Liquid treating apparatus

Claim 2

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said receptacle is provided with an access opening in an end wall thereof, said access opening being smaller than the normal size of said filter whereby said filter may be collapsed for passage through said opening.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 comprising a plurality of slabs of said plastic material, and wherein at least one slab of said material engages converging sidewalls of said receptacle for compression therebetween by flow of liquid through said receptacle.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said liquid outlet means includes a tubular conduit extending from the top end wall of said receptacle toward the other end thereof between and substantially parallel to said sidewalls and through said filter; and bearing means slidably embracing said conduit and being affixed to said filter whereby to guide saiD filter along said conduit.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said outlet means includes a conduit extending through the top end wall and terminating in said port communicating with the bottom portion of said receptacle.

Claim 6

A liquid treating apparatus comprising a vertical tank, liquid inlet means connected to the tank and including a port in the top portion of the tank for introduction of liquid to be treated, liquid outlet means connected to the tank and including a port at the bottom portion of the tank for withdrawing treated liquid, valve means associated with said liquid inlet and outlet means and constructed and arranged to effect forward and reverse flow of liquid between said inlet and outlet ports, a plurality of serially disposed beds of particulate treating material positioned between said inlet and outlet ports, a flexible filter of compressible foamed plastic material between said inlet port and the topmost bed of particulate material and positioned to provide a freeboard space at the top of the tank, and a flexible filter of compressible foamed plastic material between each bed of particulate material and the next adjacent bed of the series, each said flexible filter slidably engaging the inside walls of the tank to prevent intermingling of the particulate material of the respective beds while permitting compaction and expansion of the beds during normal and reverse flow cycles, respectively, and the foamed material of said filter being compressible in response to forward flow of liquid to provide more effective filtering action.

Claim 7

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein at least portions of said sidewalls converge inwardly toward one end of said receptacle whereby to progressively radially compress said foam filter when it slides toward said one end.

Claim 8

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein the outlet means comprises a conduit extending axially from the top of the tank through the beds of particulate material to the withdrawal port in the bottom portion of the tank wherein the flexible filters slidably engage said axially extending conduit.

Claim 9

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the beds of particulate material comprise separate beds of calcium carbonate, cation exchange material, and activated carbon for control of acidity, hardness, taste and odor of water.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the filter between the liquid inlet port and the topmost bed of particulate material is of finer pore size than the remainder of the filters.

Claim 11

A liquid treating apparatus comprising a vertical tank having an access opening provided with removal closure means for introduction of particulate treating materials, a liquid inlet means connected to the tank and including a port in the top portion of said tank for introduction of liquid to be treated, liquid outlet means including a tubular conduit extending axially downward within the tank from the top of the tank and having a port at the bottom portion of the tank for withdrawing treated liquid, means for effecting reverse flow of liquid between said inlet and outlet ports, a plurality of serially disposed beds of particulate treating material positioned between said inlet and outlet ports, a flexible filter between said inlet port and the topmost bed of particulate material and a flexible filter between each bed of particulate material and the next bed of the series, each of said flexible filters comprising a sheet of flexible filter material and a peripheral rim thereon of elastomeric material normally assuming a shape complementary to the sectional shape of said tank transverse to the sidewalls of the tank and slidably engaging said sidewalls and each of said filters having an axial opening and bearing means affixed to the filter within said opening, said bearing means slidably embracing said conduit, whereby the flexible filters are slidably movable vertically within the tank guided by the axial conduit while preventing intermingling of the particulate material of the reSpective beds and while permitting compaction and expansion of the beds during normal and reverse flow cycles, respectively.