Filter cell and retaining assembly

Claim 1

A FILTER CELL SYSTEM COMPRISING A FILTER CELL COMPRISED OF A FILTER MEDIA AND A FILTER FRAME INCLUDING A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING FLANGE, SAID FLANGE BEING PROVIDED WITH A PERIPHERALLY EXTENDING GROOVE ON THE UPPER SURFACE THEREOF AND MEANS FORMING A SEALING SURFACE COMPRISING A GASKET HAVING A SECTION DISPOSED IN SAID GROOVE, AND A PERIPHERALLY EXTENDING WALL DEPENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY FROM THE INNER EDGE OF SAID FLANGE IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID UPPER SURFACE, SAID FILTER FRAME SUBSTANTIALLY ENCLOSING THE FILTER MEDIA AND BEING IN SUBSTANTIALLY FLUID TIGHT RELATIONSHIP THEREWITH, SAID FLANGE HAVING A SUPPORTING SURFACE ON THE SIDE ADJACENT SAID WALL AND OPPOSITE SAID SEALING SURFACE; A SUPPORTING FRAME HAVING A WEB AND A FLANGE PRESENTING A SEALING SURFACE FOR THE SEALING SURFACE OF SAID FILTER FRAME AND EXTENDING LATERALLY FROM ONE END OF SAID WEB AND DEFINING AT LEAST ONE OPENING OF PREDETERMINED CONFIGURATION, A FILTER CELL OPEN FRAME SUPPORTED BY SAID SUPPORTING FRAME AND HAVING A HORIZONTALLY EXTENDING FLANGE HAVING AN UPPER SURFACE IN CONTACT WITH SAID SUPPORTING SURFACE OF SAID FILTER FRAME FLANGE AND SUPPORTING THE FILTER CELL IN SAID OPENING WHICH IS OF CORRESPONDING CONFIGURATION, SAID OPEN FRAME HAVING A PERIPHERALLY EXTENDING WALL DEPENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY FROM THE INNER EDGE OF SAID FLANGE IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID UPPER SURFACE, SAID WALL SURROUNDING THE PERIPHERY OF SAID FILTER FRAME AND BEING IN CONTACT THEREWITH, SAID SUPPORTING FRAME INCLUDING LATCHING MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LATCHING AND ENGAGING SURFACES OF SAID OPEN FRAME AND FOR ADVANCING SAID OPEN FRAME TOWARDS THE FLANGE OF THE SUPPORTING FRAME TO SHIFT THE FLANGE OF SAID FILTER CELL AND SEALING SURFACE THEREON INTO INTIMATE CONTACT WITH THE FLANGE OF THE SUPPORTING FRAME TO SEAL THE JUNCTION THEREBETWEEN, SAID LATCHING MEANS INCLUDING MEANS OPERABLE TO RELEASE SAID OPEN FRAME AND THE FILTER CELL SUPPORTED THEREBY FROM SAID SUPPORTING FRAME TO PERMIT REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE FILTER CELL RELATIVE TO THE OPEN FRAME, SAID OPEN FRAME BEING FORMED WITH A DEPENDING PORTION ON SAID PERIPHERALLY EXTENDING WALL, AND A PERFORATED SCREEN SUPPORTED BY SAID DEPENDING PORTION FOR PROTECTING SAID FILTER CELL.