Improvements in Apparatus for Sterilizing Water or other Liquids.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Oct., 1899-Accepted, 2nd Dec., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Sterilizing Water or other Liquids.
I, LOUIS GATHMANN, of No. 2010, Wyoming Avenue, N.W., in the City of
Washington, and District of Columbia, United States of America, Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to apparatus for sterilizing water and has for its object
to provide an apparatus whereby water, in its passage through the mains or
supply pipes of a water system and while under pressure, may be subjected with-
out interruption of the supply to the operation of an electric current of such a
character as to purify the water by destroying all germs, bacilli, or other forms
of animal life. To these ends the invention consists in certain novel features
which I will now proceed to describe and will then particularly point out in the
claims.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an apparatus embodying my invention in
one form, an electrical generator being indicated in connection therewith:
Figure 2 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of Figure 1;
Figure 3 is an elevation of the electrolyzing chamber detached and viewed
from a position at right angles to the view in Figure 1:
Figure 4 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a sectional view, taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 3; and
Figure 6 is a plan view similar to Figure 4, showing the two halves of the
electrolyzing chamber slightly separated.
It is well known that the water supply of most communities whether furnished
by means of pumps or by static pressure, is frequently rendered unfit for use or
dangerous by reason of the presence therein of minute forms of animal life, such
as bacteria, or other disease germs, which cannot be successfully removed by any
practicable system of filtration. I propose to destroy these germs, without effect-
ing the water supply as to its quantity or pressure, by subjecting said water
supply, while in the mains or supply pipes and travelling under pressure therein,
to the action of an electric current such as will destroy all animal life of the
character described therein, at some point or points where this operation will be
effected before the water is withdrawn for consumption.
In the accompanying drawing, in which I have shown an apparatus embody-
ing my invention in one form, 26 indicates an electrolyzing chamber, the longi-
tudinal axis whereof is vertical, the same being provided with an inlet and
outlet, which are preferably arranged at right angles to the vertical axis of the
chamber, the inlet pipe being connected with a supply pipe 24 provided with a
controlling valve 25, while the outlet is connected with a discharge pipe 27, have
a controlling valve 36. The main through which water is supplied and passes
under pressure is indicated at 35, the electrolyzing apparatus being so arranged
as to form a portion of the main, as shown, or of a by-pass connected therewith.
The arrangement of the inlet and outlet of the electrolyzing chamber in the manner
set forth permits me to mount in said chamber electrodes, which are indicated

page_text: at 28 and 29, and which are arranged directly opposed to and extending toward
each other, as clearly shown in Figure 1. These electrodes pass through the
wall of the chamber, which is there provided with suitable stuiting boxes 30 to
prevent leakage. The electrodes are preferably constructed of some metal which
will not readily decompose and which will not be injuriously affected by the salts
of the water, and I find iron to be well adapted for use in the construction of
these electrodes. In order to permit of adjustment of the electrodes as they wear
away or are consumed, they are threaded and pass through correspondingly
threaded insulated nuts 37, nxed in the end walls of the chamber 26. In order
to provide for a continuous supply of the electrodes, they are constructed in a
plurality of sections having each a threaded stem at one end and a correspondingly
threaded socket at the other, so that several sections may be successively screwed
together and fed forward by rotating them. In this way the electrodes are main-
tained with the chamber without necessitating the cutting off of the water supply
so as to give access to the interior of the chamber for renewing the electrodes.
The chamber 26 and its inlet and outlet are preferably formed in two mating
sections, as shown in Figure 6, the sections being provided with flanges 31 at
their meeting edges to receive suitable connecting bolts, and packings being
interposed between said flanges to prevent leakage. The material of this chamber,
or the lining thereof at least, should be of insulating nature. A convenient
method of manufacture is to cast this body in sections of iron or the like and
then provide a coating of enamel for its inside surface, and, preferably, for both
inside and outside surfaces. With this construction, the enamel not only furnishes
the necessary insulation but also serves to protect the metal body of the chamber
against corrosion.
32 indicates an electrical generator, the terminals of which are respectively
connected by wires 33 and 34 to the electrodes 28 and 29.
In operation, water under pressure passes through the vertical chamber 26, in
which it is subjected to the action of an electric current of a character such as
to destroy the germs or minute forms of animal life therein. The germs and
other impurities in the water are better conductors of the current than is the
water itself, and as a consequence of this the former are thoroughly subjected to
the action of the current during the passage of the water from one electrode to
the other and any living organisms are thereby destroyed. The water issues in
a sterilized condition from the electrolyzing chamber and passes into the main
in a condition fit for distribution and use. The vertical arrangement of the
chamber and electrodes insures the subjection of the flow of water to the action
of the electric current, which otherwise might be diverted to the deposits lying
laterally of the path of the current were the chamber and electrodes horizontal,
in which latter case the water would not be properly acted upon.
The insulation of the electrolyzing chamber may be obtained in any suitable
manner and the details of construction may be varied in numerous ways. A
direct current generator may be used, although the foregoing description applies
more particularly to an apparatus intended for use with an alternating current.
A plurality of electrodes, greater in number than two, may also be used. I
therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the precise
details of construction herein before set forth and shown in the accompanying
drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is
1. An apparatus for sterilizing water, comprising a closed sterilizing chamber
connected with the water supply, means for causing water to flow through said
chamber under pressure, and electrodes directly opposed to and extending towards
each other from the exterior to the interior of said sterilizing chamber and adjust-
able from the exterior of said chamber, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. An apparatus for sterilizing water, comprising a closed sterilizing chamber
connected with the water supply means for causing water to flow through said
chamber under pressure, and sectional electrodes directly opposed to and extend-
ing towards each other from the exterior to the interior of said chamber, sub-
stantially as described.
3. An apparatus for sterilizing water, comprising a closed sterilizing chamber,
the walls whereof are composed of insulating material, said chamber being con-
nected at top and bottom with the water supply, means for causing water to flow
through said chamber under pressure, and electrodes directly opposed to and
extending towards each other in said chamber from above and below and adjust-
able from the exterior of said chamber, said electrodes being connected with a
source of electricity, substantially as described.
4. An apparatus for sterilizing water, comprising a vertically arranged closed
sterilizing chamber, the walls whereof are composed of insulating material, said
chamber being connected at top and bottom with the water supply, means for
causing the water to flow through said chamber under pressure, and electrodes
directly opposed to and adjustable from the exterior of said chamber, said elec-
trodes being connected with a source of electricity, substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of October 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.