Clutch dust filter apparatus, and method of using same

A clutch dust filtration apparatus for filtering solid particles out of a mixture of air and solids, said apparatus comprising:

• a conduit member having an inlet end and an outlet end and comprising a hollow transfer tube defining a passage therethrough, and a transverse collar attached to said transfer tube;
• a perforated filter member operatively attached to the transverse collar of said conduit member and spaced away from the transfer tube, the filter member comprising a substantially cylindrical filter element having an interior surface and an exterior surface;
• and
• a collection vessel operatively connected to the filter member, wherein a portion of said exterior surface is not covered by said collection vessel, said collection vessel having an open end which receives a portion of the conduit member, such that the outlet end of the conduit member is in fluid communication with said collection vessel;
• wherein said collection vessel is configured to cause air passing into the inlet end of the conduit member to change its flow direction in order to exit the apparatus via the filter member and the particulate solids are either deposited in said area or filtered by said porous filter member.

A method of filtering clutch dust, comprising:

• transferring a fluid mixture through a conduit, said fluid mixture comprising air and clutch dust;
• receiving said fluid mixture in an area defined by a collection vessel, said area being in fluid communication with said conduit;
• passing said fluid mixture through a filler media having an inner surface and an outer surface, said inner surface being in a faced spaced relationship with an exterior of said conduit and said inner surface is in fluid communication with said area, said outer surface being in fluid communication with ambient air, wherein said collection vessel is configured to cause said fluid mixture to change its flow direction in order to pass said fluid mixture through said filter media,
• wherein the clutch dust is either deposited in said area or is filtered by said filter media.