IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE APPARATUS
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Whitelaw, of Dunfermline, in the County of
Fife, North Britain, Ironfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE APPARATUS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Whitelaw at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
23rd December 1858.
I, JOHN WHITELAW, of Dunfermline, in the County of Fife, North Britain,
Ironfounder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE APPARATUS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
This Invention relates to the so arranging and constructing sewerage and
drainage apparatus, that whilst the sewerage and drainage matters shall have
free discharge, all objectionable effluvia from the passing matters are removed
or prevented. In arranging receiving and discharging apparatus of this kind,
the trap or sewer and drain chamber is so contrived that the fluid matters
discharged from the road or street are caused to flow into the receiver through
a hinged grating into the body of the trap chamber; from this part the
matters flow off beneath a hanging diaphragm, thence passing off at the other
side, over the top of a second diaphragm or division, and thence down to the
main sewer or discharge duct. This diaphragm portion of the chamber is
covered by a perforated plate of metal, on which is disposed a layer of charcoal,
ime, gypsum, or other suitable and effective deodoriser, which layer again is
covered in by a top adjustable plate, level with the surface of the road or

page_text: street. The roof water from the houses or from other elevated surfaces is
conducted down into the chamber at the part between the two diaphragms, so
as to discharge the water in the same way as the street surface water.
Another branch also from the water pipe leads into the space containing the
deodorising matter; this branch serves to allow of the free escape of the
gases from the chamber after passing through the deodorising matter, so as to
pass right up the water conducting pipes to the top of the house; in this
way, so long as much rain water is discharged into the trap chamber, the
gases are carried directly off down the drains, but when the water pipes are
empty, the deodorised gases are passed off bigh up into the air without doing
any injury.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Whitelaw in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd June 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
то
WHITELAW, of Dunfermline, in the County of Fife, North Britain, Ironfounder,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Whitelaw, Her special license that I, the said John Whitelaw,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
John Whitelaw, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWERAGE AND DRAINAGE APPARATUS," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said John Whitelaw, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature. of the said Inven-
tion, 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 John Whitelaw, do. hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement,. reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:―
My said Invention relates to the so arranging and constructing sewerage
and drainage apparatus, that whilst the sewerage and drainage matters shall
have free discharge, all objectionable effluvia from the passing matters are
removed or prevented. In arranging receiving and discharging apparatus of
.this kind, the trap or sewer and drain chamber is so contrived that the fluid
matters discharged from the road or street are caused to flow into the receiver
through a hinged grating into the body of the trap chamber; from this part
the matters flow off beneath a hanging diaphragm, thence passing off at the
other side over the top of a second diaphragm or division, and thence down to
the main sewer or discharge duct. This diaphragm portion of the chamber is
covered by a perforated plate of metal, on which is disposed a layer of charcoal,
lime, gypsum, or other suitable and effective deodoriser, which layer again is
covered in by an adjustable top plate level with the surface of the road or
street. The roof water from the houses or from other elevated surfaces is
conducted down into the chamber at the part between the two diaphragms, so
as to discharge the water in the same way as the street surface water.
Another branch also from the water pipe leads into the space containing the
deodorising matter; this branch serves to allow of the free escape of the gases
from the chamber after passing through the deodorising matter, so as to pass
right up the water conducting pipes to the top of the house; in this way, so
long as much rain water is discharged into the trap chamber, the gases are
carried directly off down the drains; but when the water pipes are empty, the
deodorised gases are passed off high up into the air without doing any injury.
And in order that my said Invention may be properly understood, I shall
now proceed to describe the several Figures on the explanatory Sheet of
Drawings, which I have hereunto appended for the purpose of showing certain
modifications under which my improvements may be judiciously carried out in
practice, that is to say:-
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings is a vertical section of
one modification of my improved drain trap or sewerage apparatus complete;
Figure 2 is a corresponding section taken at right angles to Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an external. view or elevation of the apparatus looking upon it in
the same direction as in Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a plan of the whole
details.
1
As arranged in this modification of my improvements, the drainage trap
consists of a cast-iron. receiver or vessel A, through which the sewerage flows.;

page_text: this receiver is formed with a downwardly directed pipe or duct B, which forms
the outlet for the escape of the sewerage or surface drainage to the sewer,
with which the lower end of the pipe B is put in connection. The inner part
or wall of the duct B is extended upwards above the floor of the trap A, so as
to form a vertical partition or diaphragm C extending from side to side of the
trap A; this vertical partition serves to partially enclose and form a species of
chamber of that portion of the trap which extends beyond the diaphragm C.
'Between the diaphragm Cand the outer or end wall of the trap A is interposed
a pendent partition or diaphragm D, which extends downwards from the upper
part of the trap to a short distance below the edge or lip of the diaphargm C.
A grating E is fitted and hinged to the upper part of the trap A, this grating
being over the chamber or enclosed space formed by the end wall of the trap
and the pendent diaphragm D. The sewerage or gutter drainage flows through
the grating E, and falls into the chamber beneath, which it fills up to the
height of the diaphragm C, the surplus fluid passing over the edge of the
diaphragm, and away by the pipe or duct B to the sewer. The chamber of
the trap being filled in this manner, the lower part of the pendent diaphragm D
is below the surface of the fluid, thus cutting off and preventing the return
and escape of any noxious or offensive gases through the grating E. Pro-
vision is, however, made to avoid confining these offensive and often highly
explosive gases within the sewer, or allowing them to circulate therein. Prior
to carrying these gases away, they are deodorised by means of an arrangement
that is fitted within the trap A; flanges are cast on the inside of the trap A
above the duct B, and on the diaphragm D these flanges are level with each
other, and serve to support a shallow tray F; this tray is formed of iron, the
bottom being arched and perforated, as shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the
accompanying Drawings, and it may or may not be made with a central
vertical partition. A quantity of deodorising material is placed in the tray,
the coarser particles being placed on the perforated bottom; above this the
finer portion is deposited, and lastly the powdered material. Charcoal or
lime is preferred for the disinfecting agent, or a combination of the two
materials may be used for the purpose. That portion of the trap A above the
tray F, is enclosed by the top plate G which is fastened down by a bolt; when
this is unscrewed, the plate may be lifted by the rings at the corners so as to
afford access to the deodorising tray. By this means the deodorising materials
may from time to time be removed and replaced by a fresh charge. The gases
evolved from the sewerage liquid are prevented, by the arrangement of the
trap, from escaping through the grating E; as they ascend to the upper part of
the pipe B, they percolate the deodorising materials in the tray F, and are

page_text: thus deprived of their offensive odour. The space above the tray F being but
limited and enclosed by the plate G, it is necessary to provide other means of
carrying the gaseous matters, and this is done by allowing them to pass off by
the lateral pipe H. This pipe is made with a second branch pipe I, which
branches off from the horizontal pipe H, and enters the trap A a short distance
below the surface of the liquid, as shown in Figure 1 of the accompanying
Drawings. The duplex pipe H and.I is bolted to flanges cast on the exterior
of the trap A, and it is connected by the socket J to the vertical rain-water
pipe, which carries off the rain water from the roof of the adjoining house.
In this manner a convenient and most effectual escape is provided for the
emission of the deodorised gases, the discharge taking place at a considerable
elevation above the ground, whence they ascend into a still higher region. The
dissemination of the noxious gaseous matters arising from drainage and
sewerage waters into the lower stratum of air inhaled by human beings is thus
prevented, and a prolific source of disease is avoided, or at least rendered
harmless. The rain water from the roof flows down the branch pipe I into
the trap A, so as to leave the horizontal pipe open for the free escape of the
gases; but should the flow of rain water be at any time so great as to fill the
pipe, no inconvenience would arise, as the gases would merely be carried back
into the sewer where they would be retained until the escape apertures were
open for their emission. Instead of connecting the pipe I to the rain-water
pipes of houses in situations where this cannot be conveniently effected, the
outlet pipe may be carried up to the upper part of a lamp-post, or be affixed
to a dead wall, or be otherwise extended upwards, so as to carry the gaseous
matters away safely. In those situations where, no such convenience is
afforded for disposing of the deodorised gases, a series of apertures K are
made in the pendent diaphragm C, which admit of the gases passing through
them, and of escaping through the grating E. To obviate the inconvenience
that arises from the escape of gaseous matters, should the water contained in
the trap A evaporate, where such a contingency is likely to occur, there is
fitted to the pendent diaphragm C a self-acting valve L, which is binged
thereto, and closes the aperture between the pendent diaphragm and the upper
edge of the duct B. The valve thus resting upon the lip or edge of the duct
prevents the escape of any unpurified gaseous matters through the grating E,
and when any water flows into the trap, the upward pressure of the fluid lifts
the valve L, and the surplus flows over the edge of the duct B, and away to
the sewer.
The trap A is cast with apertures and flanges M on the opposite
side to that on which the pipe H and I is attached; the apertures are closed
by plates which are bolted thereto. This arrangement admits of the pipe I

page_text: being fitted to either side of the trap, as indicated by the dotted lines to the
left of Figure 2 in the accompanying Drawings, so that one form of casting is
applicable to either side of a street.
With these several improvements the deodorisation of noxious gaseous
matters and their dissemination in the air at elevated points is effectually pro-
yided for in a manner calculated to improve the sanitary conditions of towns
and places where these gases are evolved.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I may observe, in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself
to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to describe
or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without deviating
from the principles or main features of my Invention; but what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent, is,―
First, the general arrangement and construction of apparatus for disposing
of and deodorising sewerage and drainage matters, as herein-before described
and shown in the accompanying Drawings, or any mere modification of the
same.
Second, the system or mode of deodorising or treating sewerage or drainage
in or by means of the apparatus herein-before described and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
Third, the system or mode of disposing of the deodorised gaseous matters,
by carrying or conveying them into pipes which extend upwards some distance
into the air, in order to prevent these gaseous matters from mixing with and
thereby contaminating the lower stratum of air, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Whitelaw bave hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twentieth day of June, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-nine.
JOHN WHITELAW.
(L.S.)

page_text: No text detected.