Filter plate for filter press

Claim 1

A filter-plate assembly for a filter press, said assembly comprising a substantially rigid support plate and a filter plate, said filter plate being formed integrally with: an annular frame lying against said support plate and defining and lying in a frame plane spaced from and generally parallel to said support plate; a generally planar and elastically deformable central panel defining and lying in a panel plane and displaceable between a normal position to one side of said frame plane and lying against said support plate and a pressing position to the other side of said frame plane, said panel being formed with an array of bosses projecting away from said support plate; and means including an annular web between said central panel and said frame and having an inner periphery connected to said central panel and lying in said panel plane and an outer periphery connected to said frame and lying in said frame plane, said web being wholly elastically deformable and of uniform thickness, said web further having a surface area greater than the surface area of the projection of said web on said frame plane, said means being constructed and arranged to be substantially completely relaxed and free of tensile stresses in said normal and pressing positions and being subject substantially only to bending and compressing stresses on displacement between said positions.