AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF SEWAGE, WATER, AND OTHER FLUIDS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Otho Giles Abbott, of Harrogate, in the County
of York, Gentleman, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF SEWAGE, WATER, AND OTHER FLUIDS."
Sealed the 30th April 1869, and dated the 10th November 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Otho Giles Abbott
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 10th November 1868.
I, OTHO GILES ABBOTT, of Harrogate, in the County of York,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF SEWAGE, WATER, AND
OTHER FLUIDS," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists of certain apparatus by means of which
sewage, water, and other liquids can be equally distributed over a large
extent of ground with great rapidity and facility. The centre portion
of the apparatus consists of two lightly constructed wheels capable of
revolving upon a perforated tube which constitutes the axle. The ends
of the tube project from the wheels and are provided with flanges for

page_text: the purpose of connecting additional perforated tubes thereto, and by
means of which the range of the apparatus can be extended as desired,
such additional perforated tubes being supported at their extremities by
wheels. Each wheel revolves upon a short hollow axle, the same being
loose and flanged on each side of the nave. The axle of the central
portion of the apparatus is furnished with projecting bars from which
strengthening ropes of wire or other suitable material may be extended
to the extremities of the additional tubes for the purpose of keeping
them in position, such ropes being tightened by means of any suitable
contrivance. The sewage or other fluid is supplied to the central per-
forated axle by means of hose placed in connection therewith, and into
which the same is forced from the tank or source of supply. The hose
is composed of several lengths which can be respectively combined or
detached, and is supported when necessary by carriages consisting of
two wheels rotating on hollow axles, through which axles the hose may
pass; or the hose may be screwed into the respective ends of the axles,
the liquid passing through the same as through a pipe. The irrigating
apparatus is drawn in a series of circles over the surface of the ground
around the source of supply which is placed in the centre, such circles
necessarily decreasing in circumference, and the interior circle of the
outer belt being the exterior circle of the next, and so on, the hose being
shortened by detaching the requisite portions thereof as the, circles
In cases in which the hose has to extend over
approach the centre.
a considerable distance, a hose reel must of course be employed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Otho Giles Abbott in the Great. Seal Patent
Office on the 10th May 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, OTHO
GILES ABBOTT, of Harrogate, in the County of York, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in
the thirty-second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and

page_text: successors, give and grant unto me, the said Otho Giles Abbott, Her
special licence that I, the said Otho Giles Abbott, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others, as I, the said Otho Giles
Abbott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
5 agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF SEWAGE, WATER, AND
› OTHER FLUIDS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Otho Giles Abbott, my executors or administrators, by an instrument
in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, 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 Otho Giles Abbott, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thercon, that
is to say:
.
My said Invention consists in the construction and arrangement of
certain apparatus by means of which sewage, water, and other liquids
can be equally distributed over a large extent of ground with great
rapidity and facility. The centre portion of the apparatus consists of
two lightly constructed wheels capable of revolving upon a perforated
tube which constitutes the axle. The ends of the tube project from
the wheels and are provided with flanges for the purpose of connecting
additional perforated tubes thereto, and by means of which the range
of the apparatus can be extended as desired, such additional perforated
tubes being supported at their extremities by wheels, each of which
revolves upon a short hollow axle, the same being loose and flanged
on each side of the nave. The axle of the central portion of the
apparatus is furnished with projecting bars from which strengthening
ropes of wire or other suitable material may be extended to the
extremities of the additional tubes for the purpose of keeping them in

page_text: position, such ropes being tightened by means of any suitable contrivance.
The sewage or other fluid is supplied to the central perforated axle by
means of hose placed in connection therewith, and into which the same
is forced from the tank or source of supply. The hose is composed of
several lengths which can be respectively combined or detached, and
supported when necessary by carriages consisting of two wheels
rotating on hollow axles, through which axles the hose may pass; or
the hose may be screwed into the respective ends of the axles, the
liquid passing through the same as through pipes. The irrigating
apparatus is drawn in a series of circles over the surface of the ground
around the source of supply which is placed in the centre of the area
to be irrigated, such circles necessarily decreasing in circumference, and
the interior circle of the outer belt being the exterior circle of the next,
and so on, the hose being shortened by detaching the requisite portions
thereof as the circles approach the centre. In cases in which the hose
is desired to extend over a considerable distance, a hose reel must of
course be employed.
In order that my said Invention may be more clearly understood, I
will now refer to the annexed Drawings.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of the machine; D, D, are perforated tubes
connected with or joined to the short hollow axles of the wheels E; H, H,
are stays which prevent the wheels of the machine when in motion
from touching the tube G, which may be flexible or rigid. The vertical
tube Qis fixed firmly to the centre of the perforated axle D and
communicates with it; F is an elbow-shaped tube connected with the
vertical tube Q by means of an universal joint at x; the tube G is
connected with F by means of an ordinary screw collar S. c is a small
wheel which supports the framework A at its extremities; z, z, are
strong hooks riveted firmly to the end of the axle D and vertical tube
Q; W is a rope made of wire or other suitable strong material, and
connects the machine, shewn in Figure 1, with the carriage of the
feeding pipe G in Figure 3.
Figure 2 is a top view of the machine shewing the diamond-
shaped framework a, which is fixed firmly to the perforated tubular
axle D, part of which may be turned over on the other part by
means of hinges T; I, I, are strengthening ropes made of wire or
suitable strong material connecting the extremity of each perforated
tube D with the ends of the framework A; J, J, are ordinary

page_text: ball and lever screw couplings for the purpose of tightening the
ropes I; o, o, are small capstans which are also used to tighten the
ropes I; these ropes may also be tightened by other well known
means; B is a box affixed to the framework A for the purpose of
carrying nuts, screws, caps, and other necessary articles. The machine
is terminated at both ends by short perforated tubes q which are
connected with the short hollow axles of the end wheels E by means
of an ordinary screw, collar, thumbscrews, or other means. G is the
feeding pipe; Z are ordinary waggon shafts attached to the top of the
shaft of the wheel C, which is thus made to keep the direction taken
by the horse.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the carriage for the feeding pipes G ;
Lis the hollow axle; n is an ordinary balance lever to prevent the
axle L from rotating; E, E, are wheels slipped on to the ends of the
axle L and rotating upon it; is a strong hook fastened to the ends of
the axle L after the wheels have been slipped on. This Figure also
shews two portions of the feeding pipe G screwed to the ends of the
axle L by means of the screw collar S. The screw collar S is shewn
screwed on to the threaded ends of the axle L in Figure 10.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the machine shewing the small
capstans o and the swivel wheels c supporting the ends of the frame-
work; A, B, is the before-mentioned box, and Z the shafts. The end
wheel E and stays or supports H are likewise seen.
Figure is an enlarged Drawing of the wheel E as it appears in
Figure 1. k, k, are the flanges at the ends of the short hollow
axle a ; the wheel E revolves upon the axle a. The end of the
perforated tube D is in the axle a, which latter is made of a sufficient
diameter at its end to receive it. is the flange of the tube D; 1 is an
india-rubber washer which is slipped on to the end of the tube D
before it is joined to the axle a; m, m, are ordinary thumbscrews, one
on each side of the tube D, which pass through k, l, and k¹; h is a piece
of metal in which is a hole, and is riveted or otherwise secured to both
sides of the tube D close to the flange k¹. The stay H is held firmly in
a vertical position by means of h, in which it is inserted. The per-
forations are shewn by small dots on the side of the tube D nearer to the
top than to the bottom thereof.
Figure 6 is a transverse horizontal section of Figure 5 shewing m,
the thumbscrews; 1, the india-rubber washer; D, D, the perforated

page_text: tubes; k, k, the flanges of the hollow axle of the wheel; and k¹, k,
the flanges of the tube D. The lines drawn through the axle shew
how far the ends of the tubes D are inserted in a. This Figure also
shews a free communication of the fluid through the axle a of the
wheel E; it also shows the diameter of the tubular axle thus formed
to be the same throughout.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal vertical section of F and Q in Figure 1.
S is the screw collar which connects F and G; z is a strong hook
attached firmly to F; W is a strong rope made of wire or other suitable
material; and Q is the vertical tube communicating with the centre
perforated tube D of the machine (see Figures 1 and 2).
a broad flange
Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the front elevation of one of the
wheels E in Figure 3. L is the hollow axle with flange k attached.
The vertical line through the tube in Figure 9 shews where the ends
of L and G meet. The wheel E is first slipped on to the end of L;
is then slipped on with the hook z attached;
it is then screwed tightly at a sufficient distance from k to allow the
wheel E to rotate easily upon the axle L. S is a screw collar attached
to G and turned on to the end of L, thereby effecting a free com-
munication of the fluid in G through the axle L. The diameter of the
inside of L is the same as the diameter of the inside of G. W is a
strong rope made of wire or other suitable material connecting two
carriages of the feeding pipe together, W being shorter than G, the
strain is thereby taken off G.
Figure 9 is a transverse vertical section of Figure 8 shewing a free
passage of the fluid from the tube G through the hollow axle L.
Figure 10 is a section through the flange k and screw collar S.
Having thus referred to and described the several parts of the
machine and apparatus I will now proceed to state the reasons for which
these various parts are employed.
The object of my said Invention is,-
First. To construct a machine which shall not carry its own supply,
as in the ordinary liquid manure cart and common street watering cart,
and which being supplied by means of a tube, flexible or rigid, from a
given source shall distribute a large amount of liquid over a wide
surface as it is being drawn over the ground.
Secondly. The machine being necessarily of considerable length so to

page_text: construct it as to enable it to accommodate itself to an uneven surface,
over which it would at times have to be drawn, without injury to
its parts.
Thirdly. To make it so light as to be easily drawn by one or two
horses and make very little impression upon the soil over which it would
have to distribute the liquid.
Fourthly. So to construct part of the apparatus as to make it the
carriage of all the other parts.
Fifthly. To carry the feeding pipe laterally while the machine is in
motion without touching or dragging on the ground, and without strain
upon it.
And, sixthly. To bring the supply readily from a distant source to
that part of the land where the distribution of the fluid is required.
In order to effect the first object I connect a series of feeding tubes
with the extremities of the hollow axles of the wheels of the carriages,
as shewn in Figures 3, 8, and 9. The feeding tube thus formed com-
municates with the end of the perforated tubular axle D or with the
centre as shewn in Figures 1 and 2, at F, x, and Q. The other end of
the feeding pipe is connected with a hydrant f by means of the screw
collar S and universal joint, as shewn in Figure 3. The perforations
along the whole length of the tubular axle D permit the fluid to
escape and fall like rain upon the ground as the machine is drawn
along.
To effect the second object I connect the perforated tubes D with the
axles a of the wheels in the manner described and shewn in Figures 1,
2, 5, and 6, but I do not confine myself to this mode of connecting the
axle a and the tube D together. The ball and socket joint and the screw
collar, and other well-known means would enable me to effect the same
object, but I am of opinion that the method shewn and described in
Figures 5 and 6 would answer better than any other.
The strengthening ropes I connecting the ends of the perforated
tubes D with the frame A not only keep the whole of the tubular axle
in a straight line, but bring the various parts of the machine close
together, thus obviating the necessity for the thumbscrew. m, but I do
not limit myself to the mode of strengthening the ropes I as shewn in
Figure 2. I may here observe that the wheels of the machine being of
large diameter and strongly but lightly made, with broad tyres, and the;

page_text: perforated axle being only a few inches in diameter the whole machine
in being drawn over the surface of the ground will scarcely make an
impression thereon.
The fourth object to which I have alluded is effected as follows:-
Figure 2 shews a framework A fitted on to a perforated axle D which
is capable of bearing all the other parts of the machine when taken to
pieces. The axle upon which the frame A is fixed with wheels attached
is not too long to prevent a horse drawing it through an ordinary
gateway.
Figures 3, 7, and 8 show how the fifth object is attained. If there
is no underground piping laid to convey the fluid or bring it from
a certain source, then the common hose reel may be employed with
a long coil of flexible tube upon it.
The evidence is sufficiently clear that the mere water irrigation of
land on the principle of subterranean pipeage at a considerable cost is
remunerative, but still. the expence is so great as to deter many agri-
culturists from adopting any such system. By means of my present
Invention, however, water or other fluids may be distributed over a
large extent of land without the necessity of underground pipeage,
and therefore obviating the necessity of a great outlay in its adoption.
In order to shew this clearly I will suppose a tank or reservoir or a
stream or river at a given place. It is evident that, with the aid
of a common hose reel carrying a certain length of flexible tube, an
extent of land may be commanded having the tank or reservoir or any
point of the stream or river in its centre and the length of tube
as its radius. By means of the reel the whole or any portion of the
flexible tube upon it can be readily laid upon the surface in any
direction from the source. The end of this tube can then be inserted
in a hydrant or vertical tube fixed temporarily but firmly in the ground,
see fin Figure 3 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings; the end of one
portion of feeding pipe G is then attached to the hydrant by means
of an universal joint. The communication is then made between the
hydrant and the machine, as in Figure 1, by means of a series of
flexible or rigid tubes and carriages joined together in the manner
herein-before described and shewn in Figures 1 and 3. Strong ropes
made of wire or other suitable material connect the hollow axles of
the carriages of the feeding pipe with fand the machine, as in Figure 1,
and as each length of rope connecting two parts together is slightly

page_text: shorter than the length of the feeding pipe G connecting the same
parts, the whole strain exercised by the moving power is taken off the
feeding tubes G. If G is flexible, then it hangs suspended between the
carriages as in Figure 3. It is intended that one or more horses shall
draw the machine shewn in Figure 1 in perfect circles round fas a
centre, keeping the ropes W quite tight. When the liquid has been
distributed by the machine over the outer circular belt, the feeding
pipe G can be shortened by taking off one length of the feeding tube
and one carriage nearest the machine. The end of the pipe G connected
to the machine is then joined to the shortened feeding pipe, and a second
circular belt is gone over having for its outer circle the inner circle of
the preceding belt, and so on to the centre f. As the centre f can be
readily changed it will easily be seen how a piece of land of any shape
can be travelled over by the machine. I should remark, however, that
in distributing fluids over the si face of the ground by means of the
apparatus herein described, I do not confine myself strictly to the
circular principle. If the source from which the fluid is derived is not
sufficiently elevated above the land, then a force pump must be used
at the source to force the liquid into the machine.
i
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and the manner in which it is to be performed, I would
observe in conclusion that what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as constituting the Invention secured to me by the
said herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the combination
and arrangement of parts and mechanism as and for the purposes
herein-before described and set forth, or any mere modifications
thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Otho Giles Abbott, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine.
OTHO GILES ABBOTT. (L.S.)