Multiple filtration apparatus

Claim 1

A MULTIPLE FILTRATION APPARATUS COMPRISING CHAMBER MEANS, VACUUM-PRODUCING MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CHAMBER MEANS, FILTER PLATE MEANS REMOVABLY CARRIED IN OVERLYING RELATION TO SAID HAMBER MEANS, PORTIONS OF SAID FILTER PLATE MEANS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF SPACED FILTERING CELLS IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID CHAMBER MEANS, FILTERING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH OF SAID CELLS FOR COLLECTING PRECIPITATE FROM SAMPLES PASSING THROUGH SAID CELLS, PRESSURE PLATE MEANS REMOVABLY CARRIED IN OVERLYING RELATION TO SAID FILTER PLATE MEANS, PORTIONS OF SAID PRESSURE PLATE MEANS DEFINING ELONGATED SPACED BORES ALIGNED WITH EACH OF SAID CELLS AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER MEANS THROUGH SAID CELLS, AND SECURING MEANS REMOVABLY ENGAGING SAID CHAMBER MEANS, SAID FILTER PLATE MEANS AND SAID PRESSURE PLATE MEANS IN SUBSTANTIALLY PRESSURE-TIGHT ASSEMBLED RELATIONSHIP, SAID CHAMBER MEANS INCLUDING A CHAMBER MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM ELEMENT AND UPSTANDING PERIPHERAL SIDE WALLS CARRIED BY SAID BOTTOM ELEMENT, SAID SIDE WALLS HAVING UPPER TERMINAL PORTIONS DEFINING AN OPEN TOP, SAID FILTER PLATE MEANS SPANNING SAID OPEN TOP AND RESTING ON SAID UPPER TERMINAL PORTIONS OF SAID SIDE WALLS, SAID FILTER PLATE MEANS INCLUDING A FILTER PLATE MEMBER HAVING PORTIONS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS THERETHROUGH, ONE FOR EACH OF SAID FILTERING CELLS, EACH OF SAID OPENINGS INCLUDING A RELATIVELY SMALL PORTION COMMUNICATING WITH THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID FILTER PLATE MEMBER, A RELATIVELY LARGE PORTION COMMUNICATING WITH THE UPPER SIDE OF SAID FILTER PLATE MEMBER, AND A FRUSTOCONICAL FUNNEL PORTION INTERCONNECTING SAID RELATIVELY SMALL AND RELATIVELY LARGE PORTIONS, SAID FILTERING MEANS BEING CARRIED BETWEEN SAID RELATIVELY LARGE PORTION AND SAID FRUSTO-CONICAL FUNNEL PORTION, SAID PRESSURE PLATE MEANS INCLUDING A PRESSURE PLATE MEMBER, AN ANNULAR PROTUBERANCE EXTENDING FROM THE UNDERSIDE OF SAID PRESSURE PLATE MEMBER SURROUNDING EACH OF SAID BORES AND DIMENSIONED TO BE RECEIVED IN SAID RELATIVELY LARGE PORTION OF ITS ASSOCIATED FILTERING CELL, AND GASKET MEANS INTERPOSED BETWEEN EACH OF SAID PROTUBERANCES AND SAID PORTIONS OF SAID FILTER PLATE MEMBER DEFINING THE RELATIVELY LARGE PORTION OF ITS ASSOCIATED FILTERING CELL.