Filter cell sealing and retaining arrangement

Claim 1

In a flow-through filter cell support housing adapted to receive and support unit filter cell means between a dirty gas inlet passage and a clean gas outlet passage thereof with a peripheral edge of said filter cell means abutting against a peripheral seal mounted on said support housing adjacent one of said passages, an improved filter cell sealing and retaining means comprising: sealing and retaining bar means extending longitudinally relative to and spaced from said one passage of said support housing having a peripheral seal adjacent thereto to receive said filter cell means therebetween, said sealing and retaining bar means being mounted on said support housing for simultaneous slidable movement both in a direction along its longitudinal axis and in a direction lateral to said longitudinal axis toward said one passage to urge said filter cell means against said peripheral seal on said support housing, actuating means connected between said housing and said sealing and retaining bar means to move said bar means in a longitudinal direction along its longitudinal axis, said actuating means comprising a lever arm pivotally mounted to said housing about a first pivot point means and a linking bar pivotally connected at one end to said lever for over center movement about said first pivot point means to a cell retaining position and connected at the opposite end to said sealing and retaining bar means; and cam means connected to and between said housing and said bar means to move said bar means in a lateral locked optimum sealing and retaining position relative said inlet as said bar means is Moved in a longitudinal direction, and a rectangularly shaped grooved track system on said support housing to surround the periphery of said one passage having a peripheral seal adjacent thereto, said peripheral seal on said support housing being rectangular in shape and including first and second pairs of opposed spaced sealing strips slidably mounted in coextensive relation in said rectangularly shaped grooved track system on said support housing with the opposite ends of said first pair of strips abutting opposed sides of second pair of strips, said first pair of strips being compressible and sized greater in length than the spacing between said second pair of strips and being longitudinally compressed so that the ends thereof firmly abut against said opposed sides of said second pair of strips.