Abstract: An apparatus including a tube which is elastically deformable and which is connected to a compressed-air passage to introduce a compressed air therefrom, a pressure lowering device which is provided at a position corresponding to an intermediate portion of the tube, and which externally presses, and thereby elastically deforms, the intermediate portion of the tube to decrease a cross-sectional area of the intermediate portion, and thereby decrease an amount of the compressed air that flows through a downstream-side portion of the tube that is located on a downstream side of the intermediate portion in a flow direction in which the compressed air flows in the tube, so that a pressure of the compressed air in the downstream-side portion is lower than a pressure of the compressed air in an upstream-side portion of the tube, the tube having an air-leak opening which is provided in the downstream-side portion thereof and which allows a portion of the compressed air in the downstream-side portion to leak into the a

Abstract: A filter device including a first filter having a first packing accommodated in a first sleeve thereof, and a second filter having a second packing accommodated in a second sleeve thereof, each one of the first and second packings cooperating with two retainer plates and a core bar to constitute a corresponding one of first and second filter elements, the two retainer plates being disposed on axially opposite ends of the corresponding one of the first and second packings, the core bar axially extending to pass through a center of the corresponding one of the first and second packings such that the two retainer plates engage the core bar at respective opposite ends of the core bar, the core bar being provided with a pull tab at one of the opposite ends of the core bar, so that the first and second packings are introduced and removed into and from the first and second sleeves, respectively.

Abstract: A filter device for compressed air in which the filter packings can be easily and quickly replaced. A first packing is accommodated in a first sleeve, a second packing is accommodated in a second sleeve, and an inlet passage portion defines an inlet passage for introducing compressed air from the exterior to the first sleeve. A guide passage portion defines a guide passage for guiding compressed air from the first sleeve to the second sleeve, and an outlet passage portion defines an outlet passage for discharging the compressed air out of the second sleeve to the exterior. The first and second sleeves, the inlet passage portion, the guide passage portion and the outlet passage portion are integrally formed of a synthetic resin, thus forming a unitary body for the filter device. The body contains access openings through which the first and second packings are independently removable, and a closure member is removably attached to each access opening to close the access opening and provide fluid-tightness.

Abstract: A filter device for compressed air including first and second filters, wherein the first filter is free from a variation in the filtering efficiency, and does not require periodic replacement of its packing, leading to a reduced maintenance cost of the first filter. The first filter is adapted to separate the liquid and solid particles from the compressed air passing therethrough, while the second filter is adapted to remove or eliminate any residual liquid and solid particles remaining in the compressed air passing therethrough.