Filter apparatus

An improved carbon filter, comprising:

• (a) a fluid monitoring head defining an inlet for receiving fluid to be filtered and an outlet for discharging filtered fluid;
• (b) a turbine and associated drive train forming part of said monitoring head and operative to produce an output rotation in response to fluid flow into said monitoring head, said drive train including an output drive member;
• (c) a filter cartridge removably connected to said monitoring head and including structure defining a fluid flow path through said cartridge communicating with said inlet and outlet in said monitoring head;
• (d) a valving member forming part of said cartridge shiftable from a first position at which said element is substantially out of said fluid flow path and a flow interrupting position at which said element blocks flow along said flow path;
• (e) a valve member keeper for maintaining said valve member at said first position, said keeper operative to release said valve member upon a predetermined output from said fluid monitoring head.

A method for filtering fluid, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a fluid monitoring head in communication with a source of fluid to be filtered;
• (b) removably attaching a filter element to said head;
• (c) monitoring the quantity of fluid conveyed through said filter by a sensing means responsive to fluid flow to said filter element;
• (d) terminating fluid flow through said filter by blocking a fluid flow path defined by said filter with a blocking means responsive to said sensing means and forming part of said filter when a predetermined quantity of fluid has been conveyed through said filter as measured by said monitoring head.

A filter apparatus comprising:

• (a) a fluid monitoring assembly defining an inlet for receiving fluid and operative to provide a signal indicative of the amount of fluid received at said inlet;
• (b) a replaceable filter element removably connected to said fluid monitoring assembly, said filter including material for filtering fluid conveyed through said filter element;
• (c) a valve member forming part of said filter element, said member movable from a first position at which fluid flow is allowed to flow thorugh said filter element substantially unimpeded and a second position at which fluid flow through said filter element is blocked by said valve member;
• and
• (d) a valve actuating means responsive to said signal provided by said fluid monitoring assembly and operative to cause said valve member to move from said first to said second position upon receiving a signal indicating that a predetermined quantity of fluid has been treated by said filter element as measured by said fluid monitoring assembly.

An improved carbon filter, comprising:

• (a) a fluid monitoring head defining an inlet for receiving fluid to be filtered and an outlet for discharging filtered fluid;
• (b) said fluid monitoring head including a fluid flow sensing mechanism including an output drive member rotatable in response to fluid flow between said inlet and said outlet;
• (c) a filter cartridge removably connected to said monitoring head and including structure defining a fluid flow path through said cartridge communicating with said inlet and outlet in said monitoring head;
• (d) a valving member forming part of said cartridge, shiftable from a first position at which said member is substantially out of said fluid flow path and a flow interrupting position at which said member inhibits flow along said flow path;
• (e) a valve member keeper for maintaining said valve member at said first position, said keeper operative to release said valve member upon a predetermined number of rotations of said output drive member.

An improved carbon filter assembly, comprising:

• (a) a fluid monitoring head defining an inlet for receiving fluid to be filtered and an outlet for discharging filtered fluid;
• (b) a turbine and associated drive train forming part of said monitoring head and operative to produce an output rotation in response to fluid flow into said monitoring head, said drive train including an output drive member;
• (c) a filter element forming part of said assembly and including structure defining a fluid flow path through said filter element communicating with said inlet and outlet in said monitoring head;
• (d) a valving member forming part of said filter assembly shiftable from a first position at which said member is substantially out of said fluid flow path and a flow interrupting position at which said member blocks flow along said flow path;
• (e) a valve member keeper for maintaining said valve member at said first position, said keeper operative to release said valve member upon a predetermined output from said fluid monitoring head.

An improved carbon filter assembly, comprising:

• (a) a fluid monitoring head defining an inlet for receiving fluid to be filtered and an outlet for discharging filtered fluid;
• (b) said fluid monitoring head including a fluid flow sensing mechanism including an output drive member rotatable in response to fluid flow between said inlet and said outlet;
• (c) a filter element forming part of said assembly and including structure defining a fluid flow path through said filter element communicating with said inlet and outlet in said monitoring head;
• (d) a valving member forming part of said assembly, shiftable from a first position at which said member is substantially out of said fluid flow path and a flow interrupting position at which said member inhibits flow along said flow path;
• (e) a valve member keeper for maintaining said valve member at said first position, said keeper operative to release said valve member upon a predetermined number of rotations of said output drive member.

A filter apparatus comprising:

• (a) a fluid monitoring and filter assembly defining an inlet for receiving fluid under pressure;
• (b) a filter element forming part of said fluid monitoring and filter assembly and defining a flow path from said inlet to an outlet and further including filtering material for filtering fluid conveyed along said flow path;
• (c) said assembly including sensing means responsive to fluid flow into said filter element and operative to provide a signal indicative of the quantity of fluid received at said inlet and delivered to said filter element;
• (d) a valve member forming part of said assembly and movable from a first position in which fluid flow is allowed to flow along said flow path substantially unimpeded and a second position at which fluid flow along said flow path is blocked by said valve member;
• (e) a valve actuating means responsive to said sensing means and operative to cause said valve member to move from said first to said second position upon receiving a predetermined signal from said sensing means.