Distributor for filters

Abstract

A filter distributor is disclosed which includes a plurality of radially-extending conduits or laterals pivotally mounted at their inner ends on a hub and extending to outer ends substantially adjacent to the outer wall of the filtered tank. Each lateral is provided with an inner strainer and an outer strainer. The outer strainers are sized to service an adjacent zone along the outer portions of the tank and the inner strainers are sized to service adjacent inner zones. In the illustrated embodiment, the outer strainers have an open flow area twice as great as the inner strainers and service the outer two thirds of the tank. The strainers are positioned substantially at the centroid of the adjacent zones which they service. The sizing of the strainers and their location is arranged so that substantially uniform flow occurs through all of the filter medium during normal filtering operation and backflow operations. Consequently, the entire filter medium remains active and the core effect found in many prior art systems is avoided. The pivotal mounting of laterals permits movement of the laterals to a compact position in which they can be inserted into and removed from the tank through a relatively small opening.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.