Filter plate opening mechanism for filter presses

Abstract

A filter plate opening mechanism for successively opening a plurality of filter plates of a filter press comprises filter plate pulling latches arranged on every other filter plates, pivotal pendulums arranged on remaining every other filter plates, space holding chains connecting all the adjacent filter plates and a pair of carriage reciprocally movable in plate opening and reverse directions having a pair of ratchets capable of depressing and restoring to their extended positions. When the carriages move in the opening direction along the both sides of filter plates, one of the ratchets causes one of the filter plates to open and its movement causes the other filter plates to open with the aid of the space holding chains. When the carriages move in the reverse direction, the pair of ratchets are depressed and the pivotal pendulums are upwardly pivotally moved thereby enabling the carriage to pass by separated or opened filter plates, and when the carriage encounters closed or unopened filter plates, the pivotal pendulum restrained by an adjacent filter plate abuts against one of the ratchets of the carriage to stop it which thereafter moves in the opening direction. By repeating the operations all the filter plates of the filter press are opened.