An Improved Sludge Valve.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 17th July, 1894-Accepted, 18th Aug., 1894
I WILLIAM BIRCH of Milton Street Ironworks Lower Broughton Manchester
in the County of Lancaster Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates principally to the construction of sludge valves such as are
used in connection with settling-tanks employed in the cleansing or filtration of
sewage and other liquids but the same is also applicable for other purposes where
a valve for running off sludge or other semi-solid matter is required.
For the purposes of my invention the face of the outlet is made flush and the
valve itself consists of a sliding door or plate of wood metal or other suitable
material mounted in vertical grooves or otherwise so that it can slide up and down,
in contact with such flush surface.
At the back of the sliding door or valve are fixed or formed two (or other
convenient number of) wedge-like projections, which as the sliding door or valve is
lowered come against adjustable set screws, pegs or other adjustable projections,
carried by a fixed rail behind the sliding door or valve. These wedges are made
at such an angle that the sliding door or valve is not likely to become jamined fast,
but still as the latter is lowered, they will press the face of the same against the
flush surface of the outlet so as to effectually stop the flow of the sludge, and when
the sliding door or valve is raised to open the same the wedges are instantly released
and the valve free to move.
The valves may be raised and lowered by means of levers, screws or other similar
known mechanical arrangements.
The great advantage of a valve of this construction is that a very large outlet
area may be obtained without the use of any bulky appliances.
Dated this 16th day of October 1893.
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Sludge Valve.
I WILLIAM BIRCH of Milton Street Iron Works, Lower Broughton,
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates principally to the construction of sludge-valves such as
are used in connection with settling-tanks employed in the cleansing or filtration of
sewage and other liquids, but the same is also applicable for other purposes where a
valve for running off sludge or other semi-solid matter is required.
The nature of my invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed
or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to the annexed
sheet of drawings and the following explanation thereof.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation, Fig. 2 a vertical section taken through about the
line X-X in Fig. 3, and Fig. 3 is a plan view partly in section of my improved
sludge valve.

page_text: For the purposes of my invention the face of the outlet at a is made flush, and
the valve itself consists of a sliding door or plate b of wood, metal, or other suitable
material mounted in vertical grooves or otherwise so that it can slide up and down
in contact with such flush surface.
At the back of the sliding door or valve 6 are fixed or formed two (or other
convenient number of) wedge-like projections c which, as the sliding door or valve b
is lowered, come against adjustable set screws d or pegs or other adjustable
projections carried by a fixed rail e behind the sliding door or valve b. These
wedges c are made at such an angle that the sliding door or valve b is not likely to
become jammed fast, but still, as the latter is lowered, they will press the face of
the same against the flush surface a of the outlet so as to effectually stop the flow
of the sludge, and when the sliding door or valve b is raised to open the same the
wedges c are instantly released and the valve b free to move.
The valves b may be raised and lowered by means of levers for by screws or
other similar known mechanical arrangements.
The great advantage of a valve of this construction is that a very large outlet
area may be obtained without the use of any bulk of appliances.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what
I claim is
The combination with a sliding door or valve working against a flush faced
outlet, of wedge like projections on the back of the former, which come against set
screws or other adjustable projections carried by a rail fixed behind the said sliding
door or valve, substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore set
forth and described.
1
1004
GEO. DAVIES & SON,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agents for the Applicant.