IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR INTERCEPTING SEWER GAS IN DRAINS AND SEWERS
Year: 1884

page_text: We STEPHEN SMITH PHILLIPS trading as W. Phillips & Son and HENRY
FREDERICK GREEN both of 10 Baker Street, Portman Square in the county of
Middlesex Sanitary Engineers do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR INTERCEPTING SEWER GAS IN DRAINS AND
SEWERS to be as follows:-
The object of our invention is to provide a trap for application to drains and
sewers by which the sewer gas or noxious vapours in the drain or sewer are
entirely intercepted and prevented from entering the pipes or drains above the trap
and which can with little trouble and expense be fitted to any drain or sewer
while it is very easily cleaned or flushed out. We also so fit this trap that the
drain or sewer below the same can easily be inspected and when required cleared
out.
To carry out this object we form this trap in the shape of an inverted syphon that
is to say a pipe with a dip and this dip is made shorter and smaller than is usual
to allow of its being the more easily and surely flushed out and the inlet of this
syphon is smaller than the outlet. The drain or sewer below this trap is sealed by
this inverted syphon and the gas or vapours therein are intercepted and prevented
from entering the pipes or drains above thereby. To the upper part of the outlet
of the syphon is connected an inspection branch and the outlet and the inspection
branch are then continued forming together one large pipe to the point where this
trap is connected to the drain or sewer. The inspection branch is inclined upwards
from the outlet at such an angle as to prevent the sewage or liquid as it passes
through the syphon splashing up and contaminating the upper part of the branch
and the said branch terminates above the inlet of the syphon or thereabouts where
is is fitted with a tight cap which cap however can be removed when required for
purposes of inspection. The mouth of the trap is raised in its upper part up to
the underside of the end of the inspection branch when we should so prefer. This
has the effect of enlarging the said mouth of the trap and of supporting the end
of the said branch whereby the whole trap is rendered more serviceable and strong.
This trap may be made of any material but we prefer to make it in one piece of
earthenware.

page_text: We STEPHEN SMITH PHILLIPS trading as W. Phillips & Son and HENRY
FREDERICK GREEN both of 10 Baker Street, Portman Square in the county of
Middlesex, Sanitary Engineers do hereby declare the nature of our said invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN TRAPS FOR INTERCEPTING SEWER GAS IN DRAINS AND
SEWERS and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The object of our invention is to provide a trap for application to drains and
sewers by which the sewer gas or noxious vapours in the said drains or sewers are
entirely intercepted and prevented from entering the pipes or drains above the said
trap and which can with a minimum of trouble and expense be fitted to any drains
or sewers while it can very easily be cleaned or flushed out with a comparatively
small quantity of water. We can also so fit and form this trap that the drains or
sewers below the same can easily and quickly be inspected and when required
cleared out.
To carry out these objects we form this our trap of any convenient and suitable
material but preferably of earthenware in one piece and in the shape of an inverted
syphon or that is to say a pipe with a dip and as we have found that considerable
advantage is gained by making this dip with a steep fall and rapid rise the said
dip is made much shorter than is usual and with the aforesaid steep gradients on
both sides and thus this trap is the more easily and surely flushed out and all
matter received at the inlet of the same is the more certainly passed immediately
and quickly into the drain or sewer therefrom, while at the same time this flushing
aforesaid can be effected with a comparatively small quantity of water as is desired.
To the upper part of the outlet from the trap is connected an inspection branch or
pipe through which the drain or sewer below the said trap can casily be inspected
and when required cleared out to which inspection branch or pipe is fitted a cap
which can quickly be removed and when the inspection or clearance aforesaid is
completed as quickly replaced in position to tightly close the said inspection branch
or pipe.
In order to explain fully and clearly this our invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed we refer to the accompanying drawing.
Figures 1 and 2 are vertical longitudinal sections of two forms of this our
improved trap.
The trap is and consists of an inverted syphon or a pipe with a dip A which dip
is made shorter than is usual and with steeper gradients as and for the purpose
aforesaid and the inlet to this trap may be made and formed as may be most
convenient and suitable in cach case. In Figure 1 the inlet B is a collar and in
Figure 2 the inlet B' is an half collar to either or both of which the pipes or drains
or other apparatus above the trap may be attached or connected as may be
desirable. The outlet C of the trap which may be of the same size as or larger
than the inlet B is duly connected to the drain or sewer D in any convenient and
suitable manner and the said drain or sewer D is securely and safely sealed by
this trap and the gas or vapours therein are entirely intercepted and prevented
from entering the pipes or drains or other apparatus above as is required while
at the same time by reason of the steep gradients of this trap a very rapid flush is
produced with a comparatively small quantity of water and thus there is no
probability or even possibility of any matter remaining above or in the said trap.

page_text: For the purpose of allowing the drain or sewer below the trap to be inspected
and when required cleared out without necessitating as is usual the entire removal
of the said trap we connect an inspection branch or pipe E to the upper part of
the outlet C of the said trap which branch or pipe E is inclined upwards from the
outlet C at any convenient angle preferably such as will be sufficient to prevent
the sewage or liquid as it passes through the said trap splashing up overmuch or
contaminating the upper part of the said branch or pipe E and this branch or
pipe E terminates in a convenient position above the inlet B of the trap or there-
abouts where and in which termination is made a suitable seating to receive a
cap F by which cap F the said branch or pipe E can be tightly closed with the
assistance of cement or otherwise in the usual or other convenient manner when
the inspection or clearing that may be required is completed. As is aforesaid the
inspection branch or pipe E can be inclined upwards at such an angle as may be
desired and when the inlet B is a collar as shewn in Figure 1 and the inspection
branch or pipe E is elevated thereabove we preferably connect the said inlet B
and the said branch or pipe E by a web G which greatly strengthens the whole
apparatus but when the inlet B₁ is an half collar as shewn in Figure 2 we
preferably raise the mouth thereof up to the underside of the said branch or pipo E
as shewn at H whereby the said mouth or entrance to the trap is enlarged and
all danger of any choking or obstruction is obviated while at the same time the
said inspection branch or pipe is supported thereby and the whole apparatus is
greatly strengthened.
This our trap as hereinbefore described may be placed in any position in the
drains or sewers that may be desirable or convenient but we have found it very
proper and suitable in houses or dwellings to place the said trap in the wall or clse-
where at the position and place where the pipes or drains of and in the said house
or dwelling meet with and enter the outside sewer.
It is obvious and we would have it clearly understood that we do not limit
ourselves to the exact forms and shapes of our improved trap as shewn in the
drawing for the same may be varied and altered without in any wise departing
from this our invention though at the same time we would state that we consider
the said forms and shapes as so shewn very suitable for our purposes as herein-
before declared.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
1. The trap for intercepting sewer gas in drains and sewers formed and con-
structed and operating substantially as and for the purposes bereinbefore described
and declared and shewn in the accompanying drawing.
2. The combination with the trap of the inspection branch or pipe substantially
as herein before described and set forth.