Filter apparatus and method

Claim 2

A belt filter comprising: a housing defining a filter chamber; a support plate disposed in said chamber and having a portion formed with openings to allow liquid flow therethrough; an endless belt of porous, flexible material and looped to have upper and lower segments both extending across said support plate, overlying each other in mutual contact atop said support plate, and extending out of said chamber on either side of said housing; a pair of rollers located outside of and on either side of said housing, each roller receiving thereover one end of said looped endless belt; means for periodically rotating at least one of said rollers to advance said belt segments on and off said support plate; and, means for establishing a flow of liquid to be filtered from said chamber successively through both of said mutually contacting belt segments and said support plate during filtering flow of said liquid; said support plate formed with solid portions extending alongside said portions formed with said openings, said solid portions overlain with said upper segment of said belt, said upper segment of said endless belt being wider than said lower segment of said belt to thereby establish a sealing engagement with said solid portions of said support plate.

Claim 3

The filter according to claim 1 wherein the portions of said upper segment of said endless belt extending over said solid portions of said support plate are substantially impervious to liquid flow to substantially enhance said sealing of said portions against said solid portions of said support plate.

Claim 4

The filter according to claim 1 wherein said filter housing defines a closed filter chamber having elongated openings on either side thereof through which either end of said endless belt segments extend, and further including sealing means located at said openings to periodically seal portions of said endless belt segments extending through said openings to enable pressurization of said filter chamber, and wherein said means for establishing said filtering flow includes means for directing liquid to be filtered into said filter chamber under pressure in a region located to cause flow of said liquid therefrom through said endless belt and thence through said openings in said support plate.

Claim 5

The filter according to claim 1 wherein said upper segment of said endless belt is formed of material with finer porosity than the porosity of said lower segment.

Claim 6

A filter comprising: housing means defining a filter chamber; means for directing liquid to be filtered under pressure into said chamber; filtering means including a support plate forming a part of said housing and defining in part said chamber, said support plate having openings passing therethrough; a layer of filter media comprising an elongated belt extending through said housing and over said support plate openings to receive flow of said liquid under pressure; a plurality of elongated members extending beneath said support plate located to support said support plate against the force exerted by said pressurized liquid, said elongated members extending transversely to the length of said belt; a collection trough extending beneath and supporting said elongated members and located to collect liquid passing out of said chamber through said filter media and support plate openings, said collection trough having an outlet to allow passage of said collected liquids out of said trough, said collection trough having an upwardly extending rim of height than said elongated members to thereby form openings to enable a flushing flow therethrough and between said elongated members.

Claim 7

A filter comprising: housing means defining a filter chamber; means for directing liquid to be filtered under pressure into said chamber; filtering means including a support plate forming a part of said housing and defining in part said chamber, said support plate having openings passing therethrough; a layer of filter media comprising an elongated belt extending through said housing and over said support plate openings to receive flow of said liquid under pressure; a plurality of elongated members extending beneath said support plate located to support said support plate against the force exerted by said pressurized liquid, said elongated members extending transversely to the length of said belt; a collection trough extending beneath and supporting said elongated members and located to collect liquid passing out of said chamber through said filter media and support plate openings, said collection trough having an outlet to allow passage of said collected liquids out of said trough, said collection trough having an upwardly extending rim of height than said elongated members to thereby form openings to enable a flushing flow therethrough and between said elongated members.

Claim 8

The filter according to claim 5 wherein said collection trough is formed with a sloping bottom surface aligned with said elongated members to direct said liquid by gravity to said outlet.

Claim 9

A belt filter comprising: a housing defining a filter chamber; a support plate disposed in said chamber and having a portion formed with openings to allow liquid flow therethrough; an endless belt of porous, flexible material and looped to have upper and lower segments both extending across said support plate, overlying each other in mutual contact atop said support plate, and extending out of said chamber on either side of said housing; a pair of rollers located outside of and on either side of said housing, each roller receiving thereover one end of said looped endless belt; means for periodically rotating at least one of said rollers to advance said belt segments on and off said support plate; and, means for establishing a flow of liquid to be filtered from said chamber successively through both of said mutually contacting belt segments and said support plate during filtering flow of said liquid; a sheet of disposable filter sheet media extending across said support plate and atop said endless belt, and means for periodically advancing a fresh segment of said sheet of disposable filter media onto said endless belt as said endless belt is advanced to carry off the previous segment of filter sheet media; said support plate formed with solid portions alongside either side of said portion formed with said openings, said solid portions extending alongside said endless belt and wherein said disposable sheet media is wider than said endless belt and extends beyond said endless belt and over said solid portions to establish a seal therebetween; said portions of said disposable filter sheet media extending over said solid portions of said support plate are impervious to filtering flow to enhance the sealing engagement therebetween;

Claim 10

A belt filter comprising: a housing defining a filter chamber; a support plate disposed in said chamber and having a portion formed with openings to allow liquid flow therethrough; an endless belt of porous, flexible material and looped to have upper and lower segments both extending across said support plate, overlying each other in mutual contact atop said support plate, and extending out of said chamber on either side of said housing; a pair of rollers located outside of and on either side of said housing, each roller receiving thereover one end of said looped endless belt; means for periodically rotating at least one of said rollers to advance said belt segments on and off said support plate; and, means for establishing a flow of liquid to be filtered from said chamber successively through both of said mutually contacting belt segments and said support plate during filtering flow of said liquid; a sheet of disposable filter sheet media extending across said support plate and atop said endless belt, and means for periodically advancing a fresh segment of said sheet of disposable filter media onto said endless belt as said endless belt is advanced to carry off the previous segment of filter sheet media; said support plate formed with solid portions alongside either side of said portion formed with said openings, said solid portions extending alongside said endless belt and wherein said disposable sheet media is wider than said endless belt and extends beyond said endless belt and over said solid portions to establish a seal therebetween; said portions of said disposable filter sheet media extending over said solid portions of said support plate are impervious to filtering flow to enhance the sealing engagement therebetween;

Claim 11

A filter array formed by a series of vertically stacked filter units, each filter unit comprising: a housing defining a filter chamber; a support plate disposed in said chamber and having a portion formed with openings to allow liquid flow therethrough; an endless belt of porous, flexible material and looped to have upper and lower segments both extending across said support plate, overlying each other in mutual contact atop said support plate, and extending out of said chamber on either side of said housing; a pair of rollers, each roller located outside of and on either side of said housing, each roller receiving thereover one end of said looped endless belt; means for periodically rotating at least one of said rollers to advance said belt segments on and off said support plate; and, means for establishing a flow of liquid to be filtered from said chamber successively through both of said mutually contacting belt segments and said support plate during filtering flow of said liquid; each of said housings secured together, with said endless belt of each filter unit in substantial vertical alignment.

Claim 12

A filter array formed by a series of vertically stacked filter units, each filter unit comprising: a housing defining a filter chamber; a support plate disposed in said chamber and having a portion formed with openings to allow liquid flow therethrough; an endless belt of porous, flexible material and looped to have upper and lower segments both extending across said support plate, overlying each other in mutual contact atop said support plate, and extending out of said chamber on either side of said housing; a pair of rollers, each roller located outside of and on either side of said housing, each roller receiving thereover one end of said looped endless belt; means for periodically rotating at least one of said rollers to advance said belt segments on and off said support plate; and, means for establishing a flow of liquid to be filtered from said chamber successively through both of said mutually contacting belt segments and said support plate during filtering flow of said liquid; each of said housings secured together, with said endless belt of each filter unit in substantial vertical alignment.

Claim 13

A filter array formed by a series of vertically stacked filter units, each filter unit comprising: housing means defining a filter chamber; means for directing liquid to be filtered under pressure into said chamber; filtering means including a support plate forming a part of said housing and defining in part said chamber, said support plate having openings passing therethrough; a layer of filter media comprising an elongated belt extending through said housing and over said support plate openings to receive flow of said liquid under pressure; a plurality of elongated members extending beneath said support plate located to support said plate against the force exerted by said pressurized liquid, said elongated members extending transversely to the length of said belt; a collection trough extending beneath and supporting said elongated members and located to collect liquid passing out of said chamber through said filter media and support plate openings, said collection trough having an outlet to allow passage of said collected liquids out of said trough, said collection trough having an upwardly extending rim of lesser height than said elongated members to thereby form openings to enable a flushing flow therethrough and between said elongated members; each of said filter units stacked atop each other with said collection trough of each filter forming the top of the next succeeding filter, and means securing said filter unit housing together in said vertically stacked series.

Claim 14

A filter array formed by a series of vertically stacked filter units, each filter unit comprising: housing means defining a filter chamber; means for directing liquid to be filtered under pressure into said chamber; filtering means including a support plate forming a part of said housing and defining in part said chamber, said support plate having openings passing therethrough; a layer of filter media comprising an elongated belt extending through said housing and over said support plate openings to receive flow of said liquid under pressure; a plurality of elongated members extending beneath said support plate located to support said plate against the force exerted by said pressurized liquid, said elongated members extending transversely to the length of said belt; a collection trough extending beneath and supporting said elongated members and located to collect liquid passing out of said chamber through said filter media and support plate openings, said collection trough having an outlet to allow passage of said collected liquids out of said trough, said collection trough having an upwardly extending rim of lesser height than said elongated members to thereby form openings to enable a flushing flow therethrough and between said elongated members; each of said filter units stacked atop each other with said collection trough of each filter forming the top of the next succeeding filter, and means securing said filter unit housing together in said vertically stacked series.