Dust collector and filter bags therefor

Claim 1

In a method for operation of a multiple filter bag device having a housing and a cell plate which subdivides the housing into a lower baghouse and an upper clean air plenum chamber, said cell plate having circular openings, filter bags of circular cross section, means for releasably securing said filter bags to the cell plate such that said filter bags extend through said openings into the baghouse whereby access to the filter bags for removal or replacement is effected from the top side of the cell plate, the improvement wherein the filter bags decrease in cross section from their upper ends, and which includes the step of withdrawing the bags endwise upwardly through the cell plate openings during removal of the filter bags whereby the decreasing cross section provides increasing clearance between the bags and the cell plate during displacement of the filter bags therethrough, and installing the filter bags by inserting the filter bags through the openings in the cell plate when securing the filter bags by lowering the ends of the filter bags of smaller cross section through the openings whereby the greater clearance between the filter bags and the cell plate eases the installation of the filter bags, providing wire cages of circular cross section which decrease in cross section from their upper ends and which includes the step of inserting the wire cages with the lower ends of smaller dimension through the upper ends of the previously installed and secured filter bags to facilitate insertion of the wire cages into position of use within the filter bags and, during removal of the wire cages from the filter bags, removing the wire cages endwise through the upper ends of the filter bags for separation of the wire cages from the filter bags whereby the decreasing cross section of the wire cages provides for increasing clearance between the wire cages and filter bags during endwise displacement of the wire cages relative to the filter bags during removal, and supporting the wire cages from the cell plate independent of the filter bags by means comprising a flanged member extending outwardly from the upper end portion of each wire cage to extend beyond its associated opening in the cell plate whereby the flanged member comes to rest on the portions of the cell plate immediately adjacent the associated cell opening in the supported position.