Filter belt arrangement for pressurized chamber filter

Claim 1

A filter for a liquid comprising: a filter housing; a filter chamber defined within said filter housing; inlet means for directing a liquid to be filtered into said filter chamber; an elongate opening at each of opposite sides of said housing entering into said filter chamber, said elongate openings being substantially parallel to one another; an elongate inflatable seal within each said elongate opening and extending across said elongate opening; control means for inflating said inflatable seals preparatory to a filter cycle; a support plate mounted in said housing extending across said filter chamber, said support plate having pattern of through openings, said support plate having an inlet side facing said inlet means and an outlet side opposite said inlet side, the inlet side of said support plate and elongate openings being substantially aligned in a common plane; a flow collection chamber in said housing disposed adjacent said outlet side of said support plate; outlet means for directing filtered liquid in said flow collection chamber out of said filter to a utilizing system; a filter belt extending into one of said elongate openings, across said support plate to cover said through openings, and out of the other of said elongate openings, said filter belt having a pair of opposed ends; a first roller disposed outside said housing parallel to and opposite to one of said elongate openings to be substantially adjacent to said common plane, and a second roller disposed outside said housing parallel and opposite the other of said elongate openings to be substantially adjacent to said common plane; first attachment means for attaching one of said ends of said filter belt to said first roller; second attachment means for attaching the other of said ends of said filter belt to said second roller means; said filter belt being of a predetermined fixed length sufficient to enable different sections along the length thereof to be alternately disposed in said housing while the other section is wound up on one of said first or second rollers; filter belt scraper means positioned adjacent an outwardly facing surface of a portion of said filter belt wound upon each of said first and second rollers to remove accumulated solids from the surface of said filter belt as said respective sections are wound up on said first or second roller respectively; and, drive means for alternately rotating one of said first and second rollers in opposite directions while the other is idled; said control means including means for deflating said seals, and means for controlling said drive means upon deflation of said seals to enable alternative wind up of one or another section of said filter belt on said first or second roller respectively while the other of said filter belt sections is moved into said housing prior to said filter cycle.