MENTS IN STENCH AND OTHER TRAPS
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank William Ann at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th March 1880.
FRANK WILLIAM ANN, of Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London.
MENTS IN STENCH AND OTHER TRAPS."
" IMPROVE-
My Invention relates to stench traps and other traps used to prevent the passage
of dangerous or offensive gases or vapours into dwelling houses and other places
from sewers or other localities where they are generated or collect. It has for its
objects improved methods of constructing such traps so that any backflow of gases
or of water through the trap and its inlet pipe is prevented, and the withdrawal of
the water from the trap, and consequent destruction of the water seal, by syphoning
through the outlet pipe is impossible, and the trap is thus always in the proper
condition to intercept the passage of gases, offensive or dangerous, as above
described.
In order to prevent such passage of gases or vapours or the back flow of water
through the inlet pipe a valve has sometimes heretofore been used floating on the
surface of the water contained in the trap so as to be pressed against the
lower open end of a vertical pipe dipping into the trap, but it is found that
such method of arrangement does not prevent the withdrawal of the water in the
trap by syphoning through the discharge pipe, and the consequent destruction of
the water seal, thus giving opportunity for gases to pass up through the inlet
pipe.
In my present Invention I make the trap consist of a vessel of cast iron or other
suitable material, preferably oval or rectangular in plan, and having the inlet pipe
entering at the top near one end. At the other end of the vessel, but near the
bottom, I introduce the outlet pipe, the open end of which passes a short distance
into the vessel, and is then preferably directed slightly downward. The outer end
of this outlet pipe is bent downward, and is curved gradually round and up so as
to form a syphon trap, its end being finally again bent down and connected to the
discharge pipe from the apparatus.

page_text: Within the vessel I introduce a ball or floating valve, preferably spherical in
shape, of india rubber or other suitable material, of such a size that if it is pressed
against the open end of either the inlet or outlet pipe it prevents the passage of air
or water through them.
I make the position of the opening of the outlet pipe such that sufficient water
to float the ball or valve always remains in the bottom of the vessel.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When water is admitted to the trap
through the inlet pipe it fills the vessel and the syphon pipe, and passes over the
upper bend of the latter, the height of which is adjusted so as to be just below the
level of the mouth of the inlet pipe. So long as the water is admitted at moderate
speed the water escapes through the several bends of the syphon pipe, which
which remains full of water, forming a seal. If however syphoning takes place the
water escapes rapidly, and the floating ball descends with it, and is drawn against
the open lower end of the outlet pipe, which it closes, and so prevents the water
seal from being destroyed. If, on the other hand, any back flow of water or
gas commences from the outlet pipo back into the inlet pipe the floating ball is
forced against the open mouth of the inlet pipe, which it closes, and backflow is at
once arrested.
There is always sufficient water left in the bottom of the trap to keep the ball
floating.
The arrangement of apparatus described may be applied to a modified form of
apparatus, in which a vertical chamber or pipe is used dipping into the trap from
above, the upper open end being connected with the inlet pipe, whilst a corro-
sponding opening at the lower end or side opens into the interior of the trap,
flanges or openings being made across the two openings to receive the floating ball
which is introduced into the pipe between them. The discharge pipe is led away
from the upper part of the trap so that the latter itself acts as a syphon pipe.
A suitable opening closed with an air tight plug or cover may be provided for
the purpose of cleaning the interior of the trap or introducing or changing the ball
when necessary.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frank William Ann in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th September 1880.
FRANK WILLIAM ANN, of Holborn Viaduct, in the City of London. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN STENCH AND OTHER TRAPS."
My Invention relates to stench traps and other traps used to prevent the passage
of dangerous or offensive gases or vapours into dwelling houses and other places
from sewers or other localities whero thoy are generated or collect. It has for its
objects improved methods of constructing such traps so that any back flow of gases
or of water through the trap and its inlet pipe is prevented, and the withdrawal
of the water from the trap, and consequent destruction of the water scal, by
syphoning through the outlet pipe is impossible, and the trap is thus always in the
proper condition to intercept the passage of offensive or dangerous gases, as above
described.
In order to prevent such passage of gases or vapours or the back flow of water
through the inlet pipe a valve has sometimes heretofore been used floating on the
surface of the water contained in the trap so as to be pressed against the lower
open end of a vertical pipe dipping into the trap, but it is found that such method of
arrangement does not prevent the withdrawal of the water in the trap by syphoning
through the discharge pipe, and the consequent destruction of the water seal, thus
giving opportunity for gases to pass up through the inlet pipe.
In my present Invention I make the trap consist of a vessel of cast iron or other
suitable material, preferably oval or rectangular in plan, and having the inlet pipe
entering at the top near one end. At the other end of the vessel, but near the
bottom, I introduce the outlet pipe, the open end of which passes a short distance
into the vessel, and is then preferably directed slightly downward. The outer end
of this outlet pipe is bent downward and is curved gradually round and up so as to
form a syphon trap, its end being finally again bent down and connected to the
discharge pipe from the apparatus. Within the vessel I introduce a ball or floating
valve, preferably spherical in shape, of india rubber or other suitable material, of
such a size that if it is pressed against the open end of either the inlet or outlet
pipe it prevents the passage of air or water through them. I make the position of
tho opening of the outlet pipe such that sufficient water to float the ball or valve
always romains in the bottom of the vessel.
In the accompanying Drawing, which is in illustration of my Invention, Figures 1
and 2 show in section the method of arrangement just described. In Figure 1 the
ball valve is shewn pressed against the inlet pipe, and in Figure 2 it is shewn
pressed against the outlet pipe. a is the body of the trap; b is the inlet pipe from
the top of the trap, and c is the outlet pipe, which is preferably arranged in a
position in plan nearer to one end of the trap than b. The open end of c is shewn
turned slightly downward, and its outer end is bent down and curved round and up,
and is finally bent downward and connected at d to a discharge pipe from the
apparatus so as to form a syphon trap, the bottom of the curve at e being arranged
at or near the level of the inlet opening at f. Within the vessel is placed the floating
bally, which is introduced into the trap through an opening, shewn at h, which can
be closed by a cover.
The action of the apparatus is as follows:-When water is admitted to the trap a
through the inlet pipe bit fills the vessel and the syphon pipe, and passes over the
upper bend of the latter at e. So long as the water is admitted at moderate speed
it escapes through the several bends of the syphon pipe, which remains full of water,
forming a seal. If however syphoning takes place the water escapes rapidly, and
the floating ball y descends with it and is drawn against the open lower end of the
outlet pipe c, which it closes, as shewn in Figure 2, and so prevents the water seal

page_text: from being destroyed. If, on the other hand, any back flow of water or gas
cominences from the outlet pipe at d back into the inlet pipo a, the floating ball g
is forced against the open mouth of the inlet pipe b, which it closes, and backflow
is at once arrested.
There is always sufficient water left in the bottom of the trap a to keep the ball g
floating. The arrangement of apparatus described may be applied to a modified
form of apparatus, shewn in section in Figure 3, in which a vertical chamber or
pipe is used dipping into the trap a from above the upper open end, being connected
with the inlet pipe b, whilst a corresponding opening cat the lower end or side
opens into the interior of the trap, flanges or seats being made across the two
openings to receive the floating ball g, which is introduced into the pipe between
them through the opening h, which is shewn closed by a screwed plug . The
discharge pipe e is led away from the upper part of the trap a so that the latter
itself acts as a syphon pipe.
A suitable opening closed with an air tight plug or cover, as shewn at in the
several Figures, may be provided for the purpose of cleaning the interior of the
trap. The cover at h, or a separate opening, may be provided with a glass plate
through which the action of the ball can be seen.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner in which it is to be
performed, I claim, the trap having an inlet opening at the top forming a valve
seat, an outlet at the side, its inner end turned downward and forming a second
valve seat, in combination with a floating valve closing either valve seat as required,
and a syphon discharge pipe connected with the outlet valve seat, all substantially
as described and shewn in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank William Ann, have hereunto set my
-hand and seal, this 25th day of September, in the year of our Lord
1980
FRANK WILLIAM ANN. (L.S.)