IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING SEWAGE, AND IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Lovell, of Attleborough, in the Parish of Nuneaton,
Warwickshire, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING SEWAGE,
AND IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING THE SAME."
Sealed the 5th December 1876, and dated the 7th June 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Lovell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th June 1870.
THOMAS LOVELL, of Attleborough, in the Parish of Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING SEWAGE, AND IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
EFFECTING THE SAME."
This Invention consists of a new method of purifying sewage by means of tanks
and runlets, by which the raw sewage is carried for long distances over small
portions of land, by which means and with the addition of settling tanks in dupli-
cate the mud is collected in its passage down, and the liquid sewage is further
purified by means of the runlets in the latter end being planted with succulent
herbage or aquatic plants.
The sewage on leaving the outfall sewer is let into one of a pair of settling tanks
about three or four yards wide, and of any suitable length, from which it is conveyed
by overflowing into a similar but smaller tank, from which it overflows into a series of
shallow parallel trenches, made by digging out the soil to the required depth, having
a fall in them according to the inclination of the ground for the distance of some
quarter of a mile or more, when it flows into another tank, and then into another
series of runlets for another quarter of a mile more, and so on for a distance of
not less than two miles. It is proposed at the end of the runlets to have a shallow
reservoir planted with aquatic plants, from which it will run in a fit state to enter
any watercourse.
It is proposed on this system to deal with the ordinary sewage of towns with a
population 10,000 on 10 acres of land.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Lovell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th December
1876.
THOMAS LOVELL, of Attleborough, in the Parish of Nuneaton, Warwickshire.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN PURIFYING SEWAGE, AND IN THE MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
EFFECTING THE SAME."
This Invention consists of a new method of purifying sewage by means of tanks
and runlets, by which the raw sewage is carried for long distances over small
portions of land, by which means and with the addition of settling tanks in dupli-
cate the mud is collected in its passage down, and the liquid sewage is further
purified by means of the runlets in the latter end being planted with succulent
herbage or equatic plants.
The sewage on leaving the outfall sewer is let into one of a pair of settling tanks
about 3 or 4 yards wide, and of any suitable length, from which it is conveyed by
overflowing into a similar but smaller tank, from which it overflows into a series of
shallow parallel trenches made by digging out the soil to the required depth, having
a fall in them according to the inclination of the ground for a distance of some
mile or more, when it flows into another tank, and then into another series of
runlets for another quarter mile or more, and so on for a distance of not less than
two miles. It is proposed at the end of the runlets to have a shallow reservoir
planted with aquatic plants, from which it will run in a fit state to enter any
watercourse.
It is proposed on this system to deal with the ordinary sewage of towns with a