Filter assembly having check valve and bypass conduit

Claim 1

A FILTER AND FILTER BY-PASS ASSEMBLY INCLUDING: A FILTER HOUSING HAVING A CHAMBER ADAPTED TO CONTAIN AT LEAST ONE FILTER ELEMENT, AN INLET FITTING AND AN OUTLET FITTING CONNECTED TO SAID CHAMBER, AN INLET PASSAGE AND AN OUTLET PASSAGE FOR SAID CHAMBER FORMED, RESPECTIVELY, IN SAID INLET AND SAID OUTLET FITTINGS, A VALVE FITTING ADAPTED TO CONNECT TO SAID INLET FITTING, SAID VALVE FITTING HAVING AN INLET, AN OUTLET AND A BYPASS OUTLET WITH SAID OUTLET COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER INLET PASSAGE, A BY-PASS DISCHARGE FITTING CONNECTED TO SAID CHAMBER OUTLET FITTING, SAID BY-PASS DISCHARGE FITTING HAVING AN INLET AND OUTLET AND A BY-PASS INLET WITH SAID INLET COMMUNICATING WITH SAID CHAMBER HOUSING OUTLET PASSAGE, A BY-PASS CONDUIT CONNECTING SAID BY-PASS OUTLET OF SAID VALVE FITTING AND THE BY-PASS INLET OF SAID BY-PASS DISCHARGE FITTING, A VALVE LOCATED IN SAID VALVE FITTING AND OPERATIVE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH IT CONNECTS SAID VALVE FITTING INLET AND SAID VALVE FITTING OUTLET AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH IT CONNECTS SAID VALVE FITTING INLET AND SAID VALVE FITTING BY-PASS OUTLET, A CHECK VALVE CARTRIDGE REMOVABLY INSERTABLE IN SAID CHAMBER OUTLET PASSAGE AND SAID BY-PASS DISCHARGE FITTING INLET PASSAGE TO PREVENT FLOW INTO SAID CHAMBER THROUGH SAID OUTLET PASSAGE, AND MEANS FORMED ON SAID CHAMBER OUTLET FITTING AND SAID BY-PASS OUTLET FITTING TO SECURE SAID CHECK VALVE CARTRIDGE IN POSITION BETWEEN SAID FITTINGS.