Water processor having automatic shutoff and bypass means

A fail-safe water processor for in-line installation between a source of water supply and a point-of-use in a water distribution system, said fail-safe water processor comprising:

• a housing having upper and lower sections detachably secured to one another and having a plurality of openings in said upper section, at least first and second receptacles disposed in said openings so as to extend into said housing, each of said receptacles having a removable closure permitting selective access thereto;
• said housing further having inlet and outlet means connected to the water distribution system so that water flowing through the distribution system passes through said housing;
• fluid conduit means connecting said receptacles in serial fluid communication with one another and with said inlet and outlet means;
• a mechanical filter means replaceably disposed within the first of said at least first and second receptacles, said mechanical filter means causing a pressure drop in water flowing through said water distribution means between said inlet means and said second receptacle across said mechanical filter means when said mechanical filter means clogs to reduce the water flowing therethrough;
• flow interruption means operatively associated with said mechanical filter means and responsive to the water pressure drop across said mechanical filter means to interrupt water flowing through said fail-safe water processor when a predetermined water pressure drop, indicating depletion of said mechanical filter means, exists across said mechanical filter means;
• adsorption filter means replaceably disposed within the second of said at least first and second receptacles;
• water metering means within said housing in fluid communication with said inlet means and with said adsorption filter means, said water metering means being actuated directly by water flowing through said fail-safe water processor to cumulatively total the quantity of water that has flowed through said water metering means to said adsorption filter means;
• shutoff valve means operatively connected to said water metering means to close the flow of water to said adsorption filter means after a predetermined quantity of water has passed through said water metering means, said predetermined quantity of water being generally equal to the maximum safe quantity that can safely be treated by said adsorption filter means;
• first indicator means operatively associated with said water metering means and said adsorption filter means for continuously indicating what portion of the adsorption filter means has been exhausted and when said adsorption filter means should be replaced;
• and
• second indicator means operatively associated with said flow interruption means and said mechanical filter means and observable through said housing to indicate the depletion of said mechanical filter means.