Device for decreasing deposits in liquid filters

Claim 1

IN A FILTER FOR FILTERING SOLID CONTAMINANTS FROM A LIQUID, INCLUDING A HOUSING HAVING A CONTAMINATED LIQUID BOTTOM INLET AND A FILTERED LIQUID OUTLET, AND FILTER MEANS BETWEEN SAID INLET AND OUTLET FOR RETAINING THE CONTAMINANTS ON ONE SIDE THEREOF AS THE LIQUID PASSES THROUGH THE FILTER MEANS TO THE OUTLET, WHEREIN THE IMPROVEMENT IN SAID FILTER COMPRISES MEANS, IN COMBINATION THEREWITH, FOR PREVENTING THE ACCUMULATION OF SOLID CONTAMINANTS ON SAID FILTER MEANS DURING FILTRATION OF SAID SOLID CONTAMINANTS FROM SAID LIQUID COMPRISING: PRESSURE REDUCING MEANS CONTAINING SUMP MEANS SPACED FROM THE TOP OF SAID HOUSING AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID FILTER MEANS, SAID PRESSURE REDUCING MEANS CONTINUOUSLY DISCHARGING A PORTION OF THE LIQUID AND SOLID CONTAMINANTS FROM SAID HOUSING AT A PRESSURE SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE PRESSURE IN SAID HOUSING, SAID PRESSURE REDUCING MEANS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE PLATE, SAID PLATE HAVING A CONTINUOUS GROOVE ON AT LEAST ONE FACE THEREOF, MEANS FOR CLOSING SAID GROOVE TO DEFINE A CONTINNUOUS LIQUID FLOW CONDUIT, AND APERTURE MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PLATE AND COMMUNICATING SAID GROOVE WITH SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID FILTER MEANS, WHEREBY THE LIQUID MUST TRAVEL SUBSTANTIALLY THE ENTIRE LENGTH OF SAID GROOVE BEFORE EXITING THEREFROM, WHEREBY SOLID CONTAMINANTS ARE PREVENTED FROM ACCUMULATING ON SAID ONE SIDE OF SAID FILTER MEANS.

Claim 6

A method of preventing the accumulation of solid contaminants on a filter medium during operation of the filter medium, comprising the steps of: continuously introducing a contaminated liquid through the base of a housing to one side of a filter medium and flowing the liquid through said filter medium while retaining the solid contaminants in the liquid on said one side of the medium, continuously removing a portion of the liquid introduced to said one side of the filter medium from said one side of the filter medium and solid contaminants which have been retained by said filter medium before said portion flows through the filter medium, and discharging said removed portion of the liquid and the solid contaminants retained by said filter medium through a pressure reducing means containing a sump means and a continuous grooved passage spaced from the top of said housing at a pressure substantially less than the pressure of the liquid at said one side of the filter medium, whereby the solid contaminants are prevented from accumulating on said one side of said filter medium.

Claim 7

A method of preventing the accumulation of solid contaminants on a filter medium during operation of the filter medium, comprising the steps of: continuously introducing a contaminated liquid through the base of a housing to one side of a filter medium and flowing the liquid through said filter medium while retaining the solid contaminants in the liquid on said one side of the medium, continuously removing a portion of the liquid introduced to said one side of the filter medium from said one side of the filter medium and solid contaminants which have been retained by said filter medium before said portion flows through the filter medium, and discharging said removed portion of the liquid and the solid contaminants retained by said filter medium through a pressure reducing means containing a sump means and a continuous grooved passage spaced from the top of said housing at a pressure substantially less than the pressure of the liquid at said one side of the filter medium, whereby the solid contaminants are prevented from accumulating on said one side of said filter medium.