AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING OR DEODORIZING WATER CLOSETS, SEWERS AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES OR PLACES com
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Harris Lake of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London for an Invention of "AN
"
IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR DISINFECTING OR DEODORIZING
WATER CLOSETS, SEWERS AND OTHER LIKE ARTICLES OR PLACES com-
municated to him from abroad by Charles F. Pike of Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania, Engineer and Edward Z. Collings of Camden New Jersey both
in the United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Harris Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th April 1883.
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND APPARATUS
"
FOR DISINFECTING OR DEODORIZING WATER CLOSETS, SEWERS, AND OTHER LIKE
ARTICLES OR PLACES [a communication to him from abroad by Charles F. Pike
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Engineer and Edward Z. Collings of Camden New.
Jersey both in the United States of America]
This invention has for its object to disinfect and deodorize water closets, soil
pipes, sewers and other like fixtures by introducing thereinto the fumes or gases
of sulphur or other disinfectant.
The said invention accordingly consists partly in the method of disinfecting
sealed water closets and other fixtures by fumigation as will hereinafter be
described, whereby the natural air is expelled from, and the fumigating gases
are admitted to, said fixtures simultaneously. The deodorizong and disinfecting
material may be the fumes of sulphur, coal-tar containing carbolic acid, chlorine,
or other suitable gas which will disinfect and deodorize the inner walls of the
fixture and destroy all fungus growth or disease germs adhering thereto.
The said invention further consists in the novel combination, construction and
arrangement of parts comprising an apparatus, as hereinafter more particularly
described.

page_text: In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a furnace, preferably
portable, of any suitable or desired construction. It has a chamber and a gas or
oil flame or other source of heat. From the chamber leads a pipe passing through
a cap or cover which is placed upon the closet bowl to seal or close the opening
thereof. Said pipe passes down through the trap and enters the soil pipe and it is
more or less flexible so that it may accommodate itself to the outline of the fixture
into which it is inserted. It is provided with a stop-cock. A pipe is secured to
the cap and if desired may have a cock.
The pipe being inserted in the closet or fixture the cap is placed in position
upon the bowl to cover or seal its seat or opening so as to prevent escape of gas
therefrom. The cocks are closed and sulphur or other suitable ingredients are
introduced into the chamber. Heat is then applied to the latter to cause the
sulphur or other ingredients to evolve fumes or gases which accumulate in the
chamber. The cocks are now opened, whereupon said fumes pass through the
aforesaid pipe to the soil pipe. As they emerge from the end of the former they
ascend through the latter and the trap and enter the closet causing the air therein
to pass out through a pipe and thereby facilitating the ascent of the fumes to the
top of the closet bowl. As soon as the funies are given off by this pipe its cock is
closed whereupon the incoming fumes from the other pipe gradually fill the soil
pipe trap and ramifications of pipes leading to the wash stands, bath tubs, or like
articles. Said fixtures being thus filled with the gaseous disinfectant their entire
inner surfaces are thereby thoroughly disinfected and deodorized, and all fungus
growth therein is effectually destroyed.
If desired one pipe may connect with an air pump in order to more rapidly
effect a withdrawal of the air in the closet and its appurtenances.
So too, if desired an injector may be used' for forcing 'a'supply of disinfectant
into the chamber in addition' to that evolved as above described.
The fumes may be passed into the soil pipe through the trap, in which case the
pipe will connect therewith and the furnace be located accordingly.
If desired a gasometer may be placed between the furnace and the fixture to be
disinfected for obtaining the requisite pressure for the fumes, or an injector may
be used for that purpose.
I have described my invention as being applicable to water closets and their
fixtures but it is evident that sewers or other conduits for conveying fecal matter
or sewage, may be disinfected as above set forth.
But in all cases the cap or cover will be used to seal the inlet or inlets of the
fixtures disinfected, so as to confine the fumes or gases and afford them ample
opportunity to thoroughly accomplish their designed purpose.
If desired the gases may be first generated and then compressed into reservoirs
provided with a valved pipe designed to connect with the pipe which passes
through the cap so that by opening said valve the gases will expand and force
themselves into the fixtures, or the gases may be generated by combining or
placing in the reservoir two or more suitable substances which chemically act and
re-act on each to evolve said gases; again if desired a fan or pump or other
suction apparatus may be employed for withdrawing the natural air from the
fixtures.
1

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Harris Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th October 1883.
"
HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London 'AN IMPROVED METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS
FOR, DISINFECTING OR DEODORISING WATER-CLOSETS, SEWERS, AND OTHER LIKE
ARTICLES OR PLACES ""
a communication to me from abroad by Charles F. Pike,
of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Engineer, and Edward Z Collings, of Camden, New
Jersey, both in the United States of America
This Invention relates to an improved method of, and apparatus for,
disinfecting or deodorising water-closets, sewers, and other like articles or places,
by introducing thereinto the fumes or gases of sulphur or other disinfectant.
The said Invention accordingly consists partly in the method of disinfecting
sealed water-closets and other fixtures by fumigating, as will hereinafter be
described; whereby the natural air is expelled from, and the fumigating gases are
admitted to, the said fixtures simultaneously
The deodorizing and disinfecting material may be the fumes of sulphur, coal tar,
containing carbolic acid, chlorine, or other suitable gas which will disinfect and
deodorise the inner walls of the fixture and destroy all fungus growth or disease
germs adhering thereto.
It also partly consists in the novel combination, construction, and arrangement
of parts comprising an apparatus, as hereinafter more particularly described
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a water closet trap and soil pipe, illustrating the
method of applying this invention; and
Figures 2 and 3 are sectional elevations of modified forms of forcing apparatus.
A indicates a water-closet; B its trap; C the soil pipe; and E the trap for the
latter, designed to connect with a sewer or other outlet.
D indicates a furnace, preferably portable, of any suitable or desired construction.
It is represented as having a chamber d and a gas or oil flame or other source of
heat d. From the chamber d leads a pipe F passing through the cap or cover a
which is placed upon the closet bowl to seal or close the opening thereof. The said
pipe F passes down through the trap B and enters the soil pipe, as shewn, and it
is more or less flexible, so that it may accommodate itself to the outline of the
fixture into which it is inserted. It is provided with a stop cock f.
G indicates a pipe secured to the cap a which, if desired, may have a cock g.
The operation is as follows that is to say:-the pipe F being inserted in the
closet or fixture, the cap a is placed in position upon the bowl to cover or seal its
seat or opening, so as to prevent escape of gas therefrom. The cocks fand g are
closed, and sulphur or other suitable ingredients are introduced into the chamber d.
Heat is then applied to the latter to cause the sulphur or other ingredients to
volve fumes or gases which accumulate in the said chamber d. The cocks f and g
re now opened, whereupon the said fumes pass through the pipe F to the
oil-pipe C.
As they emerge from the end f¹ of the former, they ascend through the latter
nd the trap B and enter the closet A, causing the air therein to pass out through
he pipe G, and thereby facilitating the ascent of the fumes to the top of the
loset bowl. As soon as the fumes are given off by the pipe G, its cock g is closed,

page_text: whereupon the incoming fumes from the pipe F gradually fill the soil-pipe C, the
trap E and ramifications of pipes bb leading to wash-stands, baths and the like.
The said fixtures being thus filled with the gaseous disinfectant; their entire inner
surfaces are thereby thoroughly disinfected and deodorized, and all fungus growth
therein is effectually destroyed
If desired the pipe G may connect with an air-pump H as shewn by dotted
lines y in order to more rapidly effect a withdrawal of the air in the closet and its
appurtenances. Also, if desired, an injector may be used for forcing a supply of
disinfectant into the chamber d in addition to that evolved as above described.
Again, instead of introducing the fumes into the soil-pipe as above described they
may be passed thereinto through the trap E, in which case the pipe F will
connect there with and the furnace D be located as shewn by dotted lines a.
"If desired, a holder I may be placed between the furnace and the fixture to be
disinfected as 'shewn in Figure 2, for obtaining the requisite pressure for the
fumes; or an injector 'J, as illustrated in Figure 3, may be used for that purpose.
"
I have shewn and described this invention as being applicable to water-closets
and their fixtures, but it is evident that sewers or other conduits for conveying
fecal matter or sewage may be disinfected as above set forth; but in all cases the
cap or cover a must be used to seal the inlet or inlets of the fixtures disinfected, so
as to confine the fumes or gases and afford them ample opportunity to thoroughly
accomplish their purpose.
If desired, the furnace D may be dispensed with and cans or reservoirs
containing compressed fumes or sulphur or other disinfecting gas under pressure
may be used in lieu thereof. Again, if desired, a blast or pressure of atmospheric
air may be forced into the furnace or the said reservoir containing the compressed
fumes in order to facilitate the passage or injection of the latter to the sewers or
other fixtures. So, too, instead of using sulphur or similar material and vaporizing
the same by heat, a number or mixture of ingredients of any suitable kind which
will chemically act and react to evolve the gas without the aid of heat, as for
instance chloride of lime and vinegar, may be placed in the furnace or reservoir D ;
such fumes being retained until sufficient pressure has been obtained to ensure
their injection into the fixture designed to be fumigated, or they may be injected
thereinto by blasts of air being forced into, and through, the said reservoir, and to
Buch fixtures.
'If desired, the pump Ḥ or suction apparatus for withdrawing the air from the
sewers or other fixture may be located at one end of the same or of the section
thereof to be treated, and the furnace at the opposite end.
"
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim :--
!
First. The method herein described of disinfecting water-closets and other like
places and articles, which method consists in first sealing or closing "the inlet of
the place to be disinfected, then expelling the natural air therefrom and simul
taneously introducing suitable fuines or gases therein, and then closing the vent
through which the air escapes, substantially as set forth.
!
Second, In' apparatus for disinfecting water-closets and similar places or articles,
a furnace or gas-generator, a flexible pipe or conduit, and a cap or cover provided
with an outlet, substantially as shewn and described.
Third. In apparatus for disinfecting water-closets and like places and articles;
the combination of a fume or gas generator, a conveying pipe or conduit, sealing
mechanism for closing the inlet opening of the fixture designed to be treated, and
an outlet opening therefor provided with a cut-off, substantially as shewn and
described.
L The combination of the gas generator D the flexible nine F having the

page_text: valve f, the cap or cover a and the valved pipe G, as, and for the purpose, set
forth.
Fifth. Disinfecting water-closets, sewers, or other articles or places by the method
or apparatus herein shewn and described.
In witness whereof I the said Henry Harris Lake have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Twenty third day of October in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
HENRY H LAKE (L.S.)