Apparatus and method for filter seal

Claim 2

IN A PRESSURE FILTER HAVING A FILTER MEDIUM INTERPOSED, BETWEEM FIXED, VERTICALLY SPACED UPPER AND LOWER CHAMBERS, THE IMPROVEMENT OF SEALING MEANS NORMALLY SEALING THE CHAMBERS TO ONE ANOTHER, SAID SEALING MEANS INCLUDING A SUPPORT LEDGE SURFACE ENCIRCLING ONE OF THE CHAMBERS AND ENGAGING THE FILTER MEDIUM, A GASKET PERIPHERALLY ENCIRCLING THE OTHER CHAMBER AND BEING VERTICALLY ALIGNED WITH THE SUPPORT LEDGE FOR COATING THE FILTER MEDIUM, MEANS CONSTANTLY BIASING SAID GASKET VERTICALLY AWAY FROM THE LEDGE SURFACE, A RADIALLY DISTENSIBLE TUBE VERTICALLY INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID GASKET AND THE OTHER SAID CHAMBER, SAID TUBE BEING VERTICALLY ALIGNED WITH SAID GASKET FOR SEALING SAID OTHER CHAMBER AROUND ITS ENTIRE PERIPHERY, AND MEANS FOR INJECTING FLUID UNDER PRESSURE INTO SAID TUBE TO RADIALLY DISTEND THE TUBE AND (A) TO DISPLACE THE GASKET INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE FILTER MEDIUM AND THE LEDGE, (B) TO URGE THE TUBE INTO SEALING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GASKET,(C) TO INCREASE THE TENSION ON SAID BIASING MEANS, AND (D) TO CLOSE SAID OTHER CHAMBER FOR FILTRATION FLOW, WHEREIN SAID TUBE IS COLLAPSED UPON DEFLATION AND SAID BIASING MEANS THEREUPON DISPLACES THE GASKET FROM SAID SUPPORT LEDGE TO ACCOMODATE THE REMOVA OF SAID FILTER MEDIUM.

Claim 3

The pressure filter as defined in claim 1, characterized by said chambers being defined by a pair of liquid conducting shells, and said biasing means including a plurality of tension springs interconnecting said gasket and the shell defining said other chamber.

Claim 4

The as defined in claim 2, characterized by said support ledge surface being defined by a resilient sealing gasket supported by the shell defining to one chamber.

Claim 5

IN APRESSURE FILTER HAVING FIXED, VERTICALLY SPACED UPPER AND LOWER CHAMBERS AND A SHEET FILTER MEDIUM INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE CHAMBERS, EACH CHAMBER HAVING AN ENCIRCLING

Claim 6

IN APRESSURE FILTER HAVING FIXED, VERTICALLY SPACED UPPER AND LOWER CHAMBERS AND A SHEET FILTER MEDIUM INTERPOSED BETWEEN THE CHAMBERS, EACH CHAMBER HAVING AN ENCIRCLING

Claim 7

In a pressure filter having a filter medium interposed between fixed, vertically spaced upper and lower shell members, the upper shell member defining an inlet chamber for contaminated liquid under pressure, said shells having opposed peripheral sealing surfaces, the improvement of a vertically displaceable gasket overlying the filter medium and being aligned with the sealing surface of said lower shell, an inflatable tube interposed between and unattached to said gasket and the sealing surface on said upper shell, and means for inflating said tube to establish respective water-tight seals between (a) the upper shell and the tube, (b) the tube and the gasket, and (c) the gasket and the lower shell, and means constantly biasing said gasket away from the lower shell, wherein the gasket is vertically displaced upon deflation of the tube to accomodate replacement of the filter medium.

Claim 8

In a pressure filter having a filter medium interposed between fixed, vertically spaced upper and lower shell members, the upper shell member defining an inlet chamber for contaminated liquid under pressure, said shells having opposed peripheral sealing surfaces, the improvement of a vertically displaceable gasket overlying the filter medium and being aligned with the sealing surface of said lower shell, an inflatable tube interposed between and unattached to said gasket and the sealing surface on said upper shell, and means for inflating said tube to establish respective water-tight seals between (a) the upper shell and the tube, (b) the tube and the gasket, and (c) the gasket and the lower shell, and means constantly biasing said gasket away from the lower shell, wherein the gasket is vertically displaced upon deflation of the tube to accomodate replacement of the filter medium.

Claim 9

In a pressure filter having fixed, vertically spaced upper inlet and lower chambers having opposed peripheral sealing surfaces and a sheet filter medium interposed between the chambers, wherein contaminated liquid enters said inlet chamber under pressure, flows through said sheet filter medium for the removal of particulate contaminants, and exits through the outlet chamber, the improvement of a vertically displaceable sealing gasket interposed between said filter medium and the outer peripheral sealing surface of one of said chambers, an inflatable tube interposed between the sealing gasket and the outer peripheral sealing surface of said one chamber, and means for inflating said tube to seal said inlet and outlet chambers by expanding the tube to urge the sealing gasket against the filter medium as supported by the peripheral sealing surface of the other chamber thereby establishing respective water tight seals between (a) the tube and the gasket, and (b) the gasket and the other chamber, and means constantly biasing said displaceable sealing gasket toward said inflatable tube (a) to increase the pressure upon the inflatable tube for enhancing the seal, and (b) to accommodate the movement of said displaceable gasket away from said other chamber upon deflation of said tube to facilitate the replacement of the filter medium.

Claim 10

In a pressure filter having fixed, vertically spaced upper inlet and lower chambers having opposed peripheral sealing surfaces and a sheet filter medium interposed between the chambers, wherein contaminated liquid enters said inlet chamber under pressure, flows through said sheet filter medium for the removal of particulate contaminants, and exits through the outlet chamber, the improvement of a vertically displaceable sealing gasket interposed between said filter medium and the outer peripheral sealing surface of one of said chambers, an inflatable tube interposed between the sealing gasket and the outer peripheral sealing surface of said one chamber, and means for inflating said tube to seal said inlet and outlet chambers by expanding the tube to urge the sealing gasket against the filter medium as supported by the peripheral sealing surface of the other chamber thereby establishing respective water tight seals between (a) the tube and the gasket, and (b) the gasket and the other chamber, and means constantly biasing said displaceable sealing gasket toward said inflatable tube (a) to increase the pressure upon the inflatable tube for enhancing the seal, and (b) to accommodate the movement of said displaceable gasket away from said other chamber upon deflation of said tube to facilitate the replacement of the filter medium.