Abstract: Disclosed herein is a locking mechanism for releasably mounting a row of filter elements in sealing engagement within a filter assembly. The locking mechanism includes a pair of spaced longitudinal bars, substantially semicircular in cross section, which are pivotly mounted within the filter assembly below the lateral edges of mounting plates affixed to the upper ends of the filter elements such that a row of filter elements depend from and are slideably removeable along the longitudinal flat side of the spaced parallel bars. A locking handle is affixed to the outwardly extending ends of each of the parallel bars such that rotation of the handle causes the curvilinear surface of the parallel bars increasingly to bear against the underside of the mounting plate and urge said filter element upwardly into said sealing engagement with an interior portion of the filter assembly.