IMPROVEMENTS IN STENCH TRAPS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joshua Antill, of Wandsworth, in the County of
Surrey, Plasterer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STENCH
TRAPS."
Sealed the 18th September 1868, and dated the 24th March 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joshua Antill at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, ou
the 24th March 1868.
I, JOSHUA ANTILL, of Wandsworth, in the County of Surrey, Plasterer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN STENCH TRAPS," to be as follows :-
According to my improvements in stench traps I place two diaphragms
one above the other in the interior of the trap on opposite sides. These
diaphragms may be of curved or other form, the upper one inclining
downwards to about mid depth of the trap, sufficient space being left
between the side of the latter and the diaphragm for the water to pass,
the lower diaphragm is fixed near the bottom of the trap, and rises
up behind the upper diaphragm so as to form a kind of chamber in
which sufficient water will always remain to prevent the escape of

page_text: effluvia arising from the drains, while a free passage is afforded thereto
behind the lower diaphragm. A grating is placed as usual at top of the
trap, which may be removed for the purpose of cleansing the trap at any
-time, the diaphragms being permanently fixed therein or cast therewith.
"In the Drawing annexed Figure 1 shows a vertical section of my
improved trap.
a is the body of the trap; b, the upper diaphragm, and c the lower
one, serving to retain the water as shown, and prevent any smell rising
from below.
*Figure 2 shows a modified form of diaphragms, which instead of being 1
curved are inclined, or they may be simply inclined planes, as shown in
dotted lines at b, c, Figure 2.
Figure 3 also shows another form which the diaphragms may assume
with a like object as before. d.is the grating.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of tho Letters Patent,
filed by the said Joshua Antill in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th September 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, Joshua
ANTILL, of Wandsworth, in the County of Surrey, Plasterer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for, Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Joshua, Antill, Her special licence
that I, the said Joshua Antill, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Joshua Antill, my exccutors,
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 STENCH TRAPS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Joshua Antill, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in

page_text: writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause tho
same to be filed in the Great Scal Patent Office within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Joshua Antill, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thercon (that
is to say):
According to my improvements in stench traps I place two diaphragms
one above the other in the interior of the trap on opposite sides. These
diaphragms may be of curved or other form, the upper one inclining
downwards to about mid depth of the trap, sufficient space being left
between the side of the latter and the diaphragm for the water to pass.
The lower diaphragm is fixed near the bottom of the trap, and rises up
behind the upper diaphragm so as to form a kind of chamber in which
sufficient water will always remain to prevent the escape of effluoid
arising from the drain, while a free passage for the water is afforded
behind the said lower diaphragm. A grating is provided as usual at top
of the trap, which may be removed for the purpose of cleansing the trap
at any time without any escape of effluoid taking place, the diaphragms
being permanently fixed therein.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawings shows a central vertical
section of one arrangement of stench trap constructed according to my
improvements.
a, a, is the body of the trap, which is made of the usual form and
provided with a grating b at top as shown. In order to prevent the riso
of any effluvid from the drain through the trap I fix two diaphragms c, d,
in its interior; the upper diaphragm c is made of the convex form shown,
and projects downwards to about mid depth of the trap, at one side of
which it is fixed near the top. The lower diaphragm d, which is made
concave, is fixed near the bottom of the trap, and projects upward

page_text: behind the diaphragm c, forming a kind of chamber to contain water,
which always remains in sufficient quantity to effectually prevent the
escape of cflluvia through the trap even when the grating b is removed,
the contrary being the case with ordinary traps. Sufficient space e is in
all cases left between the diaphragm c and the side of the trap a for the
passage of the liquid entering the same, a similar space f being provided
between the diaphragm d and the side for the liquid to pass in a
downward direction.
Figure 2 of the Drawings shows a section of another arrangement of
my improved stench trap, in which the diaphragms instead of being
curved as above described consist of double inclined surfaces c¹, d¹, as
secn, or they may be simple inclines as shown by the dotted lines c, d,
in the same Figure.
3
Figure 8 shows in section another form of diaphragm consisting of
double curved surfaces c³, d³, while Figure 4 shows the improved trap as
applied to a urinal, the parts being arranged as first herein described.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner
of performing the same, I declare that what I claim as my Invention to
be protected by the hiercin-before in part recited Letters Patent is, pro-
viding stench traps with fixed diaphragms made of either of the forms
shown, or any merc modification thereof, as and for the purposes
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joshua Antill, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twenty-third day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-cight.
Witness,
A. M. CLARK,
Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
J. ANTILL
(L.S.)