Fluid filters for internal combustion engines

Claim 1

A FLUID FILTER FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES COMPRISING: A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR CASING DEFINED BY VERTICAL SIDE WALLS AND TOP AND BOTTOM WALLS AND HAVING INLET AND OUTLET OPENINGS FOR THE FLUID TO BE FILTERED, SAID INLET OPENING BEING LOCATED IN THE SAID TOP WALL AND SAID OUTLET OPENING IN THE SAID BOTTOM WALL, THE SIDE WALLS OF SAID CASING BEING STEPPED SUCH THAT THE CROSS SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID CASING INCREASED FROM THE BOTTOM TOWARDS THE TOP THEREOF TO PROVIDE AT LEAST A PAIR OF STEPS, EACH SUCH PAIR DEFINING A SHELF ALONG THE INNER SURFACE OF THE SIDE WALLS WITH THE UPPER SHELF BEING SPACED OUTWARDLY OF THE LOWER SHELF; A FIRST GENERALLY FLAT FILTER SUPPORT RESTING ON THE PORTION OF THE UPPER SHELF DEFINED BY ONE SIDE WALL AND BY PORTIONS OF THE ADJACENT SIDE WALLS AND HAVING A FREE EDGE SPACED FROM THE SIDE WALL OPPOSITE SAID ONE SIDE WALL; A SECOND GENERALLY FILTER SUPPORT RESTING ON THE PORTION OF THE LOWER SHELF DEFINED BY SAID OPPOSITE SIDE WALL AND PORTIONS OF SAID ADJACENT SIDE WALLS AND HAVING A FREE EDGE SPACED FROM SAID ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS; FILTER PADS OF INTERMINGLED FIBERS CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID SUPPORTS AND GENERALLY COEXTENSIVE THEREWITH; AND A DIVIDING WALL WITH A PORTION SPACED GENERALLY PARALLEL BETWEEN SAID SUPPORTS AND EFFECTIVELY EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID ADJACENT SIDE WALLS AND HAVING A FIRST VERTICAL PORTION ADJACENT ONE END CONNECTED TO SAID FREE EDGE OF THE FIRST ONE OF SAID SUPPORTS AND HAVING MEANS DEFINING A STEP UPON WHICH SAID FREE EDGE RESTS AND HAVING A SECOND VERTICAL PORTION ADJACENT THE OTHER END CONNECTED TO SAID FREE EDGE OF SAID SECOND OF SAID SUPPORTS.