IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR REMOVING MUD GREASY, FLOCCULENT, AND OTHER MATTERS FROM SEWAGE OR OTHER WATERS."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Parrott, of Beddington, in the County of Surrey,
and William Walter Good, of Croydon, in the same County, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR APPARATUS FOR REMOVING MUD
GREASY, FLOCCULENT, AND OTHER MATTERS FROM SEWAGE OR OTHER WATERS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Parrott and Willian
Walter Good at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th
December 1879.
JOSEPH PARROTT, of Beddington, in the County of Surrey, and WILLIAM WALTER
GOOD, of Croydon, in the same County. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR REMOVING MUD, GREASY, FLOCCULENT, AND OTHER MATTERS FROM
SEWAGE OR OTHER WATERS.
"
One of the chief drawbacks in sewage farming as hitherto practised is that the
mud, greasy, and flocculent matters contained in the sewage water very rapidly
form a thick and impervious coating or layer not only in the carriers and gutters,
but also on the soil itself and on the rye grass which is generally grown on such
farms, the result of which is that the grass is injuriously affected and great labor
and expense are necessary to clear the carriers and gutters.
Now the primary object of our Invention is to remove at a comparatively very
small cost the mud and greasy and flocculent matters contained in sewage water
before it is allowed to irrigate the land.
We employ a circular pit or tank, say 30 feet in diameter and 3 to.4 feet deep,
and we cause the sewage from the main to flow into the bottom of the said tank
by an opening which may extend, say, 3 to 4 feet from the circumference towards
the centre; this opening may be, say, 9 inches wide at the said circumference and
gradually diminish to, say, 3 inches at its inner end, so that the larger proportion
of the sewage may enter the tank at and near the circumference. Within this tank,
at about, say, a foot from the bottom thereof, we hang or place an annular plate,
from the upper face of which near its inner edge we carry up a cylinder; the top
of this cylinder is slightly higher, say an inch, than the tank, or that portion of it
where the final outflow takes place. Between the annular plate and the bottom
Paine G71

page_text: of the tank are paddles (say 8) which are carried by curved arms with their inner
ends contiguous to a ring, the position of which is at about the level of the top of
the cylinder before named; this ring surrounds at a distance of 2 or 3 feet a
vertical pipe in the centre of the tank, which pipe has slots or openings at the level
of the ring.
To the lower part of the vertical pipe are fixed radially eight (more
or less) vertical plates each of which is fitted with a strainer, the space between
cach plate and its strainer communicating with a slot in the pipe. To the bottom
of the tank between the vertical plates are fixed at an angle to the radii the lower
ends of flat bars, say 6 inches wide, which are carried up to a point above the
vertical pipe, their upper parts being preferably of circular section and forming
guides or supports for the ring before described; they also support bars which
extend from the upper part thereof to the edge of the tank; to these bars guy
ropes are attaclied for supporting the cylinder and annular plate.
When sewage is admitted to the tank arranged as above described it rushes
round the same, and rises between the inner edge of the annular plate and the
central vertical pipe to the level of the outflow. The mud contained therein
subsides, and at the same time gradually works towards the centre, where being to
some extent controlled or guided by the flat bars above described, it passes with a
certain amount of water through the strainers and thence into the vertical pipe.
The greasy matters contained in the water on the other hand rise in the form of
foam or scuin, and as the paddles are driven round by the current their curved arms
which revolve with them gradually carry the foam to the centre until it enters
within the ring before described and thence passes into the vertical pipe. The
water therefore leaves the tank deprived of a very large proportion of the mud and
greasy matter which it contained. Instead of both the mud and greasy matter
going into the same pipe there may be two pipes one within the other to receive
the mud and greasy matter respectively. The pipe or pipes may lead to any
suitable receptacles. If preferred the portion of the pipe in which are formed tho
slots for the passage of the foam may be attached to a float, so as to rise and fall
with any variation in the height of the water in the tank.
The water which leaves the tank by the outflow will still contain flocculent
matter composed chiefly of paper reduced to a pulpy state. In order to remove this
matter, which is that which chiefly adheres to the rye grass in sewage farming, we
cause the water to flow through a trough in which we place fibres or materials to
which the flocculent matter will adhere, as it does to rye grass; fibres which we
find to answer well for this purpose are what are known in the market as Italian
whisk and French whisk, or dog's grass and esparto grass. We place these fibres
vertically in the trough, so that the water has to flow through them, and we fix
them at their lower end to a hinged board or otherwise, so that they may be free to
dip or move into a horizontal or approximately horizontal position when acted upon
by combs or rakes, as hereinafter explained. At the further end of the trough we
prefer to have tougher fibres or materials, which we lay longitudinally of the trough
and nearly horizontally, their outer ends passing over the end of the trough and lying
over an apron; bass (piassava), grown in South America, is a suitable inaterial for
the purpose, or thin strips of whalebone or steel wires might be used. We employ
an endless travelling chain carrying combs or rakes and rubbers, which combs or
rakes, as they travel along the trough, clear the vertical fibres of the flocculent
matter which has adhered to them, while the rubbers remove any matter adhering
to the bass or horizontal fibres or materials. The water on leaving the trough is
fit for irrigation purposes. In order to gain the requisite power for driving the
endless chain we cause the water, on leaving the trough, to fall upon an overshot
water wheel, from which the endless chain may be driven by any suitable gearing.
It will generally be found best to work the chain intermittently, so as to comb or
clear the fibres in the trough for, say, 5 minutes after fifteen minutes' work. A
convenient arrangement for causing this intermittent action automatically consists
of a beam like a steel yard, with a weight at one end and a bucket hanging to the
other; the bucket is supplied with water by a tap, so that in, say 15 minutes, it

page_text: overbalances the weight and pulls down the beam, in which movement a lever or
suitable device on the beam throws the endless chain into gear. The descent of the
bucket opens a valve or plug therein, and the water begins to run out, an auxiliary
balance with lever and cord keeping the bucket down until it is empty. The
bucket with the beam is then lifted by the weight on the beam, and this movement
throws the endless chain out of gear again.
The Blocculent matter removed by the combs and rubbors, as before described, is
received in any suitable receptacle, from which it may be conveyed by an archimedean
screw. This screw may deliver it to the cups of an elevator, which may empty it
into a truck; or if the truck cannot be conveniently brought sufficiently near to
the screw the following arrangement may be employed:-Two buckets fitted on an
endless cord have wheels or rollers to run on an incline. The cups of the elevator
fill these buckets alternately, and as each of them is filled it overcomes a balance
weight on a beam which has retained the wheels before named, and therefore by
lowering the beam allows the wheels with the bucket to run down the incline at
the lower end of which the bucket is inverted, and empties its contents into a truck
below. The running down of this bucket draws up the other empty bucket into
position below the cups, and so on alternately.
Although our Invention is specially intended for removing matters from sewago
waters, it can also be employed for removing inatters from other waters. The ineans
described for removing flocculent matter may, for example, bo beneficially employed
for removing from river waters intended for domestic use the greenish and slimy
matters which such waters contain, particularly at certain seasons of the year, and
which water companies find it difficult and expensive to remove. When applying
the Invention for this purpose finer fibres or materials than bass will be necessary,
such, for instance, as hogs' bristles or horse or bullocks' hair.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Joseph Parrott and William Walter Good in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 10th June 1880.
JOSEPH PARROTT, of Beddington, in the County of Surrey, and WILLIAM WALTER
Good, of Croydon, in the same County. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MEANS OR
APPARATUS FOR REMOVING MUD, GREASY, FLOCCULENT, AND OTHER MATTERS FROM
SEWAGE OR OTHER WATERS."
One of the chief drawbacks in sewage farming as hitherto practised is that the
mud, greasy and flocculent matters contained in the sewage water very rapidly
form a thick and impervious coating or layer not only in the carriers and gutters
but also on the soil itself, and on the rye grass, which is generally grown on such
farms, the result of which is that the grass is injuriously affected, and great labor
and expense are necessary to clear the carriers and gutters.
Now the primary object of our Invention is to remove at a comparatively very
small cost the mud and greasy and flocculent matters contained in sewage water
before it is allowed to irrigate the land.
We employ a circular pit or tank, such as that shown at A, A, in Figures 1 to 3
of the annexed Drawings, Figure 1 being a plan, Figure 2 a vertical section, and
Figure 3 a side view. This tank may be constructed of brickwork, as shewn, or
of wrought iron or otherwise, and be, say, 30 or 40 feet in diameter, and 3 to 4
feet deep. We cause the sewage from the main to flow by a culvert B or otherwise
into the bottom of the said tank by an opening, which may extend, say, 3 to 4 feet
from the circumference towards the centre. This opening may be, say, 9 inches
wide at the said circumference and gradually diminish to, say, 3 inches at its inner
end, so that the larger proportion of the sewage may enter the tank at and near
the circumference. Within this tank, at about, say, a foot from the bottom thereof,
we hang or place an annular plate D, from the upper face of which we carry up a
cylinder E. The top of this cylinder is slightly higher, say an inch, than the tank,
or that portion of it (indicated at F, Figure 2) where the final outflow takes place.
Between the annular plate D and the bottom of the tank A are paddles G, G (say
8), which are carried by arms H, H, with their inner ends contiguous to a ring I,
the position of which is at about the level of the top of the cylinder E. This ring
surrounds a vertical pipe K in the centre of the tank, which pipe may eitber
terminate at its upper end on or about a level with the ring I, as shewn, or it may
be extended further upwards, in which latter case it should have slots or openings
at the level of the ring. To the lower part of the vertical pipe are fixed radially 8
(more or less) vertical plates L, L, for insuring the settlement of the mud in the
centre. To the bottom of the tank between the vertical plates L, L, are fixed at
an angle to the radii the lower ends of flat bars or stanchions M, M, say 6 inches
wide, which are carried up to a point above the vertical pipe K, their upper parts
forming guides or supports for the ring I, before described. They also support
bars N, N, which extend from the upper part thereof to the edge of the tank. To
these bars guy ropes O, O, are attached for supporting the annular plate D and
cylinder E. P is a funnel at the bottom of the tank leading to a pipe Q. The
spaces between the plates L, L, may either communicate directly with this funnel,
or each of these plates may be fitted with a strainer, forming a space between the
plate and strainer, which space may communicate with a slot in the pipe K or
with a slot in a separate pipe leading to the pipe Q. R, R, are curved arms, which
are fixed at their inner ends to the arms H, H, and are at about the level of the
top of the pipe K.
When sewage is admitted to the tank arranged as above described it rushes
round the same, and rises between the inner edge of the annular plate D and the
central vertical pipe K to the level of the top of the cylinder E. The mud con-

page_text: tained therein subsides, and at the same time gradually works towards the centre,
where being to some extent controlled or guided by the flat bars or stanchions
M, M, it passes with a certain amount of water between the plates L, L, into the
funnel P; or when strainers are employed, as before described, it passes first
through the strainers and thence through the slots into the vertical pipe. The
greasy matters contained in the water on the other hand rise in the form of foam
or scum, and as the paddles G, G, are driven round by the current the curved arms
R, R, which revolve with them, gradually carry the foam to the centre until it
enters within the ring I, described, and thence passes into the vertical pipe K.
The water therefore leaves the tank deprived of a very large proportion of the mud
and greasy matter which it contained. The mud and greasy matter may either
both go into the same pipe K, or there may be two pipes K and P to receive the
mud and greasy matter respectively. The pipe or pipes may lead to any suitable
receptacles. If preferred the portion of the pipe K, in which are formed the slots
for the passage of the foam (when such pipe is carried up above the level of the
ring I), may be attached to a float, so as to rise and fall with any variation in the
height of the water in the tank. The paddles G, G, with the arms H, H, and R, R,
must be sufficiently buoyant to float in the sewage. For this purpose it will be
found convenient to construct the body of the paddles of wood, and part of the
arms H, H, and R, R, also of wood; or they may be made hollow and of sheet iron.
C is a platform or foot support fixed to the stanchions M, M, for a man to stand
upon when inspecting or clearing out any obstruction in the pipe K. To prevent
friction as much as possible in the event of the paddles being carried up against
the plate D we fix a ring D¹ to the under side of the plate, and a corresponding
piece of wood may be fixed to the back of each paddle.
The water which leaves the tank by the outflow F will still contain flocculent
Inatter, composed chiefly of paper reduced to a pulpy state. In order to remove
this matter, which is that which chiefly adhores to the rye grass in sewage farming,
we adopt the following method and apparatus. We cause the water to flow
through a trough, such as that shewn in section at S, Figure 4, in which we place
fibres or materials to which the flocculent matter will adhere as it does to rye grass.
Fibres which we find to answer well for this purpose are what are known in the
market as Italian whisk and French whisk, or dog's grass, and esparto grass.
These fibres, which are represented at T, T, we place vertically in the trough S so
that the water has to flow through them, and we fix them at their lower end to
boards U which may be hung on pivots at the sides of the trough or otherwise, so
that the fibres may be free to dip or move into a horizontal or approximately
horizontal position when acted upon by combs or rakes and scrubbers as hereinafter
explained. At the further end of the trough we prefer to have longer fibres or
materials V which we lay longitudinally of the trough and nearly horizontally,
their outer ends lying over an apron W; bass (pinssava), grown in South America,
is a suitable material for the purpose, or thin strips of whalebone or steel wires
might be used. We employ an endless travelling chain X carrying combs or
rakes Y, Y, and one or more rubbers Z; these combs or rakes as they travel along
the trough clear the vertical fibres T, T, of the flocculent matter which has adhered
to them, while the rubber or rubbers Z remove any matter adhering to the bass or
horizontal fibres or materials V and the apron W. The rubbers Z may be nearly
as wide as the apron, and we prefer to construct them of a plain wooden board or
metal plate faced with vulcanized india rubber. The water on leaving the
trough S is fit for irrigation purposes. In order to gain the requisite power for
driving the endless chain X, the water on leaving the trough may be caused to fall
upon an overshot water wheel a from which the endless chain may be driven by
any suitable gearing, such as the band or strap b. It will generally be found best
to work the chain X intermittently so as to comb or clear the fibres in the trough
for, say, 5 minutes after 15 minutes work. Any convenient arrangement for
causing this intermittent action may be adopted.
The flocculent matter removed by the combs and rubbers as before described is

page_text: received in any suitable receptacle, such as the trough shewn at m, Figure 4, from
which it may be conveyed by an archimedean screw n; this screw may deliver it
to the cups of an elevator which may empty it into a truck; or if the truck cannot
be conveniently brought sufficiently near to the screw any convenient arrangement
for conveying it a few yards may be employed.
Although our Invention is specially intended for removing matters from sewage
waters, it can also be employed for removing matters from other waters. The
means described for removing flocculent matter may for example be beneficially
employed for removing from river waters intended for domestic use the greenish
and slimy matters which such waters contain, particularly at certain seasons of the
year, and which water companies find it difficult and expensive to remove by
means of downward filtration through sand. When applying the Invention for this
purpose finer fibres or materials than bass will be necessary, such for instance as
hogs' bristles, or horse or bullocks' hair.
And having now described the nature of our said Invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, we declare that we claim,-
The means or apparatus, substantially as herein before described and represented
in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the annexed Drawings, for removing mud and greasy
matters from waters.
We claim specially the circular tank or pit (A) having the annular plate (D) and
cylinder (E) hung or fitted therein, and having paddles (G, G,) made to revolvo
therein and an outlet or outlets for the mud at the centre of the bottom of the
tank, substantially as and for the purpose described and shown in Figures 1, 2,
and 3.
We also claim specially the curved arms (R, R,) Figures 1 and 2, for carrying
the greasy matter or scum to the centre of the tank, so that it may enter the
vertical or outlet pipe (K), substantially as described.
We further claim the means or apparatus, substantially as hereinbefore
described and represented in Figure 4, for removing flocculent or other matters
from waters.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Walter Good, for myself and on
behalf of the said Joseph Parrott, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this
Ninth day of June, One thousand eight hundred and eighty.