IMPROVEMENTS IN A communication to me TRAPS TO SEWERS, DRAIN OR WASTE PIPES
Year: 1884

page_text: I ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 47 Museum Street, Oxford Street in the
Parish of Bloomsbury and county of Middlesex Civil Engineer and Patent Agent
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
A communication to me from abroad
TRAPS TO SEWERS, DRAIN OR WASTE PIPES
by Charles Hinksman and John T. Titus of the City and County of San Francisco
in the State of California in the United States of America to be as follows:-
"
The object of this invention is to effectually prevent gaseous and offensive
odours emitted from drains or sewers from penetrating dwellings, and also for
preventing the passage of water from the main sewer into cellars in case of its
This is effected
becoming choked or in the event of a rise of tide into this sewer.
as follows:
To the end or midway of a house drain or sewer communication, is connected a
bent or curved joint, the deflection of which is below the rectilinear course or level
of the house and main pipes; the object of such curvature being, that it shall
always retain a quantity of trapping water for the interception of gaseous
emissions from the sewer.
Immediately above this bent pipe and openly communicating with it is a vertical
and cylindrical chamber reaching to the surface of the ground and covered by a
hermetically fitting cap which can be removed to give access to the interior for
repairs or inspection.
The sides of this chamber are provided with grooves, in which (by means of a
semicircular flat metal guide attached to it) a ball float rises and falls with the flow
of the water from the house to the main sewer.
This float consists of an ordinary ball fixed to which by solder or otherwise is
the guide alluded to, and it is weighted internally with shot or mercury the better
to insure its action.
To the lower end of the ball float a metal stem is fixed, and connected to this
latter is a valve or plug consisting of a metal plate or disk bearing a semi-
spherical metal piece containing a small quantity of mercury for aiding its
movements.

page_text: This valve or plug fits into a seat made in the bent pipe at an angle below the
vertical chamber, and at the side of this pipe next the outlet from the house.
The action of the valve which is automatic is as follows: On water flowing from
the house into the bent pipe the valve is forced from its seat and rises by its guides
into the vertical chamber leaving free passage to the current, and the flow ceasing
the weighted float descends and with it the plug or valve which drops into its seat
fitting perfectly hermetically; it is evident therefore that any pressure arising from
gas or water, from choking of the main sewer, or from rising of the tide in the
sewer, would merely tend to press the valve closer in its seat, thus effectually
preventing the passage of any malarious exhalations from the sewer into the
house.

page_text: I ARTHUR CHARLES HENDERSON of 47, Museum Street Oxford Street in the
Parish of Bloomsbury and county of Middlesex Civil Engineer and Patent Agent
do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
TRAPS TO SEWERS, DRAINS OR WASTE PIPES.". A communication to me from abroad
by Charles Hinksman and John T. Titus of the city and county of San Francisco
in the State of California in the United States of America, and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to effectually prevent gaseous and offensive odours
emitted from drains or sewers from penetrating dwellings, and also for preventing
the passage of water from the main sewer into cellars in case of its choking, or in
the event of a rise of tide into the sewer, also for flushing and cleansing the drain.
when required.
The following description aided by the accompanying drawings will clearly
illustrate the nature and objects of the invention Fig 1 is a horizontal section of
a trap embodying my improvements Fig 2 being a plan of the same and Fig 3.
showing the valve in detail.
To the end or midway of house drain or sewer communication is connected a
bent or curved joint a the deflection of which is below the rectilinear course or
level of the house and main pipes; the object of such curvature being that it shall
always retain a quantity trapping water for the interception of gaseous emissions
from the sewer.
Immediately above this bent pipe and openly communicating with it is a vertical
and cylindrical chamber b reaching to the surface of the ground and covered by an
hermetically fitting cap b¹ which can be removed to give access to the interior for
repairs or inspection.
The sides of this chamber are provided with grooves c in which (by means of a
semicircular flat metal guide e attached to it) a ball float f rises and falls with the
flow of the water from the house to the main sewer the direction of which is
indicated by the arrow.
This float consists of an ordinary ball fixed to which by solder or otherwise is
the guide e alluded to and it is weighted internally with shot or mercury the better
to insure its action.
To the lower end of this ball float f a metal stem 'is fixed and connected to
this latter is a valve or plug h. consisting of a metal plate or disk bearing a semi-
spherical metal piece in which is contained a small quantity of mercury also-
intended to aid its movements.
This valve or plug lined with india rubber fits into a seat made in the bent pipe.
at an angle below the vertical chamber, and at the side of this pipe next the outlet
from the house.
The action of the valve which is automatic is as follows
On water flowing from the house into the bent pipe at i the valve h. is forced
from its seat and rises by its guides c into the vertical chamber b leaving a free.
passage to the current from the house and on the flow ceasing the weighted float f
descends and with it the plug or valve h which drops into its seat fitting perfectly
hermetically, and it is evident that any pressure arising from gas, water, or other
causes, from choking of the main sewer, or a rise of tide in the sewer, would.
merely tend to press the valve closer in its seat, thus effectually preventing the.
passage of any malarious exhalations from the sewer into the house..

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1st The bent or curved pipe a with vertical chamber b whose deflection is below
the rectilinear course or level of the house and main pipes the object of such
formation being to always 'retain a quantity of trapping water in this pipe for
intercepting any gaseous emissions from the sewers..
2nd The combined ball float f and valve h and semicircular guide e the whole
rising and falling in the grooves c in the vertical chamber 6 in the manner and for
the purposes precisely as herein set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of December 1884.