IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING SEWERS. CESSPOOLS. DRAINS, AND FOR SIMILAR USEFUL PURPOSES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Theodore Herbert Mitchell, of Waldegrave Park, Straw-
berry Hill, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS FOR VENTILATING SEWERS. CESSPOOLS.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Theodore Herbert Mitchell
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 11th October 1880.
THEODORE HERBERT MITCHELL, of Waldegrave Park, Strawberry Hill, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS
FOR VENTILATING SEWERS, CESSPOOLS, AND DRAINS, AND FOR SIMILAR USEFUL
PURPOSES."
My Invention has for its object the abstraction from sewers, cesspools, drains,
and other places of a like nature, of noxious gases, sewage, and other poisonous
gases, and thereby preventing such gases from getting into houses, streets, and
other public places, where their presence is dangerous to life and injurious to
health.
I effect this object by making suitable pipe connections from the sewers, cesspools,
or drains (herein after for brevity called by the general name of "drain") to the
chimnies of houses and to the ash pits of furnaces in factories, whereby the noxious
gases are drawn from the drains and carried to the chimnies, and from thence pass
harmlessly into the atmosphere.
I connect such pipes by means of a funnel shaped junction next to the drain,
suitably attached thereto, such junctions being either provided for in the formation
of the drain pipes or cut into the drain at suitable intervals. The funnel shaped
junction pieces are inverted, that is to say, the larger end is placed on the top of
the drain, and the smaller end is attached to a suitable pipe or pipes, and continued
underground until at a convenient spot it emerges and is continued into the
chimney or chimnies of houses (and is carried a few feet up such chimnies), by
preference the chimney which is most used, such as the kitchen chimney.
In the case of factories, where steam boiler and other furnaces are employed, I
prefer bringing the mouth of the ventilating pipe to the ash pit, in order that the
noxious gases may be thoroughly consumed by passing through the incandescent
fuel of such furnaces.
At some point convenient for access below the connection of the ventilating pipe
with the chimney or ash pit I place a suitable cock, in order that, if necessary, the
passage of the sewage gas from the drain may be entirely stopped.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Theodore Herbert Mitchell in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
11th April 1881.
THEODORE HERBERT MITCHELL, of Waldegrave Park, Strawberry Hill, in the
County of Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND IN APPARATUS
FOR VENTILATING SEWERS, CESSPOOLS, AND DRAINS, AND FOR SIMILAR USEFUL
PURPOSES."
My Invention has for its object the abstraction from sewers, cesspools, drains,
and other places of a like nature, of noxious gases, sewage, and other poisonous
gases, and thereby preventing such gases from getting into houses, streets, and
other public places where their presence is dangerous to life and injurious to health.
I effect this object by making suitable pipe connections from the sewers, cesspools,
or drains (herein after for brevity called by the general name of "drain ") to the
chimnies of houses and to the ash pits of furnaces in factories, whereby the noxious
gases are drawn from the drain and carried to the chimnies, and from thence pass
harmlessly into the atmosphere.
I connect such pipes by means of a funnel shaped junction next to the drain,
suitably attached thereto, such junctions being either provided for in the formation
of the drain pipes, or cut into the drain at suitable intervals. The funnel-shaped
junction pieces are inverted, that is to say, the larger end is placed on the top of
the drain, and the smaller end is attached to a suitable pipe or pipes, and continued
underground until at a convenient spot it emerges and is continued into the chimney
or chimnies of houses, and is carried a few feet up such chimnies, by preference the
chimney which is most used, such as the kitchen chimney.
In the case of factories, where steam boiler and other furnaces are employed, I
prefer bringing the mouth of the ventilating pipe to the ash pit, in order that the
noxious gases may be thoroughly consumed by passing through the incandescent
fuel of such furnaces.
At some point convenient for access below the connection of the ventilating pipe
with the chimney or ash pit I place a suitable cock, in order that, if necessary, the
passage of the sewage gas from the drain may be entirely stopped.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to describe
more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the
accompanying Drawings, in which similar parts are represented by similar letters
in the several Figures.
Fig. 1 is a plan, and Fig. 2 a sectional elevation shewing the mode of applying
my said Invention to the flue of an ordinary kitchen range in case the drain runs
under the house. a is the sewer, underground; c is the cone which connects the
sewer with the flue by means of the pipe b. A stop valve is placed on the pipe b,
as shewn at d, Fig. 2.
Fig. 3 is a plan, and Fig. 4 a sectional elevation shewing the mode of applying
my said Invention to the flue of a kitchen range, where the drain is outside the
house. The pipes b, b, are carried up the outer wall, which wall they enter at e, e,
as shewn, and pass into the flue. Stop valves d are placed for convenience outside
the house.
Figs. 5, 5ª, and 6, represent a form of valve which will allow the foul air to pass
upwards and prevents a downward draught. The valve is self-acting, for which
purpose the smaller portion f is made much stouter than the larger portion g, in
order that the weight of the two portions may be equalised, and the pressure of the
air may act upon the area g for opening and shutting.
Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation shewing the application of my said Invention for
carrying away foul air from a room into the flue of another room situate above

page_text: the room to be ventilated. An opening is made in the ceiling, as at h, with an
ornamental or other grating, or without, as thought desirable. The conical end of
the ventilating pipe is open to this grating, and the pipe passes up the flue, as
shewn in the Figure; k is the ceiling of the room to be ventilated, and Z is the
floor of the room above.
Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation shewing another application of my said Invention,
in which ordinary street lamp posts are utilised to carry off the foul air from the
sewer; a is the sewer; b, the connecting pipe; and c, the cone; m is the lamp
post.
Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation shewing the application of my said Invention to a
kitchen flue with a concrete floor. In this case the pipe b is carried through the
outer wall at e so as to clear the concrete floor and enter the flue, as shewn.
Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation shewing the application of my said Invention to
the ventilation of a ground or basement floor; the pipe b terminates at its lower
end with a cone, which opens into the space below the flooring boards. The air from
this space is drawn into the flue in the direction of the arrow, and the foul air
is thus prevented from finding an entrance into the room through or between the
floor boards.
Fig. 11 is an enlarged elevation, and Fig, 12, a sectional elevation of a portion of
a drain, or a "length" of drain pipe with the conical addition required for the
application of my said Invention; and Fig. 13 is a sectional elevation "across the
pipe of an already existing drain, shewing the mode of fixing the cone thereto.
In Figs. 11, 12, and 13 there is a metallic grating n suitably fixed, for preventing
rats or other vermin from entering the ventilating pipe.
In steam vessels my said Invention may be applied to the ventilation of the
various parts of the vessel, the ventilating pipe being carried up the funnel or other
flue employed in the vessel, and in the case of sailing vessels the galley flue may be
utilised for the purpose.
Having now described and ascertained the nature and objects of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be carried into operation, I would
have it to be understood that what I claim and desire to be secured to me by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
The improved method of and the general combination and arrangement of
apparatus for ventilating sewers, cesspools, and drains, and for similar useful
purposes, by the means substantially herein before described and shewn on the
Drawings, or any mere modification thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said Theodore Herbert Mitchell, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eleventh day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.