Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1886.
Complete Left, 13th Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 13th May, 1887.

page_text: An Improved Gully for Effectually Excluding Sewer Gas.
I, ROBERT ATKINSON, of 95 Baring Street, South Shields, in the County of Durham,
Iron and Brass-founder do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a certain Improved Gully for effectually excluding sewer
gas and consists in combining with a Gully an air-and-gas-tight chamber separated
from the gully by a partition upon which is hinged a metallic balanced automatic flap
valve, fitted with an India Rubber or preferably a leather closing face and working
on an inclined seating arranged within the air-tight chamber.
This valve is hinged and hung in such a manner that under normal conditions it
remains closed by its own weight, but as soon as a sufficient head of water enters the
gully, the valve is automatically opened & continues to remain open, allowing a free
discharge for the liquid, until the water in the Gully-box has subsided to such a
level that the head or pressure of water therein contained, is insufficient to keep the
valve open. Consequently, the valve shuts and by this action of the Valve, the escape
of gas from the Sewer or Drain is effectually prevented.
According to the usual method of constructing gullies, the parts are so arranged
that there is a water-cushion (usually held in an arrangement known as a goose-
neck") between the external atmosphere & the interior of the sewer. Under certain
conditions, this water-cushion may act effectually for preventing the egress of gases
from the Sewers or Drains but on occasions of drought & especially during hot
weather, it is evident that provided this water-cushion is not kept replenished by rain
or by other sources, the water forming the intercepting medium between the Sewer or
Drain & the external atmosphere, must gradually evaporate. Further, it is evident
that on the evaporation of the water, there is nothing to prevent the direct egress of
gases from the Sewers or Drains into the open streets & atmosphere.
By my invention, I overcome this difficulty, & for the purposes of this description,
I will proceed to illustrate my meaning by reference to the accompanying drawings
Figs. 1. 2 & 3.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the gulley and Trap-Box.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the gully and Trap-Box complete.
Fig. 3 shows an end elevation of the Trap-Box with the central portion removed,
showing a plan of the back of the valve & its. mode of suspension, as well as the
arrangement of seating for the same.
Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout this description.
In Fig. 1 is shown the Gully apparatus & of cast iron or other suitable material,
with a division plate E separating the Gully from the Trap-Box T. The plate E is
furnished with an inclined plane F cast in one piece with the division plate. This
inclined plane is furnished with an orifice or aperturo B in which is fitted a Seating B,
on or against which the valve A rests when shut.

page_text: The valve A of brass or other suitable material provided with an India Rubber or
preferably a leather closing ring R (Fig. 1) is fitted with hinges & is secured by a
bolt H to a suitable projection provided therefor on the division plate or on the
seating. The valve seating B, is secured by bolts to the division plate E & the upper
pair of these bolts b, b, (Fig. 3) projecting through the same are utilised to secure the
comb-like grating C, the bent arms of which are shown in section Fig.
& by
dotted lines in end elevation in Fig. 3 behind the valve & its seating.
The
lower extremities of the legs of the comb-like grating C extend downwards to
within inch or thereabouts of an inclined ledge or projection P on the opposite
side of the division plate to the aforesaid inclined plane F. This inclined ledge may
be made of the section shown in Fig. 1 or it may be varied slightly according to the
requirements of the case.
The top of the Gully G is fitted with an open cover-grate U (Fig. 2) fitting into a
suitable recess u (Fig. 1). This cover-grate can be readily lifted out, free access being
thus given to all parts of the gully.
The top of the Trap-Box T is fitted with a lid d hinged at d₁. This lid is provided
on its lower side with a projecting lump D which is cored or hollowed out as shown
in Fig. 1 to receive a key for opening the lid, free access being thus given to all parts
of the Trap-Box, with its valve, outlet etc.
By the arrangement of projecting lump D & key-way ƒ (Figs. 1 & 2) as above
described & illustrated, the key does not pass through the lid of the Trap-Box, & this
has the effect of preserving the cover air-tight. The key aperture is shown at fin
Figs. 1 & 2. The upper surface of the Trap-Box lid is checkered to prevent sliding or
slipping thereon of people, horses etc.
O is the outlet from the Trap-Box to the Sewer or drain.
The action of the improved gully is as follows: Water or other fluid enters the
Gully through the grating U (Fig. 2) & falls into the compartment G. As soon
as the water rises a little above the level of the line W in compartment G (Fig. 1),
the valve A opens automatically & allows the water to pass through the aperture B B,
of the division plate & valve seating respectively into the Trap-Box T. The water
continuing to enter the gully, the valve remains open and the Trap-box fills till the
water overflows and passes through the outlet pipe O into the sewer or drain. This
action goes on uninterruptedly till the water-supply to the gully ceases. The water
then remaining in G gradually subsides till its weight, head or pressure is insufficient
to maintain the valve A open. The valve A by its own weight then closes, its india
rubber or preferably leather closing face shutting against a brass mitre let into the
seating piece B, as shown in Fig. 1. Both the compartments G &T are now partially
filled with water, and the passage of gas from the sewer or drain into the open
atmosphere is effectually prevented both by the intercepting cushion of water in the
Trap-Box & by the closed valve A. Assuming now that a drought took place, and
that the water in G & T was evaporated, it is still impossible for gas to pass from
the sewer beyond the region of the Trap-box, in spite of the absence of the water-
cushion by evaporation or otherwise, owing to its effectual exclusion from the
atmosphere by the automatic action of the closed valve A.
The comb-like grating C in conjunction with the inclined ledge P is for the purpose
of effectually preventing chips, dirt or rubbish (other than what can pass through
between the legs or teeth of the grate C) from passing through the valve aperture, as
such chips, dirt or rubbish would have a tendency to stick about the valve seating
& thus obstruct the free action of the valve.
Further, matter held in suspension in the water in compartment G, on its passage
to the valve orifice, is interrupted by the ledge P & only very small particles are.
allowed to pass through between the teeth or legs of the grating C.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
& in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :
1. The Improved Gully consisting of the combination with a gully of an Air and
Gas-tight chamber in connection with the sewer or drain & separated from the Gully

page_text: by a division plate with an aperture controlled by a balanced automatic flap-valve &
provided or not with a grating, all arranged substantially as & for the purposes herein-
before set forth, described & illustrated.
2. The combination with a Gully having an air-tight chamber, such as is herein-
before described and illustrated, of the means of rendering the lid-key-ways (of the
said chamber) airtight, substantially as herein before described & illustrated.
3. The arrangement of improved Gully consisting of two separate compartments in
combination with the. automatic valve A, the grating C & the inclined ledge P, all
arranged & disposed substantially as & for the purposes hereinbefore described &
illustrated.
A. CRAWHALL-CHAPMAN,..
2, St. Nicholas' Buildings, Newcastle-on-Tyne,
Agent for Applicant.