Multiple cartridge fluid filter canister

A multiple cartridge fluid filter canister assembly for operatively mounting within a filter housing, which housing has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, said filter canister assembly comprising:

• upper and lower support plates that are releasably interconnected by an elongate connector extending generally centrally between said upper and lower support plates;
• a plurality of filter cartridges supported between said upper and lower support plates, each said filter cartridge including an elongate, generally cylindrical filter media component interengaged at an upper end thereof with a respective upper positioning element attached to and depending from said upper support plate, said cartridge being interengaged at a lower end thereof with a respective lower positioning element attached to and projecting upwardly from said lower support plate, said respective upper and lower positioning elements being generally aligned and holding each said filter cartridge in a fixed position between said upper and lower support plates;
• each said upper positioning element being surrounded by a corresponding upper annular seal carried by said upper support plate for engaging and sealing said upper end of said filter media component of a respective said cartridge to restrict fluid flow between said upper plate and said upper end of said filter media component;
• each said lower positioning element being surrounded by a corresponding lower annular seal carried by said lower support plate for engaging and sealing said lower end of said filter cartridge to restrict fluid flow between said lower support plate and said lower end of said filter cartridge;
• and
• at least one filter canister assembly inlet and at least one filter canister assembly outlet that communicate respectively with the fluid inlet and fluid outlet of the filter housing;
• said upper and lower support plates being releasably interconnected by an elongate canister tube that extends centrally between said upper and lower support plates, said canister tube for communicably interconnecting an interior of the filter housing with one of the inlet and outlet of the filter housing.