Tertiary filter

Abstract

An apparatus for filtering suspended solids from a liquid having a group of filters mounted inside a filter chamber. The filters divide the chamber into dirty liquid chambers and clean liquid chambers. A wash assembly is disposed within the chamber having vacuum/pump heads in contact with the filters rotates within the chamber. The vacuum/pump heads are connected to a pump and vacuum source located either within or without the apparatus. The vacuum/pump heads either vacuum material up or spray material therefrom in order to clean the filters. As the wash assembly rotates, the vacuum heads are able to contact and clean the entire surface of the filters.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A filter apparatus for removing material from a liquid comprising: 
 a chamber having an influent pipe for receiving influent liquid and an effluent pipe for discharging effluent liquid;    at least one filter mounted inside said chamber wherein said influent liquid passes through said at least one filter to create said effluent liquid;    a wash apparatus disposed within said chamber rotatable about an axis and having a plurality of ports; and    a motor for rotating said wash apparatus,    wherein upon rotation of said wash apparatus, said ports suction filtered material from or wash filtered material off said filters.    
     
     
         2 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said filters are mounted on grid backing plates.  
     
     
         3 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the wash assembly contacts the filter.  
     
     
         4 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said chamber comprises at least one first chamber which accumulates said influent liquid and at least one second chamber which accumulates said effluent liquid.  
     
     
         5 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein a float assembly is mounted within said first chamber for detecting a predetermined level of said influent liquid.  
     
     
         6 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 5  further comprising a means for controlling said means for rotating and said wash apparatus.  
     
     
         7 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 6  wherein said control means activates said means for rotating and said wash apparatus upon said float assembly detecting said influent liquid.  
     
     
         8 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein a timer is connected to said means for rotating and said wash apparatus and activates a cleaning cycle at predetermined intervals.  
     
     
         9 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said filter is a polypropylene felt.  
     
     
         10 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 2  wherein said grid backing plates are polypropylene plastic.  
     
     
         11 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 4  wherein a transfer assembly intercommunicates said second chambers for allowing a transfer of effluent liquid between said second chambers.  
     
     
         12 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein one of said second chambers communicates with said effluent pipe.  
     
     
         13 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 4  further including an overflow pipe for discharging excess influent liquid in said at least one first chamber.  
     
     
         14 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said chamber comprises drain pipes for draining said influent and effluent liquids.  
     
     
         15 . A filter apparatus for removing material from a liquid comprising: 
 a chamber having an influent pipe for receiving influent liquid and an effluent pipe for discharging effluent liquid;    at least one filter mounted inside said chamber wherein influent liquid passes through said at least one filter to create said effluent liquid;    a wash apparatus having a plurality of ports disposed within said chamber rotatable about an axis and connected to a pump/vacuum means for suctioning material into or spraying liquid from said ports; and    a means for rotating said wash apparatus,    wherein upon rotation of said wash apparatus, said wash apparatus suctions filtered material from or washes filtered material off said filters through said ports.    
     
     
         16 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein said wash apparatus comprises: 
 a hollow axle concentric with said axis;  
 at least one vacuum/pump head mounted on said axle and having said ports; and  
 at least one manifold mounted on said axle intercommunicating a respective vacuum/pump head and said hollow axle,  
 wherein said hollow axle intercommunicates each said manifold to said pump/vacuum means.  
 
     
     
         17 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein said at least one vacuum/pump head contacts said filter.  
     
     
         18 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein said at least one vacuum/pump head has a series of chambers of different sizes each having at least one of said ports.  
     
     
         19 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein a series of connection tubes intercommunicate each said manifold and a respective vacuum/pump chamber.  
     
     
         20 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 19  wherein each hole for passage of liquid through each connection between a connection tube and said vacuum/pump chamber of is of a different size.  
     
     
         21 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein said pump/vacuum means comprises a reversable motor.  
     
     
         22 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein said liquid is a chemical cleaning agent.  
     
     
         23 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 16  wherein said chamber comprises at least one first chamber which accumulates said influent liquid and a plurality of second chambers which accumulates said effluent liquid.  
     
     
         24 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 23  wherein said filters are located between said at least one first chamber and said second chambers.  
     
     
         25 . The filter apparatus according to  claim 23  wherein each filter is cleaned by at least one vacuum/pump head.  
     
     
         26 . A system for removing material from a liquid comprising a plurality of modular filter apparatuses, each filter apparatus comprising: 
 a chamber having an influent pipe for receiving influent liquid and an effluent pipe for discharging effluent liquid;    at least one filter mounted inside said chamber wherein influent liquid passes through said at least one filter to create said effluent liquid;    a wash apparatus disposed within said chamber and rotatable about said axis, comprising a hollow axle concentric with said axis, at least one vacuum/pump head mounted on said axle and having a plurality of ports, and at least one manifold mounted on said axle intercommunicating a respective vacuum/pump head and a pumping/vacuum source; and    a means for rotating said wash apparatus,    wherein upon rotation of said wash apparatus, said wash apparatus suctions filtered material from or washes filtered material off said filters through said ports.    
     
     
         27 . The system according to  claim 26  wherein each filter apparatus comprises a means for interconnecting said hollow axle to a hollow axle of another filter apparatus.  
     
     
         28 . The system according to  claim 26  further comprising a means for dividing said liquid into said influent liquids input into each filter apparatus.  
     
     
         29 . The system according to  claim 26  further comprising a means for collecting said effluent from each filter apparatus and combining them into an output liquid.