TUBE TO THE RECEIVING MEANS AND IN WHICH AIR IS PERMITTED FREELY TO FLOW INTO THE OPEN UPPER END OF THE TUBE TO FILL IN THE VACUUM BEHIND THE DOWNWARDLY TRAVELING AIR BUBBLE AND VALVE MEANS IN THE UPPER END OF THE TUBES FOR CLOSING THE UPPER END OF THE TUBES DURING THE FILTER CYCLE AND FOR OPENING THE UPPER END OF THE TUBES WHEN AN AIR JET IS INTRODUCED TO FORM THE AIR BUBBLE.