Pressure filter

Claim 1

A PRESSURE FILTER FOR SEPARATING FILTRATE FROM THE SOLID COMPONENT OF A FEED MATERIAL, SUCH AS COAL MUD AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A VESSEL INCLUDING A SHELL WHICH DEFINES A FEED-RECEIVING SPACE, SAID VESSEL HAVING INLET MEANS FOR ADMISSION OF FEED MATERIAL AND OUTLET MEANS FOR EVACUATION OF THE SOLID COMPONENT; ROTARY FILTERING WHEEL MEANS PROVIDED IN AND DIVIDING SAID SPACE INTO A PLURALITY OF SEPARATE FILTERING CHAMBERS, SAID WHEEL MEANS BEING ARRANGED TO SEPARATE FILTRATE FROM THE FEED MATERIAL AND TO ROTATE WITH THE SOLID COMPONENT FROM SAID INLET MEANS TOWARD SAID OUTLET MEANS; COMPRESSING MEANS FOR COMPRESSING THE FEED MATERIAL IN SAID CHAMBERS, SAID COMPRESSING MEANS COMPRISING HOUSING MEANS DEFINING AN INTERNAL COMPARTMENT WHICH COMMUNICATES WITH SAID CHAMBERS THROUGH SAID INLET MEANS, SEALABLE INTAKE MEANS FOR ADMITTING FEED MEATERIAL INTO SAID COMPARTMENT, AND A DEVICE FOR COMPRISING THE FEED MATERIAL IN SAID COMPARTMENT SO THAT THE FEED MATERIAL IS FORCED THROUGH SAID INLET MEANS AND INTO SAID CHAMBERS; AND MEANS FOR SEALING SAID INTAKE MEANS WHEN SAID DEVICE COMPRESSES THE FEED MATERIAL IN SAID INTERNAL COMPARTMENT.