AN IMPROVED PNEUMATIC SYSTEM OF REMOVING NIGHT SOIL AND OTHER MATTERS FROM CESSPOOLS AND OTHER PLACES, AND APPARATUS USED THEREIN
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PNEUMATIC SYSTEM OF REMOVING NIGHT SOIL AND OTHER MATTERS FROM
CESSPOOLS AND OTHER PLACES, AND APPARATUS USED THEREIN.” A com-
munication from abroad by La Compagnie Générale de Salubrité, of Paris,
France, represented by Jean Baptiste Berlier, Manager.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville Clark at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 2nd November 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent.
"AN IMPROVED PNEUMATIC SYSTEM OF REMOVING NIGHT SOIL
AND OTHER MATTERS FROM CESSPOOLS AND OTHER PLACES, AND APPARATUS
USED THEREIN." [A communication from abroad by La Compagnie Générale de
Salubrité, of Paris, France, represented by Jean Baptiste Berlier, Manager.]
This Invention relates to a combination of means and arrangements of apparatus
constituting a complete pneumatic system of removing night soil and other matters
from cesspools and other places, whereby the deposit, bandling, and carting of
night soil are avoided, and the escape of noxious gas and vapors entirely
prevented.
The chief feature of the Invention consists in the employment of an extensive
system of pneumatic tubing for conveying the night soil from the cesspool or place
where it is deposited to the works to be converted into chemical products and
manure.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood I have illustrated
examples of the various apparatus in the accompanying Drawings. Figures 1
and 2 represent respectively in longitudinal and transverse section the sewer or
D

page_text: subway in which the pneumatic tube is laid, and also illustrating the discharge of
the night soil into the said tube through the portable strainer hereafter
described.
The pneumatic tube G is formed of strong pipes united by spigot and socket joints
or otherwise, and either placed in a sewer or subway, as shown, or laid in the
ground. The tube G is provided at intervals with a branch pipe F fitted with a
cock, upon which may be placed a gauge to indicate the vacuum at different points
of the tube, so that any obstruction may be readily localised.
A is a pipe supplying water under pressure for flushing the pneumatic tube, a
valve a at other times intercepting the communication between the two A
and G. A special discharge pipe is provided for carrying off the flushing water, as
will be hereafter explained. The night soil is led into pipe G through the pipe B,
which communicates with the portable strainer D through the valve box C (repre-
sented in vertical section in Figure 1, and also on a larger scale in Figure 3), which
is let into the pavement, as shown, and is constructed of a cast iron casing a, with
a strong cast iron cover b level with the ground, having a roughened surface, and
secured by a lock, the keyhole of which is closed by a screw plug. The valve box
encloses a screw down valve c, d, the valve d being of indiarubber, by which the
thoroughfare through the pipe B is regulated, and also a mouthpiece f placed just
below the ground level, and closed by a locked cast iron cover. The casing a also
contains a two-way cock g on a small pipe k branching from the upper part e of
pipe B for the attachment of a gauge. The cart or tank containing the night soil
is connected by a hose E attached at i to the portable strainer D, and the strainer D
(which is separately represented on a larger scale in Figures 4, 5, and 6), is con-
nected by a pipe attached to it at j.to the valve-box.-The-strainer-D-is-made of a
wrought iron casing closed by an air tight cover k, and contains concentric gratings l
for intercepting foreign matters.
Figures 10 and 11 represent an elevation and plan of the arrangement of
machinery and apparatus for discharging the soil at the works. In these two
Figures H is the discharge pipe for the water used for flushing the pneumatic tube,
the communication being closed by a valve b when the night soil is being
exhausted.
I is the tank in which the soil is received; c, c¹, c², are valves for controlling the
different stages of the operation; J, rotary or force pump communicating with
tank I, and also by pipe N with the general depot of night soil; K, air pump;
L, steam engine for driving the shafting d which works pumps; M, exhaust pipe
connecting air pump K with tank I; O, tank containing a little water, through
which the gases are discharged from the air pump, passing thence by pipe P to the
boiler furnace, where they are consumed; e, overflow pipe of tank O.
An engine of 5 horse power would be sufficient for a pneumatic tube 3 kilometers
long and 18 centimeters in diameter. With such a tube a vacuum of 21 inches of
mercury can be obtained by means of air pump K in 35 minutes. At starting the
air inlet cock f should be closed, and the cock G opened, the valves c, c², closed, and
c' opened, the operation being then performed in the following manner:-A gauge
attached in the valve box C shows the night man when he should commence
operations. The valve in the valve box and that of the tank are then opened,
and the soil is exhausted through the strainer D into the tube G, by it is
conveyed into tank I.
k
The engineer at the works watches the level of the soil in the tank I, which is
indicated by a gauge glass, and when sufficiently full the working of the air pump
is stopped. The cock f is then closed, and valve c² opened, and the rotary pump J
started to pump the soil from tank I to the general depot, the vacuum being all the
while maintained in tank I. By this mode of operating the work is performed
uninterruptedly, the night soil continuously flowing into tank I, and being simul-
taneously pumped thence to the general depot. The exhausting action is so
regulated as to maintain the same pressure in the tube; the air pump however

page_text: should be left in communication with the tank to remove any air that may leak
in. The discharge of the tanks or carts into the pneumatic tube may be
performed in the street without nuisance, as no smell escapes, the gases being
rapidly exhausted to the works. The discharge of the soil from the tank I is
facilitated by the agitation or state of apparent ebullition due to the extrication of
the air in the mass by the pump, and the evaporation produced by the diminution
of pressure, whereby the solid inatters are maintained in suspension in the liquid.
This ebullition has an important influence upon the success of the operation, as it
prevents all deposit of the solid matters.
Instead of conveying the tanks filled with night soil to a certain point to be
discharged by the pneumatic tube, as above described, the said tube may be laid in
the ground or in the sewers in proximity to the houses, and connected by pipes
with the tanks and strainers of this Invention, which are placed in the house vaults
or beneath public urinals.
I employ novel arrangements for collecting the urine, from which various
products may be obtained.
Figure 7 represents a sectional elevation of the improved cesspool for the
reception of fecal matters, which is placed below the ground level, or partly above
and partly below, as shown. The house soil pipe A opens into an upper chamber B
containing an iron lattice work cage or strainer C, and fitted with an air tight
door, through which the cage may be withdrawn. The cage gives passage to the
liquid and semi-solid matters, and retains only foreign matters. It is also furnished
with pins for the purpose of arresting the wet paper, and thus ensure its more
rapid decomposition. The soil escaping from cage C falls into a wrought iron
casing or cesspool D provided with an airtight manhole E, and connected with the
pneumatic tube H in the sewer by means of a pipe F. G is a valve controlling
the communication between cesspool D and pipe H, whereby the cesspool may be
emptied as often as desired. The cesspool D may be replaced by an arrangement
for effecting the automatic discharge of the soil, shown in longitudinal vertical
section in Figure 8. It consists of a tank a fixed upon a support b, and sur-
mounted as before by a cage C. The bottom of tank a is conical, and to it is
attached a syphon tube e communicating with the pneumatic tube f, and controlled
by a valve G. The mouth of tube e in the bottom of the chamber a is closed
by a valve h, whose stem has a crosshead sliding upon guide rods j, and provided
at its two ends outside the guide rods with floats of ovoid shape. is a hemi-
spherical shield or spreader beneath the cage C, supported upon hooks m, so that
the soil falling from the cage is thrown against the sides of the chamber, and
prevented from clogging the crosshead of valve h. When the level of the mass has
risen nearly as high as the largest part of floats k, as shown, they rise and lift the
valve h, thus allowing the matters to flow out through syphon e (valve g being
already open) by the exhausting action of the pneumatic tube. The floats / are
made of ovoid form, in order to obtain as large a space as possible between the
mouth of pipe e and the valve h when raised to allow of the free passage of the
semi-fluid mass. The sectional area of the floats is so calculated as by their
displacement of the fluid mass, when its level has reached a certain height, to be
able to overcome the atmospheric pressure upon the valve h due to the vacuum in
pipe e. As this pressure diminishes immediately the valve rises, the floats & will
rise up to a point where their displacement will be sufficient to balance the system,
such rise necessarily lifting valve h to a corresponding extent.
Figure 9 represents a similar arrangement to be employed for public urinals, the
cage C and shield not being required however. The tank of the urinal A receives
the urine through two pipes (if the urinal be double, and is connected with the
pneumatic tube by a syphon pipe as before so as to form a hydraulic seal. The
valve g serves to cut off the communication in case of repairs or when removing
the tank.
Figures 12 and 13 represent an arrangement which may be employed when it is

page_text: required to syphon the pneumatic tube. Figure 12 is a vertical longitudinal section
of the main sewer opposite a branch sewer. Figure 13 is a section at right angles
thereto through the branch. A is the main sewer, and B the branch opening into
it; C, main pneumatic tube, and D branch pneumatic tube connecting with it;
E, pipe for collecting the gases communicating with the main pneumatic tube by
pipes F, said pipe E also serving to balance the pressure of the gases in case of
obstruction of the bend of the syphon. Supposing the matters to arrive suddenly
from the direction of O, and that there is an accumulation of gases at point a, a
momentary stoppage would be caused, but by the arrangement shown the gases
escape at e through pipe F and reservoir E, and continue their progress towards O¹,
whilst the matters contained in the bend b of the syphon also resume their progress
towards O¹,

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd May 1882.
"
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent. AN IMPROVED PNEUMATIC SYSTEM OF REMOVING NIGHT SOIL
AND OTHER MATTERS FROM CESSPOOLS AND OTHER PLACES, AND APPARATUS
USED THEREIN," A communication from abroad by La Compagnie Générale de
Salubrité, of Paris, France, represented by Jean Baptiste Berlier, Manager.
This Invention relates to a combination of means and arrangements of apparatus
constituting a complete pneumatic system of removing night soil and other matters
from cesspools and other places whereby the deposit, handling, and carting of the
night soil are avoided and the escape of noxious gases and vapors entirely.
prevented.
L
The apparatus consists mainly in the employment of an extensive system of
pneum tubing for conveying the night soil from the cesspool or place where it
is deposi to the works to be converted into chemical products and manure.
In order the Invention may be more readily understood, I have illustrated
examples of theious apparatus in the accompanying Drawings.. Figures 1 and 2
represent respectivy in longitudinal and transverse section the sewer or subway
in which the pneumatic tube is laid, and also illustrate the discharge of the night
soil into said tube through the portable strainer, hereafter described.
The pneumatic tube G is formed of strong pipes united by spigot and socket
joints or otherwise, and either placed in a sewer or subway as shown, or laid in
the ground. The tube G is provided at intervals with a branch pipe F fitted with
a cock upon which may be placed a gauge to indicate the vacuum at different
points of the tube, so that any obstruction may be readily localised; A is a pipe
supplying water under pressure for flushing the pneumatic tube G, a valve a at
other times intercepting the communication between the two pipes A and G. A
special discharge pipe is provided for carrying off the flushing water, as will be
hereafter explained. The night soil is led into pipe G through the pipe B which
communicates with the portable strainer D through the valve box C (represented
in vertical section in Figure 1, and also on a larger scale in Figure 3) which is let
into the pavement as shown, and is constructed of a cast iron casing a with a
strong cast iron cover b level with the ground, having a roughened surface and
secured by a lock, the keyhole of which is closed by a screw plug. The valve box
encloses a screw down valve c, d, (the valve d being of indiarubber) by which the
thoroughfare through the pipe B is regulated, and also a mouthpiece placed just
below the ground level and closed by a locked cast iron cover. The casing a also
contains a two way cock 7 on a small pipe h, branching from the upper part e of
pipe B, for the attachment of a gauge. The cart or tank containing the night
soil is connected by a hose E attached at i to the portable strainer D, and the
strainer D (which is separately represented on a larger scale in Figures 4, 5, and 6)
is connected by a pipe attached to it at j, to the valve box. The strainer D is
made of a wrought iron casing closed by an air tight cover k, and contains
concentric gratings for intercepting foreign matters.
Figures 10 and 11 represent an elevation and plan of the arrangement of
machinery and apparatus for discharging the soil at the works. In these two
Figures H is the discharge pipe for the water used for flushing the pneumatic tube,
the communication being closed by a valve b when the night soil is being
exhausted; I is the tank in which the soil is received; c, c', c², are valves for

page_text: controlling the different stages of the operation; J, rotary or force pump
communicating with tank I, and also by pipe N with the general depot of night
soil; K, air pump; L, steam engine for driving the shafting d which works the
pumps; M, exhaust pipe connecting air pump K with tank I; O, tank containing
a little water through which the gases are discharged from the air pump passing
thence by pipe P to the boiler furnace where they are consumed; e, overflow
pipe of tank O.
The
An engine of 5 horse power would be sufficient for a pneumatic tube 3 kilometres
(3280 yards) long, and 18 centimetres (7 inches) in diameter. With such a tube
a vacuum of 21 inches of mercury can be obtained by means of air pump K in
35 minutes. At starting the air inlet cock f should be closed and the cock
opened, the valves c, c², closed and c¹ opened, the operation being then performed
in the following manner:-A gauge attached in the valve box C shows the night
man when he should commence operations, which he does by opening the valve in
the valve box and that of the portable tank or cart, and the soil is exhausted
through the strainer D into the tube G, by which it is conveyed into tank I.
engineer at the works watches the level of the soil in the tank I which is indicated
by a gauge glass, and when sufficiently full the working of the air pump K is
stopped. The cock f is then closed and valve c² opened, and the rotary pump J
started to pump the soil from tank I to the general depot, the vacuum being all the
while maintained in tank I. By this mode of operating the work is performed
uninterruptedly, the night soil continuously flowing into tank I, and being
simultaneously pumped thence to the general depot. The exhausting action is so
regulated as to inaintain the same pressure in the tube, the air pump however
should be left in communication with the tank to remove-any-air-that-may-leak=
in. The discharge of the portable tanks or carts into the pneumatic tube may be
performed in the street without nuisance, as no sinell escapes, the gases being rapidly
exhausted to the works. The discharge of the soil from the tank I is facilitated
by the agitation or state of apparent cbullition due to the extrication of the air in
the mass by the pump, and the evaporation produced by the diminution of pressure
whereby the solid matters are maintained in suspension in the liquid. This
ebullition has an important influence upon the success of the operation, as it
prevents all deposit of the solid matters.
Instead of conveying the portable tanks filled with night soil to a certain point
to be discharged by the pneumatic tube as above described, the said tube may be
laid in the ground or in the sewers in proximity to the houses and connected by
pipes with the tanks and strainers of this Invention, which are placed in the house
vaults of beneath public urinals. Novel arrangements are employed for collecting
the urine from which various products may be obtained.
Figure 7 represents a sectional elevation of the improved cesspool for the
reception of foecal matters, which is placed below the ground level, or partly above
and partly below, as shown. The house soil pipe A opens into an upper chamber B
containing an iron lattice work cage or strainer C, and fitted with an air tight door
through which the cage may be withdrawn. The cage gives passage to the liquid
and semi-solid matters and retains only foreign matters. It is also furnished with
pins for the purpose of arresting the wet paper, and thus ensure its more rapid
decomposition. The soil escaping from cage C falls into a wrought iron casing or
cesspool D provided with an air tight manhole E, and connected with the pneumatic
tube H in the sewer by means of a pipe F. G is a valve controlling the communi-
cation between cesspool D and pipe H, whereby the cesspool may be emptied as
often as desired. The cesspool D may be replaced by an arrangement for effecting
the automatic discharge of the soil, shown in longitudinal vertical section in
Figure 8. It consists of a metal tank a fixed upon a support b and surmounted as
before by a cage C. The bottom of tank a is conical, and to it is attached a syphon
tube e communicating with the pneumatic tube f and controlled by a valve g. The
mouth of tube e in the bottom of the chamber a is closed by a valve h, whose stem
has a crosshead & sliding upon guide rods j, and provided at its two ends outside

page_text: the guide rods with floats of ovoid shape. is a hemispherical shield or spreader
beneath the cage C supported upon hooks m, so that the soil falling from the cage
is thrown against the sides of the chamber, and prevented from clogging the cross-
head of valve h. When the level of the inass has risen nearly as high as the
largest part of floats k, as shown, they rise and lift the valve h, thus allowing the
matters to flow out through syphon e (valve g being already open) by the exhausting
action of the pneumatic tube. The floats are made of ovoid form in order to
obtain as large a space as possible between the mouth of pipe e and the valve h
when raised to allow of the free passage of the semi-fluid mass. The sectional
area of the floats is so calculated as by their displacement of the fluid mass when
its level has reached a certain height to be able to overcome the atmospheric
pressure upon the valve h due to the vacuum in pipe c. As this pressure diminishes
immediately the valve rises, the floats will rise up to a point where their dis-
placement will be sufficient to balance the system, such rise necessarily lifting
valve h to a corresponding extent.
Figure 9 represents a similar arrangement to be employed for public urinals, the
cage C and shield not being required however. The tank of the urinal A receives
the urine through two pipes (if the urinal be double), and is connected with the
pneumatic tube by a syphon pipe, as before, so as to form a hydraulic seal. The
valve g serves to cut off the communication in case of repairs or when removing the
tank.
Figures 12 and 13 represent an arrangement which may be employed when it is
required to syphon the pneumatic tube; Figure 12 is a vertical longitudinal section
of the main sewer opposite a branch sewer; Figure 13 is a section at right angles
thereto through the branch. A is the main sewer, and B the branch opening into
it; C, main pneumatic tube, and D branch pneumatic tube connecting with it;
E, pipe or chamber for collecting the gases, communicating with the main pneumatic
tube by pipes F, said pipe E also serving to balance the pressure of the gases in
case of obstruction of the bend of the syphon. Supposing the matters to arrive
suddenly from the direction of O, and that there is an accumulation of gases at
point u, a momentary stoppage would be caused, but by the arrangement shown the
gases escape at e through pipe F and chamber E, and continue their progress
towards O, whilst the matters contained in the bend b of the syphon also resume
their progress towards O'.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,―
1st. The general system of pneumatic tubes and adjuncts, as and for the purpose
specified.
2nd. The construction and arrangement of strainer for retaining foreign substances
and preventing the same entering the pneumatic tube.
3rd. The construction and arrangement of apparatus for discharging the night
soil into the pneumatic tube, as described and shown in Figure 3.
4th. The general employment of a vacuum for the transport to long distances of
foecal or other matters of a muddy or liquid nature by means of apparatus and
accessories operating substantially in the manner described.
5th. The employment in lieu of the ordinary cesspools of an arrangement of fixed
metallic chambers provided with discharge valves, whereby the discharge of the
matters into the sewers is avoided, the chamber being in direct communication with
the pneumatic tube, substantially as described.
6th. The system of strainer herein described, which may either be placed in the
existing cesspools or in vaults for the purpose, and placed in direct communication
with the pneumatic tube, as described with reference to Figure 8, the communication
being rendered automatic by means of the arrangement of float valve, constructed
and operating as shown and described.
7th. The employinent in public urinals of a tank placed in automatic communi-
cation with the pneumatic tube by means of the arrangement of valve operated by

page_text: means of floats of oval form immersed in the liquid, substantially as described with
reference to Figure 9.
8th. The employment of a tube or chamber for the passage of gases where the
pneumatic tube is syphoned in case of any obstruction in the bend of the syphon,
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Second day of May, A.D. 1882.