IMPROVE- MENTS IN GREASE TRAPS
Year: 1885

page_text: We, ROBERT CRAWFORD FULTON, Plumber, of 104 Woodlands Road, Glasgow,
Lanarkshire, and JAMES FINDLAY, Partner of Bourtreehill Fire-clay Works,
Dreghorn, Ayrshire, do hereby declare the nature of our Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN GREASE TRAPS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to a new or improved construction of grease trap
for connecting to the drain or other pipes of kitchen and domestic or other cisterns
where greasy or sloppy waters are emptied out, and which will act better in
retaining all the greasy substances, while carrying off all water and other matters
swimming with this, and be more simple and easily cleaned than such traps have
been heretofore.
The nature and novelty of the construction of this trap consist as follows:-In
its best shape it would be elliptical in plan (although it might be made of a
diamond shape, or even of an elongated rectangular shape, in either case with all
internal angles well rounded) with a plain vertical wall, or sides, and a plain flat
bottom, all for cleanliness, but with a feather or partition, a few inches in height,
projecting up from and across the bottom for obstructing the current of the water
and matters in it, and made to flow along the bottom for the purpose hereinafter
explained. A vertical duct or pocket is formed at or with each end wall preferably
elliptical or rounded without sharp angles, and ending a few inches from the bottom
where they may be a little rounded, for the free inlet and outlet of the liquids to
and from the interior of the trap. The top ends of these ducts are quite open for
ease of cleaning them by the removal of lids fitted on them a little below the top
wall of trap, which is also fitted with a loose lid for convenience of inspection,
cleaning and removal of the grease collected and left floating in the body of water
always left in the trap as will also be explained. An inlet faucet branch is formed
through the end wall of trap, into the inlet end duct, and at such a distance below
its open top that the liquids are caused to descend the duct and escape at. the
lower end, spreading out along the increasing wide bottom of trap, losing all
their force of current against the cross feather on bottom before mentioned, and
which so quietes the motion of the liquids in centre of trap that the fatty liquid or
matters get time to float and remain on the top of the heavier watery liquids.
When the water and heavy matters swimming in and with them flow quietly to.
the other end of the trap, up through the outlet duct and finally out by a discharge

page_text: branch formed on this end of trap, at a level in this duct of a few inches below
that of the inlet branch at the other end and inlet duct, to prevent the latter branch
from choking. A small ventilating branch is formed near the top on one side of
the central body part of trap, and from which a pipe may be led to above the
roof of house to prevent foul smells and ensure a thorough ventilation of the trap.
These grease traps would preferably be made of clay or stone ware, glazed inside
for cleanliness (but they might be made of other material enamelled, coated or
lined with material which would be lasting and cleanly) and they would be made of
various sizes, as smaller for cottages, villas, or other single houses, or larger for
lands of houses. The discharge pipes from several sinks would be led into one pipe
jointed to the inlet branch of trap, while the pipe from discharge branch of trap
would be led direct to drain pipe leading to common sewer.

page_text: We ROBERT CRAWFORD FULTON Plumber of 104 Woodlands Road Glasgow
Lanarkshire and JAMES FINDLAY Partner of Bourtreehill Fire-clay Works;
Dregborn Ayrshire do hereby declare the nature of our Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement in writing, reference being had to the accom-
panying sheet of Drawings and to the reference letters and figures marked thereon
that is to say :-
Our Invention has reference to a new or improved construction of grease trap
for connecting to the drain or other pipes of kitchen and domestic or other
discharge cisterns where greasy or sloppy waters are emptied out and which will
act better in retaining all the greasy substances while carrying off all water and
other matters swimming with this, and be more simple and easily cleaned than
such traps have been heretofore..
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a longitudinal vertical section and Figure 2 is a
plan with the top cover removed of our improved grease trap and referring to
these figures the nature and novelty of the construction of our said grease trap
consist as follows:-In its best shape it would be elliptical in the plan of its outer
case A as seen in Figure 2. (although it might be made of a diamond shape) in
either case having all the internal angles well rounded off with plain vertical walls
or sides A and a plain flat bottom A' all for cleanliness, but with a feather or
partition B a few inches in height projecting up from and across the bottom A¹ for
obstructing the current of the water and matters in it and made to flow along the
bottom part A for the purpose hereinafter explained. A vertical duct or
pocket D D is formed at and with each end or wall A preferably elliptical or
rounded without sharp angles and ending at d a few inches from the bottom A¹
lower at the discharge branch D³ than at D', where they may be a little rounded
for the free inlet and outlet of the liquids to and from the interior space B' of the
trap. The top ends of these ducts D1 and D2 are quite open for ease of cleaning
then by the removal of lids D fitted on them a little below the top edge a of the
walls A of the trap, which is also fitted with a loose lid A³ for convenience of
inspection, cleaning and the removal of the grease collected and left floating in the
body of water always left in the body B¹ of the trap, as will also be explained.
An inlet faucet branch & is formed through the end wall A of trap into the inlet
end duct D¹ and at such a distance below its open top that the liquids are caused
to descend the duct and escape at the lower end d spreading out along the
increasing wide bottom A¹ of trap, losing all their force of current against the
cross feather B on the bottom A¹ before mentioned, and which so retards the
motion of the liquids in the centre B¹ of the trap that the fatty liquid or matters
get time to float up and remain on the top of the heavier watery liquids. While
the water and heavy matters swimming in and with it flow quietly to the other
end of the trap over the cross bar B up through the outlet duct D' and finally out
by the discharge branch d² formed on this outlet duct and end of the trap, at a
level in this duct D² of a few inches below that of the inlet branch d¹, at the other end

page_text: and inlet duct D¹, to give a free flow through the trap and prevent these branches d¹ d
from choking. A small ventilating branch C is formed near the top on one side of
the central body part B¹ of the trap, and from which a pipe may be led to above
the roof of house to prevent foul smells from escaping gases and ensure a thorough
ventilation of the trap.
These grease traps would preferably be made of clay or stone-ware glazed inside
for cleanliness (but they might be made of other material enamelled, coated, or
lined with material which would be lasting and cleanly) and they would be made
of various sizes, as smaller for cottages, villas, or other single houses, or larger for
lands of houses and other places where required. The discharge pipes from several
sinks would be led into one pipe jointed to the inlet branch d¹ of trap, while the
pipes from discharge branch d' of trap, would be connected direct to the drain pipe
leading to common sewer.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
The general construction and combination of the parts of a grease trap
substantially as herein described, and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated: 01 N 100K