An Improved Gauge for Testing the Depth of the Water Seal in Drain Traps, and for like purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 4th July, 1896-Accepted, 22nd Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Gauge for Testing the Depth of the Water Seal in
Drain Traps, and for like purposes.
I, WILLIAM SHOOSMITH, of 15 Ivory Place, Brighton, in the County of
Sussex, Drainage Inspector, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
My invention relates to gauges for ascertaining the depths of liquids in vessels
or receptacles, and is more particularly designed to provide means whereby the
depth of the water seal in interceptor and other traps can be readily gauged or
measured.
It is well known that the improper setting of a trap, even to a comparatively
slight degree, will frequently so reduce the depth of the water seal as to render it
practically useless, any pressure of sewer gas from the other side thereof readily
forcing its way past the said weak seal and escaping in puffs; whilst in cases
where the improper setting of the trap is carried to a considerable extent the seal
is apt to be totally destroyed or absent and the object of the trap is thus
completely nullified.
Hitherto the usual means available by which the sanitary inspector or surveyor
has been enabled to ascertain the depth of the water seal in traps has been to pass
his arm down the latter, which method, besides being uncertain and inaccurate, is
objectionable, especially in the case of fittings which have been in use for any
length of time and have become more or less foul.
The object of my said invention is to provide an improved gauge or instrument
by means of which the depth of the water seal in a trap can be accurately
ascertained without necessitating the operator passing his hand into it.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide an L-shaped metal or
other blade or lath practically similar in form to an ordinary carpenters' or
engineers' square, but having one arm considerably longer than the other. Upon
the upper extremity or free end of the longer arm I secure in any convenient
manner a suitable spirit level, and the lower end thereof is graduated from a point
in line with the upper edge of the short arm or blade and upwards through a
suitable length.
The use of this instrument for determining the depth of the water seal in gully,
grease, closet and other traps will be readily understood. The extremity of the
gauge carrying the short arm is inserted into the trap and such short arm is passed
just beneath the bridge or that portion of the trap dipping down into the body of
water so as to form the seal, the true vertical position of the long arm of the said
gauge being easily secured by means of the level at the upper extremity thereof.
Upon the withdrawal of the instrument the depth of the water seal can be
accurately read off on the graduated portion of the long arm by any suitable means
such, for instance, as noting how far up the latter is wet or discoloured.
For convenience of transport I prefer to provide a suitable joint at or about the
centre of the long arm, so that the instrument can be closed or folded up into a
smaller compass. The said joint is either made stiff, or provided with suitable
means for locking or securing it in position when the long arm or leg is open.
For use in interceptors and various other traps I provide an attachment to the
short leg or arm of the gauge, comprising a short length suitably graduated and

page_text: provided with a central slot through which is passed a clamping or thumb screw
arranged to screw into a hole at or near the free end of the short leg or arm, so
that this sliding graduated length can be adjusted to any desired gradient or angle
in accordance with the various traps or interceptors to be tested. To one end of
the said sliding graduated length is hinged or jointed another length or blade
which admits of an even bearing upon the bridge, or that portion of the trap
dipping down into the body of water so as to form the seal, being taken. The
depth of the water seal will be indicated in a similar manner by the line of moisture
or the like, which in this instance however will be shown upon the graduated
sliding length or blade.
In some instances I construct the entire gauge or some portions thereof of any
suitable material that will very readily exhibit or show the water level thereon.
All or some of the joints in the instrument are preferably formed with
flat-headed thumb screws and clamping nuts or otherwise,. so that, the desired
positions of the parts having been obtained, the joints are rendered rigid..
Dated this 4th day of October 1895.
A. F. SPOONER,
124 Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
An Improved Gauge for Testing the Depth of the Water Seal in
Drain Traps, and for like purposes.
I, WILLIAM SHOOSMITH, of 15 Ivory Place, Brighton, in the County of
Sussex, Drainage Inspector, 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 :-
My invention relates to gauges for ascertaining the depths of liquids in vessels
or receptacles, and is more particularly designed to provide means whereby the
depth of the water seal in interceptor and other traps can be readily gauged
or measured.
It is well known that the improper setting of a trap, even in a comparatively
slight degree, will frequently so reduce the depth of the water seal as to render it
practically useless, any pressure of sewer gas from the other side thereof readily
forcing its way past the said weak seal and escaping in puffs; whilst in cases where
the improper setting of the trap is carried to a cousiderable extent the seal is apt
to be totally destroyed or absent and the object of the trap is thus completely
nulli ed.
Hitherto the usual means available by which the sanitary or drainage inspector
or surveyor has been enabled to ascertain the depth of the water seal in traps has
been to pass his arm down the latter, which method, besides being uncertain
and inaccurate, is objectionable, especially in the case of fittings which have been
in use for any length of time and have become more or less foul.
The object of my said invention is to provide an improved gauge or instrument
by means of which the depth of the water seal in a trap can be accurately,
ascertained without necessitating the operator passing his hand into it.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention can be
conveniently and' advantageously carried into practice.
A is a metal or other blade or lath having at one end a short right angled' arm
or projection A', and at the other a small spirit level B.. The metal or other blade
or lath A is formed in two parts or portion which are connected together at A by
means of a stin joint preferably provided with a clamping or thumb screw or
other means for rigidly securing the parts relatively to each other when desired.
To further facilitate the folding or closing up of the instrument into a smaller

page_text: compass for transport I sometimes form, preferably in the part of the blade A
carrying the spirit level, a slot so that the said parts may be also telescoped
relatively to one another.
The blade A is suitably graduated as shown from a point in line with the upper
edge of the short arm or projection A' and upwards throughout a suitable length
thereof.
The use of this instrument for determining the depth of the water seal in gully,
grease, closet or other traps will be readily understood. The blade A of the
instrument having been first opened out or extended to its full length and firmly
locked or secured in position, the extremity of the gauge blade carrying the short
arm or projection A¹ is inserted into the trap and such short arm is passed just
beneath the bridge or that portion of the trap dipping down into the body of water
so as to form the seal, the true vertical position of the long arm A of the said gauge
being easily secured by means of the level B at the upper extremity thereof.
Upon the withdrawal of the instrument the depth of the water seal can be
accurately read off on the graduated portion of the long arm A by any suitable
means such, for instance, as noting how far up the latter is wet or discoloured.
For use in interceptors and various other traps I provide an attachment to the
short leg or arm A¹ of the blade A of the gauge, comprising a short length or
blade C suitably graduated and provided with a central slot C¹ through which is
passed a clamping or thumb screw A³ arranged to screw into a hole at or near the
free end of the said short leg or arm, so that this sliding graduated length can be
adjusted to any desired gradient or angle in accordance with the various traps or
interceptors to be tested. To one end of the said sliding graduated length C
another length or blade D having a central slot D¹ is similarly connected by a
clamping or thumb screw C. This blade D admits of obtaining an even bearing
upon the bridge, that is to say, that portion of the trap dipping down into the
body of water so as to form the seal. The depth of the water seal will be indicated
in a similar manner by the line of moisture or the like, which in this instance
however will be shown upon the graduated sliding length or blade C.
All or some of the joints in the instrument are formed with flat-headed thumb
screws and clamping nuts as shown, or any convenient means may be employed so
that, the desired positions of the parts having been obtained, the joints can be
rendered rigid during the execution of the test.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
An improved gauge for testing the depth of the water seal in drain traps and
for like purposes constructed substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawing.
y of July 1890.
A. F. SPOONER,
124, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.