Filter bag apparatus having an improved fabric filter bag tensioning apparatus

In a filter apparatus for cleaning a gas laden with solid particles having a housing defining a filter chamber therein, a tube sheet having a plurality of openings therein and extending across the housing so as to divide the filter chamber into an inlet plenum and an outlet plenum, and a plurality of tubular fabric filter bags extending outwardly from the tube sheet, each filter bag having an open end mounted to one of said openings in the tube sheet and a closed end suspended from a support beam extending across the housing in spaced relationship to the tube sheet, an improved filter bag tensioning apparatus for suspending the filter bags from the support beam and holding the filter bags under a predetermined tension comprising:

• a hanger rod extending axially from the closed end of each filter bag through an aperture in the support beam;
• spring means disposed about each hanger rod for biasing each hanger rod axially relative to the support beam so as to hold each filter bag in a taut condition;
• compression means positioned and arranged with respect to the spring means for compressing said spring means to provide the desired bias;
• and tension release means for removing the compression on said spring means, said tension release means disposed about the hanger rod between said spring means and the support beam.