Means and Appliances for Separating Solid Matter from the Sewage Discharged from Water Closets in Ding Houses and other Buildings, and for Removing the same
Year: 1879

page_text: Means and Appliances for Separating Solid Matter from the
Sewage Discharged from Water Closets in Dwelling Houses
and other Buildings, and for Removing the same.
LETTERS PATENT to George Barnard, of the City and County of Edinburgh,
North Britain, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR MEANS
AND APPLIANCES FOR SEPARATING SOLID MATTER FROM THE SEWAGE DIS-
CHARGED FROM WATER CLOSETS IN DWELLING HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS,
AND FOR REMOVING THE same.”
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Barnard at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd November 1879.
"A
GEORGE BARNARD, of the City and County of Edinburgh, North Britain.
NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR MEANS AND APPLIANCES FOR REMOVING AND
SEPARATING SOLID MATTER FROM THE SEWAGE DISCHARGED FROM WATER
CLOSETS IN DWELLING HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS, AND FOR REMOVING THE
SAME.
"
This Invention has reference to a new or improved mode or means and
appliances for removing and separating solid and foecal matter from the sewage
discharged from water closets or other waste pipes in dwelling houses and other
buildings, and also for purifying or treating the sewage of towns and villages, which
improvements will conduce to the amelioration of the health of cities, towns, and
villages by preventing the escape into the atmosphere of deleterious gases or
effluvia from the sewage before or during removal, and allowing only purified liquid
matter to pass away freely, whilst the separated solid matter is easily removed, and
can be used as a cheap and effective manure for agricultural purposes.
And the nature and novelty of the Invention consist as follows:-The sewage
from the soil pipe of a water closet or other waste pipe is discharged by a pipe or
tube passing down and through or outside the wall of the house into a cylindrical
iron receptacle of convenient size (say, of about 4 or 5 feet high and about 18 to
24 inches in diameter) through an open mouth in the cover of the latter, into which
the pipe passes, and is made air tight by a rubber ring fitted round it in the neck
of the cover.
The cover of the receptacle is of lead of conical shape, and is also
made air tight, either by a rubber ring fitted between the cover and the vessel, or

page_text: by a water joint formed by the cover dipping into a groove containing water in the
upper edge or rim of the receptacle, and the iron receptacle or vessel is perforated
at the bottom and filled with fresh earth to the depth of about 18 inches, so that
the sewage in passing through it has the foecal and solid matter separated and
retained above the earth, whilst the liquid portion sinks or filters through the
earth and through the perforations at the bottom into a second vessel, preferably of
earthenware, and of about the same dimensions as the first, on which the iron vessel
rests, and for which it forms a cover held air tight round the outer edge by a rubber
This
band or ring, or by a water joint in the same manner as the top cover.
earthenware vessel is also partly filled with earth, but to a slightly greater depth
(as about 2 feet), and is also perforated at the bottom, and the liquid sewage passing
through the earth in this vessel is further filtered, a residue of solid organic particles
being retained or absorbed by the earth. The liquid sewage passes through the
perforations in this vessel into a further series of about four or five such earthen-
ware vessels placed in a tier each below the other, and containing earth varying in
depth from about 2 feet in the upper vessel immediately below the iron receptacle
to about 3 feet in the lowest, and fitted with air tight joints between them, as
already described, and the sewage passes from the lowest vessel in a purified and
almost clear state free from organic matter, either directly to a common sewer, or
into a small cistern discharging into a sewer, and having a stop cock and tap for
drawing off a portion of the liquid at intervals for the purpose of testing the water
and the efficacy of the filtering vessels.
The cover of the upper iron receptacle is made to slide air tight up and down on
the discharge pipe leading from the water closet, so that the receptacle can be
removed from below it, and a narrow slit is cut half way round near the upper
edge of the receptacle, and covered air-tight with a rubber flap or valve fitted to
the inner side, so that a circular iron plate or flat lid may be pushed into and cover
the contents of the receptacle before lifting the cone shaped permanent cover, the
flat plate fitting securely into a groove or having catches to fasten it.
The iron upper receptacle collects the solid contents of the water closets or waste
pipes, and on removal another similar vessel charged with about 18 inches of fresh
earth is fitted in its place, and the cover lowered and again closed air tight.
The impure air and gases which generate in the iron receptacle at the top are by
preference conducted by an exit pipe to the bottom of a long metal box, which may
stand on a bracket fixed on the wall of the house or other convenient situation,
and this box is filled with charcoal to absorb the deleterious gases which pass
through it, and the purified air escapes by a tube or opening at the top; or the gas
pipe may be connected from house to house and conducted to a distance, and the
gases burnt in a small furnace as they escape.
The whole tier of earthenware vessels and the iron receptacle may be fixed to
the side of the house or building, and they may be encased in a tower of brick-
work, or may be made to represent an ornamental column, and the contents of the
closets of several flats of dwelling houses or of hospitals or other institutions may
be led to the receptacle at the top of the tier without any gas being allowed to
escape, the water closet traps inside the houses and the air tight fittings between
the conical cover and between each vessel effectually preventing any outlet of
impure air or deleterious gas, and the earth in the vessels absorbing all organic
matter from the fluids that pass through them. If there are water closets on the
basement storey of a house the tier of earth filters must be sunk in a well below the
basement storey and outside the house.
The removal of the upper iron receptacle would be required about once a week
in ordinary private houses, and daily from houses accommodating several families;
the upper earthenware vessel would only require to be removed and replaced once
in two months or thereby, the next lower about every four months, the following
one about twice a year, and if there is still a lower vessel that might be removed
and replaced annually.

page_text: These deep filtering receptacles removed as described from each tier or set of
earth filters, with their close slides or covers applied to prevent the escape of the
gases, are preferably by special improved arrangements transferred to the country
in their vertical position either placed on shallow trays or in a liquid tight box,
cart, or waggon, which would retain any liquid filtering through the receeptacles,
thus preventing waste or loss in their transit. These carts or waggons would be
specially constructed for arranging the deep receptacles compactly and steadily in
upright rows, for which purpose the waggon would be made very low, with deep
sides and kneed axles so as to admit of the use of large wheels, and if convenient
loading and unloading of the deep receptacles in their vertical positions, and the
same waggons would serve the purpose of bringing back the cleansed vessels with
the filtering earth renewed all in a vertical manner ready for reapplication, as
hereinbefore described.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said George Barnard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 30th April
1880.
«
GEORGE BARNARD, of the City and County of Edinburgh, North Britain. A
NEW OR IMPROVED MODE OR MEANS AND APPLIANCES FOR SEPARATING SOLID
MATTER FROM THE SEWAGE DISCHARGED FROM WATER-CLOSETS IN DWELLING
HOUSES AND OTHER BUILDINGS, AND FOR REMOVING THE SAME."
.
My said Invention has reference to a new or improved mode or means and
appliances for removing and separating solid and foecal matter from the sewage
discharged from water closets or other waste pipes in dwelling houses and other
buildings, and also for purifying and treating the sewage of towns and villages,
which improvements will conduce to the amelioration of the health of cities, towns,
and villages by preventing the escape into the atmosphere of deleterious gases or
effluvia from the sewage before or during removal, and allowing only the purified
liquid matter to pass away freely, whilst the separated solid matter is also removed
and conveyed to rural districts to be used as a cheap and effective manure for
agricultural purposes.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same or
putting it into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto
appended for that purpose a Sheet of explanatory Drawings representing various
modifications of my improved appliances for separating and treating sewage matter
constructed and fitted in accordance with my said Invention, and which I shall
now proceed to describe. In these Drawings the same reference letters are used
to mark the same or like parts where they are shown or repeated.
Referring to these Drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Figure 2 is a
vertical section showing one modification of my improved "earth column" or
vertical arrangement or tier of portable earth filters for separating the solid matters
and purifying the liquids of sewage discharged from water closets ranged in
dwelling houses or other buildings above; Figure 3 is a vertical section of a
charcoal box designed for purifying the air or gases collected in the improved
"earth column," and Figures 4, 5, and 6 show the mode and means used for
removing the earth filters.
In this modification the sewage from the soil pipe of a water closet or other
waste pipe, or from several or the whole set of closets in a building, is discharged
by a common pipe or tube a passing down and through or outside the wall of the
house or other building to which my improved arrangements are applied into a
cylindrical, preferably, internally enamelled iron or other metal or wooden re-
ceptacle A of convenient size (say, of about 4 or 5 feet high and about 18 to 24
inches in diameter) through an open mouth a' in the cover A¹ of the latter into
which the pipe a passes, and is made air tight by fitting the open mouth a¹ of the
cover A¹ with an ordinary jointing composition of tow and tallow, which also acts
as a lubricant in raising and lowering the cover all, or the joint may be formed by
a rubber ring fitted round the pipe a in the neck of the cover A'. The cover A¹
of the receptacle A is preferably made of lead or copper of a conical shape, and is
also fitted air tight on the top of the receptacle A either by a rubber ring fitted
between the cover and the vessel, or, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, by a water
joint formed by the lower edge of the cover A' dipping into a groove all containing
water formed in the upper edge or rim of the receptacle A, and the iron receptacle
or vessel A is perforated at the bottom A", or it might be fitted with a removable
perforated bottom which could be renewed if worn out by corrosion. This sewage

page_text: receptacle A is partially filled with fresh porous earth to the depth of about 6 to
18 inches, as shown at A³, so that the sewage entering and passing through it has
the foecal and solid matter separated and retained above the earth at A³, whilst
the liquid portion sinks or filters through the earth, and is drained through the
perforations A at the bottom into a second similar vessel B, preferably made
of stone, earthenware, or metal, enamelled internally, and of about the same
dimensions, on an inner projecting ring 6¹ at the upper rim or edge B¹ of which the
upper iron vessel A rests and forms a cover for the vessel B below it, the joint
between them being held air tight round the outer edge by a rubber band or ring
at B¹, or by a water joint in the same manner as the top cover A¹. This
earthenware vessel B is also partly filled with earth B³, but to a slightly greater
depth (as about 1 to 2 feet), and is also perforated at the bottom B, and the
liquid sewage passing through the earth in this vessel is further filtered, a residue
of solid organic particles being retained or absorbed by the earth B2. The liquid
sewage passes through the perforations B in this vessel B into a third similar
vessel Cimmediately below it and on which it rests, and is fitted air tight by a
lower projecting rim b dipping into a groove or channel C¹ formed on the upper
edge of the vessel C and containing water, the joint being further made secure by a
rubber ring between the lower edge of the vessel B and the outer rim of the
groove C¹ in the vessel C below it. Through the perforations C" in this vessel C
the liquid continues its course, and passes through a series of two, but it might be
three or more, similar filtering vessels D, E, formed in a tier each below the other,
and containing earth varying in depth from about 1 to 2 feet in the upper vessel B
immediately below the iron receptacle A to about 3 feet in the lowest vessel E, and
these lower vessels D, E, are fitted with air tight water joints between them
similar to that already described as formed between the vessels B and C. The
lowest vessel E resting on the ground is formed with a double bottom E", E
into which the sewage water in a purified and almost clear state free from organic
matter collects, and passes through a pipe e fitted with a stop cock e' either directly
to a common sewer or into a small cistern discharging into a sewer. A small stop
cock and tap fitted near the bottom of the vessel E or in the pipe e may be provided
for drawing off a portion of the liquid at intervals for the purpose of testing the
water and the efficacy of the filtering vessels A, B, C, D, E. A long pipe or tube f
is fitted in the bottom of each vessel A, B, C, D, E, to project up through and
above the earth in them, and these act as overflow pipes to carry off the liquid
sewage when the discharge through them is too rapid to be filtered through the
earth and drained through the perforated bottoms.
The cover A¹ of the upper iron receptacle A is made to slide air tight up and
down on the discharge pipe a leading from the water closet or closets, so that the
receptacle A can be removed from below it and a lid or cover A³, as shown in
Figure 5, is fitted on the receptacle A and held air tight by the groove or channel all,
or otherwise a narrow slit may be cut half way round near the upper edge of the
receptacle A and covered air tight with a rubber flap or valve fitted to the inner
edge, so that a circular iron plate or flat lid may be pushed into and cover the
contents of the receptacle before lifting the cone shaped permanent cover A¹, the
flat plate fitting securely into a groove or having catches to fasten it.
The iron upper receptacle A collects the solid contents of the water closets or
waste pipes, and on removal another similar vessel charged with about 6 to 18
inches of fresh earth is fitted in its place and the cover A' lowered, and again
closed air tight. The impure air and gases which collect or generate in these
filtering vessels A, B, C, D, E, are led up by the overflow pipes f fitted in each
to the iron receptacle A at the top, whence they enter the pipe a and are conducted
by an exit pipe f' fitted thereto to the bottom of a long metal or wooden box F,
shown in vertical section in Figure 3, which stands on a bracket F¹ fixed to the
wall F of the house or other convenient situation. This box is fitted with a
perforated false bottom, and is filled with charcoal to absorb the deleterious gases

page_text: which pass through it, and the purified air escapes by a tube or opening f" at the
top; or by an alternative arrangement the impure air or gas pipe f'may be connected
from house to house and conducted to a distance, where the gases may be burned
in a small furnace as they escape. The whole tier of earthen ware vessels and iron
receptacle A, B, C, D, E, may be built up close to the side of the house or building,
and they may be encased in a tower of brickwork, either under or above ground,
or they may be made to represent an ornamental column and surrounded by a
stair case or spiral ladder to facilitate the removal of the vessels. The upper
receptacle A and also the lower vessels are provided with lifting handles or catches g
for convenience of removal by hand or for being lifted and replaced in their vertical
tier by means of lifting tackle similar to that shown in Figure 4, in which the
vessel A is slung by a rope or chain g¹ passed round or below the catches g, which
is caught up by a hook g¹¹ at the end of a hoisting cord g³ passed over a pulley g³
fitted to a bracket g" carried and fixed to the wall F", so that the receptacle A can
be raised or lowered with the cord g² by hand.
The receptacle A may be lifted into a shallow tray for removal, or may readily
be lifted by wooden poles h passed below its handles g, and carried by two men, as
shown in Figure 5, is to be removed to a special low truck or waggon H, in which
they would be placed upright in rows, as shown in Figure 6, and thence removed
out on their trays to the country or to places where the contents would be used for
manure, receptacles containing fresh earth being brought in the waggon at the same
time to replace those removed.
Figure 7 on the Sheet of Drawings is a vertical section of a somewhat modified
arrangement of my improved earth filters for separating and purifying sewage
matter, in which the series of filtering vessels B, C, D, E, are preferably made
oblong or box shaped and ranged in a nearly horizontal or slightly inclined line.
The upper receiver or receptacle A into which the sewage is first discharged and
the solid matters retained is substantially the same as that described in reference to
Figures 1 and 2, but is shown with a second discharge pipe a* fitted and entering
at the side as an additional or alternative arrangement, and has a close bottom A³
fitted below the perforated bottom A¹¹ to prevent the direct flow of water through
the perforations from displacing the earth in the vessel B, the lower bottom A³
being fitted with a sluice valve a³, which can be closed by hand when the recep-
tacle A is removed, and which is high enough not to reach the ground when the
receptacle is laid down. The receptacle A rests in a grooved channel B¹ forming
a water joint round the edge of the opening in the top of the vessel B, through
which the sewage water enters from the bottom of the receptacle A above, and this
liquid percolates through the earth with which the vessel B is partly filled, and
passed off through a perforated outlet at B₁ and effluent tube or discharge
orifice B³ at the lower end of the vessel, which fits into an inlet opening C¹
in the upper end of a similar filtering vessel C, the joint between these openings
being made air tight by a rubber ring or other packing, or by water, or by a
flexible tube fitted outside the discharge and inlet orifices, as shown in Figure 8,
or the form of joint with ring packing, shown in Figure 9, may be used. The
liquid sewage passes through this filtering vessel C, and continues through a series
of similar vessels D, E, and is finally discharged into a sewer or other discharge
pipe in a manner similar to that described in reference to Figures 1 and 2. Pro-
vision is also made by means of the overflow pipes or ducts f for any sudden or
rapid discharge of sewage into the vessels, and for conducting the impure air or
gases collected or generated in the several vessels A, B, C, D, E, to the upper
receptacle A and to a charcoal box F, as in Figure 3, or for leading this gas to a
distant furnace to be burnt or carried away by its draught. Instead of arranging
the series of shallow box shaped earth filters in a continuous descending line, as
shown in Figure 7, they may be fitted in the form of a square, or laid over each
other in inclined or zig-zag lines, as shown in Figure 10, the vessels B, C, D, E,
being supported the one over the other, and the requisite incline given them by

page_text: inserting a transverse beam between each pair or forming a supporting bracket I
on each to support the one above. In these horizontal or inclined earth filters
vertical dividing perforated plates J may be fitted, as shown in Figure 10, to
prevent displacement of the earth or tendency to be washed towards the discharge
end, and in this example the receptacle A is not discharged directly over the inlet
orifice of the vessel B but is led through a discharge orifice A' a little to one side
with the object of leaving the earth below undisturbed. When these horizontal
or inclined filtering vessels, shown in Figures 7 to 10, are used only the upper
receptacle A containing the solid sewage need be taken away to be emptied, and
for renewal of the filtering earth the flat box shaped vessels B, C, D, E, are pro-
vided with large opening covers K fitted air tight on the top, which may be
removed by hand, and the contents of the vessels taken out by shovels to be
replaced by fresh earth and the covers K refixed, the lower filters C, D, E, being
swivelled round laterally on their joints C¹, D', E¹, for this purpose. The contents
of the closets of several flats of dwelling houses, or of hospitals, or other institutions
may be led to the receptacle A at the top of the tier or series of earth filters without
any gas being allowed to escape, the water tight traps inside the houses and the
air tight fittings between the conical cover A' and the receptacle A and between
each vessel B, C, D, E, effectually preventing any outlet of impure air or deleterious
gas, and the earth in the vessels absorbing all organic matter from the fluids that
pass through them.
The removal of the upper iron receptacle A would be required about once a
week or fortnight in ordinary private houses, and daily from houses accommodating
several families, the upper earthenware vessel B would only require to be removed
and replaced once in two months or thereby, the next lower C about every, four
months, the following D about twice a year, and the lowest vessel E might be
removed and replaced annually.
Having thus described my said Invention, and the manner of performing the
same, I desire it to be understood that I do not restrict myself to the precise details
herein described or delineated, but what I believe to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the hereinbefore in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
First. The general construction and arrangement of a series of portable earth
filters A, B, C, D, E, and appliances or fittings connected therewith for filtering
and purifying the sewage discharged from water closets in dwelling houses and
other buildings, and for separating and removing the solid matters of the sewage
for their subsequent utilization as manure, all substantially as berein described
in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification
thereof.
Second. The application and use of sandy or porous earth in portable vessels
ranged over each other for the filtration of sewage and removal of the solid matter
for subsequent utilization as manure, substantially as herein described in reference
to the accompanying Drawings.
Third. The application and use of charcoal filters F and conducting pipes or
fittings in connection with earth sewage filters for the purification and free escape
of the gases from the sewage in an innocuous state, substantially as herein described
in reference to the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The fitting of portable earth filtering vessels for treating sewage over
each other with perforated bottoms and air or fluid tight joints and with internal
ventilating and overflow pipes, all substantially as and for the purposes herein
described in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. The modes or means and special fittings for removing and replacing the
filtering vessels A, B, C, D, E, and carriage or waggon for conveying them to rural

page_text: districts for the utilization of the solid contents as manure, all substantially as
herein described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Barnard, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty seventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty.
GEORGE BARNARD. (L.S.)