Filter apparatus

Claim 1

AN APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SOLID PARTICLES FROM A FLUID, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION (A) A PRESSURE-TIGHT STATIONARY CYLINDRICAL HOUSING HAVING A STATIONARY WALL; (B) A ROTATABLE CYLINDRICAL FILTER ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON A VERTICAL AXIS WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND DEFINING WITH THE INNER WALL OF SAID HOUSING AN ANNULUS ADAPTED THROUGH ITS CONFIGURATION TO CONTROL THE FLOW AND MOTION OF SAID SOLID PARTICLES IN SAID FLUID IN SAID ANNULUS, SAID FILTER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN OUTER FORAMINOUS CYLINDRICAL FILTER MEMBER MOUNTED ON AND SPACED FROM AN INNER HOLLOW PERFORATE SHAFT IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH A DISCHARGE CONDUIT FOR FILTERED FLUID PASSING THROUGH SAID FILTER MEMBER, (C) AT LEAST TWO VERTICALLY-POSITIONED BAFFLE PLATES MOUNTED ON SAID FILTER ASSEMBLY, ROTATABLE THEREWITH AND UNIFORMLY SPACED AROUND AND AWAY FROM SAID FILTER MEMBER, SAID BAFFLE PLATES BEING ALSO SPACED FROM SAID INNER WALL OF SAID HOUSING AND LOCATED IN SAID ANNULUS, WHEREBY SAID BAFFLE PLATES CAUSE SAID FLUID IN SAID ANNULUS TO ROTATE AND DIMINISH THE SLIP BETWEEN SAID LIQUID IN SAID ANNULUS AND SAID ROTATING FILTER ASSEMBLY, THEREBY MAINTAINING THE RADIAL SEPARATION FORCES; (D) FLUID INELT MEANS IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID ANNULUS; (E) MEANS EXTERNAL OF SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT, SAID FILTER ASSEMBLY AND SAID BAFFLE PLATES THEREBY TO IMPART TO SAID FLUID IN SAID ANNULUS IN THE VICINITY OF SAID ROTATING FILTER ASSEMBLY A PREDETERMINED ANGULAR VELOCITY; AND (F) MEANS FOR REMOVING ACCUMULATED SOLIDS FROM SAID HOUSING.

Claim 2

AN APPARATUS FOR REMOVING SOLID PARTICLES FROM A FLUID, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION (A) A PRESSURE-TIGHT STATIONARY CYLINDRICAL HOUSING HAVING A STATIONARY WALL; (B) A ROTATABLE CYLINDRICAL FILTER ASSEMBLY MOUNTED ON A VERTICAL AXIS WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND DEFINING WITH THE INNER WALL OF SAID HOUSING AN ANNULUS ADAPTED THROUGH ITS CONFIGURATION TO CONTROL THE FLOW AND MOTION OF SAID SOLID PARTICLES IN SAID FLUID IN SAID ANNULUS, SAID FILTER ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN OUTER FORAMINOUS CYLINDRICAL FILTER MEMBER MOUNTED ON AND SPACED FROM AN INNER HOLLOW PERFORATE SHAFT IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH A DISCHARGE CONDUIT FOR FILTERED FLUID PASSING THROUGH SAID FILTER MEMBER, (C) AT LEAST TWO VERTICALLY-POSITIONED BAFFLE PLATES MOUNTED ON SAID FILTER ASSEMBLY, ROTATABLE THEREWITH AND UNIFORMLY SPACED AROUND AND AWAY FROM SAID FILTER MEMBER, SAID BAFFLE PLATES BEING ALSO SPACED FROM SAID INNER WALL OF SAID HOUSING AND LOCATED IN SAID ANNULUS, WHEREBY SAID BAFFLE PLATES CAUSE SAID FLUID IN SAID ANNULUS TO ROTATE AND DIMINISH THE SLIP BETWEEN SAID LIQUID IN SAID ANNULUS AND SAID ROTATING FILTER ASSEMBLY, THEREBY MAINTAINING THE RADIAL SEPARATION FORCES; (D) FLUID INELT MEANS IN FLUID COMMUNICATION WITH SAID ANNULUS; (E) MEANS EXTERNAL OF SAID HOUSING FOR ROTATING SAID SHAFT, SAID FILTER ASSEMBLY AND SAID BAFFLE PLATES THEREBY TO IMPART TO SAID FLUID IN SAID ANNULUS IN THE VICINITY OF SAID ROTATING FILTER ASSEMBLY A PREDETERMINED ANGULAR VELOCITY; AND (F) MEANS FOR REMOVING ACCUMULATED SOLIDS FROM SAID HOUSING.