IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING VALVES AND TRAPS FOR SEWERS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Tenwick, of Albion Iron Foundry, Clarendon
Street, Landport, Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Iron Moulder,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING VALVES AND TRAPS
FOR SEWERS."
Sealed the 2nd February 1864, and dated the 6th August 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Tenwick at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th August 1863.
I, JOHN TENWICK, of Albion Iron Foundry, Clarendon Street, Landport,
Portsmouth, in the County of Hants, Iron Moulder, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING VALVES AND
TRAPS FOR SEWERS," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to a self-acting floating valve and trap for sewers or
drains, and consists in employing a floating hollow ball or other suitable form.
made of copper, india-rubber, or other suitable material, which serves as a
valve, and is free to act in a receptacle or chamber placed at one side of and
cast along with the trap. Into this chamber the drain water flows through a
grating dividing the trap from the said chamber. Towards the upper part of
that chamber there is a flange with a seating of vulcanized india-rubber or
other suitable material. When there is an upward pressure of water, such as
during a tidal flow, the floating ball is forced against the seating, and the
entry into the trap or sewer of the tidal water is thereby effectually prevented.

page_text: When the tidal water recedes, the ball falls from the seating, leaving the
drain water to flow through and away. The floating valve is thus entirely
self-acting.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by tho said John Tenwick in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
5th February 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
TENWICK, of Albion Iron Foundry, Clarendon Street, Landport, Portsmouth,
in the County of Hants, Iron Moulder, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year of Iler
reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said John Tenwick, Her special licence that I, the said John Ten-
wick, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said John Tenwick, ny executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-ACTING VALVES AND TRAPS FOR SEWERS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Tenwick, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nattire
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the late of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Tenwick, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to a self-acting floating valve and trap for sewers or
drains, and consists in employing a floating hollow ball made of copper, india-
rubber, or other suitable material, which serves as a valve, and is free to act
in a receptacle or chamber placed at one side of and cast along with the trap.

page_text: Into this chamber the drain water flows through a grating dividing the trap
from the said chamber. Towards the upper part of that chamber there is a
flange with a seating of vulcanized india-rubber or other suitable material.
When there is an upward pressure of water, such as during a tidal flow, the
floating ball is forced against the seating, and the entry into the trap or sewer
of the tidal water is thereby effectually prevented. When the tidal water
recedes, the ball falls from the seating, leaving the drain water to flow through
and away. The floating valve is thus entirely self-acting.
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same; and I would observe that
the form of the chamber wherein the buoyant or floating valves are situated,
and the junction pipes or passages which connect such valve chambers with
the outlets which are influenced by tidal action may be greatly varied, but I
have shown in the annexed Drawings the arrangements which I prefer, which
forms, however, may be varied to suit special circumstances, whilst the prin-
ciple of my Invention may be retained, which consists in using a free floating
valve in a valve chamber, in such manner that when the outlet is influenced
by the rising of the tide the floating valve will be moved towards and pressed
against its seat, and thus prevent the inflow of the water into the sewer or

page_text: held up to its seat so as to prevent any water floing from the chamber c to
the outlet g, and during such time the sewage or other water driven back by
the rising of the tide and the tidal water also will be kept back by the valve h.
Figure 3 shows an elevation in section, and Figure 4 a plan of another
modification of my apparatus. In this arrangement c is the chamber or inlet
passage into which sewago or other water is received; g is the valvo chamber
having two outlet pipes connected thereto, but in most cases only one such
outlet pipe will be necessary, in which cases the chamber c would be closed
by a plate at the one end; or the valve chamber c may be made suitable for
having only one outlet pipe fixed thereto. The valvo h is, as in the previous
arrangement, made buoyant, and it is preferred either that a flexible coating
should be applied to the scat f, or that the valve itself should be coated
with vulcanized india or other soft flexible material. The spherical
buoyant valve is prevented moving too near the ends of the outlet pipes by
gratings i, i.
Figure 5 shows the section of another arrangement, in which c is the inlet
passage from a branch sewer or drain; 9 is the valve chamber; i, grating to
retain back the buoyant spherical valve h, which should be coated with
vulcanized india-rubber or other soft clastic material; or the seat f, against
which the valve is pressed when floated up thereto, should be faced with such
soft clastic material.
Figure 6 shows another modification.
Figures 7 and 8 show an arrangement to be applied as a storm outlet, like
parts having the same letters applied.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the in which
the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I make no claim
to any of the parts separately; but what I claim is, the mode herein
described of constructing apparatus acting with buoyant spherical valves, and
suitable for preventing sowage being driven back, and tidal water beyond such
buoyant spherical valves.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Tenwick, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
JOHN TENWICK. (L.s.)