Filter tube holder and filter assembly

Claim 2

A filter tube assembly which comprises in combination: a. a closed housing which includes i. an inlet to introduce a fluid stream to be filtered into the interior of the housing, ii. an outlet to remove the filtered fluid stream from the interior of the housing, and iii. a mounting plate within the housing to separate the inlet and outlet in a fluid-tight manner, the plate characterized by at least one filter tube passageway therein; and b. a filter tube holder to secure a filter tube to filter the fluid stream about the filter tube passageway, which holder comprises i. a first closed end cap having an inner face surface, ii. a second end cap with an opening therein having upper and lower face surfaces, and arranged circumferentially about the opening of the filter tube passageway to form a fluid-tight seal between the lower face surface and the circumferential surface of the passageway, iii. a rod element having a one end and another end, and arranged to be positioned within the filter tube, and which extends through the filter tube passageway, iv. means to secure the first end cap to the one end of the rod element, v. a mounting bar arranged on the opposite side of the filter tube passageway of the plate from the first end cap, arranged to extend across the passageway, and characterized by a central opening into which the other end of the rod element extends, and which bar permits flow of the fluid stream through the passageway, vi. a first arcuate strip element characterized by a central opening therein through which the rod element extends, and constructed and arranged to be located within the filter tube, with the opposite ends of the arcuate strip secured to the inner circumference of the second end cap and less than the inner diameter of the filter tube, which arcuate strip permits flow of the fluid stream within the filter tube, and vii. wherein the means to secure the first end cap or the mounting bar includes means to move the mounting bar or first end cap, or both, axially along the rod element, whereby a filter tube may be held in a fixed position between the upper face surface of the second end cap and the lower face surface of the first end cap, and in a fluid-tight manner about the filter tube passageway of the mounting plate, with the mounting bar securing the holder to the mounting plate.

Claim 3

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the filter tube holder includes a sealing gasket between the circumferential surface about the filter tube passageway and the lower face surface of the second end cap.

Claim 4

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the filter tube holder includes a mounting bar which is centrally arranged in the passageway and undercut at each end thereof facing the mounting plate to secure the bar centrally in position in the filter tube passageway of the mounting plate.

Claim 5

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the rod element has a threaded surface at the one and the other end, and the means to secure the first end cap or the means to secure the mounting bar, or both, to the rod element are threadably movable along the rod element, thereby permitting the filter tube to be secured to or released from the filter tube holder and the passageway.

Claim 6

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the rod element has a threaded surface at the one and the other end, and wherein the means to secure the first end cap to the rod element comprises a second arcuate strip characterized by a central opening through which the one end of the rod element extends, the arcuate strip constructed and arranged to be located within the filter tube, with the opposite ends of the arcuate strip secured to the inner circumference of the first end cap and less than the inner diameter of the filter tube, and a nut element about the central opening of and secured to the second arcuate strip and threadably arranged at the one end on the rod element, whereby the second arcuate strip and nut element are axially movable along the one end of the rod element to secure the filter tube in the holder.

Claim 7

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the rod element has a threaded surface at the other end, and wherein the means to secure the mounting bar to the plate comprises a nut element threadably secured to the other end of the rod element.

Claim 8

The assembly of claim 1 which includes a filter tube secured between the inner face surface of the first end cap and the upper face surface of the second end cap.

Claim 9

The assembly of claim 1 which includes a self-supporting, nonwoven, glass-fiber filter tube rigidly secured in a fluid-tight manner between the inner face surface of the first end cap and the upper face surface of the second end cap, and wherein a fluid-tight seal at each end of the filter tube is provided by the compression of the peripheral compressible end edges of the filter tube between the first and second end cap surfaces.

Claim 10

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the end caps are composed of a hard polymeric material, and the inner face surface of the first end cap and the upper face surface of the second end cap are smooth surfaces to provide a fluid-tight seal between the ends of the filter tube secured therebetween.

Claim 11

The assembly of claim 1 wherein the rod element comprises a threaded surface at the one and the other end, and the means to secure the first end cap at the one end and the mounting bar at the other end are threadably secured to the rod at the respective ends, both for axial movement along the respective ends of the rod element.

Claim 12

A low pressure, high-flow, filter tube assembly for the filtering of gases which comprises in combination: a. a closed housing which includes i. an inlet to introduce a gas stream to be filtered into the interior of the housing, ii. an outlet to remove the filtered gas stream from the interior of the housing, and iii. a mounting plate wtihin the housing to separate the inlet and outlet in a fluid-tight manner, the plate characterized by a plurality of filter tube passageways therein; b. filter tube holders to secure filter tubes about each of the passageways; c. filter tubes secured in each filter tube holder to filter the gas; and d. each of the filter tube holders comprising i. a first closed end cap having an inner face surface, ii. a rod element having a threaded surface at the one end and the other end, and centrally positioned within the filter tube, and which extends at the other end through the filter tube passageway in the plate, iii. a second end cap with an opening therein having upper and lower face surfaces, and positioned circumferentially about the passageway, iv. a sealing gasket between the lower face surface of the second end cap and the circumferential surface about the passageway of the plate to provide a fluid-tight seal, v. a mounting bar arranged on the opposite side of the filter tube passageway from the first end cap, and characterized by a central opening therein into which the other end of the rod element extends, and undercut at opposite ends to be positioned centrally in the passageway, vi. means to secure the mounting bar for axial movement on the other end of the rod element, vii. a first arcuate strip element characterized by a central opening therein through which the rod element extends, and constructed and arranged to be located within the filter tube, with the opposite ends of the arcuate strip secured to the inner circumference of the second end cap and less than the inner diameter of the filter tube, which arcuate strip permits flow of the gas stream within the filter tube, viii. a nut element threadably secured to the other end of the rod element to secure the first arcuate strip element in position, and ix. a second arcuate strip element characterized by a central opening through which the one end of the rod element extends, the arcuate strip constructed and arranged to be located within the filter tube, with the opposite ends of the arcuate strip secured to the inner circumference of the first end cap and less than the inner diameter of the filter tube, and a nut element about the central opening of and secured to the second arcuate strip and threadably arranged at the one end on the rod element, whereby the second arcuate strip and nut element are axially movable along the one end of the rod element to secure the filter tube in the holder, whereby the filter tube is secured in the holder in a fluid-tight manner about the filter tube passageway by the threaded axial movement along the one or the other end of the rod element of the first end or the mounting bar, respectively, or both, the mounting bar securing the holder and filter tube to the mounting plate.

Claim 13

A low pressure, high-flow, filter tube assembly for the filtering of gases which comprises in combination: a. a closed housing which includes i. an inlet to introduce a gas stream to be filtered into the interior of the housing, ii. an outlet to remove the filtered gas stream from the interior of the housing, and iii. a mounting plate wtihin the housing to separate the inlet and outlet in a fluid-tight manner, the plate characterized by a plurality of filter tube passageways therein; b. filter tube holders to secure filter tubes about each of the passageways; c. filter tubes secured in each filter tube holder to filter the gas; and d. each of the filter tube holders comprising i. a first closed end cap having an inner face surface, ii. a rod element having a threaded surface at the one end and the other end, and centrally positioned within the filter tube, and which extends at the other end through the filter tube passageway in the plate, iii. a second end cap with an opening therein having upper and lower face surfaces, and positioned circumferentially about the passageway, iv. a sealing gasket between the lower face surface of the second end cap and the circumferential surface about the passageway of the plate to provide a fluid-tight seal, v. a mounting bar arranged on the opposite side of the filter tube passageway from the first end cap, and characterized by a central opening therein into which the other end of the rod element extends, and undercut at opposite ends to be positioned centrally in the passageway, vi. means to secure the mounting bar for axial movement on the other end of the rod element, vii. a first arcuate strip element characterized by a central opening therein through which the rod element extends, and constructed and arranged to be located within the filter tube, with the opposite ends of the arcuate strip secured to the inner circumference of the second end cap and less than the inner diameter of the filter tube, which arcuate strip permits flow of the gas stream within the filter tube, viii. a nut element threadably secured to the other end of the rod element to secure the first arcuate strip element in position, and ix. a second arcuate strip element characterized by a central opening through which the one end of the rod element extends, the arcuate strip constructed and arranged to be located within the filter tube, with the opposite ends of the arcuate strip secured to the inner circumference of the first end cap and less than the inner diameter of the filter tube, and a nut element about the central opening of and secured to the second arcuate strip and threadably arranged at the one end on the rod element, whereby the second arcuate strip and nut element are axially movable along the one end of the rod element to secure the filter tube in the holder, whereby the filter tube is secured in the holder in a fluid-tight manner about the filter tube passageway by the threaded axial movement along the one or the other end of the rod element of the first end or the mounting bar, respectively, or both, the mounting bar securing the holder and filter tube to the mounting plate.

Claim 14

The filter tube assembly of claim 11 wherein the filter tube includes a self-supporting, nonwoven, glass-fiber filter tube rigidly secured in a fluid-tight manner between the inner face surface of the first end cap and the upper face surface of the second end cap, and wherein a fluid-tight seal at each end of the filter tube is provided by the compression of the peripheral compressible end edges of the filter tube between the first and second end cap surfaces.