Abstract: Disclosed are a plurality of cooperating filter discs defining a plurality of paired cooperating filter surfaces, including a first surface having a large surface area and a second surface contacting only a portion of the large surface area of the first and leaving a portion of the large surface area or the upstream side of the stack not contacted thereby, at least one of said first and second surfaces being formed with grooves at the areas at which the first and second surfaces contact to allow for the accumulation of particles.

Abstract: A disc-type filter including a housing having an inlet connectable to an upstream pipe, and an outlet connectable to a downstream pipe; and a stack of discs disposed within the housing for separating solid particles from a fluid flowing between the discs from the upstream side of the stack to the downstream side thereof; characterized in that the stack includes:a plurality of cooperating filter elements defining a plurality of paired co-operating filter surfaces, including a first surface having a large surface area and a second surface contacting only a portion of the large surface area of the first surface and leaving a portion of the large surface area on the upstream side of the stack not contacted thereby, at least one of said first and second surfaces being formed with grooves at the areas at which the first and second surfaces contact, thereby to form:(a) compartments on the upstream side of the stack for accumulation of solid particles; and(b) edge filtering passageways extending along the grooves in

Abstract: A fluid pressure control device is described effective to actuate an external device when the differential-pressure between a high-pressure fluid source and a lower pressure fluid source rises to a predetermined magnitude. The control device comprises a housing having a partition wall therein dividing its interior into two compartments communicating with each other through an opening in the partition wall. A differential-pressure sensing member is disposed in one of the compartments and is movable therein in response to the sensed differential-pressure. A stem is fixed to the differential-pressure sensing member so as to be moved therewith and carries a valve member at one end for moving it with respect to the valve opening to control the flow of the fluid therethrough and thereby to actuate the external device.

Abstract: A filter comprising a housing including an inlet coupled to a fluid inlet and an outlet coupled to a fluid outlet, and a filter assembly disposed inside the housing and arranged to intercept the flow of fluid from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the filter assembly comprising a stack of filter screen elements, each filter screen element comprising a generally annular screen and spacer means associated with the screen and defining at least one inlet chamber adjacent each annular screen at an upstream side thereof for collection of contaminants and at least one outlet passage adjacent each annular screen at a downstream side thereof for permitting drainage of filtered fluid, the filter assembly defining a multiplicity of inlet contaminant collection chambers adjacent a multiplicity of annular screens.

Abstract: Disclosed are a plurality of cooperating filter discs defining a plurality of paired cooperating filter surfaces, including a first surface having a large surface area and a second surface contacting only a portion of the large surface area of the first and leaving a portion of the large surface area or the upstream side of the stack not contacted thereby, at least one of said first and second surfaces being formed with grooves at the areas at which the first and second surfaces contact to allow for the accumulation of particles.

Abstract: A filter comprises a housing and a filter body including a plurality of grooved filter discs supported in stacked relation on a plurality of rods extending longitudinally of the housing, the rods being supported at their opposite ends by the housing and being disposed in an array around the housing longitudinal axis with spaces between the rods to provide large passageways for the flow of the fluid. The filter further includes a stack--removing member disposed at one end of the filter discs, and a handle to facilitate drawing the filter discs out of the housing, when opened for cleaning purposes, without breaking the stack.

Abstract: A multiple-disk type filter including a stack of filter disks disposed in a housing and an extensible support for the stack of filter disks, the extensible support including first and second end elements and a multiplicity of rod members joining the first and second end elements in sliding relationship, the multiplicity of rod members being arranged in slidable engagement with at least one of the first and second end elements, and stop apparatus for limiting extension of the support.

Abstract: A multiple-disk type filter including a stack of filter disks disposed in a housing and an extensible support for the stack of filter disks, the extensible support including first, second, third and fourth base elements and a multiplicity of rod members joining the first and second base elements in sliding relationship, a first plurality of the rod members being fixedly attached to the first base element and being arranged for slidable supporting engagement with the second base element and a second plurality of the rod members being fixedly attached to the second base element and being arranged for slidable supporting engagement with the first base element.

Abstract: A filter including a plurality of filter discs each formed with a central opening and disposed in a stack within a filter housing with the side faces of adjacent discs contacting each other for filtering the fluid flowing through the housing from its inlet to its outlet, the filter discs being maintained in a stack by a plurality of axially-extending rods arranged in a circular array around the outer faces of the discs and circumferentially spaced from each other to permit the filter disc stack to be cleaned by passing a cleaning nozzle through the central openings of the filter discs in the stack.

Abstract: A backwashable filter comprises a filter body, a backwash nozzle having an inlet adjacent to the upstream surface of the filter body, and a control device sensing a pressure drop across the filter body and effective to initiate a backwash operation by connecting the backwash nozzle to the atmosphere and effecting relative rotary movement between the filter body and the backwash nozzle. The control device includes further means effective, upon sensing a higher pressure drop, to automatically terminate the backwash operation.

Abstract: A multiple-disc type fluid filter is described wherein the housing includes an outer tubular section, and an inner section having two tubular members with an end plate at one end of one tubular member and securable to an open end of the outer housing section. The two tubular members of the inner housing section include ribs for supporting the filter discs. The end plate and the tubular member to which it is secured are open and constitute one of the filter ports, e.g. the inlet port, and the opposite end of the same tubular member is closed and terminates short of the outer housing section. The second tubular member, which is longitudinally spaced from the closed end of the first tubular member, constitutes the other filter port, e.g. outlet port. The stack of filter discs are all of substantially the same uniform thickness, but there are included a plurality of further discs of non-uniform thickness such as to correct the accumulation of non-uniformities in the latter discs.

Abstract: A fluid distribution device particularly useful as a drip irrigation emitter, comprises: a continuous plastic tube for conveying the fluid therethrough; and a plurality of individual plastic sleeves enclosing and fixed to the tube at longitudinally-spaced sections along the length of the tube; each of the sleeves being deformed to define a pressure-dropping fluid passageway between its inner surface and the outer surface of the section of the tube enclosed thereby; each of said tube sections having an inlet opening through the tube wall leading to the interior of the tube, and an outlet leading externally of the plastic sleeve.

Abstract: Stabilized ballistic projectiles of the explosive type (e.g. artillery and mortar shells, bombs) are described including a plurality of stabilizing fins symmetrically arranged around the nose of the projectile well forward of its center of mass and pivotable on axes at right angles to the projectile axis, the leading edge of each fin, and the pivot axis of each fin, being located with respect to the foremost point of the projectile, inclusive of its stabilizing fins, a distance which is substantially less than the length of the fin.

Abstract: A combined pressure-regulator and manual shut-off valve is described wherein the valve may be either manually shut-off or made operative to maintain a substantially constant outlet pressure under both flow and non-flow conditions. The device includes a piston and a disc both having substantially the same surface area and connected together with the disc being normally disposed on the outlet side of an opening between the outlet and inlet of the device, and the piston being movable within a cylinder against the action of a spring. A rod is connected to the piston, and manual presetting means presets the rod either to one position wherein the disc is disposed within the opening between the inlet and outlet so that the device acts as a manual shut-off valve, or to another position wherein the disc is disposed on the outlet side of the opening and is urged by the spring away from the opening.

Abstract: A differential-pressure valve is described including a valve passageway formed through a fixed wall and closable by a valve member displaceable by a differential-pressure sensor biassed to close the valve passageway and subjected to the differential pressure such that the higher pressure tends to open the valve passageway and the lower pressure tends to close the valve passageway.

Abstract: A backwashable filtering device is described including a backwash nozzle and means for effecting relative movement between it and the filter body, and further including a valve assembly movable to open or close the passage between the filter body and the housing outlet in response to low pressure conditions, thereby to maintain the pressure for backwashing the filter body via the nozzle.Also described is the provision of a sleeve axially movable to open or close a passage between the housing inlet and the filter body, which sleeve is movable either manually or automatically in response to pressure or other specified condition.

Abstract: A backwashable filtering device is described of the type including a housing, a filter body, a backwash nozzle having a nozzle inlet disposed adjacent to the upstream surface of the filter body, and pressure sensor means for sensing the pressure drop across the filter body and effective, upon sensing a predetermined pressure drop, to initiate a backwashing operation by connecting the backwash nozzle to the atmosphere and initiating relative rotary movement between the filter body and the backwash nozzle. The filtering device further includes a position sensor for sensing the home angular position of the filter body with respect to the backwash nozzle, and a control effective, only when said home angular position is sensed, for terminating the backwash operation.

Abstract: A backwashable filtering device is described comprising a housing having a filter body and a backwash nozzle disposed therein, characterized in that the backwash nozzle is fixed with respect to the housing, the filter body is rotatably mounted with respect to the backwash nozzle, and the filtering device further includes a rotor and gear drive means rotating the filter body by the energy of the backwash fluid flowing through the nozzle.

Abstract: An air-relief valve is described comprising a housing having a large orifice at its upper end for releasing or admitting air when filling or emptying the water line to which it connected; a float formed with an axial bore; a first valve member having a head at its upper end disposed between the float and the large orifice, the first valve member further having a depending stem disposed in the axial bore of the float, and a small orifice communicating with the large orifice of the housing; a second valve member actuated by the float such that when the float rises it causes the second valve member to close the small orifice in the first valve member, the rising of the float also causing the first valve member to rise and to close the large orifice in the housing; and an abutment carried by the first valve member engageable by the float during the descent of the float to apply its weight to the first valve member tending to move same away from the large orifice.

Abstract: A self-cleanable filter, comprises: a housing having a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a dirt purging opening; a filter body within the housing and having a surface facing the inlet side of the housing; and a cleaning body within the housing and movable from a home position along the cylindrical surface of the filter body for cleaning same. The cleaning body comprises a first section defining an internal chamber having an inlet opening facing the surface of the filter body to be cleaned and movable along said surface, and a second section closing the dirt purging opening when the cleaning body is in its home position. The second section has an outlet opening communicating with the internal chamber and located within the housing in the home position of the cleaning body but movable through the housing purging opening to a position externally of the housing upon the movement of the cleaning body for cleaning the filter.