GB2130912A - Filter housing - Google Patents

Abstract

A filter housing comprises an upper housing part (1), an intermediate plate (2) and a housing base (3), the three housing parts being sealed from each other by radially acting seals (17, 18, 19). The upper housing part (1) at its periphery has a closure collar (4), which laces the intermediate plate (2) and housing base (3) and which serves as a counterbearing for a bayonet closure ring (5). The ring (5) at its periphery has segments (7), which co-operate with corresponding segments (8) of the housing base (3). With the aid of a lever pair (10 to 12) diametrally engaging at the housing base (3) and at the closure ring (5), the housing parts can be displaced relative to each other in axial direction, hence improving the method of releasing and tightening the filter housing parts. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Filter housing The present invention relates to filter housing, especially a multi-part filter housing of, for example, metal.

In EP-OS 23 548 and US-PS 4 331 535 there is disclosed a filter housing which consists of a bell-shaped upper housing part, an intermediate plate with integrated inlet stub pipe for a fluid filling space and a bowl-shaped housing base with integrated outlet stub pipe for a filtrate space. The inlet stub pipe passes through the housing base and is sealed off at the passage point by a radially acting O-ring seal. A plurality of outlet stub pipes, sealed off by ring seals, of tubular filter elements project into the filter space.Axially acting ring seals are arranged in the edge region between the upper housing part and the intermediate plate as well as between the latter and the housing base so that all three housing parts are sealed one from the other and are tightenable one against the other by tightening bolts arranged at the periphery so that the housing is fluidtight under pressure.

The housing parts, mostly constructed in high grade steel, are very heavy as individual parts and for this reason are difficult to handle. Due to the radially compressed O-ring seals, the pushtogether housing components are difficult to separate for, for example, cleaning and sterilising.

Although the housing components sealed from each other by radially acting O-ring seals can be detached easily one from the other, the actual retightening takes place by a plurality of tightening bolts and is accordingly awkward and timeconsuming, since the tightening bolts must, for the avoidance of canting of the housing, be tightened in a certain order and as a rule by torque spanners.

There is accordingly a need for a filter housing in which the tightenability of individual components thereof or their separation can be enectea In an easier manner and in which relatively heavy housing parts may be able to be moved into or out of a sealing position without exertion of undue force.

According to the present invention there is provided a filter housing comprising an upper member defining a chamber for a fluid to be filtered and for filter means and provided with a closure collar at its periphery, a base member, an intermediate member disposed between the upper housing member and the base member to separate the chamber from a filtrate zone, at least two of the members being sealed relative to each other by radially stressed annular sealing means and being separable from each other and reassemblable together by relative movement in the axial direction of the annular sealing means against the radial stressing thereof, a bayonet closure ring engaging the closure collar and being provided in the circumferential direction with a plurality of projections and recesses interengageable with complementary projections and recesses of the base member, and lever means operable to effect said relative movement of said at least two members, coupling means for the lever means being provided on the base member and on the bayonet closure ring.

In a preferred embodiment, a multi-part filter housing, especially of metal, comprising an upper housing part enclosing a filling space and flat filter elements or tubular filter elements, an intermediate plate separating the filtrate space from the filling space and a housing base which together with the intermediate plate forms the filtrate space, wherein at least two of these housing parts are separated one from the other by ring seals and form separate components held together by axially acting tensioning means and wherein the fluid passes from the filling space intentionally only through the filter medium into the filtrate space.The upper housing part at its periphery has a clnsure collar facing the intermediate plate and the housing base as a counterbearing for the bayonet closure ring, and the bayonet closure ring at its periphery has counterbearing segments comprising in circumferential direction recesses and protrusions of a collar, while the base part has appropriate counterbearing segments consisting of protrusions and recesses and corresponding with the closure ring. The housing parts which are separable one from the other axially are sealed off by radially prestressed ring seals and are axially tightenable and detachable against the radial effect of the ring seals through a single lever pair engaging diametrally, articulation points for the lever pair being arranged at the housing base and at the bayonet closure ring.

Through the use of such radially acting ring seals, the employment of a bayonet closure ring as a rapid coupling is possible. This can be turned in circumferential direction, without having to overcome any great resistance, into a locking or unlocking position. With the aid of the lever means co-operating therewith, the housing parts tightened axially one against the other can be easily levered apart, and equally well levered together, without great expenditure of force.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view, on the line I-I of Fig. 2, of the most relevant part of a filter housing embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a cross-section view of part of the housing, on the line Il-Il of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a filter housing which essentially consists of the bell-shaped upper housing part 1 with a weldedon closure collar 4, an intermediate plate 2 with a welded-on inlet stub pipe 21 for a turbid liquid, a housing base 3 with a welded on outlet stub pipe 20 for filtrate, a bayonet closure ring 5, two lever mechanisms 9 to 14, and radially acting ring seals 17, 18 and 19 which seal the three housing parts 1, 2 and 3 from each other to be tight against leakage, in the tightened state of the housing parts.

The intermediate plate 2 has a plurality of passages 26, in which a sealing seat at the outlet side of tubular filter elements 27 is retained.

Further explanation of the filtration arrangement can be found in the afore-mentioned EP-OS and US-PS.

The bayonet closure ring 5 has an encircling upper rim which engages over the encircling rim of the closure collar 4. The lower rim of the bayonet closure 5 has counterbearing segments 7, which consists of recesses and projections distributed around the periphery and which correspond with appropriate counterbearing segments 8 of the housing base 3 in such a manner that the bayonet closure ring 5 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 can be removed axially from the housing base 3 and also from the upper housing part 1 and otherwise secures the three housing parts 1, 2 and 3 against axial displacement in the locking position.

The bayonet closure ring 5 has two diametrically opposite counter-bearings or bearing blocks 6 which, as shown in Fig. 2, form handles by which the closure ring 5 can be removed axially and turned in circumferential direction.

In correspondence with the diametral arrangement of the counter-bearings 6, diametrically opposite bearing brackets 9 and pushrod pairs 13 are arranged at the housing base 3 and co-operate with the lever mechanism pairs 10, 1 1 and 12. Each pushrod 13 is constructed as stepped pushrod and is capable of restricted axial displacement. The pushrod step 14 in that case engages below the underside of the closure collar 4, while the step 15 after a certain amount of lift engages below a collar 16 of the intermediate plate 2. Both diametrically opposite pushrods 13 or pushrod pairs at their lower ends have articulation points 13', with which an open bearing eyelet or hook 12' of each lever 11, 12 is loosely engageable.The further articulation point of each lever is formed by a claw 10, which at its free end engages an articulation point 9' of one of the bearing brackets 9. On downward movement of the force arm 1 1 of each lever, the load arm 12 moves axially upwards and thereby displaces the associated pushrod pair 13. In the case of simultaneous actuation of both lever mechanisms, the upper housing part 1 is levered axially upwards out of the illustrated unlocked position to such an extent that the O-ring seal 17 is freed and the upper housing part 1 inclusive of the bayonet closure ring 5 can be removed.On continuing movement of the levers 11, 1 2, the pushrod steps 15 engages the collar 1 6 of the intermediate plate 2 and displaces this plate until the ring seals 18 and 19 are free and thus the intermediate plate together with the inlet stub pipe 21 can be removed from the housing base 3.

When the housing parts 1, 2 and 3 are to be brought back into the assembled state illustrated in Fig. 1, then the bayonet closure ring 5 is again placed on the collar 4 and the lever mechanisms are repositioned, the claws 10 being hooked to the articulation points 6' and the hooks 12' being supported against the articulation points 9', as shown in chain-dotted lines at the lefthand side in Fig. 1. Through downward movement of the two hand levers 1 , the closure ring 5 and thereby the upper housing part 1 and the intermediate plate 2 can be levered downwardly in axial direction into the position shown in Fig. 1.

Subsequently, the claws 10 are unhooked from the bearing points 6' and the closure ring 5 is turned in easy motion into a bayonet locking position so that all housing parts 1 , 2 and 3 are securely held in the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 even under pressure loading. A locking pawl 23, connected between the closure ring 5 and the base part 3, secures the closure ring 5 in the locking position against unintended turning into the unlocking position shown in Fig. 2.

One of several support feet 22 is shown connected to the base part 3.

Through these features, the filter housing as a whole is structured to be simple to operate.

The afore-described features can also be used in filter housings designed for flat filter elements in place of tubular filter elements. Filter housings of that kind, too, with appropriate size in metal construction becomes very awkward and can be assembled together and again separated only with considerable force in the case of the aforedescribed sealing arrangement. This applies in principle also to filter housings of plastics material or glass, since the forces of the radially prestressed ring seals must be overcome in all cases.

Claims (8)

1. A filter housing comprising an upper housing member defining a chamber for a fluid to be filtered and for filter means and provided with a closure collar at its periphery, a base member, an intermediate member disposed between the upper housing member and the base member to separate the chamber from a filtrate zone, at least two of the members being sealed relative to each other by radially stressed annular sealing means and being separable from each other and reassemblable together by relative movement in the axial direction of the annular sealing means against the radial stressing thereof, a bayonet closure ring engaging the closure collar and being provided in the circumferential direction with a plurality of projections and recesses interengageable with complementary projections and recesses of the base member, and lever means operable to effect said relative movement of said at least two members, coupling means for the lever means being provided on the base member and on the bayonet closure ring.

2. A filter housing as claimed in claim 1.

wherein the upper housing member is movable relative to the intermediate member and sealed relative thereto by at least one sealing ring, and the intermediate member is movable relative to the base member and sealed relative thereto by at least one further sealing ring.

3. A filter housing as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2, the lever means comprising two lever systems each disposed to act at a respective one of two mutally opposite sides of the housing and each comprising a manually actuable lever mechanism and at least one pushrod movable in the base member to translate lever movement of the associated lever mechanism into said relative movement of said at least two members for separation thereof, each lever mechanism comprising coupling means detachably couplable to the coupling means on the base member and to coupling means of the associated pushrod or pushrods for separation of said at least two members and to the coupling means on the base member and on the closure ring for reassembly of said at least two members.

4. A filter housing as claimed in claim 3, wherein the coupling means of each lever mechanism comprises hook means hookable onto the coupling means of the associated pushrod or pushrods and the coupling means on the base member and the closure ring.

5. A filter housing as claimed in either claim 3 or claim 4, wherein each of the pushrods comprises two pusher surfaces which are stepped relative to each other and which are each engageable with a respective one of said at least two members, the two pusher surfaces being spaced apart in said axial direction by an amount corresponding to a predetermined amount of relative movement of the two members for effective separation thereof.

6. A filter housing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, the coupling means on the closure ring defining handles for rotational movement of the closure ring relative to the base member.

7. A filter housing as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the closure ring is provided with a locking element engageable in a recess in the base member to lock the ring against release rotation relative to the base member.

8. A filter housing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.