Plate type filter apparatus

In a liquid filter comprising a plurality of separate plate assemblies, each having a central planar member with a downwardly extending peripheral skirt and an upwardly extending peripheral sidewall, said assemblies being stacked together with a layer of filter media between each pair of adjacent assemblies to form a closed upper liquid chamber on one side of the media, surrounded by a said peripheral skirt with inlets for liquid to be filtered in an inlet skirt portion and a lower chamber on the opposite side of said media surrounded by a said peripheral sidewall of another assembly and having outlets for filtered liquid in an outlet skirt portion, the improvement comprising:

• a baffle means in each said plate assembly parallel to and spaced inwardly from one side of said peripheral skirt having said inlets, said baffle means including a first elongated strip extending downwardly from the planar member of the plate assembly and means forming a series of openings along the bottom edge of said first elongated strip, said openings being spaced above said filter media and thereby enabling liquid to be blown out of the upper chamber back through said inlets so that said plate assemblies can be rapidly drained of liquid before being separated to change the filter media.