IMPROVE- MENTS IN DISCHARGING SEWAGE AND WATER FROM LANDS INTO TIDAL RIVERS, AND IN FLOODING LANDS THEREFROM, ALSO CONVEYING SEWAGE AND OTHER WATERS OR LIQUIDS ACROSS CANALS AND OVER STRUCTURES, PART OF SUCH SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING APPLICABLE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SLUICE COCKS AND VALVES
Year: 1859

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alfred Button Clarke at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
February 1859.
I, ALFRED BUTTON CLARKE, of Edward Street, Blackfriars Road, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN DISCHARGING SEWAGE AND WATER FROM LANDS INTO TIDAL RIVERS, AND IN
FLOODING LANDS THEREFROM, ALSO CONVEYING SEWAGE AND OTHER WATERS OR LIQUIDS
ACROSS CANALS AND OVER STRUCTURES, PART OF SUCH SAID IMPROVEMENTS BEING
APPLICABLE AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SLUICE COCKS AND VALVES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to improved means for discharging sewage into tidal
rivers or streams; discharging water from lands situate by the side of tidal
rivers or streams; flooding lands when required; filling pieces of ornamental
water at high water; or as the tide rises, discharging or conveying water, also
sewage or liquids other than water across canals or other watercourses, places,
and also structures, where the localities would not admit of such liquids being
carried underneath the same. An important feature in this Invention consists
in the improved means which it is proposed to employ for the above purposes,
being self-acting, effectually preventing the return of such liquids to the places
from whence they are intended to be conveyed; part of such said improvements
are applicable to reservoirs containing water, or other liquids, and also to
water wheels, as a substitute for the sluice cocks, valves, and other mechanism
heretofore commonly employed for regulating the area of the openings, by

page_text: which the water passes, or of entirely opening or closing the same, all of which
operations are by these improvements rendered self-acting, and the means
employed very inexpensive. The following are the improved means, by which
it is proposed to effect the above operations. ;-
First, as regards discharging sewage and also water from lands into tidal
rivers, or streams, or, if necessary, flooding the same, and for filling pieces of
ornamental water with water, it is proposed to employ a vessel of the following
construction-The said. vessel is in the form of a hollow magnet of large
sectional area, according to the quantity of water required to be discharged or
admitted in a given time; the open ends or legs of said vessel are each
formed with a foot or hollow chamber one larger than the other, so that when
the said vessel is emptied of air and filled with water the same shall be
balanced therein, and thus the vessel cannot discharge its contents when not
in use.
Now suppose this vessel to be suspended across a wall built between
the tidal river and the land to be drained, and suppose also the largest foot of
the aforesaid vessel to be on the river side of such said wall, and the smaller
foot on the opposite side thereof, as the tide riscs the water coming into
contact with the under side of the large foot (which should be capable of
floating thereon) the effect will be to raise the same; but as the water recedes
at the ebbing of the tide, the aforesaid vessel will descend, and should there be
any water on the land at the other side of the wall such water will enter the
opening formed at the upper part of the smaller foot and force the water
through the magnet-shaped vessel and out of a similar opening in the larger
foot, the water continuing to flow until the pressure in each leg of the afore-
said vessel is restored or balanced. By reversing the position of the aforesaid
vessel, i. e. placing the smaller foot on the river side, the tide as it rises will pass
through said vessel and thus flood the land on the other side.
Secondly, as regards the improved means to be employed for discharging or
conveying water, &c., across canals, &c., they consist in constructing a curved
hollow channel, or span, extending from the part to be discharged, to the part
to be filled, so that by exhausting such said curved channel of air, the water
or other liquid will rise therein, and filling the same will flow through it until
the balance of pressure is equal at both extremities, as before stated.