IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING SEWERS, SOIL PIPES, MIDDENS AND SIMILAR CONSTRUCTIONS AND PLACES "AL SPFICATION
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Silk Wilson and Henry Thomas Johnson both
of the City of Manchester in the County of Lancaster for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING
SEWERS, SOIL PIPES, MIDDENS AND SIMILAR CONSTRUCTIONS AND PLACES
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Silk Wilson and
Henry Thomas Johnson at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the
11th August 1882.
THOMAS SILK WILSON and HENRY THOMAS JOHNSON both of the City of
Manchester in the County of Lancaster, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
AND IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING SEWERS, SOIL PIPES, MIDDENS AND SIMILAR
CONSTRUCTIONS AND PLACES
"
Our Invention has for it's object to effect the withdrawal of deleterious gases
from sewers, soil pipes, cess pools, house middens and other constructions or places
of a like nature in order to lessen or prevent the discharge of such gases into
dwelling houses or throughfares or otherwise to prevent such discharge under
conditions inimical to health.
In the carrying into effect of our Invention we employ artificial draughts created
by burning mixtures of carburretted bydrogen or other combustible gases and air.
The gas burner or burners is or are arranged within a shaft, flue, funnel, chamber
or casing into which the gases from the sewer, soil pipe or other place or part are
admitted other outlets whereby the said gases ordinarily escape being closed
entirely or to such an extent as will prevent the discharge of deleterious gases
excepting through the said flue, funnel, chamber or casing which in some cases is
extended sufficiently to convey the said gases to a level at which they may be
discharged without prejudice to health. In some cases we fix a grating or
perforated plate of metal or fire clay above the gas burner or burners on which
grating we inay place a layer of fire clay lumps, pumice or asbestos or of refractory
substance or composition which we prefer shall be maintained at about a red heat

page_text: the intention being that the deleterious gases or organic matters shall by passing
through the flame or heated substances be rendered innocuous or less prejudicial to
health. In the case of soil pipes we arrange the burner within a pipe, chamber or
casing which is in communication with the soil pipe or with two or more such
pipes or within a suitably formed extension of the soil pipe. Our apparatus may
be arranged within the ordinary man-hole shafts or ventilating chambers of sewers
or within specially constructed chambers formed at intervals along the lines of
sewers the gases after passing through the apparatus being discharged through the
ordinary man-hole gratings or through special or suitable grids or openings. In
the cases of "ash-pits or house middens we apply a foul-air withdrawing
apparatus to each ash pit which is roofed over or enclosed as is usual in some
districts or we connect together two or more ash-pits by means of a line of pipes
or tubes or of a flue or air passage which communicates with an apparatus which
is common to all the ash-pits so connected or we otherwise suitably connect a
number of ash-pits with a chamber, flue, pipe or funnel in which a flame of mixed
gases is maintained in accordance with our Invention.
"
Any suitable form of gas burner may be used. In some cases we propose to use
a ring-shaped burner in others a simple circular burner and in others two or more
burners the jet or jets of carburretted hydrogen or combustible gases inducing a
current or currents of air to mingle with the gas as is usual.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Silk Wilson and Henry Thomas Johnson in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 9th February 1883.
44
THOMAS SILK WILSON and HENRY THOMAS JOHNSON both of the City of
Manchester in the County of Lancaster IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF
AND IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING SEWERS, SOIL PIPES, MIDDENS AND SIMILAR
CONSTRUCTIONS AND. PLACES
"
Our Invention bas for its object to effect the withdrawal of deleterious gases
from sewers, soil pipes, cess pools, house middens and other constructions or places
of a like nature in order to lessen or prevent the discharge of such gases into
dwelling houses or throughfares or otherwise to prevent such discharge under
conditions inimical to health.
In the carrying into effect of our Invention we employ artificial draughts
created by burning mixtures of carburretted hydrogen or other combustible gases
and air. The gas burner or burners is or are arranged within a shaft, flue, funnel,
chamber or casing, into which the gases from the sewer, soil pipe or other place or
part are admitted other outlets whereby the said gases ordinarily escape being
closed entirely or to such an extent as will prevent the discharge of deleterious
gases excepting through the said flue, funnel, chamber or casing which in some

page_text: cases is extended sufficiently to convey the said gases to a level at which they may
be discharged without prejudice to health. We apply a grating or perforated plate
of metal or fire clay above the gas, burner or burners or a part or parts made of
fire clay, pumice, asbestos or of other refractory substance or composition which we
prefer shall be maintained at a red heat the intention being that the deleterious
gases or organic matters shall by passing through the flame or heated substances
be rendered innocuous or less prejudicial to health In the cases of soil pipes we
arrange the burner within a pipe, chamber or casing which is in communication
with the soil pipe or with two or more such pipes or within a suitably formed
extension of the said pipe. Our apparatus may be arranged within the ordinary
manhole shafts or ventilating chambers of sewers or within specially constructed
chambers formed at intervals along the lines of sewers the gases after passing
through the apparatus being discharged through the ordinary manhole gratings
or through special or suitable grids or openings. In the cases of ash pits or
house middens we apply a foul air withdrawing apparatus to each ash pit which
is roofed over or enclosed as is usual in some districts or we connect together two
or more ash pits by means of a line of pipes or tubes or of a flue or air passage
which communicates with an apparatus which is common to all the ash pits so
connected or we otherwise suitably connect a number of asb pits with a chamber
flue, pipe or funnel in which a flame of mixed gases is maintained in accordance
with our Invention.
In order that our Invention may be fully understood we have attached hereunto
a sheet of drawings illustrative of the apparatus we have devised for the carrying
into effect of our Invention. In the said drawings Fig 1 drawn to a scale of about
two inches to the foot represents a front elevation of an apparatus suitable for
application in the manhole chambers of main sewers Fig 2 being a sectional plan
and Fig 3 a vertical section taken at right angles to Fig 1. In the said Figs
a is a cast iron or metal front plate on which are cast or fixed the side plates a
of the combustion chamber B. The apparatus is designed to be fixed in a recess
formed in the man hole chamber the front plate a closing the front of the said
recess as seen at a in Figs 6 and 7 which represent a vertical and a horizontal
section of such a chamber drawn to a smaller scale than the other Figs. The back
wall of the said combustion chamber consists of a plate a². Below the said com-
bustion chamber is fixed a large gas burner c consisting of a rectangular chamber
into which a mixture of gas and air is delivered and issues upwards through a
number of burners. The gas is supplied by a pipe d and the air passes through
a gauze covered mouth into the mixing pipe or chamber c which conveys the
mixture to the chamber. In the burner c is a large opening for the upward
passage of the sewer gases. Above the burner are plates f, g, made of fire clay
and separately represented by Figs 4 and 5. These plates are so formed as that
the products of combustion from the burner and the gases from the sewer are
caused to flow to and fro as indicated by the arrows. The said plates become
highly heated and the upward flowing gases from the sewers come in contact with
these heated plates. The gases flowing upward are deflected by the curved plates
h, h and pass into the side chamber I formed by the plate a and the brick walls
of the recess in the man hole chamber whence the said gases escape upwards
through a ventilating grid j. Stones or other matters which may fall into the
chamber I through the grid j can be removed at intervals through an opening
which is closed by a hinged door a³. Water falling into the said chamber is free
to escape through openings at . In some cases the ventilation of the chamber I
may be aided by an upcast shaft or pipe provided with a cowl or revolving head.
The dotted lines indicate the passage for connection with such an upcast shaft
or pipe. Access to the combustion chamber and burner can be obtained by opening
a second hinged door at. A re-lighting burner m fed with un-mixed gas is provided
to re-light the main burner in case it should become extinguished from any cause.
Fig 8 represents a vertical section and Fig 10 a horizontal section of an apparatus
suitable for application to the air upcast of a soil pipe or for similar uses. In the

page_text: said Figs n is a square chamber in which is fixed a burner c' which is supplied
with gas by means of the pipe and jet air passing upwards through the open
mouth of the pipe e' and mingling with the gas. To prevent the flame from being
extinguished by sudden gusts of wind a light ball o is mounted upon a grating
below the passage leading to the burner. In the combustion chamber above the
burner is mounted a hollow fire clay mass p which is represented in horizontal
section by Fig 9. This mass is formed with passages for the flames and heated
gases and may be varied in form the intention being that it shall become highly
heated. The upper part of the chamber is furnished with a diminishing cap
which is formed with a socket for connection with an escape pipe which may be
led to the top of a building or to a convenient place for the discharge of the air
and gases. To check down draughts a baffle cone s is fixed below the exit opening
and side openings are formed at 8'. The lower end of the chamber is reduced and
made suitable for connection with a pipe which may bring noxious gases from
a drain or from drains or from a cess pool or covered midden. To regulate the
flow of the current and to prevent sudden rushes of air and gases coarse gauze t, t,
is applied below the burner. The arrows indicated the course of the air and noxious
gases.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of our said Invention and
the manner in which we carry the same into practical effect we would have it
to be understood in conclusion that we claim the apparatus substantially as and
for the purpose set forth and indicated hereinbefore and in and by the accom-
panying drawings.
In witness whereof we the said Thomas Silk Wilson and Henry Thomas
Johnson have hereunto set our hands and seals this eighth day of February
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty-three
Signed, Sealed and Delivered
in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON
41 John Dalton St.,
Manchester,
(Agent for the Patentees)
IHUMAD D WILSON
HENRY T. JOHNSON
(L.B.)
(L.S.)