Filter plate opening mechanism for filter presses

Claim 1

A filter plate opening mechanism for successively opening partial filter plates of a filter press, which filter plates are vertically supported on a filter plate support frame, comprising filter plate pulling latches arranged on side surfaces of every other filter plate, pivotal pendulums arranged on side surfaces of remaining filter plates, plate connectors substantially the same in length connecting all the filter plates, and a pair of carriages arranged on rails parallel to said filter plate support frame provided on both sides of said filter plates, each carriage being driven by a chain whose ends are connected to said carriage to form an endless linkage therewith and having a pair of ratchets in opposition to each other capable of depressing and restoring with the aid of springs, whereby when said carriage moves in a filter plate opening direction, one of said pair of ratchets engages the filter plate pulling latch of one of the filter plates to shift the filter plate in the opening direction and the movement of the engaged filter plate causes to shift successively in the same direction at least two other filter plates connected thereto by said plate connector, and when said carriage moves through separated filter plates in a direction opposite to said opening direction, said pair of ratchets are depressed by their abutments against said filter plate pulling latch and said pivotal pendulums are upwardly pivotally moved by abutments of said pair of ratchets thereagaint, thereby enabling said carriage to pass by the separated filter plates in the direction opposite to said opening direction and when said carriage approaches the close filter plates in the direction opposite to said opening direction, the other of said pair of ratchets engages the pivotal pendulum restrained by the adjacent filter plate pulling latch resulting in the stopping of said carriage which thereafter moves in the opening direction.