In- PROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING FOR USE THE EXCREMENT OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES, AND FOR FACILITATING THE DRAINAGE OF HOUSES GENERALLY
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jasper Wheeler Rogers, of Peat House, Roberts
Town, in the County of Kildare, Engineer, for the Invention of "In-
PROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING FOR USE THE EXCREMENT
OF TOWNS AND VILLAGES, AND FOR FACILITATING THE DRAINAGE OF HOUSES
GENERALLY."
Sealed the 6th October 1857, and dated the 8th April 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jasper Wheeler Rogers
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th April 1857.
I, JASPER WHEELER ROGERS, of Peat House, Roberts Town, in the County
of Kildare, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVED MEANS OF AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING FOR USE THE EXCREMENT OF
TOWNS AND VILLAGES. AND FOR FACILITATING THE DRAINAGE OF HOUSES GENERALLY,'
to be as follows:-
The chief object of this Invention is to collect and utilize the night soil
which is now discharged by the house drains of large towns and cities into
the main sewers and theuce passed off into an adjacent river, whereby the
stream is polluted and the night soil is wasted.
In carrying out the above object, I propose to insert in the existing sewers
cast-iron pipes of any suitable capacity, and to connect them with the pipes
[Price 8d.]

page_text: which lead from the several houses in the route of the sewer. These cast-iron
pipes, which I call the house mains, I lead to a large chamber or receptacle
built near the mouth of the sewer, in order that they may discharge their
contents therein. This chamber I build air-tight, and when placed on a
tidal river I provide it with a series of discharge pipes for running off at
different levels or states of the tide the liquid portions of the house drainage
conducted to it by the house mains after they have passed through a
filter bed also contained in the chamber. I also fit up in it a lift pump
and an air pump, and I likewise apply to it an Archimedean lift for raising
the solid matters and discharging them into proper receptacles, as required.
The house sewage when it enters the chamber will fall to the bottom, and
the fluid portions, being the lighter, will, as the pressure accumulates, pass
upwards through a filter bed of peat charcoal, by which.it will be deprived of
all its ammoniacal and other noxious properties. The water will then pass
off by the discharge pipes in a pure limped state, leaving a valuable deposit in
the chamber. When the solid matter has sufficiently accumulated it is lifted
by the Archimedean screw, the pipe in which the screw works being pierced
to ensure a thorough drainage. The water also may, when required, be dis-
charged by means of a lifting or force pump. In order to keep the house
mains clear and to prevent the possibility of a discharge of deleterious gases
into the houses from the mains, I propose from time to time to employ atmo-
spheric pressure to assist in discharging the mains. To this end I form by the
aid of the air pump a vacuum or partial vacuum in the large chamber or
receptacle, having previously by means of valves shut off the connection
between the mains and the chamber; I then, when the expansion is sufficient,
open the valves, and the discharge of the mains will immediately take place,
the pressure of air behind any obstruction causing the instant displacement
of the saine and driving it forward into the chamber.
By this arrangement it will be understood that I interfere in no respect
with the discharge of the surface drainage, but effectually prevent it from
becoming mixed with the night soil, and thereby render the utilizing of that
substance as a manure a very simple and profitable operation. The filter bed
when saturated with the ammoniacal matters derived from the discharged
liquid will also form a valuable manure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Jasper Wheeler Rogers in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th October 1857.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JASPER
WHEELER ROGERS, of Peat House, Roberts Town, in the County of
Kildare, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eighthundred and fifty-seven, in the twentieth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give aud grant unto me, the said Jasper
Wheeler Rogers, Her special license that I, the said Jasper Wheeler Rogers,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Jasper
Wheeler Rogers, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVED MEANS
OF AND APPARATUS FOR COLLECTING FOR USE THE EXCREMENT OF TOWNS AND VIL
LAGES, AND FOR FACILITATING THE DRAINAGE OF HOUSES GENERALLY," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Jasper Wheeler Rogers; by an
instrument in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe
and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the
same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Jasper Wheeler Rogers, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
The chief object of this Invention is to collect and utilize the night soil
which is now discharged by the house drains of large towns and cities into
the main sewers and thence passed off into an adjacent river, whereby the
stream is polluted and the night soil is wasted.
In carrying out the above object, I propose to insert in the existing sewers
cast-iron or other air-tight pipes of any suitable capacity, and to connect them
with the pipes which lead from the several houses in the route of the sewer.
These air-tight pipes, which I call the "house refuse mains," I lead to a large

page_text: chamber or receptacle built near the mouth of the sewer, in order that they
may discharge their contents therein. This chamber I build air-tight, and
when placed on a tidal river I provide it with a series of discharge pipes for
running off at different levels or states of the tide the liquid portions of the
house drainage, conducted to it by the house mains after they have passed
through a filter bed, also contained in the chamber. I also fit up in it a lift
pump and an air pump,and I likewise apply to itau Archimedean lift for raising
the solid matters and discharging them into proper receptacles, as required.
The house sewage when it enters the chamber will fall to the bottom, and the
fluid portions, being the lighter, will, as the pressure accumulates, pass
upwards through a filter bed of peat charcoal, by which it will be deprived of
all its ammoniacal and other noxious properties; the water will then pass off*
by the discharge pipes in a pure limpid state, leaving a valuable deposit in the
chamber. When the solid matter has sufficiently accumulated it is lifted by
the Archimedean screw, the pipe in which the screw works being pierced to
ensure a thorough drainage. The water also may, when required, be dis-
charged by means of a lifting or force pump. In order to keep the house
mains clear, and to prevent the possibility of a discharge of deleterious gases
into the houses from the mains, I propose from time to time to employ atmo-
spheric pressure to assist in discharging the mains. To this end I form by the
aid of the air pump a vacuum or partial vacuum in the large chamber or
receptacle, having previously by means of valves shut off the connection
between the mains and the chamber. I then, when the expansion is suffi-
cient, open the valves, and the discharge of the mains will immediately take
place, the pressure of air behind any obstruction causing the instant
displacement of the same and driving it forward into the chamber.
By this arrangement it will be understood that I interfere in no respect
with the discharge of the surface drainage, but effectually prevent it from
becoming mixed with the night soil, and thereby render the utilizing of
that substance as a manure a very simple and profitable operation.
In the accompanying Drawings I have shewn in several views the appa-
ratus which employ for carrying my Invention into effect. At or about the
lower extremity of the vertical discharge pipe of water-closets I place in con-
nection with the pipe in such position in the house and premises that it can be
conveniently got at for examination and use, a chamber, constructed as shewu
in front section at Figure 1, and side elevation at Fig. 2, the cover E being
removed. A is the vertical pipe from the closet; B, the chamber; C, a shaft
with cross arms, at one and a half, two, or three inches asunder, forming a
grating across the chamber when the shaft is stationary, so that no extraneous

page_text: or foreign matter or thing thrown into the closet beyond the size of the
opening of the grating can pass through, while the soil and water and paper
will have sufficient space for that purpose. A lever handle is attached to
the shaft, so as to give the power of setting it in motion by hand from the
outside, and if it be found that any stoppage has taken place in the pipe or
chamber, the handle is used to make the cross arms on the shaft traverse
round the chamber, by which means any slight obstruction, such as the
clogging by paper, &c. will be removed or broken up, so that they may pass
away; the breaking up of such matter being caused by the arins passing
through a grating attached to the side of the chamber standing in an angular
position, as shewn at D, and which angular grating will hold at its upper
side any other matter which is not sufficiently small to be forced through
it by the action of the revolving arms on the shaft.
If it be found that the lever handle has not power to force the arms round,
the chamber must then be opened, which is simply done by unscrewing a
couple of thumb screws or other similar convenient arrangement, by which
the side E is detached, and the obstraction within is removed.
By this means the chance of stoppage in the pipes intended to carry away
the excretory inatter from closets will be considerably lessened, and the
inhabitants of houses have the power of removing obstructions caused by
the carelessness of servants, &c. without seeking for the aid of plumbers, &c.
The vertical pipe below the chamber I connect with an inclining pipe made of
any sufficiently strong and air-tight material, metal, iron, stone,' earthenware,
&c., but to be air-tight, and running from the house to a pipe or main drain
to be placed in all the existing sewers, and which pipe is to be also made of any
sufficiently strong and air-tight material, and is designated by ine, as before
stated, the "house refuse main." This "house refuse main" I propose should
be placed in the centre of each existing sewer, as shewn in the Diagram,
Fig. 3, which represents a street in cross section; a, a, being the "house refuse
maiu," supported by brackets in a position so as not to interfere with the flow
of the surface water, and the discharge from the kitchen drains of houses, &c.
With these "house refuse mains "all water closet pipes should be connected,
by which means no excretory matter would be discharged into the general
sewer, and all the evil now experienced from the collection of such matter
in the sewers, and the discharge from it of noxious gases, so destructive to
human life, would be prevented.
These pipes or "house refuse mains" I would make of such dimensions as
would be proportionate to the quantity of matter to be passed through them,
and I would concentrate them (according to circumstances and the natural

page_text: fall or water shed of the locality) by degrees into one main, discharging at
the principal sewer mouth wherever it might be, the length of pipes or
"house refuse mains" discharging at one point being regulated by the
nature of the locality to be drained, and I would make the joints of such
construction so that they could be readily disconnected and made air-tight
when connected again.
At the point of discharge I place a chamber, which I designate the
"filtering vacuum chamber," the construction of which will be seen in the
vertical section, Fig. 4. This chamber I build up of cast or wrought iron
plates, which are bolted together; I make the chamber of sufficient strength
to resist atmospheric pressure from without whenever I may find it necessary
to produce a perfect or partial vacuum therein, and of a size proportioned to
the quantity of inatter and water to be passed into and through it. Into this
chamber I discharge the whole contents of the "house refuse mains' at
such level as would be found suitable to the rise and fall of the river into
which the main sewer emptied itself.
Within the chamber a, a, I construct a filtering bed b, b, composed of peat
charcoal, prepared according to my special process for manufacturing that
article of peat, mould or ground peat, and of broken cast iron, the whole
disposed in layers or beds in such quantities or proportions as would be
suitable to the extent of sewage water to be passed through it. The water
and matters from the house refuse mains would fall into the filtering or
vacuuin chamber in or about the position shewn on the Drawing of the
chamber, and the weightier solids would naturally precipitate towards the
bottom, but the general liquid gradually rising to its own level would pass
up through the grating c, and traverse through the filtering bed b, rising up a
second grating d, or a water and pump shaft, and discharge itself through one
or other of the tide valves e and f, according as the river water would allow ;
the number of tide valves must be such as is found desirable for the locality.
Thus the filtering bed would prevent the passage of any solid matter, and
absorb (by means of the affinity existing between the preparations of peat
moss described and the impurities existing in the sewage) that most injurious
noxiousness which is now imparted to rivers by the discharge of sewage
matier into them, and the use of which preparation for such purpose is
already patented by me.
The tide valve is specially constructed so as to prevent the admission into
the "filtering and vacuum chamber" of exterior water. It will be seen by
the Drawing that it is something resembling the port-hole of a ship, but is
hinged from below, and rises upwards to close the hinge, being made water-

page_text: tight by an india-rubber covering, and at each side are quadrants, which work
in a close groove formed in the framing into which the valve shuts; the effect
of which is, that water cannot enter at the sides of the valve when open, but
must pass over the valve front or door, hung, as before stated, on a hinge below.
On this valve front or door is secured a float, for the purpose of causing the
water as it rises from without to lift the valve and keep it floating on the
surface. Thus, as the water rises the valve closes and becomes perfectly
water-tight by the lateral pressure from without; whilst, when the water
commences to fall so does the valve, allowing the water from within to pass
away. By this means water cannot enter the filtering chamber from without;
and inasmuch as its area is in all instances to exceed the area or contents of
the whole extent of "house refuse mains" discharging into it, it will be
found that the quantum of liquid matter usually to flow from water-closets
will never exceed or equal the space provided in the filtering chamber for
its reception and storage till the fall of tide permits its discharge, there-
fore, there cannot be any evil. suffered as now from the return of sewage
matter by the rise of ride.
All the foregoing evils being guarded against, the only possible danger to be
apprehended is the stoppage of the house refuse of mains from any cause;
that is provided for as follows:-The "filtering vacuum chamber" is, as before
stated, to be of dimensions sufficient to exceed the areal contents of the "house
refuse mains" discharging into it. It is provided with a steam engine of suffi-
cient power, which works an Archimedean screw, as is shewn in the Drawing
at g, provided for the purpose of lifting the solid matter collected in the
bottom of the chamber, and discharging it into a receptacle above. This
receptacle forms part of a machine situate on the floor of the shed or building
erected upon the vacuum chamber, and its office is to intermix and at once
couvert the whole matter into a comparatively dry inodorous manure, capable
of being removed by any species of conveyance without inconvenience, or
giving out smell in the slightest degree. This being intended to be the
continuous process during the day, the solids will never accumulate, and
whenever it be found that a stoppage has taken place, or if it be considered
desirable, the following process can be effected at low water, in case of tidal
rivers, or at any stated time in others, say, every twenty-four hours.
The solids having been lifted out as described, the pump i will speedily
remove whatever water may remain in the chamber to give an ample space for
vacuum. This being done, the air pump i will, by means of the engine, with-
draw the air, the ingress and egress passages or valves being first securely
closed, and when the vacuum has been attained, the ingress valve will be

page_text: opened, when at the same instant of time the whole contents of the mains,
whether liquid, solid, or gaseous, must commence to move from end to end
of the pipes towards the vacuum, and continue to do so until the space be
entirely filled again. Thus stoppages in the mains will be in fact impossible,
and inasmuch as that the matter discharged into the mains will not be sub-
jected to the action of the atmosphere during its retention in them,
noxiousness within the pipes will be totally prevented, and none of the
gascous emanations from night soil, which now produce such damage to
the health of towns and villages, will in future exist.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improved Means
of and Apparatus for Collecting for use the Excrement of Towns and
Villages, and for Facilitating the Drainage of Houses generally," and
explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be under-
stood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent I claim,-
First, the separation by means of close pipes placed in the existing sewers
of the excretory matter discharged from water-closets and its preservation
thereby in its almost original state.
And, secondly, the removal by means of a vacuum produced in a chamber
in the manner described, or by any other analogous means, of stoppages in
drainage or sewage pipes.
In witness whereof, I, the said Jasper Wheeler Rogers, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fifth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven.
JASPER W. ROGERS. (L.S.)