Improved Method of Effecting the Purification of Sewage Effluents and in Appliances employed therewith and therefor.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application,
22nd
Sopt
1808
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug., 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Effecting the Purification of Sewage Effluents
and in Appliances employed therewith and therefor.
I, ROBERT HARRIS REEVES, of Cedardale, Putney Bridge Road, County of
Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to certain means and appliances by which after the
chemical or other treatment of sewage, the effluent can by suitable means be
caused to pass or be spread or to spread itself over a tract of land into suitable
holes already prepared with perforated sides porous pot ware, small land draining
pipes or other for the effluent to percolate or drain away to a lower level, the
earth gravel or substratum forming the means by which perfect filtration is
effected.
The tract of land can be appprtioned off for one or more days supply in order
that the filtration of one section may not interfere with the action of another.
The effluent can be treated chemically to assist the process of purification.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said R. H. Reeves.
Improved Method of Effecting the Purification of Sewage Effluents
and in Appliances employed therewith and therefor.
I, ROBERT HARRIS REEVES, of Cedardale, Putney Bridge Road, County of
Surrey, 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 certain means and appliances by which after the
chemical or other treatment of sewage, the effluent can by suitable means be
caused to pass or be spread or to spread itself over a tract of land into suitable
holes already prepared with perforated sides porous potware, small land draining
pipes or other for the effluent to percolate or drain away to a lower level, the
earth gravel or substratum forming the means by which perfect filtration is
effected.
The tract of land can be apportioned off for one or more days supply in order
that the filtration of one section may not interfere with the action of another.

page_text: The effluent can be treated chemically to assist the process of purification.
My invention will be clearly understood by reference to the annexed drawings.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 respectively represent sections of land of different degrees
of geological formation as examples, in either of which or of any other my inven-
tion can be adopted.
Figure 4 shows an irregular shaped parcel of land partitioned off as plots P, P,
in either of which in succession the effluent water from sewage works W can be
poured by a distributor X for natural filtration in the manner hereinbefore
described.
Referring to Figure 1, a to b represents ordinary earth, to e stiff clay, c to d
gravel.
Figure 2, a to b ordinary earth, 6 to c coarse gravel.
Figure 3, a to ordinary earth, to e sand.
As an example, I first dig holes in the surface of the land in the several plots
and make a kind of basin or shallow well A at several parts of each. These
shallow wells or basins A, I floor and surround with short lengths of piping B
perforated in their lengths, or plain, laid crosswise, superposed, or as desired.
The perforations or looseness of fitting them in position allow for free passage
of water from the land to the flooring C.
From the bottoms of these shallow wells, I bore through the subsoil down to
the desired depth to find gravel or sand, either before I insert potware or earthen-
ware pipes or perforated metal pipes D which could be the boring pipes or after
the withdrawal of the bore tool, the boring or descent being determined by the
depth or thickness of the upper or intermediate earth, clay, or other strata or
stratas of material.
Where the sand or gravel is of great depth from the surface many lengths of
piping may be necessary, the lower one only being perforated for the escape of the
effluent from the pipe for the natural filtration process by the lower or sand strata.
If the gravel or sand be but a short depth below the surface, as at Figures 2
and 3, the lengths of piping may be fewer in number, and where gravel or sand
is found directly beneath the surface the perforated or plain pipes may not only
form the gatherer but the lead off also.
I prefer the top surface of my plots to be of ordinary mould which has a puri-
fying and deodorising action upon the effluent water, so that when draining into
shallow basins, much of the flocculent matter is retained to be oxidized by the
atmosphere when that particular plot is shut off from the flow of the effluent; so
that all or any of the plots may be kept in action for receiving the effluent, or
be put out of action as desired and proportionately to the quantity of effluent to
be treated.
I do not purpose using additional chemicals or purifying agents, with the
effluent or as precipitating agents, because the earth is the best of all deodorizers
and no detrimental reaction is set up, such as by the decomposition of chemicals
when allied with impurities of sewage character, such as are found in the effluents
after sewage treatments. I do not however abstain from the use of chemicals
either as precipitants or as disinfectants, as in certain localities these or one of
them will be necessary.
I have referred to first forming the shallow basins and providing them with
flooring and walls of pipes but such flooring and walls may be of perforated
bricks, tiles, or slabs, or they may be as pans perforated and provided with larger
boles to coincide with the bore pipe or pipes by which the effluent can be led
for natural filtration in the manner above set forth after draining from the land.
Should by any chance any one or more of the bore or lead off pipes become
choked, a pump nozzle can be readily inserted into the top end, and by pressure
from a pump such pipe or pipes can be cleared.
I do not find it necessary to cover the top end of the bore pipes with a
matting as a strainer but such could be used if required.
The settled flocculent matter from the effluent on the land plots is removable as

page_text: sludge and is of value to farmers for crops and for horticultural purposes because
it contains fertilizing properties when mixed with ordinary earth.
I have heretofore confined my invention to treating sewage but the system is
available for treating liquid refuse from breweries and liquid trade refuse
generally.
The purified and filtered water in the lower strata is specially adapted for many
irade uses when pumped up, it being perfectly free from microbes, bacteria, or
odour.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
The hereinbefore described method or means for effecting the purification of
sewage effluents, namely, by plotting land, providing the plots with catch drain
or collecting basins, from which by pipes the effluent in a clarified condition may
pass down to gravel or sand strata for filtration in the manner and by the appli-
ances shown by examples on the annexed drawings.
1000
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Robert Harris Reeves.
H. GARDNER,
Patent Agent, 166, Fleet Street, London,
Agent for the said Robert Harris Reeves.